Once upon a time in Davao

My Gonzalez first cousin Pat called and invited me to come to Davao with her and her older sister Beckee and give a short talk at the launch of the book Sang Una written by Monina Suarez Magallanes. Now, I must say that had any other person called me, I would have refused — but these were my first cousins, daughters of my father’s sister. How could I say no?

We met at the airport at around 1:30 p.m. Our flight was so delayed we got to Davao at around 9 p.m., whisked off to Claude’s Restaurant, done very nicely in what Marina, Monina’s sister who met us at the airport, called a “vintage” home, an old house built in what must have been the equivalent of Davao’s Victorian era. It was a wonderful reception.   Dinner was delicious, the company charming but we were so tired when we got there that I, anyway, immediately fell asleep when I finally arrived at the hotel.

Sang Una is Visayan for Once Upon A Time and it tells the story of the Suarez-Magallanes family and their clan, which includes the Gastons, Lacsons and Locsins, Negrenses al,l but the Magallanes branch migrated to Davao. It is a book that blows life into local history, the development of the sugar milling industry in the Visayas.   True, it is a family history but I believe that is the best way to teach history, to tell it through the eyes of people who lived through it, who laughed and cried through it, then history comes alive and readers understand from the heart. 

This book the author wrote as a tribute to her mother, Maria Teodorica Lacson Suarez Vda. de Magallanes, who is 101 years old. My maternal grandmother also used to sign her name that way, Concepcion Arguelles Vda. de Cruz. Vda stands for viuda, meaning widow in Spanish.   I am moved by the similarity in custom from a Laguna family, my grandmother, to a Negrense family, Monina’s mother. That was the customary signature of their era. I remember watching my grandmother sign her name laboriously. She would have to concentrate, move her pen without touching paper a few times before finally setting it down and painstakingly writing, though it looked more like she was designing, every letter.

If any of my readers are interested in this book go to sangunabookorder@yahoo.com and check how you can order it. It costs only P1,550.

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But for me the charm of Davao was held in the three shopping areas we went to. Maybe because I have no time to shop in Manila or my eyes are jaded and blind around here I particularly enjoyed the big Gaisano mall, where everything is moderately priced and you can find anything you want. 

Since my stroke in 2003 I have worn nothing on my feet but Fitflops — you know, Japanese-style slippers that are supposed to exercise you and make you fit.   On the fashion scene high heels have gone higher and thinner and I thought —if I wear any of those shoes I will trip and break my leg. Forget about that, but that was eight years ago and I feel somewhat stronger now. I fell in love with a pair of black platform shoes with silver studs. When I tried them on, I felt steady on my feet plus they add about three inches to my height making me look slimmer. I decided to buy the pair. When the salesgirl told me the price, I decided to buy the grey one too. They were cheap but look expensive on my feet.

Then I saw the handbag with what I remember my mother used to call cutwork.  It means a pattern that today is cut with a laser and ends up like a big lace pattern in beautiful colors but I chose the dark gray.   I bought that too. When finally the three of us met we were each loaded with shopping bags. Beckee bought things for her grandchildren. Pat bought clothes including a costume for a Christmas party she was going to. Silently I noticed that Pat and I, both finally single, shopped for ourselves.   Beckee, who is still married, shopped delightfully for her grandchildren.

From there we went to Abreeza Mall. The Ayala Mall in Davao looks pretty much like it does everywhere else — upscale, slick, rich as we used to say in advertising, felt like being in Manila. When you are not, you want to shop differently. So then we went to Aldevinco, the shopping center across the Marco Polo hotel where we stayed. Since we were running close to the time when we would have to get dressed to go to the book launch, we decided to go to the shop that was run by the Department of Tourism. It is in front of Aldevinco’s on the right side.

That was a beautiful store with modern but ethnic wares. They have beautiful beaded throw pillow covers.   I could buy a designer jacket with big button loops but no buttons — just five-centavo pieces with the cloth going through the holes. I thought that was clever use for our holed five-centavo pieces.

Davao has changed so much. I remember going there frequently in the early ‘90s when I worked for Coca-Cola. Davao today is only slightly recognizable from the Davao I knew in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Finally the book launch is over. Back at the hotel we decide to change and just bond. We ate fabulous marang in the outside sitting area the hotel reserves for smokers. Then we go in to the lobby bar, listen to old songs, just get to know and love each other better. Come to think of it, that was the best part of the trip — getting to know my cousins better, feeling how very similar we were and realizing — I am my father’s daughter. I share his family traits. Not bad for someone who didn’t know her father at all.