You Know You Grew Up in Pangarap Village When...

I have to take a break from the strong emotion from the last few days after Pangarap Village suffered violence and 2 people killed.

You Know You Grew Up in Pangarap Village When...

1. You have to say which part of Pangarap Village you live,
- "Tawi-Tawi", and you have to add either Lower or Upper
- "Gate", the entrance to Pangarap Village where you get off from the other jeepneys or busses that ply the Quirino Highway
- "Heartsite", this may be the latest named area, it used to be wooded area close to the school
- "Ikapito", short name for "Ikapitong Bundok" - translated as "seventh mountain", this area has a hilly terrain and closest to the boundary to the La Mesa Dam. Wayyyy too far!
- "Horseshoe" referring to the horseshoe-shaped main road Narra Avenue which is also the route of jeepneys plying the village to Bayan.
- "Improved Area" this area is on the other side of Araneta Avenue, and had paved concrete roads and drainage that sets it apart from the rest as "improved"
- the area near the schools and the church

What are the other names? Another popular way to tell is also by the street name, which were named after Philippine trees. Popular ones are Yakal, Alibangbang, Tangile, Apitong, Santol, Mangga, Banaba etc.

2. You also have to be careful you don't get assigned a different Barangay (village government) when voting, there are two -- Barangay 181 and Barangay 182

3. Every summer, sportsfests are organized and most of the youth would be representing their local area and different age groups -- and genders (especially for Volleyball). Some groups have more "good-looking" players than the other and tend to attract more supporters.

4. Every Holy Week, processions are held around Pangarap, people would join in from the church around the whole of Pangarap -- nobody have thought of entering the procession to the Guinness World Book of Records but I'm sure it is one of the longest processions as it had to go through most of the areas I mentioned in Number1.

5. Every Santacruzan, there is no shortage of beauties. From the cute little girls as angels, to the teenage girls, to the full-blossomed bachelorettes, to the mothers and grandmothers. To solve the problem of "too many beautiful girls", the last title or of "Reyna Elena" is numbered, so we would have "Reyna Elena I", "Reyna Elena II", "Reyna Elena III" etc.

Everyone walking in their high heels and gowns, sometimes even in the mud and throughout Pangarap. Beauty has its sacrifices.

6. The public schools, Pangarap Elementary School and Pangarap High School are the only government schools in the area (next one is Lagro, then Malaria), remember when the uniform was a very shocking "yellow green" ? Yes - even boys have to wear them!

7. Early in the morning, you can see former boxing champion Luisito Espinosa jogging along the horseshoe. You know you're late when you don't see him anywhere.

8. Early in the morning, if you ride the jeepneys, you have to be careful with their "cargo" - sacks of barbeque sticks or bananaque sticks that is one of the livelihood of the people living nearer to the mountain area (past Ikapito).

9. The fiesta celebrated used to be of the patron saint Sto. Nino and there is always the parade of muses from various fundraising efforts and "ati-atihan" (dark-skinned street dancers inspired by the "Atis" indigenous groups). Night before the parade, is the Coronation Night and most likely, Amateur Singing Contests held everywhere by neighborhood associations.

10. It's hard to get into the Pangarap jeepneys if you don't go to Novaliches Town Proper (BAYAN) terminal. They are always full. However, around Lagro, you can hail other jeeps, those who are cutting their trips and ending in Pangarap. There used to be only a few tricycles, people just walked. Through, watery, muddy or dusty dirt road.

Because the area is government land, the only chance of having the road paved or fixed up is during elections. It's usually the "favorite" election promise of politicians, however, most of the time, it is not done properly, no drainage, just a quick and dirty job of putting asphalt overlay on the dirt road. When the rain comes, it just washes away the asphalt. Till the next election.


What about you? What do you remember growing up in Pangarap?