MARINDUQUENEWS International
MISSION POSTSCRIPTS cont'd..
7
The food was amazing! Pako, sikad, butgay, putong tinta, niyubak, tughud, crabs,shrimp, the freshest fish and the best kalamay this side of heaven. Marinduque has the best saba in the entire universe! I had the privilege of having one of the best cooks ready to whip up anything that strikes my fancy, my darling niece, Marinette.  Several special events occurred while I was home. The sad, sad, Wow / Wowee tragedy, the State of Emergency prouncement by the President and the short lived but still contentious revolt by some segments of the military. Despite all these happenings, life went on, seemingly unaffected by these potentially catastrophic occurences.

I attended a rally organized by church, town and civic officials commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Marcopper disaster. The entire covered court in Boac was filled to the streets with representatives coming from all 6 towns, all dressed in black and waving banners protesting the possible re-openning of the mines. The Association of Catholic Bishops are in the forefront of those of those against the new Mining Act and our own Bishop Rey Evangilistas voice is one of the strongest. Lets  all pray that decisions made regarding our natural resources will consider the environment, health and fiscal well being of the people and province first before all else.

MACUSA has been supporting the projects of Marinducare for many years. Through the efforts of Chona Calayo, the liaison of the latter in Boac, I vivisted 2 elementary schools, Puyog and Duyay, which are the recipients of our annual contribution. They have a pre-school program, run by volunteer teachers, unsupported by the government and totally dependent upon outside help. With commitment of parents, teachers and the principals, these 5-6 years old pupils are taught basic skills that prepare them better for the first grade.  Follow up studies show that children who had pre-school training did better by 3rd grade that those who did not. Many 6th grade students could not read or write.

I had lunch with Pat Jacinto and Romy Hermoso of Marinducare and they expressed their passionate desire to improve the lot of Marinduque through education. If we are to break the cycle of poverty, ignorance, poor health and hygiene, dependence and hopelessness of our kababayans, it can be done only by educating our youth, our future. I was told a beautiful story of a 5 year old boy who insisted that the family must pray before meals and wash their hands before eating. When asked why, he said because his teacher said so.
Small steps,folks, small steps.

Our By-laws clearly state that we are committed to the educational development of our teachers and our students. Perhaps we can channel more of our energies and resources toward meeting this goal in our future mission plans.
I spent Holy Week in Boac. Its been ages since I got frightened by those "Moriones". Using a bit of shameless nepotism, I finagled a role as Sta. Isabel in the local Sinakulo. My brother Sison was Asst. Director! And folks, it was tough! We practiced every night from 7pm to 11pm, in the huge outdoor Morion Park. It was hot and my fan quickly became my best friend. The mospuitoes were very friendly too. When we performed on Holy Wednesday, my 30 seconds of theatrical glory was amply applauded by members of my immediate family under pains of severe chocolate sanctions! But it was well worth the effort to be a part of a tradition that dates back many generations.

Our By-laws also state our commitment to the fostering of our cultural heritage. I strongly encourage all to witness, if not be a part of these uniquely Marinduque traditions. Maybe our next Mission could be timed around Holy Week to give us and our guests a chance to experience the richness of our culture.

On a lighter note, Vivian and I became closer to our Chinese cousins. We walked around Binondo, shopping for antique jewelry, bargain hunting at the notorious 168 shopping mall, sampling savory dishes, (shabu-shabu, not the injectable or snorting kind) and just bonding and reliving our childhood days. Fun.

The name of our own Tessie Agana Jao was imprinted on a special star in the famous Walk of Fame at the Eastwood Mall in Quezon City. She looked every inch a movie star as she and her childhood co-star Boy Alano, uncovered the marble and gold stars bearing their names. Her superlative acting remain unequaled in the Philippine movie industry.

I met with 14 of my high school classmates and we went around Mariduque in 2 vans searching for other 1957 co-graduates. Our 50th high school graduation anniversary will be next year, 2007 and we hope to bring together as many of our classmates as possible as we celebrate this special milestone. I marveled anew at how much we have changed and how easy it was to behave like we were seniors again.