June 2020

Ang Nakakamanghang Pagmamahal sa Asawa nina Gil Carolino at Eldon Agduma

Posted on Friday 12 June 2020

ANG NAKAKAMANGHANG PAGMAMAHAL SA ASAWA NINA GIL CAROLINO AT ELDON AGDUMA...
ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nakakamangha ang masidhing pagmamahal nina Gilberto Carolino at Eldon Agduma sa kani-kanilang asawa. Sila ang nagbigay ng buhay sa sinumpaang, "TILL DEATH DO US PART", sa harap ng altar nang sila ay ikasal

Matiyagang nagbantay si Gil sa kanyang asawa, sa ospital man ito o sa bahay nakaratay....pabalik-balik kasi ito sa ospital noong siya ay buhay pa. Hindi nagpakita ng kalungkutan si Gil tuwing kasama niya ang kanyang asawa na halos tabihan din sa pagtulog. Ang ginawa ni Gil ang nagbigay ng matiwasay na pakiramdam nang ang asawa niyang si Linda ay tuluyan nang nagpaalam. Hindi inalintana ni Gil kahit halos nasimot ang inipon niyang pera sa bangko mula sa retirement niya sa Philippine Airlines. Masaya siya dahil naipakita niya kay Linda kung gaano niya ito kamahal. Tuwing bertdey ni Linda at araw ng pagkamatay, buong pamilya ang namamasyal sa libingan nito.

Si Eldon ay tuliro nang maospital ang asawa at kinabitan ng mga instrumento. Ang nasa isip niya ay mabuhay ito sa anumang paraan. Nang malaman ang inabot na gastos ay hindi siya nag-atubiling humingi ng tulong sa mga kaibigan...kung baga ay "pinatay" na lang niya ang hiya para sa kapakanan ng asawa. Tulad ni Gil ay hindi rin iniwan ni Eldon ang asawa at inaaliw pa niya ito sa pamamagitan ng pagkanta.

Akala ko noon ay magaling lang siyang kumanta subalit nang makita ko ang isa niyang ipinintang kuwadro ay namangha ako at agad ko siyang ini-blog at sinabihan kong pwede niyang pagkitaan ang galing niya na ibinigay ng Diyos...lalo pa at kailangan nila ang malaking halaga ng pera.para sa ospital. Nagtiyagang magpinta ng mga "detachable framed paintings" si Eldon na, sa awa ng Diyos" ay napansin at nabibili ng mga tagahanga niya.

SA PANAHON NGAYON, ILAN PA KAYANG GIL AT ELDON MERON SA MUNDO?

ANG KAGITINGAN NG MGA SUNDALONG PILIPINO SA SULTAN KUDARAT AT MAGUINDANAO

Posted on Thursday 11 June 2020

ANG KAGITINGAN NG MGA SUNDALO NOONG DEKADA 70 , ANG 1^ST MECHANIZED INFANTRY (MAAASAHAN) BRIGADE SA SULTAN KUDARAT AT MAGUINDANAO, AT SI PRESIDENTE RODRIGO DUTERTE

Ni Apolinario Villalaobos

Ang mga una kong naging kaibigang sundalo ay kabilang sa 12IB na naitalaga noong dekada 70, sa bayan ng Esperanza , Sultan Kudarat…. kainitan ng bakbakan sa pagitan ng “Black Shirts” at “Ilaga”. Nasa kolehiyo ako pero nagtatrabaho na rin sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Naigawa ko pa ang mga kaibigan ko ng marching song na, “Ballad of the 12IB”. Noon ko unang naunawaan ang hirap na dinadanas nila para tumupad sa tungkulin na ang kapalit ay maliit na suweldo nang panahong yon. At, yan ay sa kabila pa rin ng nararamdaman nilang pangamba araw-araw.

Kasama naming mga taga-DSWD ang ilan sa kanila bilang escort tuwing mamudmod kami ng relief goods sa mga evacuation center ng mga Kristiyano at Muslim. Nakita ko sila kung paanong makipagbiruan sa mga anak ng mga Muslim evacuees. Isang beses ay nakita ko ang isa sa kanilang nagbigay ng biscuit sa anak ng isang buntis na Muslim evacuee. Ang nabanggit na tanawing hindi ko makalimutan ang nag-udyok sa akin upang magsulat tungkol sa mga kagitingan ng mga sundalo noong nasa Manila na ako at nagtatrabaho sa Philippine Airlines. Nalulungkot lang ako noon tuwing mabalitaan ko sa mga dating kasama sa DSWD ang pagkamatay sa bakbakan ng mga kaibigan naming mga batang-batang sundalo.

Naulit ang pakikipagkaibigan ko sa mga sundalo noong 2018, nang makilala ko ang mga nakatalaga sa 1^st Mechanized (Maaasahan) Brigade sa Camp Bienvenido M. Leono, Kalandagan, Tacurong City na noon ay nasa pamumuno ni BGen. Bob Dauz nang magdaos sila ng isang mahalagang okasyon. Nasundan ito ng isang proyekto na isinagawa ng mga empleyado ng Fitmart Mall – ang pagtanim ng mga puno sa paligid ng kampo. Nakikiisa rin ang mga kasundaluhan ng nasabing kampo sa LGU ng Tacurong tuwing maglinis ng mga kanal sa paligid ng lunsod. Maganda ang naging epekto ng mga ginawa ng mga sundalo ng 1^st Mechanized Brigade dahil mula noon, nawala ang kaba ng mga taga-Tacurong kahit may makitang armored car o military truck na puno ng mga sundalo na dumadaan sa lunsod. Ang nasabing brigada ay nasa Camp Bienvenido B. Leono, Jr. mula pa noong March 1, 2017. Malaking tulong ang nagawa ni Bogz Jamorabon, hepe ng CDRRM-Tacurong City upang magamit ng brigada ang lupaing pinagkaloob ng dating mayor ng lunsod na si Lina Montilla.

Mapalad ako dahill nakilala ko si Maj. Rolando M. Ocharan, Jr. na itinalaga bilang CMO Officer ng 1^st Infrantry (Maaasahan) Brigade na nakitaan ko ng sipag sa pagpapakalat ng mga impormasyon tungkol sa mga ginagawa ng brigada upang lalong maunawaan at masuportahan sila ng mga mamamayan ng mga probinsiya ng Sultan Kudarat at Maguindanao. Magaling siyang sumulat at malinaw ang mga pagkakaulat ng mensahe kaya madaling maunawaan ng nagbabasa.

Mula sa mga ulat na nilathala ni Maj. Ocharan, Jr. batay sa kautusan ng nakatataas sa kanya, nalaman ko noong si BGen. Bob Dauz ay pinalitan ni BGen. Efren D. Baluyot bilang pinuno ng Camp Leono, at nagpatuloy sa pagsilbi sa 6 na bayan at isang lunsod ng Sultan Kudarat at 7 bayan ng Maguindanao bilang bahagi ng “Development Support and Security Operations (DSSO) ng brigada.

Sa ngayon, ang 1^st Infranty (Maaasahan) Brigade ay inilipat sa Barangay Kamasi, Ampatuan, Maguindanao at nasa pamumuno ni Col. Jesus Rico D. Atencio. Si BGen. Efren P. Baluyot naman ay itinalaga bilang Assistant Division Commander, Armor (Pambato) Division ng Philippine Army. Samantala, ang 601^st Infantry Brigade sa pamumuno ni BGen. Roy M. Galido ang nasa Camp Leono, Kalandagan, Tacurong City, sa kasalukuyan.

Ang sakrispisyo ng mga sundalo ngayon ay nabigyan ng angkop na pagkilala ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte na ang isa sa mga unang ginawa ay pagpapalaki ng kanilang sahod. Kung noon ay may mga pangangatiyaw na lumalabas sa internet na mga larawan ng combat boots na nakanganga at halos punit-punit na uniporme dahil sa kakapusan ng budget kaya hindi agad nakakabili ng supply, ngayon ay matitikas na ang mga sundalo dahil maagap nang natutugunan ang kanilang pangangailangan. Ang tiwala at pagkilala sa mga sundalo na ibinigay ng president ng Pilipinas ay sinuklian naman nila ng kasipagan at sigla sa pagtupad ng kanilang tungkulin sa bayan….SAMANTALA, ANG HANGAD NAMAN NILA MULA SA MGA KABABAYAN AY RESPETO, SUPORTA AT TIWALA.

PCapt. JESSIE JARQUE SILVA, JR...pride of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat

Posted on Friday 5 June 2020

PCAPT. JESSIE JARQUE SILVA, JR…Pride of Philippine National Police (PNP) in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat
By Apolinario Villalobos

Not only one, two or three, but many sent me fillers to feature a “police in President Quirino” who does his job with courage and seriousness. President Quirino is the boundary town of the province of Sultan Kudarat, beyond which is historic Buluan, the western frontier of Maguindanao. Before th covid crisis, when friends at the public market of the town knew that I feature remarkable people on facebook, they asked me, “sir, i-feature mo rin yong tsip namin dito”. They saw how their Chief of Police, CAPTAIN JESSIE JARQUE SILVA, JR. work….and work he does with courage and seriousness…”trabaho lang, sir, hindi ako matapang”, that is what Capt. Silva told me.

His exploits include personally seeing to it that rules are followed and he gets pissed off if some would intentionally break them, as it is unfair for those who are disciplined; he tries his best in reaching out to constituents who live in unlikely corners of the far-off barangays to show them his concern; he is an advocate of easy-to-do physical exercise which is simple dancing to limber up muscles…his video dancing with the students of President Quirino National High School caught the attention of thousands of internet viewers...he became the “budot king in uniform of Mindanao”.

Capt. Silva graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in 2013, after which he joined the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12, in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, and where he rose as its Commander. In 2019, before the elections, he was detailed at President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat as the new Commanding Officer of the town’s PNP contingent.

His drive in carrying out his task that strongly manifested during his RMFB days did not falter as Commanding Officer of his colleagues at President Quirino. For convenient mobility, he drove around on his motorcycle – checking his colleagues at their assigned posts around the town. At times, he could be seen around the public market making rounds and talking to vendors….among other things, these are what his admirers told me.

Capt. Silva has an easy smile that could put those he meet, at ease….as if telling them, “don’t fear the police, we are here to help”

JONATHAN SEBALLOS...an Engineer who "rescues" and assists the distressed in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat

JONATHAN SEBALLOS…an Engineer who “rescues” and assists the distressed in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat

By Apolinario Villalobos

Jonathan whose late parents, Ciriaco and Erlinda Villalobos were educators in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat is an Engineer but due to his preference to stay with his parents and siblings, did not venture far enough to earn much that he deserves with such profession. When his mother was totally bedridden and became comatose, he took care of her, till her death.

He endured financial difficulties and persevered with a “Job Order” position assigned at the motor pool during the time of the former mayor, Emilio Salamanca. Later, he moved on to work with the Treasurer’s Office. Today, under the administration of the lady mayor, Azel Valenzuela Mangudadatu, he is at the helm of the President Quirino-DRRM, involved in rescues and control of risks.

At this time of the covid crisis, he personally escorts stranded farmers in the town, and who worked as sugar cane cutters, back to their home towns. Most often, he and his colleagues who alternate in driving the van would go home late but they endure the heavy task without a bit of complaint, in the name of compassion.

DR. JO TADENA....the hardworking and unassuming Municipal Health Officer of President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat

DR. JO TADENA…the hardworking and unassuming Municipal Health Officer of President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat

By Apolinario Villalobos

I have been hearing inspiring stories about this sneakers-wearing doctor who prefer to sit behind the desk that constituents needing medical assistance could immediately approach as soonest as they arrive at the Health Center of President Quirino. A few feet from her desk are the MHO staff who are on standby for the rest of the assistance needed. Her team, as I observed, work with precise moves so that in minutes, their clients, most of whom are from the barangays could immediately, go back home.

The simplicity of the doctor is such that nobody among her colleauges knew that she was consistently on top of her class during her high school days in Notre Dame-Sienna College of Tacurong and when she was in college. She belongs to a prominent intellectual family of Sultan Kudarat province, but is never conscious about the admiration….as all she does is show diligence in her task.

AZEL VALENZUELA MANGUDADATU...THE COMPASSIONATE AND HUMBLE MAYOR OF PRESIDENT QUIRINO, SULTAN KUDARAT

AZEL VALENZUELA MANGUDADATU...THE COMPASSIONATE AND HUMBLE MAYOR OF PRESIDENT QUIRINO, SULTAN KUDARAT
by Apolinario Villalobos

While still in Manila, I had been hearing stories about the "gorgeously beautiful mayor of President Quirino". My interest in Quirino was then limited to my book project about its history, Tacurong and the surrounding areas settled by Visayans from Panay. I also owe a lot of gratitude to the once known as Sambolawan because of the opportunity given to my elder sister Maria Erlinda and her husband Ciriaco Seballos who taught at the Central School until their retirement.

The first time I met the lady mayor was when I attended an occasion at the municipal gym many years back. There was no "presidential table" on stage or in front below, just chairs facing the stage, arranged theater-style. When she arrived, I was stunned by her beauty, clad in the Maguindanao dress that covered even her feet, aside from the tandong that framed her pretty smooth face. She was walking alone towards a vacant chair beside me, smiling, and what made me smile my best was when I heard her say, "nagpudut..." (ang init). There was only one stand fan then.

I had been writing about Quirino and my fault is I kept on forgetting about her. Actually, I was giving myself more chance to gather good impressions about her. At the onset of the pandemic, I read shoutouts about her benevolence and when I check posts, I failed to find even a single photo showing her. Shoutouts about the food she shared also came from the frontliners of the town. What I read were sincere testimonies.

Many Maguindanao vendor friends and Christians who know the family told me, "simple lang ang bahay nila....at hindi ka magugutom kung nandoon ka dahil makakakain ka kung ano ang meron sila....wala silang pinipiling tao...). (Their home is simply furnished...you won't be hungry while there... whatever food they have is shared with visitors, whoever they are...),

The lady mayor is an Ilocana and hails from barangay Mangelen, her parents being among the pioneer families in that locality. She is an epitome of a person who has successfully blended the two major cultures in her person. I was greatly impressed when she thanked me with "Inshallah", as a closing statement in our very short exchange of pleasantries via the messenger...to which I now respond with...Allahu Akbar!...GOD IS GREAT!

"UY, KANAMI"...Catering Outfit With a Big Heart

UY, KANAMI”…Catering Outfit With Big a Heart

By Apolinario Villalobos

“Uy, Kanami” is actually a Visayan expression of admiration and appreciation. “Kanami” means, “nice”, “good”,”wonderful”…just anything that stands for beauty, great taste, good result. Not only is the husband and wife tandem gourmets in their own right, hence, loves to cook, but also, with big hearts for the needy. When an earthquake devastated a portion of Makilala, Cotabato, they did not lose time in preparing packed foods for the victims…they called their effort, “Sagip-kusina” (Help from the kitchen).

Aside from orders for dishes relayed through the cellphone, the catering outfit based in Tacurong City, also caters to big social events, the latest of which was the fashion show during the KALIMUDAN 2019 held in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat attended by Sharifa Akeel, the title holder of Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 and Mutya ng Pilipinas 2018, aside from other Mutya ng Pilipinas winners.

But, what is most impressive about “UY KANAMI” is its advocacy for the deserving poor in obtaining an education. To date, it has 40 scholars and the early beneficiaries of the scholarship are now professional, perhaps, passing on the blessing. Admirably, the advocacy which started in 2014 preceded the catering business which was put up in 2015. From then on, the 20% of the catering revenue goes to the scholars.

Today, despite the onset of the covid virus that cause the slump of many business, UY KANAMI is enjoying consistency in its operation.

Tacurong City is a chartered city in the province of Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao, Philippines.