ALIGUAS MANGALDAN: Celebrating Life, History and Culture of Mangaldanians

Beroy Bags Buko!

Only when Alex Caballero sent in pictures from Toronto did we get to know that a good friend from 'Bay-bay' - Poblacion is already based in Canada, that is, Bernardo 'Beroy' Biagtan. As it happens in Aliguas, news spreads quickly and Pec Visperas, in Sydney, Australia, recognized Beroy in the picture. In an exchange of emails, Pec sent some old fun pictures of a picnic they had with Beroy in one of the islands of Sual, Pangasinan (...was it 'Virgin Island'?).

Beroy said: "Kuya Djoma, First of all thanks for forwarding the pictures...Yes why not?It would be a blast!!!My son and my wife were ecstatic when they saw it.Kuya Pec thanks for sending it .I appreciate it. Many thanks and God bless... Beroy"

Let's Have Fun!

Bobit Rovillos & Family

Finally, after several follow-ups, Bobit Rovillos sent pictures of his family. I had a wonderful time staying with them for a weekend in their home at Elks Groove, Sacramento, California. Since then, Bobit has a standing invitation for me and my wife, Maridel, to visit and try their new swimming pool.

Bobit and Vilma (from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya) met in San Francisco during their first year as migrants. They have only one child, Jason, who now stays in South San Francisco, following the independent life style of many second generation Mangaldan migrants. He lives close enough though to have a frequent catch-up with Bobit and Vilma. In this third picture, Vilma poses with her mother and other siblings during a recent Christmas get together.

The next pair of pictures show the facade of the building Bobit has put up in their ancestral property at Ydia St. (back of public market). Mangaldan Migrants, like Bobit, continue to change the landscape of the town, investing their savings into the town and thus help push up its local economy.

Arturo Aquino & Family

Arturo Aquino and family greets all Kabaleyans a Great and Prosperous New Year! He poses in this photo with wife, Apolonia (nee Ferrer, from Amansabina) and children, Katherine and Leo.

Leo is a cinema graduate of San Francisco State University (California) and currently works as a computer technician in one of the school districts in the valley. In this picture, Leo, at the lowest right corner, wearing eye glasses, is accompanied by his cousins to form the second generation Aquino.

It seems that there is a common pattern with Mangaldanian migrant families. Children stay with their parents even though they are professionals already. I recall that Pec Visperas in Sydney, Australia also reported that their grownup children are still staying with him and Tessie. There's no rush to run out of the house and the North American norm, "when you're 18, you're out of this house" does not apply.

Edwin Fabia & Family

Edwin Fabia arrived in June 2005 to join his wife, Lalaine (from Manaoag) and their children, here in Vancouver, BC. He is one of the elder children of incumbent Poblacion Barangay Captain, Alberto Leo "Art" Moulic-Fabia. Lalaine is a nurse and works at the Vancouver General Hospital. Edwin is an architect by profession and worked for several years in Saudi Arabia before returning to Mangaldan where he waited for his petition to be approved by the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship. Like most migrants, Edwin is going through the entry level jobs as he keeps his eyes focused on potential professional opportunities.

Edwin sent his family pictures (children: Heather & Sean) a few days ago to share in greeting our Kabaleyans a Happy New Year!

   

Aquino's of Manteca, CA

Arturo Aquino sent me a pair of emails and I have taken the liberty to share his pictures and writeup. (Djoma)

The Aquino siblings of Manteca and Lathrop, California extends  our  kabeleyan "Christmas Greetings and a very good wish for a Happy New Year."

Attached picture taken a year ago.  From left to right: James (Moises), Arturo, Theodore (Teodoro), Isaias and our Inang (Margarita Aquino) who's 88 years old, makulit, always stays busy looking for things to do to the extent of locking you out of your own house.

Attached is a picture taken yesterday in Manteca, Calif. in celebration of Christmas which I would like to share with our kabaleyans.

Thanks to the site. I was able to get in touch with Mon Orap who's a dear friend of the family. I can relate to his experiences, reading with a chuckle his email  to Marie on how he pulls sugar canes(onas) from trucks that passes by. My brothers and I who are known as the sapateros, once lived in the center of commerce of Mangaldan (tindaan), were more probably adept in that art of pulling because it would mean.... our desserts and bouts of acid reflux (apagew cuanda),  a local version of Zantac would have helped back then.

Keep up the good work. We look forward to seeing more of our kabaleyans from your site.

Picture shown seated on the floor left to right : Theodore and brother Arturo Aquino.

Seated on the couch left to right: Estrella Tibule Aquino (wife of Theodore from Baloling, Mapandan), Esther Aquino Tecson (Mama Eding Aquino's daughter from Banaoang), My Inang (Marie's boloy) Margarita Aquino, Aida Aquino Navarro (Esthers' sister and wife of the late Frank Navarro Jr. from Banaoang), Leticia Lalicon Aquino ( wife of my brother Isaias from Istasion, baley), Isaias Aquino, and my wife Apolonia Ferrer Aquino (from Amansabina).

Goodbye Toronto, Welcome Vancouver

Last April 2006, Jun Cadang (son of former policeman, Tony Cadang - Poblacion) and wife Marissa Limon arrived in Toronto with their four children to start a migrant's life. After 4 years of waiting, their papers were finally approved and Marissa's relatives in Toronto offered to start them there. Coming from a tropical climate, Jun and Marissa found the spring season in Ontario too cold. They also encountered difficulties in looking for work. Three months after their arrival, Marissa's brother Ronnie flew in from Vancouver to take a look at their condition. After some discussions, the new migrant family opted to try it out in Vancouver.

Jun, Marissa and family arrived in Vancouver last Aug. 24, 2006. In this picture, they are joined by three of their children (r-l) Renz Bryan, Michael and Christian. Their daughter, Alyssa Joyce, was not feeling well when I visited them last Saturday, Oct. 13th. Ronnie Salcedo-Limon and wife, Espie (nee: De Vera) generously took them in to their home and currently share the accommodation. Their Canada-born son, Mark, is such an eager host and tried to entertain me. More than just sharing their dwelling, Ronnie took in Jun to his workplace at the Northwest Produce and got a fulltime job for Jun. On the other hand, Espie took Marissa to the laundry service shop where they now both work.

Great work, Ronnie and Espie. You kindhearted souls will be gifted by the Heavens for taking good care of our new Kabaleyan migrants: Jun and Marissa and family. Aliguas Mangaldan co-editor Marie Aquino-Junio visited them earlier to find out their needs.

To Jun and Marissa, welcome to Vancouver!

Thanksgiving to Mangaldan Vancouverites

When Djoma de Guzman, spouse Maridel Hernandez and their son Johann arrived in Canada last year, it was Pepe Tan who met them at the Vancouver airport (YVR) and guided them to a well selected motor inn. After that, Orlando "Dong" de Vera and spouse Mita took over to ease in the De Guzman family into the new culture and environment of Canada.

Djoma first met Pepe at Vancouver in 2001 through the introduction by former Brgy. Kgd. Ronnie Limon (Poblacion) and spouse Espie. During that visit, Pepe and spouse Mona (Lopez) hosted Djoma to a sumptous and delectable home-baked whole sockeye salmon dinner.

Last September 23, 2006, Djoma and family hosted a thanksgiving dinner to Pepe and Mona and Dong and Mita. Djoma and Mona are related through the Lopez-Sta. Maria-Serafica clan. That night, Djoma also discovered that he is related to Pepe through the De Guzman-Blaquer clan. Djoma is related to Dong through the De Vera-Serafica clan. Dong is the son of Jacobo "Jake/Cubing" de Vera whose brothers are Sixto, Agustin, Rustico (spouse-Romana de Vera), Gregorio.

That night, the group missed the company of Marie Aquino, who had another dinner appointment, but all enjoyed her fabled gift of a heart shaped "leche flan" - Mangaldan super quality.

In the picture from left to right are: Mona, Pepe, Natalie (Djoma's granddaughter) and mother Riz, Maridel, Dong and Mita.