History of My Life - Part G: 2 - Mix Your Soup and Your Rice – Captains and Generals

2. Everyday during mealtime mother always said to me: "AGLABAYKA NAKKONG TAPNO AGCAPITAN KANO. (Mix your soup and your rice so that you'll become a Captain.) "Captain" at that time was the highest officer in town.

Mother's advice or wish for me was fulfilled in 1950 when I became a Captain, Quartermaster Service Group, Philippine Constabulary in Camp Crame. As a matter of fact I became a Captain 4 times. In 1950 I was promoted from 1st Lieutenant (Reserve) to Captain (Reserve) for being the Adm. O., Supply O., Disbursing O. and C.O. QMSG Company in Camp Crame, Hq., P.C.

Not long thereafter my Captaincy, which was a temporary promotion because I occupied a postion calling for a Captain's rank, I became a permanent Captain in another order when my time came to be promoted based on the Lineal Roster in the Reserve Force.

Then in 1951 I passed the qualifying exam to become a Regular Officer with a rank of qst Liet., P.C. after undergoing the Infantry Course. I was assigned in the field as Chief, Personnel O., FIRST MILITARY AREA, Camp Olivas, Pampanga. The Table of Organization called for a Captain's rank for my position and so I was given a temporary rank of Captain, Regular Army Force in 1951. Later on when my turn to become promoted according to the Lineal Roster of Regular Officers in 1952, orders were issued promoting me from 1st Lt. to Captain, Regular Force.

I doubt if anyone ever got promoted to Captain FOUR TIMES in a row! Maybe I got stuck at a Captain's rank because of my mother's wish. And so when our first son was born, Tony, I told him every time we eat: AGLABAYKA NAKKONG TAPNO AGGENERAL KANTO (Mix your soup and your rice so that you'll become a General.) God willing, Tony's rank will be Commodore or "General" as he is now a Cpt. P.N.

(This wish was fulfilled in 1993 when Tony got promoted. I met President Ramos who pinned Tony's star personally in Malacanan. When I showed him our picture in Vietnam he autographed it. PTL!)

History of My Life - Part G: 1 - Pensionados

Before I totally leave Bangued from the Story of My Life, I would like to share some personal experiences that I can't forget.

1. One of them is my conversation with my brother, Elix, while walking to buy "lomo-lomo" in Pagpartian. I was about seven and he was about five years of age more or less. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up. He also asked me what I wanted to be. We mentioned various professions as: teacher, doctor, priest, lawyer, engineer or officer. We didn't mention our father's profession.

Finally we decided that we will become PENSIONADOS! I guess we were impressed by our neighbor, Mr Gerson, a pensionado. Whenever he passed by our house to get his pension we heard our father saying, "NAIMBAGKA PAY GIEM TA AGAOAWATCA TI PENSIONADO BINOLAN." When we were eating, our father explained that a PENSIONADO gets money without working.

Elix became a "pensionado" but his pension was given to our stepmother as his survivor following his death as a Prisoner of War during World War II. I became a "pensionado" in 1965 after my 30 years of service in the Army. Then I also became a "pensionado" in 1981 when I retired at age 63 from the Social Security System of the U.S.A. I was then a Senior Paralegal of the Bay Area Legal Services. Now I am getting two pensions! Praise the Lord!