The grandparent’s house:
The story I heard from others was worth knowing. Even with a strong typhoon, almost all neighboring houses flew off, but still, my grandparent’s house was intact. Our grandparent’s house is like a historic, Spanish-style house. The house was made of yakal or narra woods on wall paneling so it was a really sturdy house The roofs were made of strong, thick galvanized iron corrugated style, and windows were made of capiz shells all around the living areas. It had two bedrooms. In one bedroom, there was a spring bed, and in my grandma’s room, there was one aparador or cabinet, but my grandma used a duffel bag. they had several of those she hid her valuable items few pieces of jewelry in there. for clothing.
The other small which was smaller was my grandpa’s room where he got his small cabinet and his “shoctong” means his wine or alcohol. He only uses this if feels he is coughing or doesn’t feel good or maybe important papers I don’t know. It was a tall house and had an open design under the ceiling floor. Under the house, a bed is used for the rest area. The house had a large dining room with a very long table together with two long chairs imagined to be a farm-style table and chairs all were made of yakal wood sturdy and heavy.
The kitchen had several things you could see, in the corner small table where you could lay your utensils while cooking, and over the head was a rattan basket where we hid our fried fish sometimes if the cat discovered we were not lucky on that day. they have quite a size of like table stove that made of hardened clayed on the bottom and set 3rocks as a stove. where you could be laid your pot put firewood underneath.
Adjacent to it was the manual water pump. a “bomba” for our drinking and cooking water. For drinking save in a big clay jar called a pahig. In another corner was a cabinet where to store kitchen utensils. Grandparents always the bulk of salt. What I saw the salt was stored in a container that was made of coconut leaves. Sometimes they made anchovies with plenty of salt and small fish. They are stored in a big clay container. They stored for several months but I don’t know. The only lock door inside of the main was a tiny latch. I like the stairs someone made so beautiful and sturdy made of yakal wood too shiny and smooth finished. In the kitchen, there was a stair a very step but it had a rail. I really don’t like to use one.
At the living/dining room, there was a parallel rattan hammock of Grandpa where he usually laid and took a nap during the day when he felt too. Grandpa has skinny and curved features, a long face, and a sharp long nose. He smokes a cigar called it abano. He called the lighter or match “casapuego” He always had his latigo a tail of stingray a “pagi”. He is a person who doesn’t like to sit down. We have to follow his rules. We have to work hard earn a living and go to school. One of my cousins was an orphan who didn’t like to go to school, some uncle’s sacrifice brought him to school but what he did was skip the class. so nobody will blame that.
# mom said. Grandpa’s principle in life “boys should go to school like getting a degree. and girls should only finish elementary school because girls take good care of the family cooking and the children. # I only recently knew all girls had a piece of land left behind by my grandparents to them. Although we desperately needed money for the food when we were young my mom didn’t even think of selling or borrowing money to use the land for collateral.
Grandparents Family children 1905- 2015
Her grandfather’s name was Domingo Nalicat Darum 1869-1968 and her grandmother was Marcelina Climaco Dela Cruz -1870-1970.
Had eleven children. Domeciano: 1905-1962 Principal of DOE, Liborio 1909 deceased, Nemesio1910-1976 – BSCCommerce, Honorato 1912-1944 USA Army died at Death March, Pedro 1921 deceased Trade School, Braulio 1926-2015 an Attorney/surveyor
Teodorica -1907 deceased, Flora 1912-1945, Mercedes 1915- deceased, Esperanza 1917- 1991, Maria Natividad deceased
My grandma’s features were short and has a beautiful small flat nose and rounded face like mine. She loves meditating early morning like 5 am. You can hear the sound of plastics/paper or her murmuring because of her praying. She loves to put some “tapal-tapal” salonpas on her forehead. Yes, she had small goiter but it never grows or bothers her the only she put salonpas on it. She loves chewing leaves called “mamah” which makes her mouth some color. When took a bath she used it as a shampoo for minced bark wood or she soaked it for a while in the water to get the juice of the bark, no wonder she has long grey silky healthy hair. She was a person of some rude just looked at you. One time I’m curious, nosy little girl what she was doing digging on her pouch of jewelry or money her eyes rolled out and she hides right away. She murmurs, I don’t know what she was saying. I knew she had quite a few of jewelry before, and Grandpa’s money he hides in a small cabinet with a lock. she had a single daughter with her who managed everything and loved to dress up well ” Donya” I stayed with them and one cousin an orphan. My grandparent has 6 boys all boys were educated and one boy was killed in Death March in 1944. The girls just finished elementary,. So I lived to live in grandma’s house. My mom was there “Lavandera’ ni lola” means mom washed of grandparents clothes in return for rice of little or money. One brother was nice to my attorney, he gives money to my mom and my wife gives clothes to us.
Story How They Processed the Sugar Cane 1963
Back then, I remember one time we visited the area where they produced sugar cane quite a walking distance or rode with a wagon going to the farm we call this “Paitan”. This was one of the properties of my grandparents and now It was a name my mom just knew only when I went to the USA. To get into that area we had to pass several farmlands, scary sometimes because they had snakes, but were rare. It was surrounded by thick tall bamboo trees, several tall coconut trees, several cashew trees, mangoes, kamachilis, and thick bushes.
How did they process the sugar cane? 2 water buffalos tied the buffalos on the pole, and this grinding matched feeding the sugar cane stalk in it while the buffalo kept walking around or in a circle until the juice was poured into the huge wok called talyahi when having enough juice, cooked the juice until it when reaching the syrup into the right consistency they pour into halve coconut shells. Let it harden for one day called “panoksa” other way the container also they cut matured bamboo and poured the almost raw syrup of sugar cane this was chewy and good flavor. We don’t have meat we used this as a meat and rice dinner or breakfast as satisfaction. They were transported into the house by use of a wagon. Stored in the huge granary and ready to bring to the town or could be exchanged for salt anchovies or fish. The granary was huge and made of galvanized iron roof and wall paneling. Grandpa stored the grain rice, hardened sugar, and kerosene for our lamp “no electricity yet”.
Property in Paudpod Compound during from 1962
The property house in Paudpod was a huge land inside the compound where my auntie’s house, grandma’s house, granary, and the back was the house of my grandparents. Neighbors were far apart only a few. As I grew up in this area I learned to appreciate nature. The backyard had an open area where the fence was on the woods and barbed wires that had been there for so long. They have those gates made of bamboo access to the farm. Every time I saw this lush beautiful mountain, I ask myself “How far mountain from here? Sometimes this mountain was covered by clouds. During the rainy season on June /July or we call it planting season people were busy planting rice grandpa was one of them have farmland. Most of the time friends of Grandpa asked for money/rice in turn for planting rice. Because I’m going to Elementary school my time was only Saturday or after school to go to the farm to bring snacks or food to the workers. At that time there were no fertilizers yet. Siblings went to the farms and caught fish catfish, and cargos, We have regular friends who brought fish in the house for sale. At the surrounding areas of the compound, Grandpa’s property had plenty of different fruits that will never see anymore on this compound. In the backyard of the house near the farm areas, were several huge 3Santol fruit trees cotton fruits #Sandoricum koetjape, one although it’s green still sweeter than the other one. It several tall and dwarf Palm trees, had kamachili trees, guavas trees, cashews trees, caimito trees, a huge avocado tree, mango tree at the front of the house “believe reached 100 years just died recently because of flooding. several Siniguelas trees purple and green he had it. Tisa fruit so rich in vitamins I really don’t like it so rich I only knew now. coconut tree. I remember I look at the window waiting for the coconut tree to fall down during raining season because the palm heart soft we eat those, I only had once. Soursop fruit I really like it. camias tree always had fruits. I used it for cleaning my fingers and toes. It cleaned well. In the corner of the orchard, we have those well “libon” to get water for cows and water buffalos, and horses. Grandpa built those “3kaang” like a bathtub to put water for cows, buffalos, and horses. People from the farm went there to get some water for the buffalos. Sometimes we washed clothes and washed ourselves the siblings especially from we came from the farm. Note: My Eldest brother told a story he ” saw the ghost of my father in that area getting water from the well “Libon”
Childhood Summertime During 1962 through 1965
Summertime came: like December through April. December had breezy cooler weather. I didn’t even feel it was hot before. It was time to harvest the rice. Back then 1963 Grandpa built this “pala pala” or a shaded area a to was to separate the rice kernels from the stalks. He built this pole in the middle tied 3waterbuffalos to walked onto the rice stalks but we are up sitting down as a bench made of bamboo poles suspended on, whipped the water buffalo so that it moves. Grandpa obliged us to do this or else he had the latigo. But lucky or any of the children got any ‘because we run before or hide before him and laugh. Then after all the rice stalk separated my mom with the help of others cleaned the rice kernels and put it in the granary. they secured the rice stalks used to feed the animals. Saturday comes along when we are off from school. We went to the ricefield to get frogs and green vegetables “papait”, It slightly spread plant, tiny leaves, succulents, tiny flowers very bitter. cleaned and dumped in boiling water. I only knew how it was a healthy one. 2nd thing we are looking for is edible frogs. Before frogs on the farm most likely edible. We will be happy if we get one or three or four. I don’t hesitate to clean the frog. The meat was so tasty like chicken. I sauteed with garlic, onions, and ginger with plenty of soup. It was a good dinner for us. In our grandpa’s yard. Siblings planted vegetables like “sitaw” or string beans squash, tomatoes, and bitter melon. My mom takes good care of the one water buffalo. she had pigs too, and chicken. she gathered the sweet yam cooked for the pig food.
My childhood Memory: 1960-1964
Activities and fun time How I learned to sew
I remember back from 1960 to 1964. Elementary time. I’m in Grandpa’s house. I walked back and forth going to school from Monday to Saturday. Grandpa gave me .25centavo for I don’t remember it is a day because one time the following day ask my .25centavo said I already given you so that means it lasts forever than 25centavos. I believe Biscocho was .25centavo already. If I insist he has this latigo he swung it but before he gonna hit me I run. But he never did bad anything to us. He was a good grandpa, he likes us to be industrious and go to school to get a degree. I remember in the morning we had milk from water buffalo’s milk but we warmed it first before we drank, I poured on my rice and that was only my breakfast going to school. I had “bakya” wooden sleepers. Walking along by myself At young age going to school for me was fun along with the road bushes along the road it happened I stopped by to be curious about a wild fruit That looked like a strawberry. After the rainy day, fascinating to watch those few small fish ” gurame” along the ditch by the road, I passed by plenty of cashew trees if you are lucky enough if you found cashew fruit fallen down from the trees, not the fruit we were trying to get the nut “cashews were special already to us”. One day after school, of course, I’m looking for something to snack, yes I look upon the cashew tree and saw these ripe fruits I don’t hesitate I climbed on the tree in front of Auntie’s house. Omg, there were big red ants plenty of them, got into me ran down right removed my clothes was naked my cousin laughed hard at me. I like climbing the tree even the guava trees. Back to cashew nuts yes, we save those seeds until we accumulate. I’ve tried the mango but it was so tall.
Do you want to know how we roasted the nuts? Together with the cousins make a stove in an open area in the backyard early time at night place in an aluminum container pan-roasted until black and there were flickering lights until the shells of the nuts turn into black means it was done ready to pound it with stone or hammer separated with shell and nut. You have to be quick to break the nut from the shell means you have the most nuts. We hide in my pocket. During that time surroundings were quiet. My grandparents and my parents were Aglipay Religion but then when I started school, I turned catholic, On Sunday I always went to church, I truly believe in God. Back in a day of elementary school, I entered a cooking contest in a provincial mate and sewing contests I’m not lucky enough. As a growing young adult, I saw my mom have a hobby of sewing over time by watching her I learned the technique of cutting the materials. My grandparents had a Singer sewing machine manual and started self-learning sewing. Started to sew out from remnant a tote. It turns out good. I started fixing hems of the pants or repairing clothes. In the morning I soon get up after breakfast go outside sweep the yards remove the leaves and burn them.
Every Summertime vacation cousins from the city were coming. They brought some cutout paper dolls. Their mom was nice to us and gave us clothes. Today, my children and grandchildren are so lucky because they have everything, plenty of toys different kinds of dolls, nice clothes, and delicious food.
“Bakya Doll” or wooden clogs
Desperately I was to have a toy doll, but it never happened, I just used “bakya” wooden clogs for my doll. I never felt like having a doll or a piece of toy, some candies come with small Chinese plastic toys. We never had a birthday celebration. We don’t have any luxury items only clean clothes and wooden blogs. When I was in elementary I didn’t remember if the cake existed. But recently we had those egg pies started when I was already in high school when I learned to go to the town, Ice cream or halo halo, soft drink Pepsi cola. never taste the cakes before when we were young only biscotcho.
My cousin from Manila comes during the summertime. We grow up at the same age. We cooked good food, chicken/ pansit noodles or adobo. A neighbor’s cousin built a dollhouse in the corner of the lot and played with my cousins from Manila who grew up the same age as them. We played house. Time passes by they all grow up they stop going to the province. They rarely visited the province during high school time, then college never saw each other anymore any communication any letters.
I only tasted one piece of grape when my grandpa was getting weak already that’s it. We only ate spam and ham for special occasions. my auntie’s husband worked inside the Base, sometimes I helped her buy me second-hand clothes from the USA. For one piece of clothes, she paid 5 pesos. I am not a party person and just stay in the house to help with the chores. I would rather be in the house. Things got different little by little when my grandpa started to be weak and got sick. Until she laid down in bed not moving and waiting for his time. I saw him until his last breath in 1964.
Life changed after Grandpa’s death. 1964
Of course, property land was sold out overheard the story of one of the two young siblings without letting knew other oldest siblings one. that I have from my mom & sibling of hers. have an aunt who was single managed the property. She took good care of grandma but she enjoyed life. Every week believe me or not she has brand new custom-made clothes different materials and different styles. Her clothes cabinet was so full of clothes. She was a person of didn’t how to keep things, especially her own jewelry. I don’t know where it went. I don’t know what happens. Grandma had a little pension money from his son USA army who fought in the war in March of 1944. The “kabyawan” tools for processing the sugar cane were gone everything was gone except the house. Oh yes, coins that were hidden by Grandpa in the attic were taken by one of the siblings. Time had passed I am already in high school. Still, I am in grandma’s house. My auntie was lazy going to the town already so I am old enough to buy our necessities in the house like meat etc. But of course, have bought my comics I remembered “liwayway and bulaklak” and of song hits. and have Halo Halo first or Pepsi cola before I go home. I read the comics first before I let somebody use them I hid behind the Chinna cabinet until I finished the read. I have song hits, not expert but I can sing a little sing. During the time 1962
Do you believe in ghosts? back then when my father was gone the following night we used to sleep in our mother’s house. My auntie slept with us of course I was always in the middle I always covered my face with the blanket in the middle of the night I started to hear the opening of the pot and the dragging of wood bringing upstairs into the house. We are so scared by then. But one night because we were so scared one of the siblings grabbed the cat and threw it at us in the middle of the night. of course, everybody got surprised and shouted. Time passed by everything went okay.
My high school time: Time changed getting matured But never forget life getting harder and tougher. allowances, money was tighter. My auntie’s husband always brought a USA magazine with these beautiful pictures of views of the USA very colorful so clean. I am so impressed by those beautiful places. After lunch, I looked out the window thinking, about a beautiful place and how I could have those beautiful shoes and clothes, and I still had my ambition to finish high school. Not really thinking of going to college because of expenses. In the morning we passed this area that had very tall bamboo trees and dark areas We walked to school in a spooky area. same as someone behind you I walked quickly until I fast to that area I just by myself but after that area, we with my classmate walked together to school. If ever we caught a cold, itchy throat during the night we got a coupon band and lit the candle let dripped the wax on the paper lukewarm place onto your throat. or Vicks rub onto your forehead Too many herbal medicines. I don’t remember going to the Dr. before. If you cut in your finger just minced “solphatysol” antibiotic and spread it onto the cut.
Flashback Story of Mom during World War 11 1942
Based on my story about his brother during the Japanese wartime: Her brother was in the USA Army and one of those who walked in the Death March. One story from one of the relatives who also in the USA Army and one who was able to from death march who escapes from death Said to my uncle lets escape but my uncle Honorato refused to do it because he was weak and so skinny they were not giving them any food just water. Mom said her brother buried them alive or mash grave.
Back then: sometimes story suddenly popped into my head. During wartime, Mom said they had to cook their food quickly if they saw an airplane coming, they killed the fire on the stove because they didn’t want the Japanese to see the smoke or might be the Japanese Plane. Right away they hide in the ” foxhole underneath the ground. Mom said you have to vow every time to see the Japanese army. My mom told me a History of her life during World War 11 She had the eldest Daughter born during War world war 11. Japanese came to the Philippines. They were so scared when they saw the Japanese Military, they were so mean. Life during the world war was so hard. My eldest sister’s name was Elsa a newborn baby, who didn’t make it any because her mom got sick her breasts got swollen with plenty of posh inflammation. She got healed with a very good solphatysol (antibiotic) tablet that was given to her by the hospital. So lucky she survived. American Soldiers came in 1945 life getting better, they had freedom.
Grandma’s Death: 1967/ My High School Days
As the years went by and years, Life was getting harder and harder. My mom barely can not afford of eldest siblings to go to college. Eldest went to another relative to helped the chores. I don’t really have much time to bond with friends like going out, to school, and house. I do have friends too in school. I’m always thinking of expenses and where to get the money mom doesn’t have those things. My grandma died in old age at 86 in 1968. My auntie was single she stayed in the house and me. Life was getting tougher. My eldest siblings went to Manila to the uncle my eldest sister got a job in another city. So we have a little money coming in.
Life were getting better 1969
My auntie can’t maintain her house Grandpa already. The wall was coming off. When you pump the well it’s getting harder and harder to barely have water coming in. Window that has a beautiful capiz design falls off. until we just put plastic to cover the window. As the year goes by come 1969. Luck comes along. One of my eldest brothers joined in USA Navy at the Cavite Naval Base. I almost graduating from high school by then. My mom’s life was changed. She was a bit relaxed about expenses. She has had an allotment from my brother from USA Navy. Graduated from high school. My big sister enrolled me in a catholic school in college. Actually, I’m really into that kind of course. What I like was a seamstress. Sorry, to see but the 19th-century mentality of some people seamstress was a small category, you have to get a high education like an attorney, commerce, or nurse. So I pursued my education and studied harder with the big help of my brother and mom and my eldest sister. Study harder, just to help also for my expense in I take care of one pig. we stayed in a small house, our neighbors had nice apartments. We exposed to the US military family. I have my sister where I stayed taking her children and washing clothes, The house where we stayed had no well inside the house, so we have to go out and bring water inside the house for drinking and washing the utensils. There was also a time when the water would come out most of the time during the night. Life in the city was not my life. So crowded, mosquitoes, no fresh air I don’t know. I just came to stay just to study.
Life after college 1975
Every time I went home to the Province I saw our house, and I always dreamt of fixing the house of Mom house but how? Sitting by the window dreaming of anything else to a good life to go to the USA
I finished my college course in 1975. I looked for a job and I landed to find a job in the Bureau of Forestry next province where I was born. Things went well I like the job. Stayed for a while I went back to leave for a while at grandma’s but my auntie was already in Manila. My Supervisor transferred me back to the city. same company. I really like the job I worked as a typist/filling clerk in a government for a while. We always have gifts from our Sailor brothers watches, clothes everything. He was the nicest person I’ve ever known.
My goal in life we made it 1978
1975 When life changed for us. when my brother petitions my mother to go to the USA, my mother doesn’t like to go, we tell her to go, Mom, for the sake of us so that we have a better life. She went to the USA, She had a better life and everything went well. Mom petitioned the first five batches 3brothers and me. When we were preparing our papers we did it and were helped by an agency. This was my second time going to Manila. When we are ready to fly. relatives brought us to the airport when we checked in the officer asked us about the Bureau of Tourism papers. I don’t know why on earth I removed those papers so won’t be able to fly on that day. We got booked to fly the stopped over in Dubai, 2nd stopover in Amsterdam, 3rd New York, 4th Los Angeles. Because we are so excited and watching that beautiful view out the window of an airplane we never thought about a long flight until only now. Everybody was happy. Thanks from brother and mom everything changed. It was great luck And thanks also from the USA that there was a USA military in the Olongapo before, I wish there is also until now.
The Old House and the Granary 1978
Before we left for the USA the Old House of Grandparents was still standstill the only problem was the pump well, wall paneling, and the pictures of the uncles including my mom’s pictures were still hung up on the ceiling Remembered mom wearing bangle bracelet. The roofs are still good especially the stairs which are durable yakal wood. The granary I did not see the paneling was destroyed and the roofs were standing still. The fruit trees are still there my brother planted big Indian mangoes quite big already when we were in the USA
1978 Life in the USA as single.
When we are the soil of the USA, the smells are so fresh, and smooth life. the surroundings were so clean, delicious food, I could buy few accessories for myself. Thank, God. The first time I came here It was hard for me to pronounce the words and slang words hard to understand. I got my SS# right away, Plenty of jobs were everywhere. I had thick protection especially when walking from the house to the bus area freezing cold during Wintertime was very hard to be outside traveling was 1 1/2 hours including two bus rides. Happy because we were earning money in dollars already I always compared the change of the dollar before. I enjoyed working as a civilian. I applied to join the US Navy military, I passed the test when the time for the physical some people advised me it was not good because not good for a girl. Sometimes I regret not doing it but I’m so lucky also because I have a husband who supports me until now. Of course what else do you wanna looking for the right man? I’m looking for a man. everybody does that don’t deny it. Actually, he looking for a girl, although not a professional but responsible wife which was me. I dated a few times and got married, lucky enough I have found a good husband very responsible guy. After a year we got our eldest daughter. We take good care well our children. Sometimes there was an argument but he was a person of very patient to me even though I wanted my opinion to be followed. He was a very patient person. And trust him so much he says what is right if he knows not he straightened me.
Life of Married Person 1979
Starting a family was hard after a year he really pursued buying our first house. He worked a part-time job to add on the income we have a mortgage payment. We have a used car. So, time for him to be deployed in a ship and we have our first daughter. Luckily he was stationed only close to the house. For several years, It was time for him to station in another state, My eldest daughter was 6 years old already only one by then.
1988 Husband was Station in Tennessee
So the family were going to Tennessee, which was the birthplace of my boy. I took good care of my children. My eldest was already in 3rd grade. She was in a program of …………. My second