“LIFE is what we make it”, Short Cuts and his classmates were told when they were still in their secondary days.
Lot of friends and acquaintances are expectedly met during one’s younger days until they refuse mingling with their brothers and sisters in the community maybe because of old age or for some other personal reasons. Once higher age is attained, it is expected that more friends and acquaintances are also met.
These friends may differ in terms of intimacy among themselves. But, the fact is . . . . they are friends!
There may also be a person who knows another, but the latter is not personally aware that the former already knows him.
Short Cuts is not an exception to this phenomenon.
Because even when he was only a Grade 3 pupil, he knows already one person in Barangay Poblacion Oriental in his town by face only. He does not know the first and neither his family name of the same.
Short Cuts believes that the same person does not know him also. Short Cuts was only nine (9) years old at that time while the person referred to was already a public school teacher.
As years rolled on, the same person showed his interest in becoming the Father of the town after retiring from the public schools.
He run under the Liberal Party. Two other candidates filed their Certificates of Candidacy under the Nacionalista Party.
Short Cuts was, at that particular time, already a registered voter in his barangay. This was the first time for him to vote. And this, too, was the first time for him to run for public office – as a Municipal Councilor.
Known by the two (2) candidates for Municipal Mayor from the Nacionalista Party of Short Cuts’ desire to become a councilor in the town, the two alternately visited Short Cuts in his Tagbilaran workplace.
Their purpose?
They two tried to convince Short Cuts to be a member of their respective election ticket as municipal councilor.
Short Cuts gave a uniform answer to the two by saying, “AKO PANG HUNAHUNAON”.
With that answer, however, Short Cuts never went to the two as a candidate for Municipal Councilor. Instead, he filed his Certificate of Candidacy under the Liberal Party even WITHOUT any invitation for him to run as Municipal Councilor.
Short Cuts, therefore, became a candidate under the Liberal Party with the ticket under the leadership of the person that Short Cuts knew of him when he was only a 3rd Grader.
And, the name of the standard bearer of the Liberal Party with whom Short Cuts ran for councilor?
Mr. Timoteo Salise, and now my close friend Pare Motyong Salise!
With him as the standard bearer of the party during that campaign, Short Cuts learned lessons that were useful to him when Short Cuts himself run for Mayor in his town.
As a consequence, Short Cuts’ co-local candidates during the 1971 local elections were barred by him from taking in liquor, even tuba during rallies in the barangays.
With Short Cuts in his early 80s, how old is Pare Motyong now?
Last August 22, he celebrated his 102 years in the service of our Lord!
Short Cuts was with Pare Motyong when he celebrated his 100th year at the Valencia Astrodome. His 101st year celebration was held at his residence together with his family. Short Cuts was also with him.
But Short Cuts skipped this year’s celebration. He is still busy with the late Victor’s 40th day Prayers.
Short Cuts honestly believes that his Pare MOTYONG is the oldest Valencianhon today.
To Pare MOTYONG, may you have still more years to live!
And, may your Pare know your secrets for old age?
