29-XII-15
A Very Significant Date
“It was my fault that Lex and Nita did not
receive anything from the proceeds of the sale of our properties in Itbayat,
Batanes because I told Nana that we would not accept any share from it; that
all of it should go to her,” thus said Kuya Flor in his explanation of what he
said he was about to do for us, his siblings. To be clear, we did have properties in
Itbayat. These comprised of a couple of
parcels of agricultural farms in Riaxogay and Kasupitan, as well as a house and
lot in the town of Itbayat. These were
inherited by our mother from her Ninang, our Lola Cela, who had practically
adopted Nana Nitang. These properties, by any means, didn’t make our family
well-to-do. In fact, we worked these
farms like hell so we could survive the harsh realities of life in
Itbayat. If one is not hard worker in
Itbayat, one would not survive one minute even with large tracts of land to one’s
name. Too, one must understand that in
Itbayat, Batanes owning a property means nothing if one isn’t ready to work
it. We could have had these farm lots,
but if we didn’t work them we wouldn’t have survived. Still, we were lucky we had these farm lots. With hard work, we were able to survive the
harshness of island life, dependent only on mother nature and hard work. We had little use for money, by the way, but
through hard work (hard labor, really) we did have enough food on the table,
even if only kamote tubers and tops.
After completing our studies, we started
working and we had practically migrated to Los Banos (my brother finished his
studies at UPCA, so did I), and our sister finished her studies in Laguna. When my brother finished his studies, he sent
me to school (High School and College), and when I finished college and started
working, I sent our sister to school (college).
That’s exactly how things had to work for us; that’s the value system we
grew up in: those younger than us were our responsibilities. We had fully accepted those responsibilities,
we never complained. Instead, we had to
be thankful that we were able to get to where we were at.
The time had come to bring our mother to Los
Banos to stay with us. We knew we had
come to the point where we would begin taking full responsibility for the
welfare of our mother, who, as a single parent, raised us all within a
demanding value system framework. She
had been highly successful, and we have not been able to thank her enough for
that. So it was that when she got to Los
Banos, we told her in no uncertain terms that we were not going to take any
share from the proceeds of the sale of properties in Itbayat, that she owned
all of it and may do whatever she wanted to do with her money. She has always lived a frugal life and every
now and then, without our knowledge, she would spend for some gifts to her
grand children. Unfortunately, Kuya
didn’t have any child and I had one.
This was perhaps another reason Kuya must have felt it a responsibility
to share with us, his siblings, what he has been able to generate through the
years. Under the value system we were
brought up, we always accepted the decision of those older than were were. So, while I expressed concern and
disagreement with Kuya’s decision to share his resources with Nita and myself,
I was aware that Kuya has made his decision and so I had to accept that but
with some suggestions.
A footnote to this: earlier on Kuya apparently
had talked to Nana about the proceeds of sale of our properties in Itbayat,
then Kuya told me about it later. I
completely agreed with him.
Anyway, Kuya has decided to give us a share
from his share of the proceeds in the sale of Panyesanan. I know that this was not a difficult decision
for him because I know his basis, but I’m not so sure about Ate Aida. Of course, the significant point is that they
shared the proceeds right down the middle, 50-50, and each one responsible for
his/her share. Here, I’m not touching on
what Ate Aida intends to do with her share because that’s her business. I’m saying something about Kuya’s share
because I’m party to it. I am pleased
however, that Kuya listened to me and has retained a larger proportion because
he has a lot of expected expenses. I
really wouldn’t have made a fuss if he didn’t give me a share at all. And I know my sister Nita thinks the same
way. But we accept Kuya’s decision
because that’s how we were brought up.
And that’s that.
I’ll not talk about amounts here because I
consider talking about these unethical and uncalled for. Besides, we’re not talking here of figures
anywhere close to that of Bill Gates’
coins. All I wish to share here is what
I have decided to do with what I have no matter the amount. First, some I have already decided to allocate
for Jegs’ Mom’s health concerns, and I hope Jegs would agree with me that I
need some amount (less than what I have allocated for the health benefits of her
Mom) to complete the transfer of my son’s inheritance from me. This is part of my responsibility and
commitment and I haven’t been able to do this (I still have to discuss this with Jegs. I do hope she agrees with me. I shall not ask any more for myself. The rest would go towards a residential abode or an investment, all of which will end up in the hands of Jegs, anyway.
When I’m gone, which I feel is sooner than
later, I’ll not be able to leave much for Jegs, but she would have either a
respectable abode, or a small investment package that would provide her enough
elbow-room for her financial transactions.
We don’t have much right now but she’ll have all what we now have,
including a car, which I already have put under her name. The investment package will, sooner or later,
be in her name. If we decide to invest in a small house and lot, such holding will be hers when I'm gone. Meantime, I will also live in the place. But this is not for long anymore.
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