The Guinayangan Republic

Sa Kanto Villa Purita, Una, Ewan ko kung bakit tinawag na Villa Purita. Kahit ang kalsadang “New Road” ay laging “new” pa rin ang tawag kahit magsisingkwenta taon na yatang ginawa yon. Musmos pa akong bata ay Villa Purita St. na  ito. Pero sa hinuha koy wala akong nagisnang sign post kahit man lang sa kalagayang wasak na.

Nitong mga huling araw ay hindi ako masyadong magkamayaw sa dami ng gawain. Marami ko ring dapat na isulat sa wikang Ingles, pinasya kong mamahinga muna.Sa palagiang kung pakikinig sa FM radio ay napukaw minsan ako sa konteksto ng kanta ni Noel Cabangon na kasama nyang kinanta  ni Chito Miranda ng Parokya ni Edgar. “Dito sa Kanto” kahit di eksanto ang tema ng linya ay nasagi na rin sa isip ko ang kanto natin. Mas maganda na patugtugin mo siya sa kabilang “Tab” ng browser mo, habang binabasa mo ito para may “background” ka.

Di lang siguro ako ang nakakaalala sa kantong  ito. Kung pagtutuunan ko ito ng 2 oras para isulat kahit maikli ay para na rin sa madalang ng umuwi at maaring nakalimut na.

Kung mayroon mang puno o estrakturang nakatayo pa pamula noon at makakapag kwento sa lahat ng mga nangyari sa kanto, kukulangin ang reserbado kung “storage spaces” sa  blog na ito. Sa halip ay tapunan ko na lang siya ng samot sari kung alaala sa dulong kalyeng ito. Sabi ng ilang matatanda ang ilan dito sa kanto ay naging, bahay na pula “the infamous” Bamboo Inn. Naging bilyaran, Beauty Parlor, talyer, nabakante at huling alaala koy bagsakan ng lukad, bago ako umalis pa Maynila.
Kapag wala kaming eskwela, dito na ang nagisnan kong tambayan sa kakaprasong upuan na kalimitan ay basa ang ilang bahagi sa nagdaang araw na maulan. Kumpulan kaming iilan pero sa ingay ay makabinging halakhakan minsan pag-nagkatuwaang tuksuhin ang mangilan ngilang nagdaraan. Mas malakas ang tawa noon kapag si Jimmy “Aso”, si “Kawali” si “Hugo”(Adelyang Pula) at si Mely na “kulang kulang” ang mga kaawa-awang nagawi dito. Nungka na sasabihin mong bagamundo ang mga kalalakihang mapanukso noon. Marami rin ang tumambay dito na pinalad at pawang sa ibang bansa na naninirahan. Pero di ko man kinakaila meron pa ring naiwan.

Naging “gateway” ito ng paalis at padating na malimit namin ay kakilala. Mangilan ngilan ay may bitbit na pasalubong. Ilan naman ay tila hiya na malaman silang dumating, para bagang may tinataguan at nahihiyang malaman ng tao na bumalik siya.

Sa panahon ng kasiglahan ng pangingisda ay “eyewitness” din ito sa daming biyahe ng ilado na parot parito sa Malabon, Navotas at ilang karatig bayan. Kay tatag na kalsada siya namang inuyam ng laro ng tadhana na wala ng maraming biyahe ng isda. Ilan taon lang lumipas ng elementary pa ako at naging sementado na ang kalsada papasok dito. Ganon din ang new road(pero rough road) ay naging sementado na rin.

Maraming rin bukang-liwayway ang nilagi ko dito, sa tuwing hatid tanaw namin ang aming ina sa pagtitiyangge ng isda sa karatig bayang Lopez. Kung may mga mata ang Kanto Villa Purita ay namangha rin naman siya sa progreso ng Transportation mula sa panahon ng Nora and Benny Buses, Ai Ai at Superlines na dumaan sa harap niya. Ngayon ay  may dalawang malaking companya na ang AB Liner at Barney na baka malito na siya sa dami ng mga bus sa atin.

Kay rami ring hatidan sa madaling araw ng mga ilang magulang na nagpapaaral sa Maynila, puno ng pangarap na babalik minsan ang anak rin nilang matagumpay. Kasama sa buhay na ang ilan ay pinalad ilan naman ay tila napaglaruan ng biro ng tadhana. Kasama rin siguro ang Villa Purita sa ilang luha at kaway ng mga magulang hatid tanaw ang punong-punong pangarap na anak.

Ilang krimen din ang nangyare at patayan ang maaring maikwento ni Villa Purita. Sa isang madaling araw na napatay si Kuya Ato Bustamante at ang kainuman nyang si “Dako” na welder. Maaring dumaan ang mga salarin sa kanto na ito. Bakas na lang ng mga hinayang ang maari nyang naibulalas sa tuwina. Wala siyang buhay na lugar para magpahayag. Ilan ding libing ng ilang maagang pumanaw ang nasaksihan nyang ihatid. May hikbi at tangis din, hindi lang natin nadarama siguro.

Ilang pag-alis at mabilisang pagbalik ko rin ang na na-witness nya. May ilang alis at balik ko rin akong abot tenga ang ngiti. Meron din namang uwing may hikbi tila ayaw pakita sa kanya na may dalang saloobin. Salamat Noel Cabangon at Chito Miranda kahit paanoy nasagi ko sa isip at isulat siya. Pumikit ka sandali alalahanin mo siya, di mo alam may bilin siya sayo. Isa rin siya sa “Tanglaw ng Manlayo“, siguro nais niya sabihin sayo -”Ingat pag-alis mo, balik ka ha?”


Story by Nell Cenizal
republished from: Ang Tanglaw ng Manlayo

Two injured dolphins were rescued and returned to the sea by fishers along the coast of Quezon province on Wednesday and Monday, a lawyer from an environmentalist group and a provincial official said.
Lawyer Sheila de Leon, head of Tanggol Kalikasan-Southern Tagalog, said, a 1½-meter female dolphin got entangled in the fishing net of a local fisherman in Bantigue village in Pagbilao town facing Tayabas Bay early Wednesday.
“The dolphin had no serious injuries, only minor bruises,” De Leon said.
She said fisherman Daniel Ruicol brought the dolphin to the shoreline of Sunshine Beach Resort and immediately reported the incident to the TK-ST office and the provincial government.
The resort owner administered care to the dolphin and then helped it back to the deep portion of the bay shortly before noon, she added.
“The beach owner named the dolphin Sunshine,” De Leon said.
On Monday, an injured dolphin was also found by fishermen lying ashore near the coast of Guinayangan town facing Ragay Gulf.
The dolphin—2 ½ meters long—bore minor wounds at the back, said Allan Castillo, aquaculturist II-fisheries division of Quezon provincial government, in a phone interview Wednesday morning.
He said the villagers had wanted to butcher the animal as it seemed to be dying but he cautioned the local fish technician to tell the villagers it is against the law.
Castillo said the correct practice is to bury the dead dolphin with full documentation.
He added the villagers were preparing for the burial of the dying dolphin when the fish technician noticed that a piece of stone was stuck in the sea creature's nostril.
“When the stone was removed, the dolphin suddenly regained consciousness and begun to breathe again,” Castillo said, quoting a report from a fellow fishery officer in Guinyangan.
He said the local government, concerned citizens and policemen took care of the wounded dolphin while it was resting near the shore.
The gentle sea creature was eventually released back to the gulf Tuesday afternoon.
De Leon called on fishermen and coastal villagers not to hurt and kill dolphins when they get washed ashore. “They are friendly creatures. Just guide them back to the sea and set them free,” she said.
Dolphins are generally classified as endangered species and their sale, ownership and transport are prohibited by Philippine laws (Republic Act No. 8550, Sec. 91, 92 and 97; Fisheries Administrative Order 202 and 208) and the international treaty, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
This marine mammal is facing increasing threats from climate change because of factors such as rising sea temperatures.
Global warming has threatened to disrupt the marine ecosystem by destroying plankton that served as food for most marine animals.

by: Delfin Mallari Jr.   
Inquirer Southern Luzon

By Delfin Mallari Jr.

Families of victims and survivors on Saturday commemorated the 30th year of the infamous "Guinayangan Massacre" during the dark years of Marcos dictatorship and vowed to continue working to protect human rights and oppose the continuing militarization of the countryside.
The families of the massacre victims also hoped that they would be included in the list of Marcos human-rights victims who were now receiving cash compensations from the seized properties of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, as decided by the US court.
Remedios Icipin, mother of Juliana Hara, one of two massacre victims, said they would receive whatever cash compensation for the heroism of her daughter in fighting the Marcos dictatorship.
Former Sen. Wigberto Tañada was the guest speaker of the commemoration program held at the covered court in the town proper of Guinayangan attended by around 200 participants.
Around noon time on Feb. 1, 1981, more than 6,000 farmers, women and children from different towns of Quezon marched in Guinayangan town, 255 kilometers southeast of Manila along the Quezon-Bicol boundary, demanding land reform, fair price for copra, livelihood and end to military abuses.

Dispersed
The rally was dispersed by troops from Philippine Constabulary, the predecessor of Philippine National Police, resulting in the death of Hara and farmer Eutiquio Inciso, both of Guinayangan, according to a Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) report furnished by Karapatan-Quezon.
?The troops, upon seeing the protesters armed only with placards bearing their grievances, indiscriminately fired their rifles, initially upwards and on the ground near the demonstrators,? the TFDP report said.
?It was intended to sow fear among the marchers, disperse and stop them from continuing the mass action. But the people still continued just clapping their hands and appealing they be allowed their mass action and express their grievances?.
Unable to intimidate the protesters, the government forces aimed their rifles on the protesters, fatally hitting two marchers and injuring 17 others, according to the TFDP.
The TFDP reported that the soldiers also fired their rifles at coconut trees causing the nuts to fall on the marchers that sought covers in nearby farmland.

Blame
In the ensuing confusion, the marchers dispersed in all directions and some were forced to fall on a nearby cliff and injured themselves, said the report.
The leaders of the government forces were identified but evaded responsibility for the bloody incident and blamed New People?s Army (NPA) saboteurs as behind the massacre. The NPA strongly denied the allegation.
?We joined the march in 1981 along with my son Fidel because Juliana?s husband, Carlito, was abducted by the military several weeks before the rally. My son and I were lucky, we evaded the bullets,? Icipin recalled.
She said her daughter was hit by a bullet in her head. Inciso was hit in the chest and also died on the spot.
?Carlito was never found until today,? Icipin said.
Joey Barrameda, media liaison of Karapatan-Quezon, said the families of massacre victims vowed to continue to oppose the ongoing militarization in their area.

from: Inquirer Southern Luzon

Being already peaceful from the aggressive moros, the triumvirate brought their families in the place settled by Simeon Molines, which was the eastern side of Ragay Gulf (where Poblacion is now located), and started living together in the pursuit of livelihood.

In the year 1832 delegations were made with the Gobernadorcillo and immediately thereafter, on the Sumulong River, the Gobernadorcillo orally proclaimed and ofiicially declared this place as a town "GUINAYANGAN", covering the area from Sumulong River on the North; Guinahalinan river on the South; the Bundoc ng Kadig on the West and the center of Bundoc Peninsula on the West, where Ragay Gulf being on the center of the established town. The exact area then were not made known, it being the policy of the Spanish Government to just give the boundaries.

As the population grows migrants came, thereby various group and dialects were introduced in this town, but the Moro were the only group who wanted the place destroyed yet by the joint efforts of the natives, the triumvirate and the migrants, the town finally became peaceful after this period, and thereafter religious sects became apparent.

The Roman Catholic introduced by the Spaniards flourished in the minds of the people, although minor religious were also introduced. During the pioneering period, however, various reforms were made on their search for progress. Under the Spanish government, few barrios were recognized. It was only on the latter part of the 1900 that wide recognition of the barrios were made. During the first and second World War, Guinayangan stand to the satisfaction of the neighbonng town.

from quezon.gov.ph