Two old buddies, Waraynons and the Iwahig Penal Colony.

The recently-held Palarong Pambansa 2008 in Puerto Princesa has brought together two good old friends whose last inuman was decades ago, when it was only my eldest sibling (now 35) who is alive. They haven't seen each other again until the DepEd chose to hold the Palaro in Puerto Princesa last April. This good friend of Tatay is one of Eastern Samar's Delegation Officials. He took the time out to look for his long lost friend and travelled all the way from the province's capital to the southeastern-most town of mainland Palawan, with only the stories of Tatay's relatives in Samar as his "map".

And when finally they got to see each other face to face, they reminisced the past and laughed at their night outs and drinking sprees. They now grow white strands of hair and their hairlines, receding. Tatay now sports a cane, but Sir Joe Jabagat seemed to be very strong still. Two Warays, old buddies and childhood friends, were once again reunited.

Less than a month after their meeting, this Sir Joe texted Tatay that he later found out another kababayan is also in Palawan and is the current "Penal Farm Warden". He said he wasn't able to meet this Penal farm big boss during the Palaro '08, unlike his co-officials and co-delegates, because he opted to travel to our place down south to find Tatay.

Sir Joe, a principal in his district in Eastern Visayas, asked Tatay to see the warden who happened to be Tatay's childhood friend and relative. So on our way home yesterday, my good ol' man insisted we drop by Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm Colony and see Warden Francisco "Paking" Abunales, who, to Tatay's recollection, was only five years old when he last saw.

It was my first time to go inside this famous and historical penal colony in the country. I took some pictures of course and will post them here as soon as I get hold of my USB cable which I left in my boarding house in Puerto.

My Iwahig Farm Captures: