scenes from our Asingan Hospital

On April 28, Grace Gurion, Miguelita, myself and Sonia Agsalud embarked on an all day journey that brought us from our own Asingan Hospital ( located on the diversion road which passes from Binalonan-Asingan-Santa Maria) to the grand Capitol grounds which sprawled on an area close to the Lingayen beach..


Taken on the front of the hospital together with some staffers..


Photo says it all...


Sonia on her work desk

April 17

This morning, I dropped by the headquarters of Jun Esperon with Miggie to see Rudy and Linda. Initially, I missed Linda who left earlier on an assigned campaign trail. I saw my classmate Rudy Esperon who looked fine and sounded like a radio announcer with his deep voice. I also met Jaime Esperon who recognized me. There were so many people in the front part of his house. In this spacious area, there was a wide screen LCD TV monitor, several cushioned seats, a number of tables, a receptionist with a laptop, two washrooms ( his and hers ) for obvious purposes; water fountain, a xerox machine, flyers, a centralized air conditioner ( what with the kind of weather ) and staff busy attending to an endless list of chores...Rudy and Jaime attended to us. I overheard schedules for the day. Not far from us was Jun Esperon having a haircut while having breakfast. He has just arrived a few hours ago ( around 3:00 am ) then he had to deal with some paperwork. That is how busy he is..Then new arrivals: Leticia Malalang who came to see Norma Esperon..and we had a few introductory chats...People inside a campaign headquarers come in and out as quick as the wink of an eye..Then Jun Esperon was done with his haircut and he came over to shake hands with us....There was reminders about a wedding, some places to visit in the pm..et ce tera..And I have not seen the busiest part yet...Well we bade good bye cuz we want to visit another place...Walking along the road going to Poblacion, we met a van with Esperon stickers..We continued walking....A minute later, a young voice called out from behind: Sir, sir balik daw kayo sabi ni Madam Linda..We turned around and we saw Linda at last whom we were trying to track since the time she arrived. I have no cel phone, she said..We had to go back to her house and we shook hands with Rudy again was surprised to see me back in such a short time..Rudy had to go and take some rest and Linda attended to us: talking about the Fiesta, activities, checking new details in the house..New guests come and go..Busy busy busy...Tonight we will attend the Gay Night at Sobol..All siblings of Gen. Esperon are helping out within all human capabilities to help in his campaign. His sisters are doing house to house distribution of pamphlets, flyers, fans, umbrellas, t-shirts, hats ( but no money )..In a nutshell, this is how life is in a campaign house...more to follow...

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REAL ESTATE PRICES...The average price per square METER of a property right now on where I am staying ( beside the Chua mansion overlooking the busy market area ) is about 5,000 pesos. Converting the amount to US or Can $$ gives you quite a hefty sum. Ownership of certain properties along this block have changed considerably through the years. Some did not. For example, one time the house of my classmate Teofilo Bugayong one time was located not far from here. Now, a massive store stands on its place. The house owned by the Lavarias family is still there. The SALVATION ARMY has opened a school around that area too. The building is quite eye catching, and I heard it is getting quite an attention ( and enrollment ) from Asingan residents.>>>>The main entrance to the market seemed to be presently on the area where the "puesto" seemed to be. That strip of stores made with wood standing a long time ago. The market entrance is marked with an arch emblazoned with the letters:PAMILIHAMG BAYAN NG ASINGAN over a governemnt seal. Other stores: PB SAPIGAO builders, then RICHPRO BAKERY hot pan desal, munay, etc. then COR FARM MART ( ANIMAL FEEDS ) and also TRES HERMANAS PAWNSHOP (TAKBUHAN NG BAYAN )..Meaning a place to run to if you have some valuables and you are short of cash..There is a constant flow of motor cycles, motorized tricycles, expensive looking vehicles ( including cars and SUVs )If you see this flow of human and motor traffic you will conclude that Asingan and the rest of the Philippines is not really in recession. The town is in the black, business is healthy, people are happy. There are jobs from well to do professionals in town who need labanderas, cooks, nannies, etc. Some of them pay as high as 3,000 pesos a month..The Philippines in recession? WHAT RECESSION??

we revisited Gloria Andrada in Sta Maria a close friend of Miguelita's.They were neighbours in the old days...Gloria is a retired nurse who spent so many years in California working sometimes 3 shfts just to see to it her kids could finish their college studies...Her husband is also a US Airforce Surgeon and when they retired, they decided to sell their California home and settle in Sta. Maria....When she learned that Miggie is still straddling on the fence whether to retire or not, she said: "You should retire now, now that you can still go about. What is the use retiring when you are already confined to a wheel chair?"...Then she showed us her home which was just beside Miggie's family land. The back yard was full of fruit trees, flowering bushes, ferns planted on the trunk of some tress giving it an unbelievably beautiful appearance We also saw some bonsai versions of tamarind and some other Phil. trees..Very cute. As we walked deeper into the "sanctuary" for living plants and various birds, we saw 3 bahay kubos. a water fountain and an empty chicken house..."Why are they empty?" I asked. "Did they die of an epedimic?"...Then she began to relate the story of the empty chicken coop. She said one time there were around 30 native chickens caged in there..Then one day, a friend asked her:"Why are these native chickens inside the cage?,,They should be allowed to roam free and find nourishment from the ground.".."Oh Okay," she said. The next morning she unlocked the cage and set al l birds free....NOW, the same afternoon, she went to check some of her vegetables planted in the backyard. Oh No!, she said,,Those ruthless chickens ate all my camote plants and several other veggies which suited their appetites..So she ordered one of the servants:"Capture all of those stupid chickens, kill 'em all and stuff them in the freezer..".. she said, that in the next few days, they had nothing but chicken dishes:adobo, arroz caldo, lechon AT IBA PA.."


Life starts early here at the Marketside..4:00 am brings the vendors, tricycles, farmers dropping in some veggies for consignment and the omnipresent sidewalk vendors..Our proximity to the marketside makes it easy to have freshly made tupig or bibingka in our breakfast table...Our hosts are Drs. Ben Gurion and spouse Grace Ramos, who is also an MD but she stopped her practice because after 10 years without a child, all of sudden, she was blessed with one. She wanted to take care of her daughter named Mia ( just like my first grandaughter ) and so she resigned from her post in a manila hospital..Her husband is one of the best loved Pediatricians in town and around town..Grace's mom is a sister of Dr. Regalado Tendero who was the husband of my aunt Minay. On day 1 of our stay in her house, we found that Stauro stayed here also for almost 2 years! Stauro is grace first degree nephew and the books I donated one time all landed in her house!..She related some "horror" stories re: him which filled in some of the mystery jigsaw pieces of why the library project collapsed. Grace found a job for him in UCC Urdaneta..She and her husband are quite prominent, affluent and respectable figures in Asingan ( I never knew that til now )..They let us stay in their guest room which has the amenities of houses abroad...It was such a nice time recalling the early childhood days when the tenderos and costeses were still grade schoolers living in close quarters. She knew most of the Tendero chronicles which I also knew with some I knew and she did not know because she is very much younger than I am..Oh boy, I said to myself as I write this entry, God really has willed that I would meet her to renew those days and renew ties with long lost relatives..Anyhow, that is WHY we take holidays in Asingan..To try to look for missing jigsaw pieces which dissapeared as we started growing up to be adults..I loved the books you sent, she said..The boxes landed in my house..You should have been the rightful recepient I said since your husband is partly involved with a local pediatrician charity group helping kids not only with their medical needs but also with reading skills..Oh we need children's books, she said..Her husband have outreach work not only in Asingan but in tayug where he holds office in the government..Thus right there and then on the dining table, Miggie and I promised to send them books out of our expenses and they were so happy..This is just one way of repaying their hospitality for letting us stay with them as long as we can while in Asingan..If you hear how Dr. ben Gurion explain his experiences as a starting physician in Asingan, you would both laugh and cry..Starting a practice in Asingan is hard said Grace, because most of the patients are my relatives and sometimes it not easy charging them!..But after several years they now have a big home, lots of patients ( Asingan kids ) and he has also some visits to another hospital in Urdaneta..Doctors like teachers enjoy such a high standing in the eyes and hearts of people in a community, even Asingan....

From: A Reader
To: Vic
Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010
Message
I am not from Asingan but you make me feel like I belong there because of the way you describe the places in town. It is so vivid that I could visualize what you are talking about. Your down to earth approach of writing is indeed good journalism, you write it as you see it and that is the reason why I feel like I am by your side listening to your stories. Thanks, keep on going till you leave town. Tasyo

Archie and Sam, I’m relieved to see you post. I thought all of you have gone home for the fiesta, leaving just elmer omar and myself stranded in the limbo. Except for peter and norbet, I don’t see you guys post as you used to. Even Ricky is asingan bound, I heard. Hey armando, just in case you get to Mng Elsa Sindayen’s joint, splash a shot for me and reynold, ok. And wheres annie? Jessie, shy and timid boy, are you in asingan, too? I still don’t get it! Why is it that Gin and Kappukan are much tastier in Asingan than anywhere else…Can someone explain? Mng Vic, you’re doing a great job being our eyes and ears. We want more… every sumptuous detail. Asingan should give you a retainer for doing a great balikbayan promotion. You have re-activated everyone’s homing instinct with your little stories.


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From: alakdan
Town_City:
Email:
To: manong Vic
Remote Name: 67.11.82.24
Date: Friday, April 16, 2010


Message
Manong Vic, dont forget about the succulent chico found only in Manaoag. Your first bite will be for me, yumm, yumm, yummmmmm.


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From: Zeus
Town_City:
Email:
To: Manong Vic...
Remote Name: 76.175.165.68
Date: Friday, April 16, 2010


Message
Hindi baling hindi ako nakauwi nandiyan naman si Manong Vic Para narin nandoon ako sa Asingan. Although its mesmerizing I want to go home I feel homesick now. While reading Manong Vic's narrative posting my mind played back and jogs and grooving in forward all the chronicles from the places he mentioned. Nice job Manong Vic!


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From: VIC
Town_City:
Email:
To:
Remote Name: 124.217.85.180
Date: Friday, April 16, 2010


Message
Hello, Marcie!..We are now staying in the street close to where Mr. Jovencio Esteban lived before. The place has also a bit of history. Our host told us that a house was transfered to another spot nearby because the first house in question was standing on a road going to the market. I believe the widow of Rudy Esteban had a grocery hereabouts..Natalie was a co teacher of mine at the Rizal Academy, so with Rudy..20 years of absence from a place makes you long for some updates..

Asingan is in a gaeity mode..Like expecting the Big Circus arriving soon..It is not easy campaigning. All politicians have to bite the dust: they would stay in the roadside in the grueling heat. Their smile muscles MUST not get tired. And the country is suffering from an unprecedented hot spell now a days..The commercial on audio truck jingles goes on and on and on extolling the virtues of each candidates..TV is no better..The 6:00 pm TV patrol does its part in showing mud slinging gimmicks by different parties..I do not want to discuss these issues because I still abide by Mr. Marinias rules..No political issues..Just describing what I see..That's all..All I am praying is for the RAIN to come..Even the toilets in Urdaneta restaurants have signs saying NO WATER IN CRS..Take a crap at your own risk..:D

Things are getting better in Asingan when it comes to Digital photography..There is a FUJI FILM imaging centre which could provide printing services for digital cameras at a fraction of what is normally charged in US/Canada..The place is right near the western side of the Asingan market in an impressive, multi-storied business building.I had some of the images in my camera burned into a CD so I can delete some of the shots to free my card...Saves me the trouble of buying another card for my future shots..Services are cheap, workmanship is good! What more could you ask!..( the sales girls are also very polite and always smiling )..All around are the non technical services, mostly food and snacks..There is a fresh buko juice vendor who peddles a cup of fresh buko juice for 5 pesos only..He has a cartful of bukos which he peels as his pitcher of juice runs low..There are also ice cream vendors, slurpees stands, and as night falls, the fires of bibingka makers dot the sidewalsk with the unmistakable orange glows...Bibingkas and tupigs are 5 pesos each..Then there are the balut vendors..And also a portable Jolibee truck which offers some jolibee sandwiches/drinks to hungry fiesta revelers..This truck is stationed in front of the South Central school..All around the plaza are different snack stands offering home made Filipino dishes like papai-tan, dinuguan, pinakbet, etc..Again, eat 'em at your own risk..:)..A better place to eat would be the eatery run by Blanca Gonzales ( whom I heard is on a tourist visa in London with her husband )..A wallmenu advertises mami, siopao, sio mai, and drinks like RED HORSE ( it could kick like a horse ) and l do not think Asingan requires a liquor license for a joint to sell alcoholic drinks..If a customer looks like a teen ager, they do not ask for an ID anymore..What else is new..:) It is nice to observe the sceneries all around..jeeps plying from Urdaneta to Santa maria via the "diversion road" crossing the bridge to Santa Maria..Roads again are cramped because of the tricycles and the tiangee (night market ) surrounding the plaza..I took a few video shots of Asingan but you have to wait until May until you can see it cuz I need my PC in Toronto to process 'em..But I assure, there is nothing like being in Asingan, looking, hearing, and smelling the scenery ( and trying to avoid a tricycle wheel which would almost run over yiour foot

April 16

I went to the froNT of the ASINGAN town hall at around 11:30 am to wait for the Asingan bound Viron bus from Manila. Miggie is supposed to be one of the passengers.. I have to walk under shady parts of the Asingan streets. Can't find my hat so I had to grin and bear it. In the waiting shed are a few assorted characters waiting for the bus. There were three gays and they looked like women really. They are good people. I was given a haircut by one of them a few days ago and my wife said he was good! Then there was the lady who did a dance during the canvassing. This time she was trying to make conversations with a waiting passenger. After she left, the passenger said: "Agmauyong sa met?"..She made her rounds somewhere else...But my heart go to the tricycle drivers. Under the heat of the sun, as soon as the bus arrives, they would tryto get a fare. Their voice are soft spoken, they would ask where the newly arrivals are going, and you can read in their faces a kind of brave spirit..Not to give up inspite of hardship. Some have tattered clothes, their skins have already several layers of tan, if this is possible.God bless them all and even with no high education, they can make some kind of living or fill their pockets with little but honest cash...+++

staying in the Motherland is really an expat's dream.The common situation for retirees abroad is the lack of many friends. Here in Asingan, it is just the opposite. I LOVE standing near a crowd here, and try to eavesdrop..:) I know its bad, but there are lots of things you learn preening your ears to daily chat by people in the street..Each person has a story to tell. events that can only happen in Asingan...One can develop that sense, that intuition by listening closely between the words..Once upon a time, there was a long line of mini shops operated by the likes of:Victorino family, Calindas family, del Rio family,etc. Now there is a line up of joints selling feeds, offering xerox copiers, cel phone loads, different snacks ( whether safe to eat or not )..At 5:00 am, this section stirs to life with the arrival of people of all ages, sizes and looks...It becomes like Portobello road, a flea market from a story book. The market is Portobello road, Asingan style...Some items are still sold from the time I was in Gr.2: big knives, ropes, scythes, bolos, clothes, ..now there are pirated DVDs and CDs, The animal slaughter area still looks ( and smells ) the same..The jeepneys that leaves Urdaneta for Asingan goes further up to Sta. maria, then back again to Urdaneta via Asingan...Now you do not have to cross the river in Sanchez just to travel to Sta. maria from our town..However, Tayug is already cut off permanently from Asingan. You have to reach Tayug thru Santa maria...I know in a few weeks I will be back again in Toronto so I will drink my cup to the dregs and proclaim loudly to the stars my joy that , the fates allowed me again to step into Asingan soil!!!

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Laoac is such a lovely place too..I used to visit it especially during the sugar cane season when my grandpa hoisted the carabao and it turns the sugar cane mill round and round..The frothy POLOTIPOT is just the perfect topping for a plate of newly cooked rice...Then travel a few more miles and one sees the venerable Manaoag church..Many legends abound this hallowed edifice. One is the wandering image of the Virgin Mary..We enter the church, say a prayer foR our loved ones. Then go out after and check out the PATOPAT or the SARGUELAS!!

Wow.. reading about your posting make me, want to come home now. I wish I could be there. Love reading about your posting. Foods. yumm..yumm. yummy. Don't forget your bottle water. --Marcie Uson Wise

a mini forest in Asingan

VISITING SOMEONE IN DOMANPOT

Posting this entry in Magic Mall, Urdaneta, Pangasinan ..

It is another hot day in Paradise. We visited a friend in Domanpot, Pangasinan. He is one seemingly successful professional our town could be proud of. He has a mini forest in his backyard, It is the sanctuary of native pigs ( the kind with pointed snouts ), turkeys, and a surprise "tenant": a boa constrictor inside a glass cage.

We could hardly see the occupant because the glass walls are foggy and dirty. To clean the glass, you have to bring out the reptile, put it in another cage temporarily, clean the original glass cage, then put the snake back. Another way is to open the top of the glass cage ( it is locked )clean the inside of the glass cage with a windex as fast as you can because the occupant is looking at your hand with beady eyes. Maybe just maybe, he wont bite some of your fingers off. Then, as soon as you finish the cleaning job, take your hands out, lock the top of the cage and finish the outside of the glass cage..Then you can get a clear shot of ol' snake eyes coiled in repose...:)

See, there are lots of interesting places in Asingan. All you have to do is to ask for 'em!..ha-ha-ha!