Apung Islo's Foundation Principle

Barrio

Ing Maestru



It is said that before Mr Efren Tala died, he kept saying "I failed. God, I failed." No one understood what failure he was referring to. But at the instant of death, when the final strike hit him, he bolted from his bed and smiled and said, "Thank you. Thank you." Like he won an award or something. And then, he died.

That was the topic of conversation of the people during his wake. They wondered what that crying and sudden bolting and sudden thank you-ing was all about before his demise. They said he saw the Evil first, then St.Peter. They said he referred to his soul and the angels and the ghosts. Or he was prophesying about things to come in the barrio.

The people found the true answer after his burial. That was the time the barrio began calling him, bless his soul, Ing Maestru. The True Master.

Let me give you a brief background about Mr Efren Tala.

He was born very poor. But even as a boy, people have noticed his extraordinary attachment to Literature, and to some degree, Drama. He had this way of reading a book and quickly drawing a play out of it, and on many occasions, he was found directing his own 'play' , acting it by himself , playing 'all' the characters in it.

His parents thought this a form of craziness, like those kids that should be left alone because, well, because they were simply 'abnormal'.

Leaving him alone in this world of Literature and Drama was one thing; but asking his parents to finance his college in Guagua National College after high school graduation was another thing. "Ay Putaniyda mo", his father cussed, "Financing your Teacher Education is beyond my means. High school is enough for you." Undaunted, Efren Tala worked hard in the fields and took odd jobs so he could save enough money to cover his tuition fee in college. He proved to be a genius that when he told the college dean he could no longer proceed because of lack of funds, he was given a scholarship, in return he cleaned the school toilets.

He graduated at the top of his class.

That was his greatest achievement, he settled with a teaching job in a barrio high school afterwards and everything about him became quiet and insignificant. He came to school everyday and came home to his room to read and .....

Indang Mayang, his mother, said he was up to something during after-school hours. He never had a girlfriend, did not participate in social activities in the town. He collected odd stuff: bamboos, Styrofoam, cardboards, this collecting hobby took years. His collection became so large he had to build a storage in the backyard. Indang Mayang could not understand what he was up to, did not dare ask because that was the way Efren Tala was. He did things his own way. Indang Mayang did not know how to read and write to understand, besides.

In school, Mr Efren Tala was considered to be hard. Hard but capable of producing the best. He demanded each of his students to read a story every week, a novel every month, and the most challenging of all, to read and re-read the works of Jose Rizal until his novels could be retold chapter by chapter orally by each student. Many a time a student had to repeat his/er senior year so s/he could comply with this requirement. For six years many students resented him but they knew whatever he taught and required of them was worth it, many of these high school students passed even the most rigid examinations in the best of Manila universities. Many of the graduates attributed their discipline in studying and perseverance to Mr Efren Tala. Soon, Mr Tala's style became the model for all the other teachers.

Still they could not understand his aloof-ness. And like his parents, they left him be.

After six years, Mr Efren Tala was diagnosed with cancer. In six months, he was dead.

In mourning, Indang Mayang tried to rid her house of her son's belongings and collections. She wanted to get rid of his memory. She wanted her sorrow be healed by completely forgetting him.

In going through his stuff, she found his notes, lots and lots of notes which she could not understand. Suspecting that perhaps these notes might be something important, she requested one of Mr Tala's co-teachers to look at them.

That was the beginning of the legend of Mr Efren Tala. He created his great works - two plays based on the novels of Jose Rizal. Two plays complete with all the props and paraphernalia with specific instructions. When the town heard about it, all of Mr Tala's students, both the current and the old, took copies of these plays and instantly recognized the lines and the story. In one particular night, in memory of these Mr Tala's works, the people of the barrio were treated with the works of Jose Rizal.

From then on, the works of the Teacher were played annually in the barrio plaza. And every time the play finishes, it is said, after the actors and actresses bow their heads, it is said, after the applause, it is said, after the lights are turned off and the whole plaza become dark, it is said, a white cloud emerges in the darkness, an image is formed, the plays are so good, it is said, that Jose Rizal's ghost could not help it but return and say "Thank you, thank you."

Alex Maskara

Barrio Tales