Happy for Francis Hinayhinay
DAY he was in China, another day in Italy and recently in Hong Kong. There is no doubt that a former broadcaster named Francis Jinon Hinayhinay enjoys the life of a global tourist – whether alone or with wife Rose and their two children.
The last time I wrote about Francis Unknown to other broadcasters, was in 2012 when I announced the his motorbike also served another opening of Copya Ilonggo at SM purpose: to deliver books. He was City-Iloilo – the fifth branch of his moonlighting as book salesman for shop that copies documents and sells De Roja Enterprises. copying machines. He was also selling an Ilonggo
If we are proud of Francis, book of jokes, Langaslangas, which it’s because he is living proof he himself had written. that a literally small media man “My motorcycle,” Hinayhinay could metamorphose into a big revealed to this writer during a businessman. Most of us who are lunch meeting, “attracted attention. still active in print and on radio still It was a time when cheaper surplus cherish the fond memories of him in units from Japan were selling much the good old days. He first went on cheaper than brand- new ones. the air in 1987 as police beat reporter Knowing the source of these surplus of the defunct radio station DyRP, and bikes, I bought a second, a third, a later of DyFM Bombo Radyo from fourth and more reconditioned units 1990 to 1998. which I resold at moderate markup.”
I remember that time when, By then, he had also been while still a Bombo reporter performing magic tricks – such as covering the police beat, he bought linking rings, vanishing handkerchief, a 50-cc motorcycle so he could move changing colors, etc. – in birthdays independently of the network’s and other social functions for a fee, “patrol vehicle.” He always wanted or sometimes for free. to arrive and report ahead of other On these occasions, he would also reporters at the crime scene. crack jokes and tell all and sundry
that they could laugh over more jokes by buying his book He befriended owners, managers
Langas-Langas. and supervisors of book stores so he could display his joke book thereat on consignment.
One of these store supervisors happened to be Renee Rose Badana of Regina Bookstore. She was 24, single and definitely a fan of his. Realizing that he was not getting any younger, he courted her. And lo, she became Mrs. Hinayhinay in a civil wedding officiated by a judge at the Iloilo Hall of Justice on his 33rd birthday on October 24, 1996.
“Life with a wife and the thought of having kids soon,” he quipped, “prodded me to think of better ways to further augment my income. One day while I was delivering copies of my book to the Diplomat Bookstore at Gaisano City, the manager casually remarked that some of his customers were looking for a copier so they could reproduce text books and documents. He suggested that if I would like to engage in the copier business, I could rent a space in his store.”
Against the advice of well- meaning relatives to go (slow), he sank his lifetime savings
“hinayhinay” of P25,000 in a second-hand digital copier and placed it at the bookstore.
He sought his friend Norman Velez of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for a business name. “Copya Ilonggo,” Velez suggested.
The last time I met Francis, I asked him whether he was “ripe” for bigger business.
“No,” he shrugged. “No need. What good is life when you have no time left to enjoy it?” com/
(hvego31@gmail. PN)