in memoriam Fr. Cantius Kobak, ofm

An Patrun Sa Calbayog

The Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in 1928. This picture was taken 16 years after today's feature article was written.

I first did this in 2008 and I’m doing it again this year. I would like to feature 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 called himself “namatron”. The account also 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. The copy I got was not a clear one and that explains the blanks in this feature.

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)

Death of a Bishop

This is my annual tribute to the first bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog. Blame it on the history buff in me and my interest in materials that are old, in this case a very old material dating back to August 14, 1920. It’s among the copies of the Eco de Samar y Leyte which I got sometime in 2008, when our team was preparing for the Calbayog coffee table book.

That particular issue on August 14, 1920 had in its English section this headline: “Mgr. Pablo Singzon, first Bishop of Calbayog died last Tuesday morning”. Let me give you that old account which was written by someone who went by the name of “PLOPE”.

“It was a melancholic and sorrowful Monday at about six o’clock when our Illustrious Prelate Mgr. Pablo Singzon in the modest parlor of the Episcopal palace was attended by his familiars among whom was Dr. Tomas Gomez. His weary respiration and the paleness of his face moved the hearts of those who were present and caused them a painful feeling of separation. The pain of his sickness was becoming more and more painful which called him to stay in bed.

At 10:00 o’clock p.m. when Mgr. Singzon found out that he did not feel a better repose nor even a rest from the pain of his sickness in his bed, wanted to sit on a chair – the chair where he received the spiritual consolations last November when he was attacked severely by the same sickness. In this chair he decided to die. Tears that roll from my eyes prevent not my pen to communicate my pain!

When the clock knocked its eleven strikes Mgr. Singzon was becoming weaker and weaker. From the neck of our illustrious patient hanged a bead of rosary, the Escapulary of the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Miraculous Medal. Around him were his favorite Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang, RR. FF. Jose Diasnes, Teodoro Robredo, Luis Egeda, Dr. Tomas Gomez, RR. FF. Pedro Pampliega, Santos Saldaña, the Seminarians Bernardo Bacsal, Lesmes Ricalde, and behind the chair were RR. FF. Felix Sabenicio and Crispin Singzon. It was indeed a sorrowful occasion! All those who were present observed firmly to the patient and watched his movements whose weary and painful respiration cooled their hearts. Mgr. Singzon was not as active as he used to be: his activity, attention and application were changed: Mgr. Singzon was transformed struggling between the existence of life and death.

Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang his Auxiliary Bishop and who had never left him read the profession of the faith, the recommendation of the soul; whose voice in the midst of that tranquility and in the midst of that struggling pain called his attention to listen. Rev. F. Jose Diasnes neared to the patient by order of the Auxiliary Bishop to give him a confession. How great and how sublime is to die in the name of the Catholic Religion, though in the midst of pain.

The illustrious patient was losing gradually his movements the coolness of his body began to cover him with its veil, his paleness was becoming more and more pale. Then all those who were present knelt down with lighted candles before a crucifix near the patient and said the following words: “PROFESU ERE ANIMA CRISTIANA” Mgr. Singzon gave up his last breath in the morning of the sorrowful Tuesday when the clock knocked its 3:20 strikes” (PLOPE)

An unappreciated landmark

Or maybe, a local treasure would be a more appropriate title to this blog post. These are pictures which I took last November 1, 2011. It's the arch at the entrance of the Calbayog Catholic Cemetery. I have featured this in my previous blog posts and I am doing it again. After all, not all cities in Samar have a landmark which dates back to 1885. 

Death of a Bishop

Sometime in 2008, while preparing for the Calbayog coffee table book, I received photocopies of the issues of the Eco de Samar y Leyte. I thought it was a bundle of issues only from 1911-1913. Later on would I find an issue dated August 14, 1920 and the English section contained an account on the death of the first Bishop of Calbayog.

That particular issue on August 14, 1920 had this as its headline in the English section: “MGR. PABLO SINGZON, FIRST BISHOP OF CALBAYOG DIED LAST TUESDAY MORNING”

It was written by someone who went by the name of PLOPE:

“It was a melancholic and sorrowful Monday at about six o’clock when our Illustrious Prelate Mgr. Pablo Singzon in the modest parlor of the Episcopal palace was attended by his familiars among whom was Dr. Tomas Gomez. His weary respiration and the paleness of his face moved the hearts of those who were present and caused them a painful feeling of separation. The pain of his sickness was becoming more and more painful which called him to stay in bed.

At 10:00 o’clock p.m. when Mgr. Singzon found out that he did not feel a better repose nor even a rest from the pain of his sickness in his bed, wanted to sit on a chair – the chair where he received the spiritual consolations last November when he was attacked severely by the same sickness. In this chair he decided to die. Tears that roll from my eyes prevent not my pen to communicate my pain!

When the clock knocked its eleven strikes Mgr. Singzon was becoming weaker and weaker. From the neck of our illustrious patient hanged a bead of rosary, the escapulary of the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Miraculous Medal. Around him were his favorite Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang, RR. FF. Jose Diasnes, Teodoro Robredo, Luis Egeda, Dr. Tomas Gomez, RR. FF. Pedro Pampliega, Santos Saldaña, the Seminarians Bernardo Bacsal, Lesmes Ricalde, and behind the chair were RR. FF. Felix Sabenicio and Crispin Singzon. It was indeed a sorrowful occasion! All those who were present observed firmly to the patient and watched his movements whose weary and painful respiration cooled their hearts. Mgr. Singzon was not as active as he used to be: his activity, attention and application were changed: Mgr. Singzon was transformed struggling between the existence of life and death.

Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang his Auxiliary Bishop and who had never left him read the profession of the faith, the recommendation of the soul; whose voice in the midst of that tranquility and in the midst of that struggling pain called his attention to listen. Rev. F. Jose Diasnes neared to the patient by order of the Auxiliary Bishop to give him a confession. How great and how sublime is to die in the name of the Catholic Religion, though in the midst of pain.

The illustrious patient was losing gradually his movements the coolness of his body began to cover him with its veil, his paleness was becoming more and more pale. Then all those who were present knelt down with lighted candles before a crucifix near the patient and said the following words: “PROFESU ERE ANIMA CRISTIANA”

Mgr. Singzon gave up his last breath in the morning of the sorrowful Tuesday when the clock knocked its 3:20 strikes” (PLOPE)

Just in case you'd be interested

The Diocese of Calbayog is 101 years old today.

For some pictures and write-ups on last year's Centennial Celebration, please these: link 1, link 2, link 3.

Here's something about the history of the Diocese of Calbayog which I got from the CBCP website:

Samar was once one island province comprising one political unit, the whole island being the third largest in the archipelago. The Island of Samar is bounded on the north by San Bernardino Strait, on the west by the Samar Sea and San Juanico Strait, on the south by Leyte Gulf, and on the east by the Pacific Ocean. Today the island comprises three administrative provinces: Eastern, Western and Northern Samar.

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.

Dr. Rolando Borrinaga's Remarks during the reopening of the CKC Museum

Prof. Rolando Borrinaga as he delivered his messages during the program which reopened the Fr. Cantius Kobak, OFM - Samar Archeological and Cultural Museum.

Prof. Borrinaga with Fr. Mar Tubac, OFM and George Emmanuel Borrinaga

(Speech at the Reopening Ceremonies for the Fr. Cantius Kobak, OFM – Samar Archeological and Cultural Museum at Christ the King College (CKC), Calbayog City, December 29, 2010.)

It is my great pleasure to have been invited to attend the reopening of the Fr. Cantius Kobak, OFM – Samar Archeological and Cultural Museum at the Christ the King College (CKC) in Calbayog City. With this development, a very symbolic one, you have reclaimed Calbayog City’s prominence as the center of historical and cultural research and preservation in the entire island of Samar. I would like to congratulate your president, Fr. Marcelo Tubac, OFM, the Franciscan community of CKC, and civic-oriented citizens of Calbayog for making this possible.

The reopened museum is appropriately named after the late Fr. Cantius J. Kobak, OFM, who will forever remain a giant insofar as research on the history and culture of Samar is concerned. His generosity in sharing his source materials also helped other scholars such as William Henry Scott and Bruce Cruikshank to write and publish scholarly studies that have expanded and deepened the understanding of Bisayan history and culture during the past 30 years.

Father Kobak’s greatest scholarly achievement, however, was the tracking, transcribing, translating to English, and publishing or preparing for publication all extant copies of the manuscripts of Fr. Francisco Ignacio Alcina, SJ, which is known in the academic community as Historia de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas … 1668. This is the only comprehensive ethnographic and historical account of the Bisayas region in the seventeenth century. Parts of the Alcina manuscripts now appear as books in English translation under the title History of the Bisayan People in the Philippine Islands (Vols. 1, 2 and 3). These were co-edited by Fr. Lucio Gutierrez, OP, and published by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. Only Volume 4 remains to be published, but the manuscript is already there.

By sheer chance or fate, I happened to be the Filipino with the most extensive contact with Father Kobak during the last two years of his life. He posted a note in the guestbook of my Internet website sometime in late 2002, and that led to our exchange of e-mails and snail-mails which provided each of us with needed new data and information about the local history and culture of Leyte and Samar.

Then somehow we agreed to collaborate on the English translation for possible publication of a book on the history of Leyte. The book was titled Reseña de la Provincia de Leyte by Manuel Artigas y Cuerva, which was originally published in Spanish in 1914. Father Kobak had done partial translation of the book, and I supplied the other half after its bound photocopy, which had been mailed to CKC, was retrieved and delivered to my house in Tacloban by your former president, Fr. Rodrigo San Jose, OFM. I completed the manuscript on August 14, 2004. The next day, Father Kobak passed away in the U.S. at the age of 74.

Our co-authored book came out in 2006 under the title The Colonial Odyssey of Leyte(1521-1914), and this won the 2006 National Book Award for Translation given by the Manila Critics Circle. I am donating a copy of this book to the museum along with two other books I have written and published – The Balangiga Conflict Revisited, which came out in 2003, and Leyte-Samar Shadows: Essays on the History of Eastern Visayas, which came out in 2008.

I am also donating a copy of Vol. 54 of The Journal of History, published in 2009, which includes my paper titled “The 1984 Scott-Kobak Correspondence: A Sharing that Reconstructed the Sixteenth-Century Bisayan Society and Culture.” The title is self-explanatory. Also in this volume is the paper titled “The Pulahan Movement in Samar (1904-1911): Origins and Causes,” which was written by George Emmanuel Borrinaga, my son who now teaches history at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, and who accompanied me here.

Finally, I would like to turn over a mounted picture of Father Kobak. At the back of the frame are written his signature and the dateline – “Calbayog, January 1970.” Let me tell you how this came into my possession:

Around March 2004, Father Kobak learned after a routine medical check-up that he was suffering from cancer of the lymph glands. It did not take him long to accept the fate that he was going to the Great Beyond. He offered to bequeath to me the last items in his personal archives – including books, documents, and manuscripts that he had held on for years. I humbly accepted the offer, and promised to take care of them. He sent the items in about 10 mail parcels which contents eventually measured about two meters in thickness. Some of the parcels arrived after he had passed away.

I am now working on a few manuscripts left behind by Father Kobak, which hopefully will see publication over the next few years. One of these is the English translation of Vocabulario de la Lengua Bisaya, the oldest Bisayan dictionary compiled by Fr. Mateo Sanchez, SJ, in Dagami, Leyte around 1616 and published in Manila in 1711.

Father Kobak may be gone, but aspects of his work are still coming out in the historical literature. And with the reopening of your museum, all these are assured of a house to go home to – in Calbayog, a place that always meant a lot to him.

Thank you and good afternoon.

Prof. Rolando O. Borrinaga, PhD.
School of Health Sciences
University of the Philippines, Manila
Palo, Leyte

The History of the CKC Museum

The Archaeological Expedition of Fr. Cantius in Samar.
(Read by Dean Venancio Bajet during the reopening of the CKC Museum)

Shortly upon his arrival, Fr. Cantius J. Kobak, ofm began to take great interest in the local history and culture of the place. He collected and compiled histories of Samar and Leyte towns and of the Colegio (de San Vicente de Paul), Bisayan songs, poetry, dramas, riddles, dictionaries, etc.

In 1965, the Bishop (of Calbayog) and the Rector of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral began the renovation of the said Cathedral. Interested in church furnishings that were being cast aside, Fr. Cantius was given permission to salvage several items. Among the items offered were an old altar with a Franciscan coat of arms, a wheel with some twelve small bells attached to it on a stand with a crankshaft (it was used to ring bells during the sanctus, elevations, communion, processions, etc), few candelabras, an old painting of a saint and several items in poor condition.

From Capul Island, a pastor brought him a discarded old chalice, a ciborium and a monstrance. These items created an interest in other materials such as wooden statues of saints (some with ivory faces and hands), crucifixes, stone cereal grinders called gilingan, antique charcoal flat irons, jewelry boxes, old Spanish coins, jewelry, rings, earrings, bangles and Chinese porcelain plates and jars.

He also collected Bisayan publications like old Spanish-Bisayan dictionaries and the Pasyon which was chanted by elderly women during the Holy Week.

In 1967, some public school teachers brought him ancient stoneware and jars which were found near Gandara. This triggered and sparked his interest in visiting the ancient burial grounds in Samar Island. It was the Jesuit priest Ignacio Alcina who, in his “Historia” gave some accounts on how and where the ancient Samareños buried their deceased. It was with this knowledge that Fr. Cantius made plans to visit these burial grounds during the semestral breaks.

On April 1968, Fr. Cantius gathered a group of college students and began the first archaeological expedition in Oras, Eastern Samar. The caves that were searched yielded pottery shards and bones. (15th century blue-white) Chinese porcelain were found in a small opening in the shore cliffs. Upon the suggestions of old folks, the group proceeded to Tubawbaw, an islet facing Oras. Broken stoneware, porcelain shards, human bones and teeth were recovered from the site.

Upon returning to mainland Samar, Fr. Cantius saw a boy carrying fermented wine (tuba) in an ancient dragon jar. He asked the professors who were with him to buy the tuba and the jar. The boy hesitated because he needed the jar to sell more tuba. They offered to triple the price of the tuba and the boy sold it with the jar.

From Oras, they went to the town named McArthur. They were introduced to the Parish Priest and the Town Mayor who told them to the Minalungon Island where there was a cave used for ancient burials. Lungon is the bisayan term for coffin or casket.

The cave was littered with broken earthenware shards, bones and pieces of wood. They learned that for some time, foreigners arrived and dug at the island since as early as 1923. Fr. Cantius’ team attempted some diggings, but the artifacts seem to have been exhausted by the previous digging expeditions; and the fisherfolks who were in the area did not like the idea (of more diggings) because they believed it might cause strong typhoons.

On May 24, 1968, the group went to Calicoan, Lilibucan and Cando Islets in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, where an American Naval / Air Base was constructed during the second World War. They found nothing except an artillery piece which Fr. Cantius took as a souvenir unaware that it might explode. He would later call this “a foolish venture carrying it in our jeep on such bumpy dirt roads.” He stored it in a cabinet at the museum, it rusted, leaked a yellow sulfur-like substance and burned the cabinet a bit.

They (the group of Fr. Cantius) even went to Homonhon, the island where Ferdinand Magellan landed centuries ago. Unfortunately it was fiesta and there was no opportunity for diggings, albeit the priest and the people received them with wonderful hospitality.

Back to Guiuan, they explored the high mountains believed to have protected the place from the treacherous waves of the Pacific Ocean. They found hundreds of pieces of shell bracelets that are both broken and in perfect shape.

On November 18, 1968, they visited Laoang, Batag and Kahayagan in Northern Samar. In Barangay Burabod in Batag Island, the people presented them with large burial jars with stone lids. In a little hill in another barangay of Batag Island, inquiries from old folks led them to finding “a small Chinese stoneware bowl”. Since it looked broken, Fr. Cantius took off a large portion and it revealed as small skull in deteriorated state. Digging gently further, longer arms or wrist bones with five shell bracelets appeared, all indicative of a child burial. Other archeological items were also found: rusted daggers, ancient agong (bell), beads and a golden earring.

On December 28, 1968, they found some fine treasures in Capul, Mungulbungol (now San Vicente), Dalupiri (now San Antonio) and Samputan Islet, west of Capul. A kind individual in Mungubungol gave them a blue and white Chinese burial urn with lid, small jars, beads, bracelets and carnelian gemstones. It was a child-burial jar of a Datu (class). In Dalupiri, the group was given a fine precious celadon dish.

On February 1969, Fr. Cantius requested the Filipino friar who was with him in Batag Island to go back and see. The said priest went to Batag and came back with two sacks of broken stoneware, earthenware, porcelain dragon jars and other archeological recoveries. When as family cleared a hill for two hectares, broken recoveries were given to the friar while the good ones were sold. Fr. Cantius was happy even with the broken recoveries. He restored three dragon jars and a lot of porcelain and earthen wares.

The CKC Museum was established. While recoveries were being made, a large hall (at the CKC campus) was allocated for the planned museum. At that time some Professional American Archaeologists heard about the finds and came to Calbayog to see it. They dated, labeled and described all the materials recovered from burial sites.

In 1969, the Christ the King College Archaeological Museum was formally opened for public viewing. It was temporarily closed in 2005 when the Padua Building was renovated.

The Museum’s Second Spring. In November 2009, two months after the 5th death anniversary of Fr. Cantius, the City Council of Calbayog passed a Resolution declaring him as “An Honorary Samarnon and Adopted Son of the City”.

Before the end of 2010, it was deemed fitting that in its reopening the CKC Museum be named in his honor, he who was known as the Historian of Samar and the Bisayan region.

Images from the reopening of the CKC Museum

The Samar Archeological Museum of Christ the King College formally reopened yesterday. It has been renamed as the Fr. Cantius Kobak, ofm - Samar Archeological and Cultural Museum. The simple reopening program (which I hosted) preceded the Thanksgiving Mass which marked the start of TARAGPO 2010.

Here are some pictures I managed to take during the event.

Mr. Venancio Bajet, Dean of the CKC of Education as he narrated the Samar Odessy of Fr. Cantius Kobak, OFM.

U.P. Professor Rolando Borrinaga as he delivered his message.

Bro. Ramon Balan, OFM as he formally declared the reopening of the museum.

Dr. Francisca Santos and Mr. Pio Santos

Councilor Rey James Uy and Artist Raul Isidro

Fr. Sebastian Gabuy, OFM as he lead the prayer of blessing.

(l-r) Dr. Francisca Santos, Mr. Pio Santos, Mr. Venencio Bajet, Armando Toleza, George Emmanuel Borrinaga, Professor Rolando Borrinaga and Artist Raul Isidro.

The CKC Museum's new home

The CKC Museum is set to be reopened this coming December 29, 2010, in time for Taragpo 2010. I was at the CKC campus the past few days to finalize things for the opening and other details about Taragpo and the CSVP-CKC Alumni Association elections. Here are the pictures I took as workers got busy to finish the new home of the museum.

You might think that statue in front of the museum looks familiar. It should look familiar to every Christi Regian. It used to stand in front of the Technical Building, shown here:

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.

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

A Centennial Book on Our History

I recently got hold of a flyer on the Coffeetable Book which will be published in time for the Centenary of the Diocese of Calbayog. I thought I would like to share with you the contents of that flyer and the appeal from the Bishop of Calbayog and the Centennial Book Committee for support to the project.

"Celebrating the 100th year of the Founding of the Diocese of Calbayog: A Centennial Book on Our History"

On April 10, 2010, the Diocese of Calbayog will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding as a Diocese. It was on April 10, 1910, when Pope St. Piux X issued the Consistorial Decree Novas Erigere Dioecesis that establshed the new Diocese of Calbayog covering Samar and Leyte islands, separate from the Diocese of Cebu.

For more than 300 years before this event, Samar island was administered by the Spanish missionaries - 173 years under the Order of the Society of Jesus and 134 years under the Franciscans - all under the Bishoperic of Cebu.

Bishop Pablo Singzon, a native of Calbiga who was Ecclesiastical Governor of the Diocese of Cebu from 1901 to 1903 was appointed as the first Bishop of the new diocese. Bishop Singzon chose the town of Calbayog in Samar which was the largest and most progressive town in the region, to be the seat of the new diocese.

The newly-erected diocese had 84 parroquias - 39 in Samar and 45 in Leyte. there were 35 priests in Samar (26 were Franciscans and only 9 were native clergy). In Leyte, there were 42 priests, all secular clergy. Bishop Singzon named Fr. Sofronio Hacbang as Provisor and Vicario General while Fr. Conrado Maga was named Secretaria de Camara y Gobierno. On May 2 - 4, 1911, Bishop Singzon convoked a diocesan Synod held at the church of Palo, Leyte.

And so,

--- the cornerstone for the foundation of the diocese had been laid.

Researching for our history
How it developed and how it transformed the lives of the faithful particularly Samareños in the last 100 years is the subject of an ongoing research.

A Centennial Book
In time for our centennial celebration on April 2010, we will publish the history of the Diocese in a coffeetable book.

We already have embarked on the project to research and write the history of the Diocese, tracing its beginnings not just to 1910 when it was erected but to go further back to 1596 when the first Spanish missionaries came to Samar to introduce the Christian faith to Samareños.

We truly believe that the centennial celebration of the founding of the Diocese can be viewed and appreciated more significantly if the church - the clergy and the laity understands its history.

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An Appeal from the Bishop of Calbayog:

Your generous support is needed
This cherished dream to document the growth of our faith in Samar will only be realized with your generous support for its publication.

Be part of history
May we, therefore, enjoin you to be part of our history, be part of our centennial celebration and be one of our Benefactors and Sponsors of the book.

Your names enshrined
Your names will be enshrined in the book and you will also receive free copies of the coffeetable book.

May the Lord reward your generosity and shower your family with bountiful blessings!

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For more information, please contact the Centennial Book Committee:

Fr. Noel Labendia: +63 927-896-4252
Fr. Niceas Abejuela: +63 918-939-4637
Charo Nabong-Cabardo: +63 915-429-6113
Rene Nachura: +63 918-900-5048
Diocesan Chancery: (+63 55) 209-13-72/ Telefax: (+63 55) 209-30-12
Email: centennialbook.calbayogdiocese@gmail.com

The Centennial Celebration

Happy Birthday tita Cory!

President Cory Aquino would have been 77 years old today. Let me pay tribute to the late President through these videos of the historic speech she delivered before the U.S. Congress on September 18, 1986.

your YouTube URL

your YouTube URL

remember KAL 007?

Do you still remember the tragedy that was Korean Airlines flight 007? The incident saw a heated exchange of words between President Ronald Reagan and President Mikhail Gorbachev. It was widely reported and it was considered as "one of the darkest chapters in cold war history".

A good number of young Calbayognons may not be aware of it, two of our fellow Calbayognons figured in that tragedy: Mr. Joseph E. Chan and Mr. Amado E. Chan.

Yesterday I managed to take some pix of the tombstones of the victims of the infamous incident. With the family's permission, I am featuring these in my blog. In a way to remind us how the senseless cold war between the superpowers (the U.S. and the then U.S.S.R.) could take a toll on innocent civilians like the Chan brothers.

Check these links:

wikipedia

The New American

rescue 007

conspiracy theories

Checking on the Cathedral

A week ago today, three architects who are connected with Escuela Taller came to Calbayog upon the invitation of Bishop Isabelo Abarquez. They were on hand to do an ocular inspection of the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral and to make the appropriate recommendation on the "Landscaping" project at the said cathedral. It has been a week since the work on the said project was ordered stopped by the Bishop. What will be done next will be dictated by the recommendations of the three architects namely Professor Eric Zerrudo, Professor Tina Silao - Bulaong and Architect Rino Fernandez.

Here are some of the pictures I managed to take as the group checked on all areas of the cathedral before the meeting at the Bishop's Residence.

Professor Tina Silao-Bulaong as she explained some initial findings at one of the buttresses the plaster of which has been stripped off.

Professor Eric Zerrudo with Fr. Noel Labendia.

Professor Bulaong and Professor Rino Fernandez as they checked on some vintage photos of the Cathedral.

The group checking on the facade of the cathedral.

The group as they took a close look at the retablo.

The three architects / professors at the area between the cathedral and the Diocesan Pastoral Center where one will see figures / objects / ornaments (photos of which I have attached below) that will give clues on the history of the cathedral.

The image which tells us that the cathedral was constructed in the 1800s. As to exactly which year, we have no idea (at least from the picture) because the last two digits were chipped off, thanks to the opening which was put in place for a beam or something.

(as of the moment I have no caption for this picture and the one below. I misplaced the notes where I wrote the terms given to me by Architect Fernandez.)

Architect Rino Fernandez with Fr. Noel Labendia

The oculus which can be seen at the right side of the retablo. How do you find it? The next time you attend mass (especially the 8:00 am mass), try to look for the two "holes" on which sunlight enters on top of the retablo.

Architect Fernandez giving some explanation on his findings. Please note the coral limestone AND the plaster (palitada made of/from apog). It is one proof that the cathedral walls had plaster finish all over.

And yes, Professors Zerrudo and Fernandez climbed all the way to the ceiling where they found 12x12 and 8x8 molave trusses, rafter and the traditional lock system which support the roof structure. According to them, these are still in good condition. However, it's a different story for the ceiling and the ceiling joists. These need attention.