Home 
Last Tuesday, March 17th, was a day to remember, that 52 years ago, the plane carrying President Ramon Magsaysay and his party back to Manila after a busy whole day of public speaking to Cebu’s graduating students, crashed in the forests of our Mt. Manunggal. We at then radio station dyRC had been covering and airing live all his speeches the day before. On learning that his plane was missing, the entire complement of our broadcasters had gone out for further coverages, with me standing by at the station. Then our technician on duty received a phone call from barrio lieutenant Alfredo Nuya that with his men, they had come to the crash site. After reporting this to our then station manager Bob Garcia, he gave me clearance to announce the flash report of his discovery. The rest was history, recounted in detail by fellow columnist Juan Mercado last Tuesday.
Then earlier this month, on the 3rd, with our Cebu Zonta Clubs 1 & 2 among 14 various cooperating civic women’s groups and clubs, we joined in the 18th Anniversary Celebration and Awarding by Forward, Inc., one of Cebu’s earliest environmentalist organizations, with the theme: Keeping the Earth Green. I came to know about Forward early on in its organization, from good friend Martina “Beling” Go Ching Hai, and had occasion to report about its activities on radio.
Forward, Inc. awardees at this year’s 18th celebration held at the hilltop Beverly View, were: Teresita Opus, Dr. Jovita Ceniza, Me’Anne Solomon, Girlie Lim, Pauline Deduque (who has served as Treasurer for 10 years), Dr. Mila Espina, Dr. Suga Sotto Yuvienco, with a Surprise Award for Beling Go Ching Hai, whose Villa Martina at Beverly Hills, maintains a Plant and Seedling Nursery. The keynote address was delivered by Councilor Nestor Archival, chairman of the environmental committee.
Currently, Forward is strongly involved in its waste management campaign to save Mother Earth with the reminder to Refuse (wasteful littering), Re-use, Recycle, Reduce, and Compost.
Then last March 4th, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) held its 1st Triennial Award Summit Leaders of Change Forum at the Sacred Heart Center. Delegates joined panels participated in by Triennial Awards finalists, to discuss: Leading changes in agriculture, education, community, environment, governance, human eevelopment, health care, promotion of peace, and promotion of equality. I joined in discussions on the environment and human development. The 4th Triennial Awards announced and awarded days later have already been adequately reported by media.
March 5th, the 22nd Annual Perlas Awards on the Valuable Filipino were given out by the Philippines Foundation, itself a City of Cebu Awardee as Outstanding NGO in 1994. First, a Special Citation was awarded to Rodolfo Niere, honest waiter and bellboy. We of the Zonta Club of Cebu I as a socio-civic institution, were proudly among the Perlas Awardees on Valuable Institutions for our “programs in professional youth and community development.” Other institutions awarded were the YLAC, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Valuable Filipino Awardees were Atty. Pacheco Seares for journalism, Juanito Jabat in the media profession, Ramon Chiu in philanthropy, and Atty. Augusto Go in eductation.
Atty. Go of the University of Cebu rightly spoke for all the awardees, citing the important role education plays in the civic and community work of all awardees.
Then March being International Woman’s Month, our Women’s Kapihan last Saturday at 11–12 noon on dyLA discussed the ongoing Search for the Most Gender Responsive Local Government Unit in the Province of Cebu for the period of 2007 – 2008. Connie Gestopa, Provincial Women’s Committee (PWC) member and chair of the Cebu Women’s Network (CWN), was the main resource person since she was the one responsible for the designing of the Search project. Our Kapihan was participated in mainly by active PWC and CWN members in a discussion centering on this year’s theme: Babae, Yaman Ka Ng Bayan. Results of this Search will be made known and awards given during our forthcoming Women’s Congress on March 27th at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.
Then last Sunday, the Cebu United Radio and TV Artists (CURTA), Corp. held our monthly meeting, a couple of Sundays later than the usual first Sunday of the month, due to the passing away of CURTA founder Emiliano Rizada, Jr. and activities attendant to the occasion. CURTA president Edgar Gutierrez presided over an initially quiet and somber, but professional gathering, even as Emil’s presence was sadly remembered.
Meanwhile, I learned this week that two Jesuit priests had passed away, Fr. Miguel Bernad on March 15th, and Fr. Thomas Green on March 13th. Fr. Green conducted a Lenten recollection in Cebu last 2007, which I attended, and where I was able to buy all available books he had written, and requested him to sign one I already owned: When the Well Runs Dry. Kindly remember the souls of Fr. Thomas and Fr. Miguel in your prayers. And to remind you: yesterday was the Feast of St. Joseph. God bless!
