GUBAT, SORSOGON, A COMPILATION OF MEMOIRS OF MY TOWN

My Hometown

Whenever I go home to my town I always think of my life before in the 50's and through the 70's. There is always a heightened feeling of nostalgia as I arrived in my town. The moment I approached and passed the road from Carriedo and Payawin going down to a long stretch of a straight road of Naduyan in San Ignacio, passing St. Anthony Academy to the left with vast rice fields from left and right, my excitement quivers me. Straight ahead is our main road, Manook Street going directly to our poblacion.

San Ignacio

tGubat Plaza

There is a mixed feeling of guilt, sadness, happiness and longing as I recalled my childhood, puberty and to manhood. Many of us who have left our town living or settled in another place and to come home once a while visiting the place of our past is one way of rekindling our link and bond with our town. We also come home to meet our loved ones, relatives, friends, classmates and the many places that have enriched our lives. Memories being meaningful in our life can be a source of joy and inspiration. Let me share with you some stories I have compiled and the many places of my town. I hope you will like it.

Map of our town, Gubat, Sorsogon

HOW OUR TOWN GOT ITS NAME 

Gubat is a beautiful laid back town located at the southern most tip of the Bicol Peninsula in the province of Sorsogon. It has many fine beaches with white sands facing the Pacific Ocean. As narrated to me by my grandmother, Lola Nila in my younger days, Gubat is a word that derived from a bicol and visayan dialect which means "raid."

Long time ago, Moro Pirates from far south of the Mindanao archipelago sailed their "Paraws," raiding many coastal towns in Luzon, burning villages, annihilating people and ransacking everything in sight. When there was a raid, fishermen who volunteered as lookout on the shores of our town would shout, "Gubat!, Gubat!, Gubat!" at the sight of the raiding moros disembarking from their Paraws. They ran as fast as they could warning the people. As a matter of fact this word came to stuck as the name of our venerable place, Gubat, my Town!

Let me add some facts of history of our town as I read from a source of reference in an old Fiesta Souvenir program. Gubat was actually a barrio of Bulusan which was famous because of its active volcano, the idyllic Mt. Bulusan. Gubat was declared town by the Spanish government in June 13, 1764 and became a part of the province of Albay. It became a parish in June 13, 1771 under the administration of Fr. Geronimo Cabello, our first Parish Priest, a religious Spanish Franciscan missionary. June 13, being the feast day honoring St. Anthony de Padua.

St Anthony de Padua

ST. ANTHONY de PADUA, GUBAT, SORSOGON

Another story of my Lola Nila Acuna about the raids of moro pirates was a beautiful story which she heard from her parents. This narrative which she was always telling anyone many times of the miracle of St. Anthony de Padua, our Patron saint. In the story, as the Moros had just disembarked from their boats from the shores of our town in the place near our old town hall, when suddenly, out of the blue, a man dressed in a monk's cape appeared in front of them.

My Cousin Alberto Acuna with the statue of St Anthony at the entrance of the church

The moros seeing this man, without any fear or distress at their sight, were filled with surprise. The man motioned his leg and started kicking the sand continuously towards them creating an awesome force of deluge of sand hitting the moros. By this account, the moros started to flee with great fright on their boats and never came back. St. Anthony de Padua was the man in monk's cape. The Gubatnons were great devotees of this Franciscan saint who protected our town through his miracles.

WHY IS ST. ANTHONY HOLDING THE CHILD JESUS?

Apparently, when I was a child everytime I entered our Parish Church to hear mass my eyes would definitely brought my attention and focus to the beautiful image of St. Anthony holding the Child Jesus. It was my favorite site located near the front door at the left area where the post of the second floor of the choir loft was located. I always stopped by for a few moments just to pray, meditate and admire his beautiful image and the goodness of this Franciscan saint carrying the Child Jesus. Until I grew up this was the question that I was trying to find out why is St. Anthony is always depicted to be holding the Child Jesus and why is this so? Artists who would portray St. Anthony and the Child in a friendly and likable manner that is so appealing and very sentimental for everyone to look at.

However, there is a very popular story I have read somewhere about Franciscan historians explaining the story of the custom but advised it to be some sort of a legend rather than a historical fact. According to the version, Count Tiso who had a Castle near Padua where he put up a chapel and a hermitage for the friars at the grounds of the castle. St. Anthony went there toward the end of his life and spent time in prayer in one of the hermit cells.

One night, suddenly his cell filled up with light. Jesus appeared in the form of a little child to Anthony. Passing by the hermitage, the Count saw the light shining from the room and Anthony, communicating with the infant. The Count fell to his knees upon seeing this wondrous sight and as soon as the vision ended, Anthony saw the Count at the door. He begged to the Count not to reveal what he had seen until after his death. Whether the story is true or a legend, it teaches us of the truth of St. Anthony, our patron saint

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The Saint Anthony Parish Church

The St Anthony de Padua Parish Church Altar

The CWL of Gubat in the 60s. Lola Nila Acuna is at the last row, 3rd from the left. On her right is Lola Dosia Erestain, Lola Masa Embile of Bulacao, is 6th from the left, last row; Lola Talen Figueras, first, front row; Mrs Fulay, 3rd, front row; next, Mrs Banares?; Sor Adela, DC; Lola Mary Apdal, 3rd from the right. For others who could identify other persons here in the photo, please email me or comment on my post. Thank you.

Our church was very near our ancestral home in Mabini street. Apparently, during the latter part of the 60's when I was in the elementary and in my first year high school at St Anthony Academy, I was practically involved in many church activities. I was a member of the Legion of Mary and then I became an acolyte for a number of years. My grandmother, Lola Nila Acuna was a CWL and was assigned by the parish to oversee the Miraculous Virgin Mary's "urnas" spreaded out through the town. I was her constant companion in all those sorties collecting the monthly offerings in all the barrios.

An undated procession of the feast of The Miraculous Medal at our church with Msgr. Ramen as the officiating priest. The little boy in front is me with my Lola Nila at my left. On her left was Lola Ines Esporlas. On my right was Oscar Peralta. On extreme right was Espot Escurel Encinas.

It was also in the early 60s when the church's construction was in progress as the church's main altar and two chapels were renovated to the present structure. Marble tiles were laid out and replaced from the old terra cota tiles. The church's ceiling was also painted and adorned with the Holy Trinity, the four evangelists and the Immaculate Conception. As a child I gazed and admired the beautiful paintings at the ceiling. The painting of the Immaculate Conception was a copy from Bartolome Murillo at the Prado in Madrid, Spain.

Paksiw na Butlog

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RUSTIC GASTRONOMY

I remember my childhood years in my town in Gubat, Sorsogon in the 50s and through the 60s. I was living with my grandmother with fond memories of the many foods that I have grown with and loved to eat. These are prepared from our bucolic kitchen in our home. My maternal grandmother, Lola Nila Acuna concocted her culinary skills handed down from her parents. She could have learned also from the traditional way of cooking that we Gubatnons followed for a long time. In my growing years, we followed simply a healthy living by eating a simple flair of daily meals on our antique narra table; it may consist mainly of fish, shellfish, pork, chicken and the many vegetables grown in our backyard or bought from "Maritatasan"(vegetable stalls) in the Public Market. Coconut was our primary delectable catalyst in preparing most of our dishes. Coconut is endemic to our place and one of the main livelihood of the Gubatnons. Expect a coconut concoction on every meal and dessert prepared on our table. 

In those days pork and beef were only prepared on Saturdays and Sundays. It is a special treat of every family or on special occasions like fiestas or weddings. Everyone can reserve for a piece of meat to their meat vendor in the Market Plaza early in the morning. I usually ordered our beef for our "bistek," (a delicious beef recipe) from Tio Piping Esporlas who was a relative of my dear Lola. She used to make a delicious "Tapa," tied up to a rope at the post near the ceiling. When she liked to cook some, she just cut a piece of meat prepared for our meal. She also prepared an adobo recipe without the vinegar, packed in a bottle with lots of pork fats preserved for a long time. We also had a huge antique "tapayan" (chinese vase) that my Lola preserved her Santol jam or salted "Kuyog" (small Siganid or Danggit fish)

Shrimp Suaje

Our kitchen's design was of a simple construction traditionally seen on every kitchen of Gubatnons in the olden days. It was made from a suspended wooden pit covered with soil plus the accumulated ashes from the countless burnings of firewood from the clay stove at the center. Above the kitchen pit, was a shelf connected to a wall stocked with clay pots and casseroles of different sizes. Underneath was a supply of firewood and dried coconut shells gathered from our farm brought by my cousins or bought from the market. A "bakay" (pandan basket) with half full of pili nuts taken from leftovers of "linanta na pili" placed near the corner of the kitchen. These Pili nuts were a treat on my afternoon snacks. 

Above the stove was a rattan basket tied to a wooden beam at the extended kitchen ceiling where my Lola used to keep our leftovers at lunch or at dinner. It is interesting to note that this idea could be very efficient in those days when refs were still scarce. Food will not spoil for safekeeping that neither rats nor ants troubled us at all. Beside the kitchen, to the right, was our "banggerahan" (kitchen sink) with bamboo grills and water faucet. There was a bowl that we used for cleaning the dishes that we would discard the soiled water down below to the ground. This was also the place where we stored our cutlery, drinking glasses, kitchen accessories and the "Biso" (Water Vase) where we stored our cold fresh drinking water.

Santo Intiero Carrosa at Good Friday procession

OUR TOWN IN SEMANA SANTA

I received my first Holy Communion and Confirmation in the church. I also studied at St. Anthony Academy located at the left wing of the church in my first year high school before transferring to the present site in Cogon. I had many happy memories of the church. I always ruminate the activities in Lent doing the stations of the cross and my Lola piously singing the "Pasyon".

During Holy Week I would recall the procesion of the Santo Intiero and the Via Dolorosa at night and eventually the "Dagit" at dawn on Easter Sunday where the resurrection of Jesus was reenacted. I also remember how the swallows, birds that fly gracefully inside the church perched on the edges of the ceilings, It could be annoying and distracting to many but to me as a kid, it was a fascinating show of the marvel of flight. It was actually my first study of flight. I could not forget also the beautiful and realistic statue of St. Anthony holding the Child Jesus at the left side of the main door of the church.

The belfry Bells
"The chime of the bells has the power to amaze, to charm, to warn, to frighten and to lift our spirit"

We had the most beautiful and incomparable tones of the 3 big bells up in our belfry of our church that could be heard miles away. The timbre was right to the pitch with best quality of resonance of a bell sound. The chime of the bells have the power to amaze, to charm, to warn, to frighten and to lift our spirit. Our church being the center of our town as we focused our ears to hear the bells for our time, mass alarms, fire alarms etc . . The tones were beautiful to the ears with melancholic and joyous tones. With explicit timing of intervals of ringing it could define a particular function of tones on any occasion.

Taken at Sorsogon Cathedral with my fellow Gubatnons in an undated photo. I am the boy at the front with my Lola Nila Acuna holding me. I guess it was To Pidoy Enaje who took this picture because the medium was in B&W.

At Angelus, it sounded solemn yet heavenly. Every Gubatnon, whatever he or she was doing, as the bell rang at 6 pm at dusk, would stop and face the church with reverence and prayed


At the Consecration of the Mass, the ringing sounded to be divine. At the alarm for the invitation to Mass, the urgency of the sound forced us to rush or for any rite inside the church that was familiar to most us. Then, there were the joyous ringings of these bells such as in Gloria in Excelcis Deo, Wedding rite, Te Deum, and Fiesta. All the three bells were tolled with the rapid and sporadic interval of ringings of the two small bells together with the interval ringing of the big bell.

I have never heard any sound of bells anywhere better than our Church bells in all my life. When I was 13, with my buddies we learned to toll these 3 giant bells. We had the difficulty of climbing up the unstable and rickety wooden stairs up in the belfry risking our lives. However, I felt sad when I went home in the 70s when the tones of the bells in the belfry sounded very different and awful until I learned that it was sold and replaced by the parish priest.


LOLA NILA ACUNA

I used to live in Mabini Street, near the center of our town. This is where I have stayed for 14 years of my life, living with my grandmother, Lola Nila Acuna.. Since my grandmother was the only survivor among her family, as all her parents and siblings have already been deceased; naturally, she became the matriarch or the surrogate of her clan. All the family's estates in Bulacao have already been divided among her siblings; and then passed on to their children as well. So she was living on the benevolence and charity of all her nephews and nieces, including my mother. But I could remember that she was well respected by her family as she was always obeyed and followed.

When she died in 1968 I was 16 and by that time, I was no longer with her. I left her in 1966 when I followed my mother in the city to study. There was this big issue of who should get the property because she died a spinster. There was no will written that was made before she died, So, in legal terms, all her nieces and nephews were all the legal heirs to the property in Mabini. Well, to make the story short, they have settled among themselves on the consensus that whoever supported, clothed and fed her while she was still living should get the property.

Dankalan Beach

DANKALAN BEACH

Dankalan Beach, was my favorite beach when I was young, located at the south eastern cove of the town in the area between Pinontingan and Ariman facing the Pacific Ocean to the east. It was a walking distance to our ancestral house in Mabini street. The beach has white sand and particularly long as seen here in the photo. The water is shallow with rock formations at the bottom to step on it when the tide was beginning to rise. This is also the place where fishermen catch fish by the use of a long big net comprising of two large boats encircling an area of fish, we call it "Sensoro."

Further south, the Buenavista, the place before reaching the famous Rizal Beach, is a beach cove with particular note, big surfing waves that could thrill swimmers and especially surfers but this place is a killer as many perished at the undertow of big waves pulling swimmers to the deep. When I was in Grade One, the BSP National Jamboree was held in Buenavista, in Camp Estonanto, two boy scouts were drowned swimming in the area where undertow was particularly strong.

The Gubat Central Elementary School

 GUBAT CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

I hope I could still recall our school, however, I will describe it if my memory served me right. The main structure, the Gabaldon Building, was the forerunner of the modern school buildings of today. The place included a big ball ground at the south side or for any school activity with a long school building at the far end. At the eastern side, Mabini street's dead end, that is the street fronting the school in this photo was our former Municipal Hall, the Court of first Instance and the Municipal Jail. To the right of the Municipal Hall was the Monreal Building, a very old building made of stone where we attended our class in Pilipino under Miss Javier when I was in Grade 5.

To the left of the town hall was our Arts and Trade building where we learned to make handicrafts, weaving some baskets or driftwood book stand, etc. .under Mr. Sanez and fronting the building was our garden where we learned to plant pechay, mongo and peanuts under Mr. Eugenio Bobiles, our neighbor in Mabini Street. Some of my mentors in my school were Mrs. Espaldon, who went to US when I was in Grade 2, Mrs. Totanez, Mrs Estayan, Mr. and Mrs. Ragos, Mrs. Peralta, Mrs. Villaroya, and Miss Estipona.

Rizal Beach

RIZAL BEACH, GUBAT, SORSOGON

Whenever we compare Boracay and Rizal Beach with my townmates, they could never accede to the fact that Boracay is more beautiful in every respect than our Rizal Beach I would never support my townmates for their silly idea, anyway because I might predispose myself or a bias in their judgement but considering that we have a photo here. You could judge it for yourself. . . .You will surely pass my old town, Gubat before reaching the famous Rizal Beach going south. It was featured in international travel books and magazines. To the tourists, beach lovers and first timers, Rizal Beach is really a wonderful place to go and swim and enjoy for a family outing or just for fun specially in summer.

In my younger days, I always regularly swim with my friends and buddies. Unfortunately, I have not been to the place for a decade now. The place was transformed commercially where hotels, lodges and shops were built all around. The place is also a big area of beach cove linking Buenavista and Dankalan if you move north. It has white sand and the water is shallow that will allow the family and especially the children to wade and play and frolic.

With one particular caution, jelly fish, "salabay", as we locally call it abound and flourish on the northern portion of the beach. They can be fatal if it stings the swimmer. They mate in the afternoon and everyone is warned to avoid the place. If you wish to go to the place for assistance, please contact, Mrs. Elisa F. Marasigan of Gubat Pharmacy.

Coro Coro

 ON THE ROAD TO MANHOOD IN GUBAT, SORSOGON

I originally came from Gubat, Sorsogon. I spent my childhood there. I just love remembering the summers during school breaks. These were the times when I learned many things as I was growing up. It brought comforts of the simplicity of life in the province. Neither frills nor luxury and anything fancy in my everyday life. I enjoyed simply on anything I liked.

Unlike today in the age of ipods and mobile phones when kids carry these gadgets to enjoy going around. I grew up with my friends, buddies and classmates as normal boys growing up in the province. I always enjoy the company of my dear old cousin, Manoy Berting Acuna and Manay Nayda during Summers. I loved walking in rice paddies and the rice fields with my cousin, Manay Nene "Leonisa" Faune in Pangdan, Bulacao. We love collecting rice that were not gathered in the harvest and were left behind to be fed to the birds or any of us to gather and save for our extra money to buy candies or any stuff for our "baon" to attend "Flores de Mayo at the Chapel in Bulacao. I also loved to swim in "Palapay" - a shallow river with a small dam near the Bulacao Elementary School with Manoy Totoy Pura and with the many boys from the barrio who liked to learn how to swim. It was really an enjoyable experiences as I grew up bonding and interacting with all my cousins in the barrio as we enjoyed all summer. As I remember those times in my youth, I tried to reminisce to all my relatives what we did in those times. 

Pangdan, Bulacao

PANGDAN, BULACAO, GUBAT, SORSOGON

However, I always feared the presence of snakes everywhere. We always had long walks especially in those times when the road would not link directly to our farm. It was far away and tiring that we often passed some houses of relatives before reaching our farm. Being young, I always imagined snakes crawling or creeping on the ground ready to attack me. Cobra was the most feared snake in our place. Snakebites were common in those times and it killed many people every year.

Every time I passed these holes in the road sides and especially a hole on a mound of a hill. I knew that it was a snake pit. I was just as scared as hell and ready to run. So every time I passed a thick clump of bushes or even in an open area of a grassy field, I always prepared and carry a long bamboo stick hitting anything as I walked and moved around. As a result, I remained unscathed and and have not encountered any snake for the rest of my life. The bamboo stick was the most effective and the safest way in driving the snakes. It relieved my fear and saved my life, I guess. It was a memorable experience when I was young, an experience on the road to manhood.

Pusiw

NOTE: This blogpost is a compilation of my stories of my town in my youth. I started on the last paragraph with the topic "On the road to manhood". Then I added every topic with many stories that suited my I interest especially my memories of my grandmother, Lola Nila Acuna, St Anthony, local foods, my activities in the church, school, the beaches of our town and so on. Thank you!