Noong mga bata pa kami, may mga pagkakataong kami ni kuya ay nagbabakasyon sa Bolinao, Pangasinan. Dito kami nakatira - sa lumang bahay ng aming lolo't lola. Mayroon kaming isang tiyahin na nakatira malapit lang dito, at dahil mayroon kaming isa pang tiyahin na wala pang asawa noon, at iba pang mga kamag-anak na nakatira rin sa isla, maraming nag-aalaga sa amin kahit pa iwanan kami roon ng aming mga magulang buong summer.
{When we were kids, there are times my brother and I would stay in our maternal hometown in Bolinao, Pangasinan. This is where we used to live - in the old house owned by our late grandparents. We have an aunt living just near, and because we also have an aunt who is still single back then, and that we have other relatives living in the island, there were so many people to take care of us, even if our parents would leave us there the entire summer.}
Napakaraming alala sa bahay na ito - madalas kaming maglaro kasama ang aming mga pinsan at iba pang mga bata sa lugar, at kahit pa napaka-payak ng pamumuhay, nagiging masaya naman ang aming bakasyon.
{This house had so many memories - this was were we used to play with our cousins and other kids in the area, and even if everything was laid back, summertime here were always memorable.}
Ang litratong ito ay kuha noon 2007, nang bisitahin namin ang aming lolo, ilang linggo bago siya namatay. Ang bahay na ito ay abandonado na - ibinigay kasi ito ng aming lolo sa kanyang pinakamatandang anak na lalaki, at dahil nagpasya silang tumira rito sa Metro Manila, wala na ring nakatira sa bahay.
{This picture was taken 2007, when the family visited our ailing grandfather weeks before he died. This house was already abandoned - our grandparents gave this house to their eldest son, and because they decided to live in Metro Manila, no one was left to take care of the house.}
Ito na ang lumang bahay ngayon. Taong 2010, mayroong isang malakas na bagyong tumama sa Pangasinan, at ang sabi ng aming mga kamag-anak, may mga ipo-ipong dumaan sa isla at sumira sa maraming kabahayan at ari-arian.
{This is the house now. In 2010, there was a strong typhoon that hit this part of the province, and according to our relatives, there were some "hurricanes" that destroyed a lot of houses and other structures.}
Nakakalungkot isiping ganito ang kinahinatnan ng aming lumang bahay. Hindi lamang ang bahay ang nasira, pati ang puno ng sampalok na mahigit isang daang taon na rin ay kasamang nasira sa bagyo. Malungkot man, ang mga alaala ay mananatili sa puso ng bawat isa sa amin.
{It was so sad to see the house looking like this. Aside from the house, the century-old tamarind tree was uprooted as well. As sad as it may seem, I guess I can just hold on to the good memories.}
*** Jenn ***
