MEDING

Post 11: Lolo Ramon's Story

"Bado was persistent for me to make it big. He arranges my fights and got me a trainer. He became my friend more than a manager. There wasn't enough money from boxing so he got me a job as a driver at 'TI Truckings'. I did not drive one of his buses so I could stay near Baguio for my training."

"Then I met Aquilip, a co-driver. He too belongs to the Kalanguya tribe but from Buguias Benguet. Though we speak the same dialect, there are slight differences. Their's are more like a mixture of 'Kankana-ey' and 'Kalanguya'. One time, I went with him to visit her sister who is staying with their aunt in La Trinidad Benguet."

"It was a love at first sight. A Spanish beauty, brown eyes, auburn hair, a perfect nose but taller than me. Her name was Remedios "Meding" Ta-ao. She belongs to the Ta-ao, Cabading, Bay-an and Olsim clan of Buguias Benguet. We were introduced and I could tell instantly that she doesn't like me. I'm short and stocky, my nose was merely for breathing and no wealth to show."

"She gave me back the inspiration to pursue the future. I made it sure to win a title so that Meding would have at least "a reason" to like me."

"I courted her religiously. During week ends, she's selling banana in Baguio City to help support her studies at MSAC, La Trinidad ( BSU now). I will be her first and only costumer. I'll buy all her bananas so she'll have time to talk to me. That went on for a year."

"Aquilip was so supportive of my intentions, He invited me to go home with them to Bugias Benguet and visit their father. It was Meding's school break. I accepted it just to be with her. There was no ride that time so we walked from Baguio to Buguias. We passed by Tublay and I introduced them to my family. Then we continued our travel."

"Maybe Meding saw my sincerity through the long walk I had with them. When we came back to Baguio, she became my girl. I took her to one of my fight, of course I won. And the next month, Bado got us married."