Concurrences, commemorations and celebrations

This week began last Sunday with the concurrence this year of two important holidays: the religious solemnity of Pentecost and the national holiday of our Independence Day.

We learn that Pentecost (derived from the Greek word for “fiftieth”) in the Old Testament was 50 days after the great feast of Passover commemorated by the Jews as the day the angel of death passed over doors marked with the blood of the lamb, sparing the lives of their firstborn there. The Christian Pentecost in the New Testament is concurrently 50 days after Easter, in the Descent of the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire upon the apostles, and the new “age (and birth) of the Church,” to quote the Catechism. So at the Pentecost Masses in churches last Sunday, the priests’ vestments were fiery red, as also in the Papal Mass aired live on the EWTN TV channel.

Last Sunday, the nation observed the 113th anniversary of Philippine Independence, first proclaimed on June 12, 1898, by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as he hoisted in public, for the very first time, the first flag of the Republic of the Philippines, with the sun and the three stars, in Kawit, Cavite.

Sadly, that first Independence Day would be shortly obscured by the American occupation. A new day of independence was later declared when, after the Americans liberated us after the 1941-45 Japanese occupation, they declared July 4, 1946, as our Independence Day, patterned after their own July 4th Independence Day observance, relegating June 12th as “Flag Day.” Only when a Republic Act in 1964 restored June 12th to its proper state have we since been celebrating our Independence Day on that day.

Thanks to broadcast media, I was able to witness, together with the entire nation, its commemoration in the morning at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite, last Sunday. There President Benigno Aquino III officiated the flag-raising ceremony, assisted by a descendant of General Aguinaldo and the armed forces chief of staff. The national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang,” first heard by Filipinos l33 years ago, was sung this time by a young child. Later in the day, in the afternoon, the President spoke after the flag-raising ceremonies at the Rizal Park in Manila. This was followed by a military parade, winding up with a simple but significant patriotic float depicting “Inang Bayan.” The event was appropriately dignified.

Also, last Sunday was Toledo City’s annual fiesta in honor of San Juan de Sahagun.

Now, for earlier happenings that I participated in. At the press conference Friday last week to which I was invited at the Cebu Normal University (CNU) in connection with its current centennial celebration, as a columnist of the Cebu Daily News and alumna of the institution, I spoke briefly of my memories of the then Cebu Normal School as a student and then as a teacher. Other Normalite speakers were Dr. Marcelo Lopez, CNU president, on reasons for celebrating the CNU centenary; Dr. Romola Savellon, CNU museum curator, on the history of CNU; Dr. Porponio Lapa Jr., vice president, Federation of CNU Alumni Associations Inc., on the alumni celebrating the CNU centennial; and Dr. Leodinito Cañete, CNU university and board secretary, on the parade of centennial activities.

My report on and participation in the launching last Wednesday of Dr. Savellon’s book on the history of CNU, “To Rouse the Dawn: A Century of Mentoring,” will hold for next week. Concurrently, last Wednesday was also the 20th anniversary of the disastrous volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Batangas on June 15, 1991.

Saturday the 11th, last week, at the monthly “Women’s Kapihan,” which I hosted on radio station dyLA, our subject making for a most lively discussion among our panelists was “Biodiversity in Cebu City,” a timely subject in this Environment Month of June. Our guest was Aida Granert of the Soil and Water Conservation Foundation Inc. She chose to concentrate on the conservation of the natural habitats of our local bird and insect lives and their vital roles in our environmental diversity for life.

Today, on Lapu-Lapu City’s 50th year as a city, we congratulate and greet them there through Mayor Paz Radaza, their first woman mayor, and our immediate past president of the Cebu Girl Scout Council, in which I continue to serve on the council board.

Now, my column overflows, with still so much more to share with you next week. Till then, as always, may God continue to bless us one and all!