What is your name? I remember, this is the favourite question that our early tutors (read as: Nanay or elder brothers or sisters) would ask us a few months before we enter our Grade 1 class – and after perfecting our automatic answer to said question, they would say that we are ready for school (My Grade 1 teacher was Ms. Millado, Section 2, North Central Elementary School, as I was afraid then of Mrs. Mantes of Section 1 Class). Unlike now, there were no prep schools during our time. Caton class meron but only to selected and fortunate few.
Informally, we always encounter the question – “What is your name?” When I was still a young kid, some old folks would ask me – “Anyay pangalan mo anako?” – and my answer would always be -- "Junior Mirador po!" At ang laging kasunod na tanong ay -- "Hino yay tatay mo, hi Pitong o hi Gavino?" So I told myself then, pag nagkaanak ako, I will name him "Anaknijun" to spare him the second question. Para kung tanungin sya -- "Ano ang pangalan mo iho?" My son would answer Anaknijun Mirador, and presto, the second question is automatically answered. True enough, I named one of my sons as Anjun which is short for Anak ni Jun.
My other son I named him Jun2 (pronounced it as Jun Two and not as Jun-jun) instead of naming him of Perfecto III. My reason for that is, ayaw kung malito mga tao in the same manner na nalilito tayo kay Tirso Cruz III. Da Third nga sya, pero palayaw nya ay Pip (“fifth”). If my son is named Perfecto Mirador III, in all probability, ang palayaw nya ay Pitong (“seventh”). The same predicament of Tirso Cruz III.
My youngest child, I named him Bonjun which is short for Bunso ni Jun. Other people asked me, what if, another child comes after Bonjun, ano ipapangalan ko? Well, I will simply name him Bonjunto which is short for Bunso ni Jun Totoo na ‘to.
The most traditional way of naming our children is the use of calendar. Remember the Racela brothers? Olsen Racela who plays with San Miguel in the PBA was born on an All Saints’ Day; and Nash Racela, an assistant coach of Coca Cola team in PBA was born on a National Heroes Day. Yong bunso nila, ang pangalan naman ay Wally kase noong ipinanganak sya, walang holiday.
My elder brother, Ca Bhal, was born in January 6 (“Three Kings”), and practically he was named after the Three Kings. His name in his baptismal certificate is Melchor; while his registered name in the Civil Registry is Gaspar (the name which he uses in all his legal, commercial and personal transactions); but at home, he is known as Ca Bhal which is short for Baltazar. Why the three names? Melchor is a personal choice of Inang (mother of Tatay), but Tatay likes the name Baltazar more than Melchor. So as a sort of compromise, between Tatay and Inang, the name Melchor was used in the baptismal certificate. Pero bakit Gaspar ang registered name ni Ca Bhal sa Civil Registry? Ayon sa kwento, yong nautusan sa munisipyo to register the name lost the paper where the name Baltazar was written. At munisipyo, he could not spell the name Baltazar neither Melchor. So he simply wrote the easiest name to spell among the Three Kings -- which is Gaspar. But the funny part of it, Tatay and Nanay and elder siblings were never informed about said name switch. So from his birth, Ca Bhal is known and called as Baltazar or Bhal for short at home. We learned about his registered name as Gaspar only when he was about to enter Grade 1 as the basic requirement for enrolment is a copy of a birth certificate issued by munisipyo. Pero by that time, natatak na kay Ca Bhal ang pangalang Baltazar.
The younger brother of our classmate Luis Mendez, his name is Andrebon because he was born November 30, birthday of Andres Bonifacio. What about Ca Gody of Balong Movilla whose real name is Godofrido, ipinanganak ba sya on a Good Friday? (he he he!)
Maraming nakakatuwa na pangalan. We have a classmate noong high school. Ang pangalan nya ay Nila Mon. Yong isa naman na kamag-anak ni classmate Evelyn Mas, ang pangalan ay Nila Mas. Siguro naman hindi ninais ng kanilang mga magulang na maging katawa-tawa ang kanilang mga pangalan. Anyway, I have a former staff, ang pangalan ay Nilo. He is a chinoy at taga Binondo. Kung nagkataon na taga Sta. Cruz sya, isusumpa nya ang kanyang pangalan kase ang apelyido nya ay Sy -- or Nilo Sy. By the way si Nilo ay may kapatid na bulag, ang pangalan ay Kenneth Sy.
Sa office namin, we are called thru our initials. Just like me, I am called as "PMJ" which is short for Perfecto Mirador Jr. Filipinos are fond of initials. Like former President Ramos, he is known as FVR; while Marcos is known as FM, and Gloria as GMA. The initial of the late Ninoy Aquino is BSA which is short for Boy Scout of America este "Benigno S. Aquino". Sa larangan ng showbiz -- ang ating idolo na si Fernando Poe Jr ay FPJ, and he is also known as Da King. Speaking of Da King, si Rudy Fernandez who is also called in the showbiz as Daboy died last May. Nakakatakot ano? Nauna si Da King, then sumunod na namatay si Daboy. Baka ang susunod nyan si Dagul.
There was an article written by a British national who worked in the Philippines who was amused of the nicknames of Filipinos. Sabi nya may mga nicknames na parang doorbell ang tunog like "Dong"; meron din "Ding". Kung gusto mo ng special ringtone, "Dingdong" as in Dingdong Dantes or Dingdong Avanzado. Meron ding nicknames na tunog putok ng baril like "Ping" (Lacson); "Bong" (Gordon); or "Bang" (Samoro). Kung gusto mo ng mas matindi ang putok, inuulit pa natin like Ping-ping (masarap na lechon sa laloma); Bang-bang (gamit karpintero naman eto); or Bongbong (gamit ng mga mangingisda sa lig-lig ambay).
May pangalan ding tunog hari like "Aking" (Aking Minas na kararani nila Lourdes Molina); or "Paking" (favorite uncle ni Kuyang Piko Espino). Yong isa pang kararani nila Lourdes ay si Odon Misola. Kaya ang tanong, sino ang mas mayaman, isang hari (“Aking”) o isang don (“Odon”)?
Meron daw isang sabungero sa ating bayan sa Sta. Cruz na biglang yaman kaya ang tawag sa kanya sa sabungan ay Don kase kung tumaya parang si Manny Pacquiao, kaliwa’t kanan. Nang nag-iba ang kanyang kapalaran at naubos ang kanyang biglang yaman, ang tawag pa rin sa kanya ay Don, which is short for “dodondonon”.
When I claimed the donation of classmate Shirley Bueno to our scholarship program from a certain money remittance center, tinandaan ko talaga yong teller kase tatlong beses nya akong pinabalik-balik and asked me to present several IDs. Finally, when I got hold of the money, rumesbak ako sa kanya. Nabasa ko na “Mel” ang pangalan na nakasulat sa kanyang pin. Tanong ko sa kanya, bakit "Mel" ang pangalan mo? Sagot naman ng teller, kase sir "Carmela" ang tunay kong pangalan. “Ah, ganon ba!” ang naging reaksyon ko. “Bakit mo naman natanong sir?” -- tanong ng teller sa akin. Sagot ko, kase sa probinsya namin, pag "Mel" ang pangalan, siguradong lalaki yon. Katulad ni Romel Barrera kako, isang abogado na classmate namin, "Mel" ang tawag namin sa kanya. Ganon din si Carmel Manila, isang dalubhasang manggagamot sa mga may sakit ng kanser, "Mel" din ang tawag namin sa kanya. Pareho silang lalaki kako.
“Ano naman tawag nyo sa babae sir?” -- pahabol na tanong sa akin ng teller. Sagot ko, pag babae, ang tawag namin ay "PEMEL". --- Ayos, eh di amanos kami.
The name "Boy" is a very popular nickname. May magpinsan sa Sta. Cruz na ang nickname ay parehong Boy. When they were still young daw, everytime tatawag daw ang lolo nila ng "Boy" - silang dalawa ang laging lumalapit. So ginawa ng lolo nila pinalitan nya ang pangalan nila -- yong isang Boy ay pinalitan ng Boyban; at yong isa namang Boy ay ginawang Boyting. Boyban stands for "Boy masiban (malaki)"; while Boyting stands for "Boy makating (maliit)". Hanggang ngayon, there are times that they are still being called as Boyban at Boyting.
Isa pang Boy. Kilala nyo ba si Boy Bading sa Sta. Cruz? Tinawag syang “Bading” pero hindi naman sya bakla – kundi dahil anak sya ni Mama Bading.
I have a former officemate, her name is Fe, but her nickname is "F"; another officemate whose nickname is Gee but her official name is "G". When I asked her bakit “G” ang kanyang pangalan, sabi nya, seven (7) daw silang magkakapatid, at sya ang bunso. Yong pangalan ng panganay nila ay “A”, then yong sumunod ay “B”, and so on and supot. Kung may sumunod pa raw syang kapatid after her, the name would be “H”.
Informally, we always encounter the question – “What is your name?” When I was still a young kid, some old folks would ask me – “Anyay pangalan mo anako?” – and my answer would always be -- "Junior Mirador po!" At ang laging kasunod na tanong ay -- "Hino yay tatay mo, hi Pitong o hi Gavino?" So I told myself then, pag nagkaanak ako, I will name him "Anaknijun" to spare him the second question. Para kung tanungin sya -- "Ano ang pangalan mo iho?" My son would answer Anaknijun Mirador, and presto, the second question is automatically answered. True enough, I named one of my sons as Anjun which is short for Anak ni Jun.
My other son I named him Jun2 (pronounced it as Jun Two and not as Jun-jun) instead of naming him of Perfecto III. My reason for that is, ayaw kung malito mga tao in the same manner na nalilito tayo kay Tirso Cruz III. Da Third nga sya, pero palayaw nya ay Pip (“fifth”). If my son is named Perfecto Mirador III, in all probability, ang palayaw nya ay Pitong (“seventh”). The same predicament of Tirso Cruz III.
My youngest child, I named him Bonjun which is short for Bunso ni Jun. Other people asked me, what if, another child comes after Bonjun, ano ipapangalan ko? Well, I will simply name him Bonjunto which is short for Bunso ni Jun Totoo na ‘to.
The most traditional way of naming our children is the use of calendar. Remember the Racela brothers? Olsen Racela who plays with San Miguel in the PBA was born on an All Saints’ Day; and Nash Racela, an assistant coach of Coca Cola team in PBA was born on a National Heroes Day. Yong bunso nila, ang pangalan naman ay Wally kase noong ipinanganak sya, walang holiday.
My elder brother, Ca Bhal, was born in January 6 (“Three Kings”), and practically he was named after the Three Kings. His name in his baptismal certificate is Melchor; while his registered name in the Civil Registry is Gaspar (the name which he uses in all his legal, commercial and personal transactions); but at home, he is known as Ca Bhal which is short for Baltazar. Why the three names? Melchor is a personal choice of Inang (mother of Tatay), but Tatay likes the name Baltazar more than Melchor. So as a sort of compromise, between Tatay and Inang, the name Melchor was used in the baptismal certificate. Pero bakit Gaspar ang registered name ni Ca Bhal sa Civil Registry? Ayon sa kwento, yong nautusan sa munisipyo to register the name lost the paper where the name Baltazar was written. At munisipyo, he could not spell the name Baltazar neither Melchor. So he simply wrote the easiest name to spell among the Three Kings -- which is Gaspar. But the funny part of it, Tatay and Nanay and elder siblings were never informed about said name switch. So from his birth, Ca Bhal is known and called as Baltazar or Bhal for short at home. We learned about his registered name as Gaspar only when he was about to enter Grade 1 as the basic requirement for enrolment is a copy of a birth certificate issued by munisipyo. Pero by that time, natatak na kay Ca Bhal ang pangalang Baltazar.
The younger brother of our classmate Luis Mendez, his name is Andrebon because he was born November 30, birthday of Andres Bonifacio. What about Ca Gody of Balong Movilla whose real name is Godofrido, ipinanganak ba sya on a Good Friday? (he he he!)
Maraming nakakatuwa na pangalan. We have a classmate noong high school. Ang pangalan nya ay Nila Mon. Yong isa naman na kamag-anak ni classmate Evelyn Mas, ang pangalan ay Nila Mas. Siguro naman hindi ninais ng kanilang mga magulang na maging katawa-tawa ang kanilang mga pangalan. Anyway, I have a former staff, ang pangalan ay Nilo. He is a chinoy at taga Binondo. Kung nagkataon na taga Sta. Cruz sya, isusumpa nya ang kanyang pangalan kase ang apelyido nya ay Sy -- or Nilo Sy. By the way si Nilo ay may kapatid na bulag, ang pangalan ay Kenneth Sy.
Sa office namin, we are called thru our initials. Just like me, I am called as "PMJ" which is short for Perfecto Mirador Jr. Filipinos are fond of initials. Like former President Ramos, he is known as FVR; while Marcos is known as FM, and Gloria as GMA. The initial of the late Ninoy Aquino is BSA which is short for Boy Scout of America este "Benigno S. Aquino". Sa larangan ng showbiz -- ang ating idolo na si Fernando Poe Jr ay FPJ, and he is also known as Da King. Speaking of Da King, si Rudy Fernandez who is also called in the showbiz as Daboy died last May. Nakakatakot ano? Nauna si Da King, then sumunod na namatay si Daboy. Baka ang susunod nyan si Dagul.
There was an article written by a British national who worked in the Philippines who was amused of the nicknames of Filipinos. Sabi nya may mga nicknames na parang doorbell ang tunog like "Dong"; meron din "Ding". Kung gusto mo ng special ringtone, "Dingdong" as in Dingdong Dantes or Dingdong Avanzado. Meron ding nicknames na tunog putok ng baril like "Ping" (Lacson); "Bong" (Gordon); or "Bang" (Samoro). Kung gusto mo ng mas matindi ang putok, inuulit pa natin like Ping-ping (masarap na lechon sa laloma); Bang-bang (gamit karpintero naman eto); or Bongbong (gamit ng mga mangingisda sa lig-lig ambay).
May pangalan ding tunog hari like "Aking" (Aking Minas na kararani nila Lourdes Molina); or "Paking" (favorite uncle ni Kuyang Piko Espino). Yong isa pang kararani nila Lourdes ay si Odon Misola. Kaya ang tanong, sino ang mas mayaman, isang hari (“Aking”) o isang don (“Odon”)?
Meron daw isang sabungero sa ating bayan sa Sta. Cruz na biglang yaman kaya ang tawag sa kanya sa sabungan ay Don kase kung tumaya parang si Manny Pacquiao, kaliwa’t kanan. Nang nag-iba ang kanyang kapalaran at naubos ang kanyang biglang yaman, ang tawag pa rin sa kanya ay Don, which is short for “dodondonon”.
When I claimed the donation of classmate Shirley Bueno to our scholarship program from a certain money remittance center, tinandaan ko talaga yong teller kase tatlong beses nya akong pinabalik-balik and asked me to present several IDs. Finally, when I got hold of the money, rumesbak ako sa kanya. Nabasa ko na “Mel” ang pangalan na nakasulat sa kanyang pin. Tanong ko sa kanya, bakit "Mel" ang pangalan mo? Sagot naman ng teller, kase sir "Carmela" ang tunay kong pangalan. “Ah, ganon ba!” ang naging reaksyon ko. “Bakit mo naman natanong sir?” -- tanong ng teller sa akin. Sagot ko, kase sa probinsya namin, pag "Mel" ang pangalan, siguradong lalaki yon. Katulad ni Romel Barrera kako, isang abogado na classmate namin, "Mel" ang tawag namin sa kanya. Ganon din si Carmel Manila, isang dalubhasang manggagamot sa mga may sakit ng kanser, "Mel" din ang tawag namin sa kanya. Pareho silang lalaki kako.
“Ano naman tawag nyo sa babae sir?” -- pahabol na tanong sa akin ng teller. Sagot ko, pag babae, ang tawag namin ay "PEMEL". --- Ayos, eh di amanos kami.
The name "Boy" is a very popular nickname. May magpinsan sa Sta. Cruz na ang nickname ay parehong Boy. When they were still young daw, everytime tatawag daw ang lolo nila ng "Boy" - silang dalawa ang laging lumalapit. So ginawa ng lolo nila pinalitan nya ang pangalan nila -- yong isang Boy ay pinalitan ng Boyban; at yong isa namang Boy ay ginawang Boyting. Boyban stands for "Boy masiban (malaki)"; while Boyting stands for "Boy makating (maliit)". Hanggang ngayon, there are times that they are still being called as Boyban at Boyting.
Isa pang Boy. Kilala nyo ba si Boy Bading sa Sta. Cruz? Tinawag syang “Bading” pero hindi naman sya bakla – kundi dahil anak sya ni Mama Bading.
I have a former officemate, her name is Fe, but her nickname is "F"; another officemate whose nickname is Gee but her official name is "G". When I asked her bakit “G” ang kanyang pangalan, sabi nya, seven (7) daw silang magkakapatid, at sya ang bunso. Yong pangalan ng panganay nila ay “A”, then yong sumunod ay “B”, and so on and supot. Kung may sumunod pa raw syang kapatid after her, the name would be “H”.
Yong isa kong brod na nakasama namin ni Kuyang Piko nanood ng pay-per-view ng labanang Pacquiao vs. Diaz, ang pangalan ay Willard, pero ang palayaw ay "X". I learned that he was called "X" kase sa inuman, pag tumayo laging pa-ekis-ekis kung maglakad. (This Article will be part of the third issue of Bakulaw – BAlita @ KUwentong KaLAWakaw.)
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