Free Clinic for Guihulnganons: Triskelion’s 16th chapter Anniversary’s Advocacy

Free Clinic for Guihulnganons: Triskelion’s 16th chapter Anniversary’s Advocacy
Guest Writer: Amber Ross B. Ramos

In connection with the annual celebration of the Triskelion’s 16th chapter anniversary, the Tau Gamma Phi/ Sigma Fraternity and Sorority Guihulngan chapter conducted a Free Clinic Program for Guihulnganons today Monday, December 28, 2009.

Starting at around 9 in the morning, the event kicked off with a motorcade participated by members of the said organization. People coming from the different barangays of Guihulngan City converged at the city’s Multi-Purpose Gymnasium as they anticipated with much excitement the free clinic services offered by the organization.

Anatalio Bugwad, 60, a resident of Lagcagon Mckinley was one of the lucky participants who had availed the free clinic services. He pointed out that the program was really a big aid to him and to the others who, like him, could not afford buying medicines.

In an interview, Bonjon Palomares, Vice Governor General of Negros Oriental Provincial Council and Triskelion Global Coordinating Council Director for Visayas, said that it was their solemn advocacy to render an outreach program annually involving free clinic services.

Among the free services rendered were Blood Sugar Testing and consultations. Free medicines given in the outreach were donated by Rite Med Unilab and Pro health.

Aside from the free clinic, the organization also held a feeding program and rendered free hair cut services.

Palomares said they had been giving these services annually for the past eight years. He pointed out that feel more encouraged and fulfilled to offer such services to fellow Guihulnganons in their own little way as an organization. He added that they would be looking forward to render their services again in the coming years by God’s grace.

Duane Canillas, the President of Guihulngan Triskelion Alumni Organization (GTAO) expressed his gratitude towards the people who eagerly participated and cooperated to ensure the success of their event.

The event was a one day celebration and had been participated with the different Chapters in Negros Oriental including Ayungon Chapter, NORSU-G Chapter, Canlaon City Chapter, Pacuan Chapter, Guihulngan Triskelion Alumni Organization (GTAO) along with Guihulngan City Chapter. ( Amber Ross B. Ramos)

Pitogo farmers

Very recently, I was in Pitogo, in Brgy P Zamora,Guihulngan, where there is an ongoing seminar called the Farmer Field School on Corn. About 60 participants are attending this 4-month long seminar on corn production, each farmer is asked to attend regular classes every Monday morning.

Farmers are required to tend (by group) a plot of corn using different treatments (like trials on variety or trials on different organic fertilizers) and they report their findings to the big group. Afterwards, technicians from the Municipal Agriculture Office conduct lectures on various phases of corn production, and also on special topics. Last week, the special topic was on artificial insemination of large cattle conducted by Mr. Oscar Vittorio "Donga" Trinidad

I wish this group of farmers all the best in their endeavors. Congratulations to Guihulngan Municipal Agriculture Staff for showing much dedication in their work!

Guihulngan girds for Christmas celebration

Time flies by so fast, now, Christmas season is in the air....This year will be marked by simple celebrations, at least, for the Municipality of Guihulngan.
As with the previous years, our citytown of Guihulngan will celebrate 11 nights of Christmas to be spearheaded by various agencies.
Dec 11, Friday -- To be sponsored by ABC Kiddie Center
Dec 12, Saturday -- St Francis College
Dec 13, Sunday -- Bankers: Guihulngan Branches of Land Bank of the
Philippines, Philippine National Bank, Rural Bank of Guihulngan, Baptist Church, Guihulngan Retired Teachers Association (GRETA), Philippine Ports Authority, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Post Office, Senior Citizens
Dec 14, Monday -- Regional Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, Public Attorney's Office, Prosecutor's Office, Parole and Probation Office, Philippine National Police,Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, Governor William Villegas Memorial Hospital and Department of Public Works and Highways
Dec 15, Tuesday --Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) - Guihulngan Campus
Dec 16, Wednesday -- All secondary schools
Dec17, Thursday -- Guihulngan North District, Dept of Education
Dec 18, Friday -- Guihulngan South District, Dept of Education
Dec 19, Saturday -- Local Government Unit offices and Dept of Interior and Local Government
Dec 20, Sunday -- All accredited NGOs and POs, Roman Catholic Church, Philippine Independent Church and Couples for Christ, City of Guihulngan Lawn Tennis Association
Dec 21, Monday -- Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK)

Happy Holidays, my fellow Guihulnganons!!!

Barangay Secretaries meet in Villegas

Barangay secretaries and treasurers from different barangays of Guihulngan met in Brgy Villegas in the first week of this month to strengthen working relations, especially on coordination regarding barangay transactions. The meeting was also attended by Secretary to the Sanggunian Ms Marites Rizon, her assistant Mrs Romil Baguio Alangilan, Municipal Accountant Miss Genevieve Seno and SB Jessica Trinidad Villarmente.
Brgy Councilor Nemesio Fuentes of Brgy Magsaysay shared his experiences in processing vouchers for the barangay.
Congratulations to the Guihulngan Barangay Secretaries Association (GUIBSA) for coming up with this initiative of improving their services with an in-house training!

Old Picture circa 1952, before I was born

I have often wondeed what Guihulngan looked like before I was born, and there is nothing like those old photographs, black and white, that can answer this.
Mr Fernando Villegas, lent me a picture dated July 4, 1952, taken during the 6th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Independence Day. The shot was taken from the second floor of Dr Gualberto Rivera's residence, facing south.
We have a motorcade of old automobiles flanked by bicycles. Then Mayor William Billy Villegas (who later rose to boardmember, vice governor and eventually governor of the province of Negros Oriental) is here with his vice mayor, Hon Jose Tirambulo Trinidad.

On the foreground riding a bike with a box-like frame (maybe like a float?) is Mr Fructoso "Tusoy" Dorimon. Mr Tusoy Dorimon used to write legal documents, somewhat like a clerk in those days when lawyers were so scarce.

At the other side, Mrs Jesusa Penaflor Villegas (mother of Noy Fernando), then the only woman municipal employee (talk of discrimination against women, ha ha ha)at the municipio, with Raymundo Orcullo (principal clerk at MTO) ( with bike, how popular and a status symbol those days), and Gervacio Guzman (in checkered shirt, soon to become the policeman).

Those acacia trees is the parking area, and at the far end is Anoy Logronio's botica. All structures were of temporary materials, like nipa and wooden walls.

Take note, the third car is the weapon's carrier (model, that is, translated to the younger generation) of Mrs Memeng (Filomena)Alquizola Reyes, mother of incumbent mayor Ernesto Reyes.

The billboard advertizes Oriental Academy (one of the two secondary highschools here, the other one being Hibbard Institute which was a branch of Silliman University).

Noy Fernando recalls that every Independence Day (July 4 was later moved to June 12), the veterans were asked to recall their wartime experiences as Filipino soldiers defended democracy.

Fiesta in Barangay Kagawasan

Congratulations to Barangay Kagawasan which celebrated its fiesta last Sunday, September 20.

This place is one of the old places in the stories of my fathers and forefathers. My grandmother used to tell me it is where our greatgrandfather Vicente Villahermosa (Lolo Inting) Vergara and his wife, Margarita Tirambulo (Lola Garet) resided in one of their many travels during World War II. Although I haven't really lived here, fields of tobacco, corn fields and coconut trees register in my mind when people mention Barangay Kagawasan.

Kagawasan,it means freedom....Old man Uncle Doming Trinidad calls this place freedom hill! Along its boundery with Barangay Tinayunan Beach is a place called Tan-awan, where our old folks used as look-out against the Japanese soldiers during the war.

I feel joy when I visit Kagawasan, I feel affinity with my old folks, whom I have never seen but live in the places of memories, passed on through generations. I feel the beauty of the everlasting hills, to borrow a familiar phrase..the breeze that goes through the coconut trees must have been the same breeze kissing my greatgrandfather's cheeks, the same breeze that played with my father and his 9 other brothers....this is Guihulngan that runs through our veins, through our hearts and souls....

Much to thank for are the people who have been so blessed in life, they remember to give back something to the place...The heirs of Melanio Vergara has donated a lot for the elementary school, as well as fencing for the school .Thank you to the Vergara family of Tinayunan Beach, may you be ever blessed....!

NORSU Guihulngan Campus celebrates CAS Day

The Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) Guihulngan Campus celebrated its annual College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) day last Sept 3, 2009. Guest of honor was university president Dr. Henry Sojor.
An agro-fair and products display was one of the highlights of the celebration. Students from the different levels of the agriculture department displayed fresh farm products, including organically-grown vegetables. The department is led by Mr. Pete Gargar, Mr Vincent Anthony Nunez and Mrs. Rosalina Indab. Engr Bobby Bustamante, barangay captain of Brgy Trinidad and himself a practicing farmer and Guihulngan SB member Jessica Villarmente were among the guests.

The activities also included the Smokers Day, an annual tradition of the Department of Criminology which features criminology students in amusing poses. First year students dressed up in adult diapers, while other batches featured macho men in mini skirts and ladies in cowboy attire.

On the more serious note, Dr Sojor said the university is the meeting of two souls..."the soul of the student and the soul of the community meets in the university."

Maniak School Grade 5 room needs repair

There is also another public elementary school in Maniak, in Maniak Proper. While the buildings from Grades 1-4 are done and in good shape because it has been completed under the TEEP Program under the supervision of principal Danny Gantalao, the Grade 5 room is a makeshift building which is not conducive to learning. Its thin metal roof is in need of immediate repair due to holes, the walls badly need painting and the windows need blinds so the children can be protected from the strong midday sun.

Newly assigned teacher Miss Jessica Albino is appealing to kind-hearted individuals for repair materials, paint and blinds to help her children have a more conducive atmosphere for learning.

Maniak

The JBES, as it is called, is set in the middle of abundant ricelands belonging to the Baquilta family, who is also the donor of the lot on which the school is situated...This is a very abundant land, and deep in my mind I was very impressed by the success achieved by the Baquilta twin doctors (in education) as well as for their children and family, considering that Maniak is a very remote place and at the time these respected gentlemen were still in their elementary and high school days, they had to walk to Hilaitan and even to Guihulngan, many, many kilometers away because there were no motor vehicles then.

Few Guihulnganons can equal the effort they put in to achieve success in education, but they are indeed models worth emulating by our younger generation. In turn, they are instrumental in the putting up of the school location, they have helped their hometown...

A visit to Maniak

My hometown Guihulngan is a relatively big town...it is composed of 33 barangays. No words nor pictures can describe its rugged beauty...and one of the few barangays I've had the luck to visit is Barangay Maniak....

One of its landmarks is the elementary school at Ubod, which is now named Jacinto Baquilta Elementary School...ancestor of Dr Joe Baquilta and Dr Gil Baquilta, both of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU).

Trees of my childhood

Childhood in Guihulngan (circa 1960s, forgive the age, could be too young or too old, it depends), also meant fascination with trees. In my grandmother's frontyard, in front of the municipal hall, was an old tambis tree which we used to climb. My other grandmother planted a lot of fruit trees in our house in Bateria, including santol trees. we were told it was bangkok variety, with big and sweet fruits. Our own version was sweet, I don't know what happened with the size, but long after my dear grandmother Lola Paro was gone, the santol tree was still there, giving sweet fruits even to my sons who brought in his classmates for a picnic of climbing up the trees.

yes, trees were part of our childhood. i remember there were some mansinitas trees which grew from my aunties side of the fence, which overlooked the backyard of the old parish convent. the american franciscan priest fr. melvin stanley (may god bless his soul), often shouted at us to get down from the trees, how we loved to slide down from the branches. my cousins were also my playmates then, we had big families and there were so many of us, just for an idea, my father had 9 other brothers and a sister, so i have around 70 cousins!

there was a tambis tree in front of my Lola Naning's house, in front of the municipio. it was a survivor of the second world war when Guihulngan was razed by invading enemy troops, a witness to history. and because we lived next to the old catholic church, i also got to know the old mahogany trees which grew big as we grew, it was so sad when these were cut down. there were also old teak trees planted by the american franciscan fathers, now gone, gone like the priests themselves.

when i see old trees, i remember childhood in guihulngan....and when i go around town and up the mountains were nowadays we have very few trees left, my heart yearns for for the old trees...trees which may save us from global warming....so soon i will go and plant a tree with my children....

Pictures from the mass....

Goodbye Tita Cory

Guihulngan joined the Filipino nation in paying tribute to the late President Corazon Aquino.

A solemn mass dedicated to her memory was held at the Nuestra Senora del Buensuceso Parish Church, celebrated by Father Raul Engan.

Municipal officials led by town mayor Ernesto Reyes, councilors Jessica T. Villarmente, Hon Carmen Rivera, Dr Leticia Pasigna, Alfredo Javier and Simplicio Mijares were among the yellow-clad supporters of Tita Cory who joined the mass last August 5, 2009.

Reunions

Reunions, how I love reunions! Over the past few years, I've been privileged to attend class reunions, family reunions, school reunions. Reunions at birthdays, at weddings, and yes, even during funerals.
Reunions allow us to look back to the days when we were young and full of hope, and to the times when we were up and down and up again, to measure our achievements of today against the tentative steps of yesteryears...Reunions remind me that what I am today is a product of my interaction with a group of people like my family, my classmates and schoolmates.
Reunions are times of thanksgiving for being in each other's company then and now, it's a time for remembering, a time for renewal of ties, for forgiveness and reconciliation.
Last weekend, a group of St. Francis School (Guihulngan) alumni got together to help plan a school reunion for the coming founder's day in October 2009. With us during that meeting were members of the adhoc alumni association, namely Atty Anthony Trinidad, Mr Jurdan Erojo, Dr Edgar Pialago, Landbank Manager Ms Jeoferdine Cui, Dr Cesar Carampatan, Dr Wing Baquilta of NORSU, Bro Mayok Ricablanca, OFM, Mrs Charisse May A. Dael who is now an instructor at SFC, and yours truly aka Ana Carla Trinidad Villarmente. Some other officers were not around, on seminars or out of town, like Dr Mary Rose Genisan-Sancelan, Ms Eleanor T. Rodriguez and Ms Marites Rizon. We opted to go on with planning since we'll be submitting these plans to the body.
The adhoc officers would like the coming October 2009 alumni homecoming to be the kick-off for the 50th anniversary of St Francis School Guihulngan in 2012. And because this is worth 50 years waiting for, we would like to solicit your suggestions to make this occassion very memorable. We're even asking all alumni, in the Philippines as well as abroad, to reserve your vacations in 2012 so we'll see each other then.
We're asking each batch, from each year, from elementary, highschool and college levels where applicable (there were years when we only had high school batches) to please organize themselves and have your own batch or class officers.
Please get in contact with anyone of the officers. Dr.Pialago also made an e-group which you may contact at sfcalumni@yahoogroups.com.

Welcome

Welcome to our new blogsite...I just want to start a small site about Guihulngan, the only hometown I have known, and a hometown many of you out there know and long for.

Yet what is there to go home to? After visiting friends and relatives, strolling around the market or the boulevard, or going to church, where and what is the real Guihulngan?

I've asked many younger friends and many older friends, they give me different answers....

My friend Junjun shares the idea of just going around, taking pictures of a beautiful Guihulngan. I like the idea too... though I am more on the writing side.

There is so much of this place that touches inside me. I think its the stories my father and uncles told us when we were young, of how our greatgrandparents who came from Barili and Toledo, in Cebu, came to Guihulngan. It's about local history...many times I really want to get in touch with someone who can tell us the living history of Guihulngan. My father used to tell us of wartime stories when they just moved around, all 10 children and my grandparents and their friends and alalays....from Kagawasan, to Lulukhan, to Villegas to Binobohan.

When I visit these places, the wind seems cooler and the mountain breeze reminds me of grandparents I haven't even seen, yet I feel this is my home!

I remember the old town market and the old movie house, the old tennis court, I must be getting old! I remember when I was about 5 years old, my grandmother Ana Vergara Trinidad ran a dressmaking school and at graduation time we would watch the graduates drink to drown their insecurities and bravely march down and around the stage to parade dresses they have made themselves.

The master of ceremonies was a grandfather who always spelled out his name B-I-A, we never forgot Tobias "BIA" Vergara...

And at the end of graduation rites, we feasted on pineapple juice and "pinisi" coated with white sugar, diabetes was unknown to us then.

The school's name was Oriental Vocational School.

We are loosing these tidbits about Guihulngan, help me recall those childhood memories that make up our living past.

Stories and pictures are welcome... Please tell the world about our hometown!