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.

So when I went home to Magsingal recently, I have promised to myself and to Vic to make sure that I take pictures of the old houses to show my relatives, friends and town mates abroad.  Taking pictures of the old houses is a way and a proof that I actually was in my beloved town.  This is just like having my pictures taken on top of the Great Wall of China.  The Great Wall is a symbol of China.  Therefore  these old unique houses of Magsingal are symbols of our town.  If  you show pictures of old houses to our Kailians abroad,  the majority of them could probably identify where they are located in Magsingal.

I am told that the original owners of most of the old houses in our town have passed away.  And people living in them are their distant relatives.  Some owners are living abroad.  Few of these old houses are unliveable.  Someday owners living abroad will go back to live in it.  Some of them will have it replaced by newer bigger modern top-of-the-line home.  Some Balikbayans have already replaced and built over their old houses.  There was an old house that I wanted to see but it was already replaced by a modern house.  I can still vividly remember the old couple living there before resting most afternoons under one of their shady tree.  But that was a long time ago.  I was then a young boy who only cared about playing around. 

To me, these old houses are a symbol of our hard-working, God-fearing and cooperative forefathers who helped each other.  They helped each other in building their own houses.  We must cherish their work.  So we should keep them as long as we could!  These are a part of our rich history that we should try to embrace and appreciate.  If we have them destroyed, we can never go back and say, “Children let me show you the old Magsingal”.  We cannot control progress but we can hold the old houses as long as possible.

Personally, I want those old houses to stand as long as they can.  Just going around taking pictures of these old houses,  I remember the easy life for me as a little boy growing up.  Lots of little friends and playing a lot.  It reminded me also of how special this place is.  That my birthplace of Magsingal is so unique and beautiful, no other places or countries can compare to it!  And also, they reminded me of all the good-hearted  and hard-working people who lived and worked  there, and who have passed away.   

While taking pictures of the old houses, little children saw me and were probably thinking why I was so interested in taking pictures of their neighbourhood and the old houses nearby.  Hopefully when they grow up they will understand its meaning, which translate to beauty and pride.  This is the legacy they need to learn and grow with.