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BY: Lam-ang Diwa

“My Youthful

Dreams of Aspirations and Expectations”

The Paramount Question

This is a historic site and a very notable place, a geographical and a strategic passage link, where gallant victories in its legendary past were won; and today, this is still a very adequate site, a very capable locale and a geological place of gainful pursuits with which in its future holds the promising victories just waiting to be won!

When I was growing up as a young boy in this quiet and humble little barrio (now called Barangay) of Banaoang, Santa, Ilocos Sur, and in a beautiful tropical country, the Philippines, I had a youthful vision that one day this place will be a place of prominence and a place that will be renowned commonly all its own. It is in a peaceful little setting eagerly in the offing and readily poised to awake from its unshaken and of an arcane slumber but, always on alert and attentively prepared to unleash its hidden golden grandeur sleepily nestled at the foot of the northwestern side of the Cordillera Mountains in Northern Luzon enhanced by the strategic South China Sea from the west. It is forested with generous edible means and graced by an unappreciated gem of a river springing eternal waters. This faint but remarkable venue of a setting was in part a favorite occasional residence frequented by many wild life friends and those were regular casual competitors of mine during my early growing years in picking many favorite, delicious and nutritious daily childhood munchies of home.

During my last visit to this adorable and gorgeous little place of my former abode, along with my wife, a son and a granddaughter, I had very mixed emotions. I am very proud of my birthplace, though, especially to my foreign and initial visitors, who were surprisingly amazed upon the beauty and the equanimity this remarkable place keeps. The Garretta was kept unchanged still standing guard at the same corner as if it was mutely waiting for our impromptu arrival. Back in the day, this skeletal bamboo hut was a very popular gathering place. It was a center of many local activities, and now, it appeared only to have had endured squarely the same like the place caught keenly and aimlessly suspended in time. A basketball court was just added next to it. The large stately stout mango tree still heralding its husky and aerial reign bowing its fruited limbs with a singular branch seemingly to offer and temptingly to allure, once again, a sumptuous pasarabo, a simple token and known expression of a local traditional warm welcoming, particularly to itinerant visitors, and it remained sheltering the Garretta along the narrow bit-ang leading to the old house. But, that enticing stimulation instantaneously recaptured in my mind a sharp image of Lakay Angkuan, our late kaarruba, meanly gesturing his spoof of miserliness to bringing about my daringly dauntless and stubbornly approach against his popular antipathy then, as I came to remember too well.

The old house standing in solemn solitude appeared with empty longings but atoned a feeling of a warm embrace in me as its glorious and spirited vibrancy were bluntly restrained by the lacking of its once vivacious originality and much needed upkeep and as if it was eagerly waiting for us from just a short distance away. Ah, my favorite hiding spot during our childhood’s neighborly game of hide and seek was there, very much well intact. The good old Sunggos, my former burly competitors from those Longboy, Allagat, Kamantiris, Marsaba, Malapunti, Sarguelas, Mansanita and many other tropical fruit trees were in deep silence. The distant crowing of the Abuyos were noticeably muted. The tender calling of the Pugo, often heard here at the dawning’s of a new day before season of rain arrives to announcing to claim their occasional seasonal habitat were missing, too. These aloof but lovely memories came evidently alive in my head throughout the two short days of soaking fondness with my birthplace; and all of which, I had exceedingly missed and with them, I have always been quietly and tenderly treasuring within the bosom and at the depth of my yearning heart in all these years.

Were these impressions emblematic? Or were they just a plain irony to my youthful vision? Oh, my place, perhaps, was merely keeping her calmly and locally embellished being encapsulated in a time just as if she was exactly as I left my beloved hometown for so long now many moons ago! A number of questions came rushing upon my agile mind all at once, and again, as they were always coming back from time to time to gnawingly and merely bantering my naïve and yet, a juvenile innocence like early on.

“Why are other places better off than my place of origin? Why are other certain countries ever so good in manufacturing airplanes and others are excelling well in shipbuilding? Peoples of other countries, too, are flourishing in some types of recognized and gainful pursuits!”

But my place as I saw her on this short visit, she appeared in my longing eyes keeping only herself almost unchanged being obliviously insensitive tempered with pure and apt reluctance!

Some years ago, Banaoang Elementary School was able to have offered accomplished enlightenments to answer these youthful and depth-defying questions. But then again, it was definitively not very much reassuring to my innocence and budding young mind. I gained better insights from my further schooling in Manila, I thought. On the other hand, these questions evolved into much bolder and became more be-humbling wanderings, which altogether disappointing my unwavering demeanor. They were chiefly left unanswered only to teasingly mocking with many and very unsatisfactory suggestions. To many of an absolute observer in some scores now, and today this is neither a cloak of an easily escapable truth nor it is a kindly illusive surprise! Statistics may demonstrate thriving facts mending a glimmering cowed realty. And altogether: “Why is the Philippines considered a third world country?” This is the very baffling and the more impudent obstacle that mystified and hindered my youthful predictions and aspirations!

But, may I offer a good and a simple answer to this strikingly provoking question: ‘What gives my country, the Philippines, in order to develop and to dig herself out from a very mortifying recognition being a “third world” country?’

Do you care?” You would dare asked me. “Yes sir, I really do!”

An Observation

Believing humbly that the very answer is confined simply within the ‘character’ nurtured with a genuine honesty; enveloped within the ‘ambition’ fruited in a relentless pursuit to commitment; sheathed upon the ‘attitude’ poised in heartening reverence of tender devotion; and fulfilled only by the ‘perseverance’ of a chaste integrity of the people solely from this country; that, in the order to change and to freely let loose my homeland to get her unshackled from the breach!

Following suit to this unassuming hypothesis, an ideal, please allow me to go back to my place of origin, Banaoang, Santa, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, a lowly and calmly but, indeed, a lively and beautiful place that I love. It has its own Natural Resources, a gem of a river continuously flowing body of water fed by some 178 kilometers of green and lush valley of long winding breadth of the Cordillera Mountains, uncontrolled and streaming incessantly all year round. This undeveloped river is the “diamond in the rough” being left unexploited with its hidden golden treasures to shimmer into progress giving warrant to the ultimately undisputable promise of a New Life of prosperity and modernity not only to the Municipality of Santa, Municipality of Bantay, Municipality of Caoayan and City of Vigan but also for the entire region.

The Abra River await as the very key to a fresh dawning of a New Life, a jewel ready to be polished but just idly waiting to get unearthed. It has an uncanny personality all of its own, nonetheless. It   consistently and spitefully devastated its surrounding communities, the insensitive and yet the immovable tyrant indomitable without repel, since the beginning of time. This heedless river had assiduously eaten away and attentively eroded precious arable lands of modest Municipality of Santa and those other passive neighboring communities hugging its banks. Its ferocious perennial flooding has been denuding intently and very impolitely, however scarce of a fertile agricultural land left as an unacceptable and supposedly a very indisputable quotient of erosions resulted from the unbarred violent process of division Mother Nature bestowed upon these places and in all these years. But, Abra River remains as it has always been as a valuable and a viable resource not only for the Barangay of Banaoang but also to all other communities in the region. It is supplying in abundance to all of the inhabitants an important food sources such as Udang, Ipon, Purong, Tartarac, Bunog, Bakkaway, Igat, Kappi, Usoos, Pasga, Ampo, Lagdaw, Ikuran and many more but not of this valuable Water itself. This same very water is, still yet, to be considered significantly precious for the region. Why is it then that until now, it seems to appear, that this, the Abra River, is deliberately set aside and condoned with neglectful tolerance in spite its present reversible and controllable destructive attributes as modern technology may come to assist? It is gaining no attentions, without any justifiable suture credits, seen without any value and very much disregarded due to disrespect being left alone to simply destroy. And, WHY?

On the other hand, this natural continuous flowing body of water holds in it with no secret the most “divergent, promising vein of a New Life” for the region. Moreover, it shall bequeath fresh new breathe of sustenance stimulating economic stability and enriching vigorous modernity and that can pervade flourishing industries very favorable for this entire region, although, it may be entailing environmental issues. But such considerations given with sensitive and careful concern, they will be worth the investments of arduous labors and needed appropriations to reaping its untapped grandeur of enlistments for the undeniable progressive life sustaining promise. Besides, these developments shall have to be considered as the prognosticative deployments of the region’s promenaded future.

Aqueducts can be crafted, a needed arterial flow of life in the region similar to those of the Incas’ and of the Roman’s to supply with precious water to nourish the surrounding agricultural lands as well as to becoming as an ever-abundant water table for the area. Such incessant body of water as in the likes of the Arno River, the Blue Danube, the Mississippi River, the Nile River, the Rhine River, the Sacramento River, the Thames, the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers and the famous Neva River, all of which came to contribute to uplift and definitely validated the full developments of their surrounding areas and that promoted revitalizing assessments to making their nation’s Industrialization, the very obligatory fulfillment of their strides.

Similarly, identical trend shall innately ensue; an immeasurable boost (here) with the anticipated and to ascertain numerous armaments of the essential industries like agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, tourism and various modern cultures for the region. As this countryside develops, it will prosper into a region of progressive economic stability and of industrialized territory perpetuating a new modern way of life not only in this quiet and gentle humble little Barangay Banaoang but, also, into the entire region. And soon, this untapped little place may even become an integral part of a renewed borough; perhaps, this region could become the next influential cultural center of another lucrative place posturing as the Northern Capital City of the Philippines, an acknowledgment outwardly bestowed recognition during the lengthy Spanish colonization of this country. At the moment, this place is a place still seemingly sleepy corner of an abode trying to propel itself into detection and adoration, yet, aimlessly longing for the essential endowment of a new and much needed developments.

As it is now evident, Gabo International Airport is presently a Domestic and International gateway to the region. Nearby, the historic Port Salomague could develop as a new vital waterway, too, so shall it serve as a future modern seaport to assist with added domestic and international entrances to the region and as great windows of opportunities serving our Motherland to be more exquisitely exposed to instantaneous world’s exposure to commerce and to gain global appreciation, the very crucial qualities effacing it clear all major swallowing barriers to bearing open of this lovely and capable country unto the New Millennium’s highway of industrialization.

This is My Motherland!

As one may be able to envision it now, this is my beloved Motherland, a “third world” country no more! The exemplified likeness of a modern Philippines with full developments minifying good things to be had as One passionately wishing for all those expectations and aspirations and who is a petty but diligent Dreamer, who grew up from this quiet and peaceful little sleepy corner, the Barangay of Banaoang; this wishful aspirant, who unselfishly yearn for the convincingly realistic portrait of an affectionately proud and serenely comfortable place called Home - the place enrapturing a glimpse of a new beginning and a contextual modern domicile; the one Worshiper piteously helpless but, a hopeful Dreamer, who had been thirsting for the trance.

Behold to the Philippines reclassified, a lovely and a glamorously modern country, a pleasingly and indulgingly but a true commonplace; a place that is comfortable, compatible and comparable with any of those modern developed places and countries around the world but, my Beloved, the more beautiful Motherland, and not a “third world” country nevermore!

With these developments in their full blossoms, the illustrious ambiance of Industrialization with the enlightening glamour of modernity thereby a lovely and a peaceful place lavishly enjoyed now and ever by all!

To testament this modern industrialized Philippines:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

“At last!” I say from yonder, “anyone now can see the elderly gentleman contently sitting lazily and neglectfully on his sturdy Rattan rocking chair, a loving wife bought for his 65^th birthday; now securely perched at a back patio with an open meadow laced with a scenery that displays a vivid panorama of seemingly Monet’s signature work; a very peaceful place, indeed, hidden behind a rustic Spanish colonial mansion overlooking from atop a gently sloping down hill of green lined wavy patches of neatly combed looking vineyards along with squared-flat fields of rustling orchards gallantly gaudy; all in all, compliments of an open and wide expanse cunningly sheltered by a sturdy winding levee tracing the banks of the Abra River; and the silver haired man, who is enjoyably sipping a freshly chilled locally made ‘Krema ti Basi’ - this year’s award winning gourmet wine from this portentous valley; where nearby, he is glancing in awe an expansive young lad fishing and enjoying a favorite pastime in this dell and it is renowned by many.”

This envisioned peaceful scenery is a typical landscape soothingly maintained by the old and its colonial heritage; flaunting its enviable grandeur yet, modern; and today, she is a Maiden of a Country of a beautiful dream in everyday setting of home naturally and gracefully tainted with a soft silky sky of light crimson-orange background that glimmers from its westerly horizons one beautiful sunset on a Saturday late afternoon.

This is the Dream to initiating the onset of a youthful dream.

Divergence I: The Levee

To arrest the inveterate conquering power of the Abra River, a ‘tyrant’ body of water and to subdue its inconsiderate strength alleviating the endless devastation caused by its perennial flooding with a levee constructed along its banks shall calm and tame this river ultimately eradicating further erosions of the present valuable sparingly remaining menial assets of an agricultural land.

This levee will aid and serve to supply a very important and plentiful commodity that can be provided to all revitalizing industries throughout the region as the levee readily and efficiently control this martinet river. Completion of this levee offers and ensures productive activities, too, with replenishing the denuded portions of arable and fertile lands to scale a full reclamation of plentiful agricultural resource that was once lost. Hundreds of hectares in agricultural lands could be the partial enlistments on this project with merely about 20 kilometers of built levee along the lower banks of the Abra River. Moreover, water as good management shall guarantee a constant natural reserve unremittingly warranted by this river and restraining control so should it proliferate into “where water flows, food grows”.

 Endless opportunities shall come to a toady to grovel as it is expected. Consequently, agriculture will be ominous as a dependable “working and dependable mechanism” towards economic progress and stability with this Levee’s technology has had to offer. Food supplies in various commodities shall be up to the picking. For example: Vegetables of all kinds will be numerous as orchards of Citrus, Kape, Avocado, Atis, Sua, Kaimito, Santol, Allagat, Karot, Longboy, Bay-yabas, Kasoy, Mangga, Chico, Chessa, just a few, can be copious to grow. More importantly, Grapes can advance as the local Wine Industry as it is presently cultivated but minimally harvested. With the implementation of a proven modern scientific technological process utilized by developed countries, it could be the Signature industry from the region. Fish farming, Poultry, Pig rising can boom, as well. These are just typical handful industries of good things looming. Ah, not a chance to encasing into its ownership of stupor, Abra River is a natural habitat, a superb environment to support many fresh water fish - endemic or otherwise. With active supervision and proper restriction, it can readily sustain various economic activities obviously saturating the region as this levee wait!

Divergence II: The Hydroelectric Dam

Banaoang Hydroelectric Plant built just upstream from the old Quirino Bridge can be the new and the magical resource this entire region is silently yearning and quietly waiting for. Equipped with hydroelectric power, it readily can implement ample electricity to energize every household and all industries’ needs in the whole Ilocos Region that which will constantly rely upon and persistently dependent onto this newfound electrical energy as a new and dependable resource, the very key pitch to a modern civilization for this northern region. Wind and solar energies are other resources of renewable energy, however, outstanding here as well. But, the stronger improvement to the much-needed electrical power energy can initially be supplied and positively be ascertained by this new Banaoang Hydroelectric Plant, to invigorating the character, to inspiring the ambition, to enlivening the attitude, to energizing the perseverance and to caressing the devotion of its people. In them, it shall envelope the region’s veneration to proudly wave the mobilizing enthusiasm and to symbolizing the pride of local inhabitants, who shall ultimately be thrusting this entire region onto the realm of progress and modernity echoing only behind the local, the municipal, the provincial and the national governments’ functions and obligations; that, which for its populations is due and dedicated to all citizens, whom they primarily and purposely to serve.

Divergence III: The Reservoir

This Dam will form the Lake Gin-awa, a future resourceful lake and can become an infinite source of water supply confirming Agnanayon Reservoir, a huge dependable fresh water pool and a requirement to the task. A Water District controlling and maintaining this resource shall contribute to the good and beefy foundation of local steady income. Water Sports, too and other Aqua recreational leisure’s enables local municipalities’ extra trusty income. This kind of available resource will enable Sewer System on every building and establishments with a Centralized or Septic System, another local consistent income, an industry in itself. Water Filtration and Treatment Systems shall provide to its populations superfluous fresh clean drinking water percolating healthy environment. Reliable and plentiful, it permeates conveniences and attentiveness readily fulfilling all water needs to every household and all sprouting industries alike. Available running water in every home and tenements regularly and dependably accessible for domestic and industrial use had summoned great wonders for well-developed regions outside this idle but capable virtues countryside.

But today, these are just kept merely concealed and only obscured by the lack of consideration and detection with which if submitting these to the use of Need and Necessity purported, too, by the utility of Understanding and Aim can just avert and to crystallizing the illusions. Thus, these types of industrial technologies shall inch this virgin of a nation to three-knots-full into the “whole nine yards” upward closer to the ostensible, formidable yet, seriously attainable, acutely promising advantages to modernization.

Divergence IV: The Local Contribution

History reveals that Abra River supplied, in abundance, various varieties of fishes as a good and consistent food resources to the region.   Remembering a bit of my late mother, who had spoken a great deal in my early days from this abode as a young lad, about groups of fishes such as Ludong, Bulan-bulan and Ikuran. They were plentiful in these waters as they were substantially supporting a prolific livelihood for many families in the region at one time or another. These species may be scarce today, if not gone.  Arrimbukeng, an exotic and a delicacy of a crustacean endemic to the area is dreadfully dwindling but can be propagated and can be farmed successfully for trusty economy similar to the Bangus and other tolerable and productive species. Fishes of all kinds endemic or not, but compatible to this local environment can be re-introduced and can populate these tributaries through transplantation, rehabilitation and propagation as advance fish farming technology is dependably nurturing and supporting fishing industries around the world.  These can fulfill the promising delivery of an industry enough to supply the local consumptions and their international exportations.

However, safeguard and protection as basic tools are just necessary and very effective measures ensuring their preservation and mass production; and such can endorse further cultivation of various varieties of fishes; culminating itself into a major industry enriching this area for the local’s and the world’s market productions, consumptions and competitions like Tilapia, Sugpo, Tirem, Bulan-Bulan as others are now all produced in a controlled environment. Opportunities galore, substantiating a brilliantly gleaming and sternly sterling future of the region.

Efforts such as these could just be the notable contributions and momentous accomplishments to the task for the willing and the welling leaders as a plain and simple example of a mere “food for thought”.

Divergence V: Tourism and Travel

The Ilocos Region is a great world’s traveling destination. Some tender renderings, careful planning and tidy appointments shall have to be embraced to equip its one-of-a-kind Natural beauty of this region, the intrinsic treasured uniqueness of this domain to solely and to illustratively display its usual attractiveness with compelling presentations and to carefully select the required infrastructure preparing them for the elegantly comfortable accommodations.

There are legendary places, epic stories and great noble heroes to proudly articulate about this wondrous and historic region the whole world deserves to know. As an example Pedro Bukaneg akin to Moses as he was saved floating on a basket from the Abra River, to Homer as he was blind and famous popular bard and to Socrates as he was wise and ugly - all in one; Diego Silang, the Liberator of the Ilocos; Gabriela Silang, the Joan of Arc of Ilocandia; Leona Florentino, the First Poetess of the Philippines and world renowned Laureate; Isabelo de los Reyes, the Father of the Filipino Labor Movement and founder of the Aglipayan Religious Movement, Father Jose P. Burgos, one of the Philippines’ three great Martyrs; they are all notable and noble heroes, who all vanquished for our country from this region.

This northern part of the Philippines keeps many a treasure of treasures found solely in this countryside and contributed only by its local and colorful history as well as the proud and courageous traditions the whole world needs to discover. For one, Vigan City is the lone survivor of a Spanish colonial town in the Philippines with the Mestiso District, where tenements of centuries past are in their meaningful finery, a crucial and a vital treasures of historic and olden past, indeed, a World Heritage that survived and lasting through all kinds of natural adversities and fated destitutions infused by rough and piquant civilization. It was built in the early part of the more than three and a half century of Spanish Regime, still firmly standing and steadfastly proud today heralding this city’s rich history and impeccable resiliency. In addition, The Spanish Colonial and Religious Edifices that served as the nerve center of the Spanish intense missionary colonization in the northern Luzon and a singular remnant of an old European brogue architecture gleaming in all of Southeast Asia! The Tirad Pass paralleling the Masada. Bessang and Pideg

Passes are National Monuments, too, of local heroes. These are sparkling cornerstones contributing to this nation’s present and ceaseless worship to liberty and together they are proudly and aptly towering with the glory of the Ilocano’s sacrificial Love of Freedom. The traditional native localities like Baguio City, Bontoc, and the Rice Terraces and many other historic and interesting places handily situated from all directions are all abound to attract and to quench tourists’ peculiar interests and yearning curiosities. Also, Agoo City, San Fernando City, Candon City, Laoag City, Bangued, Santa Maria and other neighboring and fascinating places laudably pride themselves with different flavors of tourists’ gratifications as well! And it is Batac, the home and resting place of “one of the most powerful leaders” this nation has ever produced, the late President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, whose remains can still be adored and viewed encased in a glass.   

All of these are typical servings as “daytrips” for international and domestic cruises on large ships, anchoring with the dough, can be attracted to this beautiful and intriguing region as their ports of calls with piers and facilities, of course, able to accommodate their recurrent visits. Unrivaled, unbelievable, famous, exciting, fascinating, extraordinary, traditional, one-of-a-kind such are just measly surface descriptive incentives of educational elucidations for visitors’ interests and consumptions only supplemental to our native distinct cultures, the all-inclusive kind tourist’s powerful attractions! The Philippines is truly the “Pearl of the Orient”, a jewel at its best.

Divergence VI: The Home Coming

Yesteryears’ strayed and peripatetic citizens of this country are now returning and reclassifying themselves fairly and rightfully as the Balikbayans, the earlier and itinerant residents. Majority of these Kaillians, who, for any insurmountable and justifiable reasons, ventured out from this country of Beauty in search for  “greener pastures”, do loved and cherished this beautiful and modest maiden of a country always longing from long ago do desire deep within their hearts to returning home and without any doubt. For all good reasons: the irreplaceable consanguinities and affinities, the tasty food, the soothing weather, the golden people but most of all, the “Philippines are home sweet home!” And in fact as these are the Filipinos inherent and known natural attributes.

There were those, who left for opportunities for elsewhere due to the lack of it herein, gone to foreign and unfamiliar lands only being “taken” and “abused” by their adopting host. Moreover, those intellectuals of qualified talents and of investments for our country’s once hope for the future, were being victimized by their own unprecedented, self-inflicted ignoble infirmity called “brain drain”; the very unfaithful, who abandoned their conceptual obligations but of whom all can finally come back and to discard a quiet and the unrestricted reproach. From elsewhere, they are now living with modern conveniences and with unlabored comforts, perhaps, that made them to indulge upon a spoiled way of a life style and when offered with the same replicated qualities, it could be the most admirable reasons for them to reverting back.

So, all these Kaillians now were enticed to return bringing home their fully merited wealth such as their acquired enriching cultures, their financially stable prowess, their various fields of education, their fulsome socio-economic influences and all similar acquisitions are all excellent contributions that can add up to the nation’s vigorous factors towards dependable local economy as they inevitably “bring home the bacon”. They, too, can pander into the fresh and contemporary conveniences; the healthful and peaceful environment so shall all these make us happily enjoying and contently pleasuring in all the rest of our lives at home now, that this industrialized, recently reclassified land of ours affords opportunities abound.

Divergence VII: The Advancement of Industries

Technological development and advancement of industries shall be borne by necessity being the Mother of Invention as the fulfillment of mass production in meeting greater demands. The famous and popular products of Santa like the Abel Iloko and the Buneng Ilukos are forced to retain their old and less productive manufacturing process limiting their needed shares of profitable and to the open market. The prominent and stunning potteries of Barangay Pagburnayan in Vigan having great and known qualities deserves world’s market share of imports, too.

There are numerous and excellent products that can represent this region well into the larger and competitive productions that can unlock the doors of opportunities into the world market scene. They shall illustrate and illuminate the potentials to all local and international consumptions but currently only forbidden by government’s lack of forethoughts and that these might just well need only financial empowerment and other measured foundations. To begin with, Research and development will perpetuate and recapture furtherance of a more dependable and competitive growth here if governmental efforts can step up to gainfully cultivate and to encouragingly purport these activities leading to a more technological maturing and the advancements of these genuine and local industries.

At the mouth of the Abra River, they are distinctly devoted with instructive offerings in warm wide-open arms, a spectacular backdrop exclusively owned by this nimble maiden valley of beauty; the stunning and impressive panorama only of vistas viewed from the South China Sea; a scenic view with a brilliant and a marvelous points of interests that can voluntarily be admired daily from the Nam-ay Bridge, the future viaduct as a faithful thoroughfare to progress and an enlightening bridge of tomorrow to finally adjoining Barangay Rancho of Santa and Barangay Sungaban  of Caoayan.

Geographically, such a bridge like the iconic Kowloon’s suspension bridge or the world’s famous San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge could proffer a more practical and shorter connecting link between two places of magnitudes. It would lend an easier mode of modern transportation proudly showcasing the region’s dazzling elegance and grand splendor flaunting gifts of prominence; a linkage able to unearth this cove’s treasures of opulence to leading this region the way to the indubitable escape from the entrenched sleepy hollow onto the tomorrow’s gleefully awakened inlet. It will be a more fluid passageway. It shall be the profile of today’s need and swift land mobility sharing a just intentional gains and the very key bridge adjoining contemporary major national highway, an exemplary road to the fluid mobility, awaiting progress and lucrative modernity. 

From these au currant sceneries of fixed promising landscapes, they have just promptly recalled, in me, the silently and the quietly kept but, the once lost reminiscences, which now vividly enrapturing cherished memories either of my late childhood best friend and I as we were lantern fishing from this pristine waters for a usual morning meal on many early moonlight nights or with my late elder brother as we were gazing up at star-studded skies in the dark of nights as wood fires went out on an intermittent fishing camped outs by the edge of the Abra River.

Of course, consider these as the

poignant recollections as a simple self-appeasement as my one and only own quiet and tender lingering connections with my place of birth; so shall a youthful aspirations and an unfulfilled expectations be with the very thought that in my heart, in fact, I have always been very close and never ever been in the lost and in the forgotten oblivion but, with a strong and committed forethought being an evident and lasting reminder in full of hope requiring to be grasped only with due respect on a demonstrative loyalty and out of the all noble labors to engaging altogether with the awaiting numerous and arduous undertakings.

IN CONCLUSION:

Faith is a sole being that would merely charm and drum up this country’s pioneering and driving spirit. Even at this day and age being simplified with modern science, reinforced with consistent technological endeavors, supported on ample fortitude fully encouraged by irrefutable trustworthiness to take a fresh and as an airy recompense of the endurable lineal reimbursement for a nation like the Philippines as a thriving nation; to gait an analogous passionate intensity and daring audacity as the pampering footprints of accomplishments, and too now, as others have just casually braved out into the unknown outer limits of the galactic spaces. And yet, it is only that self-evident complacency and the ever-present lost bewilderment that misplaced this nation’s current stature that merely thwarting the secretly kept initial defining motivation but notwithstanding those already secured equitably leading reasons as opposed to meandering choices of this country’s distorted and of any misguided discourses. Eccentric simply as it may seem to appear, it is as a contemptible and a recognized position that validated this country where she is at, at this present time. But, it is not now to berate any intentions and certainly not with lost hope.

Is it high time now then, to gently unfetter and to tenderly caress this virgin nation to awaken her up from the long and self-inversely debilitating hibernation? There is light brilliantly gleaming at the end of the tunnel and it is just US to taking the first step and it is, in fact, for US to deduce the suitable initiative.

Then, for the long awaited and the most invigorating and of the coming of an ad hoc Spring of Life, it must have to be the most profound essence of our outer existence and let it be, too, that it must, in effect, be our profoundly incontrovertible inner conviction, being the more carnally deliberate fervor that openly expressing and strongly engaging our virtuous and devoted affection for the one and only land that we all loved.

Above all else, there are issues like the environmental concerns, the economic appropriations and the pioneering commitment. But, there are greater reimbursements and constructive settlements to apportioning the costs, to laboring for the initiatives and to settling the underlining’s; therefore, to build the Hydroelectric Dam and to pursuing the creation of the water reservoir being conceived from the required levee versus the former issues. As an example, the Ambuklaw Hydroelectric Dam in the other part of this country has been providing electrical power to its surrounding region with which has been promoting its present and greater progressive development from the past. While the environmental issues have to be an integral and the intricate but very vital parts of the trades off.

Could there be any misleading effluvium underlying beneath the closure of these “the fresh divergences of life” versus greater opportunities; and instead, to moving onward to compensate for the more decorous corroboration of an improved and honorable validation of this country?

There is a threadbare and morbid reproach from the old childhood yet functional and inspiring stories like what my late mother used to tell at bedtime. Great and wonderful stories similar to that of the fabled town of Taxco, a small valley and a short distance southeast of Acapulco in Mexico and a place laden with plentiful silver treasures.

The story goes that some centuries ago, a very disappointed Spanish conquistador finally decided to ride his white majestic stallion up into the hills for the last time and to bid his impromptu departure from that beautiful valley after a number of years of speculating for gold and silver for the throne of his allegiance with his small regiment and provisions absolutely readied prompted by a definite appointment to bid a final farewell to ultimately leave for San Diego. As his mare was climbing down this hill, it accidentally stumbled upon a rock exposing plentiful silver. With it, the story goes that it solely had financed and completed a famous and celebrated church there heralding this place’s glory. Silver is so plentiful that it is an ongoing and a major industry of Taxco still flourishing up to the present day. And so as they say, the rest of the story is history.

Conversely, that may it be the Abra River could just be the morose admonishment for this region in this modern day?

Furthermore and most recently of that one person, alone and simply just by himself, whose selfless determination and thoughtful dedication had initiatively and intuitively saved thirty-three would-be and surely-be forsaken lives and all of whom were definitely without a doubt were destined in the most preposterous helplessness from within a mile-and-a-half solidly granite-burdened depth beneath this earth’s core. Yet, this lone soul was the very one, who was able to energize and to galvanize a life-giving process with which untrustingly pierced through the stably well known and an impenetrable barrier, and in him, he found merely clamoring with sheer and meek belief, he publicly confessed, that it could purely be done against all unimaginable, indescribable and imperceptible odds.

Whereas, the potentially defining moment is here now for this country to unfurl that impervious clasp to finally dissuade the ever present committed failure of prosperity and modernity so as to arouse the deep, to upset the unshaken and to awaken the arcane of slumber in welcoming and embracing the scheduled forthcoming glory of Spring; for I, too, believed that we are passing through this journey ONLY but once and may we be dishonored solely for that not to claim our eternal and gentle fondness, our everlasting and final admiration to the very land of our birth being as a simple and tiny reprisal onto the unforgivable and yet, inevitable destiny; then, I could consider that that we have lived in ourselves truly to the fullest!

Therefore, may we all have the character cradled in genuine honesty, the ambition nurtured with utter integrity, the attitude fueled by relentless pursuit to commitment and the perseverance scaled by means of amorous devotion so shall we arrive to that proud, glamorous, glorious memento: Our Philippines, a Modern Industrialized Nation!

This is My Repose:

Today, ‘is this too much to ask?’ I implore upon you, sir! And so at the end of the day, I, heretofore, may declare by virtue of enduring love of country being identical and having the same with those of whom my only fellow inalienable citizens of this great nation of the talented and of the gifted Filipinos, hereafter now, need I not to try and dare, to pursuing and invoking the recreation of wisdom and to stirring and enabling the glimmer of vision, so shall never I to seek for a greater Quest and not to rely upon just Hope for the arousing of the Filipino’s purpose and imagination; for ALL that we can pray for, we can do, we can muster, we can accomplish as a caring nation to the ends of the greater good of all; and so, shall it be ‘a fundamental quest’ from all of us for the full glory of heartening this virgin of a nation into a dignified abode and to finally unleash this beautiful country of ours out of the ordinary “third world” ever never more.

Wittingly, we, the people, as her loving Subjects shall have to bond as ONE . . . and as one, we shall all move on forward, and onward we shall all, altogether, go prestigiously ahead! Human endeavors are managing without destination onto a chosen journey with a path as far as the eye can see . . . and it is winding ceaselessly, enduring endlessly. We will never see an end ever!  But, accomplishments have been proven significant from just a small token, although, envisioned solely in minor dreams but resulting to great and momentous achievements that were merely fascinated by a strong desire fruited meekly from one’s earnest belief.

And so together, we ought to conspire on this very concept even if only with just a speckle of a tiny belief that ‘nothing and . . . nothing is too great or too bold the mind have embraced.’ Greater achievements were earned not just NOW; rather, they were labored, earned, pursued and riveting untiringly. We can move Granite Mountains this way! . . . And for these, alone are we the only ones left to grab hold of our futures’ best for the Land of our Birth!

Thus, I ardently submit these all to YOU.

“Agbiag a narang-ay toy ingu-nguten unay a Filipinas!”

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Lam-ang Diwa

P. O. 580978

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