Journal of November 7, 2011

Sent the whole Errol Liquicia Abrew manuscript, "Dibersion, Politika ken Dagiti Sakit ti Pagilian," to SV Pablo for the Nov. 15-30 issue of Timpuyog Journal, which is being prepared in Laoag because they will be responsible for the editorial content and the printing cost. It will be a Bacarra Fiesta issue with all or most of the articles dealing with the town, which won the title Balikbayan Town, when the Balikbayan Program was launched by the President Marcos in 1970s.

The first chapter of REDEMPTION, a nobela by Dr. Aurelio Solver Agcaoili of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will come out in the Dec. 2011 issue of Timpuyog Journal.

Journal of November 6, 2011

The sun came out, albeit briefly, and rain clouds are gone, and it is bright day. Have edited the 49-page article on the country's diversions, politics and problems written by Errol Abrew for the Timpuyog Journal. Took a hot bath, then put on my red sweater given by Elinor, wife of Dr. Pete Alupay, a medical doctor in CA, where we spent the 2007 New Year in their house in Riverside.

The production of phlegm is almost nil and far between, reducing the rattling in my chest; less discomfort. Walked to the restaurant near the irrigation canal and had lunch of pinapaitan and rice, costing P50.00. The place with red plastic Coca cola tables is along the road, where I could see green rice-fields and the concrete palay/rice bodega of Tottie. Game of Tong-it in the early afternoon at Ang's place.

Journal of November 5, 2011

A gray, rainy day. Late breakfast of noodles mixed with camote tops and pallang, a bundle of which I purchase two days ago and stored in the ref. No lunch. At the laptop editing Errol Abrew more than 32-page article, with the edited title, DIBERSION, POLITIKA KEN DAGITI SAKIT TI PAGILIAN, for the next issues of Timpuyog Journal. In the evening, I ate dinner at the eatery nearby. It was rice with chopped chicken breast costing P30.00. Edited poem on the tower of bacarra by Dr. Vicente Bonoan, and a short article of Rodolfo Guittap for the Nov- 15-30, 2011 issue of Timpuyog Journal. My cough persists, plenty of expelled phlegm. No single capsule of medicine today.


Photo: Raul-Emmanuel Julian's garden path in his more than a million peso home in San Mateo, Isabela.

ALL SOULS DAY

In the Spanish Catholic calendar, which we brought home from Winchester, CA, November 2 is called The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. Do an early morning jogging to the Catholic cemetery near the Magat irrigation canal going east. I pay obeisance to my father-in-law, Vicente Co, and mother-in-law, Alberta Eugenio, whose bones are contained in a big white concrete structure. I am the only person in the area. Opposite it are two large tombs with name plates beneath a newly-constructed shed

My in-laws' tomb was cleaned yesterday, the grasses around it cut and Esteling laid flowers on a glass container on the top. It is a gray day, and drizzles when I start walking on the bridge. Buy two packs of beef Homi noodles and two eggs from the store, which cost P25.00. Cook the noodles mixing it with cracked egg, marunggay and camote leaves, which I picked inside the yard and in front of the house where Raul's Lechon Manok stand is located.

The sun is out and I do the laundry as usual in the old washing machine, with less than half a pack of Ariel powder costing less than P10. Enough for 4 maong pants, a brown polo, brown shorts , a polo and 2 sweatshirts that Anib-Israel purchased in a California store, in Temecula?

It's 11:12 in the morning. I will eat outside, perhaps play tong-it at Jimmy Ang' s place.

RAINY DAYS

The last day of the month of October. A promise of sun, unlike yesterday when it rained the whole day. First time I did not go out of the house. Did the laundry on the old washing machine--two maong pants, several t-shirts and pairs of socks. The sun was out, sometimes in its full force and the laundry dried on the line. It rained, drizzle actually, towards evening. Ate a bowl of Cabagan pancit at Lilia's. It was all I ate for dinner. I am not feeling good. My cough is still there. Plenty of phlegm. I must have taken at least 10 Solmiux capsules costing P12 each.

It's 1:40 am on my laptop. Still not feeling good. There is a plan to go to Laoag and visit the graves of my parents at the camposanto. Hope to transfer their bones to a memorial garden in front of (actually beside) the Spanish-built cemetery.

Nov 1. All Saints'Day. Maybe recovering after taking in two capsules of carbocistene, costing P5.00 each. I felt better towards evening. Ate baduya and diko, rice cakes that are usually prepared by Ilocanos during the Feast of the Dead. It was all I ate for dinner. Less phlegm in the evening.

DANGADANG

Agarigenggen dagiti samut-samut iti alipaga
dagiti balikas, balikas, balikas.
Anian nga ab-abbi, anian a kalintegan!
Uray dagiti mongha agalumiimda a rummuar
iti puraw a sudida.

Siaasut ti kampilan iti rinnupak dagiti nagabungot.

Adda kadi pannakasubbot iti rikkiar
kadagiti binnatog ti pungtot?

Umno koma nga agsisinnakittayo
ta ngamin saan aya a ti berdugo
isu met laeng ti dasig dagiti anniniwantayo?

Saan kadi koma nga ipeksa ti rikna
kadagiti balikas, balikas, balikas
a nagsusuon iti bendision ti sirmata
ken panagmaymaysa?

Ket iti rangrangkay dagiti darikmat
siasinoda a natnag iti allilaw ken am-amangaw?
Ania ti kari dagiti ulimek
wenno subbot ti adu a panaganus
no di man panagpangas?

Itag-ay dagiti kusapo a wagayway
nga uloden dagiti dagiti tirtiris ken saan a naimbag
a pakinakem iti bettak dagiti katawa, ublag,
saringgayad dagiti umsi, ulbod nga isem.

DAGITI KAKADUA ITI RUAR

ANDREW C. LABAYOG


INTERVIEW KEN ni Isabel Sison Sandi, tubo ti Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, a kaanakan ti exilo a sigud a caudillo ti Communist Party of the Philippines ken ti armado a takiagna, ti New People's Army. Nagpaay ni Maestra Isabel a kas principala ti Burgos National High School ken ti Bacarra Comprehensive National High School in Ilocos Norte.

Naisar-ong ti nagsurat iti BCNH idi naglektiur iti journalism bayat ti Ilocos regional student press conference a naaramid iti pagadalan.

From a tape recorder. Unedited

Adda ti Tanap iti kabambantayan ti akindaya a Burgos a nagrairaan idi dagiti kadre ti NPA.

Sakbay a marugian ti interbieu, nadakamat ni Maestra Isabel ti pannakatarimaan ti eskuelada (BNHS). Ngem hot lumber kano ti nagatang ti pagadalan babaen ti panangibabaaet ti pangulo ti Parents-Teachers Association.


NO APAY A NAGPATULONG KADAGITI TAGA-RUAR

I was threatened with an armalite gapu ta diak kayat ti insuplayda a hot lumber, kinunana. Addakami iti uneg ti oficinana iti BCNHS.

The large woman with big earrings and ready smile continued, So I invited him for the second time tapno agsaritakami maipanggep iti panangbutbutengna kaniak iti armalait.

Naammuak nga isu ti presidente ti Parent-Teachers Community Association iti eskuelaanmi. So I invited him for a dialogue. He never came. Ket gapu ta ipapilit ni Apo Bise-Mayor a questionable dagiti kayo a pangpatarimaan iti eskuela, imbagak iti utility worker in our school to bring out from the school campus dagidi a hot lumber. Kasta unay unget daytoy a tao. Binutbutengnak ket impangtana nga anytime I would disappear.

Siamkami iti familiami--ni nanangko ken dagiti kakabsatko a lallaki ken babbai, natayen daydi amami. I made letters for all of them, informing them that whatever happens to me the person whom you will file charges is this person. Baka mapukawak in a day or two--daytoy a tao ti mapabasol.

I was helpless and referred the matter to higher authorities, my bosses in the province. Imbes a tulongandak, ibagada no ania ti aramidek, kasla pay kunada ketdin, ket dimo met ammo ti makisala iti tokar. I was alone. I had to do something. Ammom ti napanunotko nga aramiden, sir? And I knew it was very wrong for me to have done it.

DAGITI AMAZONA

Kapigsa idi ti NPA (New People's Army) ditoy provincia. Wen, kapigsa idi ti NPA. Aduda. Isuda pay ti ag-checkpoint, even in broad daylight. Yantangay ta awan metten ti namnama--I have no other recourse, pudno a helplessak, ti met napan iti panunotko ti sinurotko. Balasangak pay met laeng, awan dagitay mapanawak. I have to refer the matter to these people, no ania met ti maibagada kaniak, kunak metten, a. Talaga nga I did it.

So at 12:20 noon I went to Tanap, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, in the guise a mapanak gumatang iti bawang. (One time a nagpasig kaniak ni Bettina, our finance officer at the regional office ti Department of Education, Culture and Sports idiay San Fernando City.) So I went there a kasla gumatangak iti bawang.

Awan ti ammok maipapan iti komunismo. They tried to feed something in my mind.

Kunada, "Haankami a basta agpapatay iti tao. There is still a social investigation. Agimbestigarkami no ania ti klase ti maysa a tao. No recidivist ti tao, ket agar-aramiden iti dakes, talaga a kednganmin. Tumultulongkamin iti gobierno a mangdalus iti sociedad.

Well, I think I am not in a position to discuss with you about these things. No ania ti nabukelyon a prinsipio, dayta ti surotenyon. No ania met ti naimula iti panunotko, isu met ti surotek.

Kuna ni Kumander Bakung, "Apay, ma'am, haanka nga immala iti ulitegmo?"
Imagine nga ammoda pay nga ulitegko ni Jose Maria Sison! Inamadko, "Kasano nga ammoyo nga ulitegko ni Joma?"

"Mamatikayo man wenno saan, makitami pay no kua nga agtravtravelka on your way home very late in the evening. No makitkitadaka, pagsasaritaandaka. Apay a nagtureden daytoy a bimmabaian a principal nga agbibiahe iti naladaw a malem ken naladaw a rabii? Naminsan, nakitadaka pay a naglugan iti dump truck."

Pudno met ta no maminsan awanen ti lugan (passenger jeep wenno minibus) nga agawid idiay Laoag a pagkaseraanmi.

Diak mailibak nga ulitegko ni Joma gapu ta agkasinsin da Joma ken daydi amak. Ngem ni ulitegko ken siak, kas kadagiti kakabsatna, agsasabali iti prinsipio. Saankami nga agpaparis.

Kinunada, "It's as good as saying nga haanka nga umanamong iti daytoy nga ipagpagnami."

"Talaga a saan, ta maysaak nga educator," kinunak.

"Ala, saandaka a mapilit. Ti la ngarud maibagami: Inton maminsan, haanka a basta umay ditoy, nga adda makakitkita kenka. Ta no adda makakita kenka, ket addakam met ditoy, no adda enkuentro, amangan no maalaka iti crossfire. Kaasi pay ti familiam no kua."

Diak met ammo nga addakay ditoy (itay immayak), kunak lattaan, a, ta no ibagak ti panggepko, saan a nasayaat.

Ala, ammokton no maminsn. Ngem ti innak man kalikaguman bassit ket kasaritak man dagiti ubbing a simmurot kadakayo.

"Wen, a, "kinunada.

Isu a pinaruarda ida iti kuarto. Ket nakitak daydi maysa nga ubing a nakakutkuttong. Ay, nakakutkuttong ket naasianak unay kenkuana. Inarakupnak.

"Apay, anakko?"

Daydiay laeng ti insaok, imbes koma a kinunak, "Apay, anakko, apay a simmurotka kadakuada?"

Ammom ti insungbatna?

"Ma'am, naragsakak. I feel contentment in joining this organization."

Agasem, awan pay maysa a lawas a naalda ida ket nabrainwashedda ti isip ken panunotda.

Dua a babbai--da Margie ken Heidi, a second wenno thirdyearda ngata iti eskuelaanmi.

Are they still living. Addada pay la ngata?

Addada pay, sir.

Kinuna kaniak ni Margie, "We feel happy iti kaaddami ditoy."

Inyarasaasko, "No naragsakkayo, apay ngarud a nakuttongkayo?"

"Apo, Ma'am, ti aldaw isu ti pannakarabiimi. Ket no adda man masarakanmi a kanen, isu ti kanenmi. Ket uray no kasdiay ti panagbiagmi, we find enjoyment and satisfaction iti kaaddami iti daytoy a bunggoy. Mayat, Ma'am."

Natakuatak kalpasan iti sumagmamano nga aldaw nga iti dayta a bunggoy, adda met dagiti pro-military, anti-military. Ta kasano koma a nakadanon iti military a nangtedak iti 200 a pisos iti daydiay nga ubing?

Idi kuan, kunada, "Ma'am, dika pay la agaw-awid ta aggigiddantayo a pumanaw ditoy."

Kinitak ti oras iti relok--12:20 pm nga napanak iti dayta lugar -- alas dos pay laeng iti malem.
Anianto kad nga oras nga pumanawtayo?

Alas sais, kunada.

Alla, apo. Ket kasanoak kad ngaruden ditoy? Dinto pay rabiin nga agawidak?

Ket nasanayka met nga agawid iti rabrabii, kunada.

Didak pay ketdin sapulen idiay eskuela? Napananna ngata? Siempre, paipoliceblotterdak a magpukawak, a nagpukawkami ken ni Lisa. Palubosandakami koma. No didakami palubosan, ad-adda a sapulendakami. Ad-adda ngad nga umay dagiti military nga isu ti kunayo a kalabanyo.

Saan a mabalin ta dayta a talaga ti pagannurotanmi.

Ala, awan ti mabalinko. Ngem no koma no mabalin, ala singko a pumanawkami.

Kasla nakonsensia ti kumander, ket kinunana," Kastoy ngarud, Ma'am, palubosandakan on condition a kandaduam ta ngiwatmo. Ta no dimo kandaduan, ket no apagpanawmo ket immay ti military, awan sabali a tuduenmi a napan nagipulong no di sika."

Alas tres idin iti malem.

POSTSCRIPT:

Saan a narisut ti riri da Maestra Isabel ken ti presidente ti PTCA agingga a nayalis ti immuna a kas principal ti BNCHS. Babaen iti tulong ni Maestra Isabel, simmuko da Heidi ken Margie iti gobierno ti probinsia nga idauluan idi ni Diputado Rodolfo Farinas iti umuna a distrito ti Ilocos Norte.

ACL: Parbo a nagan ni PLJ