Footnote to Youth 

by: Jose Garcia Villa

The sun was salmon and hazy in the west. Dodong thought to himself he would tell his
father about Teang when he got home, after he had unhitched the carabao from the plow, and led
it to its shed and fed it. He was hesitant about saying it, he wanted his father to know what he
had to say was of serious importance as it would mark a climacteric in his life.Dodong finally
decided to tell it, but a thought came to him that his father might refuse to consider it. His father
was a silent hardworking farmer, who chewed areca nut, which he had learned to do from his
mother, Dodong’s grandmother.
He wished as he looked at her that he had a sister who could help his mother in the housework.
I will tell him. I will tell it to him.
The ground was broken up into many fresh wounds and fragrant with a sweetish earthy
smell. Many slender soft worm emerged from the further rows and then burrowed again deeper
into the soil. A short colorless worm marched blindly to Dodong’s foot and crawled clammilu
over it. Dodong got tickled and jerked his foot, flinging the worm into the air. Dodong did not
bother to look where into the air, but thought of his age, seventeen, and he said to himself he was
not young anymore.
Dodong unhitched the carabao leisurely and fave it a healthy tap on the hip. The beast
turned its head to look at him with dumb faithful eyes. Dodong gave it a slight push and the
animal walked alongside him to its shed. He placed bundles of grass before it and the carabao
began to eat. Dodong looked at it without interest.
Dodong started homeward thinking how he would break his news to his father. He
wanted to marry, Dodong did. He was seventeen, he had pimples on his face, then down on his
upper lip was dark-these meant he was no longer a boy. He was growing into a man – he was a
man. Dodong felt insolent and big at the thought of it, although he was by nature low in stature.
Thinking himself man – grown, Dodong felt he could do anything.
He walked faster, prodded by the thought of his virility. A small angled stone bled his
foot, but he dismissed it cursorily. He lifted his leg and looked at the hurt toe and then went on
walking. In the cool sundown, he thought wild young dreams of himself and Teang, his girl. She
had a small brown face and small black eyes and straight glossy hair. How desirable she was to
him. She made him want to touch her, to hold her. She made him dream even during the day.
Dodong tensed with desire and looked at the muscle of his arms. Dirty. This fieldwork
was healthy invigorating, but it begrimed you, smudged you terribly. He turned back the way he
had come, then marched obliquely to a creek.
Must you marry, Dodong?”
Dodong resented his father’s question; his father himself had married early.
Dodong stripped himself and laid his clothes, a gray under shirt and red kundiman shorts, on the grass. Then
he went into the water, wet his body over and rubbed at it vigorously. He was not long in bathing, then he
marched homeward again. The bath made him feel cool.
It was dusk when he reached home. The petroleum lamp on the ceiling was already
lighted and the low unvarnished square table was set for supper. He and his parents sat down on
the floor around the table to eat. They had fried freshwater fish, and rice, but did not partake of
the fruit. The bananas were overripe and when one held the,, they felt more fluid than
solid. Dodong broke off a piece of caked sugar, dipped it in his glass of water and ate it.He got
another piece and wanted some more, but he thought of leaving the remainder for his parent.
 Dodong’s mother removed the dishes when they were through, and went with slow
careful steps and Dodong wanted to help her carry the dishes out. But he was tired and now, feld
lazy. He wished as he looked at her that he had a sister who could help his mother in the
housework. He pitied her, doing all the housework alone.
His father remained in the room, sucking a diseased tooth. It was paining him, again.
Dodong knew, Dodong had told him often and again to let the town dentist pull it out, but he was
afraid, his father was. He did not tell that to Dodong, but Dodong guessed it. Afterward, Dodong
himself thought that if he had a decayed tooth, he would be afraid to go to the dentist; he would
not be any bolder than his father.
Dodong said while his mother was out that he was going to marry Teang. There it was
out, what we had to say, and over which he head said it without any effort at all and without self-
consciousness. Dodong felt relived and looked at his father expectantly. A decresent moon
outside shed its feebled light into the window, graying the still black temples of his father. His
father look old now.
“I am going to marry Teang,” Dodong said.
His father looked at him silently and stopped sucking the broken tooth, The silenece
became intense and cruel, and Dodong was uncomfortable and then became very angry because
his father kept looking at him without uttering anything.
“I will marry Teang,” Dodong repeated. “I will marry Teang.”

His father kept gazing at him in flexible silence and Dodong fidgeted on his seat.
I asked her last night to marry me and she said… “Yes. I want your permission… I…
want… it…” There was an impatient clamor in his voice, an exacting protest at his coldness, this
indifference. Dodong looked at his father sourly. He cracked his knuckles one by one, and the
little sound it made broke dully the night stillness.
“Must you marry, Dodong?”
Dodong resented his father’s question; his father himself had married early. Dodong
made a quick impassioned essay in his mind about selfishness, but later, he got confused.
“You are very young, Dodong.”
“I’m seventeen.”
“That’s very young to get married at.”
“I… I want to marry… Teang’s a good girl…
“Tell your mother,” his father said.
“You tell her, Tatay.”
“Dodong, you tell your Inay.”
“You tell her.”
“All right, Dodong.”
“All right, Dodong.”
“You will let me marry Teang?”
“Son, if that is your wish… of course…” There was a strange helpless light in his father’s
eyes. Dodong did not read it. Too absorbed was he in himself.
Dodong was immensely glad he has asserted himself. He lost his resentment for his
father, for a while, he even felt sorry for him about the pain I his tooth. Then he confined his
mind dreaming of Teang and himself. Sweet young dreams…
***
Dodong stood in the sweltering noon heat, sweating profusely so that his camisetawas
damp. He was still like a tree and his thoughts were confused. His mother had told him not to
leave the house, but he had left. He wanted to get out of it without clear reason at all. He was
afraid, he felt afraid of the house. It had seemingly caged him, to compress his thoughts with
severe tyranny. He was also afraid of Teang who was giving birth in the house; she face screams
that chilled his blood. He did not want her to scream like that. He began to wonder madly if the
process of childbirth was really painful. Some women, when they gave birth, did not cry.
In a few moments he would be a father. “Father, father,” he whispered the word with
awe, with strangeness. He was young, he realized now contradicting himself of nine months
ago. He was very young… He felt queer, troubled, uncomfortable.
Dodong felt tired of standing. He sat down on a saw-horse with his feet close
together. He looked at his calloused toes. Then he thought, supposed he had ten children…
The journey of thought came to a halt when he heard his mother’s voice from the house.
Some how, he was ashamed to his mother of his youthful paternity. It made him feel
guilty, as if he had taken something not properly his.
“Come up, Dodong. It is over.”
Suddenly, he felt terribly embarrassed as he looked at her. Somehow, he was ashamed to
his mother of his youthful paternity. It made him feel guilty, as if he has taken something not
properly his. He dropped his eyes and pretended to dust off his kundimanshorts.
“Dodong,” his mother called again. “Dodong.”
He turned to look again and this time, he saw his father beside his mother.
“It is a boy.” His father said. He beckoned Dodong to come up.
Dodong felt more embarrassed and did not move. His parent’s eyes seemed to pierce
through him so he felt limp. He wanted to hide or even run away from them.
“Dodong, you come up. You come up,” his mother said.
Dodong did not want to come up. He’d rather stayed in the sun.
“Dodong… Dodong.”
I’ll… come up.
Dodong traced the tremulous steps on the dry parched yard. He ascended the bamboo
steps slowly. His heart pounded mercilessly in him. Within, he avoided his parent’s eyes. He
walked ahead of them so that they should not see his face. He felt guilty and untru. He felt like
crying. His eyes smarted and his chest wanted to burst. He wanted to turn back, to go back to the
yard. He wanted somebody to punish him.
“Son,” his father said.
And his mother: “Dodong..”
How kind their voices were. They flowed into him, making him strong.
“Teanf?” Dodong said.
“She’s sleeping. But you go in…”
His father led him into the small sawali room. Dodong saw Teang, his wife, asleep on the
paper with her soft black hair around her face. He did not want her to look that pale.
Dodong wanted to touch her, to push away that stray wisp of hair that touched her
lips. But again that feeling of embarrassment came over him, and before his parent, he did not
want to be demonstrative.
The hilot was wrapping the child Dodong heard him cry. The thin voice touched his
heart. He could not control the swelling of happiness in him.
“You give him to me. You give him to me,” Dodong said.
***
Blas was not Dodong’s only child. Many more children came. For six successive years, a
new child came along. Dodong did not want any more children. But they came. It seemed that
the coming of children could not helped. Dodong got angry with himself sometimes.
 Teang did not complain, but the bearing of children tolled on her. She was shapeless and
thin even if she was young. There was interminable work that kept her tied up. Cooking,
laundering. The house. The children. She cried sometimes, wishing she had no married. She did
not tell Dodong this, not wishing him to dislike her. Yet, she wished she had not married.Not
even Dodong whom she loved. There had neen another suitor, Lucio older than Dodong by nine
years and that wasw why she had chosen Dodong. Young Dodong who was only
seventeen. Lucio had married another. Lucio, she wondered, would she have born him children?
Maybe not, either. That was a better lot. But she loved Dodong… in the moonlight, tired and
querulous. He wanted to ask questions and somebody to answer him. He wanted to be wise about
many thins.
Life did not fulfill all of Youth’s dreams.
Why must be so? Why one was forsaken… after love?
One of them was why life did not fulfill all of the youth’ dreams. Why it must be so.Why
one was forsaken… after love.
Dodong could not find the answer. Maybe the question was not to be answered. It must
be so to make youth. Youth must be dreamfully sweet. Dreamfully sweet.
Dodong returned to the house, humiliated by himself. He had wanted to know little
wisdom but was denied it.
When Blas was eighteen, he came home one night, very flustered and happy. Dodong
heard Blas’ steps for he could not sleep well at night. He watched Blass undress in the dark and
lie down softly. Blas was restless on his mat and could not sleep. Dodong called his name and
asked why he did not sleep.
You better go to sleep. It is late,” Dodong said.
Life did not fulfill all of youth’s dreams. Why it must be so? Why one was forsaken after
love?
“Itay..” Blas called softly.
Dodong stirred and asked him what it was.
“I’m going to marry Tona. She accepted me tonight.
“Itay, you think its over.”
Dodong lay silent.
I loved Tona and… I want her.”
Dodong rose from his mat and told Blas to follow him. They descended to the yard where
everything was still and quiet.
The moonlight was cold and white.
“You want to marry Tona, Dodong said, although he did not want Blas to marry yet.Blas
was very young. The life that would follow marriage would be hard…
“Yes.”
“Must you marry?”
Blas’ voice was steeled with resentment. “I will mary Tona.”
“You have objection, Itay?” Blas asked acridly.
“Son… non…” But for Dodong, he do anything. Youth must triumph… now.
Afterward… It will be life.
As long ago, Youth and Love did triumph for Dodong… and then life.
Dodong looked wistfully at his young son in the moonlight. He felt extremely sad and
sorry for him.
 EDSA REVOULUTION I

This footage documents and records the musings of father and son as they go through
the tumultuous days of February 1986. Each narrator engages in the telling of a story
that is deeply personal and also profoundly significant in this nation’s history.

On February 7, 1986, nationwide snap elections were held for the presidency and the
newly restored position of vice-president. The contenders were the tandem of Ferdinand
E. Marcos and Arturo M. Tolentino of the KBL, versus Cory Aquino, widowed spouse of
assassinated senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and Salvador H. Laurel of UNIDO. In the film,
the young Kidlat gets an asthma attack in anticipation of the elections. His father, the
elder Kidlat, has promised to take him along when he casts his ballot. They arrive at a
small voting precinct in Baguio City and just as he marks his ballot, the father motions
for his son to move away from behind him. He casts his vote in and reveals to his son
that it is the “secrecy of the ballot that guarantees that the will of the people is granted.
Secrecy is what protects voters.”

In the far-flung region of Benguet in the Mountain Province, elections take place as they
do in other parts of the nation. Surprised as they are to be afforded this opportunity by a
president who has ruled for nearly two decades, people cast their votes risking life and
limb. The integrity of the ballot afforded people hope that perhaps the results yielded
might deliver them from the grip of a dictator. However, the Comelec numbers show
Marcos and Tolentino the winners, a result made official by the KBL-dominated Batasan
Pambansa. As government tried to rubberstamp its way to victory, a series of
astounding events began to grip the world’s attention: computer operators tabulating
Comelec votes walked out; the bishops of the Catholic Church issued a pastoral letter
saying a government that cheated was devoid of legitimacy; Cory Aquino called for a
civil disobedience campaign and a boycott of crony-owned corporations until the
opposition victory was recognized. Within two weeks of the February 7 snap elections,
multitudes of demonstrators would fill the vast expanse of Epifanio de los Santos
Avenue (EDSA) calling for the peaceful ouster of a dictator.

However accelerated these events of February 1986 may be, revolutions do not take
place overnight. The Marcos years, characterized by the Machiavellian exercise of
power preservation, fomented political unrest. Allegations of graft and corruption against
the administration and her cronies would forge a disparity of wealth and grow the gap
between the extremely wealthy and the very poor. Civilians took to rioting and fed the
administration’s hunger to be on the defensive and thus able to practice aggression
against them. This heightened sense of control meant the suppression of civil liberties
and before long, President Ferdinand Marcos found himself addressing the public,
justifying the need for power to be vested solely in his hands. The September 23, 1972
declaration of Martial Law planted the seeds of discontent that would make revolution
necessary, even vital to the restoration of democracy.

The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution gathered throngs of people, filling the
capital’s main artery. However, the spirit of their movement didn’t remain contained in
the streets of Manila. Pockets of dissent manifested nationwide creating a stir in local
communities and uniting the nation in the desire to attain freedom.  Cebuanos and
Davaoeños gathered in their own plazas, packing streets with slogans and singing the
anthems of the revolution. All were guided by the voice of Radio Veritas—the one
station whose dedication to truth helped topple the regime. Many looked to this station
as the beacon of light. No doubt, People Power was set ablaze elsewhere in the nation
because of the Veritas broadcasts.

While opposition groups formed outside the capital, many people also went out of their
way to be counted. In the featured film, the De Guia’s drive from Baguio to Manila just
as others would leave the comfort of their homes to be counted in this movement.
People from all walks of life would converge and even creeds were no hindrance to a
people standing united against a dictator.

During the 20th anniversary of the EDSA revolution, the Philippine Daily Inquirer
published accounts of those who had participated in the revolution and among them
was a touching story of a Muslim who was tasked to organize Company D:

“More than a hundred men and women from Maharlika, the Quiapo mosque and the
Tandang Sora Muslim communities responded to our call. We turned down the women
and warned the 85 men of Company D that not all of us could return alive.”

Later, the account also describes how people grew watchful of food and made sure that
pork was never served to their Muslim brethren. Once, a truckload of food arrived and
as people made their way toward it, the driver was quick to say, “for Muslims only.” To
the one recalling the story, this was the definitive moment being Filipino was most clear
—that somehow away toward belonging had been found.

These stories are few among many more untold ones that we have not heard of
because often, EDSA is quickly reduced to being a movement done in the capital or by
the big people in history. Clearly, this is not the case.

When news of President Marcos leaving the Palace reached Jaro, Iloilo, it was late at
night and yet the lights came on and residents made their way toward the Cathedral of
Jaro. Suddenly illuminated and with ringing bells to boot, then 16-year-old high school
student, Ruby A. Dumalaog, stood in awe of her town.

“I realized that what was happening at EDSA was also happening in Jaro. Soldiers
patrolling the city shook hands with people on the street. People who didn’t know each
other were embracing each other and crying. That night, I realized that although the
islands in the Philippines are far apart, although we are far away from EDSA, although
we were not there to face the tanks, in our hearts we are one, we have one dream and
we can be together.”
TRADITION

THE ILOCOS REGION AND THE ILOCANOS 

About 1,453,000 hardworking estimated Ilocanos live in the provinces of

Abra. Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union in the northwestern coast of
Luzon of its 11,447.5 sq. km. area. Only a narrow strip of plain is fertile and
arable, with rice as its chief crop. Due to this limited area for agriculture,
foofstuffs are often insufficient.

The physical environment of Ilocandia has effected the Ilocano way of life.
Ilocanos are thrifty and used to difficulties and hardships. They work hard to
earn a living; thus to an Ilocano every centavo counts. A long provinces
makes agriculture in the area not profitable. As a result, the Ilocano families
engage in other occupations. Men as well as women, spin and dye yarns.
Women with their native crude hand looms weave blankets, towels, napkins,
table cloths, bags, and jackets. Aside from weaving, bagoong and tuba
making are two other industries of the Ilocanos. 

The Ilocanos are adventurous and the most hardworking people. They
migrate to other provinces like Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Cagayan during
harvest time, to find work. After the harvest they go back home with their
earnings. Others go to faraway like Cotabato, Davao and Bukidnon and other
parts of Mindanao as settlers. Many Ilocanos are also working in Okinawa,
Guam, Hawaii, and Saudi Arabia, easily adapting themselves wherever they
go.

THE ILOKANOS CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS.....

Ilocanos strive hard to make a living, difficulty is never a hindrance to their

success. To and Ilocano, hardships can easily be overcome. He believes in
the value of study, industry and patience; thus, every Ilocano family
encourages the children to go to school and learn skills to find better paying
jobs and consequently, have a better life.

Most customs and traditions of the Ilocanos are influence by their frugality.
From the cradle to the grave, the Ilocano rituals reflect what they believe in.

Death to the Ilocanos means great sorrow. If the father dies, the wife
dresses the deceased alone so that her husband's spirit can tell her any
messages or wish he was not able to convey when he was still alive.

The body is placed in a coffin in the middle of the house parallel to the slats
of the floor. A big log is is then lighted in front of the houses so that the
spirit of the dead will go to heaven with the smoke. As long as the dead
body is in the house, the log is kept burning to keep the evil spirit away. 

During the wake, the members of the family keep vigil. The women wear
black clothes and a black manto (handkerchief) to cover the head and the
shoulders. 

Before the coffin is carried out of the house all windows must be closed; No
part of the house must be touched by the coffin; otherwise the man's spirit
will stay behind and bring trouble to the family. 

Family members shampoo their hair with gogo as soon as the funeral is over
to wash away the power of the dead man's spirit. Prayers are said every
night for the next nine nights. After each night's prayer, rice cakes and basi
are served to all guests. The period of mourning ends on the ninth day when
relatives and friends spend the day feasting and praying. The first death
anniversary will then be another occasion for feasting and praying. 

The above customs and traditions are purely Catholic rituals and practices. It
does not includes the belief of some religion in the places. 

ABOUT THE ART 

The serious outlook of the Ilocano is reflected on his physical movement as

well as in his writings. He is not lyrics types; he is the epic type. An Ilocano
epic depicting this sobriety is Biag ni Lam-ang, a poetry piece that requires
sustained effort. Among the well known Ilocano writers are Salvador Lopez,
Loepoldo Yabes, Manuel Arguilla, and Consorcio Borje. 

The ancient literature of the Ilocano consisted of songs for different

occasions. The Ilocano war song expressed the vigor and joys of the warriors
coming from battle; the dal-ot, popular among the peasants was sung
during a baptismal party, a wedding or a feast; the badeng or love song is a
serenade. Pamulinawen, a popular Ilocano love song expresses longong for a
loved one. 

Like most Filipinos, the Ilocanos possess musical instrumentals. Examples

are the flute, kudyapi and kutibeng, which is a sort of guitar with fine
strings. 

The Ilocano are proud of their dances. One of their favorites is the kinnotan,
or ants dance, in which a group of dances gesticulates toward a person
being attacked by ants and then makes motions of scratching the man. The
Kinnailongong is another Ilocano dance showing a man and a woman sings
and dances towards him, and then dances with him.

THE ILOCOS REGION AND THE ILOCANOS 

About 1,453,000 hardworking estimated Ilocanos live in the provinces of

Abra. Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union in the northwestern coast of
Luzon of its 11,447.5 sq. km. area. Only a narrow strip of plain is fertile and
arable, with rice as its chief crop. Due to this limited area for agriculture,
foofstuffs are often insufficient. 

The physical environment of Ilocandia has effected the Ilocano way of life.
Ilocanos are thrifty and used to difficulties and hardships. They work hard to
earn a living; thus to an Ilocano every centavo counts. A long provinces
makes agriculture in the area not profitable. As a result, the Ilocano families
engage in other occupations. Men as well as women, spin and dye yarns.
Women with their native crude hand looms weave blankets, towels, napkins,
table cloths, bags, and jackets. Aside from weaving, bagoong and tuba
making are two other industries of the Ilocanos. 

The Ilocanos are adventurous and the most hardworking people. They
migrate to other provinces like Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Cagayan during
harvest time, to find work. After the harvest they go back home with their
earnings. Others go to faraway like Cotabato, Davao and Bukidnon and other
parts of Mindanao as settlers. Many Ilocanos are also working in Okinawa,
Guam, Hawaii, and Saudi Arabia, easily adapting themselves wherever they
go.