My grandfather's wife passed away a week ago today. We had the wake yesterday, the memorial service will be tomorrow at 6 pm at St Paul Catholic Church. Her obituary is here.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Maria Sibayan - Memorial Service 8/31/2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
History of My Life - Part F: Detour to 1970 – Miss Red Feather Part B
TAYUM was our first stop on our motorcade to the northern towns. Mayor Carino also delivered a DANIW for Jojo in the Provincial building during her reception in Bangued, had all the school children and town's people turned out to meet us. We were invited by the Catholic priest to see his new organ and have a sister play it for us. He also showed us a baptismal font made of hard wood around four feet in diameter and several hundred years old. At the balcony of the Catholic School Jojo received the people's acclaim and applause.
LAGANGILANG - had a banquet prepared by the school teachers in the Agricultural School Building. There was lechon, fried chicken, big fishes, all kinds of vegetables and fruits and cakes on the long table. The celebration stared as we boarded with our carsthe bamboo ferry across the Abra River. There I met some relatives and friends, the Lopez family, Nona Idang, Manag Oscor, wife of the Town Treasurer, Manong Pepeng Lopez.
DOLORES - was our next stop. They had floats and brass band ready that brought us to the town plaza. Jojo was asked to sing but she honored their request with a dance on the stage. congressman Barbero's home town showed a lot of progress. The bridge across the Abra River was not yet completed. He said that with the asphalted roads, one can now walk on high heels from Bangued to Dolores. My relatives there are Manang Ancion. Torqueza and his wife, Manang Yayang, my cousin.
SAN JUAN - was our next stop with my former Grade VII teacher, Mayor Balaaro, leading the people, students and everybody at the Plaza to welcome us with speeches and a short program. It was my first time to see San Juan although I sued to hear about it before during the Provincial Fair or town fiesta in Bangued.
PENAROBIA - was our first stop the following day. All the school children and townspeople lined the street to greet us. During their brief program I was asked to deliver a speech. I said that in this town were born many beautiful women whose names were Josefina, like Jojo. They were Josefina Tandingan, our cousin, wife of Col. Pedro Bersola. Josefina Abaoag, my former classmate in the Abra High School and Josefina Padaoil, who passed by our house every time she walked to and from the Catholic School.
BUCAY - was our next stop for the day. There, Mayor Torres, brother of Susana, my former classmate, led the town's welcome. They had a very well prepared program prepared following our town around the town. We were shown the Relics of the old Spanish Gate indicating that Bucay was formerly the Capital of Abra when it was a sub-province of Ilocos Sur. I did not know this before. That is why I thought of writing this story because by now or later, those reading it will find it entertaining and interesting and informative. I also did not know that the Abra River passed close to the town and was the means of transportation to Ilocos Sur then. There I met Peping Navarro, my relative. He gave us lots of sweet "santol".
SAN JOSE - was headed by my close friend Mayor Celedonio Javier. He was Physical Education Director in the PMA when I was a law instructor there in 1957 to 1965. He was our idol in the early thirties when he became the National Champion in "Sanggol". He met us with gong-beating, dancing, and almost naked natives or Igorots at the Abra River crossing. They prepared a very sumptuous banquet in the school house. He showed us his project of building a market place with Abra River stores. The big refrigerators he got from Clark Air Base through my help were used by him as storage for brooms and office files. He was a Mayor without pay because he donated his salary for the improvement of the town. He is a retired Major, AFP, like me.
PILAR and VILLAVICIOSA were our last scheduled visits as per agenda prepared by Fina Valera Aquino who escorted us around the Province. It was here where Don Juan Valera, Fina's father has a large land holding planted mostly with tabacco before the war. Hence, they had a tobacco factory called La Flor de Pita. It was here where we met the mother of Jojo's "yaya", Nena. Manang Ibang was hearing Jojo's name in her radio set and she said she wished to see her. Her wish came true. I've never been here before.
Everywhere we went food was always served. The typical Filipino hospitality was noticeable with lavish display of love, affection, praise and appreciation. Pat and I have been pinching ourselves to be sure that we were not dreaming. We were used by God to unite political enemies, unite all people of Abra. congressman Barbero said: WE ARE A POOR FOURTH CLASS PROVINCE BUT UNITED, WE HAVE BEATEN RICHER CITIES AND PROVINCES!
Jojo was invited by the Abra Valley College. Manong Pitong Borgonia, President, extolled the beauty of Jojo as the awakened Sleeping Beauty pointing at the mountains west of Bangued which have the contour of a sleeping maiden. I didn't realize that before. When I was asked to speak I said: Abra is blessed by God with Talent, Strength, and Beauty. Talent with President Borgonia as the youngest Principal Teacher during his time, strength with Major Javier as the Sanggol Champion in the early thirties, and beauty with Jojo as Miss Red Feather Philippines! They had a short program for us demonstrating a block busting with a sledge hammer on top of the stomach of a strog man. He also had picture taking by a professional photographer.
My alma mater, CSC (Colegio del Sagrado Corazon) now called College of the Sacred Heart Academy also invited us to a program where I was again asked to speak. I said, "I am reminded of the time I studied here and depicted the Life of Father Alonso in our graduation program. Now I am back as the father of our Miss Red Feather. You may also be interested to know that I am also the father of a PMA graduate who is now a ranking officer in the Philippine Navy. I also have a son who is a seminarian in Christ the King Seminary. I thank God for having blessed me and my wife with beautiful, wonderful and good children, seven in all!
The Seminary in Pidigan also became our host. There the seminarians gave us a short program. Later on our son, Ernesto, was assigned to this seminary.
The Jaycees of Bangued was also our host. Jojo delivered her speech which was later on broadcast on the radio. Doctor Paragganan who heard it came to see Jojo personally saying he admired her speech. I was asked how I came to have a beautiful daughter. I said, "When a husband and wife love each other so that the two become as ONE, then God will bless that marriage with beautiful children." Pat was also asked how she became the mother of a beautiful daughter like Jojo. She said, "All that I know is that God gave us our children who are all beautiful and I thank Him for these fruits of a lovely marriage."
We both witnessed for the glory of God! Praise the Lord!
The Jaycees of Vigan also became our last host after our tours in Abra. They met us with fireworks and a brass band at the Quirino Bridge then a motorcade around the town to various scenic and historical spots in Vigan. We saw the pottery factory in Bo Burmay, the Quirino home, the Crisologo Antiques, etc. Then we had a banquet after which we heard speeches by Chavit Singson, President, and others extolling the beauty of Jojo. In my speech I surprised them by revealing that my roots are in Barrio Kapangpangan, Vigan, where my father was born. And so Jojo is also a representative of Ilocos Sur in the beauty contest. Her victory is equally shared by the Vigan Jaycees just as it is shared by the Bangued Jaycees. They all agreed!
History of My Life - Part F: Detour to 1970 – Miss Red Feather Part A
It was there in 1970 when my daughter, Jocelyn, was being honored for winning the beauty contest as Miss Red Feather Philippines as Abra’s representative that I got an accolade from a beautiful daughter of our late neighbor, Ex-Governor Bienvenido Valera, saying: “Magpintas laketdin ta anacyon, Momon Siniong!”
It was the late Tata Benid, her father, who said to me in 1950, upon meeting me in Manila, “Ken abogado ka payen aya? Ania laketdin nga ragsak ni Insiongen no ada a biag itan!” “And so you are now a Captain and a lawyer. How happy would Insiong (my father) be if he were alive now!” That was the best compliment I ever received, especially considering the fact that when I was playing with his daughters as a child he told them not to play with my brother and I. He would drive us away from his yard because we belonged to a poor family, the sons of a slipper-maker while he was the “Presidente” or Mayor. Or maybe it was because we were quite dirty compared to his immaculately clean children who had maids to take care of them.
Ironically, he never knew that my late father wanted me to become a lawyer to recover property from him. Over the years his fence encroached closer and closer to our house posts until eventually a common boundary tree was beyond our reach from the fence. The same was also true of our back fence which was already several yards from a common well and an Acacia tree that, according to my mother, used to be a part of our fence. The owner of the property behind our house was the common-law wife of Tata Benid. I could have easily reclaimed our original boundary because I saw that when my grandfather sold the property to my parents, he was one of the witnesses to the Deed of Sale that contained the lot measurements. Instead of going to court, I just sold that property to avoid trouble with the neighbors.
I was very fortunate to be in Bangued during the opening ceremonies of Victoria Park and hear the speeches of prominent politicians mentioning the Forestry Director, Mr. Viado; Tobacco Director, Mr. Aquino; Don Quintin Paredes and others who contributed to the completion of the project. To me it was a dream come true, but it marked the turning point of the Paredes Political Dynasty for honoring a person instead of dedicating it in honor of the Virgin Mary or St James (Santiago), the Patron Saint of Bangued. From that point on the Barbero Political mill started grinding down the Paredes Political faction.
It was in the house of the late Congressman Carmelo Barbero where my daughter, Jocelyn, was brought to meet the prominent Abranians from Manila, headed by Professor Procopio Boromeo. The house on the side of Casamat Hill overlooks the town of Bangued and commands a good view of the entire community. There, Congressman Barbero asked Jojo to sing, Professor Boromeo, the foremost Pilipino guitarist, tried to accompany her, but could not get the right music because it was a new song entitled “I’ll never fall in love again.” So my daughter, who knew how to play the guitar, took the guitar from Professor Boromeo saying “Siac langen Tata,” and accompanied herself.
I was thinking of Ham Tuazon when Jojo was singing because he was madly in love with a Josephina Abaoag, our classmate. When she married another man, he never fell in love again. Ham was there and he told me that he would help with the candidacy of Jojo as the representative of Abra for Miss Red Feather Philippines. He didn’t know that Jojo’s baptismal name was Josefina.
Pat and I were Congressman Barbero’s honored guests and he placed us closest to him facing all the other guests that included all the prominent Abranians having a reunion in Bangued. We were met by the Treasurer of Abra Province at Tangadan who placed a lei of flowers around Jojo’s neck and escorted her to the High School building where the reunion was being held. From there we were brought to the house of Manong Meling (Carmelo Barbero) at the foot of the Casamata Hill. Pat and I were bursting with pride and joy as we never expected such a thing to happen in our humble lives at all.
The following day we had a picnic with all the famous Abranians in Borobor, the source of the water system of Bangued at the Alzate Park. We swam in the cool swimming pool where I alone used skin diving gear, to the amazement of all the guests, who, I guess, had never seen one before. Jojo was also an eye-opener and a great attraction in her swimsuit, especially in the pool on top of the Casamata Hill. The people of Bangued gathered to see the Miss Abra who was a candidate for Miss Red Feather Philippines. She was highly publicized in the papers and on the radio of Manila and Bangued, where she sang and delivered speeches. Those were glorious days for Pat and I, beyond our wildest dreams, being mentioned as the parents of Jojo, the most famous beauty of Abra Province, who united all political parties, clubs and people. Governor Patroning Seares predicted, “The first and only Jocelyn of Abra will win!” He was right.
When Jojo won the contest, Vice-Governor Aquino offered us the Victoria Park Guest House where the beds and mattresses I gave him were readied for our use as VIP’s. But we preferred to stay with Manang Salome and Dariang and Attorney Balleras who always welcomed us during our visits to Bangued.
One early morning we were awakened by the loud conversation of merchants boarding a bus about the parentage and ancestors of Miss Red Feather. We heard the names of ISIANG, INSIONG, SINIONG and PATRING mentioned. So we concluded that we were the talk of the town! Pat and I were both tickled to death. Everyone claimed that we were their relatives or friends, notwithstanding the fact that Pat and I were practically nobodies and unknown when we left Bangued years ago. When we returned with Miss Red Feather, we were greeted by school children and teachers from Tangadan, Pidigan, Palao and Bangued waving small flags and shouting “Welcome Miss Red Feather!” Then we heard the bells ringing, rockets bursting and sirens blowing as we entered the town. It was a triumphant return to Bangued!
Governor Seares asked everybody to pay respects to Jocelyn the First saying, “Agrobab tayo amin ken Reyna Jocelyn!” I saw the Congressman, the Governor, the Mayors and everybody bowing towards my daughter, Jojo, inside the Provincial Building! That was the highest point of recognition one could get. I guess nobody else ever received such an honor in Bangued ever. Jojo was wearing her crown and scepter as Queen Jocelyn the 1st with her tall trophy from the President of the Philippines.
Similar honors were shown in the towns of Abra where Jojo was presented to the public by their respective mayors.
It was the late Tata Benid, her father, who said to me in 1950, upon meeting me in Manila, “Ken abogado ka payen aya? Ania laketdin nga ragsak ni Insiongen no ada a biag itan!” “And so you are now a Captain and a lawyer. How happy would Insiong (my father) be if he were alive now!” That was the best compliment I ever received, especially considering the fact that when I was playing with his daughters as a child he told them not to play with my brother and I. He would drive us away from his yard because we belonged to a poor family, the sons of a slipper-maker while he was the “Presidente” or Mayor. Or maybe it was because we were quite dirty compared to his immaculately clean children who had maids to take care of them.
Ironically, he never knew that my late father wanted me to become a lawyer to recover property from him. Over the years his fence encroached closer and closer to our house posts until eventually a common boundary tree was beyond our reach from the fence. The same was also true of our back fence which was already several yards from a common well and an Acacia tree that, according to my mother, used to be a part of our fence. The owner of the property behind our house was the common-law wife of Tata Benid. I could have easily reclaimed our original boundary because I saw that when my grandfather sold the property to my parents, he was one of the witnesses to the Deed of Sale that contained the lot measurements. Instead of going to court, I just sold that property to avoid trouble with the neighbors.
I was very fortunate to be in Bangued during the opening ceremonies of Victoria Park and hear the speeches of prominent politicians mentioning the Forestry Director, Mr. Viado; Tobacco Director, Mr. Aquino; Don Quintin Paredes and others who contributed to the completion of the project. To me it was a dream come true, but it marked the turning point of the Paredes Political Dynasty for honoring a person instead of dedicating it in honor of the Virgin Mary or St James (Santiago), the Patron Saint of Bangued. From that point on the Barbero Political mill started grinding down the Paredes Political faction.
It was in the house of the late Congressman Carmelo Barbero where my daughter, Jocelyn, was brought to meet the prominent Abranians from Manila, headed by Professor Procopio Boromeo. The house on the side of Casamat Hill overlooks the town of Bangued and commands a good view of the entire community. There, Congressman Barbero asked Jojo to sing, Professor Boromeo, the foremost Pilipino guitarist, tried to accompany her, but could not get the right music because it was a new song entitled “I’ll never fall in love again.” So my daughter, who knew how to play the guitar, took the guitar from Professor Boromeo saying “Siac langen Tata,” and accompanied herself.
I was thinking of Ham Tuazon when Jojo was singing because he was madly in love with a Josephina Abaoag, our classmate. When she married another man, he never fell in love again. Ham was there and he told me that he would help with the candidacy of Jojo as the representative of Abra for Miss Red Feather Philippines. He didn’t know that Jojo’s baptismal name was Josefina.
Pat and I were Congressman Barbero’s honored guests and he placed us closest to him facing all the other guests that included all the prominent Abranians having a reunion in Bangued. We were met by the Treasurer of Abra Province at Tangadan who placed a lei of flowers around Jojo’s neck and escorted her to the High School building where the reunion was being held. From there we were brought to the house of Manong Meling (Carmelo Barbero) at the foot of the Casamata Hill. Pat and I were bursting with pride and joy as we never expected such a thing to happen in our humble lives at all.
The following day we had a picnic with all the famous Abranians in Borobor, the source of the water system of Bangued at the Alzate Park. We swam in the cool swimming pool where I alone used skin diving gear, to the amazement of all the guests, who, I guess, had never seen one before. Jojo was also an eye-opener and a great attraction in her swimsuit, especially in the pool on top of the Casamata Hill. The people of Bangued gathered to see the Miss Abra who was a candidate for Miss Red Feather Philippines. She was highly publicized in the papers and on the radio of Manila and Bangued, where she sang and delivered speeches. Those were glorious days for Pat and I, beyond our wildest dreams, being mentioned as the parents of Jojo, the most famous beauty of Abra Province, who united all political parties, clubs and people. Governor Patroning Seares predicted, “The first and only Jocelyn of Abra will win!” He was right.
When Jojo won the contest, Vice-Governor Aquino offered us the Victoria Park Guest House where the beds and mattresses I gave him were readied for our use as VIP’s. But we preferred to stay with Manang Salome and Dariang and Attorney Balleras who always welcomed us during our visits to Bangued.
One early morning we were awakened by the loud conversation of merchants boarding a bus about the parentage and ancestors of Miss Red Feather. We heard the names of ISIANG, INSIONG, SINIONG and PATRING mentioned. So we concluded that we were the talk of the town! Pat and I were both tickled to death. Everyone claimed that we were their relatives or friends, notwithstanding the fact that Pat and I were practically nobodies and unknown when we left Bangued years ago. When we returned with Miss Red Feather, we were greeted by school children and teachers from Tangadan, Pidigan, Palao and Bangued waving small flags and shouting “Welcome Miss Red Feather!” Then we heard the bells ringing, rockets bursting and sirens blowing as we entered the town. It was a triumphant return to Bangued!
Governor Seares asked everybody to pay respects to Jocelyn the First saying, “Agrobab tayo amin ken Reyna Jocelyn!” I saw the Congressman, the Governor, the Mayors and everybody bowing towards my daughter, Jojo, inside the Provincial Building! That was the highest point of recognition one could get. I guess nobody else ever received such an honor in Bangued ever. Jojo was wearing her crown and scepter as Queen Jocelyn the 1st with her tall trophy from the President of the Philippines.
Similar honors were shown in the towns of Abra where Jojo was presented to the public by their respective mayors.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Memorial Day - May 29, 1995 - Felix Sibayan
Let me digress from my topic and write something about Memorial Day. I am thinking about my not half-, but full-brother, Felix, who died in the Capas Concentration Camp in May 1942. He was born May 18, 1920. He was single.
When I went to Manila in 1993 to attend my son Tony's promotion to Commodore, I visited Elix's grave in Ft. Bonifacio. On the cross marking his grave was a name Benigno Aquino.
I guess I am the only one thinking of him today, although our step-mother, Anicia Sibayan, second wife of father, is receiving a pension as Elix's beneficiary since 1946 because we were both minors when father married her in 1933, one year after mother's death.
If Elix were alive, he would be 75 years old now. W would not know what career he could have taken, but like me, I know he would now be a PENSIONADO. That was our ambition when we were small kids. We were going together to the slaughterhouse to buy "lomolomo" for breakfast and I asked him what he would like to be. I gave examples as: lawyer, doctor, engineer, teacher, etc. We both agreed to become PENSIONADO. Why?
Because at the end of the month our neighbor Mr. Guesson would pass by and father would tell him: "Naimbag kapay giem ta agawawatika ti cuarta nga saan nga ag tartarbayo." (You are very fortunate my friend because you are receiving money without working.) I asked father why, and he said because he is a "pensionado."
We thought that "pensionado" was a profession! Hence we decided to become a PENSIONADO!
I helped him enter the service as a private before the war in the Ordnance Service. He died as a Corporal, a survivor of the Bataan Death March, as a POW.
We saw each other in Bataan twice, first when he came to my office in the G-2 Section Hq 29 Regular Division (PC) USAFFE near Bauto Pt., across Corregidor. There I gave him food to eat because he was very tired and hungry coming from the front lines.
He promised to come back with a springfield rifle to be our souvenier when we go back to Manila. When he came back with the rifle and it's bayonet, he was quite thin, buty with his spirits because of the news about a "one-mile convoy" headed for the Philippines from America to liberate us.
I fed him again with crackers and condensed milk, which he liked very much. I even gave him some dried carabao's meat and sugar to take back to the front lines. That was our last meeting.
After our surrender in April 9 1942, I met his boss, Col. Hugo Cunanan, near Corregidor Island and I asked for my brother. He said, "They are behind, following us." I delayed my trip to Monvieles trying to look for Elix. Col. Cunanan was with several officers then. He left his men behind. (I found out after the war that they boarded a boat to cross Manila Bay, but they were straffed by Japanese planes.)
I failed to see Elix in the Death March or when we were going down Little Baguio. I could have escaped by riding a banca on Hagonoy River to Bulacan if not for Elix's sake.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Darkest Christmas Night
Instead of Christmas carol, the radio was blaring with martial music, making the war jitters more intense. We hardly slept that night planning what to do after I left for Bataan. I promised Pat that I will go back for her as soon as I find a lodging place and get settled in our new Headquarters, not being aware of the fact that we were headed for the jungles of Bataan where there were no homes but forest trees!
In the city not a single flicker of light was noticed. There was "total blackout" despite the fact that it was Christmas eve. That was the darkest night during Christmas in my life. It also started the Darkest part of Philippine History.
One evening before my departure, I arrived in Kamuning without any light. All the newly built Project homes were alike, like "cats that look alike in the dark."
I entered the house and grouped my way to the bedroom. then I was surprised to hear the voice of my neighbor's wife saying "naimbagman ta immayka." (How nice of you to come) She was Sgt. Juan Aquias's wife that was inside the mosquito net. I was surprised!
Without any word I retreated speedily and then told the story to Pat. That was the first time we started laughing. I found out later that Pat told Manang Isid that it was I who groped into her bed. She was very much relieved after that. She thought it was a ghost or someone else.
Our parting was like a movie drama. With martial music as a background, and Pat sobbing uncontrollably, and not allowing me to leave her; I assured her that I'll be back for her. We parted after intense kisses. My face was wet with tears.
Her mother and sister assured me that they will look after her and that they will pray for me.
As I turned the curb towards the bus stop, I waved back to Pat. That was the last time we saw each other on Dec 25. 1941 until I was released as a sick POW on August 4, 1942 in Manila.
In the city not a single flicker of light was noticed. There was "total blackout" despite the fact that it was Christmas eve. That was the darkest night during Christmas in my life. It also started the Darkest part of Philippine History.
One evening before my departure, I arrived in Kamuning without any light. All the newly built Project homes were alike, like "cats that look alike in the dark."
I entered the house and grouped my way to the bedroom. then I was surprised to hear the voice of my neighbor's wife saying "naimbagman ta immayka." (How nice of you to come) She was Sgt. Juan Aquias's wife that was inside the mosquito net. I was surprised!
Without any word I retreated speedily and then told the story to Pat. That was the first time we started laughing. I found out later that Pat told Manang Isid that it was I who groped into her bed. She was very much relieved after that. She thought it was a ghost or someone else.
Our parting was like a movie drama. With martial music as a background, and Pat sobbing uncontrollably, and not allowing me to leave her; I assured her that I'll be back for her. We parted after intense kisses. My face was wet with tears.
Her mother and sister assured me that they will look after her and that they will pray for me.
As I turned the curb towards the bus stop, I waved back to Pat. That was the last time we saw each other on Dec 25. 1941 until I was released as a sick POW on August 4, 1942 in Manila.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
World War II Broke Out
Pat's mother and her older sister, Aning, with her two children Rudy & Ruth spent their weekend with us from their apartment in Rizal Avenue, Manila.
I left them for my work on Monday morning of December 8, 1941 not knowing that Pearl Harbor had been attacked by the Japs.
Upon arrival in the Army Hq., the news about the surprise Jap attack surprised all of us and so I went to the PX, bought a sack of rice, sugar, salt, and lots of canned foods, took them by bus to Kamining and confirmed the war news to Pat and her family.
While with them the air-raid alarm sounded and planes appeared overhead.
I saw and heard Pat's mother telling her daughters in a shaking, trembling voice not to fear.
There being no air-raid shelter, I started digging a dug-out under our house. It was solid rock and so I had to chip bit by bit until we can squeeze inside because our chalet house was built very low with only four steps on the stairway.
It was getting harder to go home from Manila to Q.C. (Quezon City) as all buses and jeeps were scarce and the few were fully loaded.
Capt. Jose B. Reyes, Sec. Gen. Staff and I were the only two military personnel in the office. It was red alert and nobody could go outside of the Headquarters.
Baguio was bombed, Clark Air Base was bombed, Sangley Point was bombed, and I actually saw a bomb dropped on the front of the walled city but it did not explode.
I could see the U.S. Army anti-aircraft guns in the sunken gardens firing but the shells were exploding way below the Jap planes that were between 18,000 to 20,000 feet overhead.
After bombing Sangley Point, the Jap planes strafed Manila. Machine guns were mounted on top of our Hq. but they were ineffective against the strafing fast-flying Zero Jap planes.
Anticipating the next plane target will be the Hq. Phil. Army, we evacuated to the Far Eastern Univ. Bldg in Espana St, Manila. That was closer to Q.C. and I was able to ride a bus now and then to see Pat at night time.
Then came Christmas, the date that was set for our evacuation to Bataan. Before that date Pat and I went shopping in Manila. People were on a Pre-Christmas shopping spree such that the sidewalks were filled with pedestrians.
Suddenly two unidentified planes dove towards the center of the city where most of the shoppers, including us, were concentrated. Pandemonium broke loose as the people panicked and ran like scared chickens seeking cover elsewhere.
Pat and I walked to the fire station for a ride but all vehicles were loaded to the top and some were clinging on the sides. It was very hard for Pat to squeeze in with her bulging 6-month pregnant stomach, but somehow we made it for the last trip. PTL!
The planes ended up being American planes, but the air-raid siren was sounded by mistake.
I left them for my work on Monday morning of December 8, 1941 not knowing that Pearl Harbor had been attacked by the Japs.
Upon arrival in the Army Hq., the news about the surprise Jap attack surprised all of us and so I went to the PX, bought a sack of rice, sugar, salt, and lots of canned foods, took them by bus to Kamining and confirmed the war news to Pat and her family.
While with them the air-raid alarm sounded and planes appeared overhead.
I saw and heard Pat's mother telling her daughters in a shaking, trembling voice not to fear.
There being no air-raid shelter, I started digging a dug-out under our house. It was solid rock and so I had to chip bit by bit until we can squeeze inside because our chalet house was built very low with only four steps on the stairway.
It was getting harder to go home from Manila to Q.C. (Quezon City) as all buses and jeeps were scarce and the few were fully loaded.
Capt. Jose B. Reyes, Sec. Gen. Staff and I were the only two military personnel in the office. It was red alert and nobody could go outside of the Headquarters.
Baguio was bombed, Clark Air Base was bombed, Sangley Point was bombed, and I actually saw a bomb dropped on the front of the walled city but it did not explode.
I could see the U.S. Army anti-aircraft guns in the sunken gardens firing but the shells were exploding way below the Jap planes that were between 18,000 to 20,000 feet overhead.
After bombing Sangley Point, the Jap planes strafed Manila. Machine guns were mounted on top of our Hq. but they were ineffective against the strafing fast-flying Zero Jap planes.
Anticipating the next plane target will be the Hq. Phil. Army, we evacuated to the Far Eastern Univ. Bldg in Espana St, Manila. That was closer to Q.C. and I was able to ride a bus now and then to see Pat at night time.
Then came Christmas, the date that was set for our evacuation to Bataan. Before that date Pat and I went shopping in Manila. People were on a Pre-Christmas shopping spree such that the sidewalks were filled with pedestrians.
Suddenly two unidentified planes dove towards the center of the city where most of the shoppers, including us, were concentrated. Pandemonium broke loose as the people panicked and ran like scared chickens seeking cover elsewhere.
Pat and I walked to the fire station for a ride but all vehicles were loaded to the top and some were clinging on the sides. It was very hard for Pat to squeeze in with her bulging 6-month pregnant stomach, but somehow we made it for the last trip. PTL!
The planes ended up being American planes, but the air-raid siren was sounded by mistake.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Hello Again
It's been 10 months since I've posted, but life has a way of getting in the way of our most cherished projects. I'm even busier than ever nowadays, but these stories need to get out and no one else is going to do them except me.
So I'm starting again and that picture up there is why. That's my mom and my lolo and my youngest son Tristan. Tristan needs to know about his great-grandfather and reading this blog sometime in the future is probably going to be the only way he'll know him.
Tristan and Branden. This is for you.
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