 |
| The Jubilarian with me and my wedding staff |
 |
| "40 Years in Forty Faces" chronicles the history of SOS Children's Village - Calbayog and the way it affected the community through the stories of 40 of its wards, friends and benefactors. Copies of the book are available at SOS - Calbayog. |
 |
| (photo courtesy of the Diocese of Calbayog) |
 |
| Lito and Badit with their kids (l-r) Arra Clare, Ariane Therese, Arjay Joseph, Ardith Mary & Arby Nino |
It was in Homonhon, an island off the Samar coast, where Magellan first landed in 1521. In the year 1596, the Catholic faith was brought to the island of Samar by the Spanish Jesuit missionaries. From the mission center in Palapag in northern Samar, the missionaries brought the faith to the people of Laoang, Catubig, Pambujan, Catarman, and Bobon. The missionaries from Catbalogan established missiones in Gandara and Paranas, while the missionaries from the island of Capul established mission stations in Calbayog.
In 1768 the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines and the Spanish Franciscan missionaries took over the first parishes in Samar: Catbalogan, Gandara, Paranas, Palapag, Catubig, Catarman and Capul. From these settlements the Catholic faith spread to the entire island.
Leyte and Samar were once considered one province by the Spanish government placed under the jurisdiction of Cebu. In 1768 it was divided into separate provinces, with Tacloban as the capital of Leyte and Catbalogan the capital of Samar.
On April 10, 1910, Pope Pius X separated the island provinces of Samar and Leyte form the Diocese of Cebu, and erected the Diocese of Calbayog comprising both island provinces. In 1914 the Franciscans turned over the administration of the parishes of Samar to the secular clergy.
On November 28, 1937, Pope Pius XI separated Leyte from the Calbayog diocese by creating the Diocese of Palo, in Leyte. On October 22, 1960 Pope John XXIII decreed the division of Samar by creating the Diocese of Borongan, also in Samar. And again on March 11, 1975, Pope Paul VI decreed the creation of the Diocese of Catarman, also in Samar. Thus the whole island of Samar now has three dioceses: Calbayog in Western Samar, Borongan in Eastern Samar, and Catarman in Northern Samar. These three dioceses belong to the Ecclesiastical Province of Palo, Leyte, and are suffragans of this archdiocese.
From the Calbayog Diocesan Pastoral Assembly held at St. Vincent de Paul College Seminary in Calbayog City February 12-15, 1992, the following Diocese of Calbayog Pastoral Plan came into being:
Vision: "A community of persons united in faith, hope and love, centered in Christ, living by the Word and the Sacramantes, prophetically witnessing to the Gospel values of sharing, unity, peace and justice, in solidarity with the poor, within the concrete historical situation and needs of the people of Samar, under the guidance of the Magisterium and the example of Mary, Mother of the Church."
Goal: "By the year 2000, the Diocese of Calbayog shall have Ecclesial Communities that are renewed, transformed, animated and consumed by the Gospel values of sharing, unity, peace and justice in solidarity with the poor, imbued with the spirit of Vatican II and Plenary Council of the Philippines II, conscious and actively working toward Total Human Development, whose impact will be felt by society."
Thrust: "Basic Ecclesial Communities that are committed to Evangelization and Total Human Development."
The objective of the plan is to implement on a diocesan level all programs and structures identified by the Diocesan Pastoral Assembly, to evaluate the implementation of the Diocesan Pastoral Council every year, and to come up with objectives for a second phase, f rom 1996 to the year 2000.
There are 27 parishes in the diocese, served by 61 priests. There are 6 Catholic institutions, 9 pastoral centers, and 18 parishes with BEC programs.
DYOG Radyo ng Bayan will turn 28 years old today. Let me give you a short history of the said station which I got from a report by Gina Sorillo when the station celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Sometime in 1982, then Maharlika Broadcasting System (MBS) under the Ministry of Information established a radio station here in Calbayog City. It was officially given the call sign of DYJR, as in, Jumbo Radio, at 882 khz at the AM broadcast band.
With a full power of 10,000 watts, it provided wider radio signal coverage than any other radio station operating in the island of Samar, reaching as far as the island-provinces of Masbate, Leyte, parts of Cebu, Bicol, Iloilo, Negros, Agusan and Surigao.
In July of the same year, DYJR started its test broadcast and was officially opened on August 21. In attendance were Minister of Information Gregorio Cendaña, Deputy Prime Minster and Minister of Local Government Jose Roño, MBS Director Rafael Dante Cruz, NMPC RD Wilmar Lucero, City Mayor Ricardo Tan, and other local officials.
In 1985, there were changes in the staff. Mar Tenedero was transferred to another sister station, Alan Diomangay became the Station Manager, Tony Pueblos moved up as Radio Production Supervisor. By October of the same year, Sherry Maderazo resigned and a field correspondent from Office of Media Affairs RO8, Elena “Eleen” Lim took over.
In 1986, just after the People Power Revolution, major changes occurred. The government shifted from Parliamentary to Presidential, the Ministry of Information became Department of Information and Maharlika Broadcasting System became Philippine Broadcasting Service.
In 1988 to 1989, the Department of Information became the Office of the Press Secretary, with Tomas “Buddy” Gomez III at its helm. Major changes occurred, affecting the station.
There was also a re-shuffling of the staff. Some were transferred, some resigned, others were re-assigned, while a new batch came in to fulfill the PBS mission to serve as a credible channel of information, a true public forum, and a persuasive agent of social change and development.
As they fulfill their mission, the Philippine Broadcasting Service shall also work for their vision to be the leading public network committed and responsive to its national and international audiences.
Manned by service-driven and competent personnel and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and technology, PBS shall champion what is relevant in any specific area of service for the benefit of the greatest number of people and the development of the nation.
DYOG Radyo ng Bayan - Calbayog Staff. Front row L-R: Decoroso Beso (Tech. Division), Narciso Tocayon (Admin. Division), Elena Lim (Production Div.), Ramonita Perito (Tech. Div.), Jennifer Sumagang-Allegado (Prod.Div.), Cecilia Tibo (Prod. Div), Carina Comilan-Caranzo (Prod. Div.), Marly Laure-Tangpos (Prod. Div.), Roberto Ygrubay (Tech. Div.), Ricky Tangpos (Tech. Div.) Second Row L-R: Genaro Navilon (Prod. Div.), Luis Jalalon (Tech. Div), Antonio C. Pueblos (Station Manager), Cecilio de Leon (Prod. Div.), Jesus Daguman (Tech. Div.), Raul Ramada (Tech. Div.) and Ambrosio Beso Jr. (Supervisor, Prod. Div.) Not in photo is Rodel Bingayen (Supervisor, Tech. Div.) |
Bikers on hand to join the Nuncio's motorcade from the airport.
Palo Archbishop Jose Palma and Palo Archbishop Emeritus Pedro Dean (photo by Henry Puyat)
Some of the concelebrating Archbishops and Bishops. (photo by Henry Puyat)
(photo by Henry Puyat)
The Catbalogan Cultural Group performing during the Centennial Luncheon.
The Papal Nuncio surrounded by the faithful on his way out of the Calbayog City Sports Center. 
Fr. Marlowe Rosales, ofm conducting the orchestra.
.jpg)
