This is Patient No. 8

She was a survivor of the so-called World War C and bravely came into the open, disclosing to the whole wide world her identity.

Occidental Mindoro’s Patient No. 8 is Minerva Angel Tadeo, 42, a frontliner assigned at San Sebastian District Hospital (SSDH) in Sablayan as Admitting Clerk and under the Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) stationed in said town. She was formerly assigned at the Parola (Presing) Park as zipline crew before she was transferred to the aforementioned public health facility.

Despite her age, she is a working student presently taking up BS Cooperative at PUP-Sablayan Campus and now on her second year. That is how she gives value to education. She is a member of the Board of Directors of SAGUTT Multi-Purpose Cooperative at present.

After tested positive of the disease May 20, 2020 by the Philippine National Red Cross, she underwent the necessary health protocols. Minerva’s swab specimen was taken May 14 during the two-day Expanded Targeted COVID-19 Testing of healthcare workers in Sablayan. She was asymptomatic. No colds, cough or whatever symptoms.

After days of anxiety and extreme trial, finally yesterday, May 27, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) declared her in the pink of health after she was tested negative in her second and third repeat swabs. The laboratory results were released by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

While Patient No. 8 was in her isolation room at the SSDH, she experienced pain, more of the emotional kind, solitude and fear. She also cried discrimination and public shame from the judging eyes of some people. Almost every day she said, she sensed death stalking her hospital room. Fear of dying alone constantly accompany her even in the deepest moment of the night.

In her Facebook post yesterday, she described the ordeal like a bomb exploding right in their very faces of her immediate family members.

She stressed in her same post, “Alam ko sa sarili ko kaya ko labanan lalo na at [ako ay may] may pananalig sa Diyos.” Minerva extended her heartfelt gratitude to her family, friends and supporters, the medical personnel at SSDH who took care of her and her fellow frontliners who prayed for her. Meantime, she can now be with her family at home for the required another 14-day isolation period.

While under the affliction, an FB friend named Febbie Tadeo posted this very inspiring verse from the bible: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”

—Psalm 46:1-3, NIV. She kept the faith in her hospital bed.

Like Minerva, the mythical Roman goddess of defensive warfare and wisdom, she figuratively came out of Jupiter’s head in full battle armor, and in due time, ready again to continue to fight at the frontlines.

She overcame the torment as likely because she has God’s angel on her shoulder, to paraphrase a hit song of The Cascades before.

Well, welcome to the outside world yet still in quarantine.

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(Photo from FB page of Minerva Angel Tadeo)

OksiMin Frontliner Offers Life

A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) apprentice born in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro was killed in a road mishap happened along the highway in Ibaan, Batangas City yesterday, May 26, 2020 at around 2:30 PM. Apprentice Seaman Cenen Lopez-Epetito, 24, was the seventh child of Punong Barangay Sileny Epetito of Barangay Burgos in said municipality.  

Reports say that the PCG men are on their way from PCG District – Southern Tagalog to extend assistance to OFWs from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to respond to the government’s program for overseas workers and seafarers who are repatriated due to the COVID-19 pandemic called “Bayanihan Repatriation Program”. Suddenly one tire of the van exploded and the vehicle loses control and dived in a ravine at the side of the road. The six other PCG personnel are now under close medical observation at Batangas Health Specialist Center according to a CNN dispatch yesterday.

In his Facebook account, Cenen’s friend Tunskee Cullen posted, “You will always be remembered Cenen for your good deeds as one of the bravest frontliners in this pandemic. I really admire your heroism from being an ordinary student to a well-dignified seaman apprentice (coastguard). Thanks that I was able to witness how you grew as a person who worked hard for the realization of your dreams.”

Epetito is a graduate of Burgos National High School and an alumnus of Occidental Mindoro State College (OMNC) where he finished his Bachelor of Technical Teacher Education (BTTE) in 2018. 

According to his sister Julia Jane Epetito, Cenen is expecting a promotion this coming June and very eager to help his family.

He is a bachelor when he died.

Annafe Bergonia, a neighbor and a family friend said of Cenen, “Mabait siya at matulungin. Responsable. Marami siyang pangarap sa buhay at huwaran  siya ng mga kabataan dito sa Aplaya.”

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(Photo from Cenen Epetito’s Facebook Account)

The Jeepney Operators of Old San Jose

The jeepney is progressively nearing the dead end here in my home province.

These remodeled jeeps from World War-II era was the main public transportation in San Jose as far as I can remember. Without doubt, this inexpensive mass transportation was part of the Philippine culture. Philippines is the only country that has jeepneys for such a purpose.

Sarao Motors, owned by Leonardo Sarao, was one of the first companies to take old US army vehicles left behind after World War II and customize them for mass transport. This is the same brand of jeepneys plying from the Pandurucan town proper to its nearby barrios, like Bubog, Central, Camburay and Murtha and vice-versa. Since the 50s, the jeepneys have been integral to the lives of the town’s residents together with its operators and drivers.

The most prominent jeepney operator in this southern part of Occidental Mindoro is Guillermo P. Mangahas. He is a native of Norzagaray, Bulacan but transferred to San Jose in 1954. He started to venture with one passenger jeepney with a route from San Jose town proper to Barrio Central and vice-versa. Mangahas’ transport trade grew and he managed to acquire additional 5 jeepney units serving the people of far-away Aguas, Pitogo and Manoot (then still part of San Jose). Guillermo was aided by his three sons namely, Naring (Apolinario), Pepe (Jose), and Val/Tino (Valentino) in his transport business. His daughter Teofila was later known as Neneng Vergel who owns a meat stall in old San Jose Public Market and mother to former local radio personality Lerma Vergel Mansilungan.

Amado Tan is the fourth child of Tan Bun Chuan, one of the place’s earliest Chinese settler. They family owned a famous restaurant (now the site of the Development Bank of the Philippines along Rizal St. near the plaza) then. In 1951, Amado Tan moved to Central and stayed there for good and finally met his wife, Elsie Blancia of Culasi, Antique. Amado’s sister Purification loaned him money to buy a jeepney and since then, it became his main source of living. As a driver, he managed to know many people, gained popularity and been so helpful in their concerns. In 1989, Amado Tan, the son of a Chinese restaurateur and later jeepney operator of Central, was elected barangay captain of this historic place. Amado is the father of Armando “Bong” Tan who also works as a driver at Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) in San Jose.

Magno Corpus is a forerunner in jeepney operation business in Barrio Bubog where I grew up. He had 2 jeepneys named Perla 1 and 2, (name of his only child). Later when his brother Gavino came to the place in the early 70s from Nueva Ecija, took his own jeepney and served the residents especially the students (that includes me) in going to school and back. The Corpus brothers, too, became barangay officials. Magno served as barangay captain and Gavino became kagawad for many years.

In our place, not only the US army jeeps were converted into public utility vehicles. The Dodge Weapons Carrier from WW-II were also transformed for mass transportation especially in far-flung areas with the toughest terrain. In Barrio Pitogo, Mrs. Perla Lansangan, a known businesswoman in their place then operates a weapons carrier serving her barrio mates.

Maybe it is true that traditional jeepneys are already obsolete in today's transport system and we need to have something better in terms of mass transportation in our province. In this time of the UV vans and the air-conditioned local buses.

But more than the machines, let us remember today, with full pressure on the gas pedal, the drivers who operate them.

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(Photos: C! Magazine/Pintrest)

Reference: Rodolfo M. Acebes, Story of 100 Families, 2010)

San Jose's Acrostic Man

Manunulat siya pero sa pader nga lang o kahit saang makinis na surface sa mga pampublikong lugar.

Sa San Jose town proper, dito sa amin sa Occidental Mindoro ay makikita mo ang kanyang mga obra, pentel pen at pintura ang gamit niya. Tadtad lalo nito ang kanilang bahay na matatagpuan bago ka sumapit sa tulay ng Marsan galing ng Bonifacio Street. Laman siya ng kalye, kadalasang naka-tsaleko, maraming borloloy sa katawan at pusturang hippie dati pero kalbo na lang ngayon at ubanin na. Malimit siya sa Plaza, sa Municipal Compound. Basta, kahit saan sa tabi-tabi, sa downtown at palengke, name it.

Ang tawag sa kanyang literatura (kung literature man iyong matuturing at hindi plain vandalism) ay mga acrostic piece to be exact. Sabi, ang acrostics daw ay anumang komposisyon na kung saan ang mga certain letters form a word or words.

May protesta sa kanyang mga akda. Nagbabanggit siya ng mga tauhan sa pulitika, mga lokal na personalidad at mga pangyayari noon sa lipunan na may mga acronym ng kung anu-anong magkakalahok-lahok na tanggapan ng pamahalaan. Walang sumiseryoso sa kanyang mga isinulat, pero marami naman ang nagmamalasakit sa kanya bilang tao.

Okay na siguro yun.

Somebody told me who is a former bosom buddy of Mr. Acrostics that he was once a good basketball player. He played for years in various ball clubs in the old San Jose Summer Basketball League in the mid-60s as a teenager. He was a member of WAROF Guys, a fraternity or gang of sort composed of 5 friends. It's actually an Acronoym for William (him), Antonio (Gomez), Rolando (Padilla), Oscar (Novio) and Fernando, Jr (Mabalot). He was the star player for the team called Wanderers then.

I was also informed by my source that the man was an avid fan of the Beatles and a member of the Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK). It is another national-democratic organization whose memberships comes from young students, farmers, workers, intellectuals and professionals.

Going back, kagaya ng statesmanship na ngayon ay endangered na ‘ata among politicians, ang acrostics noong unang panahon, sa iba’t-ibang antas at panahon sa kasaysayan ay itinuring na isang panulat na may mataas na literary value. Which is kadalasan ay sa anyo ng tula.

Si Edgar Allan Poe nga may tula pang pinamagatan niyang “An Acrostic,” na alay niya sa isang tagahanga na ang pangalan ay Elizabeth. Sino ang makakalimot sa “Prometheus Unbound" ni Pete Lacaba na tungkol sa Martial Law?

Ngayon sabi nga, ngayon daw ay wala ng literary prestige ang acrostics hindi kagaya noong unang panahon. Instead, acrostics are now often considered to be childish, if not totally nutty.

Para sa ating acrostic man: Every reachable smooth and flat surface is your democracy wall, your press freedom and expression in the taciturnity to your feelings.

Try lang ito:

Behold, your pen cannot win wars, mind or hearts

Over your prose are screams from your past

Yet, even the meanest of men are afraid to know their meaning

Silent are your verses, cannot be articulated neither spoken

In your thoughts, the best literature is an acrostic unpoetic graffiti

Eternally for you, you are Zeus in your own Olympus so kingly.

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(Photo: Kenneth Pangilinan)