by Telly G. Ocampo
The Early Years
When we were little, our playground was the Karaang Balay ni Tan Akoy. Myrna, my cousin and I shared the same greatgrand parents: Ciriaco Villamor and Agripina Buhion. None of our generation failed to see them. Our greatgrandparents used to be traders and their business was carried on by our Oyong Ando and Oyang Tiva. That business became popular and it was known as the Baclayon Trading established in 1933, just before the war.
Myrna is the second child of my Tio Eden and my Tia Poying (who was my godmother and first degree cousin of my mother). Myrna’s mother was the one managing the store and Myrna was always there with her mother.
Our house was (and still is) just across the Karaang Balay. At that time, there only three (3) of us, children, who were on our preschool ages. I remember, too, that we only had two (2) helpers for our grandmother to assist her out in the household chores.
My mother was a public school teacher. To help her look after her children, my Lolo Ado took care of my Manang (my sister); my Lola Danday took care of Dodong (my brother). The reason I was in the karaang balay was Myrna. She became my playmate and in most days, then, she would bring me to Lola Upe’s house where they were staying.
I liked staying there at the karaang balay. Ngano man? Kay daghan didto ug sud-an. Tungod kadto sa mga magduwa sa mahjong sa karaang balay nga kinahanglan gyud nga andaman ug lamian nga sud-an. Yes, food was always special for them and I was part of the “them”. Pirme gyud dunay carne unya kay bata pa man lagi mi, ganahan mi adto nga sud-an. During those days, Baclayon would only buthcer the pig during celebrations of fiesta, Christmas (for the birth of Jesus and Holy Week (for the Resurrection of the Lord). In between, you have to go to Tagbilaran to buy pork and beef. The pangompra would be done on Tuesdays and Fridays – the market days. Food was, indeed, plenty, then. At the karaang balay, there was always the painit because of the people tending the store, the Baclayon Trading.
It was a cherished moment to wait for those days when Oyong Ando or Tia Poying would come home from Cebu – from their regular kompra for the merchandise to sell. Why? It was because there was always the pasalubong called kaykay ug ampaw from La Fortuna Bakery.
I always accompanied Myrna to her piano lessons with nang Nen Gatal Ayaay. Myrna started young for her piano lessons. We just walked our way to the piano lesson studio located behind the Catholic church of Baclayon. Sometimes, we would pass by the secondary road traversing the balete tree near the langub ni Nang Bida. Mahinumdom ko nga inig labay namo tungod sa balete, magpalayo gyud mi kay among pagtoo, naa didto si Rene – usa ka dili ingon nato nga magtugtog sa iyan selindron sa taas sa kahoy sa balete. Rene was a houseboy of their Tio Anghel Oppus who was then in the military. There were also times, when we would walk through the national highway. And from the big house of the Reals (the house is now gone), we had to start biting our tongue and holding our breath because we believed that it was the only way to drive away the curse from the balay sa ban-okan. And my children still remember those days, too.
Tia Poying died young. Myrna’s siblings were Tony, and the twins: Artemio (Timmy) and Aurelio (Rolly). They are the children of Tio Eden’s 1st wife, Tia Poying. Tony was Judge Antonio Oppus Uy who was married to Gardenia Jayag. The twins were still very little when the mother died and Ama, Tio Eden’s mother was with them. Ama was always neat and was always staying in the kitchen to prepare the food for the twins and for Tony, the eldest. Nang Tasia, our relative from the Villamor side, took care of the twins as if they were her own. This was one of the big reasons the family chose her to be Tio eden’s next wife. She was embraced by Lola Upe to be her own.
Myrna’s dream was to be a teacher. She was pulled out from the Davao Baclayon Trading branch to study here at Holy Name College. She graduated from her secondary course here. And it was Nang Tasia who asked me to make her graduation bouquet as well as the corsage of the twins on their graduation day several years after.
Myrna and I were together at the house of Oyong and Oyang. I was tasked to give Myrna company just like the company given by Lina and Lydia during their time. Ive wondered why Myrna gave me the bigger bed every time i came home from Cebu where i took my Accounting course.
It was in Holy Name College where she finished her bachelor’s degree in Education. Her first and last teaching assignment was in Sagbayan. She stayed with the family of Dr. Anana in that place. Linda, who was the daughter of Dr. Anana, was Myrna’s co-teacher. When Myrna would come home from work on weekends, Linda tagged along. So, eventually, Linda and I became close friends, too, including her sister, Nang Meding. a pharmacist.
Linda introduced Myrna to the former’s brother, named Arthur, who was then working in Congress in Manila. Not long after, Arthur courted Myrna and barraged her with letters written on a linen paper. Myrna shared his letters with me and we enjoyed every line of those since Arthur was a man of prose and poetry.
Myrna and Arthur got married in 1969 – the same year Roger and I tied the knot: we in March and they in May. Myrna/Arthur’s wedding brought me back home to Baclayon, for the first time, after our wedding day. How could i ever miss her wedding? I came home alone since Roger had his meeting in Manila and was assigned in Plaridel, Quezon immediately after our Baguio honeymoon, the same place where Myrna and Arthur spent their honeymoon.
Myrna and Arthur settled in Sagbayan after marriage. She continued with her teaching carreer in this place – but only for a short time – because they decided to establish their business there and later on, Arthur went into public service. It was during his term as mayor when the grand munisipyo of Sagbayan was built. He never lost in an election. He completed his 3-year term with unstained public service. He died years after due to diabetes. Myrna, after his death, entered into politics, too, as member of the sanggunian. She finished a 3 year term in the town after which she decided to finally settle in Tagbilaran with the family of their only daughter. Janjan, who is married to Edgar Cempron. They established their own business in Tagbilaran and it was called the EJC Enterprises which dealt with construction materials.
Recently, we were all invited to Myrna’s 80th birthday tendered by her own daughter, Janjan, with Edgar and her two grandchildren. The party was a grand celebration with all her siblings in attendance: Babie, married to Victor (a nephew of Myrna’s husband); Edith married to the late Wason Lim; Eusie married to Boy de la Calzada of the Denricks fame; Jeline, a retired senior manager of Metrobank who is married to Nelson Pacana; and the brothers named Biloy and Junior. Of course the children of the siblings were there, too and so with their respective spouses.
Irene, my daughter, was surprised why i stayed and held hands with Myrna after the program. I told her (Irene) that we (Myrna and I), had beautiful memories filled in our treasure chest. And the most important of all these treasures was the love and care that Oyong and Oyang gave to us including all the beautiful memories while growing up – the memories of the EARLY DAYS of our lives.