May summer

Summertime in May this year will be remembered as one of the most eventful we’ve had in years, if we go by the first two Sundays this month. The first Sunday opened with traditional, historical, and religious observances, climaxing with a stunning newsbreak and then the quieter passing of a Cebuano government official. The second Sunday was one of loving family remembrance of mothers and a long-awaited world championship sports event. Many other events in the days following I have shared with you in my past two columns.

Last Sunday was a personally memorable day. My son-in-law, Amador “Jing” Villalon Jr., widower of my late daughter Raquel who recently passed away in the States, had flown in from the United States the day before. He picked me up and drove us to Moalboal town to visit his parents, my compadre Amador “Ado” Sr and comadre Rosario “Yengyeng.” The day, May 15th, was the feast of the town’s patron, San Juan Nepomuceno. Since we arrived in the afternoon, we missed the morning Mass but witnessed the procession early in the evening as it passed by the Villalon house.

I learned that the modern new Moalboal parish church, construction of which started years ago, was inaugurated last May 13th, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, with Mass celebrated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. It is beside the remaining stone façade and tower of the traditional old parish church that sadly deteriorated with time and attempts to “modernize” its main structure and interior. Coincidentally, May 13th also happens to be my late Raquel’s birthday. Jing and I drove back to Cebu last Monday. He is staying with friends here, awaiting his two children, Jourdan and Jenelle, who are arriving from the States in June after the end of their classes.

The drive to Moalboal on Sunday afternoon and back to the city on Monday afternoon was a refreshing and uplifting experience with green trees along most of the roadsides, particularly with the canopies of lush ancient acacias along the Carcar–Naga stretch. Thank God those huge heritage trees, earlier threatened with cutting to make way for a planned road widening, will be left untouched in a rerouting of the highway after a hue and cry from environmentalists.

Another the major environmental experience for me was our Girl Scouts of the Philippines Cebu Council culminating activity for the month at the Portofino Beach resort in Lapu-Lapu City held Thursday last week. With council board officers and members, division scouting coordinators, district and school commissioners, DFAs, SSCs, and TLs, it was a day of sunshine, sea, sea breeze and sand, good food and bonding. Under tree-shaded kiosks, sitting in light beach chairs around beach tables, we watched sea bathers, jet ski riders and guests trying out the latest exciting zip-line. All these thanks to the GSP office staff for their extensive preparations and coordination.

Then Saturday last week, at our monthly “Women’s Kapihan” which I host, “Women and Labor” was the subject for the lively discussion by the panel of Cebu Women’s Network officers and members. Guest resource persons were Lilia Estillore, director 2 of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) who spoke on the labor situation and labor force participation of women in Cebu; Prof. Sofia Logarta of UP Cebu who contributed aspects of the history of the women’s labor movement in Cebu and Engr. Vicente Abordo, Supervising Labor Employment Officer of DOLE-7.

Abordo said that with the rise of modern call centers, manufacturing, entertainment, recreational, health and occupational network industries, among others, there is a need to study and set appropriate guidelines for workers. Prof. Logarta noted that these industries involve an increasing number of women workers. And while Director Estillore noted a 0.2 percent drop in employment from last year with some 382,000 underemployed due to the current economic situation, the good news, particularly for women, is the granting of a new special two-month leave for gynecology surgery cases in addition to the already granted leaves. One of the panelists also called attention to the plight of OFWs, a majority of whom are women. These all made for a most lively hour of discussion and interaction.

With so much more having happened in these busy days, that will hold for next time, including even much more that should happen next week. So until then, may God continue to bless us, one and all!