Obituary - Danilo Flores Santiago

My brother, Danilo Flores Santiago, died 23rd July 2009 at the age of 44 while in Maria Reyna Hospital, Cagayan de Oro City, after a short illness. We held his funeral service today 1st August 2009 in Talakag Baptist Church followed by internment at the Santiago Memorial Garden.

Danny was born on 6th August 1964 in Cagayan de Oro City to Gloria and Ferminito Santiago, and brother to Tess, Lulu, Carlos, Junior, Leo and Julie. He was married to Rosalyn Imperio and they raised 2 sons, Winston and Robinson.

“Danny was one of the kindest people you could ever meet and he will be sorely missed.”

RIP: Mr Alfredo Tampo

Mr Alfredo Tampo died suddenly last Sunday after suffering a heart attack in the Plaza, Talakag, Bukidnon. After an overnight wake in Barangay 1 Hall, his body was transferred to Malaybalay City where the funeral was held today. He will be sorely missed by his Talakag friends, work colleagues and students.

Acrobatic Show in Talakag

Thousands came to watch the “New Millennium Acrobatic Show” in the Gym, Talakag Public Plaza during the Valentine’s Weekend. The group is normally based in Baguio City but is currently on tour around the country. Mr Randil F. Villajuan, the instructor/manager, promised to put on the “best show for the family” for only 20 pesos per person. True to his word, the performers delivered and featured different acrobatic formations. Clowns with their usual tricks entertained the crowd during intervals.

I thought that the balancing acts were very good. What made them more thrilling was the absence of safety nets. They were so daring that some people were willing the acrobats not to fall; while others were shouting for more stunts. A child behind me was praying loudly “Oh God! Please keep them safe” and another woman said that she could feel her toes curling under her chair hoping that such act would help the acrobats concentrate and cling on the tight rope. The danger factor certainly kept the crowd’s attention.

By 11:00 pm the show was over and everyone left (on foot, on bicyles or aboard trisikads, motorelas, trucks, vans, jeepneys, etc) with their own stories to tell. When in Talakag, you can’t help but go along to public entertainment (such as this) as part of your social engagements, otherwise you would miss out on what everyone is talking about. Of course, I was there! It was full house. My advice for the future events like this is get there early and bring your own chair. Also position yourself well away from the entrance as late comers tend to push themselves in and can block your view.

Seno and Baiting Wedding

Sherwin Seno (son of Mr. Wilfredo D. Seno and Mrs. Susan D. Seno) married Cynthia Mae Baiting (daughter of the late P/Supt. Amilhamja M. Baiting and Mrs. Nemesia B. Baiting) last month in San Antonio de Padua Parish Church, Nazareth Cagayan de Oro City. The wedding reception was held in Pearlmont Inn, Limketkai Drive, Cagayan de Oro City.

Congratulations to the newly weds and best wishes for your future together.

It is worth noting that Cynthia Mae’s older sister, Amiliza, has traveled all the way from Abu Dhabi to be her Maid of Honor.

We were pleased to have been invited to the wedding of Sherwin and Cynthia Mae, children of very close friends. This occasion also enabled me to be reunited with other long lost friends that I haven’t seen for ages. Don’t you just love weddings?

Christmas and New Year in Talakag

First of all I would like to apologise to everyone, who have been following Talbuks Cafe, for failing to update this Blog regularly as promised. For the last three months I have been busy organising our relocation back to Talakag. Finally we have arrived (yeheyyyy!) and starting to settle into rural living.

Yes I know! - Christmas and New Year celebrations are well over - but I couldn’t get back into blogging again without sharing my observations of Christmas and New Year in Talakag as a returning resident. Better late than never - so please bear with me.

The Catholic church bells ringing early in the morning for the nine days of “misa de gallo” have now been replaced by very loud music (I think it’s by Jose Marie Chan but I’m not sure). As I live quite close to the plaza, this is something that I will have to get used to.

Nowadays the Christmas Basketball League is played in the newly built covered Gym in the Plaza - so the games can go on rain or shine! The players seem to be taller than I can remember. What are they feeding these youngsters nowadays? I believe the winning team was Miarayon.

The Christmas Carol Singing Contest is getting really serious - with professional trainers hired for music and choreography, even the judging criteria has become tougher than ever. The winners were from Barangay 2, who also won it last year. As for the Christmas Lantern Contest, the entries are getting more creative and the designs becoming bolder.

One thing new to me this time is the Christmas Tree Decoration Contest. The trees around the Plaza were decorated with various lights, lanterns and other trimmings of different colours and sizes. What a sight!

New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Plaza started with a Dance Contest, followed by a Fancy Dress Contest and then by midnight - a loud and colourful Fireworks Display (courtesy of the Mayor and LGU) was witnessed by a cheering crowd. Nowadays, the sounds of firecrackers seem normal. These were forbidden in the celebrations that we have awhile back in the 80’s - one could end up in prison if caught in the act. How times have changed!

Best Wishes for 2009!

Growing Papaya Commercially in Talakag

Papaya is a fruit that has always been taken for granted just because it is abundant and easy to grow. They are commonly consumed as fruits for dessert or as vegetables (while still green) for various recipes in tinolas, achara, etc. I believe even its leaves and seeds have medicinal properties. While usually grown from our humble backyard gardens, nowadays they are commercially grown in Talakag, Bukidnon as profitable enterprise too. So far, I have only visited two papaya plantations here in Talakag (one is in San Antonio just a stone’s throw away from the Kabalangasan river, while the other is in San Roque just across Bethany Christian School) but they are fast becoming a popular venture. Not only is commercial papaya fruit a key ingredient for canned fruit cocktails and preserves; concentrates for juice and smoothies; but in the last decade has become a vital raw material for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Just Passing Through

Truckloads of army were seen in Talakag this week. No cause for alarm though – they’re just passing through and on their way to patrol and secure the Bukidnon boundaries in the aftermath of the recent attacks in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato by the MILF.

Bukidnon Online News also reported last week that:

“The Provincial Board of Bukidnon has recently passed a resolution protesting the inclusion of one of Bukidnon's barangays (Barangay Pamotolan in Kalilangan) in the proposed territory of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).

The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order against the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).”

The Bukidnon towns of Talakag, Kalilangan and Pangantucan borders Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato respectively. So it is indeed understandable why it's important to have a visible army presence around these areas.

Photo by Bobby Timonera