Santa Teresa ship captain, Lt. Col. Peregrino Bunye Medina
JULES del Gallego, first cousin of Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel “Babe” del Gallego Romualdez, told me that my grandfather, ship captain Lt. Col. Peregrino Bunye Medina, together with my grandmother Paz Calzado Bendicio Medina, returned a huge amount of money to the family of Don Juan del Gallego, especially to Dona Potenciana (wife of Don Juan) on Dart street in Paco, Manila at the height of World War II.
“My grandfather Juan died in June 1941, and that’s why your grandfather saw my grandmother instead,” said Jules, author of the book “The Brothers Luna.”
When my grandmother Paz was still alive, she made a handwritten account of that event: “World War broke out December 1941. Pumutok ang balitang binomba na ng mga Hapon ang Pearl Harbor kaya nagkakagulo na ang mga tao sa Maynila.” She rented a truck for P200 for her mother and siblings that would bring them to Tuy, Batangas, near Balayan, her mother’s birthplace. My grandmother Paz waited for my grandfather Peregrino.
“Nang gabing binomba na ang Camp Aguinaldo ay biglang dumating si Pereg at walang dala kung di isang maletang balat na malaking-malaki. Sinalubong ko si Pereg sa pintuan at napuna ko ang napakabigat na maletang dala-dala niya. Hindi ako sinagot ni Pereg at tuloy-tuloy na pumasok sa loob ng bahay, isinara ang pintuan at binuksan ang maleta. Laking gulat ko nang makita ang laman ng maleta na punong-puno ng pera,” reminisced my grandmother.
My grandfather said that his ship was captured by Japanese soldiers and it was fortunate he saved the money that was intended for the salary of the people of the Del Gallego Saw Mill and for the daily expenses of the Del Gallego family. Then my grandmother accompanied my grandfather to the Del Gallego family in Paco, Manila to return the money to the right owner.
Jules del Gallego recounted to me that, “The steamship Santa Teresa captained by your grandfather was sunk by the Japanese. According to my late aunt Carmen, your grandfather showed up at the Del Gallego’s Dart Street Mansion with the 45 thousand payroll money. He invited my grandmother and her family to move to Balayan.”
I found out in my grandmother’s handwritten story that my grandfather Peregrino Bunye Medina applied as a captain in the army of the United States. “He was accepted and was given the rank of Lt. Col. assigned in a certain ship, the S.S. – 155 of the U.S. Army. He also took with him Pedro de Mesa (husband of Maura, sister of Paz) as his radio operator in the ship assigned to him.”
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While I was looking for chicken longganisa, a kind fellow Filipino assisted me. His name is Nick Santos who has been working at Seafood City in Vallejo City for 12 years now.
He regularly reads Asian Journal Northern California edition to be updated about the Philippines and the Filipino American community in the U.S.
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Singer Eduard Banez, founder of spluk.ph, has been in the U.S. for 10 years now.
A visionary media entrepreneur with a deep passion for storytelling and digital innovation as well as a former TV news anchor, international VJ, and Nickelodeon artist, Eduard has built a platform that bridges Hollywood and Asian media, bringing global stories to Filipino audiences.
With his extensive experience in entertainment, journalism, and content creation, he has positioned spluk.ph as a powerhouse in digital media. His dedication to empowering voices and creating meaningful connections has shaped spluk.ph into a leading force, redefining how Filipinos engage with stories that matter.
His rendition of “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko” has been a super-hit among OPM enthusiasts.
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US Pres. Donald Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for 9 months. Recently, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to Elon Musk, SpaceX, and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
What struck me is NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore’s remark: “My feeling on all of this goes back to my faith. It’s bound in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is working out His plan and His purposes for His glory throughout all of humanity. And how that plays into our lives is significant and important. And however that plays out, I am content because I understand that. I understand that He’s at work and all things. Some things are for the good. Go to Hebrews Chapter 11. Some things look to us to be, not so good, but it’s all working out for his good, for those that will believe and that’s the answer.”
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I still could not forget a mysterious man (who looks like American actor Jay Harrington). He was taking photos of me inside the Bouchon Bistro’s rest room in Yountville while I was washing my face with water. When I noticed what he was doing, he shifted to take photos of the frames hanging on the wall. Then he asked if he could wash his face too and I left innocently.
It was my first time to go to Yountville, an incorporated town in Napa County, the “Wine County of California.” Almost a third of the town’s population lives at the Veterans Home of California.
Yountville is a popular tourist destination, particularly for its wineries and its famed Michelin-starred restaurant, The French Laundry.
While I was in front of the Bouchon Bakery, a group of Filipino tourists greeted me and my mom in Tagalog. We were watching a Mardi Gras parade at that time. Gregorio Fernand Imperial of Legazpi, Albay introduced himself as a licensed real estate broker from RE/MAX Prime-Philippines. He had just attended a 4-day conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Then he introduced me to Paolo Jesus Villavicencio, a principal broker from Muntinlupa City who in turn introduced me to other female Filipino companions, Juni Calingo, Nikki de Guzman, Atty. Jill Borja and Nadelyn Torres-Baldonado. All of them were part of the Philippine team of the RE/MAX Prime.
It was a surprise to me that both Imperial and Villavicencio are friends of the late Rustan Commercial Corporation executive Juan Paolo Tantoco, husband of Deputy Social Secretary Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, my former boss Congressman Iggy Arroyo’s daughter.
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Happy birthday (April 7) to my niece fashion designer Ann K. Isip, who represented me on stage last November 2024 when I received the prestigious Amerika Prestige Award for Inclusive Media Excellence recognition in North Hollywood in Los Angeles.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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