Yesterday,
September 1, 2012, was the 3rd death anniversary of the late Dr.
Rodolfo "Balde" Baldevarona of the UPV College of Fisheries, Miag-ao,
Iloilo.
I would like to post here the eulogy I wrote for him three years ago:
Dahil Gwapo Ako!*
By
Melchor F. Cichon
September 6, 2009
It’s very difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend.
But I have to do it.
I first met Dr. Rodolfo Bermudo Baldevarona or Balde in the late 1970s when I was still working at UP College Iloilo, now known as the UP Visayas. But we were not as close as lately. I only remember that he was always in the library where I was working. As a librarian, I would attend to his information needs when he needed them.
After that, we did not meet for many years because he went to the United States for his Ph D degree, while I continued my graduate studies in Diliman.
It was in 1980s when we met again. This time he was already a doctor. Because he was teaching at the College of Fisheries, now the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, while I was working at the CFOS Library, it was inevitable that we would always meet. In fact, he donated a lot of his important tapes on fisheries to the University Library. He also donated some of his pamphlets to the CFOS Library. And because both of us stay in Iloilo City, both of us had to travel almost everyday—riding on our shuttle bus.
And when he rode on the shuttle bus, almost always, he was my seatmate.
And since both us have fisheries background, it was not difficult for both of us to discuss about fisheries and oceanography. Or anything else under the sun.
But most of the topics we talked about were his heartaches towards his colleagues and some university policies. He would also talk about his trips to the United States, Japan, Indonesia and Canada. He would talk how he loved his wife, Rosalli, and their children, Candice, Ruby, and Lea. He used to tell me how his wife and children took care of him especially during those trying times when he met his Creator for five times. But of course, he would also talk about his frustrations particularly when he was not selected as a UPV Chancellor or when his research proposals were being used by other people. He would talk about the mangroves he planted in Guimaras.
But he said he was so happy that he was given a chance to teach at the College of Arts and Sciences. And he told me that he longed to continue teaching at CAS after his retirement on October 20, next month. He said he was discussing this with Dean Rommel Espinosa.
In preparation for that big event, he invited all his friends to attend his beach birthday party. He asked his friends to bring something small that has connection with his life.
One time while we were waiting for the shuttle bus, Dr. Baldevarona asked me to attend to his birthday party and requested me to bring him something. He looked at the ground and picked up a paper. He crumpled it and told me to say this: “I bring this crumpled paper to signify your crumpled mind that has been crumpled by many people.”
But of course, I did not plan to bring him that kind of gift. I told him I would write him a short profile and have it published in the Panay News. Two days after that, he sent me a copy of his bio-data complete with picture. He wrote a short note: “Mel, this is all about me. Wala na akong secret sa buhay. With compliments. Migo Balde.”
I did not know that that would be my last written communication from him.
Until now, I have not submitted the said article to the editor of Panay News. But I will surely do that. Soon. Promise.
Dr. Baldevarona is a happy man. His laughter is his trademark. And his famous punch line is this: “Kasalanan ko ba kung ipinanganak akong gwapo?” At may proba siya! Ito raw ang palaging sinasabi sa kanya ng kanyang Lola, ng kanyang Nanay, at ng kanyang mahal na asawa.
Oo nga naman. Sino nga ba ang hindi maniniwala sa kanya na gwapo siya?
One time he said to me: “Mel, bakit nakabarong ka ngayon?” Sabi ko, “nakakahiya naman na tumabi ako sa isang gwapo na hindi magara ang suot ko.” He would then burst into laughter. And he added: “Yan ang gusto ko sa ‘yo dahil hindi ka nagsisinungaling !”
And his laughter would create mixed reactions among our co-passengers. But he didn’t care about them. Instead he would laugh some more. And lauder!
This characteristic of him was used by his students to lower his blood pressure especially so when he noted that his students attended their class unprepared.
Here is what one of his students had told me: “Ang hirap naman kasi ng klase ninyo. Sana naging kasing gwapo kami katulad ninyo para madali naming maintindihan ang ating leksiyon.” After hearing this, he would burst into laughter. And the whole class would laugh.
Seriously speaking, I saw Dr. Baldevarona as a serious teacher, a serious researcher, and a faithful husband and a good provider to his family.
As I said earlier, it is difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend. But I have to.
But before I end this speech, I would like to share these haiku which I wrote for him because he also liked poetry:
kaumhan—
kon diin mo una nakita
ang pagtulo sang imo luha
****
magal-um nga Septembre—
amo ini ang ikaanum mo
nga pagpakigkita sa Ginuo
Paalam, kaibigan.
****
*This is the eulogy I delivered during the necrological program for Dr. Rodolfo B. Baldevarona held on September 4, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes.
Dr. Baldevarona was born in Ajuy, Iloilo, and took his undergraduate and masteral degrees at the University of the Philippines Visayas. He took his PhD degree at the University of North Carolina, USA. Prior to his untimely death, he was a professor at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo.
I would like to post here the eulogy I wrote for him three years ago:
Dahil Gwapo Ako!*
By
Melchor F. Cichon
September 6, 2009
It’s very difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend.
But I have to do it.
I first met Dr. Rodolfo Bermudo Baldevarona or Balde in the late 1970s when I was still working at UP College Iloilo, now known as the UP Visayas. But we were not as close as lately. I only remember that he was always in the library where I was working. As a librarian, I would attend to his information needs when he needed them.
After that, we did not meet for many years because he went to the United States for his Ph D degree, while I continued my graduate studies in Diliman.
It was in 1980s when we met again. This time he was already a doctor. Because he was teaching at the College of Fisheries, now the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, while I was working at the CFOS Library, it was inevitable that we would always meet. In fact, he donated a lot of his important tapes on fisheries to the University Library. He also donated some of his pamphlets to the CFOS Library. And because both of us stay in Iloilo City, both of us had to travel almost everyday—riding on our shuttle bus.
And when he rode on the shuttle bus, almost always, he was my seatmate.
And since both us have fisheries background, it was not difficult for both of us to discuss about fisheries and oceanography. Or anything else under the sun.
But most of the topics we talked about were his heartaches towards his colleagues and some university policies. He would also talk about his trips to the United States, Japan, Indonesia and Canada. He would talk how he loved his wife, Rosalli, and their children, Candice, Ruby, and Lea. He used to tell me how his wife and children took care of him especially during those trying times when he met his Creator for five times. But of course, he would also talk about his frustrations particularly when he was not selected as a UPV Chancellor or when his research proposals were being used by other people. He would talk about the mangroves he planted in Guimaras.
But he said he was so happy that he was given a chance to teach at the College of Arts and Sciences. And he told me that he longed to continue teaching at CAS after his retirement on October 20, next month. He said he was discussing this with Dean Rommel Espinosa.
In preparation for that big event, he invited all his friends to attend his beach birthday party. He asked his friends to bring something small that has connection with his life.
One time while we were waiting for the shuttle bus, Dr. Baldevarona asked me to attend to his birthday party and requested me to bring him something. He looked at the ground and picked up a paper. He crumpled it and told me to say this: “I bring this crumpled paper to signify your crumpled mind that has been crumpled by many people.”
But of course, I did not plan to bring him that kind of gift. I told him I would write him a short profile and have it published in the Panay News. Two days after that, he sent me a copy of his bio-data complete with picture. He wrote a short note: “Mel, this is all about me. Wala na akong secret sa buhay. With compliments. Migo Balde.”
I did not know that that would be my last written communication from him.
Until now, I have not submitted the said article to the editor of Panay News. But I will surely do that. Soon. Promise.
Dr. Baldevarona is a happy man. His laughter is his trademark. And his famous punch line is this: “Kasalanan ko ba kung ipinanganak akong gwapo?” At may proba siya! Ito raw ang palaging sinasabi sa kanya ng kanyang Lola, ng kanyang Nanay, at ng kanyang mahal na asawa.
Oo nga naman. Sino nga ba ang hindi maniniwala sa kanya na gwapo siya?
One time he said to me: “Mel, bakit nakabarong ka ngayon?” Sabi ko, “nakakahiya naman na tumabi ako sa isang gwapo na hindi magara ang suot ko.” He would then burst into laughter. And he added: “Yan ang gusto ko sa ‘yo dahil hindi ka nagsisinungaling !”
And his laughter would create mixed reactions among our co-passengers. But he didn’t care about them. Instead he would laugh some more. And lauder!
This characteristic of him was used by his students to lower his blood pressure especially so when he noted that his students attended their class unprepared.
Here is what one of his students had told me: “Ang hirap naman kasi ng klase ninyo. Sana naging kasing gwapo kami katulad ninyo para madali naming maintindihan ang ating leksiyon.” After hearing this, he would burst into laughter. And the whole class would laugh.
Seriously speaking, I saw Dr. Baldevarona as a serious teacher, a serious researcher, and a faithful husband and a good provider to his family.
As I said earlier, it is difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend. But I have to.
But before I end this speech, I would like to share these haiku which I wrote for him because he also liked poetry:
kaumhan—
kon diin mo una nakita
ang pagtulo sang imo luha
****
magal-um nga Septembre—
amo ini ang ikaanum mo
nga pagpakigkita sa Ginuo
Paalam, kaibigan.
****
*This is the eulogy I delivered during the necrological program for Dr. Rodolfo B. Baldevarona held on September 4, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes.
Dr. Baldevarona was born in Ajuy, Iloilo, and took his undergraduate and masteral degrees at the University of the Philippines Visayas. He took his PhD degree at the University of North Carolina, USA. Prior to his untimely death, he was a professor at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo.
Comments
Cesar Ryan Ituriaga Sicada Well written sir...
Remove
Marnelie A. Gadong-Subong I passed baldevarona three times.. 
:)
Remove:)
Diana Aure Rest in peace Balde.
September 3, 2012 at 12:53am ·
