Chapter 2
The Birth of Pastores Clan
With the Malayan blood, our ancestral stock has been further enriched by Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, American, and other Occidental bloods. From this lineage of bloods, the PASTORES ancestors were born.
The Early Life of our Forefathers
The real surname of our ancestors is still unknown. In 1849, Governor Claveria issued a decree directing all Filipino families to choose new surname from the list of Spanish words. The purpose of the gubernatorial decree was to hispanize the Filipino surnames for the Spanish officials could easily pronounce, much less remember. Our forefather chose PASTORES which means (noun) the Shepherd, and (verb) to pasture.
Our ancestors came from Dalimag, Pilar, Abra now popularly known as San Isidro, Abra in Region I. The couple Fancisco (Tata Isko) and Anastacia (Nana Asyang) lived in that small town with their nine children, namely Mariano, Romana, MANUEL, Flora, Crispolo, Miguel, Felix, Tening and Benildo.
Tata Isko spent most of his time under the scorching heat of the sun, cultivating a piece of land which he inherited from his father. Tata Isko woke up early in the morning and worked at the rice field, fed his raised animals like pigs, chickens, and ducks, planted fruit trees, gathered fire woods and fetched water from the well.
While Tata Isko was in the verdant field, Nana Asyang took care of household chores and attended their children. Nana Asyang was good disciplinarian to her children. She imbibed the Christian values to the youthful minds of her children.
The Childhood Days of Tatang
MANUEL “Tatang”, third child of brood of seven, greeted the Christmas revelers with his first cry on December 25, 1901. Amidst this happy season, the time was under the period of active warfare and the people were facing the deplorable economic situation. However, the Pastores Family didn’t take heed of the economic sufferings, instead they felt the happiness within for they had blessed with another baby boy.
Tatang grew up as a sturdy boy. He was given an equal treatment of care and love from his parents. During his childhood days, Tatang indulged himself to hard works like helping his father in the farm, feeding the animals, fetching water and others. He was industrious, patient and respectful. Even he was attending to hard works, he still managed to go to school and he found to be intelligent in their class enough for him to be a teacher at his early age of 12.
The Adolescent Life of Tatang
At the age of 13, Tatang experienced the First World War (1914-1918) when the United States of America entered to fight German autocracy and “make the world safe for democracy”. The war lasted for four years and the people suffered from economic debacle which was an inevitable aftermath of the war. The people suffered from epidemics, drought and ravages of locusts. With this scenario, the Pastores Family strived for survival coupled with their determination and enthusiasm.
When Tatang grew up as a teenager, he met a pretty and lovely young lady who captured his lavish heart. Tatang was 17 years old then while CRISTINA was 20 years old (October 18, 1898). Tatang applied romantic strategies on how to win the heart of Nanang. During his courtship period, he followed the traditional steps on how to woo a lady. However, his struggles were supplemented with the YES response of Cristina.
Their teenage romance was full of excitement and happy moments. Because they felt the intimacy and compatibility with each other, they decided to tie their knots on the year 1920.
The Married Life of Tatang
On October 18, 1921, while Nanang was celebrating her 22nd birthday, she gave birth to their first baby girl, named Trinidad “Trining”. Tatang felt with great elation that their first child was a perfect present for the natal day of Nanang. From time onwards, their home impregnated with happiness when Nanang gave their another four children, namely: Asterio “Ester” (August 24, 1924); Romulo “Lolong” (July 26, 1926); Evangelista (Heling” (October 18, 1930; and Marcelina “Silang” (September 4, 1934).
Tatang eked out their living by means of cultivating their lands and trading goods to nearby towns. Tatang was then a great farmer and a business man of his own right because he faced those hardships and trials for the survival of his family. However, Nanang spent most of her time attending to her children and teaching them the Christian values and way of living.
Pastores Family in the Land of Promise – MINDANAO
When US Commissioner Paul V. Mcnutt opened Mindanao as the Land of Freedom for Home Seekers in 1937, the Pastores Family took the opportunity and left their hometown. Tatang felt the economic hardship in their hometown that he wanted to seek for a greener pasture in Mindanao. He was also prompted to leave for Mindanao because he was convinced thorugh the letters sent by his Uncle Valentin Bringas that Mindanao would give Tatang’s family a good fortune.
Tatang left with his wife and the five children along with his two cousins with their respective family from Pidigan, Abra. Upon their arrival at Kutabato, a government agent fetched them and rode to a steam tugboat bound for Lumubog (now Midsayap). They spent for almost eight hours of travel until they anchored at Lumubog River (a place where the Villamor’s Clinic is presently situated).
Valentin Bringas met Tatang and his family and invited the family to stay at Bringa’s house. After a week, Tatang decided to transfer at Tata Eloy’s house (Valentin’s brother). In a couple of days, Tatang built a small typical Ilocano nipa hut to house his family near Tata Eloy’s (a place where Asterio’s Family is presently living at Poblacion 2).
With the new environment, Tatang’s life had changed. He started all over again to support the daily needs of his family. Tatang worked as a policeman in the town. He was indeed a brave man that even at night he patrolled the areas assigned to him. From his income of P12.00 per month, Tatang saved a certain amount enough to be his operational capital of his business. He resigned from his job and established his own business. He raised pigs, cows, chickens, and ducks. He frequently traveled in Cotabato and Davao to sell the animals.
An Ilokano trait of being stingy flowed in the blood of Tatang. However, being closefisted he intelligently used his money for the future of his children. From his earnings, he sent his children to school.
Later on, he bought a vast tract of land at the remote area of town (now Libungan). He planted fruit trees – jackfruit (langka), banaba, santol, mangga, among others. He also spared his time in the rice fields.
From then on, Tatang took his yearly vacation in Abra to buy dry goods like “kumot” (blanket), “banig” (sleeping mat), and others. Upon returning to Midsayap, he sold those items in the barrio. Trining, Heling and Silang helped Tatang in selling the dry goods in the nearby barrios.
On the first day of year 1940, Nanang gave birth to her sixth child, Elvira. Two years later, a day after Tatang celebrated his 41st birthday, Nanang bore a baby boy named Marino.
The World War II
During the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), the Japanese military Administration imposed many restrictions, which the Filipino people fearfully obeyed. Martial Law was declared in all occupied areas. The civilian population was disarmed and any hostile act against the Japanese army was severely penalized.
At the height of war, the Pastores Family seasoned out hardships of living. Trining narrated:
“I could vividly remember that during the World War II, we just stayed at home. We feared that our lives would be easily snuffed out by bullets. We fervently prayed together, asking from our Saviour to wind up the war. We experienced the hand-to-mouth existence for a long period of time. Tatang could not take our sufferings that he bravely harvested banana at the farm to fill our empty stomachs. We ate “saging” as our meal. As an eldest of the family, I helped Nanang to cook the banana. I used an empty can to boil the banana. Sometimes, we ate ground corn as a substitute of rice and we never had any viand at all.”
The Period of Recovery
The human sufferings ended when the Japanese army faced throes of defeat from the American forces. The American era gave leeway to Filipino people in regaining the people’s democracy. The US government helped the country for total restoration of the devastated areas. The socio-economic lefe returned to normal.
The Pastores Family survived from the ravages of World War II. Tatang exerted much of his effort to make their way of living stable. He operated again his business. His earnings supplemented for the education of his seven children.
Tatang lamented on the untimely death of Nanang. (Cause of her death is still unknown). The early demise prompted him to strive more bearing his piercing weapon of determination and enthusiasm.
The Increasing Bloodline
Time swiftly passed by and his children got their own family. To date, Tatang and Nanag have 47 grandchildren, 72 grand-grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Tatang’s Life with Second Wife
Tatang felt great eleatin that his children got their own family. Trinidad lived with her family in Cotabato; Romulo and Marino housed their respective family in Landasan (now Sarmiento) and Elvira stayed with her family in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. Asterio, Evangelista and Marcelina lived with their respective family in Midsayap.
Because of the loneliness he felt being alone, Tatang lived in with another woman named ______. Nanang took care of household chores. They lived together in Libungan with their own typical Ilocano nipa house. Even he was getting old, Tatang remained to be active in attending to his fruit trees, chickens, and others.
Every Sunday, he visited his children and grandchildren in Midsayap. He would never fail to bring “pasalubong” especially “langka”, “santol”, “mangga”, “pinya”, and others. In return, he received bagful of bread, groceries and “Tanduday” (Tatang accustomed to drink Tanduay early in the morning as a substitute of coffee).
Tatang spent his leisure time in attending “Pintakasi” (cockpit). If he won from the “sabong” (cockfighting), Tatang would spare coins to his grandchildren.
Once a week, any of the family visited Tatang in Libungan. Tatang couldn’t hide the happiness he felt inside as it was visibly seen from his tears. While his grandchildren enjoyed swimming in the irrigation, Tatang prepared banana leaves (supplementary for plates) on the bamboo table under the jackfruit tree.
Tatang’s Last Birthday
The Pastores Clan surprised Tatang on his 83rd birthday on December 25, 1983. They jubilantly celebrated his natal day with parlor games participated in by his grandchildren. As usual, the grandchildren spent most of their time swimming in the irrigation. Laughter and never-ending stories filled the place.
The Death of Tatang
On January 12, 1984 (Sunday), an unexpected news burst out to Pastores Clan that Tatang had passed away. He found lying dead donned in white Ilokano shorts and a sando under the “santol” tree.
After the burial of Tatang, the Pastores Clan met for the second time at Tatang’s yard under the “langka” tree. Everybody relieved from the demise of Tatang. They rejoiced that Tatang finally took his “unending sleep” with the Lord.
Until such time the Pastores Family decided to sell the land they inherited from Tatang. Now, the memorable “langka” tree is still there and ready to tell you the stories that Tatang and the Pastores Clan were once here making the day full of laughters and tears.
