A Post-Valentines' Travelogue of a Hometown Visit

As part of my further "enjoying" an early retirement from the government service, I took time-out for 2 weeks at my hometown in Masaguisi in Oriental Mindoro from Feb. 16 to 25, 2011.

The usual serenity, slow, placid and easy life in Masaguisi remains, while the feeling of solitudes, that is the presence with mother nature, is still very evident – calm sea, lush mangrove mini-forest, cold breeze and the sounds of insects and chirping birds. A round in my rice farms usually bring me back to my boyhood memories, when I stayed there as my father’s farmhand.

Same old faces of the barrio folks mixed with the new faces of today’s generation abound in a community seemingly detached from the busy urban life; people with unique intonation in their language used, you can easily determine whether one is a native of Masaguisi through his twang and accent.

May be incidental, but this 10-day break in my far-flung hometown coincides with rare but important happenings : (1) Korean mission medical team with the guidance of ICCM president Pastor Arthur Santiago, conducted a day-long medical service in Masaguisi where over a hundred patients availed of the free services. (2) Another coincidence, our dear neighbour Mrs. Lilia Fernandez, who we fondly called Aling Lilia died in Manila hospital on the day of my arrival in Masaguisi (Feb. 16), whose children were my playmates of yesteryears. I was able to attend the nightly vigil for 5 consecutive nights, as their house was just a step away from our ancestral house.

Being one of the few highly educated (Ph.D holder) residence of Masaguisi, churchmates and old friends always invite me to speaking engagements, and whenever necessary, I accept such invitations. This time, I’ve got at least 4 speaking engagements – during the send-off fellowship for the Korean Medical Team on Feb. 17; during the Sunday worship service on Feb. 20, and twice during the week-long wake of my neighbour Aling Lilia, who is also a sister-in-Christ. I was also requested to recall and list-down names of my fellow graduates at Masaguisi Elem. School (MES), Class of 1967 (whew, good that my memory still serves me well). I guess it will be used as reference for the upcoming MES grand reunion on April 2-3, 2011.

My final day in Masaguisi was rather emotional and tear-jerking as Aling Lilia was put to her final rest. Typical of barrio funeral tradition, a crowd trooped to the chapel to pay their final respect to the beloved barriomate. Yet, I find the funeral program in the Church spiritually inspiring. Right after the Church service, her remains were moved to the nearby cemetery, the only one in the place.

People in Masaguisi just come and go. Soon, I’ll be one of its senior citizens, as I wish to stay there most of my retirement days. (JSF Blogs)

Youth of Nueva Ecija Cluster 5 Churches @ Christian Love Fellowship

13 February 2011, PhilRice Social Hall, Nueva Ecija - Close to a hundred young (unmarried) couples took time-out on the eve of Valentine's Day to join the fellowship of six local Churches under Cluster 5 of Nueva Ecija. Dubbed as Christian Love Fellowship, this gathering of young Christians was held at the Social Hall of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, celebrating the Hearts' Day with the theme, Love or Lust?

Bro. Melchor Gervacio, senior pastor of San Francisco Church of Christ was the main speaker, who in his message, differentiated Love from Lust. He expounded the Love chapter of I Corinthians 13, by contrasting it, among others, with Lust, as experienced by some Old Testament characters. He identified some end-products of lust such as rape, prostitution, living-in concept, lustful sights, and so on. He challenged the youth to be wise in accepting a relationship, and examine whether it is really for love or lust.

Meanwhile during the night, a new set of CYF officers for Cluster 5 were inducted by Bro. Gervacio, with Bro. Rommel Pantanilla of Sto. Tomas Church of Christ as the president.

Other activities of the night include Praise & Worship, Games, Special Numbers per Church (STCC youth, middle photo), and merienda. Some parents and Church leaders of these young people were also in attendance (last photo). (JSF Blogs)

Personal View on Angelo Reyes' Hara-kiri

I seldom post in my personal blogsite political issues, but maybe due to a hangover of my recent month-long visit to Japan, I can't help but share my piece of thought on what happened to the honorable general.

Angelo Reyes did a hara-kiri, a Japanese suicide rite in bid to preserve one's good reputation till the end of his life. This is never a Filipino culture, and one may find it unChristian, weird, silly and what have you. But among the Japanese, this is moral and honorable. Usually, Japanese hara-kiri is done in the temple or any holy place. In the case of Reyes, he did it at the tomb of his beloved mom, holy among Japanese and Chinese, for their culture called filial piety, where they worship old creatures.

Reyes was a victim of a cruel political system, and perhaps treachery of close friends. Among the Japanese, that's the worst thing that ever happens to one's professional life - betrayal by the institution he belongs. That's why, in Japan, everybody is bowing their heads before entering and leaving one's workplace. They place premium on the institution they are in, and not on the post they hold. Thus, if you ask a Japanese what is his work, he would answer and give, the name of the organization (e.g. Sanyo Company) rather than his position (e.g. Company Manager or Clerk).

I tend to believe that Reyes chose to safeguard the military institution he once worked, rather than his very life, amidst the controversy at the time of his death. To the Reyes family, our deep condolences Filipino-style. (JSF Blogs)

Ateneo Grade School Pupils Simulate Bigay-Puso Spirit: A Reflection

8 February 2011 @ Ateneo Grade School Dept. As the Hearts Day is fast-approaching, the Ateneo grade school pupils are taught how to share love and affection with their less fortunate counterpart from the Payatas Elementary School. This was done today through a joint class-meeting and interaction between the two schools (Ateneo and Payatas) dubbed as Bigay-Puso.

Representing as Kyle F. Taruc's (Grade 2-Kanlaon) guardians, this blogger and his wife Rosalina participated in this exercise. Here's our observations and reflections to that excellent teaching methodology.

The activity is highly commendable for teaching values. Children are induced to do good to the less fortunate, like sharing of merienda and books, and encouraged to exchange learnings and talents. Games that promote friendship were played, and the participating pupils were helped build more self-confidence.

With teacher Ms. Ariette Pacle of Grade 2-Kanlaon as the overseer, the participating mothers/guardians as led by CPO Mrs. Hyacinth acted as the learning facilitators, paving the way of the children to the right direction and expectations.

With that exercise, we observed significant differences between the two groups (pupils from Ateneo and Payatas) physically and socially. Children from Payatas are generally smaller (in height and weight) with signs of nourishment deficiency, and seem generally reserved and lack self-confidence. Yet, we can observe that both groups enjoyed and expressed happiness for the entire period of exercise, without any feeling of discrimination.

While this experience is excellent for both groups, value formation is a process which may require longer time. Values are better caught than taught. Observed values (during the exercise) may only be superficial. It can and should be reinforced at home, church and company. Yet, such Bigay-Puso program can be a very good springboard for value formation and development required of our society.

The mother/guardian-facilitators are fortunate enough to witness the exercise, as they can reinforce this experience in their homes. It is not enough for the mother to limit her love and discipline to her own child. She must also share these good values to the company and other people surrounding her child, so she could build good influence and create a multiplier-effect in the society.

To be "motherly" is fine, but sometimes, motherly love is confined only to her child. I think that is not ideal for a good society. Motherly love should be oozing-out, not only to her own child, but to other children as well, as "no man is an island" as one saying goes.

The host class (Grade 2-Kanlaon) we observed seems to be an excellent example to emulate, as shown in the postings and decorations around - Most Clean, Pinaka-maagap, High-Pointers in Sports (Blue Eagle) and what have you. Teacher Ariette really deserves commendation for the job well-done.

Finally, I wish that more exercises like this, be replicated in other schools as a form of excellent "cross-fertilization" adapting and/or transferring good values from one pupil to another. Afterall, God created all the children equal. Inequality like poverty came to the Payatas children only by accident. No one likes to be born poor.

On the sideline, this is not a showbiz gossip - it is true that Ms. Cherry Pie Pecache, that fine actress-celebrity, is a very active mother-guardian of Ateneo Grade School pupils, having her son studying in this school. We saw her very busy during this Bigay-Puso program. (Dr. J. Falla Blogs)

P.S. Also posted here is the gallery of selected photos of Bigay-Puso Day. (JSF)

GE Oldies and Still Goodies

Three long-time GE brethren with their families, gathered in this blogger's house in Sto. Tomas, Nueva Ecija for a brief bonding moments. California-based Bro. Jerry Corrales and his family, (who are now in the country for a short visit) dropped-by on their way from Gattaran, Cagayan to Manila. Joining this brief get-together was also a batchmate in UPLB, seldomly seen in the brotherhood of Gamma Epsilon, Bro. Eloy aka Ulo (for Eulogio) Montealto. (Hey brethren, this is really a rare opportunity that you see Eloy, even on pix, huh.)

Bro. Jerry, fondly known in the brotherhood as Jerico, is a successful entrepreneur, having operated a Carehome Facility in Riverside, Cal. He is a GE batchmate in UPLB Omega Chapter back in 1973. He got a lovely wife and 3 smart children, now all established in Riverside. They played host to our family visit in US two years back.

Bro. Eloy is an executive (Planning chief) at the Philippine Carabao Center. A successful professional in the field of Livestock science, Eloy chose to maintain his single-blessedness, and seemed happy of it.

Another dinner meeting is tenderred by GEi (UPLB Omega) for Bro. Jerico on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Cafe Angelica, Anos, Los Banos, Laguna. Brethren in the vicinities are enjoined to come. (Bro. Josh Blogs)