The 70's

During this period, the siblings begun to lead separate family lives.

Our eldest sister, Genoveva, had married Manong Juan Beltran, whose family had just immigrated from Ilocos Sur. They had two children, Deanna and Jan and lived in a house of their own in the compound of The Beltrans in Central. Years later, Manong Juaning got a piece of land from Nana Torang on the corner of Burgos and Beltran street which was nearer our family house. They were to raise the most children, three girls and five boys. In that house on the corner, Lorna, Ken, Burt, Marilyn and Carl were born there.

In the early 70s, Juliana, now a teacher at the San Marcelino Elementary School after graduating from the Philippine Normal School, married Manong Honorio Cawagas, a Dole employee living in Hawaii. After their marriage, they went to live in Hawaii where the couple had a lovely duplex in Honolulu overlooking the city, her school and the airport. They rented out the other side of the duplex. Manong Honor died in a car accident on a fishing trip with a friend. Alone and becoming sickly, Ulling needed someone.

Cela had been teaching in the San Marcelino Elementary School and was promoted to head the big Castillejios Central Elem School. With her generous heart and family devotion, she decided to sacrifice her carrer and went to Hawaii to live with Ulling. She had finished her Master’s degree in Special Education at the University of the Philippines and had no trouble landing a teaching position at Dole Intermediate School teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) for immigrant’s children in Hawaii.

After graduation at the Philippine Normal School, Sylvia began her teaching career in Santa Cruz, the northern most town of Zambales. After three years she was able to get a “home” position in Santa Fe. There she met and eventually married Oscar of the business-minded Pantaleon family. When she transferred to the Central Elem School, the couple built their house on the lot beside the Beltrans. Their three children are Oscar Jr., Rela (coined from Grandmother Remigia’s and Angela’s name ) and Ria (derived Victoria or Nana Torang).

Mely was our only living brother. At times however, Mother would speak wistfully of Eusebio who was the second child but was still-born. We could imagine their disappointments at the four successive baby girls before another son was born. One would expect Mely to be spoiled by the family but he was not. He had his childhood during difficult war years of insecurity and hunger. He was uncomplaining with his share of linygaw and limited place to sleep.

After he finished high school at the Zambales Rural High School with honors he would go the University of the Philippines and take Engineering, a break away from the family teaching careers of everyone else.