Articles

IRENE IMPELIDO TANGONAN

Irene Impelido Tangonan See Photos Ining & Family

I

rene Impelido Tangonan - Ining, as she's fondly called, is the sixth child and the only daughter of Hipolito and Basilia Tangonan. She was born in Sta. Cruz, Sinait, Ilocos Sur, on February 20, 1927.

Being the only girl and the youngest in the family, Ining was pampered by everyone. From her stories, she was still being breast-fed even at the age of seven! She was a lovely and adorable girl...but something very precious was missing in her life ...the presence of a loving father. She was only a few months old when her father left for Hawaii to work. She only knew her father by photographs and by the letters her father sent her as she was growing up.

Ining grew up with just her mother and four brothers. Even without her father around, she was just as happy and normal as any other girls.

When the Second World War broke out, she was only fourteen years old. Three of the older brothers were away, leaving her, her mother and brother Emilio together at home. Caught in the war, Emilio had to leave Ining and their mother to join the guerillas.

Lola Basilia's anxiety over her sons took its toll on her health. She became very sickly and weak. It was Ining who looked after her frail mother, working in the rice fields to scrounge for a few cups of rice for food. They sought refuge in the mountains, moving from one hiding place to another to escape from the Japanese soldiers. Ining was also dressed up as an old lady at the time to avoid the attention of the soldiers. Once, while they were in the middle of rice fields, a lookout warned them of the approaching soldiers. The people scurried off to their hiding places. In her weakened state, Basilia ordered Ining to just leave her there and run for her life. But Ining refused to leave her. She hugged her mother and sat in the midst of the field with only the rice stalks covering them. With God's mercy, they were not found. All the horror and ordeal that the war brought seemed to last forever but they survived.

After the war, things went back to normal. With her father sending everything he could to support his family, Ining was able to continue her schooling. After her graduation in high school, she decided to become a school teacher just like most of her brothers. Gifted with beauty and good brains, she was a popular student at the then St Williams College in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, now Mariano Marcos State University. She was a writer and editor in their school organ during her college days. It's a pity not one of her children inherited that talent!

She graduated from college earning a degree in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1949.

At the time she finished college, her brother Dionisio was already a school principal in Romblon. She was invited to join him there where she took her first teaching post.

It was a long way from home, away from the mother who was left on her own, whose health condition worsened through the years. Life seemed to be challengingly good for her and her brothers...but seemed so cruel for the frail and sickly Basilia seeing all her grown up children leaving to pursue their careers and dreams in life. The joy, pain and cruelty of living, eh?

Ining enjoyed her new life in Romblon. Most of the people who knew her described her as tall, beautiful, talented and clever. Ining never disclosed a lot about her early years in Romblon, except that she met this meztizo who was being chased by young girls. Apparently, the mestizo was captivated by her charms. "I've heard how this couple's love story started, but unfortunately, I can't say anything...it was quite romantic by the sound of it!"

She married this meztizo, Zoilo Gadon Solangon, in January 1951. It was a happy start, so it seemed. It was a tumultuous marriage even from the beginning. They argued over silly and inane things! Zoilo was a jealous type of a person, and Ining, just as equally bad. On one of their fights, she grabbed hold of a big machete (itak) and chased her husband. When she could not catch up with him, she pulled their window curtains down and chopped them instead. WOW! How scary!!! Was that a part of their romance?

She continued to teach even after marriage. In November 1951, their first child Helene was born. In May 1954, the second child was born, Robert, who came to be the favorite child, a fact that Zoilo never tried to conceal from his other children.

Life seemed to be sailing smoothly for the young couple but not for long. In 1956, Ining's father, Hipolito, who came back from Hawaii several years after the war, had died. Taking all their belongings with their two young children, Ining and Zoilo took the long journey from Romblon to Ilocos to attend the funeral of her father and to be with her Nana Basilia. It was after the funeral that Ining decided not to go back to Romblon, having a lot of unpleasant memories in there. She also took into consideration her mother's failing health, she decided to stay. That must have been the greatest blessing to her Nana.

By January of the following year, Ining's third child, Steve, was born. It was a very happy moment for her Nana. The delighted old lady would often ask Ining to bring baby Steve to her so she could kiss him even just his tiny feet.

Two months after Steve was born, Nana died. Nana went through a lot of hardships in life. It must have been a huge comfort and consolation to spend those very precious moments with her beloved daughter and her young family in the last few months of her life.

Zoilo played a big part in looking after his mother-in-law from the day they arrived until she died.

From Sta. Cruz, the family moved to Dadalaquiten, a small village by the sea in Sinait. Ining went back to teaching at the Dadalaquiten Elementary School. At this time, Zoilo tried to get into business by buying a big bus that would be used as a public transport from Ilocos to Manila and back. Being a stranger in that place, Zoilo would often be stopped and robbed by thugs during the trips, and received threats of all sorts. Fearing for his life, he gave up the bus, sold it and bought a small pick-up truck instead. This time he was going try his luck in the "buy-and-sell tobacco" business. Being so inexperienced in that field, the venture was not so successful.

During those difficult times, the fourth child came, Laarni born in September 1958, just 21 months after Steve was born. Born in the midst of so much difficulty, this small, tiny baby was believed to have brought bad luck to the family...that's what Zoilo thought. Zoilo and Ining's quarrels became more frequent and intense. Zoilo even left one time not telling Ining where he'd gone, for a whole month. Ining thought that was the end of her marriage. Eventually Zoilo went back, and patched up their differences.

Those early years in Dadalaquiten, Ining knew she was facing what seemed a very tough and stormy road of family life with her husband. Zoilo's volatile temper seemed to be on fire going through his struggles and frustrations.

One day, Ining arrived home from school to find her two young children, Helene and Robert, whimpering tearfully. Looking at them, she had guessed what had happened. Their tiny legs bore cuts and covered with red swollen marks...traces of blood still visible from her husband's belting. Horrified and scared, she never left them again in his care. She decided not to take that risk again so she kept the kids with her in school while she was teaching. In her growing up years, she never experienced anything like that. She was protected, and sheltered...she didn't even know how it felt to be belted. With her husband, she was too terrified to even think of what's going to happen next.

Zoilo carried on buying and selling tobacco despite encountering losses. Until one day, while he was out buying tobacco again, he met a man named Leon Yago. Leon was married to a Tangonan, a distant relative of Ining. He talked Zoilo into buying some farmland in the north, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, as the costs of land there was so cheap. "There was a good prospect!" Zoilo thought. Desperate to find a better way to support his growing family, he sold his small pick-up truck, and took the trip to Pagudpud. When he found this mountainous farmland up for sale, he simply went ahead and bought it. His hopes renewed, he toiled in this farm with all the energy he had, with all expectations that this was his family's future.

For several years, Ining and her husband lived apart most times of the year. She was left with her children in Sinait, while her husband lived and worked on his farm far away in Pagudpud. Ining carried on with her teaching in Dadalaquiten. With a young house maid and an elderly couple who lived nearby, she had a lot of help looking after the young children

Ining thought being away from Zoilo was the ideal situation for her children. She feared her husband's impatience and ill-tempered nature. Laarni recalled running to Nana Vitto and Lolo Dinni(our next door neighbors) one night asking if she could sleep there because she was so scared of her father being around one time he came home from Pagudpud.

In November 1961, the fifth child, Emily, was born.

The time came for Ining and her husband to finally move the family to Pagudpud. In August 1964, they took the long journey to the north. It was a very sad moment for Nana Vitto (Lolo Dinni just died a few months back) to see the young children leave. She had grown very fond of them and treated them like her own, especially little Alning (Laarni).

The family settled in Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, a small village near the sea, with vast greenery surrounded by hills and mountains at the other side...it's an idyllic place! It just looked perfect to bring up their five young children.

Helene was only thirteen years old, first year high school student at the then Ilocos Norte School of Arts and Trade in Laoag City. Too young to be separated from the family, she became very unhappy and so she was transferred to St. Jude High in Pagudpud.

Ining started teaching at the Saud Primary School just next to their small hut.

Being with her husband all the time was a mixture of happiness and fear. To Ining, it was a new challenge, a new beginning. But things didn't go so well in their relationship. The physical and emotional abuse from Zoilo continued and it was horrendous! Inside their home, Zoilo was appalling, violent, cruel and vicious!!!! It was something that Ining lived with for so many years. It must have been very frightening for somebody who was brought up in a loving and peaceful home. These traumatic experiences also left a deep and indelible mark on some of their children, something that even time couldn't erase.

Behind all his violent nature, Zoilo had many admirable traits. One cannot help but laud him for his dedication as the provider in his family. He never drank alcohol. He never smoked. He never got involved in gambling of any sort. He was a very hard-working man. He planted their vast farmland with coconuts, avocado, mango, beetle nuts, banana and papaya. He worked there all day, everyday. Then in the evening, he would go out to fish. He never moaned about being worn out from working at the farm. He always made sure there's plenty of food on the table. When it comes to helping others, he was generous to a fault. Everyone was welcome to have a cup of coffee, lunch or any meal in the house.

How did Zoilo learn to become a midwife? It all started when Ining was giving birth to Steve back in Sinait. They lived in a village far from town and from the doctors. When Ining's time came, Zoilo cycled all the way to town to get the doctor, and then back. Ining was in so much pain and the doctor wasn't there yet! Zoilo raced back to town for the second time. The doctor said "I'll be on my way...go ahead!" Back to their house and he saw Ining was really in agony, so he went back to town again begging for the doctor to come. At last, the doctor went. Zoilo swore to himself and vowed that this will never happen again. So he watched everything the doctor did. When Ining gave birth to Laarni, he succeeded in delivering the baby himself. He delivered Miling next and then expanded to a lot more babies in Pagudpud...until he died. On his funeral, there was a very long procession of people who attended, people he helped and children and youngsters he delivered, 99% free of charge. He never asked for payments. If someone hands over 20 pesos or 50 pesos, it was fine with him. If someone knocks on their door in the middle of the night asking for his help, he never complained.

He became a famous "komadrona" (midwife), believe it or not. When some registered midwives in Pagudpud were having problems delivering a baby, they would call him. He was an expert "komadrona" that in the end, the health department granted him a license and provided him a midwife kit.

There were still some sweet moments that Ining shared with her husband. After a day of hard work at his farm, and a long day at the school, during one of their happy moods, they would sit together in the big rocking chair and sing their favourite old lovesongs.

On her professional life, Ining enjoyed her job as a teacher. She was a very dedicated and excellent teacher. She gained a lot of respect and admiration from her students, from her colleagues, from everyone who knew her. Most people who met her called her a 'woman of wisdom.' As a godly woman as well, she never stopped serving God in her own humble way. In her classroom, the first period on Friday mornings was "Bible Stories" time -- of which all her pupils enjoyed the most! She's most remembered for this.

During those early years in Pagudpud, everything seemed to be in abundance. There was a bountiful harvest from the farm, more than enough to feed their big family, and it was bringing good income.

In 1966, the family moved to a bigger house that Zoilo built, in the middle of the fields. Beginning to feel the pressure of bringing the children up, sending them to school, etc., Ining and Zoilo knew the coming years are going to be very tough.

Despite the difficulties, they were determined to give them the best education possible. Helene and Robert in College, Steve and Laarni in High School in Laoag City...their financial resources was easing away. Helene finished college earning a Degree in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1973. As Helene made her exit, Emily joined the rest in Laoag.

Two years after Helene left college, Robert graduated with a Degree in Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education -- a degree he loathed at first. Ining convinced Robert to take the Admissions Test at Philippine Normal College (now MMSU) just to see if he could pass it just like his Manang Helene did. To Ining and Zoilo's delight, Robert didn't just pass the exam. He topped it from among the other examinees from four neighbouring provinces. The College offered Robert a full scholarship -- an offer that one could not refuse in those days!

With Robert out, three more to go! Steve was next. He didn't know exactly what he wanted to study; he'd never been keen with school. After finishing one year in BSEEd at the PNC in Laoag, he didn't want to continue anymore. He was given a year off from school. In 1975, Laarni graduated from Ilocos Norte National High School. At that time, the family was experiencing financial problems. Still,Ining wanted Laarni to carry on with her education, but Zoilo vehemently objected to it. He wanted Laarni to stop. There was a big argument between the couple over this matter. With a lot of persuasion and begging, mostly from Ining, Laarni was allowed to go with the condition that she was to study Agriculture.

Laarni was a bright student. She started college at the Don Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte in June 1975. Steve went with her, taking the same course. But misfortunes continued to visit Laarni. After the first semester, she wasn't allowed to go back to college anymore. Steve, feeling so uncomfortable for his sister, opted not to go back to college too. Instead, he took up a six-month training course to become a Lineman, and after passing his qualifying exams, he started his job as a Lineman at the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. He was only eighteen years old. Laarni was kept at home and was made to work on the farm with her father. And work she did for the next three years!

Laarni left home in November 1978, and went to live with Uncle Bano (Ining's eldest brother) in Marikina. Deprived of the chance to pursue higher education, she dreamed of going back to college. Gifted with special skills in sewing, she found a job in a Garments Factory in Quezon City. After a year, she enrolled at the then Ortanez University in Cubao, Quezon City to study Accounting. Working at the factory all day, she would then rush to Cubao to attend her evening classes. In April, 1985, she finished the course and graduated with a Degree in Bachelor of Science in Commerce majoring in Accounting. Ining was very pleased.

The fifth child Emily went to study BSEEd at the same college, PNC, in Laoag. She graduated in April, 1989. She became a full-pledged teacher at the age of 20.

Zoilo died in September 1987. He was only fifty nine years old. That same year, Ining retired from teaching.

Today, Ining is happily living with her youngest daughter, Emily in Pagudpud. All of Ining's children are married and have families of their own. Emily is now a School Headteacher in Pagudpud. Robert and Helene also became teachers. Helene is currently teaching in Quezon City. Steve is now a Contractor in his company. Laarni, the adventurous one of the lot, is now living in England with her husband and four daugthers.

Despite everything that she went through, Ining can still engage in a very cheerful conversation with anyone. It seemed that the storm had come to pass in her life. In its place is gentle, quiet breeze, tranquil. She could not see anymore because of her glaucoma, but she seems very happy and content. Her unwavering faith in God is making her strong day after day! "I am surrounded with my beautiful and lovely grandchildren, and I am happy!", so she says!!! She's so amazing!

Epilogue

It is the fourth of March, 2006 today. Mama sounded happy on the phone when I spoke to her the other day. She said, "I am very healthy and feeling strong...I put on a bit of weight actually. It's just my eyes, but otherwise, I am very well, indeed!" I said, "that's very good to hear....I put on so much weight as well, and I may not be able to get through your door when I come to see you!" We shared a hearty laugh!!! - Laarni