THE ride towards my hometown was paved and easy. It only took three hours for us to traverse from the municipality of Mati on board a local jeepney, still it seemed like my body was weary with the long ride.

Baganga, Davao Oriental is facing the Pacific Ocean, hence, the east coast where gigantic waves repeatedly crush stones and boulders against the sand, even sending big house structures built by unwary owners just within stone's throw into the break waters, to pieces.

Over a year ago, Baganga featured in controversial stories about acts of rebellion and clashes between the New People's Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tell-tale signs of anti-reds sentiments posted by government troops lined the roads leading to the municipal centers. This however, does not seem to disturb the peaceful façade that makes Baganga a summer destination.

At a distance, my hometown seemed to have shrunk since I left almost four decades ago. The trees that grew with me were all gone and new fruit trees are in their places. Poignant memories are all that I can find when I look around trying to find the things that was part of my childhood. The memories are overwhelming when they came in droves.

It is hard to keep it from flowing back, almost drowning my thoughts and forcing the tears down my eyelids. But I let them come back even if it was difficult at first. Soon, I began to savor again the wonders of beautiful Baganga, briefly but fully.

No place like HOME. Immediately after setting foot on my dearest birthplace, I was greeted with the gentle and beckoning sound of the waves down the shore near our house. Not wanting to resist its call, I together with my daughter Dana, 10, my sisters Joann and Lyrna with her daughter CJ, 9, willingly heeded its invitation.

Allowing the kids to dip into the foamy sea waters, I saw myself again enjoying myself as a little girl. I could see myself in my daughter's eyes, excited and thrilled in the warm embrace of the gentle waves.

Digging my toes into the black and white sandy shores and the round pebbles sent a ripple of gladness that only my childhood memories could bring.

The sweet, tangy smell of the sea reminds me so much of Mama (who's already gone), and of being young and carefree. The gentle song of the waves rushing up and down the sand and the little pebbles tagged that Dana hears as she floats gently in the waves tag at my heart, soothing the angst that I felt deep inside of me.

Was it only yesterday? There was the old Immaculate Concepcion Church, standing on the same ground but now better looking. The wooden, unpainted structure of old has given way to a glass-tainted, concrete building. It's strange, but I do not seem to belong anymore, perhaps because I too have changed a lot.

In front of the Catholic Church stand the municipal hall, which is obviously, newly renovated. The old acacia tree that stands in front of the church door is still there, and it gave me a sense of being at home again. I could still see some acacia trees around the munisipyo which are now looking so huge that three people could surround it with a hug, but the other trees are no longer there, and a little pinch hit something within me.

Down to the marketplace where nothing seems to be altered including the bridge that looks like it's perpetually being constructed and repaired, a sense of dejavu washed over me. I was little when this bridge was a rickety wooden structure, and I could still remember that it was under construction some years back. And now, it is still being under repair!