ALORAN, a perspective MINAGSO-ON

A noble concept. The word apparently is derived from 'igsoon'. Though it could mean brother or sister, in a male-dominated society, it means Brotherhood. My take is it is not only because it is a male-dominated society, but also because the tasks that lay ahead in a Minagso-on when called to duty require male prowess. No offense intended to feminists. Its main function is to help a member who just lost a family member. Help comes in the form of cash, rice, canned sardines, noodles and service towards the final service. The Minagso-ons I knew were The Toledos, The Mutias, and The Sanchezes, to name a few in Poblacion and many others sa mga ka-baranggayan. To me, the best are or were The Toledos and The Mutias in Dalisay. They come in uniform complete with implements and consistent through times. And The Sanchez Minagsoon, through the leadership of Beboy Sanchez Toledo is inching its way back to its former Glory!! Though many of them are now in the bin of history, some are still around and even expanding. IMMERSION Tatay was an active member of several Minagso-ons. Since he was still working for Red V at that time, I was always there to represent him when service is required. Mutia Minagso-on - in Mitazan. My buddies were Tata Adaya and Herminio Bugas. I won't forget this, service was called on us by a member, Patricio Amihan, on his wife's passing after a long illness. It has been the practice to slaughter a pig, usually. Since we were the youngest, my buddies and I were ordered to get the pig from Caputol - across the river. Water level was high and current was strong, yet we came, we saw, and we brought back ourselves and the pig in one piece. And before we even had our lunch, I finished another tasks: write the name of the deceased on the wooden cross and on the coffin.