WHAT’S IN YOUR NAME???

(Email of Pico Espino). The late Danilo Corpuz is called “Mol”. To GinCom Brothers, the monicker “Mol” was for Minister of Labor. I guess for no particular reason and in the spirit of our peaceful repartees, we call each member of the GinCom Brothers names that stuck out with us forever. In Central Mayanan, we had the best monickers that has relived traditions of endless pursuit of name calling some for fun, some not so fun.

I was called Boza. It came from my incisor infection then that sored my face to a pulp as in busangol. Then we were playing basketball and as I was driving for a layup, I shit my pants. From then on I was Bosan Taka.

Si Obet Panglingayen, good thing he is not Ilocano but Pangalatok, was called Saka which is short for sakang, and progressed to being Sakamoto Simuta (dahil palaging me muta pag gising).

(Email of Pitong). "Mol" plays very good basketball. He is the GinCom version of Mon Fernandez of the defunct Toyota team. As far as I know, he was named "Mol" by GinCom which is short for Tamolmol, a known komiks character at that time. Indeed, if you are a member of the GinCom neighborhood, they will give you with a new name which stuck to this date. Example of names given by GinCom brothers:

The son of Grade 1 teacher, Mrs. Mantes, Henry Mantes is called Cabo which is short for Cabonegro (an old American movie I think) to describe his physical attributes as tall and dark. The late brother of Lourdes Molina, Raul was named Cobra kase kubrador sya ng jueteng. His name used to be spelled as Kubra but after the movie of Sylvester Stallone "Cobra" was shown, the spelling was changed to Cobra. Henry Miraflor is called Tyope kase hindi alam manligaw. I think to this date, he remains a single at di nakapag-asawa. My brother Henry is called MC which is the first 2 letters of the name McArthur. The reason was -- his famous line everytime aalis na sya sa inuman ay "magbulta ako" (“I shall return").

As Piko mentioned, he was called Boza which is short for busangol nang minsan ay namaga ang kanyang mukha. It was spelled Boza because at that time, ang sikat na boksingero na tinalo ni Rolando "Bad Boy" Navarette ay si Boza Edwards. Noong nitaka si Piko habang naglalaro ng basketball, his name was changed to Bosan Taka (which is a better name kesa Bosan Tulis kung niburis sya).

Si Obet who was called Saka (short for sakang) which was later progressed to Sakamoto Simuta is the elder brother of classmate Vivian Paglingayen. Other names given by GinCom include Kabayo (Tony Castil); Katoy (Henry Bernal); Timol (Edgar Bernal, from Baytan Babali but a regular stambay at GinCom); Seven Months sometimes interchanged as Lapol (Eddie anak ni Mama Aking because he was a premature baby); Ngepoy (Gabby Nagallo kase ngebol na ang ngipin nya), at marami pang iba.

(Email of Balong). What's in the name really? Noon bata pa ako naging malaking katanungan na sa akin kong bakit Balong ang naging tawag sa akin. Samantalang ang mga kapatid ko, ang palayaw nila ay hango sa kanilang "given name". Katulad ni Manong Gody, his given name is Godofredo Jr., si Manong Bert (Alberto), Inday (Melinda). Bakit ang Alex ay naging Balong. Iyon pala ang ibig sabihin ng Balong sa Ilocano ay "my little one". Cute ano? Ngunit may kakaibang explaination pa ang Tatay ko tungkol sa aking pangalan. Ang registered name ko na Alex ay hinango sa kapatid ng lolo ko na ang pangalan ay Alejo. Ginawang Englis kaya Alex. Eto naman ang bwelta nyan, ang palayaw ng lolo kong iyon ay "Ushong". Sabi ng Tatay ko Balong na lang daw ang palayaw ko kaysa Ushong. Hay salamat.

What's in the name nga ba talaga? Gaya ng inumpisahan ni Kuyang Kala Wacky, isang magandang topic ang pangalan. Harinawa ay malaman natin ang pinanggalingan ng ating mga pangalan -- etymology of our names.

Gayon pa man isang katanungan din kung ano ang relevance kung bakit nilalagyan ng letrang "H" sa ikalawang letra ng kanilang pangalan. Gaya ng Boy, ginagawang Bhoy. Bong ginagawang Bhong. Roy naging Rhoy. Ewan ko kung pa-cute lang o sadyang may hika ang binabanggit. Sorry sa mga may pangalang ganito ha. No offense meant. Hindi rin sinasadyang marderin ang pangalan nyo. Di ba Ehdwin Manheja o Odhie Esphino? He he he.

Pero over talaga yong nakita kong pangalan na nakasulat sa likod ng tricycle. Ehd love (as in pusong pula) Fhe. Hanep ano?