OH MY GOODNESS!

 The Balangiga Bells in Villamor Museum,
Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

Souls of Balangiga.

Article & Photos by Jun Reynales

Now it can be told – the Souls of Balangiga is back.  The day after the Bells of Balangiga arrived with such overwhelming welcome both from the Philippines and the United States of America, represented by their respective government officials when a United States Air Force C-130 cargo plane taxied and delivered to the tarmac of the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. Befitting a hero’s welcome to its long lost son from some bygone era, exactly from 117 years ago, it received the warmest welcome with heartfelt emotions by its descendants – the Filipinos from today’s generation – all seemed to chorused with tears of joy and saying “Maligayang Pagbabalik, Itay!” (Welcome Home, Dad!)

Janna Kae Saba - NHCP

After yesterday’s much media fanfare and hype, I decided to go visit and pay homage to the Souls of Balangiga today, December 13, 2018 on mid-day. I intentionally made sure that therewould be few visitors in the museum. Since it will be on its last day of viewing before it heads home to anticipating and excited townsfolk from Balangiga, Eastern Samar, I opted to wait and discover more personal and up-close stories from the people of Balangiga today that am hoping to meet. I met Ms. Janna Kae S. Saba from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) that midday. She shares information about these bells since it arrived yesterday before the museum visitors answering their questions as well. Through her tireless efforts and enigmatic personality and that of her colleagues, probably fuelled by the troves from interested and curious individuals, families, teachers and students, and others – all came to pay homage (even with, well, those plain kibitzers). Kudos to Janna Kae and to the other museum guides from NHCP for this event!

Thereafter, while going through the different areas of the museum photos and displays, taking leisurely time around through history within the confines of the Villamor Museum, saw again Janna Kae and she told me, “I have a surprise for you: I will introduce you now to some of the descendants of those who were participants in that 1901 event that brought life to these bells, they’re here now.” My heart jumped and the thought of food and my hunger pangs completed dissipates and changed suddenly to excitement. I can’t believe my luck, my patience paid off. “That is wonderful!” as the only phrase that I could muster at that moment, and I almost shrieked and jumped for joy. Hurriedly she accompanied me to meet them, as my dilly-dallying and double-stepping the stairways from the second floor down towards the women in front of the bells. And there they were....

The direct descendants of the heroes of Balangiga, Eastern Samar

I was introduced to these unassuming women, namely Melwida Devanadero, Lucilla Devanadero, Maria Elizabeth Catalogo Anistoso, and Anita Canillas Gayda. These four women, coming from the different parts of Metro Manila, met serendipitously without intention, at this exact moment when the bells are showcased, and to think, they only realized that they are all related to each other and met only again only now. They all even discovered that they have a grandson (from a distant cousin back in Balangiga) and bumped into him at this same afternoon. Realizing this I told these women, “I believe the souls and the spirits of your forefathers, perhaps of your old lolos and uncles

The bell that started it all
                 (foreground & middle inset).

who died on that fateful day in 1901 must be here with all of you now watching, smiling.” I was so transfixed in the humbling presence of these direct descendants of those who have fixed their resolved to fight and killed their oppressors in the days of the Filipino-American War. These four unassuming women regaled me with stories, passed through them throughout generations by their great-grandmothers, those who survived the massacre in the once-called Howling Wilderness of Balangiga – wherein anyone in the town population that is ten years old and above was killed by the vengeful Americans from the 11^th Infantry Regiment of theUS Army based from Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Melwida Devanadero proudly told me that, “it was one of the few times that

Melwina tells the story as told
            by her great-grandmother.

Filipinos was able to overcome a powerful enemy during years of the Filipino-American War; and I am so proud that my great-grandfather was one of those who were able to outwit such a formidable and cunning enemy.” She added, “to think that the Americans have powerful guns and cannons, and our grandfathers only were using their itaks (machetes) and bamboo poles as weapons.”  She and the three other women regaled me more of stories on how their grandfathers – who is related to who, which plays the role of what, and so on and so forth. Being an animated person who loves chatting and sharing stories with people myself, at that moment I ended up tongue-tied and mesmerized on how proud these women are of their forefathers; and how their spirits are all alive and emanating in their veins still.

.

 Maria Elizabeth Catalogo Anistoso added, “...our towns and its people are known to be courageous people and does not cow in fear or intimidation.” “We’re also known as good machete makers as we have crafted well those sharp one-meter long machetes that are good for one thing: chopping heads of our enemies off. Even during World War II, the Japanese soldiers dread Balangiga town as they know we’ll cut their heads off” telling me with passion and a bit of a grin. I reckon she’s not bluffing me on the chopping-your-head part.

I wanted to know if the significance of the sacrifices and stories of their forefathers would still be and can be applied in this generation, I inquisitively asked 

Reunion of sorts to this family.

them “...so what if there would be foreign aggressors today... hypothetically say, the Chinese Army comes to the shores of Balangiga and other parts of Eastern Samar... would the people of Balangiga rise up and defend the motherland?”

     Melwina without batting an eyelash and in a firm nonchalant tone of voice said, “let them come and see how the people of Balangiga would again rise up, wield once more our sharp machetes... and cut each and every one of their heads!” Her answer was confirmed with silence nods from the rest of them, affirms that even today, in the sunset of their lives, they are willing to do things for the country... if and when the going

Story as told of the Balangiga Bells.

gets tough. They all chorused “tignan nang mga luko-lukong mga instik na yan kung gaano kata-tapang ang mga taga-Balangiga. Kung yung mga Hapon nuon ay hindi umubra... sila pa kaya? Subukan lang nila.”  (let those crazy Chinese how courageous us Balangiga folks. Even those Japanese then were no match to us, what more them? Let them try.) I smiled back with awe and respect as looking to these four old women with their sheepish grin of naughtiness likened to those adventurous high-schoolers. Those are deadly smiles for sure.

 

The only thing these women laments is that the history about the sacrifices of that events in September 28, 1901 is that these are not know by today’s generations. And as such, they are wishing that these be

#GirlPower of the PAF:
              the Pilots of our UH-1H Helos.

taught to today and to the future generations, to learn of that one courageous moment in our history that for once we have outwitted and outplayed a powerful aggressor, and the story must be ingrained today and to the next. 

On this quiet overcast day at the museum I have learned, witnessed, and realized the valuable part of our history, as told through their personal and family accounts of these direct descendants, of that impetus one act of ringing the bell led to their forefathers, andeventually of the Filipinos revolutionaries’ ingenious victory. When the bells of Balangiga rang it was heard and shouted to the whole the town of Balangiga and the whole nation... never again.

PAF Officer and cadets pays homage

Parting ways with these wonderful women, they invited me and asked to come visit Balangiga on September 28, as

they wanted to show me how they celebrate such momentous in their town, through the annual Balangiga Massacre Play, as the descendants are the actors to portray stories of the heroic stance of their forefathers. “You are most welcome to visit us in Balangiga” they told me. Even on how their forefathers conceals their weapons on top of baskets of their local suman (rice cakes), and they guaranteed me that it tastes good and to-die-for. Okay ladies, I’ll take your word for it for sure.

Now that the Balangiga Bells are back news of festivities awaits them, and the first Christmas mass of the traditional nine-day Simbang Gabi at early dawn this coming December 15, 2018 will be placed in the annals of the history books nationwide and more so in Balangiga... that after 117 years it is home. Their forefathers – their spirits and souls – are home and it will be finally put to rest. Now the town and its people eagerly waits the first ringing of the bells again... as it announces to its people, that it is indeed back home.

Today in Villamor Museum in Pasay City was a simple day. But it was on this day

The bell that started the attack.

too that I have met four wonderful women on the sunset of their lives who have shared their family secrets of that once-glorious past in our country’s history: that on one unassuming day 117 years ago, perhaps at a similar mid-day like this, our forefathers from Balangiga, focused on their resolve to defeat a seemingly insurmountable enemy. Killed and maimed them with all their might and have succeeded. Once in our history, we the David... have defeated our Goliath.

Looks like it will be a wonderful Christmas and New Year in Balangiga Eastern Samar from here on. I went home very much satisfied taking with me the discovery of these wonderful women, with their beautiful intimate family stories, treated me like their long lost son, and adopted kin of the proud waray. 

Indeed... Life is Good!

#TheBellsAreBack #MakeItHistoric #NHCP #PhilippineAirForce #PAFGirlPower

#205thTacticalHelicopterWing #VillamorMuseum #BalangigaBells #BalangigaSamar

#MayForeverSaBalangiga