Yesterday was a blessed day during which the Church celebrated the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Galilee to Joachim and Anna, about 16 years before the birth of Christ. Her birth is closely related to her Immaculate Conception celebrated on Dec. 8th, nine months earlier. Her birth, marking the beginning of the salvation of man, is celebrated to obtain peace for the world, which we so sorely need today. The feast originated in Jerusalem in ancient times and was extended to the whole Church in 687 by Pope Sergius.
In commemoration of the Blessed Virgin yesterday, the 26th Marian Songfest in Cebu City was held last night at the CAP Auditorium at Don Sergio’s former residence on Osmeña Boulevard.
Today we celebrate in Cebu the 133rd birth anniversary of Cebu’s “Grand Old Man,” Don Sergio Osmeña. Former President Corazon Aquino signed a Republic Act on May 22, 1990, declaring the day a nonworking holiday. Here in the city, the annual Holy Mass and floral offering were held at his marker at the corner of Lapu-Lapu Street and Osmeña Boulevard, which event I remember having covering live over radio dyLA when I was still active in radio.
Don Sergio was personally modest and laid-back despite his outstanding achievements for the country. Born on Sept. 9,1878, and now historically remembered as the first Filipino statesman, he became acting governor of Cebu, then provincial fiscal, provincial governor, member of the First Philippine Assembly and Speaker of the House at the age of 29. In his 42 years of public service, he became one of the most famous politicians in the country during World War II.
He became acting president in 1942, and later succeeded the presidency with the death of President Manuel Quezon while in exile in New York. Don Sergio died on Oct. 19, 1961, at the age of 81. I remember seeing him once at Mass in the Redemptorist Church during his later years.
Yesterday, Sept. 8th, was truly an auspicious day to honor and remember Our Lady while today we remember a statesman. Both stood for peace, sorely needed in our world today, beset by war and strife; disaster and catastrophe; and political and corruptive turmoil among others.
Yesterday, the late National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, also a man of peace as reflected in his idyllic portrayal of early Filipino pastoral scenes, was honored at the opening of an exhibit of the paintings of Visayas-based artists who won in the recently concluded Fernando Amorsolo Mentor Apprentice national art competition Visayas phase at the SM City Cebu Art Center.
Early last Monday, the work week in Cebu was shocked awake to the bloody heist at Robinsons mall at Fuente Osmeña. Thanks to the live on-the-spot broadcast coverage by TV and radio, the police responded almost immediately, with continuing reports on the event throughout the day including the retrieval of the entire P1.2 million taken and the deaths of three of the robbers and, tragically, that of two security guards as well as injury of the money-carrying bank teller and others. More details in broadcast and the print media were later reported the next day and later in the week. Media continues in following up on the missing gang members, including the suspected leader elsewhere, now that the alerted nation has gotten involved in the search.
Serendipitously, this successful media action highlights the celebration of both broadcast media and Freedom of the Press Month this September. Congratulations, all!
In this connection, too, thanks to media, we bring you our Women’s Kapihan tomorrow on radio dyLA at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the subject of Women in Martial Law. Our main guest will be Dr. Rhodora Bucoy, joined by Dr. Madrilena dela Cerna, both of the University of the Philippines Cebu, with the officers and Board Members of the Cebu Women’s Network and the Legal Alternatives for Women (LAW) Center Inc. that make it possible to air this program every second Saturday of the month.
Speaking about women, belated congratulations to president Stella Bernabe for the success of our Cebu Zonta I at the recent Zonta District 17 convention in Manila, as third placer in one of two major awards; and for being the formidable club in Area 3 with our one year accomplishments in a well-rounded variety of service projects incorporating our main thrust of Zonta I Team Shine goals benefiting a wide area of marginalized women. Again, congratulations!
Congratulations, too, to fellow columnist Judge Simeon Dumdum Jr. for having been awarded third-place in Poetry in the recent Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. I understand his latest book of poetry is now available at the National Bookstore and the Cebuano Studies Center of the University of San Carlos. I follow his inspirational “Essay” in Cebu Daily News’ Sunday editions. Personally, I owe him thanks for encouraging me to write for CDN, which I have been doing since the paper first came out in 1998.
On tap for next week: reports on our Girl Scout executive committee meeting last Aug. 31st and our Curta meeting last Sunday. Till then, as always, may God continue to bless us, one and all!