by Telly G. Ocampo
The Legacy of P.V.R.
P.V.R stands for Primitiva Villamor Ramo, the youngest sister of my grandmother Lola Danday. We call her Oyang Tiva and she was the wife of my Oyong Ando, Alejandro Ongcoy Ramo. The couple was childless and they lived in the karaang balay in Baliaut. They took over the business of Tan Akoy, my great grandfather named Ciriaco Tamayo Villamor.
We, their mga apo-apo frequented the old house. Kanunay gyud mi tua didto labi na gyud ug pasko. Basta ber months na gani, andam na gyud si Oyong Ando ug Texas bubble gum ug Seniorita nga Carmelitos. Niadtong panahona, tagdaku pa ang Carmelitos. In other words we could have 5 candies with our singko sentabos. The Carmelitos came in different vibrant colors: violet, red, green, yellow, silver and gold. Ug unsay putos mao pud color sa sud. We wanted the candy colored red to effect red lips like snow white. That was our fancy. Our Christmasses then revolved around the karaang balay.
There was a phonograph that we could use as we danced the cha-cha-cha. Kadto bang Carmelita chacha ug Quirico Basilon chacha. It was my Oyong Ando who played Santa Claus. Among pinaskuhan pareho gyud ming tanan mga apo-apo.
Since they were into textiles and jewelries, duna gyud mi sinina coming from usa (1) ka tibuok pisa nga panapton. I remember the time when we had the yellow and black cloth. Kaming tanan tawgon ug antulihawon – the yellow and black oriole. The bird is vanishing now. Nowadays, I’m filled with joy if the oriole would perch on the molave tree near our window at my Blue Apartelle.
There were also days when the pagatpat trees were lighted by the little sparkling fireflies at night. But the fireflies are gone now. It’s only now that we know that the fireflies are indicators of pure air and something carnivorous – meaning the air in our neighborhood is no longer that pure because the fireflies have settled elsewhere.
I also remember that it was my Oyong Ando who would set up the Belen. His Belen was complete with the balaybalay and a set of figurines to make the nativity scene look authentic. Dugangan pud ug baka-baka ug karnero from Dauis. That portion, too, is a vanishing craft of the town.
Our life at the karaang balay was always fun and unforgettable. Our Oyang Tiva was the reality check as Oyong Ando tended to pamper us. The household management was Oyang Tiva’s domain. The house was spotlessly clean because of her. She had all kinds of trapo culled from the sako sa harina or the katcha nga gipustan sa mga panapton nga kinompra gikan sa Sugbu.
Some goods purchased from Manila and Cebu were placed in boxes made of palochina wood which were recycled into tables or benches. Oyang’s trapo were classified into: trapo sa kutchara ug pinggan ug trapo sa lamisa. All these were neatly arranged in the drawer of our aparador at the dining room. We also had the trapo para sa mga muebles. All these were placed inside the jars that adorned the living room. But the trapo for the piano was very special as this was placed inside a beautiful jar that stood beside the piano itself.
When Oyong was on a business trip to Cebu, Manila, Davao or Butuan, I had the privilege of sleeping with Oyang. I was easily convinced to do this by the lure of a piece of ice candy made of klim and banana.
I also remember that my Oyong and Oyang were the second household owners to have a refrigerator in our town after Col Angel Oppus. The brand was General Motors. Adtong panahona, wala pay Del Rosario bros. They were the first appliance company in Bohol after Admiral of Ysmael motors. That old gm refrigerator was handed on to us later when Oyong and Oyan bought a new one. The body was still ok but the machine was already broken. That old ref became a repository for the inon-on ug piniritong isda ug bahaw aron dli sungkabon sa iring. Pagkadaghan gyud sa among iring kaniadto ug hapit silang tanan sungkaban. We wanted to get rid of some of them. Among dakpon ang uban, isulod sa sako ug ibilin dapit sa baluarte aron dili mobalik sa balay. Mingaw baya pud palandongon nga kadtong maong ref, gibaligya lang ni Corazon sa mamalitay ug kanang ilang gitawag ug “junked” nga mga butang.
Every time I buy medicines at City Pharmacy, I can remember my Oyang who used recycled sheets of paper as small containers of medicines. There’s another pharmacy, too, in Tagbilaran that uses recycled “supotsupot’. This practice amazes me with pride.
It was Oyang Tiva who taught us cooking and baking. I remember the chiffon cake demonstrated by Elisa, the niece of Tio Meling. That was one summer and we didn’t have then the electric mixer. Way kuryente ug buntag. The power we had was from the Baclayon electric, a company co founded by Oyong Ando and Col. Angel Oppus.
Prayerfulness was one of Oyang’s traits. During October which is the rosary month, 3 mysteries (joyful, glorious and sorrowful) were to be prayed. Aguy, adto ko mopwesto sa dakong sija aron dli ko kaluhod dugay. Usahay matigparok ko. There are devotionary saints that we had to pray, too, after dinner: Fiesta sa lourdes, San jose, Inahan sa kanunayng Panabang, Sta. Teresita, Mount Carmel, Immaculada Concepcion, mga departed souls of purgatory. Mag parokparok ko. But now that I am already a septuagenarian, I miss those prayers. And I miss those days of my youth.
It was also Oyang Tiva who taught me how to prepare a complete meal: sabaw sa utan ug isda or karne. Kada Miercoles, naay suman pawo ni Pila. Iya gud kong gahinan. Oyang really changed when my cousin, Gundelina, went back home to Binaliw. That was the time when I became a part time resident of the big house. And when Myrna came, I was requested to accompany Myrna so the latter would not feel lonely. That was only for a while because I had to study college in Cebu. Malipay gyud to si Oyang ug naa koy mga amiga mohigda uban namo. One was Lydia. She is already in the U.S.A. as a nurse.
What is indelibly imprinted in my memory was this statement from my Oyang: Matnguni ang among gibilin aron molapad and inyong dahon. That was just a figure of speech. What she wanted to impart was her legacy and not just the material wealth but the lessons taught by them.
Reflecting on the statement of Oyang during this pandemic makes me ask a question: Unsa kaha no ang among kinabuhi kung wala pa mi tudlu-I aning mosunod: a) daginot – My Oyang always said: “Pag save mo aron dili mo magdunggo-dunggo ug ma sulod sa hospital, b) Ayaw mo pag-anad ug pangutang, d) Ayaw mo paghinambug, kinahanglan mo magpaubos, e) Magtamod mo ug daghan nga lecture, f) Pag-ampo mo,
But looking back, we have so many things to be grateful for.