I would like to look back from the year 1974-1980, from Grade 1 to Grade 6, when there was no electricity yet in our town. Sibutad is just a small town of Zamboanga Del Norte, and we moved there for good around 1973, and we were just temporarily staying in a tent because we were selling dry goods, ready to wear clothes and groceries. I formally started my Grade 1 there as a visitor because my brother Edgar would cry going to school by himself. As a visitor, I was not even enrolled as Grade 1, though I was in school everyday. It was my teacher, Mrs. Lolita Tolentino, who said, that my marks are high and I could cope up, so I must be officially enrolled as Grade 1 instead of a visitor.
Recess time, with ten centavos, we could get a good snack. Then we ran underground of our school to play rubber bands or to collect some insects from the dusty area. In the afternoon, with five centavos, nutri bun was also ready. Our old school had a long hall way, we used to clean the whole hall way with coconut husks and brooms from coconut sticks. Life was very simple!
Though our house was not far from school, I really envied my classmates from far away places, they would come with their packed lunch, rice or maize with salted fish, wrapped with banana leaves. Sometimes, I also packed my own, and we ate lunch on the top of Star Apple fruits. Then, we had to play again before the afternoon classes.
There were no gadgets then. Our source of joy was playing “paligtiw”, using one long stick and short one. After cleaning time, there was “luksong tinik”, or with tops “kuti”, or playing rubber bands at the dusty side. We had a lot of “marbles” too. I was often scolded because of my rubbers bands, and my dad threatened me many to times that he would boil my rubber bands and I have to drink the juice of it, hahahahaha! Those were the days!
In the evening, when there was moon, while my sister and some of our helpers were washing clothes, we played in the streets “tubig-tubig” with our neighbors, a very traditional game. It was very much fun because we had to play by team. We also had “tago-tago” where one has to find us. We had to hide as much as possible. One that I also enjoyed most was “bato-lata” or “tsinelas-lata”.
The children now don’t have any idea about these games anymore. They are very much consumed by gadgets and games in mobile phones. Even on the table, while eating, they play with their phones. There is no respect on the food. While eating, the mother is playing, the father is calling, the children are on games, or with Facebook and tiktok. They cannot eat without taking pictures first of the food instead of praying for the blessings. Parents who are supposed to be first teachers to the children, are the ones leading the children to disrespect the food.
I was always an achiever when I was young, though I was really lazy to study. I was not the first one, but I was always on the top three to five in the class. I got special awards every year, “best in religion”, “most punctual” other small awards and especially being part of the Science Club. I was sent to Science Fairs, district and provincial levels, which was already a big achievement for a small boy like me.
Inasmuch as enjoyed my childhood, looking back now those early years, I think there were some childhood experiences that I never had. Since my parents were engaged in business, my weekend was always on that, helping in selling, or going to open markets in different places, even on week days sometimes. Our evening games outside were limited because mom wants us to be just at home, or else we get a little bit of beating or pinch in the ears “lusion sa dalunggan.”
But as I grew older, I learned a lot from the strictness of my parents, the discipline and the training in our business. If not for that, maybe I am lost by now. If not with their strict guidance, I don’t know what would happen to us. I am so thankful, that in spite of them being so strict, we have a very loving and dedicated parents, especially when we were growing older. My mom is always expressive of her emotion. She would always kiss us every time we go home from far places. We had to ask every single day for the blessing, by putting their right hand on our forehead. She was so loving and generous. Dad is always a source of laughter, even grandchildren can openly joke at him.
Asking the blessings of elders, especially with my parents, uncles and aunties and elder relatives is a practice that I still do now. I take their right hand and place on my forehead. It does not matter that I am a priest. This is a gesture which is so much imprinted in my mind, heart and soul.
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