THE STORY OF FIVE MONTHS - A PERSPECTIVE AFTER 31 YEARS (EPILOGUE)

Epilogue

The 31 Years After

Sunrise at Balbalan. Taken from Sheena Tangdol FB

When we left Balbalan, I have kept my contact with my foster family. The younger sisters of Manang Andi, Noreen and Roner stayed with us in La Union for some time. Noreen is now a full-pledged teacher. Nanang Remy died of stroke and so is Chief. We call Manang Andi, the chief as she is the eldest in the family. She died recently because of hemorrhagic stroke. We reconnected with her niece who is now a married lady and has a family of her own. I have also reconnected also with Noreen and Nico. The advances in communications through social media had really made the re-connection easier. Our midwife assistant Lucy whom we have called Bilib also had passed on and we remember her for the laughter and joy that we had shared together when we did our work there. Dr. Olidan died of cancer and her husband also followed suit. I was told that their beautiful house on a hill was left empty. 

 

An overview of the present Salegseg
Photo taken from Balbalan.com

Ampy passed her NCLEX and is now with her husband in Texas and she now has a family. Her daughter is also a nurse like her. I was told they had a short visit last April. Manong Karyo, the village chieftain I was told had also passed on. He died just two years after we have left. I can always remember his goodness. Ka Batiti took advantage of the amnesty for the rebels. He had a very beautiful family together with Sanja. He works with government now. Father Balweg was assassinated and later on his other priest comrade was reportedly killed also by fellow revolutionaries. I have no news about Ka Niogan. 

The Catholic Church in Salegseg, Balbalan

As to the doctors involved in my story, Rocco became a well-known surgeon in the Visayas. Chita worked with the World Health organization. Rizel became a pediatrician and went into community and school health. I met Dr. KZ Tan when we were both awarded the European Union - ASEAN Scholarship and had advanced studies in Italy. Dr. Tan went to Public Health Specialization while I did my fellowship in Hepatobiliary Surgery at the University of Bologna. We met and travelled Italy on several occasions. He is now connected with NGO work related to public health. We do get in touch with one another through FB. I learned from Dr. Tan that there were other younger people than us that went into medicine and they are doing well in their chosen specialties. 

On a EU-ASEAN Scholarship in Italy

 I went to developmental work as well as in clinical surgery. I worked in Kosrae, Micronesia for 10 years until I got sick of an autoimmune disease – a disease that is ravaging my physical body. I also had diabetes mellitus Type 2 and hypertension. Due to the complications of the diseases that beset me, I was bedridden for two years and was slowly recovering from the onslaught of illness.

The Citrus tristeza virus effects. The leaves undergo chlorosis and the trunks starts drying and dying

The tasty Kalinga orange was almost wiped out by the Citrus virus. Only a few trees survived the onslaught of the viral disease. New technology was being adopted to increase the resistance of the plant to the plant viruses. Coffee is having a second life. Kalinga coffee is now being promoted and marketed in a wider sphere. Hopefully, these efforts will revive the fledgling source of economy of the Kalingas. Pottery, weaving and tribal accessories are still not a focus for promoting Kalinga, unlike in the Mountain Province and Benguet where this is already an industry.  

The Kalinga Blend being marketed as a high end coffee brew

The municipal hall has become a beautiful building - big and strong. There is also a hostel that would be visitors could use to stay. The church has become very beautiful. It is now made of concrete. The plaza had been improved for the yearly celebrations. The lonely pathway to Gawaan was widened and paved until the hanging bridge. The hanging bridge almost gave way during the last strong typhoon recently. There are so many two story houses made of concrete in Gawaan now. I failed to ask if there are still thatched roof houses. Buaya can be reached through the Pinukpok side with a better road and vehicles reaching the place. The national roads may have improved a bit but there are still areas which are unpaved and become muddy during the rainy season. I am not privy about the peace and order situation in the area now. But it might have changed too. Many bloggers have written about how beautiful Kalinga in general. Tourism is increasing because of the popularity of Apo Whang-od of Buscalan, Tinglayan. Time had changed. But the sturdy Kalinga had shown they can weather the years. 

The present Balbalan Municipal hall
Photo taken from Balbalan.com

Our planned reunion which had been postponed for so many times may not materialize anymore. I am too weak to walk and scale the mountains of Balbalan. These memoirs of Balbalan would be etched in my mind all the rest of my life. If dementia would set in, at least I have written it and have memorialized it here.

The Balbalan Hostel
Photo from Balbalan.com

I recently talked to one of the boys who used to join and guide us in our treks. I was so happy to learn he is now in Canada. I had connected with the girl we used to carry on our back. He was not a year-old before. Now she is married and had two beautiful children. She is inviting us to join them on April. Social media is really such a wonder since it connected people from our past. 

I have a lot of stories to tell. But every time I narrate them, I realiize that it is not just my story alone. It is their story too. My story had become OUR story. 

(P.S.: If the pictures are not attributed to a website or a person, it is mine. Those who own the pictures I have used and does not want to appear in this blog, please e-mail me at rqmallari60@gmail.com and I would be more than willing to remove them. Thank you.)