MEETING JUNE CALLWOOD

August 30, Wednesday.--AT THE QUEEN/SAULTER LIBRARY.-

This afternoon, Miguelita and I attended the naming of a street ( located at the back of the Queen/Saulter Library ) after a venerable lady  who in the past  have helped so many women in Toronto.  Her name is June Callwood. If you GOOGLE her name, you will see so many entries about her achievements especially  in helping homeless and abused women.

She is a fearless writer, a journalist, a feminist advocating the rights of  women in this bustling city.And in a big city, only heaven knows how some people, especially women and children suffer so much abuse and injustice. At one time  some years ago, she worked with Cornelia Soberano an Asinganian who was then a lawyer in Toronto.  Already in her 80's, her voice is still resonant, her wit still sharp and one could never tire hearing her speak about the things she care the most. She came with her husband whom she married about 60 years ago, her children, her grandchildren and a sibling who is using a wheel chair.

She could have talked for several hours and nobody would move under the blistering heat of the afternoon sun.."If I do not stop talking," she said, " my children would miss a plane for Scotland this afternoon.." She talked about being in a community of caring and loving people. She had been part of the Community around Queen/Saulter so she practically know the people that lived, moved or stayed in the area..She even talk of Jilly's an establishment at the corner of Queen and Broadview. "This is a strip club..The working girls here are social workers of a certain kind, fulfilling the certain needs of men in this area.." Everyone chuckled, including the Toronto City Mayor David Miller who came to honor this ocassion...

After her speech, the street sign was uncovered. Then she was presented with a painting as a gift.. All guests were invited for a  cake cutting on the 2nd floor of the Ralph Thornton Center (RTC). The Queen/Saulter  library is found in the first floor of this building.--#

 

I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS COMMENT BY LONGWAYBYE

QUO VADIS, FILIPINAS? ( from an entry last July )

The spirit of the Guardias did not die immediately or overnight. Some loyals kept its spirit alive by forming secret societies. When the Americans withdrew from Pangasinan, the neophyte provincial authorities had to deal with an undercurrent anarchism that sometimes surfaced in violent upheavals. One was the Natividad Uprising in 1903. Similar incidents of diminishing intensity continued for another six years then it finally dissapeared. After 1910, there were no more reports about the Honor Guards. But new and equally violent societies took their place. There was the SANTA IGLESIA and also the SAPILADA which was prevalent among the Igorots of Northern Luzon.

 

Present day church societies are not that bad compared to the time when the Church and the State were one. During those days, the real power resided in the clergy. The NOLI ME TANGERE and the EL FILIBUSTERISMO  were the outstanding literary  classics written by our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Using the 1890 Philippines as a background, he drew  very realistic characters and conjured events that would never happen again..

If we examine the basic problems of 1890 and compare it to the basic problems of 2006, it appears nothing much had changed. The Filipino farmer ( which comprises the majority of our population ) is still poor, exploited and easily swayed by promises of a better life or more money. The Spanish conquistadores were gone but another nationality ( or shall we say more nationalities? ) took their place. Hacienderos are still around. Bandits and tulisanes still operate at a more sophisticated level: thanks to Hollywood movies that depict bank heists with high technology. More gruesome are the thieves who shoot their victims inside jeeps just for a single cell phone. The Spanish clergymen are out, Filipino clergymen are in, but somehow the same issues on "sins of the flesh" are still smoldering like barbeque coals. Being celibate is not the question, some married pastors have the same situations: illicit sex. Now I heard in the Internet Philippine radio that the budget of the Philippines is hovering around the trillion peso mark. How will Juan dela Cruz be able to pay that amount?

What if the Philippines did not gain their Independence from the Americans? When I was young, I read about an association formed asking US to take us back as a protectorate, then maybe as an State after a while..Then we wont have to go to the US anymore to find better jobs..This association was shot down immediately of course by the "Nationalists"..

But let us count our blessings. We are not still under a totalitarian regime which does not allow any kind of demonstration in public places. Elsewhere in Asian totalitarian countries, try to say a few dissenting words against the government and with just a flick of a finger, one becomes food for the worms.

Things could not get worse. They can only get better..But how?---#

Written by mabait42

This entry has 1 comments:

The nationalists have a valid reason; wars of independence fought all over the world have 1 thing in mind: a free nation not run by others not of their own skin.

About the hacienderos, one has to look just at Tarlac, or the Visayas, then one will see that they are still there, and making money, out of oppressive labor conditions.

It is easy to say that they are the bad guys, but say we have a friend, a good friend who has a sizable piece of land, one that he has tilled with blood, sweat and tears, and you saw it with your own eyes how he did just that. And when somebody takes away that land, we wont feel gladness.  

The hacienderos have the legal, moral right to that land.

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform must be viewed differently, for us to appreciate its value. CARP in essence realizes that the land belongs rightfully to the hacienderos, but "begs" them to let some of it go, in return for a cheap compensation which is what the govt could only afford,so that poor people can rise from poverty, and the nation as a whole will prosper. Sounds familiar? It should be, its what different faiths teach, charity and service.

Whereas charity and service of the kind the Bible teaches is voluntary, in matters in the level of  socio-econo-political life, it demands to be enforced by law.

In essence, taking away our land, and limiting the number of hectares that an individual can buy, must not be viewed as restricting the freedom of Filipinos. In the light of our economic standing, it must be seen as a necessary service, one that is obligatory, for the greater good, which as we all know stands above the individual, in a democratic, representative society.

Comment from longwaybye - 28/07/06 7:22 PM

PEDRO CALOSA AND THE BATTLE OF TAYUG-part 1

Pedro Calosa, the returning traveler, had been molded by some of the same influences that shaped Kabola. Both men were Ilocanos. Calosa was born near the turn of the century in Bauang, La Union. He too, participated in the gathering migration from the Ilocos region, for early in the American period, his family had moved to Tayug, Pangasinan. Like Kabola, therefore, he was influenced by the diminishing shadows of Guardia de Honor and Santa Iglesia.  http://journals.aol.ca/mabait42/OLDPANGASINAN/

There however, biographical identtities ended. Unlike Kabola, Calosa grew to manhood under cosmopolitan circumstances. Orphaned by cholera, he and an older brother left the Philippines for Hawaii during the second decade of American rule. For roughly the next ten years he worked in Hawaii/s sugar and pineapple fields, where backbreaking drudgery put the finishing touches to his rebellious personality. In 1926, he forged Filipino contract workers into an agricultural unionand attempted to foment strikes for better wages and working conditions. When the effort failed, Calosa wound up behind bars. Labeled a dangerous agitator, he was released after serving time in the territorial prison and was deported to his homeland. The rebellious components of Calosa's character, consequently added up to much more than the sum of Kabola's intransigent parts.

His Philippine activities reflected that complexity. At the first opportunity, Calosa left Manila's hostile environs and returned to Eastern Pangasinan. The oppressive social atmosphere of the province depressed him even more than its primitive economy. Within six months, he got himself into trouble, sometimes voluntarily sometimes involuntarily. They were seditious schemes and so the Philippine Constabulary kept Calosa under survelliance. Try as they might, the men in red and khaki ( a popular name for the PC before ) could not gather enough hard evidence to jail the ex-convict. One of these was a plan to attack the municipio of Rizal, Nueva Ecija. Harrassed by the police and applauded secretly by peasant rebels, Calosa soon realized he was a marked man. In 1930, he accepted the fact that he was meant to become a revolutionary, and soon he started au underground society called the PNA (Philippine National Association )

Membership in this religious organization did not come easy. Surrounded by informers and PC agents, Calosa insisted that aides should screen potential members very well before inviting them into the association. Once inducted, the "proselytes" were required to maintain absolute secrecy. Calosa held up his end of the bargain by prohibiting anything resembling mass meetings. Communication was usually restricted to face-to-face encounters. Detailed instructions were dispensed through small congregations in remote back woodschurches. The technique worked. By middle 1930, more than a thousand peasnts in Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija had been initiated into the PNA. Municipal authorities and the military authorities remained unaware of the organization.

Calosa's accomplishment created problems. His followers - particularly a handful of vindictive former kapisananes-pressed him to implement Kabola's strategy. Aware to the impracticalities of the master plan, Calosa urged patience. His officers listened but they did not hear. There arose differences of opinions among the leaders depending on their experiences. Calosa was the only PNA director who had seen America's Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbour. He was also the only one who witnessed dedicated men crumble under overwhelming odds. His "provinciano" associates failed to grasp either reality because they have not been abroad. To them, American military power and the Philippine Constabulary were the same in strength. Moreover, they believed that the masses all over the Philippines were eager to strike down thier opressors. Naivete and frustration led them to advocate violence. They would never learn what happened to the previous organizations like the KAPISANAN and the SANTA IGLESIA. Warned finally that the PNA would start its insurrection with or without him, Calosa endorsed the plan although he knew it was doomed to fail. He undoubtedly hoped to influence the venture towards PARTIAL success. He was surrounded by hotheads who were eager to lock horns with the establishment's military might. It was Don Quixote of La Mancha ready to fight the windmills all over again...

(next time: the PNA begins its rebellion)

MIGUELITA'S GARDEN WINS FIRST PRIZE...

Early spring this year, Aurora Costes ( my elder sister ) nominated Miguelita's garden for the City wide Garden Contest sponsored by the Parks and Recreation.

Just today August 27, Monday, we received a letter that in Ward 2 ( where we live ) the First Prize winner is 19 Dixon Road. That is our home address.

Miguelita went to cloud 9..Who would not?

"It is our prize," she said. I only positioned the various sculptures, mini statues, etc. that accented the garden's view. And I cut the grass. But the bulk of the work was done by her.

And she can only win the first prize once. Next year, she can not join the contest anymore.

But she will receive a stone marker that tells that on this certain year ( this year ) she was the first  prize winner.  And she will continue tending her garden I am sure of that. She got a very prestigious award for being a Constant Gardener.---#

LET'S GO TO THE EX!

The CNE, Canadian National Exhibition is Toronto's farewell to summer which is slowly winding down as I write this entry. In a week, classes will begin, kids will go back to school for another year. Life turns normal.

But as we watch the last days of summer slip by, let us have one last fling: Asinganians in Toronto could have a couple of visits to this great city tradition. Been there twice already and we might go back.

It is definitely a better Ex this year. There are more outdoor and indoor shows ( check a few of the photos ) . There are great sales in the booths too. But these are one of a kind stuff. Once they are gone, they are gone! I found at the Agriculture Building ( near the Princess Gate ) a huge stash of Hershey's Chocolates. Each box containing 6 bars sell only for 2$ Can. Meaning one bar which sells for $1.20 outside sells only for 35 cents! And there is not limit to what you can buy. So I emptied my change wallet to buy quite a few of them..If that is not cheap, then I do not know what cheap means!

Anyway, check some of the photos and if you are a visitor in Toronto, do not hesitate! Let's go to the Ex!!

RAFTING PHOTOS FROM ANNIE CANO...

We finally recieved the pictures yesterday from that lady Lilli who has the waterproof camera and it came out good.

Regards.

Annie 
***

This is a part of the Holiday photos posted sometime back. Submitted by our kabayan Annie Cano..Unfortunately the captions dissapeared when I downloaded them from her e-mail...

THE KAPISANAN'S AFTERMATH; THE ARRIVAL OF P. CALOSA

Many of Kabola's followers were considered to be "victims" of Kabola's scheming ways..So they were spared from heavy punishments. The authorities regarded the Kapisananes as representatives of that unweildy social segment called the "ignorant masses." As such, they were not completely accountable for their misdeeds.

Another factor that helped the surviving Kapisananes were the media at that time. It shows that even then, the mass media can make or unmake an issue. The FREE PRESS wrote or reported conventional wisdom on the incident, but the other newspapers including the Daily Bulletin blamed the uprising on "ignorance" and "fanaticism" and traced the uprising to the rampant "landgrabbing" during those times. Malacaniang joined the swelling chorus. Governor General Wood ascribed the difficulties in Nueva Ecija to unhealthy agrarian relations. He declared: "Behind the revolt were homesteaders who lost their farms and tenants with grievances against their landlords.." Few provincial judges could ignore such voices. Cabanatuan's chief magistrate, accordingly ended the akward proceedings as quickly possible and handed down what was regarded as token punishments.

The official post mortem failed to reflect some other causes, so another committee made up of Filipino Cabinet members was formed.  It discounted economic arguments and blamed everything on Kabola. Their report stated that the dead rebel undermined the traditional symbiosis between the tenants and landlords. The villagers too ( meaning probably the people living in Poblacion ) were also partly blamed. "Relations..between proprietors, and farm tenants, the homesteaders and the government is not what they should be.." complained the Manila department heads.."because tenants and homesteaders are very unreasonable in their demands.." The Constabulary arrived to the same conclusion. Central Luzon's district commander blamed it all on Kabola. Colonel Jose delos Reyes predicted peace in Isabela "unless the slain chieftain of the San Jose uprising , as generally believed by his followers and the ignorant masses, should come back to life and renew his attempt to establish a communistic government.."

The colonel's tongue-in-cheek observation was more prescient than he realized. Kabola did not rise again. After sometime, his old followers came out of prison one by one. Older, wiser and many times tougher, some of the parolees harbored longings for a return match with the Philippine Constabulary. Symphatizers, they found out,  dwelled in many towns through out the north. By early 1927, these pent-up hatreds become devouring passions. All that was needed to spark a new violence was dedicated leadership. Before the year ended, Kabola's rugged successor disembarked on one of Manila's piers. His name was Pedro Calosa.--###

next: the early life of Calosa

THE END OF KABOLA AND THE KAPISANAN

Yes, not even Plan A was tested for efficacy. The authorities were already very much aware, thanks to the paid informers, of most of the Kapisanan's aims and intentions.On March 4, at the eve of the Insurrection, Kabola met his followers for a last minute pow wow, pep talk just like a big political meeting de avance. Two hundred society members from San Jose barrios came to the meeting. A six-man Constabulary squad in undercover clothes also attended. But they slipped into a concealed position near the site. The head of the squad, after sizing up the military capability of the rabble, decided to use an old military trick.

He waited until Kabola started his speech. Barely after he started, the PC agents started a pandemonium. They fired rifles, shoued commands ( in the dark ) and scurrying noisily in the dark shrubs. The crowd panicked and no kind of rallying from Kabola and his aides could calm them. Then one of the troopers killed Kabola on the spot. His death created more panic and there was a mad scamper into safety. Too frightened to run, seventy two Kapisanes discarded their weapons and raised up their arms. Then it was all over.

The seventy two were so frustrated the next day when they found out that they surrendered only to 6 PC troopers, and 3 of them had serious bolo wounds.

This night episode reversed the tide for the rising Kapisanan hype. By the dawn of March 5, the PC and municipal police rounded up all the Kapisanan suspects through out the region. News of the encounter spread more quickly than the official governement press releases. Exaggerated reports of the conspiracy created furors in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan. While peasants abadoned their barrio houses for the safety of the countryside and farmlands, the rich people left their big houses temporarily for the safety of the Provincial capital. The violent mentality of many people at that time--rich and poor alike--came out into the open. There was this class conflict ( which I believe still exists in modern day Philippines ) which bothered the citizens of the region. The news also spread throughout the whole archipelago.

More facts came out "the morning after." the "army" of 12,000 dwindled to a few groups of ignorant, deluded and superstitious peasants. The "liberation plot" was the excuse for some Kapisanan leaders to collect as much pesos and young women ( for the use of the "liberators" ). The weapons of the liberation, the authorities discovered, consisted of only a few spears, some rusty pistols and 2 dozen cartridges. This was printed in an article from the Philippines Free Press, march 14, 1925.

Late in March 44 conspiracy and 41 sedition indictments were filed in Nueva Ecija's Court of First Instance. Public anger reached an all time high. The mass trial began on April 10, 19 days later the judge handed down his decisions.

Given the hubbub of the preceding months, punishments were exceptionally light. Nine Kapisanes were granted acquitaal. Thirty five were found guilty and sentenced to jail terms from one to eight months. Those accused of sedition were meted more severe sentences: Forty one were consigned to Bilibid prison for two to four years. Compared to the treatment of peasant rebels in the past, the result constituted a humanitarian milestone.

One of the mitigating factors that brought about the kinder sentences was the fact that Kabola and his aides were already dead. The others were just "seduced" into joining. One of them confessed:

"All I was told was that Apo Lakay ( Kabola ) was going to the US last Tuesday morning and to return the night of the same day. ( I wonder what would he be using: a private jet?) He would carry with him the Philippine flag of independence. The flag is to be inagurated Wednesday and there would be a general convocation called for that day. We were to wear our uniforms and carry with us rice and money. I was not told what to do next, but I was made to understand that we were to swear to defend at all costs, our flag of Independence..."

#######

next story: PEDRO CALOSA AND THE BATTLE OF TAYUG

THE STORY OF KABOLA, part 2

Kabola added more "perks" to his prospective members. Fully aware of the common man's fascination with conspiratorial fraternities, he evolved elaborate initiation rites and intricate symbolism for the Kapisanan membership. Entrants were required to pay a 3.20 peso-membership enrollment fee, to endure an innoculation with a diluted mercury solution, to take a solemn Katipunan-style oath and to abide by complex regulations designed to maintain the organization's secrecy. They were also required to acquire weapons and to prepare colorful uniforms for the impending struggle for liberation. The diluted mercury inoculation is supposed to grant invulnerability to the member.

In the beginning Kabola's caution yielded dividends. He and his aides began to sport the trappings of prosperity. Despite mounting suspicion provincial authorities remained in the dark concerning the society and its violent goals. Lengthening Kapisanan membership rolls testified to the supremo Kabola's success.Within a year, 1,500 farmers in four provinces joined the patriotic movement and approximately ten times that much had become symphatizers.

Assuming the title "General in Chief", Kabola -- splendid in military shirt, riding breeches, cavalry boots and side arms-- inspired his followers with periodic inspection trips to remote barrios. According to a March 5, 1924 issue of the Philippine Free Press, Kabola sold ranks in his liberation Army to members of his organization. The 3.20 pesos initiation fee assured a classification rank of a "private." Higher categories and their respective prices are: corporal, P5.20; sergeant,P8.20; lieutenant, P10.20; captain, P15.20; major P20.20;colonel, P30.20 and general, P50.20. The 20 centavo-charge covered the cost of the diluted mercury inoculation. By mid1924, many of his village adherents believed they represented the new future of the Philippine Islands.

Again, the poor peasantry were deceived. Kabola's sudden affluence arouse the curiosity of the Nueva Ecija's politicians and policemen. When surveillance failed to produce evidence of illegalities, they resorted to a more subtle detection method. They hired paid informers. In December 1924, the authorities gathered a body of information about Kabola and his association. It was then that some government agents ( PC spies ) inflitrated the ranks of the supposedly secret organization. In short, intrigue produced counter intrigue. Before Kabola recognized what was happening, he had been outplayed in his own game..

Kabola's final demise started early in March 1925. His followers started to become impatient. They wanted Kabola to make good of his promises: land, prosperity and all. So, liking it or not, Kabola laid plans for an insurrection to take place on the midnight of March 5-6, 1925...San Jose, Nueva Ecija was to be the primary target. When the municipality was captured, Kabola figured, the victorious Kapisanes would punish official malefactors, redistribute the land and proclaim Independence. This plot seemed so easy and feasible when discussing it. But there was nothing in the way of follow up operations. There was no PLAN B..--

(to be continued )

PEDRO KABOLA AND THE REVOLT OF 1923

the early life of Pedro Kabola

Pedro Kabola is a wiry, Ilocano field worker with an affinity for trouble. Born in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur during the last decade of the 19th century, he left his crowded birth place and joined other land seekers. At last he found himself in eastern Pangasinan. While fellow settlers cultivated homesteads, Kabola flitted from barrio to barrio, doing odd jobs here and there, earned a few centavos ( which was already enough money to survive during those times ) . But his main interest was learning the stormy legends of each barrio especially the tales of the daring bandits like Filipe Salvador, Apo Laqui, etc. Then his fertile imagination started fantasizing plans of liberating the Filipino masses. His first attempts were amatuerish. His initial attempts to form secret societies got him in trouble with the municipal authorities. Late in 1918, due to his Constabulary record, he had to leave Pangasinan and move his base of operation to Nueva Ecija.

This move did not improve his relations with the authorities. Trouble followed him wherever he went. By 1921, his records listed a series of alleged crimes: like sedition, extortion, conspiracy, horse thievery and attempted rape. In each instance--to the frustration of the police--provincial courts released Kabola on grounds of insufficient evidence. But sometimes notoriety could add luster to a crook's reputation especially if he has the gift of eloquence. In view of his successful circumnavigation of the law, he became a super hero in the eyes of the peasantry. They said he was invincible, like F. Salvador. By 1923, he started to work on his plans to liberate the masses and fight the establishment.

Early this year, Kabola and a few friends founded the KMM (Kapisanan Makabola Makasinag ). Peasant interest in this organization was stimulated by a variety of ingenious techniques. Kabola procalimed to his followers that he was in regular communication with the living personalities of Jose Rizal and Filipe Salvador. Rizal, for the information of our non-Filipino readers is the National Hero of the Philippines. These heroes, he said, commisioned him to lead a popular struggle for the liberation of the Philippines. Kabola also promised to his members that they will also be INVINCIBLE or INVULNERABLE just as he was. During those days, Filipinos believed in AGIMATS, ANTING-ANTINGS and other forms of Talismans.. These objects gave special powers to anyone who possessed them, that's what they said especially in the barrios. But Kabola did not advocate spiritual means to accomplish temporal ends. Instead, he called for the establishment of a secret people's army. With enough para- military groups, he said he would make surprise attacks on certain municipalities. These would cause anarchy first in the local level and with enough members nation wide, it would plunge the whole Philippines into disorder. Kabola said that the Emperor of Japan would intervene on behalf of Kabola and will drive away the Americans and the local authorities. Property redistribution would follow, he said and the Philippines would become a nation of peace, harmony and prosperity.

Kabola seemed to have a forboding of the upcoming events of the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines after the attack on Pearl Harbour. But the scenario he wanted to happen was quite different.

(to be continued )

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE CANO HOLIDAY ALBUM...

Some of these photos were described in Annie's story in the previous entry.. The jungle terrain is really awesome..It could never be seen in movies ( maybe only in IMAX documentaries ) but places like these are worth visiting, if one has the means. You will see Nature as it was thousands of years ago and will be for the next thousand years assuming there won't be a calamity that will end it all. But now that it is there for us to see, let us enjoy them..CIAO BELLA!!

THE CANO FAMILY JUNGLE ADVENTURE

Yes I'm back fresh from the jungle,my skin was toast and have the so called prickly heat---like a millions and gazillions of needles pricking  my arms.

At this age I thought I will never go to  extreme adventure but my hubby was so persistent including my daughter.We went rafting through a rapids and at first I felt like I wanted to die and I personally said I QUIT  to our tour guide but they just laugh it off.It was scary on the first part but as soon as you go through it,it was really fun.I already knew that I will be the first one to fall out  of the raft through those waves but luckily I wasnt.It was those other people from the other raft who were thrown out of their raft (3 person) and we only have Martin on our raft.He was the one who jumped out of our  raft,held into the rocks and into our boat rope while the rest were trying to save the  other by throwing the lifesaver rope and the tour guides were the one who jumped into the river and retrieved the 3 persons.Marianne was so strong that she remembers the drill in   case something happened like that and she did a  good job.She was the only kid in the group and she was the one who threw the lifesaver  rope.( see the  pictures on the rafting  group  in the next batch of pictures, maybe..)

We also went to Pachuca to watch the game and I did caught  me  a soccerball as my souvenir.We've  been through a lot of  soccer games every now and then  and never had the luck to get me one and this time I did.Martin was laughing hard  at me as soon as he saw me caught that ball that I never thought I had it in my arms until the rest of the crowds were clapping their hands.That was fun and I loved it.

I am still tired until now even though I didn't do the driving. But I guess sitting down was more  tiresome than driving.Also whether I like it or not have to go  back to work Saturday and pay  the bills.

 

Annie Cano,

captions by the Editor....

A LETTER FROM ERNIE DE LEON...

Hi, Vic I tip my hat to you for your excellent work with the Asinganian journal ( and to your contributors of couse). I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through it over a cup of coffee this morning.Unfortunately, I am not much into computer thing, so I will just be one of your regular readers. As i mentioned to you I am typing only with one finger so you can figure out how long this took me to do. Keep the good work up.    

ERNIE L. DE LEON originally from Sanchez, Asingan.

HOW GREAT THOU ART: A PHOTO ESSAY

Annie Cano, a townmate now in Katy, Texas has just arrived with her family from a holiday south of the Border, down Mexico way. Among the many photos she brought home was this set of Nature photos which are  stunningly beautiful. I used as captions the words of a popular Hymn, HOW GREAT THOU ART..For all Nature is the handiwork of our one powerful God...

MORE FEEDBACKS RE: SATELLITE FOTOS

Who is Archie? Is it possible for you to get the other side of the church photo from Archie. When I was looking at the No. 1 picture I cannot distinguished it. I am at a lost. In the second picture I could easily distinguished where I am coming from seen you got all the tags on the picture. --Lito Domaoan

***

Archie is Arsenio Macanas, a relative of Brigida Macanas who worked with us at the church before..One time Archie might be able to reproduce that part that shows where the Cardinez Apartel is..It is near the KANTO of "Alex Romero road" ( for not knowing the right name ) and the road going to Dupac...I know this is where your Grandpa Alvaro used to live..---Vic

****

How could you see your house? It’s only the plaza that the are showing not the Catholic church ground I am trying to look at my former Grandfathers lot which was occupied by my cousins house now. But what it show are only those houses surrounding the plaza. Am I right or wrong.?--Lito D

****

I know..It is hard to distinguish our house ( and the others ) because of the trees and the brown, rusty roof.Details would be blurry..In reading the details, one have to use our imagination or our knowledge of the topography/geography of the street area..I know the houses there cuz I grew up there..and I visited the place in 2003..I know the new houses in our block..But the rest of Asingan? I would be lost!

****

Hi Vic: That photo you send thru your Asingan website I put up as one of my wall paper here in my computer so I could always be reminded of Asingan. That’s ok if it has a rusty roof it shows its antiquity. Antique house is better than new house why cause it is sturdy house it has injured typhoons, earthquake, wars and abuses by those people who have dwell there past, and present. It has histories and lot of memories whether its good or bad. They only thing you could do is to extend it’s life by repairing it

-----Original Message-----
From: MABAIT42@aol.com [mailto:MABAIT42@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 9:14 AM
To: Domaoan, Angelito
Subject: (no subject)

You are welcome, buddy!..The photos came from Arsenio Macanas..Ask Glenn if he can load the software: it is something like Google Earth..It is primarily used by the US Military to check or to spy on "enemy" countries and somehow, somebody was able to get a program out of it..It is limited only anyway..but the view is good!..Our old house is there, rusty roofs..Show the photo to Bernard for his house is very legible: it has blue or green roofs..Bagong bago pa..!

vic

 

 

THE TRIP TO AGPAY

Inspite of the near mishap at the Dam, I did not stop visiting the place and going beyond the immediate area...A month later, Alex Romero, Angelito Domaoan and a few other friends decided to go back, camp over night and proceed to Agpay ( a beautiful resort in San Nicolas ) via a small mountain trail..This group which I accompanied ( I was the mountain guide ) did this twice in the 70s. It was still quite safe then although we found out later what we did was really fool hardy. But it developed in the participants of the camping trip certain traits like: 1)  Not to give up easily 2)  Not listen to EVERYTHING that your elders say 3) Believe that nothing ventured nothing gained 4) There is nothing like the great outdoors ( You see Real Beauty in the wild mountains free of man made structures )

With a few camping equipments ( pots, pans, rice, canned goods, etc ) we took the late Pantranco bus  to San Manuel and from there, we hired a carromata to bring us to the Dam. We reached the area at dusk. We approached an employee ( an ENCARDO or caretaker ) and told them we are planning to go to Agpay, San Nicolas  the next morning..

The guard of the Dam lived in a small room somewhere there within those concrete structures. He told us we are crazy; only a few know the way there up those hills..I told him I have been there once, and I can find my way again..

His wife was also there and she was gracious enough to prepare some rice for us..At first, they must think we were bandits or NPA people.. Finally,  they sensed that we were good people. They showed us the Filipino hospitality: food and  accomodation for the night. We slept in their living room .But before the couple slept, I saw the man put a shotgun beside his door.."Do not worry," he said.."We are in San Manuel" ( which at that time was noted for its "notoriety"). The mountains made a good hiding place for any fugitive, good or bad..Back of my mind I also thought: well, that shotgun might be a message to us too..No messing around in my house..Before I fell asleep, the last thought in my mind was "what did I get myself into?.."But it was too late to back out. We were already there, for of us. What will happen to one will happen to four..All for one and one four all.In case the man decided to shoot us and dump our bodies in the area, then that's the end of it..But  then I am still here telling this story..

The next morning broke bright and clear..The lady of the house prepared a simple breakfast..We offered some of our canned goods but she turned them down saying, "you will need them more than we do..." Their "house" was nothing more than one of the rooms in the Dam...We packed our gears again, bade them goodbye and thanked them profusely..We climbed down via a set of iron rungs fastened on the concrete wall going down the riverbed beside which was a wide concrete pavement..Their room was found in the topmost part of the Irrigation structures. I think one of his jobs is to open and close the floodgates during certain times, plus general maintenance of the set-up.It was also a big, lonely job... 

Then we walked through an area full of stones towards the foot of a hill. The stones were there I guess to prevent erosion..The morning was sunny.It was a fine day for hiking.. We talked about our host and the shot gun.."Do you think the gun was for the bandits? or for us.?" We decided that the next time we do this thing, we won't sleep there anymore. We were all bachelors ( except for one called Andoy. But then, I guess he does not care. It was one way of getting a break from his family ). We talked about things as we trekked the sand and stone river bank  until we reached the foot of the hill. Then, we rested our feet a bit ( even with shoes the stones really made them  sore, ) and then we commenced our hike going up the hillside.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, you will be  rewarded with a view of San Manuel's rural vista. One can see these hills  on the Binalonan-Laoac road and being on top of it is something.  It is like being on top of Mt. Everest--sort of The feeling was exhilarating. But we can not rest here, we have to continue because Agpay, our final destination was still miles away.

As one of my companions said, "Agpay paya pay iti Agpay.." "Agpayso ta kunam, answered another..

( to be continued )

 

SATELLITE VIEW OF PANGASINAN

1. This aerial photo is best seen in its original file ( Email Archie and ask for it ). It is quite a high rez graphic. The 3 photos that went with the batch took me 2 hours to download. But then, I am still on dial up, while most of you are already in broadband which would take just a few minutes to do, probably..After receiving the file, use Paint to open it and voila! You will see features that you would not dream of seeing! And in color too, plus the details are so sharp. ( No wonder it took my PC 2 hours to download )..Paint is  common in every PC it has been there since the days of 386, before Pentium was invented. Or you can use whatever graphics viewer you might have in your PC..

This was taken most probably during the dry season when the fields are parched and harvest has been done. But near Malasiqui is a green area, like a forest..MAYBE, JUST MAYBE this is the original site of CABARUAN  that notorious place in Pangasinan which is the hiding place of the GAURDIAS  de HONOR ( Check my story on the GUARDIAS in the JOURNAL  ASINGANCOM ).. There are bits of low clouds like cotton candy and some green areas..Anyway, check this aerial map out and you will discover features which you know exist, esp. if you have been going around Pangasinan frequently as a salesman or bus driver..By the way, this shot was taken at about 50 miles up the air..

2. This is the aerial view of San Roque Dam..When I was younger we visited San Roque Dam ( we simply called it DAM  before, no offense intended )..It was not still technologically improved before so there are few people, the surrounding view especially in the morning was EXQUISITE. The rolling hills all around, the sound of the murmuring river, the plants and flowers. We hiked a bit upstream via a trail and then we went up a hill side thru a steep path which is actually a sharply inclined face of the hill. As we were going up, the first person climbing encountered a nest of ABOOS ( red ants ) and he suffered several ant stings. Although we felt sorry for the guy, we were nevertheless grateful to him because he cleared the path for us and the rest of the way was a breeze! Up there, we saw a better view of the river, the DAM a clear cloudless sky. Up further I heard was a banana plantation manged by some IGOROTS. Somebody else told me that it is possible to hike up to Baguio City from here, but that would be literally going a BIT TOO FAR! We stayed inthat ledge an hour or so enjoying the view and swapping funny stories. Felt sad when we left. Then we discovered there was another trail going down along the edge of the hill. It went down, down to the Dam facilities. didnt have to use the ant infested trail we took the first time.

Of course, we went there several times. Along the river edge are several women panning the sand for bits of gold. They say in an afternoon, they could get a few grams which they sold to local dentists. At that time, gold teeth were still a fad! In another instance, we saw a young woman taking a bath there, in her BIRTH DAY SUIT! But one of the women there said she was retarded so she had no inhibitions. But she was a bit pretty. Some boys in our group took sneak peeks at her silently. Can't blame them!

We stopped going to the DAM years later when a boy nearly fell off from the top of the Dam to a sure death at the concrete pavement below. Even now, my heart still pounds when I recall the incident. From then on, no more group trips to the DAM!!

****

We should thank Archie for these photos...

Last photo..and the best so far..if you see the original file sent by Archie..

These 2 photos were taken at 964 feet...Photo no. 1 has no tags, photo no. 2 has tags...Resolution was better than the other ones.I could distinguish now the  outline of our old house..Seeing this photo is the next best thing to being in Asingan..Maybe we will go home early 2007. Imagine how many photos of Asingan I could show all of you!!

Extra Cabincolan shots as requested...

Manong Vic,

This is the closest I can zoom in which is in the eye altitude of 997ft. If I'll go closer the image will look fuzzy. Images from google earth that had been shot in the Philippines are not 100% crystal clear yet.

I guess we are lucky because Asingan is close to the tourist spot  which is San Roque Dam in San Manuel. Asingan Area was also included in the  aerial zoom mapping by the Google Earth. I will print a shot for the San Roque Dam Vicinity and also do the close up shot.

I will print some shoot also here in the U.S. of course it's very clear. The streets name were already included. I'll print the vicinity of my address here in L.A. The closest zoom in here in the US is in eye altitude of 150ft. it could see people like a dot walking in the street.

If you can give me your full address here in the US or anywhere in North America, I can look and print it for you.

I am very glad that some of you are happy for what I shared here in this site. Keep reading and keep blogging, this is only a place that we could re-unite and exchange ideas. It's very comforting to share our moments that happened in that small town. Though you and  I may not belong exactly to the same time frame,  still the fact that those events happened in Asingan will unite us all! I guess, we are happy to read Asingan stories and we feel a sense of pride and belonging.

As you can see from the bird's eye view of our hometown, it's small and connected and the people are away from each other. This is our chance  to get together. Write anything that can make us cry or laugh.

Let's all get involved in writing. Please recall your moments in Asingan which you can share with us. We are all good readers hungry for stories with Asingan settings.We can use Manong Vic Journal site. His journal site  already known to  everybody... so let's get on with it!

****

Best way to view the photos is by using the SLIDESHOW option of your PC, if you have one. Then click it to pause if you want to study the view closely. If you have an LCD TV/Monitor, the details would be sharper. The bigger the LCD TV, the better. If you have an LCD monitor with a DVD player, burn the sattelite images as JPEG images into a DVD-R blank disc, then try to view it by playing it on the DVD player. Most players now can also read JPEG images..

You need to be able to interprete the details there too, especially if you are an architect or maybe an Air Force pilot whose job is to bomb certain targets. Luckily, there are no places in Asingan that manufacture WMDs ( weapons of mass destruction )..Anyway, I spent a lot of time "reading" the details of the map where our house in Asingan is. The rusty roofs plus the surrounding trees concealed it a bit.

Good work, Archie!----#

****

Feed back from:

 Arsenia de Gracia,

TEXAS

Thanks for sending me this picture of the “Satellite View”. I felt at home when I saw the site. I was even looking where our house was located.  Have a good day and thanks again.  Your writings are all wonderful. In fact I have been  making copies and compiling them as a book so I can read historical events of the past.  More power to you. Your articles are great.

&&&&&&&&&&

ON THE STREET WHERE I LIVED

I made a print of the image..8.5 by 11..The  de Mesa Residence is dead on..The next house beside it is Andong Sampagas..The trees covered it partly..The roof are rusty also just like our house, so it appeared in my print as brown with green ( the trees beside it ) The next house with a line ( above the caption SOMEWHERE HERE ) must be my brother in laws house..

The house with MANONG VIC'S RESIDENCE is the Independent church,,The caption covered the front lawn of the church..Next is the Canadido residence, the Gascon residence ( the sis of Mr. Gascon the principal ) then the house under the caption CRUZ RESIDENCE  must be Bernard Cruz's alongside with the Ong residence which is exactly in the canto of the Binalonan-Urdaneta road crossing..

I did not know Mr. Aguinaldo is already operating Monyang's kiskisan before..The priest house is very clear, brand new aluminum roofing..

Yes it is easier to note the details if U have a color print..like the one I made..

It is fun..and nostalgic..Thanks, Archie!

By the way, I converted the JPEG which U sent into Bitmap which has a higher resolution and accesibility to Pagemaker which I use in printing..If ever U send me somore satellite photos, send it in Bitmap..it is clearer I think..It is almost 2 Megs compared to the half Meg memory of the JPEGS..

 

******

Three more satellite photos..

ASINGAN FROM THE SKY...(SATELLITE SHOTS )

The following satellite shots were submitted by Archie Macanas..It is better to use the original software and view the shots with its graphic capabilities..Archie said they will be sharper ( higher resolution )..These ones are in JPEG which is the format used in ordinary graphics..Of course with satellite cameras, one has to use a better program to view the shots (GOOGLE EARTH ) ..But these ones are quite OK..My first time to see Asingan from this angle...

Midsummer Days in Toronto ( a pictorial )