my childhood.....

I was born in a very extended family. In a family with a very close family ties. On my father’s side, I lived with Lola Upeng who was fond of cooking for us and Lolo Andoy who was strict but caring, with Tita Chie and Tita Quel who were then single at that time. With Tita Noemi and Tito Marvin with their respective families, with Tata and Lola, my great grandparents together with Tiyong Anleng. Lola was fond of wearing baro’t saya and wore sampaguita on her neck. Tata tought me how to make a kite made of newspaper, broomstick, thread soaked in a flour boiled in water and crashed bottles and rice when there was no paste. He gave me coins when I asked from him. Tata took care of me when I was young. Tata and Lola died later on. Also with Tiyang Nene and Uncle Jack and their family. Uncle Jack often bring me and my Kuya Jonjon to Luneta . He would let us ride bump cars. Uncle Jack died later on too. Also with Tiyang Debor and her family. Tiyong Pabling, the husband of Tiyang Debor was in U.S.A. that time. Tiyong Pabling died when he went home here in the Philippines. He gave me a pair of Snoopy shirt and shorts on my birthday. Every weekends Tito Rene and Tito Ding together with their families visited us so we had a sort of a reunion. We would all play Bingo then. We all lived in F. Balagtas St., Pandacan, Manila. Some of my tito’s and tita’s lived in U.S.A. that time. I’ve seen Tito Jun, Tita Daisy, Tita Baby and Tita Myrna and their families when I was a teenager already. The family was blessed with talent in music. There’s one song I used to sing and dedicate for Lola Upeng entitled “Inay”. We had lots of small and big record disks. My grandparents left for States early 1980’s. And I think that had an impact on my childhood, co’z years after, Tita Chie and Tita Quel left for States also. They were all very attached to me. Lola Upeng had her burial here in the Philippines though she died in U.S.A., while Lolo Andoy died during his visit here in the Philippines. The ancestral house with a 2-door apartment sold late 1990’s to early 2000’s.

On my mother’s side, with Lola Ikang and my cousins, with Tita Lilia and her family, with Tita Ina and her family, with Manong and his family, with Tito Jun and his second family, with Tito Rene and his family, and with Tito Rudy who was single at that time. But I became Tito Rudy’s ring bearer in his wedding in Batangas. Also with Tito Ernie who remained single till he died, and with Lola Lita and Lolo Nap and their family as well. We visited Lola Ikang every weekends also. There was always a drinking spree because my tito’s were fond of drinking. Lola Ikang just ate vegetables but when we visit her, she would let us eat meat. She was very clean. I havn’t seen the house in Makati dirty when Lola Ikang was alive. She was very caring. She was a very strong woman. She was very domesticated. She was very flexible. She’s just like my mama. Lolo Jose died of bone cancer when I was just in the womb of mama. The family has plenty of jeepneys. Luckily, I’ve still seen them but it was sold later on. Before the ancestral house was sold. I have lived here for a year. So very free and independent. When I first moved in here. I was alone, I had a boyfriend named Macky. He would be with me and we would drink then after we would have sex. Then I asked my cousin Ken to go back here to be with me and so he did. After Ken moved in, that’s the time cousin James became closer to me. So good memories with cousins Ken and James. There seemed to be a party almost everyday. We would invite friends to play guitar, play cards and drink. When my cousin Ken and I felt like having sex with our invited friends, we do had sex with them. I also oriented Ken to Malate and Quezon Memorial Circle. We would pick up callboys in these places. While living with my cousins, I had a boyfriend who was a callboy, we were separated because my male companions assaulted him that’s why he was forced to leave the house. He was frightened. The ancestral house with apartments in Rosal St., Makati City was sold 2009.