Kakampi Mo Ang Batas

By Atty. Batas Mauricio

“…No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit…” –Luke 6:43

Two years after my father, Melanio Pauco Mauricio, Sr. of Ramos, Tarlac, passed on, I continued to believe he was a man who lived with the grace and guidance of God. While I have personally witnessed the influences of God on my father, I request readers to allow me to dwell on a few of them.

First, my dad lost his mother, Restituta Melegrito Pauco Mauricio, early in his life, when he was five years old. In his recollections, he complained, because he was so young when she passed, he could not remember what she looked like.

Daddy grew up under the tutelage of his father, my grandfather, Juan Dizon Mauricio. Due to economic difficulties, he managed to complete elementary school and secondary school, but my father did not pursue a college degree and, instead, joined a cousin in endless wanderings.

Old typewriters skills put to good use

My dad learned how to skillfully use a typewriter – the forerunner to the current personal computer – along with a little stenography. The skills heavily influenced by his older brother, Atty. Walfred ‘Fred’ Mauricio, who convinced daddy to learn typing and steno, enabling him to find employment,

It was at this point that my father came to know a young lady, who was studying at Philippine Normal College (which later became a university in 1991), named Salvacion Haber Lazo. The San Ildefonso-Sta. Lucia-Vigan, Ilocos Sur native would later become my mother and dad has become infatuated with her immediately when they were both aboard a JD Bus (JD buses were very popular then, plying the Taft Avenue-Quirino 2-2 route in Quezon City).

One day, my father asked a friend to join him on the bus ride, where my mom was a passenger. They two sat directly behind her and talked about my mother in Ilocano. To his surprise, my mom blurted out in Ilocano, “You are also Ilocanos!” she continued, “How dare you, to be talking about another Ilocano.”

That exchange began their courtship and, of course, our lineage.

‘Orator’ was a trait ascribed to my father

After my parents married and I and my three brothers made our appearance, dad found himself involved in politics, becoming a councilor in our town. He was later drafted into the provincial Livral Party, which was then headed by a young Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco, Jr.

With his natural abilities in public speaking – Peping and my dad’s fellow councilors called him “an orator” – my father became a regular speaker for the congressman. Soon, Peping learned my father never pursued a college education, prompting him to have my father enrolled at the Cojuangco-owned Dr. Nicanor Reyes Memorial Colleges in Paniqui, Tarlac.

Dad subsequently earned an education degree – by the grace of God and the intercession of Cojuanco.

My father turns his degree into a government job, which enabled myself and my siblings to pursue a college education.

All of these are derived from God’s blessings, guidance, and protection of my father.

Yes, we can only say now, thank God, in the name of Jesus.

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If anyone would like to ask me questions about the burning issues of the day, what we have discussed here, or to consult on a problem, please call 0917-984-2468, email at batasmauricio@yahoo.com, or post your concerns at facebook.com/attybatas. Promise, I will answer right away. Thank God in the Name of Jesus, Amen!/WDJ

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