I haven't really written about my years in Sitio Tagbobo and how it transformed my life from being lost to finding direction. It would be another missed opportunity because, for all I know, my brain will deteriorate, and the memories will eventually fade away. There are moments in life I know were great, but I can only recall the feeling, not how they happened. So, here’s the comprehensive story of my years in Sitio Tagbobo.
EUREKA!
Eureka in Japan is an exclamation to celebrate what has just been discovered, and when I finally got to visit Sitio Tagbobo in February 2021 after more than three years, I felt the same excitement. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions had kept me away. I attended my grandma, Nanay Eling's, 90th birthday celebration, and as much as I was amazed by her milestone, I realized that I belong in Sitio Tagbobo. I might have thought of it because of the failures I’ve gone through over the past years—work, relationships, and the pandemic. But it wasn’t an impulsive decision; it has actually brought me to where I am now: confident, faithful, and thankful. After returning to the city post-celebration, I was terminated from my work-from-home setup job due to poor performance and absences. They offered to transfer me to another account, but I refused because I knew I wanted to stay in Sitio Tagbobo for the rest of my life.HARD LABOR
In June 2021, we returned to Sitio Tagbobo after I told my parents I wanted to live there permanently. It might have sounded like a joke to them because my decision was the opposite of most residents of the village, but they didn’t say much. Our house was under construction at the time, and I took part in the hard labor. I was confident because I had some experience, but I suffered severe back pain and couldn’t stand up straight for a week!FUN
I may have lost contact with some of my dearest friends, but I built new friendships among my cousins in the village. We’ve known each other for so long, but during my stay, we got to know each other better. We used to drink, do crazy things, and whatever foolish stuff a young single man would do.CONFLICTS
Because of my inability to take initiative, my father and I used to quarrel much of the time. He expected highly of me, but as someone who spent years bossing around and then sitting eight hours a day talking to random strangers, I lost touch with the reality of doing things on my own. I was torn between returning to the city to live out on my own and remaining in the village to teach myself to live a simple life—the latter prevailed.FAITH
If my memory serves me well, my religious life ceased to exist around 2012 when I was assigned to work in Pikit, North Cotabato. This lasted until the first or second quarter of 2021, nearly a decade. I still went to church, but only during Christmas and New Year. During my stay in Sitio Tagbobo, my parents attended Sunday Worship, and although I didn’t feel obliged, I went along with them until it changed me. Reviving my faith one step at a time must have made my father proud, as he recommended I get more involved in church activities.FISHING
The main source of food in the village is fishing, which I finally learned how to do, albeit limited to casting nets. I’m still incapable of even the simplest tasks like "panginhas" (picking edible shells and trapped fish during low tide) and "panulo" (the same as panginhas but at night). I also learned how to properly paddle a boat and drive a pump boat. I’m not an expert, but I know how to.DEATH
In November 2021, my father passed away. At the time, my mother, my two nephews, and I were in the village, while he was in our home in Davao City. It was a shocking revelation, and one of my regrets was that we were on bad terms the last time we were together. However, I don’t loathe myself for that because I know I can make things right for him. Now that he’s in Purgatory, it’s the best opportunity for me to help him.ELECTION
Although I didn’t work in the local administration, I now serve the Church as a Lay Minister, elected in October 2022—something my father would have been proud of as the first person who believed in me. I wouldn’t want to lose this role because who I’ve become is ultimately part of God’s plan. Of course, it’s not just faith but also works, as faith without works is dead.COPRA
If fishing is the main source of food in the village, copra production is the main source of income. Although I had tried it before, I did it again, not as a visitor but as a local. From gathering the coconuts to cracking them open, lifting, delivering, and realizing our hard labors weren’t well compensated.EDUCATION
Because of the post-COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, my nephew, Brean, had to be homeschooled, and we both stayed in the village while the rest were in the city. It was challenging taking care of a child—preparing food, teaching, protecting, and being a good example.RETURN
In the last quarter of 2023, we returned to Davao City due to important matters that couldn’t be handled in Sitio Tagbobo. Although I’m away, my heart stays there, and I am certain I will live the rest of my life in Sitio Tagbobo.PS: Ugh! I wish I could've shared them in detail but I'm battling to get this written while I still have them.
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| Drone shot by Jesper Jansen |
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Hello! Thanks for reading. :]