Medals and memorials

These have been long, eventful months since the start of the year 2011, and we now enter into the first of four last “-ber” months of the year. This early, many of us are already anticipating Christmas, making our Christmas anticipation and celebration the longest in the world!

But let us figuratively “catch our breath” and take time to look back on the previous memorable month of August. It wound up with one of the longest weekends with two official holidays: National Heroes’ Day last Sunday the 28th (did we not use to celebrate it on Nov. 30th?) officially observed on Monday, the 29th, for an uninterrupted four-day holiday weekend winding up on Tuesday, the 30th, for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Last Sunday, National Heroes’ Day, fellow Cebu columnists chose to write about local heroes who seem to have been overlooked in national historical accounts. Fellow columnist Madrileña dela Cerna of Cebu Daily News and Bobbit Avila of The Freeman, as well as a feature story in the latter, played up in detail the heroism of Pantaleon Villegas from Negros Oriental, popularly known as Leon Kilat. On April 3, 1898, with revolutionaries in Cebu, he fought Spanish troops and captured the city for four days until fresh Spanish troops arrived and took over. Fleeing with his men, they were captured in Carcar where he was killed. I remember seeing in Carcar, on on the way to the church, a historical reminder in front of the big house there where he was killed. Today, the streets Tres de Abril and Leon Kilat remind us of him and that historical event. Then last Monday, National Heroes’ Day was further observed as a non-working holiday to make a long four-day holiday weekend winding up on Tuesday, anther official holiday in observance of the feast of Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr.

Columnist Ustadz Haron Magadapa of CDN wrote that the holiday is a feast of worshipful remembrance, thanksgiving, forgiveness and harvest, among others, after the a month of fasting. I remember in the early ‘30s (does that give away my age?) the two years we lived in Jolo, Sulu where my father continued working as a cook for the family of an American who was assigned there as the last American governor. In school, we learned from our Muslim classmates how strictly they observed fasting from food and water for the whole day during the month.

Then they were referred to and called themselves Moros, later, Mohammedans and today, Muslims. We got along very well with them. I remember one of them was Purita Rasul, a sister of former senator Santanina Rasul. Memories, memories.

On the subject of heroes, mass media continues reporting on heroes in our modern times as they keep us informed about current events. In which connection, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, while appreciating media’s laudable work during the recent 15th Cebu Archdiocesan Mass MEdia Awards, reminded practitioners of their responsibility of serving others and telling the truth. Responsible journalism, it is now called, and we media practitioners now realize our responsibility and strive to live up to it.

To bring up the subject of modern-day heroes, Boxing Champion and army reservist Rep. Many Pacquiao and soldier-members of the now well-known—through media, Philippine Dragon Boat Team—joined heroic peacekeepers awarded the Medal of Valor by the Philippine Army on National Heroes’ Day. We want to add here Cebuano heroes on the sports front: the Dance Spot Team Cebu City. The sealed their quest with 83 golds, 17 silvers and a bronze in only two international events in the United States. Congratulations all!

Congratulations, too, to our Cebu Zonta Club I, our association of professional and business women achievers, on their success at the recent 16th District Conference held Aug. 26 to Aug. 28 in Manila. Our club was the only one in Club Area 3 with two major District awards. For being highly visible in print media (thanks!) and aligning through it, with like-minded organizations in furthering the Zonta message in one year with a wide variety of service projects incorporating the mass thrust of our Team Shine goals, especially among our marginalized women, as well as in general public service, and as the only club in Area 3 of District 17 occupying 3rd place of major awards.

And congratulations too, to our past president Anita Sanchez for having been elected Area 3 Director for Biennium 2012-2014.

But on a sad note, Asuncion Ruiz Espina, mother-in-law of our sister Zontian Mila Espina, recently passed away. Her wake is being held in Argao. She will be interred on Sunday, Sept. 4th. We sister Zontians condole with Mila, and also request your prayers for the peaceful repose of the soul of Asuncion Ruiz Espina.

With so much more to write about that will hold for next week, we pray that God may continue to bless us one and all!