I've seen these pictures before from another website. I received these same pictures last night from my brother. Iisa ang sentiment ng mga nakakita - kasama na ako. Firstly, anybody who would be able to identify these places were born noong unang panahon. Secondly - we all felt sad for the loss of what we had before.



Sittayo nga immuna who are lucky enough to be able to compare the "Then" to the "Now" can explain to the younger set why Manila was a sight to behold then.
I remember most of these landmarks in Manila. What is so amazing is how I took everything for granted then. Sabagay, batang bata pa ako na sunod-sunuran kay Mama kung pupunta siya sa Quiapo o sa Carriedo kaya.

Malinis pa ang Quiapo noong araw. One can pass through the underpass and even the sideroads of Quiapo without bumping into so many people and holding on to one's purse for dear life. Pwede pa rin naman huminto at bumili ng hopia (mainit pa) at uminom ng coke na naka-supot sa plastik. Nakaka-turn off nga lang ang masangsang na amoy ng canal sa tabi.


Parang napaka-aliwalas at pwedeng huminga na hindi uubuhin. Parang pag-uwi galing sa pasyalan, ang ating mga ilong ay hindi nangingitim dulot ng usok galing sa mga tambutso ng mga sasakyan. Parang it was okay to walk around Luneta or along Manila Bay without fear of receiving any proposition or of being proposed to ( pick-up kung baga). Luneta and Manila Bay were indeed destinations for the young and the old.


The Quiapo Church was and is still the landmark. Pero malaki ang kaibahan nito from way back to what it is now. The edifice still stands as a symbol of our deeply rooted religious beliefs and practises. Ngunit nagmistula itong palengke sa labasan. There was nary a space that was not utilized by hawkers to entice the pedestrians of the merchandise they are selling.

I was able to watch a couple of movies sa ilang sinehan sa Avenida. Ang lamig ng aircon, malinis ang banyo at hindi malagkit ang mga upuan at sahig. My college friends and I enjoyed the first 3D movie at one of these sinehans.

This was Makati then. Remember the streets Ayala Ave., Makati Ave, Paseo De Roxas and Buendia Ave? There used to be another moviehouse close to Rustan's - Rizal Theatre. Pag malapit na ang pasko, ang bango ng kastanyas sa may Rustan's. There is also the Hotel Intercon with the Jeepney Bar and the disco place called Where Else.

Reminisce...reminisce....

Cool

T o do is to be - Descartes
- "To be is to do " - Plato
- " Do be Do Be Do " - Sinatra

Lifted from the blog of a good friend from Baguio

The BKK, FLP and NDCP

T hese letters stand for different words in my 80's world. I spent a couple of years as a government worker with the Civil Service Commission. I remember Commissioners Jacobo Clave and Albina Manalo Dans. I remember how it was to deal with the bureaucracy and the different personae i have to hobnob with.
The BKK - Buklod Ng mga Kabataang Kawani was an organization of the 30's and below kawani ng gobyerno. The Commission was very proactive with the young workers. The ability to participate in government-sponsored trainings was endless together with the chance to climb the ladder of seniority.
The FLP - Future Leaders Program was one of the elite programs for the young. The BKK members compete to be awarded one of the slots to this particular program. Eventually, the training was held at the NDCP- National Defense College Of The
Philippines. It was a 3 month long live in program ( I am not sure now of the duration - i could be wrong). All of the different regions in the country from the North to the South are well represented.
The whole NDCP program was conducted and controlled by the military personnel ( how close was NDCP to Fort Bonifacio actually). I should caution myself from saying that it was shear military indoctrination of the young - to each his own outlook.
The speakers and lecturers were all well learned men and women. The participants were all eager to learn and assimilate - hopefully able to separate the chaff from the grain.
There were the Ilocano, Visayan,Bicolano and Tagalog participants. There were also the participants from the South. Initially regionalism prevailed - why not diba? What have you in common - your place of origin and the language you spoke.
As the training got underway it really did not matter anymore if one was Ilocano or Visayan. One transcended language and origin.
Participants were all up at the crack of dawn to participate in the calisthenics. The "sound mind-sound body" logic was strictly adhered to. Kaya ang yosi was bawal. The smokers were relegated to carry out their vice in the comfort of the bathroom.
Such were other strict rules that were to be followed - Sa ikauunlad Ng bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan - need I say more?
Should one opt to or unknowingly break any rule,demerits are handed out. I remember one particular demerit that affected me - the luxury of making phone calls. This was the era that cell phones were non existent. Ergo,we have our weekend phonecall privileges. I probably lost my privilege a couple of times for so many reasons. I eventually found ways and means to circumvent the punishment.
Why am I looking back at this point of my life? I was young then. Na-indoctrinate nga ba ako? Au contraire, it was a very productive learning experience to compare and contrast. Dinibdib ko ba ang mga natutunan ko sa lectures? Sa tutoo, hindi. The
human interaction made more of an impact to me.
The virtues of patience and tenacity were well learned. Inis na inis ka na sa kahirapan umintindi ng iba kahit na anong hirap ipadikdik sa kanila ang tutuo. Pero one learned the ability to "hold back".
Kahit iyon man lang ang matutunan ko, kahit na kagalitan na ako ng mga militar at tanggalan na ng lahat na privileges, I was okay. I survived - no, I lived.

Agno Ancestral Home

O ne of the homes severely damaged by Ondoy was the ancestral home at Agno. I saw the picture post Ondoy and
it was not a sight to behold. Nakaro nga ladangit nga makita itti nagsaadan na.

I took a picture of it in its restored state. Thank you Sheila & cousins for bringing the home back.

Remember When...

I did mention that last week was AJ's birthday.

I found these mementos in my stacks of pictures to be scanned. He was two years old then. This was taken in front of our house at Alabang. The other young man in the other picture is the tatay. Jim & I were still in Manila then but were already planning & contemplating of leaving.