*this photo was taken in 2006

Sir Mariano “Ric” Gonzalo.

I met him in 2005 when we attended the Cordillera Day in Kalinga, Apayao. Since Cordi Day is the celebration of he the rich culture of different indigenous people in the country, every province, region or tribe is required to showcase its own culture; all the delegates from our region were brainstorming for a unique presentation. Someone came up with a bright idea of composing a poem; then recite it while the rest of us will do interpretative movements. The poem was done in an hour and the movers kept pace. Another group came up with a short poem on fisher folks and gladly Danny Fabella, renowned composer, laid on a melody to it.

While everyone was busy, an elder recommended Sir Ric to choreograph our movements since he was known to be a cultural artist and is a member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP). And so we invited him. It was not easy to work with a professional like him. I recall that he was infuriatingly strict that we start from the top the moment one of us commit a mistake. What appends the anxiety is the time limit. We had to perfect the presentation hours before the cultural night. But after hearing tongue-lashing comments, countless 1-2-3 mantra, we finally performed the 10 minute presentation where we left the audience in full awe. (Haha! )

From then on, Sir Ric became the instantaneous speaker for our theatre arts discussion on our annual journalism training. He was not the regular speaker. He insisted on coming along with us the day before the activity and helped us revamp the uninviting stage before the actual day of the event. He choreographed our cultural presentation which took almost 2 hours to perfect and clapped his hands after our 5 minute production. He stayed from day one until the assessment period; he even came along to our swimming revelry.

Sir Ric loves to tell stories of his past. Now a 52 year old self-confessed gay who understands that he can no longer find the partner he wanted to have at this age. He is a cultural organizer, trainer and performer back in his younger years. He has a son but failed to become a father.

We haven’t talked to him thereafter. Not until some of our friends decided to visit him to check on his condition. We have received text messages that he was confined and is suffering from severe illness the past weeks. I remember that he once told us that he has some health problems including kidney troubles.

Last Wednesday, our friends, went to an old barung-barong situated at the slum area of the city where he lived alone. True enough, after 3 years, Sir Ric is now suffering from renal failure secondary to diabetes. He is also starting to lose his sight as another complication of DM. Sir Ric, like millions of people suffering from diseases, cannot afford the hospital bills. He cannot produce at least Php 15,000 per week to undergo dialysis. He complains on how hard it is to get up from bed, of his heavy breathing and stridors, of his edematous feet and bed sores. He does not have the means to buy all the required medicines for him to at least impede the developing complications. And he believes that it’ll not be long enough and soon he’ll pass away.

It’s saddening to see someone lose hope. Its tough to hear someone wait for the last days of his life and it’s tougher to give words of assurance because you, yourself is not certain if he’ll still be fine. It’s heart-breaking to know that you cannot do anything but give him hope and smile as he shares the untold stories of his past.

Now, he temporarily lives with us in our boarding house. At least there’ll be someone to look after him. There’ll be us to listen to his unfinished dreams and plans, of the struggle that he believed in, of the plays, musicals and stage he once owned.

* Please find time to know more about him. Just got to this link
http://www.bulatlat.com/news/6-9/6-9-gonzalo.htm. Anyone who is willing to help him out in any way, please email me. Thanks.