Tall, dark and handsome!  Don Alvarez does not only possess such characteristics but he is also a person most admired by his family, relatives, friends and youth alike!  In him exudes the natural will of helping others not only his family, community/civic organizations but most especially the youth.  A very brilliant man, nga napno iti inna panangisakit iti padana a tao, nangruna kadagiti agtutubo.  He has a good heart for everyone. 

A proud Magsingaleno!  His dad, Pablo Alvarez,  ket tubo iti Namalpalan/Manzante, Magsignal, Ilocos Sur, a first cousin to my granddad Donato Alvarez.  His grandfather, Ciriaco Alvarez, moved to Cagayan and married there.  Uncle Don is a second cousin to my mom, the late Maria Alvarez Oliver.  Mom and Uncle Don were so close to each other when mom was still living in Hawaii.  Mom’s surprise 80th birthday party (2003) was very successful and fun with the help of Uncle Don.   

Don Alvarez was President, 2003-2006 (2 terms) for Magsingal Association of Hawaii (MAH).  As a President of MAH, he continued the organization’s vision and goals.  Also, he was given a chance to visit Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, during the town’s fiesta, 2004.  He was impressed with the improvement of our town and the camaraderie, warmth welcome of fellow Magsingalenos headed by our Mayors Arlene and Boy Favis, Jr.  He surely missed the town he used to visit when he was a young boy.  He stayed at my sis house in San Vicente (Dr. Estrella Oliver-Soria).  He’s hoping for another visit again soon.

Kas sinalaysay ni EPIFANIO UGALINO
BUSSAWIT, MAGSINGAL, ILOCOS SUR
April 19, 2009

Inkakaubingko ti agruruot ket naimula ditoy panunotko ti kinarigat ti biag. Awanto la ngatan apo iti inanam-ayen?, dagita ti linaon ti panunotko ingganat panagbarok. Isu nga idi adda madamdamag a panagayabda no siasino ti mayat a mapan HAWAII, nagiinnapalanmi . Ngem apay ngarud a nagawidka ama?, saludsodmi ken ama DOROT idi. $1 dollar ti maysa nga aldaw ti sueldoda ket narigat ti trabaho ken nauyongda pay dagidiay bo-boss kunana.Uray latta kayatko latta ti mapan, daytoy a rigat ti biag ditoy, kinunak met iti naknakemko.

Kalpasan ti gubat. DISYEMBRE 1945. Maysa a malem, dakami a SAKATERO (daytoy ti awag iti maysa  a mangruruot laeng ti trabahona idi), agtutungtong kami diay nagkurusan  ta isu met la ti maaramid iti malem. Adda dakkel a lalaki a taga-daya a sumungad. Ay ni maestro MARTIN TOMANENG gayam. Siasino kadakayo ti mayat a mapan idiay HAWAII?, sinaludsodna? Nagiinnuna kamin a nagpailista. Uppat kami. ELPIDIO ARELLANO, FLORENCIO “BIDALLING” ULIBAS,  SILVERIO PASCUA ken siak. 20 anyos ti tawenko kasta met dagiti kabarkadak. Mapankay idiay VIGAN ket  isarangyo dagitoy papelesyo a kayatyo ti mapan diay HAWAII. Masapul ti sedula ken provincial clearance, apan kayo ken apo NICOLAS TOLENTINO agpaaramid. Tapos  isubmitaryo dagitoy papeles idiay VIGAN.

Besides our dearly loved parents, we are greatly beholden or indebted to our teachers.  Not only do they have an arduous task in educating students, particularly the poor learners (I was a member of this exclusive group), our instructors also, in some measure or degree, are responsible in shaping our future leaders as well as the conformist, reliable, and productive citizens of our country.  Thus, our educators, in my view, are worthy of high regard or true homage.

Mrs. Marina Ugalino Ponce is a retired, noteworthy teacher to whom I am indebted in so many ways.  Therefore, it is a joy for me to write a concise or brief account of her luminous academic career, and so forth.

September 9, 2008 - Hawaii

The Spaniards, through Magellan, discovered the Philippines over four centuries ago by accident. Instead of sailing to India, they found the land of what the Spaniards called, “The Land of the Indio”. That was the name they first called our Motherland. Later on, they named it Islas Filipinas in honor of King Philip or Felipe. Years later the Spaniards made their way deeper into the north.

Parallel to that, the same thing happened in Old America. Lewis and Clark were sent deeper into the west of the Mississippi to explore more lands. They passed through dangerous territories in order to clear the pathway for more would-be settlers to explore the West. Because of that, more States would be formed.