It the year after the great fire of in Tagbilaran City which gutted the Agora Market in front of Bohol Quality and Hitime Hotel and its restaurant which served the best pancit in the city. Hitime was right across Policarpio which somehow survived the conflagration.
It was a time when Dante’s Tailoring competed with Springwood. When you had the choice between Caltex, Quibir and Flying-A Gas Stations. Solidad Press or Balili Press. It was also a period when Sayong’s Furniture reigned, just like Joel’s Bakery.
We bought our school supplies either from Bohol Quality, Butalid store near the Divine Word College, and Society store near the Holy Spirit School. Villa Ondolana always smelled of tahop, humay and copra that competed with the smell of pencil, paste and pad paper.
We went to the only barbershop in the area, Bill Romo Barbershop, and the most conspicuous pharmacy, Farmacia Libertad near the Agora. It was a quiet period in the City of Tagbilaran which didn’t have a single traffic light, for there was no need to have one.
It was also the golden age of IHMS, when the Jeduthun Ensemble brought renown to the school and the city. Against this backdrop, we entered at the age of 12 or 13 into the portals of IHMS. Motivated by various reasons, we joined other teen-agers struggling to fit in. We didn’t know what future was in store for us. We only knew that we had to take it one day at a time as life gradually unraveled. We were all starry-eyed dreamers looking out ahead of us and wondering.
Now 44 year later, we have the opportunity to look back. (--nox arcamo)
