ROBERT T. RIVERA & THE SAGRADA FAMILIA PROJECT

Others thought that having a blogsite, taking pictures of well known personalites or coming out with a DVD video production means lot of money, a misnomer. About a month ago Ate Bella Dimayuga of Bellstar Promotion asked us to help her: who are we to say no to this nationalistic lady, who has helped thousands of Filipino talents to find jobs abroad in Japan (but, that was more than a decade ago). When she said that the name of the group was Philippine Juicy Fruits and that, she named it after Philippine Fruits to promote these four young and very talented ladies abroad including our country and its fruits, we became more interested. Ate Bella, is a very religious person, a Gawad Kalinga Awardee at that: who would ever ask the nobility of her intention. Usec. Robert T. Rivera was still then in US attending classes at Harvard, when Ate Bella was coordinating with NBN 4 at Usec. Rivera's show Pilipinas Ngayon Na! for the launching of the Philippine Juicy Fruits. Only after three days upon arrival he went straight to the set to help Ate Bella, just the way he did during that fateful day when President Fidel V. Ramos was the guest in his show, saving the near collapse of the Republic and the 54th FAMAS Awards, the show went on. The launching of the Philippine Juicy Fruits was a success! Not because of money, but more on our faith and belief in the project, the talents and Ate Bella's vision. It was picked-up and syndicated by the different media group, you search for the name Philippine Juicy Fruits in Yahoo or Google search engine and there they are. We leave the rest to the Supreme Being, for we believe that these four young and very talented singers deserves to be heard regardless of the price. Talents are priceless, just hear them sing and you can judge them by yourself. I can't express in words how talented these youngsters ages 16 to 18, are.

After Ate Bella's talents, it was providential that we met this 90-year old nationalistic person, who has been in public service for more than 60 decades, Sister Ligaya Jorge, whose Church, the "Sagrada Familia Parish" shall be celebrating its Silver Anniversary with no less than His Eminence Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez to bless their newly constructed edifice as a Church. Actually, Sagrada Familia has been in existence for more than 50 years. After knowing its history, we find the project very interesting. Thus, we took the risk to venture out of meager resources. Unlike our other missionary work such as the Parish of Cauayan in Isabela, the project we did at our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Camarin, Caloocan City, of Fr. Albert Delvo under the Diocese of Bishop Antonio Tobias, the Kalibo SPED CENTER in Aklan, which were all missionary projects to propagate advocacies through technological advancement: "the Silver Anniversary of Sagrada Familia Project in Digital Presentation", is different. We used a DVD format in the latter project, the post production is an intricate one and we need to produce DVD's at an affordable price for the Parishioners out of the meager budget we have. Yet, God has its own way of doing things. I remember Usec. Robert T. Rivera saying: "God loves the Philippines, ano mang sakuna o kahirapan eh . . . malulusutan din natin!

I hope this reaches our friends, Bishop Antonio Tobias, the friend of the Sagrada Familia Parish, Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez, the newly installed Bishop of Isabela, His Emminence Bishop Joseph A. Nacua, who came all the way from Zamboanga, the Parishioners of Sagrada Familia and their community, herewith is a glimpse of your Silver Anniversary Presentation, in honor of our friend, Sister Ligaya P. Jorge. As Usec. Robert T. Rivera used to say: God Loves the Philippines! A glimpse of Sagrada Familia's Re-dedication as a Church, in You Tube:

OIL AT THE ALTAR

After eight years of fund raising activities to build a Church for the community of Christians at 6th Avenue in Caloocan City, the relentless efforts of the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parishioners of the Sagrada Familia Parish finally bear fruits. Oil was poured by Bishop Deogracias Yniguez at the altar of the Parish on August 16, 2008, a symbol sanctifying the edifice as a Church. The long cherished dream of a dear friend, Sister Ligaya P. Jorge, the Finance Committee Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council, a woman of integrity, strength and courage, whose commitment to public service have not diminished through the years, now became a reality. Another endeavor that Sister Ligaya P. Jorge humbly stirred quietly. It has been an honor to have been given a privilege to document the Celebration.

DRA. LIGAYA PAGUIO JORGE

Sister Ligaya Paguio Jorge, Finance Committee Chairman of the Sagrada Familia Parish at Banal St., 6th Avenue, Caloocan City, invited us to cover the Silver Anniversary of the Sagrada Familia Parish Celebration from August 15 - 17, 2008. Sister Ligaya, now 90 years old, is still active in advocacy works (now, in their Church), which was originally founded by her uncle with other original residents in Banal Street fifty years ago. Sister Ligaya Jorge was the former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), a Director at the Civil Service Commission, founder of the Personnel Officers Association of the Philippines (POAP), Member of the Board of Trustees, Girl Scout of the Philippines, among others. We shall soon publish in this site the coverage we did. Sagrada Familia Parish' was a unique Church. It was founded, established and managed by its Parishioners for fifty years.

One of the highlight in the affair was the coronation night of "Prinsesa and Principe of the Parish for 2008" on August 15, 2008 followed by the Sanctification of the Church and a dinner concert on August 16, 2008.

(Inset picture above: Sister Ligaya P. Jorge [far left] with Bishop Deogracias Yniguez and Fr. Jun Bartolome [5th and 6th person from left]. Inset picture below: Crowning of Prinsesa at Prinipe ng Sagrada Familia, a project of the Family and Life Ministry of the Sagrada Familia Parish.)

PHILIPPINE JUICY FRUITS AT PNN!

Fresh from his stint in Harvard, United States, where he studied Public Finance Administration, Usec. Robert T. Rivera went straight to the set of his show: Pilipinas Ngayon Na! Barely days after he arrived in the country, Usec. Rivera hosted the launching of the Philippine Juicy Fruits of Bella Dimayuga. Bella Dimayuga, the very nationalistic President of Bellestar Promotions who conceptualized the idea that her talents be named after Philippine Fruits to promote our country abroad, with his husband Ed, took charge of the affair. The event was splendid! The crowds were so energetic! The voice of "Marvic" a.k.a. "Makopa", as she dances with the Bellstar Dancers, was so powerful! Usec. Rivera at the set, was amazed. We taped the event from our own cameras we brought in with us and uploaded Marvic's performance. It was really splendid! Amazing! Amusing! Watch it for yourself t0 witness:

ELMER LUGA SURRIGA

MEANWHILE! We were surprised to hear from a cousin whom we have not heard of for years. Almost 40 years ago. Most of us, who are TECHIE, like our cousin Mala Jean, were still crawling (not this writer, who might have not been born yet . . . LOL!) since we met him. He has this thick glasses, who used to stay away from the crowds to read his books . . . a nerd (pardon me for the term, but it pays! He is an Engineer and has that brains!). Indeed, the bloodline of the great Ibanag Revolutionary is already spreading across the Globe. Yes! We used to call him Manong Elmer, who might have been older than my late sister Realyn. Manong Elmer, married to Mary Paguntalan was the son of the late Captain Eugenio Luga Surriga whose mother is Neda Salud Rivera. His father is the offspring of Pilar Luga married to Justo Surriga. Pilar was the daugther of the late General Mateo Noriel Luga. I learned that Manong Elmer is presently doing a project on Geneology. One of the best GENEOLOGY PROJECT I ever encountered in the net was that of my cousin's project on my mother side, the RODRIGAZO's. It takes years of researching, but it pays. I don't even know how our cousin on my mother side did it. Maybe our cousin Mala Jean, on the father side, can start the ball rolling at ANCESTRY.COM. The Surrigas migrated in United States. They also holds regular clan reunions. Thank you Mala!