Wake-uppers:
Scene: The oldest beauty
pageant in Bohol has a new title, Miss Bohol 2014. Got what it takes to be the
successors of Miss Bohol Sandugo 2005
Anna Maris Igpit (Bb. Pilipinas-World 2006), Miss Bohol 1998 Emma Mumar (who was a
semi-finalist in the 1968 edition of Bb. Pilipinas) and Miss Bohol Sandugo 2003 Cherry Mae Bacaro (Bb.
Pilipinas 2003 semi-finalist)? Deadline for Miss Bohol 2014 application is on June 20 at the Governor’s
Mansion Tourism Office.
Scene: The 262 kilometer-long human prayer chain
mapping out the entire stretch of the province’s Circumferential Road last June
12.
Scene: From Fiel Angeli
Araoarao-Gabin: June 12, 2014.
Indeed, a milestone... The Provincial Government of Bohol, under the leadership
of Gov. Edgardo M. Chatto and the City Government of Tagbilaran led by Mayor
John Geesnell Baba Yap II jointly celebrated the 116th Philippine Independence
Day anniversary, with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Secretary Dinky Soliman as guest of honor.
Scene: Erstwhile Carmen
Mayor Che Toribio-Delos Reyes at the Pagpupugay: A Tribute to 100
Years of Philippine Sports on June 12 at Resorts World. Her uncle, the Olympic hero Rep. Simeon
Toribio, was one of the 19
heroes of Philippine sports who left their mark in the world stage for the past
100 years.
Scene: The 1, 690 grade 1 pupils in selected
schools of Buenavista and Inabanga
who received bags and school supplies from GMA Kapuso Foundation’s Unang
Hakbang sa Kinabukasan. The GMAKF team also visited the island barangays of
Cuaming and Hambongan in Inabanga.
***
It's
time for us to thank our father, daddy,
itay, papa, popsy, tatay, papang, appa, ama, for everything that he does. Like Mother's Day, Father's Day
was created to honor, acknowledge and appreciate the important role played by a
father in raising the child and consequently building a stronger society.
 |
| Benjie Oliva and wife Atty. Joan |
Last
week, I was watching two great movies about fathers. Bao Shi Fu Zi, a 1983 movie tells about Bao who is honest and works hard so he
can provide everything needed for his son to become successful. In Sleepless in Seattle, Sam Baldwin loses his
wife Maggie to cancer. He wants to start anew in Seattle with his son Jonah but
continues to grieve. As much as Jonah misses his mother, he calls a radio talk
show in an attempt to find his father a partner. Hundreds of women write to Sam
after hearing his moving story.
Inspired
by these movies, I asked more than two dozen people in Bohol and worldwide this
question: What awesome Father's Day moment will you always
remember?
 |
| Pinay Vera (3rd from left) with dad, brother and Mom |
More
than half of those asked simply didn’t answer. Here are those who did:
Pinay Vera- My tatay wrote me notes or letters since I was a kid and placed these
under my door. Even in college, he would send me letters. I remembered these
letters were well-written and very expressive. He would write me when he was
happy with me and my grades or achievement, behavior or what not, and he would
write me when he was mad at me or disappointed. I guess I inherited my passion
for writing from him!
Melchor “Meljun” Daniel Jr- The memory I had
with my father that stands out was when he took me to the doctor for my
circumcision. Although I knew that it was going to hurt, there was a reassuring
comfort that everything would be alright simply because Papa was there with me.
Now that I am a father, it's something that I was also able to do some two
years ago when it was their time to be "inducted into manhood.'
 |
| Melchor Daniel Jr (extreme right) with family |
Chandrina
Elluiska Schreurs-Wallace-My dad is the first man that I loved
and will forever love...when I was
little, the best moment with my dad was when he puts me at his shoulder or he
carries me with his feet and walked to every part of the house... when I was a
teenager, that special moment was when he cried at my debut and gave me the
priceless gift that I could ever received, the contraction graph, this was done
when my mom was still pregnant with me.
 |
| Chandrina with her father Wil and sister Bianca |
Benjie
Oliva- My father passed away when I was four years old. So, I
have a few memories with him. But one thing I can recall was during his wake at
the house of which I thought was my father's birthday party since most of our
neighbors and relatives were present. I grew up with my mother and I’m very
proud of her who stood as both mother and father for me and my elder brother
even during the tough and challenging times of her life. And by October this
year, when it will be my time to be a father of a baby girl, I will give and do
everything as a good and loving father. Life is too short as they say so I will
spend every minute of the day as a father to my future children all the way.
 |
| Clement (3rd from left) with his family |
Clement Ingking- On the very hour of the 7.2
magnitude earthquake that had left us devastated, our mother Erlinda suddenly
passed away due to complications from a heart attack. We rushed to the hospital
and opened the blanket of the hospital bed and saw our mom, lifeless. The
unexpected death of our mom was very painful for us. The break in our
parent-child bond reverberated for the rest of our lives especially that I am a
Mama’s boy. I, my Papa and my younger brother considers everyday as memorable
to cherish for we are slowly coping up and we are strengthening each other to
fulfill the grief from the loss of our mom. It's not so common anymore to have
a father who's really there, who is the provider for his family, whose
predictability creates a sense of stability and security in his household. We
are so thankful that we can depend on him.
A real father, responsible, trustworthy and a great role model. We've
learned a lot of good things from watching him. We love you Papa Paul!
 |
| Mikey Gatal |
Mikey
Gatal- I will always consider my dad (Rogelio Torralba Gatal)
as one of my heroes in life and you know why? He pushed me away out of Bohol in
a nice way because he believes that I have the talent and especially the heart
to succeed. True enough, I still help my family and do some charity works on
the side. He will always be remembered as a very tough guy and friendly at the
same time. I guess, I got it from dad, I miss him so much and he must be so
proud of me right now.
***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.
