Our old Family in the late mid 30's: From Peñaranda with Love

During the 30's,the people of Peñaranda,Nueva Ecija has a common wealth of life.A part of rice granary here in the Philippines,and my grandfather own a lot of hectares of land in Dulangan,a part of sinasajan,Peñaranda.He is Marciano Mabalay,married to Juliana Legaspi of barrio San Joseph,and got 2 children-Mateo and Adelaida.At the age of 10 years old,her mother died from desease.My father used to help at the farm works and pasturing the lot no. of carabaos ,milking and selling it to the town proper every morning until completed his Grade 7 school- a meaning of individual higher education this time.The town location is subdivided by Peñaranda River and they used to lived and awake early to walk from the town's railway bridge passersby going sinasajan to the farm.And one day:he met my mother,Filomena with our Lola Anselma Leodones-waiting a train in sinasajan station for trading a heart leaves(ikmo in tagalog) bundles to Cabanatuan City,the daily source of livelihood for this time.Until my Grandfather and Lola Anselma agreed to marry their son and daughter in March 1936.Don Mariano Paras,the owner of town's birds can't fly hectares rice farm as one sponsor and Mayor Casiano Abes-present Mayor as one sponsor and my grandfather was new elect town councilor.They've a gracious and elegant wedding for this time affair and event for our family:My Auntie,adelaida/nanang ida own a family's Bakery shop,send the most bread products to horsedrawn calezas to sinasajan and pass to high water level river of Peñaranda to sinasajan,my mother native place.And start of new life,Mateo use to employed at the town municipal hall as collector of town income and secretary to the treasurer.The people of Penaranda has a productive income due to the railways line from Manila to Cabanatuan City.Farm Products and livestock are easily transported to any part of the country.The Town Market has fully commercialized by different people from some part of the philipines during this time according to my father.Until they raise a five children, namely: Clarita,the eldest daughter,.. was born on June 10, 1938,Lolita on Jan.1,1941.And the world war II begin between Japan and all allied nation of the United States of America.The people of penaranda suffered the hardship of life in history,after corregidor was conquer by the Japanese Imperial Army during the Christmas of this year.My father remain in his position as resident certificate issuer by this town guerillas who always requesting my father to do his Job as password to Japanese guards around the town perimeter that always entering at night in our house.Until my sister Bebe was born on Sept.4,1944,where in mother and the whole family going outside in the farm to hide from Japanese Army's all baby hunter for death.A group of Japanese Army used to stay in our house and spend the nights and my father supplied them with foods and live chickens to eat until they going to far area in Minalungao,a boundary of Nueva Ecija and Bulacan for Hiding from the incoming American Troops in our town.And Liberation of the people comes,ernesto was born on July 4,1946,my eldest brother and died from phenomonia desease when he was at 2 years old,another sad story for our family.After my granfather was committed his christian belief to U.C.C.P. mission in Peñaranda and start to evangelized and baptised every member of our family.They contribute the front area of land where in our house use to remove backward to give way for early U.C.C.P. church in Peñaranda.All the guest,Pastor and Deaconese were stayed in our home as host and my mother actively committed to every activities to the church.In Feb.5,1948,ate yolly was born,followed by Ditse Miyang on June 16,1950,Gardy on Jan.14,1953 and myself on Oct.31,1956.My eldest sister,clarita was send by my Grandfather to U.C.C.P. central church in Manila to study and completed the course in Evangelism as Deaconese in the church in 1959.At the same time,Roy was born on August 9,1959 and my sister arrive with fiancee,kuya Manuel and got married for this time.Until elsa,our youngest was born on June 20,1961 and I still recall the moments when my mother delivering her last child.

Life in the heart of Manila- After the storm

After the funeral rites of my late sister in Pantabangan,Nueva Ecija cemetery,we spend our lunch break at my sister's residence together with her family, friends and relatives.During our trip to Manila,one of my sister's Balae- couple carrying an infant grand child request to take a ride with us until Tandang Sora,Q.C.only,and make a lot of present life stories and talks about the last event for my sister.We've to focus our attention to a child on her arms,playing,sleeping,and mostly tracing the figure origin.The way he smiles and cry give us to enjoy and laughter to every one of us this moments of our trip from Pantabangan while watching to the windows,the damages of thyphoon pedring;the ricefields flooded by high level of water along the way,and stranded again at this part of San Leonardo,Nueva Ecija due to large volume of water current flows to the lower areas that can fall down for every human or vehicles passersby.After a few hours of stand by inside the L- 300 van of my brother- driver,the couple had decide to commute to transport bus,the only available heavy vehicles to move on the flooded portion of the highway.My Ate Yoly have got this idea when we find a commuter bus following from our path for emergency needs by our grandchild.And the cloudy night suddenly appear,we spent our dinner at that area inside of our vehicle and waiting for our turn to move on.We've tried to sleep in sitting position while the travellers and motorist walking and chatting about the situation until the early morning when we got to exit from this area.And arrive here in Manila at 11:am with unforgettable experience after the storm.This little angel who shared with us reminds about my sister that she's going now in heaven through this angel.

In Memory of My Sister, Ditse Lolita

Last Monday night at around 9:30 pm, we've recieved a text message from my loving daughter Edel a sad news that my elder sister Ditse Lolit died of heart attack. I felt sad and worried to this news and started to remember her memories as my second eldest sister who was alive before. There are 12 members in our family. According to my father, Erning is my eldest brother and died at 2 years old from pneumonia,it is the first sad story I heard from my father when i was a child. My Ate Clarita, Ditse Lolit were married already.



Every year during our town fiesta they would come home and I would meet my nephews and go around the town plaza and enjoy the town festival. My mother said after she completed a dressmaking course, she got married to Kuya Romy and lived in Pantabangan,Nueva Ecija.

When I was a teenager,I used to visit their place and stay with her family for a vacation break. They used to have a tailor shop in front of their house and my brother-in-law, Kuya Romy and Ditse Lolit were the owners and sewers at Raymund's Custom Tailor. They had already 4 kids then: Zaldy,George,Neneng and Galok is a newborn baby at 10 months. Every morning ,I used to carry him in my shoulder to take care and visit a neighbor and friend. Zaldy is the eldest son followed by George and Neneng is the only daughter. We are almost at same age level during that time,and before I leave I would receive a new oxford long pants and brown polo shirt as presents from my sister and my brother-in-law. And since my first time to wear this kind of terno dress, I feel proud of myself when my friends find it nice and looks good on me.

After so many years now, I thought most of her dreams came true in the right time, it shows in the smile on her face inside the coffin. Also as a sign of last goodbye when we're looking at her with my family.Praise God for all the Blessings and Thy Righteousness.

Life in the Heart of Manila- My epileptic friend

I still remember a friend when I was a teen ager: He is La-ke,a hardworking and look like my big brother.He used to fetch drinking water and deliver to every household customer in our town in Peñ.N.E.every morning and I was enjoyed to accompanied him in his job.Helping him in pushing the improvised bucket cart or water pumping.And were always together to watch our favorite movies in nearby town in Gapan. Every Monday is a market day in this town and he used to earn a lot of money by loading and dispatched jeepney with passengers and folks going home to Peñaranda.

And so many times I spent my lunch time ,dinner and sleep at night at their home,a few meters away at the back of our house where we live-in.There is a lot of neighbors friends and classmates who used to stand by in the compound of La- ke & Li-it family,because of they are twin and had a too much influenced to us even they cannot attend and completed elem.school.

In High school,I used to pass by to them after my classes in the late afternoon before going home to change my uniform.Until my father have got informed by my auntie-nanang Ligaya about my habit this time and He didn't mind about it but remind me about what happen before to my brother-Gardie: a member of Li-its group who become a suspect in a series of petty crime in our place.

One day,after watching the latest movie in Gapan and were along the way and he was on continous biking,while i was sitting infront of him-La-ke,I've felt that he can't hold the arm controlled of our pedal bike and I try to hold it again until weve lost on our way and goes to ricefield ground and falling down.I did to get up with my friend still sleeping and lie down at the ground.After a few minutes,he was awake and slowly continued to our biking to go home.

Life in the heart of Manila-In the street,..Part 2

Here are the street scenes found in the heart of Manila through the folk song tune in Filipino..daily lifestyle by Mr. H.Bartolome's composition:

Life in the heart of Manila -In the street

In the morning,I used to going down to buy some emergency needs for this time,liked snack foods,drinks,detergent powder,sachet shampoo,toothpaste and foods for lunchtime and it is a per kilo of rice in our neighborhood.We have always a delivery of 1 container of drinking water everyday for 30 ph daily.

This morning,I've a little conversation with the owner of the filling station,a chinese bussinessman in the mid 40 s,he's just calling me as Itay. He said: There is a street trouble last night infront of their shop and disturb them in their early morning sleep,and I recall : There is a drinking session at the downstair of our condo-apt.before it happen,and both are drunks and high in tripping.He mention the name as son in law of our Brgy.chairwoman and friends are the victims in the scenes.

That's the lifestyle here every weekend days. People are drinking in a group beside the street with videoke and they sings in tune until midnight with too much influence to make trouble than going home to sleep and take rest in peace.They don't mean it and become selfish for what others could saying and the most important is for their own happiness or to celebrate a friend's birthday as an occasion, a badge to pleased others saying.

Life in the Heart of Manila -My Wife 57nth Birthday

Last year,we have to celebrate her birthday in our new house in Naic,cavite.It is a moments of being together for my family with my younger brother-Roy; and teen agers -nieces-Anna lou and Norhisa. But after one year, my wife is very excited again for this natal day. She used to go to church in St. Jude for thanksgiving and blessed by the glory of God and Thy righteousness.



She is really a woman, my partner for a lifetime.And I recall the first time I have met her with a sense of humor to make me smile,a fighting spirit in time of unjustice matter and give me hope during my frustrated life before.

In the next afternoon,we have to visit SM-manila for family bonding time and spent our dinner at Pizza Hut as a celebration for my wife's 57th birthday.