Father was fond of planting fruit-bearing plants, while Mother was fond of flowering plants. We had bananas, papayas, coconut, cacao, otia, guanaba, tomatoes, kamian, and arimas in our small yard. The use of fertilizer was unknown then except for those who went to school like me and learned gardening. Father used to pour ashes around […]
1994 Memoir – 26. Bangued Memories – Sungka
I was 17 years old when I left Bangued, but before I leave it behind, I would like to recall some unforgettable experiences in my birthplace. My father and mother were uneducated and did not go to school. They learned how to read and write the local Ilocano dialect from their parents. They could not […]
1994 Memoir – 25. Dead-End Situation
After my graduation from high school, my father had to continue paying for my graduation suit by installment. It cost only two pesos ($10.00), but the pay of a laborer then was fifty centavos (₱.50) a day. Hence, my suit was worth 20 days’ labor. It took Father around one month to pay the installments […]
1994 Memoir – 20. Second Year H.S.
Mother died in May, 1932, before I enrolled as a second year high school student in June. Her death was also a death-blow to Father’s trade, because Mother did the buying and selling and transporting of the animal hides and leather, aside from sewing the uppers of the slippers Father sewed. I had to cook […]
1994 Memoir – 18. Industrial Work
In grade I we had no industrial work. All we did was practice reading, writing, and counting (the R’s: Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic). For lack of a pencil and paper I used a pointed stick for writing on the back part of banana leaves. In grade II our industrial work was weaving of buri mat […]
1994 Memoir – 15. Early School Experiences
I was enrolled in school at the early age of 5 although 7 was the required age for first grade enrollment. Tony was also enrolled at the age of 5, or rather started being brought to school by our first grade (Apt. tenant) teacher, who called him “saling posa,” then included his name in her […]