Nagano- Today is my father's 77th birth anniversary. Ten years ago, he died after his first and last heart attacked.
Papang Medrano Sr. was an agriculture teacher. He served the Florendo Banana Plantation during his bachelor's time. But after he could sense the Spanish way of management towards the workaholic laborers, he shifted his carreer to teaching per se.
Born in Bauang, La Union, Papang inherited a big responsibility to push his clan towards civilization as he was the only professional in his carreer among his siblings. He had presided family meetings to settle disputes on land, tribal relationships and other family and social norm-related issues in his family.
He got married in Davao and since then stayed there for good, leaving his siblings and parents and grandparents in La Union. He got 7 kids, 6 boys and a girl. Among the boys are two identical twins. Guess who? The family picture here was taken 1969. I was in grade 1 at the time.
Papang made to finish his MATEA or Master of Arts degree in Teaching Elementary Agriculture. I remembered that as we were still in elementary, he too struggled a lot to study during Saturdays. During summer time, he asked permission form his principal to allow him plow the agriculture area in the school. He would ask his kids to go with him and do the farming works, on cleaning from the grasses, to digging the plots, after he and his carabao would plow the area. After some soil preparation, he would teach us to plant the corn seeds if not the sorghom seeds. From March to June, this farming is good until harvest.
I did enjoy riding the carabao after plowing and bring it to its pasture field for its grass-eating. I rode and brought the carabao to the river as well for its water-drinking. I remember that during sunny days, I could not control the carabao that when it could see the flowing river water, it would run and have its swimming down to the river. Above the carabao, I got no choice but to also enjoy the river and swim too.
Papang was a strict father. But he has a dream for all his children to really finish their studies as it was his only legacy for all of them to finish college courses.
Today, as I walk to school, I joyfully sang a birthday song for papang. I hope Mamang is fine as she host papang's birthday celebration this time in a simple way. I chat to my eldest brother and channeled to him my birthday greetings for papang.
Papang, wherever you are, peace and eternal life with the Creator! Happy birthday Papang!
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