Remembering Apo Keeg, the Man who Lived 116 Years

He was the kindest, calmest and most honest person I have ever known in my whole life. With his soft voice, and genuine smiles, you could almost see what’s inside him: his true self, his love and most of all his sacrifices for his people.  Though he has passed away many years ago, Apo Keeg is still painted in my mind and in the minds of his people whom he left his legacy- the Igorot traditions and practices that are still a part of the Igorot culture.

Born at the time when computer was still an impossible discovery to Filipinos; Apo Keeg (Apo is a word of respect to older men and women) was probably comparable to a saint. For me, he is my hero, a respected person, and an idol that I want other children to imitate and idolize.

Apo Keeg was a man of his time and a man who had done too much for his people. He was able to survive 116 years without complaining and without leaving a stain in his name. His name rings like the Christmas bell that symbolizes giving, sharing and of course happiness.

Though Apo Keeg died in October 13, 1995, he is still in my heart and the hearts of his people. This was exactly one year after I last saw him for feature writing when I was working in Hong Kong. That was October 11, 1994 and it was the last time I saw him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend his wake and burial since I was not able to file for a leave from work.

The last time I talked to Apo Keeg was in October 11, 1994. He was then 115 years old but still very strong and he could still recognize people although he has completely forgotten their names.

Seated comfortably in a wooden chair, with his gray tuxedo and black pants, he was not like what other people thought was an Igorot old man. Instead, he matched one of  the former presidents of the Philippines wearing a suit in his privileged speech. It was fun just looking at him seated and smiling while leafing over an already fading comics magazine. He cannot read, I tell you, but he loves books and magazines. Watching him was like watching a small child playing with his toy. He was already 115 years old that time and nobody was feeding him nor watching over him.

The comics magazine that he was leafing was worn out and some pages were already torn and the corrugated iron wall behind him was black with soot and rusty with age.

He smiled, put down the comics magazine he was holding and peered at me as I took a shot of him. I sat beside him and peered into his wrinkled face. Conversation was impossible because he was completely deaf.

We just sat down together and smiled at each other. At exactly twelve o’clock noon, he rose without saying a word. I followed him outside and to my surprise, he picked a small bucket and went to get food for the pigs. I learned from his daughter that Apo Keeg still did a lot of work at home. These included feeding the hogs, gathering camote vines that he cooked for the hogs and he even cooked his own food. Surprisingly his daughter said Apo Keeg could sense time naturally. I am not surprised why he silently stood and went out as we were seated inside.

I watched from a distance as he patted the back of the fat hogs. I couldn’t imagine myself working that way at his age. Perhaps I would be long dead by then. When he finished his task he went to the guava tree near the pigpen and picked some ripe fruits. These he gave to me with a smile I cannot forget. Giving is Apo Keeg’s way of showing his love. I accepted it with too much gratitude and joy that I couldn’t explain. It was pure blessing to receive something from a man like Apo Keeg.

I didn’t know how to thank him. If I said thank you, he couldn’t hear it. If I gave him something in return he perhaps does not know what it is all about. Having heard that Apo Keeg is already too old to understand a lot of things, I was saddened by the truth that whatever I did would then be futile because he didn’t understand it. His daughter told me to just accept the guavas and smile. So that was what I did.

I went home with no interview but with so much thoughts to write about Apo Keeg. Until now that he has died a long time ago, I still cannot forget him because of the things he did for his people.

I will be writing about Apo Keeg and his works and probably you will be interested to read about him next time.