Dream MeaningsMy earliest recollections of my childhood would go back to the recurring dream visions I had in our rented house in Pandacan, Manila.
Yesterday Young And Reckless
Naughtiness, sometimes bordering on recklessness, was the trademark of my early growing up years.
Living In Quonset Hut Homes
It was only while writing my memoirs of growing up that I realized that all the quarters we occupied inside navy installations were modified Quonset hut homes.
The Legacy Of The Pontoon Barges
The sunken pontoon barges behind our quarters would bring about some of the most unforgettable memories of my growing up years.
Going Fishing Becomes A Passion
Going fishing was the most natural thing that would interest me in our
new environment, with the sea just a few meters behind our quarters.
Fishing Trips With Dad
Dad and I found more bonding time through our common interests for fishing and our fishing trips.
Sea Worms - Fishing Baits
Sea worms are one of the best baits for fishing, and here, I detailed the technique of catching it.
A Unique Flat-Ended Canoe
Our improvised canoe was unique in that it was not only made of stainless steel but also flat-ended at both ends!
Green Mussels Indulgence
Green mussels, a common and favorite seafood fare among Filipinos, were found in abundance in the sea waters behind our quarters.
An Ocean Crab Story
One particular ocean crab story illustrates the richness of marine life in our backyard.
Backyard Poultry Raising Project
Our backyard poultry helped supplement the family requirements for chicken meat and eggs.
Raising Pigs For Food And Profit
Raising pigs in our backyard was even more substantial in supplementing income and meat requirements.
Anticipated Summer Fun Activities
A wealth of summer fun activities were always anxiously anticipated by children of school age as classes come to a close.
Myriad Of Sports Activities
The free sports facilities of the base had afforded us ample opportunities to engage in various sports activities all throughout the year.
Odd Summer Jobs
Odd summer jobs were our ways of making a little cash during off school months when we had no allowance.
Learning to Swim In The Open Sea
I learned how to swim on my own at the sunken pontoon barges at the back of our quarters during high tides and rainy days.
RPS Rajah Soliman Capsizes Off Bataan
In June 1962, the RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66), the navy destroyer which Dad skippered, sank at the height of a super-typhoon at Mariveles, Bataan.
Infant First Aid Saves Baby Sis
Knowledge of emergency infant first aid and Mom's coolness under crisis averted what could have been a family tragedy.
Garita Elementary School Education
Our elementary school curriculum then offered learning skills which I do not see being taught to school children presently.
Cavite National High School Years
Four years of togetherness and the onset of the "exploratory age" make it the most memorable period of our schooling years.
University Campus Life
University campus life was the start of a practical course in living independently.
The Pain Of A Shattered Dream
I wanted to follow my father's footsteps, to enter the Philippine Military Academy, and join the naval service, but that dream was not to be fulfilled..... and remained forever, a shattered dream.
Back to College Life
Those were already the days of student unrest and mass demonstrations against an administration which started out popularly, but whose popularity was slowly eroded by abuses, excesses, and widespread corruption.
Retirement From Navy
In 1969, when Dad was compulsorily retired from the service at the young age of 50, we had one more year before we vacated our quarters at the Cavite Naval Base which holds so many fond memories of my growing up years.
