Magsingal Past Revisited

by Mario Ugalino
(as published 4 years ago in MVP)

When I daydream  about my beautiful and unique birthplace of Magsingal that I left over almost 40 years ago,  I daydream  about  three things. First one, the big National Highway that divided our town we call “ daya and laud“, second are the dirt roads that inter-connected  our districts  and  third are the  symbolic old houses.  The dirt roads are now paved and cemented .  The National Highway is still the same but more congested with tricycles and  moving vehicles now.  And the unique old houses are still around. Most of these old houses have been built as old as I can remember.  A few of these houses have been around for over a century.  Probably built when the Spaniards still ruled the Philippines.  Some of them you still can see the bottom part of the old houses which are made of hard bricks.  We should not let them fall to the ground if possible.  They are part of our heritage, pride and growing up.

Salomague

by Mario Ugalino 
(as published 3 years ago in MVP)

With our parents at the Sakada Monument at Port Salomague

On a nice sunny day, the 15th of December 2009, almost 64 years after our Dad Epifanio Ugalino left Port Salomague for Hawaii, we took  him to see the newly erected Sakada Monument at Port Salomague. This monument is a tribute to the 6000 migrant workers (mostly Ilocanos) who would work for the sugar cane and pineapple plantations in Hawaii, and they were called Sakadas.  Our Dad was one of them. Therefore, he is a Sakada himself and living in Bussawit, Magsingal.

The monument donated by former State Rep of Hawaii Jun Abinsay and his wife, Dr Abinsay of Honolulu, who originally hails from Vigan of the great province of Ilocos Sur.  Also last month, the Mayor of Honolulu, Mufi Hannemann also visited the monument, which to me is a symbol of hard work, determination and love of family. Without the Sakadas, I believe many families like mine would have different lifestyles now. Their sacrifices for the sake of their families are irreplaceable and we would not forget their sacrifices for the rest of our lives.

Tribute to the Brave Men and Women Guerillas of Magsingal WW II

by Odulino Tomaneng
(as published 3 years ago in MVP)


Port Of Yokohama, Japan
12th of June

INTAKDER YO TI NAGAN TI ILI  KEN IMBAYOG YO TI BANDERA TI PILIPINAS DIAY  TAPAW TI BUSSAWIT

OUR COUNTRY.....OUR FLAG.......OUR FOREFATHERS
LEST NO FORGET

Pak-pakauna;

Parbangon nga apagsipasip  ngem  nasalemsem pay laeng  ti pul-oy ditoy Yokohama,napintas nga taldiapan ti banda ti daya, adu nga kay-kayo ti cherry blossom (napin-pintas koma no panawen ti panagsasabong da ) ta ditoy nga pakakitaan ti Mt. Fuji nga segun ti estorya ket ditoy ti nangadawan dagiti Hapones ti ladawan ti bandera ti pagillian nga Hapon (The Rising Sun) estorya dagitay Hapones nga estibador ket dagitay kano danum nga agubbog diay wangawangan daytoy nga bantay ket aramaten da kano nga pang develope ti picture kadagiti camera....kunak ti nakem ko nga isu met laeng nga adda Fuji Pictures...he..he..he..ditoy nga masarakan ti maysa nga kapintasan ken kadakkelan nga parke ti pagillian nga Hapon nga no awagan da ket Yamashita Park a kas pakakit-kitaan da ti maysa nga bigbig-bigen da  nga Heneral ti Japanese Army nga awan sabali nga ni General Tomoyoki Yamashita, Commanding general of the Japanese 25th Army better known as the ``Tiger Of Malaya,`terrorised and looted  the whole South Asia, defeated the British in Singapore,  made his final stand in Bessang Pass, surrendred in Kiangan, Mountain Province, hang and died in Los Banos, Laguna as a Class A War Criminal.

Sagut Ayat Para Heritage Education

by Maria Luisa Salvador

Naideklara ti St. William the Hermit Parish Church, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur a kas NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE, maysa kadagiti 36 heritage churches ditoy Pilipinas.  Gapu daytoy, masapul ti continuous heritage education / awareness campaign para kadagiti umili.

Status Update on the Magsingal Church Repair Project

by Maria Luisa Salvador