Oriental, my place, and Occidental is divided by Mt. Halcon. Before, we need to travel first to Batangas or Manila to ride a roro boat going to San Jose (SJ) or Abra de Ilog in Occidental. If you're rich enough, you can take a fokker plane from Manila which had 2 flights per week.
Today, there are 2 airlines flying the route daily. You can now travel by land passing Mt. Halcon from Bulalacao in Oriental to Magsaysay town in Occidental. Roads were cemented and it only takes 5 hours from Calapan City to San Jose.
How time flies...25 years ago, there was no television coverage. TV programs were recorded in Manila in betamax tapes by enterprising individuals and then sold or rented in the province. There were stores renting any kinds of pocket books, Mills & Boons, Agatha Christie's, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew's, Ludlum's, etc.
This is where our office used to be. We rented the 3rd floor.
Entertainment in those days were the local basketball league in the plaza, eating fishballs and other chichirias also in the plaza and of course swimming. Worst was the electricity because there's always brown-out...and sad to say, it's still the same today. How sad!!!
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| I traded slices of water melon for this photo. |
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| Children were very willing to pose for my cam. :-) |
