Awaken by loud thundering sound
Followed by shaking of the earth
Buildings swayed like huge, tall hammocks
Eerie darkness spread around
My wife and I prayed together
'Til rumbling sound, shaking stopped.
By phone asked daughter's situation
How's Mayra, our granddaughter
Thank God they are all safe and sound.
A neighbor knocked at window pane
Asking if we are all right
Turned on the emergency light
Replied we are safe and sound.
Heard from battery radio set
Announcer said there was earthquake
In Santiago and Concepcion
Advised the people remain calm,
Turn off gas, electric power.
Then came reports of damages,
Injuries and death of victims
At Concepcion epicenter.
We stayed awake 'til daybreak
Feeling aftershocks now and then.
Daughter and her family came
Told us harrowing experience
Under table they sought shelter
While TV, fixtures fall around.
Grandchild Mayra remains in arms
Of her loving, caring mother.
Told her there is nothing to fear
For Jesus love children like her.
She saw doll lying on the floor
She picked it up; hugged and kissed her
Played as if no earthquake occurred.
E n d
The news "Maynilad not keen on Laiban Project" from The Philippine Daily Inquirer of 05 March 2010, implies that the Laiban Dam Project is temporarily dead but might be resurrected. So all concerned, especially those from Infanta-Real-Gen. Nakar Area should be vigilant and offer alternative solution to water-thirsty Manilans such as the construction of "rainwater catchments" as done in Hong Kong.
Eternal vigilance against the construction of Laiban Dam is necessary but at the same time let us suggest "doable" alternative solution.
Thanks again for your prayers and for informing our kababayans thru
the MIF website that we are safe and sound in Chile despite the
strong earthquake which occurred at dawn of 26th February 2010. My
relatives as far as from Saudi Arabia called me via overseas phone
expressing concern for our safety whom I have not heard for 20 years.
I was referring to Electrical Engineer Freddy "Boyet" Cuento, son of
Peddy the former sacristan of the American Carmelite Fathers in
Infanta. He said: "Tito Rudy, kinukumusta ko po lamang ang
kalalagayan ninyo diyan. Harinawa na ligtas kayo sa panganib."
Another "pamangkin" - Mario Combalicer now residing in England
sent me an email messge also expressing concern for our safety. It
dawned upon me that "kinship", pakikimag-anak" at "pakikiramay" are
still being observed by our kababayans and relatives in times of crisis.
But not only kababayans and relatives show that spirit of concern and
sympathy, but also former officemates or co-workers from the Big
Apple such as our former Communication / Press Officer Mr. Tambi Wycoco.
Mahigpit na yakap and regards.
Rudy
Along with at least 80 Filipinos, our very own Ambassador Rudy Arizala and his family reside in Santiago, Chile. Ambassador Arizala extends his thanks for prayers. He says, "Thanks again for your concern and prayers for our safety in Chile."
]]> Thank God the Arizala family in Santiago are all safe except some minor damages such as broken glass window panes, fallen books, fixtures as could be seen in the following photos:
]]>
The letter to you of Ms. Gemma Araneta Cruz of the Heritage
Conservation is heartening, indeed, offering assistance and whatever
help necessary in the restoration of the Gabaldon type of schoolhouse
in Infanta, Quezon, as it has done in other places or towns in the
Philippines. The ball is on our court. It is up for us to act. And
what I mean by this is that every Infantahins should get involve
actively especially the town officials in addition to the MIF. We
should not be merely on the receiving end. Our town officials should
also take the initiative by active participation with the MIF if not
yet done.
Rudy Arizala
Dear Ms. Glodava,
Thank you for your letter which I found quite encouraging. Yes, the Heritage Conservation Society has indeed been involved in restoring Gabaldon schoolhouses since 2004. The first one we restored, the Jose Rizal Elementary School in Bacolod City was built in 1904, which makes it pre-Gabaldon.
The most recent one in Kuguita, Camiguin, was a joint endeavor with AUSaid and Streetwise, an Australian NGO; they want to do another one in Mindanao.
I am happy to know that you want to restore some Gabaldons in Infanta. I would like to email you a couple of articles I wrote about the Gabaldons, should you be interested.
The HCS is at your service.
Sincerely,
Gemma Cruz Araneta
At a luncheon meeting on Feb. 15, Friends of Metro Infanta Foundation made plans to help the Foundation raise, by December 2010, the $200,000 (9.4 million pesos) we committed to help rebuild the Gabaldon school building destroyed by a typhoon back in the mid-70s. Joanne Horne, a regular Foundation supporter and member of the board, agreed to serve as chair for this event. The committee agreed not only to host various events to raise funds but also to bring awareness to our Gabaldon Project and, we hope, major donors as well.
1) Italian Dinner: Joanne Horne and her daughter Maribeth Hanzlik will host this event. Date to be determined.
2) Pennies from Heaven: Joanne Horne will invite a number of schools to do a "Pennies from Heaven Drive similar to what the children and youth did for the church in Panukulan.
3) Victorian Tea Party, April 10, 1-3:30 p.m. Vicki Turner, who is from England, will host this event for 50 people.
4) Filipino Dinner: Ana Cruz and Carolyn Kimzey will help put together a Filipino dinner, after June 10.
5) Joni Sanderson will put together a PowerPoint presentation on the Gabaldon.
6) Irene Lindemer will help put together a two-page newsletter on the Gabaldon. Perhaps Therese Beaudette can help with ideas.
7) Each member of the committee will tell others about the Gabaldon.
8) Susan O’Brien will join us later. We probably could benefit from more members.
9) Next meeting: Thursday, Mar. 11, STM conference room.
As you can see our American friends are willing to help us raise funds to resurrect the Gabaldon. In fact, among our first donor to the committee, is STM pastor, the Rev. Andrew Kemberling, who gave part of his personal tithe of $1,000 towards our goal. "You now have just $199,000 to raise," he said.
I hope Infantahins will take the lead of Father Andrew and our American friends and pull our strengths together to raise the $200,000 we need to make our dream come true. Some of our members of the board have already accepted the challenge to raise funds in their state or areas of influence. For instance, Pol, our president, and his wife, Sally, have accepted the challenge to raise $10,000 in the Texas area and Melecia Garcia has accepted the challenge to raise $10,000 in the Washington, D.C. area. If your area has a lot of Infantahins, California and Michigan for instance, I ask you to consider doing the same. Please watch the website for more information about this fundraising in earnest to raise the funds by the end of 2010.
We hope to have Gabaldon grand opening for the school year 2011-2012, in time for the hundredth anniversary of the Gabaldon, which was first built in 1911.
Here’s our strategy. In parentheses are pledges or payments of cash and stocks for a total of $38,545.
1 donor to give $20,000: ($20,000)
2 donors to give $10,000 each: ($10,000)
4 donors to give $5,000 each ($5,000)
8 donors to give $2,500
20 donors to give $1,000 each ($3,000)
The above pledges can be paid one-time or monthly through December 2010.
The following can be one-time gifts:
50 donors to give $500
100 donors to give $250 ($300)
200 donors to give $100 ($100)
200 donors to give $50
400 donors to give $25 ($45)
500 donors to give $20
If we all pull our strengths together we will be able to raise all this money. If you remember, pulling our resources together, we raised $50,000 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the coming of the Carmelite mission in Infanta. We did it at that time, so I know we can do it again if all of us contribute.
You can do this by making a donation online (see the homepage), or by sending a check to: Metro Infanta Foundation, 7350 Braun Way, Arvada, CO 80005.
Please remember also, since the inception of Metro Infanta Foundation, we have raised more than $500,000 and have distributed nearly $400,000 in grants to various causes. That's something of which we all can be very proud to have done.
Those of us who came through the halls of the Gabaldon have gone on to many successful careers. Let us help the next generation to do the same.
Let us all help rebuild the Gabaldon!
]]>“Sa alikabok ka galing
Sa alikabok rin ang balik!”
Mga katagang sinambit
Habang ang iginuguhit
Ng Pari ay krus na uling
Sa noo na may kulimlim.
Magsisi sa kasalanan
At manalanging taimtim
Kapatawaran, hilingin
Ito ang ibig sabihin
Ng krus na iginuguhit
Sa araw ng alikabok.
The article: “Jessie Lichauco at 98: Feasting by the Pasig, dances with memories," by Ms. Sunshine de Leon which appeared on 07 February 2010, Philippine Daily Inquirer, made me recall to mind a distinguished lady who, accompanied by her two daughters, made a stop-over in New Delhi in 1958, on their way to London. I was then a young lawyer starting my diplomatic career at the Philippine Embassy as private secretary and confidential assistant to the Philippine Ambassador. I was designated to act as their tourist guide during their stay in the Indian capital.
Our 1958 visitors from Manila in New Delhi were no other than Mrs. Jessie Lichauco and her two teenaged daughters. I remember that the motherly and kind lady, more by way of endearment than in jest, fondly referred to me as the “boy lawyer” of the Philippine Embassy. Or, sometimes she calls me “hijo”.
Since that episode, I have not heard from them. But I never forget such motherly attention. It is, therefore, a pleasant surprise and gratifying for me to know that the distinguished lady I met with her two daughters many years ago, celebrated recently her 98th brithday; that she is still strong enjoying life and love of her children and grandchildren.
I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to extend to her my belated but sincere congratulations on her birthday. And of course, I wish her a very Happy Valentine which all grandparents like her deserved.
"So many column inches have been written – like the proverbial water
under the bridge – on whether our next well should be the Wawa or
Laiban Dam.
THE SKINNY. A battle between Patron Saints: On one side is San Miguel
Corporation’s Manila Water, championing Laiban Dam; opposite is San
Lorenzo Ruiz Builders Corp. with 17 years lien on the Wawa river dam.
"SMC has deep pockets and is favored by MWSS; but Laiban requires
relocating population, building 70 kms. pipeline infrastructure
(including tunneling) and three pump stations.
"SLRB’s Wawa waters are just 7 kms. from Montalban or only 11 kms. to
Balara. Wawa can start-up supplying 50 millon liters/day (MLD) within
the year – with the potential to supply 1,500 MLD proven by experts
recommended by the National Water Resources Board.
"DAVID VS GOLIATH. While they battle royale, Wawa waters flush to the
Bay with no benefit to mankind. Who is this David of SLRB who stands
up to the SMC Goliath?"
Incredible, but true. It takes a non-Infantahins to take up the
challenge and suggest that the best source of additional supply of
water for thirsty "Manilans" is the not the construction of a new dam
in Laiban but the harnessing of the already existing Wawa Dam near
Manila.
I hope that would rally our mga kababayans to support the proposal / suggestion of Mr. Cruz so that the Laiban Dam would not come to light and be left at peace, thereby saving thousands of inhabitants, fauna and flora from being either destroyed or relocated at great expense and inconvenience as well as destruction of our environment.
]]> Or have we lost that sense of self-pride, self-esteem and love of our hometown and native land? According to my information, there is now scarcity of potable water in Infanta. Wonder if the former "bukal" in Brgy. Ilog and then the "patay na Agus" as sources of our potable water have dried up already due to benign neglect and lack ofI take my hats off to Mr. Neal Cruz for his column by wisely proposing that thirsty Manila harnessed the Wawa Dam by resuscitating it and spare or prevent the construction of the Laiban Dam in the Sierra Madre mountains.
"One thing I want to share is I admire our Filipino actors and
actresses in portraying their respective roles. Puwedeng-puwede sa
Oscar award!
I am proud to be a Filipino and an OFW. I am proud of all Infantahins
working here in Saudi Arabia and in other Middle East countries."
I must say, and I have discussed this with cousin Doc Dady Recio,
many times that we should not lose self-esteem, self-pride, love of
country, personal accountability in whatever tasks in life we have in
order to lift our Bayang Magiliw from being in the state of
"nakasadlak sa dusa at dalita".
I am happy to note that Infantahins like Mr. Tony L. Vera Cruz, who
through hardwork, rose from poverty to the pinnacle of success where
he is now, has retained those virtues mentioned above and despite not
of the good image of our country abroad, is still "proud to be a
Filipino and as an OFW - especially of being proud that he is an
Infantahin and proud of all Infantahins. There should be that spirit
of self-esteem, pride in one's native land; and personal
accountability. I therefore congratulate Mr. Tony L. Vera Cruz and
may his tribe increase especially among his generation of Filipinos
as well as in future generations of Filipinos.
By the way, if I am not mistaken, is Mr. Tony L. Vera Cruz, the son
of Nana Choleng Lamina of Infanta, a kumadre of my late mother
because Vener, a daughter of hers is the ina-anak sa binyag of my
mother? And if I am not again mistaken was not Mr. Vera Cruz the
husband of Nana Cholen Lamina a co-worker of Kaka Thelma's father,
the former postmaster of Infanta, Quezon - the late Tata Edong
(Deogracias) Telan?
Mabuhay ang mga Infantahins! Mabuhay ang Pinoy!
Rudy Arizala
How many young children
Failed to bloom but wilted
Before they could emerge
Under Caribbean sun?
Faces sad, speechless.
How many mother's breasts
Dried before they could nurse
Emaciated babies?
Staring blankly their eyes.
How many are jobless
Surrounded by ruins
Despair and hopelessness?
Mouth silent as Sphinx.
People condemned to death
Even before their birth!
E n d
I agree with you that Filipino telenovelas are addicting. To appreciate them, as you've said, just follow the story until it ends. That's why I have to go home without delays from work to watch them. If I missed one, I had to call my friends. Nakaka-addict talaga!
One thing I want to share is I admire our Filipino actors and actresses in portraying their respective roles. Puwedeng-puwede sa Oscar award!
Maipagmamalaki talaga ang mga Pinoy in all fields of achievements.
I am proud to be a Filipino and an OFW. I am proud of all Infantahins working here in Saudi Arabia and in other Middle East countries.
More power to you and the Metro Infanta Foundation. Keep up the good works.
God bless you and all Infantahins.
Thanks and best regards,
Tony L. Vera Cruz
From poverty, I am now an ISO Consultant in one of the first-class oil and shipping service companies in the Gulf Region.