Mayor Jacky's Celebration of Life

(Note: This is a repost of biography of Hon. Luis J. Jalandoni  lll from the leaflet "A Celebration of Life Mayor Jacky Jalandoni.")

Mayor Jacky 

On December 15, 1967, Luis De Jesus Jalandoni lll was born to Luis "Nonoy" Ginete Jalandoni, Jr., scion of notable Jalandoni family of La Carlota City and Corazon Calibo De Jesus of Butuan City. The bouncing baby boy was nicknamed "Lucky" which evolved to "Jucky" or "Jacky". He is the fourth-born child of six siblings, namely, Jeanne Louise, Jolanda Maria Angela, Jan Peter Vincent,  Julie Ann Catherine and Joseph Martin Anthony.

By 1968, Nonoy Jalandoni became the City Mayor and the family home in Hda. Cristina would always be filled with people. Jacky himself doing sports,  especially football where he excelled the most as a defense winger.

Epithet: 'When something's Lost, Something's Gained'

This is a retold heart-breaking life story of a wife who lost her husband and leaving her their 5 kids. I am referring to Sister Roda Ligahe whose husband, Rojie Belarmino is a returned missionary and Branch President of La Castellana, Branch, La Carlota Philippines District, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and died untimely of a disease, hypokalemia (low potassium).

Roda

Here's her sad story of her life (translated from her local dialect, Ilonggo and posted in Tumandok, another website of this blog admin):

"I started growing up from my grandparents for my parents were separated. I was 8 years old when I became member of the Church (Mormon) in which I had a personal testimony of the Church. After 2 years of my membership in the Church, I met my first husband. I was 11 years old at that time and he was 17 years old. Before our friendship started to bloom he went in a mission in 1993 and returned in 1995. Our communications were difficult for there's no Internet. We're just sending letters and I knew he was assigned to Nueva Ecija.

Sir Roming Toda, the 'Legend' in Local Scouting

The passing away of Sir Romeo Toda is a great loss in the Negros Occidental Council (NOC), Boy Scout of the Philippines for he is well regarded as "caliber mentor", dedicate Scouter, loved by NOC scouts, and the "legend".

Sir Romeo Toda

Sir Roming as fondly called by his family and friends has finally completed earthly mission at the age of 80. As one of the staunch pillars of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), Negros Occidental as a high caliber trainer, Sir Roming has left a great legacy of what is a good and exemplary scout is to the kids, to his fellow trainers, and to the people in the community.

His fellow scouters especially in the Negros Occidental Scouting Council led by Scout Executive Bert Provido Maguad would tender a momentous and touchy last "camp fire" to honor him for his great contribution to the Philippine Scouting particular in the province of Negros Occidental. Those who paid tribute to him come from different towns and cities in the Negros Island Region.

Interment

After some necro services at the Roman Catholic Church in La Carlota City, Sir Roming's demise will be buried at Catholic Cemetery at 1:00 pm on Monday, July 10, 2017.

USec. Francis

USec. Francis (Day 48)

by Rey Laguda

(This is the 48th day of 50-day journey of DepEd Undersecretary Rey Laguda as being serialized here with his permission, culled from his Facebook account - Blogger/owner)

Our story for the last six years in DepEd cannot be fully told without talking about a dear colleague and friend, Francis Varela. We would not be where we are today, if not for all that he had done while in DepEd. I would like to post, as my tribute to him, what I read during last year's Flag Ceremony on the Monday after his passing.

Sept. 3, 2015

Many things have been said about Francis. Many people have shared and continue to share stories of friendship, of working together, acquaintance, and admiration.

Pero sino ba si Usec. Francis para sa atin dito sa DepED? Walang bagay siya na pinalalampas - kaya nga maraming nagrereklamo eh. Subalit ito ay dahil sa gusto niyang makasiguro. Gusto niyang buo ang loob niya kapag nagrekomenda siya o kaya kapag i-di-disapprove niya ang dokumento. He was very deliberate, calculating and analytical. Kaya naman kapag may inakyat na dokumento si Usec., basta may initials na FMV, kalmado na ako.

The Typhoon called Yolanda, Part 1 of 3

The Typhoon called Yolanda, Part 1 of 3 (Day 40)

by Rey Laguda

(This is the 40th day of 50-day journey of DepEd Undersecretary Rey Laguda as being serialized here with his permission, culled from his Facebook account - Blogger/owner)

(I would like to use the next three posts to recount the events during the first few weeks after Typhoon Yolanda, to show the character of the people I encountered then, especially the people from DepEd.)

When Yolanda made landfall on Nov 8, 2013, I was finishing a workshop with some ICT coordinators to revise our existing policies. By the time we ended, Yolanda had hit Eastern Visayas and pummeled through Central and Western Visayas and some parts of Bicol and Mindanao. We were tracking DepEd officials as we monitored the news closely. By Saturday, there were still a few Superintendents who had not reported, including the Regional Director for Region 8. A decision was made to get there, assess the situation and find them. A small team was formed - Jocelyn Saw, Marc Helton Sua and myself - to try to touch base. We were with Fr. IJ Chan-Gonzaga, SJ who happened to be from Tacloban.

Francis Varela, Great Loss to Education

The Department of Education (DepEd) was shocked on the news of the untimely death of one of the education key officials in a freak vehicular accident that had occured sometime in the morning of August 29 in Pililla, Rizal.

Usec F.Varela

It's terrible for the DepEd to bear such incident of Undersecretary Francisco M. Varela's death.

What a great loss to the agency for losing a principled man so dedicated to his job, making things done in the virtue of honesty .

Mr. Varela is well-loved by his education colleagues as a leader, as a catalyst for reforms in education, "judicious spender" in education, advocate of anti-corruption, compassion on learner's plight, and a great exemplar of hardwork and honesty.

Assistant Secretary and Chief of Staff Rey Laguda and Asst. Sec. for Planning and Development, Jesus Lorenzo R. Mateo have recalled their memorable moments with Usec Francis Valera while working together respectively.

Writing, a Legacy from my Grade Six Teacher

My grade six class adviser had taught me the secret of writing that works and I considered it as the important skill I never ever forget. And this led me to what I am now: a successful teacher, a school principal, . No wonder why, writing becomes my passion when I was a grader.

Lilia Garin

Where is this teacher of mine now? It was almost for 49 years ago that this teacher took care of us in her class as our adviser and teacher in grade six section one.

Since we live in the same place, I used to see her early in the morning going to Church when I took a morning walk at the back of the city hall.

Alas! I came across from one of my news feeds in the Facebook recently that she has already passed away and she had been buried a year already from one of the posts I read.

I was a bit guilty then for I hadn't even made a vigil for her wake nor attended her burial for she's living within the city where I am residing. It was I know a miscommunication. No one from one of my classmates informed me.

I am referring to Miss Lilia G. Garin, my grade six class adviser sometime in 1966 in La Carlota Elementary School. She's strict when it comes to class attendance and misbehavior. But too considerate to a weakling like me who is sickly.

What Makes Rizal a Hero?

"Wisdom of intellect" and "Wisdom of the will" could be considered as a vital factors for a Filipino to be called a hero, pointed out the speaker in special occasion.

Every year, every December 30 is nationally observed by the Filipino people as the death anniversary of Jose Rizal who was killed in the morning of December 30, 1886 by  musketry at the Bagumbayan (now Luneta) after he was found guilty of  rebellion by the Spanish government.

Erle P. Arbado, head of Aralin Panlipunan department of Dona Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School was the invited speaker, addressing the patriots of La Carlota which is composed of the different sectors like the education, religious, government, students, and civic organization joined the entire nation in commemorating the 117th death anniversary of Rizal in a simple morning rites at the monument of the hero at the public plaza.

As a gratitude of Rizal's heroism, these sectors offered different baskets, bunches of flowers at the foot of Rizal's monument after a short program and cultural presentation of elementary schools and colleges, public and private.

Missing Whitney Houston - The Voice

picture credit: maurycio.wordpress.com

"I Will Always Love You" and "One Moment in Time" are my favorite songs which were popularized by Whitney Houston's high-pitched voice.

Whitney Houston as "one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time" was reported dead in Beverly Hill hotel at around 3p.m. Saturday.

She was staying at the said hotel to attend a pre-Grammy party. Clive Davis, the founder of Arista Records, who had been Whitney Houston's pop mentor, hosted the party.

As one of Whitney Houston fans, I was deeply touched of her untimely death at the age of 48. Though, I could still hear her powerful voice from any prerecorded media, but yet I would be missing The Voice (nickname of Whitney).

At any rate, the cause of her death as reported by the news was uncertain.

Miss You Sister Marilyn Adams

I was saddened by the announcement made by President G. Tobias in our meeting this Sunday on the death of Sister Marilyn Houtz Adams, a returned couple missionary assigned to our Church here in La Carlota City for a year and a half sometime in April 2009.

"Why I didn't know that?" I asked myself. When I went home, I checked right away my facebook account, just to find out that the last time I communicated with her was on December 18, 2011.

I went further tracing back our communications. It was on December 17, 2011 that I knew from one of her replies to a member of the Church, who greeted her merry christmas.

She wrote: "We are doing good. I just found out I have pancreas cancer and will start treatments of chemo on Dec 27. Hoping to shink the tumor so I can have surgery to remove it. Sorry I didn't get the Christmas card sent to the family! Merry Christmas"

Why Man Dies?

Yesterday, when I attended the burial services of Felomina Nonod Santillan, 76, the late mother of our first counselor in Bacolod Philippines Mission, President AVelino N. Santillan, an idea cropped up to me to develop a topic on "why man dies?" for my blog.

In my pensive mood, I came up with the word negligence.

But first, what is negligence? As to the law definition, it is "the failure to exercise that degree of carethat, in the circumstances, the law requires for the protection of other persons or those interests of other persons that may be injuriously affected by the want of such care." (underscore supplied for emphasis)

Negligence in our layman's parlance, is unable to meet the needed care and attention for our fellow being because of carelessness, inattention, or self-preservation and pride.

Bonifacio, a hero?

Andres Bonifacio was acclaimed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines. November 30 is commemorated as Bonifacio Day in his honor.

Andres Bonifacio was admired and revered for his role in Philippine history. He started the Philippine Revolution. He was the first president of the "Tagalog Republic". He became the head of the Magdiwang as President of the Sovereign Nation (Pangulo ng Haring Bayan). He headed the Magdiwang government and the Katipunan Supreme Council. He advocated the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity in which republicanism is founded.

Who's To Be Blamed?

A Korean senior high school student killed his mother for he was apprehensive that he might be scolded by his mother and even treated him cruelly because of a low academic performance he had in his report card, the news said.

The Korean Herald reported that an 18-year old senior high school student of Seoul National University's School of Law cut his mother's throat with a kitchen knife in March for being "afraid of the severe punishment" which his mother might inflict on him when she knew that he was making a false report of his grades.

Saving The Dead

All Saints Day is a national religious holiday all over here in the Philippines. And it is celebrated every November 1.

This is not only a day to remember the dearly family treasured ones that died, but this is one of the special days where hundreds and thousands of families all over the country gather once again in their native towns or cities not only to pay homage to their lost loved ones, but to renew their families ties among themselves until New Year comes.

The living are paying a visit to their departed loved ones at the cemetery, or in the memorial park by bringing flowers, lighting a candle or holding a mass through a paid Church minister or priest.

People every year in All Saints Day keep on coming home, keep on visiting and decorating their dead one's tomb with something of great values for their dead. And they keep on doing this as a tradition. Are they not thinking of situation or condition of their dead who aren't capable of saving themselves?

9/11: A Legacy to Filipinos

Marie Rose Abad

A legacy to the poor residents of slum area in Manila was left by Marie Rose Abad, the American business woman and Sept. 11 victim, the news said.

Marie Rose through her beloved Philippine-born American husband, Rudy Abad transformed the once-notorious Manila slum into an orderly village that now bears the name of her wife.

The 50 one-story houses were built in her memory in 2004, after 3 years of  Twin Tower tragedy as a tribute to their 26 years of marriage and her unfulfilled benevolent gesture to help the poor in the Philippines.

The community which is used to be a shantytown rife with garbage, human waste and crime was converted into a decent place of refuge. For the residents now see Marie Rose Abad Village as a bright spot spun out of the disaster thousands of miles away at ground zero.

Marie Rose Abad, 49, is a New York-born daughter from an Italian immigrant family is not only benevolent, but she has also a generous heart for children and the underprivileged.

An incident was told while they were out jogging near a cathedral one day, some street children aged 4 and 5 sold them lottery tickets. No money cash on hand, they were remorse for they couldn't help the kids.

"That was the first time she felt the pain," Rudy told. Marie Rose asked him to take her to a bank, where she got about $12 worth of Philippine coins. Then they got back to the church and her wife bought all the kid's tickets. The kids were all smiles.

"I don't know when, where and how but some day, I'm going to come back and I'm going to do more than this." Rudy overheard his wife saying this.

Marie Rose met her fateful day on September 11, 2001 where her 89th floor office at the World Trade Center at the twin towers, was slammed by the second plane. She was one of those 2,800 fatalities in terrorist attacks at the said WTC.

Grievously Rudy saw her tower collapse to the ground.

Rudy thought the only means which he can immortalize her beloved wife, Marie Rose is to fulfill his wife's promise to help the poor Filipino especially those in Manila's Tondo slum. Therefore he donated more than $60,000 for the construction of a village for those destitute families through Gawad Kalinga charity which seeks to transform slums across the country into decent, productive communities through volunteer work and donations.

Gawad Kalinga volunteer Jun Valbuena expressed, "It's the good side of 9/11."

Rudy Abad, who has retired and now shuttles between homes in Las Vegas and Manila, has become an advocate of philanthropy, urging rich Filipinos to help the poor beyond giving alms. He says Sept. 11 transformed him, teaching him about suffering.

Rudy has learned from such tragic experience. He said the tragedy that opened up his eyes, that made him want to do something far and beyond.

And for the Tondo residents, Marie Rose is their hero who converted their place into a peaceful one - "no more fighting, no more stabbings, no more drinking on the street."

Marie Rose's tragedy is a legacy to the Filipinos in ameliorating their standard of living. The black-and-white image of Marie Rose is on the side of a framed, rectangular sign welcoming visitors to the community is  reverentially wiped by the resident each day with cloth. For them she is a part of their family, though she is a stranger to some.

Related Sources:

• Who Is Marie Rose Abad?
• A Legacy Village (video)

No Fear When Death Comes

Late in the afternoon today, I attended the funeral service of my wife's aunt, Consuelo R. Demabildo, 80. As I observed, aunt Consoleng's eldest daughter, Marlyn who was about to give words of thanks to those who condoled and sympathized with them, couldn't utter a word. She just kept on sobbing.

Why? What kept her mouth unable to express things? Is it because her beloved mother had left them? Whatever?

Filipina Teacher To Die In China

Teacher teaching

What a shocking news! A Filipina teacher is sentenced to die in China again for drug trafficking..

What a pity to a Bicolana English teacher who taught in Shanwei City since 2006 and has 4 children to support.

The news said this 41-year-old Filipina teacher (name withheld as requested by her family) was guilty of drug smuggling. She was arrested at the Guangzhou International Airport last October 26, 2010 for carrying nearly two thousand grams of heroin found at the bottom of her suitcase.