THE PROPHET (THE INITIATION OF KIMAT T. AMIANAN 3)

He has always been a rebel. Or, as a Hogwarts professor described him, a non-conformist. Perhaps they are right. He did not always fit in (would not let himself fit in would be more appropriate). And he was like that long before Hogwarts.

The vision came slow. First, it was in the form of a funny feeling that something should be changed but don’t know what and how. A Hogwarts professor of the “dark arts*” was thrown off the air when Kimat T. Amianan defiantly waved his wand in support of mutineering musketeers in December of ‘89.

That funny feeling was later “clarified” by his fraternity with the scribes of Hogwarts and their higher orders. He was introduced to the heady prophecies of The-Man-With-A-Beard-Like-Hagrid then later to a great Chinese master who was fond of doing great marches, taking great leaps, and smelling a thousand flowers bloom.

Afterwards, he began seeing numbers in the guava leaves and spider cocoons. There is something in these but he can’t get it. So on a hot July day of 1990, Atlas shrugged and in the following chaos, strangers from far away suddenly appeared. Through them, Kimat T. Amianan began to understand his powers of divination.



Things have never been so clearer after that. Kimat T. Amianan can see into the future. And he discovered one thing: bilog ang mundo!

(End)

Profile: Church of Padre Garcia, Batangas


What is now the town of Padre Garcia was once known as Rosario. It was first established as an ecclesiastical mission of the Augustinian Recollects in 1776. The town and the parochial buildings were razed during the Philippine-American War. As such, the seat of government was moved to the present day town of Rosario. The abandoned town became known as Lumangbayan which the Oblates of St. Joseph started to ecclesiastically administer in 1928. They probably reconstructed the church that was again burned down during World War II and subsequently rebuilt again. Lumangbayan was given its present name in honor of a native son --- Padre Vicente Garcia.



*political science

JARMMS

The devil S in harmony with the angels is an impossibility but it did happened once in Hogwarts. They were all BSEd with the angels in Biology and the devil S in English (as most of his type were and are). They were seats apart when Atlas shrugged and the ceiling came down during a History class in 1990. From there on, they were together.



It amazed the professors at Educ that the devil S always get high scores in exams because he is more absent than present in their classes. He only have this tattered folded refill Cattleya notebook tucked in the back pocket of his Hippie-dirty imitation Levi’s (along with a buhaghag toothbrush on the other pocket). They did not know that during the trying moments of those exams, the angels carried the devil S by letting him peek at their test papers and passing him folded clues that always unlocked the mysteries of those frightening questions. And they never learned --- even the angels --- that the folded Cattleya notebook is actually a magic wand that broke the spells of those exams when every possible Muggle solution has failed.

More than exams, the angels finally convinced the devil S to declare a truce on his war with religion. They were all there --- armed with buckets of water and a fire extinguisher in case the devil S suddenly flames up (as devils do when they enter a house of God) --- when the devil S served as a mass commentator for the first and only time in his life. The angels were so protective of their devil that Lady Barnacle tried to cast an evil spell on them in a fit of jealous rage.

In his perpetual gratitude, the devil S would always walk them home after every class: angels A and M2 in Ladies’ Dorm 3, and angels J, R and M1 in Ladies Dorm 6. The devil S was so always around and protective that nobody dared pay courtship to his angels.

Before the Hogwarts graduation rites, the angels and the devil paid homage to their friendship through a journey where their stories began: in angel M2’s Cuyapo (little she who dreamed of marrying a big and tall American); in the devil S’s Almaguer where they married angel J and her beau in the dacquel nga carayan (angel J have water lily flowers for a bouquet and they all have tupig for the wedding feast); in angel A’s Tarlac where they had their sweetest tocino ever; in angel M1’s Aliaga where the devil S cocooned after every soul breaking episode; and in angels J and R’s San Miguel where their happier memories were enshrined forever.

Profiles: Other Simbahans Along the San Miguel-NLEX Stretch


CHURCH OF SAN MIGUEL ARKANGHEL (SAN MIGUEL, BULACAN). The mayumo in San Miguel de Mayumo means sweet in reference to the abundance of honey in the area. It already exists as a visita before 1607. The first parochial buildings were made of nipa and cogon. Fr. Juan Tombo (OSA) supervised either the building or rebuilding of the present church in 1848. He also intitiated the building of the 24-kilometer San Miguel-to-Gapan road. Fr. Francisco Arriola (OSA) supervised the completion of the church in 1869. He together with Father Tombo and Fr. Eugenio Ortiz (OSA) initiated the building of the magnificent convent. The church is a mute witness to the surrender of the last Spanish troops in San Miguel to Filipino Katipuneros led by Col. Pablo Tecson. An Italian artist named Alberoni later supervised the painting of the church’s dome and nave ceilings. Japanese bombs damaged the church in 1941. It has been restored several times but remain basically the same.



CHURCH OF SAN JUAN DE DIOS (SAN RAFAEL, BULACAN). San Rafael was established in 1750 by laborers from the San Juan de Dios estate. There are no records on the building of early parochial buildings. In 1863, a convent and probably a church were built. Fr. Antonio Piernavieja (OSA) had the present church and convent built from 1868 to 1877. The buildings have undergone considerable renovations since then. The church is the site of the bloodiest battle in the province of Bulacan between Katipuneros led by Gen. Anacleto “Matanglawin” Enriquez and Spanish soldiers under Col. Lopez Arteaga. Some 800 Katipuneros died in the battle, including “Matanglawin”.

CHURCH OF SAN AGUSTIN (BALIWAG, BULACAN). Baliwag was established in 1732. The building of the first church started in 1734 and completed in 1748. Fr. Gregorio Giner (OSA) had the first stone church built from 1769 to 1774. Fr. Esteban Diez (OSA) supervised the construction of the convent that was once considered to be the best in the Philippines, and initiated the building of a new church. Both were finished by 1830 and these are probably the present buildings. The construction of the bell tower that was started during the time of Father Diez was completed in 1866 under the supervision Fr. Matias Navoa (OSA). Fr. Tomas Gresa (OSA) had the church repaired after it was damaged by the earthquake of 1880. The plaza fronting the church was once considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Philippines and compared with the La Granja de Segovia in Spain. Today’s clutter of market stalls and the building of a perimeter fence has lost its luster.



CHURCH OF SAN ISIDRO EL LABRADOR (PULILAN, BULACAN). San Isidro was established in 1749. Fr. Juan Rico (OSA) started the construction of a church probably in 1826 to replace an exiting one. In 1850, the town became known as Pulilan after its most famous barrio. Twice, an earthquake damaged the church: in 1863 and 1880. Fr. Miguel de Celis (OSA) initiated rebuilding what might be the present church. Since then, succeeding restoration works were conducted. Pulilan is the hometown of the famous kneeling carabaos.



CHURCH OF SANTIAGO APOSTOL (PLARIDEL, BULACAN). Fr. Pedro Vasquez (OSA) already had makeshift parochial buildings built in Quingua --- Plaridel’s old name --- from 1580 to 1595. It was annexed to Malolos in 1599 and accepted by the Augustinians as a mission in 1605. A church was then built in the present site under the supervision of Fr. Diego Pardo (OSA). Fr. Tomas Quijano (OSA) later supervised the building of a stronger church and convent in 1722. Between 1771 and 1778, Quingua became the subject of a tug-of-war between the Augustinians and the Archbishop of Manila. The church was struck by lightning and razed by fire in 1772. It was immediately rebuilt and this must be the present building. Some of the Augustinian’s money and jewels were hidden in the church during the British invasion of Manila. The church was again damaged in the 1863 earthquake and was immediately repaired. Its first Filipino priest, Fr. Victorino Lopez, joined the Katipuneros under Capt. Jose Serapio during the revolution against Spain. American soldiers established their headquarters and field hospital in the church in 1899. Quingua was renamed Plaridel in honor of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar.

THE POETS OF MT. PULAG

February of 1993 was a period of healing. The tumultuous era of a musicale called LAHAR had everybody who was involved scurrying away from each other. Friendships have been tested --- some would endure, others shattered. But we have grown wiser. And much, much older.

Oyet and me were picking up the pieces of our fractured friendship when we came up with a collaboration to hold a poetry writing contest among my senior students at Hogwarts’ University Science High School (USHS). The prize would be a chance to conquer Mt. Pulag --- the second highest Philippine peak along the Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya border after Mt. Apo in Mindanao.

It was an awkward moment when Oyet came to the USHS for a talk on poetry writing. Words were difficult to come by then. So we just went ahead pretending that all is well although it was not. Not yet.

We were both surprised at the contest result. I for one was expecting the Hermoines and Harry Potters to rise. But it was the Ronald Weasleys, and even Draco Malfoys, who turned out be-mused. They are, in many ways, Abet of Almaguer’s kindred in spirit.

I can’t recall where we slept during our first night in Baguio City (although I’m almost sure it was a bus station). What I remembered is meeting the legendary Frank for the first time and hearing that the climb would not push through. Of course we were disappointed. But the next day, something turned out and we were off to Kabayan for the push to Mt. Pulag.



The climb took us 5 days: (DAY 1) the trip to Baguio City, (DAY 2) a half day ride to Kabayan and another half day walk from there to the base camp, (DAY 3) almost a day’s climb from the base camp to the second camp site near the summit, (DAY 4) the final push to the peak and a walk down to base camp, (DAY 5) the trip back to Nueva Ecija.

It was difficult for us especially with the primitive tools that we had. No high tech mountaineering gears except back packs that were bummed from some relatives in the army, a heavy borrowed common tent, and the everyday de lata and Payless for our food. We made up with lots of heart and a load of cuatro cantos to keep the cold away.

Mt. Pulag’s ancient forest cover is magically eerie with its gnarled trees, creepy sounds, and hazy mist. Then suddenly just after the tree line, the dark forest gave way to a carpet of grass-like dwarf bamboos and the cloudless deep blue sky. The most dramatic encounter was at the peak where after forcing our tired bodies up by 3 AM and washing our gin-laced mouths with water thickened by soft ice formations and crawling our longest 1.4 kilometers, we came face to face with the most beautiful sunrise in the world. Below us, a sea of clouds boiled and licked at island-like peaks that broke through the firmament before cascading like a waterfall in slow motion along the steep slopes, the vegetable gardens, and the silhouette of the Halsema Highway.

We have been healed…

PHOTOS: Top photo show Team Hogwarts at the forest between the base camp and the summit camp site while center photo shows them above the tree line just before the summit camp site. The last photo shows them on the peak of Mt. Pulag where they hoisted the Hogwarts’ color with the most beautiful sunrise in the world for a backdrop. They are the first all-CLSU team on record to conquer the second highest mountain in the Philippines.


Profiles: Baguio City’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sagada’s Anglican Church

Before climbing Mt. Pulag, we seek the deity’s blessing in a popular Baguio City landmark: the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary that was first built in the middle of what is now session road by the Congregation Immaculati Cordis Mariae (CICM) who established the Catholic mission of Baguio in 1907. Fr. Florimond Carlu (CICM) initiated the construction of the present church in 1920 until 1936 in its current site that was once called Kampo by the Ibalois. The church was transformed as an evacuation in 1945 and has survived the carpet bombing of American warplanes saving thousands of lives who took refuge there.

For those who would plan to climb Mt. Pulag someday, it would be perfect if a trip from Kabayan to Sagada via the challenging Halsema Highway will be inserted in the post-climb itinerary. Sagada is a perfect place to pamper aching joints and reflect. The Anglicans who evangelized in the Cordilleras established their Sagada mission in 11 October 1901 through Rev. John Armitage Staunton, Jr.

THE SCRIBE (THE INITIATION OF KIMAT T. AMIANAN 2)

If he had his way, Kimat T. Amianan would rather be a scribe. He had this gift for cooking up words and phrases. This he learned from Vampires of Almaguer who often asked him to conjure notes for their ladies, and from the wizards of the Bambang School of Sorcery. This was a long time ago when he came by another name and before escaping to Hogwarts.

He never thought about this in Hogwarts until the day the an-annong has taken over him. Against his will, his feet started walking him to a house of midgets across the agora near the sunken garden and the temple of the crucified one. There, a quill appeared in his hand that began furiously scribbling on a parchment. When it was all over and the an-annong has left him, the chief midget came and solemnly said: “You are now one of us”. And so it was that Kimat T. Amianan joined the scribes of Hogwarts.

Some years later, he crossed path with the baby-who-was-born-with-a-string-in-his-hand. From him, Kimat T. Amianan learned about the runaway boy who kept coming back, Rizal and legend of the 3 Cs, and the magical world of poetry.

But in Hogwarts, either one is a warrior or a scribe. When Kimat T. Amianan tried to be both, the Gods of Hogwarts descended on him and condemned him unworthy. But like the Phoenix, he will rise back from ashes…

(To be continued…)

Profile: The Church of Cavinti, Laguna

Cavinti was first established as a Franciscan visita of Lumbang in 1691. Two years later, Fr. Pedro de San Martin (OFM) built the first stone parochial buildings that were damaged during the 1639 Chinese uprising. These were probably rebuilt or restored and in 1822, the bell tower was added. The parochial buildings suffered severe damages during the 1824 earthquake and were replaced by a new structure --- the present church --- in 1834 by Fr. Manuel Benitez (OFM). The church again suffered damages during the 1880 and 1937 earthquakes that were subsequently repaired.



END NOTE: Hogwarts is the magical school of sorcery in J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter series. All other persons and places citedare based on facts but are my own fictitious characters.

OUR CHURCH

I entered CLSU at the same time Abet left Almaguer and Kimat T. Amianan went to Hogwarts. CLSU to me is like Almaguer for Abet and Hogwarts for Kimat T. Amianan. It's magic…

But since graduating from CLSU, I never attended any of its alumni homecomings. I thought these are only for pinnalastugan and for those who have retired. So my wife was surprised when I asked her to take a leave of absence from work and take the kids to the annual alumni homecoming. “It’s CLSU’s centennial anniversary. We won't have another chance like this,” I told her.

And so we came but decided to skip the program because the kids are more interested in our CLSU. We first paid our respects to the university's Church of Christ the Worker where significant milestones in our lives were enshrined. It was there where I broke my agnostic relationship with religion by serving as a mass commentator for the first and only time in my life. Well, can't say no to the opportunity of a tirade against George Bush the elder's war in Iraq.



Years later when we were about to get married, me and my wife found we've been missing one of the required seven sacraments. So we urgently look for ninong/ninang and have the late Fr. Lope Castillo officiate our kumpil. It was my first and only kumpisal (I had a hard time coming up with a transgression that I can comfortably admit to) and my first communion. During our wedding, Fr. Apollo de Guzman who was one of our ninongs suddenly took over from Fr. Lope. The bloopers that happened that day are still recalled with gleeful fondness. Fr. Lope also officiated the binyag of our sons Bulan (the parish secretary did not allow an organization listed to be one of his godparents) and Balong (he's got a Palanca awardee for a ninong).





The church was closed that day. So we just went around in a row, affectionately feeling the walls and iron grills with our hands. It is the only church where I feel comfortable letting go of my spirituality, and where we attend mass as a family.

Our CLSU


A monument designed by Architect Renato Bajit of PHILRICE now stands in front of the administration building to commemorate CLSU’s centennial that, according to Manong Lito Bibal, was based on the hand sign for NUMERO UNO. It came with a matching NHI marker. Angelito Saliganan from the Collegian days also sent me his centennial poster which I believe should have been a better official centennial poster many times over.

DORMS AND EPAY. I am a certified Batang Dormitoryo. My home as a freshman is Room 4 of Men’s Dormitory No. 4 that I shared with Jun of Aurora, Viterbs and Gayyem Marlex of Isabela, Willy of Bulacan, Tanda and Sexy of Nueva Ecija, and Bagis Elmer from Pangasinan. No dorms would take me in during my sophomore year so I moved in with the kabagises in Bagong Sikat until I had enough courage to dare stay in the Tondo of CLSU --- Men’s Dormitory No. 10 (and 11) --- where only the strong survive. I was later asked to move back to Men's Dormitory No. 4 (and 5-6) to serve as a pangontra against the annual fraternity dukots and the sigas who prey on the freshies. Nearby is Ladies’ Dormitory No. 6 where, once in a drunken dark night, dear Bagis Pajero and company performed a midnight serenade and we all got picked up by the security force.

PHOTO EXPLAINED: The exact place where Bagis Pajero and company serenaded Ladies Dorm 6.


Just across is the Graduate Students Dormitory where I spent some years after college. The tree with the perfect Y-shaped branch has grown. I used to hang my head there so I won't blow (sayang ang alak at pulutan) while cursing away the demons of Gilbey’s Gin. I’m proud that my room mates there now include a college dean and a vice-president in a state university. And just like in college, we took our meals at Epay's Canteen who I sincerely believe is worthy of a historical marker.

PHOTO EXPLAINED (clockwise from upper left): The house at Bagong Sikat (partially hidden), Men’s Dorm 10, Men’s Dorm 4 Room 4, IGS dormitory (center) with the Y-shaped tree in the background.

PHOTO EXPLAINED: A classic CLSU icon --- the famous karinderia ni Epay.

BROTHERS, SISTERS, COMRADES. Every kabagis was welcomed to the United Ilocandia Fraternity and Sorority holding on the UI tree for dear life. I did and carved my name in its trunk as was the tradition. I always remind the kabagises that the tree is a sacred relic of our story. They should protect it and treat it with respect. I also castigated them for failing to commemorate the life and times of Bagis Manny Lazo who was martyred in 1987.

Unfortunately for my wife, her Ultra Sigma Phi Fraternity and Sorority had folded up. Only traces of their tambayan in front of the Reimers Hall and beside the library ruins remained. We walked to the nearby Auditorium where I intend to place a historical marker someday. It was along its concrete steps that 15 starry eyed activists brought to life the Movement for the Advancement of Student Power on a balmy August of 1990. Revolution really begins in silent places.

PHOTO EXPLAINED (clockwise from upper left): The UI Tree inscribed with the names of saints, the abandoned tambayan of Ultra Sigma Phi, MASP tambayan in front of the PPDO, and the exact meeting place at the Auditorium of the first 15 MASP cadres.

A PLACE CALLED EDUC. In our time, the CLSU Collegian was lorded over by the College of Education. When I came in, the EIC was Jo Galingan (BSEd, English) with Joey Gamboa (BSEd, English) as news editor, Delfin Ilao (BSed, English) as literary editor, and Mam Ayet (BSEd, English) as adviser. Most of the staff writers (Mary Ann Quiazon, Rolly Dollete, and Bagises Rogel Monje and Joey Villanueva) are also BSEd, English. So, I decided to be BSEd, English too although I was already listed at the College of Business Administration. No regrets, I love literature.

My wife is also BSEd but Filipino which is my minor area of specialization. So we became classmates several times (in my major subjects that were her minor, and her major subjects that were my minor). We were just casual acquaintances, hingihan ng papel pag may quiz. Never did we imagine what we would turn out someday.

PHOTO EXPLAINED): The old CLSU Collegian Office (top photo) and the entrance to the College of education (next photo).


BLISS. I read a poem to my wife one evening in the Graduate Students’ Dormitory common room. We talked on until morning when she accepted my courtship. We had our first date at the island in Lingap Kalikasan Park (aka Little Baguio). We got married 6 months later. To date, we are still living happily ever after. We intend to do so forever.


PHOTO EXPLAINED: Where it all started 10 years ago at the common room of the Graduate Students’ Dorm (top). The island where we had our first date (bottom).

Our last stop was the bleachers.

“Ano meron dito?,” she asked.

“Sa ‘yo wala pero sa akin madami,” I said…

HOGWARTS@100

Hogwarts is 100 years old. For this milestone, markers (ala NHI) were placed in landmarks that are deemed to be historically significant. And so, I decided to defer the traditional visita iglesia for this year’s holy week because I have ran out of colonial churches within striking distance to pay homage to. Instead, I took Bulan and Balong for a visita iskuwela (ala via cruces) on a hot Black Friday. I walked them around the Hogwarts historical sites and sang with them the litany of Kimat T. Aminan and his brethren…

Station 1: SAN JUAN (circa 1929-31) was one of the student barrios created by Supt. Harry L. Comer. It is considered as a border kingdom where exiles and rebels find refuge from the tedious rules of Hogwarts. The gun guarding the entrance to San Juan is a relic from 1948 when an army battalion was stationed in the barrio.

Station 2: The FARMER AND CARABAO MONUMENT (circa 1938-41) has spawned legends about a treasure hidden inside the beast. It was erected at the school’s main gate during the time of Supt. Emeterio A. Asinas. The treasure was said to have been accidentally discovered when it was transferred to its present site in 1972 transforming the headmaster of that time into a very rich man.

Station 3: SAWMILL (circa 1929-31) is a sister barrio of San Juan. It too housed those who flee the wrath of Hogwarts’ officialdom.

Station 4: In the early days, “hayskul” meant what is now the College of Agriculture. Today, this refers to the USHS BUILDING (circa 1925-28). These Gabaldon-type buildings (including the adjoining DepEd BUILDING) were built during the time of Supt. Sylvester G. Kelleher and once served as a library. Kimat T. Amiana spent some time there honing his magic among Hogwarts’ youngest wizards.

Station 5: What is now the BOTANICAL GARDEN (circa 1936-38) was built during the time of Supt. Christian Reimers. Years later, some of Hogwarts’ tribes laid claim to it before it was finally transformed as a haven for the beasts. At its heart is the VIVENCIO SAULONG MONUMENT that gives homage to a young wizard from Calapan, Mindoro Oriental who gave his life in defense of Hogwarts (circa 7 February 1945).

Station 6: When the Tribe of Lam-ang: Dagiti Natutured, Nalalaing, Nabibileg, Nasisiglat are hungry, they go fishing in the SUNKEN GARDEN (circa 1936-38). Now, fishing is prohibited in that place so they have to be discreet. Like pretending to be playing the guitar and just idling along the sunken garden’s banks. What passer-bys don’t see is the invisible string that catches the fish, and the caught fish inside the guitar. In desperate times, they use desperate measures like a mosquito net. The sunken garden was dry one hungry day so the Tribe of Lam-ang: Dagiti Natutured, Nalalaing, Nabibileg, Nasisiglat raided the nearby HOSPITAL (circa 1929-31), carting away the patients’ food, and earning expulsions for 3 clan members. The sunken garden was built during the time of Supt. Christian Reimers and the hospital during the time of Supt. Harry L. Comers.

A short walk away is the fortress of LADIES’ DORMITORY NO. 2 (circa 1931) where the youngest child and only daughter of Kid Buntal and Precy stayed in Hogwarts. Her brothers were too protective of her and hid her in the fortress but she outwitted them and broke their hearts. The dormitory was built as a mess hall during the time of Supt. Allen H. Helms.

Station 7: Hogwarts is extra protective of its young lady wizards. They were kept in the fortresses of LADIES’ DORMITORY NO. 3 (circa 1954) and NO. 4 (circa 1923-25) guarded by ghosts 24 hours a day. Number 4 was built for another purpose during the time of Supt. Ernest H. Oesch while Number 3 was first intended as a dormitory for ROTC cadets. Nearby is what is now the COOP STORE AND CTC BUILDING (circa 1961) that once served as the Hogwarts administrative building.





Station 8: The SUPERINTENDENT’S COTTAGE once served as the official residence of Hogwarts headmasters for 50 years (i.e. 1925 until 1975).



Station 9: The POST OFFICE (circa 1923-25) is a donation from the Class of 1925 during the time of Supt. Ernest H. Oesch. It was first the Students’ Trust Bank Building then the office of headmasters after Superintendent Oesch. Behind it is the old CLSU Collegian building (and now the NASA office) where Kimat T. Aminan practiced his scribing. Across is the TENNIS COURT (circa 1934-35) that was built during the time of Supt. Arthur G. Spiller on the area where Supt. Kilmer O. Moe’s (1913-1922) 2-storey administration building once stood.

Station 10: The first occupants on what is now the RIZAL PARK (circa 1950-52) are cottages (circa 1928-29) that were later moved to the Little Baguio park. The Rizal Monument was built by the Classes (High School) of 1950 to 1952. Many missed the old skating rink…

Station 11: Perhaps, the most familiar Hogwarts landmark is the 80-feet high WATER RESERVOIR (circa 1929-31) that can be seen from several kilometers away. It was built during the time of Supt. Harry L. Comer and still provides 53,400 gallons of potable water everyday. The reservoir also marked the Hogwarts school for would-be generals. Just across is another fortress --- LADIES’ DORMITORY NO. 5 (circa 1952) whose security was once breached by a couple of the Tribe of Lam-ang: Dagiti Natutured, Nalalaing, Nabibileg, Nasisiglat sons who rode an iron horse right into its inner sanctum to the astonishment of its residents. It was built during the time of Pres. Arcadio G. Matela.

Station 12: For me, a close second to the farmer and carabao monument as Hogwarts icon is the REIMERS HALL. It used to be a hangar at Paranaque’s Camp Claudio that was donated to Hogwarts, named as Concordia Hall, and used for film showings and convocations. It was later renamed after Supt. Christian Reimers. Kimat T. Aminan and company spent many Friday nights there when disco was still hot and the curfew was extended until 10 pm. Reimer’s Hall is where the epic musicale LAHAR! was incubated.

Station 13: There was a moment when OSMENA (circa 1929-31) was the lair of the Tribe of Lam-ang: Dagiti Natutured, Nalalaing, Nabibileg, Nasisiglat. They were forced out after they have fried and eaten the silkworms that they were suppose to protect. Osmena is one of the student barrios (i.e. the others are San Juan, Sawmill, Quezon) that were established by the early blue eyed headmasters of Hogwarts.

Station 14: Our visita iskuwela ala via cruces culminated in LITTLE BAGUIO. And rightly so. Kimat T. Amianan had many memories of that place. There, he was transformed into a love struck Romeo: with the-fairest-of-them-all, M, Paraluman, the Stranger, and finally the-most-beautiful-woman-in-the-world. The place is where he also witnessed how women destroy men by the way E expelled what he had for lunch though his mouth, his nose and his ears; and where neophytes of the Tribe of Lam-ang: Dagiti Natutured, Nalalaing, Nabibileg, Nasisiglat were welcomed into the brotherhood. Little Baguio was established by the early blue eyed headmasters and was once the biggest natatorium outside of Manila.

END NOTE: Hogwarts is the magical school of sorcery in J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter series. All other places cited are factual and existing.