IN KEEPING with its monthly schedule, Holy Mass will be offered at the shrine of the Brown Madonna along Km. 7, Asin Road tomorrow, Sunday.
The religious-spiritual offering set at 8:30 in the morning with Rev. Fr. Alejandro as the celebrant. He is the Formateur of San Pablo Seminary at Barangay Cristal Cave and is also the Shrine’s and the National Correspondents Club at Baguio (NCCB) Spiritual Adviser. The federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Associations led by its president Edita Ibarra is co-sponsoring the special religious endeavour together with the SBM Project Committee headed by yours truly, couple Wilfredo and Brenda Leyson from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan; Raffy Policarpio from the city and Jaime Gladys Tamsi from Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet. A floral offering and a candlelighting ceremony will be held before the mass. Again we are reminding all Mama Mary devotees of the place of worship inside the rock-cave to join us celebrate the affair. We are extending the invitation to one and all to be with us at the Shrine tomorrow morning.
Three days ago, I received a phone call from PIA-CAR staffer Joseph Zembrano that I have an invitation from US Ambassador Sung Y. Kim to attend a reception to celebrate the New Year to be held at the US Embassy Residence at Camp John Hay on the afternoon of January 25, this month. Certainly, I am deeply elated to have been invited to the historic episode along with VIP personalities from the government and the private sector, including a core from tri-media. To me, the invitation is a continuing acknowledgment of our humble contribution in fostering closer understanding and friendship between our counrtty and the United States of America. In 1992, the NCCB through my modest leadership as president of the press club initiated and coordinated the construction of the Daniel H, Burnham monument at the main entrance of the Burnham Park across the street where the Jose Rizal Monument is located. Former US Ambassador Richard Solomon was our principal guest during the inaugural rites of the edifice, held on Dec. 29, as a climax feature of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio. The NCCB also constructed with the valued assistance of friends the Col. Lyman W. Kennon monument to honor the US Military Officer who headed and supervised the construction of the famous Kennon Road, considered one of the best mountain highways in the world. It was inaugurated during the centennial celebration of the Kennon Road on July 4, 2005 with JUSMAG Chief Col. Mathias R. Velasco as the Guest of Honor speaker. Since 1991, the NCCB and later on in 2002, the Baguio Elderly Assembly (BEA) always played an important role in the annual celebration of Fil-Am Friendship Day in the city. And we will continue to do so with God’s blessing. Again, thank you Ambassador Kim for the invitation.
Last week, we announced the initial list of international athletes and sportsmen who are in the honor of the NCCB Kafagway Sports Award and Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) Silungan Center. The additional honorees in the pool, this time around, are junior international athletes, namely: Bea Mendoza- chess girls division and Alicia Breana Dumseng wushu, girls division. The other awardees are Christabel Martes- Asian Masters trickster of the year; Douglas Puckeet- golfer of the year while Team Lakay will be cited as the team of the year awardee. Veteran mediaman Pigeon Lobien who has sustained his promotional activities in sports will receive the sports writer-coordinator plum while Harley Palangchao of the Baguio Midland Courier and Roderick Osis, Editor-in-Chief of Sun*Star Baguio will be cited as sports editors of the year. University of the Cordillera Athletic Director Danilo Cong-o will receive the University Athletic Director of the Year 2016 award for producing the most number of city international athletes particularly in sports wushu. The coach of the year awatd will go to Jover Jorda of boxing.
Meanwhile, the final list of awardees in the forthcoming NCCB Kafagway Sports Award and Recognition Day will be announced next week. At this time we are receiving the support from award presenters. At the fore are vice City Mayor Edison Bilog and Prof. Federico Balanag, president of the BARP Foundation. Of course, like in the past years, we are expecting with hope and prayers the patronage of our City Mayor-Sportsman Mauricio Domogan in the successful conduct of the awards and recognition program which will also present tokens of recognition to the most outstanding even hosts and supporters as well as participants of Silahis ng Pasko sa Baguio 2016.