Para sa Mga Burak sa Heidelberg
(To the Flowers of Heidelberg) ni Jose Rizal Itinaga Baao ni P.B. Robosa
Pasadto kamo banwaan ko, dayuhan na burak
tagak sa raran kin mga nagbabaklay, iwinarak,
sa lomlom ka sirong kin azul na kalangitan,
sadto na an mga payaba ko pinag-iiningatan
iluyap ninyo, pagarang-arang kanakong rogan,
kining arayo pero di nalilingaw sa mga binayaan

Pasadto kamo, ag mabareta bago magliwanag,
kung kamo ka sirang ka aldow ibinubuklad,
sa pangpang ag agnow ka Neckar na ararom
sadto siya nakatindog, nang-guiguiromrom
pamumula sa tagsibol, darang kolor na magayon

ipa-ngusip ninyo kun pag-abot ka saking ramrag,
ayaton kaninyo an hamot na kaninyong ambag,
habang luway na pina-iirongog “o ika, payaba ko”
siya man nagririmo-rimo, sa itaas ninyo tinotono,
kantang pagkaboot, sa sadiring bisara nya guinibo

kun su silaw ka ramrag aboton na su kaitaasan,
tuktok Koenigsthul kalayuwan kin kaliwanagan,
namumulaag na silaw ka aldow mang-guisong na,
sa patag, kadlagan ag kakahoyan nanbubuway na,
ining lagalag, sabat man tulos an silaw na dara,
na sadto banwaan man nya, minabulos biyaya.

isabi ninyo ku kamo luway na pinili ag pinutlan,
ku sya nag-agi-agi sa sadit ag matulid na a-agian,
sa rugbang torreng tuda ko panahon na nakaagi,
sa Neckar na may kadlagan, malimpoy na sabi.
Sabiyon su kanyang mga panambitan ag sinabi
pauno kamo luway-luway, tinulid, ingat na inani,
sadto kanyang libro isinuksuk ag pinagkahigo,
sa mga lumang pahina, kamo niyang itinatago.

Hatudan, hatudan, magayon na burak kin Rhine,
an biyong pagka-boot ko sa ngamin na nabootan,
katoninongan sa banwaan kong kinamondagan,
sa kababaihan-katangihan, kusog sa kalalakihan.
Ipagtaratara diaday, sa mga payaba kong marhay
sa ngamin, kabilugang banal, pauulian ka buway

Pag-abot sa baybayon kan pinayabang banwaan
matam-is na arok na pinamate di paglingawan,
ipatiprak sa pakpak kin angin na nakapalibot
tanganing su ngamin na inonra, ginalang, binoot,
mamate sa mga pisngi ninda--arok kong pina-abot.

Tibaad makaabot kamo sa banwaan kong tinubuan
dara pa gayon ag tinkad ninyong kolor na namasdan,
ta arayo kamo sa ragang kinabuklatan, nang-alisngaw,
namarong na amot, tibaad dagos nang naoda, nanlasaw.
An hamio ninyo, kalag ninyong tunay, di maisusuway,
di malilingangawan kan langit kun sari kamo nabuway.

A Simple Life, Two Friends

Excerpts from the speech delivered by Vic Ramirez Jr. at the Silver Jubilee Night of the Kausaran sa Ikararay ka Baao (Kaiba) held at the AFP Auditorium, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, on February 5, 2005. Vic served as first President of Kaiba, after its predecessor—the Metro-Manila Baao Association—was reorganized.

Please click on these links:

A Simple Town, a Simple Life

When the Baao Town Plaza Was a Real Park...

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

At What Price the Progress?

Going Back to Basics: Education the Best Equalizer

A Tribute to the Late Betty Gonzaga, a Friend to All

A Salute to Renato Magadia, a Captain of the Industry

For the entire speech click on this link:

A Simple Life, Two Friends

Buhay Masiramon

"Buhay Masiramon (Sa Poultry ni Isko)" -- sung by the Trio Los Mamboleros (Betty Gonzaga, Manny Gaite, and Gil Llorens); music and lyrics by Betty Gonzaga and J. Barrameda; recorded in 1989.

This music video is dedicated to the fond memory of BETTY IMPERIAL GONZAGA, who appears in this clip as a one year-old child being entertained with a bird in a cage by his father Angel Gonzaga (husband of Paz Buena Imperial). The pictures (of late-1930s vintage) were taken at the residence of Pilar Imperial Arroyo (now the Ramirez's ancestral home) in Del Rosario, Baao, Camarines Sur.

The humorous lyrics of the song tell the story of Isko (guess who?) who used to spirit out the sickly chicken from his father's poultry in Del Rosario to be cooked and served as "sumsuman" (ginataan na adobo) for his barkada's drinking session in Kalangkawan (San Nicolas). The song celebrates the carefree and jovial life of young people in Baao.

The First of the Monicans
On April 2, 1950 SMA graduated its first batch of High school students, arrayed here in regal Elizabethan gowns and sat for this nearly 60 year-old photo. From the original 24, less than five survives today.
Left to right front row:
Liliosa Bigay-Aquino
Lourdes Bucela-Robosa
Monina Arroyo
Lilia Barreta
Helen Barrameda-Buena
Ofelia Magadia-Pilar
Ester Borja-Bibonia
Victoria Badiola-Briones
Remedios Imperial-Bernales
Rosa Baliuag
Liliosa Fajardo-Obrero
Isabel Gonzaga-Fajardo
Antonia Bigay-Lopez Dee

Left to right back row

Generosa Badiola
Concepcion Quintan-Badiola
Carmen Bañaga-Dimayakyak
Jovita Imperial-Garsiso
Romana Sanchez-General
Solidad Muños
Rufina Bibares-Balindan
Florentina Revilla-Bigay
Socorro Tirao-Badiola
Aurora Benosa-Zamudio

Concepcion Baesa-Razon