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Friday, March 29, 2024

My Tatang, my idol (2)

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"He made sure we ate regularly during the hardest of times."

 

In my column last Wednesday, I wrote that when my wife and I were still living at Philam Homes in Quezon City, a group of politicians from Bangued, Abra came. They told me that they wanted me to relocate to Abra and then run for mayor first, and then governor and congressman.

My first reaction to the idea of becoming a politician was to laugh. I was then public affairs manager of the Kanlaon Broadcasting System.

I asked the men – why me? They said the people of Abra needed a fresh face, and that could be me. I was born in Dolores town so I was a real, full-blooded son of Abra. 

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During that time, Abra was a hotbed or warring politicians. A company of soldiers had to be assigned in order to keep the peace. They said that then-Congressman Ato Barbero had their consent since his father was Defense Undersecretary Carmelo Barbero, incidentally, my godfather. 

I was assured of funding and protection – they said I was to have my own private army. 

I immediately told the group that I could not accept their offer, but thanked them just the same. Before they left, the men told me I was the best choice because I carry the name of my father, Emiliano Jurado Sr., who was well-known and well-loved in Abra. My gulay, I even looked like him!

My wife and I had a good laugh after our guests departed. We cannot imagine me being a politician, or ourselves relocating to Abra.

**

My Tatang’s forebears were of Spanish origin – from Malaga, a Moor-occupied city in Southern Spain. My great great grandfather, according to Tatang, was a guardia civil assigned by Governor General Juan Salcedo when he made Vigan, Ilocos Sur the capital just because Vigan was near Amoy (now Xiamen) in China, the trading capital in those days.

My grandfather Abdon Jurado served well, and he was awarded a track of land on the coast of Magsingal. Since Abdon could not farm the land alone, he asked his brother Canuto to join him in the Philippines. They settled at the farm, marrying mestizas. Abdon’s children included Quintin and my father, plus their sister Anita, who remained unmarried because her brothers were so possessive. There were also Antonio, Policarpio and Manuel. Anita took care of Manuel’s daughters. Manuel was an agronomist who moved to La Union when his wife died. 

The other Jurado children of Canuto were beautiful mestizas. Maria got married to a coconut plantation owner, a Marquez, in Tayabas. Her sister Marciana got married to an Udarbe, a hacendero in Pangasinan. 

But the Jurados were discriminated upon by the people of Magsingal such that my father had to elope with my mother, whose family had a house beside “the presidencia.” At that time, if you lived near that place, you belonged!

During the Japanese occupation when my mother and siblings were still living in Manila, my father brought his two horses with a caretela and a dokar. We used these as a way to earn money. I loved those days. 

When my two brothers went North to join the guerilla movement, we left Manila and joined them. At that time, life in Manila had gone so bad.

Abra was also occupied by the Japanese and we had to stay from town to town. Fortunately, Tatang had many friends who helped us. As a district supervisor of schools, he knew just where to hide to escape from the Japanese. 

During difficult times, Tatang was always there for our family. He worked very had to give all of us a good education. My sister, who became a doctor, got married to Alfredo Bersamin Ferraren of the Bersamin political clan. 

When my two older brothers, Desi and Willie, had to join compatriots in Bessang Pass, my father, with the Igorots, were our guide as we trekked from Abra to La Union. It took us a week of trying to escape the Japanese soldiers. Tatang made sure we ate regularly, even though we had to do without salt – then a precious commodity. 

Tatang retired when he turned 60. His retirement pay was enough to buy a duplex – one to live in, one to rent out. I stayed with my parents until the day I got married.

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