THE BONGABON EXPERIENCE!

friends in bongabon, n.e.: mr. armando giron, beauty queen jane de joya and blogger robert silverio

beauty queen jane de joya and blogger rober poses at armando giron's veranda and receiving area

mr. armando giron and blogger robert at  a very beautiful river in barangay labi, bongabon, nueva ecija.

There were many reasons why. Why people suddenly decided to leave it all behind for the meantime, and took some short trips to discover an answer left forgotten...

To search, maybe to conquer a new horizon, too. To love, maybe to assure a presence of a lingering guardian that never failed to care. To find an answer, a closure, and solve a puzzle that's been haunting and troubling.

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IT WAS A RAINY DAY when a soul took a bus at Edsa, Cubao going to Cabanatuan via SCTEX. The little rains didn't hamper his youthful and vibrant spirit. Because the rains simply added more gloss, more artistic feeling and more lively colors. The Five Star bus was cool, cozy and spacious. The people inside it, were all looking glamorous.

"You have to take the Five Star bus in Cubao going to Cabanatuan City, and when you drop-off in the terminal of Five Star in Cabanatuan, take the Bojoda shuttle going to Bongabon. When you reach Bongabon, ride a tricycle and tell the driver to take you to Armando Giron's house", came the text message of Mr. Armando Giron, the Chairman of Nueva Ecija's Council for History, Culture & the Arts as it appeared on his cellphone.

He kept on reading it as not to forget and be careful not to get lost along the way. Going out of the busy Metropolis went-on fast and precise. In a little while, he was already on the smooth-sailing highway of the SCTEX.

The leaves of the trees along the highway danced and the rains melted on the ground. A little ray of the sun appeared from nowhere, signalling the brief ending of the water drops. The soul smiled a little. It's gonna be a nice trip, after all. The positive feeling went-on all too great.

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Finally, the bus going to Cabanatuan reached the terminal. It was fast and easy. There was only one stop-over for a quick lunch of Menudo dish and rice, and after that, a quick nap at the bus. He was there on terminal without much wait and false anticipations.

A corn vendor guided him to where the Bojoda shuttle was. It had been waiting there to accomodate passengers, and again, after brief wait for more passengers at Walter Mart in Cabanatuan, the shuttle jeep began its transforming short journey to BONGABON, Nueva Ecija.

Looking at the shuttle jeep passengers, how peaceful and simple they were, the travelling soul exactly felt the same. On this personal journey, he chose to be there- deep within the deep recesses of his mind. An angel told him to be there. To bond with his invisibility, with his ever-lasting guidance and protection. To celebrate a bondage, a marriage, a unison- with, again, the angel of his life. No one ever knew all too well, maybe.

Travelling souls chose the places they wanna be. Most of them, didn't choose the extravagance, nor the 'too much of it all'. They simply wanted some closures, the strengthening of their convictions, the power of their beliefs, and the quest for a silent sanctuary. A hidden garden, maybe, that could transform their souls in better dimensions of a worldly existence- and for an angel, the beauty of the life that was taken out.

Travelling souls, they say, were restless souls, too. Spirits that hang over for more answers. Spirits that lurks by in wide corridors and transparent halls. Spirits that wanted to be felt, hungry to be embraced.

Connecting were all they needed. And the welcoming gesture of MR. ARMANDO C. GIRON was one factor that could transcend lives and open-up new doors. For the living soul, he needed an answer, too, for one great puzzle he could not solve.


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the beautiful champaca tree at the heart of the giron botanical garden

a small alley with plants adjourning at the giron botanical garden

an artisitc angle and facade at the giron botanical garden

the big duhat fruits that was served at the giron residence

a rare flower at the giron botanical garden

harvested duhat fruits

champaca flowers in the dining table at giron botanicals

champaca tree fades out, other plants fades-in at the giron botanicals

"Heto na po ang bahay ni Armando Giron", the tricycle driver told to the travelling soul. "At mag-enjoy po kayo sa garden niya na ipinagmamalaki po namin dito sa Bongabon."

What a sigh of relief for finally reaching the destination. The travelling soul was feeling a lot better, because the first step of the "great transformation" already happened when the shuttle jeep crossed-over from Palayan to Bongabon more than 15 minutes ago. Because on that instant, the wind suddenly changed, the scenery became more alive, the picture went on to fully LIVE.

You could dramatically notice it. The transformation, we meant. It's as if you suddenly reached a new dimension of place and time. Because more than fifteen minutes ago, as the shuttle jeep reached Bongabon- there was a more beautiful feeling we could not comprehend. The ambience, the environment, the clarity- went on so GIGANTIC in nature and exposure.

And there was the host, as the travelling soul saw him from garden alley leading to the Veranda of his artistic Bungalow house, wherein plants sorrounded it everywhere- very rare and expensive garden plants, and carabao grasses on the floor.

The host, Mr. Armando C. Giron was entertaining friends from the Veranda. He finally saw the travelling soul and smiled and said: "Mr. Robert Silverio, welcome to Bongabon!", he quipped. "Come! Take a seat and enjoy my special noodle soup that I cooked for you."

(from left to right: armando giron, jane de joya, blogger robert)

After introducing him to his friends which included Beauty Queen (Mutya Ng Pilipinas) in 1969 in person of Ms. Jane de Joya and some others, the merienda were served at once. The noodle soup was so delicious and heavy, with chicken and other spices as ingredients and the noodles were thick and flat. There were also a very special kind of a Puto delicacy and rarity which could only be bought in Bongabon, and also cakes, Duhat fruits (which were so big), plus some flashbacks on Ms. de Joya's childhood in Bongabon, with Mr. Giron as her playmate.

After the childhood flashbacks and more, Mr. Giron invited everybody to tour his Giron Botanical Garden and pick more Duhat fruits that was located on the far end of the garden. Along the way, the travelling soul saw more beautiful and almost-extinct kind of plants, flowers, fruit-bearing trees like Mulberries, guavas, mangoes, rambutans, and more. Even if these trees appeared bonsai and small, the fruits they bore were big, so round and heavy. Wow.


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standing by a bridge, blogger orbert poses at the top of barangay labi river in bongabon, n.e.- right at the very heart of the sierra madre mountains (bongabon side).

the memorial of Donya Aurora Quezon at the back, as mr. giron and blogger robert poses for a picture

the boundary to aurora province, from bongabon side.

"I will let you feel more about the Bongabon countryside, 'coz I will take you on a trip to the Sierra Madre Mountains leading to the boundary of Aurora province", Mr. Giron told the travelling soul. Almost as if, an angel smiled from nowhere after he said that.

The Sierra Madre mountains meant something for Artists, Historians, Culture-lovers. It inspired poems, songs, film backdrops and hidden messages of space and time. It's a long range and line-up of mountains so big, some small and others wide that starts from the Isabela province in the North, leading to the Bicol region in the South. These mountains protected people from floods, heat and cyclones. And its alignment to the plains and the view of it, attracted many tourists far and out.

So happy that Mr. Armando Giron took 'them' there via a comfortable drive in his pick-up truck. They first visited the many pieces of lands he owned, up in the Sierra Madre (Bongabon side, leading to the boundary of Aurora province) mountains. He talked to some people residing there and continued-on with the trip.

They were already at the very core of the Mountains, deep inside there. The zigzag road was safe, and nature was at its finest.

It was breath-taking, magnificent, no words could perfectly describe how beautiful the Sierra Madre Mountains were. They were thick and green, not bald at all. A river (the Barangay Labi river) runs through in one quick break of the road, and the journey still went-on smoothly.

Going-out of the truck for some quick selfie's, smiles and heavenly feeling of the gushing wind became a MUST. From there, you would fully feel, you could fully embrace, you could totally bond with these great Mountains.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL LIFE, AFTER ALL.


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Suddenly, they reached the spot in Philippine History wherein the late First Lady in 1940's was ambushed and killed. It was the very spot that Mrs. Aurora Quezon (wife of Philippine President in the 1940's- Manuel L. Quezon) died. There was a memorial there, a block of cement reminding people that it was the very place that Mrs. Quezon got killed.

The travelling souls got-off the truck to pay respects and have pictures. The feeling was so serene, and the Filipino Nationalism ignited upon the heart of one living travelling soul. It was located at the very heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Then, they went on.

Until they reached the boundary leading to Aurora province. Again, pictures were taken.

And went back to the house of Mr. Armando C. Giron as the night and the darkness came fast moving-in.


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A great dinner of Hamonado Longanizas, Dinuguan, Ginisang Saluyot, plus more, were served. Mr. Giron taught the living traveller how to cook a Hamonado Longganiza, a heritage dish of Novo Ecijanos. You must first cook it in boiling water and set the gas range fire on low. As the water dried up, the sauce and the fats of the Longganiza will melt and cook on its own. Pretty incredible.

Then, a quick call from one person named Jerry who's connected from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The living traveler learned that an event on July 2 was coming-up. NCCA people will teach Dance and Festival Management workshops to the people of Bongabon. And Mr. Giron was all too-glad to act as host for this artistic event.

As night came-in and the travelers were feeling sleepy, Mr. Giron took them to the Giron Stone House, a three-bedroom Hostel in Barangay Casugay, Bongabon. And yes, Mr. Giron also owned it, by the way.

And wow, a very expensive bed mattres (worth almost a hundred thousand of bucks) was waiting there inside one room. With a very cozy atmosphere that could be compared to the rooms of very expensive hotels in Manila. Many paintings also hanged inside the room, a flat TV and an air-condition. The bathroom was artistically-designed, too.

Because of that, the sleep of the travelers went-on soundly. Until the morning after.


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the very expensive mattress bed which blogger robert slept on

the facade of giron stone house hotel

The very good male staff of Mr. Giron, named Ben, took the travelers back to the Giron House around 7 (seven) in the morning, the day after. And a perfect American breakfast was served. Of course, there was cup of Brewed Coffee and fruits again.

A special visitor was coming on that very morning. No less than the Mayor of Bongabon, in person of Mayor Ricardo Padilla. As everybody prepared for the arrival of the Mayor, the living traveler looked-upon the very beautiful brook beside the Giron Botanical Gardens, adjacent to the Veranda.

The brook was singing songs as its water flowed so gracefully along with the rhythm of a perfect melody. It went on with unison with the Classical music that Mr. Giron played on the speaker of his cellphone. It was, yes- it was PERFECT.

Suddenly, it was TIME to face a feeling. A moment for CLOSURE.

As the living traveler stared by the brook, it whispered to him an ANSWER. And the answer was FORGIVENESS.

He's been wanting to open-up with Mr. Giron since they traveled inside the Sierra Madres. But he hesitated and lingered to keep it inside him. This time, he's on his own.

This was the end of a PUZZLE. Just like a jigsaw he could not solve, now, he's embracing it.

It's been years now that he could not fully move-on. Because he could not FORGIVE.

The very person who raised him up was the very person he could not forgive. But NATURE has its own way of getting through inside the deepest recesses of your heart and soul. When you got to be embraced by trees, plants, flowing brook water, and birds flying up in the air- your stubborn heart will melt. And the angel beside you simply took you there- for you to KNOW.

On that moment on, you'd forgiven. Not only the FATHER who raised you up and died more than two years ago, but also your very SELF.

Because you knew, you haven't forgiven your self for not being a good SON to your DAD.

And both ways, you'd forgiven. Both ways, you must move on.

The flowing water by the brook answered it all. It was LIFE speaking to you.


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two friends

YES, THIS WAS THE BONGABON EXPERIENCE you would not forget.

They never knew, someone was with you along the way. In a special bondage- some sort of a marriage, between a guardian angel and a human being, things happen if you would only BELIEVE.

No matter how far the distance, nothing separates between two hearts that really care.

Form this moment on

until

Forever.

The lady in white

will look

so



BEAUTIFUL IN WHITE.

(a travelogue specially written by robert manuguid silverio, with some photos taken by mr. armando c. giron).*