SIC Batch 1994 Outreach in Madridejos, Bantayan Island, Northern Cebu

Going to Bantayan Island over the weekend was a blessing. I went with the good will of my Santa Isabel College High School Batchmates of 1994 in order to reach out to the people of Brgy. Tarong, Madridejos, Bantayan Island. The town was badly hit by Typhoon Yolanda last year, with over 500 houses still waiting to be repaired. From September to November, I rallied for donations and, with the grace of God and my batchmates' support, we were able to collect more than a hundred thousand pesos to buy the materials to rebuild some 35 homes! With the amount, we were also able to fund the repair of the town's daycare center! As of this writing, I am glad to say that some donations are still coming in.

This all started with a comment from a batchmate in our Facebook page, who asked what we could possibly do this year to celebrate 20 years since our high school graduation. I just commented back: why not an outreach work in a place that most needs help? Since I know a particular town in Bantayan which has not received enough aid, thanks to the information from one of my colleagues in the study center where I am residing, the idea of raising funds for the outreach project was broached. I said, if they really want an outreach project, I was willing to go and do the legwork because I am here in Cebu. As early as May, I initially proposed a mini-reunion-cum-outreach for our batch scheduled on November 29. But as the months progressed, I was getting a lot of 'send donations only' as reply. It is hard for them to leave Manila, their work and kids, or fly in from abroad, where many of our batchmates are now.

And so, we worked on gathering donations via a bank account exclusively opened for this purpose.

Our Bantayan contact, Cony, works in the Municipal Hall of Madridejos. She is the sister of Maribeth, a student at Cebu Normal University, who goes to our study center occasionally to study. Cony would come to Cebu every other week to do some work-related errands. We agreed that when she's here in Cebu, that's when I could turn in the funds collected. The donations will be used to buy galvanized iron sheets (yero), plywood, and coco lumber for the repair of the houses.

An ocular visit was conducted last August 21. After the first report I made to my batchmates in our Facebook page --- and since the bank account details were already out, pledges here and abroad started coming. By September through early November, our funds steadily increased. And with the last tranche of donations turned in on the day of the outreach, November 29, we were glad to note that with the amount we raised, we can help 35 families have a roof over their heads this Christmas. 

With Kath, our office volunteer.

With this outreach project, I learned that if we truly have the heart to accomplish something, we will be able to reach our goals, and even exceed them. But I'd like to note here that with the will to realize something comes the need to entrust matters of social work and efforts to alleviate human suffering and poverty to God, because He is the only One who can make things happen. 

Many, many thanks to all my batchmates who made this project possible. While I know that many could've still been tapped to help with their donations, I am sure that with the kind-heartedness of my SIC High School Batch 1994 batchmates, they surely have contributed something for this outreach in one way or another.    

   

In Honor of Bishop del Portillo: Project Sampaguita Launched in Cebu City

A Benefit Dinner-Symposium kicked off last July 23, 2014 at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu hotel, organized by the Kalinangan Youth Foundation, Inc. (KALFI) through Banilad Study Center (BSC), attended by  more than a hundred people who support education and youth development initiatives. KALFI is a non-government, non-profit organization committed to women-in-development projects in the country.

Aptly named “Project Sampaguita: Strands of Poverty and Blessedness,” this event highlights how poverty can be fought actively in Cebu City by supporting various youth development projects in the province.

The symposium’s speakers were His Excellency, Archbishop Jose S. Palma of Cebu, Mrs. Beth Lopez, Director of the Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD) school, Ms. Bunny Ludo, Proprietress of Oh, George! and Café George, Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao, Head of the Institute of Corporate Directors, and Hon.  Agnes Magpale, Vice-Governor of Cebu. 

Project Sampaguita is a call to Cebuanos and everyone with a big heart to give 1-2 year scholarships to the students of BCPD and  provide year-round youth development financial support to some high school and college students who attend socio-civic activities in Banilad Study Center. BCPD is a technical-vocational school for underprivileged female high school graduates who would like to work in the tourism industry. 

This dinner-symposium takes its inspiration from Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the first successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei. Bishop del Portillo came here to Cebu in January 1987 and spoke about how the wide gap between the rich and the poor in the city can be resolved via education initiatives such as the Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD), which was established soon after his visit. Bishop del Portillo’s beatification, the first step before sainthood, is set this coming Saturday, September 27, to be held in Madrid, Spain.  

Some members of Project Sampaguita's core group 

The Sampaguita Girl, a bronze statue made by sculptor Seb Chua, depicts the gripping and sad image of poverty in the country i.e. Sampaguita vendors who eke out a living by selling strands of Sampaguita in the streets in order to have money for their schooling.  The speakers of the event were each given this statue as a token of appreciation.

It is our hope that there be more Project Sampaguitas which will resolutely work on alleviating poverty in and outside the province of Cebu.

In the Parish of St. Josemaria: An Urban Service Project Here in Cebu

Our group after the Medical-Dental Mission

Medical consultation with Dr. Annely, assisted by her student, DJ.

                                Banilad Study Center (BSC) organized another Urban Service Project this year from May 30 to June 1, for the people of DECA Homes in Brgy. Tungkil, Minglanilla, Cebu, the activities of which were all held in the Parish of St. Josemaria Escriva.

The project kicked off with a Livelihood Cooking Demonstration last Friday, May 30, attended by around 40 mothers, who learned some recipes from Tita Delsey Borja, who has always been giving cooking demonstrations in several oureach sites. She has also authored 2 Cookbooks to date.

On the second day of the Urbans, May 31, we had a whole day Medical-Dental Mission that had around 400 beneficiaries. We were so fortunate to have the support of SM Foundation's Mobile Clinic which took care of the X-Ray and ECG services that were rendered to the people of DECA Homes. There were 8 doctors who came to volunteer, 1 dentist, 10 medical students, and 4 nurses. During the medical mission, we showed some videos about the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, testimonials about the favors received through him, as well as the life of St. Escriva's first successor, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo.

With our volunteer-nurses (l-r) Faith, Heidi, Kayle and Rollie Ann.

We capped the service project with a Youth Leadership Seminar last Sunday, June 1. It was attended by around 25 teenagers, with 3 PAREF Southcrest teachers as facilitators headed by Tricia Q. from our study center, together with Mara and Lyn, young teachers of Southcrest.

The parishioners will be holding a novena in honor of St. Josemaria starting on June 13, Friday, with a special thanksgiving Mass on June 21, Saturday. The parish council has opted to advance the celebration of St. Josemaria's feastday, which really falls on June 26, Thursday, in order to make many people attend from their parish as their own Thanksgiving Mass is scheduled on a weekend.   

USAP 2014 Delegates in Cebu

With Amy Chu during the USAP activities in Banilad.

We were glad to meet this year's USAP (UNIV Seminar Asia Pacific) delegates during the Holy Week, from April 16-20, with Ms. Daisy Lopez as head of the group. There were around 20 of them who came to represent several universities in Manila, including 2 universities in Bacolod, the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, and La Consolacion College.

From their official Facebook page, we learn that "USAP provides a venue for academic dialogue, interactive workshops and cultural trips which delve on present - day issues that concern society. The activities are interdisciplinary in character and aim to underline the University as a setting for acquiring global knowledge where research and love for learning are fostered."

I was happy to meet Amy Chu again, a Taiwanese who is taking her Master's in Guidance Counseling at La Salle-Bacolod. Amy frequents our study center, Kasanag, back in the City of Smiles. She was also one of our catechists, joining me in Silay City where we have one of our catechism sites. Amy gave us some 'pasalubong' on their first day of visit in Banilad where they had talks about the local culture and topics pertinent to this year's USAP theme: Cosmos --- The Ecology of the Person and His Environment.

The USAP delegates had a faith and culture tour around Cebu, spending their Holy Week with us by attending some activities of the retreat that was ongoing the time they were here.

It is our hope that those who participated in this seminar brought home with them clear truths and resolutions on how they can be better persons of society. And perhaps, if they had seen that they had some misgivings and 'failures' in any aspect of their life in the past, they are now given the strength to rectify and make things 'right', armed with the strength that comes not from themselves but from God.

St. Joseph the Worker and the Mysterious Staircase

The Parish of St. Joseph the Worker

I had the chance to once again visit our beautiful parish church in Barangay Palanan, Makati City, St. Joseph the Worker, just yesterday before flying back here to Cebu late afternoon. It has been my promise to our parish's patron saint that I would always pay him a visit everytime I go to Makati to see my parents and brothers, who are all in Canada now. I made a short stop to see my aunt and cousins instead, who are the ones currently residing in our house. I write this article to honor St. Joseph in time for one of his big feast days in the church aside from our parish's fiesta every May 1 --- it is this coming Wednesday, March 19.

I have fond memories of Palanan and my parish since I grew up there and saw how the yearly fiesta of St. Joseph the Worker, the Church's universal patron saint for workers which we celebrate every May 1, has developed and improved so well. There is always a novena before the fiesta, as colorful buntings would be set up along our barangay's major street, Filmore, where our house is located. The cyclists of our place would be seen practicing around the whole barangay before the day of the fiesta when the yearly Tour of Palanan is conducted. I received the sacrament of Confirmation on the day of our parish's fiesta, and it was in one novena day of St. Joseph that I heard about St. Josemaria Escriva and Opus Dei, since the topic of that novena mass was all about the Sanctification of Ordinary Work.

St. Joseph, the father of Jesus on earth and the head of the Holy Family, is known as the Master of a Christian's interior life. He is our Protector, the Model of all workmen, a most chaste and prudent, faithful and obedient man. He may seem to be silent but he is an ever vigilant saint who looks after each one of us and who has received the important task of looking after Our Blessed Mother and the Christ Child, especially during the flight to Egypt when there was a serious threat to take the life of the newborn Baby Jesus.

I would also like to mention here about a wonder we have on earth that is believed to be made by St. Joseph: the Mysterious Staircase found in a chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Two mysteries surround that spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel: the identity of its builder and the physics of its construction.

For more information about this modern day wonder credited to St. Joseph, please visit http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_mysterious_staircase15.htm and http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html

St. Joseph, please continue protecting us and our families from the snares of the enemies of our soul. Help us to direct our path to heaven in everything we do. Amen.

Happy Feastday this March 19, St. Joseph!

Opus Dei's Saxum: Bishop Alvaro del Portillo

Bishop Alvaro (right) with St. Josemaria Escriva

It is almost one month now since we all got to learn about the date of Bishop Alvaro del Portillo's beatification in Madrid, Spain. I write this article today, February 19th, to honor him on the celebration of his saint's day.

As I may have mentioned in a previous post, the first prayer card I ever received was Bishop Alvaro's. It was given by my Communication I professor on the day I was taking a 'make-up' exam for his subject. I remember clearly that I was feeling bad and reluctant to take that exam since it wasn't my fault that my blue book, i.e. what students from my university would use as official answer sheet for semestral exams --- was lost or misplaced by my professor. He said he was really sorry he couldn't find it anymore and that the only option left for him was to request me to retake the exam or I will just have to bear getting an incomplete (INC) grade for his subject. It took a while before I decided to retake the exam hoping that my blue book could still be found. But apparently, it was irrecoverable. And of course, who would want to get an INC mark in the first semester of one's first year in college! 

I was feeling particularly bad because I recall that I was suffering from sore eyes on our final exam day for Communication I. I struggled to read through all the exam questions wearing dark shades. It was quite a painful ordeal for me to be in that condition. And after just a week, here comes my professor saying that he couldn't seem to locate my blue book.

But maybe God has his ways of introducing me to the Work of God through Bishop Alvaro. And now I look back always grateful to my college professor, Prof. Vibar, for having 'lost' my blue book.

The date of Bishop del Portillo's beatification will be on September 27, 2014 as many of us from the center have started to prepare to be in Madrid and swing by Rome for a week or so.

Bishop Alvaro, St. Josemaria Escriva's first successor in Opus Dei, has always been a very strong support to our Father. For this reason, he was called 'Saxum' by St. Josemaria. Saxum is the Latin word for 'rock', just like how Jesus called St. Peter 'the Rock' on which He will build his Church.

A big project is underway in the Holy Land where a conference center of Opus Dei will soon rise. It will be called 'Saxum Conference Center' in honor of Bishop Alvaro.

For those who wish to know how they can support the construction of Saxum, please visit http://www.saxum.org/.  

The Sinulog Fluvial Parade

This year's Sinulog Festival Fluvial Parade was a very memorable event. We were so fortunate to be given complimentary tickets to be on board 2 boats owned by a well-known family here in Cebu.

Many thanks to Mrs. Beth Lopez, the director of Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD), the school beside our study center, for making our participation in the fluvial parade possible.

It was last Saturday, January 18, when 3 of us from Banilad had to wake up before 4 a.m. since we will be picked up by a van (courtesy of Mrs. Lopez), that early. From our neighboring training center, there were 8 who joined.

With Marivit and Ressie on board the Roble shipping vessel.

We reached the port at around 4:30 am and were on board the Roble shipping vessel soon after. We waited for more than an hour for the Holy Mass celebration officiated by Franciscan priests. When the Mass started, our ship set off towards Mactan Island in slow motion. We were lucky to have very fine weather that day. A short drizzle while we were in the Mass made the atmosphere so pleasantly cool. Of course, Señor Sto. Niño had his coveted place on the small makeshift altar. The songs of the Mass were mostly in Cebuano, and I learned that the one we sang for the offertory, "Bato Balani sa Gugma," (A Magnet of Love) is a famous song for the Holy Child here in Cebu.

After the Mass, we were treated to a hearty buffet breakfast by the Roble family, our Sinulog fluvial parade sponsors. We were so happy to have met the 2 granddaughters of the Roble patriarch and matriarch while we were waiting for Sto. Niño to pass by our ship. One of the granddaughters is in first year college while the other one is still in high school. We invited them to visit our study center one of these days.

And so the fluvial parade started with the booming music of "The Sinulog, Pit Señor!" with big and small boats following the big vessel where the Holy Child is. From the Mactan Strait where we were, the boats headed towards the Port of Cebu in Lapu-Lapu City and then back to Cebu City's main port. There were helicopters hovering above us. A little more than 25-30 boats joined the fluvial parade. I have never seen so many pilgrims and devotees gathered, waiting for the Holy Child to pass by! The two famous bridges connecting Cebu and Mactan island, plus the city pier were jampacked with people from Cebu and outside Cebu. All the boats had all their passengers dancing while carrying the image of the Señor! It was such a moving sight to behold. I can just be very grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, having been here in Cebu for only ten months!

From l-r: Tinggay, Girlie, Marivit, Ressie, Mary, Mimi,
Mariafe, Jingjing, Danica, Tet and Mrs. Lopez.

The highlight of the parade was having the ship where Sto. Niño is pass beside our vessel! It had the 'real image' of the Holy Child. The crowd got so ecstatic, the people in front of me grew taller all of a sudden that I didn't get to see his image close enough. The only consolation I thought of is that the Sto. Niño Basilica is very much accessible and I can pay my respects to Him in person on a regular day.

All of Cebu definitely had a festive mood, from all the 'banderitas' and makeshift platforms along the main avenues to the concerts being staged all over the city, to the memorabilia shirts and images of the Señor Sto. Niño available in all the shops and stores you can chance upon.

I missed seeing the Sinulog dances and the Reenactment of the Arrival of the Holy Child's Image performed and organized at the Basilica Minore. But I told myself that I will have something to look forward to as long as I live here in Cebu!