BAHAY NA PULA

          Morning was harshly glowing when we send out of the van. The travel going to San Ildelfonso was elongated and firm. Along the way, we saw visions of trees, hills, and mountains.

          But now we finally standing on this part of Philippines- of Bulacan, we can't believe that this is one of the parts of being beautiful and wonderful of the Bulacan. Growing up in a town so commercialized and developed, We missed watching and sawing the forest-sent of the place. Even the scent of the wind smells fresh, uncontaminated. Watching at this diplomatic part of the country, one can get the commencement that it has been this way forever. But against its present serenity, its narration holds a rather dim, ominous, gory and excruciating past.

          Decades ago, the Philippines, a dependent victim between the wars of two furious, powerful countries fell on the clutches of the Japanese. Before them, other countries had invaded our country. Under them, Filipinos had suffered and tormented. But all of these were doubled and even tripled in this miserable chapter of Philippine History. Men were discriminated and women were raped

          These were all in our mind while entering the place called, "Bahay na Pula". This big house in the village in Anyatan, which was then known as "Lola Insang's house or the garrison", was then at the front of the sentry, occupied by Japanese soldiers. This is where the time when women were discriminated and raped. Soldiers physically abused women, passed them like inanimate objects to fellow soldiers and tossed them away like rags.

          Many pass out because of exhaustion and of terror. Some even die�. On the other part of the house, guerillas are discriminating some of the Filipinos and their aim is to destroy their life then until they die. No one will encourage their life to know the discrimination they do to the Filipinos and the crime that can destroy their life.

          Today, "Bahay na Pula" is one of the tourist spots here in Bulacan. Its history and back ground fascinate all kinds of people. A haunted house full of haunted stories of sorrow and anguish truly. This place is worth seeing...