Whew I am beginning to feel like a real writer, with deadlines and with readers demand... I have to come out with good script for “Maalaala mo Kaya”. Ha ha but where will I start? What should be included?
Epifanio and Andrea love story? I have a vague idea... But I am willing to give it a shot…this story can be from my own point of view though I conducted researches and interviewed few people, I hope I could give justice to their tale.
Epifanio was a good looking farmer, tall and Mestizo type while Andrea was a market vendor, she was like a goddess, with eyes and hair of mother Mary and body of Buddha (joke). What I mean, she was a medium built lady. Epifanio though poor was an intelligent man, he finished elementary in a span of 4 years. Some body offered him scholarship, but the olds rejected the offer for they valued close family ties. They thought it was unfair for other siblings of Epifanio who will not be able to study like him.
Epifanio was ashamed to court Andrea at first because she was the younger sister of Primo, the classmate and close friend of Epifanio. He was so close to brother of Andrea that he was the first one who knew Primo's plan of joining the military for the reason that he could not marry his girlfriend in exchange of their ancestral home as dowry . The brother of Andrea, a soldier and also the friend of Epifanio died at the war. (The girlfriend of Primo died in old age and single)
Subsequently, Epifanio did not hesitate anymore to show his love and courted Andrea. Andrea and Epifanio as husband and wife lived a very simple life, blessed with six wonderful children. They’re set up was peculiar for it was Andrea who worked in the market everyday and Epifanio as the house manager. He was a perfect, loving and thoughtful husband to Andrea. They never fought as their eldest daughter can reminisce and they were very ideal in spite of poverty in life.
Epifanio managed to provide foods for his family by farming, fishing and with lots of chickens and pigs at the backyard. Though they already had five daughters they still desired a son. As if the gate of heavens opened when they were granted with male twins Ruben and Celso, but Celso suffered a poor health and he died six days after. Ruben was so handsome and appeared to be the couple’s favorite among the children .The special treatment was silently misunderstood of some of the siblings, but somehow they accepted and understood that he was the only guy.
Raising six children (Natalia, Fidela, Lamberta, Cecilia, Erlinda and Ruben) was not an easy task. Fortunately the siblings were all kind and cooperative. They were supportive to each other, each of them was responsible, they did house chores and took care of the young ones and all were scholastically gifted. The family was happy and contented with the way they were living… Their priority was education and their aphorism was “Go acquire a good Education for we have nothing to leave for you, it’s the best inheritance that cannot be stolen from you”. Epifanio also believed that it was easy to be a man but it was hard to be human. He wanted his children to aim not only scholastic standing but to get hold of correct behavior and humanity.
The sister Natalia could still recall.. Lamberta looked like an actress, maybe because watching movies became the habit of their mother when conceiving her. They were both graduating at that moment, Lamberta the Elementary Salutatorian and Natalia as High School 2nd Honorable Mention ( Up to this time she reiterates that she should be the salutatorian if not because of extra curricular activities.) That was Friday noon when Lamberta came jubilant with her Salutatory speech, she also found out their white graduation dresses . That same day Lamberta’ s classmate made fun of her and hid her slippers,only the teacher provided Lamberta of her own slippers. But it did not lessen the excitement of Lamberta and she memorized her speech that night. She was really good in communication and had her teacher’s impression of a real news caster.
It was Saturday morning Natalia and Fidela, the eldest among the siblings schedule of washing clothes in the river. But Fidela’ s swelling shoulder due to vaccine forbade her and so Lamberta volunteered herself. It was a fine sunny morning Natalia and Lamberta began their washing when their father came with fried noodles. He was so generous that he would help his daughters. He first decided to take a swim. Lamberta was concerned of her father and so she followed him and brought swim wear or shirt to protect his skin.
Knowing his father was a good swimmer she urged him to teach her some swimming techniques. Suddenly a tragedy….Natalia heard screams and the two were asking for help. Allegedly Epifanio tried to save Lamberta who slipped and failed to grasp her. Natalia’ s instinct was to follow them good enough bystanders blocked her.
Somebody with bicycle hurried to the Municipality to look for policemen, but they were all at the cemetery for the burial of a high class officer in the town… Though he didn’t know the victims he rushed to the cemetery which was at the next Barangay.When policemen came they were too late, the victims were nowhere to be found… It was almost midnight and after the long searched the corpses where found attached to each other. Though Lamberta had a little sign of life and rushed to the hospital, still she didn’t make it. Nobody had the courage to stare at eight month pregnant Andrea kneeling near the river. It was the longest day of her life. Andrea panicked and didn’t know how shall she survive with five children and having another baby in her womb. She was in a limbo. A six year old Erlinda could not figure out what happened, she just saw her sister Lamberta carried by men, they dressed up her with graduation dress and the teacher could not stop kissing her cheek.
Everybody was crying except her and little Ruben who enjoyed arranging flowers. Some told her that she would not see her father anymore, for he will be in heaven. She really could not understand the real happening , she just remembered the picture of the two coffins laded in their house.
Andrea believed that God will bless the widow. Though you will only see her in church occasionally, she didn’t fail to teach her children about God. She would always sing Passion of Christ secretly at home during Holy weeks. Andrea as the strong woman…..Despite the fact that she was in deep mourning, she masked herself with strength and optimism. The widow decided to continue her life for her other children. She devoted her time in producing money by selling garlic in the market,while her children did what their father’s responsibility when he was alive.
They drew strength and depend from each other in every single way. Andrea instilled to their minds that the persons that have the capability to lend a hand, should not hesitate to do so.
Though they pretended to be sturdy, they could not expunge the truth and it was evident that they lost their father in many ways...They had sightings of their mother secretely crying at their backyard while looking at the the weeds in their father's garden. Ruben missed his father too. With his school projects; his father was a good craftsman as he could remember. He envied playmates with father to run to and ask questions only man can understand… Erlinda can still retain in memory how abandoned it was, she was six years old and going to school wearing all black and it seemed so uncanny for her. Not only that, she was hairless for she suffered burn from a gas lamp (the gas lamp served as their light, there was no electricity by that time). Black and bald she almost wanted to stop schooling only that her eldest sister Natalia insisted the importance of education.
She could furthermore evaluate how fortunate her sisters were when her father was living. What she could not forget and marked in her heart was in time of grieving there were neighbors who envied them. I am sorry I had to include this, not to add drama but to show the real scenario. Instead of support and pity they showed otherwise for the orphans and widow. The antagonist formed to life. A very religious lady neighbor, she seemed to be so sweet and wonderful except if you wanted to see her real color and see flying plates, just forget to light her altar. Though she appeared to be sacred, she by no means made up bad stories against the family of Andrea .She was a good narrator and her husband believed the lies as if it was the truth, and nothing but the truth. His husband, who had the habit of drinking when under the influence of liquor, threw bottle wine to the house of Andrea and cursed the family. He somehow harassed the poor family. It came to the point that he wanted to diminish the widow’s family. Through God’s grace the only sister of Andrea gave her a Bolo. She defended herself and scared the slayer….When the lady neighbor learned the capability of her husband she was shocked, she realized what she had done. Though verbally she never apologized, she altered her ways. She ended up as genuine devotee of God.
On the other hand Fidela remained beauty conscious in spite of all the tragedies and house errands (she had bunch of admirers and even became Mutya of the town), she stood up for beauty for less and invented beauty treatments that can be just found around. But boy I tell you, she is a natural beauty. Cecilia were forced to stop school to take care of the youngest. Elenita who never got a glimpsed of her father was born 30 days after her father died. They hate their aunty’s dialogue that used to introduce the baby to people as the most wretched, it was so demeaning. Elenita served as the new beam in the dark house. A bundle of joy, she was so talkative, cute and intelligent young girl. (I wonder what kind of nourishment she had for she’s a genius).They considered her as replacement of Lamberta in their lives..But of course no one could replace Lamberta in their hearts.
After a year Natalia pursued college education in Manila. Even though with a very tight budget, thorn uniform and most of the time hungry stomach she persevered and did not let poverty to hindrance her family’s dream... By chance, one of the cousins of Andrea adopted Natalia in her college years in Manila. They were so kind to her and treated her perfectly. When she secured a job as public teacher she generously bestowed all her salary to finance her siblings.
The depressing and miserable situations functioned as the rock they stepped on, rather than be the stumbling block of their dreams. They assumed that no matter how bad the situations were, they will change…there will be another dawn and it would change for good.
Scribing the story gave me shivers… Considering them at the moment, who could say that they passed trough that? Reading it can not stop me from sharing the pain. If only have the power to change.. But who am I to direct what should and what should not happen.. God has the reason...
By the way I would rather spotlight the success rather than feed on their life’s miseries.
Natalia, was constantly honoring pupil, became a public school teacher, and passed the exam while still in college. She had units in Master of Education. She served as financial partner of Andrea, a mother to her siblings. She married her first love Resty a soldier and widowed with two healthy children.Andrea consoled Natalia when she lost her husband. Andrea reminded her that her burden was furthemore larger than Natalia was carrying. Natalia's children both finished college and can be considered successful in life. Joy- ER Staff at Riyadh, Noreen- good writer ( he he). Civic Leader and Recruitment Officer
Fidela, was salutatorian in high school, finished BS Agriculture at U.P. Los Banos and land a job at National Irrigation, when she was young, a thrifty ,she replaced her father as house manager and the budget officer of the family, though very pretty she found early marriage unattractive. She also took care of Elenita and stopped studying to give way for sibling’s education. Married her High School batch mate, blessed with six children, Elmer-pharmacist and head of Hospital, Jerome- CEO, Cherrylyn- writer, media practitioner at DZMM, Madel-CPA, Gem- double course,Newly Grad of accountancy, Ian-the only student .They are all good looking, successful and intelligent.
Cecilia, also honor pupil in Elementary. At U.P. LB finished Home Technology and got a job in the Government after graduation. She was the quiet person, but very industrious and with the best heart of them all. Married late but boasts two kids... Lovely Diamel now a nurse and handsome Chelmark, engineer.
Erlinda, the intense one, valedictorian in High School, got BS fisheries at UPLB, had Master and Doctorate degree. After graduation went to Palawan and worked there. Part of her wanted to prove something to her mother. She wanted her to know that she could accomplish more than expected. She did accomplished a lot, She married a business tycoon, She has a CPA, Professor and will soon be a lawyer son BJ, Professor and Lawyer daughter Ida, the other daughter Emmy is the amiable one, their business manager and office girl, while Benjo the youngest, menopausal child, gifted and top of class in grade five plans to be a doctor.
Ruben, the apple of the eye of the family. Was a little naughty in college, though spoiled as his siblings described him, he finished Animal Husbandry and helped the piggery business of the family which he acted as the veterinarian. He became a mature man and ideal father to his family. A great future ahead to his son Andrei currently studying at UP Diliman (with a final grade of 1 in calculus), as well as with his daughter mika and son rjhon who have their own special abilities… He got so lucky that he married a very fine woman Norma.
Elenita, Valedictorian in Elementary, finished Bachelor of Science and Masters in Statistics at U.P.LB. Worked as Science research specialist at Dost. Migrated to New Zealand together with her Husband and three lovely daughters. She works for New Zealand Government Ministry of Education as Research Specialist. Hopeful that her intellectually gifted daughters will be Doctor, Engineer and Architect. Abby- taking up Medicine at New Zealand, Chinee and Trisha mathematicians.
The quality of the man will be measured in awkward times. The family surpassed the challenges with flying colors. Tough times never last but tough people do. A very well illustration of the importance of Education.
If only Epifanio and Andrea could see, certainly they will be very contented to see the excellent relationship of their heir, they would surely find the family reunions irresistible, will be proud to know that they have good looking and successful grandson and grand daughters( ehem) . We their descendants memorize by heart ““Go acquire a good education for we have nothing to leave for you, it’s the best inheritance that cannot be stolen from you”.” TITLE: DIPLOMA
Maalala mo kaya ?..the descendants of Epifanio and Andrea will forever remember.
