my cousin Billie

REMEMBERING EVELINA

Sis Aurora and I really liked her when we were still growing up in Asingan during the early '50s..She would come to our house ( or we would go to hers ) play, eat or hang out.

When there was this rag-tag Asingan theater which was established in our backyard ( it was a warehouse converted to a moviehouse ) she would come and watch a movie ( it was free to us the Costes kids since my dad owned the lot and building ). She did not like movies a lot but she  had a lovely soprano voice and she can do a mesmerizing boogie demonstration..

Then she moved out of Asingan, but not from our lives. She would visit us from Manila ( she stayed in Labo st. with an aunt from her dad's side) . Each visit from her was like a holiday because then we would chat and chill out over some coke and biscuits then we would talk about current fads in Manila and movies..She picked up some interest re: movies when she was already in the city,.

One time I visited UP Diliman with a friend, and I met her walking in the campus with her future husband, Mr. Ray Punongbayan. That was the first and last chance I had of seeing Ray in person.

Then I heard she finished her nursing degree and she found a job at the St. Luke's Hospital located in Espania extension..It was the best hospital in Manila at that time.

When the noted actor Jeff Chandler ( an action star in the 50s ) met an accident while shooting the movie MERRIL'S MARAUDERS  in Bamban, Tarlac he was brought to St. Luke's . I think she was already working there.

Remember that hilly terrain in that part of Tarlac? Before that dreadful volcanic eruption, it was one of the prettiest sites to pass by when riding on a bus traveling from Pangasinan to Manila. Some of the exterior scenes of this war movie was done here. I remember Pancho Magalona a good Filipino actor ( the father of a Filipino rapper ) was one of the main stars of this war movie. Ironically, the story in  the movie took place in Burma. Logistics showed that it is easier to shoot the movie in the Philippines rather than in Burma.----#

More photos below..

 

The two photos above were taken in Colorado around 1968 where Ray was taking up his post graduate studies.  My sis was also doing some Medical Lab work in another city of  this beautiful state---#

 

Another Box of Delights for Asingan Readers

Check the book on Martial Arts..

 

2nd layer of books

 

This is a lucky box..it is going home to the Philippines!

 

The more popular titles for YP ( Young People ) reading are movie tie-ins, or TV based names like GOOSEBUMPS..Strictly speaking, these are not classics but they provide an incentive   for young  people to exercise their Reading Skills.

I bought an armful of GOOSEBUMP  titles from Goodwill during one of its half price sales..All were read once or maybe twice then parents who found that the books are just eyesores in the living room would pack 'em up to be dropped into the Donation Center..

 

Then their kids would buy some more books and the cycle restarts again..

 

The PLAYBOY mags are classics..Maybe they sell these in Manila or Dagupan but the prices would be exorbitant.

 

But so far, so good..If we can only crank up time so we could make it run faster ..

 

Possible?..There is a book called THE TIME MACHINE  written by HG Welles told with the premise that it is possible.A copy of the comic book version is inside....

 

 

more photos from Rome

SS on the door steps to St. Peter’s Basilica with St. Peter’s Square in the background.

 

A pose at the roof top of St. Peter’s Basilica with the statues of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles in the background.

 

If there’s a Square that isn’t square, it’s St. Peter’s. From the above photo, St. Peter’s Square looks more like two giant human arms affectionately embracing humanity. Picture taken on Jan. 1, 1978 shortly after the traditional New Year’s Day noon time "Urbi et orbi"papal blessing. "The term Urbi et Orbi (which means "for the city and for the world") signifies that a papal document (or blessing) is addressed not only to the City of Rome but to the entire Catholic world."

 

The above picture shows the bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Michaelangelo wished to have the statue in the Piazza del Campidoglio, and had it transported there from the Lateran.

 

Shown in the picture is the Arch of Septimius Severus on the eastern side of the Capitoline Hill. The Arch celebrates the victories of the Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons in the East.

 

In the picture, people in the distance appears to be reliving the days of a glorious past as they meditate over the Ruins of the Roman Forum. Partly shown at left is the grandiose Arch of Septimius Severus.

 

 

 

AN ARTICLE FROM SS

My first glimpse of

"The Grandeur That Was Rome"

"On desperate seas long wont to roam,
Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face,
Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
To the glory that was Greece
And the grandeur that was Rome."…..

Edgar Allan Poe

It was New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 1978 and a Sunday to boot. In most countries (New Zealand especially), nothing moves on a Sunday: it’s the day for resting man’s temporal body and for purifying his soul. Since it was also the first day of the year, the sluggishness of the Italian humanity at the seaport where we were on that day was almost palpable presumably because they have done so much revelry the night before.

Our Liberian ship, the M/V "Coyoles" was berthed at a Naples pier discharging its cargo of bananas which we loaded in Somalia three weeks ago. With nothing much to do, we formed a group and contracted a coaster van taxi driver whose reflexes were still intact (we had a smooth ride all the way) for not partaking in last night’s wild celebration, to drive us the two-hour distance Naples-Rome and back

Our group consisted of 2/O Nepomuceno, yours truly (SS), Elect. Labit, Fitter Tolentino, Motorman Terry, Motorman Mendoza, Wiper J. Cruz and Messman E. Cruz.

For first time tourists coming to Rome only for a day, they easily get overwhelmed by the many things they want to see. Because of our religious moorings, we opted to see first the seat of our faith: St. Peter’s Square on the west side of the Tiber river.

We arrived St. Peter’s Square at around 10AM and found it almost deserted. On entering St. Peter’s Basilica, we genuflected on nearing the Baldachin on the left side, rode the elevator to get to the roof top, then to the Cupola. From the Cupola, we feasted our eyes on the breathtaking view of St. Peter’s Square, all the way along Via di Conciliazone to the heart of Rome on the other side of the Tiber River.

After spending some time at the Cupola, we retraced our steps, went down to a subterranean cavern beneath the Baldachin where the Popesare being buried and ended our St. Peter’s Square tour just like any visit to a tourist’s spot: making the last stop by the souvenir shop.

The seven hills on which ancient Rome was founded and still stands today are, not necessarily according to their importance: Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline. Capitoline, Palatine, Caelian and Aventine. On a map, the first three fall on a straight northwest-southeast line, the second three on a lower parallel line and the last lying southwest of the second parallel line.

By design, St. Peter’s Square opens its ‘arms’ eastward almost facing squarely Quirinal Hill. (AJ readers belonging to the same age bracket as I do perhaps still remember the movie "Seven Hills of Rome" starred in by the "Great Caruso" Mario Lanza which romanticized the seven earth mounds)

From St. Peter’s Square, we visited next the "most famous and well-known monument of Roman antiquity" --- the Roman Colosseum. Construction of this enormous Flavian Amphitheatre was begun in 72 A.D. on a valley hemmed in by the Palatine, Caelian and Esquiline Hills. Standing close to the Roman Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine in honor of the Roman Emperor who legalized Christianity. After the Colosseum, we proceeded to the Capitoline Hill, climbed up to the Campidoglio and took a peep at the Ruins of the Roman Forum on the eastern side.

Soon it was beginning to dark and we were about to head back to Naples when someone from our group reminded we missed seeing one important site --- the Fountain of Trevi, or more popularly known as "The Wishing Well". (Again, co-‘age bracketeers’ may still recall the 1950s movie Three Coins in the Fountain and the Frank Sinatra song with the same title. Accordingly, "this fountain was usually deserted before the movie made it famous.")

At mid-evening, we were back to our "floating cell" (ship) comparing notes on what our Rome visit has done to our minds and spirits. For me, I was drawn into a continuum that joins man’s three epochs of his life: the classical past, the free-wheeling present and the disturbing afterlife. Why disturbing? Nobody ever gets sure if he has complied with all the commandments while on earth in order to assure himself of a slot in heaven when he dies. If by chance he does enter heaven, that’s an even greater ‘grandeur’ than that which Poe has spoken of.

 (At the Cupola)

A group picture taken at the Cupola. This place could be reached only by scaling 330 steps from the Basilica’s roof top. Two one-way passages spiral at opposite sides of the dome --- one for going up and another for going down. These passages converge at the Cupola where, near the point of convergence, one has to walk slantingly close to the walls to be able to advance.

 

(Interior of the Roman Colosseum)

The interior of the Roman Coliseum as it looks in this Jan. 1, 1978 picture. On the extreme right center could be seen a cross put there to serve as a reminder that, according to tradition, the blood of early Christians was spilt in its arena.

 

 (The Roman Coliseum as background)

A group picture with the Flavian Amphitheatre, popularly known as the Roman Colosseum, in the background.

MORE PHOTOS TO COME....

***************************************

 

Mystic, on stage LIVE!

Mystic, LIVE ON STAGE

In a Concert at the Santa Clara Convention Center,  Mystic was singing I'm Alive by Celine Dion.. accompanied by a band..Anthony Castelo, a noted male vocalist from Manila was also a guest in this concert. One of Anthony Castello's well known song is BATO SA BUHANGIN..

 

PHOTO taken  during the  California  State Fair..Mystic was singing Nessun Dorma written by Giacommo Puccini accompanied by a piano...

 

Mystic doing a number during a Philippine  Independence Day celebration.The photo was taken in San Francisco, California...

 

********************************

Mystic is presently a singer of the  Capitol Opera-Davis/Sacramento..Recently, she performed  with the Capitol Opera rendering 3 arias from different operatic plays..1).Habanera from Carmen,2).O zittre Nichte and 3). Queen of the night from the Magic Flute by Mozart.

For a girl of her age, she certainly went a long way ahead in the musical field. She is only 15 and she started her music lessons when she was 7.

Meet Jojo, Rowena and Marcie

Rowena with Marcie. I believe they were classmates before at the Rizal Academy

 

Jojo and Rowena Delmendo

 

Spongebob squarepants, Jojo, Oweng ( Rowena ) and Marcie. The family pet looks on.

 

Hi Manong Vic,

..Been busy lately, visitors come and go then one day, we visited Jojo and Oweng.   We were with them for a couple of hours.  I told him about you as his ninong he couldn't believe it because his parents never told him.  He called his Mom while we were there and she confirmed it.  His mother is Gloria Delmendo De Leon. 

Marcie

*****

Marcie added some photos about the books/magazines she is about to send..

Speaking of the box,  it's almost full with our collections.  I took some pictures before I put them in.

I put 2 board games that were never open. They were  gifts from my in-laws to my children that they already have.  Sorry they won't give up their Harry Potter's books.  Maybe I can find those books in our library fall sale.  The library is just around the corner of our house.

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Marcie. I am sure many of our townmates abroad would do the same now that there is a building, shelves and some  volunteers ready to help out in this unique literacy project for the Asinganian youth!

 

 

GOING HOME FOR A COSMETIC SURGERY?

COSMETIC SURGERY IN MAKATI

A friend of mine,  Dra. Patricia Lorna Cruz is affiliated with a newly-opened surgery center in Makati, Phils. They integrate holiday vacation and hotel accommodation in their surgery packages.

Please visit the link http://www.beverlyhills.ph/welcome/ and be sure to click on Our Medical Staff and check out Patricia Lorna Cruz.

THANK YOU!

VIC

Death and its

Journey to Life.....

 

 

When death is spoken everyone thinks of the physicality of it.  But no one seems to be aware that there are deaths that surround us everywhere.  There is a death of feelings and affection I think the worst of all deaths because it buries your very soul whilst feeling not the physical pain. Yesterday when I went to pick up my car at the garage I was greeted by a shock from one of the attendants. Paulo my favourite car attendant had died from heart attack just hours ago. I have parked my car there for years and the attendants have been exemplary helpful and cordial to me.  I have learnt to include them like they are part of my everyday existence.  At times when I wait for my car I exchange short conversation with Paulo a gentleman from  Colombia of his mid fifties. Though Paulo barely spoke English he was the one who always managed to get a smile out of me.  He told me once that his struggle in this country has finally paid off because his daughter has finally graduated from medical school.  Paulo was the symbol of hope and perseverance for me.  He was there hours end and even at the worst weather condition he was working yet not a sign of unhappiness could be seen from his face.  Each moment that I was feeling badly aboutmyself I thought of Paulo.  Who came here illegally and managed to work odd jobs to put his children to school.  Paulo told me he had four children and each one of them was in college.  There were so many things that I admired from this man, one most impeccable one was his love for his wife whom he brought flowers to everyday from the grocery store.  In the rarity that I had spent time talking to him he expressed how much love he had for his family.  He told me that he loved his wife of 34 years so much because she was the one who gave him the happiness of having his children.  I could not help but to write something about a man so simple yet left so many pertinent things for me to ponder. 

 

Now as I look back to those moments I spent talking to Paulo I could not help but to mirror my life from his.  However, the reflection I see from the mirror I face has so much complexity that even an oblivious eye could see.  I have lived a life always searching for happiness and love.  I have this unquenchable thirst for affection but the more I set my quest for it the more it disappoints me.  I have always abided by my rules and beliefs about life, in that there is not a moment where you hold back anything for anyone because you shall never know when the time does not come for you to exude those feelings anymore.  My love that I give to those people I love the most around me has always been generously expressed.  There was not a moment where I have thought of myself first and regarded my needs and wants to be more important.  Though what I do give is rarely reciprocated in the same manner, I am not resentful nor have I thought of changing my ways ever. Like Paulo did, he lived his life according to how he wanted it.  I do live my life the way it satisfies me no matter how much hurt and aches I may encounter along the way.

 

Now I question myself what do I really seek in life? Must I continue to punish myself and live under this constant pain just to please others? Would it be selfish of me if now I halt every inch of my generous love and lead a life of emptiness because others did not fulfill me? My resilience has always worked wonders in the way I live because no matter how much pain I have endured the disappointments never once bury my will and persistence to go further in life. Yet I now question these very “persistence” that it might have contributed to my failure to gain affection and love from the people I have yearnt so much to be showered by such. Maybe the person that I am is only seen by me and invisible to others.  I have always thought that I am a good person since I have tried so much to be one yet this goodness is not seen by those who matter to me most.  The saying goes no man is an island, now I wonder if there is any truth to this saying at all.  Maybe my happiness lies upon being alone and apart from everyone but myself and nature.  My exhaustion from this constant agony is slowly taking my will and motivation I do wonder if there is more energy for me to exert to go on.  My life as I live it is nothing but a borrowed time from people whose stay in my life has never had any permanence.  I have become just a seasonal fixture to few who found me interesting at the time.  At times I feel like floating debris out in the river just flowing freely towards the stream until someone finds me useful.  Until then my journey in this world shall continue until that time comes for me to retreat to how I had began my travel in this world. --Deedee

unread comments..which are worth reading..

COMMENTS ON MAPUA REVISITED

Some articles in the AJ get comments. And when it does, I am supposed to get an AOL Alert, but lately some of the comments do not register in my mail box..until today.

Today, I got an AOL Alert from SS, the original author of the MIT write up, and clicking the link I found a heart rending story which I want to share with AJ readers..The story is written by a good friend of mine ( she writes me quite often )  and it brings memories to College days in the Philippines..Here is the that comment...

********************************

It`s funny how I come to know and see in picture for the first time MIT - Mapua Institute of Technology. That very prestigious engineering school where my elder brother came from.  Where my dear old poor parents especially my mother sacrificed everything, every single penny to send my brother to that school with the hope that one day, he will become a successful engineer and and would help the family lead a better life and help younger siblings go to school.  Yes, sacrificed everything that only one among 6 siblings was able to go to college with the full support of the family and others are even obliged to stop their studies to give way to one of their sons.  My brother made it in 1974. passed the board exam as a Mechanical Engineer, found a job and we immediately discovered he got a son. And that`s how I witnessed the hopes and dreams of my parents melted away.

My brother enjoyed and practiced his profession in different parts of the world.  He made a lot of money, however, he never made himself rich.  He ended up with a broken home, gravely ill, bitter and got a miserable life.

The other siblings who did not wait for anyone`s help came out to be a lot better off  than him.  
More generous and most importantly, a lot happier in life.

#1 Comment from larigolotte2412 - 15/05/07 6:57 AM

**************

Reply to langolotte2412 comment:
I just read your comment now since I have published this article in Mr. Vic's Journal.

Since I'm a member of MIT EE'73 and your brother MIT ME'74, surely I've been bumping into him, or him into me, most of the time during our stay at the Intramuros campus. I'm happy to know that I'm a co-alumnus of your brother but I'm sort of shocked to learn he "ended up with a broken home, gravely ill, bitter and got a miserable life."

What happened to one of my close friends at MIT was even worse than your brother. He founded an electrical company with five others in Manila, made themselves prosperous, went to Saudi Arabia to start expansion projects, only to come home a few months later to find out his wife was 'playing fire' eventually separating with her, and took to court his partners who have appropriated to themselves their company's assets.

In no time, he picked himself up, got a job in Kuwait, become a member of the Filipino Society of Electrical Engineers there and was making good until Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. That was the last time I heard. From last news account I read years ago, there are still 2,000 Filipinos unaccounted for in Kuwait as a result of Saddam Hussein's invasion.

Today, I have no information of my MIT friend is still living, and if he does, what's his present lot.
ss6643
#2 Comment from ss6643 - 10/08/07 12:38 PM

books for our Asingan youth

The project so far....

I received some e-mails from a very kind lady from Asingan who is doing a good job and inspiring others and helping our Asingan youth..I am not using her name to protect her privacy and also to show readers that we are doing it not for self glory, but for our sincere love to the town youth. They do not have the facilities and materials which the youth here have in North America, and which sometimes, they  take for granted.....

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Hi Mng. Vic,

 

I've sent the check yesterday.  Thanks for everything.

 

I can send the materials to you but it would be cheaper to send to them directly since they have Balikbayan boxes here.  The prices varies from $65-small, $75.00-medium and $85.00 for large.  It will take 6-10 weeks.  I have lots of children books and magazine already not gossip one,  I will send some pictures if you like.  I can fill the large box in two months.  I will pay for the balikbayan box.  I will check with my friend at the Phil ASEAN store because sometime they have a special that if you send 2 boxes the 3rd one will be free.

 

Please let me know.  I need address.

 

Cheers,

MMMMMMMMM

 

Hi !

 

I am sending you the addresse who is no other than Stauro himself...Sending them thru the box is a good idea, hope you will find some other books to send, depending on the size of the box you are using..

 

Thank you again,  for your concern in uplifting the reading skills of our Asingan youth..They really need these books to keep them away from bad company or excessive video games..

 

Stauro let us make a copy of a letter to be sent to as many Asinganians as possible all over the world..Sometimes actual copies ( rather than e-mails)  are very effective in solicitng help from the well to do citizens of the town..Then we could just enclose a link in the letter where they can see photos of the building ..I will also post in the AJ a photo of the books so they will know that the reading materials really exist and all we have to do is to send them over....

 

Thanks again guys, hopefully I could visit Asingan ASAP so we can get more photo coverage and we will be able to further our cause..

 

I hope we could also get a volunteer to act as a librarian until such time there would be enough funds to be able to hire somebody who would take care of the precious books..We do not like them to be lost, stolen, etc as soon as they are already in the shelves..

 

Yes, we need shelves too!

 

Thanks again,

 

VIC

 

*********************************

 

 

Hi uncle vic, im overwhelmd at the response of evry1 abt the projects  4 the library i intend it to be accesible to evry1 in the comunity so that we maximize our resources,i wil make a leter 2 evry1 re the book proj and we cud get inputs fr evry1,i think that danggay is a very ideal venue since its secure and spacious. will take some pictures and post it sa yahoogroups and send you copies. thank u god bless!

 

the address is #273 P.Ramos St., Poblacion West, Asingan, Pangasinan

zip 2349

Stauro Tendero Punongbayan 

****************************************

 

a library

books for asingan youth 

 

I 'm overwhelmed at the response of everyone re: the projects  for the library. I intend it to be accesible to evryone  in the comunity so that we maximize our resources. I will make a letter to everyone  re: the book project and we could get inputs from  everyone.

 

I think that danggay is a very ideal venue since it's secure and spacious. I will take some pictures and post it in the yahoogroups and send you copies. 

 

Thank u, God bless!

 

Stauro Tendero Punongbayan

 

*************

 

Manong Vic,

 

I'm with you about the books/library.  I will send $100.00 as a contribution toward shipping.  My only concern is for the children.  I would like that all children/adults from Asingan will have access to it, not just the surrounding barrios. 

 

I will send some books as well.  I've been volunteering at this place "Homeless Prevention" and we get a lot of donations and sometimes we threw them away because no place to put them.  I would be happy to take those books and save it then send. 

 

Please let me know.

 

Cheers,

 

a very close friend

 

**************

Buddy Vic,

 

I am honored to participate in any movement to structure the lives of the  youth of Asingan.  In any humble way I can, Im here to lend a hand.  (Tell me more about this, buddy )

 

****************

Reading is very important..We could teach children how to read, but if there are no books to read, what is the use?

 

Reading helped me a lot, no doubt about that.I was a frequent visitor of the old Asingan Public Library managed by Miss Pelagia Delmendo. This was in the 50's..That library is the pride of the town then.  It was spacious, well ventilated..books lined up neatly on the shelves and there are very beautiful chairs and reading tables in the middle of the floor.

 

Here I borrowed and read so many volumes of different subjects, but my favorite ones were the classics. There were a few there, donated by generous Asinganians abroad at that time. I was able to enjoy OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens, TWENTY YEARS AFTER by Alexander Dumas,  such ponderous volumes but the images one would get while reading the pages filled with stories related by the Master Wordsmiths..Many times I would be oblivious to the calls of supper from my Mom because I want to know what will happen to the characters in those classical novels..

 

The young people who learn and love how to read will go very far, if not physically at least in his mental horizons and the way he talks and deals with his fellow beings...

 

Now I am in the other end here abroad with volumes of  VERY GOOD BOOKS which I collected from second hand stores, garage sales and the GOODWILL stores which sell nothing but donated goods.

 

It is such a waste that books here in North America  are recycled back into pulp because THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM and there is not enough shelves in public libraries to accomodate them all. What with the new volumes that are printed regularly by the publishing houses!

 

But shipping these books also cost money. But if these books reach Asingan and into the hands and minds of our youth, then we would be helping them more in figuring out their own lives which is just ahead of them..

 

I am happy I received and will receive some support from my  friends, many of whom I met in the Internet..

 

Thank you again..God bless us all!!!

 

vic costes

 

************

 

 

 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ASINGAN

part 3

As early as 1950, there already existed a mini "mall" in Asingan. It was found in what we called during those days as the PARADAAN.

Paradaan, translated means a place to park. Pantranco buses, from Urdaneta, Dagupan ( using the Dagupan-Mangaldan-San Jacinto, Manaog-Binalonan-Asingan-Tayug-San Jose route), some jeepneys plying the Asingan-Urdaneta route, a few caretelas, etc. Some Asinganians would sometimes "park" their carabaos or goats in the town plaza close to the Paradaan where these could rest. The poor beasties would have a snack of grass for the meantime while their owners are away somewhere else. During those days, leave your livestock in the Plaza these would still be there when you come back.

The busses would stop here to unload the passengers from Baro and beyond. Passengers from macalong would just stop the bus at any point in the barrio by hollering "PARA" then banging an interior part of the bus which will not hurt their fists. The bus would stop whether or not there is a bus stop sign.

I remember, on the Dagupan-San Jose route, sometimes if a passenger can not really hold on to his/her bladder, he/she would request the conductor for the bus to stop in a secluded place along the route. The driver would say: "Those who feel like urrinating you can go down.." Men and women, including the driver, would get down and would scatter all over the place looking for strategic places to relieve themselves, ..

My uncle was once a bus inspector. One of the stories he told us was: "There was this guy, who wanted to crap but there was no toilet paper available..I just gave him my handkerchief to use and told him just to throw it away after using it.."

Back to the Paradaan...

The Paradaan strip consisted of : a convenience store owned by a burly, big bodied guy married to a small wispy lady..They had all the goodies which kids love displayed in their store. So after my Grade 1 class, I would drop by there looking at the marbles, playing cards, candies, chocolates, etc. The man looked big enough to make a kid change his mind about shoplifting any of the goodies. The store, by the way, was just beside the South Central School gate.

Then there was this halo-halo stand..Aha, I can remember the owners of this joint. Goyo and Eugene. During his lifetime, he musthave shaved enough ice to fill up a skating rink. His refreshment parlor was right between the trunks of two gigantic acacia trees that overlooked the entire poblacion. These trees must have been seedlings during the time when the first inhabitants of Asingan started to walk about. Many of the teachers of the old Rizal Junior College would come and relieve their work stress by gossiping in this place over a glass of Goyo's halo-halo.

Then there was Mr. Guillermo Banaag's newspaper stand. I loved this place before. It sold not only newspapers ( mainly the Manila Times ) but also American and Filipino comics. Yep, I remember the very popular ( at that time ) Pilipino Komiks, then Hiwaga Komiks and Tagalog Klassiks. Tagalog Klassiks followed the format of the defunct Classics Illustrated which was well known all over the world at that time. Printed in New York, it has glossy beautiful covers and full colour illustrated comics inside..Classic Illustrated featured novels like THREE MUSKEETERS, ROBIN HOOD, etc. Copies of these comic books would now fetch a good price on e-bay.

Mr. Banaag has a delivery guy who, with a bike  distributed newspapers to Asingan subscribers. A Manila-Asingan Pantranco bus would deliver a bundle of newspapers and magazines to Mr. Banaag's store. The magazines ( Liwayway, Bannawag, etc.) would be stranded on a string for people to see near the back wall..Yes, I remember buying a Classics Illustrated copy of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM from this store. I was fascinated by the cover: a pixie sitting down beside a man with a donkey's head. I had a hard time convincing my mom to give me the money to buy this comic book.."Like you do not have enough comic books in the house already," she would say. But in the end, like a typical Mom, she would give in to her son's pleadings...

The last stall was a barber shop owned by the well known Tata Opong..The line up in his shop was always long, any time of the day.Sometimes, his wife would give him crackers to munch while he was clipping a man's hair. There was a table tennis in front of his shop. Players, for a fee would demonstrate their skill with the game, to the delight of the costumers waiting for their turn in the barber's chair. The older guys would just while the time away playing DAMA. In the table tennis game, by the way, most of the time losers pay. The son of Tata Opong would get the money, of course because he also works as the scorer for the game.

My classmate, Johnny Pascua asked this question in one of his riddle fests:

"Who is the man in Asingan who is married to his mother?"

"You got to be kidding!!, we answered.

"No, " he said.."It is Tata Opong. The nickname of his wife is Enang. And Enang in Ilocano means mother.."---#

Once Upon a Time, part 2

 

Once Upon a Time in Asingan,

part 2

The early Asingan I knew had a few places etched into my 6-year old mind.  These are still with me 60 years later...

CROSSING - This is the intersection of the road going to  Binalonan  and the road going to Urdaneta. All jeeps from Urdaneta most of the time stop here, in front of a huge Spanish type house owned by the Salcedo family. I usually get down on this spot coming from Urdaneta or Dagupan and would walk for a few meters into our house..When I was small, my Mom always advised me : "always take the left side of the road..so you will avoid crossing the busy intersection .." That intersection, during market days could get really busy..Jeeps, Pantranco buses, private vehicles, carabao pulled carts, carromatas ( horse pulled buggies ),  people on foot, etc.

At that time, the Salcedo building was used as a temporary classroom ( or might even be a building ) for the Rizal Junior College. I heard that the present site of this school ( now the Colegio, owned by Susan Delmendo ) was constructed by the Eleazar family when the Department of Education made it mandatory for school owners to have their own buildings..Thus the present site of the Colegio was born.

There were several large classrooms in the Salcedo building before when it was still the RJC. Two other buildings in Asingan were also rented . One is the Dancel building, which is located next door to the Bautista residence. Here was found the RJC Library. I think another building owned by the Diaz family was also used as a classroom ( I am not so sure ) . But this was the set up of the RJC during those days. Students have to go to one building to another in their pursuit for higher education..

ABAGATAN - Ilocano word for south. When we were kids, an aunt ( my Dad's only sister ) lived in the southern end of town. But when my grandma was still alive, our cousins from ABAGATAN ( my aunt's family ) would come and visit us and we would spend the whole day playing. 

My Aunt's name is Filomena Costes, who was married to Dr. Regalado Tendero. Their eldest daughter was Evelina, then Zorayda, Arnulfo, Corazon then Armando. There were 5 of them, there were also five of us. We played various kid's games like Hide and Seek, climbing trees in our backyard, or kicking the can..Yes, there were no Computer games yet at that time..heck there was even no electricity  in town.

Aftermy grandmother died, my aunt decided to live beside us. She constructed a house next door. We were all happy because by then we saw each other everyday and we could just communicate with each other through our house windows...

Evelina was the prettiest of them all and she finished her elementary years in Asingan. She also went to RJC. Many of the local boys fell for her then. You know, puppy love. Boys would be following her like puppies.

But she managed to survive those juvenile crushes from the local yokels. She finished her high school in Manila.  Then she took nursing studies at the UP Diliman. Ocassionally, she would come and visit Asingan especially when she was working at the St. Luke's Hospital and it was always a bright day for me and my sister Aurora when she came to see us. Then we heard that she married Ray Punongbayan, who one day would become the Chief Volcanologist in the Philippines..

 

It was really a big surprise when I met her youngest son in the Internet. And this is Stauro. My eldest sister Aurora was very close to Billy ( this was Evelina's nickname to us ) . I phoned her upon receiving the long e-mail from Stauro.  She informed me that he must have been a baby when his Mom died.

She told me she visited the Punongbayan family also when they were still in Colorado ( my sis was also in Pueblo doing some studies in medical Technology ) and she visited them very often, for old time's sake.

Here are some parts of Stauro's last e-mail to me...

*****

Uncle Vic,

Hi thank you very much for accomodating the pictures. The pictures of mom and dad and lulu will be great. Since im on the planning stages for the coffee table book that im trying to make about dad. and pictures of him with mom and lulu in colorado will be a welcome edition to the collection. I'm hoping that thru the book we will be able to preserve the values and hard work that dad put in during his government working days. To also show to the next generation that government service has its rewards.

Me and my wife lynne are staying here in asingan. most of my taekwondo chapters in quezoncity i have already given away. so you can say that we are already asingan residents. but sometimes my students and their parents from my quezon city teams keep in touch and ask me to visit them from time to time. I feel that my work will be more productive here that in quezon city. In the short time that i've been teaching here, taekwondo and sports have made a huge impact to the kids and their parents. The team is training here in the danggay builiding of sen. leticia ramos shahani's danggay ti pangasinan foundation. auntie esther and auntie grace were instrumental in having us get the building and use it for the gym. The gym is located just beside the sports center and public auditorium.

So far the kids are doing ok. Last summer they were able to experience so many things, they were able to participate in 3 tournaments 2 here in region 1 and 1 at alabang town center, as of now the kids took home a total of 12 gold, 12 silver, and 3 bronze medals. Now we are getting ready to join a tournament in baguio city on aug. 19. hopefully the kids do well. the building is really ideal since it has a big enough space for the training, and it is near the sports center and public auditorium. from time to time i let the kids watch some taekwondo videos that i was able to buy from the internet or from relatives in the states particularly from uncle boy mabesa and uncle manding tendero. the taekwondo videos and instructional videos help a lot but the viewing is limited to a few students since im only using the portable dvd player that uncle boy gave. but the kids do love watching. im also teaching taekwondo as a pe subject at rizal academy and im trying to have the students take up the sport so that in the future they could avail of scholarships in universities in manila and in urdaneta city university where im working also as a pe teacher. they have a 100% scholarship and since im proposing that taekwondo be a varsity sport in ucu i can get some of my asingan students to try out when they reach college. there are so many doors that taekwondo can open to the youth of asingan, thats why im planning on seeing this program thru to the end. but aside from taekwondo me and my wife are planning on opening up a public library in danggay building that will help the kids develop interest in books. i've checked out the national bookstore foundation and they have a program which the call buklat aklat leave behind program. the program includes 500 books and some materials that will be donated for a price of 95,000 pesos which could come from sponsors, they usually give it to certainschools but im thinking that danggay building is the perfect place since the 1st floor is idle and can be used asa study center for the town.

other plans include having a holloween trick or treat activity during november here in asingan where the whole community will be open to the kids for trick or treat and the houses will be decorated for the occasion and the best decorated house will win a prize and the best holloween costume will be awarded a prize as well. then come december we plan to organize a lantern parade where the town offices and establishment will have their own lantern and parade it around the town just like how they do it in up diliman. hopefully it materializes. then on summer im planning on organzing a slow pitch softball tournament for all age brackets including youth, teens, adult, and senior citizens for both male, female, and mixed. wouldnt that be a treat?

but right now things are on the planning stages, don't really know who to turn to. me and my wife are really eager to help and make a difference here and we think that danggay foundation thru the centro sports and recreation program can help the town if only we could find the support and funding. who knows this might just help the kids find a better future since sports has so much potential in terms of opportunity, thru scholarships and work opportunities for the out of school youths. instead of playing computer games in shops and join gangs and fraternites, they could use all that anxiety, angst, and energy for better things.

Sorry for the long letter, i'm just excited at the thought of the kids enjoying sports and learning. things that could help the community. hope to hear from you soon and god bless uncle.

stauro

( photos to follow...)

 

 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ASINGAN

PART 1

The front window of our ancestral home in Asingan faces the east, and the right side of the St. Louis Beltrand Catholic church. When I visited Asingan in 2003, the view of the church yard from my window showed some small buildings owned by the Catholic church. These are meant to be rented to various businessmen. When I was there, just two out of these structures seem to be thriving. One is the Rodriguez grocery store and the other is the Law Office of Atty. Bong Viray,

But in the early '50s, this boundary of the church lot nearest our house was lined with TAGUMBAW plants. These plants ( discussed recently as possessing some commercial value ) look like small papaya trees. There was also some kind of metal fence enclosure, however people not wanting to enter thru the front gate of the church just find a weak link in the fence, push it down, then hopped over it. Why go around if one can take a short cut? I know this because I was one of the trespassers.

Beyond the tagumbaw hedge was soft grass that extended from the front of the church to the back. The property of the church ended with Monyang's cono characterized by this yellow hill mound of TAEP where me and my friends spent many afternoons jumping, prancing about and playing swordsmen using bamboo sticks.

On this turf, my sisters Ester and Aurora and I would hang about during summer afternoons when the lazy sun took its time to sink into the western horizon. We would wait here for the call from my mom"It's time to eat.."

It was nice to see the western sky change its colors as sunset commenced behind the house of Mr. & Mrs. Sergio de Mesa..Mr de Mesa ( my Ninong and one time teacher of the Dupac Elementary school ) and Ambrosio Divina Sr. are two of the earliest US Navy men in Asingan. Mr. Ambrosio Divina ( Tata Ambros ) was a Marine. He had a very loud voice as if he was angry all the time, but actually he has a very soft and kind heart.

On the back boundary of the church, there was a green building called TABACALERA. I was intrigued by this house one time when I was still very young because from my window, sometimes I could see some beautiful girls coming out and play in their front yard. Who are these girls? I would ask myself but since I was still in Elementary school, I never dared going and introducing myself to them. Many more years would pass before I would do that kind of thing: going after girls.

But a good friend of mine Angelito Domaoan who now lives in New Jersey told me a year ago that those girls were Spanish meztizas living in that quaint green building with a nice balcony. He knew this because his house was just a few doors away from this building. He told me that the girls were really young and beautiful. And he told me he had a chance to talk with the girls..At that time, I did not give a hoot to girls, but if I saw a beautiful one, the memory would stick in my mind for a very long time.Not long after, they moved away for who wanted to stay in a small sleepy town like Asingan?

There was also stories from my Mother that during the liberation years ( 1945 - 194? ) ther was a camp of American G.I.s in that part of the church yard facing us.

I remember ( very vaguely ) that one time, I crossed the road to go to the other side ( Why did Victor cross the road? ) . I remember an armoured vehicle passing by me as I reached the other side. I must have been 4 or 5 years old then. My Mom must have turned into a nervous wreck seeing me cross the street not minding the traffic of thundering tanks passing by. ( Years later, I found long metallic belts that surround the wheels of these tanks in our neighbour, the Aglipayan church. They provided a good decoration to the pathway surrounding the church going to the priest's house at the back. At that time, the priest was Father Castaneda who hailed from Alcala. )

There were two G.I.s who boarded in our house. I remember seeing their cot beds in our living room. I guess these two ( I believe they were officers ) did not want to stay in the tents with the other Yanks. And I remember the C rations they left to my Mom when armistice was declared and all of the US GIs pulled out of Asingan. There were lots of US made cheese and those bacon strips  sent such a good aroma when my Mom cooked them.

I remembered also my mom receiving a letter and a photo from one of them..Steve was his first name and he sent us a wedding photo of him and his new bride. Her name was Ann. They must have wedded right after Steve returned to the US.

He never forgot to thank my Mom for her hospitality.----#

iba ibang putahe...

..from my Mailbox

My Classmate,

   Vic,  kindly send her our telephone No...XXXXXXX....or my e-mail address …jpascua@ad.ucsd.edu…..yes her Mom and my wife were good friends and Annie is our god-daughter during her wedding day….kindly tell them they are ever welcome to our humble place……XXXXXXXXX..

Thanks  for your kind words……my family and I were inspired by your coming with your wife and the Macanas family….

 Your friend,

Johnny

@@@@@@@@@

Joke, joke, joke!

Manny Pacquiao and his American trainer went jogging on the mountain trail close to the Hollywood sign for their daily routine, preparing for the next fight. While they were jogging,  his trainer broke the silence and said to Manny.

 "Manny, can you make a sentence with these Spanish words uno dos tres without changing its sequence  and it should be in English?"

They slowed their jogging and Manny asked him to repeat his question. So he repeat the question slowly to make sure Manny understood it. Manny started to think for a while, then he saw that part of the hills where the Hollywood sign is was burning..

So he exclaimed in his funny Visayan accent

"Oh no! those trees are on fire!" which sounded uno, dos, tres are on pa-yer!"

The trainer said: "Excellent! "

--Arsenio Macanas...

***********************

(Some old messages in the Asingan Board would be deleted after a long while so I will include them in our AJ..AOL's Blogs have an excellent archiving system; your messages/postings here will be kept forever..)

more kudos for Johnny P.

From: nelson
Town_City: asingan
To: mr. johnny pascua
Date: Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Message

sir johnny, gud day! we know you here in barangay palaris to be one of the greatest school principal our elementary school ever had. well, I was in the kindergarten then the time you were assigned in barangay palaris. my parents, i believe, are your kumpadre and kumadre, they are eduardo and teodora palaris. god bless sir and regards to your family..

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Tanod, bibisita lang ako ng ilang minuto. Mabait ako (paminsan-minsan) kaya relax ka lang diyan. --- Is Annie coming to California this coming month? Does anybody know exactly when? Archie, paki-post naman ng e-mail mo ulit at nawawala ang aking listahan. Ilan palang wine barrels ang gusto mo?---Ricky

########################

To: Ricky
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Message

Bakit takot na takot kang mag-post? Ganuon ba kasungit ang dating ng mga taga Asingan sa iyo. Kung kasing bait mo naman ang dadalaw sa message board ng Asingan, kahit araw-arawin mo ang mag-post, wala kang maririnig sa amin. Natutuwa nga kami at may taga-ibang bayan na gustong mag-post sa message board ng Asingan.

***************

Before I sign off, a little bit of Commercial..:)

I am preparing a series which I tentatively called ONCE UPON A TIME IN ASINGAN..I will be writing about my earliest memories about our hometown; the sights I saw, the people I met..seen through the eyes of a 6-year old:ME!

You are also welcome to send your entries..Will be happy to include it ( as long as we won't be sued for its content...:)  )...

Adios, damas y caballeros y caballos...Gracias!