 Kulasas, La Sallistas at Si Mang Joe
By: Roxanne Estrellado - Limjoco
I was a bus rider from Preschool to High School. I envied my classmates who were brought to school by their parents or guardians. Some of the mommies would even drop off their kids by the door of our classroom, with their never-ending goodbyes smothered with kisses and hugs.
I still remember my first ever bus ride with Mang Joe. A lot of firsts here: 1st big school, 1st non-military school bus, 1st Yaya-less trip but I was a fearless Prep student. Mang Joe repeatedly told me where the bus would be parked after class, by the Pergola gate. But when I saw my cousins at the Singalong gate, I went home with them. I don't know what kind of ruckus I caused then. Whatever it was, it has been deleted from my memory. :)
Little did I know that I was building another branch in my family tree. Not only did Mang Joe become our 2nd father but he also gave me siblings from Paranaque to Pasay City. Not to mention being busmates with the one and only Rajo Laurel! Saan ka pa? Yes DLSU at that time still had Grade School.
Mang Joe always celebrated his birthdays in the bus. I don't know how he did it but he managed to give each of us a scoop of ice cream. And these were not fun sticks mind you, he scooped them out of a gallon container into our cones. Mang Joe also boasted of his 'accelerated' bus riders. Almost all of his riders skipped the 7th grade and went straight to HS. I was of course scolded (by Mang Joe) for being a candidate for acceleration and messing up the 'interview portion'. Oh well, that's another story.
Mang Joe also had his naughty side. The 2nd trippers (that I was always a part of) would still be on the road after sunset so what our beloved Mang Joe would do is to pretend he had to pee and park the bus right in front of the cemetery. He would only return when he heard sobbing ang screaming in the Ford Fiera.
Of course his naughty side was nothing compared to how nice he really was. Since I was the last rider to be dropped off and we had a long way to go from BF Homes Paranaque to Villamor Air Base, we would always stop for a date at this Panaderia. He would buy me a soda and a pan de sal before heading home.
After High School I never saw Mang Joe again. Heard stories about him though. When he got sick and couldn't drive anymore, all the bus riders were clamoring for him. So he asked his son then his grandson to drive for him while he became a bus rider himself and made all the Kulasas happy.
And now after more than 20 years, I suddenly remembered him as I said goodbye to Red entrusting him to his new "Mang Joe." I no longer envy those who never rode a school bus. In fact, I pity them for not experiencing the joys of bus riding and having a Mang Joe in their lives.
Sampung Bagay Na Natutunan Ko Sa School Bus Ni Mang Joe:
1. Pwede pa lang magtaguan sa loob ng school bus
2. Pwede pa lang gawing unan ang lunch box
3. Kasya pala ang mahigit 30 na tao sa Fiera
4. At pwede pala ang limang tao sa harap
5. Meron pa lang 1st trip
6. Pag may umaway sa akin, kalaban ang buong bus
7. Ka-edad pala ni Mang Joe si Marcos
8. Hindi pala Mang Joe ang pangalan ng lahat ng bus drivers
9. Pwedeng manigarilyo sa loob ng school bus
10. Na paglipas ng mahigit dalawang dekada, may bonding pa rin ang mga alaga ni Mang Joe
Mula sa lahat ng Kulasa at La Sallista na sumakay ng bus mo noong Dekada Sitenta at Otsenta... We love you Mang Joe!!
 | nice. i suddenly had my own reminiscing of my experience as a bus rider. =) |
 | It reminded me when we moved here sa USA, I saw my grade school bus driver too and actually he was the one who approached me.... imagine that WOW! |
 | I really enjoy reading ur blogs tlg...: ) |
|  3. Kasya pala ang mahigit 30 na tao sa Fiera  talaga, kasya ang 30 sa fiera? dami, haha! i bet, masaya :) |
| noong college kumain pa ako sa canteen niyo ...hehehe! |
 | busmate mo si rajo?
we used to bully him all the time in la salle grade school
when he was a cute fat kid.
maybe that helped turn him into the top designer he is now. hahaha! |
| he got his revenge though...
when he made my barong tagalog for joe's wedding,
linagyan niya ng flyaway collar yung gaddem barong!!!
yikes. |
 | I started commuting on my own from Quezon City to DLSU when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. I learned that if I sit at the end jeepney (or slowly work my way to the end as people got off), I could get away without paying my fare. Wala pang LRT noon. Who is Rajo Laurel? I don't remember anyone named Rajo Laurel in batch 84 at DLSU. |
 | oh roxanne this made me cry. im also an original mang joe baby. my childhood years in st scho is a blur to me now because of everything my family's been thru post 1986. but mang joe is someone we always remember. my little sister Hanni (6 years younger than me) had two "boyfriends" when she was 2 years old. One was Matthew Navea and the other one was Mang Joe.
We eventually transferred to another school bus company (that serviced moonwalk/merville - st scho and don bosco). I think my parents did that so that we would be the last to be picked up in the morning and the first to be dropped off in the afternoon. But my first years in Mang Joe's fiera were memorable. I dont even remember the name of the driver of our other school bus.
Didn't Mang Joe use to wiggle his false teeth and we'd all scream like it was the end of the world? |
| I wonder how come all their names starts with Mang... : ) High school din pala..sa St Scho. I forgot the name of that cafeteria : ) ! |
 | sarap talaga mag-reminisce about school days...our sarao driver was Kong Ed. i remember when bags lang namin papahatid namin sa kanya sa bahay kasi kakain muna kami dunkin donuts lapit sa HAU. then, if matiyempuhan pa namin siya sa Holy Fam sto rosario,sabay kami umuwi sa mga grade schoolers. Joy ride. hehehe |
| bata ka pa, may style bulok ka na. hehe!
rajo laurel is a famous designer. where DID you BEEN??? my gaasss! anyway, busmate ko silang dalawa ni huey enriquez. kayo yung last batch ng La Salle Taft Grade School diba? Siyempre naman! Pati nga tatay ko tinuruan kong tumakas a jeep at bus. Tuwang tuwa nga siya sa akin dahil nakatipid siya ng pamasahe. Ang technique sa bus eh kunwari tulog ka pag dumaan yung kunduktor para hindi ka singilin, tapos gising ka ulit pag malapit na ang bababaan mo. Yes, I was in the last grade school batch at DLSU. Anyway, I don't remember Rajo Laurel, pero I do remember Huey Enriquez. He was in the "best section" if I remember correctly....the smart guys in school. Na kick-out ako sa best section when I was in grade 2 because of my deportment. Masyado daw akong magulo. LOL.
Here's some memories for you. I used to hang out with Jopat Estrada, Momoy Gonzales, Alejandro Ruiz, Lawrence Gonzales, Benjamin Ledesma, Jay Carrion, etc. "Warriors" kuno! Aaaahhhh...the good old days. |
 | Siyempre naman! Pati nga tatay ko tinuruan kong tumakas a jeep at bus. Tuwang tuwa nga siya sa akin dahil nakatipid siya ng pamasahe. Ang technique sa bus eh kunwari tulog ka pag dumaan yung kunduktor para hindi ka singilin, tapos gising ka ulit pag malapit na ang bababaan mo. Yes, I was in the last grade school batch at DLSU. Anyway, I don't remember Rajo Laurel, pero I do remember Huey Enriquez. He was in the "best section" if I remember correctly....the smart guys in school. Na kick-out ako sa best section when I was in grade 2 because of my deportment. Masyado daw akong magulo. LOL.
Here's some memories for you. I used to hang out with Jopat Estrada, Momoy Gonzales, Alejandro Ruiz, Lawrence Gonzales, Benjamin Ledesma, Jay Carrion, etc. "Warriors" kuno! Aaaahhhh...the good old days. haha! pati naman tatay mo nasali. anyway... i think rajo left after 6th grade. talaga nasa best section si huey? galing naman.
as for your group, naku kayo nga ang nagpapasakit ng ulo ng mga pari ng la salle. hehe! 'warriors' nga! i think we also had a name to our group then. i remember jopat and jay bec of their curly bangs with highlights. momoy is the only one i am still in touch with at pati na rin ikaw. :) |
| pang MMK nga e. :) sige will tell momoy you said hi but the problem is i only know you as jarhead. haha! i left st. scho after my sophomore year and since i'm really bad with names, i'm not sure who ramona and peachy are. yikes! |
 | I always enjoy your stories. It's funny how you forget these details temporarily then all of a sudden remember how much someone's simple act of kindness has touched you and so many others. I'm sure Mang Joe was would be so proud of you. Thanks for sharing your stories --- keep 'em coming. |
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