7 decades of Anecdotes of the Omalahokan

Chapter One: THE 1940s

“I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ev'r since
It's been a long time, a long time coming
But I know a CHANGE gonna come, oh yes it will.”-SAM COOKE

October 2, 1942. CHANGE. Born in the mountainous jungle terrain of Bindoy, Negros
Oriental, Philippines. About 60 kilometers from the Island capital of Dumaguete city. October 2,
1942. The year of the Horse is the seventh in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Five
Elements of Horse is Fire (Huo), which symbolizes enthusiasm and energy. There is no denying
the FIRE enveloping Asia and the world during this time. My father was born during the latter
years of world war II. As an Archipelago surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Islands
were thought to be insulated from the chaotic politics and conflict engulfing the world during
this period. But after “the day of Infamy,” the attack on pearl harbor in Hawaii, one thing was
certain: Change was coming to the Philippine islands.

The Japanese Invasion and subsequent occupation of the Philippines had just begun.
General Mac Arthur had just fought the battle of Bataan and had executed a strategic retreat,
shouting the infamous sound bite of “I shall return!” as he retreated to Australia. The surrender
at Bataan, with 76,000 soldiers surrendering in the Philippines altogether, was the largest
in American and Filipino military histories, and was the largest United States surrender since
the American Civil War's Battle of Harper's Ferry. Soon afterwards, Filipino and U.S. prisoners of
war were forced into the Bataan Death March. Though historians still argue about the
significance of the sacrifice of lives during this point in history, it was thought that the
prolonged resistance and stand of the Filipino people during this period help delay the
onslaught of Japanese Empire onto the rest of the pacific islands. With the departure of the
American forces the Japanese then proceeded to subjugate the rest of the Philippines one island
at a time. Some Filipinos still resisted using guerilla tactics to slowly chip away at the on coming
occupying Japanese forces.
 7 decades of Anecdotes of the Omalahokan

These were the hard times my father was born into. He was the youngest of 3 siblings at
the time. His two elder sisters, Linda and Aurora, were 2 years apart, and were both toddlers.
PAYABON, later renamed as Bindoy, was where the Yap family had settled. Surrounded by
coconut trees. hidden in the mountains, and crossing three rivers, the terrain provided distance
and a barrier between the invading Japanese forces and the local civilians of the island. The
villagers had created a crude early warning device to warn of any
approaching Japanese forces. “The Tagongtong” was a large bamboo
“bell” that the villagers would ring if spotters would observe any incoming
Japanese soldiers. My Great Grandmother would often panic whenever
the Tagongtong would ring. Everyone would hide and remain silent
hoping not to be discovered. It was during one of these “Tagongtong Alarms”, while people
were in panic, that my dad was born. My shrewd Great Grand Mother, in her quick wit, put up a
Japanese flag in front of their home to appease any possible Japanese raiders passing by. The
flag later had to be taken down because she was also afraid of receiving retribution from local
Filipino guerilla resistance fighters. My father was initially nick named “Tagongtong” during his
early years of life. The Noisy baby who would warned of any Japanese raiders approaching.

My Grandfather, YAP TIANSU, was a Chinese immigrant who came from a farming family in
southern China’s Fujian province. I also know him as Lolo SINGA. He was the younger of two
brothers. The family had apparently saved enough money to have one son “smuggled into the
Philippines” to seek better opportunities of prosperity. Originally, the elder brother, LIM Tian
Seng was designated as the one to leave for the Philippines. Unfortunately, as the date of
departure came closer, Tian Seng had apparently gotten cold feet and faked a sickness to get
out of his obligations. My Grandfather, Lim Tian Su, at the age of 15 years old, then had to leave
and ended up on Negros Island. He had to change his last name to YAP and pretend to be the
son of another local Chinese-Filipino family. I can only imagine the struggles my Grandfather
had to go through. At age 15 years old, he was coming to a country of which he did not speak
the language, he had no money, he had clothes and an abacus. But some how he was able to
find his way. He started working as a stevedore for a local business man. Doing manual labor
loading and unloading trucks of Rice and Copra (Dried coconut oil) working his way up. He
saved up enough money to Open a Sari-Sari Store which my Grandmother, Solidad Dy Yap
managed while taking care of the kids.

My Grandmother, Solidad “Soling” Dy Yap was a Filipino Chinese native of Alegria, Cebu. Which
was the neighboring island directly across the tanon strait to Bindoy. They met during the
fiesta at the neighboring town of Bais. They were introduced by a common acquaintance and
later got married. In her later year, when asked why Soling choose my grandfather to be her
husband, (as she had other suitors at the time,) my Lola Replied “Buotan si Singa” meaning
”SINGA was a good man.” As simple as that reply was, it was true. And true as it was then, as it
is now good men are hard to find.
 7 decades of Anecdotes of the Omalahokan

THE CURSE OF THE DOUBLE ALIOK

Lolo Singa
would be busy
traveling
between
Bindoy and
Dumaguete
manning the
truck with rice
and copra to
load, sell and
unload. Lola
Soling would
watch the store
and take care
of the children.

While my father was three years old, the neighbors would comment that he was an
energetic, small, but mischievous boy. They often would attribute it to the double Crown or
“Aliok” on his head. Superstition dictated that those born with a double Aliok were destined to
be mischievous and naughty. The curse of the double Aliok!!
My dad, at age three and four, became concerned and got frustrated at this label. Lola
Soling eased his insecurities by telling him that all though the neighbors have labelled him a
trouble maker because of his ambiguous Aliok, they failed to see a third “hidden crown” which
she dubbed as a sign of good luck and an outstanding obedient child. Lola Soling would say
“You ladies are confused. My son is a good boy because he has the rare third Aliok hidden at
the back of his head.” My aunts would later recall my dad twisting around like crazy trying to
locate the 3rd Aliok. Though deceptive in nature, my grandmother’s dabbling at early childhood
interventional neuro-reprogramming and reassurance of my father led to him feeling more
secure and confident about the direction of his life.
 7 decades of Anecdotes of the Omalahokan

THE COCONUT BRIDGE.

In the Philippines there are only 2 seasons: the wet stormy rainy
season and dry smoldering heat of the sun season. As daunting
as the stormy rainy seasons would be, they brought much
needed water to the land. During one of these seasonal storms, a
couple of coconut trees were turned over. One of these trees
were turned over and fell across a river. It was thus used as a
make shift bridge to crossover. The summer season was here and the emerald rivers of Bindoy
were flowing and alluring. Back then the local village children would study elementary school at
the home of the local teacher, Mr. Pedro Herrera. Children would cross the coconut bridge to
get to school at times. It was during this time that Lola Soling had a unexpected visit from Mr.
Pedro Herrera. “Ling, I just want you to know that your son has been absent from school for
several days now. Sige ug absent.” Lola Soling was surprised since she knew that her son walked
to and from school on a daily basis. After investigating, she then later discovered that my father
had been cutting classes to jump off the coconut bridge and swim and frolic in the river. He thus
became familiar with corporal punishment in the form the latigo (coconut straw whip). Angry at
his teacher for telling on him to his mother, my dad vowed revenge. He and a couple of his
friends placed little wooden spikes on the stairway of his teacher’s home. This lead to another
round of whipping with the latigo. Hopefully by then my dad finally learned his lesson.
.

Grade 5 holycross. Chung hua Chinese school. Any input

 7 decades of Anecdotes of the Omalahokan

Any Quotes you might add:

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty will fade, but blessed is a woman strong in faith.”—
summarized version of proverbs 31.
“ You cannot escape your manifest genetic destiny”- Atty.Francisco Yap Sr.
“ If you have to fight, fight like you are th monkey in line for Noah’s ark. And brother its starting
to rain.”
“ Keep it like a Bikini: Long enough to cover what is important, but short enough to keep things
interesting.”

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