by Telly G. Ocampo
CULTURAL HERITAGE
FOR AUGUST 20, 2023
My Co Dreamers with Sibujing Connection
I received some favorable feedback regarding our last
week’s topic on the “potager” and “sibujing” connection.
Thank you! This time, we still have the “sibujing”
connection which is about represented by the connection
of the roots through marriage of my co-dreamers to the
Waraynons. Presenting:
Laileta Pamaran-Klainatorn. Her grandfather, was a
full-blooded Waraynon coming from the Mondragon
family. The Mondragons are related to the Baneses,
and the Quinteros, who are tominongnongs in
Tacloban. Laileta married Jim Klainatorn from
Bangkok Thailand. Jim studied at the University of the
Philippines and had his consultancy on the water
system in Thailand. On the other hand Laileta taught
and became an assistant principal in a Catholic
institution, the Ramrudi. After her retirement, she
chose Bohol as her other home where she built her
dreamhouse – featuring a kaleidoscope of colors from
her flowers and ferns. She has been harvesting her
mangos and avocados and her latest favorites are her
ducks from a pair she bought in our neighborhood.
Her sister-in-law, Lumin Tirol Pamaran, has her duck
craze, too, but not the live ones.
Myrna Trabajo Pagsuberon. As we all know, Myrna
is an accomplished lawyer and considers herself as
retired; but that dream of retirement turned into a
leave of absence. Long ago we met Myrna at the
United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP).
We both married Protestants so we found ourselves
attending the UCCP services in Tacloban. Though my
children are baptized Catholics, we saw to it that we
also attend services at the UCCP so that the children
don’t make boundaries between the two churches.
Myrna and I found ourselves there laughing at our
destinies. One of the pillars of the UCCP church and
the Bethany Hospital in Tacloban was the grandfather
of her husband, Don Julio Banez. What was good in
Tacloban was this: The two churches blend
beautifully. Myrna taught for a while, with me, at UP
Tacloban. And now here we are again, dreaming
together, in our sunset years. But, mind you, we are
still young at hearts.
May Flores Pascual. May used to work with NEDA in
her younger years. They used to board at Lola Sibe
Quintero’s at Gomez Juan Luna Streets. Corazon
Banluta Batoy was boarding also at Lola Sibe. It was
Myrna who introduced Rey Jimenez Pascual to May
since Rey is a cousin of the Banezes. The Pascuals
were our neighbours in Tacloban. Rey’s father, Dr.
Reynaldo Pascual, was our doctor. He was once a
Medical Director of the Philippine General Hospital.
He married Carolina Jimenez, the sister of Nicanor
Jimenez (the father of Inday Badiday), Letty Jimenez
Magsanoc and secretary of tourism during Pinoy’s
time. Rey’s grandparents used to work here in Bohol
as provincial auditor. After their stint abroad working
in the United Nations, they settled in Bohol – in a
house opposite Congressman Zarraga’s residence.
They are active in the Couples for Christ movement
and are the pillars of the Loay Children’s Rondalla.
Every now and then, we gather together at Lel’s
Perch in Taguihon, dancing and singing to the music
of our times.
We still have more dreamers to be presented. We are in
our 70’s and are young at heart. There’s Atty. Nuevas
Montes (the painter); Elsie Lim (the chef); Glow (the
entertainer); Gemma (the interior designer); Cora (another
interior designer); and Lumin (the crooner, dressmaker
and designer rolled into one).
