NCIP exec graces Paracelis anniv, Panagdadapon fest

By Francis B. Degay

PARACELIES -- Lawyer Gina Naimes Castor was the guest of honor and speaker of the 57th Paracelis founding anniversary and 1st Panagdadapon festival in this lowland municipality of Mountain Province last week.

Castor’s father was from Natonin, Mountain Province while her mother was from Tinglayan, Kalinga, where famous mountain called “sleeping beauty” (the mountain resembles a sleeping woman) is found.

She is currently the regional hearing officer of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) of region 3. 

Castor recalled her past experiences when Paracelis had rugged roads, lacked transportation facilities and had no electricity.

But today, she said, due to taxes paid by the people of Paracale, the old name of Paracelis, and assistance of the national government, the town is under 2nd class category and is considered  cosmopolitan.   

The guest of honor shared three important key words in her message. These were remembering, celebrating and believing.

“Remembering the past is very important,” Castor said. “We have to recall our past leaders and forebears who became our foundation.”

Castor added “there is need of celebrating the successes of our grandparents. They practiced and taught us the values of oneness and cooperation, their talents and skills that we have today, and the love of environment.”  

Believing is another crucial word in the life of the people of Paracelis, the speaker said. “We should believe in ourselves first, before others. And more will be accomplished if we work together. We must make our best now because we don’t what will happen tomorrow.” 

In the program, a certain Wacayan Bongayon, a centenarian was given a certificate of appreciation and monetary incentive from the local government of Paracelis.

Bongayon was born on June 10, 1919.

Accordingly, she eats organic vegetables that she grows in her backyard garden.

She is still strong except that she is hard up in standing and walking due to arthritis.