[Top left photo shows ROBERTO “BERT” BACSAL, my wise and dazzling MENTOR and FRIEND, in a group photo during his 67th birthday celebration at the Quezon City Sports Club on September 2, 2014. Top right photo shows BERT belting out a ballad during the same birthday celebration. Bottom left photo shows BERT oozing out a mischievous smile during his 68th birthday celebration. Bottom right photo shows the interment of my MENTOR and FRIEND at the HERITAGE MEMORIAL PARK in Taguig City, Metro-Manila. Acting as PALLBEARERS during the interment were: PAL President Jimmy Bautista (at extreme right) and my brother WILSON T. YOUNG, Chairman of VICTORIAS MILLING CORPORATION (3rd from right), among others.]
I first saw him in the early 60’s,
As a STUDENT MARSHALL1 wearing polo, colored off-whitish2;
Directing the formation of dual lines,
At SAN BEDA HIGH3, during those rainy climes.
I remember when it rains, as it pours abundantly bit,
Legarda’s flooded street will feature virtual logs4 on it;
Crossing the street, not wanting to get wet —
You’ll be sashaying through the log; it’s a sure bet!
And after TWO (2) decades or SO,
BERT emerged as my brother WILSON’s male JO5;
They truly were always so linked and so connected,
BERT pirated SON6 from an accounting firm’s stead.
And after my stint at the NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY7,
I eventually became part of the LUCIO TAN community8;
BERT became one of my many BOSSES,
He’s LUCIO TAN’s man who’s much in-charge at cutting business LOSSES!
And BERT virtually became LT9’s TOP HENCHMAN,
His TITLE got transformed into “LITTLE LUCIO TAN”;
He was even DUBBED as LUCIO TAN’s 007,
Just like JAMES BOND, BERT’s goal was to make things EVEN!
When I was with the LUCIO TAN group,
I got amazed by BERT BACSAL’s work scope;
He would make things easy for LUCIO,
For all those companies — those good and— not much, so-so!
I was once chided and sermonized by BERT,
And it involves one of LT’s realties;
The lot was in fact strategically located,
And swindlers were intent to make of it, a BIG HIT10!
Real estate brokers were selling,
That LT’s lot for supposed land banking;
Alas! another land title got so configured,
But it’s the same LT’s lot, LT’s TCT11 just got disfigured!
The case came up to the Building Official’s office,
And I appeared to represent LT at the edifice;
There was this bejeweled man who dished out a TCT,
It captured LT’s lot but the TCT was tinged with spurious validity.
And so the conflict got so magnified,
The Building Official DIGRESSED and then just specified;
The supposed omission on the part of LT,
Of failing to get permits and of non-payment of a lot of billboards’ fee!
Perhaps one of those LT group’s minions,
Forgot to comply with his obligations;
And so the renewal of those billboards’ permit,
Turned out to have not been truly met!
That corner lot indeed was too strategic,
LT’s companies were there advertized, truly so romantic;
Those huge billboards installed therein,
Was the cynosure of all whose sight was keen!
And the BUILDING OFFICIAL issued a demolition notice,
I scampered and run unto BERT BACSAL’s office;
‘Twas a short notice and the demo team would arrive —
The following morning — I was almost sort to take myself a dive12!
But as BERT was a quick thinker,
He knows how to really get around such a stinker—
So, when the morning arrived & the sun was so bright,
The problem emerged as calmly bearable & light!
BERT indeed is a RACONTEUR,
He’ll tell stories even about the future;
For he has knack at forecasting —
He can predict what’s truly coming!
But as he has aged and quite matured,
He wanted his own self to be cared for and nurtured;
By his beauteous wife GIRLIE, who’s in fact a DOCTOR,
But BERT has always been my WISE & DAZZLING MENTOR!
And as I got truly amazed with BERT as MENTOR,
I got him as GODFATHER of my first-born DAUGHTER;
‘Twas intent too to take him as NINONG13 once again,
For SHAYNA’s14 wedding with her BOY FRIEND Vim15!
With BERT BACSAL’s untimely passing,
Lot of personalities went truly wailing;
For he was so generous and yet austere,
Though a martinet and yet so caring!
And I’ll never forget his penchant for food,
A finicky gourmandizer16 of eats, that’s good;
For he knows where the dining is truly great,
Surely he’ll not let edibles be left untouched on his plate.
Let’s PRAY for BERT and for his family,
His parting I am sure would still make GABE a DILLY;17
For GABE has looked upon BERT as his Daddy,
But I am sure RICA18 will eventually re-marry.
AND BERT WILL IN HEAVEN, BE HAPPY!!!!
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