Basey

We are greeted in Tacloban airport with gloomy, rainy weather which is the running theme of the trip so far. The drive to Basey is another 45 minutes from the airport so we stop in downtown Tacloban first to pick up some things to bring to Basey.

We arrive at the Abia house (my dad’s ancestral home) in Lawaan and unload our stuff before picking up my mom who was staying with Auntie Brenda at her beach house. We make the 15 minute drive along the main (and only) road and approach the coconut tree laden property. The last time I was here only a bathroom and picnic table were built but now an entire wooden house stood there. We greet our Auntie Brenda, Uncle Gordie, Brendon and his girlfriend Karen. The house is very open so we could see my mom right away waiting on the porch for us.

We pick her up and head back to the Abia house for dinner with more relatives. Along the way we pick up my aunt, uncle, cousins and cram inside an Isuzu Crosswind meant for 5 but we manage to squeeze in 9. It’s the Filipino way.

After dinner we watch the talent showcase and public speaking presentation at the Basey gymnasium. The entire week was filled with different programs for the people of Basey ranging from public speaking workshops, sports day, literacy day for the feast day celebration of the Santo Nino (child Jesus) and this was their time to present what they had learned and practiced for. But it was still kind of weird to hear people rapping in Waray.

Outside the Abia House


The street named after my grandfather Colonel Luciano Abia Jr. I am especially proud of the clothes drying on the line behind it.