I met Fred Manabat at the Asian Restaurant of the Reno Hilton on July 22, 2003. Fe, Heidy, Gabriela, Celeste and I were trying to complete the translation into English of the folk song "Bahay Kubo". While taking our order, he helped out in the translating, and told us he has a bahay kubo in his yard right there in Sparks, Nevada! Pinakabitan pa raw niya ng Filipino Channel. Complete with plantsang de uling saka batidor ng tsokolate eh.Pinagtiyagaan niyang unti-unting magbitbit ng nipa each year that he goes home to the Philippines! Amazing! Problema daw niya yung bintana, kasi kahit may capiz shells na siya, walang marunong gumawa ng ganoong bintana sa California! Inimbita kaming mag-almusal dun sa bahay kubo kinabukasan. I wish I had gone, but our schedule was full on the last day of the Annual National Conference of the American School Food Service Association.

I gave him my business card. "Ganda namang basahin, Republic of the Philippines", was his reaction. I was quite touched. Uuwi daw siya come August. Sige, tawagan ninyo ako, and show me pictures of your bahay kubo.

And now, Mr. Fred Manabat is here in the Philippines! He called up at the office on Aug 18, but I was out rice price monitoring. He spoke to my kumare, Josie and gave his phone number in Caloocan City. Ang sarap kausapin, sabi ni Josie.

I went to his Caloocan home this weekend, on Aug 23.Galing na sa Boracay. Proudly showed me his find, banig throw pillow covers! In brown and beige goemetric pattern weave.. Saka corals skeletons for his aquarium. Ambisyon for the bahay kubo, gilingang bato (stone grinder).

Kuwentuhan about Filipino food. Cabalen. Burong talangka. Frog's legs. Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon. Mga beaches ng Boracay at Zambales. Mga kamag-anak na ayaw mag-acknowledge at magbayad ng utang.

I gave him a little coconut container for his bahay kubo.He doesn't have one like it yet.

I will scan the photos of the bahay kubo later this week.

You can find him at the Asiana Restaurant of the Reno Hilton, where he has worked for the last 13 years. He does catering on the side, too.

PS

The bahay kubo now has a deck!