The Family House THEN

The family started a new phase of life in the high second floor of the old house built of strong hard lumber. It had wooden walls and sliding capiz shell windows which had replaced those made of boho (a smaller variety of bamboo taken only from the mountains) some years before the war. Walls and windows were uniquely beautiful and neat and lasted for about 8 years. Repairs were usually done in preparation for the town fiesta in February. Finally to fend against the rain and winds of the next rainy season.

Fronting the street was a wide veranda with supports all around to hold Mother’s potted champaca plants with orange flowers. Later, those were changed with begonia with large leaves and drooping branches. Going up the second floor, were a front and a back stairs with wood steps which had concrete landings halfway up to the veranda and to the kitchen.

On the ground floor, Father raised goats. These goats were let out every morning and returned late afternoon. The smell was awful. Due to the lack of grass for the goats to feed on, goat raising was becoming difficult. Mother then took over with pig-raising. She raised sows for their piglets then fattened them. Call it survival food production.

A lift pump supplied water for drinking, cooking and bath. Throughout our lives that pump never ran dry even during summer. When water levels were very low, wells in the town would dry up; our pump however would only be poured a pail of water and the supply would start to com e up. For laundry, garden and flushing the toilet behind the granary there was a surface deep well which we shared with our neighbors, the Corpuses.

This house was sturdy with its strong foundation but when strong winds and heavy rains came during the rainy seasons, rain came halfway into the sala from leaks on the roof. The three of us elder daughters were already teachers and wanted the house reconstructed into a lower better built one. We were afraid a strong storm would blow it down. But Father could not be convinced. He insisted, “When I am gone you can do whatever you want”.

His wish was respected. Father passed away August 1, 1969 at the age of 84. After 3 years, the old house was razed and a concrete bungalow was built, planned and constructed by Cela and Meliton. The new family home was finished. Mother and Cela occupied the house and eventually with Oscar, Sylvia and their 3 young children.