BEYOND THE BEND: Reclaiming legacy and heralding the bright future ahead

(MindaNews / 21 April) – The story goes like this. My ancestor, Yu Sing Co, left China to find his fortunes in the Philippines. He arrived by boat in the early 20^th century as American colonizers were settling in. He landed in Manila but his final destination was Surigao. Just another typical migration tale. Leaving everything behind to make a better life in a new homeland. A “get-up-and-go” attitude that many Filipinos today can relate to.

Through hard work and canny, my forebear was able to establish a thriving business. This then enabled him to own and develop vast parcels of land in Surigao.  Wealth and the good life led to the creation of a big family. The 1920s were happy times for the Filipino, Alfonso Yusingco, Sr., and his kids. Mindanao was, indeed, a land of promise for him and many Chinese migrants.

Then came World War II. My ancestors lost everything. Eventually the business went bankrupt. And Surigao did not escape the ravages of war. The family’s lands were razed to the ground. Wartime pushed many Filipinos to relocate wherever they could. The clan fled to Cebu and made it their new home. Peace time, however, dealt a big blow. After the rubble was cleared, the title to Yusingco lands near the pantalan now bore a new name.

The descendants of Alfonso, Sr. worked hard to regain ownership of the land. Clan elders were determined not to let his memory just fade into obscurity. After decades of toiling in the courts and the bureaucracy, title over the land, upon which Alfonso, Sr.’s migrant dream came to fruition, once again bears his family name. A legacy reclaimed, but also a herald to a bright future ahead. 

Surigao is a very different place now. A simple Google search will show how vibrant and exciting it is. It is a tourist spot in itself, but it is also a gateway to other remarkable locations in Northeast Mindanao. But it is still a growing community. Its people eager to embrace the city’s full development potential. Its natural beauty marks Surigao as a “cannot-miss” locale in the country.

Nostalgia is a good thing. The peril is to be stuck in the past. To linger in its bitterness or rapture, whatever the case may be. Migrants always navigate the tension between what has passed and what lies ahead. The dream lives in that constant interplay of historical roots and the promising future. Alfonso, Sr. was an embodiment of this phenomenon. And his descendants will stay true to his ethos.

Sadly, many Filipinos do tend to get lost in this Twilight Zone buffering what has been done before against the next steps that must be taken to advance forward. It is not that we choose to be stuck in the past. But it is more about the future unable to inspire or jolt us into action. Of course, to be bold and proactive is easier said than done given the multitude of challenges that many Filipinos need to overcome in the present.

Unfortunately, the names of those who gave up the dream are now in the dustbin of history. Their legacy likely unknowable. Still, many migrants like Alfonso, Sr. persisted and succeeded. They built industries that are still making our economy hum today. Some have led the country to great heights. Their names help us with directions when we explore the country. Their legacy built the nation we see today.

Hopefully, the land in Surigao City delineated by Borromeo Street in Barangay Taft will once again manifest the spirit of Alfonso, Sr. This bustling estate is immediately visible just after exiting the Philippine Ports Authority. He saw its potential many decades ago and made a good go of it. He is part of Surigao’s history and he can also be part of its great future.  

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Michael Henry Yusingco, LL.M is a law lecturer, policy analyst and constitutionalist.)