Preface

I have prepared this memoirs on the occasion of my 80th birthday on November 28, 1978, early enough before the time comes when I can no longer do it. It is so written in brief and easily understandable language so that in the simplicity of it’s form, it can easily be understood even by my grandchildren, relatives and friends, for them to know how I started life from scratch compared to the modern life the children are now enjoying. It covers a period from my childhood up to more than half a century of active public sevice both in the government and private sectors, to which with God’s help, I attribute the secret of long life.

This memoir also contains pictures to portray the important happenings in my life instead of long stories which oftentimes the reader only fails to read to the end. It also includes a few of the “Unforgettable Incidents” not only to entertain mistakes which sometimes are innocently committed since no one is perfect in this world.

--Dr. Nicolas S. Sevilla

Family Tree

Family Tree Circa 1978 (click to view actual size)

Resume of Service Record

1. Was the recipient of the Provincial Scholarship of the Province of Rizal to study in the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines. (1918-1923)
2. Holder of the Degree of Doctor of Veterinry Medicine from the University of the Philippines, 1923.
3. Obtained First Place in the Civil Service Examination for Veterinarian and Second Place in the Veterinary Board of Examination in 1923
4. Thirty-nine years of continuous service in the Philippine Government, occupying various positions of responsibility:

   • Instructor, Zoology Department, College of Liberal Arts, U.P. June 14 to November 22, 1923.
   • Veterinarian, Bureau of Agriculture, November 23, 1923 to March 31, 1934. c.

Unforgettable Incidents

I spent “vacacion grande” in Dr. V. Buencamino’s Veterinary Clinic in Felix Huertes with Dr. Angel K. Gomez as attending Veterinary Surgeon. One morning, as I poured a basin of mercuric bichloride (1:20000), I was spotted by Dr. Buencamino and he told me, “Sevilla, you are going to destroy my pipings”, the time I recalled that bichloride solution could really corrode any metal from my theoretical knowledge which I learned from my Chemistry class. When I was back to college, the experiment I got from that clinic of Dr. Buencamino made me a new man with grades of 1 in the Clinics of the Veterinary College, U.P. 

 

 

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Young veterinarians as usual are assigned in the field jumping from one province to another, from the most northern part of the Philippines to Mindanao waging Rinderpest campaign by quarantine and vaccination works. One day my vaccinating party was in a town of La Union with about 800 carabaos gathered waiting for vaccination. It so happened that one carabao dropped down immediately after vaccination. It was a terrible incident, a case of Anaphylaxis, but to explain to a hundred of farmers the theory of anaphylactic reaction to a susceptible animal would be just like talking Greek which could not be understood. What I did was to get a blood smear, stained it with ink drawn from a Parker pen (for I did not have any staining solution at that time). Of course what I could see are the tiny muscle fibers, and certainly I did not expect to see any organisms, so I called on the most educated and the most influential Tiniente del Barrio and showed him the tiny fibers calling it “anthrax”. The Barrio Lieutenant after peeping through the microscope shouted to his people “mga gagayem nakitak ni duang a mata ti microbio na natay ta nuang”. That relieved me a bit but during our lunch, I could not swallow the delicious foods prepared by the barrio folks for us. What lingered in my mind was that the owner of the carabao with bolo in his hand ready to hack me. Salamat at naawat ng Tiniente del Barrio. This accident reached the office of the Governor of La Union, relayed to the Secretary of Agriculture and the director of Animal Industry. I thought that was the end of me, but no. on the other hand, I was praised for what I had done to save the situation. 

 

Our 50th and 57th Years of Married Life

Our Golden Wedding was officiated by Fr. Benedicto in the Sacred Heart Church of Malabon with the principal sponsors Don Augusto A. Santos, Eng A.Tanabe, Mrs. C. Oreta, and Mrs. A.Garcia accompanied by all my grown-up sons and daughters and in-laws. It was a joyous affair with about 250 guests. Reception was held in the Fish Fun in Malabon.

Below is a picture of my bride whom I had married secretly on May 25, 1919, followed on June 19, 1921 in the Catholic Church of Pasig; then the Silver Wedding during the Japanese Occupation and finally the Golden Wedding on June 19, 1971. There can be no stronger ties than these four weddings we had every June 19.

It will be 57 years of happy marriage with 3 sons and 5 daughters, their wives and husbands, 36 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren as shown in the photo. It only shows how one man can help in exploding the population so that the people would not wonder if the Filipino people has increased to 40,000,000 in 1978.

In retrospect, the 60 years of love including the three years of engagement, includes the 57 years of happy married life. All adversities in life common to married couples were surmounted as the children grew up and ascended the steep ladder of education from elementary to college education to the extent of disposing off real estate properties just to push through in their careers.

But after all these hardships, one by one the children had left us to have their own homes and families to raise leaving us in a big house built for a big family where we found ourselves alone as if we were back to what it was 50 years ago. We always pray together to our Lord that this should not be the last cake from my 50th year bride; for on 1981 will be our 60th anniversary.

We are alone with an unmarried daughter living together with two dogs. Our life brighten with a ray of hope and happiness whenever the children are around for a visit, and when me and my wife meet our aging relatives on such special occasions like marriages, birthday parties, house blessings and funeral services of dead relatives and friends.

The old adage which I love to recollect have served in some way for my peace of mind and which I am sure would do the same to other people. Some are in Spanish, others in English and in the local dialect.

Una vez me engeña, pierdo la confianza para siempre

Un pajaro en la mano equivale sien pajaro volando

Pag may isniuksok sa ding-ding, may titingalain --- meaning to save.

if you do not like to lose a good friend, do not lend him any money ---“pagkat pag hindi makabayad ang iyong kaibigand ay magtatago o iiwasan ka pag ‘yong makakasalubong.”

A rolling stone gathers no moss. If you are engaged in a profession, stick with it. 

“No man is an island.” In my case, I could easily do my job with the help of my colleagues in the office and with my wife, relatives, and friends.  

The K of C Council No. 3951

I joined the Knights of Columbus almost 30 years ago. It is a civic-semi-religios organization with the good people of Navotas and Malabon as members, and where I had been elected to the position of Chancellor twice. I cannot forget the activities we had heartily enjoyed particularly the caroling before Christmas and the distribution of gifts like rice, “de lata” and candy to the poor.

It also reminds me of my good and faithful companions in the Knight of Columbus, like S.K.A. Tanabe, Z.Roldan, M.Manapat, F.Santos, N.Jocson, and eleven others of this organization who had been helpful to me during my knighthood.

Recollection Of My Past Colleagues

  Going back to the barber shop story, there used to be five of us: Col. J. Espiritu, Dr. H.Sevilla, an M.D. and Jesus Sarmiento of American Veterans. We used to meet together in Edong’s Barber Shop on Sundays waiting our turn for haircuts. There were a lot of news, local and international, which had been the subject of our talks and commentaries. Now, I am alone with nobody to talk to except with our barber Edong for the three had gone to the Great Beyond.

This reminds me of similar happening when thirteen graduates belonging to the Class’23 from the College of Veterinary Medicine U.P., twelve had passed away leaving me as a lone survivor.
 
My one though is “where are they now?” who left me alone as if I am the “Last Leaf on the Tree”, a poem by Robert Burns.