just in case you'd be interested

yup, I'm hoping that you'd be interested. Here are some pictures I managed to take before the mass this morning (my apologies for the low resolution pix, as usual I used my phone camera again). It's on the repairs being done at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The work on the ceiling, and the left and right walls at the nave area is almost complete. Work is now at the left and right wings, dome and the area where the retablo is. All these are part of the preparation for the Centennary of the Diocese of Calbayog on April 10, 2010.

Happy Birthday Fr. Romy!

Rev. Fr. Romeo Manzanero, former Parish Pastor of Calbayog City will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

break anay: Cory Aquino by Philip Stein

Break anay san mga chika sa Calbayog nga either masimok or mamurayaw - depending upon which end of the political spectrum you are in. Let me give you something about Cory Aquino (oh no not again!). I know that this is an advertisement of a watch the brand of which is something I cannot afford in my lifetime. Let me re-phrase that, maybe I can afford when I am retired and has received a hefty sum for my retirement. Back to the watch, it's expensive (I suppose), it's yellow (many are allergic to it especially this election season) and it will remind one of Noynoy Aquino (like the color yellow, many are allergic to him especially this election season) and Kris Aquino (need I say more?), but what the heck it has Cory all over it. Again, let me give you this video for our break this weekend. If I may quote what YaoEm stated in his YouTube account, "Produced in a limited series of 1,011, The Philip Stein Corazon C. Aquino watch pays tribute to our 11th President of the Philippines and A Mother of Democracy."

SJNHS at 42

The San Joaquin National High School (SJNHS) will celebrate its 42nd Foundation Day today.

The celebration commenced yesterday with Recognition Rites for honor students and the Talent Competition of the Candidates for Mr. & Ms. SJNHS 2010.

Today's events will include the Super Quiz Bee, Literary and Musical Contests, and the Search for Mr. & Ms. SJNHS 2010 at the Lazaro Tancinco Gymnasium in Brgy. San Joaquin.

the celebrity hound with Chef Tristan

Chef Tristan in town

Chef Tristan Encarnacion will be in Calbayog tomorrow. He is part of the group of resource persons who will be in town for the Regional Seminar on Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship. The said event will be held at the Socio-Cultural Center of the NwSSU.

Happy Birthday Arnol!

City Administrator Arnol Trani will turn a year old today. Happy Birthday!

Calbayog City participants win in the 7th National Science Quest and Fair

Congratulations to all the twelve participants from Calbayog City who won in the various competitions in the 7th National Science Quest and Fair held on February 3 - 5, 2010 at Tabaco National High School, Tabaco City.

Milaner Oyo-a, a science teacher from the Rafael Lentejas Memorial School of Fisheries was the National Champion in the Science Investigatory Project (SIP) Teacher Category. His entry entitled "Cafe de Mango" won him the 1st place. He bested the 26 contestants from the other regions all over the country.

Hadz Sumagang, a Grade 4 pupil from the Calbayog City SPED Center got the 2nd place in the Water Patrol grade 4 pupil category. He was coached by Mrs. Chona Arpon, MT II from Calbayog City SPED Center.

Gerald Malabarbas, a science teacher from the San Joaquin National High School ranked 5th in the Science Intervention Material (SIM) Competition.

Other winners in the same nationwide events are the following:

1. Peach Gem Pacquiao and Albert Alfonso - their investigatory project entitled "Camistea" was the 8th finalist for the team category. They were coached by Michael Pernia of the Binaliw Elementary School.
2. Mary Josephine Co. Her project Water Recycler ranked 9th finalist in the Physical Science category. she was coached by Mrs. Haidee Salurio of the Calbayog City SPED Canter.
3. Julian Alvarez from the Calbayog City National High School ranked 9 in secondary level Science quiz. His coach was Joy Saldaña.
4. Joan Padilla from the Calbayog City National High School ranked 8 in the secondary level chemistry quiz. She was coached by Calick Arieta.

The Calbayog City delegation was headed by Mrs. Edna Subito, DepEd Calbayog ES-1 for Science and Health.

Two new priests to be ordained tomorrow

Rev. Basil Salino (l) and Rev. Bryan Fajardo (r) with Bishop Isabelo Abarquez after they were ordained as deacons on August 4, 2008.

Rev. Basilio S. Salino of Oquendo and Rev. Romualdo G. Fajardo, Jr. of Santo Niño will be ordained to the Order of Presbyterate tomorrow.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez will preside over the ordination ceremonies at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Fr. Salino will have celebrate his Thanksgiving Mass on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Holy Infant Parish Church in Oquendo, while Fr. Fajardo will celebrate his Thanksgiving Mass on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at the Holy Infant Parish Church in Santo Niño.

Happy Birthday Rene!

City Treasurer Federico "Rene" Resente, Jr. will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

kwaresma na liwat

Kwaresma na liwat. Masses were said at the Cathedral yesterday as the faithful took time to observe Miercoles De Ceniza. As with the previous years, in addition to repentance and giving alms to the poor, calls to fasting and abstinence were made.

Needless to say, it's the 5:00 pm mass that's always crowded, 'box-office' kumbaga. I decided to attend the 10:00 am mass which was presided by the Bishop. And there was order during the "pamuring" ceremony. It's either that crowd was disciplined or that the crowd was simply manageable (ohh, what am I saying?) Seriously, if we take the usual experience that we had where crowds can't fall in line for the ashes, how could you expect them to take to heart the calls for fasting and abstinence? And yes, did I mention the Church being half-empty after the imposition of the ashes? Ah, es la vida.

Let me share some pix I managed to take during yesterday morning's mass.

Yup, those are bamboo scaffolding at the left wing of the Cathedral. As mentioned in my earlier blogposts, repairs are being done at the structure in time for the Centenary on April 10, 2010.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez leading the "pamuring".

Some of the faithful trooping out of the Cathedral after the mass. Yup, that's how the outer wall of the right wing now looks like.

Diocesan Centennial Update: Pilgrimage Sites

I checked my files and I found this picture of a billboard which was installed at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral many months ago (yup months before they started doing the landscaping project. Don't look for it (the billboard) now, it was blown away when a typhoon hit the city a few months ago. Anyway, the billboard contained this announcement:

In celebration of the

Centenary of the Diocese of Calbayog

this Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul

has been proclaimed as Pilgrimage Site

You can gain Plenary Indulgence

Other churches which the Bishop of Calbayog proclaimed as Pilgrimage Sites are:

• St. Bartolomew Church in Catbalogan
• St. Michael the Archangel Church in Bassey
• Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish Church in Calbiga
• St. Anthony de Padua Parish Church in Zumarraga
• The Diocesan Marian Shrine in Ubanun, Catbalogan

Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Let me give you a short article by Sr. Maria Cecilia M. Paywal, PDDM which was featured in last Sunday's sambuhay misalette:

Ash

Ash comes from the Latin word cinis, the product of the burning of something in the fire. It symbolizes death, expiration, and may also mean humility and penance. In the book of Jonas (3:6), it was used to describe the conversion of the people of Nineveh. Oftentimes it is used together with the "dust" of the earth: "in truth, I am dust and ashes," says Abraham in Genesis 18:27.

On Ash Wednesday, before the first Sunday of Lent, the symbolic gesture of the imposition of the ash on the forehead is being done. This is the ash of the palms that were blessed in the past year. It is done as a response to the Word of God that invites us to conversion, which marks the beginnings of the Lenten fast and the journey of preparation for Easter. Lent starts with the ash and ends with the fire, the water, and the light of the Easter Vigil. Something has to be burned and destroyed within us - the old self - to give was to the new life in Christ.

Chinese New Year at the Sam Tai Chi Temple

Yesterday I took a break from my usual black outfit and wore my red shirt for the 15th Annual Celebration of the Temple of Sam Tai Chi and the Chinese New Year Celebration.

The temple which is owned by the family Mr. Tiburcio (Tiboy) and Mrs. Estrella (Iday) Chan is located on the 5th floor of the Lim Guan Kho Building along Rosales Boulevard. This annual event is always a opportunity for me to bond with the Chan brood who were my schoolmates at the Calbayog Chinese School.

Here are some pictures I managed to take during yesterday's event.

update on the cathedral

I took some pictures at the Cathedral after the 8:00 am mass. Work is still going on. The repainting of the ceiling is almost complete with work now being done at the left wing of the cathedral. The side altars are now sporting a new gold-leaf finish.

This is the area along Senator Avelino Avenue. It was cemented after the benches, plants and lamp posts were removed.

The repainting of the ceiling is almost done. The rectangular openings which used to have those fluorescent lamps have been covered.

Scaffolding at the left wing of the Cathedral (or the area where one get to see the image of the Dolorosa)

The life-size images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary have been removed from its pedestal (pix below). The images are being gold-leafed.

Happy Anniversary Zenen and Anabelle

Zenen and Anabelle (Tayab) Santos will celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary today. Congratulations and Best Wishes!

those Centennial Crosses

If you happened to pass by the rotonda in Barangay Obrero, an island in Rosales Boulevard, the corner of Magsaysay Boulevard and Burgos Street, Barangay Bagacay, and the Barangay Balud Chapel, you must have seen those newly-erected crosses.

Nope, nobody is buried in any of the areas mentioned. But needless to say, the crosses drew varied reactions. These crosses were erected to commemorate the Centennial Mission which the Redemptorist Missionaries conducted in the various barangays of Calbayog. Said activity which would have covered a good number of barangays by March 14, 2010 was among the preparations for the Centenary of the Diocese of Calbayog.

So the next time you pass by these areas, don't offer prayers for some dead people, but do thank the Almighty for the 100 years of existence - April 10, 1910 to April 10, 2010 - of the Diocese of Calbayog.

The cross at the rotonda in Barangay Obrero. As with the other crosses, on it was painted these words: "Hinumduman san Centennial Mission. Diocese of Calbayog 1910 - 2010. The Priests, Religious People of God, and Redemptorist Missionaries. January 17 - March 4, 2010."

The people of Barangay Balud opted to have their cross painted brown.

This one is at Barangay Awang. They placed it in an area which had been made as tambakan san basura by some people in the said barangay. Hmm, what a way to promote proper waste disposal.

This cross belongs to Barangay Central. It is located on the center island of Rosales Boulevard. Yup, it's the area in front of Jollibee.

election economics

Let me give you something to smile about this weekend. In case you think it's just the candidates trying to outdo each other this (election) season, think again. So are the entrepreneurs who thrive especially this election year.

Proof to tell, I saw this van parked in front of the Nijaga Park earlier today. Well, as the streamers attached to it says, it offers discount on tarpaulin orders in line with its "election promo". Ah, such entrepreneurial spirit.

war of the ballers

Thanks to the election season, it seems like there's a new fashion accessory that everyone, well almost everyone is into; and it's the type of accessory which make the snatchers sad: the ballers! Those rubber bracelets with the names (and colors) of the Presidential candidates on it. As of today, I have managed to get hold of Noynoy's yellow and blue baller and Gibo's green-colored one. I'm still waiting for the other candidates. And yes, how I wish someone would come up with a black-colored one.

nagtikang na (or images from my old hometown)

So, the official campaign period for the presidentiables has commenced. As with the rest of the country, Calbayog got her share of campaign posters and what have you. Surely, these posters remind us of some images from our (old) hometown (at least during the election season). Don't say the posters have dirtied the place, not yet, wait until it's time for the local bets to do their campaigning. In the meantime, let me give you some pix of posters I managed to take yesterday.

That's Gibo's poster by the poste by the Old Barracks Building. No need to explain the poster at the back.

Should be call that a poste where this poster is? maybe it's puro-poste.

Whoever placed this must have been after the green color of the leaves of the Mango tree, thus forgetting that he or she attached Loren's poster at an electric post.

Hmm, I think I already knew who the stall-owner will vote for. Look at the ribbons decorating the stall.

We will be in for more poster and streamers in the forthcoming months. In the meantime, let me give you something I got from my files. It's a poster welcoming visitors in a certain barangay. Read closely and you'll understand why my comment is: "ah, ini man!"

break anay: C-5, bag-o nga brand san Iced Tea?

I thought I was just gonna let the never-ending issue on "C-5" go and die a natural death. That is until I came across an analysis which Ms. Winnie Monsod reported on QTV. I thought I'd like to share it with you.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

The old Bus Terminal

From this . . .

. . . to this. This is how the Calbayog City Convention Center will (hopefully) look like when finished.

Work has commenced on the 36 million-peso plus project. The Calbayog Bus Terminal together with the Public Market will be relocated at the Magsaysay Boulevard extension in Barangay Bagacay, Calbayog City. (Photos by Henry Puyat)

For a video presentation on the project, please check this link.

at the Kutay islet

We were at the Kutay islet in Barangay Malajog last week. It was then that I had my first glimpse of the project which Jun Oben is so excited about. What used to be (if I may borrow Jun's words) the longest toilet in the coastal area has been transformed. Hopefully, it will become a pilgrimage site with the 21-foot statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, the 14 Stations of the Cross, the Nativity Scene and the Chapel.

The project is expected to be formally inaugurated come September of this year. A good number of Calbayognon pilgrims from San Francisco and other areas have signified their attendance. This pilgrimage tour is currently being organized by my new-found friend Baby Perito.

I will give you more updates on the project in my future blog posts. In the meantime, let me share some pictures (courtesy of my mobile phone again) which I managed to take during our visit.

That's the statue of the "Del Rosario" on top with the 14 Stations of the Cross on the sides.

The statue of the "Del Rosario" as viewed from the 7th station.

A painter working on one of the stations of the cross.

Jun Oben with Asner Dean as they checked on the project.

That's me at the Nativity Scene

the phone video I took while at the top of the islet.