Siquijor: It's Bewitching me

  

      It was the glow of the fireflies that has made the Spanish colonizers before called Siquijor as the ‘Isla de Fuego’ or Island of Fire. But they were really right. Siquijor is really glowing, with all the magic in it—in places and in people. 

       When you travel to find healing, let whatever pain you have had remain as pain that has once shaken you but will no longer cause you suffering in the present. Life has billions of other wonderful things to offer each time and let every sunrise be your assurance of new beginnings. God will never waste our tears. At times, we are hurt to be blessed more and to discover what could even be stronger, lovelier and fruitful--- what could be more authentic and everlasting. Wounds should be seen not as scars anymore, but wisdom now. Siquijor is an ideal place to meditate with its historical churches like the St. Francis of Assisi Church and the San Isidro Labrador Church and Convent, one of the country’s oldest and largest spiritual structures.

   Salagdoong Beach is located in a cove and the view of the shore makes it even relaxing. 

        

        Cambugahay Falls features shallow multi-tiered waterfalls, perfect for those who want to take some dip, and for brave souls, you can also try doing a “tarzan jump.”

           And of course, to get the taste of the mystical side of Siquijor, don’t forget to find your way to this ancient balete tree which has strange spring that emanates from the base and flows straight into a man-made pool. The water is clean and with fish swimming in it, one can instantly enjoy an instant foot spa. 

       With stories about folk healing traditions and beautiful spots to experience and build memories with, this island in Central Visayas, has more reasons that is bewitching me, making me forget even for a while, the worries of the world. 

Say Yes to Him

    Saying yes to God is the best decision we can ever have in our life. The moment we allow ourselves to be used by Him, He will be making things and circumstances so that we can be helping hands to others. He will be touching a lot of people so that it would be possible for us to become an initiator, or an enabler or a guide. It is Him who will turn us facilitators, advocates, and mediators. He will make us teachers, social workers, missionaries, doctors, writers, friends, and families. Anything and everything will always be possible through Him and with Him. 

     

     God’s love is a kind of love that will show and lead us to share and then to love others. This is something I experience again with the birth of this simple Kwaderno project done with and made possible with people whom also God has touched so that they will be saying ‘yes’ as well. 

The children and their notebooks, with me, Ms. Anne and the barangay captain 

The Notebooks
Kwaderno means notebook 

      Every start of the school year, a child in a public school in the Philippines would need eight notebooks. In depressed and poor areas in the country, this need is already hard to meet as food and survival would be the priority of parents and guardians. Last May 2, 2014, we were able to provide a set of notebooks to some pupils of Barangay Sanke, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental, with the help of generous sponsors. We will be back to the area this 25th of May again, and after God has touched so many people, we will be bringing enough notebooks for 600 children!

      When my frailties as a human would make me think that reaching out to many children would be an ambitious and unrealistic project, there God was and here now, making it clearer and clearer to me and to us each day, that what we our thinking of is something within reach. There God was and here now, embracing me and all of us, together with these children, so that through this simple act which began with our dreams, we will truly experience Him. And so henceforth, I am welcoming even bigger dreams, and my yes to God will be even louder... 

Reaching out to Calagnaan Island

With the Philippine National Police-Region VI team loading the galvanized iron sheets

Reaching Calagnaan Island

the young, dedicated teachers of Barangcalan Elementary School

Much thanks to the Filipino community in Malta for sending us the funds

      Who would have thought that in this beautiful Calagnaan Island in Carles, Iloilo, students are still studying under the scorching heat of the sun? Who would have thought that this inviting island is an island filled with survival stories from the people--- for when and after Yolanda came, they were left to eat fallen coconuts and bananas; they had wet clothes; they were left with damaged boats and nets, destroyed houses, roofless school buildings and of course, traumas?

Children having their classes

Fr Ron leading the prayer and the activities for the children

   

    When we arrived after long and challenging boat rides, we were welcomed by the smiles of the people, the children and the teachers. We were welcomed by much insights and deep impression. I am really so proud of the students because despite financial difficulties and the limitations of their classrooms, they were still so eager to learn, and I must say that their stories will be inspiring many students and parents. I am so proud of the teachers because of their dedication to teach and for the noble sacrifices that they would have to bear just to be with their students. I am proud of the entire community, for helping one another so that they can move on in life with optimism and unwavering faith. I am proud of all those people who made this outreach possible, to those who sent the funds, to those who made the links and the transfer of the materials possible, to those who taught songs and dances, to the hands that got wounded, to the skins that were burned, to the bodies that got tired, to the spirits that were filled with joy and love… We did these all together, and we are touched to do more. This is how we are welcoming summer 2014...

Giving some school supplies for the children

With Misyon Staff Bessie and Assistant Editor Anne

Welcoming Summer 2014

Summer 2013 Reflections

A Reflection Paper on Sociology of Communication 

   Back to my earlier education and formations, I had been, just like most of us, bombarded with so many answers to so many questions. Upon knowing these and that, we would feel so smart. But when we go to the community and when we are being faced with complicated true-to-life circumstances, we would hear others asking us questions we’ve never heard before, and even arrive at the crossroads of our lives that we began asking ourselves confusing questions and we don’t know how to respond. From there we found ourselves searching for meaning. 

  Sociology is also being viewed as a study of relationship among systems and entities in our society. Communication is relationship too. The best graphics are created not by the mind alone but with the heart. The graphics have emotions on them. 

  Sociology of Communication is made up of images created by the mind as influenced by the heart’s emotions. According to Fr. Francis Lucas, old books would traditionally define it to be process of using signs and symbols. Sign indicates something else. It points to a particular concept or idea but it is not the thing itself. Meanwhile, symbol has meaning of its self. Sound is a sign. The notes and g-clef are symbols. However, what would be the most appropriate word is “image.” Image implies something bigger and deeper. It goes beyond signs and symbols. It involves even feelings and imagination. 

  Social Communication is anything we say. Mass media refers to instruments, means, technologies and programs as diffusion channels of communication. It is the amplification of bits and pieces of reality. 

   Academics are just part and parcel of what we are doing in action. We study communication and when we really start immersing ourselves into it, we found ourselves realizing that everything is communication. Sociology of Communication is conveying the reality of life. We had been given by the academe so many technical ways of defining communication but basically communication is sharing. We are senders and receivers at the same time. This is not about information alone. The power is actually experienced from having the right information in the right time for the right purpose. 

    One of the things that struck me was the discussion about self-talk. It is the inner speech that includes the questions and comments we made to ourselves. It is a powerful influence that we can use in thinking things through, in interpreting events and messages of others, and in responding to experience. 

    In studying about communication, it is important and life-changing to include the concept of self-talk. Positive self-talk increases focus, concentration and performance. When you stay encouraged and positive, your body will feel good. But if you believe you cannot do something, your brain will tell your body and it will shut down. 

     In communicating, knowing the factor of double image is also important. It depends on where our focus is. It is part of our perception. The angle that we see depends on where we are coming from. In media, it is known as the spin. Perception process is the process we use to assign meaning to data about ourselves and the world around us. Our perception is actually influenced by intensity, repetition, uniqueness, and relevance which are affected by interest, needs and motivations. 

    Mass media controls the mind and the heart. It can be very effective teacher and preacher. It has massive reach, deep impact and can attack the psyche. It can easily change the social behavior. In the negative side of it, it can be a very effective ‘rapist.’ It can corrupt the mind. It can promote negative values. Our mirror neurons can lead us to imitate and to be engaged in the feelings and actions of what we are watching. The web and the internet expert can use our mirror neurons to lead us to the way where they would want us to go. 

    But what is the key to any communication media is its soul. Man’s disposition should be expressed. For the soul to be committed to something, for it not to be empty and be rattled easily, it should have its purpose. What do we communicate? What do we give to the society? The global trends now are modern slavery, destruction of the natural resources and biodiversity, cancerous growth of urban centers of power and prestige and disintegration of families and community. It is a generation without parents, the third wave generation of digital age but a world with losing of much spiritual values. Inequity and disunity enhance moral crisis. It is the bankruptcy of morality that creates so much violence, pain and death. It happens when people start to misunderstand, and resort to war and conflict and turned lives into nothing but just collateral damage. It’s about time that we communicate for the purpose of building faith communities, authentic relationship, sustainable development and collective successes. 

    The world today has become richer than any other time. But we have so many poor compared to any other period of our history too. It seemed that we live in a world of contradiction. What do we say about poverty? We call it a state, and we try to compute it, but our problem is that we just define poverty and not really feel it. Have we asked how the poor feel, and really see them and understand them? Social communication is going beyond defining what’s going on with our society. It is not just making reports, statistics, and action plan. Social Participation is empowering the people how to decide and not just giving choices. On a personal level, I should get more into the habit of analyzing not only what to decide but how to decide. We should look at the reality and listen and feel the situation of others so that it will penetrate in our hearts too and make our communication a part of the solution to the problems of the world.

Communication for Development Summer Class 2013
Asian Social Institute

Side Trip at the Heritage City

Walking along the cobblestone streets in the midst of the crowd

Traversing Calle Crisologo and Mabini

Waiting for the sunset, enjoying empanada and cold drinks.

A glimpse of unique architecture

That fuses Philippine and Oriental designs 

With colonial European architecture.

Old Spanish houses, huge doors

Sliding capiz shell windows

Calesa here and there.

Standing below the poet Leona Florentino's statue

Shops for antiques, woodcrafts and basi wine

Lamp-lit, romantic ambience.

And yeah, I got no doubt

Vigan is really a heritage city

 And it completed our Ilocos journey.

With Mona, Via and Ilya 

Me and the Poet Leona Florentino

                                                                                                  

A Pilgrimage at the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation

    Thank you friends for taking this pilgrimage with me and for being real pilgrims too… In that bumpy and rough tricycle road while traversing in the hilly and dusty path towards the rock formation, I was able to reflect on how the fundamental principle of the sacrifice of Jesus is not the suffering but the love. And as the rock formation got closer downhill, and we had burnt our skins, it was just so stunning to be welcomed by Mother Nature’s work of art. And as we head back, we may have left the place already, but the landmark of that giant sphinx cutting through the deep blue sky with all its whiteness will remain in us. Like how Jesus passed the Mount of Olives, which is the one of agony and combat, to that of Calvary, which is that of death and actual sacrifice, may we triumph too; and prepare ourselves for all things and be people of unwavering faith… May we never forget the essence of the sacrifice of Jesus done because of love. May His every step, every sweat, tears and blood matter to us eternally...

Adventures in Ilocos Norte

French author and Nobel Prize winner André Gide once famously said, “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time”. And so this adventure is one of our courageous acts of turning away from the familiar and towards the unfamiliar, and God is so amazing beyond words can tell, that even on a Holy Thursday, we had gotten a well-contrived venture that though we are still heading towards the wide open sea, the learning and the awe are already within our reach.

At the back is the hill known as Bantay Abot Cave

Different colors in pathway of blue, black and white sands
A coastal province packed with historical places
Fine beaches, I-forgot-my-name-cuisines
A paradise, a gem, a haven of stunning rocks
Nature and man's creative hands combined
Oh yes, its God's mighty hands placed on lands.

This St Augustine's church in Paoay

Is an Earthquake Baroque style

With much story to tell about the past

And as the belfry stands a few meter

On a beautiful sunny day

You end up feeling both young and old

Feeling both solemn and playful

And then feeling both on earth and in heaven

And so you'll see and realize

That paradox could really be part 

Of the journey towards finding the true you.

The Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte

The Windmills of Bangui

Speechless I became at the sight of these wind turbines

At the heart of the municipality of Bangui in Ilocos Norte
They were scattered meters apart on shore
And I looked even smaller when I stood next to them.

Right there at the north-west tip of Luzon island
My soul just got overwhelmed
And the winds that have given electricity
Has also energized and awakened me.

And the strong waves, the lullabies they created
Has made me want to sing with friends and strangers
And then dance with the wind too
Just like how these windmills do.

Going Northwest at its Most

The Patapat Viaduct

 

Pagudpud is the name I had first heard from my friend, Morry. Since then, the desire to go there someday has then become near to the heart, that the spot-on distance of it has become bearable. The feeling of taking the road to a northernmost settlement rolled over mountains, hills, valleys and coastal land is just naturally giving me adrenaline rush. But Pagudpud will not only remind me of Dos Hermanos islands, Bantay Abot cave, Patapat Viaduct overlooking Pasaleng Bay, Blue Lagoon, crystal-blue waters and wind sand beaches. It will remind me more of the people we met that made the trip more memorable. With them we never feel alone and far away from home. The warmth of the Ganno family’s home stay accommodation is truly moving, coupled with the enthusiasm of our tour guide Kuya Odelon who even went behind what he was supposed to do as a guide--- that was sharing his life story and the wisdom acquired from it.

Welcome-arch passing through the Pan-Philippine Highway 

Summer Reflections

Just within this week, I have attended three separate commencement exercises. Just within this week, many of my friends have went home already while some have travelled far going to places they have never been before. The next days would mean a new start. For students, summer vacation is really one of the most awaited time of the year. I could still remember my classmates beginning to have their countdown as early as February anticipating for that day when they they could scream their ’summer is here!’ 

Summer reminds me of so many past experiences one of which was when I was lost because I rode the wrong jeepney. I found my way home but I was changed with what I saw while our trip was going on. When I saw a kid, perhaps eight or nine-year old helping his father clearing-up the sugarcane plantation under the blazing sun, I was transformed into a different person. When my eyes glanced towards the direction of a bare-footed mother carrying a baby and a sack of their belongings, I bowed down my head in the thought that they haven’t stopped walking even at once. We were both lost but there’s a big difference. I know I am leading to somewhere. I only have to find it again while she may not even know where she and her baby were going at all. The ride continued only to bring me more tragedy. In the intercession, there was traffic and a man screaming at the top of his voice as if he got all the authority. He was driving a van. Next to the van was a trisikad and an old man, which appears to be more than 65. I don’t know what the whole story was, but upon seeing the worried face of the old man picking up the scattered grains of uncooked rice in the high-way with his calloused hands, the thin plastic bag torn apart, the sympathetic atmosphere created by the passengers like me, the irritated look of the man in the van who seems to be in a hurry and the series of the deafening sound of horns from the lined-up vehicles, I don’t need to witness everything in the scene. It was enough. I examined the old man and heard him whisper in dialect, “Now, my grandchildren had nothing to eat. Tonight will be just another night that they should sleep early to escape the call of their stomachs.” In my mind, it wasn’t fair…Then I opened my pocket and asked myself how much it cost now to buy a kilo of rice and I realized it wasn’t enough. And so I cried. And the jeepney went on.My fellow passengers expressed their emotions too…As the road way back gets clearer and clearer, my thoughts go with it, too. What if it’s summer and it rained? Will it still be summer? My one ride in that wrong jeepney revealed to me some of the sad realities in life…

Now, it’s summer. It’s a time when kids living in farms and mountains would spend extra time under the rain or sun helping their father. It’s a time when a person who has been busy for a long time can pose for a while to get life and drop by in the church. It’s a time for students to prepare themselves for another journey to begin or for some face the consequences of not attending their classes before. It’s a time to showcase the creativity of Filipinos when it comes to summer businesses and fashionable summer accessories…It’s my time to be useful just like any other seasons of our lifetime. It’s time to evaluate and to learn practically. Summer, summer, summer. Thank God for Summer!

Summer does not mean it won’t rain but still, summer makes us thirst for something, and perhaps, someone too…

This summer vacation, may we not forget the value of spending time with our family and above all with God despite so many choices and alternatives this world presents before us. May we all experience justice and love. May we all find wonderful moments to reflect and contemplate too so that we will grow and enjoy more…If we have started spending our summer productively, then individually, we will be knowing what others have done. I would then know what you did last summer…

Have a great summer vacation! God Bless us all…

(Above's post was first posted on April 23, 2009 with the title, 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' in my Friendster Blog, "Going Home to My Heart".)