war of the ballers 2

The campaign season is heating up. Just curious, how is campaign season different from election season? (Oops, don't take that question seriously, just wanna make you smile this long weekend). Along with the usual posters and streamers bearing names and pictures of candidates are the ballers. This stuff is something kinda new. And everyone is practically trying to collect one or two. Well, in some cases it's every baller that comes along the way regardless of the name (and color) of the candidate.

Need I say more?

Happy Birthday Fr. Jun!

Fr. Felix Junco, Jr., o.f.m. will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

in memoriam Djuvan Tan

Former City Councilor Djuvan Tan returned to his creator on March 27, 2010. He was 52.

His body will lie in state at the Sangguniang Panlungsod tonight until Thursday morning. Afterwhich it will be brought to Barangay San Joaquin.

Gibo Teodoro in Calbayog

Presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro was in Calbayog today. He met with his supporters at the Calbayog City Sports Center.

Images from Earth Hour in Calbayog

Let me give you some pictures taken during the Earth Hour 2010 event in Calbayog. The activity was held last Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the City Hall stage.

The SOS Youth as they spelled out "Earth Hour" during their Hand Play presentation.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento with some DepEd officials.

(l-r) City Cooperatives Office Cipriano Baldomaro, City Engineer Oscar Hugo, City Veterinarian Decoroso Balmes, Fr. Dondon Paulino and Estanislao Cortado, Jr.

Program Host Eleen Lim asking a trivia question to a young Earth Hour Participant.

Some of the participants as they signed the Earth Hour 2010 Pledge of Commitment.

The officials of Barangay Rawis led by Punong Barangay Isidra Oriendo (2nd to the right)

Starting 'em young. Youth participants from CGS Calbayog.

A youth group doing their dance number.

The Diocesan Centennial Celebration Schedule of Events

The Events slated in celebration of the Centenary of the Diocese of Calbayog

April 1 - 10, 2010

April 1, 2010 (Thursday)

• 2:00 pm: Pastoral Conference (Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral)
• 4:00 pm: 1st Novena Mass and Episcopal Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral)

April 2, 2010 (Friday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Reflection (Bassey)
• 4:00 pm: 2nd Novena Mass (Bassey)

April 3, 2010 (Saturday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechesis (Villareal)
• 4:00 pm: 3rd Novena Mass (Villareal)

April 4, 2010 (Sunday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechises (Calbiga)
• 4:00 pm: 4th Novena Mass (Calbiga)

April 5, 2010 (Monday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechesis (Catbalogan)
• 4:00 pm: 5th Novena Mass (Catbalogan)
• 7:00 pm: Calbayog Clergy Centennial Concert (Catbalogan)

April 6, 2010 (Tuesday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechesis (Paranas)
• 4:00 pm: 6th Novena Mass (Paranas)

April 7, 2010 (Wednesday)

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechesis (Gandara)
• 4:00 pm: 7th Novena Mass (Gandara)
• 7:00 pm: Calbayog Clergy Centennial Concert (Calbayog City Sports Center)

April 8, 2010 (Thursday)

• 6:00 am: Holy Mass (Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral)
• 9:00 am - 5:00 pm: Centennial inter-Diocesan Friendship Games (Calbayog City Sports Center, St. Vincent de Paul Seminary and Joggers Basketball Court)
• 10:30 am: Opening of the Diocesan Museum (Centennial Pastoral Center)
• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Catechesis (Sta. Margarita)
• 4:00 pm: 8th Novena Mass (Sta. Margarita)
• 7:00 pm: In Concert: The CKC-Jose Gomez Orchestra (Calbayog City Sports Center)

April 9, 2010 (Friday)

• 8:00 am - 3:30 pm: Priests' Congress (Centennial Pastoral Center)
• 4:00 pm: 9th Novena Mass (Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral)
• 5:00 pm: Grand Centennial Procession
• 7:00 pm: Diocesan Centennial Awards (Calbayog City Sports Center)
• 8:00 pm: Cultural Night (Calbayog City Sports Center)

April 10, 2010 (Saturday)

• 8:00 am: Planeside Honors for the Papal Nuncio (Calbayog Airport)
• Motorcade
• 10:00 am: Centennial Celebration Mass (Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral)
• 12:00 noon: Luncheon (Calbayog City Sports Center)
• 1:30 pm: Departure Honors for the Papal Nuncio (Calbayog Airport)

Images from the Diaconal Ordination

For some pictures, please click on the image above or check this link.

Domingo de Ramos

Semana Santa na liwat. And it started today with the blessing of the palms. It's nice to note that we no longer hear people say that the blessed palms, branches, pitogo or lukay can be used to ward off evil, bad luck and the like. Anyway, don't worry, this blogpost is not a reflection on the significance of Palm Sunday, I'll leave to to the priests who I'm sure will have their own (various) interpretations of this celebration.

Let me share with you some pictures I managed to take this morning. Something to remind us of religious traditions of Calbayog. Or if you are not into things or events that are religious in nature, let's consider today's activity part of Calbayog kahi-araan.

As with the previous Palm Sundays, the faithful of Calbayog flocked to the Cathedral. Also on hand were the entrepreneurs who expect to cash it in today selling what else but palms.

A mother and daughter team setup "shop" in front of the Cathedral to sell "lukay" for the faithful.

These guys found their space under the scaffolding by the portecochere of the Cathedral.

Fr. Marlowe Rosales, ofm blessing the palms.

And where people are gathered, expect the PDcab drivers to be there too.

Happy Birthday Sir Pio!

Mr. Pio Santos will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

Bryan and Gina

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Bryan David and Gina Chambers. They will get maried today. Fr. Bartolome Dumalag will preside over the wedding mass at the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Sabang. Reception will be held at Marju Krisel Resort.

Happy Anniversary Rommel and Shanta

Rommel and Shanta Prudente will celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary today. Congratulations and Best Wishes!

Calbayog's hidden talents

I was at the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Sabang last night for the wedding rehearsal of Bryan David and Gina Chambers. It was supposed to be the usual wedding rehearsal until I heard the Children's Choir rehearse their songs for the wedding. At the risk of sounding OA, I would like to say that I had goosebumps when I heard the kids do their stuff. What made the group interesting is that it started with a bunch of "barrio" kids doing their panarit last Christmas. And in less than three months, they are singing at the Holy Trinity Parish. I was able to take some short videos of the kids rehearsing. Sorry about the quality, I used my mobile phone to take these videos.

break anay: Earth Hour 2010

Happy Birthday Rhez!

Mr. Rolando "Rhez" Saplad, Jr. will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

images from my old hometown

Let's give ourselves a break. Hopefully I can give you something to smile about today. Please don't take this seriously. Here's a picture I got from the blog of Dennis Villegas. It's of a signage which used to stand on a vacant lot in Obrero a couple of years ago. I'm not into anything in featuring this picture. It's just the smile that I remember seeing on my companions each time we saw this. Well, what a way to promote proper waste disposal.

Anonymous (or bitching 101)

Hoy, biased ka! Fuck you! Who do you think you are!

These are but some of the comments I got recently. At first I was shocked, then I was amused that I pissed someone off with my blog. And let's not even start discussing some of the messages in the chatbox.

So, my initial reaction? Change the blog setting which explains why this blog cannot be accessed for the past few days. But then, a good number of friends texted and emailed me, and then it occurred to me there are more Calbayognons who want nothing but some updates from the only home we have got.

So let us make things clear. Just a reminder, especially for those who recently discovered this blog, as my blog header say it: THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG. If it's news about the LGU that you want, check my Calbayog City blog, the header of which says: Welcome to the temporary home of the LGU News section of the Calbayog website. If I may repeat what I stated in my earlier rant, that blog came to be because the website broke down.

I can never claim that my blog is the best there is, it's crude, it's simplistic, boring (that's how some rated my blogposts). On the other hand, I am thankful and inspired by the emails and text messages appreciating that one way or the other they (Calbayogonons out of Calbayog) are able to connect to their home.

I guess removing the chatbox and the comments section would be a better solution. If only to do away with those anonymous blog "viewers". Yup I also call anonymous those who use bogus names in giving comments. AND, to change my blog title so as to once again emphasize that THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG.

Talking about the anonymous. I would like to borrow what a fellow blogger had to those nasty beings out there:

"While blogging and writing can receive both good and bad comments, reactions like these only show how immature the responses of some readers are."

"Of course I do not expect good reviews. The blog is opinionated and every reader in entitled to his or her own opinion, much in the same way that the blogging is opinion-based as well. But that is what writing is all about. It expresses that freedom which many of us dish out so freely, because it is what it is. And you can counter argue that the comment left by the reader is his/her opinion as well."

"I will not argue with whoever commented in the above manner. However, anyone who curses and uses such vile language and writes down his pseudonym as Anonymous is humor to me. They actually have no balls nor brain to make a constructive criticism as well. But thank you Anonymous for visiting my blogsite. And to give you credit, I have dedicated one blog article just for you. Imagine that! You should be proud I even took the time to give you space when no space is needed for ghosts like you."

"People like 'Anonymous' should and will remain as such. They have no contribution to society, except to stay as anonymous. Their opinions don't matter. And anonymity is tantamount to non-existence in this world."

in memoriam Bishop Del Rosario

Today we remember The Most Reverend Manuel P. Del Rosario, D.D., the 4th Bishop of Calbayog. It has been a year since he received the gift of eternal life.

For my previous posts on the late Bishop, please check these: link 1, link 2.

break anay: Prof. Winnie Monsod denies writing article expressing support for Noynoy

Have you come across an email with an article supposedly that of Winnie Monsod expressing support for Noynoy Aquino? Alas, the article is a hoax. Winnie Monsod went on TV a few weeks ago to clear things out.


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

I rest my case

. . . or is it may araw din kayo?

Baga nauuso na liwat an mga graffiti. Hmm, seems like they wanna compete with the official campaign season which starts this Friday, you know with all those posters and what have you.

Do we call it art? Self-expression perhaps? or plain and simple parayaw? Anyway, to save my sanity I ended reading what's written and in a way it made me smile.

Ahh, I think this is more about L'amore! :-)

Maybe the person who painted this meant the POPE? or is it the POOR?

Maybe EPHEMERAL is more like it?

Just in case you'd be interested

The work being done in the interior of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral is almost complete. Here are some pictures I managed to take this morning. My apologies for the picture quality, it's my phone camera again.

The work being done is part of the preparations for the Centenary of the Diocese on Calbayog which will be celebrated on April 10, 2010.

The interior of the Cathedral minus the scaffolding.

The altar area cleared of the bamboo scaffolding. The bamboos on the left are for the finishing touches being done on the Bishop's canopy.

"Home at last?" That's the line that came to mind upon seeing the old silver-colored tabernacle - the one which many generations of Calbayognons get to see as the monumento during Holy Thursday. From the looks of it, this antique piece is going to replace the small gold colored tabernacle which many of us "grew up with".

The retablo without the scaffolding. On the left side is the Bishop's canopy on which some finishing touches are being done.

The portecochere in bricks

The Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in 1928

I came across what is so far the clearest old photo of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The photo dated 1928 was entitled "Bishop Hacbang's Cathedral". I thought I'd like to share it with you.

Images from the Diaconal Ordination

The Diocese of Calbayog has 6 new deacons. They are Rev. Joseph Rabuya De Guzman (of San Policarpo, Calbayog City), Rev. Roger Mañoza Oñate (of Oquendo, Calbayog City), Rev. Cris Uy Tan (of Pagsangjan, Samar), Rev. Mario Benjamin Cobilla Mangubat (of Villareal, Samar), Rev. Ronjie Cabrales Raquil (of Pinabacdao, Samar) and Rev. Jake Jester Portugaliza Yboa (of Catbalogan, Samar).

Let me share some pictures taken during the ordination last Tuesday, March 17, 2010. (Thanks to Rev. Jake Yboa and the rest of the deacons for allowing me to post their pictures in this blog)

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez with Msgr. Bienvenido Chiquillo, Fr. Roland Cajegas and Fr. Renato Piczon.

Rev. Jake Yboa with Rev. Rev. Mario Benjamin Cobilla Mangubat and Rev. Ronjie Cabrales Raquil.

Rev. Joseph Rabuya De Guzman, Rev. Roger Mañoza Oñate and Rev. Cris Uy Tan.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez

Monsignor Bienvenido Chiquillo, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Calbayog.

The new Deacons with the Priests and Knights of the Altar as they sang the Jubilee Theme Song.

The new Deacons with Bishop Isabelo Abarquez.

The new Deacons with the Bishop and some members of Calbayog Clergy.