The celebrity hound struck again

As I have mentioned in an earlier blog post, the officers and members of the Consuelo Foundation came to Calbayog to check on some projects. I made it to the ground-breaking ceremony for the Balay Consuelo and the Dinner at Ciriaco Hotel. I thought it was going to be just another night of free dinner (smile!) until the introductions were made and there he was - Señor Alejandro Zobel Padilla. I first came across that name when I read a book on the "Premio Zobel". Alex Padilla is the brother of Gerogina Padilla y Zobel. The brother and sister team together with Nenuca Sinjua, have been handling the Premio since 1985.

So much for the premio (smile!), for the celebrity hound in me, he was a Zobel and that was it. Seriously, his presence in Calbayog was a surprise. It's not everyday that you see a Zobel walking under that sun in Brgy. San Policarpo to check on some projects for the poor of Calbayog. 

Me with Mr. Alex Padilla and Ms. Patti Lyons, herself a popular figure in the philanthropy circles in Hawaii. Ms. Lyons is currently the Board Secretary of Consuelo Foundation (CF). A close friend of the late Consuelo Zobel Alger, Ms. Lyons was the first President and CEO of  CF.

The CKC Youth Symphony Orchestra in Gandara

The CKC Youth Symphony Orchestra was in Gandara earlier tonight. It was their first outreach concert outside of Calbayog. The concert which featured a mixed selection of classical and pop pieces was held at the Gandara Covered Court. CKC President Fr. Marcelo Tubac, ofm led the Franciscan community in lending support to the group which performed under the baton of Rev. Fr. Marlowe Rosales, ofm.

The CKC YSO will be in Cebu for a series of concerts from November 17 - 20, 2011.

groundbreaking for balay consuelo

The Officers and Members of the Consuelo Foundation arrived in Calbayog today for a visit and updates on their various projects which were implemented through the Western Samar Development Foundation (WESADEF). One of the highlights of the visit was the ground-breaking ceremony for the Balay Consuelo which when finished will serve as a shelter for sexually-abused children in Calbayog and nearby municipalities.

(For more details about Consuelo Foundation, please check this link) 

Rev. Fr. Marcelo Tubac, OFM leading the prayer of blessing.

(l-r) Consuelo Foundation CEO John Matsuka,  WESADEF Executive Committee President Bella De Los Reyes, WESADEF Executive Director Emma Elardo and Consuelo Foundation Board Chair Jeffrey Watanabe.

mga kodak san patrun

I checked my files and I saw some more pictures which I took last fiesta. In this case, it's the ones I took after the pontifical mass.


Sugad san nababatasan, nagpa-"kodak" an mga hermanas mayores kaupod an obispo ug ira pamilya sa atubangan san retablo.


Whatever problems we may have, these must have been included in our prayers that day. And the same problems took the backseat during the birthday of Our Lady. As these pictures show, it was all smiles for the hermanas & their families; and I suppose the same thing goes for a good number of us Calbayognons.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez with (l-r) Rev. Fr. Julio Gaddi, Mrs. Thlema Diomangay - Manaog, Dr. Sheila So Seng - Montagot, Mrs. Delia Corrales - Diomangay, Mrs. Tomasa Corsiga - Antivo and Rev. Fr. Antonio Petilla.

Nahinumdum ka pa sini?

This sight should be familiar to the former members of the CKC YDT Drum Corps. Band members rehearsing their piece for the drum corps exhibition. It's what I saw at the Technical Building area last Saturday when my fellow alumni association officers visited the site for the proposed school-building / classroom for our alma mater. Yup, like what I said in an earlier blog post, the enrollment at CKC is increasing.

For all my fellow Christi Regians: on this site will rise . . .

The officers of the CSVP-CKC Alumni Association met today. On the agenda is need for some classrooms for Christ the King College. In other words, the enrollment figures in our dear alma mater is on the bright side.

So, instead of making a covered court out of the basketball courts (yes, courts) in front of the Technical Building, it was decided that the members of the association contribute to the seed money for a two-storey building (initial, if I may add) for the new classrooms needed by our alma mater.

Pix below is the area identified for the school-building, It's between the Technical Building and the CA building. We hope that Christie Regians will give their full support to this undertaking.

It's been 39 years

It's been 39 years since President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law. Instead of focusing on what move or demonstrations there are during today's commemoration, I have decided to feature pictures of Ericsson Acosta (courtesy of my friend Emmy Calagos). Mr. Acosta was arraigned in court today.


Here the link to the report from the Ericson Acosta blogspot.

Emmy Calagos interviewing Ericson Acosta.

Mayor Onald Aquino's message before the City Hall employees

Fiesta 2011: The Bishop's Homily

Let me give you my raw video of Bishop Isabelo Abarquez as he delivered his homily during the Fiesta Pontifical Mass which was held last September 8, 2011 at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral

Break Anay: GMA7's Think Before You Click Campaign

In Samar Province Latest SC decision to pave the way for recall election

Here's an article which came out in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express:

Tacloban City - The decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the motion for reconsideration filed by Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and her brother Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan is just one stumbling block lifted for the recall election to proceed. (read more . . . )

Aika qualified to run for governor

Here's an article which I got from the Leyte-Samar Daily Express:

(photo courtesy of LSDE)

Tacloban City - Rosa Jessica Uy - Delgado is no push over when it comes to qualifications.


Uy - Delgado who earlier announced her desire to seek the governorship of Samar in case the recall election will push through, has all the academic  credentials needed to lead a province whose full potential  has yet to be achieved.


(read more . . . )

Images from the fiesta pontifical mass

The various socio-civic and religious activities in line with the 2011 fiesta celebration was capped by the Fiesta Pontifical Mass which was held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Catedral at 9:00 o'clock this morning.


Bishop Isabelo Abarquez led some 63 members of the Calbayog clergy in the celebration. The faithful was led by the families of this year's Hermanas Mayores namely, Mrs. Thelma Diomangay - Manaog, Mrs. Delia Corrales - Diomangay, Mrs. Tomasa Corsiga - Antivo and Dr. Sheila So Seng - Montagot.

Dr. Sheila Montagot speaking on behalf of the Hermanas Mayores 2011.

Rev. Fr. Julio Gaddi speaking on  behalf of the Parish Team Ministry.

Rev. Fr. Iluminado Paulino leading the ceremony of turning over the hermanidad to the incoming Hermanas Mayores. In photo are (l-r) 2011 Hermanas Mayores Thelma Manaog, Delia Diomangay, Sheila Montagot and Tomasa Antivo; and the 2012 Hermanas Mayores Ma. Myrra Querol - Emmerson, Maria Querol and Lucia Querol.

Bishop Abarquez incensing the image of the Patrona.

An Patrun sa Calbayog

Maupay nga Patrun sa atun ngatanan!

If you have been following my columns in my other blog, you must have already read today's blog post. I first did it in 2008 and I’m doing it again today. I am featuring an old account, a very old account - 1912 to be exact – of the fiesta celebration in Calbayog. I got this from the September 1912 issue of the Eco de Samar y Leyte. It was written by someone who mo called himself “namatron”.

Here’s that article entitled “An Patrun sa Calbayog”

“Masadya, maribhung, malinao an cadagatan, mahayag an langit, mapaua an adlao sama san daguay sin usa nga Angel, amo _______ san ca-adlauan sadto san mahal nga Patrona dinhe sa Calbayog nga guinsalinorog sadton 8 sini nga bulan. Ngatanan mga binohat dao nabuñog san cahayag ni Maria Santissima dida san adlao san iya pagcatauo. Tubtob san ante vispera, nag ticang an pag-abut san magcalainlain nga domoro-ong, labi na an Cat_____on. San mga balay, mga cadalanan nacarahibut an tauo guican sa magkalain-lain nga dapit. San visperas san aga, nag suot na an tauo dinhi sa ciudad nga tungod san cadamo, macuri magpaca-agui an mga caleza. San pag a las doce catapos pagpahibaro san linganay sa Catedral san mahal nga Patron. Pagcabuas an mga musico san Parroquia ug sa Ipao nag libot san bungto. Ug san pagcaculop, nag canta san visperas an _____ nga cura san Catedral R. P. Jose Diaznes. Pag ca aga _______, san may mga a las 4 nag Diana an mga musico nga _______ san pagtauagtauag sa Catedral, sin usa cadali napuno san maniringba san siapa nga misa san Señora nga may mga lima nga mga babayi lalaqui bata tigurang nga dinara-on sa pag _____ san mahal nga lauas ni Jesucrisdto. Ug hasta san a las 7 nga eguin repique sa misa Mayor, waray pahuway an tauo nga maniringba san damo nga capadian nga nagmisa. San mga a las 8 amo an eguin ticang san misa cantada nga dinoyogan san ma ranog nga Organo, sa Catedral paroc san Señor Obispo. An misa nga guin canta an guin ngangaranan Pedro de las Heras, an masabut ug bantugan nga organista si Sr. Malaquias Nonato, Professor san musica sa Seminario eguin paquita an iya quina-adman dida san pag doyog niya san organo, cay pacasiring namon dao nahimomotang cami sin Paraiso san pagbati namon sadto nga mga awit. An nagcanta amo an mga capadian sa Seminario nga alagad san ira cabatiran ug maluay nga tingog inabutan an mga maniringba sin cahinoclob. An nag misa an Cura san Catedral linoyoloyohan san mga ministros nga si D. Ignacio Arganda, Diacono ug si D. Ramon Codilla Subd. Catapos san Evangelio nag wali si P. Conrado Maga, Coadjutor sa Catedral.”

“An Señora opod an mga magtoto-on sa Seminario ug mga Seminarista, nag tambong didto san iya trono. Sugadman an mga Colegialas opod an mga Madres naray caculang. Catapos san misa, nagsugod na liwat an aringasa ngan ribhong, cay an mga estudiantes sa Colegio sa San Vicente nga guican sa Singbahan vinistihan sin mga cadete, nag ejercicio ug nag parada sira sa cadalanan nga nacalingao san mga tauo. Pagcacolop may mga a las 3 pinangolohan san Presidente Sr. Malaquias Nonato, nag tiroc an mga sacop san Sociedad Milagrosa ug nag buhat sin rumba, carrera de bicecleta, juego de anillos y Cintas canan bag-ong tubo mga hatag hasta magcalainlain nga premio. San pagca a las 5 guin himua an macaserendac nga Procesion nga inopdan ni P. Bonifacio Villora Cura sa Oquendo, linoloyohan san mga Seminaristas inopod man an Señora nga guin lilibutan san mga capadian. An carro matahum caupay, mapaua, tacos ug angay nga nahimomotangan sen mahal nga Patrona, halad san ma-abiabihon nga Hermana Mayor si Sra. Trinidad Camilon. An ira balay pono pono sin tauo ticang pa san tinicangan san novena nga guin solemne sa ira. Diri hicalimtan an camapuanguron san mga anac, labi na si Sra. Lolay ug si Loling nga uaray hingan san cahago, paglipay san ira mga dapit.”

“Sa tuig tuig ngatanan quinita nga an pagto-o sini nga bungto ug an ira pag alagad sa Dios nag titidogang la lugod, bisan con guin tatalingoha san iba an pag parong condao calayo, cay an ira an pag contra sa Dios ug pag supil san mga mahi___lo nga pamatasan, cay basi matumanan san ira mga maraut nga guinaui-an ug hunahuna, condi sa Dios uaray magtatamay, may adlao san pag panodia, cay polong pa nga an tinonto mo, intoy, sa lauas mo o-oli.” (namatron)

============================

P.S. (or some local trivia)

The account mentioned the name of one Señora Trinidad Camilon. If one is to check the list of the hermanas pasadas in the Calbayog Fiesta souvenir programs, that name is the first entry in the said list.

Several issues of the fiesta souvenir programs indicated her name as the first in the list of hermanas pasadas. It turns out Señora Camilon was the great grandmother of my good friend Atty. Edwin Gomez.

I got an email from Edwin informing me that Señora Camilon was the grandmother of the Music Man of Samar, Jose Gomez; and the late Mrs. Isabel Gomez - Hernandez.

She got married to Antonio Gomez, their children were Serapio (the father of Isabel Hernandez), Licarion (the father of Jose Gomez and Conrado Gomez, Sr.), Ezekiel (the father of Haydee Togonon), Eulalia (married to a Jaropojop from Oquendo), Dolores (married to a Hacbang from Calbiga. She was the mother of Fr. Pedro Hacbang), and Lola Lolay.

Prusisyun san Patrona

Sugad san nababatasan, an imahe san Nuestra Senora de la Natividad guin prusisyun kanina kataliwan san ika-9 ka-adlaw nga misa-nobenaryo para san patrun. An guin buhat nga Grand Marian Procession guin duyugan san magkadurudila-in nga hermanidad san Mahal nga Birhen.


Aadi an pira nga litrato san patruna antes buhatun an prusisyun.

the 2011 Fiesta Parade (3)

As I have stated in my earlier blog post, the City Mayor invited Bishop Abarquez, the Parish Pastors and the Hermanas Mayores to the 2011 Fiesta Parade. Here are some pictures of them at the City Hall stage as they waited for the start of the parade.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez and Mayor Onald Aquino with (l-r) Susan So Seng, Thelma Manaog, Rev. Fr. Julio Gaddi, Vice Mayor Rey James Uy, Councilo Ver Porlares, Councilor Ronald Mark Aquino, Councilor Virgil Clemens and Board Member Jasper Sumagang.

the 2011 Fiesta Parade (2)

Here's the second set of pictures I managed to take during this morning's parade.

The early bird will get the worm, err the best spots. These folks were in the area as early as 6:00 am.

The Bishop with Mayor Onald Aquino, Fr. Julio Gaddi and the Hermanas Mayores as they waited for the start of the parade.

My perennial partner during parades, DYOG's Eleen Lim as she gave some (on-air) annotation of the parade.

SPO3 Gloria Arioja and some PNP officers as they guided the parade participants into position.