Coming Home

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Last Thursday had to pass our Western Union branch in Taguig (near
Libingan) for some OB.  It was later in the day & I found some free
time before my day was officially over.

The time of day was perfect. No longer hot. Almost 1700H, closing in
on sunset. Instead of going straight back to my flat I suddenly
thought of passing by the village since I was in the area anyhow.  For
dramatic and more of sentimental reasons, I intended to return to BNS
on May 19th, the 1st anniversary of the Eviction.  As I approached
Gate 3/Marine Gate I contemplated on it further.  There was
ressistance from somewhere within me.  I slowed down a bit.   I then
said to myself "what the hell", at my age drama & sentimentality
easily make it out of the window.

Something inside me told me to go in and make peace with myself & the
place I miss so much.


I did.


After about 10 months I entered the Marine gate & was met by
howitzers, bazookas, 90RRs, mortars etc. They are decommissioned
hardware installed at the gate for display. It shows that Marines are
now also into posterity (more like Queer Eye for the Camouflage Guy).
I anticipated sadness, hatred, frustration and other negative feelings
to swamp my being. Strange. Nothing.

As I passed the church, the grandstand it is as if l just left a few
weeks ago. The place just seems cleaner. There is a new jogging lane
dedicated to a late LtJG Muyargas.  It is filled with officers & EP's.
 I swing by the Grandstand and I am filled w/ memories too many at
once. I just know the place is great to see again.  The parade ground
is filled w/ kids on bikes, some are running around all over the place
with yaya's guarding them.  The kids are from a different set of
families.  It was the best time to hang out there.

The familiar smell of the village is now ever prevalent. After all
these years I guess it is because of all the plants/trees around and
all the trimmed grass.  I smelled home.


I enter 3rd Row. It looks the same. I pass the Punsalang & Viray
house. The Punsalang house is Marine barracks "themed" surrounded by a
chain link in yellow & red. The Viray house looks the same as when I
left. A LtCol lives there. I pass the Suratos/Ruiz houses & both looks
like they are not yet fully occupied.  The Pizarro/Varona/de leon
quarters pretty much also look the same. Gen. Espinosa's place is
occupied by Gen. Saban & is fully functional.


At this point I remember the eviction day. Marine and Navy Officers
were kicking down doors. I remember going down 3rd Row saying  goodbye
to neighbors like Beachy Viray, Mrs. de Leon, Gen. Ruiz, Commo.
Pizarro, Adm. Perez, Ina, the Varona family & Tic-tac Butchoy.

I slow down reaching the end of the road & turn right. It seems my
scoot was on auto pilot.


The Paredes Quarters looks the same. The happy hour tent is still
there.  Adm. Garrido's quarter is still unoccupied.

I see the FOIC's place. My heart stops. I say to myself "You will go
back to see a house that is no longer yours. No longer your family's.
You can go back & visit again when you are ready."



I say again to myself after a long, long time. "Navy, Fight".

My house now faces the parking lot. It is fully renovated. The side
door is now officially the main door. Clean. It has been landscaped a
little.  My heart skips a beat. I stop and stare. Memories flood. I
remember the 25 candles I lit the night before the eviction. No one
was home.


I enter 1st Row. It looks the same. The Maligalig house even looks
like it got a paint job. The rest of the houses seem unoccupied.

I enter 2nd Row. It still looks the same. The Cassilian/Codera house
just do not have much plants anymore. I see Royet's lola at the porch
of the Subida quarters. The Santos residence still has the small up
front house.

I turn back. I enter 4th Row. It looks the same. The Panes/Gallos
place also has lesser plants. Mrs. Panes was tending her smaller
garden. I see the Wong place (I stayed there for about 3 weeks after
eviction), It has been remodelled. It now looks like a spaceship. No
kidding.

The Guzman/Patino/Torres place looks kinda bare w/o the plants & the
gazebo.  The Gojo/Manlongat quarters look exactly the same.

I go to the pool.. Tita Cora or Mrs. Guzman were not there because the
store is operated by someone else. I chose not to grab a snack.


Passing the church I noticed a big wake. I realize it was for Adm.
Baylon. I swing by & extend my condolences to Cheryl's family. Jigger
was arriving that day.  I met Mrs Fajardo & chatted a bit on life
after the village.


It turns out that Adm. Mayuga also swung by earlier. The Old Navy
Ladies that were there were not too fond of his arrival. That's
understandable. It just goes to show that our eviction was not
personal.  Even though it hurt us so much, the people who evicted us
were just under orders. The Navy was just firm. We just had to go.

I saddle up & get ready to go. I have been in the village about an
hour. In that time I realize that I had no sad feelings, animosity or
hatred. Despite all my hardships that I had to endure after the
eviction, I felt no ill feelings.  Just memories.  Mostly happy.  That
entire time, I had a breathe of fresh air, a positive vibe. I felt a
sort of peace within. Relief. It was like going back to my old school,
knowing where everything was and at the same time it was either still
there or no longer anymore.

At that time it was close to sunset. I climb on my scoot.  I smile.

After almost a year, l went back home.


"Another aerorplane, Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know.  But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home

Let me go home. I'm just too far, from where you are
I wanna come home…."



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Michael Buble'