CHILDHOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

According to English writer Agatha Christie:  "One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood."

I had a very colorful childhood at Purok Molave, Barangay Tunga-tunga, Maasin, Southern Leyte.  Our purok was named after the big molave tree or tugas just across the street of our home.  We lived at Simplicio Bantug Street, named after the former town mayor, at the back of Saint Joseph College (SJC) high school building.  SJC belonged to Purok Molave geographically and so does the Public Plaza and the Church.

The street was not concreted then and we enjoyed playing in the dusty municipal road.  There were very few motor vehicles so there was less disturbance in our games.

We played tubig-tubig, kingkingay, hatum, bato-lata, katibo, tago-tagoay, dakpanay, ikid-ikiray and other indigenous games.  Indoors we engaged with matchbox car races, jackstone, sungka, and other parlor games.

Children's sportsfest

I organized all children, boys and girls, of Purok Molave in sports games we called Loyalty Day named after the athletic meet of Saint Joseph College. We divided the children into two factions during summer vacations and played mini volleyball, basketball, baseball games as well as badminton, table tennis, runs and relays around the block and parlor games.

We camped at the grounds of our neighborhood, fetched and slept in tents.  We cooked rice and food using gathered firewood in our miniature camp.  We sang songs and I told stories to our child neighbors to have some fun.

We played insects, had them fought each other, such as spiders and bugs, and placed ants on glass jars with sand to view their tunnels.  We caught fish, like guppies, at the canal and placed them in aquariums.  We also captured birds using hook and line with a grain of corn as bait.

Sometimes we went swimming with neighborhood friends at the beach where the city hall is now situated.  And also we climbed at the Hilltop of the College of Maasin and at the Telecom tower at Combado to view the town of Maasin.

We climbed trees and ate their fruits in the purok because there were many of them during that time.  There was a chico tree and water apple or tambis tree at the residence of Lola Daday, Papa's mother.  We climbed kerson or manzanitas tree and star apple or caimito tree and ate the fruits.  We also gathered tiesa, iba, and balimbing which were found in the neighborhood.

Service in the church

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3-4.

During Holy Week I directed passion and crucifixion  plays where some friends acted as Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, the apostles, Roman soldiers and other Biblical characters.  We recorded our dramas in the tape recorder.

I led also some boy neighbors in devoting time to work for the parish church.  Our house was just one block from the Cathedral.  We attended catechism classes and joined the Flores de Mayo even if we are boys.  I also had the chance to join the Santacruzan at the end of May processions as a prince and as one of the characters.

We served during masses at the Cathedral and acted as altar boys.  We rang the bell at the steeple signalling the preparations and start of the holy masses.  From the top of the church tower we can get a good view of the town.  Sometimes I read the first reading during the mass we served as acolytes.

There was still a communion rail that time so we had to accompany the priest in moving back and forth the lines of people kneeling at the rail to receive the host.  We assisted the priest using the paten to protect the host from dropping to the floor.

Cultural presentations

Every New Year was a grand celebration at Purok Molave because there was an annual dance or bayle.  We presented intermissions during the occasion in the form of dances.  But in the later years we presented comical skits such as a boxing match, a rendition of MacArthur's "I Shall Return," a sword fight, a cowboy duel, and a resurrection from the dead.

In the school I also directed comical skits and dramas like these.  I did it from Grade 5 to 4th year high school in SJC.  We presented these plays at classroom programs and during convocation programs.

When we were in the Grade 6, I was the emcee of our elementary Christmas Program.  It was one good break given to me which ushered my showmanship.

We played lots of chess games and even dama, checkers, game of the generals and other board games at my father's refreshment store and tailoring just one block from the house.

We also had mini basketball using tennis balls at Papa's store.  I organized two on two basketball tournaments, using the tennis ball and small goal.

I was also fond of drawing cartoons and made stories out of them.  Sheets and sheets of bond paper were consumed on these comic strips.  I also wrote different serialized stories and collected them.

I also read the Bisaya magazine which we subscribed weekly.  I read the comics and stories which were all written in the Cebuano vernacular.

Radio and TV programs

I had also an affection of listening to radio dramas before the advent of television.  My favorites were Diego Salvador, Magnon and Ang Manok ni San Pedro.  I also composed dramas like those on the radio stations and recorded them on tapes.

When Papa was able to purchase television, children all over the neighborhood flocked at home to watch the shows.  It was still a black and white Radiowealth TV.  We were the only TV owner in the area who allowed neighbors to view the small screen.

My favorite children's show was The Electric Company and Batman.  We also watched PBA games especially the Toyota-Crispa rivalry. Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was the only channel with the clear reception.

We visited Ormoc City at Lola Cande's house during vacations.  Sabang beach was not reclaimed yet and there was a big coral reef or hunasan.  During low tide, we caught and played sand bubbler crabs also called agukoy.

I dearly cherished those sweet childhood memories.  They contributed much to what I am now.

"I spent my whole childhood wishing I were older and now I'm spending my adulthood wishing I were younger." - American actor Ricky Schroder.