IN the early 60s, commerce and trade in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental in northern Mindanao, Philippines centered on three stores that I remember well.
This was before going to Cagayan de Oro, the capital city of Misamis Oriental, became easier with the frequent jeepney trips. Back then, the city was left to the imagination of those who can't afford to go make those trips.
Only those who had business going to Cagayan de Oro can make the trips which is why every provision is provided for by the sari-sari stores.
Sari-sari (variety) stores is part of Philippine culture and a vital venue for commerce in dusty small towns like Tagoloan. Now it had become more than a mom-and-pop store, selling goods that can also be found in department stores.
From rice to corn, beauty products and medicines to liquor like rhum and the local liquor favorite called the tuba, one can find it in the sari-sari store. One such store is the Pacheco store which serves neighboring towns like Villanueva and even Malitbog town in Bukidnon province.
Brig. Gen. Gerry Paduganan, a Tagoloanon like me, said the Pacheco store owned by Iya (Auntie) Puring Nabong-Pacheco and Iyo (Uncle) David Pacheco was a constant fixture of our neighborhood in General Wood/Evangelista street.
Aside from selling goods, the Pacheco store is a landmark for being a postal stop, a radio station of sorts and a dispensary of public services.
Iya Puring was my Grade 1 teacher. A little side story here; I am her favorite second to Gracia Nabong Salac and Jerrylyn Nabong Gervacio who are both her nieces.
We were neighbors and I run errands for her. I learned from her the value of studying and raising my hands to ask questions or answer them. I could have been the favorite also because I hang out with Toto Cherie, their youngest daughter.
Iya Puring and Iyo David have two daughters Madoline' Gangga" Lepon and Cherie “Toto Cherie” Nairn. Both of them are four years and two years older than me respectively.
Hangout
Anyway the store was an extension of their big house. It sells medicines for diarrhea, fever and even lice as well as common medical items like cotton, alcohol and band aid.
Beauty products used long ago like brialliantine to make the hair soft and smell good, borax for whitening the face. Sardines of all kinds,squid, black beans, eggs, milk in cans or in the box, rice, corn, dried fish of all kinds, even the ginamos (fermented fish) sold by the cup.
It also sells school supplies from the smallest pencil to the biggest Mongol brand. Pencils then are quite durable, you can use it for a year or several months.
The Pacheco store is a favorite hangout of street kids and adults, who get the latest gossip from the patrons. Like who was drunk or who had a fight the night before.
The benches provided in front of the store are usually full of men and women and kids. Some of the drunks would receive a tongue-lashing from Iya Puring the morning after Iyo Andres Sanchez, a neighbor, would laugh if he read this in heaven.
Credit
Some men will spend time drinking while the women talk about the latest girlie news. Youths also hang out there while children will buy marbles and elastic bands called “lastiko” and play there.
I remembered before that radios weren't readily available then and so we hang out at the Pacheco store where we would listen to the radio dramas like Diego Salvador, Melodina and the Anay Nga Nagbakya.
Since she was a teacher, Iya Puring would tell the children sometimes to take a bath. The Pacheco store sells all kinds of bread, including my favorite binangkal, a slightly hard, chewy and nutty bread filled with sesame seeds.
If there's no cash, the store accepts credit. When one worked at the Philippine Packing Corp. (now Del Monte) he or she can purchase goods on credit with the requirement that said goods are paid on the 6th and 21st since payday is on the 5th and 20th.
Or else Iya Puring would be knocking on the door on the 23rd if the buyers don't show themselves at the store. The Pacheco store is patronized by those living as far as Iyo Teting Lao's home.
Loans
The Lao family also has a store serving the houses at the back of the church. Iyo Teting Lao is the paternal grandfather of City Councilor Teodulfo Bong Lao of Cagayan de Oro City.
Their merchandise there specially the snacks or chicheria are too good to be forgotten.
So I have to go the Pacheco store to buy soap on credit, then entertain Iya Puring with stories of the neighborhood before asking her if I could trade the soap with bread.
At first she would give in but later she understood already what I am up to and my mother would ask why we had too much credit for soap every 15th of the month.
Later when I started working at the Tagoloan-Villanueva municipal court I had an open credit at the Pacheco store. The store expanded into selling clothes and providing short term loans.
This time I was already doing business inside their house. It was also at this time that masiao, a local betting game proliferated around the municipality. According to Cherie Nairn who's now based in California the store started with "tira-tira."
Merchandise
Another store that gained popularity in Tagoloan town is owned by Iya Pamie Sabio Valdehuesa. The store is located at the stretch of Evangelista Street towards Tagoloan bridge. Iya Pamie was married to Nong Johnny Valdehuesa.
Their store also had an extensive merchandise like the Pacheco store. I recalled Iya Pamie with her eyeglasses at the cash register. Sometimes Iya Kikay would be on the cashier sitting.
They have all these sacks of rice and corn including “tahop” on the floor as well as firewood and charcoal or “uling.” The store also sells yards of cloths for the local "sastres."
The store is adjacent to the house of Iya Tida (mother of Nang Sima) and the beautiful house of the Bibanco family.
I think those who could not pay the Pacheco store for credit would run to Iya Pamie's store or vice versa. But later these two owners would found out those who don't pay. Yes, they might be competitors but they compare notes.
I'm sure of this because I hang out in these stores and I hear them all. It's funny that I remember all of this. Deep inside me I knew those who escape paying Iya Puring. I think it honed my reportorial skills.
Finally, there's the store owned by Iyo Lino Nabong, the brother of Iya Puring Pacheco. Iyo Lino is the father of my classmate Jerrylyn Nabong. This wholesale store is in the highway and it was the biggest at the time because it had trucks.
It's like a mini Gaisano store and it's located on the ground floor of Nabong's big house. My parents don't buy at the Nabong store but my classmate Tata Nabong would bring me to their house sometimes.
Rich family
The Nabong store is always busy with customers who hear the noise of a nearby mill or “galingan” in the background. The family home's second floor has a piano and the walls are decorated with the diplomas of the children who finished school.
There are 12 children in the Nabong family and I think my classmate is the baby of the family.
It was my first glimpse of a rich family's house. I saw the diploma of Nabong's son Erac who become a doctor. I haven't met him yet because he was years ahead of me.
I also saw the picture of the second oldest child, whom I called Manang Virgie. She retired years ago after working at the Provincial Treasurer’s Office. We talked with each other when I was still working in radio.
There were other stores in Tagoloan town during my childhood years, but these three stores were the most significant and occupied quite a substantial chunk of my memories when I was growing up in my hometown.
I hope my recollections of these stores helped inspire similar fond memories of your hometown or city of your youth. 'Till next time, have a good day.
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines is now employed 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 Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
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