Remembering San Clemente's Evenings as a boy!

by GMario Ugalino

Growing up in San Clemente, Magsingal, I remember the District (Baranggay) as a very cohesive place. The people were united loving people. They did not create troubles. I remember the many fun loving Storytellers. They gathered during the evenings at a place (us kids) named Vidojujo Crossing. Back then, we did not have electricity. No television to watch. No computer games to play. Unlike today. The Storytellers were our entertainers.  I was happy of what they did. Life was simple and easy for me then.

The Storytellers entertained us all evening long. We sat around them. Heard their stories. After, we would go back home to do our homework (because no electricity, we used kerosene lamps to read). Their stories/jokes were always funny thus we looked forward the next night to hear them.  And up to this day, I can still remember some of the stories/jokes that they told us.

This is the ramada being disassembled - at the street where we grew up

Besides them, we had the older folks, our grandparents. They told stories about historical figures and places. Fictions and non-fictions. My favorite was the story about the gentle giant named Aran who lived at Bussawit Hills. He was so big they said that he could run to the beach near Bantay Buneng and back in just few minutes. They said that Bussawit Hills was molded by Aran. The Gentle Giant used the hill to view the whole area of Magsingal. He could see dangers from atop. So next time you visit Magsingal, ask someone to take you to Bussawit Hills..Does not matter if you believe it or not, you should go and see..