Every Filipino moves to Manila, or at least, travels to Manila for some reason or another.
If you want to know more about the City of Manila, click here.
|
Welcome to Manila friends
network!
Every Filipino moves to Manila, or at least, travels to Manila for some reason or another. If you want to know more about the City of Manila, click here. |
My husband grew up in Roxas District, Quezon City. He stayed in the same home all his life. His best friends were the children he grew up with. Closest to his heart are his next door neighbour - three girls who were his first "angels".
I on the other hand, moved from place to place - totalling 16 moves in Metro Manila in the span of 10 years! This is our family's sojourn and the people who've made it memorable:
The Betias
My parents, Alvin and Manoy Boboy first arrived in Manila in 1983 and stayed with Mama Stella and Papa Jess'. The Betias: Mama Stella (Estella Nessia), Papa Jess (Jesus Betia), their children Ate Lynn (Ma. Lynn Betia), Ka (Jess Betia), Kuya Jang (John-john Betia), and Concon (Pearly May Betia) were almost like relatives. At Nonong and Connie's wedding they were sponsors, bride's maid, coin bearer, ring bearer and flower girl respectively.
At Ka's & Isse's (Ma. Cecilia Basa) wedding, Nonong & Connie were sponsors. They had 2 sons Jec-jec & Joc-joc and my brothers or I were godparents to either child. Alvin had his first communion and I had my confirmation and the Betias were witnesses. I got married and even if they weren't able to come, they were my sponsors too.
We may have parted ways yet there are always those memories that bind us together. Concon remains as one of my best friends at heart.
New!!! Papa Jess joined our Creator early this year. The week Dagda died, Ate Lynne, Papa Jess' eldest and favorite child dreamed of her father being very happy and was even jumping up and down. He must have known then, wherever he is, that his best friend will soon join him - partying and playing mahjong, perhaps - in the afterlife.
Kesomal
Then my parents moved to another room where they stayed for a few months until we all came over from Cebu and then we stayed at Kesomal's. We rented one room which was very near our school - St. Anthony School. But we didn't stay there long because we needed a bigger place to fit us all and all our stuff from Cebu.
Sagun and Cavite
My parents found this house in Imus, Cavite that served like our weekend place. In Manila, we kept a room at Sagun's Apartments in San Marcelino. There we became friends with Tita Letty who was in love with an Iranian student, Rajan. We also slept in Tita Yolly's (Yolanda Fegurasin) room when my parents had to go to functions that finish late a night. Then there was the gay Jojo who was best friends with a Japayuki who were really nice people.
Aling Zeny
We left Sagun for Zeny's Parlor. We lived on the second floor. I can see St. Anthony from my window. Mom was busy working for Villa Adelaida in Tagaytay and we were left to fend for ourselves on weekdays. We'd spend weekends and summer vacations in the beautiful Villa Adelaida.
Mang Joe
We left Zeny for Mang Joe's house where we were back to a one bedroom thing again. This place scared me as it was in the squatters behind St. Anthony and Mang Joe is a lush who drinks to sleep and gurgles gin in the morning. We were neighbours with an Aling Adie who has sons working as macho dancers and call boys. I was also scared of our next room neighbor. Not the dignified old man who taught me Spanish...he was teaching at La Salle, I think. His grandson was a son of the famous musician, Levi Celerio, who was also named Levi. He was an addict and he stared funny. He could sing though, and play the guitar.
Mr Paat, Nakar and Liwayway Streets
Then we moved to Mr. Paat's. His children went to St. Anthony too. One was even just a year older than me and he used to join singing contests. The house was small but it had two bedrooms and we would have stayed if not for the floods. We lived for a short while in a store space in Nakar Street before we went further to Liwayway Street in Makati. It was a three storey house where we lived on the second floor. It was noisy being along J.P. Rizal Street. We moved shortly to Iriga Street where we finally stayed for over four years.
Iriga Street, Santiago Village
Iriga was a five door apartment and we lived in the first door. Next to us first lived a man (Chito) so cruel to his niece and nephew that we'd hear him beat them in the middle of the night and the poor kids would sleep with tears in their eyes and fear in their hearts. He lived with his elderly mother while his sister, the children's mother, worked abroad. Then there were the Chavezes who were Ilonggos. Au, like my Tio Aging has a cleft palate. Her younger sister, Sharon, was studying to be a dentist and was my Manoy Allan's crush. The fourth door were another family from Bacolod and the last was Tita Beth's. She was married to an Iranian and her daughters, Jasmin and Kamal were very pretty little girls. Alvin had a crush on Jasmin. I also got to know the Javier children but never really became friends with them. They owned a sari-sari store where we'd often loan food supplies when the money is low. Then there was Mang Nick across who owned a car shop. Some famous actors would go there for car repairs. One time we saw Ronnie Ricketts. Next to Mang Nick's lived Eric's family. Eric is memorable in that he sent me love letters. I think their family migrated to the US. Then cruel Chito moved out and the new tenants were Captain Boy and his wife Tita Nening. They were Ilonggos too. They apartment became an Illonggo enclave and we had happy memories of common parties like Christmases and New Years and endless mahjong sessions which began on my birthday, 31st October and ended at All Soul's Day, November 2nd.
Mandaluyong
Alvin got H-fever in Iriga and had to be taken to the hospital. Mom panicked and went house-hunting. We moved to Mandaluyong on my fourth year in college. It was a nice place. Very posh in fact. The only problem is that it runs out of water. Sometimes we'd bring an entire week's laundry to the Betias home in Nobel Street, Makati so that we could wash them. This house was full of people leaving - mom went to the US, Manoy Allan to sea and I to the UAE.
Capitol Hills, Quezon City
After a year of working in Abu Dhabi, I went home for my annual leave of 30 days. Dad, Nanay Conching and Alvin, decided to move nearer UP as Alvin was still in school there. Didn't really know anyone in this area as I stayed only for a few days. The year after, we still had this address and I sighed thinking we'd be staying there longer. I thought then, I'd better start making friends round here.
Don Jose Subdivision, Quezon City
Mom went home after five years of being in the US and sorted her household by moving them into a new house in Don Jose. I came home for another annual vacation and found we had a new address. It's good because Tita Marilou and Tito Eddie just lived a few blocks away.
Dona Carmen
We moved into a second house inside Don Jose Subdivision. The house in Dona Carmen street was a bigger place with more room. Alvin, having graduated needed space for all his paintings and mom was busy with he tiangge business then. This was where we spent New Year's Eve 2000 in. I was lucky to be able to go home in time for the New Year with my family. I came home again in July to the same house but mom was getting everyone ready to move to Greenheights. I even helped in the shift! This is to get closer to Dad's office, Insular Life in Paranaque.
Greenheights, Garnet Street
We stayed here for about three, almost four years. The owners are quite friendly and used to work in Al Ain too. However, Deity lost her husband to cancer and has decided to leave their home to their son. So time to again pack up and move!
Greenheights, Iron Street
With Dad being sick, we couldn't really move far so luckily we found a new home within Greenheights and settled there. This is the home where Dadga was last with us. His spirit, mom believes, still lingers here and so much a she'd like to pack up and move again...she'd have to wait for about 45 days to let dad's spirit find his way and move on to the next "plane".
Still N. P. A. (No Permanent Address)
The gypsy or nomadic spirit in my family throbs for more places to go to, more lives to encounter. As Azura, a fairy character in my daughter's favorite Barbie DVD, Fairytopia, there are friends we still have to meet....or something like that. And so , God knows where my home in the Philippines be next. With Nanay Conching in her 80s, Turtle growing into the man he is now and Magma living without Dagda...I could next go home to a couple new homes in the Philippines. Although my husband and I have been considering buying our own place, we still haven't settled where we will eventually settle. Thus the continuous saga of our journey...watch this space!
Back
to Friend's Page
Go
To Obey, Anne & Amber's Home Page