GT's Journal

 Letter to a Relative (07/08/2023) Sat

Dear Nong Posing,

How is everybody today? Dugay nang panahon nga wala kita magkita ug tungod lage sa pagapas sa adlawng kalihokan sa pag trabaho aron naay mabutang pagkaon sa lamisa, pasilungan ug lugar nga higdaanan. Apan wala gihapon mawala sa panumduman kadtong mga kagahaon nga nanglabay kay naa man na silsil sa alimpatakan tungod sa katam-is ug dalisay nga panghuna-hunaon.

At this point, everything is seen and heard in a split second. You'll be amazed at the progress of steps that humanity has hurdled. The TV, the computer, the cellphone. The world is a beautiful place to live; that is why life is worth living - to savor its sweetness, to feel its marvel, to see its beauty. 

I still remember that time when you opened your desire to make Mom Mering a part of your life. On a carabao-drawn caromata (locals' two-whelled wagon) a load of food with Nong Sotero (Teroy) Salcedo as spokesperson, we plied the road to the Melicor place at Sim (La Libertad). Mr. Salcedo with his former seminary day background greeted Mr. Melicor, " With due respect Mr. Melicor permit me to introduce and let you know that our brother Sinforoso Rombines desires to marry your daughter Maria." There was a graveyard cemetery silence. Then, Mr. Melicor, with the audacity of a farm owner and a mestizo spoke, " Can he support my daughter? We all posed our direction homeward. We comforted ourselves with silence and smiles.  However, the sun always rises to greet the world with its mystery and glad tidings. Tomorrow is a new day!

The trip was a disaster. We all went home but hope still lingered on your mind, I presumed. Minutes turned to hours then to days then to months and into years. However, hope unceasingly flows in your prime healthy life. And one day you approached me, " Doy can you come with me to see the Melicors?" "Of course", I said. We went first to see Mr. and Mrs. Melicor, then Mr. and Mrs. Galicia. Things went smoothly like a young coconut meat when you slide it in your mouth on a hot summer day. Delicious and refreshing.

Then, I heard of your nuptial. But I'm already on the deep quest of my odyssey from a town boy in the Philippines to a city man in America. ( A joke- when a man is in love with a woman, their siblings are girls but when the woman is in love with a man their siblings are boys.) 

A Looking Back ( Nonoy Quimbo - an Electrical Engineer, the son of Ingwa Quimbo who married a nurse from Dipolog city is here in Chicago told me some of this news about Labason)

How is Labason now? Maybe my classmates, schoolmates, and friends are no longer around. Who are the town officials that I am familiar with? Doroy Gitalan passed away and also Rudy and his wife. But Inteng Lovino may still be around. His two-story house was sold and the Lovinos live on their land near the Labason River between the Guanteros on one side and the Salardas on the other side. Tani (boxer) Felisarta whose parents live near the Maquilans and the Salardas (Virgie) and now the Maquilans property is owned by Pio Galon's family; while Tani (boxer) is a Barrio or Purok Captain. Currently, the Mayor of Labason is a Quimbo; the Gutalac mayor is also a Quimbo. The grandparent's wife is pakha (small feet). They have 3 sons and a daughter. Tenciong was married to Clara Mabilog (nurse), Cemen (Felix), and Cesar (Ingwa) married to a Tan, daughter of Insek Jose Tan of Usokan Kilometro Tres who has sari-sari store among suki sa sardinas, asin, gas ug uban pang kinahanglanong panimalay. The current Mayor of Labason is the grandson of Cemen and also the Mayor of Gutalac.

         Labason has an amazing history as I still have the scenario of "those were the days" of my Life's Journey. It's a town of successful men and women in their own special ways. The pioneering families:  were the families of Landowners: Bantilan, Canda, Burguete, Ybarley, Bolando, Batoon, Batoctoy, Daguplo, Galon, Quines, Hernandez, Fortich, Erojo, Bolando, Gitalan,  Educators: Melicor, Carloto, Cadungog, Isagan,  Orendain, Casini'o, Demerre,  Merchants: (the Chinese) Quimbo, Kho, Chia, Tan, Lim. Yap, Roleda, -Leadership: Sanchez, Tokong, Canda , Concha Ramirez, Galon, Carloto. 

        Kipit area - Families of  Salarda, Patayon, Galope, Singsing, Barroca, Panolin, Basa, Lagod, Doong, The Lalibertad (Sim) section - Families of Salcedo, Antolin, Rombines,  Jamanron, Sumicad, Dinapo, Salmorin, Edrial, Zamora, Vista, Briones, Openia, Magdayao, Chavez, Pacatang, Tindero, Dubrico,  

Sir Posing,  you have 2 daughters and one is married to a Tumoy and owns a Hardware store. Being a teacher are you still a fast walker and an industrious person? Regards to your dear partner Mom Mering. I have contact with one of Crispin Antolin's daughters who is teaching at a government school in Kipit, while the eldest daughter Charito, a teacher, I guess is married to a Muslim police officer. Nonoy is a farmer and married.