CLASS 1949
If there is one among the very many Sariayahin professionals who chose the teaching profession, and who made such a career a truly comprehensive, challenging, eventful, exciting, absorbing, fulfilling and ultimately rewarding one, then it could be none other than Mrs. Carmen Capuli Quejano – Mendoza, a retired school Supervisor of my grade school Alma mater, the Sariaya East Elementary School (SEES). I had been used to calling her “Tita Carmen”, perhaps a term of endearment that was afforded to me for being a child of one of her colleagues in the said profession the late Home Economics teacher Mrs. Veneracion Jumawan Dedace, as well as for being a nephew to her contemporary, Miss Asuncion Lopez Jumawan, my mother’s younger sister and retired Principal of he SEES, as well as to her erstwhile high school classmate at the Saint Joseph’s Academy, the late Home Economics teacher Mrs. Gloria Felisa Crisostomo - Jumawan. Two of my other aunts, both likewise retired from the SEES, Music teacher and guidance coordinator Mrs. Esther Dedace – Alcala and grade five teacher Mrs. Angelina Idea – Dedace, are both sister – in – laws of Nanay, thereby adding to my seeming “Tita” association with her , despite not being blood related altogether. Moreover, my grade school classmate, “Leonardo” or “Nady” was their youngest brother. As “Ninang Asun” put it, while I was interviewing her for an article to be featured at the SJA Student Canteen web page of Mr. Ysmael Baysa, “Tita Carmen” would be a perfect resource person for yet another article to be written there.
It was my good fortune to see her after I heard the early morning mass on the occasion of my 56 birthday last March 8th, and so, I lost no time in approaching her with this self - appointed task in mind. Gregarious as she truly is, she was affirmative of my request, telling that she is very much available now that she does not have anything to do much at home, and even good humoredly surprised me upon saying that we can conduct the interviews right away. Anyway, it was ten days later, the afternoon of March 18th, Saturday of the following week, when I was finally able to go to their Marichi residence, and that was the start of an eventful and mesmerizing two session interview that prompted me to return on the afternoon of the following day, Sunday, March 19th. It was just like a mesmerizing ride on a time machine, and a wondrous retracing of how life was in the Sariaya of the old days . . . . . . .
“Ms. Carmen” was born on July 16, 1933, the eldest child of Mr. Victorino Camello Quejano of Sariaya, Tayabas (now Quezon) and the erstwhile Miss Pilar Capuli of Tiaong town. Her other siblings were Imelda (September 2, 1934), Evelyn (January 2, 1940), Vicente (June 19, 1941) and Honorio (November 23, 1945). Like Honorio, my classmate Leonardo was born on November 6, in the year 1961. Their father, Victorino was born on November 2, 1900, the only child of Mr. Juan Quejano and Miss Pantaleona Camello from Sariaya. His father died at a young age when he was only four years old, and so, mother and son went to live with the family of Preciosa, Pantaleona’s younger sister, then married to Mr. Eustaquio Parungao, a watch and jewelry repairman from Pampanga, then living along Magdami street. Her Amamang “Takyo” and Inanang “Usay” had many children namely Sebastiana, Severina, Natividad, Gregoria, Glicerio, Donata, Francisco and Alfredo, and being older than all of them aside from their mother Preciosa being younger their Tiya Pantaleona , Victoriano was treated and regarded by his maternal cousins as their “Kuya”, and with much respect at that. At that time, the American teachers or the “Thomasites” were starting to systematically institutionalize the educational system nationwide, and accordingly, the young Victorino together with the other young Sariayahins of the time were being herded or “hinahagilap pa” to the old municipal building that served as the school, the municipal government being relocated from time to time to the houses of the town’s leading residents like Don Ramon Luna, Gobernadorcillo Venancio Rodriguez and Mr. Crispulo Varga among others. As such, the young children of those days weren’t used to being at school to study and it must have been a struggle for the newly arrived teachers to persuade them to do so, and continuously. It was largely through such beneficial impositions that the young Victorino was able to finish primary education up to grade 4.
However, there were no intermediate schooling in Sariaya after that and in order to complete the elementary education up to grade 7, students had to go to Tayabas to do so. Pantaleona was a dressmaker and in order to see his son through education, she carried her hand operated sewing machine on top of her head in towns like Tayabas, with Victorino lugging a “tampipi” of their belongings in the process. In no time at all, mother’s and son’s patience and perseverance paid off and Victorino was able to finish his elementary education. With that, Victorino’s attention was focused on having a secondary education at the Tayabas High School in Lucena, and things were going right for him since he knew how to us the typewriter, as well as short hand steno, through his American teachers. This aptitude saw him though secondary education because he was able apply as a student assistant in the school, and their largely American faculty members were so impressed with his abilities. He was very intelligent and as such, was able to graduate as Class Salutatorian, their Class Valedictorian being Elias Desembrana, who later on became the very first Assemblyman of Tayabas.
Right after that, his dream was to enter the Philippine Military Academy but he had health problems particularly his lungs and respiratory system, and that prevented him from pursuing a military career. Unfazed by the temporary setback, he was again very fortunate to land a government scholarship and that enabled him to enroll in college in the Elementary Teacher’s Course at the Philippine Normal School. In those days, transportation to and from Manila was difficult and he had to ride calesas as the bad roads permitted to Bay, Laguna, and then on boats across the Laguna de Bay to reach the Pasig River. After graduation, he became a teacher, not for the classroom as most of his colleagues were, but as a roving demonstration teacher, and he did a lot of travelling by doing so, depending on the school where he got assigned. One of the towns where he taught was Tiaong and that was how he met his future wife. Miss Pilar Capuli was born on February 27, 1908 and in grade school, some years later, she had the fortune of becoming a student of the young demonstration teacher, Mr. Victorino Quejano. However, he was not even that aware of the fact, as most teachers were since he was very so busy with his job. And soon, his abilities and teaching experience got the nod of school authorities, and he was promoted to be a school Principal.
Miss Capuli on the other hand continued to pursue her studies and went on to study in Manila at the “Centro Escolar de Señoritas” High School , today’s Centro Escolar University at Mendiola, San Miguel District. Upon her return to Tiaong, she became a teacher herself. In those days, with the lack of teachers and the big demand for them, being able to finish high school was enough to qualify for the job, and as such, she was more than qualified for it. Not too long thereafter, Mr. Victorino Quejano returned to Tiaong as the School Principal and that was how the erstwhile teacher became conscious of his erstwhile student, now a teacher herself. The blissful reunion turned into romance, blossomed into love and eventually led to marriage in 1932 and their two eldest children were born in the next two years, some 14 months apart. As such, Mr. Quejano prevailed upon his wife to give up teaching and to concentrate on raising their growing children. Soon, Mr. Quejano has been promoted to be a School District Supervisor, and with that had to be assigned to schools in other towns. Yet, since he did not wish to live apart from his family, not to mention his need to be cared for when he had respiratory system problems, he took them with him each time. His first assignment as a Supervisor took him to Macalelon and that was where he raised his two eldest children, Carmen and Imelda. After a few years, he got assigned to Mauban, and it was there when Carmen started school early, as a “saling cat” in the school year 1939 - 1940 at 5 years of age, since she already knew how to read, being the child of educators. During that time, the incidence of drop outs among children starting their studies was high, and thus Carmen was accepted despite her young age, to have officially finished her grade one studies and was already eligible to be promoted to grade two. It was during that time, in January 2, 1940 when their third child, Evelyn was born, and as such, she was considerably a “Maubanin” by birth. The following school year, Mr. Quejano was assigned back to Tiaong and so her brother, Vicente, was born there on June 19, 1941, with Carmen being enrolled in grade three, while her younger sister Imelda was in grade one, both at the Tiaong Elementary School .
Near the end of the year, on December 7th, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, site of the large American Pacific Naval Fleet signaling the start of World War 2 and the following day, December 8th, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Japanese brought the war into the Philippines. Here in Tayabas province, the Japanese ships entered Lamon Bay and bombed both Atimonan and Mauban, which brought terror into the hearts of our countrymen. It was so opportune that the Quejano family was already in Tiaong at that time, for otherwise, it would have been so traumatic for all of them. The young Carmen, then all of 8 years old had vague memories of that day, being so young. All that she remembered was that during wartime, they continued to have classes and their schooling was almost uninterrupted. Finally, in April of 1945, Carmen graduated in grade six from the Tiaong Elementary School and was eligible to go to high school the following school year.
Unfortunately, there was yet no high school in Tiaong and the nearest place to enroll was San Pablo, Laguna, and she had to commute to go there when vehicles were scarce, and the BLTB was the only way to do so. The war had just ended and life was so difficult so that option was not possible. As such, her parents thought of enrolling her at Saint Joseph’s Academy in Sariaya, two towns away to the east, where she can live at the Magdami Street residence of their relations, the Parungao family, her father’s maternal first cousins. So that means, she had to leave home for Sariaya on Sunday afternoons and return to Tiaong on Fridays after class hours. That was the very first time that she would be staying for a long period of time away from her family and in the hometown of his father, having been born in Tiaong, raised in Macalelon and starting her schooling at Mauban, before returning once again to Tiaong for the remainder of her grade school years. She stayed in one of the rooms upstairs and shared it with her aunts, her father’s first cousins. She accordingly helped with the household chores as was customary, and at times, she even served as a chaperone of her “Tia Naty” . . . Natividad Camello Parungao, then a teacher at the Sariaya Elementary School, when she went out with her fiancé, Dr. Rufino Oreta, who later on became her husband.
Upon entering high school at the SJA in July 1945 , Carmen at 11 years of age then was among the youngest in class, along with Amelia Castro of Muntingbayan and Felicita Igualada of Mabini Street. Since she did not grow up in Sariaya, there were times when she cannot relate much to the conversations of her classmates, some of whom were already young women like Remedios Abaño and Eugenia Dural. Their older classmates were not able to pursue their schooling when they were younger because of the war and as such, their class was composed of different age brackets. With that, a lot of relational adjustments which should not have been considered if they were generally of similar ages, had to be made by them. Some of their classmates were not Sariyahins like Soledad Librea of Candelaria, while Ofelia Batario, and those from the other year levels were from other provinces, and as such, they were “Internas”, who stayed in the school dormitory at the third floor of the main building.
At that time, St. Joseph’s Academy was under the supervision of its School Directress, Mother Mildreda von Herzen Jesu, a German nun who accordingly arrived at the school in the late 1920s. “Mother Mildred” as she was then popularly known was a tall and bespectacled lady, who had the reputation of being a very strict disciplinarian, owing to her Teutonic roots, and was very particular with good manners and right conduct. Yet she was likewise described as being a simple person who is very fair, and was most accommodating with young children, particularly the beginners at kindergarten. She taught physics and music, while the other nun teachers of theirs whom she still remembers taught the following . . . Sister St. Glastian (Science), Sister Astigmas (History), Sister Virginiña (English) and Sister Agnes (Pilipino). Among their lay teachers, she remembers Miss Dalilah Solis who taught Literature.
As to the school activities, the only thing that she remembers was some sort of an intramurals or sports - oriented event that pitted the four class batches within the whole school against each other. Since she was tall and slim, the young Carmen was drafted as a volleyball player for their class, which she accordingly played pretty well. She was likewise asked to have piano lessons by the nuns, and she would stay at school after class hours to do so. Unfortunately, her scholastic ratings got affected by the extra curricular work and the matter was brought to the attention of her father, Mr. Victorino Quejano, by the nuns themselves. As such, her father, Mr. Victorino Quejano, requested the nuns that she would have to discontinue with the piano lessons in order to concentrate more on her academics, and thus improve her grades. They likewise had school programs and some of her classmates were good dancers like Wivina de Guzman, Amelia Castro, Norma Crisostomo and the Talavera sisters, and they were always featured in dance numbers during important school functions.
In 1947, her younger sister Imelda graduated from the Tiaong Elementary School and by the following school year, her junior year at the SJA, was likewise a student at the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nuns – run school. As such, there were now two of them living with their Parungao relations at Calle Magdami, and unlike Ms. Carmen, her younger sister had an easier time adjusting to a vastly different environment because of her mentorship, support and guidance.
School life at the SJA during those times were not as exciting as perhaps during the earlier decade of the 1930s at the height of the coconut boom years, when there was no inkling yet about a war that was bound to happen. The people then had so much money, and Sariaya was riding the crest of prosperity that was never imagined. Old photos dating back from the said prewar period show that there were more SJA Caucasian nuns then, and the occasion was almost always during their May time alumni homecoming. Wearing formal and semi formal clothes and posing at selected areas of the school such as the stage, the wooden stairs, and even outside at the churchyard, the atmosphere was that of a much more easy and fun filled time.
The stark reality was that in the mid to late 1940s, Sariaya stood scarified by the horrors of wartime . . . large areas to the south and east of the park have been burned by the Japanese and the local Makapili in 1944 with the news of the impending return of the American troops. Adding to that was those areas further south and east that still bore the scars of the much earlier and bigger fire of August 21, 1930. The bridge across the Keanuang River on the western edge of town had just been dynamited to oblivion by the retreating Japanese and Makapili forces, and a makeshift one stood in its place. Those were difficult times when resources were scarce and people either had to make do with what is at hand, or they simply employed their innate resourcefulness in order to survive. Yet, difficult as life was, Sariaya was still luckier as compared with towns like Tayabas, and even San Pablo in Laguna which had sustained heavy infrastructure damage due American warplane bombings, and whose old architecture had been almost completely destroyed to oblivion.
Despite all of these unfortunate and bitter outcomes of wartime, the fun loving Sariayahins still found time to party and celebrate particularly during the lavish three - day traditional town fiesta from September 13 - 15, honoring its “miraculous” 18th century icon, the “Santo Cristo de Burgos” or the “Mahal Na Senyor” as it is popularly known in town. During the prosperous coconut boom, prewar years, the residents, most especially the affluent families spend so much money on food preparations, to accommodate the large influx of guests from nearby localities, Manila, and other provinces as well. The post war years saw a marked lessening of the erstwhile prodigality with money by the locals, yet old traditions continued to hold sway over the lives of the people at that time. However, it was the grand Cupid's Club Valentine's Day Ballroom party at the park every February that the people found so much fascination with since it was the most awaited social event in Sariaya and nearby localities, attended by the well heeled residents and their guests, accordingly coming from as far as Pampanga and Nueva Ecija. It was just after the war and Sariaya was still the same old homogenous place, one of the old social centers of the Southern Tagalog region that derived its fortune and reputation from the coconut boom years of the early 20th century. Most of the landed gentry, particularly the Gala, Rodriguez, de Villa, Alcala, de Luna, Orendain, Villadiego, and the others were still residing in town, though they were then starting to leave Sariaya, relocating to Manila and abroad. This social activity benefited the cloth merchants as well as the town’s dressmakers and tailors who had their hands full with sewing the gorgeous looking apparels that the attendees wore on the said occasion.
The well coiffed ladies come in stylish evening wear just as the dashing gentlemen arrive wearing expensive shark skin and “de Ilo” suits, and the reception line showed the elegance of the attendees, sashaying to the Big Band music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and the others, played by the regularly two, at times three and rarely four local and Manila - based orchestras, together with their crooners, that truly gave elegance to the occasion until the wee hours of the following morning. As such, the young Carmen and her companions would excitedly and patiently watch the proceedings from behind the makeshift fence that separated them from the dancing arena which was the sunken center of the park, and they would stay late into the night for the wondrous experience. This annual occasion even had a “Muse” and on one occasion, one of her classmates, Adoracion Talavera of Bonifacio Street was chosen. Accordingly, the Muse , dressed up in formal evening gown would be introduced over the microphone and she would be the toast of the gathering all throughout the night, Adoracion and her equally beautiful sister, Pacita Talavera, as well as another classmate, Norma Rodriguez Crisostomo of Magdami corner General Luna Street were regarded as the “society ladies” of their class. They would always be well groomed and fashionably attired, looking radiant and stylish even in their SJA signature blue skirts with suspenders over white blouse school uniforms of those times. Norma had an elder sister, Gloria Felisa or “Glory” who was also their classmate, and she was likewise a lovely young lady, yet so simple and was a homebody. The sisters were the elder children of their Magdami Street neighbors Mr. Sergio Crisostomo Sr. of Hagonoy, Bulacan and his wife, the erstwhile Ms. Ricarda Rodriguez of Sariaya. They lived then in a big, two story old wooden house in the old quarer of town that was not as fabulous looking as the center of town with those awe-inspiring Art Deco style residences designed by the leading Filipino architects like Andres Luna de San Pedro, Juan Nakpil and Juan Arellano among others. However, the area had its own charm since most of those old houses have capiz windows, with balconies, some embellished with potted ornamentals, where the residents chatted after dinner on cool, moonlit nights.
In lieu of pastime and relaxation activities of the people from way back, those were the days when aside from having a town cinema at the property then owned by Mr. and Mrs. Alberto and Cleotilde Rodriguez Emralino along Magdami corner General Luna Streets, there were also movies shown at the erstwhile National Coconut Corporation (NACOCO) complex at the east side of town in what is now Marichi Subdivision. In the prewar years, the area was the hub of training activities for people who would like to engage in the business of processing of coconuts and coconut tree body parts, with a big pavilion to handle all the training activities. When the war came, the area was neglected and left upon itself, but the said pavilion served as an alternative venue for dance parties, accordingly under the watchful eyes of the local Japanese wartime command and with war finally over, it again served yet another purpose, so stated. As such, young people like Carmen found yet another relaxing diversion from their serious studies and largely uneventful school life.
Finally, it was April 1949, graduation time for the fifteen year old Carmen and her classmates, and their class valedictorian was Paquita Verdan. They all looked very regal and lovely in their flowing white gowns as they posed for a class photograph on the concrete steps in front of the Art Deco style mansion known as the “Pink House” of Sariaya, owned by the Rodriguez spinster sisters. Designed in 1929 by the great Filipino architect Andres Luna de San Pedro, the son of the 19th century international Filipino artist Juan Luna, with its sprawling grounds inclusive of a very beautiful rose garden, it was a fitting backdrop for such a beautiful documentation for posterity.
After high school, Ms. Carmen wished to be a nurse but her father said that they could not afford such a career for her and so he persuaded her to take up education. The great need for teachers at that time allowed high school graduates to be drafted in the elementary school teaching force, but they should have themselves enrolled in the two year Elementary Teachers Course (ETC) for Saturday classes. With that, and to speed up her finishing of the ETC, she was enrolled at once for the summer of 1949 at the newly opened Luzonian Colleges in Lucena then still located at the heart of town. As such, she commuted between Sariaya and Lucena daily either by riding the BLTB, or the few jeepneys that ply the said route, the drivers being Mr. Isidro Masilang, Mr. Rufino Vegamora, and even her uncle Francisco Parungao, her father’s maternal first cousin who drove a so- called “Banahaw Jeep”. Ms. Carmen was already attending classes with more than the regular load of academic units while most of her classmates were still enjoying their vacation. It was very opportune that at that time, her father was already assigned as the School District Supervisor of the Sariaya Elementary school and as such, they were finally able to live as a whole family again after quite some time. They were then renting the Lardizabal family house along Magdami corner de la Cruz Streets.
For the school year 1949 – 1950 and the summer of 1950, she fast tracked her studies, as always, with an overload of academic units. By that time, her father had already been assigned as the Supervisor of the Sariaya Elementary School which was very fortunate, and they were able to live as a complete family again, renting the Lardizabal family house along Magdami corner de la Cruz Streets. With that, Ms. Carmen was already on the way to finishing her ETC by the first semester of 1950 – 1951 as an Octoberian graduate. Imelda was then a senior at the SJA, while Evelyn and younger brother Vicente were already transferred to the Sariaya Elementary School a year earlier, just as their then youngest sibling, Honorio, was still too young to be enrolled. After staying at the Lardizabal house, they transferred to the newly built house along Bonifacio Street now owned by the Palabrica Family, next to the equally new house of the Manese family. As mentioned, this part of town just south of the park was burned in the Japanese - Makapili started fire of 1944, and new houses were being built in the area at that time.
After her October 1950 graduation, “delicadeza” then still a virtue practiced at that time, dictated that nepotism should not allow the family of the School District Supervisor to be teaching at the same school he headed, and so, Ms. Carmen had to look for another school to teach. The nearest school to Sariaya with a complete set of primary and intermediate classes from grades one to six was the Calumpang Elementary School which was part of Tayabas town and so Carmen applied for a teaching job in there and was eventually accepted as a grade four teacher. They were all young single females in the faculty of that school, either daughters or relations of Principals and Supervisors in various Quezon towns at that time. Her colleagues from grades one to six respectively were Ms. Lydia Valle, Ms. Ester Casarea, Ms. Dolores Rueda, Ms. Raquel Valle and Ms. Remedios Sevilla. Truly, the students of their school were so lucky to have such a bright bunch of young, idealistic, dynamic, resourceful and hard working mentors, who come from families of educators, and who were so dedicated and inspired to do their job well. With that, the Calumpang Elementary School was considered as a pilot barrio school and they were all motivated to keep it as such. Young and carefree as they all were, Ms. Carmen and her colleagues truly enjoyed their stay at the Calumpang Elementary School, and because of that, she deliberately went home at nightfall, long after they had dismissed their students home. She had no sense of time in her hands even though there was still a lack of efficient public transportation then, save for the BLTB. . She was then so young and adventurous, and had just begun enjoying her new found freedom, independence and responsibility for herself, as a wage earner. At times, through sheer mistake while hailing what she then thought was a Sariaya bound public utility vehicle, she was able to hitch rides in the car of Judge Vicente Arguelles of Batangas City, who became a Sariayahin by virtue of marriage to the lovely Doña Carmen Gala Rodriguez, who belonged to the affluent families in town . And through conversations with him, he was able to discern that she was the daughter of Mr. Victoriano Quejano with whom he was so acquainted with, the Sariaya Elementary School District Supervisor who thereafter got promoted as the Academic Supervisor for the whole of Quezon Province.
Among the very novel activities that the whole faculty engaged in was a fund raising campaign, in the name of improving the school facilities through a ballroom dance, wherein they sold tickets at one peso, which was still a large amount of money then. At that time, she was already 18 years old and already had the permission of her parents to attend any social event, but there was one problem . . . who would be her partner for the evening to whom they can entrust her with confidence? And so she went to Tiaong and asked her maternal cousin, the then still very young Mr. Sancho Anenias who was enrolled at pre med school in Manila, with pediatric psychiatry as field of specialization in mind, to be her escort. He was so kind and gentleman enough to go back home on the appointed date, and hence to Sariaya to accompany her to their Calumpang Elementary School fund raising event, and for that she was so grateful to him.
With an eye for further improvement on her stature as an educator, Ms. Carmen like her other colleagues at the Calumpang Elementary School enrolled in Saturday summer classes at the Luzonian Colleges to finish her BS Education degree, and she was able to finish it by the year 1957. That year, the seven year happy working camaraderie that she had with her colleagues at the said school was coming to an end. Armed with their bachelor’s degree, career moves among their ranks had given them more options to go out of its small confines and into a much bigger arena in the teaching profession, just as accordingly, a number of them were accordingly eyeing marriage as well. With that, it was now time to say goodbye to Calumpang Elementary school and on to the pursuit of better opportunities for all of them.
Mr. Victorino Quejano as the Academic Supervisor for Quezon province so stated was already based in Lucena, and with almost seven years of being a public elementary school teacher, Ms. Carmen was now eligible for transfer to the Sariaya East Elementary School. Her younger sister Ms. Imelda likewise pursued a career in education at the Philippine Normal College in Manila and was by then also a public school teacher. With the two of them already employed, alongside their father, sending their younger siblings to school was then much convenient, with their youngest sister Evelyn just past her secondary education at the Quezon Provincial High School in Lucena, and taking up education at the Philippine Normal College in Manila Their brother Vicente was in the last year of his secondary education in Quezon High, while their youngest brother Honorio was in his intermediate elementary years in Sariaya. At the Sariaya East Elementary school, Ms. Carmen’s item was that of a special teacher with minimal teaching load, as she was assigned at the Guidance Office with an added responsibility as a teacher – in – charge of district testing performance evaluator for the school. She had to do six tests for oral reading a year from grades 1 – 6 as part of her job as evaluator. Being both good educators despite their young age, and being still young in the service, a legacy of the discipline that their father had nurtured into them, the two Quejano mentor sisters handled pilot sections as their students, with Ms. Imelda being given a regular teaching load.
By the 1960s, their younger sister Ms. Evelyn had already graduated, and like both of them had been absorbed into the teaching force of the Sariaya East Elementary School, as a special teacher, handling science classes in grade 5. By then their family lived in their very own residence at 49 Daliz Street, in the erstwhile NACOCO area at the east side of town known as Marichi Subdivision. As the asphalt paved Daliz street ended at its junction with Pablo street, its extension into Marichi Subdivision was still a stony dirt road, yet the three teachers carried themselves with ease and confidence on their way to the school and back. In 1966, she was awarded a study grant for one semester at the “She was the recipient of a training grant from the “National Coordinating Center For The Study And Development Of Filipino Children and Youth (NCSDFCY) – Quezon City (Department of Education, Culture and Sports) on “How To Use Simple Tools and T echniques in Assessing and Understanding Filipino Children and Youth”. With these important seminar trainings notwithstanding, Ms. Carmen and some of her SEES teacher colleagues thought of taking up Masters in Education classes at the Baguio Vacation Normal School in the far off “City of Pines” . To complement her work in school, she enrolled for a Masters Degree in Tests and Measurements Evaluation every summer and they all stayed at the Teacher’s Camp. She was even offered a summer job there as a dormitory matron wherein, she can pursue her masters studies for free, which was a very attractive opportunity for her, as well as sort of an appropriate practicum on establishment and human management, an experience that would serve her well for her future career in the Department of Education hierarchy ladder. This was so opportune since her father was already retiring from the profession which nurtured and helped him raise his family, and gave him so much fulfillment in life.
Through the years, Ms. Carmen did not only engage herself into her office and academic works, but she likewise participated in extra curricular activities, with both the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, as well as with the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines and the Rural Broadcasting Corporation. The string of awards, citations and certificates that she received starting the 1970s because of her active works in these national agencies affiliated within the local units of the Department of Education attest to that. She was also actively affiliated with the Quezon Historical Society which showed her deep commitment to the research, preservation, enhancement, information dissemination and promotion, not only of the Sariayahin but also Quezonian heritage as a whole. Her works and contributions to this field of endeavor is in line and attuned with the active role that the Department of Education plays and espouses in order to inculcate the importance of local heritage consciousness among young people, the students in particular.
At that time, in the early 70s, she was already in her late 30s, so preoccupied with her work, most especially her thesis, which unfortunately dragged on since her thesis adviser was then, unfortunately, always out of the country. As such, she herself was attending training seminars being held in Lucena and elsewhere, and in one of those gatherings, she met Mr. Sulpicio A. Mendoza, then in his 50s, and a widower, twelve years her senior. He was a school principal from Gumaca, whom she describes as a very engaging and funny guy who was once had the fortune of being under the supervision of her father. Until such time, she never thought of anything but her career, and even considered being single all her life. That chance encounter with the good natured and personable colleague in the Department of Education apparently changed all that, and the rapidly developing friendship turned into romance and hence eventually to a serious relationship. Never truly fond of big social gatherings, being a truly practical person, and out of consideration to her husband – to – be, she decided against a very high profile wedding in Sariaya that would have entailed inviting a lot of guests, mostly her teacher friends and colleagues in the profession, they opted for a quiet wedding at the St. Andrews Church in Makati, Rizal in 1973 with relations on both sides as guests. It was accordingly a simple yet more meaningful and private occasion which suited them fine and to their utmost liking. They lived in Sariaya thereafter, and as such, decided to rent an apartment along Rodriguez Street, just a stone’s throw away from the Sariaya East Elementary School, where they led a normal life as husband and wife, yet both went on with their respective works and responsibilities at the Department of Education, with Mr. Mendoza shuttling from Sariaya to Gumaca and back every week. It was quite an adjustment for Ms. Carmen who had been used to making decisions all by herself, and for herself alone, yet she and her husband truly made sure that theirs would be a lifetime relationship, borne out of love and commitment, that is worth keeping, cherishing, and living for. More than a year thereafter, on February 8, 1975, she gave birth to Christopher, their only child, whom they nicknamed “Toppet”, and motherhood for one who had been used to taking care only of oneself, in a very demanding profession that she had then, was indeed a drastic change and a great challenge for Ms. Carmen. Yet as such, learning the ropes of having a family of her own late, unlike a lot of her peers, she was so determined to raise her child, with her parents’ upbringing, nurturing and values, and her very own way of coping with them as the eldest child, in a vastly different time and environment, in a fast changing world and life’s existence that she suddenly found herself in, to guide her. Eventually, one of her mentors at the Baguio Vacation Normal School (BVNS) out of sympathy for her status, took the responsibility of assisting and mentoring for the completion of her thesis from her adviser who was then still abroad. With that, after years of frustration over a situation which was beyond her control, she was able to finally finish it with flying colors, and as such was able to complete all the necessary requirements. In 1977, she officially graduated from the BVNS, which was yet another affirmation of the old Filipino dictum . . . “Pag may tiyaga, may nilaga!”, which had seen her through her most of her life as before. During the graduation rites, the two year – old Christopher accordingly broke free from his father’s arms and playfully rushed to her while she was accepting her diploma, much to the delighted amusement of everyone.
Not too long thereafter, she was promoted to being the Head Teacher of the Talaan Elementary school in the late 1960s, her very first significant administration – related assignment after becoming a special teacher for so many years. Soon thereafter, the Principal of Bucal Elementary School, Miss Marina Racelis retired and as Ms. Carmen was then ripe for yet another promotion, she was officially given the vacated item of Principal I at the said school. Thus began a series of promotions through the years during the 1970s to the 1980s from Principal I (handling 12 – 15 teachers) to Principal II (with 18 – 30 teachers) and on to Principal III (with 50 teachers) , from Bucal and so on until she was even assigned outside of Sariaya, to Candelaria and to Lucban. She, and her husband, who likewise had to adjust to a new life after raising a family of his own, then on to eventual widowhood, and now a remarriage to another hardworking educator like himself, truly had a wonderful time watching their only child growing up and feeling his way around with their wisdom – filled nurturing and guidance. Time passed so quickly and before they knew it, they were enrolling Christopher at the St. Joseph’s Academy starting the school year 1980 – 1981 as a five year old kindergarten student. The 1980s saw Mr. Mendoza retiring from his profession, settling down to become a full time father to their son, and finally becoming a full pledged “Sariayahin” by residence. However, the middle part of the 1980s ushered in a very sad milestone when less that two months after the widespread national euphoria over the EDSA People Power Revolution, their beloved father and mentor figure Mr. Victoriano C. Quejano joined his Creator on April 2, 1986. It was a far removed and different world without him, particularly for their mother Mrs. Pilar C. Quejano, but they all coped with the loss, knowing that his life and legacy lived on with them.
By the year 1987, Ms. Carmen was back in Sariaya and got promoted as a School District Supervisor where she was assigned to the Lutucan Elementary School, Sariaya West District at Barrio Lutucan Malabag. Yet those were trying years for her family as her husband, Mr. Sulpicio Mendoza then blissfully enjoying his retirement became sickly, had to take medicines, underwent frequent checkups and even occasional hospitalization as a consequence. Their son Christopher had newly graduated from the elementary grades and was soon in high school at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Seminary, and she was then busy with the supervision of multi grade classes using multi level materials and multi teaching schemes. This landmark scheme was introduced to her by a friend, Dr. Alicia Peralta, who had the knowledge, skills and the capability for putting it into practice. However, it required someone who was still in the service at the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) of which she was not, at that time. As the Supervisor of the Lutucan Elementary School, Ms. Carmen was perfect for the job and as such, the two friends collaborated on the very novel project. Dr. Peralta supervised the operations while Ms. Carmen did it hands down, with the help of selected skilled, able, dependable and hard working schoolteachers. The project which is so designed for the isolated areas of the country that entails having a ratio of 1 teacher for three or more grade levels at the same time , proved so successful that it became a model for other schools to emulate. As such, the Lutucan Elementary school received a steady stream of educators coming from as far as Mindanao who came to observe how it was being undertaken. Aside from the project providing a great sense of accomplishment for the two friends, it likewise proved to be so emotionally therapeutic for Ms. Carmen, most especially on account of the untimely demise of her husband at that time. It also afforded her the opportunity to travel out of the country via a travel grant, and participate as the lone Philippine delegate, in the Southeast Asia and Oceania Regional Training Workshop on Multi Grade Teaching in Primary Schools held in Perth, Australia on September 2009. Sponsored by the UNESCO – PROAP – APEID, the venue was the University of Western Australia which was attended by 17 countries, and Ms. Carmen served as the Vice Chairman of the Conference.
Active involvement in this highly innovative and very successful project opened the doors for a stream of citations for Ms. Carmen, which truly gave her great recognition at the remaining years of her active service in her chosen field of endeavor. She was chosen as the Outstanding Supervisor of Quezon Province for the year 1991 – 1992, an affirmation of her being given the very same recognition in 1987 and 1988. She was likewise chosen by her Alma Mater, through the St. Joseph’s Alumni Association (SJAA) to receive the “Parangal Sa Lingkod Bayan” for the year 1991. She was likewise chosen to be the recipient of the Region 4 Most Effective Teaching Beginning Reading (TBR) program Implementor for 1991 – 1992. Aside from these, she was chosen to receive awards in her other involvements such as the Bronze Medal Troop Committee Award for Outstanding Services as well as the Golden Jubilee Award in November 1990 from the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, and the Silver Service Award for Outstanding and Meritorious Service in October 1992 from the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. The latter was the second award given to her by the BSP, at the heels of the Bronze Thanks Award for Meritorious and Outstanding Services in 1973.
Eventually, her very successful assignment at Sariaya West District at Lutucan came to an end and thereafter, she became the School District Supervisor of the Sariaya East Elementary School. From being a special teacher there in 1957, she had come a long way, and returned with the top plum assignment for school administrators in town as her responsibility. By then, her son was in college and she was at the closing years of active service at the Department of Education, and yet, the awards and citations came, starting off with the Gold Service Award for Outstanding and Meritorious Service from the BSP in October 1995. She was given a Plaque of Appreciation by the FPOP in February of 1997 and a Certificate of Participation on Management Development in February 1998. She was even elected to the GSP Provincial Council Board from 1998 – 2000 as a crowning responsibility on top of her involvement with the agency for more than four decades. She continued to attend seminars and conferences in various endeavors and persuasions, like the Southeast Asia and Oceania regional Conference on Family Planning in Baguio City, as well as the international Planned Parenthood Federation assembly which was held at the Manila Hotel in November of 1995. Her involvement with the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines dates back decades, since 1970 of which she is a National Member. Finally in 1998, at the age of 65, she retired from the Department of Education after 48 years of faithful and unwavering service, and yet, however, that did not deter her from having a second wind at her career in the field of education.
Right after retirement, a friend and long time colleague of hers, Mr. Rosendo Cornejo was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Quezon and he had to leave his teaching job at the Tayabas Western Academy in neighboring Candelaria. As such, he looked for a replacement and the newly retired Ms. Carmen was at the right place at the right time. What started as a reluctant and partial stint at the said institution for her in 1998 became yet another excuse to go on with her passion, as a part time college instructor in a private institution this time, a new and yet equally enriching experience for her. Being still strong of body and sound of mind enough, she commuted by bus from Sariaya to Candelaria and back and went on with the noble profession. While most of her teacher colleagues have chosen to stay at home and slow down on their activities, she remained steadfast to her sworn self appointed task of providing education on the tertiary level, proving to everyone that once and for all, there is still a new lease in life after retirement. However, now that she did it on a part time basis, she now had more time to enjoy the bliss of a domesticated life. With widowhood, and the migration to the United States of her two sisters, Imelda and Evelyn, who like her remained educators, albeit in a foreign land for people of other races, she returned home to Marichi Subdivision with Christopher, to be with her ageing mother, Mrs. Pilar Capuli Quejano who was then in her 90s. Her two brothers, Vicente and Honorio had married decades back and were then residing in Metro Manila with their respective families. Even their youngest sibling, Leonardo, who had finished a merchant marine course and yet had married young was raising a family of his own at Muntingbayan, and like them, became a teacher himself. Christopher has already finished his studies and was already employed, choosing his place of work in Lucena so as to be with her, now that though she is still that strong enough to have a second wind as an educator, she had likewise advanced in years. Taking care of old people truly involves a lot of patience and understanding, not to mention unbridled love for the dear old lady who had given birth, raised and nurtured her, after decades of widowhood. It was indeed so opportune that his son, accordingly, took after their dear old father Mr. Victoriano Camello Quejano, in looks, in color and in height so she described him, except for his body build which is much larger and heavier than their much missed “Grand Patriarch”, of which he took after his own father Mr. Sulpicio Mendoza. It was likewise so opportune for Ms. Carmen and her teacher colleague retirees that they had a social group made up of people from their ranks at the old Sariaya East Elementary School who called themselves “The Yellowbelles”. The group started way back in 1989 when the widowed sisters Mrs. Amalia Luna – Gamboa and Mrs. Gregoria Luna – Bitong asked their then newly widowed erstwhile colleague Mrs. Esther Dedace – Alcala to have a birthday party . . . in their very own words . . . “Esther, ay maghanda ka nga kahit pansitan laang para tayo ay magkasama-sama!” Indeed, far from just a mere “pansitan”, Mrs. Alcala’s daughters threw a sumptuous 70th birthday party for their mother and invited not only their relations and neighbors but the retired teachers as well. As knowledgeable and experienced as they all were when it comes to having programs in school on occasions, the excited retired mentors harnessed their experience which accordingly hearkened back to those days after the war in the late 1940s when their School District Supervisor, none other than Mr. Victoriano Quejano encouraged the then still very young ladies and gentlemen to learn how to dance the boogie woogie, tango, and the like, aside from refining their singing skills, so that they will be able to entertain guests when school administrators come for visits. At that very first party of Mrs. Alcala, they even invited the still living senior retirees like Miss Juliana Rama and Mrs. Porferia Gagolinan to attend, amid much fanfare and appreciation from everyone. They even had a skit depicting the courtship of the young Esther by her husband - to - be, none other than Atty. Francisco Alcala of Barrio Pantoc. Playing the roles were Mrs. Angelina Idea Dedace as the young “Esther”, Mrs. Gregoria Bitong wearing a Polo Barong and trousers in the role of “Abogadong Isko” complete with a paper mache rooster and a tobacco, and Mrs. Marianita Castillo – Parungao emulating the “terno at saya” wearing Mrs. Maria Ocampo – Dedace or “Inanang Bia”, Esther’s mother. Ms. Carmen, then the School District Supervisor, and her younger sister Ms. Evelyn though not yet part of the retirees’ club at that time were invited to the party, and was requested to give her remarks, and like everyone had so much fun. That gathering was a hit with everyone, and as such, the retirees were so eager to celebrate their very own parties as well, thereafter, and from then on, someone coined the name “The Yellowbelles” from an old song, and that was how everything began. The retirees club grew in number, with the Luna sisters being responsible for recruiting members from among the retirees, even those from abroad like Mrs. Zenaida Obordo – Mendoza, who came for a vacation from Canada almost every year to celebrate her birthday the Yellowbelles’ way. Soon, there was a monthly “Yellowbelles Party” , sometimes, four or five celebrants happening for one month, and they took turns throwing parties and having the time of their lives that way. Even those who had left the Sariaya Elementary School after Liberation like Mrs. Dolores Carlos – Idea reconnected with the group and had the “Yellowbelles” invited to come to their Alabang Hills residence, care of her daughter Dolly who was then staying in the US, to have a party. At times, even non Sariaya Elementary School teachers like Miss Salud Carlos of the Sariaya West District , and Miss Nieves Guttierez of St. Joseph’s Academy became part of the group, and were welcomed with open arms and warmly at that. At times, since lot of the retirees were members of various church organizations, the “Yellowbelles” got to be invited to perform during certain occasions like the birthday of the parish priests. Much later, in 2007, they were even featured as subjects for Sariayahin culture studies and research by the interdisciplinary UP Sariaya Community Empowerment Research Project, funded by the UP Centennial Committee, to showcase the importance of local culture and heritage as the basis for an effective tourism program and plan of action for tourism promotion of a certain locality like Sariaya. They wore uniform - like “saya and terno” in peach and apple green and presented old Sariayahin customs like the “Paawitan” and the “Tagayan ng Lambanog” at the Barrio Mamala 1 private farm of Mrs. Esther Alcala’s youngest daughter amid the backdrop of Mount Banahaw and its cool foothills, much to the appreciation of the professor researchers. Being part of this happy and lively group truly helped all of them a lot in coping with life’s stress, as well as sadness, which came to her once again when her mother finally left them. As such, she became the Quejano family matriarch and it was so easy filling up the gap, and immersing herself into the role, being the eldest among all of them. Through the years, the ranks of the “Yellowbelle’s” dwindled in number understandably, and the remaining active members like Ms. Carmen are now only a handful as compared with the very well attended earlier parties in 1989, through the 1990s, and the 2000s, up to the remaining years of the 2010s, but the remaining active members kept on holding gatherings, out of the sheer happiness and enjoyment of it all. Truly and indeed, it is good and great while it still lasts ….. Ms. Carmen continued teaching at the Tayabas Western Academy of Candelaria and it is indeed a source of wonder at just how she can still manage to do it despite being way, way past retirement age. And the citations keep coming as proof that her efforts are indeed being noticed and appreciated . . . what with another Plaque of Appreciation which was given to her by the SJA Alumni Association in 2004 when she was turning 71. Forty eight years as a Public School Teacher – Administrator and her continuous teaching job thereafter is a no nonsense feat, yet age is fast catching up on her. In the year 2013, when she was turning 80 years of age, her son forbade her to teach anymore, citing the fear for increased susceptibility to accidents due to her advanced chronology, and with that, she relented to his wishes. That year marked yet another great milestone in her life when she was chosen to be one of the year’s “Quezon Medalya Ng Karangalan” recipients for the Education category. There were three recipients from Sariaya that year, along with Jolibee Corporations CEO Mr. Ysmael Baysa for Business category and the Barangay Tumbaga Irrigators Farmers’ Group for the Agriculture category. The selection process was a long and tedious process and prospective nominees were screened by a knowledgeable committee for their qualifications, as submitted by their respective Local Government Units. Her eventful forty eight years in the public school, and an additional part time professorial job in a private institution, sixty three years in totality, together with a string of awards, citations and recognitions given in appreciation of her excellence, is indeed a very tough act to follow, and easily made a great impression on the people behind this awe inspiring endeavor. It was a feather in the cap and a crowning glory for a great educator like her, who has dedicated most of her life to the educational well being of a lot of people since 1950. As such, it was a very meaningful celebration of the 135th birth anniversary of Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon for all of them who have given themselves and their beloved place of birth honor and prestige on that eventful day . . . August 19, 2013. Nowadays, and going 84 years old his coming July, Ms. Carmen Quejano Mendoza is still hale and hearty, sprightly and sure footed for her age, who spends most of her time at home, and yet has time to regularly go to church unaided by anyone. She has her son Christopher, now married, for company and her younger sister Ms. Evelyn is presently on vacation from the United States. Her sister is an active member of the Saint Francis Order (SFO) and leads an enjoyable time of her life participating in their church association’s activities whenever she is here. When I posted my interviews with her for the SJA canteen website feature that I am presently writing on Face Book, her erstwhile students, brother and sister siblings Mr. Napoleon Imperial of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Charito Imperial Santiago of UP Pampanga intimated their desire to see Ms. Carmen and Ms. Evelyn, who aside from their other sister Ms. Imelda presently residing in the US, were their very much admired, erstwhile mentors from way back their Sariaya East Elementary School days. As such, Ms. Carmen requested me to inform them that they are very much welcome to do so, which both of them favorably regarded with so much excitement and appreciation, which is an obvious indication of how they were regarded, and held in high esteem by their former students. It is with much gratitude and appreciation that I was given the chance to talk and be privy to the life that one of the most accomplished of the Sariaya East Elementary School administrative educators led. Thank you very much “Tita Carmen”! I will always cherish the privilege that you gave me to try to capture your eventful and much accomplished life through my writings, for posterity! May the good Lord bless and keep you always!
Eriberto Ricardo J. Dedace
April 19, 2017
Wednesday, 7:28 PM
Edited April 26, 2017
Saturday, 6:39 PM