When our car arrived at the farm, the barking dogs made me hesitate to get out. I couldn’t help but think about the risk of being bitten by man’s supposed best friend. While there might be an animal bite center in Cadiz, none exists in Brgy. Mabini. My apprehension faded when my mother, Norma, called out for us to stop. Our driver, Joseph, had been a reliable companion during my sister Stella’s short vacation.
The house was rebuilt in 2003 by my sister’s friends, engineers May and Max Hernandez. After decades in New York, my parents, Ding and Norma, chose to retire here, transforming the old farmhouse into a beautiful retreat admired by many. Upon entering, I was pleased to see it well-maintained; this was my childhood home until we moved to Bacolod City for business when I was five.
Thanks to my brother Engr. John and his children, we had WiFi—albeit slow—which allowed me to call my wife China in Bacoor. She was busy with school and recovering from the Buan Lions Club induction the night before.
We slept in the log cabin, now secured with a sturdy steel gate. This area had previously lacked sufficient security, prompting my suggestion for alarms. People often wondered how we could sleep soundly knowing anyone could intrude. During Marcos’ reign in the 1980s, many hacienderos faced ransacking by the NPA, which led to the establishment of the CHDF—military-supervised guards for protection. Thankfully, our family has remained safe throughout these years.
One downside of farm life is that running errands in Bacolod takes nearly an hour and a half due to the 70-kilometer distance. However, this is typical for those living in Cavite or NCR, where even a 5-kilometer trip can take 30 minutes.
November 8 marked my father Ding’s death anniversary. We attended mass in the morning and shared a quick breakfast with Rev. Fr. Jaylord Jusayan of the Quasi Parish of San Lorenzo Ruiz, Mabini, Cadiz. Afterward, we headed back to Bacolod but needed to leave early to visit the bank and meet our family lawyer, Atty. Jerry Basiao, before my 6 PM flight. I was pleased to hear updates on our property-related cases.
Tito Jerry, along with Atty. Nat Sitjar and Atty. Ben Jochico, were familiar faces from my high school days in the 1980s. Among them, Tito Jerry is the only one still alive and likely holds a treasure trove of stories about us. After spending time in New York with his colleagues, he decided to return to Bacolod to continue his legal practice. His experiences and insights from both places provide a unique perspective on our shared past and the changes we’ve all undergone since those formative years.
Engineers Max and May prepared a sumptuous lunch for us in their lovely home. After enjoying this delightful meal, my sister Stella had to leave in a hurry to attend a quick meeting with her friend Dr. Ting Tabuga before driving me to the airport for my flight back to Manila.
Although my visit was brief and the travel lengthy, it was a blessing to reconnect with family and friends and find our home intact after so many years. ||
