FIRST of all, who says BARP BMPC stalwart Rody Abella did not join the BARP contingent that went for a weekend lakbay aral to the very tip of Northern Luzon via the Ilocos Coast from April 29 to May 1, 2018? He was there, a photo undeniably attests to that! So, if his name was missed in that Snaphot Focus article published in this local daily a week ago, just ascribe it to the performance of a non-human worker called the encoding machine. Okay, Rody? I know you use to astride prompt steps from Tublay to Baguio City at a moment's notice. Now, to our topic for this day.
What are important to me at this writing are the memories evoked by the name of a town in Cagayan visited various by the BARP group that visited at various points of interest in the Ilocos and Cagayan. One of such destinations is the town of Lallo, Cagayan. The word "Lallo" right away transported me to scenes of long ago in the town of Bangilo, now a main component part of the Municipality of Malicbong, Abra. I would like to present them to the reader in order to rectify the present notion that Malicbong, with Umnap, Bangilo as "poblacion" is a rebel influence center.
No, Bangilo for me is to be better remembered as supplier also of Filipino heroes as forever contained in Ginao's salidummay ballad. A versicle therein resounds in clear Binongan tenor: "Itatta bulan ti Marzo/ Serkentay man di Lallo. Ay salidummay. Ginao of Giangay, Liccuan-Baay, Abra rendered it holding a ritual cup of basi wine, after his tadek dance at the grandly-celebrated funeral of Sgt. Jaime "Alunday" Bagayao in Adogao, Bangilo. Prominent warriors, "mimmingol" in the Tinguian vernacular, converged from all the binodugan partners of Bangilo and injected the funeral celebration with an aura of a war hero's "datuni", a sort of a hero's ritual thanksgiving and community recognition of his exploits.
Other names of heroes that the Gobang Tinguian tribe now residing in Bangilo, Malibcong contributed to the pool of Philippine defense force in World War II may be listed the following: Bocayo of Sitio Alligang, "Lamao" Paganao of Lat-oy and his younger brother Francisco "Sannadan" Paganao, Felix Lumioan of then Paoay, "Lasi" also of Lat-oy, Phil Airforce Officer Methodio "Bitong" Briones of Umnep, Viernes "Innis" Agabas of Buanao, Bonifacio "Gayban" Belmonte of Buanao, who became chief of Police in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur after the war; "Baluga" of Adogao, Esteban Angdason of Umnap and Bernardo "Ducayog" Bagwan of Paoay. Lamao, especially should be in every youngster's remembrance because he died in action at the grim Bataan-Capas Death March, considered a extreme sacrificial act for one's country and countrymen. There are others more also worthy of mentioning but they are better reserved to the judgment of history. Calling the attention of the education sector. Thank you!