Reyes de Arayat « remembrance of things awry

Reunion Runs

January 20, 2009 at 3:43 pm (Angst, Arnedo de Sulipan, Brother Andrew F.S.C. of De La Salle, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Humor, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)

We are having clan reunions left and right and it is becoming quite maddening… specially if one [ like I ] belongs to several!!!

According to the Western astrologers, in recent years there has been a “planetary alignment” of some sort in the universe which is causing people to gather in family / clan reunions. I don’t take planetary alignments seriously but it must serve as an explanation to all these ever-increasing family and clan reunions… !!!

Last November 2008, the Hizon-Singian Clan of San Fernando, Pampanga had its once every two years Reunion at the residence of Pilar “Piluchi” Luciano Ocampo-Fernandez at the old Fernandez [ Fernandez de "Compania Maritima" ] Compound in San Juan.

Last 13 December 2008, a Saturday, the Cacnio Family of Apalit, Pampanga celebrated the 80th birthday of their doyenne, Esther Mercado Cacnio-Atienza, with a joyous Clan Reunion. They were so generous to invite their Gonzalez, Arnedo, Espiritu, and Mercado relations as well. It was amazing to see a senior relative, former Quezon City Mayor Adelina Santos-Rodriguez “Imang Daling” still so attractive and fit even in her 80s!!!

On 14 December 2008, a Sunday, the descendants of Augusto Diosdado Sioco Gonzalez [ 1887 - 1939 ] of Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of his only surviving daughter, Natividad “Naty” Gonzalez-Palanca [ born 14 December 1918 ]. The Holy Mass was celebrated by [ Cubao ] Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, D.D. and her second cousin, Bishop Federico “Freddie” Escaler. Tita Naty was a senior Gonzalez family member beloved for her kindness, uprightness, and generosity and was revered, but most importantly loved, by the whole family. It was a wonderful occasion with an almost complete attendance by that particular branch of the “Gonzalez de Sulipan” Clan.

The Ongsiako and the de Santos Clans had a Reunion in Makati.

On 11 January 2009, the Coronel Clan of Santa Rita, Pampanga [ cousins of the Valdes de Pampanga Clan; the clan owns the classic PreWar house where the tearjerker classic "Tanging Yaman" was filmed ] had their Reunion 2009.

Last Sunday, 18 January 2009, we had the annual “Valdes de Pampanga” Clan Reunion [ as differentiated from the ValdeS [ with an "s" ] de Manila of the Tuason- Legarda-Prieto-Valdes Clan and the ValdeZ with a “z” Clan from Ilocos Norte ]. We did have some pretty Spanish mestiza members of the Valdes de Manila Clan because it’s slowly turning out that there are actually blood relations between the two Valdes with an “s” Clans. The Valdes de Pampanga Clan has _____ branches: the Ignacio Valdes [ Yellow group ] — the Camilo Quiasons, the Edgardo Yaps, and the Sergio Naguiats; [ Blue group ] the Armand Fabellas, the Bates, the Africa Reynosos, and the Ely Narcisos; [ Red group ] the Guanzons, the Florencia Coronels, and the Lita Lilleses; and the Roman Valdes [ Green group; Valdes de Bacolor, Pampanga ] the Carlos J. Valdeses, the Erlinda Gonzalez-Rodriguezes, and the Raquel Gonzalez-de Leons. It was held at the new gym of the Fabellas’ Jose Rizal University “JRU” along Shaw Boulevard. We honored our Valdes relatives who had passed away in the past year 2008: Remedios “Remy” Valdes-Panlilio, Carlos “Charlie” J. Valdes, Armand V. Fabella, Milagros ___, and Mandy ____. There was a nice lunch followed by a great set of games conducted by Justa Yap Bautista and Martin Reynoso which got Everybody going!!! It was completely easygoing and needless to say was a lot of fun!!!

On Sunday, 25 January 2009, there will be the annual “Rodriguez de Bacolor” Reunion. It will be held in a Sibal Building in Quezon City. I received the Reunion Menu of homestyle Kapampangan dishes by text from Cousins Evelyn Dayrit Rodriguez and Vita Rodriguez-Laki and it sounds really good!!!

On 28 February 2009, Saturday, there will be a “Gonzalez de Sulipan” / “Gonzalez de Baliuag” [ Descendants of Fray Fausto Lopez, O.S.A. and Maria Amparo "Mariquita" Gonzalez y de los Angeles ] Reunion on the occasion of the 69th birth anniversary of Brother Andrew Gonzalez, F.S.C. at Gene Gonzalez’s “Cafe Ysabel,” # 455 P. Guevarra Street, San Juan. It is being organized by the Dr. Virgilio Sioco Gonzalez branch of the clan [ the Cebu branch ], and that means Arch. Jackie Gonzalez Cancio – Vega, Charo Gonzalez Cancio – Yujuico, Dr. Vicki Gonzalez Belo, David Gonzalez de Padua, Dr. Donna Gonzalez de Padua, et. al.. Entrance fee is Php 1,500.00/xx per person so that the food will be “suitably Gonzalez” and also to raise some funds for the “Gonzalez Doble Zeta” organization. Gene Gonzalez will recreate “Cocina Sulipena” [ Old Sulipan Cooking ] for his Gonzalez Cousins. Since “Cafe Ysabel” only has a seating capacity of 120 persons, attendance will be limited to 20 persons for the “Gonzalez de Baliuag” [ the Soledad Gonzalez -Mariano Gonzales, Jose Gonzalez - Francisca Carrillo, and Francisco Gonzalez - Maria Lloret branches of the Clan ], and 90 persons for the “Gonzalez de Sulipan” [ the Joaquin Gonzalez - Florencia Sioco branch ], only ten descendants each for the ten Gonzalez – Sioco brothers Dr. Fernando, Dr. Jesus, Dr. Emilio, Atty. Augusto, Octavio [ died young; no issue ], Dr. Virgilio, Atty. Francisco Javier, Dr. Bienvenido, Dr. Joaquin, and Congressman Fausto. So let this be an announcement to our cousins!!!

This is the Philippines after all, where Everyone is related!!!

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Finally Understanding…

November 2, 2008 at 10:00 pm (Angst, Arnedo de Sulipan, Brother Andrew F.S.C. of De La Salle, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Reyes de Arayat, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse, Uncategorized)

It’s “All Souls’ Day”…

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Final Kick

July 22, 2007 at 4:03 pm (Angst, Family Traditions, Humor, Pampanga Traditions, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Reyes de Arayat, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse)

A paternal first cousin of my mother was widowed young — only 40 years old — in the mid-1970s [ Remember: Everything Wacky happened in the 1970s ]. Her husband had died quickly of a heart attack. She was left with three young sons. It had been a difficult marriage fraught with financial problems.

As always with Filipinos, The Whole Clan along with their many friends came to the wake to express their condolences.

During the actual funeral at the North Cemetery, The Young Widow wept profusely and wailed unabashedly as the casket was opened for the final viewing before internment.

“Waaaaah!!!” cried The Young Widow, dressed entirely in black, in the style of Paco Rabanne.

“Ate…” [ "Elder Sister"... ] a close male friend of her husband’s sidled up to her, and started weeping as well.

“Waaaaah!!!” as The Young Widow embraced her husband’s friend.

“Ate… ito si Nena, kaibigang matalik ng asawa mo, at sila ang kanilang mga anak…” [ "Elder Sister... this is Nena, your husband's "great friend," and these are their children..." ] he said as he mournfully introduced a voluptuous young woman with six young children.

“HAH???!!!” The Young Widow completely forgot her bereavement as She reeled from the shock of meeting a woman who was her husband’s mistress, along with their six children!!!

“Ate…” [ "Elder Sister..." ] the weeping mistress came up to The Young Widow and hugged her in a show of sympathy [ but actually of assertion as well ].

The Young Widow was SHOCKED!!!

The Young Widow lost whatever little composure She had and, in absolute bitterness, mustered the worst language she could think of… She screamed to her dead husband in the coffin: “Hayop ka!!! Pagkatapos ng lahat ng sakripisyo ko para sa iyo!!! Yun pala may kulasisi ka at ang dami niyo pang mga anak!!! Hayop, hayop!!! Masunog ka sana sa Impiyerno!!!” [ "You Animal!!! After all my sacrifices for you!!! And all along you had a mistress and all those children!!! Animal, Animal!!! I hope you burn in Hell!!!" ]

With those bitter words, She strongly kicked the wooden casket and it fell off the stand!!!

Nobody in The Family ever forgot that fabulously funny funeral…

“O tempora!!! O mores!!!”

Bwahahahahah!!!

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The Beau

July 6, 2007 at 2:21 pm (Angst, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse)

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Food Chain

June 7, 2007 at 4:07 am (Arnedo de Sulipan, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)

All Pampangos in the Food Business are connected in one way or the other — that is, if they’re not related outright…

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The Untold Splendors of Old Pampanga

February 27, 2007 at 7:50 pm (19th century Filipino Art, Architecture, Arnedo de Sulipan, Design and Decoration, Escaler de Sulipan, Filipino Art, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Manila Houses, Pampanga Art, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Reyes de Arayat, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)

In the late afternoons, a group of affluent Filipiniana collectors and connoisseurs, as well as authorities, scholars, and researchers, gathers at the eminent Filipiniana scholar Ramon “Boy” Villegas’ “Katutubo” Arts & Crafts at the LaO’ Center in Makati to catch up on the latest in the uppermost echelons of the Manila Art and Antique World. The conversations are invariably interesting, as the friends discuss the latest important finds on the market and express their interest in the rarest objects, generously peppered with, of course, the latest unsavory but interesting doings of Manila Society.

Usually, the conversations steer to the highly-desirable heirlooms of the “de buena familia” Old Families. And more than the Negrense, Cebuano, Batangueno, Laguna Tagalog, Ilocano, and even Manila families, The Pampango families and their storied holdings are the ones most often discussed.

I have always suggested to my good friend Ramon “Boy” Villegas that the Metropolitan Museum of Manila should mount an exhibition — one that will certainly be a blockbuster — themed and titled “The Splendors of Old Pampanga.” I also suggested the idea to another good friend, Corazon “Cora” Alvina, formerly the head of the Metropolitan Museum and presently the head of the National Museum, and while she thought it was a wonderful idea, she bowed and shook her head sadly when she realized the enormous insurance costs that such a magnificent exhibition would entail…

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Antipolo in May

September 24, 2006 at 8:55 am (Arnedo de Sulipan, Domestic Travels, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Reyes de Arayat)

We would leave the house at 4:00 a.m..

The Sanctuary of “Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buenviaje” Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo…

As a child, I had no idea that it was a Filipino tradition — patrician and pedestrian — that stretched back hundreds of years…

Don Felix Roxas y Fernandez, Mayor of Manila from 1905 – 1917, gave us a very good idea of what a pilgrimage to Antipolo was like in the 1880s…

“”Pilgrimages to the Antipolo shrine have lost their primitive flavor to the modern means of transportation. Twenty five years ago, we still felt enthusiasm over that typically Filipino trip, which was made in “bancas” up to Taytay, and from there to the previously rented house, in comfortable hammocks. From the month of May on, ribbons would festoon the “bancas” moored at Colgante pier [ near the Quinta market ], announcing that the season to venerate Our Lady of Antipolo had begun.”

“Filipino families thought up complicated preparations for this amusing and interesting trip. All — the young and old — would prepare different suits of “jusi” and “sinamay” for the length of their stay in those [ Antipolo ] hills. Getting together all necessary provisions was, for each group, a serious and difficult matter. They had to provide themselves with sleeping mats, bed linen, pillows, pots, huge frying pans, silverware and a complete kitchen battery; and forget about beds, tables, chairs, and wash-stands, since living would be done in the rustic manner, on the fresh and ventilated bamboo floors of the nipa huts.”

“On the date of departure, the “bancas” would wait since dawn in the selected embarkment point until their noisy passengers arrived; then the loading of passengers and their effects would begin. Things were always forgotten or unprovided for, causing quick return trips in “calesas” and “carromatas” and the inevitable delays. Once the trip began, each one would settle down in his designated place. Then outbreaks of gaiety would occur, gladdening everyone. Children would investigate all packages in search of sweetmeats, [ appetites would awaken from the very start of the trip ], young men seemed to feel their heartbeats quickening for their lady-loves, the elders would smile in anticipation of their pleasure over the afternoon “panguingue,” or card sessions; and the boatmen, contentedly thinking of their pay, would row near the Pasig’s banks to avoid its powerful currents. The travelers would very curiously note and comment on the palatial houses of San Miguel district, of Malacanang with its balcony followed by a gigantic tree, Concordia College and Pandacan, the scene chosen by Rizal in his “Noli” [ 1 ] as the site for the novel’s romantic scenes; Dona Geronima’s Cave, pointed out by the children with fear of its macabre tradition; and Bangbang of Pasig, where a stop to rest the boatmen and travelers was a traditional must. Philippine ceramics was extensively exhibited there. Pedro Paterno would find such a variety of articles there, some rare pieces for his ceramics collection, which he would display to all visitors in his residence at 16 Sauco, Madrid.”

“Forty five minutes later, after the “Bitukang Manok” stream — where alms were asked of the travelers by means of rods and nets — one arrived in Taytay where there would be a general transfer. A new transportation agreement would be worked out, complete with penny-saving haggling. Quick-witted young men would finish the trip on horseback, either to display their horsemanship or to take advantage of the opportunity to keep near their beloved’s hammock, as if they were pages of bygone days escorting their ladies. At dusk one would arrive in Antipolo.”

“The town would be alive and swarming with people: from its very outskirts, populated by Chinese and filled with the sound of cymbals, their peculiar “shouted” songs and the smell of the joss-sticks offered to Confucius while red candles were burning before the image of the town’s patron Saint, to the town’s centre, where smiling and talkative Manila acquaintances would greet one another in the midst of the noise created by the Cosmorama’s Organ, the guitars and the chanting of countless beggars scattered everywhere. Upon arriving at the rented house, the travelers would hurriedly unpack their bags and “tampipis” [ 2 ] and rush to the sanctuary, to kneel before the image of the Blessed Virgin, brightly lit up by the flame of the innumerable candles constantly left there by the devout.”

“The old women left behind to attend to the housekeeping chores would prepare supper, which all would attack hungrily once they perceived the perfume of those dishes adroitly flavored with cashew and alibangbang leaves. Each family would manage, eat and sleep according to the facilities at hand: let us, then, let down the curtains on them, leaving them in complete [ and discreet ] liberty, and wait until next morning when they would go to pray to the Blessed Virgin, and with them visit the church’s atrium, which constituted the true auditorium of that pilgrimage-place and where all out-of-town pilgrims would meet with joy.”"

Notes:

1 ] The site is presently occupied by the Republic Flour Mills [ April 1970 ]

2 ] “Tampipis” are local valises made of split bamboo.

*unfinished*

The Cool Leaf

September 24, 2006 at 8:44 am (Gonzalez de Sulipan, Humor, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat)

It was the early 1970s, and 1960s Flower Power had already evolved to 1970s Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll…

President Ferdinand Marcos had already declared Martial Law. The Chinese drug dealer “Lim Seng” had been executed by firing squad and it had been broadcast on national television. All Filipinos, including the political opposition, towed the line.

But no matter what one does, the Zeitgeist prevails. The 1970s was really the Era of Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll…

And “Pot” — Marijuana — “Cannabis sativa” was the opiate of the times…

It was “hip” and it was widely available. And as it was in the spirit of the times, many young people experimented with it. Including the older ones of my generation.

Pare Bits, the majordomo, was a gifted gardener. Anything he planted grew, and grew well. Somehow, he found some seeds from the mischievous teenagers, and avid plantsman that he was, planted them on the ground. They grew, and how…!!!

The marijuana plants were tall with pretty flowers. They were attractive plants as long as nobody knew what they were…

Soon after the plants had grown, Lola Charing noticed them during one of her afternoon walkabouts. She, the avid plantswoman, did not know what they were but nevertheless found them attractive, and forthwith ordered a snickering Pare Bits to propagate them so that they could embellish that part of the garden with their lush growth…

So the teenagers had an inexhaustible supply of “Pot”… and the sought-after “top growth” at that!!!

Lola Charing’s elegant house stood a mere 30 meters from a police station, and yet the policemen stationed there never “sniffed” anything about the forbidden plants flourishing on the other side of the wall.

Lola Charing’s Rose Garden was justly famous. One step into the property and the visitor was greeted with the heavenly scent of hundreds of blooming roses. The rose cuttings were purchased in the United States, with some coming further afield from England and France. The rose plants were carefully tended by a staff of gardeners, since they did not thrive as naturally and as easily in Manila’s weather as they did abroad. Organic fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides were applied regularly. Lola Charing supervised her garden every morning and every afternoon.

So it was perfectly natural that Lola Charing’s family, relatives, and many friends would walk around her beautiful rose garden and admire her plants whenever they would visit her…

Her youngest son, Brother Andrew [ of the De La Salle Brothers ] — who was intellectually brilliant but amusingly naive regarding everyday matters — noticed the remarkably lush growth of the tall plants along the length of the wall where the roses never grew successfully… He thought that that portion of the garden looked nice, for once. Decisive man that he was, he directed Pare Bits to plant even more of the unfamiliar but attractive plant so that portion of the garden would improve…!!!

Lola Charing Escudero, a close friend of Lola Charing’s, was an avid plantswoman whose quiet but determined resolve was to raise every single pretty flowering plant in existence at the Villa Escudero in San Pablo, Laguna. She saw the tall plants with the pretty flowers, wondered what they were called since she had never seen them before, inquired with Pare Bits as to how they were grown, and made him promise to bring her the seeds the next time when he would be sent by my Lola Charing on an errand to the Villa Escudero…!!!???

Lola Gely Lopez, Lola Charing’s best friend, did notice the unusual plants and wondered where in her own beautiful garden they could be incorporated. A lady of style, elegance, chic, and fashion, she had a ”nose” for the “latest,” and she instinctively knew that those plants were the latest in the gardening scene…!!!

Priests and Nuns often came to Lola Charing to ask for donations. The Carmelite Sisters came at least once a week to ask Lola Charing, a Third Order Carmelite, for a little help and to avail of roses and other flowers for their Chapel. The nuns too, unknowingly snipped from the lush marijuana plants for their floral arrangements.

The High Point came when Lola Charing was showing Rufino Cardinal Santos around her Rose Garden after lunch. Even he found the the tall plants with pretty flowers — arrayed in one long border — remarkably pretty!!! Bwahahah!!!

It All flourished until the cure-all “Comfrey” plant came along…

Lola Charing ordered that whole border of plants spanning one side of the garden to be cleared so that the panacea “Comfrey” plant — touted to cure Diabetes and a host of other diseases — could be raised. To the end, She never knew that those pretty plants she admired were marijuana plants.

And so, that delightfully naughty episode in our gardening history came to an end.

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