Somos Hermanos (part 1 of 3 parts)

Somos Hermanos
(We Are Brothers)

As we approach the threshold of the next chapters of our lives as mid-aged men, I began to think if time and distance have changed me and my only brother Guilberto. Once young farm boys who had been so identical in so many ways, I asked myself, is my brother still a copy of me or am I still a replica of him…?


Christmas and New Year of 2007 came not as a usual holiday celebration for our family. It was special because for the first time in so many years, the whole family was almost complete save for my New York based sister. In my case, I already stopped counting the years if how many Christmases and New Year’s Eves had past that every family member was present. To be more accurate is to say that it has been decades, way back when all of my siblings were still single.

For me it was a special Christmas and a year-ender family gathering because once more, I was together with my only brother. And so when he called in November to say that he’s coming home on December, I said to myself, “Wow! After living in London for more than six years, finally, Big Bro is back!” I miss him a lot.

My brother had been a great part of my growing-up years, especially my childhood days. We grew up in the farm, went to grade school together until that day came when my parents decided to send him together with my other sister in Iloilo under the care of my grandmother where they would finish their High School.

It was a sad moment the day he and my sister left. Suddenly, I was all alone in the farm. Back then, our eldest sister was already studying Engineering in a Catholic University in Bacolod City while the second to the eldest married at a very young age. She was then fourteen going fifteen. That day, I lost a playmate, a tutor, a confidant, a rival and an enemy sometimes.

My mother used to tell me that my father won’t stop impregnating her until she delivers a son. “Almost every year, I got pregnant.” She said. When the fourth child came, my father was ecstatic! He finally got a son, his junior. But then, he decided to make another child because he said, his junior needed a brother to grow-up with. He was pretty sure it was going to be another baby boy. I would say he had a gift of Nostradamus. He was right. And there was I the following year. That was my story, my purpose of having been brought into this world, to be my only brother’s buddy.

I grew up with him a la “follow the leader” way. Of course he would always turn out to be the leader! But it was not a dictatorial kind of a leader-follower relationship. I followed thinking that it was the right thing to do. At a very young age, I needed a guide and Big Bro proved his worth.

We were like twins when we were kids except for some minor differences. I got a brunette curlier hair like the Sto. Nino they say while his was dark and wavy. When we were being compared, people would say he is cuter. I got no problem with that. At least people find me cute. Cheers!

When I was about five or six, one time my uncle brought home two pairs of boxing gloves. Father taught us to box. He loves the sport. My brother did not develop interest in it, and so I thought, ‘twas a bloody non-interesting kind of sport also. So his two sons never developed a career in boxing.

We climbed trees together, went fishing and swimming in the river, searched for bird’s nest, played and collected spiders kept and played dogs, cats and all domesticated farm animals like goats, ducks and water buffalos. We were playmates. We were inseparable. Growing up with him was like replicating him.

When he was in his first grade, suddenly, I wanted to go to school too. I wanted to be with him all the time. So one morning, I was unstoppable. I dressed up and went to school with him. When we were about to enter his classroom, his teacher refused me. She didn’t allow me in. Witch. I told myself.

So I had to console myself of waiting him home after school. He would bring along flash cards and he would teach me how to read, write and spell. He would also tell me stories about school, his classmates and friends. Those stories furthered my interest to be in the school soonest. One day he told me, he could take me to his school’s Christmas Party. I was so happy! I remembered the day before the party; I prepared my best bib and tucker for that school event. I enjoyed a lot!

And so when we were separated, it was hell of an adjustment for me. At first, I was lost, but slowly I started to develop my own identity. We exchanged letters by post. No emails during those days. So it would take a month to hear from him. When I was in High School, he introduced me to the world of Philately, collecting coins and paper currencies. That opened my eyes to the bigger world out there. It amazed me keeping stamps, coins and paper monies from different countries. I would always imagine how in the world they reached my hometown. There must be some interesting travel stories for these collectibles. That opened my fancy for travel. I vowed to myself, “I will visit these countries. I swear.”

As I was beginning to turn to an adult, Big Bro’s absence made me realize my own identity. But I saw his shadows all the time. After High School in Iloilo, he went back to Bacolod City to study Engineering then shifted to Nursing. On the other hand, I went to Iloilo for my Business Administration Degree. While in college, I busied myself every summer working to have extra money for the incoming school opening. Summers then were not the same as before. We were both pre-occupied with summer classes or summer jobs.

After graduation, we were reunited in Manila where we practiced our professions. We spent a couple of years together. He was a nurse working as a medical representative in a multinational drug firm. I was then a Junior Auditor of Price Waterhouse. We had joint night-outs with my friends and his. We frequented the once Studebaker where we strutted our cool moves. We were addicted to disco dancing. We were always present at the bar, rain or shine, even if Pasong Tamo St. where we pass was flooded.

Then we realized, we were turning to mature adults, racing against time to make good money, trying hard to become rich sooner if not soonest. We now had our own circle of friends and a couple of different interests. I busied myself with work and girlfriends. He busied himself selling fertility drugs and antibiotics. Then one day, he finally got tired of selling and said, “I wanted to see the world and earn big money abroad.” So he flew to Taiwan, then to the United Kingdom to practice his nursing career. Finally!

I was left behind in Manila determined to build a business empire.
(With parts 2 and 3 of 3 parts.)