Sunday, August 28, 2016
Nostalgia for the St. Augustine fiesta
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
SINCE it is the feast of St. Augustine, patron saint of my beloved city of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, I have to take a break from those news stories that make a lot of people worried and upset.
I am talking about the reports on the violence on the streets, corruption and the heavy drama on Sen. Leila De Lima and President Rodrigo Duterte which makes the Kardashian reality show pale in comparison.
But the president has a job to do at all costs so Filipinos should just let him do his job and we keep him in our prayers that he would do good in accordance with legal and divine law.
There are occasions in my adoptive country that would make me wax nostalgic such as Christmas, All Souls Day and yes, the annual fiesta of Cagayan de Oro.
I miss it terribly and I recall with fondness the good times and the food, oh my heart would just melt away. Even now and then across the ocean I can smell the lechon-humba (pinasiko) and adobo. Of course there is the torta and cakes. I miss going to church also.
Throughout my adult life I attended Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral at 11 am where it would be concelebrated by all the priests at the archdiocese with the bishop as the main celebrant.
The church would be a scene of candles, the smell of the incense and people all dressed in their Sunday’s best with priests in white vestment adding solemnity to the occasion.
Anyway I asked some Kagayanons who are now here in the US on what they missed about the fiesta in Cagayan de Oro. Trust me, they may be far away but their thoughts are filled with the celebration of the St. Augustine fiesta in Cagayan de Oro.
One of them, Juralyn Jongco Gallardo Hall, used to live in barangay 17 but is now based in Charlotte. She wished there were many Kagay-anons in North Carolina.
When I asked her what she felt about the St. Augustine fiesta she has this to say: “Tsada unta mag fiesta sad ta (It would be good if we have a fiesta).”
Hall said she's game for a “potluck fiesta” just to have a semblance of a fiesta celebration so it can ease the pangs of homesickeness at this time of the year.
Hall said she would never forget August 28 every year because it happens to be the birthday of her mother. She recalled the parade and going to houses of her friends then the karaoke at Barangay 17. “Those were the old old good days,” she said.
Another Kagay-anon is Rosie Hagan who lived in barangay Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro and is now based in Kernersville, North Carolina. Rosie is an Olape before she got married. She said she really missed the parade during fiestas.
“I was a participant in the parade as a student of Bulua National High School. Mingaw noon ko dah (I really missed it),” she said.
Fellow Kagay-anon Miraflor Fuentes-Taylor, who's also from barangay 17 and a friend of Hall that's now based in Zephyrhills, Florida likewise missed the parade.
As a graduate of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School in 1994, she remembered the drum and bugle competition fondly. I am encourage to write about the St. Augustine fiesta not only to recall happy times but to re-establish in my own small way my ties with friends and family in the City of Golden Friendship who may now be celebrating the fiesta as this piece sees print.
From many of us here across the ocean, we greet everyone a Happy Fiesta Cagayan de Oro and Viva Señor San Agustin!
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
Introducing Donkoy Emano
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| Then Tagoloan mayor Vicente Emano (center) Photo by Jong Cass |
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
The first part of the series concerning Tagoloan town that was published a few days ago ended with me mentioning about former Tagoloan mayor and future Misamis Oriental governor and Cagayan de Oro City mayor Vicente “Donkoy” Emano.
Tagoloanons were proud of Donkoy Emano and how he went quite far in his political career. In Tagoloan town alone when he was governor I think anyone in the opposition was considered an outcast.
He was considered a demi-god and what he says was correct. His counsel and advice were sought after, even those that involve family affairs. People crowd him- there is no doubt he is charismatic that time.
When he was Tagoloan mayor those accused of rape or domestic violence were presented to him first before the court. The police would bring the accused before his office and there was was talk among the people there that he has this “whip.”
I don’t know if it was true as it came from conversations of the people working above and below or in the second floor of his office at the municipal hall down to the first floor and out of the old municipal building.
The victim's family would be given aid like rice and noodles or cash and would be smiling when they went out from the office. Justice was equated with talking to Donkoy- what was promised I don’t know.
But as soon as the accused would appear in court for arraignment, many would plea guilty. Maybe the accused were already told about what plea to enter in court at the mayor's office.
This “whipping” was the talk of the town but many would attest to the truthfulness of the reports because they would hear cries emanating from the mayor's office in the afternoon.
There were also stories that after their courtesy call, those accused of crimes would leave the mayor's office with their faces colored pink and purple.
They said these people have been given the taste of the “little donkoy”, a whip that's supposedly used to hit horses and cattle in farms. At least that's how I remember the story from a surviving “bakero (cowboy)” who lived to talk the tales of the rich and landed Emano clain in Tagoloan town.
It was during this time that crime in Tagoloan town and even those under the Phividec area declined. Criminals would either disappear would just disappear or migrate to other towns and cities very far from Tagoloan.
Parents especially mothers would report the bad behavior of their sons and daughters to the mayor's office. Now I would think that the children were more afraid of mayor Emano than their parents. But it brought good results.
I was in Mississauga, Canada last year and I visited a distant relative and neighbor named Tirso Dagus. Tirso is the son of Benjamin Dagus and Gingging Valdehuesa who admitted to me that his life before was one of “alsa baso (lift glass).”
He recounted that his group was high on drinks that day at the plaza when mayor Donkoy was there and the mayor saw him and asked his name. To cut the story short, Donkoy advised him to be good and start a new life rather than haul him to his office for a whipping since he knew Tirso's father personally.
Tirso is now based in Canada and is making good in his choices in life. But there were also those who were unhappy with how mayor Emano deals with situations and would insist that their son was not guilty or innocent of the crime charged.
But very few would complain and if they do they would be the lone voice in the wilderness. For the aggrieved and the offenders it was a case of “who can report first to the mayor's office.”
I told you already that mayor Donkoy was surrounded with bodyguards. I can remember the Manto brothers, the Marianos also, Pastor Abejuela, Norris Babiera (who later became vice-governor of Misamis Oriental and became his own man after he severed his ties with the Emanos.)
Just a detour—former vice-governor Babiera is also in this story. The media people who's always in Emano's entourage would report on the goings on at the second floor of the town hall to anyone who cared to listen.
I was still working with the 6th Municipal Court at the time but I had a glance of media people who I would join years later. I forgot to mention the names of the late Gomer Bagondol and Rudy Ladao.
Mayor Emano organized a walking group among municipal employees and the national government employees once every week that would start at 4 am from the Municipal Hall to barangay Sta.Ana.
Me and the other court staff would join them. That was my first up-close encounter with the mayor and he would crack jokes with us especially with Aaron Valmores who was a court interpreter from Balingasag town.
Emano is playful when in the mood and if one is lucky to be one of his favorites, he would usually threw anything at you--money, cigarettes or just anything so one is advised to always be on guard.
The Municipio or Municipal Hall would be crowded when the mayor is around. People would line up to see him for personal, business or other reasons. It is “mingaw” or deserted when he is in Manila or elsewhere since his staff would also be out someplace.
How his folksy attitude would manifest in his political career in the province and in Cagayan de Oro City I would discuss in the next article.
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Tagoloan's politicos come into their own
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
(Note: This is hopefully the start of a series of articles that I will write on local politics. Photos by Jong Casino Photography)
IN the course of my media work that started in late 1993 I met most of the politicians in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental.
For purposes of this personal treatise I would like to confine myself to the officials from my hometown of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. It's interesting that a number of these “politicos” in Cagayan de Oro City--the capital of Misamis Oriental--came from Tagoloan town.
In the course of this writing you will be surprised that there are politicos who were known to me in the course of other works in my past life or their names are familiar because I knew them in school or they were told to me by my parents or other relatives.
I asked a town mate named Exequiel Casin who also happens to be the brother of my classmate Emmanuel to help me in writing about these politicos who either brought honor or shame to Tagoloan.
But it depends on the reader or those familiar with these political figures to decide if they were good or bad. I did not bother Gerva Tagapulot-Celeredad as we have other projects to do in the future that involves Tagoloan.
So without further ado, here are the politicians in my hometown of Tagoloan:
1) Arturo Casino. When I was maybe six years old I heard my grandpa Engge Quilang Naelga and my father talking to a person whose features I could not ascertain.
They were talking big and the only word I can remember was “para sa kabag-ohan” (for change) and the word “mayor.”
When that visitor was gone, my mother (Nanay) and Lola (Grandma) Doring and me tagging along out of curiousity joined the men and they talked about the visitor. I heard Grandpa said it was Arturo Casino.
When I was already at Central School I would have a chance meeting with Casino who later became mayor of our town and he would always be present during commencement exercises.
Since I am an honor student I got a chance to shake his hands every year. Casino was tall with dark hair and spoke clearly. He was not tired shaking hands with the graduates and honor pupils.
He asked me who my parents were and I introduced my parents as well as my Grandpa. His memory was good as he at that time remembered my Lolo (Grandpa) Ingge.
We always bumped into each other during meetings of municipal mayors in the province. Arturo Casino was a lawyer. He was to me a good speaker and would always stand out among the giants of the province that time.
Since I was the information officer I would see to it that I would do news about Tagoloan and Mayor Casino. I was proud of him.
I was still at the PDS when he passed away and I mourned his untimely death. If death did not claim him early I'm sure he could have been one of the best leaders we have in the province.
If he did not die he could have been the governor of the province since he was well liked by other mayors.
2. Arteo Arting Valdehueza. I did not meet Valdehueza in the course of his political career. I met him after he lost the elections to then mayor Vicente Emano in the early part of the 80s as I was already employed at the 6th Municipal Circuit of Tagoloan-Villanueva, Misamis Oriental under the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
I knew Atty. Valdehuesa because I knew him to be the classmate of my late Tita (Aunt) Julia Naelga-Laluna who was their class valedictorian in elementary school.
Tita Julie Lalu as we called her is the eldest among my father's sisters and brothers. I have no idea what kind of mayor Valdehueza was since I was not yet back to Tagoloan that time.
Mayor Arting was the vice-mayor and assumed as mayor after Mayor Casino's death.
I can only tell how good he was as a judge from the way he handles the court and the people involved in the court proceedings everyday. Since he knew the parties involved (or the parents of the parties unless any of the party are new to Tagoloan (dayo/visitors) then he would buy peace by exploring the possibilities of amicable settlement.
It was all like a political exercise. If my memory serves me right, after he lost to Vicente” Dongkoy” Emano in the early 80s, Emano helped Judge “Arting” get the position as Municipal Circuit Judge after it was vacated when Judge Antonio A Orcullo was appointed to City Court.
Helping Judge Arting get the judgeship of Tagoloan Villnueva was a good strategy to prevent Arteo from running again and solidifying support from the clans and families in my town.
I kept on thinking about that recently and I think it was the first action that would make Dongkoy a great politician in the province. The move also looked good among the old guards and families in Tagoloan.
The appointment of Judge Valdehuesa solidified Tagoloan. It was meant to silence the minority which was assumed to be represented by Valdehuesa.
Judge Arteo embraced his judgeship and never entertained again the idea of running and stayed with the judiciary until his retirement.
I noticed that he was still interested in Tagoloan town affairs and would give his opinion every now and then with staff after hearing cases in court.
This is true when his younger brother, the late Nong Pablito, would tell him about the latest developments in the town and discussed the moves undertaken by Dongkoy.
It was at this time while working at the court located on a separate building from the Municipal Court that I noticed how busy the municipal hall was at the time.
Mayor Dongkoy would arrive late in the morning or early afternoon except Monday morning when it was the flag raising ceremony.
Emano was surrounded with bodyguards and supporters including media that time. I recognized Radio Mindanao Network's Bill Henson, Ernie Coloma and the late Bingo Alcordo. There were others too but I could not place them in my memory card already.
3. Vicente “Dongkoy”Emano. Of course before he became mayor of Cagayan de Oro, he was the governor of Misamis Oriental.
Tagoloanons were proud of Dongkoy Emano and he was considered a demi-god. Even I was proud of him- he was the first governor from Tagoloan.
But the umbilical cord of Dongkoy's political career was in Tagoloan when he became the town’s mayor. Mayor Emano then was known to me as Mayor Dongkoy while I worked with Judge Arteo in the 6th Municipal Circuit Court of Tagoloan-Viilanueva, Misamis Oriental.
The court was under the Supreme Court but Mayor Emano would always expand his jurisdiction over the national employees.
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
Ronnie's road to recovery
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| Me and Ronnie at the Huntersville Health and Rehab Center |
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
The Huntersville Health and Rehabilitation Center must have taken good care of my husband Ronnie that he didn't want to come home anymore.
At least that's the impression I got on my husband days before he was scheduled for discharge after 20 days of confinement at the center located at 13835 Boren Street, Huntersville in North Carolina, 28078.
At least it was good to know he was in better condition than before his admission, when he was quite emotional that he would shed a tear for the past three days presumably out of the physical pain he felt.
Ronnie was admitted to the center's emergency ward after being discharged at the Novant Hospital. I called 911 when I could not get him up after he fell from the bed.
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| Ronnie with Hannah at the facility's entrance |
Actually he has this condition called neuropathy that is progressing since the onset.
What used to be an annual condition is now happening every month and he has this feeling of weakness in which he couldn't move or swing his legs no matter how anyone helps him.
The night before on July 26 he had high fever--the thermometer wasn't working but I was sure he had a fever because the wet wash cloth I placed atop his forehead would dry up minutes after I placed it on him.
Anyway I rushed him to the Novant Health Hospital where he was confined due to acute neuropathy resulting to general weakness. Doctors there also discovered that he had a sepsis infection or blood poisoning which by itself is fatal.
After being discharged there, he was admitted to the Huntersville Health and Rehabilitation Center that was just a walking distance from most commercial establishments such as McDonalds, Starbucks, CVS and the Novant Hospital.
The center just opened this summer and I can smell the paint. Ronnie was confined at room 106, the first room to the left going to the exit. Room 106 was across the rows of new condos which make the skyline when you look it up lying on your bed.
Room 106 at the center was his room for 20 days right after he was discharged from the Novant Health Hospital where he was confined for a week due to acute neuropathy resulting to general weakness.
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| Ronnie with Janet Hixson |
I think the staff at Novant Hospital didn't make a good impression on Ronnie since the staff there were busy with their schedules.
Knowing Ronnie to be an extra social person, I think he expected the staff to be more welcoming but I can only guess that the center's staff are still adjusting to working there.
Room 106 was spacious and fresh from the looks and smell. Paint was on my nose. The TV mounted on the wall was excellent. Furniture suited the patient's need. The center looked like a hotel for the disabled.
The bathroom which was also large was accessible to people with disabilities (PWDs) and had handle bars and knobs that can be easily used by the patients.
It is a family friendly center, spacious enough to accommodate family and friends. I stayed at the center with Ronnie most of the time and slept there though there was no extra bed.
We were able to provide our own which really makes it conducive to holistic healing as the patients were not separated from family members.
Ronnie started his physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) which consists of exercises for the upper and lower extremities at the center's Mobility Garden on Monday, Aug. 1.
Ronnie told me that he was tired after the first time he did it. The Mobility Garden is said to be one of the latest advances in rehabilitation therapy.
The center's website explained and I quote it directly “by simulating the everyday situations you'll encounter when you're back at home (such as sand, grass, inclines, and uneven surfaces) our Mobility Garden insures that you'll be 100 percent ready to resume your everyday activities safely and independently. There are even plant beds, putting greens, and more to make sure you're ready for your favorite activities, too. It's the only one of its kind in the area.”
Ronnie likes this kind of exercise since he can stop at any time so long as he did it for an hour.
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| Ronnie with his therapist |
At first it was hard for Ronnie, but he later enjoyed it and it helped that he had beautiful therapists to keep him company.
There is a media center with books, magazines and did I mention that his room is spacious enough to accommodate a large number of visitors.
The reception center is flowing with coffee and cold lemonade. During his confinement, Ronnie's day starts with breakfast at the cafeteria at 7:30 am and it helps that he can socialize with other patients too.
After eating, the nurse would give them their medicines and most of them would check on their emails, read magazines or mostly stay at the reception room and play online games.
By the way the nurses would check on the patient's vitals including their weight before breakfast. Before breakfast at least Ronnie starts the day with his bath and fresh towels are provided.
Then at 9:30 am, Ronnie would start with his physical therapy. If his condition allowed it he can do PT for two hours. That's 40 hours of exercise for 20 days at the center and that's perhaps the longest time he got exercise in his life.
After this the patients would return to their rooms and either take a nap or watch TV or call friends.
In Ronnie's case he would take a nap and call family members and friends like Jim Duhon, Viktor Diopala and JS Reid who would also call him back.
The menu is made available to the patients who can choose their meals for the next day. “The food was excellent, ” Ronnie said.
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| Ronnie with his dietician |
They can also be served hot roast beef sandwich, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, garlic herb gnocchi, green peas, seasoned squash or for dessert assorted cookies or the fruit of the day.
Each meal ticket would have the corresponding carbohydrate/protein/mineral intake like 0-25 percent, 26-50 percent, 51-75 percent, 76-100 percent- whatever that means, what I do know is that the dietician did job well.
And what I knew it is a meal portion is in accordance with the standard of weight loss depending on a patient's body weight and health issues.
What I did observe is that the center's team was professional and dedicated to each patient's needs. Their goal I think is to give the highest quality care and service to the patient.
We went home at 7 am on August 18, with Ronnie attaining his recovery goal of improved balance, increased strength and increased physical independence.
I could not blame Ronnie if he didn't want to come home. At the rehab center he was exercising, eating the right food without preparing it and best of all, he socialized with a community of patients and the beautiful medical staff and nurses—beautiful people inside and out can also be panacea for the physically ill and the emotionally ailing--who cared for him.
The Hunstersville Health and Rehabilitation Center is a place close to home. Ronnie and I had a good experience with them and on his behalf, I thank them for taking good care of my husband.
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her email susanap.dennis@yahoo.com as well as her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
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