Bandilyo Abaknon

I failed to meet them the first time I went to Seoul last March. That’s why I really made sure that our paths cross this time. We met after the mass at the Hyewadong Catholic Church, where most of the Pinoys in Korea converge during sundays. Carlo and Amboy work here via the Employment Permit System (EPS) of the government through POEA. So far, their stay has been good. Carlo is the son of Leony (Yoning) and Senando Manaog and is a known basketball player in Capul. Amboy (Rhegor) on the other hand is the soft-spoken, hard-working (mayaman nayto he he) son of Mrs. Lita Penaranda. (with some of their friends at work)

Just like many other overseas Capulenos, she too is a regular visitor of Bandilyo Abaknon. She hails from Aguin and is the daugther of "Nalding and Yolly" Ortego. She graduated from CAIS in 1989 and is now residing in New Hampshire, USA. She works at USPS (United States Postal Service). In the pictures are her daughter Mikayla, boyfriend Brian, Mother, sister Salve and brother Neil.

I remember him from our elementary days as one of my regular adversaries during academic competitions. Needless to say, he is one the more brainy guys of my generation. He would have graduated with us in High School, but I guess he is part of Batch ’87. George hails from Aguin. He graduated from Makati University and used to work with Evergreen Shipping in Manila . His vast experience in the shipping industry recently brought him to Luba , Equatorial Guinea where he is now based. He works with Total Logistic Consulting, a Swiss-owned company. He is its Operations Executive. Sounds big time, eh? He is scheduled to go back to the Philippines for a one-month vacation come September.

I visited her in her husband’s place, Owariasahi (near Nagoya) over the weekend. And it felt good seeing a kababayan doing well in a foreign land, accepted as she is by the family that made her feel like she was their own. She is married to a gentle and devoted guy, Hiroki Nishizawa. And theirs is a love story worth retelling. They met when she first worked here in a factory. Falling in love, Hiroki-San pursued her and continued even when she went home to finish her college course. After her graduation, he couldn’t wait any further and offered marriage. They were married in elaborate Japanese style last February. Having been in Japan for about two years, Zhyrer now seems well-adjusted to the Japanese life. She has studied Nihonggo and her constant exposure to the language now shows in the fluency of her speech. Zhyrer is the daughter of Beb Esperas-Ruiz (dadi na Muno Arthur and Mana Tasing of the Artas fame). ( Wala lang. Gusto ko lang i-post yung Japanese food na nilantakan ko during...

We’re now just a few exciting days to it. Pira namok paturi, patron na! For me, the town fiesta always evokes vivid childhood and adolescent memories. Medyo, gae na gayud ako kapamatron during the later years. Now here’s something I wanna do. Why don’t we make a running post? Let’s answer the question: What are your fondest memories of the fiesta? You can e-mail your thoughts to me, or write your comments below. Kinahanglan ag pakilala. Let me start: I remember that a few days before the fiesta, tuda na irisipay kun pira na i sitsirya manakka. Day iya I major news for the day si mga batan-on! - aryo Ngan Grade six, agkatibus-tibusan gayud kita English paghimo theme writing "Our Town Fiesta". he he - aryo "Matabbol namay sito sabakon,pero y adda gayod pakakapattawa kun sarayaw na kay panagitsit naynan pa pamok si tukar ralahiay na; lol or ung mga maparaan ari si dammurihan na si dangkanda hehehe ambot inaanto ha tingale through text na like "wer na u?" "d2 ...

View Larger Map Capul looked so peaceful from high up the skies. Too bad, Google doesn't have zoom facilities in the area yet. It would have been nice checking how things are going in our beloved hometown from an amazingly different viewpoint.