By Taga Ibaan Ako
The lines on their faces show how far they've come. Old age has forced them to stay home after tirelessly shepherding the family.
Ka Peping, a native of Brgy. Mabini, Lipa City and Brgy. Sampaga, Batangas City, due to lung failure, has long retired from driving his jeepney for almost 30 years. His jeepney, the first in Brgy. Munting Tubig, along with that of Ka Rading Porillo's jeepney, has taken residents to distance and places from Aparri to Bataan, earning their living as traveling merchants (maglalako). Rain or shine, he would drive for and fetch students going to St. James Academy or Talaibon National Highschool. If it might not be too much to say, Ka Peping and his jeepney were the barangay's pillars of socio-economic development.
Ka Atang, on the other hand, was a strict public elementary school having taught at former Munting Tubig Elementary School, now Gregorio Sison Memorial Elementary School. Together with her sister Florencia Sison and Mrs. Rosing Ilagan, Ka Atang was was a pioneer teacher in the said school. Not even her children were spared from her stick and old Spanish style of teaching during elementary days. She then transferred to Ibaan Central School where she had her retirement some 10 years ago.
Currently, both of them stays in Sito Sta. Margarita, Munting Tubig, Ibaan, Batangas. Ka Atang busy herself by rearing her grand daughter and grand son, at the same time cultivate their backyard by planting agricultural crops. Ka Peping, slowed down by his sickness, can hardly walk around the place and takes time resting from life's long journey to silver hair.
(Their autobiographies are currently being written.)
No comments:
Post a Comment