PNOC director is SMS speaker: One of oldest Anglican schools nationwide to hold centennial

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA Mountain Province – One of the country’s oldest Anglican schools, Saint Mary’s School, will be commemorating its centennial here March 30 with Presidential appointee to the board of directors of the Philippine National Oil Company engineer Rufino Bumasang as keynote speaker

A former undersecretary of the Department of Energy and SMS alumnus,Bumasangearlier chaired the SMSSI board of trustees when SMS was incorporated as SMSSI in 2003.

He held the BOT post until 2009 and became adviser to SMSSI to date.

An active donor of SMS since it was financially and administratively independent from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines in 1990, Bumasang continues to convince donors to support the school.

The alumni homecoming on March 28-29 along with the centennial event on the 30th shares the same theme ,“A century of learning and education: Honor the past, cherish the present, inspire the future”.

A thousand and more alumni and friends located around the world are expected to attend this momentous three -day event to be held here in this tourist town where the school is located.

The afternoon of March 28 shall be observed with a parade starting at Daoangan followed with vespers at the Church of St Mary the Virgin around 4:30 p.m.

SMS alumnus lawyer Stone Pooten shall deliver the homily for the Vespers on March 28.

Hymn sining shall commence after vespers with alumni FrancesLaoyan and Mauricio Patungao conducting.

An alumni night of song, dance and other performances follows.

A memorial mass shall be observed March 29 with the homily to be delivered by SMS alumnus and Prime Bishop Edward Malecdan of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. Business meeting shall follow after the mass. Alumni, chapter or class are enjoined to submit their typewritten resolutions on or before March 25 to be presented during the business meeting. Alumni classes shall be meeting separately in the afternoon of the 29th.

A centennial parade shall be observed morning of March 30 participated by the community including peoples organizations, non government organizations, the local government unit, church institutions, and residents from the four zones-eastern, northern, central and southern-barangays of the municipality. SMS alumnus and EDNP bishop Brent Alawas shall be delivering the homily during the centennial mass.

Delivery of keynote address by Bumsasang follows at the SMS quadrangle.

Lunch shall be partaken of by the community. Community dancing and playing of gongs follow.

The centennial night shall be celebrated with a torch parade to start at Nangonogan to the school gym for the conduct of cultural shows from other sister schools including St. Paul’s of Balbalasang, Kalinga.