Familia Sagasa in Iloilo

This place is one of the most memorable places in Edmund’s life, if not the most.
He lived in this old Spanish house at the corner in a small cul de sac in Iloilo City called Sagasa.
His parents and younger siblings have since transfered to Malabon Rizal. Only he, Edgar and Edward were left behind in Iloilo under the care of Aunti Flor.

The house was owned by a Spanish family. Edmund and siblings rented the ground floor.
It now looks abandoned and in decay. This house is part of Edmund’s history parang sayang naman. nabubulok na. I am a very sentimental person. I value memories a lot. I told Edmund I will look for the owners and inquire about the property. Edmund said it would need a lot of restoration work and what shall we do with it? My children said it must be hunted with lots of ghosts.

Their playmates who owned these houses now live in America according to the neighbor.

Sagasa

This is the place where he learned how to play competitive basketball. The fenced property on the left side used to be a makeshift basketball court.

Known in the area as Yee brothers, they bonded and became very close to their male neighbors. In the 70s, they joined the Dinagyang Festival Ati-atihan competition with borrowed drums, lata, patpat and improvised uniforms and called themselves the “Familia Sagasa“.

With a lot of hesitation, we entered the Sagasa street. Edmund kept on saying “hindi na siguro sila dyan nakatira, I am sure wala na sila dyan”, referring to his barkada. I really had a strong gut feeling that we could find someone that knew someone, or at least get a little bit of information.

I saw a tindahan and there was a guy just about Edmund’s age manning the sari-sari store.
I asked if that place is called Sagasa, he said yes. Then I asked about the people living there. I did not have a single name to start with because Edmund kept on saying he couldn’t remember any name. He was watching me speak to this guy from 3 meters away. I am truly more kapal muks than my husband.
You know what happened? That guy turned out to be Ricardo, one of Edmund’s barkada who still vividly remembers the Yee brothers. In Ilonggo dialect, he told me that the Yee brothers lived in that big house at the corner, and that they are now in Manila except for Edward who’s a councilor, etc.
See? something good came out of that visit.
He idn’t recognize that he’s speaking to Edmund, nagulat sya when Edmund introduced himself
His name is Ricardo—– “Edmoooond? Ang itom-itom …..
He meant he didn’t recognize Edmund because he was so itim before. He he he, he is still itom-itom with his naturally cocoa skin mixed with sunny golfing minus the papaya soap that he uses. Baka kaya in Ricardo’s eyes, Edmund is no longer itom-itom. Itom na lang.

Edmund happily greeted his former basketball playmates, neighbors, barkada and co-“Familia Sagasa”
Boy (half-naked) and Ricardo.

My family and I are so grateful to the Lord for the chance of seeing where Edmund came from.
I became a bit emotional when I saw the reaction of Boy and Ricardo and when Boy hugged Edmund when we were saying goodbye. Sayang, hindi ko pala na i-record.

Can you hear Edmund’s conversation with Boy and Ricardo in Ilonggo?