Showing posts with label Sta. Cruz. Show all posts

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Genaro "Amy" Pacana...nakalimutang boksingero ng Pilipinas

Posted on Thursday, 3 November 2016

GENARO “AMY” PACAṄA
…nakalimutang boksingero ng Pilipinas
Ni Apolinario Villalobos


Sa simula ay medyo ilag ako kay Amy dahil kahit hindi matalim ang tingin ay hindi naman kumikibo maliban na lang kung makipag-usap sa talagang mga kaibigan niya sa kanto ng F. Torres at Recto sa Sta. Cruz district ng Maynila. Bodyguard siya ng isang negosyante na namimili ng ginto at mga alahas sa bahaging ito ng Sta. Cruz. Ang kabilang kalye papuntang Divisoria ay ang tanyag na “Arranque”, naging sikat noon na bagsakan ng mga nakaw na kalakal, at puntahan ng mga mahilig sa antique na relo at alahas. Hanggang ngayon ito ay sikat pa rin dahil sa mga natirang puwesto na nagbebena ng ginto, pilak, at mga alahas, subali’t may mangilan-ngilan pa ring nagbebenta ng mga antique na galing sa mga nagsarang puwesto sa Mabini (Ermita).

Kahit bodyguard ang naitalagang trabaho sa kanya ay makikita rin si Amy na nagwawalis sa harap ng puwesto ng kanyang boss. Sa harap ng puwesto ay ang kanyang tirahan – isang kuwarto sa ikalawang palapag ng lumang building na nakaharap sa Recto.

Kahit hindi ko pa siya nakilala at nakausap ay may hinala na akong nakikipaglaban siya sa ibabaw ng kuwadradong lona dahil sa mga palatandaan – makapal na kilay, malalaking braso at kamao, malapad na kaha o dibdib, matibay na ilong at tingin na tumitiim kahit hindi galit. At may hinala din akong siya ay Bisaya dahil narinig ko ang punto niya nang makipag-usap sa isang kaibigan kong Bisaya pero ang gamit nila ay Tagalog.

Mabait naman pala si Amy dahil nang batiin ko siya isang araw nang mamasyal uli ako sa lugar na yon ay ngumiti at sumagot. Inunahan ko siyang kausapin sa Bisayang Cebuana kaya napilitan siyang sumagot sa ganoong dialect. Totoo lahat ng hinala ko tungkol sa kanya…dati nga siyang boksingero. Hindi ko siya binigla tungkol sa balak kong pagsulat ng kanyang buhay upang hindi maasiwa. Mula noon ay tinawag ko na siyang “Dodong” sa halip na “Amy” na fighter’s name lang palay niya, at hindi ko na inungkat kung bakit napakalayo sa tunay niyang pangalang “Genaro”. At na-swak ko ang pagtawag sa kanya na “Dodong” dahil ito pala ang tunay niyang palayaw.

Tubong Pagadian City siya, pito silang magkakapatid at pang-lima siya mula sa panganay.
Labing-apat  na taong gulang siya nang dalhin siya sa Manila ni Noe Camino, isang kababayang boksingero. Pinagsanay siya sa dating L&M Gym sa Paquita St., Sampaloc, na binili ni Manny Pacquiao, inayos at pinangalanan na ngayong MP Tower.  Makalipas ang dalawang taon ay isinabak na siya sa boksing. Unang laban niya noong 1980 para sa kategoryang may bigat na 122 libra, o featherweight. Maraming bansa ang narating niya tulad ng Japan at Amerika dahil sa boksing. Subalit noong 1989 ay tumigil siya at nagtrabaho bilang guwardiya ng isang ahensiya, at nagkaroon din siya ng pagkakataong maging driver ni Congressman Atong Asilo ng Manila. Nagsimula siyang maging bodyguard ng kanyang boss sa kasalukuyan, noong 2010.

Nang tanungin ko siya tungkol sa sarili niyang pamilya, may binanggit siyang isang babaeng nabuntis sa Hawaii kung saan nagkaroon din siya ng laban. Subalit hanggang sa naipanganak daw ang naging bunga ng kanilang pagmamahalan ay wala na siyang balita sa mag-ina.

Nag-iisa sa buhay ngayon si Dodong. Kung araw ng Linggo, makikita siyang nakaupo sa labas ng pinto ng kanyang tirahan. Dahil mabait, napaunlakan niya ang pakiusap kong mag-pose siya para sa mga larawang kailangan ko sa isinulat kong ito.

Maraming tulad ni Dodong na nakalimutan ng mga kababayan pagkatapos magbigay ng karangalan sa bansa. Ang iba ay nagkaroon ng bisyo tulad ng isang dating kampeong nasa General Santos City (Mindanao) ngayon, at ayon sa mga kuwento ay nagsisiga-sigaan sa palengke upang makapanghingi ng pera. Ang iba ay naging inutil na nagsimula sa pagkaduling ng mga mata hanggang maging pilay na humantong pa sa pagkalumpo. Ang iba nama’y naratay na lamang sa kama dahil sa matinding pagka-kalog ng utak kaya naghihintay na lamang ng kamatayan sa kinahihigahan.


Sa larangan ng boksing, isa ako sa mga nagtatanong kung may isa pang Pacquiao na lulutang – matalino, pursigidong matuto, at higit sa lahat ay mapagmahal sa pamilya at magulang, at lalong higit, ay may takot sa Diyos…isang boksingero na masasabing nagtagumpay. 


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The Senseless Conflagration of Mt. Apo

Posted on Wednesday, 6 April 2016

The Senseless Conflagration of Mt. Apo
By Apolinario Villalobos
           

With the almost two weeks and still ongoing conflagration of Mt. Apo, the most “sacred” mountain in the Philippines, standing majestically between North Cotabato (Kidapawan and Makilala) and Davao (Sta. Cruz and Digos), and the highest yet, at 10,311 feet above sea level, mountaineers like me could do nothing but literally cry our heart out, at the recklessness of the irresponsible hypocrite/s who claim to be nature lover/s, and who mindlessly caused the fire.

The Breeding Station of the Philippine Eagle is found at Baracatan at the foot of the Sta. Cruz side of the mountain; the Makalangit known for its community where Filipinos of various faith, and who live among the monkeys, is found on the slope of the Makilala side of the mountain; and llomavis-Lake Agko area which is thriving as a tourist destination due to its wellness resort, for those who just want to savor the air and healthy benefits of hot the hot spring of the sacred mountain sans the tedious trek, is found on the Kidapawan side….all of them are in danger of being turned to ashes because of the seemingly uncontrollable creeping down of the fire!

UNFORTUNATELY, IT MIGHT TAKE DECADES AGAIN, BEFORE THE SACRED MOUNTAIN CAN RECOVER FROM THE SENSELESS ABUSE OF THE MORONIC “TREKKER/S” WHO JUST REFUSE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING CREED:

“Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.”


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Virgie Sapitola-Sapera Pushes a Cartful of Young Coconuts for More than 5 Kilometers Everyday

Posted on Sunday, 13 March 2016

Virgie Sapitola-Sapera Pushes a Cartful
Of Young Coconuts for More than 5 Kilometers Everyday
By Apolinario Villalobos

At a little past 50 years of age, Virgie Sapitola-Sapera pushes a cartful of young coconut from Blumentritt to Quiapo, a distance of more than 5 kilometers one way. Of course, she hopes that along the way, her load will be lessened if she could dispose of some which she sells at 30 pesos apiece. The terminus of such trek is the P. Paterno St. in Quaipo. Asked about her husband, she told me that he leaves ahead, at dawn to be at the area in Quiapo before the rush hour. Their youngest son leaves their home after his quick breakfast to take over the cart of his father who immediately takes a jeepney back to their home in Blumentritt to take a much needed rest. Virgie’s husband has had a stroke but somehow tries his best to contribute to the family’s collective effort to earn.

I met Virgie along Oroquieta St. when she stopped for a mug of coffee at the sidewalk carinderia where I was enjoying my own. That coffee was her breakfast. Her real meal would be at noon in Quaipo. Despite the long trek with a heavy cart full of young coconut yet to push, she was still smiling while conversing with me. She confided that she is from Pangasinan, a province in the north but met her husband in Manila. Their companionship blessed them with five children. While the elder three have families of their own, the two younger ones are left with them, with the youngest in the junior high school or Grade 10. She told me that whatever happens, her youngest son shall finish high school.

I found out that they sell young coconuts for their juice when in season, but for other months, they sell other stuff such as vegetables and other fruits. They cannot afford to miss any single day of the week in making the trek to their post at Quiapo, except when there is a really bad weather and flood. During those unproductive days, they take all measures to scrimp so that their savings can be stretched to the maximum. Her only problem is the medication of her husband who is on maintenance drugs.

Before she left me, I reminded her to be very extra careful in crossing the busy Recto Ave. where early that morning, a motorcycle got bumped by a rushing jeepney. In response, she smilingly pointed her forefinger towards the sky, implying perhaps, that Somebody up there is watching over her…







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Pasig River: Manila's Main Commercial Artery...long time ago

Posted on Sunday, 10 August 2014



Pasig River: Manila’s main commercial artery
… long time ago
By Apolinario Villalobos

“The Pasig, ah, the Pasig… the great old river”. The statement rings with deeply felt reverence, uttered by an old woman whose old age is made obvious by a pattern of wrinkles on her face. She now sells candles and bronze amulets just outside the Quiapo church. She’s from Taguig, but she could vividly recall days when she and her family would sail down the river on a dugout to Manila to sell vegetables and clay pots. According to her, on weekends, dugouts would compete with water lilies in clogging the river. While her father would curse at moving clusters of this hardy aquatic plant, they, the children would reach out to the brightly colored plumes. But now, those were just part of a once unharried life. The Pasig which has nurtured a city into becoming one that the world respects, is now gasping for breath.

The Pasig once began songs and poems, graced canvases and became an unseen participant in stage plays. Notable poets, like Jose Rizal, had always a special mention of the river to spice up a coterie of characters such as Ibarra, Maria Clara, and Doῆa Geronima, the “mutya” or queen of the river. In more ways than one, it has provided an exit for heroic characters in fiction stories just like Venice.

How it happen to be named after Pasig instead of Manila, is something the old folks could not remember. What they could recall is that, there was once a small delta, skimmed by what is now Ayala bridge which was believed to be the first site of Manila. It was called Isla de Convalescia, as it was here where a Spanish governor general would relax his nerves after a conflict with the clergy.

Records show that fleets of Chinese junks would cram the mouth of the river during the heyday of its glorious trading past, before the arrival of the Spaniards. On its banks, Chinese merchants would unload their wares that consisted of silk and brocade, jewelries, perfumes, wines, caged birds and exotic fruits. The Tagalogs (taga-ilog), the early Filipinos who settled along the river banks, also traded with merchants from Java, India, Sumatra and Siam (Thailand). It was for this reason that “alcaicerias” mushroomed near the riverbank to lodge these traders.

The river divides the city of Manila into northern and southern portions. Minor divisions are made by its tributaries and outflows, some of which are unfortunately filled today by unscrupulous urban developers to give way to commercial buildings, hence, their mysterious disappearance from the map. Linking then the divided city were eight bridges that span the river, with the four major ones, being the Del Pan (used to be the Puente de Espaῆa) that leads to the north harbor and northern of end of Divisoria, Jones that leads to the Chinatown and and the heart of Divisoria, MacArthur that leads to Sta. Cruz district with its famous Avenida, Quezon (formerly Puente Colgante) that leads to Quiapo district with its famous Quiapo Church and Islamic Center, and Ayala that leads to the University belt, Malacaῆan Palace and Sta. Mesa.

During the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, the river was regularly “patrolled” by River Aides to ensure the maintenance of its cleanliness. After Marcos, the project for its rehabilitation has been re-named every time a new President occupied Malacaῆan Palace, until lately, it died naturally. What remains today is the ferry service of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMA) as its share in easing the traffic of Manila.

The river is calm most of the time, and whatever temperament it shows shortly after a heavy downpour soon disappears. During high tide, the current’s unimpeded flow pours out into Laguna de Bay through Jala-jala, the terminus in the river’s system, though, there are yet other towns and districts that benefit from the river’s flow.

Starting from Punta pier, there’s the Sta. Ana district, with its bridge called “Lambingan” (bridge of tryst). Going down south, the river flows by the once grand estate called Carmelence, where the moneyed of yesteryears once lived. Among the elegant residences, the most prominent is the Presidential Residence, seat of the national government, the Malacaῆan Palace. The residence was once a fenced Spanish home with a small zoo and aviary.

Right across the river to the left of the Palace is another landmark, the humble abode of Apolinario Mabini, also known in history as the sublime paralytic. Then there’s the old, Manila Boat Club which was founded in the nineteenth century.

Several hundred meters down is a cornucopia of abandoned industrial plants whose pipes used to constantly spew black and white smoke. Here, are warehouses whose stainless structures gleam under the glare of the sun.  A little further still, the main vein of the river branches into northern and southern flows. While the northern flow slices the old Sta. Mesa, the southern flow provides a natural boundary between Mandaluyong and Makati.

Passing Sta. Ana on the right, a thumb-like extension of land causes the river to slightly swerve. It is the Sta. Ana Archaeological site where artifacts that attest to the bank’s rich cultural past were unearthed. Cuddling a pocket of scalene area, just a few minutes from the archaeological site is Manila’s only race track.

On the left are more industrial warehouses, among which are squeezed residences which persisted on staying despite the polluted air. This row of industrial and residential structures continues even beyond the Guadalupe Bridge which serves as a link of Manila’s longest thoroughfare, the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or EDSA that starts from Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, and culminates at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City.

A little further from Guadalupe is Pateros, once the seat of “balut” industry, but has lately gave way to the onslaught of housing developments that overran the once thriving duck pens along the river bank. “Balut” is the unhatched duck egg, treated with salt and slightly aged, then boiled. The unhatched chick is purported to be nutritious.

On the northeast, stretching towards the mountains is a delta on which peacefully settles Napindan, the last district along the Pasig River as it flows into Laguna de Bay. Napindan’s atmosphere is still rural, despite the presence of subdivisions. Marking Napindan is a lighthouse which from a distance could be mistaken for a mound. From its tower, one can view Talim Island, the biggest island in the lake.

The sloping mound of the grassy range points towards Jala-Jala, the town made famous by its fish corrals. From air, the offshore waters look like a huge green canvas painted with brown geometric figures. This area is devoted to milkfish farming.

On the northern bank of the river, from the Del Pan Bridge towards its mouth that opens towards Manila de Bay, can still be found the old buildings, once mute witnesses to the glorious Hispanic past of Manila. The area encompasses the districts of Quiapo, Sta. Cruz and Binondo where Escolta St, the once bustling commercial avenue of Manila is located. There is now, a proposal to rehabilitate Escolta, to make it a veritable touristic nook of the city, in addition to Intramuros and Luneta.

Not only Manilans, but the rest of Filipinos, are still hoping that something can be done for the rehabilitation of Pasig River despite the politics that beset both the local and national governments, if only, for the sake of its historic significance. As mentioned earlier, Pasig River has graced stanzas of poems and refrains of songs, aside from lines of stage actors in plays. No amount of pollution and thick clogs of water hyacinth and water lilies will eradicate the river from the face of Manila. For as long as the sea pushes its high tide through it towards Laguna de Bay, Pasig River shall persist to be Manila’s main artery.