UNTO THE LION’S LAST HUNTING GROUND
The lion and his tamer were on board the Superferry when it docked at the Tagbilaran pier at six on the morning of March 6, Wednesday. Instead of immediately boarding a bus bound for the town of Guindulman which is a full eighty five kilometers away from the pier, they decided to make Tagbilaran City their first stopover. They reckon they will save more time if they will first attend to their needs of getting the zonal valuation document at the appropriate office in the government bureaucracy at Tagbilaran City instead of proceeding posthaste to her hometown. Getting off the ship, they went straight to a local eatery for breakfast and there whiled the time away until his wristwatch signaled the hour of eight and later took a tricycle bound for the city proper.
On the way, they passed by the compound of the University of Bohol and surmised one or more of the Tirol brothers who, the lion is aware, are members of the Craft, must be holding office there and so asked the blue guard at the gate and were told that indeed, most of them, including their wives, were holding office in the said building. The lion and his tamer therefore got off the pedicab and waited.
Not noticing any of their intended party arriving by eight thirty, the guard suggested that they proceed to the other gate as it is possible some may have passed by that entrance instead. They did and at the other side, was told by the lady guard that Grace Tirol, an acquaintance of the lion tamer when they were still single, has not yet reported but Mrs. Nuevas Montes, her sister-in-law, was already in and directed them to the room where she is holding office.
The lion introduced himself to the lady and mentioned casually that he already met her husband, Fiscal Adriano Montes, some ten years back (in August 1992 to be exact) when he attended the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, and that they wanted to see Mrs. Grace Tirol. Graciously, she called Grace over the phone as she was still at her residence and there the lion tamer narrated to Grace the purpose of their visit. After the usual phone courtesies Grace referred them back to the lady but only after saying that Nuevas, that's her name, is in the best position to help as she is the topnotch city councilor of Tagbilaran, having garnered the highest votes during the last election.
Sis. Nuevas dialed a number and after a while told them to proceed to the Provincial Assessors office where its head, Mr. Eddie Orig, is already waiting and will help attend to their needs. Before they parted she also said that the installation of officers of Kinampay Chapter No. 26 of the Order of the Eastern Star will be held on March 9, Saturday at the Dagohoy Masonic Temple and invited the two to attend the said affair.
They then proceeded to the Provincial Assessor's office and narrated to Mr. Orig the purpose of their visit. The gentleman was very accommodating but told said that the proper agency that can help was the regional office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and forthwith also dialed a number and talked to a certain Ms. Wilma Elivera, its Regional Director. At the other end, the two were informed that a letter requesting for the needed data is necessary and so Mr. Orig suggested that we prepared the data required in the letter request to his clerk so that one of his clerks can encode and print the said letter in the computer. Instead, the lion requested that he be allowed to handle the job and immediately composed the letter to the mild surprise of the Provincial Assessor. He could not imagine that an old dog err. Lion, tinker with a computer as if it was only a typewriter!
The letter request duly prepared, the two proceeded to the office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and filed the request. Ms. Elivera, the lady Regional Director, was very accommodating and even instructed one of her supervisors to insure that the request is attended to promptly so that by eleven in the morning it was fully complied with. They then heartily expressed thanks, took a hasty lunch at a nearby restaurant and immediately boarded a bus bound for the town of Guindulman. On board, they realized that they forgot to personally thank Sis Nueva for the help that she gladly extended, a job that would have unduly consumed too much time and attention had she not helped considering the slow pace of the bureaucratic red tape that they have to hurdle without her assistance.
The next two days of their stay were hectic. They minutely attended to the other needed tasks so that by Friday evening they concluded all the things that they ought to do and thus enable them to return to the metropolis by the coming Wednesday, March 13. They therefore decided to return to Tagbilaran on Saturday for two reasons; first, to purchase the cost of the ticket for the trip back home and second, to personally thank Mrs. Nuevas Montes for the invaluable assistance that she gave..
They reached the Dagohoy Masonic Temple a few minutes before the installation was about to begin and immediately approached Sis. Nueva and gratefully expressed thanks for her help who in turn introduced them to Bros. Victoriano B. Tirol, Jr and . Francisco M. Pamaran, Jr., the Worthy Patron and Associate Patron, respectively. In fine, another gentleman arrived and was introduced as Worshipful Brother David Tirol, incumbent Worshipful Master of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84.
The installation ceremony went in full swing with WB Tirol sitting beside them and in between the ceremony, exchanged pleasantries. The lion then realized that the brother they were talking to was the former governor of Bohol, a very amiable guy and no doubt, the leader of the Tirol clan. So this is the guy who is the president of the University of Bohol and the moving spirit of that educational institution. So humble! There he also learned that the Tirol clan is composed of five brothers and six sisters, and with five of their six brother-in-laws also members of the Craft where he belongs.
At quarter to five when the installation ceremony was about to end, they excused themselves to leave the place so that they can go to the bus station for their return trip to Guindulman. WB Tirol offered to take them to the station through his driver but almost instantaneously changed his mind and invited the lion to attend the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84 that was to be held at six in the evening. He assured the lion that they can still go home to Guindulman should he accept the invitation as he will then instruct his driver to take them home later in the evening. Not only would the lion be able to attend their stated meeting, both the lion and his tamer can also join them and the ladies in the fellowship of the Kinampay Chapter No. 26 of the Order of the Eastern Star that will follow shortly.
The lion was hesitant so WB Tirol look for the nodding approval of the missus; and she failed him not. And so not only did we attend the fellowship at a nearby swanky restaurant, he also had the opportunity to later rub elbows with the other brethren of the lodge.
On their way home on board the car of WB Tirol, he could not help but recall a similar predicament that he experienced some ten years ago in this island province. He was then at the Tagbilaran airport on July, 1992, possessing a number-26-chance passenger ticket on a 52-seater Fokker plane on my way to Manila. Eager to ride the plane but realizing the seemingly impossible chance to ride the plane, he approached the guy at the ticket counter requesting that he be accommodated despite realizing the near impossibility of realizing what he desired. But the lion was then wearing a blue T-shirt that has that familiar square-and-compass logo and to his surprise was accommodated without fully knowing how!
On hisreturn trip to the island two months later, he was fortunate to attend the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, joined their fellowship and there rubbed elbows with the brethren of the lodge, among them, VW Adriano Montes and Francisco Pamaran, Jr. Again owning a plane ticket with a chance-passenger status, he wondered aloud if somebody could help me arrange a confirmed seat reservation in the plane that is to leave the next day. VW Montes replied: "No problem there. Just approach Ayi' at the counter and tell him I sent you. I assure you he will attend to you. He is my nephew!
The lion did board the plane on his return to Manila the next day despite his next-to-impossible-chance passenger accommodation status. And all because of VW Montes' help and the blue T-shirt with that familiar logo that was embroidered on its front.
Which also but sums up the reason why Sis. Nueva willingly extended her helping hand; since he is a member of the Craft and a fraternal brother to her husband, like almost all of the members of her clan, the proper and sensible thing to do is lend a helping hand!
The lion and his tamer were on board the Superferry when it docked at the Tagbilaran pier at six on the morning of March 6, Wednesday. Instead of immediately boarding a bus bound for the town of Guindulman which is a full eighty five kilometers away from the pier, they decided to make Tagbilaran City their first stopover. They reckon they will save more time if they will first attend to their needs of getting the zonal valuation document at the appropriate office in the government bureaucracy at Tagbilaran City instead of proceeding posthaste to her hometown. Getting off the ship, they went straight to a local eatery for breakfast and there whiled the time away until his wristwatch signaled the hour of eight and later took a tricycle bound for the city proper.
On the way, they passed by the compound of the University of Bohol and surmised one or more of the Tirol brothers who, the lion is aware, are members of the Craft, must be holding office there and so asked the blue guard at the gate and were told that indeed, most of them, including their wives, were holding office in the said building. The lion and his tamer therefore got off the pedicab and waited.
Not noticing any of their intended party arriving by eight thirty, the guard suggested that they proceed to the other gate as it is possible some may have passed by that entrance instead. They did and at the other side, was told by the lady guard that Grace Tirol, an acquaintance of the lion tamer when they were still single, has not yet reported but Mrs. Nuevas Montes, her sister-in-law, was already in and directed them to the room where she is holding office.
The lion introduced himself to the lady and mentioned casually that he already met her husband, Fiscal Adriano Montes, some ten years back (in August 1992 to be exact) when he attended the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, and that they wanted to see Mrs. Grace Tirol. Graciously, she called Grace over the phone as she was still at her residence and there the lion tamer narrated to Grace the purpose of their visit. After the usual phone courtesies Grace referred them back to the lady but only after saying that Nuevas, that's her name, is in the best position to help as she is the topnotch city councilor of Tagbilaran, having garnered the highest votes during the last election.
Sis. Nuevas dialed a number and after a while told them to proceed to the Provincial Assessors office where its head, Mr. Eddie Orig, is already waiting and will help attend to their needs. Before they parted she also said that the installation of officers of Kinampay Chapter No. 26 of the Order of the Eastern Star will be held on March 9, Saturday at the Dagohoy Masonic Temple and invited the two to attend the said affair.
They then proceeded to the Provincial Assessor's office and narrated to Mr. Orig the purpose of their visit. The gentleman was very accommodating but told said that the proper agency that can help was the regional office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and forthwith also dialed a number and talked to a certain Ms. Wilma Elivera, its Regional Director. At the other end, the two were informed that a letter requesting for the needed data is necessary and so Mr. Orig suggested that we prepared the data required in the letter request to his clerk so that one of his clerks can encode and print the said letter in the computer. Instead, the lion requested that he be allowed to handle the job and immediately composed the letter to the mild surprise of the Provincial Assessor. He could not imagine that an old dog err. Lion, tinker with a computer as if it was only a typewriter!
The letter request duly prepared, the two proceeded to the office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and filed the request. Ms. Elivera, the lady Regional Director, was very accommodating and even instructed one of her supervisors to insure that the request is attended to promptly so that by eleven in the morning it was fully complied with. They then heartily expressed thanks, took a hasty lunch at a nearby restaurant and immediately boarded a bus bound for the town of Guindulman. On board, they realized that they forgot to personally thank Sis Nueva for the help that she gladly extended, a job that would have unduly consumed too much time and attention had she not helped considering the slow pace of the bureaucratic red tape that they have to hurdle without her assistance.
The next two days of their stay were hectic. They minutely attended to the other needed tasks so that by Friday evening they concluded all the things that they ought to do and thus enable them to return to the metropolis by the coming Wednesday, March 13. They therefore decided to return to Tagbilaran on Saturday for two reasons; first, to purchase the cost of the ticket for the trip back home and second, to personally thank Mrs. Nuevas Montes for the invaluable assistance that she gave..
They reached the Dagohoy Masonic Temple a few minutes before the installation was about to begin and immediately approached Sis. Nueva and gratefully expressed thanks for her help who in turn introduced them to Bros. Victoriano B. Tirol, Jr and . Francisco M. Pamaran, Jr., the Worthy Patron and Associate Patron, respectively. In fine, another gentleman arrived and was introduced as Worshipful Brother David Tirol, incumbent Worshipful Master of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84.
The installation ceremony went in full swing with WB Tirol sitting beside them and in between the ceremony, exchanged pleasantries. The lion then realized that the brother they were talking to was the former governor of Bohol, a very amiable guy and no doubt, the leader of the Tirol clan. So this is the guy who is the president of the University of Bohol and the moving spirit of that educational institution. So humble! There he also learned that the Tirol clan is composed of five brothers and six sisters, and with five of their six brother-in-laws also members of the Craft where he belongs.
At quarter to five when the installation ceremony was about to end, they excused themselves to leave the place so that they can go to the bus station for their return trip to Guindulman. WB Tirol offered to take them to the station through his driver but almost instantaneously changed his mind and invited the lion to attend the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84 that was to be held at six in the evening. He assured the lion that they can still go home to Guindulman should he accept the invitation as he will then instruct his driver to take them home later in the evening. Not only would the lion be able to attend their stated meeting, both the lion and his tamer can also join them and the ladies in the fellowship of the Kinampay Chapter No. 26 of the Order of the Eastern Star that will follow shortly.
The lion was hesitant so WB Tirol look for the nodding approval of the missus; and she failed him not. And so not only did we attend the fellowship at a nearby swanky restaurant, he also had the opportunity to later rub elbows with the other brethren of the lodge.
On their way home on board the car of WB Tirol, he could not help but recall a similar predicament that he experienced some ten years ago in this island province. He was then at the Tagbilaran airport on July, 1992, possessing a number-26-chance passenger ticket on a 52-seater Fokker plane on my way to Manila. Eager to ride the plane but realizing the seemingly impossible chance to ride the plane, he approached the guy at the ticket counter requesting that he be accommodated despite realizing the near impossibility of realizing what he desired. But the lion was then wearing a blue T-shirt that has that familiar square-and-compass logo and to his surprise was accommodated without fully knowing how!
On hisreturn trip to the island two months later, he was fortunate to attend the stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84, joined their fellowship and there rubbed elbows with the brethren of the lodge, among them, VW Adriano Montes and Francisco Pamaran, Jr. Again owning a plane ticket with a chance-passenger status, he wondered aloud if somebody could help me arrange a confirmed seat reservation in the plane that is to leave the next day. VW Montes replied: "No problem there. Just approach Ayi' at the counter and tell him I sent you. I assure you he will attend to you. He is my nephew!
The lion did board the plane on his return to Manila the next day despite his next-to-impossible-chance passenger accommodation status. And all because of VW Montes' help and the blue T-shirt with that familiar logo that was embroidered on its front.
Which also but sums up the reason why Sis. Nueva willingly extended her helping hand; since he is a member of the Craft and a fraternal brother to her husband, like almost all of the members of her clan, the proper and sensible thing to do is lend a helping hand!
Comments