Ang bakasyon ko nitong nakalipas na Mahal na Araw ay puno ng mga pagbabalik-tanaw sa mga nakalipas na panahon at ng mga paalalang sa sumapit na buwan ng Marso, ako rin, isang taon bago mag-tatlumpu ay — ika nga ni Markku –  nawawala na sa kalendaryo.

Pagdating ko sa Marinduque, nang bumili ako sa tindahan ni Ate Ana, naabutan ko roon ang isang kabataang lalaking sa una’y akala ko’y ang isang pinsan ko. Siya pala yung anak ng isang kapitbahay naming nasa ibang bansa. Nang kumustahin ko siya, nalaman kong nagtapos na siya ng kolehiyo, at may asawa’t dalawang anak na. Siguro’y mga pitong taon ang tanda ko sa kanya, at ang naaalala kong mukha niya’y sa paslit na sipunin pa!

Sumunod na bumili sa tindahan ang isang pinsan (second cousin) kong dalagita. Sa una, akala ko’y siya ang isang ate niya. Yun pala, siya ang pinakabunso, na dati ay maliit na batang di pa nga nagsasalita.

Imposibleng di ko nakita ang mga batang ito sa mahigit isang beses sa bawat taong pag-uwi-uwi ko sa Ipil sa nakalipas na 13 taon mula nang magkolehiyo ako sa Maynila. Pero ang nakatatak sa alaala ko’y ang mga hitsura nilang alam ko noong doon pa ako nananatili sa amin.

May mga ilang bagay pa namang di nagbabago, gaya ng mga tradisyon sa amin. Ang prusisyon at ang mga santo at santang inililibot sa bayan. Iyon pa rin ang alam kong estatwa ni Veronica at ng Madre Dolorosa. Hinabul-habol ko rin si Maria Magdalena. Ang  mga Morion, at ang mga batang takot o kahit paano’y ilag sa kanila. Pero high tech na kami. Ang mga morion, hinahabol na ng cellphone at digital cameras.

Noong Biyernes Santo, nakita at kinausap ko si Ka Melecia, isang kasamahan ng Mama ko sa pagiging katekista sa simbahan noong nabubuhay pa siya. Pagkalipas ng siguro’y may 20 taon, at sa kabila ng kanyang edad, katekista pa rin siya. Natuwa siya’t naalala ko pa siya. Maliit at payatot pa raw ako noong kasama ako ng Mama ko. Gumandang lalaki raw ako, hehe.

Nang paalis na ako sa Maynila, habang naghihintay ng iba pang maisasakay ang pampasaherong van sa harap ng simbahan, hindi iisa ang nakita kong kumukuha ng litrato ng lumang simbahan namin.

Dinalaw ko si sa kanilang kumbento si Sister Paula, ang kaibigan naming madre. Binigyan niya ako ng stuffed toy na kabayo noong maliit pa ako. Dati’y matagal siyang nawala sa parokya namin dahil nadestino siya sa ibang lugar. Pero ngayon, mukhang sa amin siya ulit ng ilang taon pa. Malapit nang maging santo ang Pilipinong obispong nagtatag ng kanilang order, ang Misionary Catechists of Saint Therese.

Nakita ko rin sa may simbahan ang maalagang guro ko sa grade one at pinakaunang guro. Retired na siya ngayon, at kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko sa sinabi niya, mag-aasawa o nag-asawa na ang anak niyang babae na kasing-edad ko. Halos taun-taon ko ring nakikita si Ma’am Gracia sa bayan dahil nga lagi rin siyang nasa simbahan, pero iba pa rin ang pakiramdam na malamng retired na ang teacher ko noon.

Pagbalik sa Maynila, dumalo naman ako sa isang kitaan kasama ang mga pamangkin ng lola ko. Umuwi kasi ang dalawang tiya ko galing sa Germany. Ang isa sa kanila, 14 na taon pa lang daw ako nang huli niyang makita. Sabagay, naglalaro pa ang kambal niya nang huli silang umuwi sa Marinduque. Ngayon, mga teenager na sila, at di ko pa rin muling nakikita.

Bakasyon. Senti.

Pero gaano man kahaba ang isulat ko tungkol dito, iisa lang ang punto: Bakit hindi maaaring bitbitin ang magagandang tao at bagay sa buhay ko ngayon, at isama sila pabalik sa nakalipas na ipinaaalala ng lahat ng ito?

Dr. Ferds Recio will explore the Bathala Caves, which are located in Barangay Ipil, Santa Cruz, Marinduque–the place where I grew up.

Below is the teaser for the show from GMANews.tv. I have also posted some of our pictures at the Bathala Caves during our 2005 vacation in Marinduque.

This Wednesday, Born to be Wild goes into the dark and the deep to encounter creatures rarely seen by humans.

Doc Ferds explores the mystical Bathala Cave in Marinduque Island which is home to huge python snakes. Deep inside the cave, he studies reptile behavior and discovers why these creatures chose this cavern as their shelter.

In a province long-exploited by mining activities, Bathala Cave remains one of the last few sanctuaries for wildlife.

Meanwhile, Romi goes deep into the sea to explore a marine protected area in Handumon, Bohol. Because of the community’s efforts, the area, once called a “cemetery” by the locals, now boasts of a diverse and colorful underwater world.

Even the rare seahorse finds shelter, thrives, and breeds in these rich waters.

Go deep into nature’s wonders with Born to be Wild this Wednesday, after Saksi.

Ayon sa ulat ni Gerald Gene Querubin ng Inquirer, sinuong pa naman ng mga Marinduqueno ang init at tinahak ang paakyat na pitong kilometrong daan papunta sa Pulang Lupa Shrine para lamang makita ang pangulo.

Kaya lang, monghe mode pa kahapon si Ate Glo dahil kakababa lang ng hatol ng Sandiganbayan kay Erap. Hindi nga naman puwedeng kumalat-kalat kung saan-saan. Delikado.

Naisip ko pala na ang Marinduque ngani pala ay Erap country. Aba’y mahirap na.

Sa labanan sa Pulang Lupa, Torrijos, Marinduque noong Setyembre 13, 1900, tinalo ng mga Pilipinong gerilya ang mga Kano. Isa ito sa mga labanan na pinagtagumpayan ng mga Pinoy noong Philippine-American War. May karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa Battle of Pulang Lupa sa Marinduque.net.

Noong 2002, pumunta na sa Marinduque si Arroyo. May talumpati pa ngani siya na palagay ko’y isinulat sa tulong ng isang Marinduqueno. Halata gawa ng binolang maigi ang mga kababayan ko. Sabi niya:

BALITANG-BALITA MAN DIN NA ANG MARINDUQUE AY ISANG NAPAKAGANDANG PROBINSIYA AT MABAIT ANG MGA TAO DINI. ITO BAYA ANG GUSTO KONG MAPATUNAYAN AT MARAMDAMAN MULI. NAPAKSARAN NA BUMALIK NG ISANG LUGAR NA LAGI MAINIT ANG PAGSALUBONG NG MGA TAO. ANG SABI NGANI NG IBA MALIIT MAN ANG MARINDUQUE KAGAYA KO MALAKI NAMAN ANG PUSO KAGAYA KO, LALU NA PAGDATING SA PAG-ESTIMA SA MGA BISITA. MARAMING BESES AKO PUMARITO SA MARINDUQUE LAHAT NG BAYAN NG MARINDUQUE AY NABISITA KO NA. NGAYON MAN DIN, GAYA NANG SABI NI MAYOR NA
PANGALAWANG PAGKAKATAON KO NA MAKAPUNTA DINHI DINI SA MARINDUQUE AT TALAGA BAYANG TINGIN KO’Y LALO PANG GUMANDA AT LALO PANG BUMAIT ANG MGA TAO DINI. (OPS)

Before the accident happened, Mama and I had been preparing for my first semester in the University of the Philippines. After we had fulfilled the prerequisites for enrollment, she went back to Marinduque to raise money for my tuition. While she was there, she received an invitation for me to apply for a private scholarship grant. She hurriedly accomplished the application forms, secured the required documents, and sailed back to the city aboard the ill-fated ferry.

When rescuers found Mama’s body, she was clutching her bag that had the scholarship application forms and some cash, among other things.

One of the relatives and friends who rushed to the Dalahican port upon hearing about the tragedy was Msgr. Rollie Oliverio, with whom Mama worked for several years as coordinator of the catechists in our parish. He found in Mama’s bag a piece of paper on which an essay about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was written.

I don’t know if it was indeed my mother who wrote the essay. She could have heard it on the radio, from a sermon, or read it somewhere. But it is also very possible that it was her own reflections scribbled down on paper. Being a Catechist, she needed to think of stories and anecdotes that would help Catechism students better understand the teachings of the Church. Whichever is the case, this piece was one of the things that helped me move on from the darkest day of my life:

Archdiocese of Manila

BELEN EDER
Parish Catechists’ Coordinator
Holy Cross Parish
Santa Cruz, Marinduque

(Isa sa 39 na nasawi sa pagkasunog at paglubog ng Antipolo VII, May 16,1995, 4:00 A.M.)

Mula sa bag ni Belen na aking nakuha kahapon, May 16, 1995, ilang oras matapos maganap ang trahediya na kinasangkutan ng M/V VIVA ANTIPOLO VII na kanyang kinasasakyan, nakita ko ang isang papel na kanyang sinulatan ng kung ano ang KAHULUGAN NG MULING PAGKABUHAY NI KRISTO. Napaka-Kristyano ng kanyang pag-unawa sa kamatayan at muling pagkabuhay. Narito ang kanyang sinabi:

THE MEANING OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTIONThe basic meaning of the resurrection is the liberation of Jesus Christ from death to life.

1) The teacher put her arm around the boy and took him to a planter’s box by the window. The class had planted the seeds few days before. Using her finger, the teacher scrapped the dirt and found one of the seeds porating to green sprout emerging from the seed. The teacher said: Look, Bobby, the seed is not dying, it is only changing its way of living. God has intended it to become a plant. It is the same way with your sister. She is now changing her way of living. God made her something more than just life to this world. Just as God never intended the seed to remain a seed, so also God never intended our life to remain just a life here on earth. Just as God intended the seed to become a plant, so did he also intend our life to share in His life and glory.

In short, God made all of us for something much more than just life in this world. In truth and in fact, God made us for Himself, to share His life with us. What a wonderful life, indeed (at kanyang inulit sa malalaking titik) GOD MADE ALL OF US FOR SOMETHING MUCH MORE THAN JUST LIFE IN THIS WORLD. IN TRUTH AND IN FACT, GOD MADE US FOR HIMSELF TO SHARE HIS DIVINE LIFE WITH US.

2) However, just as the seed has to change, to die to its being a seed to become a plant, so also we have to change. As long as we live we have to CONTINUALLY DIE TO OURSELF LITTLE BY LITTLE. SMALL STEP BY SMALL STEP, WE DIE TO OUR PRIDE, OUR SELFISHNESS, OUR UNKINDNESS AND WHATEVER THAT KEEPS US FROM BEING LIKE CHRIST AND BEING CHRISTLIKE, SO THAT AT THE END OF OUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH, WE WILL BE BORN INTO ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD.

This is our only way to God Christ’s own way. His Pasch or Passover, His passion, death arid resurrection. Hence we must unite ourselves with Christ’s Passover so that we will be enabled to “pass over” from this life to the Father. It is the Spirit that the resurrection of Christ which is the center and the very heart of the History of Salvation should be the determining principles in living our day to day Christian life. Thus, we must be courageous, READY and WILLING TO DIE DAILY AND SO RISE AGAIN ONE DAY WITH CHRIST WHO ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

MSGR. ROLLIE N. OLIVERIO
St. Alphonsus Seminary
Lucena City May 17, 1995

Concordat cum originali

Notarius

Buo ang aking suporta sa Marinduque Declaration, na naka-post sa ibaba:

MARINDUQUE DECLARATION
adopted on January 31, 2006 during the Second Church-Local Government Leaders’ Roundtable Discussion on Social Concerns in Boac, Marinduque.”As long as Marinduque’s mountains remain rich in desirable metals, Marinduqueños will have to remain eternally vigilant to protect the island from further mining”
(+Rafael M. Lim, D.D., First Bishop of Boac)

We, Church leaders, government officials, and civil society organization representatives, after reflecting on and scrutinizing the realities in our island-province of Marinduque specifically our collective experiences for the past 30 years of hosting large-scale mining projects, do hereby declare:

1. That series of disasters due to large scale-mining operations blighted our once culturally peaceful island and for the same period, we, as a people, through various institutions and people’s collective actions, have demonstrated our collective struggle for environmental justice as can be gleaned from petitions, resolutions, manifestos, and cases filed in the various executive, legislative and judicial institutions in the country but justice has been so elusive.

2. That instead of sparing the remaining bounty of the natural environment of the island-province and addressing the various environmental health and livelihood concerns of our communities, the national government responded by putting the SAN ANTONIO COPPER PROJECT in the list of mining priority areas under the Mineral Action Plan and mining revitalization program of the present national administration;

3. That the inclusion of the San Antonio Copper Project in the mining priority list is insulting for us, Marinduqueños, and really shows callous disregard of the national government for the suffering of our children, women and men as a result of large-scale mining. It is quite clear that the government still don’t realize the gravity of environmental problems in our province, just don’t care about the poor people�s welfare, or has lost all capacity to function as a sovereign government for the best interest of its people and the nation�s future. Whichever it is or a combination of all three, there resides in the Marinduque�os a deeply rooted sense of justice and rights and a long history of willingness to fight for those rights in the face of oppression.

4. That our struggle for environmental justice is no different or less important than that of illustrious Marinduqueño revolutionaries of the past who made history in the rare victories against the Americans in the Battle of Paye on July 31, 1900 and in the Battle of Pulang Lupa on September 13, 1900. We, Marinduque�os will continue the struggle.

5. That our experiences proved that after 30 years of hosting three large-scale mining projects (Consolidated Mines Project, Tapian Copper Mine Project, and San Antonio Copper Mine Project), our beloved province remains one of the only 7 Fourth Class provinces in the country; ranked as 14th poorest province in the Philippines; ranked as having the 3rd most denuded forests; and, has a high poverty incidence of 71.9%;

6. That on October 4, 2005, the people of Marinduque through the provincial Government filed a complaint in Nevada, USA against Placer Dome, Inc., to seek justice for our environment, for our livelihood, and for the violation of our rights and more importantly, for the future and next generation of Marinduqueños, who are the real owners of this island-paradise.

7. That on October 28, 2005, the 10th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Marinduque, in a historic display of political will, declared a 50-year large-scale mining moratorium in Marinduque to give reprieve to the remaining natural bounty of the province and in order to strengthen the case filed in the United States. Yet the national government kept on “selling” our island-paradise to foreign investors.

We, therefore, support the January 29, 2006 Pastoral Statement of the Catholic Bishops, Conference of the Philippines especially its call–to stop the 24 Priority Mining Projects of the government, and the closure of large-scale mining projects;

We specifically call on Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other concerned agencies of the national government to immediately remove or “delist” the SAN ANTONIO COPPER PROJECT from the priority mining projects of her administration.

We finally call on the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 in defense of our national patrimony.

Kuha ito sa bandang itaas ng Bathala Caves sa Brgy. Ipil, Santa Cruz, Marinduque, noong ikalawang bahagi ng aming bakasyon kamakailan.

Mandin – indeed

Baya – salitang ginagamit upang idiin ang sinasabi.

Halimbawa:
Nalinis mo na ba ang bahay?
Oo baya!