My father-in-law, Engr. Manuel L. Sta. Maria, retired deputy administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and a resident of Malay, Aklan, suggested that we visit his hometown and its emerging star – Boracay Island. It would my first and Grace’s second visit, she having visited the place sometime in 1978 when White Beach was then blissfully deserted.
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| Grace at Boracay, circa 1978 |
The timing of the visit couldn’t have been any better. Grace (then 5 months pregnant with my daughter Cheska), 3-1/2 year-old Jandy, my in-laws and I arrived in Kalibo on board a Philippine Airlines morning flight, just over a month after the nearly successful December 1-9, 1989 coup de etat. Tourist arrivals were still down but this later proved to be a blessing in disguise.
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| Our arrival at Kalibo Airport |
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| My father-in-law’s ancestral house |
We finally arrived at my father-in-law’s old 2-storey, wood and concrete ancestral house located near the plaza and seashore. The town of Malay was created only in 1949, being a barrio of Buruanga before that time. The father of Tay Lolong (as my father-in-law was called there), Mr. Melanio Sta. Maria, was mayor of Buruanga from 1925-29. The street in front of the house was named after him.
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| Jandy frolicking by the beach |
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