MEETING ALEX ROMERO last April 2010

Alex and Menchie Romero taken during their last wedding anniversary..

A long time friend whom I met in Asingan last April 2010 was Alex Romero, Pare Alex for short..I have known him since the early '50s when we were still studying at the Dupac Intermediate School. As a Grade 6 student, he was popular with the teachers because of his fine tenor voice. Good singers, like Pare Alex, were always liked by them because he could do some singing parts during those Christmas or Graduation ceremonies that mark the end of another school year.

I fondly and still vividly remember our graduation ceremonies that April 1954. Most of you, younger readers of this Blog may not even been born yet. Mr. Fabian Ballesteros and Miss Remedios Jose, two of our Intermediate Grade teachers recruited talents from the graduating class to put up a literary-musical program that would be something unforgettable to watch.

I remember Nueva Domaoan ( now in New Jersey ) being the emcee ( Mistress of cermonies? We have to be politically correct during these times, you know )and I would say she did a fine job.

Then there was this song-and-dance number. Alex did a song called ON WINGS OF SONG a very popular classical solo made for tenor voices. He sang without any accompaniment ( no karaoke yet during that time and figuring the guitar accompaniment for that piece would be a bitch ). And while he was singing, Aurora Pascua in an Arabian costume was doing ( surprise!) an Arabian Dance. Oh yes, I think Alex was also garbed as an Arabian Prince, complete with a head turban. It was one of the highlights of the program. It was the last get together of all Grade 6 students ( class '54 ) before going separate ways the next day...


Well last April, I met Alex again. He asked me to do a story about a quaint machinery which is not being used anymore in his premises. He does not want to sell it to the junk man since somehow, somewhere there would be someone who might have a good use for it..

So he tracked the original company which made the machinery. Lately he e-mailed me the photos ( it's really a rice huller which was a workhorse for polishing palay into rice during those years in Asingan.)and some results of his ardent research.

So here are the e-mails he sent after doing some research in the Internet concerning the machinery...

I have an old rice-huller(kiskisan). The ricehuller is very old, more than 120 years. I have been locating thru the internet the relatives or descendants of the inventor. His name is Evarista Conrado Engelberg of Piracicaba, Sao Paolo, Brazil.

I have located Mr. Alfred Engelberg and Mr. Stephen Engelberg. I sent messages to them but responded they were on vacation. Please help me find the relatives or descendants of Evarista Conrado Engelberg. Enclosed is my letter to Mr. Alfred Engelberg and Mr. Stephen Engelberg.

Dear Mr. Engelberg, I came across your name in the internet and i am writing you this letterto inquire if you are in anyway related or a descendant of the late Evarista Conrado Engelberg of THE ENGELBERG HULLER CO. OF SYRACUSE, NY, U.S.A. for many years now. The following data are embossed in the huller's cover.

THE ENGELBERG HULLER CO. 1925 86 MAY 22, 1888 APR. 1, 1890

Assuming that you are relative or a descendant of the aforementioned Evarista Conrado Engelberg, I am sending this information about this very old ENGELBERG ricehuller in my possession because i am interested to dispose of this rare huller. i think that if it be disposed at all, i would certainly prefer that it to be returned to a member or descendant of the ENGELBERG family. You can communicate with me:

mr. alexromero72004@yahoo.com

alexander p. romero #22 bauzon st., poblacion east asingan, pangasinan, philippines 2439

thank you very much.

sincerely yours,
alexander p. romero

PHOTOS OF THE VERY OLD RICE HULLER( KISKISAN )

A LETTER BY AMBASSADOR RUDY DUMAPIAS

NOTE: Rudy Dumapias is my classmate from Grade 1 to Grade 6 at the two Asingan Elementary Schools, the North and the South. .We became friends starting from Grade 1 under Mrs. Valentina Lising because of common interests: Drawing ( sometimes we exchanged drawings in the middle of a class ) and movies ( he introduced me to the culture of Hollywood Movies even during these early formative years by how he described old time movie idols like Audie Murphy and James Dean )

He had a very exciting and colorful career in the Philippine Foreign Service having worked in many places like Bahrain, Korea and his last assignment which was Mexico City.

He is an outstanding writer in his own way. He can write as fluently as he can speak. Not many have that kind of communication skills working together, hand in hand. Reading his stuff can be a sheer pleasure..

Many people, particularly Americans, do not understand the Muslim phenomenon. In total, I agree that so-called "political correctness" will eventually result to the loss of American freedom and democracy as was originally conceived in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Worse, once it takes more power, it will lead in the persecution of Christians. It cannot help but be the scourge of Western Judeo-Christian civilization because it is commanded in its precepts that infidels (non-Muslims) shall be converted, and if they refuse they shall be killed.
Here are points to consider:
1. Whereas religious freedom is observed in the US, this is not so in some countries. Although there is religious tolerance in some countries (ex: Malaysia, Bahrain) in that Christian congregations are allowed to exist, Christians however cannot evangelize to the local Muslims; penalty is death. Furthermore, Christian churches and the Bible are burned openly and Christians murdered because of their faith, and the authorities do not punish the perpetrators in the same urgency that American courts punish Christians for praying in public in their own country.
2. There are two main sects, the Sunnis and the Shia-ites, or Shiites. The Sunnis are moderate whereas the Shiites are the extremists; basically, the terrorists come from the latter group. Thus, it is easy for advocates of "religious freedom" in America to claim "persecution" and "Islamaphobia" since they can point to the moderate and peaceful Muslims as the victim Muslims; meanwhile they hide the truth about the terrorist sect. Many Americans fall into the trap and they feel guilty, and are lulled into an accommodation with the Muslims while the truth about the violent sect is glossed over.
3. But whatever "gains" achieved by the terrorist groups such as the 9-11 atacks, Fort Hood killings, etc., these are credited as "gains" to the whole Muslim faith and the moderates do not condemn them. To the Muslims, the "victories" are confirmation that "jihad", whether by violence or peaceful means, are justified and they become additional basis of encouragement for further JIHAD, regardless of how many lives are lost. Thus, if the mosque is allowed in ground zero, it would provide more justification for more attacks on American "infidels".
4. In view of the aforementioned, it does not matter whether the prayer or parade in NY is only once a year or weekly; it has the same impact on the idea of jihad -- it is seen as confirmation that turning America from being an infidel into a follower of Mohammad is correct. Expect the war on terrorism to go on for a long time.
5. Consider the religious intolerance in Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc: a) whether you are shopping, etc. when prayer time comes, everybody must stop whatever you are doing, go outside, and observe/join the prayer (in public address system); this practice is enforced by religious police and there is heavy penalty; b) Filipino workers in these countries have to hide their Bibles, bury them in the sand, and conduct their Bible Study in secret because penalty is beheading; c) the wife of the American ambassador was arrested for wearing Western casual attire, not the traditional Muslim women long gown, veils, etc. I have lived in the Middles East to see for myself that the "religious freedom" enjoyed by Muslims in America is grossly denied in most Muslim countries. In countries where Muslims extremists take power, expect the above practices to be enforced. Western Europe and America, be aware!!!
Conclusion: Americans should not see the Muslims as if they have the same values, tolerance, priorities, objectives, modus operandi, etc. that Americans live by. Instead, Americans should view them in the light of their culture and tradition, and particularly their religion because to them it is their way of life. Islam (including jihad) permeates into every aspect of their life. Extremist Muslims are not likely to change because every legal, social, and political accommodation given to them in America would reinforce their belief that they are right and the Judeo-Christian culture is wrong. And while the moderates can not calm down the terrorists, they benefit from the "gains" achieved through violence.
Americans may wake up one day to find that the very freedom they have extended have become the very tool used to snatch their freedom in their own country. But then, it would be too late.
God's angel said this about Ishmail, the ancestor of the Middle East Muslims: "His hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." Genesis 16:12.
Rudy D.

A GREEN PARADISE IN SANTA MARIA

Sta. Maria is Miggie's hometown, but when she was still single and teaching in Urdaneta, she seldom comes home. She prefers Dagupan where her Uncle lives and where life was more exciting.

However, time shifts everything like a deck of cards. Their old house is already gone. All her siblings have drifted to many places: in Manila or in the US. But their big lot is still there, a witness to the many happy childhood events with which she grew up with. Now her sights are beamed towards home, sweet home, this time in Asingan.


The next photos were taken in the backyard of a childhood friend, Manang Gloria, a retired nurse from California who decided to spend her retirement years in Sta. Maria. She has a number of Bon Sai plants aside from the different fruit trees and flowering plants that gives a pleasant verdant color especially during the rainy months. Gloria has a full time gardener to look after the front and backyard.



A part of the PERGOLA or GAZEBO found in the backyard.



This is a fine way of recycling materials. This capiz window came from their old house ( Gloria's ) and instead of throwing it away, she had it fastened to a part of the concrete wall surrounding their house. At first glance, I thought her surrounding walls have windows through which you could see what is happening in the neighbour's !



Many Filipinos are naturally religious. Gloria spends much time as a volunteer in their local Catholic church. If I am not mistaken, this is an image of St. Anthony de Padua found in a corner of her front garden..

MORE PHOTOS FROM ASINGAN CIRCA 2010

Grace Ramos Gurion and Ana Fe Ramos. Yes, I believe they are relatives. But then, most Asinganians are related to one another in some way..:)


The famous song-and-dance girls of the Mammy Juanitez orchestra..Cheers!

Miggie with a very friendly host at the Santilla residence in Bantog. Boy, did he take care of us then. Brought lots of grub in our table!


Hello, buddy! Sorry I forgot your name as I am writing this caption. Must be the start of dementia..ha-ha! Beside him is Evelyn Antonio. Evelyn is from Carosucan and Moncada..:)

The logo of Pangasinan as seen in the Lingayen Capitol...

ASINGAN PHOTO ALBUMS...

An unpublished shot ( I think ) of Leo Guerrero Asingan's Health Officer, Evelyn Antonio ( Rudy's better half ), my better half Miggie and Epifania Salom, a good friend of mine during those high school days at the Rizal Academy..

Two shots of the same subject: a typical morning scene in the western part of the Public Market. These 2 photos were taken from the veranda of Dr. Ben Gurion's residence...

See how many Asinganians can you identify in this photo..:)


A photo with my good friend Francisco ( Belo ) Malala. He was instrumental in my meeting Grace T. Gurion, a first cousin of my first cousins, Father side. These cousins are the Tenderos whose Mom was my Father's only sister. Miggie and I had an idyllic stay in her residence for several weeks last April 2010..

Also in the photo is Noemie, Belo's daughter and Miggie Hufana Costes...