Archive for the ‘spiritual center’ Category
Grass of the field
Posted on: March 9, 2017
Published by Sunstar under Opinion- Sangal di Kultura Feb 20, 2017
Grass of the field
“That is how God cloth the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you… but seek his kingdom, and these will be given to you… for where your treasure is, there your heart be also.” (Luke 12)
By virtue of a City council resolution No 107 of 2003 and Res no 343 of 2009 the City of Baguio became a Character City joining other cities in the Philippines and other countries. Based on the Character Cities organizations, as a city of Character Baguio has declared that it is a city where a) citizens are caring and of good character b) an effective government modeling service and good character to the community c) students understand and practice attentiveness, orderliness and self-control d) Homes and street are safe with a respected law enforcers and form harmonious community relationships. e) Businesses succeed honorably f) families are healthy, harmonious and united g) faith-based support and encourage good character h) media regularly features positive news about citizens and citizens of good character.
I was sharing with my sister and a friend of mine of how unfortunate that the values of our younger years seem no longer the values held by our youth today. And yes, we hear “sabali idi, sabali tatta” “your generation is not this generation.” Indeed, it is no longer. The week passed in review as we stand witness to the church wedding of Dennis and Angeli and be told that they remained pure for each other, making God the center of their courting relationship. On another day, I sat counseling my husband’s nephew to make serious their relationship with the mother of his five year old child. However, when I talked to the nephew’s mother, she does not seem bothered and at the same time telling me that the younger daughter is also pregnant. The contrast of values is evident within the same family; the value of purity comes against the acceptance of premarital sex.
Similarly, within the same family the contrast of church teachings divides the conduct of the burial service of the parents, where the surviving children belong to at least four different churches. Even so, there is ecumenism that should prevail.
We pray that “let there be peace in our time” but ever since President Duterte started blabbering “papatayin kita” and “cursing mothers- putang ina mo” the culture has changed. Social and regular media and daily conversation have highlighted a culture of violence. Someone posted a “car parked in front of a No parking sign” the reaction is “patayin iyan.” A drug user was caught and the reaction is “dapat patayin” the culture of death and a character of violence has been introduced and being propagated. Even faith-based organization have encouraged a culture of revenge and supported the drug trade killings instead of encouraging good character. Instead of supporting the stand of doctors that drug dependency is a disease and not a crime. Past law enforcers I talked with are not really happy with the extra judicial killings. I consider it an abuse of authority when the law enforcer becomes the apprehender, the judge and the executioner. It is pure violence and playing the role of God.
It is not easy during these times where the culture of violence towards women, girls, drug related, etc. is being proliferated by people in authority. By contrast in the US, Japan and other countries when the elected official is being accused of sexual harassment or extra marital relationships, he will resign and bow out of the public service, for no longer does he model acceptable public service. But not in the Philippines, they will be condoned and will blame the other woman as Gen Bato will blame women for the extra marital affairs of the law enforcer. Why not blame the PNP and let them “shape up or get out”. Similarly, I was debating about gambling with government official who espouse legal gambling. For as government personnel they have to abide with the Civil Service ethical standards and as a law enforcer be a “gentleman” or a lady of highest virtue.
We are but grass, temporary in this lifetime. May the Christian virtues be our standards of conduct and not a wishful thinking hope for the future. It is the now- it is the present where Good character is needed, for we are known during times of peace and in times of controversies and difficulties. We must treasure life everlasting with the Creator so we must live a life of character daily. (PLCWA 2-17)
sangal di kultura-fire and sharing
Posted on: July 17, 2016
SANGAL DI KULTURA
OF FIRE AND SHARING
Last Saturday May 28, 2016, while we were in Manila, I received a text message saying “prayers and help because fire gutted our home and we only have the clothes on our back, everything gone.” So I contacted people in Baguio what it was all about. They said fire from 10 am to 3 pm in Engineer’s Hill DPWH motor pool and affected more than 30 families. So I contacted some people “to collect relief items and we will collect and sort out Monday morning and bring it by the afternoon.”
We came home to Baguio by the Sunday afternoon and the next day sorted our donations from members of Soroptimist International. By mid-day I went to meet members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 124 at Palace Hotel where we picked up boxes and bags of clothes, shoes, bags and kitchen items. We also got donations from BSBT College, St Louis girls’ high batch 1984 and other donors.
The items were sorted out into the 1) Linen and beddings, 2) Men’s department (pants and jeans, shirts and t-shirt, under wears and socks) 3) Children’s Wear, 4) Women’s Department and then the 5) shoes and 6) bags. These were all brought to the Covered basketball court of Engineer’s Hill. We coordinated with the Barangay and the DSWD as they identified the 42 families and 209 individuals who were victims as of 2:00 pm of May 30, 2016. They said this may increase when the students will be identified. We then agreed that they can get as much as they need, but not everything in one category. The barangay kagawad went to call the fire victims and they came to get what they wanted. We were able to dispose to at least 12 families and so we decided to bring home the items and will bring it back on Wednesday morning.
The Soroptimist ladies decided to share breakfast with them after one day. So on June 1 the ladies brought the breakfast and we shared it with the families and barangay officials. . It was a breakfast of bread, eggs, hotdogs, fruits, coffee, and tea. We coordinated with the barangay to provide the hot water. After the breakfast there was more food to spare. The okay ukay part II was conducted where more clothes were picked up. It was a meaningful way to spend the morning from 6:30 to 9:00 before the Soroptimist ladies went to work, do prayer meetings, back to home chores.
On June 3-4 we went back with the members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 124 and Soroptimist International Baguio where we were able to dispose 15 sacks of rice, 5 packs of used kitchen utensils, water jugs, pots, pans and dishes. Three boxes of noodles, 2 boxes of corned beef and ten boxes of juice drinks. These adds up to the previous collected donations for relief as of May 30, 2016 which included 15 blankets, 4 pillows, set of linen; 6 bag for men’ wear; 13 bags for ladies wear; 2 bags for kids clothes; 2 bags shoes; 1 bag of bags ; 19 bottles mineral water (5 liters) and 39 bags personal items (toothbrush, soap, shampoo etc)
These is their story, the fire victims are employees, homeowners, borders and students. One man shared that he lost 10 years of hard earned home, he just got his 19,000 mid year bonus and he lost everything in the fire. A family were out in Asin when it happened, they owned a three story house and they lost everything except the clothes on their back. They were picking ready to wear clothes as they do not have a proper place to wash clothes and they have to go to work.
During our relief operation one man was picking ukay ukay clothes and was able to get two sacks for him, his pregnant wife and three sons. The men who got the beddings were so thankful because they need it so badly. One boy said that it is sad it happened, while picking clothes for his kid sister.
We were able to meet the man who claimed to be the oldest victim, his blood pressure rose so high when it happened seeing his house disappear in the fire. It was good that Rescue 911 was there and he was given catapres and stabilized. He was so sad when he was sharing his experience. Together with his apo they came to get rice and other food items as they were only camping out at someone’s house.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE and the Mumbaki
Last October 18, 2013 the Episcopal Church Women coordinated a Traditional Medicine Medical Mission at the EDNCP Hall where 61 patients and 18 volunteers converged. The irony of it was the traditional medicine medical mission was not the traditional medical mission because the modalities applied, after the history and assessment taking, were Acupuncture, Acupressure, Ventosa, Moxibustion and Reflexology. Those treated came as far as Mountain Province, La Union, Mankayan, Itogon and Baguio. Some call this alternative medicine but that would be a different discussion altogether which I hope to tackle one of these days.
In the turn of the century, I was leading the Upland Development Institute and that was my entry to the world of traditional medicine as a study. We had a project funded by ICCO where our partners organizations trained village folks in traditional Chinese acupuncture and Acupressure as well as the age old Ventosa, herbal medicine and nutrition. We led people in the villages start herbal and sustainable vegetable gardens even before it became a fad. At that time, we were simply breaking grounds. We were able to set up barangay health centers with these modalities in various communities like Bagu in Bakun, Magsillay in Pasil, Bekigan in Sadanga, Tiempo in Tubo, Abra and another one in Upland San Gabriel. The community folks choose the people they sent for training because they were the same people who were responsible in setting up the health centers. At that same time my cousin, the late Constancia Damian, who was then the DSWD-Car point person on the Physically impaired (who we now called the specially abled) were being trained in reflexology, siatsu and other massage techniques. I was exposed to this and ever since has been treated side by side with other modalities. These simply methods are very appropriate for our villages in the Cordillera considering the access to medical care is difficult and rare. This was real to them which I saw when we were doing community development training, we have to climb mountains for hours before we can reach the village like Chananaw, Magsillay, Tulgao, Asingan, Asipulo and Tiempo. We do not find medical centers there because they were found in Bontoc, Tabuk, Bangued and the other centers including Baguio. Medical Missions were rare then and so the community folks resorted to traditional medicine.
To the Igorots, the physical or medical life is intertwined with the Spiritual life thus the traditional doctor is at times an herbalist, seer and a physical therapist (on common day language) they are commonly called men-sip-ok,insup-ok, mumbaki, mambunong and other shaman figures. The different tribes have intricate rituals in how the healing is conducted and at times ends in a festivity after healing. Some tribes do cleansing ceremonies like the sagawsaw of the Kankanaeys or the Bontok’s mangaswak. However, there are other rituals or fetivities that are observed like the Ikalahan’s laga and padit; the Bontok’s mangmang, mang-manok or chao-es; the Isneg’s Anituwan; and the legleg of the Kankana-eys. There are several other rituals and amulets that the Igorots use in their protection against sickness and ill will.
The last generation have been assimilated and were focused more on the contemporary modern medicine where doctors, nurses, hospitals, medicine and operations were the translations of health care. However, at the changing lifestyle and the onslaught of a lot of cancer deaths, the local people are going back to traditional medicine, herbal and organic food. Unfortunately, the knowledge has been lost to a lot of our people in the Cordillera. We have to go back to our forefathers’ teachings and practices in the dap-ay and in the communities and learn those lost traditional medicine practices. As my mother would always do when we were young – boil an herb, crush a leaf, mix some unknown soup, speak to the soil and spat on the ground to heal us when we were ill. The future of our people is going back to the basics of illness and healing. (October 19, 2013)
Proposed Resolution for Baguio to make an inventory of its cultural heritage
Posted on: June 30, 2012
Proposed resolution introduced by Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan
PROPOSED RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY OF BAGUIO THROUGH APPROPRIATE BODIES MAKE AN INVENTORY OF ITS CULTURAL HERITAGE AND SUBMIT TO THE PHILIPPINE REGISTRY OF CULTURAL PROPERTY;
WHEREAS, the city of Baguio has identified numerous hundred years historical and cultural sites during its Centennial;
WHEREAS R.A. NO 10066 known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 in Sec 14 established the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP) to maintain a list of all important heritage in the Philippines. That through the appropriate cultural agencies and local government units, shall establish andmaintain an inventory, evaluation and documentation ofall cultural properties it has declared according to their category and shall submit the same to the Commission. For cultural property declared as Immovable Cultural Property, the appropriate cultural agency shall, after registration, give due notice to the Registry of Deeds having jurisdiction for annotation on the land titles pertaining to the same. That local government units, through their cultural offices, shall likewise maintain an inventory of cultural property under its jurisdiction and shall furnish the Commission acopy of the same;
BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the city of Baguio through appropriate bodies make an inventory of its cultural heritage and submit to the Philippine registry of Cultural property;
RESOLVE further, that the city of Baguio identify its Heritage Zones as defined in RA 10066 s.2009.
SO MOVED.
Respectfully submitted to the City Secretary for inclusion in the Agenda.
Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan
Anti Gambling Resolution
Posted on: June 30, 2012
Resolution introduced by Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan
RESOLUTIONS URGING CERTAIN SECTORS TO UNDERTAKE AN ANTI-GAMBLING CAMPAIGN IN THE CITY OF BAGUIO CITY
WHEREAS, PAGCOR reports that as of March 2012 it has gained a robust 3.67 gross income its 10th month to surpass previous earnings under the new administration. According to PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, the March record feat now goes down in history as “PAGCOR’s highest total income ever posted for a single month since the Philippine government went into the direct management of casino operations 26 years ago”;
WHEREAS, the technical definition of gambling is to play a game for money or to bet on an uncertain outcome;
WHEREAS, gambling in the Philippines proliferated because of it being legal like Casino, Cock fighting, Horse racing, lottery, Bingo and others;
WHEREAS, RA 9287 known as the Philippine Law against Illegal Gambling defines what is legal and illegal gambling;
WHEREAS, recently gambling proliferated the city of Baguio amidst the numerous trade fairs, Bingo sa Barangay and other similar fund raising activities, tainting the image of Baguio as a City of Character, tourist destination, educational and business center;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, URGING CERTAIN SECTORS TO UNDERTAKE AN ANTI-GAMBLING CAMPAIGN IN THE CITY OF BAGUIO
FURTHER, that organizations and institutions undertaking ethical programs like the Character City Council, government departments, employees associations, schools, churches, Barangays, business associations and other sectors be encouraged to the join anti gambling campaigns.
SO MOVED.
Respectfully submitted to the City Secretary for inclusion in the Agenda.
Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan
Tree cutting moratorium
Posted on: May 27, 2012
Baguio opens two function halls at Heritage Hill and Nature Park to the public
By Carlito C. Dar
FacebookYahooEmailShareThisThe function halls, which are part of the city government’s development projects for the Heritage Hill and Nature Park, are open to the public for any event or activity such as weddings, trainings, workshops, and seminars, among others.
Baguio Heritage Committee co-chair Councilor Philian Loise Weygan, in a kapihan media forum, said that the city’s development projects at the said Heritage Hill and Nature Park are part of the city’s goal to preserve the area as a heritage site as well as to promote it as a historical, spiritual, and environmental area that both the people of Baguio and tourist alike, can visit and enjoy.
The place is also the site of the biggest Ten Commandment stone tablet in the world, which was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Record.
The Baguio Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park was a property of the Dominican Order in 1900s. The building, which was inaugurated in 1915 , was first used as a summer retreat house. In 1973, Diplomat Hotels gained ownership but ceased operations in 1987. Later, it became a property of the Ministry of the Human Settlements and later by the Presidential Management Staff.
The area was later conveyed to Baguio City and officially became its property with Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) number T-85948 entered in April 5, 2005. Based on the Deed of Conveyance and City Resolutions, the city shall rehabilitate the old building, develop the property into a nature park with appropriate amenities and facilities for tourism, spiritual, environmental, and historical purposes.
According to Weygan, the city government has already spent P35 million worth of development projects in the area, which are now being maintained by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO). Security personnel are also in place to ensure order and safety.
Weygan also disclosed that they have also already submitted a project proposal for the establishment of an eco-walk trail, gazebo, and view deck, which would be an added attraction for visitors and tourists. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
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