esteE A S T E R N S A M A R N E W S S E R V I C E VOL 5 NO 4JUNE 2017

“COMMUNICATING HOPE AND TRUST IN OUR TIME.” - POPE FRANCIS

Go back to basics, says bishop at Pentecost

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SALCEDO, Eastern Samar, June 4, 2017–A local prelate has challenged his flock to go “back to the basics of our faith” as a response to a recent survey that church-goers and Catholic weddings are getting fewer.

Gathered for the 29th Diocesan Pentecost Vigil, the faithful were urged by Borongan bishop Crispin Varquez to appreciate and recover the pillars of the faith such as doctrines, sacraments, morality and prayer.

“Let us remember what the early Church did. The pillars of our faith stood as the cornerstones of the community,” Varquez said in his homily.

He also dissuaded the people from becoming “Catholics by convenience” as he acknowledged that some people identify themselves as Catholics but do not

By Roel Joe Abunal

CRS formally closes Yolanda operations in East SamarTHE Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international humanitarian agency under the auspices of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has been a partner of the Diocese of Borongan during the relief and rehabilation of tyhphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims. Its Eastern Samar field office formally terminated its operation on May 30, 2017, about four years after Yolanda, with a “Close-out & Thanksgiving” activity in Salcedo, Eastern Samar on March 30, 2017. (Este News)

A thanksgiving mass was celebrated during the Close-Out activity of CRS – Eastern Samar office on May 30, 2017 in Salcedo, Eastern Samar. (Photo from the FB page of Aboy Abayan)

accept some of the Church’s stand on doctrinal and social issues.

Speaking to more than three thousand people gathered at the grounds of the Schools of Fisheries in Matarinao, he also mentioned how the adults of today fail in transmitting the faith to the young.

He called out politicians, especially those who studied in Catholic schools, to uphold the Catholic education they received.

He encouraged families to bring back the altars to their homes as these are effective ways of introducing the faith to the young people.

“If you do not have an altar at your home right now, make sure that you will provide one once you arrive home,” the bishop said.

Now on its 29th year, the Pentecost Vigil celebration gathers the clergy, religious and lay faithful from different

Diocese celebrates first Parish Day

GUIUAN, June 3, 2017–Borongan Diocese celebrated the first Parish Day at the historic parish St. John the Baptist Parish in Homonhon island.

Presided by Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, the celebration was held on June 1, 2017 with the presence of the parish commu-nity of Homonhon led by its parish priest, Fr. Jiovanni Bandoy.

The Parish Day celebration is a diocesan program spearheaded by the diocesan Commission on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) in or-der “to highlight the yearlong cel-ebration of the Year of the Parish and the 100th Anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.”

The celebration started at 8 AM, with a festive welcome at the beach front of Barangay Casuguran, as

Live ammos, blood found at ambush site in GiporlosBORONGAN CITY, June 9, 2017–Au-thorities recovered live and spent ammunition during the pursuit operation conducted after the am-bush of a police vehicle in Giporlos, Eastern Samar yesterday morning.

Police report show that opera-tives were able to recover empty shells for AK-47 and M16 rifles, an empty shell for a 40mm grenade and a live ammunition for an M16, duplex wire, fragments of pvc and

personal belongings from the en-emy position.

They also found specks of blood, indicating that somebody from the enemy forces was hurt, according to the report.

Deputy PNP Provincial Director Noelito Getigan said that the vehi-cle was carrying four policemen led by SPO4 Teodoro Dado Tan when they hit a landmine and was fired upon along the national highway in

Bgy Biga, Giporlos.They were on their way to Bo-

rongan to attend a PDEA confer-ence, he said.

The policemen survived the am-bush unhurt by driving through the kill zone, and returning fire which lasted about 20 minutes, the police director said.

The police car’s windshield was damaged and a bullet went through

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Bishop Crispin Varquez receives the offertory gifts at the Pentecost Vigil Mass held in Matarinao School of Fisheries, Brgy. Matarinao, Salcedo, Eastern Samar, on June 3, 2017. ALREN BERONIO

The procession of Our Lady of Fatima during the Parish Day in Homonhon, June 1, 2017. ESTE NEWS

este VOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 20172 WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS

Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie S. Campomanes & children

Sainthood cause for Mindanao martyr gains momentum

Bishop Severo Caermare of Dipolog and postulator Fr. Patrick Dalangin shows a photo of a painting of unknown date and origin, depicting Jesuit Fr. Francesco Palliola with dagger that slit his throat. The painting is presently at the archives of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in Manila. ROY LAGARDE

MANILA, June 11, 2017—Sainthood could be the next honor for a 16th century Italian Jesuit missionary whose memory still lingers in a southern Philippine province.

A drive to canonize Fr. Francesco Palliola appears to be gaining momentum.

Bishop Severo Caermare of Dipolog said that sainthood is a tedious process but the whole procedure is driven by “cult” or popular devotion.

“There has been an ongoing devotion about him that made us study and gather evidence,” Caermare said in a press briefing in Manila on Friday.

Jesuit Fr. Tim Ofracio said that the strong devotion, among other reasons, was triggered by several “miracles” being attributed to Palliola.

When the Jesuit mission returned to the Philippines in 1859, after an absence of 90 years, he said that the Jesuits were surprised that the “the cult of Fr. Palliola was very much alive”.

“When we returned here, we were shocked that many people believe that he is holy and asking for his intercession,” Ofracio said.

“So the cult of Fr. Palliola is really very old… a cult in a positive sense,” he said.

Caermare said that the diocesan process for the cause of martyrdom of Palliola, which was started in January 2016, is expected to close before the year ends.

The cause will then move to its next phase wherein the Vatican’s Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome will verify the documents of the diocesan process.

The Roman phase for the cause will be handled by the Society of Jesus.

If the review is positive, the Pope is likely to declare Palliola a martyr and approve his beatification, the last step for sainthood.

“We wanted to have another saint for the Philippines and it’s coming from Mindanao. It’s very timely for us as we will be celebrating in 2021 the 500 years of Christianity,” Caermare said.

“He is not a native of Mindanao but because of his passion for mission and love for Lumads, he could be considered a true Mindanaoan,” he said.

If declared a saint, Palliola could be the third from the Philippines after St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila and St. Pedro Calungsod of Cebu.

Born into nobility, in the town of Nola in Naples, Italy in May 1612, Palliola joined some 40 Jesuits on an expedition to the Philippines.

After a trip of over two years, he finally landed in Iligan in January 1644, beginning a mission in Mindanao that would take him to Dapitan, Dipolog and the rest of Zamboanga Peninsula, spreading Catholic faith to the locals, including the Lumads of the area, the Subanen.

At age 35, Palliola was martyred at Ponot, now Jose Dalman town, on January 29, 1648 by a converted native leader who had left Catholicism, and who the priest was trying to bring back to the faith.

Martyrs, or people who were killed for their faith, can be beatified without a miracle, since the death itself is considered a miracle of grace. However, a miracle is needed for canonization.

With the help of the Jesuits in Rome, postulator Fr. Patrick Dalangin said that what’s good about Palliola’s case is that “we don’t have the scarcity of documents pertaining to his martyrdom”.

“We didn’t have a hard time because everything was well documented,” he said. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)

Muslim leaders condemn desecration of Marawi cathedralMANILA, June 8, 2017--Muslim leaders have branded as “un-Islam-ic” the desecration and burning of St. Mary’s Catholic cathedral by a Is-lamic State-linked group in Marawi City.

The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines said the destruc-tion of religious icons and items used in Mass by the Maute terror-ist group were acts that deserve the strongest condemnation.

“Let it be known to all that Islam commands all Muslims even in war time to ‘protect places of worship’,” the Ulama said.

The Muslim clerics said that the incident was a “blatant disrespect and disregard” of the teachings of Islam.

“They do not represent Islam but enemy of Islam,” they said.

The Autonomous Region in Mus-lim Mindanao (ARMM) also criti-cized the local terror group that brought violence to the country’s only Islamic city.

In a strong statement, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the actions of the Maute group were “inhumane and unacceptable”.

“These terrorists are nothing but

hypocrites who undermine the true essence of Islam,” he said. “They are the worst of the creation.”

The Regional Darul Ifta, the region’s highest Islamic author-ity, also deplored the incident and called it “evil”.

“The Regional Darul Ifta strongly condemns the killing of Christians, the burning, destroying and des-ecrating of the church in Marawi City,” it said.

According to them, the incident was perpetrated “to arouse hatred between good Muslims and Chris-tians in the region.” (CBCPNews)

Cardinal Quevedo: Stop anti-Muslim hate

Cardinal Orlando Quevedo enters the Baclaran Church before Mass, April 26, 2017. ROY LAGARDE

MANILA, June 2, 2017--Intolerance and discrimination against Muslims are not new, but signs of these phenomena seems to be on the rise in recent days, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of the Cotabato archdiocese said.

He said this negative stereotype associating Muslims with violence are happening again because of the crisis in Marawi City besieged by the Maute terror group.

“Many… especially those outside Marawi. And when they hear the stories of evacuees, their prejudices rise,” Quevedo, a known advocate of peace between rebel Islamic groups and the government, said.

The first cardinal from Mindanao also emphasized the need to educate Christians to stop anti-Muslim hate.

“And I say, let them live and get exposure in two, three weeks with Muslims in Cotabato for instance,” he said.

The Mindanao bishops earlier gave their support to the martial

law in Mindanao that was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte after the Marawi crisis erupted.

But they said it should only be “temporary” and “a means of last resort”.

Quevedo said they will continue to back martial law “until we believe that is needed, and then we evaluate again the situation as time goes”.

He said there are many problems in Mindanao that need to be addressed from illegal drugs to corruption.

“They are not really part of rebellion but one can say that criminality is rebellion against the law. So you can (cover) that, I think, a little bit,” said Quevedo.

“But I would like to see some things that are truly accomplished definitively – the change of culture from impunity to a culture of accountability and transparency. That’s the most important,” he added. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)

esteVOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 2017 3NEWS FEATURE

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Vocation to priesthood on the rise in Borongan diocese

BORONGAN CITY, June 16, 2017–An increase in priestly vocations has been noticed in the Diocese of Borongan as School Year 2017-2018 begins.

9 out of 10 seminarians who graduated this year from the Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary (NLCS), Borongan’s seminary for those studying philosophy, will proceed to theological studies.

Two of them were admitted to UST Central Seminary, three to San Carlos Seminary in Manila, three to St. John the Evangelist School of Theology in Palo and one to Seminaryo Mayor de San Carlos in Cebu.

This brings the total number of seminarians of the diocese studying in theology to twenty four, the largest number for the diocese in recent memory.

Fr Leroy Geli, rector of NLCS, said that it is always a “grace of God to the Diocese of Borongan.”

“There is no explanation to such increase, everything is grace,” he added.

“After all, we have experienced years when response to the call to enter the seminary also waned,” the NLCS Rector said.

The high school and college seminaries, Seminario de Jesus Nazareno (SJN) and NLCS likewise have increased admittance for this school year.

There are now 145 junior high school seminarians in SJN and 48 senior high school and college seminarians in NLCS.

For his part, SJN Rector Fr Marlon

Gacho also acknowledged that the soaring number of seminarians is God’s grace.

“Every opportunity is God’s grace,” Fr Gacho said.

“When man cooperates with God’s blessings, definitely there will be ample results whether it is about vocation to the priesthood or to other vocations in life,” he added.

He also expressed hope that somebody the Church will reap the fruits when these seminarians will be ordained priests.

He emphasized that “part of the success of the present situation is the support of everyone.”

The support of the seminarians’ families and the entire Church community play a crucial part, he furthered.

Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez meanwhile expressed his joy in his homily during the Holy Spirit Mass and Foundation Day of the two seminaries noting that there are now many young boys and families responding to the call for the priestly ministry.

He thanked the formators for giving themselves in the service of the Church as they form her future ministers.

The two seminaries annually celebrate together the traditional Mass of the Holy Spirit as a way of officially opening of the new school year.

On the same day, the seminaries also observe their founding anniversaries. (Roel Joe Abonal / Este News)

EU visits East Samar, vows to continue developmental aidBORONGAN CITY, June 5,2017–Five parliamentarians from European Union member countries were in town recently to see for themselves how Official Develop-ment Assistance (ODA) is utilized and how it helps im-prove peoples’ lives.

The visit of the MPs from Estonia, Slovak Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and Czech Republic was facilitated by People in Need (PIN),a Czech NGO, currently en-gaged in developmental work in the province.

Pavel Muron, Provincial Manager of PIN said that the objective of the visit was for the MPs to learn about their work and see “if the funds are used and spent wisely and efficiently”.

PIN is currently working in 12 southern towns of Eastern Samar where they are implementing pro-grams on enhancing sustainable incomes and market development–that is ensuring market for farm pro-duce.

The MPs also had the chance to dialogue with Vice Governor Marcelo Picardal who briefed the foreign lawmakers on the situation in the province especially on rehabilitation efforts after super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

They had an exchange of ideas and practices about legislative work in their respective countries. In par-ticular, they were interested to know about the gov-ernment’s anti-poverty program, the provincial devel-opment and disaster risk reduction plan, agriculture and tourism.

While there is a marked improvement in the lives

of our people, the Vice Governor said that the “bigger challenge is how to sustain it” and the fact remains that the province is one of the poorest in the country.

He stressed that the province still needs help from the international community, but any assistance “should focus less on infrastructure and more on hu-man resource development”.

One of the projects they visited was the cacao nurs-ery and cassava plantation and processing in Salcedo, made possible with assistance from PIN. They were impressed by how it is slowly changing the economic status of farmers.

“It is encouraging to see people rise up from disaster and do things even better than before”, Virginijus Sink-evicius, a lawmaker from Lithuania said.

Assistance from the European Union poured in af-ter typhoon Haiyan and most of the fund was used in the construction of evacuation centers, waste disposal facilities, disaster resilient shelters and livelihood pro-grams.

Their visit comes at a time when the national lead-ership declared that the country will not accept assis-tance from the European Union.

But according to Slovak lawmaker Lubos Blaha “we will continue to help and we should invest more in de-velopmental aid since stability in the world will come only from social justice”.

Other members of the group were Pavel Plzak, from Czech Republic, Rainer Vakra from Estonia and Rihard Kols from Latvia. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

Police ups security, assures East Visayas peacefulBORONGAN CITY, June 7, 2017–Police has strengthened security in Eastern Samar to prevent possible spill over of terrorism amid the escalation of violence in Marawi.

Supt. Michael Jude Dotingco, spokesperson of the Eastern Samar Provincial Police office said that their line units are put on highest alert.

This means intensified police operations, police patrols and setting up of checkpoints around the province.

He urged Eastern Samarenos to cooperate and be patient because this is being done to secure our province and protect the citizens.

Maintaining the peace and order situation of the province is important and authorities are making sure that economic activities will not be affected.

The regional chief of the PNP directorial staff, PSSUpt Nicerion Obaob, gave assurance that the whole Eastern Visayas remains peaceful

and that they are on the situation.They are coordinating with their

counterparts from the Philippine Army and Coast Guard especially in monitoring and intelligence gathering.

Reportedly, security is beefed up in all entry and exit points to and from the region including intensified sea patrol.

While the PNP is on high alert, all policemen are on duty, and vacations or applications for leave of absence are cancelled, according to police sources.

Authorities are urging the people to remain calm but vigilant, watchful and support the campaign to maintain order.

They are encouraging residents to report any unusual activity to the police.

Meanwhile, the PNP said that this intensified security operations will not affect the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

Bishop Crispin Varquez with the seminary formators of NLCS and SJN pose for a photo with seminarians after the Holy Spirit Mass. FR. OLIVER DALE PEREZ

Parliamentarians from the European Union visit a cacao nursery in Salcedo, with Vice Gov. Picardal. PHOTO FROM THE FB OF ERIC ASEO

EASTERN SAMAR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.(ESAMELCO)

Borongan, Eastern Samar

May 23, 2017

ATTENTION: ESAMELCO MEMBER-CONSUMERS:

The Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ESAMELCO) will conduct a Regular Election for Board of Director for District VI (Hernani, Gen. MacArthur & Salcedo) on July 15, 2017 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM simultaneously at Hernani Central Elem. School, Gen. MacArthur Central Elem. School and Salcedo Central Elem. School.

Interested candidates may inquire/secure/file Certificate of Candidacy at the Institutional Services Department (ISD) ESAMELCO Main Office, Brgy. Cabong, Borongan City, Eastern Samar anytime during office hours.

Deadline of the filing of Certificate of Candidacy is on July 4, 2017.

Proxy voting shall not be allowed.

Thank you.

ESAMELCO MANAGEMENT

EASTERN SAMAR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.(ESAMELCO)

Borongan, Eastern Samar

May 23, 2017

ATTENTION: ESAMELCO MEMBER-CONSUMERS:

The Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ESAMELCO) will conduct a Regular Election for Board of Director for District VIII (Quinapondan, Giporlos, Balangiga, & Lawaan) on July 29, 2017 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM simultaneously at Quinapondan Central Elem. School, Giporlos Central Elem. School, Balangiga Central Elem School and Lawaan Central Elem. School.

Interested candidates may inquire/secure/file Certificate of Candidacy at the Institutional Services Department (ISD) ESAMELCO Main Office, Brgy. Cabong, Borongan City, Eastern Samar anytime during office hours.

Deadline of the filing of Certificate of Candidacy is on July 18, 2017.

Proxy voting shall not be allowed.

Thank you.

ESAMELCO MANAGEMENT

esteVOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 2017 5

Law, post grad students not qualified for free tuitionBORONGAN CITY, June 23, 2017--Only law and graduate school students are ineligible for the free tuition in state colleges and universities, an official of the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) said.

In an interview, Dr. Josephine Marasigan, Director of the University Pedagogical Enhancement Center said that based on the number of enrollees from the previous academic year, the P73.8M free tuition fund allocated to the university will cover almost all students across all five campuses in the system.

The official said even students enrolled in the nursing program who pay P250 per unit as opposed to the P100 per unit for other degree programs can benefit from the free tuition fund.

“If a student qualifies for the free tuition, he has to pay only a little over P1,500 for miscellaneous fees,” Marasigan said.

Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-1 of the Department of Budget and Management and Commission on Higher Education or the guidelines for the implementation of the free tuition program say that students still need to meet the admission and retention policies of the SUCs (State Universities and Colleges).

According to Marasigan, a special committee has been formed to oversee the implementation of the program and implementing rules and regulations should be formulated before the month ends. (Medora Quirante / Este News)

Has fake rice entered Borongan?BORONGAN CITY, June 21, 2017–The Na-tional Food Authority in Borongan is investi-gating reports on the alleged “synthetic rice” being sold in the market.

In a press statement, NFA Provincial Man-ager Martina Lodero is asking the public to stay calm since “it is still early to conclude the presence of synthetic/fake rice in our area”. She said that they have submitted a sample of the alleged fake rice to the Food Development Center at the agency’s central office for laboratory analysis.

They are also taking the testimonies of wholesalers, retailers and even those who reported about the alleged fake rice. Regular monitoring is now being conducted by the agency.

Earlier, Mayor Fe Abunda ordered the

same investigation after receiving reports of alleged fake rice being sold at the public market.

The investigation stemmed after a local restaurant owner reported that the rice they bought was possibly fake after he read an ar-ticle on social media on how to detect fake/synthetic rice.

The restaurant owner said that he followed the instructions and the result was similar to what he read. He has since returned the rice to the retailer.

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Eastern Samar has passed a resolution re-questing agencies such as the NFA, DTI and DOH to also investigate and take action on reports about the alleged fake rice in the market. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

Bishop Varquez at the groundbreaking ceremony of a Kinder school in Lawaan. (Alren Beronio / Este News

Bishop Crispin Varquez led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 2-storey kindergarten school building at the parish compound in Lawa-an, Eastern Samar. The construction project is a donation of the Ateneo-based Simbahang Linkod ng Bayan (SLB) amounting to about 3.7 Million pesos. With the bishop are Lawaan parish priest, Fr. Rey Anthony Navided and his assistant, Fr. James Abella. (Photo courtesy of Fr. James Abella)

ESAMELCO to reduce power rates by 2019

BORONGAN CITY, June 22, 2017–Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative member-consumers can expect lower power rates by 2019, general manager Atty. Jose Edwin Michael Amancio said.

In Hirohimangraw ha Rawis Restaurant and Hotel, a weekly media forum, Amancio said consumers will see a reduction of more than a peso per kilowatt hour on their electric bills under generation system charge.

The general manager explained that this will be due to the change in ESAMELCO’s power supplier.

Until 2018, the electric cooperative will source its power from San Miguel Energy Corporation which charges more than P5 per kilowatt hour.

By 2019, ESAMELCO and all other electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas will source its power from GM Power which will only charge P3.50 per kilowatt hour for a period of 20 years.

According to the National Electrification Administration, as of December 2016, ESAMELCO serves 90,135 end-users. (Medora NB Quirante / Este News)

Mr. & Mrs. Norberto

Fabillar and Family

PHOTO: ALREN BERONIO / ESTE NEWS

ALREN BERONIO / ESTE NEWS

este VOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 20176

PAGE 9

EDITORIAL

Editorial

World Day of the PoorPOPE Francis has instituted the World Day of the Poor. In his message for the first World Day of the Poor that will be observed on November 19 this year, he says, “To the World Days instituted by my Predecessors, which are already a tradition in the life of our communities, I wish to add this one, which adds to them an exquisitely evangelical fullness, that is, Jesus’ preferential love for the poor.”

That did not come as a surprise. Already upon assumption into his Petrine ministry he took on the name Francis, the saint of Assisi who, according to him “was a man of peace, a man of poverty, a man who loved and protected creation.” The poor were already the centerpiece of his papacy.

At the Manila Cathedral he departed from the prepared speech and said. “The poor. The poor are at the center of the Gospel, are at the heart of the Gospel. If we take away the poor from the Gospel we can’t understand the whole message of Jesus Christ.” At the closing mass of his visit to the country, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said, “You arrived in the Philippines 3 days ago. Tomorrow, you will go. Every Filipino

wants to go with you. Don’t be afraid. Every Filipino wants to go with you—not to Rome—but to the peripheries.” Going to the peripheries or the preferential option for the poor was already the language of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines in 1991.

In his message, Pope Francis quotes Blessed Paul VI who addressed during the Opening of Second Session of Vatican II in 1963 that “All the poor belong to the Church by evangelical right.” Indeed, the poor is the core of the Gospel. Which is why, it is a scandalous irony for a Gospel preacher to be clad in a lifestyle that substantially is an antithesis with the life and values of the poor. In a recent homily, Archbishop Soc Villegas was quoted as saying, “The story of a priest cannot be a story from rags to riches… because if the story of a priest is from rags to riches then that priest is a Judas who enriched himself with 30 pieces of silver.”

According to Pope Francis poverty is about loving “not with words but with deeds.” It is a call to follow the very poverty of Jesus. “It is an interior attitude that

avoids looking upon money, career and luxury as our goal in life and the condition for our happiness. Poverty instead creates the conditions for freely shouldering our personal and social responsibilities, despite our limitations, with trust in God’s closeness and the support of his grace. Poverty, understood in his way, is the yardstick that allows us to judge how best to use material goods and to build relationships that are neither selfish nor possessive.”

It should be a relief that finally there is a World Day of the Poor. This is not only going deeper into exegesis or theology. Hopefully, this will inspire Church people to live and concretely witness what they have been theologizing for centuries now. The poor is a way of life. So says Pope Francis: “We may think of the poor simply as the beneficiaries of our occasional volunteer work, or of impromptu acts of generosity that appease our conscience. However good and useful such acts may be for making us sensitive to people’s needs and the injustices that are often their cause, they ought to lead to a true encounter with the poor and a sharing that becomes a way of life.”

Simple and humble thoughts

Bishop Crispin B. Varquez, D.D.

Make every house a home

THE family is the basic unit of the Church, the society and the global world. Thus, basic human values and Christian virtues that benefit the Church, the society and the world build are rooted and nurtured in the family.

***Parents should uphold the culture of acceptance, affirmation, love, forgiveness, respect, honesty, sincerity and other basic human values and Christian virtues within the family to provide good memories especially for children. For, usually, when a person encounters difficulties in life, his good family memories equip him with enough strength to face them.

***Since God created each one uniquely, parents should deal with each child in the very unique way that they need to be dealt with. Comparing children should be avoided because it is not helpful, and most often, unfair.

***As a family and as individuals, you should have dreams. Pope Francis says, “you can’t have family without dreams. Once the family loses the ability to dream, children do not grow, love does not grow, life shrivels and dies.”

***Many parents are very preoccupied with so many things, especially coping up with the standards of life. However, the most important duty of parents is to form their children in love. Parents, please GIVE QUALITY TIME to the members of your family. The well- being of your family is not in prosperity nor in poverty but in the presence of significant persons - the father and the mother—in the lives of the young.

***Provide opportunities and avenues to lead your children to discover their God-given gifts and potentials. Encourage them to develop and maximize them for the service of the family and society. “It is never too late to convince your children to believe in themselves.” The language of LOVE is the key to make your house a HOME.

***To overcome conflicts, troubles, terrorism and war in our community, society and the world, it is necessary to MAKE THE HOUSE OF EACH FAMILY A HOME. Where there is LOVE, there is GOD. Where there is God, evil cannot prevail.

Antigo

Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, VG

Alejandro Obina Quiloña--a bemedalled San-Juliananon veteran

LT. QUILOÑA wore several medals after World War II, among them being military merit gold medal, bronze medal for service during the unlimited emergency, bronze medal for meritorious achievement, bronze medal for the Asia-Pacific Campaign, and bronze medal for long service. He entered the Philippine Constabulary (PC) in 1935 and completed his 20-year service in 1955, with 7 medals and a diploma on criminal investigation from Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Alejandro was born to Julian Quiloña (of San Julian) and Hipolita Obina (of San Roque, Llorente) on April 23, 1914 in San Roque, but the family moved shortly to San Julian because of Julian’s work as a carpenter. In his desire to be

educated, he worked as errand boy to his teacher, Jorge Villarazo, and went with him to Salcedo where he finished grade 7 in five years. There, he met Antonia Salamida (Salamilao) from Mercedes, who eventually became his wife. Out of their marriage came Saturnino, Pastora Paz, Maria Fe, Bienvenido and Elisa.

Having been accepted by the military, he was first assigned at the PC headquarters in Sabang, Borongan, where his own family eventually found a home. In 1938, he was transferred to Ormoc, and then to Tacloban, to where his family also moved. When war broke out in the Philippines in 1941, his family evacuated to Mercedes, though Alejandro remained at his post in Borongan.

After the defeat of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) in 1942, the Filipino fighters shifted to guerilla warfare, and Capt Paul Merritt of the 93rd Division, with about 2,000 men and officers, appointed him as one of the Commanding Officers of the USAFFE guerillas in the eastern part of Samar, and promoted him to Second Lieutenant. Alejandro organized his own men.

But the guerilla situation in the whole island of Samar was so plagued by jealousy and divisiveness among the leaders that it proved difficult to unify the various groups. Thus, when another guerilla leader learned of Quiloña’s new group, men were sent to him to have a drink with him at a store in Hernani, but

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esteVOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 2017 7OPINION

An anatomy of faithA FRIEND of mine once said of

the San Juanico Bridge: “Come to think of it, the beauty of this bridge is that it makes you reach Leyte or Samar more easily, depending on where you are and where you’re going to.” I think that San Juanico Bridge is a good analogy of faith. Faith also helps us reach God and his gift of salvation with certainty. Which is why it is called a theological virtue. Of course, we must say it clearly: Salvation is not a fruit of our own effort. And yet, as Paul tells the Ephesians, “salvation is yours through faith” (Eph 2:16). This doesn’t contradict, naturally, James’ teaching that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). Paul is simply putting things in perspective. Salvation in his mind is God’s gift to us through faith which we also express in a “life of good deeds which God has prepared for us in advance” (Eph 2:10).

On the other hand, the words of the Master, for us, weigh the heaviest. He says that the Son of Man (he) must be “lifted up” like Moses’ bronze serpent in the desert “that all who believe may have eternal life in him” (Jn 3:14-15). The words that follow becomes the “Gospel within the Gospel”: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him

may not perish but may have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16).

But why, we ask, the crucial role of faith? What does it entail?

First, faith is a process rather than the finished product. It is the journey rather than the destination. By that I mean that faith is an essential and identifying mark of the Christian disciple. It is necessary on the way to God; once we reach him faith gives way to love; it is love that never ends.

Second, faith involves a listening by the believer to God’s self-revealing word. When Jesus confronts the Jews who refuse to believe, he tells them point-blank: “But you do not believe because you do not belong among my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice” (Jn 10:26-27).

Third, faith involves saying “Yes” to the Word. That is why the Church also speaks of faith in terms of assent. It doesn’t mean faith excludes doubt, at least in its growing-up stages. Thomas the Apostle shows us that doubt may even be the first stop-over on the journey to faith. Nor does faith mean easy assimilation of the Word. The Blessed Virgin who best exemplifies had to ask in a troubled voice, “How can this be since I do not know man,” (Lk 1:34). Still, she gave her final “Yes”: “I am the hand

maid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

Fourth, faith involves relying on the Word; it is trust. The centurion’s confession, which we repeat before Communion, says it all: “I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only say the Word and my servant shall be healed” (Mt 8:8).

Fifth, faith involves sharing of life with the Master and with fellow disciples. “I know my sheep and mine know me” (Jn 10: 14, 27) is how Jesus describes his community of disciples. This is because the Good Shepherd is the Word who was made “flesh” and “pitched his tent among us” (Jn 1:14); he is the Emmanuel or the “God-with-us”.

Finally, faith entails obedience, the doing of the Word. “My sheep,” Jesus qualifies, “follow me” (Jn 10:27). I once saw a blind lady being led by a young man across the street to safety. I noticed how she just lifted up her stick and let it rest by her side. Faith is like that. We let go of the stick of our own ways of perceiving and doing things and allow the Lord Jesus to lead us to the Father’s own ways of seeing, thinking and doing things. Only then are we assured our journey of faith has arrived.

AningalFr. Cyrain Cabuenas

Payback timeFILIPINOS must be the most gracious

people this side of the planet. In every occasion: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations and in every stage of one’s life from applying to a school to applying for a job, in fact, from the cradle to the grave, Filipinos never get tired saying “thank you” and many if not all, take it to heart. On the one hand, this could be a positive trait that tries to inculcate the importance of looking back and not ever forgetting where one comes from.

It is a given that Filipino children are supposed to be grateful for being provided their basic needs: shelter, clothing, and education. Thus when they are already stable, it’s now their turn to take care of the family. The bigger the salary, the bigger the expectation. Little wonder then that OFWs and migrants are the country’s leading cash cows. The millions of balikbayan boxes painstakingly wrapped and sent to relatives back home during Christmas besides.

When we have people who have given of themselves to move us further along in the ladder of success, we are

truly grateful, and we give something back. That is commendable.

St. Paul himself was exceedingly beholden to Aquila and Priscilla for “They risked their own necks for my life” (Rom 16:4).

On the other hand, there are people who pretend to be there for us. They put a price tag on relationships and shamelessly look for a return of investment. If we like flattery, we will enjoy their company and pay them back. That is deplorable.

In the political sphere, debt of gratitude almost always produces perverse outcomes.

The all too familiar lame excuse: “Utang na loob ko yan sa kanila. They were with me during the campaign” is a travesty of justice and leadership.

For those who are still capable of any form of introspection, maybe they will realize that it takes more than a macho man and a provocative youtube star to run a country. This happens when politics become a playground for ones ego.

“Utang na loob!” can also mean “Tama na, Sobra na!”

Voice of the Voiceless

Fr. Andiy Navidad Egargo

The Christian Way of Using Social Media (Ethical Principles in the Use of Social Media – Part 3)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind…and a year of favor from the Lord” (Lk 4.18-19).

THE gospel promises liberation and salvation for people. Before anything else, however, the gospel has to be proclaimed. The church, recognizing both its charismatic and ministerial characteristics, never ceases to look into new possible means of gospel proclamation. It makes use of the product of man’s creativity and intelligence. It is in this spirit that the church employs the means of social communication (social media, especially) in the process of evangelization.

In a predominantly commercially-oriented media environment in the Philippine context, there is an obvious and urgent need for an alternative media which is close to the heart of the people and which seeks to educate rather than manipulate. There is a need for a media which is concerned about promoting total human development rather than promoting a consumerist-materialist culture. It is about time to rekindle the light in a society slowly darkened by unreasonable modernism and secularism and made callous by narcissistic tendencies.

Social media could be an instrument in building a free, just, and peaceful community of persons. It could be used to promote universal values of human dignity, truth, and non-violence as transcendent moral principles. In other words, there is only one crucial purpose for a social media apostolate: the greater glory of God and the good of humanity.

As God-centered and human-oriented, a social media user must adhere and bind himself to the following ethical principles:

1. Evangelization, through social media, is not aimed towards proselytization. Rather, it aims towards allowing people to have an increased

awareness of their dignity as persons, loved and cared for by the Creator. In this sense, social media becomes an instrument of an act of love where the priority is service for the oppressed and providing public voice for the voiceless. The contents are directed to all men of goodwill.

2. For people to intelligently participate in the affairs of society, they need to be truthfully informed. The people has the right to information in a balanced manner, without any stain of manipulation of facts. They have the right to know about the society they live in and the realities that have a bearing on their growth as persons. Moreover, the real mark of true democracy is people’s participation. A social media user should know how to expose truth.

3. It is said that communication is more than just information. Social media should not only bring true and objective information to the people; it should help people become formed with respect to the universal values of human dignity, truth, and non-violence. A social media user, therefore, has the responsibility of integrity, honesty, and objectivity at all times in order to be capable of informing and forming. He does not seek to serve himself, any individual or any institution except that which is at the side of truth and justice.

4. A social media user shall never allow itself to be used as an instrument of hate, discrimination and division but an instrument of service, love and communion. He shall never lend himself to actions that may result to dehumanization or unjust destruction of reputation.

5. A social media user shall respect the opinion of others. It is fairly just to express contrary and contradictory opinion. As he/she expresses his/her opinion, he/she is morally-bound to be polite and respectful as manifested in his choice of words. Social media is not only a venue for self-expression; it is also an opportunity to show our acquired personal decency and discipline.

The Millennial CatholicMau Obon

God’s timing is perfectIT was late afternoon in Matarinao School of Fisheries. I saw the sun paint the sky with pink, yellow, and blue pastels. I was love struck. I ran to some obscure corner of the campus hoping to capture the majestic scenery with my lens. Too bad, the coconut trees were blocking the view, so I decided to go back. But then, a local guy saw me, and asked a friend to take me to the port. I was floored. These people were so nice and accommodating.

I reached the port just in time to see the sky dressed in deep reds, and fiery yellows and oranges. The sea was glowing as it mirrors the fiery scene above it. All around me, shadows were creeping in, swallowing everything on its path. It was perfect.

Then it dawned on me that God’s timing is also perfect. You see, I am currently in love. With landscape photography. Chasing the sunset in

Matarinao, was like going after my goals. Sometimes, there are barriers between me and what I am aiming for. Just like the way the coconut trees stood in between me and the “photo worthy” sunset view. I could have walked on, crossed the muddy rice field, but the path was too long and unfamiliar, and I might be too late. Just when I was about to go back, a guy came to ask me if I would like to go to the port so I can photograph the setting sun. I was stunned. How in the world did this guy found me and know what I was up to? Then there was his friend, who had a motorcycle and was about do an errand. It was as if God purposely placed these two beautiful souls on my path.

Indeed, when what we are praying for is meant for us, people will come, and events will unfold, to help us achieve it.

A Thought For A Thought

Rev. Eutiquio   B. Belizar, Jr., SThD

From SabangPepe Quitorio

Pentecost vigilTHE Diocesan Pentecost Vigil maybe one of the biggest thing that ever happened to the Diocese of Borongan--or so it seems. When it started 28 years ago, on May 13, 1989, it was just a flowering of loose initiatives coming from members of faith communities and the youth of the Cathedral parish that were gathered at Seminario de Jesus Nazareno for a youth camp.

The faith communities such as the Neo-Catechumenal Communities and Charismatic Renewal groups had representations from the parishes of San Julian, Maydolong and Salcedo. But nobody thought then that it was diocesan, except perhaps Bishop Leonardo Medroso who started discussing about a bigger celebration. It was only in Guiuan the following year that the Pentecost Vigil became formally diocesan. Ms. Henrietta de Villa, then President of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines and Secretary of the Commission on Lay Apostolate of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, was the

guest speaker who talked about the emergence and role of the laity in the Church.

In succeeding years, the celebrations of the Diocesan Pentecost Vigil would become for many an encounter with the provocations of the Spirit. Although the liturgy was formalized and new features would be added, such as catechesis, a diocesan congress on particular concerns, confessions and confirmations, in the end vigils would still approximate what the evangelist John said, “The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (Jn 3:8)

The recent 29th diocesan Pentecost vigil at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Matarinao, Salcedo was another distinctive experience of a unique encounter with the Holy Spirit. When Matarinao parish priest Rev. Jerome Daganta was asked to share his experience of the Pentecost Vigil all he said was “Damo nga Salamat!.”

este VOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 20178

Go back to basics ... FROM PAGE 1

Registered delegates to the 29th Diocesan Pentecost VigilOur Lady of the Most Holy Rosary ParishMatarinao, Salcedo, Eastern SamarJune 3, 2017

1. Arteche, St. Raymund Nonnatus Parish - 492. Balangiga, St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish - 1223. Balangkayan, St. Bonaventure Parish - 2024. Borongan, Our Lady of the Nativity Parish - 1615. Buabua, Salcedo, Our Lady of Salvation Parish - 1176. Buenavista, Manicani, St. Lorenzo de Manila Parish - 07. Can-avid, Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish - 948. Casuguran, Homonhon Is., St. John the Baptist Parish -129. Concepcion, Arteche, Our Lady of the Imm. Conception - 410. Dolores, St. Joachim the Patriarch Parish - 6411. Gen. MacArthur, St. Joseph Husband of Mary Parish -10912. Giporlos, Our Lady of Remedies Parish - 3513. Guiuan, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish - 22714. Hernani, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish - 10715. Hinolaso, Dolores, San Juan Bautista Parish - 2816. Jipapad, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary - 1717. Lalawigan, Borongan, Assumption of Our Lady Parish - 6818. Lawaan, Sto. Niño Parish - 8519. Llorente, St. Anthony of Padua Parish - 3720. Maslog, St. Isidore the Laborer Parish - 821. Matarinao, Salcedo, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary - 99422. Maydolong, San Roque Parish - 9823. Maypangdan, Borongan, Our Lady of Mt Carmel Parish - 3124. Mercedes, St. Francis of Assisi Parish - 8325. Oras, St. Peter of Alcantara Parish - 7026. Quinapondan, St. Nicholas of Tolentino Parish - 7027. Sabang, Borongan, Chaplaincy of the Miraculous Medal- 3028. Salcedo, San Isidro de Labrador Parish - 31729. San Julian, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish - 2530. San Policarpo, St. Mary Magdalene Parish - 2231. Sapao, Guiuan, Holy Cross Parish - 15732. Sulangan, Guiuan, St. Anthony of Padua Parish - 6633. Sulat, St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish - 6334. Taft, St. James the Greater Parish - 75

Total 3,647(Note: This data was taken from the Official Registry of Matarinao. But actual attendees could be more. Sabang delegates, for instance, was more than 50. Many of them did not register because their registration was at MES, farther from the vigil venue.)

BISHOP Crispin Varguez presided the Rite of Recommissioning of about 200 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion from different parishes of the Diocese of Borongan who were gathered for the 29th Pentecost Vigil held on June 3, 2017 at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Matarinao, Salcedo, Eastern Samar. MAU OBON / ESTE NEWS

Q & A on Faith MattersBy Fr. Euly Belizar

Q: In secular (world-centered) society why would faith still matter?

A: Because while the world gives so much good, it is also a gift, a creature. What it cannot give is salvation. That only the Creator can give. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but suffers the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16:26).

Q: Does faith allow terrorism?

A: No. Terrorism has little or no respect for human life and dignity. On the other hand, faith teaches: “You shall not kill” (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17). Acts of terrorism are against moral standards that come from faith; hence, they cannot go together. “Kidnapping and hostage taking ...are morally wrong. Terrorism which threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately is gravely against justice and charity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2297).

parishes of the Diocese of Borongan in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the apostles.

Hosted by the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Barangay Matarinao, Salcedo Eastern Samar, this year’s Pentecost carried the theme: Parish, Communion of Communities.

Before the Mass ended, Msgr. Lope Robredillo, vicar general of Borongan, thanked individuals and groups who contributed to the success of the event.

He also announced that next year’s vigil will be hosted by the Parish of St. Isidore Labrador in Maslog, Eastern Samar.

firecrackers studded the horizons and as people loudly chanted “Ave Maria”, followed by a solemn procession from the beach to the Church while praying the Holy Rosary.

After the opening ceremonies the following talks were given: Talk 1, on The Parish: Communion of Communi-ties by Fr. James B. Abella; Talk 2, on Our Lady Fatima by the couple Tirso and Guadalupe Morante.

The Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish com-prises 7 barangays: Casuguran, Culase, Cagusuan, Habag, Canwayun, Pagbabangnan, and Inapolangan.

The following are the confirmed schedule of Par-ish Day celebrations: June 6, Sulangan; June 9, Mercedes; June 11, Salcedo; June 15, Lawaan; June 17, Buabua; July 13, Quinapondan; July 14, MacArthur; July 16, Taft; July 19, Bal-

angkayan; July 23, Lalawigan; July 26, Cabong/Can-abong; July 28, Sabang; July 29, Llorente; Sept 14, Sapao; Sept 16, Sulat; Sept 27, Balangiga; Oct 2, Dolores; Oct 3, Hinolaso; Oct 4, Maslog; Oct 5, Oras; Oct 6, San Policarpo; Oct 7, Arteche; Oct 9, Conception; Oct 10, Jipapad; and Oct 21, Can-avid. The schedules of other parishes are still being finalized.

The Parish Day in Homonhon culminated with the solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided by bishop Crispin B. Varquez and the Rite of Renewal of Promises for Extraordinary Ministers which was incorporated during the mass.

Borongan bishop Crispin Varquez heads the Com-mission on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC). (Fr. James Abella / Este News)

Diocese celebrates ... FROM PAGE 1

the passenger door.Shortly after the ambush, it was reported that police and

military forces went in pursuit of the suspects who fled to the mountainous areas of Giporlos and Quinapondan.

Police investigation show that the ambush was perpetrated

by more or less 30 alleged communist/terrorist elements.This is the first attack launched by rebels in the province

this year. Last year, rebels attacked the Balangkayan Police office, taking with them important documents and firearms. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

Live ammos ... FROM PAGE 1

Seth Gabrielle M. Ampong

Fr. Jerome Daganta, parish priest of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Matarinao, Salcedo, welcomes the participants of the 29th Diocesan Pentecost Vigil. MAU OBON / ESTE NEWS

esteVOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 2017 9FEATURE

Mr. & Mrs. Godofredo W. Capara

sensing that the intention was less than noble, he gathered his children at midnight and escaped to San Jose, Llorente, leaving his wife at his home in Hernani. At daybreak, the guerilla leader, along with his men, one of them carrying a long rope, inquired from Antonia about the whereabouts of her husband. She answered that he was on the way to meet him. Asked about the roster of soldiers under him, she said that her husband carried it with him, although she knew that Alejandro hid it under the pillow of a woman who has just given birth. The

guerilla leader went home empty-handed and disappointed.

Although the Japanese in Eastern Samar were few, Alejandro’s group saw action in Bayaran, Borongan with some Japs, and had another encounter in Aningalan, Sulat. In a brief encounter in Taft, he was shot by a sniper on the stomach, but survived. Upon learning of this incident, his wife bravely hurried from Babatason, near Liliputan in San Julian, where she and the children were hiding from the Japs, to Taft to take care of him.

Shortly before Liberation in 1945, he was assigned to Oquendo, Calbayog City, leaving his children in Mercedes. In 1947, he was transferred to Guiuan, and his family accordingly dwelt there. Later on, he studied criminal investigation at Camp Crame, and was appointed investigator of the Philippine Constabulary at Camp Asedillo, Borongan in 1952.

After retirement from military service, the vet decided to settle in Manila. With his family, he boarded a cargo vessel in Borongan on the way to Manila and stayed

at Seaside Drive, Tambo, Parañaque, in a lot owned by Jorge Vargas, president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and worked as a security guard. Meanwhile, he organized the San Julian-Manila Residents Club that first celebrated the San Julian patronal feast at Manila Lion’s Club. Living on pension from the PC and the USAFEE, he resided in Tambo for more than 20 years until the family transferred to Dasmariñas, Cavite, when Seaside was improved, and the coastal road was constructed.

He died on June 26, 1983 at the age of 69.

Alejandro Obina... FROM PAGE 6

What signifies Pentecost?By Msgr Lope C. Robredillo, SThD

FOR almost thirty years, the Diocese of Bo-rongan has been celebrating the Pentecost Vigil, usually presided over by the Bishop himself, with many priests concelebrating, and attended by delegates from almost every parish of the whole diocese, numbering from three to five thousand. This vigil is a prayer-ful watch in the form of a prolonged Eucha-ristic Celebration on the eve of the solemnity of Pentecost.

But what does Pentecost signify? Why so grand a celebration?

Although it is often asserted that Pente-cost is the birthday of the Church, this is not entirely correct. It might be regarded as the founding of the Church in the sense that from the moment of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the apostles carried the message of the Lord to the whole world, but surely the Church did not begin to exist only at Pente-cost. She was already there during the public ministry of Jesus. It is more true to say that at Pentecost the Church became universal, endowed with a mission to bring the Gospel to the whole world.

From the point of view of the New Testa-ment, Pentecost refers to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles (Acts 2:1-41), along with the manifestation of the Spirit’s gifts, fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead. Through the outpouring of the Spirit, the Church was endowed with power from on high to address herself to the whole world in keeping with the command of Jesus him-self and to be understood by all men.

In Christian liturgy, Pentecost is a celebra-tion commemorating that event.

But it would be a mistake to look at it sim-ply as an observance of a past event. Quite the contrary, it is a celebration of who we are, and therefore of what we ought to be at present and in the future. In other words, if our celebration of the event is so splendid, it is, and it ought to be, because it keeps alive what the Church is, and what she ought to be.

On account of the effusion of the Holy Spir-it, how are we to understand the Church? The key comes from a passage in St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “Through [Christ] the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred to the Lord; in him you also are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:21-22). According to the Apostle, the Church is both the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

From among the implications of this de-scription of what we, the Church, are, we may single out five. First, the Spirit is the life of the Church (2 Cor 3:6). Without the Holy Spirit, the Church is “dead”; it would simply be a hu-man institution. That is why, it is important that the Spirit must be alive in both clergy and laity; otherwise, the Church might become

simply like other human institutions, where power, ambition, greed and rivalries get the upper hand, careerism becomes a normal path to success, and success becomes a norm and a substitute for the cross.

Second, because the Spirit has flooded the Christian community, the latter is en-dowed with a variety of gifts and char-isms (1 Cor 12:4-11). This requires two basic attitudes from us. One, we have to recognize these gifts and put them into use. It would be unfortunate if these gifts and charisms were not recognized, and if persons with gifts were written off, their charisms stifled! “Do not quench the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess 5:19). Two, we have to be thankful that the Holy Spirit has gifted in-dividuals in our community with a variety of charisms. Being resentful and envious that some members of the community pos-sess such talents merely show how utterly human the spirit that prevails in our rela-tionship with others in the Church.

Third, the gifts that the Holy Spirit had bestowed on us are not for the glorification of the individual (1 Cor 12:5-7). Otherwise, we might be tempted to think that such and such persons are more important for the life of the Church than others, or that some clev-er guys are indispensable for the survival of the Church. In a community where such mindset reigns, rivalries and resentment

and ill-will become inevitable. To get to the top of the ladder becomes an ambition. To attribute success to individuals develops into a snare. No; if the Spirit gives gifts, it is always for the edification of the community.

Fourth, precisely because the gifts are in-tended for the community, we have to learn to think with the community. Thus, if one has this particular gift, it is for the benefit of all. If we think along this gamut, it will become clear to us how we need one another. Each one of us serves the whole community in different ways, in various capabilities, in a variety of roles. In this way, we are able to contribute to the entire growth of the com-munity, the Church (Eph 2:22). Without communal thinking, however, we can only expect much reverses, fired by selfishness and greed, in our growth as a community.

Five, the sign that we have passed from individualism to communal thinking is that the community has become one. Indeed, if the gifts have been distributed, they are in-tended to make us into a single body: “There are many gifts, but one body” (1 Cor 12:20). Understandably enough, regionalism, fac-tionalism and division within the commu-nity are not the work of the Spirit; they are the machination of the devil. The power that urges one to divide the clergy or the laity comes from a demonic source. Only a devil’s agent rejoices at a fragmented Church. We

know that the Spirit is guiding the commu-nity when ministries, talents and charisms are used to build it up into a single body.

If view of the foregoing, we should not be content with merely celebrating the Vigil in preparation for the solemnity of Pentecost. Even more important, let our aspiration be to live the Pentecost—to realize what we ought to be here and now on account of the outpouring of the Spirit’s gifts on us! That makes our grandiose celebration of its vigil significant and justified, and dislodges it from the level of pomp and pageantry.

Around four thousand delegates to the 29th Diocesan Pentecost Vigil were comfortably spread across the wide campus of Matarinao Schools of Fisheries. MAU OBON / ESTE NEWS

MAU OBON / ESTE NEWS

este VOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 201710 LITERARY

Pagtangis han IslaBy Hennah Marie Bagalan

An syahan nga isla kun diin hi Magellan dumuong,Puno hin kaupay, natural ug historikal ng butang.An dagat ug kabukiran, kanan tawo ginpupulsan,

Amo an syahan nga ira pinagkakakitaan.

An syahan nga isla kun diin hi Magellan dumuong,Mga tawo magpakisasangkayun ug mag-inampuon.

Bisan mga pobrehanon adton namumuyo didto,Maglipayon, magtatawa baga baga hin waray problema.

Pero an isla kun diin hi Magellan syahan nga dumuong,Guti guti na nga ginruruba hinin mga dayo lamang,

An pagmina ha isla sugad sugad hin diri na mapupugngan,An kabukiran kalbo na ug ha dagat waray na makukuha.

An isla na kun diin hi Magellan syahan nga dumuong,Masamok ug diri na hingpit an kamamingaw.

An mga paru-pamilya in nag-aaraway na,Ug ini ngatanan tungod hiton nga pagmina.

Sangkay, an pagmina in diri gad maupay,An kabukiran nga hatag han Ginoo imo ginruruba.

Mga tawo nagkaka-ada na hin dibisyon,Kay an kwarta…

An bag-o ng tuboBy Bro. Mamads Beros Matute

Kahimtang ko niyan sugad hin haranista,Lapis ko nga mga monggol amo an akon sista

An bag-o nga tubo akon gin kakanta,

Diri mandaw sahid an bag-o nga tubo,Waray narespeto, kulang na hin pag-ampo,

Diri nahahadlok han kabilanggo,Ka diri natood kanan iroy mando.

Kabataan niyan mga minor de idad,Masirom na ngan iyadto pa ha sagad,Sangpiton hin sugo pirit mabaribad,Pagsaka ha balay di man humalatag.

Aman hadto anay kabataan hadto,Tirokna ha balay tirimpo kun rosaryo,

Bulig han pagluto han bata pagmangno,Upod ha simbahan adlaw kun ha Dominggo.

Kundi niyan lain dako an kaibhan,Batan-on pa ngani hugdador nga niyan,

Bawal nga gamut, sigarilyo, pag-inom sugad man,Mahugaw nga dalan nga pag-aagian.

Yana nga panahon damo an magkuri kay an mga sagdon diri binabali,

Bisan an kakarsil yana nga panahon han bag-o nga tubo diri babalihun,Pagpatay, pangawat ira bobohaton

Agud la matuman ira madudumdom.

Aadi pa liwat in mga eskwelaTalagsa an tangkod han pag-aram nira

Pag-uli ha balay lunlon igiistoryaMga kontribusyon pagkawil hin kwarta

An pubr inga Amay pirit mangungutangAgud la kabaydan mga kontribusyon ha Eskwelahan.

Anak nga suwail kay an boot kulangGin-gasto an kwarta waray himurulsan.

Kawang an paglaum agud ha urhiPalangga nga Anak abotan hin swerte.

Waray gud sapayan hinin akon pulongAkon gad la ine mga pahinumdom,

Salit an bag-o nga tubo aton pagtotduanHan maupay nga gawi ngan pamatasan

Hira an paglaom hinin Pilipinas bug-os ta nga nasyon,Rubas nga harigi akon sinarigan.

ALRE

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esteVOL 5 NO 4 JUNE 2017 11

T h a n k s t o o u r D o n o r s / B e n e f a c t o r s f o r t h i s i s s u e

Donors: Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament of the Nativity of Our Lady Allan -CleofeBaquilodAnnie C. CaspeBea & Joyce AmpongBenito Alfeo B. Cabato, Jr.Chona D. BaquilodDr. & Mrs. Rolando C. SolidonDuaniePaperprint Gen. MerchandiseEd de GuzmanEdilberto CardonaElsie L. CargandoEvelyn Norma PadrilanFelipe -JovitaBatingaFloria MontesJesse EscotoJudith A. EljiraLea L. CardonaLilia V. PeviarLydia D. AmoyoMano Lando& Ate Flor AquinoMarifeBencitoMark Christian M. SalamidaMilagros A. CabalongaMr. & Mrs. Alfredo BasadaMr. & Mrs. Bernardo Corsiga& FamilyMr. & Mrs. Edilberto CardonaMr. & Mrs. Iñigo A. Evardone& FamilyNoel C. DiscarPatricio BalsacaoRowena PantaleonRuby Ann C. BalbinRuth StrakaSamuel &Melinda NebridaSonia E. BagacayVianney Earl AgnesWater Avenue c/o Ms. BelmaMabaoWHEELERS APARTELLEZyril B. Picardal, Shyrlita& Nicole

Benefactors: Aileen SingsonAntonieta C. AnaArnulfo / Doris CajegasArtsy Mo Printshop( c/0 Nick Tabao)Christian Wixar Ty LimCorazon Rubio Dela RosaEastern PolymedicEllen Grace S. AbudeGina P. DelgadoJonie- Allan& Elena &FlorenzDulfoLuisa M. DuzonMarilou G. CastilloMatildeLacdaoMr. & Mrs. Alfredo Cabato, Jr.Myrna P. Guasis- KAHLUCZI Convenient StoreOscar- NoralizaTañadaRebecca A. PicardalRonnil Jim A. LadiaoRussell Mary Abude- BaldoSarah C. GeroyTony & Becky Campomanes

BORONGAN

Donors: AnastaciaBustilloMarcelosRestotelMr. &Dra. Reynaldo Miflores& Children

Benefactors: AnonymousEdgardo JuabanElvis SingzonMr. & Mrs. Aurelio Magalona& FamilyMr. & Mrs. Carlos CunananMr. & Mrs. CesarioMagalona& FamilyMr. & Mrs. Dante BadarMr. & Mrs. Renato GaytosMr. & Mrs. Rey SabidoMr. & Mrs. RonquilloSalvediaMr. & Mrs. RufinoGaradoMr. NiloNaingMrs. Alma MabansagMrs. Beatriz EgargoMrs. Concordia Luma-inMrs. CristitaAblayMrs. Epifania de VeraMrs. Eva DiazMrs. GregoriaCalumpianoMrs. Juana MacawileMrs. Luz Perez TabernillaMrs. Mary Grace Soraya DuranMrs. Mila ObiasMrs. PrincillaBadocMrs. ResalinaAbogadieMrs. RizaLozadaMrs. Rosemarie AmistosoMrs. Sharon AbreraMrs. Veronica MifloresOrocay Family

GUIUAN

Donors: PraxySumeguinVice Mayor Joel Baldo & Children

Benefactors: Alexius &RenzyAbellaAlyson StoreFelisaMalindog& FamilyIsabel Ariaso, NovyNavares& children; Abelyn, Vincent & KeithKier Andrei Gloria Mr. & Mrs. Joaquin Lumagbas, Jr. &ChildrenMr. & Mrs. Randy Castillo & daughter Unah MaeMr. & Mrs. Raul Romanca& BrielleMrs. Myrna Isaig& familyPatroceniaCanitesWilliam Kessler Algo

GENERAL MACARTHUR Donors: Ma. Nida L. Baldado& children Rex Peter & Roselle MarviMr. & Mrs. Renanty G. MadolidLeonarda Padriquela

Benefactors: Benilda A. OresteBlesila G. ParacaleCatalina J. OperarioClarisa P. DesolidadDr. Gerry P. PalileoEdel A. Aboga-aElizabeth Aclo- BalitaEvelyn A. OpimoHon. Jun M. GecomoJosephine C. LimboMa. Bibian C. YaputMa. Niña M. PunaMatilde C. PalileoMr. & Mrs. Danilo B. ApeladoMr. & Mrs. Teodulfo M. Lucana& ChildrenPacita A. AseritRoxanne D. SumbillaTeresita B. LusicoWinefreda C. AcongZita D. Acampado

SULAT

Donors: Aida AnasariasCadilariaBadilloElena LobederioEmmanuel & Ella Kristine CeladaGemma G. ApitaLiving Water( Sta. Fe)Marvin RosalesMulti LinkTracy Lou Obon

Benefactors: Brent Gaillian M. DagandanGlenda AvizoGlenda CasillanoJeric Paul AfableJesse ColesKit Edgar BaleinLoida A. RapadaLucila G. CondradaMr. & Mrs. ArnaldoAmosco, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Dario Wilmer Pe-narandaMr. & Mrs. Michael AmbilPrincess Lexi P. AcalaTitaBeatoYolanda Morte

SABANG

Donors: Mr. & Mrs. Custodio A. Macabare, Jr.

HERNANI

Benefactors: Pia C. QuiranteEva Myrna SabalbirinoMarina Cayosa

SALCEDO

Be gentle as doves, bishops tells seminarians

BORONGAN CITY, June 19, 2017-Addressing the largest number of seminarians in a school year in this diocese, the local prelate urged them to become “gentle as doves but wise as snakes.”

Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez reminded the seminarians that in today’s world, priests must learn how to move in the world.

“Kailangan natin ng mga paring marunong gumalaw sa mundo,” he quipped.

Seminarians, as future priests, must know how to live in the world but at the same time hold fast to their principles as disciples of Christ, the bishop added.

“Dapat manatili siya sa mundo at maging tao pero dapat niyang tandaan na siya ay patungo sa Diyos,” Varquez furthered.

He said that seminarians must be able to integrate the pillars of their seminary formation, especially spirituality and apostolate that are mostly taken for granted.

“Keep the balance,” Bishop Varquez said.A heathy sense of “self-worth” should

also be present in a seminarian, the prelate

reminded the more than 200 college, senior and junior high school seminarians of the diocese.

“Dapat mayroon tayong tamang pagpapahalaga sa sarili sa likod ng kawalan natin sa buhay,” he said.

This healthy disposition, according to him, will help the seminarians become more available in the Church’s mission.

A “healthy sense of self-worth” is useful in developing one’s “sense of mission and service,” the bishop said.

Bishop Varquez delivered his homily on the occasion of the traditional Holy Spirit mass and founding anniversary of the two seminaries of Borongan.

Established in 1965, Seminario de Jesus Nazareno which houses 145 junior high school seminarians turned 52 this year.

On the other hand, the Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary where 48 college and senior high school seminarians stay was estabished in 1996 and is now on its 21st years. (RJ Abonal / Este News)

Agri office to give 25M in farm inputs to local farmersBORONGAN CITY, June 27, 2017—The Office of the Provincial Agricultural Services (OPAS) has started to roll out farm inputs including rice and vegetable seeds, fertilizers, garden tools and other implements to farmer beneficiaries of programs under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD).

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Judy Paano said that they have started the farmers field schools in different areas in the province, where capability building training on rice, corn, and vegetable production will be conducted for 16 weeks.

They will be taught farming techniques from land preparation to harvesting. Simultaneous with the training is the distribution of the seeds so that the farmers can start farming in their own lands.

According to Paano about “90% of the farm inputs have been delivered, particularly rice seeds since it was procured from local seed growers”.

There is also a livestock production program, for goat and native chicken.

About 1,250 rice farmers, 500 vegetable and corn farmers are recipients of these programs funded with P25M, which is half of the budget for 2016.

OPAS said that they are also validating the list of farmers who might be the recipients for the funds allocated for 2017.

Paano further said that they want to make sure that all farmers in the province will get the chance to avail of funds from the government.

For farmers who are not SAAD beneficiaries, Paano said that OPAS has regular programs they can avail.

They have cacao and coffee seedlings that will be given free, provided a farmer has available land with an area of at least ½ hectare ready for planting.

A Turkish NGO has also given P8M in agricultural assistance.

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has asked the help of agriculture officials to identify farmers from the poorest municipalities.

Dr. Paano said that aid will come in form of seed, fertilizers and other inputs and will be given directly to the farmers.

With all these assistance, Dr. Paano hopes that we can attain a hundred percent rice sufficiency in the near future. As of now, the province only has 68% rice sufficiency. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

DepEd installs new Division Superintendent for BoronganBORONGAN CITY, June 14, 2017–A new Schools Division Superintendent for the Bo-rongan City division was installed yesterday in simple rites led by DepEd Regional Direc-tor, Dr. Ramir Uytico.

Dr. Gorgonio Diaz Jr. CESO V, replaced Ju-dith Boco, who now heads the Eastern Samar division. This is part of a region wide reas-signments of top education officials.

“For the good of the organization, we need to move our people. I need to give our super-intendents and assistant superintendents opportunities to grow. Transferring them will give them the chance to learn new things and face new challenges”, said Dr. Uytico in his message.

He called on the officials and teachers of the city division to support their new chief and “help Dr. Diaz so that his stay here will be fruitful”.

He told Diaz “not to make any step that would ruin the city division”.

He further challenged the superintendents that it would be a big help to the department “if all our divisions, especially in Samar island would take care in the hiring, procurement and instructional supervision”.

Dr. Diaz, 47 years old, is a native of Mon-dragon Northern Samar.

Prior to this new assignment, he was the division superintendent of Samar province.

He thanked the regional office for the con-fidence given him.

He gave his commitment to serve the teaching and non teaching personnel, and es-pecially to the “learners” in the city division.

According to Diaz, he brings with him to Borongan “his expertise, experience and ex-posure”.

He assured the outgoing SDS that he will “continue to implement the programs, pro-jects and activities under the division banner project Translead”, at the same time enjoin-ing the city division personnel to “join me as we work for the realization of the depart-ment’s vision”.

For her part, SDS Boco expressed her thanks to the personnel who supported her through the years especially during the times when the very young division was experienc-ing “birth pains”.

She headed the division for five years.Boco was also installed yesterday as the

new chief of DepEd Eastern Samar, replacing Bernardo Adina who will now take the helm of the Northern Samar division. (Eden Cidro/Este News)

Bishop Crispin Varquez delivering his homily during the Holy Spirit Mass and founding anniversaries of SJN and NLCS on June 16, 2017. PHOTO BY FR. DALE OLIVER PEREZ

Installation of Gorgonio Diaz, Jr., the new School Division Superintendent of Borongan, June 113, 2017. PHOTO FROM THE FB OF CONNIE ANN ABERIA CHUA

Msgr. Lope Robredillo, Vicar General of Borongan diocese and head of the diocesan Commission on Liturgy conducts continuing training to Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion from several parishes of the diocese. The training which was followed by commissioning was held June 26, 2017 at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Sabang, Borongan City. ALREN BERONIO / ESTE NEWS

“The spirit of forgiveness resolves everything in harmony, and leads us to reject every other way: the way of hasty judgement, the cul-de-sac of closing every door, the one-way street criticizing others. Instead, the Spirit bids us take the two-way street of forgiveness received and forgiveness given, of divine mercy that becomes love of neighbour, of charity as “the sole criterion by which everything must be done or not done, changed or not changed” (ISAAC OF STELLA, Or. 31). Let us ask for the grace to make more beautiful the countenance of our Mother the Church, letting ourselves be renewed by forgiveness and self-correction. Only then will we be able to correct others in charity.

The Holy Spirit is the fire of love burning in the Church and in our hearts, even though we often cover him with the ash of our sins. Let us ask him: ‘Spirit of God, Lord, who dwell in my heart and in the heart of the Church, guiding and shaping her in diversity, come! Like water, we need you to live. Come down upon us anew, teach us unity, renew our hearts and teach us to love as you love us, to forgive as you for-give us. Amen’.”

--Pope Francis, Pentecost 2017

Compliments from Gloria Algo Tan

and son Timothy