Wake-uppers:
Scene:
Who will be this year's ICM Glamorous Prince and Princess? Find out on Sunday,
October 22, 3 p.m.
Scene: From Ariel E. Fullido: Angelina
Cruz Montano, a Universal Records artist, ASAP performer, Careline model, and
the celebrity daughter of Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz, will perform
together with CenterStage band in the Search for Miss Interschool Personality
2017 of Mabini, this coming Sunday evening, October 29, at the town center.
Sponsors of the event are ELGS, A & A Original Organic Red Wine, 4Life, Ms.
Josen Cesar; and Purok Kamansi of Poblacion, Mabini, through its president,
Danny Cellan, and organizer/adviser, Jericho Vergara.
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Angelina
Cruz Montano Contributed Photo
|
Scene:
Clement Ingking shares this story: An
elephant and a dog became pregnant at same time. Three months down the line the
dog gave birth to six puppies. Six months later the dog was pregnant again, and
nine months on it gave birth to another dozen puppies. The pattern continued. On
the eighteenth month the dog approached the elephant questioning, "Are you
sure that you are pregnant? We became pregnant on the same date, I have given
birth three times to a dozen puppies and they are now grown to become big dogs,
yet you are still pregnant. What’s going on?" The elephant replied,
"There is something I want you to understand. What I am carrying is not a
puppy but an elephant. I only give birth to one in two years. When my baby hits
the ground, the earth feels it. When my baby crosses the road, human beings
stop and watch in admiration, what I carry draws attention. So what I'm
carrying is mighty and great.". Don't lose faith when you see others
achieving their success! Don't be envious of others results. If you haven't
received your success, don't despair. Say to yourself "My time is coming,
and when it hits the surface of the earth, people shall yield in
admiration."
***
The
provincial government of Bohol has been awarded as the “Most Business Friendly
Local Government Unit” among all provinces in the Philippines, conferred by the
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and handed over by President
Rodrigo Duterte during the 43rd Philippine Business Conference and Expo at
Manila Hotel last Oct. 19.
“Among
all the provinces, there were 14 finalists and Bohol was declared top! No
second nor third! Only one,” Balilihan
Mayor Pureza Chatto posted on Facebook.
Last Sunday,
Boholanos paused to reflect on a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake that
struck the province on Oct. 15, 2013, destroying scores of structures, killing
at least 200 of people, injuring at least 800, and displacing more than 300,000
survivors.
At 8:12
a.m., residents of this city observed a minute of silent prayer as church bells
tolled to mark the fourth anniversary of the quake that devastated the province
in 2013.
 |
Some of
the kids who are part of The Art Nouveau Models
are joining this year’s ICM
Glamorous Prince and Princess.
Contributed Photo
|
The
commemoration struck a somber note and also emphasized deeply entrenched grief
and trauma of the disaster.
Some said
they couldn’t believe four years had passed since the tragedy that to many
still felt like it had happened “just yesterday.”
In
Tagbilaran City, a Mass was celebrated at the St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral
by Tagbilaran Bishop Emeritus Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran.
In his
homily, Medroso asked the parishioners to pray for one another.
“We asked
his grace to look forward for better things,” he said. “But the better thing is
to have that spirit to accept good things that come from God and also to accept
whatever calamity that come to our lives… that power of charity, the power of
love.”
After the
Mass, Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto gave his message. He said that the earthquake
allowed Boholanos to deepen their faith in God as they helped each other.
Chatto
told VRS later that the recovery of the province was almost complete.
“We are
very inspired with the recovery of the province of Bohol and its entirety,”
Chatto said. “Generally, all the agencies that have committed their
contribution in the quick rehabilitation of the province had delivered their 90
percent, 95 percent, and 100 percent.”
 |
The
collapsed facade of the Holy Trinity Church in Loay
town after an earthquake in
2013 and finally
it was restored after four years. Photos
by Leo Udtohan
|
Although
he said certain agencies were able to achieve only 80 percent rehabilitation.
“The gaps
that have identified have been quickly addressed with these agencies,” Chatto
said. “We are not done with the whole process of the recovery, but definitely
we are moving very, very quickly.”
Chatto
said that some of the provincial statistics in the tourist arrival and business
investments showed very good signs of the recovery of the province.
Several
activities were also held in different towns on Sunday.
The Holy
Trinity Church in Loay was formally turned over to local authorities on Sunday
morning.
The 1855
Provincial Capitol Building, which was built in stone and lime as tribunal and
garrison, was also restored and a soft opening was held Sunday afternoon. It
took four years to restore it to make sure that the structure would not only
regain its original form but would also be disaster-resilient.
In
Maribojoc, local officials and residents gathered to commemorate the quake in
synch with the 157th anniversary of the foundation of the town. A portion of a
mountain in Maribojoc, which was scarred by the quake, was visible from the
gymnasium where the event was held.
“The
people have recovered from the tragedy,” Mayor Gumersindo Arocha said. “They
have their own houses from the government.”
The
families also visited cemeteries to remember those who had lost their lives.
Every
Oct. 15, since the date of the deadliest earthquake, the Somoros and Empinados
families would visit the Bayong Falls in Sagbayan town where their five
children were buried.
“I’ll
visit this place every year for the rest of my life,” Genara Somoro said.
“This is
where I remember my children and this is where I get my strength. I will never
forget,” she added.
The
Barace family in Antequera town also visited the public cemetery to pay homage
to their four family members who were all swallowed by a giant crack in the
ground.
Full
recovery will take awhile longer.
***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.
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