Peregrination: Adele

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1

Life in Victorias Milling Company

Chapter 2

Estee’s Journey

Chapter 3

London

Chapter 4

Austria to Zurich

Chapter 5

Geneva to Manila

About the Author

Preface

Peregrination means a journey on foot. I came from a family background characterized by strong discipline, unwavering devotion to duty and responsibility, deep respect for hard work and sacrifice, and strict adherence to religious principles to the point where every move was scrutinized and criticized. This environment might not appear to be the ideal environment for later success in life. However, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving.

Lord, my God, I got your message. As a newborn, a two-pound baby isolated in intensive care and suffering from yellow fever, you lifted me up, my life from uncertainty. My beloved mom calls me a chosen child of God. While growing up, I helped earned monies to support my siblings. I saw how my parents struggled with their emotions and desperation, and as kids we suffered the same feeling. In spite of it all, I keep on praying that someday, we will all overcome this situation.

When I was eight years old, I dreamed of coming to America. Pen pals were my vein to my freedom. My relatives thought I was crazy; Bel Air was my nickname to few gossipmongers. I pursued my college education in Manila. A disgruntled uncle thought that if I did not go to college, I might turn into a prostitute.

I returned home from college, and my family approached me with disgraceful insults; I realized then that my values had changed; persistence, hard work, and focus were important to me. I wondered how I could change the life of my family, but eventually I left to travel abroad. Many people thought I had only flown to the other side of the mountain; how could I have gone any farther, with no money, no support, and a load of chaos while growing up?

At last, I was in America. I pursued my career in the medical fields, not realizing that my strength was really in business. Lord, not only did you give me wisdom, determination, strength, and courage, but you provided me unlimited resources as a successful entrepreneur, contractor, and manufacturer.

My Lord, you had bestowed me with your overflowing blessings and graces, unconditional love and forgiving. You never let me down; you are always there when I needed you the most! I thank you.

Lord, here I am now. I got your message. I will flourish to serve you in your terms. Lead me; I am all yours.

Chapter 1

Life in Victorias Milling Company

Memories spawn more memories, and recalling those early days with my grandparents pulls me further back to the time when there was a narrowing possibility of what I would become. My earliest recollection of my Lolo was of a broad-framed, cold-faced, tan, tall man with gray hair. He collected chewing candy in a corner of the house, knowing that his doctor advised him to limit his sugar intake. He had mild symptoms of diabetes. He spoke softly in a low tone, but he was distinct and brief in his conversation. He never said a thing to discourage me from dreaming to making it; all he said was, Find your dream; even if it hurts you, you will overcome obstacles and gain experience, which is better than staying idle in this place. He was the father of ten children, and they grew up at the VMC compound. He also had a swarm of grandchildren, who became members of devoted workers for the Ossorio family.

On my reflections, I often think on the lives of my Lolo Sev; my father, Santiago; and my uncle, Badong. I have memories of loyalty, honor, and respect, as well as their undying service to Don Miguel Ossorio; his wife, Pacing Yangco; and their offspring. Don Luis Ossorio, Don Alfonso Ossorio, and Clyde were part of life on the island. My family’s service to the Ossorios was of great importance in the history of my life. My family became trusted as majordomos, and Lolo’s five offspring, all boys, worked for the Ossorio family; and the girls stayed home and minded the little stores.

In early 1919 Don Miguel founded Victorias Milling Company. I called Don Miguel the sugar baron. It became the earliest modern refining mill in the world, something in which we took pride, being Vicmicans, the Victorias Milling Company families living in a sitio, or a compound, with a mini-American lifestyle. Don Miguel was very emotional about his love for the people, and his lifestyle spread to the community. One can appreciate his eternal giving, his gratefulness for the people’s undying support, and his unconditional love for his mission.

At the age of thirty-five, Lolo Severino started working for Don Miguel. The young American Ossorio was thirty, tall, and good looking, full of love for the natives whom he considered his people. As you can imagine, growing up as a child was so incredible, but it was amazing to observe a person with blue eyes and light skin compared to Filipinos. It inspired me, and I hoped to perceive other people from different parts of the world, with their unique physical attributes.

Lolo Sev said that Don Miguel was a very spontaneous business entrepreneur, always thinking of the children first, of how he could create a foundation and leave his legacy. He always felt that Christmas belonged to the children of Vicmicans. He adored them and showered them with Christmas gifts—a basket of grapes, apples, and tangerines; oodles of candies; colorful flower dresses for girls; boys checkered country prints of different sizes for boys. We received our gifts at midnight of the twenty-fourth, and when we woke in the morning, we had personal presents from Santa Claus. This event has been going on until 1967.The kids wear their presents; boys and girls gather in the neighborhoods and show off their precious gifts. In each basket, the items were all sorts of different surprises. As kids we enjoyed showing off and bragging to everyone that was willing to listen. Our parents got big bonuses, and then they went to Bacolod City for shopping until they spent all their money. It was such a beautiful feeling of contentment! Everyone was happy to work for the family, and it was such an eventful life for all of us. Don Miguel envisioned a complete community of workers and their families, where everything they needed was provided.

In 1903 through 1930, the Island of Negros was under American occupation with the rest of the Philippines. The sugar mill was established then. Why in Negros? Spaniards had migrated to this island with the encouragement of Don Miguel. He hired a few of his loyal friends in business from abroad—Americans, Spaniards, and Cubans—to manage the mill.

In 1936, the civil war broke out; a slew of Japan nationals arrived on the island pretending to be tourists in the sitio. They applied for jobs in the compound, and the townspeople did not know that the strangers’ intentions were rigorously spying to capture the island. Many Japanese pretended to push a buggy cart, selling ice cream to the kids and neighbors, receiving information from children and adults in exchange for liché con yielo. Because the Japanese lived in the area, they pretended to mix with the natives until the Japanese Imperial Guard landed in the town on May 21, 1942. They captured Central Victorias with the thoughts of industrializing the islands of the Philippines, because the land was very rich in natural resources, and the people were kind and happy. Filipinos are very naïve and innocent; good deeds and hospitality comes first.

Then and now, Japan suffered a great deal of space issues, desiring expansion and industrialization. In their minds they were driven to succeed, to capitalize on and confiscate other countries’ wealth and resources in order to utilize it for their own needs and purpose. Japan was a small country with limited agriculture resources and raw products. The Japanese had thoughts of creating chaos from within to capture the greatest islands of the Philippines. The Japanese Imperial Guards’ behavior was very shrewd, obscure, and unacceptable. America will always be there to preserve our freedom and protect these fertilized and rich islands of the Pacific.

To Filipinos, America is our mother country, and Spain is our grandmother country. My father hunted those many vicious years of the civil war; the fighting was so rampant, and the Japanese Imperial Guard was so violent. My grandma’s sister was raped and killed by soldiers, who also