Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Ollie and locating Fathers

And what is true in Olongapo is also true in Angeles city, another

place where Amerasians can be found in abundance. When I went there, I

met an Amerasian by the name of Ollie barge who was engaged in the

providing services to Amerasians who wanted the chance to find their

biological fathers.


When I met Ollie in   Angeles City ,  she took me straight to Fields

Avenue -  the notorious red light district in that city that finds its

equal in Olongapo's Barrio Barretto.


Ollie, while giving me a tour of Fields Avenue, told me stories about

Amerasians seeking their fathers, attempts that sometimes ended in a

joyous reunion, or , more often than not, even lower levels of

despair.


But it the idea struck me. So why not try to do it, this time in

Olongapo. By this time I knew that I had already crossed a line – for

as a journalist, my role is to be a mere spectator of events. Always

there, but never participating. . But there was a crucial difference

in this situation – I am one of them. I am an Amerasian.


And I wanted to search for you – for my own father. There really was

no line to cross – I just had to admit that truth to myself.

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