from my memory box



This photo in sepia tone was taken around the '60s at the old ASAT auditorium. I was out of school at that time, still figuring out whether to continue my college studies. Somehow, I got acquainted with Genara Isaac ( now Jenny Fernando, alive and well and living near Toronto ). I had all the time in the world then. I had a few months to go before I will go back to College and so I decided to visit her school, Asingan School of Arts and Trades.

At first, we formed a singing group consisting of a guitar and four good singers from her class. One was Teresita Orallo, also Paz ( or was it Milagros?) Gines, Jenny and a fourth one whose name I am still trying to figure out.

I patterned their singing style with a singing group from St. Paul's Manila, a quartette of college girls who interpreted Filipino Folk songs in a very unique way: they would sing two songs at one time, blending the two seamlessly in timing and harmony. One set, example is CHIT SI RIT SIT sang together with LERON, LERON SINTA..Two girls would sing one song, the other two would sing the second one.

So, for the rest of the school year, I was busy training them several other songs ( and other hits of their era: GREEN LEAVES OF SUMMER, GREEN FIELDS, GOODBYE, MY OLD GAL ...)

Then one day, Miss Marrieta Micu ( the conductor in the above photo ) asked me to teach a whole class. Just a couple opf songs which they can sing during a convocation program. I obliged of course because it was another chance to break the horrid monotony of staying in Asingan as a ISTAMBAY. The life was fun while it lasted, that is until I went back to University.

Jenny was like a kid sister to me and sometimes, I would treat her to a bottle of coke and some cookies in a small snack shop with a a real JUKE BOX..That place is in the vicinity beside the residence of Mr. Bautista ( former Principal of the ASAT ). I can not remember now who was the owner of the building or who was the manager of the joint. But I sure remember the juke box there, a symbol of the 50's-'60s life during that time..

Of course, all good things must end, and it did for me that year when I went back to Manila at the beginning of the school term.I started to like my ISTAMBAY'S life and my Mom did not like it..

Years later, I was passing the time in front of my house when a girl passed by and greeted me..It was Teresita Orallo. She told me she and her parents moved to Guam, and she was on her holiday.

"Lucky you, " I said. At that time, I was still studying in University, and some light years away before getting my exit visa from the Philippines..

I also saw Miss Ginez once, and Jenny, well I met her in Toronto. She was working as a caregiver and waiting for the arrival of her husband who was working in Italy..


THE last time I was there in the campus was last April 2009. Everything has entirely changed. I know that there was also a quadrangle there where I presented a Christmas play STORY OF CHRISTMAS during the school's Christmas Program.

On that Christmas season I was already teaching at the Divine Word College in Urdaneta, but on week ends, I sometimes moonlight as a stage director for the ASAT and also for the Rizal Academy---#