It’s
About Us “The Peoples”[1]
How It
Evolves:
Before the creation of barangay high
schools in the national scheme in mid-1970, there were only two high schools in
Balingasag. These two schools are all privately owned; one is a sectarian while
the other is non-sectarian, or one is St. Rita and her counterpart St. Peter
owned jointly by the Paguio’s and Punongbayan’s of Iligan City. All these
schools are in tertiary levels offering various baccalaureate degrees.
St. Rita’s College or now as St.
Rita’s College of Balingasag is owned by the congregation of the Religious of
the Virgin Mary [RVM] and it was here where we, this bond of rascals studied;
and of course, it is here where we wish to trace the story of the Peoples.
It was school year 1968-69 we acted
and believed as fully-grown up adults despite we were only in our early
mid-teens; and indeed we were full of dreams and enthusiasm as we entered the
Junior Year of High School. Our class was a homogenous all male and we had
classes one floor directly above the Directress Office, located on the second
floor of the four-storey building that was constructed in 1965 and occupied in
1967.
In other words, we made it a point
to behave well because the Sister Directress Office was just one floor below us
at the ground floor, any extra-ordinary noises like howling, banging of the
chairs or doors can be heard easily downstairs and we do not wish to always be
dried up under the scorching heat of the sun. A fault of one ended up usually
as the mistake of the entire class if no one would squeal who the culprit or
offender is.
Nevertheless, we were ready to
suffer even drying our boyish skins whenever there would be punishments rather
than a squeal, as a squealer is unmanly and has no place in the world of “tough
men”, supposedly.
“One more year if you pass your
third year and you will graduate in the next school year, so study hard”, said
our Teacher Adviser. This, we followed, we did study but not that hard as he
had said, because we began roaming at night and consider ourselves as owls
hooting in the dark nights. We roamed at night since we use to pass endlessly
along the homes of the girls whom we adored. But the question is, our tongues
were always tied moment these ladies began the conversation. Maybe our words were
carried away by the beauty of their faces in front of us, thus we lost our
thoughts and oftentimes ended up with no words of love that supposedly would
have been told during at any opportunity. But that is it and we boastfully considered
ourselves in the strictest sense of the word as the rightly suitors of that
lovely lady, although we had not said the magic three words yet.
So, we tried much to learn singing
because in songs we could directly say what we could not say personally. Thus,
enters now the serenade. Yes, we [Crisogono, Faustino, Rogelio, and I] used to
sneak out from the comfort of our homes and stayed late at night.[2]
Usually, we occupied the first
marble bench at the north-side of the gazebo, which fronted the “painitan”.[3] Comfortably
seated there, we exchanged countless stories, and such usually never had an
ending because we do not have fixed topics, but it encompassed all items of
interests from scary stories, movies (Cowboys-Indians, war, Tarzan, Dumagit,
everything), future plans after graduation, literature [Shakespeare, Arthurian
legends, Ichabond Crane etc.], and of course, the most amazing part was our
discussion on how to court women and getting to a plan for a serenade.
With gleaming moonlight or even if
there are neither stars nor moon to guide us to the homes of the ladies, whom
our friends adored much, we were not hesitant to explore the dimness of the
night just to sing the love songs we tried to master for this opportune
occasion, the harana.
For those who had the courage to
sing out loud their unexplained feelings, the serenade went on with the usual
tickling strums of the guitar by our total artist for this, Dodo Llido. Those
who had the voice to go with the songs in tenor, base, and falsetto blended
with the melody, and those who could not sing, would contend on the role of a
“tangero” or bartender to the thirsty singers. Oh what a shame!
The women had known us as the haranistas and indeed most of group had
girls and they called as their loved ones.
Prelude to
the Martial Rule Days:
Probably gaining self-confidence as
we could now express our thoughts and feelings not only in songs, but directly
to those we wanted to know what and how much it is important for them to know,
we began to explore and came abreast with the important issues of time.
We were not only expert in the
sports of “sipa ball”, which we ardently loved because we used to play it every
afternoon on a street near the municipal hall and park. Despite, we had been
this ultra energetic bodily; we could as well dissect and analyze issues,
political or economic. Most of us had heard and learned those well revered
ideologies of proletarians and nationalists.
From simple barkadahan of “haranista” rather music lovers and “sipa ball”
kickers, the group by that time had expanded well and they began to view the
horizons openly. The 1970’s was a decade of much political instability, young
and old – professional and students began to be aware of their civil rights and
legitimate issues confronting not only the country-sides; but in the national
scope were tackled, as well. It was a year of student activism, and we in our
individual capacity had seen and evaluated the situations. Perhaps, we gained
in what we had not lost, but lost on things which we have not gained. It was a time of pragmatism.
We consider it as a rare chance to
witness the significant events in the late 1960, the “Quarter Storm”, and the
whole decade of the 1970 up to mid 1980. Maybe, it had molded us to become what
we are now. What I mean, there are experiences in the past which positively had
helped us in our endeavors today, such as the inculcated spirit and readiness
to serve the people. It is in this norm that the PEOPLES’ has been anchored
with from its initial start as a barkadahan
and later as one legitimate civic organization.
Furthermore, the Peoples’ believes
in equality of all men regardless of economic statues, creed, and ethnicity. As
an organization, it recognizes that everyone has the right to speak out his
mind and criticize constructively any wrong doing. It adheres also on the
principle of work collectivism and synthesization of ideas out from concerted
efforts in order to achieve practicable decisions. Thus, individual or personal
interests must not compromise the aims and objectives for which the
organization has been commonly bonded.
Henceforth, setting modesty aside,
we take it as a matter of pride being a Balingasagnon that despite of our
inadequacies and shortcomings in the past, we have worked consistently in some
minute and insignificant ways for the development of the town that we loved.
In fairness also to our other
brothers “So-on” in the group who maintained their neutrality, the group went
on as usual. However, if we talk on ideologies, the group in general has one
common ideology, despite most of the senior members belonged to different
political legal organizations that wished to shout their woe’s against
government in peaceful and democratic processes as guaranteed by the
Constitution of 1931. We had “So-on” who belonged to the Kabataang Makabayan,
Samahang Demokratic Kabataan, Kilusang Khi Rho ng Pilipinas, Federation of Free
Farmers, and our group was and still is composed and represented by different
of the sectors of society.
Obviously, during those days, we
were young and even had no gainful employment, so, we would like to equate
sectoral representations in relation with the livelihood of the families of
each member. The Peoples is a rundown of sons of fishermen, farmers, market
vendors, drivers, carpenters and laborers, teachers, government employees –
Secretary, Postmaster, Midwife, Foresters, and Soldiers. This was the profile
of our parents livelihood during those days, while today more or less there is
no much difference, except that one of our youngest member in the past become
the town’s Local Chief Executive. Now, we take it as a great pride that after
all the organization has indeed produce a gem out from principles and ideals
that we followed.
In the meanwhile, as a quick rundown
of the PEOPLES, this organization started as a peer group composed of classmates,
schoolmates, and friends belonging mostly to similar age groups [mga kababata],
or even those who were younger than the core group. Simply, it started as a “barkadahan” in 1968 in
the strictest sense of the word, during the joyous and memorable time of High
School life.
[Kami po noon ay parang ‘ata isang
grupo ng mga haranista, aksidenteng nagkabuklod-buklod upang marinig ang
kanilang magandang boses daw (eh sintunado din pala kung marinig sa malayo)
para sa mga mahinhin at kapuri-puring mga dalaga nga sabi nila ay mahal na mahal
daw nila.]
From simple barkadahan of
“haranista” rather music lovers and “sipa ball” kickers, the group by that time
had expanded well and they began to view the horizons openly. The 1970’s was a
decade of much political instability, young and old – professional and students
began to be aware of their civil rights and legitimate issues confronting not
only the country-sides; but in the national scope were tackled, as well. It was
a year of student activism, and we in our individual capacity had seen and
evaluated the situations. Perhaps, we gained in what we had not lost, but lost
on things which we have not gained. It
was a time of pragmatism.
We consider it as a rare chance to
witness the significant events in the late 1960, the “First Quarter Storm”, and
the whole decade of the 1970 up to mid 1980. Maybe, it had molded us to become
what we are now. What I mean, there are experiences in the past which positively
had helped us in our endeavors today, such as the inculcated spirit and
readiness to serve the people. It is in this norm that the PEOPLES’ has been
anchored with from its initial start as a barkadahan and later as one legitimate
civic organization.
Furthermore, the Peoples’ believes
in equality of all men regardless of economic statues, creed, and ethnicity. As
an organization, it recognizes that everyone has the right to speak out his
mind and criticize constructively any wrong doing. It adheres also on the
principle of work collectivism and synthesization of ideas out from concerted
efforts in order to achieve practicable decisions. Thus, individual or personal
interests must not compromise the aims and objectives for which the
organization has been commonly bonded.
Henceforth, setting modesty aside,
we take it as a matter of pride being a Balingasagnon that despite of our
inadequacies and shortcomings in the past, we have worked consistently in some
minute and insignificant ways for the development of the town that we loved.
Maski noon po’ mga mosmos pa kami at
walang gaanong tumpak na karanasan sa buhay ay natanggap na namin at naitala sa
aming mga kaisipan ang kahalagahan ng Serbisyo para sa Kapwa – Serve the
People.
My friends, allow us in passing to
mention a few of the group’s community work achievements:
In the 1970’s:
a) Specifically in 1974
organized a Motocross Invitational Race [Flat Track Competition] during the
town fiesta, participated by riders from Malaybalay & Valencia - Bukidnon,
Jasaan, Balingasag and Cagayan de Oro City riders;
b) Constructed permanent
post structure for Street Naming Project at identified strategic main
thoroughfares;
c) Coordinated with the
Municipal Planning & Development Office and Municipal Treasurer’s Office in
House Numbering Project;
d) In 1975 together with the
personnel of the Canadian Youth Exchange Program [better known as Peace Corp
volunteers] organized and staged a Cultural Show at St. Rita’s College
Auditorium [proceeds of ticket sales were used in the Street Naming Project];
e) Initiated and spearheaded
“Operation Linis”, Feeding Program and Swimming Clinic at sitio Cala-cala with
RP-Canada Youth Exchange Partner;
f) Religious
involvement as Sunday Choir, however such was not carried on consistently up to
these days, except in late 1980;
g) Organized “Sipa Ball”
Summer Tournaments in 1985;
h) Organized Parlor Games
“Juego de Anillo” during one of the Araw ng Balingasag celebrations;
In recent times:
i) Organized
an “Acoustic Night with the Peoples [Kamustahan Blues and Jam Jam Ta Bai] for
two separate years. This is the forerunner of the present-day “Lambagao Night
Café”; and
j)
Spearheaded
Lambago Tree Planting activity along at Barangay 6 coastline.
Finally, we wish to notate that the
word “PEOPLES” in the 1970 is indeed a “hot name” meaning it may denote another
ideology, others may think. But for us, it is only a name of a group of a
“Common Tao”, who bonded themselves in spirit of camaraderie and principles
they believed.
The word is catchy, but never
ostentatious. Clearly it had reflected one common connotation of being “ordinary”.
I wish therefore to end up this
message - giving you a “Quick Look About Us” by saying this that we are the
remnants of the clashing of ideologies in the 1970’s, who today are still also
young; but not much younger than we have been before.
A few are now dead, a handful moved
to other places to establish their homes with their loved-ones, but many just
stayed in Balingasag; and many of them are so homesick why they left their
birthplaces. Others live somewhere in far-away wonderlands such as in the US
and Australia. Yet they always feel that the beauty of these places could never
beat the inner loveliness of Balingasag.
One thing sure, where ever they are and where ever they could be that,
spirit of being a “People” will always live in them. It is something
unexplainable as it grows within us from the days of our youth until it matures
into adulthood in today’s settings.
The truth of creation may only be
the reason the People may vanish away from the face of the earth. Seemingly,
they are like old soldiers who never die, but just fade away.
o0o
[1] In its early start it
was a peer group of classmates, schoolmates, and even out of school youths. It
was indeed and still is a barkadahan.
As time went on, it expanded and the group matures, totally abreast with the
political issues in the 1970’s. Before the martial rule, it had developed and
acquired a “makibaka outlook” in the process. However, during the martial law,
the group had turned into an active civic group in town with basic ideals for
Service to the People.
[2] The
high school barkadahan is composed of
Rogelio Mangubat, Faustino Velez, Crisogono Llido, and Rex Valmores. Since
Grade School days, the three of us which excludes Rogelio being a bit older
than us, were playmates. We studied in one school and by 1968-69; Rogelio
became our classmate by accident because he left school for a year. Having all
the fantasies of a teen-ager, Crisogono was known to us as “Riech Iwanosky;
Faustino, Amenhotep; Rogelio as Tochoroche Gandi [he self-proclaimed himself as
the discoverer of the Earth]; while myself is known as “Von Ostanghem”. With
these aliases we knew ourselves well and only a few of our classmates knew
these.
[3] There was no Maharlika
or superhighway during those days, so the bus travels from Cagayan de Oro to
Butuan, Surigao, and Davao
via the old highway that passes through the heartland of towns. The bus trip is
24 hour, despite travel time interval between trips were quite long, still the
departures are consistent even during the evening. So a “painitan” or store
serving hot beverages are open during the whole evening waiting for passengers
from buses that would park leisurely for cup or cups of coffee or hot milk with
some “suman”, “putomaya”, biko, bread, and so on.
ooo
