The PRRM Years...Laguna Operations

My return to PRRM in July, 197l also heralded the change in its administration. Senator Manuel P. Manahan resigned as president and Mr. Armando Baltazar was installed as the new president. Mr. Baltazar came from the business sector and introduced several changes. One of the major changes that he made was the shift of sponsorship of barrio's assistance from individual to corporate. He maintained that PRRM should campaign for big corporate sponsorship of a number of barrios to be assisted instead of an individual sponsoring his own selected barrio.

It was at this time that several big business enterprises in Manila organized the Philippine Business for Social Progress(PBSP). The members of PBSP had set aside certain percentage of their profit for PBSP to use in the social and economic development of the rural areas. The PRRM was tapped by PBSP to select, assist and develop programs (using the 4-fold program of PRRM) to uplift the livelihood, health, education, and self-government aspects of the people. The province of Laguna was selected by PRRM to embark on this project.

About 40 barrios were identified in several municipalities of Laguna for the operation. It was in the early part of 1972 that the special project of Laguna operations was implemented. The field director was Col. Jose Mendoza(ret.); project director was Ms. Vicky Cruz. There were 2 teams: The Nagcarlan team under team captain Ernesto Amores and the San Pablo team under team captain Agustin Soriano.
Each team had about 12 community organizer(CO) workers. Each CO worker covered 2 or 3 barrios to assist and develop.

The Laguna operations was backstopped by the technical groups, namely livelihood, health, education, and self-government groups. I was the technical assistant in cooperatives under the livelihood group. Part of my job was to assist the CO workers in the promotion, organization, training, and development of cooperatives in all the coverage of Laguna operations.

I had assisted in the organization and training of several cooperatives, especially credit unions in Laguna.

I was with the project until I resigned from PRRM effective November 30, 1972 to join the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction(IIRR) in Silang, Cavite.

1971 PRRM Christmas Night celebration

The PRRM YEARS...Back home

The Social Leadership Course graduation was on May, 1971. Before I returned to the Philippines, I was invited by my cousin Bert Carganilla, also a member of PRRM batch '67 to visit him in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. He resigned from PRRM in 1969 and migrated to the USA.

I visited Bert on the later part of May, 197l. I was in the US for about a month where I visited some relatives in the neighboring states. Bert was convincing me then not to return to the Philippines. He said that I could easily find employment in the US and immigration was not yet very strict at the time. But I was very idealistic then and wanted to share my knowledge learned to "our less fortunate brothers in the rural areas".

I returned to the Philiippes in July, 1971 and reported for work with PRRM.

New Haven, Connecticut,USA

Coady International Institute...International Night

International Night Socials

Coady International Institute...

There were a total of 77 participants from different countries for the Social Leadership courses at the Coady International Institute. There were two representatives from the Philippines, myself and Amorita Pakilit.

The male students stayed at the International House. The female participants in another building within the Institute.

The Institute is named in honour of Rev. Dr. Moses M. Coady, a prominent founder of the Antigonish Movement - a people's movement for economic and social justice which began in Nova Scotia, Canada during the 1920's and spread throughout Canada and the world. The Director then of the Institute was Dr. D. Hugh Gillis.

The Coady International Institute represents the international extension of St. Francis Xavier University's distinguished commitment to social justice. Founded in 1853, StFX is a liberal arts education institution which, for five consecutive years, was rank the number one primarily undergraduate university in Canada.*

The Social Leadership course we participated in was a diploma course in adult education, cooperative organization, and community and social development programs during the academic year 1970 - 1971.

*Maclean's Magazine 2006 National University Ranking

Coady International Institute...

I left Manila on Sept. 23, 1970 on a flight bound for Montreal, Canada. Our plane reached Montreal on Sept. 24. From Montreal we took a train (the Canadian National)bound for Antigonish, Nova Scotia, home of the Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University.

The PRRM Years...at the Cooperatives Department

My assignment with the cooperatives department involved the promotion,supervision, and development of cooperative societies in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Pampanga. This activity also included the training of officers of cooperatives in the different aspects of their operation.

My involvement and exposure with the cooperative program of PRRM made it possible for my selection as representative of the Philippines under the Colombo Plan for a study grant in Canada. This was under the sponsorship of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)for a diploma course on Social Leadership at the Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, at Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. This study grant was on September, 1970 up to July, 197l.

Coop Dept. staff with participants of SIFI coop leadership seminar...May 21-28, 1972

The PRRM Years...at the Cooperatives Deparment

My assignment in Calibutbut to continue on the work of the late Vic Lucas was quite a challenge. Vic was well-loved by the people of Calibutbut. The whole community mourned his death and the people felt that as a community worker he was irreplaceable.

While I was still in Candating, Arayat Vic and I were under the Pampanga Team under Felix Lamug. I had occasions to visit him in his barrio. So I had an idea on how he operated and dealt with the people.

I concentrated on one project he had started and one aspect of rural development that I intended to specialize on - credit union and cooperatives. I challenged the people that they should keep the memory of Vic Lucas live on by continuing on his project and become his legacy to the people of Calibutbut...the organization of the credit union. The Calibutbut Credit Union was organized and registered with the Cooperatives Administration Office(CAO)in late 1969.

I was taken by the Cooperatives Department of PRRM under Roger Banas in the later part of 1969 as an RRW detailed in cooperatives to augment the deparment's staff.

Resource speaker during FES coop education seminar...March 12-29,1972

The PRRM Years...Batch '67

My first assignment as a Rural Reconstruction Worker (RRW)was in Candating, Arayat, Pampanga. Candating was another remote barrio that could be reach during dry season thru a karetela and during rainy season thru boat along the Arayat river. I was assigned in Candating with another batch '67 member, Avelino Pacleb. Management said that we were assigned together because of the big size of the barrio. I was in Candating for six months. I figured that with the two of us RRWs assigned in Candating I had no prospect to shine and show my potentials because the performance would be credited to the two of us.

During the PRRM December 1967 Conference in Nieves I wrote a letter to the Field Director, Mr. Menandro Pernito expressing my desire to volunteer with the Bislig team in Mindanao.

In January, 1968 I was assigned in Mangagoy, Bislig, Surigao del Sur under Team Captain Cipriano Ramos, Jr. The other members of the Bislig Team were: Casilda Ramos, Nazarena Nejal, Flaviano Cruz(batch '67), Jessie Aquino(batch '67),and Mimay.

I was assigned in Bislig for about a year. It was during the later part of 1968 that one of the members of batch '67 and one of my closest friends who was also from Guimba, Vic Lucas was killed in a vehicular accident in his assignment in San Fernando, Pampanga.

During the December Conference in 1968 in Nieves, I was informed by Mr. Pernito that I will be assigned in Calibutbut, Telebastagan, San Fernando, Pampanga to take over the area of the late Vic Lucas.

By the early part of 1969, I went to Calibutbut.

Batch '67 male members with Luz Escuadro

The PRRM Years...Batch '67

Graduation of Batch '67

with some female members of Batch '67

PRRM Years...Batch 67

Batch '67 Graduation


After graduating from college in 1965, I felt that I needed to take a respite. For a year I just relax, read a lot (newspapers, Weekly Graphic, and Philippines Free Press). I was quite skinny at the time that I tried the correspondence course of Charles Atlas' Dynamic Tension. Gradually my physique improved and I gained weight.

In the middle of 1966 I learned through a cousin Bert Carganilla that the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement(PRRM), a non-stock, non-profit organization engaged in rural development were recruiting rural development workers. PRRM was based in Nieves, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Qualifications for rural development workers were college graduates with any 4 year course degrees.

Bert Carganilla, Temyong Cablayan (another cousin from Guimba), and I went to the PRRM headquarters in Nieves and took the entrance examination and panel interviews.
Manong Bert and I passed both the examination and interview and moved on the next phase of qualification trials which is the "barrio test".

The barrio test is a one month test of endurance whether one candidate can endure the rigors of life in a far away barrio. The candidate had to stay and live one whole month with a family in a barrio assisted by PRRM.

I was assigned in the far-flung barrio of Balutu, Concepcion, Tarlac. I was just given directions on how to go to the place and went by myself. From the town of Concepcion, Tarlac the barrio could be reached by weapon-carrier converted type of transportation through a very rough road along a winding course of river crossing. Just by this kind of road would be enough for a less determined candidate to quit on the first day!

But I moved on! From day one to day 30. The barrio had no electricity, no water supply. I had to wash my clothes in the river. It was really a test...if one could be a rural development worker! But as one of the titles of Fernando Poe, Jr.'s movies aptly described, "Umpisahan mo...Tatapusin ko", I passed the rigorous one month barrio test with fying colors.

The next phase of the PRRM recruitment was the 6 months pre-service training. This involved 6 months of training on the four-fold program of PRRM in livelihood, health, education and self-government.

The 6 months training ended with our graduation on the anniversary of PRRM on July 17, 1967. We were now full-fledged Rural Reconstruction Workers (RRWs)!

College Days...

I graduated from the University of the East in 1965 with the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), major in Management.

College Days

I graduated in high school in 196l. Our class valedictorian was Cecilia Tinio, salutatorian was Angelita Diamzon. I was 3rd honorable mention.

My first choice at that time of the course to take was law. I was fascinated of trial lawyers, especially with the fictional Perry Mason of Erle Stanley Gardner, one of my earlier favorite authors.
I thought then that I could handle law: I had a good grasp of english, I had a very good memory, and I was quite good in class recitations.

I took and passed the entrance examination at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. I planned to take up AB as a preparatory course for law. However, on the night before I go to Manila to enroll our class adviser, Mr. Agbayani came to our house and discouraged me to take up law. He said, "Kung kasing galing mo si Ferdinand Marcos, I would advise you to take up law".

I ended up enrolling at the University of the East, Manila taking up business administration.

In hindsight, I should not had heeded Mr. Agbayani's advice. Not all law students were as good as Ferdinand Marcos! And at that time I had not yet heard of him nor even aware that he existed. Many times I was wondering... What if I had taken up law
instead, what would had been my life?

My interest in law however was not over. At the university, I found out that business administration subjects, especially accounting were not my cup of tea. I was more interested in law and public speaking courses. Together with Daniel Rondon, a high school friend who was also enrolled at UE taking up political science, entered every oratorical and public speaking contests at the university! Although we were always eliminated, these became testing grounds for developing our level of self-confidence.

Celebration of Romeo Dubal's birthday during college at D & E Rest. in Quezon City...Sept. 6,1963

High School......

HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS


My friends in high school consisted mostly from our OLSHA class known as Batch '61.
It was also in high school that gangs became very popular. We formed our own gang which we called the "Buswaker Gang", a corruption of the words "bush whacker" which one of our group, Dante Riodique picked up in one of the old western movies.

The members of the Buswaker gang were:
1. Dante Riodique (deceased)
2. Alfredo Ang
3. Nonito Cristobal
4. Gil Fernandez
5. Reynaldo Leyda (deceased)
6. Romeo Dubal
7. Daniel Rondon
8. Daniel Vigilia
9. Marciano Urfano

It was during 3rd year high school that one of our instructors, Mr. Pantaleon ordered our group to form another line in the class formation during assembly time. He claimed that we were noisy and unruly!

With Rene Leyda and Fred Ang

With Rene, Fred, and Deber de Guzman

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION


Our batch graduated in 1961. OLSHA'S director then was Fr. Reinier Van Glansbeek, MSC and the principal was Sr. Angeline Atabog, SFIC. I particularly remenbered during our graduation when Sr. Angeline approached Mamang and whispered to her, "salamat Mrs. Cristobal at naka-graduate na din si Nonito!" I was quite naughty in high school particularly in 3rd year that my mother was called several times at the principal's office! But in the 4th year I studied hard and I ended up with the 3rd Honorable Mention Honors, the highest among the graduating boys' section.

OLSHA in those times had the boys and girls in separate sections. The members of the graduating Class 1961 were:

BOYS

Ang, Alfredo
Antonio, Melencio
Aquino, Emmanuel
Aquino, Generoso
Avera, Marcelino
Castillo, Virgilio
Cortez, Virgilio
Cristobal, Nonito
De Guzman, Rogelio
Dubal, Romeo
Espiritu, Rudencio
Fernandez, Gil
Flores, Leopoldo
Leyda, Reynaldo
Manuel, Alfredo Jr.
Mauricio, Alfredo
Mesina, Jaime
Millado, Dolly
Mora, Daniel
Rimocal, Gil
Riodique, Dante
Rondon, Daniel
Serrano, Godofredo
Sison, Rogelio
Tabing, Aquino
Trinidad, Remigio
Trojillo, Rolando
Urfano, Marciano
Vigilia, Daniel
Villanueva, Agustin
Villaroman, Alredo

GIRLS

Abiog, Corazon,
Alas, Leticia
Angeles, Dana
Binuag, Marita
Bugtong, Maxima
Corpuz, Myrna
Dayao, Teresita
De Guzman, Norma
Del Rosario, Jocelyn
Diamzon, Angelita
Dilday, Jean
Esquivel, Irene
Eusebio, Warlita
Francia, Victorina
Jose, Carolina
Lacson, Emilia
Lopez, Celedonia
Mangayayam, Felicitas
Melebo, Corazon
Mesina, Olga
Mora, Elsa
Ragasa, Zoraida
Reyes, Ofelia
Riodique, Merle
Roque, Amelia
Santos, Felicidad
Sawit, Conchita
Simpliciano, Amelia
Simpliciano, Josefina
Sta. Ana, Elizabeth
Taruc, Cleotilde
Tinio, Angelita
Tinio, Cecilia
Tranquilino, Lucia
Valencia, Erlinda
Villanueva, Josefina

Sisters and cousins...

My three older sisters Dominga, Zoila, and Ceferina also studied in Guimba. Shown in the picture is Ateng Conching(Zoila) in her high school graduation from OLSHA. Ateng Juanang(Dominga), the eldest is now my only living sister. She is now living in California, USA with her husband, manong Joe Montegrande.

Grade School Years...

Grade School Years

When we settled in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, Mamang enrolled me at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy (OLSHA), a catholic school run by the Parish of Guimba. I studied in OLSHA from grade one up to high school. I graduated in high school in 1961.

Grade school class with parish priest Fr. George

When I was a little boy...

"Mamang"

January 27, 2010


Mamang had a stroke in her late sixties. The left part of her body was paralyzed. Fortunately she was able to move most of her body except for her left hand. She can walk but with a limp and a little dragging of her left foot. She suffered this condition for about 7 years until her fatal stroke on May 1, 1986. She did not recover and passed away on May 5, 1986 at the age of 79.

My Mother

My mother's name was Gregoria Narciso Carganilla. I fondly called her "Mamang". She was called "Goria" by all. She single-handedly raised me up after my father's death. I was her only child from my father who had three daughters from his first wife.

When I was about two or three years old Mamang took us all back to Patola, Talugtog, Nueva Ecija where her parents were from. She said that with my father gone, without any relatives in Isabela, she had to return to Nueva Ecija. So we left Isabela with all the properties that my father had invested. These included a block of real estate at the now commercial area in Ramon, Isabela and several hectares of agricultural land.

From Talugtog we settled in Guimba, Nueva Ecija where I grew up. I studied at the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy(OLSHA) from elementary to high school.

In the beginning...

I was born in Bugallon, Santiago, Isabela. My place of birth was now known as the town of Ramon, Isabela.

I never saw my father, Ignacio Tolentino Cristobal. I was only nine months old when he died during the 2nd World War. He was a soldier with the United States Army Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) and was killed in Isabela.

My only remembrance of my father was a sole picture of him which I found among the papers of my mother when she passed away.