Few people know this, but Laoac Biking Champ GONZALO DE GUZMAN RECODOS is holder of a bronze medal for an international cycling competition . . . the Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO), held from November 10 to 22, 1963 in Djakarta, Indonesia.
Recodos competed in the GANEFO soon after he won the gold in the 1963 Tour of Luzon.
“Lima kaming Pilipino na pinadala dun sa Indonesia. Kasama ko nun sina Cipriano Mariano. taga Manila, Virgilio Delin at Convercion Tolentino, parehong taga Manaoag, at si Benjamin Buwitre taga Manila din.”
“Third Place ako nun. Ang nag Champion taga Poland tapos ang Second Placer taga Indonesia.”
Gonzalo De Guzman Recodos is a native Lawakenian, born on July 22, 1938 in Cabulalaan, Laoac, Pangasinan. He is married to Estelita Recodos nee Urbino who hails from Turko, also in Laoac, Pangasinan. They have 8 children: Milagros, 48; Mary Jane, 46; Melby, 43; Elmer, 40; Reynaldo, 38; Virgie, 34; Gonzalo, Jr., 31; and, Charelyn, 28.
Now 72 years old, the elderly yet still highly-spirited biking champ proudly showed BIKEtayo Inc. the pictures, medals and plaques he received for winning the gold in the 1963 Tour of Luzon.
“Iningatan ko talaga ‘tong mga ‘to”, he said, referring to his cycling memorabilia, which he was taking one by one out of a large plastic bag to show us. True enough, some pictures and newspaper clippings had plastic covers; while some of the pictures were mounted on wooden frames and laminated. The plaques that he received, although already blackened with age, occupied a place of honor at the Recodos living room.
While we were looking at the pictures, Manong Gonzalo, with wife Manang Estelita, regaled us with stories of Recodos’ biking days. ‘Yang babae na ‘yan, si Ms. Caltex ‘yan.”, she said, pointing at the picture of a much younger Recodos being given a peck on the cheek by a lady, amidst a crowd of onlookers during the 1963 Tour of Luzon awarding ceremony.
“Ang laki ng trophy ‘no?”, Recodos then said, pointing to his picture holding the trophy. When asked whether he still has the trophy, Recodos said, “Wala na, kinuha ng Manager namin. Ang Manager naming noon ‘yung dating Mayor Ramon Guico, Sr. Dalawa kami ni Gabot (referring to 1957 Tour of Luzon Champ Rufino Gabot) na mina-manage nya noon dito sa Laoac.”
“Ang bike na gamit ko dyan, ‘yung SONNET na pinagamit sa akin ng Manager namin. Nung nag Champion ako sa 1963 Tour of Luzon, nanalo ako ng five thousand pesos (Php5,000.00) at ‘yan ngang trophy.
“Malaking halaga na ‘yun noon. “yung pera na ‘yun ginamit ko para magpatayo ng bahay namin dito sa Cabulalaan at saka binili ko n’yang lupa sa harap, 1,000 square meters ‘yan”, he said, pointing at the vacant lot across the road from their residence.
“Matagal ‘yung Tour na ‘yun, 15 days. Bale dalawang linggo. Swerte naman at kahit minsan di ako nagka flat tire.”
“Sa 15 days na ‘yun, 14 days din akong nagdasal”, Manang Estelita interjected. May inipon akong siyam na pirasong palay, binalot ko sa tela tapos sikretong inilagay ko sa bulsa ng shorts na susuutin n’ya. Dinasalan ko ‘yun ng ‘I believe’”, she said, referring to the Apostles’ Creed.
“Nun kasing bago siya mag-champion”, Manang Estelita continued, “nanaginip ako na may isang ibon daw na iba’t-ibang kulay ang pumasok sa bahay ko. May kagat-kagat ‘yung ibon na puting envelope at parang gustong ipakuha sa akin, kaya kinuha ko naman ‘yung envelope. Pagkatapos, tinuka-tuka niya ‘yung isang kahon na nandun sa harap niya. Lagayan ata ‘yun ng mga damit namin. Tinuka-tuka niya ‘yun at parang ang ibig sabihin dun ko ilagay ‘yung envelope. Kaya nilagay ko ‘yung enevelope dun sa kahon. Di ko tiningnan ‘yung laman pero parang alam ko na pera ang laman nun.”
This dream, recounted Manang Estelita, gave her the feeling that her husband will bag the gold in the Cycling Tour.
“Mahirap ‘yung tour na ‘yun”, recalled Manong Gonzalo. Ang baon ko nun dalawang mansanas, kalahating atay ng baboy, isang litrong coke at isang canteen na tubig. Nagbigay din ng softdrinks ang Coca Cola.”
“Ang pinakamahirap sa akin dun sa may Bicol, sa Daet. Zigzag ‘yung daan, lubak-lubak. Kasama ko nun si Gabot”, he said, again referring to 1957 Tour of Luzon Champ Rufino Gabot who also competed in that Tour.
“Pangalawang pinakamahirap dun sa La Union papuntang Baguio via Naguillian”. Mahirap talaga ang buhay ng siklista. “Yung kanta ni Garcia, ganun. Basta mahirap lalo na pag akyatan. Ako ang nakakuha ng ‘Summit Prize’ dun sa parteng Santa Fe, papuntang Isabela. Nanalo ako ng seventy five pesos (Php75) nun.”
The Summit Prize, Recodos explained, is a special prize given to the first cyclist to reach the peak of a high road in the tour.
“Marami pang ibang premyo ang Tour of Luzon. Meron ding ‘Pacer Prize’, binibigay dun sa siklistang pinakamaraming kilometro na ang natapos. Si Gabot meron ding ganun. Tig isa kami”, he said.
“Nengganyo akong sumali dun sa Tour of Luzon nung narinig ko sa radio na nag Champion sa Tour of Luzon si Gabot. Wala akong bike nun kaya nagtrabaho ako at nag-ipon para makabili ng bike.”
“Nagtrabaho ako bilang tagadala ng baka sa Urdaneta at nag laborer sa construction. Matagal tagal din ‘yun kasi ang bayad lang noon limang piso bawat baka na madala. Ang nabili kong bike ‘yung PERSON, halagang one hundred pesos (Php100).”
“Ang una kong sinalihan, ‘yung 1960 Tour of Luzon. 7th Placer ako dun. Tapos ‘yun ngang 1963 Tour of Luzon kung saan nag Champion ako. Pagkatapos nun, sumali pa ako nung 1964 Tour of Luzon. Nag 3rd Place naman ako nun. Ang nanalo nun si Edmundo De Guzman, taga LIngayen. Tapos 5th Placer ako sa 1965 Tour at yung panghuling sinalihan ko, nung 1966, nag number 7 ulit ako.”
“Panay ang ensayo ko nun. Nung pa Manila kami, piso lang ang nagastos ko sa daan. Tapos sa mga regular na ensayo ko, may baon akong piso bawat araw, tipid ako nun kaya yung piso ko madalas di ko pa nagagastos. Ang ulam ko lang madalas malunggay at sardinas.”
“Tinutulungan ko sya nun, ako ang nagpupunas ng bike nya. Nung nag Chanmpion sya, maraming mga magagandang babae na kumukuha ng autograph niya. Pumupunta pa sa bahay naming at iniimbitahan siya sa sayawan. Pumapayag naman ako kasi may maliit ako nun na inaalagaan, di na ako makakasama”, Manang Estelita said, while the elderly Champ just smiled.
“Marami pa rin kaming litrato sa Philippine Cycling Association. Majkikita mo doon lahat ng nag-Champion sa Tour of Luzon. Nandun pictures namin. Una si Arsala (1956 Champion), pangalawa si Gabot (1957). Si Samson din”, Manong Gonzalo said.
Having heard accounts of these events which happened almost 5 decades ago, we couldn’t help but marvel at how much the couple can still remember. The eagerness and pride they have shown while they recounted their stories show how much cycling has become part of their lives.
Indeed, what Gonzalo Recodos of Cabulalalan, Laoac, Pangasinan has accomplished as a cyclist is no mean feat. He is even fondly remembered by fellow Lawakeños as the Biking Champ who hasn’t won a single lap. This is because he is so shy, he shuns interviews. As it was, all those who were first to finish each lap of the Tour were being interviewed by the media. So, even when he arrived first, as was usually the case, he would wait for the next biker to finish the lap before he presented himself to the Tour officials. In the end, though, since he was the one who bagged the gold, having had the shortest official accumulated time on record, he had to succumb to being in the spotlight.
Needless to say, the prestige and honor GONZALO DE GUZMAN RECODOS has brought to the town ofLaoac, not to mention to our country, the Philippines, should be a source of inspiration to all of us who have dreams of achieving greatness in our otherwise mediocre lives.
“Ang advice ko lang kañada ay ensayo lang. Ensayo lang ang kailangan. Kung wala kang ensayo, wala kang laban.”, says Manong Gonzalo.
“Fighting spirit para mag-champion”, added Manang Estelita.
“Pag dumadaan ang members ng BIKEtayo, masaya ako. Naisip ko lang, mas masaya siguro kung makakasama pa akong mag bike kasi gustong-gusto kong mag bike”, Manong Gonzalo wistfully added.
