SOUVENIR: 1999 CHUA-FONTE REUNION
May 7-9, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

Hanna Faye could be wondering when she woke up that morning, the seventh of May, why Mama, Papa, Lolo, Lola, his titos and titas were kind of busy. There were monoblock chairs arranged in their yard which they share with the family of her Tita Joy whose house is built on the same lot as her Lolo’s where they stay in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. Her titos kept coming back and forth each time with different set of things. A motorcycle drove in loaded with beef, fresh from Tigisan where her Lolo Laco resides. Not long after, friends of her papa and lolo came over and soon she watched them chop the meat to pieces producing sounds that seemed to race with time.

At about noontime, visitors arrived. She didn’t know them but it seemed everybody wanted to know her name. She was shy. She went inside but went out again when her Lola called her. She introduced her together with her cousin Jojo and brother Howie. Alas, she had a lot of titos, titas, lolos and lolas. And how come they spoke differently? (Those who arrived first were the group of Lola Eming from Manila).

Lunch was served. She ate with them outside. A few would sit beside her and talk to her. She didn’t respond. She was still a little shy. Yet, she seemed to enjoy seeing many people in their yard. It was like a birthday party!

She stayed outside after lunch. She played her toy car with Jojo. One of his titos joined them. He pushed around the toy car with her riding and Jojo running after them. Fun took her shyness away as he clang to her new tito who carried her away from Jojo. She laughed and shouted a lot.

In the afternoon, more arrived. She heard they were from Banton. She didn’t care. She didn’t know Banton. That time, there were little kids like her. Again, she felt shy to play with them. They probably were shy too. But there were many of them and they played by themselves around the tall mango tree. Her lolos, lolas, titos, titas and cousins in Bongabong also arrived and their yard was almost full with people.

The hosts, the family and descendants of Isabelo and Flaviana Ferriol, treated the visitors with sumptuous meals throughout the reunion.

She just watched as she stood at the wooden sofa by the porch. She could be wondering and sometimes may be amused as the visitors conversed and laughed with her Lola, her Mama and with one another till it was time for dinner. Actually, until after dinner - when everybody gathered around as one of her Lolo’s presided over the planning of the activities for the following day.She didn’t know what they were talking about and proceeded to bed. Good enough for her as the men and the boys gathered for some rounds of beer and Fundador afterwards.

When she woke up the next morning, she wondered why the people were gone. She asked her Mama who told her that they proceeded to the cemetery to visit her late Lola Lilia, Lolo Olao, Lola Flocing, Lolo Harry and Auntie Glen whom she never really knew. Her Mama also told her to finish her breakfast fast for they will be going to the beach for a picnic.

It was about ten in the morning when the cemetery-goers arrived. They spent a few minutes for picture-taking and after that proceeded to the nearby beach.

It was fun. While she stayed in the shallow water, she enjoyed watching the others playing – tumbling over the shoulders, racing, riding at the back and many others. She played with Jojo until it was time for lunch. She saw her papa very busy chopping the litson as others lined up for the food. There were just so many of them. And there were still coming!

What a big family they have!

Tired, she felt asleep and was already in their house when she woke up early in the early evening as the reunionists ate dinner. There was a lot more fun during the night as one by one, each family introduced themselves and told some of their lives’ highlights. Laughter would break for every joke cracked.

The next morning, the four-year old girl would find out that their visitors were gone. She probably wouldn’t remember their names - neither their faces. But definitely she would remember the fun. Definitely she would remember that she has a lot of lolos, lolas, titos, titas and cousins out there.

Well, even only for that, money, time and effort are all worth spending in a reunion.

CHUA
A Story of Life’s Ups and Downs

Banco Chua

In the late part of the nineteenth century to the early years of the twentieth century, a wealthy Chinese trader from Amoi Island in Mainland China of the name Banco Chua resided in Banton. He owned a big two-storey house south of Poblacion - the silong (basement) of which served as a general merchandise store. The house occupied the lot where the Donato Fiecas’ house presently stands extending westward to the street separating Purok Arlim and Purok Seawall and extending southward to the brook.

It was said that the Chua house was Banton’s center of trade and commerce during those times. Customers lined up to buy goods such as rice, dried fish, pakasam (bago-ong), salt, and kerosene. The demand for kerosene was very high then probably because it was a new commodity. The late Isabelo Ferriol who served as a helper in the store would remember that all he did in a day’s work was serve rice buyers. He added that one person was assigned each to serve salt, to serve kerosene, and to serve each kind of major goods.

The island’s produce, notably copra, abaca and torse (unprocessed abaca fibers used for making ropes) were dumped by the islanders in that house. These were forwarded to Gasan, Marinduque. The Gasan - Banton trade route is believed to be the earliest trade route Bantoanons engaged in - long before the Batangas - Banton, Lucena - Banton, Mindoro-Banton and Manila- Banton trade routes were discovered.

Abaca and torse were the major products of the island during those times. The hills surrounding Poblacion were a range of abaca plantation notably Kagata and Ginsiba. The escalon (stepped street) extending from the Chua house to the church walls was usually covered with abaca for sun-drying (to whiten the fibers more). It is also believed that abaca products such as kubay (sinamay) were also being traded to Gasan.

Banco Chua married Nemesia Fonte, with whom he had four children namely, Flaviana, Nicasio, Crisanta and Aniceto. It was during his marriage with Nang Mene when he adopted the surname Fadri after the father of the late Damian Fadri, his baptismal godfather. He was also given a Christian name – Juan. The adoption of Fadri was most probably due to Christianization which was pre-requisite to marriage, rather than to escape the bigotry claimed by Chinese immigrants or to obey a decree enforced by then Spanish Governor General Claveria. (The name Aniceto Chua Fadri could be misleading. Conventionally, his middle name should have been Fonte. Chua was adopted instead for the sake of their original surname and probably to gain better chances of employment from Chinese employers/businessmen which he badly needed later on.)

The family enjoyed a carefree if not lavish lifestyle. The children of Banco Chua told their forebears when they were still alive that they didn’t remember working or doing home chores during the time their father was still alive which is very uncharacteristic of Bantoanon lifestyles. They would even recall that all Nang Mene did was play pangguingue (a card game) and was actually known in town as a professional pangguingera. From his childhood recollections, the late Aniceto Fadri would observe, at times he would wake up in the middle of the night, his father trying to contain some kind of smoke in his blanket which he later on realized could have been opium.

From time to time, Banco Chua would travel to China. At one time, he was able to bring the young Nicasio to his birthplace. Apparently, he had another family in the mainland. At one time he returned home, he brought with him Dadong whom he introduced as his son.

It was actually the Chua family who supported the schooling of the late Generoso A. Fonte, Nang Mene’s nephew by his brother Pedro, outside of the island. It was probably the special reason why the grand old man maintained very close ties with the children of Banco Chua especially Aniceto.

A Change of Fate

It is not known what caused the death of the old Chua. What mattered a lot was that he died when his children were still very young. After his death, there was a complete turnaround in the life of the Chua family.

Nang Mene, a no-read-no-write, apparently had no grasp of the store’s operation. She had to entrust the store to Banco Chua’s most trusted lieutenant, Isabelo Ferriol. The old woman had to initiate the marriage of Isabelo to her first child, Flaviana, to bring the former into the family fold. It would seem that Flaviana was very young then. The late Aniceto, born in 1915, would recall that even after marriage, Flaviana would still go to the streets and play ruydak and bagoy.

Isabelo, otherwise known as Tang Belo, entrusted the trading with Marinduqueno businessmen to a certain Talpulano, a resident of the northern part of the town now known as Purok Everlast. He would send the local products and buy goods from Marinduque in the custody of Talpulano. Most probably, he did not know much about the trading or that he chose to concentrate in managing the local operation of the store where he grew as one of its keepers. Apparently, Talpulano is a close relative of Banco Chua to be given the full trust of doing the trading for them.

Months later, however, Tang Belo began receiving billings for unpaid purchases from Gasan. He could only wonder why. All along, he had been sending goods and cash to buy the goods he merchandised in the big store. Much more to his surprise, he learned one day that the sheriffs were coming. A day before the expected date, Talpulano and his wards took the remaining goods from the store including household valuables claiming that they would be used to pay for the debts of the store to the sheriffs to spare the house and the store from closure.

The sheriffs came. Yet, the big house was not spared. The store was padlocked and the fortune of the young and innocent children of Banco Chua were sealed for the rest of their lives. What was once a life of riches suddenly became a life of rags.

As the children grew older, they began to realize that they could have been the victims of a foul play. They theorized that the goods and money they’ve been sending to Gasan were not actually being paid to the Marinduqueno businessmen. Instead, the popular name of Banco Chua could have been used to loan the goods which were brought to Banton to be sold in the big store which explains why they accumulated huge debts. To support their claim, they cited that the once small store owned by Talpulano Chua grew big.

In fact, Dionisio Fetalvero who was married to Crisanta, the second daughter of Banco Chua, upon learning of the story forcibly entered the residence of the Talpulanos on the other side of the town. Recovered were valuables allegedly taken for payment to the sheriffs to spare the house and the store from closure. This included the magical Chinese statue of Banco Chua.

(The statue of three Chinese seated in half circle which was made of hard wood was believed to be magical. The children claimed that their father could learn the situation of his family in China and other things he wanted to know from the statue. They claimed that the statue was religiously served with food and drinks. However, during the big fire that razed Poblacion, the statue got burned.)

Flaviana

A worker all his life, Tatang Belo would not let misfortune pin him down. He and his wife, Flaviana managed to support their seven children and Flaviana’s younger brothers and sister in the latter’s youthful years. They were able to manage meager income and resources to make both ends meet.

Believing in the value of education, they did all what they could to send Lilia to Odiongan for her secondary education. It is not known to this writer whether she did finish a college degree or not.

She landed a job in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro where she married Nicolas Fabella who was then the municipal treasurer of the said town. Both earning respectable income from their work, and Lilia, being a responsible and loving eldest child, they helped alleviate the burden in Tatang Belo and Nanang Panay’s shoulders.

In fact, after the death of Nanang Panay, the Fabella couple took Tatang Belo and the rest of his children to Bongabong. That was shortly after the war.

In Bongabong, the rest of the children finished their high school studies. Not all of them were able to finish college but Lilia’s sisters, Flocena, Lorena and Betty, were able to lead good and respectable living. Well, the sisters were known for their being frugal, loving, and responsible and for their readiness to lend a helping hand. In fact, some of the children of the less fortunate Aniceto studied high school in Bongabong under their support.

They supported their younger brothers, Harry, Liberato, and Adolfo, to college who actually stayed under one roof with their cousins, Armando, Rolando, Patricio and Joseph. How they fared is another story but that story, as everybody would expect, ended with most of them not able take hold of their diploma.

Most of Flaviana’s descendants are still in Bongabong and nearby towns with their family ties remaining strong and intact.

Nicasio

Nicasio stayed and Banton and married Concordia Fatallo. Childless, the couple had to turn their attention to their nephews and nieces – the children of Aniceto and Emiliana being his favorites. Understanding the situation of his youngest brother’s family, he promised to seek for a descent job to help Aniceto’s eldest son, Joseph, to school. Unfortunately, he got sick and eventually died with nothing left but a promise that was to last forever.

Crisanta

Crisanta grew as a beauty, a beauty that was to serve as inspiration to noted Bantoanon poets. In a land of brown-skinned people, the fair-skinned chinky-eyed lass attracted many suitors. Dionisio Fetalvero was the lucky one.

Living was a lot better and easier for the Fetalvero family especially during the heyday of Tatang Doneng’s political career when he held the reins of the municipal government. (He is best remembered for building the sea wall.)

However, the life of bounty may have made the Fetalvero children take life not that seriously. Care-free living overshadowed ambitions to finish their studies. Yet, there was something about the Fetalveros that made them maintain a respectable living. They say it’s the abilidad. Could be.

The big and jolly Fetalvero family are now concentrated at Brgy. Tatalon in Quezon City. While they reside in different houses, they share the same address and even telephone.

Aniceto

Fate was most cruel to Aniceto. The riches were gone before he even understood what it was all about. He managed to finish grade school but never had a chance for a secondary education.

He set out of Banton, knowing pretty well that the island could not offer him more than the life more appropriately described by the Asi word – kubos. He had to work as a gromete, a janitor, a baker, and then a shoemaker. Fortune was never by his side and he had to go back to the island where he married Emiliana Fabella, herself belonging to the lowest economic class of the community, orphaned at a very young age as well.

The war drove his family to Tumalum where they had to till the farm for existence. Joseph, their eldest, grew and spent most of his childhood days in Tumalum.

Emiliana would tell her grandchildren that Aniceto had cold palms – mayamig et payar literally translated. Their farm never had a bountiful harvest. They eventually returned to Poblacion. With their meager earnings and a skill developed in his exploits, Aniceto managed to put up a shoe shop enough to sustain their living.

Their children were their only hope. Joseph, at his very young age, showed just that. Industrious, obedient, patient, frugal and most of all, diligent in his studies, he was able to draw sympathy from his Uncle Nica and even his Lolo Oso (Generoso Fonte) who expressed willingness to support his education. But circumstances did not allow them and Joseph was in for a very tough test to his determination and resiliency.

Tears were not easy to hold back for this writer every time Joseph recounts his life while in college – the long daily walk from Grace Park in Caloocan to Philippine Normal College in Taft Ave., skipping of meals, wearing the same set of clothes every day, his physique, having no books and very limited school supplies, worrying on whether the subsidy from Banton to pay for his tuition fees would come on time, and all those sober stuffs. Emiliana had her share of stories - that because she could only send a meager amount of money, she would send everything she has such as a medicine tablet, tinabas (piece of cloth), thread and needle. In her son’s last year in college, she had to leave her family to be a househelp in Bongabong.

Hard work and determination paid off in the end. Joseph was able to support her sisters to college and slowly but surely, the family of Aniceto bailed themselves out of extreme poverty.

Most of the children of Aniceto and Emiliana stayed in Banton but during the late years established their second homes mostly in the southern part of Metro Manila.

The Chua Legacy

The merchandising Chinese popularized trading in the Philippines. In Banton, it is possible that Banco Chua was the one who established the trade route to Gasan, Marinduque as there were not many Chinese in the island. It is possible that Banton’s economy during those times depended so much on the Chuas. The small island that it is, it was not capable of maintaining a sustainable economy by itself as is now. More than just the exchange of goods, trade exposed Bantoanons to life and developments beyond Banton’s horizons.

As the Chineses intermingled and married Filipinos, they have influenced the Filipinos’ traits and culture. In Banton, this is not evident. The children of Banco Chua were more Bantoanons than Chinese or in other words, more Fadri than Chua. Had there been left of their Chinese ancestry, it has been confined to their blood and genes.

The second generation, because of that cruel twist of fate, other than the late Dionisio Fetalvero, a Chua by marriage who served as a municipal mayor, may not have made major contributions to the Bantoanon society. Yet, they bridged the lives of the third generation, survivors in their own right. Slowly, they crawled out of the misery to become valuable parts of the Bantoanon society or other societies they chose to belong. Through their profession, most of them have given their part in bringing up a literate and upright Bantoanon children and youngsters. Some chose to become public servants by throwing their hats into Banton’s political arena. Others worked in the municipal government.

They have left a legacy and some continue to add to that legacy. But other than the legacy, they also left their forebears and the rest of the Bantoanons a story – a story of life’s pomp and struggle, of happiness and sorrow, of success and failure, of fortunes and misfortunes, of rise and fall… of life’s ups and downs.

The fourth and fifth generations are now scattered in different parts of the country. Whether they continue to add to the big family’s legacy or not remains to be seen. One thing is sure though – they can always look back and learn the lessons of this story. Where they want to be is purely their choice.

Volume II No 3