Interview with Lola Simeona Ramil 00:45:22 – 01:00:00

00:45:22Japanese Interpreter (JI): Lola, anong pangalan mo?

Lola what is your name?

00:45:26Lola: Simeona Ramil.

00:45:34JI: Lola sorry po (Lola: Okay) anong pangalan nyo?

My apologies, lola, what is your name again?

00:45:39Lola: Simeona Nuevo Ramil. Nuevo is my middle name.

00:45:44JI: Ilang taon ka na?

How old are you?

00:45:46Lola Simeona: I’ll be 82 on October 28.

00:45:52JI: Lola dati nung di pa pumunta, nung wala pa yung sundalong Hapon, paano ang buhay sa province?

What was it like to live in the province before the Japanese soldiers came?

00:46:04Lola Simeona: Ako, I am 14 years old at that time. Ngayon we lived in Valenzuela with my two sister and one brother, and my father and my grandma. She was still alive at that time, and my father.

I was 14 years old at that time. We lived in Valenzuela with my two sisters, brother, father and grandmother. My father and grandmother were still alive at that time.

00:46:32But my father was a guerrilla so he was always there in the mountains, kasama ng kanyang mga kasamahang guerrilla.

My father, however, was a guerrilla so he was always out in the mountains with his squad.

00:46:46JI: Tapos dumating ang mga sundalong Hapon, anong ginagawa nila? Paano experience nung panahon ng Hapon?

What was your experience when the Japanese soldiers came?

00:47:01Lola: Sino? Kami kami? Kasi nung panahon ng Hapon ang edad ko katorse anyos lamang ako noon. Ngayon ang ikinabubuhay naming noon, ang tatay ko, karpintero. Wala na akong nanay noon kasi ang nanay ko namatay nung 38 years old pa lang sya.

I was only 14 then and my father worked as a carpenter. My mother died when she was 38 years old.

00:47:21Kaya ang kasama ko sa bahay yung aking tatlong kapatid at yung aking father. Yun nga ang trabaho nung father ko na ikinabubuhay namin ay karpintero. You know karpintero…making house?

I lived with my siblings and father. Father does carpentry for a living. You know what a carpenter does, I suppose.

00:47:35JI: Yeah, right, carpenter.

00:47:39Lola: Carpenters.

(Japanese translation and explanation on this part)

00:50:12JI: Pakisabi na lang nung panahon, ano experience, paano ginagawa nila nung mga sundalong Hapon…

So what did the Japanese soldiers do to you?

00:50:23Lola: Noon? (JI: Yeah) Noong panahon ng giyera?

During the war?

00:50:29JI: Pakisabi na lang yung experience…

Please share with us your experience.

00:50:31Lola: Yung experience? Noong panahon ng giyera ang edad ko mga katorse anyos ako noon, 14 years old at that time. Ngayon ang mga Hapon na nadestino sa lugar namin, doon sila nag-stay sa eskwelahan, sa school.

I was 14 at that time. The Japanese were stationed at the school in our town.

00:50:52In our place there is a main road and a bridge but under, sa ilalim ng tulay ang dumadaan tren. Ngayon isang hapon inutusan ako ng aking lola, ang sabi, “Simeona kumuha ka ng kahoy na tuyot sa may gubat.”

In our town there was a big road and a bridge underneath which trains pass by. One time, my lola asked me to gather firewood in the woods

00:51:19Kasi yung gubat malapit lang sa amin. “Kumuha ka ng kahoy at tayo’y magluluto na.” Hapon na kasi mga alas cinco y media na ng hapon. Eh di sumunod naman ako.

The woods were close. She needed firewood to cook dinner as it was already 5:30 in the afternoon. So I went out.

00:51:32Noong ako’y sumunod di ko alam na meron palang tatlong Hapon na nagpapatrolya sa kalsada. Natanawan ako ng tatlong Hapon doon sa gubat na pinangangahuyan ko.

I did not realize that there were three soldiers on patrol that time. They spotted me when I was gathering firewood.

00:51:47Ngayon noong ako’y nangangahoy na, nagulat ako dahil may dumarating na tatlong sundalong Hapon doon sa lugar na pinangangahuyan ko. Di nagtatatakbo ako dahil natakot ako sa kanila.

I was caught by surprise when three soldiers came to my direction. I began to run because I was scared.

00:52:02Noong ako’y magtatatakbo, hinabol nila ako. Noong ako’y habulin nila eh di ako’y inabutan nila. Nung ako’y inabutan nila galit sila sa akin dahil siguro kaya sila nagalit tumakbo ako napagod sila.

They chased and caught me. They were furious because I made them ran after me.

00:52:17Ano, sinampal ako. Tapos nung sampalin nila ako, hindi lang sampal ang ginawa sa akin sinuntok pa ako eh. Nung ako’y nasaktan eh di ako’y nabuwal. Nung ako’y mabuwal binangon nila ako.

They slapped and punched me. I fell down. They lifted me up.

00:52:33Nung ako’y binangon nila, hinila nila ako doon patungo sa itaas ng tulay.

They brought me to where the bridge stood.

00:52:38Nung kami’y nasa taas na ng tulay dumiretso kaming ganyan dahil ang eskwelahan naandito, doon ang kanilang headquarters. Doon ako dinala ng tatlong Hapon.

Then they brought me to their camp at the school.

00:52:51Pagdating namin doon sa headquarters na iyon, dalawang kwarto yun eh, meron na palang babae doon sa isang kwarto. Tapos ang nandoon mga sundalong Hapon marami sila.

There were two rooms in their headquarters. There were two women in one of the rooms. There were many Japanese soldiers inside.

00:53:02Noong kami’y nandoon na, galit yung tatlong Hapon na nakahuli sa akin doon sa gubat. Ibinalibag nila ako doon sa sulok. Inihagis nila ako doon sa sulok.

The three soldiers who caught me were still furious. They threw me into a corner.

00:53:13Eh di iyak na ako ng iyak. Iyak na ako ng iyak. Noong ako’y matagal tagal na nakaupo doon sa sulok, lumapit yung tatlong Hapong nakahuli sa akin.

I was crying. After some time, the three soldiers approached me.

00:53:26Ang ginawa nila pinagsasampal ako sabay pinahubad ang baro ko. Di ang sabi ko, sabi ko ayoko. Ayaw ko hubarin ang damit ko sabi ko. I don’t like, sabi kong ganyan.

They slapped me then ordered me to undress. I refused.

00:53:37

Siempre hindi naman ako mananalo doon dahil tatlo sila isa lang ako. Pag ayaw ko hubarin yung damit ko andun na yung sampalin ako, nandun na yung suntukin ako. Siempre wala naman akong magagawa dahil malakas sila eh.

But whenever I refused or resisted they would punch and slap me. I could not do anything.

00:53:52Pilit na nilang hinubad yung damit ko kahit ayaw ko. Pilit na nilang hinubad yung damit ko. Pagkatapos na nilang hubarin yung damit ko sapilitan nila akong ginahasa.

They took my clothes off and forced themselves on me.

00:54:06Ginahasa nila akong tatlo. Pagkatapos nila akong gahasin, di umiiyak ngayon ako. Sabi ko masakit, masakit sabi kong ganun. Matapos na sila, gabi gabi, gabi gabi, sabing ganun, mayroong nagpupuntang Hapon doon sa lugar ko, siguro mga lima silang Hapon.

They took turns raping me. I cried so hard after that. Afterwards, it became a nightly ordeal with no less than five Japanese soldiers coming every night.

00:54:29Halinhinan nila akong ginagahasa. Pagkatapos noon, noong isang gabi, ano na naman hapon na, may dumating na Hapon, may kasama syang isang may katungkulan.

Each would take his turn on me. But one night a Japanese soldier arrived accompanied by an officer.

00:54:45Kasi kaya nasabi kong may katungkulan ang sombrero nya iba, maganda yung sombrero nya eh. Sombrero talaga ng may katungkulan yun dahil yung ibang mga Hapon yung sombrero may mga palawit dito.

I can tell that his companion was an officer by the hat he was wearing. The typical Japanese soldier’s headgear had sweatbands.

00:55:01Ngayon nung makita ako nung Hapon na yun, kasi nilagnat ako noon eh, nilagnat ako tapos halos namamaga ang katawan ko dahil sa hirap na inabot ko, sabi nung sundalong Hapon, “Go home,” sabi nyang ganun.

When that officer saw me, he noticed that I was feverish and that my body was already swollen. He told me to go home.

00:55:19

Siempre naiintindihan ko yung go home dahil nakapag-aral naman ako kahit konti kaya sabi nung may katungkulang Hapon nung makita nya ako naawa sa akin, “Go home.”

He must have taken pity on me so he sent me home.

00:55:30Di natuwa naman ako sabi ko eh di makakauwi na pala ako. Dahan dahan akong tumayo. Nung ako’y nakatayo na, di lumakad na ako, kahit na hirap na hirap akong lumakad, dahil nilalagnat ako, namamaga yung katawan ko, malayo rin yung sa amin, liliko ka pang ganyan, hanggang makarating sa amin.

I was relieved for finally I can go home. I stood up and slowly headed home. I braved the distance to our home, despite the fever and the fact that my body was aching all over.

00:55:54Noong ako’y dahan dahan ng lumalakad nakarating din ako sa bahay namin. Nung makita akong ganun ng aking mga kapatid tsaka nung lola ko, eh di nag-iyakan sila.

Finally I was able to reach home. My grandmother and siblings cried when they saw me.

00:56:08Sabi nya bakit ka nagkaganyan. Sabi ko di ko naman gustong mangyari sa akin ito dahil ginahasa ako nung tatlong Hapon. Iyak sila ng iyak. Eh di pati ako naiyak na rin.

They inquired what came of me. I told them I did not want any of this to happen. I told them three Japanese soldiers raped me. They cried. I burst into tears as well.

00:56:21Nung malaman ng tatay ko yung nangyari sa aking ganun, eh di nasa bundok nga sila, bumaba yung tatay ko at ang ginawa nya, kinuha nya ako. Dinala ako sa bundok.

When my father learned about my ordeal he went down from the mountains and took me with him.

00:56:33Dinala ako sa albularyo dahil noon wala namang mga duktor, puro arbularyo, para ako’y ipagamot. Makalipas ang mga dalawang linggo gumaling na ako, nawala na yung aking lagnat, nawala ang aking mga sugat, tapos nung ako’y magaling na hindi na ako binaba ng tatay ko.

He brought me to a local medicine man for treatment. I felt better after two weeks. Eventually the fever died out and my bruises healed, but my father thought it best that I stay.

00:56:55

Di na ako pinasama sa mga kapatid ko. Doon na ako sa bundok naglagi. Ang sabi ng tatay ko wag ka ng umuuwi, dito ka na lang sumama ka na lang sa amin.

So I did not accompany my siblings when they returned to town. I stayed in the mountains and remained with my father.

00:57:07Di doon na lang ako halos, parang naging guerrilla na rin ako dahil kasama nila ako kung saan sila magpunta.

I lived like a guerrilla because I was there wherever they went.

00:57:14Noong makalipas ang ilang, siguro taon yun, dumating ang 1945, eh di dumating na yung mga Amerikano, wala ng giyera, tahimik na dahil sumurender na ang mga Hapon, kaya ang mga Amerikano dumating na.

After some years, I think it was in 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Americans. The Americans finally arrived.

00:57:40Nung dumating na yung mga Amerikano, tuwang tuwa naman yung mga guerrilla dahil sila makakababa na sa bayan. Nung dumating na yung mga Amerikano, yung tatay ko at yung mga kasamahan nya, bumaba na rin sa bayan.

The guerrillas welcomed the arrival of the Americans for finally they could go home to their towns. My father and his squad also went back to town after the American forces arrived.

00:57:54Doon na sila namalagi, naghanap na sila ng trabaho, hanggang sa maging tahimik na yung aming lugar. Pagkaraan nyan nung ako’y, nung dumating kami doon, ang tatay ko nag-asawa na.

They settled in town, sought a living, and lived peacefully. My father eventually married for the second time.

00:58:08Nag-asawa na dahil na biyudo sya eh. Nag-asawa na sya. Kami namang magkakapatid ang edad ko siguro mga 16, di naghanap na ako ng trabaho ko. Pati yung kapatid ko naghanap na rin ng trabaho, nagkanya kanya na kami ng trabaho dahil wala ng magpapakain sa amin dahil ang tatay ko may sarili ng pamilya sa kabila.

I think I was already 16 at that time so I also started looking for work. My siblings also began looking for work as my father had now another family to look after.

00:58:29Eh di kami na lang magkakapatid ang nagtrabaho, pati lola ko nagtatrabaho na rin kahit may edad na.

We were left to fend for ourselves. My grandmother also sought work.

00:58:38Nung tumagal tagal na siguro mga, umabot pa ng mga 19...siguro mga 1949, dinala ako ng tatay ko doon sa Bisaya, doon sa mga kapatid nya dahil taga Masbate sya, tatay ko taga Masbate eh.

Around 1945, my father took me to his siblings in Masbate, his hometown.

00:58:56Ang nanay ko taga-Bulacan. Nung madala ako sa Masbate, kaming tatlong magkakapatid, tumagal kami doon ng isang taon. Ang hirap ng buhay doon sa Masbate dahil napakahirap talaga doon.

My mother was from Bulacan. My siblings and I spent a year in Masbate. Life was tough there.

00:50:09Nagpabalik na lang ulit kami dito sa Maynila. Nung nakabalik na ako dito sa Maynila nabalitaan naman ng tiyahin ko sa Pasay yung nangyari sa akin. Nung mabalitaan nya yung nangyari sa akin, kinuha nya ako, inuwi ako doon sa bahay nila sa Pasay.

We went back to Manila. Then an aunt learned about what happened to me so she took me to live with them in Pasay.

00:59:26Ginawa nila akong, primero, pinag-aral nila ako tapos nung ako’y makatapos ng grade 6, ginawa nila akong kasama sa bahay. Pagkatapos noon, nung maging kasama nila ako sa bahay, naging tahimik na ang buhay namin.

They sent me to school. After the 6th grade, they took me as their house helper. It was a quiet life afterwards.

0059:41Pati pag-uwi ko doon sa Bulacan. Maayos na rin ang mga kapatid ko. Hanggang sa tumagal naging trabahador na rin ako, naging mananahi, kung anu-anong trabaho pinasukan ko para mabuhay lang kami. Ayun lang.

My siblings led quiet lives as well. Eventually I moved to Bulacan, became a seamstress and took various odd jobs to make a living.