Unforgettable January 9 

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THERE are five most important and so unforgettable dates in my life since I reached the ripeness of my age. First and foremost, of course, is when I first saw the light of this world on December 18, 1945. Second was the time when I registered my first triumph in professional multi-stage cycling in the race that was then called “Tour of Luzon” held on May 10-19, 1973. Third is the date of my migration to Uncle Sam’s land on April 19, 1978 and the fourth is when I acquired my second citizenship on June 8, 1984. The fifth, probably not the last and the least, is January 9, 1945, the Lingayen Gulf landing of the Americans led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in which my father, the late PFC Jesus Rivera Garcia, took part as member of one of the battalions. I ‘ve said it before that because of the historic Lingayen Gulf Landing, I surmise that I am not the only Fil-Am fellow produced because of world war.

As in the past, I attended the 67th Lingayen Gulf Landing Anniversary last Monday held at the Veteran’s Memorial Park in Lingayen where our former President Fidel Valdez Ramos was the guest of honor and speaker. The sports-minded former father of the land, now 84, emphasized how important the gulf landing is, having liberated us from the Japanese occupation forces. He praised the war veterans some of whom lived long enough to receive benefits from the U.S. government – with the final enactment into law of the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Act of 2009. He talked The New Causes For Partnership, Making Great-Power Conflict Obsolete, Regional Security In Our Time, Pax Asia Pacifica To Replace Pax-Americana, Making Room For The Aspirations of Rising Powers and the Road Map to the Future.

After his speech and photo ops with his admirers, particularly the veterans, I got the chance to talk with him about sports, especially cycling, one of his favorite sports. (The Lingayen-born, Asingan-raised Ramos was the honorary chairman of the Professional Cycling Association of the Philippines that ran the Marlboro Tour from 1979 to 1998.) He asked me (in jest) about my sex life being an aging man and even gave me a tobacco as a recuerdo with a Malacanang seal on it and emphasized not to smoke the cigar but just keep it as a gift from him. (I placed it inside my escaparati with his picture and me together taken on December 22, 2008 at the Manila Hotel). He was also one of the prominent personalities who met me at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City on that memorable May 19, 1973, the last day of the ten-day race. Before he left, he advised me to stay healthy always (like him) and not to forget constant exercises. His wife Amelia “Ming” Ramos, also a sports lover, has been re-elected president of the Badminton Association of the Philippines. No wonder, both of them have reached their 80s in good health. I wish I could reach that age too. No more than time can tell and only God knows.

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Congrats to P/Supt. Mateo C. Casupang on his election as the new president of the Mangaldan Practical Shooting Association, Inc. replacing Arnolfo Moyano, the punong barangay of Bari. The election was held on January 6 this year at JHARRSEL Firing Range in Bari. Kudos also to my buddy and town alderman Alfredo M. Soriano as the group’s vice prexy. The diligent and fearless Casupang is the chief of police of my town Mangaldan, recording an unmatched arrest of 24 drug pushers in 2011 alone, excluding other kinds of criminals with his diligent intel men headed by Inspector Rizalino B. Suarez. Keep up the good work guys. The good citizens of Mangaldan badly need you to completely curb the presence of bad elements in the town. 

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “That it may be well with you and you may live longer on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. EPHESIANS 6: 1-4

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