I WOKE up today, reading all these news and fake news on social media, the news, text messages and private messages.
The casualties and footage of the situation in China are not screened and the world is seeing the realities of realities. Responsible bodies, WHO, DOH etc have made pronouncements and still, it is seemingly seeping into all recipients of the news.
I woke up knowing that the opening parade of the Panagbenga is cancelled, I call that political will of our Mayor Benjie. For the protection of our children and the general public minimizing crowd drawing activities like CARAA was put on hold.
However, the opening of the market encounter with a new name continues- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition continues. It is the selling of goods around the convention center. The city market vendors are not in favor of this activity for the longest time, but still, they remain unheard. So I also challenge the market vendors to come up with something to bring people to the market. It’s one thing to oppose and one thing to come up with alternatives.
Back to coronavirus, we, who are reunion organizers are rethinking on the schedules of the reunions. We usually have a series of reunions during summer breaks, but it seems it is going to be a challenge to push through with these activities. As of last night, we already postponed the Llomana reunion which is held every end of March, to a later date. This is on my mother’s side and we can get around 200 people in one gathering. The bigger clan of Galeled has set the reunion on February 13 to be able to connect it with the planned Igorot International Conference (IIC) in Tabuk on February 7-10. It is with the thought that the local Galeleds will meet up with the overseas Galeled descendants.
The IIC is a reunion of Igorots from all over the world at least once every two years. This year the Philippines is hosting and Tabuk was the designated location. The governor Tubban has already released the invitations and Igorots overseas have already booked their flights and hotel reservations. Yet, as of today some of our locals are asking for a cancellation of the activity and asking the intervention of the Council of Elders of the Igorot Global Organization (IGO) which is the organization of Igorots in the world. We still need to wait for the final decision. Kalinga has lined up programs and exposures to various places in Kalinga on the last day of the conference.
Should this be canceled than the Galeled Reunion set of February 13 will surely be postponed? But not to fret, the Galeled International Reunion is set in Edmonton, Canada later this July 2020. So that is one event being expected to be attended not only from Northern Americas but people from the different parts of the world. Galeled is the people of Besao, Mountain Province who are scattered all over the world, and yet would want to come together to see how the family has progressed in family numbers and additions as well as the places conquered by the clan. The Ibesao used to only reside in Besao then they moved to Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet, Manila, Baler, Bukidnon and then to the ends of the world.
Plans and invitations have been circulated and the bomber of the coronavirus comes. This is an international concern as well as the international reunions of IIC and Galeled. Then it will be addressed on an international scale for we are the world, we are the children, we are the ones who will make a brighter day so let’s start giving...we are the world.”