By the Jal-o River

Some dear friends have been asking how far have I progressed in my research of our local history and I answered vaguely, "I'm still hiking along the muddy trail of Guanko". The research commenced in 1998 under the administration of Mayor Bobby Calizo when Balete was considering the centennial celebration of the so called "El Tiroteo de Agtawagon", literally, "The Skirmish in the Hill of Agtawagon" but was popularized as "The Battle of Agtawagon". The officials then were hard put in conceptualizing what sort of celebration they ought to launch for lack of materials (historical data) to work on. They recalled that the teachers had some stage play presented regaling that "glorious past" but when the teachers admitted that that was but a product of a pregnant imagination, they hesitated to proceed. They thus resorted to organizing a research team which they divided into two. The first was consisted by Ng. Mila Jimera Andrade, then Vice

I smile to myself realizing the civil war happening inside. I've been there for quite a number of time. Precisely that at the onset of its becoming, I readily recognize it. I smile because I am happy. I also smile because I am wary. I smile because I sense my weakness arising. That's the way I express myself, ever since. I am happy to have met you. I am excited knowing you each new day. I am glad that our roads have crossed. But I am wary. I am not sure how intimate we could become. I can tolerate becoming acquainted. I do not know if I can handle gut level conversations with you. I am afraid of becoming familiar. I am afraid of being defined. I am becoming. If you managed to define me, then I fear that I have ceased growing. Your Monalisa smile will make me paranoid. What does it mean? Does it mean that I am known by you? Does it mean that death is nearing my door?

As morning breaks I look to you, O God, to be my strength this day. Alleluia. ( Ps. 63 )

My bolano has just uploaded a magnificent panoramic frame of some antiquated posts at the heart of the Balete Town Plaza. Then, he wondered out loud what they represent or what they used to be in their heydays. Most of my contemporaries remember the "structures" just as that--four pillars guarding quietly and indiscriminately the playground from the pedestrians and motorists passing the Plaridel St. (now, Bernardo J. Rodriguez St.) Few however know what they were, just like my bolano. I myself heard only some hazy stories about its "glorious past" and those hazy stories I will attempt to reconstruct. The late Bingo Altavas used to tell of an entry in the Mi Diaro of his great grandfather, the eminent Baleten-on Senator, Jose Cortes Altavas , where his old man recalled of having learned cartillas at the Escuela del Re y just beside the Parish Church of Balete in the early 1880's. A picture in albumen print preserved at the Archives of the University of Michig

The Sangguniang Bayan has unanimously ordained the passage of an investment incentive code last August 12, 2010. The draft ordinance was presented on First Reading as early as 2007 but for some reasons, the committee assigned to it had not advanced its immediate enactment. Considering that we are an agricultural community, we've prioritized on the following areas: a. agriculture • Poultry/Piggery/Livestock Production • Vegetables/Fruits/Crops Production • Rice and Corn Production 1.lowland 2.upland • Aqua-culture • Processed Foods, to include but not limited to the following: 1.Pinipig/Banana/Camote Crackers 2.Smoke Fish 3.Cassava Fudge 4.Rice Cake (all sorts of Kakanin) 5.Boneless Bangus b. Forestry • Bamboo Craft Production • Piña Fiber Extraction and Cloth Weaving • Rafia Craft Production • Nito Craft Production • Abaca Production/

Slowly, my sleepy town comes to life. Slowly, Balete flips its calendar as October draws near. The cool, damp morning breeze awakens Baleten-ons to some imperceptible frantic worries. The inattentive always complain of almost grasping the meaning behind the restlessness and the anxiety. But for Wawaw, though he may be partially deaf, he senses that the month of September sounds similar as October and he would salivate for that ice-cold San Miguel Beer served by Arlie's househelp. Ah, fiesta eon man! Really, fiesta eon man sa banwa! Traditionally, Balete Fiesta is set every October 24 based on old canonical calendar which determine the feast day of the Archangel Rafael . This year though, October 24 falls on a Sunday which is of course the Lord's Day, the day in a week where Christians celebrate the resurrection and the rest of the paschal mysteries of the Lord. It is a remembrance which is sine qua no n to all the other Christian feast. As such, basing on the canons of the Cath

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry has this interesting parable about a little prince who lived in a little planet with its three small volcanoes and a haughty flower. One unforgettable chapter narrates about the meeting and separation of the little prince and a fox as he went about his inter-planetary journey. Their meeting was casual and yet wonderful: “Good morning,” said the fox. “Good morning,” the little prince responded politely although when he turned around he saw nothing. “I’m right here,” the voice said, “under the apple tree.” “Who are you?” asked the little prince, and added, “You’re very pretty to look at.” I’m a fox,” the fox said. “Come and play with me,” proposed the little prince. “I’m so sad.” “I cannot play with you,” the fox said. “I’m not tamed.” “Ah! Please excuse me,” said the little prince. But after some thought, he added, “What doest that mean—‘tame’?” “It’s an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties. To me, you are still nothing more th