LET
THERE BE LIGHT: A Study on the Early Beginnings of the
Electric
System in Balingasag
Sometime
in the Past:
What usually comes
to our mind is perhaps the thought that light was among the first important things
the Lord Almighty made during creation? If it is, maybe light is too important
like water. Light is maybe life because how could mankind live in darkness? In fact, in the modern age, illumination or
light is a basic necessity. In darkness, one could never appreciate the beauty
of the world, or without power or illumination, things could really be dismal,
just like when we have long brownouts, we cannot do what we wish to do except to rhythmically move the fan from left to right to ventilate us.
So, probably, when
the first man woke up, what he saw was a world so beautiful, for the Lord
Almighty had prepared it well for him. There had been light; and had there been
none, perhaps man physiological structure or appearance will exclude the power
of sight like those subterranean fishes in the deep caves of Mammoth in
Kentucky, or those in the Yucatan Mountains, or the cave fishes that lived in
the deepest ocean floors. Instead of eyes which are rudimentary to them, they
have none and instead have sensory cavities on the head and body that look like
whiskers.[1]
Creation is unquestionably
perfect and if we go deeper in the first book of the Sacred Scripture in
Genesis 1:1-5 it says,
“In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was without form and
void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was
hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and
there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the
light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called
Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”
We are therefore
partly correct if we have those lines of thoughts. Indeed before light, there
was already heaven and earth, but the latter was just too bare. It was a barren
waste land as if an atom bomb had devastated it. The earth was filled with
nothingness.
During daytime, of
course, we have the sun that gives a much brighter light. As the day turns into
darkness, it announces the coming of the night; and thereafter come the moon, stars,
and all heavenly bodies. They glow in their radiance to compensate the
extinguished light of the sun that actually has just risen up somewhere in the other
side of the earth, after it had sat here with us.
Notwithstanding the
moon, stars and all the heavenly bodies, there are gloomy nights. It denotes not
a mystic sign, but an ordinary sign heralding that the weather is not fine. Weather
is referred to as everyday temperature, wind, and precipitation; and if it is a
gloomy night, we usually expect for rains to come. If it did rain the whole
evening, the moon and stars could not be seen, but still they will come a day
or two when the weather would be fine again.
Like the sun, the
moon travels. It directly rotates around the earth and during its travel it may
face the other side of the world.
The earth too
revolves on its axis around the sun, as if it is her satellite. Thus, there are
dark nights but never a pitch black one, because there are flickering lights
from the stars, unless the weather is not good or when the moon finishes its
cycle and hid somewhere.
Exactly seven days
after the last quarter, the moon could not be seen in the sky and it appears
only sooner on the eight day as a new moon. This cycle revolves on and on, from
new moon to a full moon.
Since time
immemorial, man knew how to compensate the absence of light during nighttime.
For the Paleolithic men whose preoccupation were hunting and food gathering,
and who did not have permanent abodes, except those which they temporarily used
as shelters for their lives were nomadic, they learned the use of fire. They
used flint stones to start fire or if not, had it by means of friction.[2] They
built campfires at the entrances of their shelters and practically did
everything there before they would retire to the safety of the caves. With the
fire there was light; and it gave them comfort against the coldness of the
night.
When men learned to
live in permanent communities for defense and mutual support, they turned into
farmers, field hands, artisans, craftsmen, and a greater part were warriors
because governance was through might and the sword. Their dwelling places usually
were within the vicinity of fortress of their ruler. The warrior king protected
them and every able male were his soldiers during war.
People were too
cautious with the use of light or fire, because it would not only burn their
own house, but there neighbors too especially that they lived in densely
populated places.
Light or fire is
indeed always man’s friend; but it may turn otherwise out of carelessness.
Other civilization
had utilized much the use of fire. For one, the Chinese Emperor had made use of
fire not only as a weapon of war, but it served the Chinese as an early warning
device to inform the nearest post that an area in one of the frontiers to the
north was being attacked by enemies.
The Great Wall was
constructed early in the 3rd century BC to protect the northern
frontiers of the kingdom against invaders; and it was some 2,500 kilometers long
[conservative estimates] across varied terrains towards Beijing, the capital of
the Ming Empire. In the 15th and 16th century,
construction of the walls continued. On every garrison, soldiers were
stationed, fire or smoke signal were used to inform the next garrison if there
was an attack against them. It took therefore not so much time for the Imperial
Capital to know the status of its defenses thereat.[3]
[Well, this is true
to the Chinese people, nevertheless; it does not follow that all civilization
have this pattern too. We portrayed this only to give the reader the impression
on the role of light to a particular civilization especially in military
affairs.]
In medieval times,
when cities began to be occupied densely by people, and areas were
proportionately blocked to apportion lots for everyone, streets were likewise
designed and cut across the blocks.
As
Time Advances:
With the invention
of the crudest first steam engine by Denis Papin in 1690 [French Physicist] and
its later innovation by Thomas Savery and Thomas Newcomen; which was later
improved and perfected by James Watt [1736-1819], steam engine acquired a greater
commercial value. From simple task in the beginning as pumping water machines from
the minefields, it began to work on more large scale uses other than as mere
pumping machines.[4]
Although the
concept of electricity was already known to the world, and various scientists
had worked for its improvement like Faraday, Volta, Amperes, Watt, Edison, and
so on, electricity was only harnessed crudely and it was never fully utilized
commercially yet. Not until the workable dynamo was introduced, electricity
would have not been used commercially. Through this device, mechanical energy
produced by an engine, is turned into electricity; and it was introduced to the
world.
In 1882, while the imperial
powers of the world were maximizing the trade with their colonies, another
venture had begun unknowingly in Europe. It was in this year when Thomas Alba
Edison established the Edison Light Company and started the first commercial
generating station for incandescent lighting in the world. Their generating
station was at Holborn Viaduct, London, England.[5]
Seemingly for the
first time the world has challenged the moon, stars, and the heavenly bodies,
or nature; they have now electricity regardless how dark would the night be.
The workers of the Light Utility or whatever it was called before, usually a
man on stilts with a pole of lighted torch who used to light the city’s lantern
posts in London could have been out of work already. His job each day to light
the lantern posts with the use of stilt was no longer needed, the lantern posts
were replaced by incandescent lamps; and the controls were at Holborn Viaduct.
[From here, we would
go to a more specific time or event in local history and try to collate
information regarding the beginning of the Electric System of Balingasag.]
Its
Early Beginnings:
VALBROS.[6]
Right after World
War II, one of the prominent families in Balingasag, the heirs of Capitan Leon
G. Valmores, the acclaimed last cabeza de barangay in the poblacion; agreed among themselves to buy an engine and modify it
as an electric generating set. Its use would be to supply ample power for the
illumination of the poblacion.
In 1947 through
their son-in-law, Captain Rosauro Dongallo, who during the guerilla time was
promoted as Major, brought home a military G.I. Truck. The vehicle was sold “as
is and where is” through auction by the Americans. In due time or after staying
more than a year after the surrender of Japan, the Americans had been in a
great hurry to go hoe to their homelands. So, lots of war surplus materials,
not guns; were there for sale.
After some fittings
and reconditioning works in Bukidnon of the military vehicle were done, the
truck was again serviceable; and soon it would try to serve its purpose. The
gasoline engine was pulled down and mounted to a steady platform; and fitted
with a dynamo of not much capacity, only about 50 watts. As if the engine would
tow the dynamo because it was not really a generating set after all, but an
engine equipped only with a dynamo.
With all the electric
posts completely erected and its service lines installed, the VALBROS Electric
Company shall soon energize the service areas officially. For the first time
ever, Balingasag would have its own electric system owned by brothers, Ramon,
Luis, Exequiel, Leoncio, and Onesimo. The plant site was at their ancestral
home at today’s Barangay Poblacion 2.[7] Indeed,
the operations started on despite all the odds.
It was not a big
company, in fact, it was only a partnership in legal business sense by the
Valmores Brothers, but it was able to secure from the Philippine Congress in
1947, a franchise for its operation. It gave the franchisee the legal authority
to operate and distribute electricity to its subscribers for a period of thirty
years; and the same would be renewable subject to the faithful compliance of
the stipulations therein.
Furthermore, no
other entity whether in government or private can operate in similar kind
business in Balingasag. The franchisee has the right to carry on its business
so long as they are capable of giving fair and satisfactory service.[8]
Operations went on
smoothly; there were few subscribers yet, so less consumption of fuel for a
whole night operation. They got their fuel supply from King Hong Store that had
a gas pump at the corner of their store, which strategically fronted the old
market. So, obviously there were trucks already in town after the war and King
Hong had several and not only one. His truck used to travel to Cagayan de
Misamis with Tomas Espinosa as the driver to get gasoline for the electric
system here.[9]
The expansion of
the VALBROS was inevitable, more lines were installed within the poblacion, and
a line was stretched towards Waterfall. By that expansion, the partners have to
buy another set of engine with accompanying dynamo from Cebu, of course, a
bigger one and this time in diesel engine, a Mitsubishi. Its efficiency was nice,
it can generate more power, but its consumption was too big, a barrel of diesel
nightly.
It turned to a
point when the operational expense was really too big in comparison with its
income. Collection efficiency was very low though her service was right. As a
consequence, VALBROS account with the fuel supplier could not likewise properly
move; and worst of all the gas allocation for the suppliers was stopped. Maybe
it was attributed to the unsettled accounts of their customers, or whatever it
was, how would we know.
Sometime in 1950,
VALBROS closed shop. Their operation ended because subscribers could not pay
their bills. Uncollected amount accumulated tremendously that the partners’ working
capital was exhausted and sadly it came to a point when they have to dispose
some real properties to settle outstanding obligations incurred due to fuels
and spare parts, including the personal services of their personnel. Well and
good that they have lands to answer such liabilities.
The Valbros
Electric Light Company despite it stopped had tried to set a standard for its
dream development of the town through light service. It served shortly for more
than three years, nonetheless; they had shown to Balingasag that they were
there to serve. Unfortunately, however, the business which they were in was not
lucrative in those times and in the contrary a very expensive one.
From there, they
shifted and focused on cinema during the time of 16 mm projectors, where most
of the films were black and white, although we have already cinemascope films.
YAP
Milling & Electric Service Company.
The youth would
never come to think that where St. Peter’s College stands now, was once a
milling and electric plant area of the Yap family who were in Balingasag in the
early 1950’s. The sole proprietor was Dodong Yap.
Their business was
rice and corn milling, and even when the undersigned was a small boy in the
early 1960’s, he could not understand why the old house fronting 15 Calle de
Septiembre had abundant iron scrap materials, which we, the naughty boys got
from this haunted and abandoned house.[10]
Between milling and
electric providing, the former is much better than the latter because the
moment the mill’s engine operate, there would be money coming in since payment
for milling shall be demanded in advance; and distinctly not similar with
electric provider that the engines must roar first and payment shall be
collected at the end of the month.
Like the
predicament of the first electric provider, Yap Milling & Electric System
went down. The family business plummeted and they moved from Balingasag to try
their luck somewhere in Cebu.
The
Municipal Electric System.
With the lights all
out and darkness surrounds the whole poblacion during night time, as if the town
was reverted degradingly to where once it usually had. Instead of electric
light, the residents used again kerosene for lighting. In those days, kerosene
or commonly known as “ga-as” were not bought in gasoline stations unlike today,
but you can have it before in ordinary sari-sari stores. These by-products of
petroleum or crude oil are yellowish in appearance and highly toxic if
ingested. Nonetheless, despite of its toxicity the children usually were the
once buying it from stores, because they used to answer every errand at home.
It took more than a
decade for the town to operate its own electric system. In 1962 the first
electric plant was established by Mayor Alejo E. Olano at Barangay Lingangao. The
electric plant was adjacent to an acacia tree and momentarily, the tree is
still there although the plant is non existing anymore; and across the national
highway. Surely, the plant was opposite to this big acacia tree, on the left
side of the road that leads to Lantad. The
generating set was not that sophisticated, but it served its purpose,
electricity again was delivered to every home that subscribed it.[11]
The generating set
came from USAID.[12]
But it was not an aid nor given as a grant, it was one of the soft loans
released by USAID; and loans need to be paid.
Unfortunately,
after operating lengthily, although it was up until midnight only, the machines
needed major repairs, in fact, major replacements of its spare parts. It was
irreparable, there were no available spare parts, despite there was a purchase
order in Manila. If another new set of generator would be bought, it certainly
would cost the Municipal Government so much and they thought of settling first
their outstanding obligations, the costs of fuels and lubricants they purchased
on credit terms during the operations than buy a new one.
Had its operations
been good, too, probably the Municipal Government would have decided to buy for
other unit. The way things were, it
seemingly was operating in deficit like those previous two electric providers.
Less collection in comparison with its staggering expense, so why continue?
In the meanwhile in
the 1960 decade, two privately owned electric generating shops operated in town
when the Balingasag Electric Light Company was in closed shop at Lingangao.
However, it was not in commercial scheme and not collecting fees. One was owned
by Lindricon Go and Bros. and the other, by Dr. Metelo S. Moreno. These shops
were all in the poblacion and they distributed light current to their immediate
relatives like the Moreno’s who lived closely nearby each other.
Mayor Olano was
replaced by Manuel Varquez in the election of 1965, and his plan to
rehabilitate the electric system was left in the air due to his change of
leadership.
Mayor Varquez had a
full four year term before the onset of the martial law decade. The Mayor had
seen too the importance of electricity, so during his term a second phase or
another electric shop was established and now this time at the northern side
where the People’s Palace today stands. Light operation started again with one German
made engine, Henzel; and it ran on diesel.[13] It was nice, the poblacion was lighted even if
initially it was only from 6:00 PM up to 12:00 midnight, it was better than
nothing at all, at the least the night owls would no longer make their eyes
bigger in the dark; and swaying or swerving either to the left or right, the
lights helped them navigate to evade the canals on either side of the road.
There was a shift
of mayoralty leadership in town, again in the election of 1970, a new Mayor was
elected. Atty. Olano took the helm of the town administration until the martial
law years.[14]
With the change in
leadership, there was a reorganization of the electric plant manpower
structure. The services of Fundaor Sabal and Ramon Zamora were retained; and the
hired newly workers were Epitacio Valledor, Adelio Valmores, and another Fred Zamora.
During the time of
the incumbent Mayor, another engine arrived and it was a big 150 watt
generating set. It was a Nam war surplus unit, a nice one made by GM.[15] From
there onwards, light was throughout the night because there were two sets of
generators, alternating each other or whatever the operators had been doing
about the engines and wirings. They said, “We have a double through system.” “We are turning off one engine and
automatically the other one got through the system, and there is no drop in the
current wattage.”[16]
This was a nice
development of the town to have a power service for 12 hours during the night.
Nonetheless, St. Rita’s College bought its own diesel generating set, because they
had classes in the evenings until 9:00 o’clock. What if brownout occurs? Its counterpart,
St. Peter’s College had its own later. Light is really important in everyone’s
life more so in business undertakings.
With due respect to
its management, despite of its inadequacy, which is normal, in general; the
Balingasag Electric Light Company was able to deliver satisfactory service to
its ultimate end-users. Of course, it ceased operation in 1980 for good because
of MORESCO II. The eastern towns of Misamis Oriental beginning in Balingasag
were energized. Rural Electrification as mentioned by Senator and later as Vice
President of the Republic, the late Emmanuel Pelaez came true.[17] When
the Balingasag Electric Light Company closed shop, it served most of the
residents of Poblacion Barangay 1 up to 6, commercial establishments – (to
include the public market, bakeries, a cockpit, slaughterhouse, gasoline
stations, and so on), two rural and thrift banks, two colleges, a tertiary
hospital, the Roman Catholic Church, part of Barangay Waterfall at sitio
Mantugbong. It was able too to install public security light posts
strategically at intervals along the streets of the poblacion.
The demise of the
Balingasag Electric Light Company had in one or the other eased the
municipality from its burden. It was no joke to consume a barrel of diesel a
night, and by the next morning the illustrious employee[18] must
have to look for another barrel again for that coming evening’s operation. Oh!
How stressful. But it was an essential service according to Batas Bilang 334
[the old Local Govt. Code], so service must continue. The Chief Revenue
Collection Officer and designated In-charge of BELC, with the supervision of
the Municipal Treasurer[19] shall
have to look for the next barrel. They either would have it on cash or on
credit.
In
Recent Times:
Brown-out whether
announced or uninterrupted is already accepted as part of life of the people in
Mindanao. The problem has been there for over a decade and, yet today it
continues to exist unaddressed. The agency had changed its identity from
National Power Corporation to something like today as the National Grid
Corporation, still the same situation exists.
Probably, the time
has already come if this basic and essential service shall not be controlled by
a government agency anymore, but by a private entity. Basically, by principle,
public utilities must be owned by the state, so no monopoly of the business
shall be done by the private sector.
However, with existing
constraint of failing to deliver better service, is it not clear that
government has shown laxity in administration, and it would be futile if
control be entrusted to them? Despite, it has placed all the experts and technocrats
in that agency to propel best NPC or National Grid, what happens? We have
brown-outs, official’s irresponsible crisis handling situation on dams, irregular
big paychecks of executives and all the men from top to bottom of the
organization, and so on.
Government must
have a serious study on this problem, and if it is worthy for government to
continue its management, so be it. But if not, why wait, privatized it.
However, government must be only prudent because doing it is indeed contrary to
the principle of governance, as said earlier. They could no longer have total
control over it, like the case of oil deregulation for instance, government does
not own it anymore.
With
MORESCO II:
MORESCO II is one
of the many electric service cooperatives that exist in the country. It is an
electric light provider that gets its power allocation from NPC. In case a
brown out shall be declared by NPC, they are as helpless as we are. They have
no alternative ways to prevent the brownout; there are no diesel plants of her
own, no mini-hydro resources, unlike others who have Minergy, Solar Panels in
the highlands of Cagayan de Oro, and Sta. Clara Dam in Plaridel, Claveria [on
construction yet].
But with these
inadequacies, it has been able however to energize all the barangays of
Balingasag, except Lantad, a sitio which is more or less as if already a
barangay in all attributes. In 2008, Lantad received from the Spanish
Government solar panels for each houses to generate electricity.
Even the place is
24 kilometers away from the poblacion, electricity is there provided free and
they now could access the internet and satellite feed programs.
When MORESCO II was
organized sometimes in late 1970’s, it started to function as an electric
cooperate in 1979; and they had their office at the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate
in Sta. Cruz, Tagoloan. It transferred
to Balngasag and not much longer, the office was permanently based in Medina,
Misamis Oriental.[20]
It gets its power
or energy allocation from the Pulangi Dam at Camp I, Maramag, Bukidnon at the
National Grid Corporation.
If the unexplained brown
outs in Mindanao shall be linked with the alleged receding of the water levels
of Pulangi maybe that is maybe has some truth, but that would be fallacy should
they insist that it is the main cause. The waters of Pulangi has not receded
much even at the turn of the 21st century because it sometimes
flooded the “river-rhine areas” of the plains of the Cotabato’s today, as it
had in the past for its water debouches to Illana Bay in Cotabato from
Bukidnon.
From the Kimankil
Mountain Range in Bukidnon, the waters of Pulangi and Tagoloan Rivers
originated in the mountains of Kalabugao in Impasug-ong and Can-ayan in
Malaybalay; respectively. It is only somewhere in a place, called by early
missionaries as Silipon, where the water course parted ways. The one
which turn northwards comprises the Tagoloan River, while the one that heads to
the southwest, is the mighty Pulangi or Rio Grande de Mindanao. In the Cotabato area, the Pulangi passes
through the town of Tamontaka in the south and Cotabato City in the north
before it reaches the seas.[21]
To some people who
poured their brains out in analysis, there are brown outs because National
Power Corporation failed to forecast the Power Need of Mindanao. Whether this
is true or not, it seems that there is some truth on it. The problem is just
too perennial and used to recur always for the last 10 or more years ago. They
have not addressed the problem by finding extra sources of power energy to
serve the power demand need of Mindanao. Because of that there is always brown
out.
However, if we look
into another angle, could it be not that the cause of this brown out in the
MORESCO II area is attributed to the latter’s incapacity to procure or be
allocated with enough energy from NPC?[22] Could
it be not that what is happening at NPC per the dailies is likewise happening at
MORESCO II? We are just guessing and asking.
We look forward
that NPC or MORESCO II can solve these existing constraints, because power is
indeed needed for development.
The eastern part of
Misamis Oriental, where Balingasag is a part, could never be developed like the
towns of Jasaan, Villanueva, and Tagoloan, or those in the western part because
she has no sufficient electricity.
Though how good
maybe are the plans of Balingasag, offering a long list of tax privileges and
holidays for investors, still they would not come to settle for good because of
inadequate electricity. They [NPC, MORESCO 11, or Government] shall scout the
water resource potentials of our big rivers like the Balatukan, Sumolao,
Dodiongan, and Camuayan, if it is feasible to construct hydro plants on any of
this river.
The highlanders
say, we have big rivers and the Sumolao from the Bayotao Mountains is a
potential source. It is a natural wide catch basin of the surrounding
mountains, so it has all the rains and rivulets from nearby places and channels
the waters to Sumolao. This river has never receded yet.[23] Perhaps,
they too would investigate the hot springs some four hectares wide in Mt.
Panalsalan or Lambuan in the Higaonon dialect located at Lantad Complex in Balingasag-Lagonglong
borders, as potential source of geothermal power, which a substitute for fossil
fuel plants and in support of the hydro-power plant at Maramag, Bukidnon and
Maria Cristina in Iligan City.[24]
In the 21st
century where we are practically in the era of automation, still one big cry is
always said, but it is never heard at all times. Sometimes, it reverberates
audibly in all directions, saying, “Let there be Light.”
O0O
Contributed
by:
Rex
R. Valmores
Balingasag,
Misamis Oriental, Philippines
NOTES FOR LET THERE BE LIGHT
[1]
Encarta, Microsoft Student 2008, Cave Fishes, accessed on 17 August 2012.
[2] Otzi,
the Iceman believed to be the oldest mummy in the Neolithic era, possessed flint stone, bow and arrows with
flint stone arrowheads, and a copper axe when he was accidentally discovered by
mountaineers in the Eastern Alps of Europe fronting the country of Italy. This
discovery was in 1991, and from then on the Iceman or Otzi has been the center
of archeological study, in fact scientist knew that the body was there buried
in ice for the last 8000 years ago. __ From DW German Network “In Focus, Otzi,”
25 August 2012.
[3]
Discovery Network, Wild China.
[4]
Encarta, Microsoft Student 2008.
[5] Ibid.
[6]
Information derived from casual talk with Dr. Polygino J. Valmores, the second
eldest son of the late spouses Luis G. Valmores and Caridad Jugo on 8 August
2012. [Annotation mine.]
[7] From an
interview on 25 August 2012 with Virgilio Vega, who was Utilityman of Valbros
Cinema Travelling Unit; Restituto Abellana, with Linemen Alfredo Matsuda and
Ramon Zamora were the workers of electric plant.
[8] Ibid.
Accordingly, at this point in time, the late Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez was
only a Senator of the Republic. He had told the partners to carry on because he
would sponsor a bill in Congress for Rural Electrification. If such could be
materialized sooner, the partners would be the legal franchisee from the
National Grid Corporation [in today’s time] the exclusive right to distribute
electricity in Balingasag. It can be remembered that though the bill was passed
into law, it only materialized in the early 1970. [Annotation mine.]
[9] Cagayan
de Oro was turned into a chartered city in 1954 only, before that year, she had
been called simply as Cagayan, or Cagayan de Misamis, a name the colonial
Spanish Government used to call her. [Annotation mine.]
[10] The
house was bigger than the house of Faustino Vega [with Atlantis on the three
corners of the house] because it had a connecting diagonal structure going to
the north side. It was demolished in 1967 and rose St. Peter’s College.
[Annotation mine]
[11] Interview
on 21 August 2012 with Mr. Rosendo S. Mangubat, son of the late Esmeraldo
Mangubat. His father was a Generator Set Tender of MINPLYCO at Binitinan,
Balingasag, Mis. Or. during the logging days and was the Tender of the
Municipal Electric System in 1962. Other workers of the shop were Ramon Zamora
and a certain Fred either Zamora or Matsuda. Rosendo used to bring supper for
his father at the plant in Lingangao. Furthermore, the electric plant may have
been constructed temporarily in the lot of Dr. Jorge Ebarle of Camiguin, which
Wally S. Veronilla bought. [Annotation mine.]
[13] The electric plant was
manned by a certain Bannister; Pailagao and Macanoquit; and by Fundador Sabal
and Ramon Zamora. We can recall James Bannister was the operator. [Annotation
mine].
[15] The
manufacturer was an American firm, General Motors. Vietnam was called shortly
as “Nam” by American servicemen in the Vietnam War in the later part during the
time when the hit songs were “Bad Moon Rising,” “Proud Mary,” and so on. French
Indo-China or Vietnam was under France, there was war between them; and the
fame French Legion, in a battalion size component was totally annihilated. The
US aided France and it started her involvement in the longest war ever fought
by the Americans during those times. It was during the Vietnam War where
helicopters were practically used in warfare thought it [Bell Helicopter] was
invented during the Korean War in 1954. It was the birth too of another tough
kind of army, the Cavalry-U.S. 5th Cavalry; with their horses in
dark pale gray aluminum steel, the helicopters [Sykorsky]. [Annotation mine.]
[16] From
our casual talk with Mr. Fundador Sabal on 3 August 2012 near the Electrical
Shop, St. Peter’s College, Balingasag. [Annotation mine.]
[17] It was
rather late in Eastern Misamis Oriental for Moresco I in the western side of
the province began its operation in the early 1970’s yet. Of course, they are
closer to Maria Cristina and, light to heavy industries were already there.
[Annotation mine.]
[18] The
late Inventor Buadlart Cagalawan was fondly called by his office mates as “Nong
Ventor.” The undersigned was able to work with him at MTO Balingasag in
1987-1988 and he knew personally of his goodness. After working for many years
at the Office of the Municipal Treasurer, Mr. Cagalawan was promoted to the
position as Cashier/Disbursing Officer. He left a loving wife, Judith “Nang
Didi” Roa with their children, Rolando, Rosalinda, Bernardo, and Raul.
[Annotation mine.]
[19] Gaspar
Madrid was the Municipal Treasurer until his retirement in the early1970’s.
[20] MORESCO
II had its first office at the PHIVIDEC Industrial State Office in Sta. Cruz,
Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. However, not much longer and still in 1978, they
transferred their office in Balingasag at the ground floor of Ramon G. Valmores
house in Barangay Poblacion 1. Balingasag was their administrative and
operations base until 1980, since they permanently established the
cooperative’s office at Medina, Misamis Oriental. [Sources: Interview with E.
Galamiton of MORESCO II on August 17, 2011.]
[21] Fr.
J.S. Arcilla, SJ, Jesuit Missionary Letters of Mindanao, the Dapitan-Balingasag
Mission, Vol. IV.
[22] Brown
out could be uninterrupted when it is usually initiated by NPC anytime of the
day because of power shortage due to critical water level at the sources during
summer. However, such condition is temporary and when the rains come, the water
level is restored. But if brown out is scheduled in advance or fixed at a
certain time of the day, it is MORESCO II that initiates it. As of this
writing, the latter is what is happening. [Annotation mine.]
[23] Casual
talk with KagawadTolomeo Hilogon, a resident of the Kamansi Mountains, a part
of the Lantad Complex, he said that the Danao Lake [a natural catch basin in
the Bayotao Mountain] has an area of about 4 hectares and the centermost part
of the lake is really deep. They tried to measure it and at 30 rattans with an
approximate length of 20 feet a piece; yet, they were unable to fathom it.
ooo
[24] During
the early 1980’s, Dr. Pissani, a geologist who had been in technical assistance
to government’s agency that was in-charge of power utilization, reached Mt.
Panalsalan together with some local officials and employees of Balingasag to
investigate the hot springs; and the Geologist said that it is potential for
geothermal source. In 2005 through the initiative of Mayor Jhubert S. Pamisa,
Jr., Local Chief Executive of Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, a team was
organized to investigate and gather specimen from that said hot spring. The
team reported that indeed the place is hot enough to boil an egg or eggs, which
similarly is the same with the observation of the expedition in the early
1980’s. If only government would
consider and evaluate its potential, probably this would another Geothermal
Plant in the country next to Tiwi in Albay. [Annotation mine.]
ooo
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