Francisco Racho Orig Sr.

Ikoy & Teria

Francisco was the first born child of Pastor Orig and Rosa Racho. He was born in Balilihan, Bohol on January 29, 1903. Born of Catholic parents, he was baptized at the Balilihan Church of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He finished his secondary education at the Bohol Provincial High School in Tagbilaran, the capital town. Nicknamed Ikoy, he joined the government service in 1922 as a classroom teacher and stayed in that post until 1928 when he was elected municipal councilor of Balilihan. During this period, a high school graduate was qualified to become an elementary teacher. It was during this time of his life when he met Eleuteria.

Nicknamed Teria, she was born on February 20, 1908 in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, the fourth and youngest child of Guillermo Lacia and Buenaventurada Jaugan. Guillermo was born in Sikatuna, Bohol but grew up in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental where he married Buenaventurada, a local girl. He was a Roman Catholic and she was a member of the Philippine Independent Church or Simbahang Pilipinista. Their other children were Simeon, who became a Protestant, Catalina, a Pilipinista and Martin, a Protestant Pastor. Teria embraced the Catholic faith of her father. But studied high school at the Silliman University in Dumaguete at the insistence of her Protestant brothers.

Then as luck would have it, Teria decided to visit her relatives in Sikatuna and stayed there for quite some time. She also visited Balilihan to meet some of her relatives there like the Lansang and the Terec families.

Once again, luck intervened for Ikoy and Teria met. They fell in love and got married sometime in 1928.

Happily living together as husband and wife, God rewarded them with a special blessing when on September 26, 1929, their 1st born child arrived. They named him Dalmacio (Dodong).

More blessings to come.

At the request of Teria’s parents that they see their “apo”, they went to Plaridel and Ikoy found a job there as road construction foreman. Then on July 9, 1931, Teria gave birth to their 2nd child, Edelfonso (Ondoy).

But they had to go home because Ikoy’s three brothers had left Balilihan. Primitivo (Tibong), went to Davao. Aproniano (Nanong) and Aurelio (Kiking) to Manila. Only Candida (Inday) was left and they still had family properties to look into.

Back in Balilihan in 1932, Ikoy was appointed chief of police of the neighboring town of Cortez, Bohol and occupied the position for three (3) years. While still residing in Balilihan, on September 2, 1933, their 3rd child named Purificacion (Puri) was born.

Then, the family decided to transfer their residence to Cortez for convenience where their 4th child Pura (Ida) was born on February 13, 1935.

Convinced by his brother Tibong to join him, Ikoy decided to resign from his job and to transfer his family to Davao for greener pasture. Upon arrival in Davao in 1936, a Boholano friend provided them with shelter in his house along Sta. Ana Street and he also hired both Ikoy and Teria as sales agents in his jewelry business. On March 17, 1937, their 5th child named Ronaldo (Odet) was born.

Davao became a chartered city on March 1, 1937 through the efforts of Hon. Romualdo C. Quimpo, the first elected assemblyman from Davao. Under the leadership of the first Davao City Mayor, Hon. Santiago Artiaga, the geographical picture of Davao City became more defined and more government employees were needed. Ikoy, using his police work experience applied for a job with the Davao City Police Force and was hired as first class patrolman. Then on February 14, 1939, Teria gave birth to their 6th child named Reverencio (Ebing).

In 1939, Davao City Mayor, Pantaleon Pelayo, Sr., decided to establish a regular police station in Toril, Davao City. Ikoy was appointed station commander with a rank of Sergeant. Then the family had to transfer to Toril and temporarily stayed with the family of Mr. Catalino Sayon along De Guzman Street. (For the record, after the war, Mr. Sayon was the first Torilan who was appointed as City Councilor in 1945). To have their own permanent home, they built a house on a piece of land along Jorge Saavedra Street owned by the Serapio family which they rented for this purpose. On November 15, 1940, their 7th child named Aurora (Laclac) was born.

On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This started the Pacific War. Two (2) years earlier on September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland which started the war in Europe. This expanded to Africa and the Middle East and other places, thus it became World War II on the bigger screen.

Ikoy and Teria decided that they all go home to Bohol. In fact, by the time Japanese forces landed in Davao City on December 20, 1941, Toril Poblacion was practically deserted. Many Boholano families residing in Toril, especially those from Balilihan joined them. During the travel, they stopped at Pikit, North Cotabato where Teria delivered their 8th child, Francisco Jr (Junior) who died a few days after birth due to complications.

Finally, they arrived in Balilihan and settled in Barrio Cantomimbo. Ikoy was appointed Chief of Police in Balilihan under the free government. Teria, on the other hand, served in the Women Auxiliary Services as commanding officer of F Company with operational base in Sal-ing and Cantomimbo. It was quite a special Christmas for the family because on December 25, 1942, their 9th child named Jesusa (Susan) was born.

On August 10, 1945, Japan sued for peace so the family decided to go back to Davao. Dodong and Ondoy were left behind due to their studies. With the help of US Army transportation services, they arrived in Toril safely.

Their house in Toril was only slightly damaged. To live a normal life was next on the agenda. Ikoy rejoined the Davao City Police Department as 2nd Lieutenant. Teria continued her role as housewife and mother of a big family -- a husband and eleven (11) living children since three (3) more were born after liberation, namely: Alfredo (Boy) on February 8, 1947 (10th child), Agnes (Bebot) on April 20, 1948 (11th child) and Nympha (Nenen) on April 23, 1952 (12th child).

As citizens of Toril, Ikoy And Teria were active in both civic and religious activities. He was a member of Caballeros Catolicos de Toril which helped the Canadian PME Fathers established the Sto. Rosario Parish and the St. Peter’s High School (today, the St. Peter’s College of Toril) in 1948. He was also an active member of the Ang Kaliwat sa Bohol, of which he was the acknowledged leader of the Boholanos, particularly the Balilinhons residing in Toril district. Teria was a member of the Damas Catolicas de Toril and of the Catholic Women’s League, Sto. Rosario Unit, being a charter member of the latter. She always led the holding of the Flores de Mayo every summer. She was also a member of the Daliaon Women’s Club which facilitated the establishment of the Daliaon Puericulture Center. This still exists today. It should also be noted that both the Caballeros and Damas Catolicos de Toril were highly responsible in putting up the Sto. Rosario Chapel on October 17, 1934. In 1948, this chapel became the Sto. Rosario Parochial Church.

Then unexpectedly, a major tragedy struck the family. Ikoy died of cerebral hemorrhage on April 2, 1956. He was 53 years old and a police captain. He was buried in Lubogan Cemetery with military (police) honor.

After having been a widow for 34 years (she was his wife for 28 years), Teria joined Ikoy on April 20, 1990. She died peacefully. Her last words were “gikapoy na man ko”. She was 82 years old. She was buried on the same spot Ikoy was buried. She was wearing her old CWL uniform.

(Marriage Date: 13 July 1929)

By: Reverencio Lacia Orig