Why the Chinese Patronize the Sto. Niño de Tigbauan

Sometime in the year about 1860, a braided Chinese named Uy Hio Co from Amoy, Mainland China, came to Ilong-Ilong and reached the town of Salog, now called Jaro. There, he boarded in a house owned by a Spanish couple who engaged in paper flower-making business. He stayed in the place to try his luck in a business of making candles with designs of dragons and flowers. He fell in love with his landlord's daughter,Teresa Benedicto. Teresa's parents disapproved of their marriage, so they eloped and took asylum in the Chinese community called "Parian", now known as Molo. Teresa's parents discovered their hiding place and tried to get her back, but they escaped the hot pursuit and sought refuge in a southern town called Tigbauan. Here, they raised their children and survived through their flower and candle making craft.

Being a flower maker, Teresa later on became an "hermana" in the parish of San Juan de Sahagun church. Every afternoon, she went to the church to decorate the altar. Non-Christian Uy Hio Co, curious of the activity of his wife, would go to the church to observe her work. But as he would enter the door of the church, he could see image of the Sto. Niño turning back. Because of this strange happening, he tearfully asked his wife, "Telesa, ngaa ako gani sulot inyo simbahan, talikot Niño?" To this, Teresa answered, "Ano abi kay wala ka mabunyagi".

One time, Teresa asked Uy Hio Co to take the finished flowers to the church. It was raining that afternoon. When he entered the church, he was startled at what he saw. He caught sight of the Sto. Niño descending from the altar. He threw the flowers on the floor and ran back to their house. Gasping, he frantically dragged Teresa by the hand to show to her what he had seen. When they arrived at the church, they saw the Sto. Niño image ascending the altar. They got hold of the cape of the image. It was wet. Uy Hio CO then decided to be baptized into the Catholic religion. His given Christian name was Jose, and his family name was Gonzales, because that was the family name of his "padrino".

The Sto.Niño image did not turn its back anymore whenever Uy Hio Co entered the church. He went to Parian and convinced the Chinese community to be baptized too, telling them, "Tu-ot git ila Dios!". The Chinese in Parian followed him, and from that time on, up to this day, it became customary for them to take a pilgrimage to Tigbauan every feast day of Sto. Niño, as their traditional devotion.

Teresa Benedicto and Uy Hio Co, also known as Insik Jose, told their story to their children, among whom was Constantino Gonzales y Benedicto, the father of Ramona Gonzales vda. de Tejero.

This story is true. It was told to me by my grandmother, Ramona Gonzales, granddaughter of Teresa and Insik Jose.

Some churchgoers also claimed that they saw the Sto. Niño stamping its feet in the water at the eavesdrop, giggling as it bathed itself with the water falling from the eaves of the church. The miraculous image of the Sto. Niño however, was buried in the rubbles when the church was bombarded during the Second World War. Later on, it was excavated during the time of the late Rev. Fr. Eleuterio Carton, when the old baptistery was reconstructed. Unfortunately. it was stolen in the year 2004, when Rev. Fr. Carton was no longer the parish priest of Tigbauan.

WHY TIGBAUAN CELEBRATES the FEAST of STO. NIÑO

According to the Tigbauan folks who lived during the eighteenth century, a great miracle occurred during their time.

The fishermen in Barroc, while spreading their net, saw afar a coming tidal wave as high as the church bell tower, rushing towards the direction of the shore of the town. The people dashed in panic to the higher part of the town they called takas. While running for their life took chance to look back at the approaching giant wave and saw an unbelievable sight. A little boy, about five to six years old, was balancing himself on top of the tidal wave, skipping back and forth as if playing, while the tidal wave gradually receded until it was reduced to the level of an ordinary ocean wave. Thus, the whole town was saved, and they attributed their salvation to the little boy they saw, whom they believed to be the Holy Child Jesus. 

   Based on the Church calendar,the feast of the Sto. Niño falls on the second Sunday after Epiphany. So, every feast day of Sto. Niño, they celebrated a thanksgiving mass to commemorate their salvation from that horrible tidal wave. They permanently installed a sculptured image of the Sto. Niño on a pedestal at the altar of the church. Their thanksgiving celebration became their devotion, until it was no longer held as a mass to thank then Holy Child Jesus, but as a grand festival because the devotees grew and grew in great number as the years went by.

Vaya con Dios , Eva Tejero Traya

The passing of Nang Eva is God's affectionate way of claiming a faithful child to His side. We grieve because we are losing her, yet we are consoled  with the truth that she is now home, at last 

Elvis Presley once said , "Do not cry because I died ; smile , because I lived.". So too , Nang Eva's life  has brought smile to us,. because she has added  one more beautiful soul into this world . I smile  as I remember her presence in our midst ; demure as a shy violet in the meadow ,and sweet and pretty as a. budding rose .In her classroom, or with her colleagues, she was always soft-spoken, gentle and congenial .

In every school events or social gatherings, she was always one of the young ladies who were chosen to welcome the honored guests with garlands and corsage  and dance with them during the social night because they were considered as the cream of the district. 

I smile when I recall  that the love of her life ,blossomed during their high school days, flourished , and finally  ended with the exchanging of  eternal vows before the altar, after seven long years of going steady

Today , as I bid adieu to Nang Eva  I also celebrate her .wonderful , blissful and fruitful  life with Tito; Costan ,  a life that has withstood  the test of time and space  longer than forever.

Farewell my Tita Nang Eva. Vaya con Dios.

So Long, Our Sister in Profession (Joventina Tubola Torrico, 8-5-25 )

Joventina has lived  the life of a missionary,

She served as the light of the community;

She would leave her home at break of day,

The distant school was her destiny.

She welcomed the young with open arms, 

They, who hailed from far-flung farms;

She made them feel at ease with friendliness that charms,

And showed the school as a second home that warms.

Bearing the burden of responsibility,

She took teaching as her top priority; 

A good shepherdess to a flock of forty,

She saw to it that none would go astray. 

Not only with the 3R's she developed their ability, 

But also  how to sing and dance gracefully;

She coaxed them to behave properly,

And value education and spirituality.

She did not fail to give Scouting, a space,

She trained the kids to survive in many ways;

To discern what values to embrace, 

And  experience life in the open place.

In her womb, not a child she did bear,

Yet mothered scores of children with care;

Her heart is roomy for everyone to share,

Her time and effort she is always, ready to spare.

Sweet were the moments of every December,

When she and her pupils spent Christmas together;

She was their friend and gift giver, 

From whom they learned to give and to remember.

Each year, when classes came to an end, 

She'd let go of the flock she used to tend;

They were sad but with  no broken heart to mend,

Because to the next grade, all she would send. 

In every school project or undertaking, 

She did her part without complaining;

She believed that every good thing is worth doing,

She worked well despite of the meager wage she was receiving.

She was never selfish of her cooperation,

With the community or the civic and church organization; 

She extended services without hesitation,

Not expecting for any return or compensation.

Then the years went slipping through her fingers,

Happy days went winging through the children's laughter; 

Until one morn she bade goodbye to co-workers,

To join the clan of the retired teachers.

She retired from service but not from teaching,

Like the legendary phoenix rose from her ashes after a moment of dying; 

This time, with Catechism, she went on preaching,

The mission to spread truth, she never stopped loving.

She proved that "once a teacher, always a teacher"

Her love for teaching lingered like a flickering ember; 

For her, goodbye is not forever,

But only an interlude of now and thereafter.

Now, the time has come foe her to go home to Our Creator;

With grieving heart, we send her off with our fervent prayer;

Clutching the beautiful memories she left behind, we let go her,

And bid her farewell and eternal repose in the bosom of Our Heavenly Father.

 

                

Inspirational Message (Culture and Heritage Night _June 2, 2025)

Sa Halangdon nga Tatay kang banwang Tigbauan,, Mayor Nene Virgilio Teruel, kag sa tanan nga nagatambong kadya nga pagtiriripon _may titulo ukon wara, kilala ko man ukon indi ,parareho kamo nga espesyal para kanakon ,gani ginatamyaw ko kamo it maayad-ayad gid nga kahapunanon.

Suno sa narration ni Elvis Presley sa kanta na nga ,Are You Lonesome Tonight ?, "The world is a stage  and each one of us has a role to play"...

Ako man, nagapati nga dyang banwang Tigbauan, sangka hanggod nga entablado , kon sa diin, ang mga Tigbauanon nagapautwas  kang anda tinago nga duna nga arte .Mapamatud-an ko dya, ay halin kang bata pa ako, naobserbahan ko nga bisan ang ahaw nga mga tindera kang isda sa merkado ,wara gani makaagi kang vocalization kag voice culture lessons, pay ginakanta nanda it palaoylaoy ang pagtanyag kang anda baraligya sa manogbakal..

Ang mga mananagat sa Sta. Lucia, wara man makatuon kang literatura, pay makapanaysayon paagi sa anda komposo parte sa kinaugali kang mga isda sa kadagatan. 

Ang mga mananggiti sa Sambiday , wara makaeskwela sa dancing school,  pay kon balungbalong ron gani kang anda bag-ong dawat nga tuba nga apas, nagasayaw kag nagasadsad sa bilog nga kanyugan. , nga sabay ang anda dawatan. 

Ang mga vincidor kag vincidora sa Napnapan, wara makabasa kang Haiko kang Japan, pay nagadaragilon kang sirinanto nga luwa sa bilasyunan .

Ang mga bakero sa buruy-an (pastohan ) kang Jamog , wara makatungtong sa school for music, pay nagakarabkab kang anda gitara  samtang nagasarika sa likod kang anda karbaw kon magharana sa mga daraga nga bag-ong salta.

Ang mga tumandok kang Parara, ,kang Bagumbayan , kang Sta..Lucia ,,kang kalye Bilibid, kag kang Takas-banwa, wara maka-training sa stage acting kag theater arts , pay nakapasundayag kang moro-moro, , komedya kag sarswela .

Ang tanan nanda kadya nga naman-an, mga ginpasubli kang anda mga agurang nga mga kultura halin sa  Bali, Indonesia ,kag kang mga Katsila halin sa Castilla, Espania..

Ginasaysay ko dya tanan kaninyo , ay tuyo ko nga pukawon ang nagakaturog nga nga kultura nga nagaluko sa du-ok kang tagipusuon kang tagsa ka Tigbauanon..

Handum ko nga dumdumon, taw-an kang takos nga pagkilala, pagpadungog kag pasalamat ang mga nag bilin  kanaton kadyang mga bilidhon nga mga paranublion, pay indi ko masinggit ang, "Mabuhay!ang aton mga kamal-aman !"ay basi magbarangon sanda sa anda rulubngan.,Gani ginapanawagan ko lang nga, buhion naton ang pinanubli nga kultura. Buhion ta ! ang kjltura Tigbauenia!. Mabuhay ang Tigbauan! Mabuhay ang mga Tigbauanon! 

Salamat gid sa pagpamati.

The History of LING"S STUDIO

In 1950, Ramona Gonzales Tejero  had a photography studio constructed for her first cousin, Aurelio Benedicto Gonzales Teruel  at Sta. Lucia Street, (now Tejero Street). The studio had a "dark room" for developing the photographs. The props included an L-shaped bench, painted like a garden, and a column-likeposing stand or pedestal for picture taking. The background of the studio was a dark-green "telon" that hung from the ceiling like the curtain of a theater stage. He fixed his old model camera on a tripod when taking pictures.

 Long before the colored photographs was invented Aurelio Teruel had already colored some of his photographs through air-brush painting method.

In the early 50's,  Aurelio Teruel named his studio, "Helen's Studio"  taken from the name of his wife, Elena. In the late  60's, he changed  the name of his studio to "LING'S STUDIO" because he was popularly known to the people as "Liling nga manogkodak". This time he also used a modern mobile snapshot camera, to go with the trend of the time.

Aurelio Teruel played an important role in the history of Tigbauan because as a "retratista" o "manogkodak", as he was commonly called, he documented and immortalizes the significant  events and memories, happy or sad, in the lives of the Tigbauanons. He was also designated by the local government as the official photographer of the COMELEC, and also to take pictures of the residents for their "cedulas" His community serviceable profession ended when he passed away in 2008 at the age of 91.

Farewell, Dear Alma Mater (Tune: "Devoted to You" )

Farewell dear Alma Mater 

Goodbye each  friend and teacher ,

Time has come for us to part ,

So sadly, we go .

We all fondly remember 

And will treasure forever

Those sweet moments of splendor

Together with you.

(Ref.) The lessons and values we have learned

           Will linger in our mind

           The righteousness in our souls enshrined 

           Our whole life, steadfastly, it will bind .

Tomorrow is a strange world 

 With pains and trials untold 

Yet our dreams we shall uphold

And cling to the Lord .