con't... (message board 9)

Name:   Cesar Torres
Address:   San Francisco, California, USA
Contact Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:    1 January 2005

Finally, for Villahanons, Samarnons, Filipinos, and other Filipinos who might be interested in what the Villahanons have done, and who may not have any link to the Internet, the Inquirer has published the story of the Bayanihan Road Repair Project. Thank you Ray for linking our very famous Samar News.Com to the Inquirer web page where the story is published.

If I am not mistaken, this might be the first time in the history of the Philippines, but definitely in Samar, when the townspeople were mobilized to undertake a monumental project -- repairing and maintaining a public road whose cost can run into millions.

Although the story quoted the Mayor extensively and highlighted his importance -- which he probably deserves because of his vision, leadership, and humility -- the dynamic of this extraordinary enterprise touches a multitude of leaders, personalities, and groups, and the World Wide Web.

First, there is the Villahanon Association of Metro Manila (VAMM) which broached the idea to Mayor Latorre in a fiesta in Manila, reminiscent of Pope Paul VI's "Populorum Progressio". Its leaders -- President Jun Dasmarinas, Engr. Segundino "Ding" Latoja, the lovely Alice Rapanan-Murillo, Elizabeth Gelera-Latoja, my everdearest cousin and fan (kon may pahalipay) Yolanda Go, Local Government proponent Maribel Sacendoncillo, and many, many others -- came out with the details of the Bayanihan project. (I am proud to say that the VAMM has P90,000 in its coffers right now.)

The Mayor and his fellow officials in the Municipality were fascinated by the idea, perhaps because he has graduated from being a typical employee of the detestable Bureau of Customs and his fellow officials are not the ordinary, unthinking, idiotic, corrupt, and boring leaders of the town. They are several notches above the average Samarnon elective officials.

Moreover, Mayor Latorre seems to have imbibed a great deal of civic and social consciousness by virtue of his friendship with ferevent Filipino nationalists and organizers for the poor who are associated with some progressive groups. In short, the Mayor and his fellow officials in the town have a higher political and social commitment.

Secondly, the Villahanons are not exactly the ordinary Juan Tamad, opportunistic, doleout-hungry, dishonorable Samarnons.  Villareal used to have the most number of college graduates in Samar.  It is reputed to have given many of its sons to the priesthood.   The abducted Redemptorist, Fr. Rudy Romano, a Vice President of Bayan, was a Villahanon. His abduction paralyzed the dictatorship and sent waves of concern all over the world, including the European Union, the US Senate, the Republic of Ireland, and the Redemptorist Order all over the world.  In Ireland, there was an all night vigil for this martyr of Christendom and of the poor and the oppressed in the Philippines.

Thirdly, many Villahanons have given their lives and their talents to "progressive" movements.  Consequently, the logic of a collective action is part of our psychology.

Fourthly, we are nauseous with the corruption, the incompetence and the lack of concern of provincial and national officials. We lack the words to express our contempt for these people.

Finally, in the entire island of Samar, the Villahanons are the most Internet-conscious group of people.  It is the only town in Samar which can boast of three websites. As a matter of fact, when the Bayanihan Road Repair Project started, a Villahanon from Norway who is also a recognized leader of the Filipino community in Scandinavia, Ruben Gerardo, created a website for the Villareal Association of Metro Manila which is primarily devoted to this extraordinary enterprise. All donations from Villahanons all over the world to the Bayanihan Road Repair Project are posted in the VAMM website, including the $150 from one of the most passionate and eloquent Samarnon, Mr. Adelbert Batica of Minnesotta and Basey. Mr. Gerardo even flew from Norway to Villareal just to be present in the launching of this project.

Because of our connection to each other in the Internet, and our pride in what we were doing, we were sending e-mail after e-mail, transmitting text messages after text messages to each other so that we could mobilize ourselves to support this once-in-a-century public enterprise.

We are hoping that the powerful people in Imperial Manila can recognize what we Villahanons have done.  This can be a possible model for partnership between the people of a town and the various levels of government and their officials, from the Province of Samar to the Senators, to Malacanang. We do need their help.  There are several more kilometers to be repaired and cemented.

Senator Pimentel, who seems to be closest to the Samarnons, has expressed his support if Malacanang can release funds for his office.  Someone from the Department of Foreign Affairs is following up our request for assistance which we presented to President Arroyo when she was in San Francisco last November 18, 2004.

For us Villahanons outside of the Philippines, we take great honor and pride in knowing that even our young children -- school girls in the elementary grades, aged 10 and younger -- are helping in this Bayanihan. Our townmates from all over the municipality, including the island barangays, at times as much as 1,000 per Bayanihan Day, are working in this project.

Indeed, this is democracy in action. We are proud and honorable. But we know our limitations too.  And we are aware of the hundreds of thousands of dollars and billions of pesos of the people's money that have been looted by powerful people of the Philippines.

Name:   Nida Smith
Address:   Georgia, USA
Contact Email:  joeysmith@wayxcable.com
Date:   12/31/2004

Happy New year to my family, friends in Catbalogan & to everyone in Samar & to you Ray. Marebhong pa rin an new year ha aton & I miss it very much. More power to your site Ray.

Name:   Valentin "Tennie" Cruz  Jubane,  Jr.
Address:    5722 Gateway Lane  NE, Bremerton, WA 98311, USA
Contact Email:   valjubane1957@yahoo.com
Date:    12/31/2004

Pagpasalamat gud kita mga Samarnon ug mga ig kasi ko Filipino nga waray gud kita ig api han aton makagarahum ha langit hin pag abat hini yana nga kinalibutanon nga disaster nga nahitabo didto han 11 nga mga "Countries" nga kadam-an ha ira diri gud natuod ug na karawat nga an aton Jesus Christ usa nga tinuod  nga Dios ug Anak sa Dios Amay.

Kadamo na gud and nagkamatay-sobra na 131,000 na ngatanan. Kairo man hini mga aton mga kabugto-an  nga kahi agum han isog han masamok na nga kalibutan. Ini nga mga nasyon nga na hi agum han "tsunami" ngatanan ha ira harus diri Kristiano.  Nahinumdum kamo hadton 9-11-2001 pag bombahi didi ha New York nalipay gud hinduro an mga Indonisian, Somalian, ug ngatanan nga mga diri Kristiano nga kabogtu-an naton nag kalilipay gud hira. Nalipay gud hira kay may ginpamatay nira nga mga kristiano ha America ug ha iba pa nga mga lugar sugad han Pilipinas. Ini nga mga nasyon nga na ugop kan Bin Ladin ug ira gintutu ohan nga anti kristiano yana unta abrihan na nira iton ira mga kasingkasing ug makigangay na hira ha aton mga Kristiano kay puro manla kita nga mga anak sa Diyos Amay nga tinuod nga Dios nga Amay ni Jesus Christ ug waray na iba pa nga Diyos.

Kita mga Kristyano na sunod la kita han maupay nga tutdo han aton hinigugma nga Jesus Christ. Kay ano dawla nga dinhe ha kalibutan nga diri na tuod ug diri na respito  han aton tinu-od nga Diyos ug Prince of Peace and Savior. Diri liwat hira natu-od ug nagrespito han aton mahal nga Birhen nga Nanay han aton Gino-o. Ini hira pag ika papatay ug pugot la hiton aton mga ulo kay Kristyano kuno. Yana an America na liwat an pinaka dako han bulig nga kuarta ug iba pa nga ig haharatag hinin nahiagum han tsunami.  Kontra nira Kami nga aadi ha America pero pag oras hin disaster kami (USA) guihapon an nabulig hina nga mga Countries nga na kontra han America ug kristiano.

Kadamo hin Samarnon ug Filipino didi ha America nga namag trabaho ug guin tax {taxan) nga mahihingadto ha gobyerno han America. Ini ngatanan nga mga tax amo na ini iton guin bubulig namon han bug-os nga nation didhi ha kalibutan hin waray pili- ma kristiano u diri. Kita nga tanan magka urusa ug magsinabtanay para diri na iton aton iba nga mga kabugtu-an pasagdan han aton makagarahum ug maloloy-on nga Dios Amay ha Langit.

Pasalamat kami didi ha America nga  mga Filipino kay 50 ka States kami didi. Kun may disaster iton amon usa nga State may ada pa 49 ka States nga nabulig. An Pilipinas usa la. An Indonisia usala etc. Pero an America la pirme an pinaka dako hin duro an naibubulig ha bug-os nga kalibutan. An America maki Dios ug mabuligon. Sanglit pag ampo ug pangadyi-an nala naton ngatanan adton nagkamatay nga unta diri na hira ug kita ngatanan pasagdan han aton Savior and True God ug ig aro kita ngatana han mahal nga Birhen sa Dios Amay nga tagan kita hin peaceful ug waray na nga disaster once again ug waray na unta guerra iton kristiano ug muslim. We are all brothers and sisters and created in the image of our peaceful and loving Almighty God the Father- our Creator and the only true peaceful GOD of the Universe.

An mga hopsitals nga akon guin tratrabahon didi nag pipitch in for donations to help the unfortunate ones (many) in this tsunami disaster. Ako ug akon pamilya daku gud iton pagpasalamat sa  mahal nga Birhen, Diyos Amay ug Diyos Anak nga Jesus Christ han mga grasya ug kaupayan nga guin pahuram ug hatag la ha amon.

Hina-ut unta kita ngatana diri na pabaya-an han aton makagarahum ha gui hahata asi han ngatanan.  Adton diri makakabulig han pag hatag hin kuarta for the victims  tama nala an iyo pangadi ug pag ampo para ha aton ngatanan.  Hina-ot unta mainuswagon ngan mahilum na iton mga kaaway ug magkasarangkay na kita ngatanan.  Ayaw kamo kabaraka kay an kalibutan waray katapusan. Remember when you pray "GLORY BE TO THE FATHER..........AT THE END IT SAYS...." AND THE WORLD WITH OUT END.....AMEN ! 

MAUPAY NGA BAGO TUIG HA IYO NGATANAN DIDA HA SAMAR.  FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS.....

TA HALA PA ABUTON TANAN AN BAG O NGA TUIG 2005.....PEACE.....

Name:   Sam Taft
Address:   Philadelphia, USA
Contact Email:   samtaft@earlings.com
Date:   December 30, 2004

Let's welcome the New Year two thousand n five.
A year of promise n plenty, a year to be happy n alive,
And say farewell to 2004 as it departs to a nose dive,
A year of fire n brimstone n tsunami, very lucky we survive.

If our feelings toward Samar s ambivalent,
Just remember that tasty tuba n sweet inehaw have no equivalent,
Not even a French wine or Russian caviar from hotel Benevolent,
Can equal these victual n libation specially during Lent.

So let us make our New Year's resolution.
A constant visit to Samarnews.net cyber location.
To reach out to everyone from Samar nation,
And extend greetings n felicitation.

Malipayun nga bag-o nga tuig ha iyo nga tanan.

Name:   Ana Mylene
Address:   Saitamashi, Minumaku, Saitamaken  337-0014, Japan
Contact Email:    analyncebu@yahoo.com
Date:    2004 dec 28

happy new year to all of you calbayognon regards to my huge family the resente's family take good care of your health.

Name:   Dodong Carvajal
Address:  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Contact Email:   carvajal01@yahoo.com
Date:   12/28/04

Merry christmas & happy new year han akon mga former classmate & kasangkayan hira Engr. Lito Yangzon, Joel De Vera ha calbayog, Engr. Marissa Dato ha Catarman, Donato Ortiz ha Gandara ( nakita ko imo brod Gil didi ha riyadh ), Lucy Bacunawa ha San Isidro. Ngatanan nga taga leysam ha National University.

Name:   Reynaldo Haylo
Address:   Patag1 Brgy 11 Catbalogan, Samar  6700, Philippines
Contact Email:    loss_692000@yahoo.com
Date:  12/28/2004

Mano rey si haylo po ito, mag tanong lang po ako kung may news ba kayo ng nelfe. nelfe is about pautang. i hope next week mabasa ko yung news about that. then mano rey this site is good and very honest. hehehe. i wish maging ok kayo diyan sa samar news.

Name:  Fe Sta. Cruz
Address:   8211 189th Avenue East, Buckley, WA 98321, USA
Date:   12/25/04

Does anybody know if there will be a reunion of the class of '73 at Milagrosa Academy in Calbayog? By the way, Merry Christmas!

Name:  Cesar Torres
Contact Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:  24 December 2004

Makalilipay man ini nga imo Santa Claus Ray ngan hiton imo Christmas ngan New Year's greeting.  Bisan kita baga kulang hin rason pagrakya tungod hiton aton mga kakuri-an nga ina-abat, nakakalipay ini nga Santa Claus nga nagbaballet pareho hin matambok nga Rudolf Nureyev or Nonoy Froilan.

Pero akon panhunahuna, mas malipayon dida iton Pasko contra didi ha takna nga langyaw.  Baga mamingao la didi labot hiton mga Christmas songs ha radio.  Diri ka man puede magi-ninom kay priso ka man kon madakop nga nagdradrive nga hubog. Ayos pa an imo drivers license. Ngan bangin pati kinabuhi goodbye. Waray na daw paglaom han Samar.

Salamat Ray for being with us. Ikaw an Pamasko han Makagarahom han Ngatanan hadton mga guin yuyubit, guin uuwat, ug guin tatalumpigos nga mga kablasanon nga Samarnon.

Padayon!

Name:   Alona Mastelero Strand
Address:   Skarvet 29, Tyssedal 5770, Norway
Contact Email:   alona.m.strand@c2h.no
Date:   20/12/04

HEI, mga samarnon!
              Maupay nga pasko og malipayon nga bag-o nga tuig!
              Labi na god ha akon mga kabugtoan dida ha Sulangan, Cabugawan, Buri Airport, mga kaumangkuman, kasangkayan, at mga tanan ko nga patod! Sabi nga sa Norwegian God Jul!! Mahagkot na didi yana kay nag-snow na! And to you Ray; thanks again for making this website. God Bless You! More Power!!

Name:   Araceli Alido DeGuzman
Address:  234 Oyster Pond Road, Alameda, CA p4502, USA
Contact Email:   Mdguz@comcast.net
Date:   Dec.16, 2004

Hello, I just chanced upon your website. I am trying to reach Sonny Cabrales, an old friend of my late brother Carlo from their PNB days. Sonny, if you read this message, I sent you an email at your excite.com address which may be old. I wanted to invite you and your family to the Borongan Grand Reunion on Dec. 30, 2004 to be held at the Holiday Inn at Torrance, Ca. Pls. e-mail me back if /when you get this message, would love to hear from you again. Tomorrow is my brother's first death anniversary.

Inday

Name:   Lorna Amargo Nietzel
Address:   4403 Belshaw Rd., Lowell, Indiana 46356, USA
Contact Email:   fnietzel@yahoo.com
Date:  12/16/04

I am a Filipina looking for relatives on my mother's side.  Her name was Socorro Amargo and she came from Samar.  We lived in Yawe, Quezon and Pampanga province.   My mother died in, I think, 1964 when I was 12.  I am trying to find anyone related to her (and to me).

Name:  Ruben Gerardo
Contact Email:   ruben_gerardo@yahoo.com
Date:   December 16, 2004

"Kasadya Ning Takna-a Ngatanan ?!!!" - ano dawla an buot sidngon hini nga amo pa an iginbutang dida han booth han Samar ha WOW Philippines. Ha Samar ako pagdako pero pagbabati ko pala hin sugad nga binisaya ha Samar. Ano ini pag-insulto ha aton nga mga Samarnon ngan mga Leytenhon?

Waray gud bisan usa nga nakasagdon nga ayaw gadman pagsugara kay bisan la kita pobrehanon may gihapon pagmayuyo han aton pagkalugaringon.

Sering pa han usa nga mga waydong ha iningles, "Give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar .... ", sanglet, ini nga binuhatan, gin pakita pa gud ha kadam-an, nga kita gin-agawan, gin-tuprahan ngan gintamak-tamakan!

Ka mga UGDOK !!!!!!

Name:   Wilma Reyes-Wright
Address:  1451 Richmond Lane, Algonquin, IL 60102, USA
Contact Email:   wrw_1@comcast.net
Date:  December 9, 2004

Does anyone know when the 2005 Grand Alumni Reunion for Samar Regional School of Fisheries will occur?  I want to come and have other classmates who are asking.  Of course we have to plan the trip from the USA many months in advance, so please let me know as soon as you can.

Name:   Ma.Teresa Mil "ela" Husby
Address:   Dalevegen #59, Brattvåg, Ålesund  6270, Norway
Contact Email:   sweety_ela@yahoo.com
Date:  December 6, 2004

Haller! sa mga catbaloganon, I just wanna say advance "GOD JUL" to my parents in Bo-ao;)......Kumusta na kamo mama Mara og tatay Raul? I know na miss na kami niyo ngan karuyag na niyo makita hi baby Julianne Rose:) she's turning 4 months sa december 14. Hi Mayet miss na kayo niya, she's having her b-day party in 2 weeks, puro la mga classmates niya iya invited. Excited na hiya kay una pala niya na pag celebrate didi ha norway hit iya b-day:) again MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! ha nga tnan nga mga pilipino. Miss ko na akon mga sangkay dida ha boao:) og ha imo Ray damo nga salamat.

Name:   Pamela Chu Colonia
Address:  100 - 3180 E. 58TH Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V5S 3S8, Canada
Contact Email:    maxin_e@hotmail.com
Date:   Dec 5, 2004

To my sister Nilda Chu Yboa, my nieces Arne, Aimee and my nephew Arnel. Condolence , our deepest sympathy to all you. Arne, please be strong and take care of your brother, sister and mom. Hope to se you all in April.

Name:   Martin Flores Strand
Address:   Krenken 6, Krenkenflot 6a, Odda  5750, Norway
Contact Email:   mfstrand@online.no
Date:   29.11.04

Hallo , si tita nyo ito sa odda norway ariel og rosemarie. og kumusta ang mama at papa nyo dito sa cavety at si kim na malaki na. At komusta din ang kapated kong nasa caloocan at si gg, glyn at martin. sana mag message din kayo sa akin dito para malaman ko na nabasa nyo tong message ko ok? Dito ako sa office ngayon kaya nag tingin ako ng mga balita sa samar sa catbalogan. Sege try kayo para mag message nalang tayo kong alam na nyo ok. Komusta din ang taga tacloban na kapated ko si dodie sa leyte high second year  at si bing at toto, syimpre ang mommy at daddy. At ang mga pamangkin ko sa solangan at sa iguid komusta lahat. Ang tita nyo sa norway na malamig na masyado dito kasi winter time na at madulas ang daan kaya mahirap maglakad , kaya poro drive kami dito.

Name:  Adelbert S. Batica
Address:  207 West 31st St., Minneapolis, MN 55480, USA
Contact Email:   basaynon49@yahoo.com
Date:  17 Nov 2004

Thank you, Samarnews and Ray Gaspay - for publishing the write-up and photos of the Villareal Road Project.  We need some good news every now and then.  Truly, Villareal's is a pioneering effort which I hope will serve as a signal for other towns all over Samar to follow.  Community effort can be fun and rewarding and this particular road project is a dream long overdue.  More power to the people of Villa!  Ipadayon an maupay nga buhat.

Name:   Cesar Torres
Contact Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:   17 November 2004

Lotlot Fallorina from So. Carolina sent me some pictures of the Bayanihan Road that my townmates are repairing in our town of Villareal, Samar.

The pictures can make you cry with joy at what we can do together as a people. What we are doing is worthwhile sharing with the 84 million Filipinos.

Villareal, Samar is the hometown of the abducted fiery firebrand of the Catholic Church, Fr. Rudy Romano, whose abduction and disappearance has rocked the world.

This road, which is supposed to be a "provincial road" is the responsibility of the Provincial Government of Samar whose Governor, the first non-Samarnon and female Governor of this province,  is now being accused of plunder.  The miserable, unnecessary case which is rocking the town of Catbalogan, and Samarnons all over the world, is now with the Ombudsman.

This road is also the road where two civic leaders of the town of Villareal, Samar, Mr. Jose and Nenita Dalwatan died in a hail of bullets when they were mistakenly ambushed, allegedly by the NPA because the vehicle they were riding was mistaken to be carrying the Mayor of Villareal, Samar who was in the "punishment" list of the NPA, allegedly for corruption.

The pictures show our townsmate working together, carrying buckets of stones and dirt, cementing a portion of that "death road", which is supposed to be the responsibility of the Provincial Government of Samar.

Voluntary labor was provided by the barangay people along the road, which conceivably could include NPA guerillas.  Some appropriations was made by the Municipal Government whose Mayor, Renato "Boy" Latorre, is probably turning a new leaf from his heyday as a handsome, profligate, and I hope not a corrupt, loathsome and contemptible Bureau of Customs employee.  (He reminds me of Saint Agustine now.) Technical expertise is being provided by unpaid civil engineers.

And the Villahanons all over the world -- in the burning sands of the Sahara, in the frigid lands of the Vikings, in the high seas as sailors braving the mountainous waves, in the teeming cities of Hongkong, Singapore, Tokyo, in Europe who are working as servants and lowly menials, and here in North America, and in Metro Manila through the Villahanon Association of Metro Manila -- have given money to buy cement for this bayanihan, collective, first-ever-project in the entire history of the corrupt and incompetent Philipine political and administrative system.

Even non-Villahanons have contributed to this once-in-a-century world-wide, Internet-driven Filipino effort, such as the eloquent and passionate Samarnon from the historic town of Basey, Mr. Adelbert Batica.

If the Villahanons and Samarnons can do this in Samar, there is hope that Philippine society can improve, and together with it, the 84 million Filipinos; that is if we can grind to the dust, incompetence and corruption in the Philippine political and administrative system. If we can work together with honor and dignity.

Padayon!

Name:  Samarinia
Address:  Sta Rosa, Villareal, Samar, Philippines
Contact Email:   samargirl3@hotmail.com
Date:   November 11, 2004

I just love the word "peristihon" I can't stop from laughing. Anyway, for Mr Gaspay, thank you for creating this message board. I always visit this site everyday and read all messages.  I think it's great! more power to you.

Name:  Cesar Torres
Contact Email:  Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:   9 November 2004

The San Francisco-based Samarenos of California, Inc., under the leadership of the Guiuananon, Peter Padul, has provided us with some small amount, $200. This amount is intended for the children of San Jose de Buan and their elementary school.

Christine Caidic, our Lady in Shining Armour in Samar has consulted some people connected with San Jose de Buan.  She informed us that the school needs books, a comfort room and other needs. Also, there is no electricity in that town. But of course, we are not promising them a generator or moving the electric facility in Kananga to San Jose de Buan. But we are awaiting more details about that community school.

On the comfort room, I am requesting Christine and Ray Gaspay and Kristine Badulid to request that Bayan Muna, the National Democratic Front in Samar, the Army, and the parents of the school children in San Jose de Buan do a pintakasi and construct that comfort room for the school. This is really unbelievable! There is a jungle over there and native materials: kahoy, kawayan, rattan, etc. They can be used to construct that comfort room for their very own children.

The NPA and the Army can have a truce while constructing that comfort room. Or they should initiate the construction of this comfort room themselves instead of playing hide and seek with each other to support the revolutionaries in the Netherlands and the looted and corrupted money of Carlos Garcia and other members of the Philippine Military. They can get killed in playing this game. Hahahaha.

The school administrators and those who get commissions, and tips, and bonuses for being exemplary educational administrators and mentors of the young in Samar should share their good fortune with the children of San Jose de Buan.  The Education Regional Director in Tacloban, the Regional Director of Local Government, the civil societies in Samar and Catbalogan, and other organizations should have cast their attention at the children of San Jose de Buan.  Other Samarnon organizations, especially in America and Canada, who are praying to their respective saints for their good fortune should also help.

If Christine and Ray Gaspay and Kristine Badulid can mobilize the support of those important groups so that they will work together in constructing this comfort room in the San Jose de Buan Elementary School, we in Gugma and our friends should be able to provide some financial assistance.  Once the comfort room is constructive we can even have a party to celebrate that event. We can buy gallons of tuba and have kinilaw nga tuakang.

In addition, I am proposing to our Gugma han Samar Cyberspace Movement that we adopt the San Jose de Buan Elementary School as our "Partner in Learning".

Again, there is already $200 here with us. We will send this to Christine and Ray Gaspay. We can probably add some more to this amount this Christmas. Oh yes. The children still celebrate Christmas even if they are increasingly becoming historical determinists. I have asked Christine and I am asking the others here to contribute to their Christmas Party.

If we do adopt the San Jose de Buan Elementary School, the Lead group in Gugma might be composed of Kristine Badulid, Christine Caidic, Ray Gaspay, Osmundo Orlanes, Adelbert Batica, yours truly, and others who might find this enterprise very challenging,i.e., reaching out from cyberspace and the Internet to the children of the community in the center of our beloved island of Samar.

Excited? Then to use the favorite battle cry of the Fairy Godmother, "Padayon Manga Hinug nga Peristihon nga Manga Samarmoans".

Let us see if we can persuade some of our fellow Filipinos in the hinterland of Samar to stay in Samar instead of going to the big city to become garbage scavengers and social outcasts.

I think that our good friend, Quint Lambino Doroquez who thumbed his nose at us when we were trying to raise funds for the UP Mini Concert in Payatas last February 14, 2004 in addition to providing P25,000 to help the RVM sisters in their microfinancing program in addition to donating some P30,000 or so to Tahanan Walang Hagdanan and the Children of Pingkian will now help us.

Padayon!!!!

Cesar Torres

Name:   Ingrid A. Amante-Rosales
Address:   Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Contact Email:   suara-ingrid@yahoo.com
Date:   November  4, 2004

I would like to know if there are Basaynons here in Ottawa. I just got here a few months ago and I am so willing to know and meet someone from my beloved hometown.
               GOD BLESS!

Name:   Cesar Torres
Contact Email:   Cesar1185@aol.com
Date:   31 October 2004

I got this from Her Honor, San Francisco Consul General Ma. Rowena Mendoza Sanchez, whom we met yesterday.  She had visitors too from the Church, the Archbishop of Zamboanga.

I can just imagine her when she was sharing this sad news, she must have been inconsolable, with tears streaming down her face.

What to do? What to do?  The world is at the threshold of a new dawn.

In the meantime, let us bear all our spiritual forces to focus on the forces of death and evil, let us pray that the lives of the hostages in Afghanistan shall be spared by the Power of God, whatever the Name is!

Cesar

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Dear Cesar,

Good morning! I would like to tell you of a unique young man, a foreign service officer who passed the foreign service exam and who joined the service about a year ago. His name is Angelito Nayan, Lito for short. His cv is impressive enough (Mombusho scholar, author, etc.), but when I met him, I was struck by his humility and his quiet reliable manner. His drive to do his job well and his deep passion to make a difference in the world made him stand out among his similarly qualified fellow cadets (we call the most junior of Fso's that). By all rights he should be full of himself but he isn't. We (his seniors) saw that this young man would go far and in fact, then secretary ople assigned him to handle a sensitive position when he reported for duty . That is how I got to know him a bit better than the other cadets. When he came to see me to tell me that he had volunteered and had been accepted to assist the UN as an election monitor in Afghanistan, I told him I was fearful for his safety, concerned that his career would be interrupted (he was then in the middle of his one-year cadetship) and reminded him that the DFA had a shortage of officers . He said very simply and with deep conviction, that he knew of the consequences, but that he wanted to do his bit and make a difference. And so I joined the rest of the senior officers who endorsed his application to go on leave so that he could do just that.

Lito and two of his fellow UN workers were abducted and are now held hostage in Afghanistan three days ago.

So this morning, I would like to ask you to join the rest of the Philippine foreign service corps and his family in praying for his safe return. May I request also that you help me ask for prayers from your friends for this brave young man and his fellow UN workers.

Maraming salamat po!

Weng