[3 of Juan Hundred]: “Home with the Aspins”

Efren Soaso, 56 years old | No Address | Photo and Story by Riza Galang

They say dogs are man’s best friend. For Manong Efren, Bambi and Burarat are not his best friends. They are, rather, his family.

Manong Efren, who once previously owned a canteen in Marine College for more than thirteen years, has been living alone and depends on his makeshift sari-sari store built on an old pedicab to survive the daily grind.

Every day, he passes the Baywalk area to get a chance at selling his various snacks covered by a worn-out umbrella. He stays along the boulevard then transfers to the inner side of Malate at lunchtime onwards to avoid the ‘hawkers’ who get rid of illegal vendors.

He has been maintaining this routine for ten years.

He described Bambi and Burarat as loyal, sweet, and jealous. I can attest to this fact, having seen both dogs quickly curl up to him, acting as if we were about to take their ‘boss’ away, when Vianca and I started to approach him.

Luckily, we only received a bark from Bambi as Manong Efren commanded him to stop. He then assisted both ‘aspins” (short for asong Pinoy or a mongrel) to hide behind the bike to temporarily shade them from the direct heat of the sun.

When asked where his home was, he simply answered, “Dito na ako nakatira,” (”This is where I live.”).

He, then sat in front of his store, posing as if he is ready for his portrait shot.