It was in Canada that I learned that no one can transport infants, toddlers, and children below seven years of age wthout a car seat. It was during that time too that I learned that no one in Canada is allowed to be inside a running vehicle without seat belts. These traffic laws are promulgated to ensure safety to car owners, passengers and children.
Coming home to the Philippines, I have to accept that what is being practiced is reality and safety is already a relative term. How safe one can get? Is safety provided by the vehicle owner? The driver ? Or by the passenger himself?
As I was traveling from Iligan City to Marawi City, a good hour ride, my attention was caught by a sleeping child squeezed between the driver's seat and the back of his father who is driving the passenger jeepney that I took. I could not help myself as ideas poured in but to record that event in a video. http://lvsheepole.xanga.com/videos/402891121732/ . Although sleeping, the child was aware of the curves that the jeepney is going to take. The video showed that he has already taken precautionary measures by placing his tiny hand on the thigh of his father. His father's attention was on driving yet from time to time, as he negotiated the road, he flexed his elbow to ensure that the child remained behind him. As the child woke up, he removed his tiny hand from his father's thigh and maintained his position squeezing himself behind his father http://lvsheepole.xanga.com/videos/83f5b1121740/. In a world that has shrunk, the space for him is that little place beside his father. The child knew that there is no other place safer than that tiny place he shared with his father for an hour. The child knows his place.
I was still feeling light headed (for not having taken a good night rest) when my hand phone signaled that a message is waiting for me. The current Chairman of the Physics Department knew that I am already home in the Philippines by June 02. True enough it was his message telling me that my former Physics 21 student is waiting to complete the INC grade incurred. I knew that when I left the Philippine a year ago, I had accomplished everything in relation to my students. This should be one of those students who did not verify his status after taking the removal exam.
There are some students who act like that. After taking the removal exam, they would not care whether they passed or not. They simply disappear. This type of student exasperates me. Some of them believe that it is the duty of their teacher to follow them up after they took the removal exam. It should have been the other way around.
I was about to grumble. But I told myself that there is nothing I could do until I get back to the MSU campus. All communication pertaining students should be put on hold. But I could not help thinking about students now that a dam filled with memories is about to overflow….
Talking about dams… I remembered Guelph during the long weekend for Victoria Day (May 17-19, 2008). It was memorable because I came in close contact with one of my former students way back in the 80’s. He was one of the many students I had. He was one of the many students I came to associate in the very church that we both belonged yet still he was one of the many students that I knew superficially! I simply knew how his mind works in relation to Physics. He plays the guitar too but in the 80’s I was surrounded with people whom I can depend on when it comes to music. He was too young then for me to consider dependable!
Reaching Canada, I was thrown into a situation that I knew no one in relation to guitar music. I need someone to accompany me with a guitar. Brother Tirso Dapar told me that Rolito Catingan could accompany me. That put me at ease. I heard Lito play the guitar before and I told myself “pwede na!” than having nothing at all!
But such judgment of “pwede na!” really embarrassed me when Lito started plucking the strings! What a transformation!!! He has grown a lot with his music, yet he remained humble! I was thrown again into a fit of memory recall. I remembered Calixto Inao, Shemei Postrero, Sosthenes Postrero, Lemuel Lecciones, Elson Lecciones, and Dodo Lecciones. The performance that Lito has done made him at par with those that I have known in the past.
Yes, he remained humble! After playing at Guelph Church he was approached by one of the church-goers and was asked whether he got his CDs produced. With the quality he showed in his performance I could say that I would love to have his CDs too. But Lito just responded with a smile.
And yes, he remained humble not only with his music but with his Physics performance too. While traveling to church, he started narrating how the physics students performed in my classes before. He said that no one could beat Marcelo Rara because he topped the Physics 21 classes with a grade of 1.0. “Grabe kadto nga grado! Ang sunod ra ba adto nga grado kay 1.75! Pwerting layo-a!” Yes, I still remembered Marcelo Rara, his performance both in my classes and in the departmental examinations. But my thoughts were disrupted when everybody around me burst into laughing as Lito answered his own question: “Kabalo mo kun kinsa kadtong nakakuhag1.75 nga grado? Ako to!!!”
Ahh, this guy is indeed something! Who would ever think that he could have that bubbly nature when his demeanor is telling me a different story. He is calm. He is composed! He could be even strict! Yet, he could make people around him burst into laughter.
I am very glad what I have just witnessed in Canada. I have seen the growth taken by one of my students: Rolito Catingan. I love what I have seen in relation to his wife (Chato), his son (Carlo), his daughter (Sarah), his in-laws (the Maghiloms), and his church. What a life! What a man!
As I faced another semester and another set of students, I know something has been added to my own experience. “Thank you, Lito for accompanying me as I give my own brand of music to the world. Most of all, thank you, for accompanying me and guiding me through in making my own realizations! You, too, are a good teacher. Thank you for teaching me!”
Now I am missing the music and the laughter, and one of those people who made me sing and laugh…
THE DELFINA M. SOLIJON ASSISTANCE AND SUBSIDY PROGRAM
By: Linda Vilma A. Ole
MSU-SDA Church, Marawi City, Philippines
The Delfina M. Solijon Assistance and Subsidy Program (DMSASP) is a program existing with in the MSU-SDA church that I am coordinating. The idea to help the less fortunate was planted when I had the experience of visiting USA and Canada in 2007.
My visit to the USA and Canada were made possible by the help extended by the MEDLIFE Foundation of the USA and the MOVE Foundation in the Philippines. It was an official visit and I was granted a four-months leave from Mindanao State University (MSU), Marawi City, Philippines.
In the US, I met the President of the MEDLIFE Foundation and I was able to attend the board meeting where the board members agreed on the plans to support scholars for Dansalan College of Marawi City and another set of scholars for Mindanao State University. It was this result that pushed some of the board members and encouraged me to get to Canada to find support for scholars at MSU to be supported by the Canadian MOVE members residing and working in Canada. If support can be generated from the SDA-MSUans from Canada then the number of students at MSU that can be supported by the foundation will increase.
The SDA-MSUans at Canada found it hard to register the MOVE Foundation in Canada. Canadian rules and policies regarding registration of foundations are strict. Although pledges were given, no actual support was generated because if the MOVE foundation will not be registered in Canada, then donations from the Canadian supporters will not enjoy tax deduction.
Yet, Filipino Canadians showed me their kind heart and helpful hands. When autumn came, I was a recipient of donations for me to be able to stand the cold. When I decided to stay for several months more so that I would experience winter and spring, I became a recipient of thicker and warmer clothes for winter and lighter clothes for spring! I did not spend a cent with the winter clothing, nor with the spring clothing that the Filipino Canadians (MSUans or not) shared with me.
Living in Canada for about ten months made me see the Filipinos in action. They worked hard, prayed hard, helped a lot and enjoyed a lot!Just as I landed in Canada, in August 2007, the Migrinios in Toronto, Philip Dapar of Scarborough, the Maghiloms and the Catingans in Guelph Ontario pooled four hundred dollars to help me out.I was wondering about the action….”How can they be so helpful? Aren’t they using the amount they are sharing with me?” I kept the money wondering what to do with it. Basically my needs were few and my wants in life were already tamed.
Winter in Canada pierced my soul. My Saturdays were spent with the Filipino Faith Fellowship (FFF) in downtown Toronto. They provided me the warmth of a Filipino Church. Although I was wishing to be home, their fellowship made me to bear the cold bite of winter and somehow their friendship made me feel I was not alone. It was associating with this fellowship that made me see the helping hands of the Filipinos in Canada more.
My birthday in Canada was made more joyful by the surprise that the FFF shared with me. They passed the hat and a birthday-gift-money was pooled. Again I was wondering what to do with that gift. And when FFF knew that I was leaving for home, again they passed the hat and about four hundred dollars were given me….I was wondering why I was given such amount…
Leaving for the Philippines in June 1, 2008,Joy Gamponia, my landlady for ten months , handed me a hundred dollars with the suggestion for me to give that money to someone who is “very in need” as soon as I get home to the Philippines.
Reaching the Philippines, I got so busy with my teaching, especially that I was slated to be back to the states for a month-leave for me to attend the MSU-SDA and Associates Convention in Missouri (July 2008). The request of Joy was put aside.Yet, while I was about to leave for Missouri, news that the house of my friend, Sarah Sarona-Remorosa, (MSU-SDA Alumni) got burned reached me. Sharing the news with fellow MSU-SDAs at Missouri made me to decide to give Joy’s hundred dollar to her. When Esther Rosal of Toronto shared me a fifty dollar before we parted at Missouri, I decided then that the amount will be for Sarah.
Reaching home, I seek for Sarah and I handed her the 200 hundred dollars which I told her from Joy Gamponia, Esther Rosal and the Solijons of Canada. I included the Solijons because it was their generosity that made me reached the USA and Canada. Somehow, sharing what I have in the name of the Solijons is no longer foreign with me because I am indebted to them.
Settling back to teaching and associating with the MSU-SDA church made me see the needs of the church and its members. Even while I was in Canada, I was looking forward to help the members of the Church. I was thinking that the recipients of the MOVE-MEDLIFE Foundation Scholarships would somehow be from the MSU-SDA Church. Thus in December of 2007, the money that the Migrinios, Maghiloms, Catingans and Dapar gave me (C$ 400) was channeled to MOVE USA. I added a hundred to the amount hoping that C$500 would help a student for two years or two students for a year at MSU.
Sad reality struck me when I found that the MOVE Foundation in the Philippines have some problem with the SEC. They registered with a new name and the registration took sometimes. Aside from that the requirements that MSU stipulated for the MEDLIFE-MOVE Foundation to come up with were not met…. Thus, the dream I wove that was hinged on some big organization evaporated to thin air.
Yet reality told me that I must do something….
When the problem of the MSU-SDA graduating students (March 2009) regarding finances to support the Church’s Baccalaureate Service came into the open, I decided to part ways with some ofthe dollars thatFFF in Toronto gave me during Christmas of 2007and during my departure in June of 2008. The amount made the graduating students very happy! And I know too that that made Jeddu Migrinio (and family), and the rest of the FFF happy! Then I shared the remaining amount of the FFF gifts with the Advent Professional Ministry (APM), to buy some tooth brushes, sachets of toothpaste and bath soaps for the children who attended the Vacation Bible School that was done during the period where an evangelistic effort was conducted by Pastor Goli at Wao, Lanao del Sur in April-May 2008. Looking at the expression of one of the children as he opened his gifts excitedly made me conclude that I made the right move! Seeing a bar of bath soap, the child said, “yes!” and closed the package quickly when their teacher said that they have to open their gifts afterthe program.
It was also in Wao that I decided to part ways with the birthday gift that a friend gave me “When he suggested for me to buy JOY!”Reaching home, I emailed him asking him if it would be okay for him to be the DONOR #1 of the DELFINA M. SOLIJON ASSISTANCE AND SUBSIDY PROGRAM that I am planning to have with in the MSU-SDA Church. Receiving his “yes” I know I am in the right track.
I choose the name of “Delfina M. Solijon” because Mommie Solijon was instrumental of the growth of the MSU-SDA church. It was her who gave bible studies to the friends of Georgia M. Solijon, when“Ate Gie” (as we fondly call her) comes home to Lagonglong tagging her friends along. The conversion to the SDA faith of Rocaya Macmod, Sonia Cubero, Adriano Salvador, Romeo Milan, and Calixto Inao were made possible by the efforts shared by Mommie Solijon. The pioneering members of the MSU-SDA Church were the fruits of Mommie’s effort. Somehow, the choice of the name of the program was due to the idea “to help”. The church was helped by Mommie before and that “help” could generate more help from the MSU-SDA alumni that could be given to the younger members of the MSU-SDA Church now. The idea that pioneers of MSU-SDA Church reaching out to touch the younger ones with in the church simply thrilled me. A touch of LOVE, so they say.
Personally, my experience in Manila from June 1975-November 1976 made me to decide more on the name. Although Mommie Solijon did not give me money during those times, her presence in my life during those periods (that I was all alone in Manila) is priceless!And I came to Canada due to Mommie’s desire for me to come (so, they say) and I saw how the Filipino SDAs helped each other, and help the ones that has just landed. I was a recipient of their love, warmth and generosity. Now I know why I have to experience those events in Canada. The experience made me to understand that the meaning of being ALONE and being HELPED in Canada and in MSU arebasically the same .
As of now, the recipients of the DMSASP include the MSU-SDA Church pastor Dindo Paglinawan, Renato Gonzaga (a student of CPC of MSU), Jonathan Linaza (a BS Physics graduating student of MSU), Reymor Pornea-Aaron (son of Felicitas Pornea or Manang Timnah, who is a first year high school student at Wao, Lanao del Sur), and Betty Nery Gohel who lost her husband last June 4, 2009.
The program was originally planned to be supported by my yearly thirteenth month pay from the University (that could only support two students for a year) but with help from friends and MSU-SDA Alumni, the number of recipients for this academic year is greater than one.
I am thanking the donors and supporters of the “Delfina M. Solijon Assistance and Subsidy Program (DMSASP)” for helping me to help others in my surroundings.I am praying you would be blessed by wealth but more HEALTH. May your tribe increase!
This week I have some experience that made me think deeply on how it is to wait on the Lord. Here are the details:
Last Sabbath, July 25 I met Renato Gonzaga in Church. I told him, "Please pray harder. There is no reply yet." Renato is a university student who come from the the province of Agusan del Norte. He came to the Mindanao State University with minimal support from his family. He has been working in a plywood factory back home but realized that he needs to go to the university. His family can only send him small amount to help him out. He decided then to look for jobs while in the University. He came to me the last week of June and volunteered to help me in my garden. I declined because my garden is my exercise machine. If I would give him the job that I would work on to keep me fit, then how can I keep myself healthy?
I remembered then my fomer student who is an alumni of the MSU-SDA Church. This former student of mine has emailed me telling me that he is willing to help me in the assistanceship and subsidy program, the Delfina M. Solijon Assistanceship and Subsidy Program, that I am running at the MSU-SDA Church to help SDA students and non-SDAs as well. I refused to give him my account number because he does not want his name to be known. "How can you keep track of the monies that comes to me to help students and the church out if you wouldn't want your name to be divulged?" But with the presence of Renato and the subsequent problem he presented, I decided to send my account number to my former student.
Yet, more than two weeks had passed and no news from my former student. I could not verify because I am the one who refused his help before.... So, last July 25, I told Renato, "Please pray harder!" I was about to give up. I was in a difficult situation. I refused some help and now somebody is asking help from me.... I was very touched when Renato answered: "I will just wait, Ma'am!" How innocent and how trusting!
"Wait on the Lord!" I told myself. BUT I requested him again: "please pray harder! I cannot help you from my own pocket because my hands are already full! We need someone's help. Urgently!"
As I opened my emails this morning, the message telling me "I have sent PhP 10,009.60 in your PNB-Iligan account..." lifted my spirit. The Lord has answered Renato, Jonathan, me and others who prayed for Renato. With the amount sent, Renato's monthly expenses from August 2009 to March 2010 is already answered. A thousand pesos every month on top of his support from home is already a big blessing! I remembered Jonathan Linaza too who accompanied Renato and decided to give him support in his thesis project. Two thousand pesos for his thesis is already a big help!
A week ago, Jonathan came to me at the office asking for suggestions regarding his Physics Thesis Proposal. I told him that my help regarding thesis proposal is limited on Physics Education only. I would have a difficult time thinking about Physics Projects for thesis since my training is on Physics Education. I suggested a name of a colleague who can help him. After a day, Jonathan came back to me telling me that my colleague suggestions entails for him to either construct a new TESLA COIL or repair the OLD ONE because the TESLA coil will be used in their planned study. I suggested for him to look into the budget for repairing the old one or for constructing a new one. He said "Ma'am, it is quite expensive!" I asked him, "How much?"
An amount was qouted and I said, "Now start praying for help! AND DO PRAY HARDER!" I believed they did because I did pray harder too. I was assured by Renato's last Saturday that he is indeed waiting, waiting for the Lord's help and blessings!
There are too many students around me who needed help and helping them to find help outside the Philippines is the role that I am doing now. The amount sent in my account this morning by my former student is for Renato Gonzaga and Jonathan Linaza.
I praise God for the help He showered to our SDA students here at MSU-Marawi. I am also praising God for the kind heart that my former student possess! I praise GOD for the SOLUTION HE PROVIDED.
I praise HIM for His presence in our lives! Big problems or small ones, His presence is always felt! PRAISE BE TO HIM! ALL GLORY WILL BE FOR HIM!
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Introducing Pastor Wendell M. Serrano
Guest Speaker, Baccalaureate Service
44th Commencement Exercises
Mindanao State University
Marawi City, Philippines
6:00 AM, April 3, 2009
by:
Linda Vilma A. Ole
Department of Physics
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Mindanao State University
Marawi City
We are privilege this morning to have with us, as our Guest Speaker, a man who started from a humble beginning, strove, and rose from the ranks to reach the point where he is now.
We are also having a man who is a product of the combination of the existing educational systems in the Philippines. He finished his elementary education as Valedictorian from a public school in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte in 1960. He graduated high school valedictorian from Harvardian Colleges, a private non-sectarian school, in Davao City in 1967. He graduated AB Theology from Mountain View College (or MVC) in Valencia City, Bukidnon in 1978. Then he finished his graduate studies Master of Arts in Religion, with majors in (1) Systematic Theology, and (2) Pastoral stadies from the Seventh-day Adventists Theological Seminary of the Far East in Silang, Cavite in 1983. Both Mountain View College and the Theological Seminary of the Far East (now named as Adventist Internatinational Institute for Asvanced Studies or AIIAS) are private-sectarian educational institutions belonging to the Seventh-day Adventists.
We are also having a man who went through his high school and college as a self-supporting student yet this did not prevent him from obtaining honors and recognition while at the same time working for the cause of the students. In 1966, in his junior years at the Harvardian Colleges (now called as Harvardian University), aside from obtaining the First Honors, he also received a gold medal for being the most outstanding Junior Student of the Harvardian Colleges. During that year, he was the Student Governor. In 1967, he received a gold medal for being the Most Outstanding Senior Student of the Harvardian Colleges, and he received a Plaque from Davao City Jaycees for being One of the Most Outstanding High School Graduates of Davao City that year. During that academic year was his second stint as a Student Governor. During the academic year (AY) 1967-68, he got two gold medals for the academic honors he received from Southwestern University in Cebu City. The following academic year, 1968-1969, he was voted as one of the senators of the student council of Southwestern University. Financial difficulty, political uncertainties, and some home responsibilities prevented him to finish college at Southwestern University. Yet the desire to work for the students' cause did not diminish as he enrolled at Mountain View College. In 1977 he became the President of the Ministerial Seminar, an MVC Student Outreach. In 1978, he became the President of the Graduating class.
His educational trainings (being a product of different educational systems), and his experiences equipped him for his chosen vocation, the Ministry. Right after graduation from MVC, he became the District Pastor at Northeastern Mindanao Mission in Butuan City, the position he held for four years, from 1978 to 1982. He became a professor at Mountain View College during the academic year 1983-1984, right after he finished his Masters Studies in 1983. He became a Church Pastor at the College Church of Mountain View College during the academic year 1984-1985. This happens right after his Ordination to the Ministry in 1984. He became the Chairman of the Theology Department during the academic years 1985-1986 and 1986-1987 but he left MVC to become the President of the Davao Mission of the Seventh-day Adventists in Davao area; a position he held for two years, from 1988 to 1990. He left Davao in 1991 to become the Director of the Church Ministries of the South Philippine Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists based in Cagayan de Oro City. He left Cagayan de Oro City in 1996 to become the President of the Southern Mindanao Mission of the Seventh-day Adventists (Cotabato Area) based in General Santos City. As he served President of Southern Mindanao Mission in 1996 to 2000, he has done some traveling abroad. In 1999, he was a lecturer in Multi-Church Pastoral at Bombay, India. The following year, from April to May 2000 he was a Speaker of Evangelistic Meetings at Winnipeg, Canada. After serving as President at Southern Mindanao Mission, he came back to CDO in 2001 to become the Executive Secretary of the South Philippine Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists. Just a year ago, in 2008, he became the President of the South Philippine Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists.
Now, being the President of the South Philippine Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, he is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the different hospitals and colleges labeled as the Seventh-day Adventists Institutions in Mindanao. The hospitals that are his concern are: Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital in Iligan City, Gingoog Sanitarium and Hospital in Gingoog City, Valencia Sanitarium and Hospital in Valencia City, Bukidnon, and Davao Adventist Hospital in Davao City. The colleges that are his concern are: Mindanao Sanitarium & Hospital College in Iligan City and Mountain View College in Valencia City, Bukidnon. He is also a member of the executive committee (the highest deciding committee) of the World Church Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventists based in Maryland, USA. He traveled abroad to Europe, Middle East, Asia, Canada and the USA and has given lectures and/or acted as resource person on topics of his specialization.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you understand now why I have said at the opening statement of this introduction that our guest speaker is a man who started from a humble beginning, strove, and rose from the ranks to reach the point where he is now. As a family man, our guest speaker is a grandfather with grandkids Alec Mervyn, Dean Axl and Anika Zen. All of his three children namely: Elma Bella Serrano-Gucilatar; Norkis D. Serrano; and Nee Viole D. Serrano are all married. Our guest speaker shared his life , all his success, pains and challenges with his wife, the former Miss Estrella Dahuya of Zamboanga Sibugay. Mrs. Estrella Dahuya-Serrano is an MSUan having finished the graduate course Masters in Education from Mindanao State University at General Santos City and, if we can make a man an MSUan by marital affinity, then we can say that our guest speaker is also an .MSUan. Most men would say that behind their success is a dutiful and a wonderful wife yet, our Guest Speaker attributed his success to God Almighty. According to him, "To God I give honor and thanks for I am only his vessel and servant"
Ladies and Gentlemen, let us listen to our Guest speaker, a grandfather, a father, a husband, the President of the South Philippine Union of the Seventh-day Adventist, and a Servant of God: Pastor Wendell Mangoya Serrano!
