Fabros holds a copy of Inquirer as a proof of his life during his later years.
BONGABON, Nueva Ecija – Until his death exactly one month on Sept. 9, at the age of 111, he lived by the discipline and lifestyle of a warrior even as he never ceased telling his family of the greatness of fighting for the country and fellowmen.
“I can see the joy in him when we attended gatherings of war veterans,” Ella Gandalera said of her father, Alfonso Fabros, who lived with her family at Barangay Calaanan this eastern Nueva Ecija town since early 1990.
Fabros, a private in the US Armed Forces in the Far East in December 1942 when Japan forces invaded the country, died of pneumonia last Aug. 9.
Gandalera said her father would tell them all the risks, and fears, of being at the front line during the Japanese siege of Bataan. “Nu’n daw sila’y galing ng Corregidor papuntang Capas (Tarlac), sila’y naglalakad at pag may nagugutom, kahit ano daw makitang dahon na puwedeng kainin ay kinakain nila,” she said.
“At ang inumin nila kung hindi ang pawis nila galing sa damit, yung ihi ng kalabaw,” Gandalera added.
“Pero sabi niya, walang kapantay ang maglingkod sa bayan,” she said.
Fabros and his group managed to escape from the Bataan encirclement before the US-led forces surrendered in April 1942.
He subsequently joined guerrillas in Central Luzon who fought Japanese forces until 1945.
Post war, Fabros dealt the life of a family man and a farmer. He preferred food from the wild and observed strict rules on almost everything.
“Mahilig siya sa wild animals tulad ng bayawak, usa, at sa isda ay mas gusto niya ng biya galing sa ilog,” Gandelara said, saying her father did the hunting and fishing by himself during his younger years.
The village where they live sits a few kilometers from the Sierra Madre mountain ranges.
When he developed poor eye sight due to old age, Fabros would still go with his children in the market so that he could smell and touch the fish and meat himself. “Hindi siya papayag na kumain ng isda o karne na hindi siya kasamang bumili.”
A soldier, Fabros inculcated to his family the virtue of obedience, including on the advice of American embassy on the manner in using his veteran pay. A virtue that made him enjoy the benefits of being a freedom fighter. This includes the $9,000 grant from the US.
But there was one thing he did not enjoy, by choice, from being a war veteran – to have his health watched at Veteran’s hospital.
“Gusto niya lagi sa private hospital, ayaw niya sa public,” the daughter said.
In a letter to Fabros on Feb. 3, 2012, on the occasion of his 111th birthday, PVAO Administrator Lt. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, underscored his role in WW II.
“We thank the Lord for giving a long life, marked with a legacy of selfless sacrifice and heroism in the name of freedom and love of country,” he said.
“Proud ako, at ang aming pamilya, dahil ang tatay ko ay naging tagapagligtas ng bayan,” Gandalera said .
