Lovely ladies this time. Who do you know?
L-R: Leodel Pascua (Daughter of Leo and Delia - see Faces #1), Romina Amor (daughter of Romy and Vita Amor), Christine Joy Flores Amor (wife of JR), Jennica Mariscal (daugher of Nida Pascua & Juan Mariscal), and Rovie Jane Amor (sorry, forgot her married name)
L-R: Sheryl Palitang, Eman Alboukhary, Asienne Moore, Ambrielle Moore, and Amara Moore (sitting)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Faces - Part 3
Monday, March 26, 2007
Save Sagunto
"If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it."
Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States 1963-1969
I was having an email discussion with my sisters (Eva and Ems included) about putting a link on this blog site to Wikimapia ( a Google Earth type of satellite map but with a data layer to enable users to label place names and other functionality). We decided against doing that but while playing around Google Earth I scanned towards Labayug to see if I can locate the infamous Northern Cement Factory. I did and here is a photo of it.
That's an entire mountain destroyed to make cement! Thousands of trees were killed, the animals that lived on those trees gone, and the life-giving oxygen produced by those trees extinguished. I can't even imagine the amount of pollution that drains into the river when the rains arrive, not to mention the mudslides that destroy the lowlying farm lands below it.
When I was in Sagunto I actually heard someone say that "yes, what NCC did to Labayug is ugly, but hey, they have paved roads". Huh? The town traded a beautiful mountain for paved roads? Well, duh! Of course, NCC had to pave the road so the huge cement loaders and other high polluting trucks can rumble past the town spewing the stinky diesel fumes; so it can go up and down the mountain to finish destroying what mother nature took millions of years to make!
I hear that there are rumors about NCC's plan of expanding its monstrous operation into our beautiful barangay?! Let me ask my fellow Saguntonians this question, What would you (as an individual and as a barangay) do if you thought this expansion is coming to your door step? Would your response be the usual "bahala na" or "nasa dios" reaction, or would it compel you to organize, educate, network and fight the monstrosity? Do YOU want what happened in Labayug to happen in Sagunto? Please leave a comment, I'm a curious ignoramus.
:-)
~Babot
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Faces - Part 2
Can you guess who these handsome boys are? This photo was taken after winning a basketball tournament in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur in 1989 (click on photo for larger view). You guys didn't think I kept this picture, huh? Where are they now and what are they up to? It would be fun to hear if you guys still play a round of bball these days.
Anwers provided by the usual suspects (Emily, Babot, Eva):
Ferdie Santillano (Sagunto), Gideon Esteban (Manila?), JR Malqued (Sagunto), Dadong Quilaman (Korea), Peter (?), Alex Baiguen (Macau), Ulysis "Bogs" Castillo (Sagunto)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Houses - Part 1
These are some of the houses in Sagunto. Tell me when you see yours. If you would like to submit a photograph of your house for this series, send it to me by email to saguntophotos[AT]gmail[DOT]com.
There's more to come. Send me images!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Artacho Women's Club, 1947
This was unearthed from the depths of OMom's 'baul', and it is a gem. See if you recognize any of these beautiful ladies.
Of course, when you talk of beautiful ladies, my mom and lola will be on the list :-D (front row, third from the right). Where is your lola?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Faces - part 1
I'll start posting the faces of Sagunto from my collection of photos. If you know these faces, leave a comment and tell us something about that person. 
Photo #1 (guess by Eva Eisma)- Leo Pascua & his lovely wife, Delia. They have two children, Leodel and Leonard.
Photo #2 (guess by Emily H) - Uncle Honesto Castillo
Photo #3 (guess by Emily H) - Jonathan Castillo
Photo #4 (guess by Emily H) - Uncle Bantor
Since these photos are from my collection, they are more than likely related to me or ran into me while I was there. So, for variety's sake, if you have photographs to contribute, please send them to saguntophotos[AT]gmail[DOT]com.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Artacho Elementary and High School
When we first moved to Sagunto to live my my lolo and lola, they suggested we attend NLA(Northern Luzon Academy), but I had a crush at this school, so I said we'll go here instead. Was I glad I did. I attended this school only for a short time (1st year HS, 1976), but some of my best pre-teen memories happened here. Here, I met and made lifelong friends, and even met my first 'real' crush ;) I remember the many programs presented on the stage, the competitions, the jamborees. I remember the teachers: Mrs. Jamandre, Mrs. Gomez, Miss Quilaman, and who can forget Mr. Estolas? For some reason, everyone remembers him as being mean and loud; I remember him most for always being around when we were snacking on green mangoes and bagoong or those little, round, red, sour things (can anyone tell me what they are called again?) with salt and sili.
What do you remember about this school? Do you have old photographs to share? I'll have to dig up some of mine. Why don't you do the same and share it here?
Monday, March 5, 2007
The Waig
One of my fondest memories of Sagunto is the waig. The main waterway which parallels the barangay. I remember carrying pots, blackened from being fired in wood stoves, down a muddy and slippery path towards the river to wash them and get them gleaming again. I remember going down to bathe while Lola or one of our aunts washed laundry. I remember catching (or trying to anyway) little fish, looking for shrimps and little crabs under rocks, and having picnics along it's banks. Despite the carabaos bathing in the same stream, I remember finding a waterhole deep enough for us kids to swim in. Those were great times, but sadly, I think they are gone.
This is the sad state of the waig (stream) now. I don't think anyone would even want to stick their toes in. People have used it to dump trash, they let runoffs from piggeries and poultries pour into the water and polluting it for everyone else. I hear there are no more frogs to be caught. Sayang. Nagimas pay met dyem ti tukak.
This stream, fed from mountain springs and runoffs from rains was, and could still be, one of the beautiful resources for Sagunto if only we learn to take care of it and preserve it.
This photo was taken from the bridge to Agat. I guess some people still do wash their clothes on the stream. If only they know what is being dumped into the water upsteam. Or maybe they do but have no other alternative.
The waters were still shallow when this photo was taken.
What are your memories of our little waig?
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Eyeglass Outreach Project
These photos were taken in December 2006 during the Eyeglass Outreach Project founded by Mrs. Emily Homma. The project's goal is to provide reading glasses those who are in need. As you can see there were many smiles to be had. Click on the Eyeglass Outreach Project link to read Emily's account of the event.
Click on the photos for a larger view. Photos courtesy of Mrs. Emily Benosa Homma.
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