My father had a duck farm, poultry and piggery in Wawa when I was growing up. We walked from our house in Poblacion to Wawa. There were no tricycles yet and the road was too narrow for a regular sized vehicle.
My father was able to acquire two parcels of land in Wawa when I was still small and since my parents have passed away and my siblings are all in the West Coast, there’s no other person who would bother to care for this lands. And that adds to my stress levels.
I have been putting this task aside for many years because the location of Wawa is not desirable. First it’s always hot in that place and secondly I am scared of the street dogs that roam in that area. But I really have to go and I don’t want to postpone my visit any longer. I just have to face it.
My parents were not rich. I have witnessed how they were able to acquire these lands. They paid the owners little by little, tyaga-tyaga, from their daily earnings. I have seen how happy the looks on their faces were everytime they gave some money to the owners. There was always a humble pride, a feeling of accomplishment, a dream coming into reality. And I knew that their determination came from the desire to leave something behind for their children. And that’s us. That’s why I cannot take this for granted. I value these properties even if their material values are small. I have heard it many times that “sentimental value has no value”. For me, it’s not. Sentimental means giving value to the people who gave you the lots. Knowing fully well that their love for us, their children was the very reason why they made sacrifices to purchase those lots.
A few months before my father died, I visited him in Hayward where he stayed with Aileen. Up to this very moment, I could still vividly remember our conversation, his facial expression, his emotion. He was making bilin about the lots.
Galit sya dun sa basta nagtayo without permission from him. Galit sya dun kay Gaying dahil she built a house right in the middle of the property. Galit sya kay ganito because she disrespected him by extending her house and occupying another portion without his permission. His bilins are very important to me. It is my duty to make sure that thy will be done.
The road is very narrow, my van cannot fit so we left our vehicle at Jollibee and took a tricycle. I am bringing two geodetic engineers to survey the area, they brought their own tricycle. I hailed another tricycle
Me———– Magkano ang bayad?
Tricycle—– Sampu ho
Me———- Buong tricycle?
Tricycle—- Kada Isang tao.
Me——— Ha? Ang mahal pala ng bayad sa tricycle.
My driver is suplado. Hindi maipinta ang mukha when I told him magta-tricycle kami. Jerry sat behind the driver, Tess and Tony sat with me inside. It’s actually a short walk but it’s so hot so it’s better to forget that you are maarte na ngayon, rather than walk under the heat of the sun. Plus there are so many dogs there. (Aileen was bitten when she was still small.)
Tess has pink nails
I have a pink bag
My parents were very generous to a fault. They allowed some relatives, drivers and their families, household staff and their families to set up homes in these small lands. For decades, this people got to live and enjoy peaceful use of my parents’ properties. The problem with this kind of kindness and generosity is that people tend to forget that the place is not their own. Because they have lived there for ages, they began to think in their hearts and in their minds that these are theirs, that they have all the right to have it at zero cost and expense.
I kept on postponing visiting this place because the mere thought of going there gives me stress already. I want to exercise a reasonable amount of tolerance, compassion and understanding but I feel this is not fair to me. My mom used to tell me when I was in college, “Kung sino ang nakaka-angat, yun ang dapat magparaya”.
After more than 10 years, I finally went there last saturday. And I could not have picked a better time, I was there from 11 am to 1:30 pm, the hottest time of the day.
The minute the neighborhood recognized who this unexpected visitor is, medyo nagka gulo sila. “Si Annie! Si Annie!
Some of them were genuinely happy to see me. Some have really been wanting to see me because they want me to legitimatize their ownership of the land.
I will now stop articulating my emotions because I am hyperventilating already. I’ll just show you some pictures and you’ll get what I mean.
Buhay pa yung poso at napapakinabangan ng buong baryo. There’s a bigger poso somewhere.
Kuya Ben (+) was the one who gave permission to the Barangay to build a small post on our property.
This store looks newly constructed. Na stress ako when I saw it.
Duplex house of the sons of my father’s former side kick, Ka Iking (+).
I sold a portion of my share to John Lyall Foundation at a cheap price. They came to me and convinced me to sell a portion to them because it would be put to a good cause. They provide free learning and books to impoverished kids. I like how their building came out.
This vacant lot belongs to my Kuya Lito. He generously agreed to have a basketball court built for the enjoyment of the people there. Pahiram lang. Nearby residents complain that they can’t sleep because it’s always noisy and there are couples dating at night. Parang Luneta daw.
I will be back to Wawa in July, I have to. My father’s bilins will have to be done.
