DANIEL'S FATHER

Post 20: Lolo Ramon's Story

"Papa was loved by every one but as a young boy, I never understood him." sighed Daniel.

"When there's a typhoon, he would be out helping others save their roof while my mother would be in charge in securing our home from not being blown. It was easy for him to give money to a stranger who would ask for a sick child, no food to eat or in need of an amount to bail out a husband. But then, my mother would go and sell blankets to Buguias, Benguet just to put food on our table", recounts my Daddy Danny.

"How very willing my father to sell his animals when one of his 'barangay' is in need of donation for books, teacher's salary or for opening a road. While we his children, work hard for other people just to finish high school."

"Mayor Ramon!" or "Apo Ramon" was what I always hear when I am with my Papa. There was this time I went with him to Baguio City and I wasn't wearing shoes because he could not buy me one. He saw a friend coming and he told me, "Dyay ka, agka in ak-akal!(You stay here and don't you leave)" and he told me to wait for him. I knew he doesn't want his friend to see me bare footed. I may be young but I was hurt."

"No school specially summer break would mean 'manpastol ni baka, kalding tan kalnero'(take the cows, goats and sheeps to where grasses are abundant). Then the rest of the day we will be working in the coffee plantation. Last work would be gathering back all the animals before it gets dark."

"We have so many people staying with us but still we,his children, work our bones more than them. If we don't do our task, Papa would punish us and his belt will land on our butt. It wasn't fair because he only whips me and my siblings."

"He was a very strict and a disciplinarian man. My brother Alex once got a penny from his pocket and enjoyed a candy from that money. Papa whipped him many times that made my mother say, " pateyin mo et adi ta anak mo!"(why don't you kill your son instead). That stopped my father and left my mama consoling my brother ."

"During night time, I could feel his being a father and not the mayor. He would tell us stories about anything, about his childhood, work or anything he thinks that would entertain us. Then he would ask each and every one of his children to sing solo. Alex would always be in tears but still manages to finish his song. Then we massage him till he goes to sleep, 2 children each night and I'm always paired with my cry baby brother. Who else- Alex (Mandro-Tuki)".