by Sem. Aron Jericho B. Cantil and Filart Juztin W. PanabangA missile bomb struck Abra, killed hundreds, and left only one Tingguian alive, K-Itneg. After the catastrophe, hoping they are still alive, he went searching through the devastated place but in vain. They were gone; Dead, nowhere to be found. He was filled with great longing and sorrow.
Amid his grievance he met four different persons. An English speaker, a Tagalog, an Ilocano and another Tingguian, but with powers. He had a hard time adjusting with the new persons; the English, who was quite insensitive; the Ilocano, a happy-go-lucky type of guy; and the other Tingguian who denied his identity, and who was quite proud. K-itneg had no trouble adjusting with the Tagalog because he was educated. K-itneg, who wanted to help the other other Tingguian discover his identiy, used his magic to travel back in time; to the era when Catholicism was being introduced in Abra. It was the first vignette where the Ilocano starred. He lived as a sacristan and served at a barrio. Though he lived a jolly life, it was worth-lived because of the service he rendered for the church. He helped the priests catechize the early Tingguians, who believe in numerous gods, by introducing the one true God to them. They gathered several non-Catolics and baptized them. The mission of catechizing non-Catholics into Catholics and preaching the word of God was hindered when katipunero, who was against the Spaniards at that time, accidentally shot the sacristan instead of the Spaniard priest. Then everything seemed to be back to normal after the sacristan got shot, but they time traveled again. They were in the time of the Katipuneros, Vignette 2, where the English speaker starred as “Tiburcio.” He was blind and had only his little brother named “Balong” , as his eye, after their parents died which left them orphaned. Tiburcio might be physically impaired but he remained strong-willed; to fight for Abra. Balong was a convent boy and was maltreated by an abusive priest. Balong and Tiburicio were very poor, but Tiburcio did everything he can to raise Balong to be a gentleman. It was poverty that drove Balong to steal 5 pesos from the offerings, It infuriated the priest that he locked him up in the bell tower without food and water after a brutal beating. The Katipuneros revolted because of the injustices done by the abusive Spaniards, and Tiburcio was one of them, it was because he wanted to find his brother dead or alive but he was gone. The katipuneros then advanced to Vigan after the bloody fight. The Characters time traveled again, and this time the Taglog speaker starred in the third vignette. Illustrated in this vignette, is the uneasy founding and building of the seminary which was to be erected in a hill side in Abra by the late Bishop Odilo Estpueler, and Fr. Peter Mayers. The seminary’s first year started with only 12 seminarians but finished with only 11 after 1 decided not to continue through the formation year. The seminary’s fame continued to flourish through Abra. The Tagalog, in one of his scenes, was discerning whether he is called to family life, single blessedness, or priesthood. These are also the possible thoughts that seminarians have when they discern for what their true vocation is. They time travelled again, the last vignette where the Tingguian who denied his ethnicity and Identity starred. the other characters questioned him regarding this, but still, he forcefully denies. He kept on denying his ethnicity until he was forced to use his own magic against them but he was not able control it so a big mess happened. All of the people around him got killed. He felt guilt after killing all the people but through his grief, he overcame his denial. He whole heartedly wore the tingguian vestments and danced through the tingguian music. He reached for the dead persons and they went back to life! Everything was slowly going back to normal. K-itneg, the english, tagalog, and ilokano speakers realized that they were brought back to life through the whole hearted acceptance of their other friend that who is truly a tingguian. Joy was seen in their faces especially on the tingguian who was once denied himself. Now, he lived his life in harmony as a proud tingguian. From once stranger now good friends, they bid their goodbye, after proving that being an Abreño does not just mean being an Ilocano but being the one who shows affection and love for the province, and recognizing and upholding our true identity as Abrenians.
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December 2024
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