Bishop's golf tourney reaps P1.4-M for church upgrade

By Pigeon Lobien

BAGUIO CITY – The Diocese of Baguio and Benguet received PHP1.37 million from the Bishop Carlito Cenzon Foundation for the upgrade of a small parish in Buguias, Northern Benguet, part of the proceeds of the fundraising event from the golf tournament.

Foundation chairman Victorino Agcaoili told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday that close to PHP1.4 million in cash donations were turned over to Bishop Victor Bendico and father Ronald Ablasa Jr. last week for the upgrade of the Christ the King Quasi Parish Church, where the latter is its parish priest.

The church is in Baday-an at Barangay Loo, Buguias, the province's vegetable capital.

It will be the 6th church that the foundation will help, from the proceeds of the Bishop Cup golf tournament. Five others were either built or improved from the money that the tournament raises.

The church is the main beneficiary from the earnings of the tournament held on Nov. 8 at the Camp John Hay golf course.

The foundation will also give PHP500,000 for city improvements, while PHP200,000 will be donated to the Sacred Heart Community, an organization that helps churches.

"We are happy to announce that we were able to raise a good sum, more than PHP2 million and our supporters remain supportive of the project even if the bishop is already gone," said Agcaoili, a close friend and high school classmate of the late bishop who died last June 26.

Agcaoili, 81, said supporters and players pledged their support to the event and it will be held annually in memory of the late bishop who started the annual tournament 16 years ago in 2003, when he was stationed to lead the diocese of his hometown, Baguio-Benguet.

“It was a unanimous declaration of our supporters and so we will continue the tournament which is slowly becoming a tradition here," said the former radio broadcaster who spent nearly 40 years in the United States.

"In the following years, we will be deciding which church to help unlike in the past years, including this one," Agcaoili said.

The tournament was started with friends of the bishop to support his church-building activity in Benguet province and Baguio. Cenzon’s legacy will live on with his colleagues who helped make the annual tournament a success.

“We will tee off without our beloved bishop,” said Agcaoili, who continue the late bishop's legacy and the spirit of giving with the seven others.

Prior to the tournament, Agcaoili said: “We really do not know the impact of the bishop’s death as to participation and sponsorship” but after the event, “we were surprised that the support is still strong."

The Christ the King Quasi Parish Church needs at least PHP20 million for the improvement but only part of which is shouldered by the foundation, said treasurer Rolando de Guzman, a retired bank executive, who is part of the organizing group.

It will be the second church in Buguias the foundation will help after its very first in barangay Abatan 16 years ago.

“It was the church of choice of the bishop before he died,” de Guzman said.

In 2003, the foundation started in Abatan, Buguias which was followed by the same projects in Bakun town; Twin Peaks and Cabuyao in Tuba town; and San Jose church in La Trinidad and the Divine Mercy Church in Baguio.

Foundation member James Alviar said sponsorships in the past 16 years came mostly from old Baguio folks who migrated to the United States.

Alviar, a second-generation former Camp John Hay employee, and his family alone have given a few thousand dollars to the cause just like in the past staging.

Alviar is one of the founders of the golf cup, along with long-time neighbor and retired Philippine Air Force general of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1971 Nelson Eslao, and a Camp John Hay executive, particularly for sports including golf, were among those who started the tournament which eventually grew to a foundation.

Alviar has made his restaurant in Scout Barrio barangay as a “headquarters” of the foundation, where regular meeting takes place, while also providing the food to the members.

“This is a project we hold with the wives helping,” said de Guzman's wife Nitz, a retired college professor, who is now part of the organizing committee of about 25.

The foundation also spearheaded the fencing of the Burnham Park complex, as part of the activities of the group which the then Bishop used to personally handle. -- PNA