IT WAS unfortunate that the devastating typhoons which hit many parts of our country the past few weeks disrupted the monthly regular fourth Sunday scheduled Mass at the Shrine of the Brown Madonna. With the improved weather conditions, we are happy to invite and remind our Mama Mary devotees of the Shrine at Km. 7, Asin Road that the Holy Mass will be held at the place of worship tomorrow, Sunday, at 10 o’clock in the morning. Thank you to Rev. Fr. Alejandro, our Spiritual Adviser, for his kind understanding and for making himself available as the celebrant.
Thank you also to our Shrine benefactors specially the Layson family from Urdaneta City, led by Wilfredo and wife Brenda; Raffy Policarpio, our program coordinator and Editha Ibarra, president of the Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Associations (FBASECA) for their sustained support. A simple salo-salo hosted by the Shrine’s project Committee will be held after the mass.
Presently, the committee headed by yours truly as the Executive Project Officer of the Shrine of the Brown Madonna is preparing the 31st Year Anniversary of the holy edifice which will take place on October 10, this month. Like the previous years, a concelebrated mass will be offered by Rev. Fr. Alejandro and hopefully, Rev. Fr. Joey, Parish Priest of the Immaculate Conception Church at Aurora Hill barangay. The final program for the forthcoming celebration will be dished out in my column next weekend. Meanwhile, let us pray together that Oct. 10 will be blessed with a fine and sunny weather.
I mentioned earlier that the BEA-CSWDO-OSCA Octoberbest 2017 Celebration honoring the Filipino elderlies particularly in the city is ready and raring to go off the pod. On Oct. 2, the annual Senior Citizens’ For a Day (Scofad) sked will usher in the month-long Octoberbest celebration in magandang [beautiful] Baguio. A select group of city elderlies from the various Senior Citizens associations in the locality namely FBASECA, BARP Foundation, Philippine Government Retirees Association, Baguio District (VFP), and from the USAFIP Northern Luzon particularly from the famous 66th Infantry Battalion WWII Veterans will take over the leadership functions and responsibilities of our key city government officials and a number of Regional Government Offices here. Over 50 Scofad officials will be formally inducted to the office by City Mayor Mauricio Domogan during the flag rites billed at the City Hall grounds.
The Congressman, the City Mayor, and the Vice-Mayor, the City Councilors and Department Heads including a number of CAR Regional Directors are affected by the take-over program. As president of the BEA, may I suggest or recommend that the salary for a day of the concerned or affected city or regional official be given to the concerned Scofad official. The experience will be more realistic and meaningful. And more importantly, the Octoberbest Committee will be saving the amount of P1,000 each for the Scofad allowance drawn from our budget which can be used for other important activities of the month-long honor program. Of course, the idea of sharing one’s salary is voluntary in nature.
I hope the affected government officials will respond to my suggestion in the spirit of volunteerism. Suffice it to say, the Elderly Octoberbest Celebration in our country particularly in the city is in consonance with the provisions of the Presidential Proclamation and approved resolution from the City Council of Baguio and a historic document called “Covenant of Unity” by elderly associations affiliated with the Baguio Elderly Assembly which was officially recognized in 2002, marking the inaugural rites of the BEA-CWSDO-OSCA Octoberbest offering now on its 15th year.
On October 3, a special program billed at the Baguio Convention Center, as a continuing part of the celebration will be with VIP personalities from the Department of Social Welfare home office in Manila, gracing the special event. The city centenarians will be presented and honored together with the most outstanding elderly from FBASECA, BARP Foundation, PGRA Baguio Chapter, VFP Baguio District, and the USAFIP NL Chapter.
A grand parade will follow after the programs, passing through Session Road and down to Harrison Road. The distribution of fruit-bearing seedlings to the parade participants will end the day’s activities. Other significant undertakings of Octoberbest will be properly announced in the future.
Meanwhile, the members of this year’s Gintong Tala Awards and Recognition Committee that will honor the Most Outstanding Senior Citizens in the city in the fields of government service, religious-spiritual service, medicine, education, military-PNP service, tourism, social-civic service, business and trade, journalism and sports was organized recently.
The committee consists of Prof. Federico Balanag, Editha Ibarra, Rommy Gonzales, Vice-President-NCCB; Regional Director Helen Tibaldo, PIA-CAR; Aileen Refuerzo, PIO Officer, City Hall; Dobie de Guzman, ABS-CBN Baguio; Harley Palangchao, editor, Baguio Midland Courier; Roderick Osis, editor, VoxPop Baguio, and Edong Carta, president of the Cordillera Broadcaster Alliance, OSCA Head Isaias Barongan and yours truly are serving as co-chairmen while City Councilor Lilia Fariñas and CSWDO Head Betty Fangasan are the adviser-consultant s of the committee.
