Metro Infanta Foundation

By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 01:50pm (Mla time) 07/30/2007

LUCENA CITY, Philippines -- The environmental group Task Force Sierra Madre (TFSM) aims to gather 80,000 signatures from people in the towns of Real, Infanta and General Nakar (RIN) in northern Quezon in its latest campaign strategy against government plans to resurrect the controversial Laiban Dam project.

“Within the next two months, a massive signature campaign will be launched in [the] RIN area to demonstrate a united opposition to the project. The campaign will cut across all population sectors including primary schools children and college students,” Pol Derillo, board chairman of the Metro Infanta Foundation (MIF), said in his recent report posted in the group’s website.

Noting that the government timetable is to start work on the project next year, Derillo said TFSM is bracing up for what could turn out to be the uphill job of convincing Malacañang and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) not to build the dam on a mountain river in General Nakar.

The Laiban , then known as the Kaliwa-Kanan (Left-Right), refers to the river that traverses the slopes of the Sierra Madre and drains into the Pacific Ocean shoreline on the side of Quezon province.

The dam was supposed to have been part of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ plan of building an industrial complex in northeastern Luzon.

But due to the strong opposition to the project from indigenous peoples, the project was shelved, leaving only two diversion tunnels as reminders of the aborted project.

The government plans to harness water from the mountain river to generate electricity as well as supplement the drinking water supply of Metro Manila.

But Derillo, quoting portions of an open letter to President Macapagal-Arroyo from by 14 religious superiors in the Philippines, said: “Water may not be viewed as another commodity. On the contrary, access to its supply may not be controlled by the few who has the means to destroy or exhaust it during the present and future generations. Its use should be for the benefit of the human community and for the integrity of the whole creation.”

Catholic priest Fr. Pete Montallana, TFSM chair, said the proposed dam would displace approximately 3,500 families living in seven villages in Tanay and another village in General Nakar.

The resulting diminished water flow in the Agos River could affect navigation, irrigation, fisheries in the river and its estuaries, the priest said.

Montallana also noted that the Kanan River is within the Sierra Madre, an area declared a hotspot for conservation by the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities.

“Our trip to this area last June revealed a scenic natural and productive valley, a breathtaking grandeur to appreciate. It breaks one’s heart to imagine it will submerge to provide a super tank that will quench the thirst and greed of its catering developers,” Derillo said.

Derillo said the new municipal councils of the three towns have been urged to take active roles in managing the campaign as well as adopting resolutions opposing the construction.

One of the main arguments against the project, according to Derillo, is that it lies between the Marikina and Real-Infanta fault lines.

“Using available maps and scaling the site to the fault lines shows that it is within [a] 50-kilometer radius [of the faults]. An earthquake intensity of 7.00 scale is imagined to be a breaking point for the dam structure. Such [a] disaster will surpass the loss of lives and destruction of properties suffered in November, 2004,” when a typhoon triggered landslides and flashfloods that left hundreds of people dead and many still missing, Derillo said.

He noted that MWSS has refuted the proximity to the fault lines but has nevertheless been advised by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) to undertake further seismic analysis, supposedly to update their detailed engineering designs.

According to Derillo, the last known historic data for the project was gathered during the 1980s. This data is considered obsolete in the context of the geological events in the area.

To consolidate its ranks, the TFSM, which has been incorporated and registered on July 20, 2007 with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-profit entity, has also organized local chapters in the three towns.

Copyright 2007 Southern Luzon Bureau. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 01:02 PM | Permalink

By Pol Derilo

Task Force Sierra Madre - Northern Luzon has always been busy during the last few months.

With a chapter organized in each of the three RIN towns, the overall umbrella organization has been incorporated and registered on July 20, 2007 with SEC as a non-profit entity. The overall chairperson is Fr. Pete Montallana. On a rotation basis however, his function will be taken over by the chapter chairpersons because of his new parish assignment in Dingalan, Quezon. It takes a day to go there from Infanta either by boat or by land through Manila- Nueva Ecija route.

With 2008 just a few months away, TFSM is bracing up for what might be an uphill job of convincing our big government and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) not to build Laiban Dam in Kaliwa River, in Gen. Nakar. The dam is claimed to augment water & electricity in Metro Manila.

Within the next two months, a massive signature campaign will be launched in RIN to demonstrate a united opposition to the project. The campaign will cut across all population sectors including primary schools children and college students. Task Force Sierra Madre hopes to gather 80,000 signatures from the 3 adjacent towns.

The three new municipal councils have been urged to take active roles in managing the campaign as well as adopting resolutions opposing the construction.

The campaign will all be preceded by arguments, presentations and concrete data from Phivolcs, Mirriam College and other NGOs all supporting the project opposition.

Foremost reason is the fact that the project lies between the Marikina and Real-Infanta fault lines. Using available maps and scaling the site to the fault lines shows that it is within its 50km. radius. An earthquake intensity of 7.00 scale is imagined to be a breaking point for the dam structure. Such disaster will surpass the loss of lives and destruction of properties suffered in November, 2004.

MWSS is denying the proximity to the fault lines but was advised by Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) to undertake further seismic analysis tsupposedly to update their detailed engineering designs. The last known historic data used for this project was gathered during 1980s, considered obsolete in the context of recent geological events of 2004. Likewise, the committee also directed MWSS to conduct a dam break analysis using realistic and catastrophic scenarios so that minimum warning and emergency measures to protect the closest inhabited areas. Brgy. Daraitan and Brgy. Magsaysay appear to be closest areas to the project.

The dam to be constructed in Brgy.Laiban, will be 113 meters high, 500 m. wide and will have a 2 to 5 kilometers long water reservoir that runs in westerly direction along 6 barangays in Tanay, Rizal & Brgy. Lumutan in Gen. Nakar, Quezon. It will displace approximately 3,500 families living in these barangays that include indigenous Dumagat and Remontados. Our trip to this area last June revealed a scenic natural and productive valley, a breathtaking grandeur to appreciate. It breaks one’s heart to imagine it will submerge to provide a supertank that will quench the thirst and greed of its catering developers.

To this, MWSS remarked that compensation was estimated based on the loss of property and livelihood and a carefully selected relocation area has been selected. The relocation of the indigenous population will be managed by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Convergence Zone
From the Metro Manila side of Sierra Madre, numerous environmental and caused-oriented groups have also raised their concerns about Laiban Dam. The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPICC), in its open letter to GMA also enumerated 5 issues which they summarized as “high social, economic and environmental costs”. On a religious point of view, they “adhere to the moral obligation of protecting God’s people and their inherent right to a safe and healthy environment”. Water may not be viewed as another commodity. On the contrary, access to its supply may not be controlled by the few who has the means to destroy or exhaust it during the present and future generations. Its use should be for the benefit of the human community and for the integrity of the whole creation. This open letter was signed by 14 religious superiors in the Philippines. Another statement from environmental groups with similar arguments was signed by 36 signatory organizations. The common rationale of the two statements are:

Displacements of the residents in the 8 barangays to be submerged;
The $1B costs is considered expensive;
Loss of existing infrastructure in the area;
Diminished water flow in the Agos River that sustain agriculture in RIN and
Project is too close to existing earthquake zones.

Real - Infanta - Gen. Nakar

The RIN oppositions are supported by the following:

Close proximity to fault lines pose grave danger to lives and properties in the RIN area;
* Reduce water flow of Agos River also diminish water supply for the irrigation system thus jeopardizing agricultural production and altering the ecosystem in the mangrove area;
* The technical data was done in the 1980s and could be obsolete considering that catastrophic floods and erosion has taken, the latest being in 2004;
* Displace the indigenous tribes of the Remontados and Dumagats from their ancestral domain and disrupt their way of life as transient people; and
* Loss of previous initiatives and programs designed to benefit small farmers under the Protected Area Community Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRAMA).

To maximize the use of time and efforts, simultaneous opposition to another disastrous project, the Kanan B1 dam was launched with this initiative. In addition to environmentally related reasons, two other issues surfaced last April that triggered condemnation of the past LGU officials in Gen. Nakar well as their rejection in the last election. They hinged on two undisputed facts:

* The Municipal Government of Gen. Nakar did not conduct any public consultations relating to environmentally critical projects as required by Local Government Code and NIPAS Law; and
* The partnership interred into by the Municipal Government with Energy World International was financially onerous against the people who will ultimately shoulder the obligations of their local government.

Other Developments
While the campaign is underway, a press conference was held at Mirriam College The convergence group in which TFSM is a collaborator hopes to focus public awareness of the growing environmental issues resulting from the seemingly desperate attempts of the government for foreign investments. In her own Statement Of Nature Awareness, Dr. Donna Paz Reyes, Mirriam’s Executive Director of Environmental Studies Institute, said that GMA’s “passing mention of the environment in last Monday’s State of the Nation Address, specifically her declaration of natural parks, only bolstered .....the perception of her low regard for the environment.”

A few days ago, the president proclaimed La Mesa Dam as a protected watershed area. This could have been a great surprise except for “subject to private rights” catch phrase in the proclamation. It turned out that MWSS housing project for its 1,400 employees will sprung up in a 58 hectare wooded area of the basin. Adverse reactions to this decision were already in the open ranging from restraining order petition to accusations of hypocrisy, terrorism and genocide. Except for the two common denominators which are MWSS and the national government, Laiban project and this housing project are both environmentally destructive and conflicting to the people involved in it. One will be displaced for the water while the other implanted by the water. Some of those displaced are ancestrally rooted in their domain while those implanted are foreign to theiir new place of affluence. What we see in these scenarios are government policies going in opposite directions but targeting a common goal for the money in unison. Regardless of the people and their environment, give way for the gold and power.

The next three years are said to be for capping the legacies of the administration in many regions and provinces of the Philippines but Quezon as only one item was mentioned in her SONA list. It was about a transfer of ownership between two foreign companies of the coal generating plant in Pagbilao that has been in operation for at least 5 years.

For a short while, one may be content for this assumed legacy. Our province has endured many years of relative retrogression in the Calabarzon. I for one will be extremely grateful if nobody finish what was started with Laiban Dam. It means progress environmentally, peace and security humanely.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 03:26 PM | Permalink

Please post in your Obituary the death of my father, Amadeo Sollesa Borreo, Sr. yesterday in California. A native of Infanta, Tatay Mading was a former public school teacher, head teacher and principal. He spent his long years of teaching in the elementary schools of Barangays Magsikap and Minahan in General Nakar, until his retirement. A World War II veteran, he moved to L..A California with my mother, Virginia Escareses Borreo, upon becoming a US citizen in the 1990s.

He is survived by Nanay Vinya, my three siblings, myself and our spouses and children. His remains would be brought home to Infanta where he would be laid to rest.

Thank you for praying for the repose of his soul.

Allan E. Borreo
Corporate Planning Unit
Planters Development Bank
314 Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Tel: 884-7631; Fax: 759-2268
E-mail: aeborreo@plantersbank.com.ph

Posted by Mila Glodava at 10:44 PM | Permalink

By Rudy Arizala

Every Infantahin knows that there is a street in Infanta, Quezon called "20 de Julio" - a street where our family house is located.

But very few know or remember why it was called "20 de Julio."

It has historical significance in so far as the people of Infanta are cocerned. On 20 July 1898, a group of local Katipuneros headed by Col. Pablo Astilla liberated the town of Infanta from the hands of Spanish soldiers and authorities.

After laying siege to the old stone "convento" for several days where a group of Spanish soldiers were holed up and made their last stand, weary and hungry, they surrendered to the local Katipuneros on 20 July 1898.

When the early Irish and American Carmelite fathers were constructing the St. Mark Cathedral, they discovered or rather dugged from one of the burried old thick stone walls of the church a coconut shell filled with grains of corn. What was that coconut shell filled with grains of corn doing inside the thick stone walls of the old church? It was surmised that said coconut shell with grains of corn was part of the meals of the masons or workers who constrcted the old Infanta stone church left inadvertently and covered with lime, sand, gravel as the constrction of the stone church progresses.

Going back to the local Katipuneros, I remember hearing from one of the local "veteranos de la Revolucion" that they used rolled several bundles of bamboo poles or trunks tied together with rattan. They used said rolled bamboo poles or trunks as mobile trenches. The Katipuneros could advance position by rolling forward the bundles of bamboo poles or trunks tied together or retreat by rolling them backward.

There was a time when the town of Infanta celebrates its town fiesta on 20th July. Later, however, as a sign of cooperation between church and state and to avoid so many local holidays, the municipal officials agreed to celebrate the town fiesta of Infanta every 25th of April, the Feast of St. Mark, the patron saint of Infanta instead of on 20th July.

So, 20 de Julio although no longer celebrated as a date for our town fiesta, it is still remembered as the date when our town was liberated from the hands of the Spanish soldiers by the local Katipuneros. It has patriotic and historical significance.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:42 PM | Permalink

By Josette Sarto

I whispered the words so long before,
Even I left, I always felt so sure...
I haven't visited you since I left the town...
I am proud to be one, whose race is brown,

I missed you so, But I couldn't go,
Here I am now and fully grown...
When I come back to your loving caress,
I know it is the day Í'm truly blessed...

I've traveled so far and visited many,
But I realized that I've wasted many penny...
Behalf of searching a place for me,
Where I am now? Still I didn't see,

A home for me is maybe a home for you?
Do you still wanna go and visit it too?...
No country is sweet like a little girl...
No country is like the Orient of the Pearl....

God Bless You and Take Care Always

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:00 AM | Permalink

Editor's Note: a few days ago we sent a letter to Mayor America regarding resuming talks about the Gabaldon. You may recall that we started talks about this project in 2003, but Mother Nature and the 2004 calamity had other plans, and derailed our good intentions. The entire town, church and government focused their attention on the rehabilitation projects and to revive the town. Well, it is now time to give our attention to the Gabaldon, once more, and resurrect the school building to its former glory.

As some of you may recall, Infanta Central School was one of the more than 800 beneficiaries of the Gabaldon Act of 1801, which allocated one million pesos to construct school houses all over the Philippines. A response to the American government’s desire to bring public education to all Filipinos, the Gabaldon Act was named after its author Rep. Isauro Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija and was credited for building school houses that guaranteed capacity of at least 60 pupils. The Gabaldon Act allocated no more than four thousand pesos for each school, unless the municipality contributed a counterpart of at least fifty percent of the total amount through budget appropriations, voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or in manual labor.

Keeping this same sentiment of collaboration with the people, the government and the school officials, we would like to participate in this historic project. The board has recently approved a resolution to open an account to receive and sell stocks from a potential major donor interested in making a contribution towards the "Gabaldon Restoration Fund." In view of this development, we have asked the board to launch a capital fund campaign for this project.

There are still questions, however, regarding the status of the land on which the Gabaldon is located. We have asked Carolina Rutaqiuo Nido, a member of the board and, more importantly a member of the Rutaquio family, whose ancestors originally donated the "use" of the land, to inquire with her family about this issue.

We are also asking MIF Chairman Pol Derilo, who is currenly in Infanta, to represent the Board in deliberations and to keep us informed of developments and progress.

Meanwhile, below is her response to our letter.

A letter from Mayor Filipina Grace America

Dear Ms. Glodava,

Greetings from the local government unit of Infanta!

My re-election made me realize that God is so good in giving me additional time to work on my unfinished business, one of which is the restoration of Gabaldon school building, You are right, it is time to pursue the project.
You may have thought that we were not interested in this project. We are. In fact, we had already prepared the building plan and series of meeting were already conducted back then.

But planning and networking was interrupted by the 2004 Disaster that hit Infanta. The restoration of our water system, rehabilitation of irrigation canals, establishment of housing projects and dredging of Agos River among others became our top priorities.

It is almost three (3) years after that disaster and I think the local government and the people of Infanta are now ready to accept the challenge of restoring the Gabaldon building, the school building which was instrumental for what we are all today.

For this undertaking, please be informed that I convened a small group for a meeting on the 19th of this month. The small group is composed of the District Supervisor, the School Principal, the PTCA (PTA before) President, Governor Nantes’ and Congressman Mark Enverga’s District Coordinators and the new Vice Mayor, Hon. Roehl Ram Velasco (former Mayor Roldan Velasco’s son) to represent the Sangguniang Bayan. Your proposal on fund counterparting will be definitely discussed.I also plan to write a letter to both the Governor and the Congressman to plead for their funding support to this project after the July 19 meeting. We will keep you informed of the development of our concerted efforts for this mission of rebuilding an exact replica of a Gabaldon Building that will constantly touch our lives with the wonderful memoirs it brings to all Infantahins.

That’s all for now. Thank you for all your love for Infanta.

For God, Country and Our People,

FILIPINA GRACE R. AMERICA

Posted by Mila Glodava at 10:47 PM | Permalink

Photos submitted by Alex Rutagines

The photos show Mayor Filipina Grace America among the Gawad Kalinga volunteers build a house in Infanta.

Gawad Kalinga (GK) translated in English means to “to give care”, and it is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in the Philippines but in the world. GK’s vision for the Philippines is a slum-free, squatter-free nation through a simple strategy of providing land for the landless, homes for the homeless, food for the hungry and as a result providing dignity and peace for every Filipino.

What started in 1995 as a daring initiative by Couples for Christ to rehabilitate juvenile gang members and help out-of-school youth in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, then the biggest squatters’ relocation area in the Philippines, has now evolved into a movement for nation-building. Together with its partners, Gawad Kalinga is now in the process of transforming poverty stricken areas with the goal of building 700,000 homes in 7,000 in 7 years (2003-2010). To date Gawad Kalinga is in over 900 communities all over the Philippines and in other developing countries. (establish link to GK ABROAD, write-ups on GK Communities outside the Philippines)

Gawad Kalinga is more than about building houses for the poorest of the poor. Providing a decent home is just the beginning of the transformation of the people and the community.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 08:12 PM | Permalink

By Josette Sarto

Wala kaming pagkain at hindi sapat,
Napapa-ingo na lamang sa bawat kagat...
Ang lupang tinamnan ay hindi rin sa amin...
Nagtatalok lamang at ang ani'y hindi amin....

Malawak na lupain ay pinagmamasdan,
Kailan kaya namin ito makakamtan....
Sa ngayon ay salat at wala ni salapi...
Mayaman sa gawa at mabuting gawi...

Kay hirap maunawaan ang buhay na taglay,
Hanggang sa huli ako'y naghihintay...
Nang biyaya sa aki'y minsa'y dumatal...
Kaunting ginhawa ay biglang nagtagal...

Ano pa't minahal ko ang aking bayan...
Sapagka't ito lamang ang aking kinalakhan...
Ngayon ako'y nakatayo at hindi mabibigo,
Natanggap na biyaya sa inyo rin tutungo...

071007
jsarto

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:00 AM | Permalink

By Josette Sarto

Pagkamulagat ng mata'y ako'y nagimbal,
Sa malamig na pader ako'y napasandal...
Ang iba'y tulog at himbing sa paghilik...
Ang buhos ng ulan ay patuloy sa tagiktik...

Ang maliit na dapugan ay inabot ng ulan...
Hinanap ko si nanay upang ako ay matulungan,
Ang bubong na pawid ay muntik matangay...
Sa lakas ng hangin,ang niyog ay winawagayway,

Agad tumalima sa utos ni nanay...
Gisingin na ang lahat ng tao sa bahay,
Nang akin na silang gigisingin at pupuntahan,
Tinabunan na nang lupa ang kanilang munting higaan...

Nanaghoy man ay tumakbo papunta sa ina...
Naabutan ngunit huli na,tinanggay ng baha...
Masakit man sa kalooban ang aming sinapit...
Ramdam ko ang trahedya bawat taong sasapit....

071007
jsarto

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:00 AM | Permalink

By Rudy Arizala

It is edifying to note that the MIF Website has not only become or is becoming a vehicle for disseminating information to expatriates Filipinos as well to Fil-Americans residing abroad, but also the vehicle for Filipino journalist based in the Philippines to publish problems faced in our beloved country especially in Quezon province. I refer to the piece of Mr. Delfin Mallari, Jr., titled: "Protect Sierra Madre Call Reaches theU.S."

Also, some of our kababayans or expatriates now contribute poetry or express their ideas in the MIF Website. The poem "Infanta" by Josette Sarto is an example. Written in typical Infanta local colorful expression, the author´s nostalgia opens with: "Aba´t ako nasa Comun na pala." Missing not only friends and the one Josette met in Infanta, changes in the hometown were noted or expressed and the following figure of speech: "Ang bubon na minsa´y sinasalukan ng tubig / Puno na ng lumot at wala nang naigib."

Let us have more newsbits from our place like the piece by newsman Delfin Mallari, Jr., and literary gems like that of Josette Sarto who expresses ideas in colorful, local language. "Aba´t ako nasa Comun na pala." Bubon na dating sinasalukan ng tubig "Puno na ng lumot". It means the owner of that open dug-in well has abandoned the place for greener pastures abroad or Infanta has attained progress in water supply system because the people now have either artesian wells or supply of water by pipes.

Those newsbits and literary contributions edify one´s soul or spirit, especially of those who are abroad.

Do I hear sombebody say the Infanta local expression: "SIYA NGA, HANE?"

Posted by Mila Glodava at 03:12 AM | Permalink

INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON
Protect-Sierra Madre call reaches the US

By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 10:56pm (Mla time) 07/11/2007

LUCENA CITY -- A Catholic priest’s call to protect the Sierra Madre mountain ranges has been heard, even as far as the United States.

In March, Fr. Pete Montallana, head of the church-based environmentalist group Task Force Sierra Madre (TFSM) in northern Quezon, appealed for assistance in protecting the remaining virgin forests in Luzon.

“We know that the work to save Sierra Madre from greed is also in your hearts. We need to join hands. Participate in our work by volunteering your time and talent and/or by pledging an amount to sustain our initiatives,” Montallana wrote in his letter.

The letter was posted in the website of the Metro Infanta Foundation (MIF), a Filipino-run nonprofit organization based in Colorado, USA, by its president, Mila Glodava.

Thank-you letter

On July 5, the website showed Montallana’s thank-you letter to Fr. Andrew Kemberling, parish priest of St. Thomas Moore Church in Centennial, Colorado, after the parish donated $1,000. Much of the money, the Filipino priest said, will be used for the TFSM’s information and educational campaign against the threat posed by a government dam project in the Sierra Madre River.

“Your help has given a lot of opportunity to print materials to inform people about the dam, to transport people who wanted to join the public consultations that we have organized, and to enable us to reach very far places to alert people about the dams,” he told Kemberling.

The campaign will focus on the Laiban dam project of the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage System in Tanay, Rizal, which will be built in an area where geologic fault lines have been identified.

Then known as the Kaliwa-Kanan (Left-Right) rivers, the Laiban traverses the slopes of Sierra Madre and exits into the Pacific shoreline. During the Marcos regime, the dam project was proposed to be a part of the so-called industrial complex in northeastern Luzon.

Due to opposition by indigenous peoples, the project was shelved, leaving only two diversion tunnels as memories of the aborted project. But the Arroyo administration plans to resurrect it as a water source for Metro Manila.

Opposition

“We have now the advantage that the mayor of General Nakar and the reelected mayor of Infanta oppose the dam. The mayor of Tanay where the dam would be constructed also has taken the stance in favor of the people. However, it is not easy to oppose a project of the national government,” Montallana said.

He expressed fear that the proposed dam in the mountain watershed would displace about 3,500 families, mostly upland farmers and indigenous peoples, in seven barangays in Tanay and another in General Nakar.

The resulting diminished water flow in the Agos River could affect navigation, irrigation and fisheries in the river and estuary, the priest said.

“[If] the dam breaks, a repeat of the destructive flood in 2004 can result in deaths and losses of property in General Nakar, Infanta and Real in Quezon,” he said.

Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 04:26 PM | Permalink

By Josette Sarto

Aba't ako nasa Comon na pala
Hane' nga't ako'y biglang nagitla
Nagyaong panahon ay aking naisip,
Malamig na hangin,ang sa akin ay umihip......

Langgas at Alitas ay aking binalikan,
Kabahayan ang natatanaw at ang iba'y palayan,
Ang bubon na minsa'y sinasalukan ng tubig...
Puno na ng lumot at wala nang nagiigib....

Ang iba kong kaibigan ay nahaan?
Hindi na makita at makamusta man lang...
Sa paglipas ng panahon ang Infanta ay nagbago,
Habang ang iba'y umalis at bumalik upang dumito....

Aba't nanunubok lang pala ang aking isip....
Infanta ay inaalala at biglang nahagip,
Hane' nga't tayo'y minsan ay nagkakilala,
Dito sa isang bayan kung tawagin ay "INFANTA"

070907
jsarto

Posted by Mila Glodava at 08:17 AM | Permalink

From Rudy Arizala

Congratulations also to your sister Melecia who even after her retirement keeps herself busy by working as a volunteer at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.

Who says there is no life after retirement? The joy of retirement is in keeping oneself busy in the service of the Lord, country and people.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:10 PM | Permalink

By Rudy Arizala

The MIF and Thomas More should be congratulated for donating financial assistance so that theSierra Madre Task Force would be able to successfully perform its mission in protecting and safeguarding our environment, thus, preventing flashfloods to the towns at the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains such as Gen. Nakar, Infanta, and Real, Quezon.

Through the help of MIF, the Task Force Sierra Madre Mountain was successful in preventing the construction of a dam in Agus River Kanan. The Mayor of Gen. Nakar, Quezon who allegedly approved a resolution for such project was not re-elected and a new Mayor of Gen. Nakar was elected in his place who is opposed to said dam construction in Agus River kanan. Also, it was reported that the re-elected Mayor of Infanta,Quezon, Grace America, is opposed to such dam construction in Agus River kanan.

What remains to be acted upon is the prevention of the construction of Laiban Dam upstream of Agus River near Tanay in the Sierra Madre Mountains. A piece of good news is that the Mayor of Tanay, Rizal is reportedly joining the Sierra Madre Task Force in opposing the construction of the Laiban Dam.

This goes to show that "Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty" and cooperation of all is necessary in fighting for a noble cause.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:06 PM | Permalink

Editor's Note: Below is a thank you letter Father Pete Montallana sent to St. Thomas More for much needed donation of $1,000. We thought of posting the letter in hopes that kababayans will follow and make a donation too.

May 20, 2007

Dear Father Andrew,

Greetings of Peace!

Your help has given a lot of opportunity to print matreials to inform people about the dam; to transport people who wanted to join the public consultations that we have organized; and to enable us to reach very far places to alert people about the dams. The last three weeks of the election campaign were crucial regarding the Kanan B1 Dam which the local government of General Nakar has approved without public consultation.

The people of General Nakar elected a new mayor who has taken a stance against the 113m Rockfill dam. We thank the Lord that the construction of Kanan B1 Dam will now be laid to rest. Now we can focus on the Laiban Dam which too will be constructed in an area where fault lines have been identified. We have now the advantage that the mayor of General nakar and the re-elected mayor of Infanta oppose the dam. The mayor of Tanay where the dam would be constructed also has taken the stance in favor of the people. However, it is not easy to oppose a project of the national government.

The issue of the dam has strengthened further the Task Force Sierra Madre (TFSM). Your support, which came when we needed it most, was sort of a seed money for us. Many people are now interested in supporting the cause of the TFSM. Infanta was able to organize its own chapter yesterday. There is also more interest now regarding our stance against logging. Global warming is a phenomenon which we feel even right at the foot of Sierra Madre. The consciousness that Serra Madre is important not only for us but for the Philippines and the whole world is getting stronger. We need to educate and empower more people to be a "brother's/sister's keeper." We need to be stewards, too, of God's precious gift to us -- the environment.

Once again, thank you. God bless us with more stewards of creation!

Sincerely,
Fr. Pete Montallana
Chairperson, TFSM

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:00 AM | Permalink

By Mila Glodava

My sister, Melecia Garcia or Lily to most of her friends, is a very busy person. Although now retired from her civil engineering job abt Bolling Air Force Base, Ate Lily is busier than ever traveling around the world -- she just recently came back from a pilgrimage to Poland and is planning a couple of trips to the Philippines -- shopping at her favorite malls, visiting the growing Garcia family in the D.C. area, or doing volunteer work in the Carmelite monastery and the National Shrine.

Often she uses her professonal skills as a civil engineer in her volunteer work, as when she coordinated repair work at the Carmelite monastery. Yet she finds equal joy in simply greeting people before or after Mass at the National Shrine. "I meet a lot of people from around the world," she says. In fact, one of my fellow parishioners at St. Joan of Arc in Arvada, Colorado, once told me of her short encounter with Ate Lily.

"I just met your Archbishop Chaput," she said. "He's very pleasant and approachable." Archbisohp Chaput was in town for the Kateri Tekakwitha National Conference for Native Americans.

Lily Garcia with Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM CAP, Archbishop of Denver and Msgr. Lenz, Vice-Postulator for the Cause of Blessed Kateri Tekawitha.

Among the notables she recently met were His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, who officiated the festivities in honor of Our Lady of Antipolo, and His Eminence Jose Cardinal Sanchez, who now resides in Rome.

So, if you're visiting the National Shrine in the D.C. area, you might just bump into my sister, Ate Lily. Do introduce yourself and reminisce with another kababayan. And I know she will give you the best tour of the Shrine.

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:46 PM | Permalink

From: Edward Gurango

Fireworks are prohibited in LA county, what w/ the dry conditions when a carelessly tossed cigarette butt can easily rage into an uncontrollable firestorm in no time at all. It's worse even now that there is no longer a "fire season" which usually ran from summer to late September. This year the fires started as early as spring.

One has to go further south or to other counties to watch the fireworks display. However, as early as last week, I can already hear "paputok" going off a few streets from where I'm at.

-Edward

All that the Californians could do now in LA County on 4th of July is simply sing "The rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, give proof through the night that our flag was still there," without actually seeing, or hearing the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air..

At any rate, Happy Independence day anniversary celebrations, sans fireworks.

Rudy Arizala

Posted by Mila Glodava at 06:06 PM | Permalink

Hereimder are my thoughts on 4th of July.
Happy Independence Day anniversary for the people of the "home of the free and land of the brave."

Rudy / Tito
- - - - -
FOURTH OF JULY

By Rudy A. Arizala
Santiago, Chile 04 July 2007

July fourth people celebrate
With fireworks, speeches, parade
Remember those who preferred death
Than live under the tyrant´s might

Freedom for all people on earth
To fight, enjoy and celebrate
Stars and the stripes give light
For nations still in the night!

Posted by Mila Glodava at 06:03 PM | Permalink

July 5 … Marites Cantuba
July 10 … Alicia Cailipan Buñag
July 10 … Felicidad Garcia Prohibido 
July 11 … Elsie Coronacion
July 19 … Vienna Resplandor
July 22 … Aneka Crisostomo
July 23 … Bishop Julio X. Labayen, O.C.D.
July 27 … Clarice Juntereal
July 31 … Pina Leodones

Posted by Mila Glodava at 12:00 AM | Permalink