RAIN OF FIRE

Cesar Bonilla
Churches as national treasures

LAOAG CITY -- Churches dealing with faith to God are national treasures if we think of moral, spiritual, and cultural salvation. San Agustin Church is one of those built by the Augus-tinians in Intramuros during the Spanish era.

It is one of many churches in Manila destroyed during World War II when the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines and later liberated by American forces in 1945.San Agustin Church was first constructed in 1571 as soon as Legazpi allotted to the
Augustinians -- the Catholic pioneers in the islands, a piece of land in the southwestern part of the newly founded city of Manila.

San Agustin Church endured almost four centuries of earthquakes in1645, 1754,1852,1863,1880,1911 and 1937, invasion of the British forces in 1762 under Admiral Cornish and General Draper, during which the church was allegedly profaned and pillaged; the Spanish-American war of the 1889, Japanese occupation during World war II when the church and monastery were turned into concentration camps for the estimated 7,000 population of the Walled City.

Based on testimonies of American officials, some 300 bombs exploded daily in the city. As a result, the vault of the church was heavily damaged and all wooden materials went up in smoke. History reveals that in 1599, Mexican Augustinian bishop Fr. Pedro Agurto, first bishop of the new Diocese of Cebu, laid the cornerstone of the actual church was finished, together with the monastery in 1614,Juan Macias, a Spanish constructor, designed the original plan.

But he died shortly after the building got started. The lay Augustinian Bro. Antonio Herrera, supposedly son or nephew of the famous architect of El Escorial in Spain, took over to bring the church to completion. Let us give reverence to all churches built for the glory of God through His divine Son, Jesus Christ.

Tour guiding is not a money-making device or a competition that requires pseudo-intellectual egocentrism or servile plasticity. It is a challenging job especially if you encountered some people who are called,” energy sucker" just to spoil your day.
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The observance of good manners and right conduct should be promoted in this country like among tour guides as sometimes, they don’t know how to treat tourists in the right manner.

I have nothing against tour guides for I am one in Ilocos Norte. This is only my own opinion based on my insights and experiences in the past since I started this job through the kindness of the Department of Tourism based in the province. They should be trained that public service is the primary consideration in doing the job.

Tourists should not be treated as objects of commercial enterprise considering that most visit places of historical importance to acquire knowledge.
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Ilocos Norte was very lucky to have students of one of the well-known institutions of learning in Manila, the Centro Escolar University. The students recently visited different historical and panoramic landmarks in Ilocandia to acquire knowledge about Ilocanos.

The CEU was founded by the brilliant and noted educator Librada M. Avelino during the American administration Together with two friends who pioneered in education , she co-founded in 1907 a non-sectarian school for girls called Centro Escolar de Senoritas wherein she became its first directress.

From 123 girls who enrolled in this institution, Centro Escolar opened the first College of Pharmacy in 1921; Liberal Arts and Education in 1924;Dentistry in 1925; followed by Secretarial Administration and Optometry in 1928. CEU, founded on the basis of science and virtue, was the first non-sectarian institution to offer Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Avelino, was born in Quiapo, Manila on Jan. 17,1873. Articulate,dynamic and full of optimism, she was appointed public school principal, the first Filipina who was a recipient of that honor and distinction during the American regime. She died of lingering illness on Nov. 9,1934 at the age of 61.Her vision shaped the destiny of the country in her pursuit of quality education.

I would like to give recognition to the management and faculty of CEU specially its hotel and restaurant management who visited Ilocandia this month: Ernesto Menorca, Jan Justin Racca, Hewdel Matthew Reyes,Ralph Jones Bacungan,Mark Neil Enriquez,Krizza Anne Mendenilla, Abigial Beltran, Aren Segundo, Kristina Casandra A. Tolentino(a kind student from Cagayan), Edsel Gulay, Maria Rovina Garcia, Zyrah Ann Fullo, Kimberly Sarte, Eunice Jean Bautista, Jinky Dela Cruz, Loidavee Pulia, Alyssa Janine Solano and Joanna Marie.Daligdig.


Others were Catherine Marie Mungcal, Joyce Michelle Francisco, Wilfredo Libut, Jr.Mikee Ann Caporal, Jaymie Cabanganan,Danielle Espiritu, Kenneth Troy Flores, Jan Carlo Santos, Jazzem Silvestre, Marcel Tolentino II,Ann Charmaine Octavio, Regin Yabut, Danica Marie Tiglao, Cybill Marie Barillo, Angelo Patrick Lim, Dean Pagalunan, Mark Philip Lagasca, Emmanuel Tanchoco, Oneida Moriel, Lester Carangayan, Daniel Pulgar ,Genesis Ballesteros, Maria Carmina Tolentino. I would like to include Norilyn Sotelo, Shielly Janne Villanueva, Dorothy Marie Palero, and Bernie Ong.
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Playing the role of a sycophant just to achieve your goal in life is a sign of incompetence and submissiveness. In any field of knowledge, those who resort to backbiting and unfair means just to advance themselves are certainly the losers in the battlefield of life. Just be yourself. Your talents and God-given abilities can be noticed by your superior if you work hard and loyal to the institution you represent.

It’s been a great privilege on my part to exchange ideas with Eddie D. Caparas, president and chairman of Birhen Ng Antipolo USA, Inc. who visited Ilocos Norte with Mgsr. Walter R.Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington D.C., Fr. Cyril Guise of Wisconsin, Fr.Robert Hilfiker and their group of women devotees.

Courtesy and respect afforded to them not only in Ilocos Norte but in different parts of the country must be the primordial concern of all since they are messengers of God in spreading the words of eternal salvation.
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Each town in Ilocos Norte should showcase their own livelihood industry in such a way that visitors and foreign friends would see such products for the sake of promoting tourism in the province. Accessibility and proper dealing with visitors could accelerate growth.

I would like to thank all members of Philippine national Police in Badoc,Ilocos Norte for being kind and accommodating to this writer when I visited their headquarters.

The PNP-Badoc is under the leadership of Chief Insp. Laurel Albano Gayya, gentleman and a classmate of mine in the Graduate School of Northwestern University.