By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
It was the early months of the present pandemic in 2020 when I first heard the monicker, The Blind Gardener, over a local radio station that prides itself as the number one “Tambayan Sa Radyo” in Cordillera. The guy was described as somebody who was donating something for those in need of help due to the unexpected chaotic condition that we were thrust into. The guy did that more than once.
Wow, I muttered to myself, is that guy a real blind who can do gardening? And if really blind, he/she is donating goods for others, instead of expecting “ayuda” from others? T o my uninformed mind, that is a little bit weird.
The anchors of the “Z” Radio Program, Tambalan sa Radyo, Tatang Edong Carta and Lolong Jimmy Lozano, were intrigued no end by the incognito Blind Gardener. When they got an inkling that the guy is from Camdas, they set out to search the barangay for an interview. It took them 2-3 trips to the Barangay to finally unmask the guy.
I have watched TV episodes of two different fathers who can normally see then became blind yet, they were able to do things that other normally sighted persons find difficult to perform. One was a coconut farmer who is able to provide for his family despite the loss of his sight. He goes to his mountain farm with the help of her 6 year-old daughter who was always willing to go with him. He carries her on his shoulder to serve as his eyes as he negotiates his way up and down the treacherous mountain path. The other is a farmer in the lowland who was tilling not one, not two but 5 hectares. He planted crops like rice and corn. With his incredible grit, he earned enough from his farming activities to enable him to send at least three of his children to college, and finish their respective courses.
But a blind gardener tending a vegetable farm? That would be a hundred-fold more difficult than coconut or rice farming. Vegetables require intensive labor to yield well.
But let us hear the story of The Blind Gardener.
She is actually a comely and statuesque lady, dwarfing an average Filipino male. She is all of 5 feet 9 inches tall. Her name: Ruby Lee (Dangiapo) Gunn.
She is the daughter of Donald Lee Gunn from Missouri, U.S.A. and Irene Dangiapo who was Baguio-born but who traces her roots in Besao and Alab, Bontoc. Donald was a young U.S. Army man when he was stationed in Clark, Pampanga after WWII.
When he was in Baguio for a rest and recreation furlough, he met a shy mountain maiden, who loves to write poem, thru an uncle of the girl (Gesdan, the family name but whose first name was as elusive as an eel) who was then a principal at the Baguio Central University. Gesdan owned a bar along Harrison road where he met Donald. Asking for a pen from Donald for his niece to write poetry, he suggested that he pay a visit to her in Camdas. Problem is, Irene was afraid of foreigners. But no problem actually, as when they met the seed of mutual attraction hit them both. Donald found the charm and natural beauty of an Igorot lass irresistible.
The army man courted the shy girl, and long story short, they were now consumed by the unexplainable feeling of urgency to unite as one. When he asked the hand of Irene for marriage, Irene’s mom set one condition: That he can marry her but not to fly her to the U.S.
Donald acceded to it like a gun. He resigned from the army, went up to Baguio and looked for a job. He got one at the then Benguet Consolidated Inc that became later Benguet Corporation, thru the intercession of former Congressman Luis Hora, who happened to be a close relative of Flora Dangiapo, the grandparent of Ruby.
Being actually trained as a forester, he became manager of the defunct Heald Lumber. The company planted 50 trees for every pine tree cut. What happened to those trees planted is a 64 dollar question
Donald and Irene were blessed with 6 children (4 male and 2 female), The Blind Gardener, came in 4th.
Donald had a penchant also for writing so he used to have a column at Midland Courrier using the nom de guerre, Donato Paltog. He has a Chinese blood, as one of his ancestors, Sam Lee, is a full-blooded Chinese. Don died in 2017
Irene’s mom, Flora Dangiapo, served for 20 years as Barrio Captain of CAMDAS barangay during Marcos Sr’s. time. She made Camdas always the cleanest barangay during her term. Her social and “political” status can be gleaned from her being a close friend of former Baguio city mayor, Luis Lardizabal. She was an avid gardener who planted fruit trees and veggies and sold the produce to missionaries. Obviously, Ruby acquired her love for plants from her mom and grandma.
Why they are in Camdas is all because their matriarch, Filomena Agabog, a cattle herder settled in Camdas. Both her arms were fully covered by tattoos, indicating her high status and the respect that she commands in their community. She died at the age of 106.
Ruby’s mom Irene, died only 5 months after the declaration of the pandemic. Now, only Ruby and Donna, her only sister, are residing in Camdas while the rest are in the U.S. with their respective families.
Next week we will trace how The Blind Gardener became blind, how she got that alias, and how she helped students stranded during the early part of the pandemic, and how she is helping the blinds in Baguio (and even in La Trinidad and Tuba) more than I think, the government is doing.**
