My hometown

I visit my hometown on the average of 6 times a year. This year would be more because of some forthcoming activities and I am thinking of undertaking a great project– I will build a small toilet for my use alone. When I am there kasi, I use Jollibee’s instead. Ang sarap pa naman duon uminon ng gulaman at sago and buko juice. A cute toilet would be helpful.

I went last Thursday afternoon. Days prior, I listed down my things to do in Binangonan. I plan my trip so that in one go, I am able to accomplish many things.

After my visit to Mayor Boyet Ynarez, I went to the Land Registration office on the ground floor of the municipal building.

I chanced upon Roliza Ilustre-Manuzon, she was also looking at her property.
When I was 18, I became the Reyna Elena, Roliza was one of the sagalas too. I forgot if she’s the Reyna Emperatriz.

I looked at the cadastral plan.
My Kuya Ben kasi sold to me his 300 square meter property but I misplaced the documents. I cannot communicate with him anymore since he’s already in heaven.
I will try to look for the docs again, I hope to find them soon.

Tess Anore is Aileen’s batchmate. She’s always on hand when I need some information concerning lots in Binangonan.

The property has a small house where my brother and his family stayed for a while. His widow, Ate Elsie, is currently renting out the property for one thousand pesos. Ang laki ano? Siguro para lang merong bantay.

I should bring a smaller car whenever I go to Binangonan.  Ang sikip kasi ng daan, with all the thousands of tricycles and people.

The Binangonan Elementary School looks very different.  Unlike before,  there was a huge open field where sports activities were held.  There were lots of giant mango trees.   Ang lakas lakas ng hangin, probinsya talaga.  Ngayon,  there’s no more open field, grass and trees.   Sementado na.

I went to the Pritil (Binangonan Port) to buy fresh fish.

Some of OMB readers think that I like tilapia because I always have photos and feature about tilapia.

Myrna Dicimulacion, while trying to catch the naughty dalag which jumped out of the plastic bag.

I was walking back to my van when this lady greeted me. She introduced herself as Mameng Celestra. She said “Annie, bilhan mo naman kami, sariwa ang tilapia. Sa amin ka bibili, ako si Mameng Celestra….”

My driver told me “mam, wala ng tayong lalagyan”.

How could I have the heart to refuse? Even if I have already bought maybe 15 kilos of tilapia, syempre I should buy from her. So bili uli ako tila 5 kilos. That’s the story behind why I buy a lot of tilapia. Mura na, but more importantly, the vendors are known to my mother, o kaya they have some stories about my parents, my Kuya. In other words, these people are kababayan, relatives, acquaintances. Tulong na lang sa kanila yun. They look forward to seeing me. Minsan kasi 5 kilos lang they would wait to sell in several hours. When I arrived, ubos lahat tinda nila. Ang mura lang P30 a kilo. Minsan yung P2,000 ko hindi ko pa maubos. And I make a lot of fish vendors happy. But my drivers and maids hate me, kasi puro tilapia ulam namin!

Mameng’s daughter sells tilapia also.

One of my purposes on this trip was to offer masses for my parents and Kuya Ben, but I got there at 5:15, the parochial office was already closed. I missed it by 15 minutes.  Babalik na lang ako.
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Parish of St. Ursula, built by the Franciscans from 1792-1800

Abah meron ng public toilet!

An iron gate was installed as extra protection from thieves.  Marami ng magnanakaw sa Binangonan kasi mga dayo.

empty Holy Water urn

The interior used to be painted and the stone walls were plastered.   Ten years ago, a new and younger parish priest was assigned at the parish.   He loved the look of nature,  he stripped the walls off plaster to show the stones,  he removed the wooden kisame,  exposing the beams kasi daw maganda yung nakikita yung century old beams,  tapos he replaced the original chandeliers with wrought iron.  Effect?  Ayan,  it’s noisier when it’s raining because there’s no sound insulation.  The exposed irregular adobe stones made the church look a lot older and if you don’t know the history,  you would think that the church needs some retrofitting kasi ang hitsura eh parang guguho na yung mga bato.   It used to be very elegant,  ngayon it’s dark and gloomy.   And where are the original chandeliers?  Saan napunta?  They looked a lot elegant  than these newer wrought irons.  Siguro iba-iba ng taste.  But we should never allow one person to alter the originality of our town’s icon.   Asan na yung pare na yun?  We are left with this gloomy looking church.  Denial lang kayong mga nadyan na pangit ang kinalabasan. We would need around 10 million pesos to restore it’s original glory.

I am going to feel very bad if one day some crazy priest would replace this original tiles.

There are two mais vendors permanently stationed near the compound’s gate. They’re always there at that spot.

Inihaw na mais. I bought two yellow @ P18 each, two whites @ P12 each.

i also bought two kilos of piko mango. I leet the vendor choose na lang kasi I couldn’t get off the van. No parking and there were tricycles behind us. Mabilisan lang. When I checked the mangoes when I got home, puro lamog yung binigay sa akin.

I haven’t had lunch.  Although I ate two inihaw na mais on my way home,  I was still craving for food.   I texted Edmund that I won’t be eating at home.  I would like to go to Bahay Kawayan to eat pinangat na dalag.

Since I was single (according to the waiter),  they gave me a tiny dalag, pang single daw. Pag ganito kaliit, walang itlog.  I was disappointed.

pang facebook, o baka blogger

halo-halo matabang

The pinangat na dalag was mura nga but my craving was not satisfied.  When the dalag is small, it’s full of tinik.  Kaya I didn’t enjoy my meal.