It was the 20th of May 2008 at around 6:30 p.m. at Col. Mateo Luga's residence in Fairview, Quezon City when Father Angel Luga with brother Tony Luga, whose grandfather is the brother of General Mateo Noriel Luga arrived. Father Luga is the Parish Priest in Cauyan, Isabela. Fr. Angel and Tony where the Lugas in Isabela. It was told that General Mateo Noriel Luga and his brother Domingo was actually from Ilocos who migrated to Tumauini, Isabela. When the Filipino Spanish War erupted Mateo Luga with his two cousins joined the forces of Gen. Aguinaldo. They left Isabela and was assigned to different provinces until General Mateo Noriel Luga was appointed by General Aguinaldo as the Philippine Revolutionary's war adviser to the Cebu Revolutionary Government.
The meeting was a reunion of sort between Roy R. Luga, the grandson of Emilio, Sr., Mala Jean, the daugther Col. Mateo Luga, and those from Isabela. It was agreed that the family must first present the objective of the Foundation. It was also suggested that the issue shall be submitted for the concensus of the body in the October 2008 Reunion in Bacolod City. In the meantime, 5o pieces of the CDs of the General Mateo Noriel Luga's documentary were pledged to be reproduced for distribution in the proposed October 2008 family reunion in Bacolod. Meanwhile, a paralel project to produce a documentary in Tumanuini, Isabela, shall be partly sponsored by Father Angel Luga.
Secretary Ignacio Bunye shall be leaving the Palace. If there is a person who joined and left the Arroyo Administration silently, but helped served the Office of the Press Secretary behind the scene by professionally stirring public opinion to re-focus back to good governance and remained neutral and apolitical despite series of political turmoil, it's non - other than this person, who despite the Manila Peninsula siege manages to help entertain Palace guests to watch the Carpenter with Claire performing before them. After entering and leaving the palace silently, he remained humble. He has always been behind the scene helping the movie industry and award giving bodies in the film industry. He is also active in the music industry, promoting recording artists promote their newly released records. He has been with the industry for more than three (3) decades and shall be celebrating the 3rd year of his show at NBN channel-4. WHO IS THIS MYSTERY PERSON? DOUBLE CLICK HERE AND LEARN MORE . . .
It was almost ten months ago when we featured the CSC FOREST in OLA PRESENTS: THE CSC FOREST . Almost ten years ago CSC played a significant role in government's effort towards economic development as the lead agency in reforesting our watershed areas. After the Office of the President's Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPPAPP) negotiates the return to the folds of law by our lost brothers, the Department of Agriculture then under Secretary Salvador Escudero III sets in by providing farm to market access roads, planting materials and other developmental projects in the field. The National Irrigation Administration, which was then under General Orlando Soriano provides irrigation facilities while the CSC, then under Chairman Corazon Alma De Leon was the lead agency in reforesting NIA's watershed areas.
In the North, peace and development was attained after a successful negotiation for the orderly implementation of the tunelling of the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Project with "Ka Gerry" of the Bungkalots Tribe in Dupax, Nueva Vizacaya. Waters in Dupax Nueva Vizcaya now spills to Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija. The CSC was the lead agency which advocates to reforest watershed areas allover the country. In Cotabato, the Mal-Mar Project was peacefully constructed with the government entering into a peace pact with the MILF. Gen. Orlando Soriano, was then the concurrent head of the GRP Panel negotiating peace with the MILF. Makmud Mending was then the Project Director of Mal-Mar Project under the Water for Peace project of NIA. Allah Akbar! May his soul rest in peace: Mending, a peace advocate, was killed in a grenade blast in Cotabato after the Ramos Administration.
In Bohol, Gov. Erico Aumentado (then, a Congressman) guaranteed the return to the folds of law of "Boy Simbajon", an NPA Commander. It paved the way for the peaceful implementation of the Bohol Irrigation Project, in Pilar, Bohol. The CSC was the lead agency which advocated for the reforestration of the Wahig Pamacsalan Watershed Area, with Eng. Gene Cacho as NIA's Project Manager (may his soul rest in peace). Secretary Salvador H. Escudero III, in his recent statement concerning the country's food crisis may have been right. It was only during the Ramos Administration were tremendous irrigation projects to expand the country's irrigated areas for agricultural development was swiftly done in a span of two years. It was through the coordinated effort of these agencies that made it successful.
Today, the CSC is presently headed by Acting Chairman Cesar Buenaflor, a career official of the Commission since 1973, a native of Cotabato, the site of Mal-Mar Irrigation Project while Major General Jaime Buenaflor heads the AFP's National Development Support Command, the AFP's Command providing developmental projects to depressed areas. We hope that these coordinated effort in the quest for peace and development continues to address the present food security threat we are now experiencing.
Amid the crisis, however, the CSC Forest represents bounty. Today, a squirrel was sighted in the forest. Snakes, bird and some wild animals lives in the forest. It represents an ideal environment beyond the four corners of a government edifice.
We lost track of the trees we planted at the Department of Agriculture and NIA. It reminds us, however, of the past whenever we see flowers of rain trees blooms as rainy season approaches while we walk along the alley along the Office for Legal Affairs. We can only hope, however, that those trees are now as tall, as big and cared dearly, where squirrels can hide, live and play in peace, like in the Civil Service Commission’s Centennial Forest, presently under Acting Chair Cesar Buenaflor.
The "CSC CENTENNIAL FOREST": a legacy of Chairperson Patricia Sto. Tomas, Corazon Alma De Leon, Karina Constantino-David and now, Acting Chair Cesar Buenaflor.
In memory of Assistant Commissioner Nelson Acebedo.
Edsel Arrieta spent the prime years of his life negotiating for the peaceful return of our lost brothers who were misguided because of the hardship they suffered from the few who prefers to exploit the weak. At times, he becomes subject of suspicion not only of the left, but also of the right because of his sincerity to keep the words he gave not to divulge the identity of persons he is dealing with while in the process of negotiation. Months before his death Manong Edsel traveled to the Mountainous terrain of the Cordilleras to meet with undisclosed personalities. With a companion, they walked by foot for hours to reach the rendezvous agreed upon. In the process, he slipped while negotiating for his feet to land on a firm surface, but flip instead. He suffered an injury afterwards. Now overtaken by age and his diabetes, it was the last time my cousin set foot to the mountains to find peace. In his grave now lies the secret of those he helped, the families of those he shielded for their safe and peaceful return to the society. He now found peace of his own.
Mercy Bahatan, told Us that Edsel promised to work it out with the government to provide livelihood projects to the CPLA surrenderees before he died. Today, after almost a year after his death, the CPLA surrenderees somewhere in Ifugao shall harvest Tilapias from the ponds they developed with the help of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. It was upon the effort of Director Rebecca Dang-Awan, her worthy Assistant Director Lilibeth Lapuz Signey with the support of Usec. Nonoy Catura and Usec. Robert T. Rivera of the Office of the Press Secretary, Office of the President, who are peace advocates themselves, that made Edsel Arrieta's promised a reality. His death has given meaning and life to the people of the Cordillera. It has given peace a chance for development to intervene, it has given a simple Cordilleran to have peace of their own and a food to lay on their table.
Today, Director Rebecca Dang-Awan, who has been with us since her days as a Division Chief in Department of Agriculture-CAR, is near retiring. Her Assistant, ARD Lilibeth Lapuz Signey has been relentlessly contnuing her efforts and advocacies for the torch of peace and progress in the Cordilleras to move-on by envisioning to build a community to further propagate the seed planted by our fallen brother to grow and bear more fruits, an advocacy upon which the General Mateo Noriel Luga Foundation shall be built.
In honor of Edsel Rodrigazo Arrieta and in acknowledgement of the BFAR-CAR's relentless effort to provide a peaceful and progressive Cordillera:
Manong Erling started from a humble beginning. He became a vendor, helping his mother selling "tamales". After selling "tamales", he shines shoes and he is also a newsboy every morning. We covered Manong Erling's affair when they celebrated their Mother's 100th year death Anniversary in a seafront bungalow in Sison Pangasinan, owned by another brother Manolo. He told me: "if only her mother was still alive, she should have been very happy. He could have send his mother to Spain and have bought her a beautiful terno that her mother loves so much and has been dreaming of."
Erling strived so hard to finish his primary and secondary education until he earned a college degree. He later became an author, lecturer and a recognized "Guro" in credit collection. A lifetime honorary member of the Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX). Next year will the 45th Anniversary of his Corporation and we are glad that after all these years, Manong Erling's dream of having his own company has not only been fulfilled, but has survived as the prime instution in credit and collection service in this country through all these years.
We have an appointment with him once before. We went early to his office. It was closed, the guard told us that there were no people yet, but we were given the clearance to come in because Manong Erling instructed the guard to let us in. Upon entering the Office, there was a man cleaning the toilet and we were surprised to learn that it was Manong Erling. He told us: "the problem if you wait for people to do their job, nothing is going to happen. Thus, it would be better that you do all the things in office even as a janitor." That is "Manong Erling" I knew of.
"Manong Erling Sison", an epitome of man whose persistency, determination and will to surpass the challenges in life to attain his dream of a better business climate is worthy to emulate. A tradition, which the General Mateo Noriel Foundation envisions for others to emulate.
It was an honor doing an AVP for "Manong Erling", which was shown in Manila Hotel for his company's presentation four years ago, the BAGCO CREDIT CORPORATION in YOU TUBE:
Barangay Quirino HIll in Baguio City is a densely populated Barangay in the City. Whenever rainy season comes, portions of the hill suffers soil erosion because upstream waters flows into different direction without adequate drainage facilities for waters to flow downstream leading to the creek. It's good that the Barangay officials undertook a project to repair its drainange system in due time before the rainy season begins, (it was actually sometime in December 2007 when I took these footages), through the courtesy of Congressman Mauricio Domogan, the lone Congressman of Baguio City.
The Barangay Quirino Hill Water Drainage Project has been chosen to be featured by Mateo Noriel Luga Foundation as an exemplary project of a Barangay timely addressing the pressing need of a Barangay in due time before the need arises. An exemplary project of Congressman Mauricio Domagan for the People of Quirino and Baguio City per se.
Arnel Arrieta, my nephew on the mother side, a newscaster at Kalibo Cable Television Network, treated me to a trip to Boracay. Actually, we stayed in Boracay for a only a Day, where I took some footages of his friends' places. I hope I can do more of documentaries like this to promote places where people who are near to our hearts resides. My travel to Aklan was sponsored by Karen Arrieta-Kenaston and Atty. Antonio "Otik" Zulueta. Kay produced the continuing saga of "Primedeo Pro Patria" production we did for his father, Atty. Napoleon Arrieta. We intend to promote soon Tumauini, where the great Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, the great Ibanag Revolutionary, was born. With God's grace, with the help of Fr. Angel Luga, in Isabela, I hope we can make a documentary of this forgotten hero, which motivated us to establish this Foundation. Of course with my mother, Zenaida Rodrigazo and father, Rodolfo Luga.
Herewith is: "A Three Day Trip to Boracay with ARNEL ARRIETA":
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It was the 20th of May 2008 at around 6:30 p.m. at Col. Mateo Luga's residence in Fairview, Quezon City when Father Angel Luga with brother Tony Luga, whose grandfather is the brother of General Mateo Noriel Luga arrived. Father Luga is the Parish Priest in Cauyan, Isabela. Fr. Angel and Tony where the Lugas in Isabela. It was told that General Mateo Noriel Luga and his brother Domingo was actually from Ilocos who migrated to Tumauini, Isabela. When the Filipino Spanish War erupted Mateo Luga with his two cousins joined the forces of Gen. Aguinaldo. They left Isabela and was assigned to different provinces until General Mateo Noriel Luga was appointed by General Aguinaldo as the Philippine Revolutionary's war adviser to the Cebu Revolutionary Government.
The meeting was a reunion of sort between Roy R. Luga, the grandson of Emilio, Sr., Mala Jean, the daugther Col. Mateo Luga, and those from Isabela. It was agreed that the family must first present the objective of the Foundation. It was also suggested that the issue shall be submitted for the concensus of the body in the October 2008 Reunion in Bacolod City. In the meantime, 5o pieces of the CDs of the General Mateo Noriel Luga's documentary were pledged to be reproduced for distribution in the proposed October 2008 family reunion in Bacolod. Meanwhile, a paralel project to produce a documentary in Tumanuini, Isabela, shall be partly sponsored by Father Angel Luga.
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