BCBP Celebrates 7th Anniversary and Regional Assembly at PIT

Today, February 20, 2010 the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professional (BCBP) Palompon Chapter, celebrates its 7th anniversary in conjunction with the Regional Assembly being held at the Palompon Institute of Technolgy Gymnasium under the able leadership of Mr. Patricio Paloma, the current servant leader.

All members of the said lay organization are expected to converge in Palompon, Leyte to take part in the yearly assembly whose members are coming from places such as Ormoc City, Baybay City, Maasin City, Tacloban City and other parts of Region 8.

Today's celebration is the highpoint of various activities being conducted throughout the whole year which include but not limited to the weekly prayer meetings by different teams/groups in different parts of the poblacion.

They are also conducting teachings held bi-monthly and alternately with the breakfast meetings during 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Speakers to these breakfast meetings are culled from different Chapters and Outreach from the region and sometimes other regions such as Cebu City in Region 6.

One of the programs being implemented by the Parish Pastoral Council is the ongoing formation of various family groupings under the Basic Ecclesial Communities in the parish in which the help and cooperation of various ministries, faith communities, cofradias, and organizations in which the BCBP community was also tapped.

The organization was also asked to help in the voters education program held in different Baranggays of the town last October and November, 2009. Highlight of their information campaign was the setting up of billboards and flyers on different parts of the town asking the community to be honest in all their actions and dealings with each other.

The latest information campaign the BCBP organization is trying to make the people be aware of, is the "Be Honest Campaign" which, as of this date have been mushrooming all over the town, especially in the road exits going to Isabel, Villaba and Matag-ob towns respectively.

Above is the latest addition to the "Be Honest" campaign initiated by the said organization. This big signboard is located atop the Delgado building at Rizal St., where Julie's Bakeshop is located.

Beside it is the PACCI building, a cooperative institution where majority of the depositors are ordinary people with ordinary means or living, particularly teachers, market vendors, farmers, laborers and other low income groups.
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Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a big day for Roman Catholics, since this is the first day of the Lenten season. It is a day when ashes of palm crosses blessed in the previous Palm Sunday is mixed in sacred oils or holy water and the resulting paste is used by the minister or priest to make a sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then to the congregation with the help of the Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion if needed. In Palompon, Leyte it was observed that there are more congregants than last year. Some are saying that it was the result of the on going formation/seminars being held in different Baranggay/Barrio's of the town through family groupings called Basic Ecclesial Communities.

Ash Wednesday, in the Western Christian calendar, is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens^[1] (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the minister who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on those of congregants.

At Masses and services of worship on this day, ashes are imposed on the foreheads of the faithful (or on the tonsure spots, in the case of some clergy). The priest, minister, or in some cases officiating layperson, marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross, which the worshipper traditionally retains until it wears off. The act echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ashes over one's head to signify repentance before God (as related in the Bible). The priest or minister says one of the following when applying the ashes:

Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.

—Genesis 3:19

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

—Mark 1:15

Repent, and hear the good news.

—Mark 1:15

The imposition of ashes on Ash

Wednesday

The ashes used in the service of worship or Mass are sacramentals, not a sacrament. The ashes are blessed according to various rites proper to each liturgical tradition, sometimes involving the use of Holy Water. In some churches they are mixed with light amounts of water^[2] or olive oil^[3][4], which serve as a fixative. In most liturgies for Ash Wednesday, the Penitential psalms are read; Psalm 51 (LXX Psalm 50) is especially associated with this day.^[5] The service also often includes a corporate confession rite.

In some of the free church liturgical traditions, other practices are sometimes added or substituted, as other ways of symbolizing the confession and penitence of the day. For example, in one common variation, small cards are distributed to the congregation on which people are invited to write a sin they wish to confess.

These small cards are brought forth to the altar table where they are burned.^[6]

In the Roman Catholic Church, ashes, being sacramentals, may be given to anyone who wishes to receive them,^[7][8] as opposed to Catholic sacraments, which are generally reserved for church members, except in cases of grave necessity.^[9][10] Similarly, in most other Christian denominations ashes may be received by all who profess the Christian faith and are baptized.^[11]

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer also designates Ash Wednesday as a day of fasting. In the medieval period, Ash Wednesday was the required annual day of penitential confession occurring after fasting and the remittance of the tithe. In other Christian denominations these practices are optional, with the main focus being on repentance. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday,

Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. Some Roman Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (for those Catholics age 14 and over), as are all Fridays in Lent. Some Roman Catholics continue fasting during the whole of Lent,^{[citation needed]} as was the Church's traditional requirement,^{[citation needed]} concluding only after the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

As the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday comes the day after Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the last day of the Carnival season.^[12]

Comelec bars Richard Gomez from joining Congress race

By Anna Valmero

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has barred Richard Gomez from running as fourth district representative of Leyte, saying the actor lacks the required one year residency to join the congressional race.

The Comelec first division, chaired by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, ruled that Gomez had not resided in Ormoc City for a year prior to his filing of candidacy for him to qualify to represent Ormoc City in the House of Representatives.

Buenaventura Juntilla of Barangay Libertad, Ormoc City has petitioned the Comelec to disqualify Gomez, saying the actor is a resident of East Greenhills, San Juan City and not of Carlota Hills, Ormoc City as Gomez indicated in his certificate of candidacy.

Raymond Cajucom, legal counsel for Gomez, said they would appeal the ruling. “The decision is not yet final. We would file a motion. Parang sa pelikula lang ito, nagpapabugbog muna ang bida pero sa huli ay magwawagi (It’s just like in a movie, the main actor will be mauled at first but in the end he will emerge victor),” said Cajucom.

Valentine date at Sunburst

Sunday, February 14, 2010 I invited my wife to eat out. Since she not willing to go to a restaurant who serve chili in their dish, we decided to eat at Sunburst, because this is one of the original or one of the longest staying eatery in this part of Visayas, ika nga mayroong history.

I remember that when I was still working in Cebu City with the Bureau of Customs, we have the habit of going out every friday to unwind (drink). Part of our destination is Sunburst, for the chicken dish they serve.

I also invited my eldest daughter Michelle to join us thinking that since I was not around during her birthday last January 24, 2010 she should treat me for a repeat of her b-day bash. We went to Sunburst Mango early, afraid that the restaurant might be full of people celebrating Valentine's day. Luckily the resto was half empty when we arrived.

Together with their usual fare of fried chicken, we ordered soup of "sinigang" shrimp, a vegetable dish, leche flan, ice cream, drinks for them and a bottle of pale pilsen for me.

It was a simple but still filling meal. After a short rest we immediately went back home even if my wife is asking to see the movie "Avatar". I told them to just a buy a DVD copy of the film and together we could see it in our own living room.

Photo by GME courtesy of Nokia N95

I'm not really in the mood of going out late because I wanted to rest my aching body and get a good and sound sleep. 

On my return home I took the "Supercat" to Ormoc at the early hours of the morning. We are about halfway in our travel when this beautiful sunrise between  Mactan and Camotes islands caught my eyes.

 I am still half awake and still sleepy when I suddenly gaze outside and see the sun slowly coming out of the horizon. I immediately took my ever loyal Nokia N95 and started shooting through the glass pane of the Supercat vessel.

That's why you can see the flash reflection at the upper right portion of the picture which seem to be
another sun hiding in the dark clouds above the deep

blue sea.We'll this is not a phenomenon, because sunrise and sunset are called dime a dozen in any part of the Philippines. Bye for now..........

Summer is here.....its travel time

It was a beautiful morning of Saturday February 13, 2010 when I decided to visit my wife in Cebu City since I have not seen her for quite sometime already. I choose the Shuttle Ferry, where the Ceres Bus is the regular or daily passenger bus plying the route of Tacloban City and San Isidro, Leyte to be transported to and from Pulong Bato Port, Bogo City. I realized later that the usual Cokaliong vessel "Surigao City" was replaced by "Dumaguete City" because the former was scheduled for yearly maintenance.

I am quite adverse in traveling on board MV Surigao because of time constraints. It travels so slowly that it will take more than seven hours, if you're lucky, to reach Cebu City. While other vessels such as "Cebu" and Dumaguete City runs by about 4 to 4 1/2 hours only.

Traveling to Cebu by bus, is not good option nowadays because of the dusty roads in Bogo City, which was aggravated by the summer heat. If you survive the humps and bumps along the way, most likely upon arrival your body will be covered by dust, grime and you'll be aching all over. While on board the ship, you will be lying down, sleep and feel relaxed upon arrival at your port of destination.

On the way Pulong Bato, Bogo City I feel proud about the view of Calanggaman Island. It is only now that I realize that I am also a part of the said island, now that it was reclaimed by the LGU of Palompon. I have heard that the white beaches of the island is still there and many have shown interest, to go and visit the said place, since many are saying that it can be compared to famous beaches, like Boracay, in Aklan, being frequented by foreign and local tourist.

But we can't also forget the islands nearer to home, especially the Tabuk island, now famous also for its marine reserve and the islet's bat kingdom numbering in the thousands of flying foxes, locally known as "kabug", migratory birds, and different specie of fishes. It is said that "Tabuk" is one of the major ecological destinations in Eastern Visayas, being a rich and diverse haven of marine life.

From afar you can see the lush growth of mangrove trees which are essential in the growth of other marine products that abound in the surrounding areas. Definitely we need to treat our environment as having a life of its own, that needs to be nurtured and respected. If nature can't survive, man won't survive either.

Another Bakeshop Coming Up..............

There is an ongoing construction at the Palompon Bus/Jeepney Terminal that is making people look and listen. Not because another business is being established, but because the said area was again taken by an outsider, or from other places rather than Palomponganon. They said that the facade or frontage of the terminal was rented and being improved by a businessman from Ormoc City at the expense of would-be businessman from this town.

Some are saying that the limited government infrastructures in Palompon, Leyte should be biased for Palomponganons. They must be given first priority on matters such as this. Local residents have also the ambition to succeed in life by being entrepreneurs. So long as they follow or agree to the terms and conditions stipulated by the lessor, then why not try entrepreneurs from Palompon first.

Why not, Honorable SB members?

Richard Gomez Visits Palompon Again......

It seems Richard is serious in his quest to be the representative of the 4th District of Leyte in the Halls of Congress in the forthcoming election May 2010. He should be, because next to Ormoc City, Palompon has the highest number of voters which definitely could sway the outcome of the results of the voters preference. If I remember right, he visit's Palompon almost every month, and definitely he will be visiting the said place more often while the election time gets nearer.

What I don't understand is the billboard put up by the team of Onate/Arevalo where their choice or preference as candidate for the presidency is the Noynoy Aquino/Mar Roxas tandem. I have seen it for about a month, but now the faces of both Aquino and Roxas were both defaced by red paint. It seems they are still waiting for something to happen. Highest bidder perhaps? Well, that's how politics ran in many places. They don't care about platforms anymore, as long as they can get something from whoever can give them best. Then people be damned.