HAVING lived in the city of Tagbilaran since birth, with Tabaco St. as our immediate playground and the Cogon public market and Tagbilaran City wharf as our extended play area, I wasn’t exposed to an actual rice paddy until we transferred to Taloto in early 1974.
After completing my second grade at a private school in the city, our mother transferred us to the public school in Taloto. Brooking no opposition, we were enrolled in the public school and started walking to school every morning and afternoon. I must say it was a drastic change. We usually drive to the city to attend school; now we hike to the school daily. The change was real and difficult!
The road going to Taloto Elementary School if we begin the trek from our house using CPG North Avenue (also called Little Baguio, eventually Baguio Drive) turning left at the junction of Taloto, Dao, and Ubujan is quite far so we creatively carved our own path!
We by-passed the vacant lots at the back of the house which were not even fenced at the time arriving at the rice field (basak) of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS). And that’s where the adventure began!
Rain or shine, I used the basak route, sometimes getting drenched when it rains hard and turning real brown, no thanks to the blistering heat of the sun. But then again, that was part of the fun! Soaking wet is delightful when you’re a kid. I wonder why!
On several occasions at the basak, I had to run back on my toes because on the embankment, a green snake locks eyes with me! You can imagine the speed of my departure. On other occasions, I spot large monitor lizards that scare the shit out of me. Once again, I ran like there’s no tomorrow!
In a conversation with Msgr. Vicente Nunag just recently, I mentioned to him that my first exposure to a real basak was the IHMS rice field. That sparked an interesting conversation because he revealed that Procurator Fr. Marino Aguhar and he first thought of developing the bangkawan into a rice field. Msgr. Nunag then served as High School Prefect of Discipline and later as Procurator. At the time, then Rev. Fr. Felipe Digal (now Msgr. Digal) was the High School Principal and Practical Arts Instructor. The heavens smiled upon the project as it produced a harvest of one hundred cavans per season.
Can you imagine what a eureka moment that was for me! Speaking to the person who was responsible for my first exposure to a rice field! Everything really comes full circle in life. It may not come at this point in time, but it certainly will in another space and time.
Trekking the short cut for a time until I graduated became a routine. I saw the seasons of sowing and reaping, and burning as well, which usually happens after reaping. I met the farmers who either ignored us or showed us their toothy smile.
Fast forward to many decades after my elementary grades, I saw that the basak gave way to other developments. I must say it makes me feel sad because the rice field formed part of my childhood. I miss it. Don’t we miss the stuff we don’t have anymore?
I didn’t only enjoy the rice field; I also relished the music echoing through the neighborhood originating from IHMS when the seminarians practice singing. There was free music nearly every day. What a treat, huh!
And of course, we had a seminarian for religion teacher who always brought his guitar and kept us singing during class. I mean who doesn’t like singing in class!
At the time, the seminary had both high school and college students. IHMS was a source of pride and joy among Taloto residents. I was awed that a seminary was established and operating in Taloto! Well, it must be my kid’s curious and permeable mind, but I felt proud it was in Taloto. Call it home pride.
For a quick revisit, in 1950, the IHMS was founded as a diocesan college seminary by then Bishop Julio Rosales, Bishop of Tagbilaran, who later became Julio Cardinal Rosales. It was first administered by the Divine Word Missionaries or SVDs for ten years.
Below is the timeline of IHMS’s milestones:
* August 22, 1948 – Laying down of Cornerstone (Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary)
* July 16, 1949 – Building of the structure’s pillars
* 1950 – Official founding of IHMS
* 1960 – Official cessation of SVD administration
* 1961 – Opening of the College Department
* 1989 – Gradual phasing out of Minor Seminary
* 1990 – 40th anniversary celebration
* August 22, 2000 – Celebration of Golden Jubilee
* 2010 – Reopening of the Minor Seminary in June; Celebration of 60th year
My parents’ house is still located in Taloto, and I still pass by IHMS especially when I visit the memorial park. It’s hard to imagine not seeing the Seminary there. It will be sad, and I will be lost.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City every Saturday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. She can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie/PN
