Paco Market

Dear insansapinas,

This is my second post in a day. That means, I can not do other chores than to wait for the environmental techies who are going to make our place a hell for pests for the next four months. In short, spray ang mga nooks ang crannies for hibernating night crawlers and other nocturnal cretins. It is already spring you know. 

Paco Market
While waiting and watching a so so movie, I've come across this article about the Paco Market." Paco Market now clean, green, fun place to party."


Decades ago, my father was between jobs. He was diagnosed with weak lungs and had to rest a bit. That was after he was deployed in Puerto Princesa Palawan. We lived in Paco. 


My father was not a person who whined and wined during these moments when the family was facing financial challenges.  My brothers were not the kind  who would throw tantrums because of family problems. There were not a lot of words spoken but the children were made aware of the situation. No one would drop out from school. 


One day, my oldest brother came home. He gave my mother a few pesos. He went to a government office near his school  and run errands for the employees during his school break. 


My twin brothers also came home with several peso bills. Half of them, they gave to my mom.
Half, they kept to themselves for their capital. They told my mom, they were already entrepreneurs. They were then in the fifth grade. 


I did not understand what they meant and where they got the money. My mom seemed to be troubled but my brothers assured her that there would be no problem.


So while my dad was looking for a job, my brothers were the bread winners of the family.
One time, I was asked by my mom to go to the Paco Market to look for my brothers. They failed to come home so they could go to school in the afternoon shift. It was there where I saw my two brothers running away from the police. OO, Virginia, they were selling kalamansi, sibuyas and tomatoes in the sidewalk. Because they're twins, the police were confused who to grab whenever there was an order of catching the sidewalk vendors.


May tagasigaw naman ng takbo na. One time, one of my brothers was caught. I had to bring him food and water in the temporary holding cell; he was reading his book. Nah, they were not brought to the precinct. I do not know. May magic yata sila. 


When my father got the job after a few months, he asked them to stop from their " business". 
Sayang naman sabi nila. One hundred per cent and tubo nila. Capitalistic ha! So they engaged in another business where they provided the capital for the vendors. Hati naman. 


When school closing came, one twin became the valedictorian and other the salutatorian. 


The employees in that government office became fond of my oldest brother so he continued being a gofer for them. He passed the admission test in the Philippine Science High School but we moved to a suburban area where my father's job perks included housing accommodation. 


There were no promises of toys and gadgets to make good in school. They felt that whatever accomplishments they had would be to their benefit. 



Yep, it was in Paco and Paco market where in the face of adversity, my brothers learned being responsible to the family; first when my father died and later to their own family where their children are all degree holders too.  


Excuse me for tooting my horn. I am not only a blogger but also a bragger. Aren't we all?


Pinaysaamerika