WELCOME TO CHATEAU DU MER BEACH RESORT

If this is your first time in my site, welcome! Chateau Du Mer is a beach house and a Conference Hall. The beach house could now accommodate 10 guests, six in the main floor and four in the first floor( air conditioned room). In addition, you can now reserve your vacation dates ahead and pay the rental fees via PayPal. I hope to see you soon in Marinduque- Home of the Morions and Heart of the Philippines. The photo above was taken during our first Garden Wedding ceremony at The Chateau Du Mer Gardens. I have also posted my favorite Filipino and American dishes and recipes in this site. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own, but I have no intention on the infringement of your copyrights!

Marinduque Mainland from Tres Reyes Islands

Marinduque Mainland from Tres Reyes Islands
View of Marinduque Mainland from Tres Reyes Islands-Click on photo to link to Marinduque Awaits You

Monday, July 12, 2021

Actions to My Two Favorite Quotes for My StoryWorth Book of Memories

This is my response on the Query about my two favorite quotes for my StoryWorth book.

"You have truly lived if you have touched the lives of others" and "It is better to give than receive" are two of my favorite quotations. This posting is a reflection and response to the question of my favorite quotations for my StoryWorth book. Reflecting and acting to the first quotation is our involvement ( Macrine and I) with the Medical and Dental Missions for several years to the Island of Marinduque, Philippines. 

My action to my second favorite quotation was illustrated with my Donations of Money, property and expertise to the Philippines described also in this posting below.

Here's an excerpt from my article about our involvement with the medical mission from my Hubpages.com writing account.


Two similar quotations about touching the lives of others from the Web.

We have helped our less fortunate brethren with our time, effort and resources. We know we have truly lived because we have touched the lives of others.

My wife and I had devoted our time and resources to this humanitarian project since 1998. Our involvement in this humanitarian project has given us satisfaction and its one way of the many ways one can give back the good fortunes one receives while residing in the US.

Macrine showing off the newly purchased Mission T-shirts in front of the  CDM Conference Hall

Macrine showing off the newly purchased Mission T-shirts in front of our Conference Hall, Amoigon, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Dental and Medical Mission of Love

Macrine and I have been an active members of Marinduque International, Inc. (MI,Inc) for many years and have served for its seven bi-annual Medical and Dental Missions since 1998 in Marinduque, Philippines. MI, Inc is a non-profit organization based in the US. One of its missions is to provide free medical services to the impoverished residents of Marinduque, a small but beautiful island province in the heart of the Philippines. Our group is made up of migrants from the island now living in the first world, mostly in the US and Canada. Through hard work and skills, we have earned our good graces and fortunes from our adopted homeland and we have more than enough to share with our less fortunate country mates.

We are giving back to the community of our roots because it makes us feel good helping our compatriots. The more that we give of ourselves, the better we feel about ourselves. Whenever I work with the mission, I touch the lives of many of my poor countrymen living in the rural areas of the island. The organization motto is "Our mission is to help and together we will succeed". My medical mission involvement also projects my favorite quotation: "The time that you have really lived is the time you have touched the lives of others".

Our mission starts with fund raising by members mostly from our own pockets, friends and relatives. We recruit volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and non-medical support staff to serve the missions, and they pay for their voyage to the islands. We procure and ship medicines badly needed by the islanders. Some of our members who own a place in the island, house the volunteers during the mission period. Others volunteers stay at the local hotels at their own expense but their whole week of food and local transportation is paid by Marinduque International. At the end of each mission we celebrate its success and thank the help of each volunteer as well as the local officials. It is also a time of reflection on all what we have shared of ourselves to our impoverished brothers and sisters.

The Dental and Medical Mission Servicing the Needs of 6000 Residents

The mission involves serving around 6,000 people from the six towns of the province who wait for hours in line under the sun, a difficult feat in a hot tropical humid setting, within a span of one week. About 40% of these patients from the interior of the province walked for 2 hours or more to reach the town center where the clinics are held. Most of these patients have never been seen by a physician in their lives. However, not everyone will be lucky to be seen by a doctor or provided free medicines. Many will return the next day to our new location to fall in line again and hope to be served for their needs. By the end of the mission a good number of people will never be served. It pains me to know and see the frustration of those who came hoping for help, only to be turned away due to constraints on our time, equipment and medicines.

Last February, it broke my heart when one patient had to be turned away when she was ready for a minor procedure on the operating table because surgical equipment was not available. It baffles me how the provincial government cannot provide a basic surgery instrument in its public hospital. We were on a mission to help and serve, but instead this patient had to deal with frustration, disappointment and anger.

During the mission I was assigned to the Pharmacy section, providing drugs and instructions to the patients. In the town of Buenavista, I had to break protocol and help a mother with her two sick young children. They were coughing and feverish, and were about to be turned away due to the limits in our time and medical volunteers.

I knew it was wrong and I could have been scolded for my actions, but I approached the mother, whispered to her to wait a little longer, and I could do something for her when the line has thinned down. Before closing time I waved for her, handed her vitamins, cough and fever medicines. She thanked me and showed me a smile that I will always remember as long as I live. On that day, I touched the lives of a mother and her two kids, and that was the day that I have really lived.

Macrine Welcoming Medical Missioners to Marinduque

Macrine and I welcoming medical missioners from US and Canada from ferry boat from Manila to Marinduque, 2011

Macrine and I welcoming medical missioners from US and Canada from ferry boat from Manila to Marinduque, 2011

I Cried and My Heart Melted Again

This 2011 Medical Mission of Love is not different from the previous missions that Macrine and I had attended since 1998. More than six thousand of the poor and the needy from the distant barangays in the province of Marinduque lined patiently from 4 to 6 hours just to see A PHYSICIAN and obtained free medicines ( cough syrup, multivitamens, pain medications, anti-acids and maybe antibiotics) for their aches and pains true or imagined. At the end of the day in each town, there are always about 200 to 300 more patients that have to be sent home since we do not have enough physician volunteers this year. This is the same case in our HOSPITAL operations. This year we had only 3 surgeons and 1 anesthesiologist. Thus we have to send a lot of patients home along with their disappointment and hopes that maybe in our next mission, they can be accommodated.

A hospital case that touched my heart and that made me mad: A patient was already in the operating table after the preliminary tests had been done the day before was sent home because of one basic instrument not available. I heard from the surgeon who stayed at Chateau Du Mer, that instrument he needed for the operation is a basic instrument, but the hospital does not have one. So where is the priority of our provincial and health officials?

In Buenavista, I helped in the repacking area section of the Pharmacy Department. At about 2PM, there were still about 200 to 300 patients waiting in line. The patients were told to go home, since there already 200 in line ahead of them and our physicians will not be able to see them. However, about 100 did not go home in the hope that multi-vitamens and cough syrup, and Paracetamol will still be given to them at the end of the day.

One middle-aged woman with her 2 kids ( Ages 3 and 5)started begging to the two of us working in the repackaging area very closed to the lines. She said her 2 kids are coughing and had fever and asked us if we can give her Paracetamol and cough syrup. I looked at her and the two kids and my heart melted and I shed a tear or two.

I stood up, talked to the Pharmacist-in-Charge that day and she told me "NO". She told me that If the others in line saw me giving the drugs only to her, if might cause a RIOT. I whispered to the woman to wait until closing time. By 4:30PM there will still around 10 patients waiting. At around 5:00PM there were still a couple of patients hanging around. But, I called the woman aside, give her a bottle of Paracetamol;, cough syrup and multi-vitamens along with the usual instructions. She thanked me an gave me a SMILE that still lingers in my mind today.

Here's my article REFLECTING/ACTING TO my second favorite quote of:

  It is Better to Give than Receive

There are several ways to GIVE. You can give, money, property or your time, knowledge and expertise. The following are three examples that I have  experience in giving. I am very proud of these deeds.

The DONOR WALL OF GRATITUDE at the UP Chemistry Building in Diliman. Q.C., Philippines

1. Money: Last May 7, 2014, Renan del Rosario, 1977 chemistry graduate and currently one of the advisers of the University of the Philippines Chemistry Alumni Foundation (UPCAF) treated me lunch and a personal tour of the new Institute of Chemistry Teaching Building at the UP Diliman National Science Complex. It was one of the highlights of my 90-day snow birding sojourn in the Philippines that year. I was able to take photographs of the Donor Wall which included my name(see photo above). The Donor Wall is right at the entrance of the teaching building just by the side of the guard podium. That day reminded me of my student and teaching days (1952 to 1959) at the College of Chemistry now known as the Institute of Chemistry. I was only 24 years old when I first taught chemistry to Pre-medical, Nursing, and Engineering students in the Fall of 1957 to 1959.

Currently, I am a Life Member of the University of the Philippines Chemistry Alumni Foundation. I graduated from UP with a B.S. Chemistry degree in 1955. Immediately after graduation, I was appointed Assistant Instructor in Chemistry in my Alma Mater. A year later after I passed the National Chemistry Board Examination coping 3rd place, I was appointed to Instructor and held that position until late 1959 when I decided to pursue graduate work in the United States.


The construction of a National Science Complex in Diliman, Quezon City started a few years ago which included a new Teaching Building for Chemistry. The first phase of government Funding was 200 million pesos and the second phase was 118 million pesos.

In the Fall of 2013, I had the opportunity to visit the construction site through the kindness of Renan Del Rosario, the Chairman of the UPCAF Board of Trustees that year. Fund raising for furniture in the new building were undergoing also that year. That year, I also donated to the Foundation 10,000 pesos ( about $200) through Renan. I felt good about that donation. It was my way of saying thank you for the educational benefits that I had received from the University of the Philippines.( See my name listed in the Donor Wall in the above photo).


2. Property: Sometime in the middle of May, 1990, I donated several volumes of technical journals from the duplicate copies from Stauffer Chemical library that were about to be burned and discarded. I was able to salvage several volumes of hard bound copies of Journal of Chromatography, 1971-1976. Included in my donation were dozens of volumes of hardbound copies of BioChemistry, Volumes 1969-1984. The value of the donation was about $1500. Shipping was arranged through the Commission on Filipinos Overseas ( CFO). On May 23, 1990, I received a thank you letter from Alfredo Perdon, Executive Director of CFO,as follows:

Dear Dr. Katague:

The Commission on Filipino Overseas acknowledge with thanks the donation of five boxes of technical journals to the Institute of Chemistry, University of the Philippines.

Your donation is a manifestation of the willingness of Filipino overseas to be actively involved in the development efforts of the country. Such participation through the Commission's “ Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino” or “ Linkapil” likewise serves to strengthen the linkages between Filipinos overseas and their countrymen.

Needless to say, these books will be a most welcome addition to the journal collection of the UP College of Science Library and will certainly be useful to the thousands of students in the said university. Best Regards and thanks you again for your donation.”


3. Time and Expertise: In January, 1986, I participated in the United Nations Development Program at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. The program was for two weeks of consultancy ( lecture and management of research) at the U.P. Natural Sciences Research Institute( NSRI). My round trip fare was paid by UN and I also received a substantial amount of per diem during my consultancy period of two weeks. It was satisfying to give at least two weeks of my "Know-how" to my Alma Mater. The program at that time was called TOKTEN ( Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals). Today, it is called Balik scientist program. The program helps in the alleviation of "Brain Drain" from 3rd world countries like the Philippines. This experience made me feel good, because I have given back to my Alma mater, even just two weeks of my time in the field of pesticide research and analytical residues method development.

 Indeed, as Einstein quotes, The value of a man resides in what he gives.


 
Meanwhile enjoy this video by Sulic and Genchev-Czardas



 

Friday, July 9, 2021

A Bountiful Okra Harvest from My Garden This Week


Today, I harvested a dozen of Okra from my 10 okra plants. I am very, very pleased. On the other hand my tomato harvest is meager. I have to pick up the half-ripe tomato, otherwise the blue birds in my yard will have the first taste. My ampalaya plants are starting to bear fruit. Here are some photos: 




My Okra Flowering along with my Ampalaya Vines

Meanwhile enjoy these photos of my blooming cactus and Mother Duck and her Babies of the Neighborhood staring at the plastic male duck decoy on my side yard.



Please stay cool as three digit temperatures are forecasted here in Northern California for the next three days. Yesterday 6.0 earthquake frightened me for about 15 seconds while I was in bed watching my favorite movies in Netflix.

 

Thursday, July 8, 2021

My K(C)atague Ancestry on My Father's Side for StoryWorth

This is my response to the query on my ancestral roots on my Father's side for StoryWorth. This an excerpt from my articles in my blogs.

Don Manuel Javellana and Dona Gertrudis Lopez were my Great, Great Grand Parents

The David Jamili K(Catague) Family, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, 1956

I have enjoyed tracing my roots down to my great, great Grand Parents, Don Manuel Javellana and Dona Gertrudis Lopez. Most of the information of my ancestral roots I have read from the blog, www.javellana.wordpress.com. Most of the information regarding my ancestry were confirmed by several living relatives in the Philippines about two years ago. Other detailed information about my roots were verbally communicated to me by my father during my childhood years in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines.

I am so proud that in my veins are the blood and genes of the Javellanas and Lopezes from Jaro, Iloilo, Philippines. In this post, I am also discussing the origin of the Javellana and Lopez surnames.

My name is David Balleza K(C)atague, Jr. I was born in Jaro, Iloilo, Philippines on December 20, 1934. My Father was David Jamili K(Catague) and my mother was Paz Barrido Balleza.

My Father's father ( my grand father) was Roberto Catague( married to Consolacion Golez Jamili). Roberto was the oldest son of Marcelina Javellana who was married to Victoriano Catague. Roberto died when my father was still young. His mother remarried Ruperto, the younger brother of Roberto. Consolacion and Ruperto had eleven other children.

My father had two other brothers, Guillermo and Julio. The three brothers changed the spelling of their last name from Catague to Katague when my father was still in elementary school. My father was raised and sent to dental school by his rich aunt from Leganes, Iloilo. His reason was that he wanted his surname to be in the middle of the alphabet, because he does not want to be called early in class by a demanding teacher, who asked questions by alphabetical order. Strange reason but I believe this was true.

Marcelina Lopez Javellana was the youngest daughter of Don Manuel Javellana and Dona Gertrudis Lopez. Marcelina was also the youngest sister of Don Cristino Javellana, known as Capitan Tinong who was very active in the political and religious life and activities during his time( 1890's) in Jaro, Iloilo, Philippines. 
 
Cristino Javellana was the sixth of the nine children of Don Manuel Javellana and Doña Gertrudis Lopez. His other siblings besides Marcelina were Escolastica (married to Geronimo Jiz de Ortega), Petra (married to Sixto Golez), Quintana (born 1840), Narcisa (born 1842, married to Simon Grecia), Inocencia (born 1849, married to Juancho Jamora), Mariano (born 1851, married to Crispina Gamboa), Florentina, Cristeta, and Carmen (married to Miguel Jayme y Lopez).

The origin of the surname Javellana according to Wikipedia is:

Javellana
is a family surname from the Philippines(1850s) who originated from Jaro, Iloilo City in the Visayas. The original name of the Family was "Kim Byong" and is of Chinese descent. Due to a mandate by the Spanish Government, ordered by Spanish Governor General D. Narciso Claveria (November 21, 1849) for the natives of the Philippines to adapt the Spanish naming system, they and a number of Chinese and Filipino families were forced to adapt new names.

The name they chose was derived from Avellana, the Common Hazel (Corylus avellana), which was further derived from the town of Avelino in Italy. The appended letter "J" to the name was in deference to their hometown, Jaro.


Corylus avellana, commonly called European filbert, European hazel or cobnut, is a deciduous, thicket-forming, multi-trunked, suckering shrub that typically grows to 12-20’ tall. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa where it is typically found growing in rich thickets, woodland borders, wooded slopes, hedgerows, clearings and along streams.
Javellana Coat of Arms
 
On the other hand, the name Lopez is indeed a surname of Spanish origin.
Lopez Coat of Arms
 
The Lopez surname was originally a patronymic, meaning "Son of Lope", Lope itself being a Spanish given name deriving from Latin lupus, meaning "wolf". The surname is first attested in Old Castile in the heart of Spain, where the name originated in Visigothic times; however, the name is not of Germanic origin. Its Portuguese equivalent is Lopes, its Italian equivalent is Lupo, its French equivalent is Loup (or Leu), its Romanian equivalent is Lupu or Lupescu and its Valencian equivalent is Llopis. López is the most common Spanish surname in the United Kingdom as well as in the Philippines.

The most well known Lopez in the Philippines was Fernando. He married another Javellana ( Mariquit). I remember my father mentioned when I was a teenager that both Fernando and his wife Mariquit were our relatives. For those of you who have not heard of Fernando Lopez ( I was a recipient of the Fernando Lopez scholarship during my sophomore year at University of the Philippines Iloilo in 1952-1953), here's his short biography from Wikipedia.

Fernando Hofileña Lopez, Sr.,a Filipino statesman was born on April 13, 1904 and died on May 26, 1993. He was a member of the influential Lopez Family of Iloilo. Fernando Lopez served as Vice President of the Philippines for three terms – under Elpidio Quirino (1949–1953) for the Liberals and Ferdinand Marcos (1965–1969 and 1969–1972) for the Nacionalistas and also the chairman of ABS-CBN Corporation from 1986 to his death 1993.

Lopez was born in Iloilo City, Iloilo. His parents were Benito Lopez and Presentacion Hofileña. He was the younger brother of Eugenio Lopez, Sr. The Lopez family was very influential and the richest family in the province.

Lopez studied high school at San Juan de Letran College, finishing in 1921. He then studied law in the University of Santo Tomas, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1925. After passing the bar examinations, he did not go into private practice, but helped his older brother manage the family business.

In 1945, with no prior political experience, Lopez was picked by President Sergio Osmeña to be mayor of Iloilo City. In 1947, he ran for Senator and won the election.

Lopez was one of the founders of University of Iloilo and the FEATI University in Manila. He is a descendant of Graciano Lopez-Jaena of Iloilo. And who is Graciano Lopez-Jaena? Here's some information from Wikipedia.

Graciano López Jaena was born on December 18, 1856 and died on January 20, 1896. He was a journalist, orator, revolutionary, and national hero from Iloilo, Philippines, who is well known for his newspaper, La Solidaridad.

Philippine historians regard López Jaena, along with Marcelo H. del Pilar and José Rizal, as the triumvirate of Filipino propagandists. Of these three illustrados, López Jaena was the first to arrive in Spain and may have begun the Propaganda Movement, which was a movement based in Spain that advocated the reform of the then-Spanish colony of the Philippines and which eventually led to the armed Philippine Revolution that begun in Manila in 1896. The Propaganda Movement was a key step towards a Philippine national identity.

Meanwhile enjoy Handel's Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah-It reminds me my college participation with the UPSCA Choir in UP Diliman in 1952-53.


 

 

 

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

My Balleza Ancestry on My Mother's Side for StoryWorth

Funeral Services for Paz Balleza Katague( my mother), Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, 1988

I am posting this genealogy list of the Balleza clan from Barotac Viejo, Iloilo starting with Jose Balleza-my great, great grand father in response to the query about my ancestry from my mother's side of the family for StoryWorth . 
 
My sources are from the Facebook Page of Toto Brilliantes, Ed Ditching and Joerick Santiago.
 
BALLEZA TREE UPDATE!!! From the Balleza Clan FaceBook Page

"This is the First publication of Partial Tree Line of the BALLEZA Clan from Barotac Viejo, ILOILO.

ZERO Generation as you note is the Father the 3 MAIN Trunks of JOSE, PEDRO and VICENTE who is still to be Identified.

********************************************************************************************

Below is the Down line of JOSE BALLEZA( my great, great grand Father).

0 FATHER OF JOSE, PEDRO AND VICENTE BALLEZA -mto->

0.1 JOSE BALLEZA -mto->
0.2 PEDRO BALLEZA -mto->
0.3 VICENTE BALLEZA -mto->

FIRST Generation

0.1 SIBLINGS OF JOSE BALLEZA--mto-->Tupas

1.0.1.1 Candido Balleza -mto-> Engracia Vencer
1.0.1.2 Genaro Balleza -mto-> Anna Vencer
1.0.1.3 Talie Balleza -mto-> Celestino "Tinoy" Celera
1.0.1.4 Perpetua "Tuwa" Balleza -mto-> Alfonso Tupas, Sr.

SECOND Generation

1.0.1.1 SIBLINGS OF Candido Balleza--mto-->Engracia Vencer

2.1.0.1.1.1 Trinidad -mto-> Gleceria
2.1.0.1.1.2 Oben -mto-> Morita Causing
2.1.0.1.1.3 Hormesda -mto-> Norma
2.1.0.1.1.4 Rosario "Sayong" -mto-> Natividad Causing
2.1.0.1.1.5 Mariquita -mto-> Alfredo Brillantes, sr.
2.1.0.1.1.6 Corazon -mto-> Naro Dulos
2.1.0.1.1.7 Santiago Baldevino * -mto-> Angeles Colinares
2.1.0.1.1.8 Asuncion -mto-> "Iting"
2.1.0.1.1.9 Resurrecsion -mto-> Consolasion Barreto

1.0.1.2 SIBLINGS OF Genaro Balleza--mto-->Anna Vencer

2.1.0.1.2.1 Noel Vencer Balleza, Sr. -mto-> Edna
2.1.0.1.2.2 Adan -mto-> Carmelita Barretto
2.1.0.1.2.3 Alexander -mto-> Eva Barretto
2.1.0.1.2.4 Roberto -mto-> Liza Asong
2.1.0.1.2.5 Alfredo -mto->
2.1.0.1.2.6 Susana "Bughak" -mto-> Luis Malapitan
2.1.0.1.2.7 Henry, Sr. -mto->
2.1.0.1.2.8 Natividad -mto-> Robles
2.1.0.1.2.9 Clarita "Cariting" -mto-> Asuncion (son of Candido)

1.0.1.3 SIBLINGS OF Talie Balleza--mto-->Celestino "Tinoy" Celera

2.1.0.1.3.1 Fe Celera -mto-> Apen Ballesta
2.1.0.1.3.2 Judith Celera -mto-> Baldonado
2.1.0.1.3.3 Aristotle "Tiring" -mto-->Consuelo Legislador

1.0.1.4 SIBLINGS OF Perpetua "Tuwa" Balleza--mto-->Alfonso Tupas, Sr.

2.1.0.1.4.1 Felimon -mto->
2.1.0.1.4.2 Alfonso Tupas, Jr. "Ponsing" -mto->
2.1.0.1.4.3 Felicedad "Cedad" -mto-> Benjamin Causing Barlizo, Sr.
2.1.0.1.4.4 Tomas -mto-> Rita
2.1.0.1.4.5 Josefina "Suping " -mto-> Alejo Boquirin
2.1.0.1.4.6 Pepe -mto->
2.1.0.1.4.7 Soccoro "Qouling" -mto-> Tomas Boquirin
2.1.0.1.4.8 Apen -mto->
2.1.0.1.4.9 Alpie -mto->



********************************************************
This is my Ancestral Link;
 
MAIN TRUNK OF PEDRO BALLEZA MTO MARIA VENCER

0.0 Pedro Balleza-Maria Vencer (My Great Grand Parents)

1.0.1 Alfonso Vencer Balleza - Estefania Demit Barrido( my grand father and grand mother)
 
1.0.2 Manuel Rionda Balleza -
1.0.3 Juan Rionda Balleza
1.0.4 Quirico Asuela Balleza - Esperanza Rendon

SIBLINGS OF ALFONSO

2.1.0.1.1 Jose, Sr. "Peping"-settled in Barotac Viejo
2.1.0.1.2 Lolita Pacing "Paz" (youngest)- Dr. David Jamili Katague, Sr.) settled in Barotac Viejo( my parents)
2.1.0.1.3 Modesto(oldest)-grand father of Ed Ditching=settled in Iloilo City

SIBLINGS OF MANUEL

2.1.0.2.1 Vicente "Cente" -
2.1.0.2.2 Necitas "Citas" -
2.1.0.2.3 Juaning -
2.1.0.2.4 Evangeline "Eve" -
2.1.0.2.5 Alpeio "Alping" -


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From Joerick Santiago-son of Sylvia Balleza (MD) Santiago
My First Cousins:
Tito Nonoy Danilo T. Balleza married to Tita Minda Ballila
Tito Toto Roberto T. Balleza married to Tita Norma Gallila
Tito Nene Jose T. Balleza married to xxxx
Tito Nono Ismael T. Balleza married to Tita Marlene
Tito Dodoy Nemisio T. Balleza married to Tita Republica Conzha
Tita Amelia T. Balleza married to Francisco Ly
Tita Baby Rosalie T. Balleza married to George Doligosa

My mom: Sylvia T. Balleza married to Edgardo J. Santiago

************************************************************

Children of Paz Barrido Balleza and David Jamili Katague

David Jr( Nonoy) mto Macrine Nieva Jambalos(RIP)( Boac, Marinduque)

Erico(RIP) mto Helen Esparagoza( Negros OC)

Myrla mto Leonore Hilaga( RIP)(Barotac Viejo)

Agnes mto Achie Ly ( RIP) and Dennis Galvin( Maryland)

Efren(Toto) mto Lourdes De Asis( Pavia)

Ruben( Dolce) mto Joy Escobar( Bacolod City)

Amor( Knitz) mto Apolonio Gregorio( Nueva Ecija)

****************************************************************

From Ed Ditching-Grandson of Modesto and son of Fanny (Estefania) Balleza(my Moms first cousin) and Simplicio Ditching

Thanks Toto Brillantes for adding me... and to Tito David David B Katague and Noel Balleza for making me aware of this group. My Balleza branch (as far as I can remember) is from Dr. Modesto Balleza who is married to my Lola Taciana Rey.( Barotac Nuevo)

My mother is Estefania (Fanny) Balleza who was the eldest daughter of Lolo Modesto with Tito Moderas (Modesto Jr.), Tito Alnico, Arnulfo (Nulfing), Diomedes (Diome), Tita Visi (Sis. Visitacion), Taciana (Nita Tolosa) and Lourdes (Bauson) who were her brothers and sisters. Only Tito Nulfing, Tita Nita and Tita Lourdes are still living.

My father is Simplicio Ditching from Victorias and Molo. My brothers are George, Sim (RIP), Dennis (RIP), Edwin, Arthur and Robert. So if you encounter any of these names, we are relatives. I don't have much memories of Barotac or Iloilo as we grew up in Bacolod. My only memory is a vacation we took in Iloilo and stayed at Lolo Modesto's house in Calle Real in front of the St Paul Hospital (I think it was later sold to the Vidal sisters and there is a pharmacy in the ground floor at present).

Based on the above information and ancestral trees the Barrido, Balleza and Tupas families of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo are related to me. 

The picture below are some of my relatives ( Balleza, Barrido, Tupas, Causing, Espanola married a Balleza) taken during the wedding of my sister, Myrla, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines in 1959.


Myrla (my sister) and Leonor Hilaga Wedding (1959) attended by some Barrido, Balleza, Causing, Espanola and Tupas Relatives, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines. 

In the picture: Mayor Luis Tupas, Raul Causing, Pablo Espanola, Jose Balleza, Paz Katague, my sister Agnes, brother Efren and Ruben, Mrs Hilaga, Mrs Hugo Tugbang, Mrs Nena Tad-y Balleza, Mrs Sayong Barrido, Mrs Jaranilla, Mrs Julio Katague and Fr Uvas(parish priest). I was working( Instructor in Chemistry) in UP Diliman when this photo was taken.

Meanwhile, enjoy Hauser's cello rendition of Ave Maria

 

Monday, July 5, 2021

An Event in My College Years that Changed My Life for StoryWorth

Macrine and I getting ready for My Ph,D Graduation in Chicago, 1964
 

This is my response to query, what event in my college years that change my life and inspired me for success for my StoryWorth Book **

This episode in my life occurred when I was in 3rd year college at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Q.C., pursuing a bachelor's degree in Chemistry. One of the subjects, required for the degree was Differential Calculus. I took this course with the engineering students instead with my chemistry classmates , because of some schedule conflict with my other elective courses. To make the story short, on the final examination for this course, I scored only 69% less than 1% for a passing grade of “C”. I was given a “Condition” and have to take a retest to pass the course. The next day, I took the retest and passed it with flying colors with a grade of 75%. So what is the big deal? I passed, how did this affect my life and career? Because of the “Condition” grade that I obtained, I was not qualified to graduate with HONOR (CUM LAUDE), even though my grade point average for the four years qualified me for that honor. The fact that I did not graduate with HONOR although I have the grade point average devastated my ego, and my self-esteem. In my class of 20 original freshmen, only 15 graduated in four years and only one graduated Cum Laude. This shows how hard and difficult it was to graduate with honors at that time.

With my ego deflated, I made a personal vow, that no matter what, I will pursue graduate studies in the US to show to my professor and the whole world of my capabilities and to redeem my self-esteem. My ego and self-esteem went back to normal levels when a year later, I passed the Board Examination for Chemists, scoring 3rd place nationwide.

After graduation I was hired by my Alma Mater (UP) as Instructor in Chemistry. Two years later, I got married and have settled down in our home in Quezon City, a gift from my parents and my wife's parents. A year later, my wife was pregnant with our oldest son. I had completely forgotten my personal vow to do graduate work in US. I was very happy with my job in UP and enjoyed teaching.

One day, I received an acceptance for a full teaching Assistantship/Scholarship from the US, from one of several applications, I sent before, I got married. I have to decide. It took a lot of discussions with my wife and myself. Is my burning ambition my number #1 priority or my family and future child in my wife womb's? I can not decide, but thanks to my late father-in-law, I would have been stuck in the Philippines teaching at the university. I did not know that my father-in-law had advised my wife “To let me Go”. My wife later informed me, that without her father's advise she would not have given me her consent to leave her for my burning ambition. ( My wife did not know of my personal vow at that time)

So with a sad heart to leave my family, but with excitement to fulfill my dreams , I went to the US for graduate study. During my first year in the US, I was tempted twice to quit and return to the Philippines. I was very lonely especially on Holidays and Christmas, plus the winters of Chicago was bad for my body, that was accustomed to the tropical climate of the Philippines . I oftentimes ask myself, What in the “Hell”, am I doing here with tears in my eyes almost freezing in my face and my nose frozen because of the frigid temperatures of Chicago.

But my vow and burning ambition triggered by the 1 point I missed at the final exam in my Differential Calculus class kept me going, until I completed my Ph.D. Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1964. 

** https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/cnn-underscored/storyworth-review/index.html 

Meanwhile enjoy this video of Hauser Libertango




 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

My Longing for Pinoy Food Satiated this Weekend-Happy July 4th Celebration

 

My First Okra and Tomato Harvest. The Bluebirds in my backyard pre-tasted one of my tomatoes-you naughty birds!

I have been longing for Pinoy dish since yesterday. However, I did not feel like cooking or even ordering on line via Doordash.  Today, I felt better, harvested my first okra and tomatoes from my garden. I even had the energy to order Grilled DeBoned Bangus, Pancit and Lumpia from our nearby Filipino/Japanese restaurant, Teriyaki Station in Folsom. 

I cooked the okra with tomatoes and onions and sauteed it with Shrimp Paste (Bagoong) for my early dinner today. I am very choosy with the brand of shrimp paste I used for cooking. It has to be Barrio Fiesta. 

Here are the photos of my Okra Before and After, my 15 minutes cooking.

 

OKRA BEFORE                             AND

OKRA AFTER- Served with Grilled/Deboned Bangus, Pancit, Egg roll and Steamed Rice. Half of the Bangus and two Egg Rolls and Half of the Pancit, I already consumed during lunch.

Meanwhile enjoy Franz Liszt "La Campanella" played by Michael Andreas- his great-great grandson


 

Have a Happy and Safe July 4th Celebration! and Thank you All for reading/liking my blogs!!

 

 

Friday, July 2, 2021

My UnderGraduate College Years Memories and Activities for StoryWorth

Chapter 4: College and Teaching Years, UP(1951-1959), Epilogues 2005, 2009 and 2014

 

The Oblation Run* ( Photo from paradise_Philippines.com)
 
My first two years was in UPIC ( University of the Philippines, Iloilo College). At that time, it was only a two year institution. I started as Pre-Med as requested by my mother. My mom always dreamed of having a physician in the family. I made good grades, "A"s and "B"s (1.0 and 2.0) in all my subjects, and obtained college and university scholarships during my first year. On my second year, I was awarded the Fernando Lopez Scholarship of free tuition fees for the whole year. The award was given to the student with the highest grade point average in the whole school. If there is a tie, the student with the most extracurricular activities wins the award.
 
I was also elected President of the University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action( UPSCA), Iloilo Chapter. With this activity, I corresponded with the President of UPSCA in Diliman UP Campus. At that time the president was Constantino Nieva, a law student from Marinduque. Later, he was ordained as a priest and studied in Rome, Italy for his Ph.D in Theology. Fr Nieva ( we call him Tito Tino, now) is the uncle of my wife, Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague(RIP).

Life in UPIC went by very fast. In the Fall of 1953, I transferred to UP Diliman, College of Liberal Arts and decided to change my major to Chemistry. This change was inspired by my chemistry professor in UPIC. The fact that I hate the sight of blood, in my Zoology class dissecting frogs, made this change easy.

"There goes my mother's dream" is a phrase I will always remember. My mother always wanted to have a child who will be either a Physician or a Priest . My mother's dream was achieved when my niece, D'Wanie Katague Gregorio finished her MD degree, several years ago.

In Diliman, I resumed my active participation with UPSCA, becoming a member of the UPSCA Student Council representing my college. Our spiritual adviser was the late Fr. John Delaney, a Jesuit priest. The rivalry between the UPSCANS and the FRATS /SORORITIES was the most published and talked topic during that time. During my college years, the UPSCANS dominated student politics and until the death of Fr. John Delaney.

 
A circular chapel( Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice) in the Diliman campus was one of Fr. Delaney's project. During the ground breaking for the chapel, the names of one thousand (1000) students, faculty members and their families who went to mass and communion everyday for one year were buried in the church foundation. What an honor that my name was one of the one thousand names included in the church foundation.

The chapel is known for its architectural design, the church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, formerly the National Historical Institute, and the National Museum of the Philippines respectively. It was designed by the late National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin, one of four National Artists who collaborated on the project. According to a post from the UP Diliman website, it is the only structure in the country where the works of four national artists can be found. Alfredo Junio served as the structural engineer for the project.

It was Fr. Tino who first introduced me to his niece, Macrine Nieva Jambalos. That year, I also joined the "Chemical Society". As a neophyte, one of my task was to look for Macrine. I was not able to do it. At the same time, one member of the Chemical Society who resided in the same dormitory with Macrine knew that she was also looking for me. So we were playing "HIDE and SEEK'. Finally, Macrine and I met in the sacristy of the old chapel and the rest is history. Our college romance is too long to be included in this article. It will be another chapter in this book.
 
In 1955, I graduated with my B.S.in Chemistry degree. Right after graduation, I was appointed Instructor in Chemistry and taught General and Qualitative laboratory courses to pre-med, nursing and engineering students up to 1959. I was only 24 years old at that time. 


The Oblation Run, UPLB( photo from photobucket.com)

The two pictures above are the "OBLATION RUN", an annual activity that had been attracting nationwide visitors and the press in UP. There was no Oblation Run during my college years. The photo is from the web, by photobucket.com (pinoyblogosphere).
 
The Oblation Run is an annual tradition of the members of the Alpha Phi Omega, one of the prominent U.P. fraternities. Members of the fraternity run around the campus naked (a concept known as streaking) to protest their sentiments about a current political or economic situation. The run started in 1977 to protest the banning of the movie, “Hubad na Bayani,” which depicted human rights abuses in the martial law era.

******************************************************************************
The following are excerpts from article by Paulo Alcazaren( City Sense, STAR) written several years ago brought pleasant memories of my college years and my first job as an Instructor in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines, Department of Chemistry ( 1957-1959).

December 20, 1955 ( also my 21st birthday) was the date when the first mass was held and the blessing of the chapel by Archbishop Rufino Santos. It was attended by an overflowing crowd of UP students and faculty members including most of the "1000" whose names were in the chapel foundation.

I am proud to remember, that my name is one of the 1000 names buried in the Foundation of the Chapel for completing the requirement of daily mass and communion for one year and pledging 5% of my student allowance to the building fund.

This article also reminded me of the war and struggle to control student government and campus life between the UPSCANS and the Fraternities/ Sororities. I was an UPSCAN then and one of the faithful apostles of Fr. John Patrick Delaney. Fr. John has a lot of influence on my life from that time and even today. His words of wisdom, charisma and encouragement still rings in my 86 years old body today. I love you, Fr. John! May you rest in Peace eternally!


CHAPEL OF SACRIFICE

UP, DILIMAN, December 21, 2005 (STAR) CITY SENSE By Paulo Alcazaren - My first memory of the University of the Philippines was in 1965. My father had bought me a toy rocket ship and we launched it from one of the many open green spaces set within the lush campus landscape. I thought at the time that it was cool that we were the first to bring the space age to the UP. I was wrong. I found out later that it had come much earlier – in 1955 – with the completion of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice, affectionately known as Diliman’s "flying saucer."

Less than 10 years after that rocket launch, I found myself enrolled at the UP and painting that domed chapel in watercolor for a class in architectural rendering. That prompted my first visit and the experience was profound. I had never been in a circular church before and it felt strange to see the altar in the center. Nevertheless, I was drawn to it. Despite its small scale (only a hundred feet across), the space had an impact and a focus few structures here could match then, and that holds true even today.

The interior space was enhanced with artwork – a two-sided crucifix above showing the tortured, then the risen Lord, an abstracted river of life in a terrazzo-patterned floor below and 15 striking murals (Stations of the Cross) between the dome’s 32 columns – and added to the whole effect of embracing the visitor spatially and spiritually. The chapel was wonderfully open, blending the interior with the green outside. Finally, the setting – a simple, green lawn rising gently from the road – completed the postcard-pretty scene.

A Priest, Four Artists & Two Engineers

Fr. John Delaney, the controversial but charismatic Jesuit chaplain assigned to the campus, orchestrated the project. National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin cut his teeth designing it. Dean Alfredo Juinio of the UP College of Engineering came up with the innovative thin-shell approach which a young David Consunji implemented to perfection using the simplest of machinery and lots of guts.

Finally, three cutting-edge artists – Napoleon Abueva, Arturo Luz and Vincente Manansala – created the crucifix, floor and murals respectively, which started them on the road to national artist status. (Another national artist, in music this time, Jose Maceda, would premier his concert "Pagsamba" there in 1968 and repeat it regularly in the same venue.) One renowned religious leader, four national artists and two giants in Philippine engineering and construction make for a really special structure …and a compelling story of how it got built.

The UP transferred to Diliman in 1949. It was meant to do so in 1942 as part of a massive transfer of civic structures that included a new capitol complex at the elliptical circle. The war intervened. Immediately after, the future campus was commandeered by the American Armed Forces as their headquarters. The two Juan Arellano-designed structures built in 1941 meant for the colleges of law and education became military offices. Around it rose dozens of quonset huts and a chapel of wood, galvanized iron roofing, bamboo and sawali that had a distinctive vernacular-inspired roof (my suspicion is that it was also Arellano-designed because of some references in the literature to his experimentation in pitch-roofed silhouettes for the state university’s architecture).

Unstable Architecture And A Troubled Up

That chapel deteriorated into stables towards the end of the UP’s military term. It was in shambles when Fr. Delaney found it but he quickly went to work to clean it up, aided by an ever growing flock of students, faculty and residents. After the patch-up, the UP chapel became the religious center of the campus. In the early ‘50s it was shared with the Protestant and Aglipayan congregations reflecting the open spirit of community in UP then.
UPSCANS In front of the Old Chapel after Mass with Fr. John Delaney. Fr John was my inspiration and hero at that time. His words and action still reverberates in my mind today!

The growing population of students and residents in the 493-hectare campus, however, took its toll and Fr. Delaney, as well as the Protestant church leaders, finally decided it was time to build new and separate chapels. Under UP president Vidal Tan, the campus also accommodated requests and allocated parcels in the non-academic north section of the university for both.

Those were trying years for Delaney, president Tan and the university. Issues of academic freedom, the threat of sectarianism (fueled by Fr. Delany’s extremely pro-active involvement in campus life and the growing political clout of the Delaney-mentored UP Student Catholic Action organization), and fraternity and sorority violence (which the chaplain tried his best to solve) made for a more complicated narrative, whose total complexion colored the entire decade.

It was in the middle of this maelstrom that the idea for the "saucer" started. In May 1954 the Protestant chapel was first to start construction. The modern structure, by university architect Cesar Concio, was completed a year later. The Protestant Chapel of the Risen Lord was funded by donations from America. The Catholic congregation was not so lucky and had to scrounge and scrape, egged on by the tireless Fr. Delaney to "give till it hurt." Fr. Delaney also did not want to sell out to corporate sponsorship or be beholden to endowments from the rich. Almost all of the P150,000 it took (remember, the peso was 2:1 back then) was raised by the UP congregation. Students missed their lunches and faculty donated portions of their salary to the fund. No wonder the chapel was named The Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice!


When It Rained, They Poured

This type of roof had never been built in the country. It took the ingenuity of Consunji to construct it within the constraints of the meager budget and the lack of equipment needed to pour the shell within the 18-hour window Junio set. The solution was ingenious and daring – four construction towers and a continuous ramp circling the structure allowed ordinary concrete mixers (churning out high-strength concrete) to supply a squad of workers in buggies rotating to pour the concrete.

The pour date was Aug. 25, 1955. It started to drizzle in the early morning and threatened to wreck the operation (the water would dilute the mix and weaken the concrete). But Fr. Delaney held a prayer vigil with UPSCANs taking turns asking for divine intervention. They got it as the site remained totally dry even as other parts of the large campus were drenched, even the University Theater, where the Nobel Prize winner for literature, William Faulkner, delivered a lecture.


The Chapel And Up’s Current Malaise

At four in the morning on Dec. 20, 1955 the chapel was blessed by Archbishop Rufino J. Santos. Fr. Delaney said the first mass (also the first Christmas mass) to an overflowing crowd. In his sermon, he thanked all those who made sacrifices to see that the chapel would be completed. The mood of the congregation was joyous and it spilled over to January only to be dashed by the news of Delaney’s death from a stroke. The sacrifices and trials he faced in the last few years had taken its toll. His body was brought from the Ateneo to the new chapel for the requiem mass, starting a tradition of honoring those of UP who had made a difference.
News of Fr Delaney death

The new chapel and the loss of their mentor only spurred UPSCANs to carry on their perceived mission of shaping campus life. In the years that followed they took political control of the student council stirring up a hornet’s nest of trouble that ended in the suspension of student political life in UP until a decision by the Supreme Court in the early ‘60s.

Personal Note: In 2009, my wife and I attended mass in the chapel during our annual vacation to the Philippines from US. I was also shock of the appearance and landscaping of the surrounding area, I started to cry, hiding my tears from wife.

My wife and I have pleasant memories of our participation in the UPSCA choir for three years under the leadership of the Late Professor Antonio Molina. I first met my wife in the old UP Chapel, through her uncle Fr. Constantino Nieva, who was President of UPSCA in 1952. In 1957, we got married and the decoration of our wedding cake was a 1:1000 miniature scale of the Chapel as shown below.





++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EPILOGUE:  2014 Personal Tour of the Teaching Building, Institute of Chemistry by Renan del Rosario

Here's my response on my memories during my college years for my StoryWorth book**. This is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of my autobiography.

Chapter 4: College and Teaching Years, UP(1951-1959), Epilogues 2005, 2009 and 2014

 

The Oblation Run* ( Photo from paradise_philippines.com)
 
My first two years was in UPIC ( University of the Philippines, Iloilo College). At that time, it was only a two year institution. I started as Pre-Med as requested by my mother. My mom always dreamed of having a physician in the family. I made good grades, "A"s and "B"s (1.0 and 2.0) in all my subjects, and obtained college and university scholarships during my first year. On my second year, I was awarded the Fernando Lopez Scholarship of free tuition fees for the whole year. The award was given to the student with the highest grade point average in the whole school. If there is a tie, the student with the most extracurricular activities wins the award.
 
I was also elected President of the University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action( UPSCA), Iloilo Chapter. With this activity, I corresponded with the President of UPSCA in Diliman UP Campus. At that time the president was Constantino Nieva, a law student from Marinduque. Later, he was ordained as a priest and studied in Rome, Italy for his Ph.D in Theology. Fr Nieva ( we call him Tito Tino, now) is the uncle of my wife, Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague(RIP).

Life in UPIC went by very fast. In the Fall of 1953, I transferred to UP Diliman, College of Liberal Arts and decided to change my major to Chemistry. This change was inspired by my chemistry professor in UPIC. The fact that I hate the sight of blood, in my Zoology class dissecting frogs, made this change easy.

"There goes my mother's dream" is a phrase I will always remember. My mother always wanted to have a child who will be either a Physician or a Priest . My mother's dream was achieved when my niece, D'Wanie Katague Gregorio finished her MD degree, several years ago.

In Diliman, I resumed my active participation with UPSCA, becoming a member of the UPSCA Student Council representing my college. Our spiritual adviser was the late Fr. John Delaney, a Jesuit priest. The rivalry between the UPSCANS and the FRATS /SORORITIES was the most published and talked topic during that time. During my college years, the UPSCANS dominated student politics and until the death of Fr. John Delaney.

 
A circular chapel( Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice) in the Diliman campus was one of Fr. Delaney's project. During the ground breaking for the chapel, the names of one thousand (1000) students, faculty members and their families who went to mass and communion everyday for one year were buried in the church foundation. What an honor that my name was one of the one thousand names included in the church foundation.

The chapel is known for its architectural design, the church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, formerly the National Historical Institute, and the National Museum of the Philippines respectively. It was designed by the late National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin, one of four National Artists who collaborated on the project. According to a post from the UP Diliman website, it is the only structure in the country where the works of four national artists can be found. Alfredo Junio served as the structural engineer for the project.

It was Fr. Tino who first introduced me to his niece, Macrine Nieva Jambalos. That year, I also joined the "Chemical Society". As a neophyte, one of my task was to look for Macrine. I was not able to do it. At the same time, one member of the Chemical Society who resided in the same dormitory with Macrine knew that she was also looking for me. So we were playing "HIDE and SEEK'. Finally, Macrine and I met in the sacristy of the old chapel and the rest is history. Our college romance is too long to be included in this article. It will be another chapter in this book.
 
In 1955, I graduated with my B.S.in Chemistry degree. Right after graduation, I was appointed Instructor in Chemistry and taught General and Qualitative laboratory courses to pre-med, nursing and engineering students up to 1959. I was only 24 years old at that time. 


The Oblation Run, UPLB( photo from photobucket.com)

The two pictures above are the "OBLATION RUN", an annual activity that had been attracting nationwide visitors and the press in UP. There was no Oblation Run during my college years. The photo is from the web, by photobucket.com (pinoyblogosphere).
 
The Oblation Run is an annual tradition of the members of the Alpha Phi Omega, one of the prominent U.P. fraternities. Members of the fraternity run around the campus naked (a concept known as streaking) to protest their sentiments about a current political or economic situation. The run started in 1977 to protest the banning of the movie, “Hubad na Bayani,” which depicted human rights abuses in the martial law era.

******************************************************************************
The following are excerpts from article by Paulo Alcazaren( City Sense, STAR) written several years ago brought pleasant memories of my college years and my first job as an Instructor in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines, Department of Chemistry ( 1957-1959).

December 20, 1955 ( also my 21st birthday) was the date when the first mass was held and the blessing of the chapel by Archbishop Rufino Santos. It was attended by an overflowing crowd of UP students and faculty members including most of the "1000" whose names were in the chapel foundation.

I am proud to remember, that my name is one of the 1000 names buried in the Foundation of the Chapel for completing the requirement of daily mass and communion for one year and pledging 5% of my student allowance to the building fund.

This article also reminded me of the war and struggle to control student government and campus life between the UPSCANS and the Fraternities/ Sororities. I was an UPSCAN then and one of the faithful apostles of Fr. John Patrick Delaney. Fr. John has a lot of influence on my life from that time and even today. His words of wisdom, charisma and encouragement still rings in my 86 years old body today. I love you, Fr. John! May you rest in Peace eternally!


CHAPEL OF SACRIFICE

UP, DILIMAN, December 21, 2005 (STAR) CITY SENSE By Paulo Alcazaren - My first memory of the University of the Philippines was in 1965. My father had bought me a toy rocket ship and we launched it from one of the many open green spaces set within the lush campus landscape. I thought at the time that it was cool that we were the first to bring the space age to the UP. I was wrong. I found out later that it had come much earlier – in 1955 – with the completion of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice, affectionately known as Diliman’s "flying saucer."

Less than 10 years after that rocket launch, I found myself enrolled at the UP and painting that domed chapel in watercolor for a class in architectural rendering. That prompted my first visit and the experience was profound. I had never been in a circular church before and it felt strange to see the altar in the center. Nevertheless, I was drawn to it. Despite its small scale (only a hundred feet across), the space had an impact and a focus few structures here could match then, and that holds true even today.

The interior space was enhanced with artwork – a two-sided crucifix above showing the tortured, then the risen Lord, an abstracted river of life in a terrazzo-patterned floor below and 15 striking murals (Stations of the Cross) between the dome’s 32 columns – and added to the whole effect of embracing the visitor spatially and spiritually. The chapel was wonderfully open, blending the interior with the green outside. Finally, the setting – a simple, green lawn rising gently from the road – completed the postcard-pretty scene.

A Priest, Four Artists & Two Engineers

Fr. John Delaney, the controversial but charismatic Jesuit chaplain assigned to the campus, orchestrated the project. National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin cut his teeth designing it. Dean Alfredo Juinio of the UP College of Engineering came up with the innovative thin-shell approach which a young David Consunji implemented to perfection using the simplest of machinery and lots of guts.

Finally, three cutting-edge artists – Napoleon Abueva, Arturo Luz and Vincente Manansala – created the crucifix, floor and murals respectively, which started them on the road to national artist status. (Another national artist, in music this time, Jose Maceda, would premier his concert "Pagsamba" there in 1968 and repeat it regularly in the same venue.) One renowned religious leader, four national artists and two giants in Philippine engineering and construction make for a really special structure …and a compelling story of how it got built.

The UP transferred to Diliman in 1949. It was meant to do so in 1942 as part of a massive transfer of civic structures that included a new capitol complex at the elliptical circle. The war intervened. Immediately after, the future campus was commandeered by the American Armed Forces as their headquarters. The two Juan Arellano-designed structures built in 1941 meant for the colleges of law and education became military offices. Around it rose dozens of quonset huts and a chapel of wood, galvanized iron roofing, bamboo and sawali that had a distinctive vernacular-inspired roof (my suspicion is that it was also Arellano-designed because of some references in the literature to his experimentation in pitch-roofed silhouettes for the state university’s architecture).

Unstable Architecture And A Troubled Up

That chapel deteriorated into stables towards the end of the UP’s military term. It was in shambles when Fr. Delaney found it but he quickly went to work to clean it up, aided by an ever growing flock of students, faculty and residents. After the patch-up, the UP chapel became the religious center of the campus. In the early ‘50s it was shared with the Protestant and Aglipayan congregations reflecting the open spirit of community in UP then.
UPSCANS In front of the Old Chapel after Mass with Fr. John Delaney. Fr John was my inspiration and hero at that time. His words and action still reverberates in my mind today!

The growing population of students and residents in the 493-hectare campus, however, took its toll and Fr. Delaney, as well as the Protestant church leaders, finally decided it was time to build new and separate chapels. Under UP president Vidal Tan, the campus also accommodated requests and allocated parcels in the non-academic north section of the university for both.

Those were trying years for Delaney, president Tan and the university. Issues of academic freedom, the threat of sectarianism (fueled by Fr. Delany’s extremely pro-active involvement in campus life and the growing political clout of the Delaney-mentored UP Student Catholic Action organization), and fraternity and sorority violence (which the chaplain tried his best to solve) made for a more complicated narrative, whose total complexion colored the entire decade.

It was in the middle of this maelstrom that the idea for the "saucer" started. In May 1954 the Protestant chapel was first to start construction. The modern structure, by university architect Cesar Concio, was completed a year later. The Protestant Chapel of the Risen Lord was funded by donations from America. The Catholic congregation was not so lucky and had to scrounge and scrape, egged on by the tireless Fr. Delaney to "give till it hurt." Fr. Delaney also did not want to sell out to corporate sponsorship or be beholden to endowments from the rich. Almost all of the P150,000 it took (remember, the peso was 2:1 back then) was raised by the UP congregation. Students missed their lunches and faculty donated portions of their salary to the fund. No wonder the chapel was named The Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice!


When It Rained, They Poured

This type of roof had never been built in the country. It took the ingenuity of Consunji to construct it within the constraints of the meager budget and the lack of equipment needed to pour the shell within the 18-hour window Junio set. The solution was ingenious and daring – four construction towers and a continuous ramp circling the structure allowed ordinary concrete mixers (churning out high-strength concrete) to supply a squad of workers in buggies rotating to pour the concrete.

The pour date was Aug. 25, 1955. It started to drizzle in the early morning and threatened to wreck the operation (the water would dilute the mix and weaken the concrete). But Fr. Delaney held a prayer vigil with UPSCANs taking turns asking for divine intervention. They got it as the site remained totally dry even as other parts of the large campus were drenched, even the University Theater, where the Nobel Prize winner for literature, William Faulkner, delivered a lecture.


The Chapel And Up’s Current Malaise

At four in the morning on Dec. 20, 1955 the chapel was blessed by Archbishop Rufino J. Santos. Fr. Delaney said the first mass (also the first Christmas mass) to an overflowing crowd. In his sermon, he thanked all those who made sacrifices to see that the chapel would be completed. The mood of the congregation was joyous and it spilled over to January only to be dashed by the news of Delaney’s death from a stroke. The sacrifices and trials he faced in the last few years had taken its toll. His body was brought from the Ateneo to the new chapel for the requiem mass, starting a tradition of honoring those of UP who had made a difference.
News of Fr Delaney death

The new chapel and the loss of their mentor only spurred UPSCANs to carry on their perceived mission of shaping campus life. In the years that followed they took political control of the student council stirring up a hornet’s nest of trouble that ended in the suspension of student political life in UP until a decision by the Supreme Court in the early ‘60s.

Personal Note: In 2009, my wife and I attended mass in the chapel during our annual vacation to the Philippines from US. I was also shock of the appearance and landscaping of the surrounding area, I started to cry, hiding my tears from wife.

My wife and I have pleasant memories of our participation in the UPSCA choir for three years under the leadership of the Late Professor Antonio Molina. I first met my wife in the old UP Chapel, through her uncle Fr. Constantino Nieva, who was President of UPSCA in 1952. In 1957, we got married and the decoration of our wedding cake was a 1:1000 miniature scale of the Chapel as shown below.





++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EPILOGUE:  2014 Personal Tour of the Teaching Building, Institute of Chemistry by Renan del Rosario

On May 7, 2014  Renan del Rosario, 1977 chemistry graduate and one of the advisers of the University of the Philippines Chemistry Alumni, Inc that year treated me with lunch and a personal tour of the new Institute of Chemistry Teaching Building at the UP Diliman National Science Complex. It was one of the highlights of my 90-day snow birding sojourn in the Philippines that year. I was able to take photographs of the Donor Wall which included my name(see photo above). 
 
The Donor Wall is right at the entrance of the building just by the side of the guard podium. The following are some of the photos I took that day. The day reminded me of my student and teaching days (1952 to 1959) at the College of Chemistry now known as the Institute of Chemistry. I was only 24 years old when I first taught chemistry to Pre-med, Nursing, and Engineering students in 1956. That was my first job after my Bachelor's degree graduation in October,1955.
,Outside the Teaching Building
At the Entrance

**About StoryWorth:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/cnn-underscored/storyworth-review/index.htmlOn May 7, 2014  Renan del Rosario, 1977 chemistry graduate and one of the advisers of the University of the Philippines Chemistry Alumni, Inc that year treated me with lunch and a personal tour of the new Institute of Chemistry Teaching Building at the UP Diliman National Science Complex. It was one of the highlights of my 90-day snow birding sojourn in the Philippines that year. I was able to take photographs of the Donor Wall which included my name(see photo above). 
 
The Donor Wall is right at the entrance of the building just by the side of the guard podium. The following are some of the photos I took that day. The day reminded me of my student and teaching days (1952 to 1959) at the College of Chemistry now known as the Institute of Chemistry. I was only 24 years old when I first taught chemistry to Pre-med, Nursing, and Engineering students in 1956. That was my first job after my Bachelor's degree graduation in October,1955.
,Outside the Teaching Building
At the Entrance

**About StoryWorth:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/cnn-underscored/storyworth-review/index.html

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...