HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

January 28, Saturday must be noted as one of the warmest winter day in Toronto. In the middle of the winter season, the temperature shot up to about 10 degrees C so it was a crime not to go out and enjoy the balmy weather and to check the happenings in Chinatown. The Toronto Chinese Community celebrated the Chinese New Year ( year of the dog ) that week end. Nene went out to work, I went out to play. After a quick brunch, I headed to Chinatown in Spadina and Dundas one of the Chinese communities here in Toronto.

Once in a while I like losing myself in Chinatown. This area is so noisy, so dirty and so smelly. Reminds me of Manila, particularly Ongpin or Binondo near Plaza Sta. Cruz. At 1:00 pm, there is already quite a crowd at the Dragon Mall, milling in and out. This was my first stop. Never been in this mall for about 5 years already. The ground floor consisted mostly of table vendors selling pastries and something we call "Chinese New Year Cake." These come out only once a year and they taste almost the same as the TIKOY we have in Asingan. I saw a table vendor selling pirated DVDs. Unbelievably they have KING KONG, NARNIA, FUN WITH DICK AND JANE and some other movies which are scheduled for DVD release in a few more months. The price? 7 for 20$. I bought one such item in Montreal last year for 10$ and I wasted my money. It is one of those videos shot with a video camera inside the theatre. Sounds familiar? Yes sir, another similarity of Toronto Chinatown to Manila. I did not buy any pirated video this time. Meantime I took the escalator to the second floor.

In here I saw a DVD store which advertised PILIPINO MOVIES AND MUSIC.. All right! I had to check that joint. They had one full shelf of Filipino DVDs, VCDs and CDs manufactured in Hong Kong. For sale and exhibition only in Hong Kong, said the label. What the hell were these doing in Toronto? After browsing ( and noting what to buy ) the Philippine movies, I saw, right at the back wall a whole collection of Asian pornographic movies. Even the jackets were 100% graphic smut. They do not even put white labels on them, for decency's sake. Only in Chinatown. I guess the Vice Squad of Toronto do not care about checking the stores in Chinatown. Or they stopped trying to stop them.

Going back to the Filipino movies, I saw the well known titles that sell for 16 or 20$ US online..In here they sell only for 10 or 12 US Can $ which is still much lower in value than the UScurrency.These are original copies and you can haggle with the price. I spent sometime reading the liner notes on the labels. Well they were selling DUBAI, MILAN, FENG SHUI, MANO PO PART 3 plus DVD versions of Our lady of Manaoag. The DVDs have English subtitles which would be helpful for the younger Filipino Canadian kids to understand. Then I remember I had my cel phone with me so I called up Nene at work. I asked what she wanted.

"Do they have lanzones?" she asked. "yeah, I saw one fruit market displaying some. Just one."

"How much do they cost?"

"5.99 a pound." "Nagnginan!", that's her favorite expression. "But buy 2 bags anyway.."

"How about the New Year's cakes?.."Of course they got them. It is new Year, isn't ?"

"Get them too, they are nice fried coated with eggs."

When I went back to the table of New Year cakes only 2 out of the 10 saw remained. Had to buy them at once since I do not like going around anymore. As the day waned, the crowd grew denser and more unruly. Someone stepped on my foot and didn't even say "I am sorry" Minutes later someone in a motorized wheel chair bumped me in the back. Had to grow eyes in the back of my head next time. I inched my way to the fruit store for the precious lanzones. I asked for 2 bags of the cellophane wrapped fruit. The vendor hastily weighed them and said "20.19!" Pulled out my wallet, took out a 20 $ bill and said "How about 20?" "OK" she said..Heck she did not even show me the scale reading. I just bought the product with blind faith. Then I started heading for the bus stop. On the way, I saw the two guys selling pirated DVDs inside the Dragon Mall. I guessed they smelled the cops were almost on them so they hightailed it to a safer part of Chinatown. There must be an easier way to earn a living than that!

In a few minutes I was on the bus stop, and a 505 TTC street car arrived not long after. I got into it and checked the remaining vista of Chinatown as it passed by through the strret car window. Then it halted at the corner of Dundas and University. I got down and saw a Tim Horton coffee shop. I needed a cup!

Gee, it was great to be back in a civilized environment again.----#

FROM AMBASSADOR RUDY DUMAPIAS

Some letters teach us lessons in family love...This is one of them!

*************

Dear Arsenio,

      I must apologize for the delay in responding to your important message.

       I am saddened with the death of my dear friend Lipit.  Please convey my family's deep sympathy and condolence to his surviving children and grandchildren, as well as to his wife and brothers and sisters.    
     Also, please extend my warm personal regards to your father Turing who was a friend to both me and my elder brother "Totoy" Florencio Jr.  When he had the barber shop, I used to patronize him as well as Opong Fernandez.  I remember your father as soft-spoken and reserved.  My brother and I grew up with Turing and Lipit, and I remember the other kids from your neighborhood in Cabingculan such as Martin (expert in gripo), the Tayabas, the Escorpisos, and my cousins Roque and Aida (and other children of uncle Carpo Velasco), as well as Erning and the other children of uncle Pinoy Velasco.  I do hope your father still remember us.  Kindly tell him that we  hope to see him again and recall the good old days.

      Arsenio, in his present condition your father would need assurance of the love of his family.  More than ever, this is the time to tell him how much you appreciate the sacrifices he and your mom had for their children.  Tell him and show him your thanks. A time will come when you will look back and be glad that you have told him your love and gratitude.

      God bless you.                       

       In Christ Jesus,                            

                                 Bro.(Amb) Rudy and Sis. Eva Dumapias

MORE ASINGAN MEMORIES

Recently I received an e-mail from Jane Salcedo Robina an Asinganian presently based in Seattle. Her letter ties up with my next entry, so I am reproducing some portions.

 Mng Vic,

 Yes its me , the daughter of Cresing and Pedong Robina, I asked my mom about you couple months ago. I said to her that I love reading your blogs thru the asinganweb.   My mom is here living with me and going back and forth from the PI every year,She's now a retired teacher. My dad is coming back here this April.  

Uncle Pidiong passed away long time ago,,and so with auntie Virgie last 1998 in PI right after she retired.  

So you have  inlaws here in Seattle? May I know  their  names? I might know them.   Its almost 2 decades since your last visit here in Seattle Why dont you pack your bags and come again,so we'll meet each other.It will be my pleasure meeting a neighbor of mine that i havent seen since i was born.   I remember bae Petra and laki Vicente* ,I used to go to your house all the way to your backyard to play when I was a kid. I played with the Sampagas, your next door neighbor; ,Jerry ,Gildo mng Boy and family,the Canadidos,Ongs,Pisos,and the Suratoses.I was the naughtiest kid on the block but  enjoyed every second of my childhood .    

I've been reading all mails and your blogs..They are so very interesting,,,They remind me of my grandmother Esper who  also loved to tell us stories.

----

* my parents . By the way, my in-laws in Seattle are the Hufana family. My brod in law Mike is already retired. His sons run a  Martial Arts studio and also a Printing Shop in Seattle...

----  

MORE ASINGAN MEMORIES

One morning, we went around the block particularly to the Apartel which was once a Kiskisan was ran by the Cruz family ( Mr. Cruz was once a school Principal and Mrs. Cruz ran the rice mill). One of their sons, Dr. Bernard Cruz  is now a successful Medical Practicioner in the US.We saw the impressive 2 storied building which is owned by the family.There are some apartments on the second floor plus a bicycle store in the ground floor. When I was still in Toronto, I heard that a Cybercafe is in the ground floor; turned out my sources were wrong. We also saw his brother Francis, now married. He was formerly my student at the Rizal Academy and when he moved to the Divine Word College, Urdaneta, he also attended some classes handled by my wife, Miguelita. Of course he was so happy to see us. Seeing old friends could be refreshing to a balik bayan.

The lot where the building is now was once an orchard owned by my father. He sold it to Mr. and Mrs Cruz during the late '50s. Before the transfer of ownership, it is one of the places where I played with my cousins ( the children of Dr. and Mrs. Filomena Tendero ). They were my only first cousins in town, so we sometimes would go to this mini orchard just to spend time climbing the trees, the smaller ones particularly. There was a chico tree there, then the fruit tree we called Pias ( or Kamias in Tagalog ). It bore  small green fruits that is so sour but we love to dip them in salt and ate them with equally sour faces. There was also a Santol tree at the border beside the Philippine Independent church and it has some of the tastiest fruits in town. Of course it has to be dipped in Asingan vinegar made from sugar cane or eaten plain. Some of my cousins would eat even the big seeds and I would not be surprised if they had difficulty taking a crap the next morning. Then there is the Anonas tree which had fruits but we really did not eat that much. But on Saturday mornings, sometimes my cousins and I would climb this tree just to espy on the goings-on of a group of Iglesia ni Kristo worshippers. There was a church there (the present site of the store run by the Ong family). On Saturday mornings, the congregation would meet and part of their worship is to weep for their sins so these will be forgiven..There would be this crying and wailing inside and we kids would be snickering outside on top of the Anonas tree. We would be holding on tight so we won't fall down and break our necks.

Of course we also dropped by my Alma Mater, the Colegio de San Luis Beltran, formerly the Rizal Academy. When I was a first year student at the Rizal Academy, classes were still held at the Salcedo building just beside the present location of the school. The principal then was Mr. Tito Firmalino. He and another co teacher Mr. Flojo formed a dynamic duo to maintain discipline among the students.Well, Mr. Firmalino and Mr. Flojo were Ateneo ( or was it San Beda ) graduates. They spoke very polished English ; very well mannered. I remember Mr. Firmalino wearing a tie most of the time. And he was a pleasant, soft-spoken chap.To me, letting a gentleman and a scholar run the Rizal Academy in the 50s is like driving a Mercedes in one of Asingan's cowpaths. Sooner or later, something or somebody will get stuck in the mud. I still remember a senior student singing a church song  in the school yard, but he changed the words to include Mr. Firmalino's private parts! He and other students in the RA at that time were quite colorful characters: Gil Neri, Napoleon Legaspi, Florencio Soberano and Rolando Layos, to mention just a few..They  always participated in school programs, acted on school plays, delivered brilliant declaimations during the RA Foundation Days. And they might have given a few gray hairs to Mr. Firmalino before he quit RA for a better job in Manila!----#

MISA DE GALLO 2003

Another of my THINGS TO DO IN ASINGAN is to attend at least one Misa de Gallo. Our house is just west of the RC church and going there is no problem. It is the getting up from the bed and dressing up: thats the problem.If you are in a different house, looking for the clothes to wear takes longer than usual. Our clothes were basically still in the suitcases. Then taking a shower at 4:00 am without any hot water can be a bitch. Well they say the first can of water doused on your naked torso is the hardest, then the subsequent ones would be a breeze. Easier said than done.

So I finally got down from the house. I had to bring a flashlight to see my way to the church. It is not pitch black dark in there, but I do not want to step on any dogshit on my way to Mass. Bad happening, just in case it happens.

I usually enter the church through the side door on the west wing of the church. Or annex. Whatever. As I enter the door, I feel like I am being stared at. If looks could kill I could have dropped dead right there. But I was able to find a seat beside a white haired lady who smiled at me. I smiled back of course. "Kumusta kayo?" I greeted. She never answered back. Either she does not want to talk to strangers or her left ear was hard of hearing. I looked around for anyone I know. Maybe Pare Alex Romero. No luck. Maybe he was still asleep. Juanita Orpiano, a remnant of the old St. Cecilia's choir was there but she was right up the front on the podium close to the altar. She just gave me a surprised smile, a wave of the hand and thats it. In a few minutes, loud music from some high powered speakers blared and the mass started.

The church sounded like a concert hall. The canned music accompanied a mixed choir seated at the east wing of the church where the grotto of the Virgin Mary was. The singing was pretty good. I expected some Advent songs, but they were doing a few Xmas carols already. And Christmas was still a few days away. And hearing the Mass prayers in Ilocano sounded quite different for me. Well, thats expected and thats part of the holiday package. The lit candles, the body heat from people, and some other factors raised the temperature inside the church. Midway through the Mass, I started to sweat already. During the Peace Be With You part of the Mass, people just nodded to each other. What? In our church here in Weston we shake hands with the worshippers near to you; some hug, everybody smile at each other. Well, can't complain, when in Asingan do what Asinganians do.

But the church has really improved since the last time I saw it. More so if you remember the set up of the old one. There was a choir loft atop the main entrance door. I loved hearing the Mass on the choir loft. You can come wearing your sleeping clothes and nobody would see it. Of course, you can not go down to receive Communion and you have to be the very last person to leave the church.There was also a door in the choir loft going to the church bell tower. If you dare, you can go up to the highest level. The view of Asingan from there is exquisite especially on a cool afternoon during the 2 month long vacation. Sometimes my friends and I would go up there with cookies and drinks. Then spend the rest of the day laughing and swapping jokes.

After the Mass, I have to go out thru the main door..You know why?..All the tupig and bibingka vendors are there near the main gate. We call that vendor strip before the PATIO. It springs to life every Sunday morning and especially so during the SEMANA SANTA. On Holy Wednesday, the whole street becomes something like a Flea market ( sans the fleas) with assorted goodies lining the temporary thatches made of bamboo and nipa. One could hear the scraping of ice for the halo-halo addicts. Never mind if some vendors do not wash their glasses and spoons very well. The halo-halo would still taste special.

So I came home right after my first Misa de Gallo in Asingan in the year of our Lord 2003. I bought all the bibinka and tupig available at the patio. There is always a big thermos of hot water in the dining table on the 2nd floor of our house.There was also a bottle of Instant Coffee, sugar and a small bottle of Napoleon Brandy. I love to mix a little brandy with my coffee just to give it a different taste. It may not taste like Starbucks or Tim Hortons. But then these classy coffee houses do not have the bibinka and tupig which we had that morning!---#

 

 

 

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE segment shot in Queen/Saulter Library

ABC Family brings a new drama to TV, Beautiful People When Lynn Kerr finds herself newly single after her husband runs off with his mistress, she decides to start a new life with her teen daughters, Karen and Sophie. So, they pack their bags and move from a small town in New Mexico to New York City where looks can be decieving. Sophie Kerr, the youngest daughter, receives a scholarship

Airs: Monday 9:00 PM on ABC Family (60 mins) .

Last Wednesday, Jan 25, a segment of the drama was shot here at the Queen/Saulter branch, Toronto Public Library. Miguelita, Branch Manager had the rare previlege of having a photo with the beautiful young stars of the series.

The movie CINDERELLA MAN shown last year and  recently released on DVD was partly shot in this Library----#

(Photos courtesy of Neil Mohammed of the Queen/Saulter Branch, TPL.)

A TRIP TO DAGUPAN

In the old days, going to Dagupan is quite simple. Either you take a bus via Binalonan ( the San Jose-Dagupan route ) or go to Urdaneta on a jeep, then wait for the Dagupan bound bus in the old Pantranco station in the present site of the Urduja hotel. Either that or take a chance with those mini van drivers who would drive like the devil  on the McArthur highway. The Pantranco bus is aleady extinct like the dinosaur but those uncanny mini busses are still very much alive.

When we went to Dagupan in 2003, we had to take the public transportation. We had to walk from home to the jeepney stop in the marketside, then when the jeep reaches Urdaneta it goes to an out of the way disembarkation point. Not in the old place which is the crossing of the Baguio and Dagupan routes. It would be so convenient to have a car in Asingan ( or to know someone from whom you could bum a car ride ). But anyway we finally got some seats in a bus from Manila heading for Dagupan. It said AIR CONDITIONED. But it was hot as hell inside. And it was packed.

I noticed a few changes on the road to Dagupan: it already skips going through the towns of Sta. Barbara and Calasiao. The bus went through some diversion roads then all of a sudden we were already near Dagupan. All roads led to Dagupan for the vehicles are ALWAYS bumper to bumper. They are using the same roads used in the old days while the number of vehicles quadrupled since then. The bus stopped at a point in Perez Boulevard. From there we took a tricycle that brought us to Dagupenia, a restaurant near the old Pantranco station.

The joint is kind of classy ( if you ask for the air conditioned area ). It has the old Philippine motif with capiz shells windows, hand carved wall partitions. Would be nice if the lights were gas lamps like the kind used during the times of Rizal. But it has a good ambiance. The waitresses and waiters were garbed in native Filipino attire.  Just like in the Ilang-Ilang cafe at the Manila Hotel. We ordered mostly native dishes ( kare-kare, sinigang na bangus, tapang bangus and camaron rebosado. ) Bonuan is nearby but heck, you have to waste another hour waiting for a ride and we were already hungry. But I am sure the bangus came from Bonuan. For dessert we had local pastillas. One in our group also ordered Mango juice. It was a nice satisfying lunch. Now we are ready to walk along Bugallon avenue ( the Yonge street or the 5th avenue of Dagupan)

The sun was hot, especially when you cross the bridge spanning the river ( what's the name again?). There are lots of sidewalk vendors in front of the regular boutiques and Chinese Bazaars. I was surprised to see that Ang Ka Tong was still there. I think I also saw Tia Juana's. And also Farmacia Balingit ( I am not so sure ).

But I saw DeLuxe restaurant although the place has became a dump. A new, better one is located on the road going to Binmaley just outskirts of Dagupan. The original store has no air con, just ceiling fans, very noisy, with loud music mixed with the din of plates and waitresses screaming at each other. You have also to swat or shoo your own flies as soon as the food is served on your table. But the food is half the price of the entrees in the new DeLuxe restaurant.

Then my companions saw the Pawn shop. They examined the jewelries so I had to go out and check the pirated movies and music CDs on the sidewalk. And the rag newspapers that were lying beside them. I bought one because a headline caught my eye:BAKLA, BINARITA. ( Homosexual, assaulted with a crowbar). Nice. I wondered where that's why I bought the paper.

Our trek ended at the CSI Square Mall that occupied the former Dagupan public market..It was a huge, air conditioned building with the usual stores that remind one of the North American malls. But since I hate looking at clothes ( and my companions loved them ) I just spent my time in a book store, checking the Philippine periodicals and books. The glossy, big publications have lovely photographs of Philippine sceneries. These are printed elsewhere: HongKong, Singapore,etc. Why? You and I do not want to know. There were also lovely postcards of Dagupan, Bonuan, Lingayen Beach, the Provincial Capitol. Gorgeous pictures.

Eventually,  I came across the electronic stores. Ah, they have home theatres too with surround sound amps and giant TVs too. No LCDs yet at that time. The prices however are astronomical. Only  the people who are crapping money can afford it. The ordinary Juan dela Cruzes can only watch on used or repaired TV or those with rich kinfolks abroad.But again, whats the point of buying a huge, expensive TV if there is no cable or sattelite service in your town? And there are also the list of priorities. The big TV is on the bottom of the list.

From CSI we went to another mini mall which is THE  competition. The goods are different of course but they are not as abundant as in CSI. I bought a pair of slippers that looked like a leather mocassin in the '50s. Like sandals, these are open at the back. Penny loafers; I think thats what they call those mocs  before. They went well with denims and shirts or tees. Popular during the times of Pat Boone, Elvis and James Dean. I still have those slippers in my house. All I have to do is to find them.

Then the day started to end. We had to go back to Asingan. This time, we took a chance with those mini vans with a fresh conductor who start flirting with the girls as soon as he has  finished collecting fares. We reached Urdaneta late in the afternoon. Instead of taking the jeep, we took a couple of tricycles ( 4 passengers in each ). My sister Ester haggled with the drivers about the rates.She is talented in this aspect. In this part of the world you have to know how to haggle like crazy in order to save money---#

 

 

 

 

 

VISITING URDANETA

.I find my visit to Asingan both exciting and boring depending on the daily agenda. In 2003, as soon as we became restless, we went to Urdaneta first since it is just a few miles away. We hired a tricycle for the whole trip, going coming back and going around the City. First we texted Greg and Aurora Manzano of Divine Word College. Aurora is a very good friend of Miguelita at this school and it would be a crime to come home and not to say HI to her. I learned to like the cell phone in the Phil, thus when there is nothing much to do, I just check my phone book which I compiled from the day I arrived in Manila. I bought the cel phone in Manila too. I got it for the ridiculous price of 4500 pesos ( a Nokia ) which is about 100$..Some cell phones in Canada are just 50$ or sometimes 0$..But you are stiffed somewhere after you have signed a contract. Too bad I could not use my Canadian Cell phone in the Philippines ( I can but imagine the roaming charges )

Anyway, we met Greg and Aurora Manzano at the Rainforest Resort in Urdaneta along the way going to Binalonan. I visited this resort a year before with Belo Malala thus I am familiar with the facilities particularly the food. Their pancit tastes like Dagupan made. And there is also a swimming pool which you can overlook from the railings of the restaurant. A strand of trees offer some privacy plus a noise breaker from the vehicular traffic that ply the highway on the top. The resort is on a lower level. It is very relaxing with the modern looking restaurant set-up and the flowers and plants surrounding the pool area. We ordered something which we can nver taste even in Filipino restaurants here in Toronto. The reason for this is the fact that most food supplies here in US/Canada are frozen usually for 6 months ( the curing process ) before it is sold in Supermarket shelves. But here in the Philippines, everything is fresh. You can always tell it by the taste of its SUGPO, veggies, soup and greens that adorn their pancit. So we ordered among other things: Pancit Guisado, Sinigang na Bangus, adobo, rellenong bangus and my favorite: igado! And since there were 5 or 6 of us, we doubled each order. Surprisingly, the bill when converted to $ is just like a meal for 3 at a MacDonald restaurant here in Toronto. We ordered San Miguel beer too, of course. This brand of beer is scarce here in Toronto..And the bottle ( and taste ) is slightly different. Nothing like the San Miguel beer you buy at the corner store in Asingan.

So talked and ate until all the food is gone and we felt sleepy ( the beer helped ). Nobody took a dip in that lovely pool. Nobody brought any swimming gear. And even if we did, we do not like to show how our bodies were transformed by the passing of the years! ( Hah! you must be kidding if I would SWIM then. In the first place, I do not know how to swim!)

So we said good bye to our friends. We see them only once in 3 or 4 years and such good byes are bitter sweet if you think about it. We know them when we were still single. Who knows when will we ever see them again?