Barangay Pugad: Simpleng Barangay, Simpleng Pamumuhay

Sa aming paglalakbay sa Barangay Pugad, marami akong natutunan at nalaman. Bakit nga ba masasabing simple ang pamumuhay sa Barangay Pugad? Marahil kung ikaw ay taga-lungsod at nanirahan ka sa Barangay na iyon, paniguradong maninibago ka.

Mahigit ilang oras din ang binyahe namin magmula sa Munisipyo ng Hagonoy patungong Barangay Pugad kung saan sumakay kami sa bangka. Marami sa amin ang nagtalukbong dahil para kaming mga tuyo na binibilad sa araw ng mga oras na yon. Ngunit kung ang mga taga-Hagonoy o taga Barangay Pugad ang sasakay, malamang ay sanay na sila.

Pagdating sa Barangay, tila ba nagtatanong ang mga tiga-doon kung sino ba ang mga bagong dating na lulan ng mga bangka? Dahil para kaming mga dayuhan ng naglakad kami patungo sa Barangay Hall ng maliit na pook. Sa unang tingin ko pa lamang sa paligid ay maihahalintulad ko na ang Barangay na ito sa aming probinsya sa Katimugan.

Simple lamang ang pamumuhay, masasabi kong walang ganong mga gadgets ang mga tao dito, maraming mga bangka at mangingisda, at napansin ko din na magkakaibigan ang mga tao dito dahil na din siguro sa maliit ang Barangay nila. At nung nandoon na kami sa plaza, malapit sa Barangay Hall, mas lalong tumibay ang paniniwala ko sa kasimplehan ng Barangay na ito. Hindi man lamang namin napansin na nandoon na pala ang Barangay Captain at mga officials nito dahil sa mga nakapang-bahay lang sila.

Kung ako’y titira dito, sa malamang mga ilang buwan din ang kakailanganin ko bago ako masanay.Ngunit kapag nasanay ako dito, masasabi kong magiging payapa ang paninirahan ko dito, malayo sa polusyon ng lungsod, malayo sa mga usok ng sasakyan, sariwa ang mga pagkain gaya ng bagong huling isda galing dagat, simpleng pamumuhay kumbaga.

Hanga ako sa mga residente ng Barangay Pugad dahil napaka simple lamang ng ikot ng buhay nila, sanay na sila sa hirap ng probinsya kaya naman nakakaraos sila sa pang araw-araw.

Lumisan kami sa Barangay baon ang imahe ng kasimplehan ng buhay sa nasabing Barangay. Pero syempre nalaman din namin ang mga hirap na binubuno nila sa paninirahan sa lugar na ito. Ganun naman talaga, sa bawat sarap, may kaakibat na hirap ngunit natutunan na ng mga taga-Barangay Pugad na yakapin ang buhay na meron sila.

Modern Transition: The transition of the Parish of Saint Ildephonse from old style to modern

By: James Sebastian Bendijo

The Parish of Saint Ildephonse located in Guiguinto, Bulacan at first look is like a modern and newly-painted church, inside and outside. But believe it or not, it is already 393 years old, dating back from 1621 when the main church and convent was first constructed.

1621 when it was constructed by the first ministers of Guiguinto, finished in 1734, it has already faced three major renovations, already withstood a major earthquake in 1863 and fire in 2002. But unlike other old churches, it looks more modern compared to other heritage religious landmarks.

Carmelita Maturingan, 81 years old, an old resident of Guiguinto and a regular server at the church noticed the significant transformation of the church. Mrs. Maturingan who first seen the church when she was just seven years old relived the differences of the church from then compared to the present in terms of physical structure.

“Dati walang pintura, rough na rough lang katulad noon, na merong nakatanim na iba’t-ibang halaman na tumutubo sa ibabaw ng bato na yon, meron din tayong kampanang isang malaki doon na maganda, na pagka-ginalaw, kinalembang mo, maganda tunog,” Maturingan recounted.

Maturingan further recounted, “noong unang panahon, ang altar ay nakatalikod sa mga tao, doon sa likod na ganon nakalagay, hindi siya nakaharap, ngayong panahon na ito, nabago e, naging harap.”

“Nagkaroon kasi ng pagbabago e, yung pulpito tinanggal, kaya ang sermon ay doon na lang sa harapan ng altar, ang altar ay hinarap sa mga tao kaya ang pari ay nagmimisa na nakaharap na sa altar,” added Maturingan.

The last renovation in 2002 that lasted until 2006 was needed when fire destroyed the church back in January 24, 2002 which coincided with the town fiesta at that time. That renovation transformed the church to its current form.

“Sa ngayon maganda ang aming simbahan at naging kaenga-enganyong pasukin at maraming natutuwa na mga mamamayan sa pagkaka-bago ng simbahan namin sa pamamagitan din naman ni Monsignor Nokon at Father Monique,” said Maturingan.

“Ang nabago lang naman yung loob e, pero yung labas hindi, nagkaroon lang ng painting, para tumibay, kaya nilagyan ng painting yon para tumibay ang mga bato,” stated Maturingan.

But despite the obvious change in the structure of the church, Mrs. Maturingan said that the church is still the church that withstood the hands of time. She noted that the Parish of Saint Ildephonse, even if it has transitioned to a modern look is still a significant part of the history of the town of Guiguinto.

Kongkreto sa gitna ng dagat

James Sebastian Bendijo

Isang malaking tanong kung paano nga ba nakapagtatayo ng kongkretong bahay sa Barangay Pugad kung saan ang lugar ay napapaligiran ng dagat. Malaking katanungan din kung paano mapapanatili ito gayong unti-unting lumulubog ang lugar habang lumilipas ang panahon.

Nakapanayam ng manunulat na ito si Lucila Calayag, residente ng Barangay Pugad. Kasalukuyan nilang pinapa-taasan ang kanilang bahay. Isinalaysay niya na mas mahirap magpagawa at magpaayos ng bahay sa lugar nila kumpara sa kabayanan.

Ang mga materyales na gagamitin sa kanilang bahay ay isinasakay pa sa bangka, kung kaya naman paputol-putol ang paggawa sa bahay nila hindi tulad kapag nasa kapatagan. “Doble ang pagpapagawa ng bahay dito,” salaysay niya.

“Imbis na kunwari meron kang budget na 50,000 lang, magiging doble, kasi pati yung taong maghahakot, may bayad na din,” salaysay pa niya.   

Sa sitwasyon nila, wala silang pagpipilian kundi ang pataasan ang kanilang bahay dahil maaaring lamunin ulit ng karagatan ang Barangay Pugad sa panahon ng Bagyo. Kung kaya’t binubuno nila ang pagpapataas at pagpapaayos sa kanilang bahay.

“Pangarap din namin makatira sa kabayanan, kasi nga yung sitwasyon na rito pangit na talaga at mahirap, syempre wala pa naman kaming pagkukunan ng mabibili ng lupa, kaya dito na lang kami,” paliwanag niya.

Isa pang dahilan kung bakit hindi nila maiwanan ang lugar ay dahil sa ang bahay na kanilang tinitirahan ay pamana ng magulang ng kanyang mister sakanila kung kaya’t kahit paano ay napamahal na sila sa bahay.

Ngunit pangarap niya na sa kapatagan na lang sana manirahan ang kanilang mga anak upang hindi na nila maranasan ang hirap ng paninirahan sa Barangay Pugad.

“Sayang naman kung iiwan namin ito, hangga’t siguro kaya naming mamuhay dito, pero pangarap nga lang din namin sa mga anak namin na wag na dito tumira,” salaysay niya

Sa kanilang pangangalaga, patuloy na titindig ang kanilang bahay sa Barangay Pugad, gaya ng pagtindig ng buong Barangay sa gitna ng dagat. Kahit gaano kahirap ang magpaayos ng bahay ay patuloy pa din sila sa pagpapagawa nito, hangga’t sa matapos nila ito.

Blessing of the Sea

By: James Sebastian Bendijo

Most of the people of Barangay Pugad, Hagonoy, Bulacan relies on the sea for their livelihood knowing that their Barangay is surrounded by saltwater. The sea is very important to them because they get their blessings here like Mang Angelito.

Angelito Celso, 59 years old, operates ‘Tuyo’ business in Barangay Pugad. He stressed that the sea is his important source of livelihood and income.

He explained that after catching small fishes using his own boat, they will remove the inside of the fish, submerge it in salt and will proceed to drying of the fish outside their house.

They sell one pack of ‘tuyo’ for P20-25 and they receive an estimated amount of P4,000 per 500 packs.

His wife, Sonia Celso sells the ‘tuyo’ in Pampanga while they send other packs to Bicol through Bus.

What if they only generated small income? “Pagka kikita lang kami dalawangdaan (200) may pambigas na kami, hindi na problema ulam dyan, lulusong ka na lang sa dagat,” he explained.

“Ito na ang kinabubuhay namin, pag ito nawala pa, wala na kami, dito lang kami kumukuha sa dagat,” quoted Celso.

He knows that the sea is vital not only to him but to the residents of Barangay Pugad that when the sea is raged during bad weather, they don’t know where will they get their source of income.

“Pag masama panahon andito lang kami, hindi pwede, walang kita, naghihintay lang sa rasyon,” said Celso.

When asked about the issue that the sea as their blessing provider is slowly dying due to pollution, he answered, “dapat talaga dyan, maka-isip naman ang gobyerno ng iba pang pangkabuhayan para yung mga tao hindi magutom, kung ako lang gobyerno eh.”

But as of now, the sea is their main provider of livelihood, not unless they find any alternative in a Barangay surrounded by saltwater.

  

Paglalakbay sa Coastal side ng Hagonoy, Bulacan

Caretakers: protectors of old houses

By: James Sebastian Bendijo

They say that the ancestral houses are windows to the past. It has witness history and stood over time. But as the modern day approaches, the question is if there are enough people who are willing to preserve old houses?

This writer along with other co-writers went to San Miguel, Bulacan where ancestral houses are located. Most of the old houses there are still intact but time has made them fragile.

Erlinda Evron, caretaker of Catalino Sevilla Mansion, puts her heart in taking care of the three-story house in San Miguel. She has been taking care of the slowly-declining house for 40 years.

She would ask for young men to clean the house per week because she is quite ripe in age. Although it’s difficult for her because the house could fall anytime, she said that the house is somewhat attached to her.

“Syempre, kasi dyan na ako lumaki, dyan na ako tumanda, napamahal na din ako sa bahay, para nang akin,” said Evron.

As a caretaker, she is receiving P2,000 per month for her services from the owner of the house who now lives in Quezon Boulevard.

Marilyn Roxas-Alparo, caretaker of the house of the late Claring Libunao in San Miguel, finds comfort in living on the old house. Although it’s quite hard for Alparo and her mother-in-law to preserve the house, they still love the house.

“Komportable, lalo na pag summer, yung mga windows niya sa taas, i-open mo lang yan,” said Alparo.

She assured that as long as she is living on the house, she will make an effort to preserve the old house.

Estrella Barrios, caretaker of the house of Manuel Lipana for 32 years knows the importance of ancestral houses.

Taking care of the 160 year old house that was then owned by Crispina De Leon, member of the prominent De Leon family in San Miguel is hard for Barrios but she knows that the house holds historic resemblance.

All of the three caretakers that we interviewed assured that they will protect their respective heritage houses assigned to them.

Remembering Ka Blas’ Legacy

By: James Sebastian Bendijo

It has been a decade since Blas F. Ople died but his legacy is still remembered by Bulakenyos who attended the 87^th commemoration birthday for the former Senate President.

His son, Felix Ople reminded everyone what his Father left to the Bulakenyos.  He admired Blas F. Ople as a politician, leader and especially, as a father.

According to him, the two laws that his father created, Labor Code and Overseas Employment Act are still bringing benefits to the Filipinos. He added that other countries have copied the laws that his father authored for their own good.

He added that due to his father’s effort to extend the labor of Filipinos to abroad, now the nation’s economy is benefiting from OFW’s remittances.

But above all, he admired Ka Blas as a great father. He said that the value that he learned from his father is staying simple despite holding a high position.

His fellow from Hagonoy, Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado has nothing but praise for Ka Blas. He admired Ka Blas for his efforts to overcome poverty and marked his legacy before he died.

“Kung ang salitang himala ay makapagkakatawang-tao, ang magiging pangalan nito ay Blas F. Ople,” said Alvarado. He added that Ople was a ‘wonderboy’ of his generation.

“Tinawid ni Ka Blas ang guhit ng kapalarang naghahati at nakapagitan sa ordinaryo at namumukod-tangi,” said further by Alvarado.

Alvarado as a youth also gained inspiration from Ka Blas. “Pareho kaming taga- Hagonoy, siya’y naging inspirasyon ko rin kung papaano siya nung araw sa kanyang kahirapan ay palaging nasa library,” explained Alvarado.

“Average student lamang ako, but I graduated also valedictorian from highschool, sa pagpupunyagi, ang aking inspirasyon ay nakita ko yan kay Blas F. Ople,” added Alvarado.

He stated that like him, the youth should also idolize and remember Ka Blas.

“No pain no gain, so siya hindi lamang ordinaryong pain ang kanyang binata, yung mas malaki para mas maraming gain, at hindi lamang ordinaryong apoy ang kanyang sinuong kundi mas malaking apoy kaya higit siyang nagging dalisay, parang ginto, so ang mga kabataan dapat ganoon din,” explained Alvarado.

“Patuloy sanang maging inspirasyon ang buhay ng Amang Blas  lalo na po sa lahat ng mga naglilingkod at naghahangad na maglingkod dito po sa ating lalawigan at sa ating bansa,” quoted Felix Ople.