batchoy memories

Have you come to a point where the best thing for you to do is give up your past?


Iloilo in the 1950's just right after the war - the Sta. Ana Cathedral in Molo

St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary

St. Paul's Hospital and College

JM Basa St., now the site of the Freedom Grandstand - with the old Eagle Theatre and Dalisay Theatre - now the Cinema Complex

View of the City from the Aduana Customs House


I am in a stage in my life called The-Crossroads-Between-Tuscany-and-a-San Francisco-Divorce-Apartment (from the movie Under a Tuscan Sun) wherein I am happily entwined with where I am now and my life that straddles along with it, but am being dragged emotionally by my past life. My past home, Iloilo, that is...

It started with the big flood that inundated the entire city by surprise - including our home. With the flood waters reaching up to the 2nd floor of our house, my mom, sister and our house help had to be fished out from the bedroom by our neighbors. We are very much thankful that they made it.

When the water subsided, however, it was a different story. We lost almost everything that we had. From all our appliance down to our photo albums, even all my negatives and old art works. All those years bundled up in memories suddenly gone in a zip! With catastrophes like this still projected to come (an intensity 4 earthquake just hit the city two days ago!), I am worried that my family might not be able to last another storm. That's why to my mom's hesitation, I asked her to give up the house and move to Manila, Guimaras or even with us here in Cambodia.

Is it wise for us to abandon our past in order to find security in our future?

I am still pondering about it, but as I think more about how unsecured and risk-ridden life is back home, I am left with very little choice...