By Telly G. Ocampo
A Visit by my Good Old Friends
It was a real blessing to have been visited by my good old friends from way way back in Tacloban.
We were young mothers, then, in Tacloban sending our children to nursery school. That was in 1975 when the only nursery school was at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) compound.
The start of my friendship with Rosario Inday Omega Daa was marvelous. She is Cebuano speaking and when you are Cebuano speaking, you are labeled as Canadian, during our younger days. Inday lives near the UCCP nursery school and sometimes she brought to school Ebbie, her youngest daughter. Since we lived outside of the downtown area, we were driven to school by my husband on his way to work. By “we” I mean myself and my 3 children: Estela, Ian and Irene.
Chit Villegas is Inday’s best friend as their husbands were the best of friends, too. Anita Navarro Mabalatan became close to the two. And there were 3 of them with their kids at the Leyte Normal School.
Anita’s husband who claims roots from Bohol was the manager of UCPB. So daghan na ming Canadian in our group with the addition of Mana Lily Buagas Colinares whose parents hailed from Canangca-an, Corella, Bohol but have transferred to new Corella in Davao. Mana Lily Buagas married Mano Paking Colinares from Basey, Samar. He was then manager of a logging company in Davao. They eventually settled in Tacloban when they operated their own logging business in Basey, Samar.
As the children were slowly growing up, we met two more couples: the Montecillos of the Shell depot and the Labitans of Petron.
Yes, the children were slowly growing up and they widened their circle of friends during the summer dance and reading workshops. And as I said earlier, from there, we added two more couples to the group: Clarissa and Antonio Montecillo of the Shell depot and Vic and Marilou Labitan of Petron.
Eventually we became close neighbors with the Montecillos for we had our houses adjacent to each other at Burgos – Juan Luna Sts. just behind the Sto. Niño church.
We also became close to the Daas, Reyeses and the Quinteros.
Later, Inday brought us to the Christian family movement and we widened our circle of friends. But closest to us was Mana Tintay Montesclaros Justiniano who lived near the UP Tacloban area. Most often, I had my lunch and siestas with her when my children were off to college and my husband’s work demanded a lot of travelling when he was taken back by Cargill after Edsa.
And now after Covid, all of us became widows.
Among us mothers, Mana Tintay died before Yolanda. And Mana Lily Colinares perished in the surge. Her body could not be found. Her husband died last year.
Chit promised to come home to have this reunion for she, too, was widowed in the same year my husband died.
So, there were just the four of us reminiscing the ups and downs in our lives, though in our sunset years, while looking back, we realized how life was and is good to us.
We still savor the simple joys of life; and despite our weakening bodies our spirit is still strong.
Breakfast of my friends upon their arrival at “The Blue Apartelle” at Taguihon, Baclayon, Bohol. Clockwise: Chit Villegas, Anita Mabalatan, Inday Daa, and the author.
The first leg of our tour at the hills of Baclayon, particularly, where the bougainvilla and dragon fruit farm in Canggawa, Baclayon, Bohol could be found.
Among the kaleidoscope of colors of the bougainvilleas at Canggawa.
Lunch at the “House of Mushrooms” in Corella town where we are savouring the freshness of the air including the fresh buko drink to quench our thirst.
Raft cruise at Maribojoc bay with our new friend, Frances Tobia, the sister of Carrie Tharan.
During one dinner for my visitors in honor of St. Padre Pio, we invited Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy (center) and his lady Dr. Em Em Uy (extreme left). Not in the photo are Eric Cañete and his lady with the “Pagpakabuhi” volunteers who rendered to us beautiful and significant songs including Yoyoy Villame’s “Ako si Francisco Dahohoy”.
Our final itinerary featuring “The Mirror of the World”.