7681 Cartilla Ave. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Born October 10, 1940 Motto (as written in Clarion 57): "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
--ooOoo--
I spent my elementary years in Pasay City where my mother had a dress shop business. Upon reaching high school, my father wanted me and my three other brothers to go to U.P. because he himself was a U.P. alumnus (Business Ad, late 30’s). The high school years were full of happenings that I’ll always remember. One was meeting Mac del Fierro in the basketball court behind the billiard hall during freshman year. He and I almost had a fistfight because he elbowed me during a rebound encounter. Bani was in my team since we were classmates in 1A. But later on, I really don’t remember how Mac and I became friends and he baptized me as “basket” because of the shape of my head, round and a little bit oversized. Later on he renamed me as “Monay,” and that got stuck with me forever. It’s like a permanent ink marker.
After the high school days, I went to the College of Engineering. During the second year, my father, who used to work for Northwest Airlines, took the family to the U.S.A. with first stop at Seattle. His purpose was to introduce all four sons to the way of life in the U.S.A. We all went back to the Philippines after a few weeks. Meanwhile, I continued my studies at Silliman University, where I found out that life in another away from home was very mentally and emotionally educational. I finished my Mech. Engineering in S.U.
After working a few years in Cotabato, I applied for permanent residency in the U.S.A. It was taking so long. Meanwhile my parents and brothers got their green cards to come to the States. My father, concerned that I will be left alone in the Philippines, gave me a ticket to go to Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. My uncle was a doctor there and I could stay with him while waiting for my immigrant visa. One of the years while I was in Trinidad, there was a “Black Power Movement.” A few army officers against the government led the movement. At that time I witnessed police officers chasing and firing guns at suspected rebels. I experienced lying prone on the ground with other civilians, mostly my neighbors in my apartment complex.
While waiting in Trinidad for my U.S. visa, I met my beautiful and loving wife Jenny. We got married on August 1, 1970. More than a year later, Jenny and I were granted an immigrant visa to the U.S.A. Jenny and I, now with a son, Richard immigrated to the U.S.A. on June 12, 1972.
We came to California three months later and settled in this State since then. A second son, Andre, came to us on March 1973. He got married in 1998 and gave us three very lovely grandchildren (2 boys, 1 girl). That is how my family came about.
I had a colon operation in July 2004 to remove an abscess in it. After the procedure, I couldn’t move my bowels for nine days, got opened up again to remove the kinks or sharp bends. The same thing happened, I couldn’t do it for nine days again. All I had for food was intravenous liquid through the tube for all that time. I was warned to go for a third operation, but God manifests his mercy in unexpected ways. I was able to go the next day. I was released from the hospital a day later after losing twenty-five pounds.
Most horrible experience it was. It is hard to explain. I guess just staying almost twenty days in the hospital, longing everyday to come home is well qualified to be considered horrible. My family was very worried and a lot of my friends thought I wouldn’t make it.
So, now I am a member of the UP High School 57 “Apostolic Mission.” Jenny and I thank God for three grandchildren and two young men who finished college and are well settled in their workplace.
7681 Cartilla Ave.