from a posting on the AMB...

Two nights ago was Arsenia's big night at the auditorium..

I remember flashbacks of last year's festivities, including the honor guards ( they were there again that night ) ..Loreto Salon & his better half were also here.

One of the emcees was Danny Nitcha .Two of them did a very wonderful job..It was like listening to an American TV program, what with their American accents and all..Well, both of them grew up in the US anyway. Asinganians ( or Filipinos for that matter ) who immigrate to the US at a very early age would acquire a seamless command of spoken English as they grow up....


Arsenia was the belle of the ball of course, since she founded this organization and it will be an ongoing thing comes April every year.

Purita Palma Dagang was also present together with husband Nemesio and her sister Beatriz.Beatriz was unanimously selected as the muse of the night because she deserved the honor. She was pretty as a picture that night. ( I still have to reprint their photos in my Blog. Technical glitches, I would say. Their countenances hardly changed at all with the passing years. )

Then came another highlight: the auction sale to raise funds. A small goat was donated by Carmen Munar and bidding started with 1000 pesos..Bids went up until it reached 30,000 pesos and then the bid closed there. In the history of Asingan, it is now the most expensive goat and I wonder what the anonymous buyer would do with it..:)It would make the most expensive caldereta and I do not think the new owner would do that..:)

During the coronation, some fireworks were lit and it gave such sound and light to the Asingan sky..

I also received a plaque for Ferdinand Marinias the creator of Pangasinan.Org. In my brief acceptance speech, I mentioned that he deserves the award because his website so far have already received more than 4 million clicks. It is also the melting pot for Pangasinenses all over the globe. In addition, it has a program of donating back packs for the the school kids in different elementary schools of our province..It is a very selfless deed by Ferdinand ( also known as Dahman : the man ) because he does it for the love for people, for the children and for bringing townmates together...

I saw Fidel Agsalud, looking "young" as ever because he likes laughing and telling jokes..I also met Mayor Lopez who gave a simple speech about Asingan and its people..Across the auditorium from where we sat I saw Vicky F. Tejada. Never saw her for quite sometime already, so I went over to her box and traded a few laughs. I visited her family in Sacramento twice in the past. She and her husband Leonardo Tejada are such pleasant hosts.

Lastly, Juliet Uson from Domakit/Hawaii graced us with her presence..Polly too, was there...All in all, it was a pleasant night, one to be remembered for a long, long time....

Attended the Balikbayan night the next night..

The exciting part of these reunion gatherings are the chats with long lost friends in there.I do not go much for the dancing. I have two left feet, if you know what I mean..

I usually enter the auditorium thru the back way: the former site of the Bonifacio monument, right straight to the Presidential tables..:) A Balikbayan seems to be treated differently..!! Then when people start recognizing you, youd better be ready to answer smart..:)

Common opening lines are: Kumusta ka?..then you still know me?..My answers are either a) your voice is familiar, cant make out the face..b) wait, your name is about to pop out in my head...c) ok..dont make me suffer, tell me your name and let us get over with this..:)


Inside the auditorium, lights are spell binding, the orchestral sounds brings you back to a time when you are outside of the auditorium fence, looking in..

Now you are inside, looking at the outside..at the rides ( ferris wheel, a mini roller coaster with screaming riders, karaoke joints, lots of balut and penoy delicacies - one balut cost 11 pesos, penoy is 9 pesos ) Now that I am back in Asingan trying to relive my childhood fantasies, I am afraid to eat them! Not with the stories I hear!---#

AN OUT-OF-TOWN PARTY

It was a rainy evening in Mangaldan, but neither rain nor storm could stop our trip...

First of all, the food was delicious!..There were lots of broiled bangus!

My two nieces: Anna Marie and Teresa Costes Lomboy. Both of them have just graduated Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines. The two are now enjoying prestigious jobs which involve extensive writing and editing of Environmental /Science /Research papers.

My sister Ester and eldest daughter Teresa...

Let us not forget the fabulous entertainment!! Its worth the long trip to Mangaldan...

ONE OF THE PARTIES I ATTENDED
took place in Mangaldan in the residence of a Provincial Legal Officer. She is a friend of my sister Ester Costes Lomboy.

This lady lawyer is one of those who do not have to go abroad ( her husband left for California years ago; she did not budge from her work at the Capitol ) because she occupies a high position . Ester and my brod-in-law never fail to attend her party because a) they are good friends b) the food is excellent, c) the entertainment is fabulous.

She always hire this 3 piece Band. It consists of a pianist-singer and two lady singers/dancers. As we entered the make shift tent in her front yard, I saw and heard the Band. The pianist was accompanying the 2 singers who were singing some bouncy, modern tunes. The audience was mesmerized by their voices, others by their undulating bodies..Me? I was just playing the friendly neighbourhood photographer...:)


Then, the real entertainment began. It was a long break time for the 2 lady singers for when our hostess took the microphone, she commenced an impromptu musical program. Seems as if all the diginitaries who were there ( i.e. the Mayor of Mangaldan, the Vice Governor, etc. ) came prepared with a song.

The pianist was prepared too. He could accompany every song the guests threw at him. Our hostess was a good singer herself ( a singing lawyer ? ) and she enthralls everyone with her sweet vibrant voice and would sing a duet with whoever wants to perform with her...

And the singing party went on and on. But we had to go because we are the ones who would take a very long trip back to Asingan. And the weather, since the start of the party was pretty rotten.

Seems as if the rainy season has moved to last week of April. Maybe because of global warming?-----#

vic costes