A Tribute to Nonito (Ding) Raymundo Flores

[jnmodeller]

Im posting for Perry, ....im not sure if this is the right tread for this.

From Perry.......
Hi Vic;

When I'm writing this message, akala ko buhay pa sya & asking for
strong prayer to save his life, just today this 1200H, tumawag ako sa
kanila, sumakabilang buhay na si Ding at nasa Don Bosco Makati Chapel sya
sa Pasong Tamo. Thus I had changed / edited my message below.

Friends;


Who was Ding for me???

1. A Good, Fighter, Defender of Freedom, Peace & Order

1.1 Ding became a CAFGU who defend their town in Pikit Cotobato from
muslim terrorist, bandits & other criminals. Inspite of under equipped &
supplied, he & other CAFGU's there using old WWI & WWII vintage weapons
like Spring Field, Thompson, BAR, Garand against a more powerful & modern
fire arms of the enemy were able to defend their people from being outrun &
killed by these terrorist & criminals.

1.2 Today he leave in Baclaran, he do voluntary duties to guard their
area. When he is on duty, the frat gangs were afraid to do frat wars &
other violence. Since not all the time he can be in duty, he train the
Tanods there Arnis to defend the peace & order.


2. A Good Patriot

2.1 As an incorporator on Buhay na Kasaysayan Reeanctment &
Historical Group here in the Philippines, he used this as a medium to be an
instrument of nationalism, patriotism & national unity to our Filipino
people especially the youth mixing education with fun & excitement. We
conducted exhibits, joined colorful historical / cosplays, wore uniforms
during commemoration & special events, etc.....

2.2 He helped me all the time in my exhibits in UP Diliman, Amkor
Tech Phil, etc.. & most of all, the very historical & honorable place, the
Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago, the place were our National Hero itself were
jailed & sentenced to death. During the time we visited our exhibit, its a
very historical moment because the lightning hit the highest point of the
Fort Santiago's Facad & broke it. We collected some of its debris & took
photos for souvenir. He & the guards of the intramuros even looking for the
"Buntot ng Kidlat" (tail of the lightning) that it can be in a form of a
rock or any object believed there's an Anting-anting on it, unfortunately,
none of them found it, he-he-he.

2.3 He promotes Filipino victories to uplift our dignity & pride. He
authored a article about Gen. G Del Pilar's victories in a magazine. He
helped me a lot in my speeches & reeanctment in promoting other victories.
With his help, I was not only able to won a historical competitions with a
1ST PLACE 3 TIMES (Historical Cosplay at Robinson Galeria 2008 & 2009 &
Military Show at Metrowalk 2009) but also indoctrinate to our people our
victories never been though on schools which bring sense us back our honor
& self respect which our conquerors tried to erase in the mind of the
Filipinos to disunite us.

2.4 Through him, BNK was featured in several newspapers & magazines
like : The Philippine Star, Inquirer, Malaya, Pulp Magazine, Airsoft
Xtreme, etc...


3. A Good Reenactor

3.1 He won the 1ST TAGCOM Historical competition last 2008.

3.2 Most of all, BNK Phil. will not achieve all of these success
without the ACCURATE UNIFORM he produced. The accurate uniforms we wear
during events are the bread & butter. I know the pain he undergone to look
for qualified suppliers. He travelled, walked street by street, block by
block from North to South of Metro Manila & even provinces to look for
suppliers. The products we used are not in high quantity & mass production
& most of all VERY HARD to do because most of the time, the basis are only
photos, we do not have the actual sample. The design does not exist in the
current days. Thus 99% of suppliers will not entertain this kind of orders.
ITS NOT PROFITABLE for the supplier side. Unlike WWII repro, ther are
establish customers & suppliers for these, versus the Philippine
Revolutionary uniforms. Also, the suppliers for metal, leather, fabric
etc.... are all different & from different places, its not a one stop shop!
Now you imagine the DIFFICULTY Ding had undergone to provide us these
accurate uniforms.

3.3 Because of these accurate uniforms, we BNK gain respect &
admiration of respectable institutions in the Philippines when they see us
in uniform during events like the staffs from National Historical
Institute, the AFP Museum, PA Museum, Airsoft community, & other
enthusiast, etc....


3.4 Because of these accurate uniforms, we BNK gain respect &
admiration in the US & especially Spain. Imagine the Rayadillo uniform,
Mauser & Remington Webbings etc... originated from Spain but none of them
can match the quality & authenticity of Ding's reproduction. After several
Spanish reeanctors received his uniform, it gain attention of the SPANISH
MILITARY MUSEUM itself & was also very happy & proud of Ding's performance.

4. A Good Mentor & My Best Friend

4.1 He is a very patient & kind person. Most of the time when I'm in
anger when bad things happen in events, reproduction of uniforms / dealing
with suppliers, & wanted to ...... go hamok he-he-he, Ding always calmed me
down & told me alternatives & its the benefits & the good side of what had
happen. He is very tactful.

4.2 He is a good mentor. When I construct my speeches, reeanctment
performances, etc... I used to consult him & he offered me good
alternatives which I had considered. That's why I won 3x in historical
competitions. Aside he was good both in Filipino & English communication,
we shared the same wavelenght, objectives & vision. That's why I chose him
as my mentor not just any person good in communication, but have a
different interest.

4.3 We shared same point of view & interest. He even shared to me
when he finds his true love & get married, we plan that the motif of his
wedding will be the Romantism during the Philippine Revolution. The
gentlemen's attire will be the different uniforms used during the Phil.
Revol, while the ladies will dress in Filipiniana of 18th & 19th century
style. Its a very unique, colorful & nostalgic wedding dream.

4.4 He was also my family friend. He loves the dish Chopseuy cooked
by my wife which includes quail eggs, 2 kinds of mushrooms & other
ingredients not present in usual dish & even match the standards of
restaurants. My wife is very good in reading the character of a person &
will know if the person can be trusted or not & she told me that Ding is a
very good person & do not have any envy & guilt in his heart. Even he is
not a rich & can afford person like the others, he is very honest & full of
integrity (di sya mapagsamantala). He told me that he will even teach my
son Arnis so no one can bully my son & instead my son will be the buly &
Big Boss of a gang, he-he-he, joke.

4.5 My wife dreamt of Ding last Saturday night Sep 5. Ding was still
alive during this time. She woke me up asked me to sit with her with tears
on her eyes. She said she had dreamt of Ding. She is sitting on her wheel
chair beside Ding's coffin & when she turned back, she saw Ding standing
smiling at her. She told Ding to tell God to protect us & help us in our
problem & forgive our sins. She even said sorry she was not able to cook
his favorite dish "Chopseuy". Ding took her hands, smile & said "Kaya kay
iinom kayo ng tubig" (you must drink water). (Ding's yaya told me that Ding
started to drink few & fewer water last few weeks). Then Ding smiled again
& was looking for my son. Then Ding found my son carried by his yaya & Ding
pointed to my son & .............my wife's dream ended. My wife told me,
she felt that if ever Ding will leave us, Ding feels very happy.

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I said to Ding, we attain to be featured in newspaper & magazines, we
were able to earn the respect & praise of Europe (Spain) & US for our
quality product, we were able to be part & personally interact with the AFP
Top Brass including the Chief of Staff, the highest ranking AFP officer.
... WHAT MORE CAN WE ASK FOR. I'm very proud of it, for me, its enough, we
have nothing to prove. All because of Ding's passion for this patriotic
endeavor. We need people like him. Even his is not anymore around, let's
pray for his soul but continue his vision.


Ding;

You had a very good journey. Continue to look over us. Rest in peace
my best friend. Text at e-mail moko mag nasa langit kana.


Sincerely Yours;
Perry

[VeeVee]

Thanks. I was going to start the thread too. I just came back from California from a friend's funeral and I came back to this news...

I wish I knew Ding in person instead of just via email. Even so, I feel the loss as much as everyone. From what everyone says... in his own way, he made this world a better place. Thanks Ding. Put in a good word for us up there.

Below are Ray's words remembering Ding.

-------------------------
Perry & Friends,

Ding Flores, (whom we called "Nonito") and I were good friends since our college days in U.P. together with Selwyn. He was a very bright man and always cheerful, a skillful poker player, dungeons & dragons and military history enthusiast. An industrial engineer by training, he was not just an ordinary CAFGU member who saw years of actual combat against islamic separatists and other lawless elements but the de facto politico-military leader of the CAFGU forces in his hometown in mindanao. This he achieved not just because he belonged to the prominent family of their town with blood lineage to old muslim nobility, (Ding is Christian with both muslim and christian relatives), but also because he had genuine talent for leadership. Ironically these also made him prefer to reenact earlier timelines like the Philippine revolution instead of WW2,....too many personal expereinces of him being shot at with WW2 era weapons used by rebels. Despite all that, Ding remained very humble and lived with spartan simplicity.

Well I don't know what else to say except his loss is a severe blow to the BNK and to Philippine reenacting in general, very severe indeed. The only consolation for Ding I guess is that he will be with his dad who died a few months earlier, and for us he left a precious legacy of his wonderful photos and impressions. For as long as we remember him, his spirit lives on.......

Farewell Ding, Mabuhay Ka!

Ray

[paopadd]

Ding was the plillar of BNK (with Selwyn and Perry ) , he was a great modern Katipunero , he fought for the knowledge of the filipino history and culture and he was a great sample of tolerance among people and persons.

Farewell Ding !!!

[scarab]

Philippine Reenactors and History Forum

Greetings Gentlemen,

It is sad to hear about the passing away of Ding Flores. I was introduced to this forum a couple of years ago by friends from LRRP-HK. Ever since then, I became an amateur history student, mostly as a bystander reading and studying history thru the discussions and articles presented here. At the same time I developed great respect for the reenactors whose devotion to the preservation of the history and memory of our brave and courageous forefathers, whose stories of heroic deeds and sacrifices were drawn with their own blood. It is in this regard that I value the efforts of serious reenactors. I look upon you gentlemen as true teachers of our history, the keepers of the flame lit long ago with the very blood and lives of our grandfathers.

So with the members of LRRP-HK, we salute Ding Flores as he journey to the great beyond, to the place were he would meet the great forebears we continue to honor in this forum.

Respectfully,

Scarab

[legionnaire]

I only got to talk to Ding for the very first time via cel phone when I last visited Manila on 4th July and was hoping he could have joined us at the Fort Stotsenburg meet/photoshoot. Never had the chance to meet Ding in person and sadly a tragic loss to all of us.

I was hoping he would recover from the email updates from Perry and someday get to meet him in person when I next visit Manila. He felt like a close friend just like Perry even though just through the internet.

My sincere condolence to Ding's family on behalf of our Lt. Alexander Nininger Los Angeles chapter of the Philippine scouts.

Mabuhay Ding!

Philip

[indiosbravos]

To Ding and his family. I don't know him personally but I've followed his achievements and contributions through this forum.

He's a great loss to Philippine re-enactment community and to the re-enactment in general ( he lend his talents to our Spanish friends)

Mula sa Inglatera, Taos pusong pakikidamay.

Lawrence

[sumaquel]

I modified Perry's Tribute photo to Ding I make a short Video out of it. Can anyone help me post it here? its in the youtube the Title is: "Tribute to Nonito Ding Flores"

Although limang beses ko pa lang na nami-meet si Ding at ilang beses ko pa lang siyang nakakasama sa mga reenacment namin pero parang nawalan din ako ng isang tunay na kaibigan.

Hindi ako makapaniwalang ganun lang kadali, parang kamakailan lang kasi kasama ko sila sa Camp Aguinaldo nag-rereenact tapos ngayon eh wala na pala siya.

Ang laking kawalan niya sa BNK, ang mga gawa niya accurate at detalyado, balita ko kinilala ng Madrid Military Museum yung mga gawa niya, isa siyang HENYO! isang MAESTRO! Sayang talaga...

Sa mga naulilang kapamilya ni Ding, tanggapin po nyo kasama ng aking asawa at mga anak ang aming taos pusong pakikiramay.

Mabuhay ka Ding! at Mabuhay ang iyong mga adhikain sa buhay.(Kami na ang bahalang magpapatuloy nito)

Sumaquel "Macky" Hosalla

[VeeVee]

Hi Macky, here it is. Thanks.

[paopadd]

Hi Machy , nice tribute to Ding .... .

[sumaquel]

Thanks Pao, thanks Veevee...

Macky

[79thfoot]

I just saw on Rejj Layug's blog... Ding and Selwyn were the first two who really welcomed me into Buhay Ng Kasaysayan and have always encouraged me. In the photo tribute above, the one marked TagCom 08 - I'm the one in the tricorne and the bad fake beard and blue Royal Navy uniform - that's probably the VERY FIRST MOMENT (or thereabouts) I met Ding and I was so happy to learn that there were Pinoy Reenactors. And the one marked Ding, Selwyn and other reenactors (I'm dressed as Stauffenberg) at Robinson's Mall was OMG, the VERY LAST MOMENT (or thereabouts) I was to see Ding.

I can't believe that I'll never be able to talk to him and laugh with him and enjoy his company. Before I left for America last year we went around Megamall and looked at Old Manila and talked about plans for popularizing reenacting particularly among young people.

I can't believe he's gone.

Tom

[VeeVee]

Expressing how we all feel. (photo by LRRP-HK)

[faustino]

This really hurts...... I want so bad to say "why couldn't it have been someone else? why Ding?" but who am I to question God's business?

God blesses us and then sometimes he takes those blessings away.

Ding knew that without dreams it is difficult for love to flourish, and without love there can be no dreams.
Ding loved us, he loved his country, and he dared to dream impossible things, he had the faith and the vision to know that mountains could be moved.
Ding had the ability to transmit peace and harmony, an uncommon gift for finding good people and bringing us together, inspiring us to work towards a common goal and accomplish great things.

Ding once said (I'm paraphrasing) "never divide or discourage those who have simple dreams, because that might be all they have"
He wished that all Filipinos could love their country and people as much as he did, and from what I saw, everything he did was for that purpose.
He loved the singer Charice because she helped instill National pride, he promoted Philippine History because if others could only see it in a positive light as he saw it, then all Filipinos would be as proud as he was.
Every word that I write about Ding stings more and more because I am even more aware of what we have lost.

In his memory I pray that we all strive a bit harder to glorify the Philippines and promote harmony among our brothers.

(Ding's last Tweet on Chasters Aug. 1st) "When you walk through a Storm, hold your head high, don't be afraid of the Dark, At the end of every storm there is a Golden sky"

Ding...... Give our best regards to all our heros

Mike Hoff

[sumaquel]

I would really like to create a second tribute video for Ding but i don't have enough photos of him. It would be very helpful if someone could send me photos of him from his younger years up to present like the one I saw in the youtube. -- Macky

[RayAdillO]

Wow, I hadn't realized that Ding had so many other interests like Charice Pempengco. He was always popular with the ladies, young or old. Yup, the guy had charisma.

Other memories of Ding..............

Ha, ha, one thing about Ding is his mind is so fertile with ideas but somehow he'd always see to it that he will actually do something about each and every one of them.

It's very easy for "dreamers" like myself to make friends with Ding because you can talk to him about anything. If you you have some kind of idea or project in mind, he will listen to you and won't dismiss it as a "ridiculous" and "silly" waste of time. Somehow he sees where the idea is valid and somehow useful.

I once asked him if he was interested in moro armor, I would make the helmets out of fiberglass and he would find someone who could make mail and plate armor, the next thing he does is he shows me a swatch of chain mail armor which he made himself. Apparently he was in the process of making moro armor even before asking him. Well that's one impression which will have to be shelved indefinitely.



Oh, and another thing was we both made up this medal called the "Bon Marilu" Knight's Cross. (Bonifacio-Mabini-Rizal-Luna Cross) in anticipation of someday forming a quasi modern day Filipino version of the Knights Templars.



The "Knights" taking the "blood oath"......... ;D



We got it past making the actual medal.


What's nice about Ding was that he's such a trooper. When he does things, he gives it 100%. He does things with a genuine feeling of joy. He was wellspring of knowledge and enthusiasm.

Well it's gonna be difficult to maintain my own sagging enthusiasm now that he's gone because Ding wasn't just someone who liked wearing uniforms. He was also into original research and the reproduction of stuff that just isn't available in the markerplace.
These are the most difficult parts in reenacting.

Seeing these guys...Ding and Perry heavily laden with their backpacks and other equipment, riding jeepneys and public buses, without tought of being paid, let alone helped to defray the cost of their commute to wherever they are invited to speak about Philippine military history etc., it makes one wonder what drives or motivates them to inconvenience themselves like that, yet for them to feel so happy to have been able to do it time and again? These guys are heroes, no doubt about it.

Ding is the first within our small circle to pass away, much too early. His book remains unpublished. I do hope we can all get together to make sure this book on the "History of Philippine Military Uniforms" sees the light of day as the finest tribute to Raymundo Flores' legacy.



HULING PAALAM, KAMARADA!

[jnmodeller]

Here are some more pic of Ding and his Spanish friend.
Posting it for Perry.







Adiós a nuestro la mayor parte de querido amigo.

[infante5]

When we knew about that sad new, here in Spain, we felt like when a friend leaves.
We didnt know him personally, but after working together via email, in order to provide the first spanish rayadillo reenacting group, we really considerated him as one of us, due to that common feelings for our past times, our past heroes, our past common history.
We were so far... but so close.....
Now more than ever, we are PROUD to have our uniforms provided by such noble "FILIPINO".
I dont know how, I dont know where, but it will be really soon that we will have here a worthy tribute for him.

Jose Miguel Alonso Blasco, and mates from the:
ASOCIACION HISTORICO MILITAR GRAN CAPITAN,
REGIMIENTO DE INFANTERIA "INFANTE Nº 5", LOS RAYADILLOS

VALENCIA, SPAIN.

[Sumaquel]

Tribute for Ding from our Spanish friends natin.

Pag may time kayo - palagay nalang sa forum kung saan nalagay yung
thread ng Tribute kay Ding.

Today is Ding's 40th day after his death last Sep 6'09.

Best rgds & Thx;
Perry

EN MEMORIA

La Asociación Culturalde Amigos del Museo Histórico Militar de Valencia
rinde homenaje a nuestro amigo

Nonito Raymundo T. Flores,que falleció el pasado día 6 de septiembre a los 43 años de edad.

Ding Flores, como le conocíamos todos, era un amante de su país, Filipinas. Un hombre emprendedor, entusiasta, trabajador y con grandes proyectos.

Desde España, sus amigos del Museo Militarde Valencia le homenajearon luciendo los uniformes que él confeccionó. Su último trabajo.

Sirvan las siguientes imágenes como despedida. Lamentamos profundamente la pérdida de esta gran persona.

Oramos por su alma y le deseamos buena suerte en su viaje.

Adiós, Nonito.


R. Javier PlanellsSáez

Director Grupos Recreación

Asociación Cultural de Amigos del Museo Histórico Militar de Valencia

[phone]

www.amigosmuseovalencia.es