Interview with my grandma – Lolita Insigne

At the age of 77, Lolita Insigne lives in Glendale, California enjoying the benefits she never had in her younger years. Growing up in village Zamora, located in Tayug, Pangasinan, Philippines, she has come to appreciate the great advantages of present living in the United States. Although many years have passed, her memories of Tayug remain unforgettable. During the 1940s, Lolita was faced with the horrors World War II brought. Nowadays, she finds entertainment in watching the news and of course Laker games. Rather than sitting at home, she finds joy in walking daily and can’t resist but do work around the house. My grandmother’s weekly visits to Everlasting give her the chance to socialize with other senior citizens, which brings much happiness to her. She ends the day by lying in bed and reading her Holy Bible, something she didn’t experience early in life. A devoted and loved grandmother, she always greets you with a smile and a warm hello, making people doubt that she ever lived a hard life.

I grew up in the town of Tayug, Pangasinan. I lived in village Zamora since I was born November 28, 1930. Every people in that place knows each other by name because that’s a small place, not so big. We talk together, we go to dances, wake, or anything. We go together, to plant rice, to harvest. Because we live in a small village, everybody helps each other so the people were very cooperative. We used to help each other like when planting season comes, we help your family and then, you come to me and help us plant also. That’s what we do in the Philippines. And when it’s harvest time, it’s just the same. You come to me and help me in my harvest and then I come to you with your harvest.      

As a farmer, you just depend on your harvest. It’s the whole year, when it’s rainy season, you can plant rice, you can cultivate, after that no more, stop already. Then, you will be either waiting for let’s say 4-5 months with nothing to do. That’s why when the harvest time is over, my father will go to Baguio because he is a master carpenter, to augment our means of livelihood, because farming alone cannot support the family. But we lived a good life there. After the rice plantation, you harvest those for another planting of vegetables. You will have to plant again in that field with vegetables like ampalaya (bitter tasting vege.), okra (slimy-textured vege.), calabasa (squash). You plant it and then you can sell some. We used to bring them in town to sell because it’s plenty. From that you can give to your friends and from that you will live. But to be a farmer was really hard. It’s not that easy.   

There is also fishing, but you yourself. There is like balao (flat basket/strainer), you just get the sand from the river, you scoop with your strainer with holes and you get already shells, bocaig, tulya, they call that calms. We have fish, we have crabs, and we have everything. Before, when you go to the fields you get snails. You just go around, and then you will see a hole and you run. And then it will come out. That time, we have plenty of food there, very plentiful. Snails, crabs, shrimps, fish, we eat. If it’s plenty, you can bring it in town and you can sell it in the palengke (markets). You give to your relatives, friends. They will buy also, but cheap only.     

Oh, we go to school about, from my house, about two kilometers. We just use these clog shoes, wooden shoes, in going there to school. During lunchtime, we go home and then be back at school. Then, after classes, we go home again. There’s no means of transportation over there, just by walking. Because you will have to walk two kilometers, you wake up early. Maybe around 6:30, something like that. Then you reach school, maybe around 7 o’clock because it is quite far. Everyone went to the same school. Students were treated nicely because students are all Ilocanos and our medium of learning, since we are in grade one they teach us English already.

In Tayug, I studied in a public school for two years. I used to go there to the town proper, which is Tayug with my brothers. We go there Monday morning and we leave Friday afternoon. We are renting a house for the mean time as long as we are in the town proper, taking our education. Then I left my town when I was sixteen years old and lived at Lola Crising’s house in Baclaran, Manila when I was third and fourth year highschool. People wanted to go to Manila to study for their education, but some stayed in Tayug. For those that can afford, they wanted to go to the city. Like me, I went to Manila to study. My father and mother was left home and they came to Manila every now and then. Every other month, they visit me and bring me my provisions, like a sack of rice, vegetables, anything from the province.  

War was December, the outbreak was December 8, 1941. It was World War II, they bombed Manila, they bombed Corregidor, they bombed Mariveles. We had a hard time during Japanese occupation because the Japanese were no good people. They put you in the river, they ask you questions, and they lay you flat in the river with your nose in the water. If you cannot answer they’re gonna , they gonna step at your back.

The Japanese, I don’t know a term for their attitude...very rough. The Japanese were harsh in dealing with people. Filipinos were scared of the Japanese. But the Americans, no because they were friendly. They go to the village and help the Filipinos. They have these canned-goods with them and candies in these army bags and gave to the people. The candies nowadays are worth nothing compared to before, they were very delicious. Yah, the American people, very good. They just go looking for the Japanese. That’s why we built dugouts or foxholes. The ground, the Earth, was dugged and we go down, down, down, and we hid there. But on top, there are pieces of wood and leaves. It is disguised and used to protect you from the bomb shelling.

Then it was the Death March in Bataan, where all those captives by the Japanese will have to walk. But they had a very hard time, they were walking, walking, walking up to Manila, along the mountain. But on their way there are Japanese on their sides because, if you gonna run, they’re going to kill you. They are very cruel people, the Japanese. Nobody died anyway from our relatives, but many died. They suffered from these Japanese atrocities, but in our place, in our village, no one was killed. Of the war, people got hurt, but not my neighbor. Different people.  Oh, my youngest brother, Sabelo was born 1933 and when he joined the army he was only eighteen years old. But he added more years so that he will be enlisted in the army. He wanted to join so that he can support his family. When you join the army at least you will be earning. We just heard the news from the people. Yah, that time 1950, 1948, there was no news then, no t.v. yet, no newspapers yet. By persons only. In our place? In our school? In Tayug, Pangasinan? No, there was no one famous. Not in Pangasinan, but in Leyte there was that MacArthur monument. But in our place, no, just simple living. There are festivals, but not in our village. We just celebrated Christmas and birthdays.

Gossip? No gossip there at our place, none. You, you just talk about life. What is good to do, how we are going to help each other, like that only. Everybody lives peacefully in that place. That’s why, before when you are single, everybody likes you because of your attitude, like me. Many were courting me, oh my. During our time, courting is strict. You cannot just go around with guys like that, nooo. When I go to a party, to a birthday, or wedding, or anything, I have chaperon. They’re with me, so you cannot fool around. People cannot just go with a guy. The guy comes to your house, he talks to you, with your parents. That’s the way of life we have in that village. If I had the chance to go back, yes, why not? I will, but not to stay there, just to visit. I would go there when somebody dies and when somebody gets married. It was a very peaceful place where people enjoyed living with each other. There was no quarrels, just peaceful. No nothing, no criminals, no stealing. It was a secure place. Nobody coming to intrude.

Interviewed by Abegail Insigne