Baras Rizal Online » Street Stories

Flashback: New Year’s Day Fire in 2004

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:42:25 +0000

Here are some of the pictures I took in January 1, 2004 in a fire that took place right in front of the old municipal building.

Nakakahiya!

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Narrow streets, narrow minds

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:10:49 +0000

While checking the archives of this site, I came across this article “Concerned citizen airs traffic woes.” Almost three years after that anonymous letter surfaced, as I see it, nothing has changed. And it has become more valuable to me now since I drive a car.

I have to agree with the letter sender’s complaint about the vehicles parked in the street. I have recently discovered the joys of driving and I must say that the vehicles parked in narrow streets have become pain in the butt, specially to new drivers. I mean, if you don’t own a garage, or if you don’t have a place to park your car, you must not own a vehicle. The street is not the garage. I have proven this when I go outside (or go home) in the wee hours of the morning. I would expect that vehicles are inside their owners’ houses because of reports (or rumors) of carnapping. But no! The cars and tricycles are parked in the streets, in front of their house, as if they own that portion of the road. The local government, specially the barangay officials, should do something to discipline their constituents. I bet there must be an ordinance out there, be barangay or town-wide, that prohibits parking in the road side.

And I heard that there are plans for the road to be widened, specially in JP Rizal street. Widening the road would only give vehicle owners license to make that part of the road as their parking space. A simpler solution is to make the roads as clear as possible.

Another thing that I notice are the tricycles who wait for passengers in areas where they are not supposed to. Don’t get me wrong, I take tricycles specially during short distance trips. What irritates me is when they are blocking the driveway and impedes the smooth flow of traffic. Take for example that corner of Barangay Rizal right before the market (if you’re coming from Morong). Everytime I got off the jeep, almost always, there’s a tricycle blocking that portion, waiting for a passenger. What have the police and tanods been doing? Guarding the police stations and barangay halls? And don’t get me started with private vehicles….

Speaking of Morong, let me tell you an anecdote about Mayor Jojo Buenaventura. There was a time when I talked to him about a publication project. While we were discussing, an aide approached him and said that there was a group of vendors who want to make use of the bridge to sell their products. The aide asked the mayor’s permission. I think it was in time for their town fiesta. The mayor declined, saying that despite of additional earnings to the municipality, it has to be known that the sidewalk is for pedestrians. Compare that with the situation in Baras bridge. Everyday, you would see vendors there offering kamote, tilapia, bangus, kangkong, kalamansi, etc. I know that they have to earn a living just like everybody else. But we also need to consider the people whose rights in using the road (or sidewalke) are trampled on. I won’t bite the argument, “parang nagtatrabaho/naghahanap-buhay lang eh…” What if the holdupper tells you that? Are we tolerating the citizens to be undisciplined?

I always hear “umuunlad na ang Baras kasi nagta-traffic na.” On the contrary, heavy traffic is a manifestation of the ineptness of government officials and its people tasked to man the manage the flow of vehicles.

Kung sa simpleng pagpapatupad ng mga batas trapiko ay sablay na kayo, ano pang aasahan namin sa inyo?

Ghost stories

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:21:33 +0000

All Saints’ Day is near, and so it is time to remember our departed loved ones, and the horror stories associated with it

I was five or six years old and lived in my grandmother’s house. Days after the death of my great grandmother Urbana, I saw an old woman sitting in a window near the stairs. Her hair was “nakapusod” which was the in-thing that time. She was wearing white, which I supposed what she wore when she was laid to rest. She was looking at the national road. That window is made of wood and capiz, and still exists today. I immediately called my lola who was then washing the clothes. When we came back, nobody’s there.

Another story that I know happened in my high school – Baras National High School in Sitio Malalim. This has been told to me by two different persons and I have no reason to doubt what they saw.

It can be remembered that a vehicular accident in 2001 killed Janet, a fourth year student in BNHS. I have classmates from Barangay Pinugay and their jeep pass through the entrance of Sitio Malalim. We call them Pinugay girls then. Months after the accident, as they were walking to the school, they saw a girl in the second floor of the Ynares building. This happened many times. The Pinugay girls are always the first to arrive in our school, so it’s quite impossible for anyone to come before them. Plus, the door going to the second floor is locked. I’m not saying that the girl in the second floor is Janet. All I’m saying is Janet died near the school, and that our classmates saw a girl who looked like her in the school.

There were also some creepy stories in Baras Elementary School when DLRC and the Bahay Kastila were still there. When there were sleepovers in the DLRC, I heard that people would hear someone walking in the hallway, thereby hearing some creaking sound of the floor which was made of wood. Another was hearing a sound of chains being dragged. Plus, there were rumors that the site of BES was formerly a cemetery.

When I was in grade three, I thought that there were skulls hidden in Bahay Kastila. When I was in grade four, I was proven wrong. The basement is actually clean and is a good place to hide when we play taguan.

How about you, what are your ghost or creepy stories in Baras?

Related post: Death in Baras / October 2008

Ondoy in Baras via Youtube

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:15:07 +0000

In the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy, some Barasenians have taken videos of the flood, especially the river overflow.

Here are some of the videos that were uploaded in Youtube. The first by jaimeeizzy30.

From MrDarkside23.

Two videos from habuchak.

Calm after the storm

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:14:56 +0000

Whether we accept it or not, stronger typhoons are here to stay. What is important after every disaster is that we learn to cope with it and ensure that we’re still sane even after we lose our properties, homes, or, hopefully not, lives.

It’s a good thing then that in the aftermath of Ondoy, people specially children, still learn to smile.

A person’s trash is another people’s treasure.

Abuse of poverty

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:07:17 +0000

The sight reminds me of a stampede in a popular noontime show. People desperately scramble to get relief goods. And even those who seem not to be affected by the recent typhoon, they take advantage of the free goods.

Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office head Mary Ann Geronimo said that this has been the situation ever since distribution of relief items started. She cited the case of the Oct. 2 visit of ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya. “Ala-una pa lang nakapila na sila,” said Geronimo referring to the evacuees who trooped to the municipal hall. When the truck finally arrived after five in the afternoon, people were disorganized and even those who do not have stubs were given relief goods.

This afternoon’s relief operation by a non-government organization was not different. Even with the presence of the police (including the chief of police), people scramble in desperation to avail of a bag of rice, sardines, clothes and other goods.

For the sandwich.

Staff Jeboi Cecilio also relates that he hears not-so kind words when they distribute goods. “Sabi nila, nababasa kami. Eh pare-pareho naman kaming nababasa,” Cecilio said. Barangay Evangelista captain Ernesto Vallestero also relates that people told him “Di ka na namin iboboto,” supposedly due to the chief’s inability to address the food needs of people in the evacuation center.

Good-hearted citizens

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:37:01 +0000

In this time of crisis, the best (and worst) of Filipinos come out. The following people and organizations have helped Barasenians in evacuation centers and even those at home.

ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya on Friday donated undetermined sacks of family relief packs composed of pails, dipper, bottled water, bread, tents, used clothes and diapers

The mother of Gabby Concepcion, Baby, donated four cavans of rice, ten packs of biscuits, 60 pieces of pancit canton and 30 pieces of sardines. The Concepcion family owns the Concepcion Montessori.

The Barasenians in the Middle East gave four boxes of cup noodles, four boxes of biscuits, 120 bottled water, 63 boxes of sardines, 10 boxes of noodles and 39 bags of biscuits.

Department of Social Welfare and Development gave four boxes of hamburgers from McDonalds and 345 family relief packs. DWSD Region IV also gave 312 family relief packs composed of cup noodles, sardines and biscuits. Yesterday, the City Welfare Office of Makati donated 1, 000 cans of biscuits and 1, 000 bottled water.

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile sent ready to eat foods composed of 870 packs of bread, banana, cooked rice and adobo; two shirts, 20 trays of boiled eggs, 1, 200 family relief packs composed of two biscuits, two bottled water and four noodles. Councilor Alfredo Ruba gave used clothing.

Organizations and businesses also shared in giving relief goods. Danlex Research Laboratories gave medicines such as 100 bottles of Paracetamol, 100 bottles of Carbocistein, 100 bottles of ascorbic acid, 50 boxes of Paracetamol tables, 20 boxes of Carbocistein capsules and 20 boxes of Mefenamic acid. The Rotary Club of Makati and former mayor Dindo Garciano donated 147 family relief packs and four gallons of bottled water. Rotary Club of Biak na Bato gave 150 family relief packs composed of rice, sardines and pancit canton, and 12 packs of oat meal. Bekong Store also donated food.

Fr. Rico Hilario and Engr. Martin Rio gave 500 pieces of sandwiches, 50 family relief packs and another set of 50 for children.

Other people who gave relief goods are: Manex Bunot – used clothing; Nisperos Family – used clothing; Fred Sia – food, Marivic Onia – three cavans of rice, one box of coffee, one box of sardines, three boxes of noodles, five pack of milk, 30 pieces of .25 kilo sugar; Boboy Ola√±o – six pails of biscuits and one box of sardines; Leo and Larni Caparas, Alex and Rose Genito – 200 tins of sardines, six boxes of noodles, two cavans of rice and 200 family relief packs composed of rice, sardines and noodles and Rey Cai√±a – snacks served on Oct. 1 and breakfast on Oct. 2.

The friends of Rex Genito donated ready to eat food composed of rice, boiled eggs, sandwich, corned beef, cup noodles, biscuits, fruit juices and bottled water; Apah Buenaventura and Marites Oriondo – used clothing and six boxes of biscuits and architect Boy Pascual – 100 family relief packs composed of 1 kilo of rice and two packs of noodles.

This list came from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development office.

Cleaning efforts up

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:37:13 +0000

More than a week after typhoon Ondoy passed, some streets of the town are still full of mud. But clean up activities are underway.

As I go around the town yesterday morning, most of the streets are already cleaned, although traces of mud can still be seen. In Barangay Concepcion, only a small portion of their main street has mud, and at the time of the visit, is being collected by a truck .

Also in Barangay Santiago, captain Solomon Vallestero borrowed a payloader from a construction firm based in Tanay to collect the mud in the tabing ilog.

The sala was cleared of trashes, but most of the waste, composed mostly of logs, were just in the riverside.

After the mud were collected, where were they dumped? In the municipal hall.

List of fatalities

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:46:17 +0000

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office has identified the fatalities in Baras due to typhoon Ondoy.

The following people reside in Barangay San Jose, and whose house was swept away:
Ryl Buella – four years old
Chini Buella – five years old
Meldin Buella – seven years old

In Barangay Pinugay:
Cirela B. Freson – 38 years old
Wilfredo Nelvida – 52 years old

Beng Buella, 36 years old and Keno Buella, eight years old, are still missing. A two-year old girl and a one-week old infant are also missing in Barangay San Jose.

A week after typhoon Ondoy brought havoc to Mega Manila, a street in Barangay Concepcion is still full of mud.

Devastated

Herbert Joseph Carigma — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:15:57 +0000

I visited A. Ferrera street this morning and here’s what I saw. Until now, residents’ appliances are still outside as they clean their house for “banlik.”

Water in some areas are still knee-deep high.

Trash surrounded the sala.

As I write this, the dump truck of the municipal government is near our house to collect the mud. I had hoped, though, that the firetrucks followed to clean up the road.

Communication lines are still down and I have to use a mobile phone as a modem. As with posters had said, best bet is to take the Angono-Binangonan route in going to and from Baras. I myself has to go to the office in Quezon City this afternoon.