If This Might Be Heaven

By :  . Mercedes Teves Goñi   Poet 

To all I loved and to those I could have loved some

More,

Farewell. I go to a place much written off, but never seen before.

If you can’t see me for the last time now, -don’t fret-I’ll understand somehow

If you never told me you loved me then,

Tell me, I’m still listening now.

The music here is endless, so poignant it leaves me breathless

Iridescence I always loved surrounds me everywhere,

Joyous laughter, happy tears here and there.

I need not wear my slippers anymore

Lilies-of-the valley carpet all the fields I explore.

Fireflies I used to look for when darkness would fall

Now come dancing all around me at my every beck and call.

And with each early evening’s shade of blue that I always loved so

I’ll be kissing all of you,

So you need not miss me so.

If this might be heaven, don’t hinder me anymore

Willingly, I go towards HIS dome

Because it looks like a place I can happily call Home. 

                                CAB Chapel Tanjay City Photographer Kenzo G. Laxina 

Negros Oriental Sugar History

Negros Oriental's economy was far from progressive and its rich soil was not utilized to its full capacity. That was in the 1850s. During those years, people in Negros depict a life of content for they tend to produce goods enough only to meet their daily needs. Even before the sugar boom of the 1850s, Negros Oriental was already producing sugar. The transport of most of its products was mainly done in the ports of Iloilo, which will explain the fast-moving pace of development of the sugar industry in Negros Occidental, primarily due to its proximity to Iloilo. This situation was a disadvantage in the movement of sugar from the Oriental plantations. 

CAB -Bais City Sugar Central 

A wide array of difficulties barred the development of the sugar industry in the Oriental part of the island. The pioneer sugar traders and adventurers include José Rodrigo Camilo Rubio, Diego García-Baena & Agustín de Sandes (from Mexico), Aniceto Villanueva (from Amoy Province, China), Don Bruno Gomez ( from Salamanca Spain ) and Vicente-Anunciación Te (later on adapted the surname Teves, from Amoy Province, China). After hearing about the fertility of the flatlands of Bais, these individuals carved the virgin forests of the eastern side of the island. Many came and settled in the area and planted sugarcane, thus producing muscovado sugar (invented by Vicente-Anunciación Teves) from their mills which was then exported to Spain via Iloilo, the principal shipping point in the Visayas. This was loaded in large sailboats called lurchas or Batel built by Aniceto Villanueva and Joaquín Montenegro (Bais Historian Penn T.Villanueva Larena CPS MPA). 

                                        CAB Steel bridges Photo by Nich Port 

Bais City credits much of its progress to the Central Azucarera de Bais, the largest producer of raw sugar in Negros Oriental. Established by the Real Compañía-General de Tabacos de Filipinas, S.A. of Spain in the early 1900s, it is also the pioneer in the sugar industry in the Philippines. This industry reached its peak in the 1930s bringing affluence to the Negrenses and enabling them to build stately homes and to acquire properties all over the province.

Driving through the city's main national highway, sugar plantations can immediately be seen on both sides of the road. These areas are characterized by expansive lowlands that stretch as far as the eyes can see and are ideal for sugar planting because of the city's naturally fertile soil. It is no wonder why 73% of the city's total land area is devoted primarily to agriculture.

The Central Azucarera itself is an old foreboding structure of metal and hardwood. The offices may have seen better days, the dank smell of nostalgia hangs heavy in the air, but are still functional. Nearby is the Casa Grande, an equally old residential compound surrounded by tall acacia trees, which was built for the use of the employees of the Azucarera. The two-story wooden houses are greatly influenced by old Spanish design and architecture. Much of the houses have undergone restoration and continue to be used as homes of the representatives of the executives of the new management.

Further on are the stately plantation houses owned by sugar planters, mostly standing on one of the lots in the family hacienda. Inside the haciendas are chapels whose altar and icons dating back to 1917. Educational visits to these places may be arranged at the Bais City Tourism Office. What is most interesting is you get to tour via the old railroad trams used by the milling companies to hasten sugarcane transport ( Bais Historian Mr. Penn T. Villanueva Larena,CPS MPA). 

Pioneer People  

Early Europeans and Latin American settlers in Dumaguete and around Oriental Negros were Don Joaquin Montenegro y Mascato, Tomasa( Baena, Burgos,Abilla, Gonzales Hermanos ), Brigida ( Baena, Burgos,Abilla, Gonzales Hermanos) & Nicolasa Elena Gomez (Vicente Hermanos) of Avila Spain the pioneer Haciendera in the place, Don Diego-Garcia-Baena, Don Agustin de Sandes of Mexico, Ramon Telesforo Belloso of Extremadura Spain, Don Anecito Villianueva (Chinese merchant) Don Pedro Gustavo Furbeyre ( Frenchman),Camilo Rodrigo Antonio Rubio ( Italian merchant) Don Demetrio Larena and Don Juan Saavedra who would subsequently lead the Negros Oriental Republic in 1898 (Bais Historian Penn T.Villanueva Larena CPS, MPA).

Jovenal Villanueva Somoza Hero and Martyr 1906-1944

Jovenal is the son of Don Alejandro Somoza and Doña Narcisa Visitacion- Villanueva from Bais and La-Liberated landed clan. Educated in Dumaguete and Manila's prestigious institution and finished his degree in Engineering, he joined the City Engineering Dept. under Mayor Jose Teves-Pastor, his first project is to put up Health Centre in Piapi,Daro and Taclobo. He later worked with the Provincial Engineering Dept.one of the biggest projects was schools in Siaton,Bais,Dumaguete,la liberated and Amlan. He made many proposals to the Bureau of Public Works and Highways of the United States of America for road construction.

 

     Before and during the Outbreak of World War II he became an assistant district engineer. Among his projects was to build a road from Bais to Kabankalan, bridges connecting Sta.Catalina to Bayawan. During the War he was dubbed as " Pied Piefer" He went to places and countryside to deliver the messages to the guerrilla about the different plan of the Resistance Group of Dumaguete. He became a volunteer for Civilian Clubs and Red Cross to distributing rice, can goods and other supplies. Eduardo J. Blanco and Jovenal made a detailed ground plan of the Dumaguete Sibulan Airfield and installations, together with other Dumaguetiños organized the Underground Movement. September 11,1944 in the afternoon.

 He was captured by the Japanese Imperial forces imprisoned in the Silliman University " Davao Cottage".One week later, the four were loaded in a banca and thrown to the sea near Piapi Beach.Gervacia Lezana Somoza the wife of Jovenal narrated this incident in1969. She describes it as the most tragic incident that would ever happen to any family especially upon her husband's dead body floating in Piapi beach and bathing with his blood. 

After the War Gov. Lorenzo G.Teves has given the family a posthumous award for Jovenal's for his heroism and the National Veteran's Federation Bayani ng Bayan Awardee. A street in Dumaguete somewhere in Piapi & Bantayan area is named after him the former Mango Ave now J.V.Somoza Ave

Dr. Vicente G. Sinco

On February 18, 1958, the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines elected Dean Vicente G. Sinco of the College of Law, to the Presidency of the University.

Sinco received 6 of the 12 votes, Acting President Enrique Virata and Dean of the Graduate School Juan Salcedo, Jr. received 2 votes each and Ambassador Salvador T. Lopez 1 vote. Taking part in the election were the two ex-officio members of the Board, Senator Decoroso Rosales and Representative Manuel S. Enverga, chairmen of the senate and house committees on education.

The position of University President became vacant for nearly two years with the resignation of Dr. Vidal A. Tan.Enrique Virata returned to his position as Executive Vice President.

Sinco was born in Bais, Negros Oriental, April 5, 1894, obtained a bachelor of arts degree at Silliman University, a bachelor of law degree and later a master's degree at the University of the Philippines.

References

1. American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Volume 36, Number 3, March 1958.

1. Vicente G. Sinco was the tenth president of the University of the Philippines. His term lasted from 1958 to 1962.
2. He established Foundation University in Dumaguete City on July 4, 1949.
3. He was a Philippine Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, and on behalf of the Philippine government, he signed the United Nations Charter.
4. Civic Leader of Dumaguete City 
5. Stamp Collector of Dumaguete City and Bais City

Established on the eve of the country's independence, it was then known as the Foundation College. The college was founded by Dr. Vicente Guzman Sinco, a known educator and legal luminary during his time. Sinco envisioned the college to contribute to the overall national program of development. During the time of the college's founding, Filipinos were still in the process of building the nation 

Who is Dr. Vicente G. Sinco?

A resident of Negros Oriental by birth, Dr. Vicente G. Sinco humbly moved up the social ladder becoming a prominent figure. Some of his contributions to the country include the writing of the Philippine constitution, Initiating the Philippines' participation in world affairs. In 1945 he was the Philippines' UN representative and signed the United Nations Charter. He has also acted as a faithful consultant of some of the presidents in the Philippines. He headed the College of Law, as the Dean, at the University of the Philippines and also steered the university as the president between 1958-1962. He is also honored as the founder of Foundation university.

Foundation University

Founded on July 4, 1949 by Dr. Vicente G. Sinco, Foundation University is a private non-profit as well as a non-sectarian institution. The university was born at the dawn of Philippine independence. Asian's first democracy after World War II.

Virgin

 Poem by Simon Anton Nino Diego Baena 2011

she drifts,
like hush of the eerie night
a plume of crimson roses
her gazing starlit eyes.
gentle and careless,
her nipples stood erect
radiant under the piercing
light, as her vanilla thighs
glow, warm blanket
against the December cold;
my flaming pheromone. 

SUN UP

but no radiance

a mourning dove peeks through the window

that memory has labored to bury

the view of skyscrapers

underneath Brooklyn bridge

outside the taxi streets

I’m already tired of waiting

Tehran is far from Jerusalem

so please come and visit

but don’t take the goblet away from me

get the altar instead

or just paint the sun

and write

something useless

for the great César Vallejo has long been dead

while the breathing mannequins stay in their cubicles

yearning for the rain

I will never leave the door open

I need to carry these ruins

beyond the confines of this room

down into that empty toilet 

Simon Anton Nino Diego Baena 

Baisanon International Poet

How Bais got its name

Writer Josefa Baena Villanueva -Perez 1981

Photo by : Brian Villanueva

When the fertile flatlands and rich fishing grounds were reported to the Spanish colonizers after they arrived in the Philippines, an expedition headed by a Spanish engineer was sent to the area to get its name and pinpoint its exact location, as well as prepare a map of the island. They happened to enter the mouth of the river in the area and saw some people gathering the abundant freshwater eel locally called “bais” that were caught in their fish traps.

Upon seeing the fishermen, the Spaniard asked in his native tongue, “Como se llama este lugar?” (What is the name of this place?). Failing to understand the engineer of the course, and thinking that he was asking for the name of the fish caught, the fisherman answered curtly, “Bais”. The Spaniard, therefore, recorded the name “Bais” as the name of the place.

The legend of the City of Bais

The legend of the City of Bais   1980

Writer: Josefa Baena Villanueva –Perez 

Translated from Cebuano to English: 

Leonaga Tulabing Larena,RN,MPM 

Bais before was already the center of trade in the island of Negros Oriental. The Chinese were already coming here to trade their magnificent silk and porcelain with lumber for building houses and sugar coming from sugar cane plant ( Tubo).

The natives of Bais idolizes the spirit ( Anitos ) and God and Goddesses that lived in the forest. They make the forests a sacred place to pray. They sometimes do not during moonlight nights and they sing native songs in their language for their beloved Anitas due to their greediness and weaknesses. They denuded the forests, they cut down all trees and build their houses there and celebrated fiestas.The sacredness of the place was forgotten.

Bais City Sunset by : Photographer Kenzo G. Laxina

The Anitos got very angry and famine resulted, their harvests failed and the natives were hungry. Despite what happened the anitos stile pitied the native. They created rivers and seas were numerous fish appeared which the natives were gathering freshwater eel called “Bais” caught in the fish traps. The natives were given fish to eat by the anitos. 

Photograph ( 2014)

The end of a hot summer
When you fell off missing someone
I set down and take a breath
An uncomfortable feeling and looking at the horizon
I saw the vintage Aparador with full of good memories

I open it, i saw the family album
When I open it, I saw an old photograph
A flashback feeling  the horizon
A boy and the adult lady
Showing the everlasting love and care for each other arms
A memories lane appear in so many colors

Summer of the 1980s
The place is so white and pure
The local Cherry blossom was flowing all over the place
The love of a mother to her son

The joy of togetherness
A son  hold her so tight
The smell of her perfume content the place
No worrying of problems for the future
Just me and the world of happiness

I love you son
I love you Ma
You are my life
Celebrating the joy and sorrow in life
The clock stop and moment can speak a thousand words
They will tell you how the tragedy of family and love can be

Holding a piece of History
The memories will just
be part of the past
The future will be holding our desires
The love will be everlasting in our hearts
The relationship of a mother and son forever

Baisanon Poet Penn Tulabing Larena  some of his works influenced by family ,relatives and friends. Some of his works including Hacienda in 2013, Hometown 2015,Rizal 2016, Katacgahan 2005 , The space between us 2018 , Love like Spanish Bread of Jose Rafael Mar 2018 and Pretty Girl  2018. He is a nephew of  Literary icons in the Philippines like Fr. Rudy Villanueva aka in literature Renato Madrid, Dr. Elsa Martinez – Coscolluela,Atty .David C. Martinez, Lilius Pinili,Dr. Tichie Saycon E. Baena ,Atty Arturo Valencia Umbac,  Simon Anton Niño Diego Galera Baena and his mother Leonaga Tulabing Larena .