New Website: josesibayan.com

Last week, I received a completely transcribed version of my grandfather's memoir.  I've been considering starting a separate, stand-alone website for my grandfather and getting the transcript was the "push" that I needed to finally make the change.

This blog will remain, but I will only be making changes to the new website: josesibayan.com, from now on.  I'm planning on copying the memoirs from from this site to the new site, so there will be some duplication between the sites.  Any new excerpts will be on the new site as I edit the new transcript.

We have big plans in mind, I want to publish my grandfather's memoir as a book and my cousin and I are setting in motion production for a movie based on his WWII experiences.  Please be on the lookout for new announcements!

The "ID" Story - March 23, 1993

Jose B. Sibayan's Japanese Issued ID

"For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore." Romans 11:36 (The Book)

This ID saved my life and my family. It is dated September 1943 and bears the signature of Col. Tomas Domaoal who was born in Bangued, Abra. My picture was taken when I was still single before the outbreak of World War II. A seal of Major Sugiyama, a high ranking officer of the Japanese Kem Pie Tai (Military Policy Command), is stamped on the Japanese characters.

Major Sugiyama was the Superintendent of the Constabulary Academies 1, 2 & 3 in Manila during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. His office was in Academy Bldg. No. 1 where I worked as Clerk-Stenographer and at the same time as Chief Clerk of Academies 1 & 2 located in Intramoros. He was my friend.

When Nana Iday, mother of Manang Susing, died in Manila in 1943, transportation from the City to the provinces was very difficult. Major Sugiyama game me a PASS to have the body of my late auntie shipped by train accompanied by Manong Pito, husband of Manang Loling, from Manila to Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.

This ID was issued to me when I became a Civil Service employee of the Constabulary Academy. I started as a janitor in Academy Bldg. No. 3 in Sampaloc, Manila; was promoted as a clerk there and later on transferrred to Intramoros after taking a course in the Government Employees Institute where my grade in Nippongo was 98%. In that Institute I mounted a platform every morning to lead the students in Radio Taiso or Physical Exercise before taking our breakfast after bowing towards the Rising Sun at six in the morning led by our Japanese Instructors.

Inside the Armory of the Academy in Intramoros, Manila, was an underground radio connected with the Headquarters of General MacArthur operated by T/Sgt. Hilarion de los Santos, a friend of mine. Hence, I was a member of the underground guerrilla movement relaying information received from American source. When Gen. MacArthur landed in Leyte, T/Sgt. de los Santos left the Academy with a truckload of rifles from the Armory and joined the guerrillas outside of Manila. Col. Domaoal and the other officers of the Academy were executed by the Japanese. At that time I was already in the province with my family.

Nana Ulli, Pat's mother, developed cancer of the cervix that was found beyond medical remedy in the Philippine General Hospital after the birth of Betty. The doctor's advice was for us to take her to the province where she can have better food as there was a grave shortage of food in the city. She also wanted to be treated by the "herbolarios" there.

To encourage the people of Manila to leave for the provinces, government employees were allowed to transfer as Food Production or Pacification agents with full pay and allowances in the provinces. I applied as a Food Production Agent in the province of Nueva Vizcaya where Nana Ulli had a sister married to a retired Constabulary soldier, Sgt. Major Hilario Bayabos. It took us one week to reach Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya with me and my family consisting of Pat (my wife), Tony, Betty, and Boy (Rudy) riding on top of the driver's cab of a cargo truck. How we made it is another long story. we arrived there on my birthday, May 8, 1944.

When I reported to the Provincial Governor, Demetrio Quirino, for duty as Food Production Campaign Agent, he immediately assigned me as his Secretary after looking at my ID as Clerk-Stenographer. I did not have to go out to the municipalities and barrios to encourage the farmers to raise more vegetables or farm products.

In due time, Nana Ulli heard of a faith-healer in a barrio not very far from Bayombong who required us to buy some chicken and pork as food offerings for the healing rituals. The entire barrio people got invited. The house was full of people. Then the "healer" went into a trance and started dancing and chanting around her patient as we silently watched. All of a sudden we were startled with the appearance of a Japanese soldier with fixed bayonet ordering us out of the house which was surrounded by soldiers in fixed bayonets ready to spear anyone who made any false move. Only Nana Ulli, who could not move, was left.

We were lined up to be executed with soldiers ready to thrust their bayonets in front and at our back. I was carrying Tony and Pat was carrying Betty. Boy was clinging to my leg as I searched my pockets for my ID with my free hand.

I could see women fainting and others falling to the ground with knees buckling down shaking with fear while men can not control wetting their pants with trembling hands and legs. We were around thirty persons, excepting children, to be massacred. One word from the Japanese could have caused our death. He was in front of me with his sword, ready to give the signal, glittering menacingly in his hand. He was a Japanese Captain.

I bowed down before him and said: "Gomen Nasai" (pardon me) as I showed him my ID with a Constabulary badge attached to it. He took it, read it, and handed it back to me saying in Nippongo: "Interpret." Calling each man to him, he asked them his name, occupation, and where he lives. I interpreted his questions and the men answered by making signs about their occupation and pointing at their house down the hill.

He ordered soldiers to inspect and search every house in the barrio. When the soldiers returned empty-handed for guns, he ordered them back to attention and placed his sword in its scabbard while the soldiers unfixed their bayonets from their guns. Bowing to me he said: "Arigato." As I bowed, I said "Sayonara." When the barrio folks regained their composure they profusely gave me their appreciation and thanks by kissing my feet, saying: "Last week the Japs killed all nearby people of Barrio La Torre." I advised them that we should give our praises and thanksgiving to God.

We were suspected as guerrilla collaborators or a part of the hospital people that left the hospitals with the guerrillas several hours before our healing rituals. The Provincial Hospital was just across the hill of Barrio Busilak not far from the town of Bayombong where the Jap soldiers were stationed.

After the death of Nana Ulli, we witnessed with our own eyes the almost everyday execution of innocent men, women and children by the same Jap soldiers. Truckloads of passengers of confiscated vehicles passing Bayombong were killed daily.

The house where we evacuated was just across the fence of the school building converted into a barracks by the Japanese. Back of our house was the dry river bed of the Magat River where shallow graves were dug into which the bayoneted victims were thrown and covered while they were still moving. We watched with terrified eyes the merciless massacre from our kitchen window. It was a terrible daily nightmare!

If not for this "ID" we could have been innocent martyrs like those unfortunate victims of WAR! Praise the Lord.

JSB

Jonjie & Judy's Wedding - 2009

Sibayan Clan Reunion 2007

Cost of Video Transfer/Digitizing Service

I've done some research on getting all the pictures, videos, film, and slides digitized and it will cost at the least $438.95 to get everything done.  I'll keep you posted on how it's going.

Donation Request and PDF of 1990 Memoirs

Hello everyone.  For those of you who are interested, I've created a pdf/ebook of the first set of memoirs that I've transcribed from my grandfather's writings.  I'm looking for donations to cover the cost of digitizing the huge stack of pictures, videos, slides, and audio tapes that I mentioned in the previous post.  I'm in the middle of figuring out what it costs, but I'm assuming that getting the betamax and the slides converted will be expensive.  I'll send a copy of the pdf to anyone who donates anything, from $1 to $100.  Just use the donation button at the top left of the screen.

Thanks all.

Thank You From the Sibayan Clan

We buried my grandfather a week and a half ago and I've been busy getting my regular life back on track.  It was a beautiful ceremony with family and many old friends coming to pay their respects.  My mother, Jocelyn Lontok; my uncle Antonio Sibayan, and myself Christopher Lontok gave the eulogies.

He was buried with full military honors along with a 3-volley salute and the playing of Taps.

I especially want to thank those who took the time to email or message me with their condolences.  Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks for all the support for the blog and for encouraging me to keep my grandfather's memory alive.

Chapter Titles From the 1994-1998 Memoir

A lot of people have expressed an interest in my grandfather's longer 300+ page memoir. Here are the chapter titles, I just need to go about getting them all transcribed. This is where he goes into detail on his days during WWII, the Bataan Death March, Philippine Military Academy, and his time in Vietnam. There's also more detail on his early life. I've transcribed a handful of entries from here, but most of it is still left to go. This memoir goes up to 1970. There is probably more covering his later life, but I have to locate it.

Also, I came across a milk crate of slides, video tapes, film, and audio recordings that he made that I saved after he moved from the house on Wilsky Blvd. I just need to get all that digitized for posterity. Any help on that would be really appreciated!

Chapter	Page
Introduction	1
Story of My Life	5
Our Sleeping Time	7
My Grandfather Gavino Bravo	9
My Grandfather Eleuterio Sibayan (Terio)	11
My Father Florencio Sibayan (Inciong)	12
My Mother Victoriana (Toyang & Idot)	15
Raft Riding Down Abra River	18
Mother’s Misfortune	20
Orphan’s Song	23
Pre School Life	25
Early Primitive Life	26
Early School Experiences	28
The School Teachers	30
Unforgettable School Experiences	35
Big Scar on My Shin	36
Industrial Work	37
My High School Days	39
Second Year H.S.	40
Third Year H.S.	41
Chess With Tata Anton	44
Fourth Year H.S.	47
Balik-Bayan in 1993	49
Dead-End Situation	50
Bangued Memories	51
Ping-Pong	52
Pool	53
Fighting Cocks & Chickens	54
Page	57
Ambition	58
Garden & Plants	59
Nita	60
Mysterious Fire	62
Moro Moro	63
Sarsuela	66
Cine Hawaii	67
Cine Tuazon	68
Piped Water	69
Electricity	70
Radio	71
Road Asphalting	72
Passenger Buses	72
Kite Flying	74
Marbles	75
Gambling	75
A New Hotel Restaurant	77
Manang Conchang	78
Casamata Hill	79
Calaba River Bank	80
Lagangilang	81
Town Fiesta	83
Women of Bangued; Men of Bangued	91
Social Activities	105
Religious Activities	107
Tennis	114
Jojo of Abra	116
Story About How Jojo Became Miss Red Feather ’70	120
The Miracle About Jojo’s Money	127
Rehabilitation of a Policeman	130
Life in Kiangan	140
As a Soldier in Kiangan	143
Manila Here I Come!	147
Transformation to a New Life	148
As a Working Student	152
Birthday in Antipolo	153
As a Student in FEU	155
How Pat & I Fell in Love	156
Life as a Corporal	159
Unusual Incident With Maj. D. D. Eisenhower	161
My Schooling in FEU	162
My Enrollment as Engr. Student	164
My Enrollment as Law Student; My Sacrifices in Life With Pat	168
Life as a Newly Married Couple	171
WWII Broke Out	173
Our Retreat to Bataan	176
A Big Lizard & Guns	177
Memorial Day May 29, 1995	178
A Miracle	181
MOSI Post	181
Bataan Peninsula	183
Thru a Burning Forest	191
Jap Looters	192
Herded Into the Rice Fields	193
Drinking Muddy Water	194
Turnip & Sugar Canes	195
Inside Hot Warehouse	196
The Good & The Bad People	197
Guards Killing P.O.W.s	198
Marching Under the Rain	199
Arrival in San Fernando	200
A P.O.W. Dies by My Side	201
Life in the P.O.W. Camp	202
Search for Elix	203
Chess Set	204
Body & Beauty Contest	204
Death of Winners	205
Camp Entertainment	205
Shaved Heads	206
Lining Up For Food	207
Unusual Food for P.O.W.s	208
The Miracle of the Grass Detail	208
The Miracle of San Antonio	210
Another Miracle of the Grass Detail	211
P.O.W. From Abra in the CC	212
Saved by Sulphatizol	212
Released Sick P.O.W.	213
Back to Manila as Ex-P.O.W.	214
Tony’s First Steps	214
Life in a War Torn City	215
Days of Recuperation	216
Recuperation, Ruth-Ann Sick, as Gardener, as Cochero	216
Job as Janitor	217
Job as Civil Service Clerk	218
Evacuation to Bayombong	219
Life in the Province	220
Pat’s Mother & Her Cancer	221
Lined Up to be Executed	222
U.S. Planes on Rizal Day	224
Sad New Year	224
Town Bombed	225
Evacuation	225
Our Return to Town	226
Japs in Town	227
Rounding Up Men in Town	228
Execution of Travelers	229
Evacuation to Apad	230
Pat & I Built Our Hut	231
I Got Lost at Night	231
Life of Evacuees	232
Manna From Heaven	233
My Close Encounter With Death	234
Air Raid Scare & Exodus From Bo. Apad	235
The Jap Death March	236
Six Months in Apad as Evacuees	237
Japs in Touch With Us	238
Liberation of Bayombong	239
My Liberation Job as Chief, Philippine Civilian Aid Unit	240
Mopping Up Operation in Town	241
Return to Manila	242
Back to the Army	243
Memories of Legarda Elementary School Building	244
Reunion With My Father and His Family	245
Tommy Tagudar , The Mystery Man	246
Our Life in Kamuning, Quezon City	247
Our Life in Pandacan, Manila	248
Our Life in Guipit	249
Bar Review & Bar Exam	250
Priestly Intervention	251
A Good Dream	252
Asian Flu	253
Rain During Review	255
A “Tip” on Political Law	256
Round of Blowouts & Parties	257
My Return Party in Pandacan	258
The Raagas-Bravo Party	259
Short Lived Glory as Captain-Attorney	260
Job as a Fighting Lawyer	261
Operations on Mount Pinatubo Against the Huks	262
Assigned as S-2, First Battalion Combat Team	263
Return to Camp Crame	265
Life in Camp Crame	265
Tony’s Activities in Crame	266
Betty’s Activities in Crame	267
Bing in Pandacan	268
Jojo in Pandacan and Crame	269
Toots in Crame & Pandacan	270
Bobby in Action	271
Jun-Bun	272
Betty’s Stay in Lucena	273
Tony in Baguio H.S.	274
Tony Back to Crame	275
Duties as Constabulary Officer	276
Constabulary Officers Course	277
Constabulary NCO’s Course	278
Military Affairs Branch, Judge Advocate Service, P.C.	279
Civil & Criminal Cases With Mrs. Flor	280
Termination of Defamation Case	281
Prosecution Case in Lucena, Quezon	282
Transfer From Crame to Baguio	283
Life in Baguio	284
Tony Passed the PMA Exam	285
Transfer to Fort McKinley (Now Fort Bonifacio)	286
Action O, SND	287
My Three Years Stay in Camp Murphy, Quezon City (Now Camp Aguinaldo)	288
Christian Science Involvement	289
Return to Baguio	290
Life in Camp Henry T. Allen	291
Mr. Terte, The Faith Healer	292
Miraculous Healing By Mr. Terte	293
Graduation of Tony in PMA	294
Last Assignment in GHQ, AFP & Last Days in the PMA	295
Retirement Back to Manila	296
Job in Vietnam as ECOI Employee	297
Life in Vietnam	298
Hamlet Community Project	299
Vietnamese Refugees	300
Pat With Me in Vietnam	301
US AID Property Officer	302
Jojo as Miss Red Feather Philippines	303
Victory Parades in Abra	304