Monday, September 26, 2011

ONLA-ALD Directory

ONLA-ALD
(Olupan na Laiko- Arkidiosis na Lingayen-Dagupan)
DIRECTORY

ANTONIO J. SUPREMIDO
President

MARDY V. ESPINOZA
Secretary

SUSAN C. AOANAN
Worship Coordinator

MARCELO L. VISTRO
Education Coordinator

JANICE R. HEBRON
Social Action Coordinator

SILVANA M. DE VERA
Temporalities Coordinator

DENNIS OAING
Youth Coordinator


Vicariate of San Pedro y San Pablo Coordinators
LINA B. BALOLONG
DARYL LOMIBAO

Vicariate of Epifania del Senor Coordinators
EVA JOSEFA V. GUZON
ROSARIO B. MIGUEL

Vicariate of San Jacinto Coordinator
ROMANA L. GUADIZ

Vicariate of Santo Domingo Coordinators
RUFINA C. ACOSTA
JOSEFINA M. FRIAS

Vicariate of San Vicente Ferrer Coordinators
GERENERIO Q. ROSALES
LOLITA B. BORJA
Vicariate of San Pedro y San Pablo  BEC Coordinators
CARMEN Q. ULPINDO
RAYMOND M. PARAGAS
Vicariate of Epifania del Senor  BEC Coordinators
ORLANDO R. BARTOLOME
MARITES V. MEMDOZA

Vicariate of San Jacinto BEC Coordinators
LILIAN F. VENERAYAN
RODOLFO A. MOLANO

Vicariate of Santo Domingo  BEC Coordinators
SATURNINO ROSARIO
HENRY C. BANDONG

Vicariate of San Vicente Ferrer BEC Coordinators
PELAGIA M. QUINTANS
MARIO V. FERRER

Religious Organizations Coordinator
MA. LILIA P. JUAN

Friday, September 23, 2011

Integrated Nutrition Program launched in San Fabian

by Antonio J. Supremido, Jr.

19 September, 2011 -San Fabian. The Hapag-Asa Integrated Nutrition Program was formally launched this 19th day September, 2011 at Longos Amangonan-Parac-Parac as the pilot barangay in the parish. The launching was inaugurated with the celebration of the Holy Mass presided over by Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the Parish Priest.

Integrated Nutrition Program

This Integrated Nutrition Program was initially launched in July 2005 by Pondo ng Pinoy Community Foundation headed by Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Assisi Development Foundation and Feed the Children Philippines. This was already running in most parts in the country and has reached the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan with seven (7) parishes as the pilot areas and one of which is the Parish of Saint Fabian. This program is meant to develop the culture of sharing and loving among various stakeholders, to reduce malnutrition rate among children from 0-6 years old and to improve the capacity of parents to care and provide for basic needs of their children.

Nutrition, education, livelihood

The activity has three (3) program components: the supplemental feeding, the education of parents, and the skills and livelihood training of parents. The supplemental feeding is not meant to substitute the regular meals which the children get from their homes but rather is intended to complement the necessary meals so that they would acquire the required nutrients and vitamins necessary for them to grow strong and healthy. The parents are indispensable in the program. Their role is very crucial in the process. They are not only there to support the program but to see to it that the program is properly implemented and continued even after the feeding is finished. They are required to attend the parents’ education class. They are taught information on how to be effective and affective parents to their children. They are likewise given skills and livelihood training to support the financial needs of their families.

Malnourished Children, Underweight Pregnant, Breastfeeding Mothers

The target recipients are the malnourished children from 0-6 year old, underweight pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The period of child’s development is up to 6 year old. The feeding is meant to address the lack or imbalance of nutrients in the body where they don’t usually get from regular meals. If it not addressed properly the physical, psychological, and emotional function of an individual is impaired. He/she is not capable of capable of maintaining adequate level of performance such as physical work, resistance to and recovers from illness. He/she is expected to have low literacy, lack of skills, and lack of concentration in school. So, what kind of people do we have to expect in the future?

Parents are also part of the feeding not just the children, especially the underweight pregnant and breastfeeding parents. We have to safeguard the health of parents so that we can assure the healthiness of the child they carry or breastfeed. The malnourished parents have the reduced capacity to care for the child much more they cannot give what are needed by their children in the process. This can be prevented by giving them nutritious food during their pregnancy or breastfeeding period. Again, the feeding is not meant to substitute the regular meals but as to compliment it.

There are  175 recipients in the program. There are 66 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and the rest are children from 0-6 year old. At the end of each month, there will be evaluation if there will be an improvement in the physical, emotional and social condition of the children as well as mothers. At the end of six months, 120 days, we expect that our recipients attain the necessary objectives of the program.

Invitation to share

There are quite few parishioners who are willing to take share in the program. They’ve expressed to sponsor a couple of days of feeding by allocating certain amounts for ingredients and materials needed in cooking. But, to implement the program for six months takes a big sum of money to sustain it. We are extending our invitation to our generous and kindhearted fellow parishioners to help and take part in the program. We can never outdo God in His generosity. The amount we can share will surely given back to us by God a hundred times.

We would like also to express gratitude to the barangay council of Longos Amangonan Parac-Parac who has extended their support and assistance in the implementation and monitoring of the program and for deputizing the barangay health workers (BHW) in the identification of our target recipients.

(See also: “”Feeding our Future”)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Position Paper by PICD on the Quarry Operations in San Fabian

The paper presented by PICD during the multipartite meeting at the Mayor’s Office, 20 September 2011.

September 20, 2011

The past and recent calamities that had past our country especially the northern Luzon had lost properties and threatened the lives of people living in San Fabian especially the along Bued river at barangay Binday. These had caused a lot of restlessness and disillusionment among the people affected. They have seen how their houses together with their possessions were shattered apart as the furious waters came to demolish them. They’ve seen how their dreams and aspirations too for their families were lost for even their meager resources were gone with the running waters. This had caused stigma from their hearts. The wound was so deep that only time can tell when this wound would heal.

The Peoples Initiative on Christian Development of San Fabian (PICDSF) who stands for truth, justice and peace wants to overlay its recommendations and suggestion for an integral and comprehensive Bued River System.

  1. There is a need to formulate a more comprehensive development plan for the Bued River System. The comprehensive plan will put in-place all the necessary engineering works to be done, the right materials and equipments to be used, its proper implementation and monitoring by all stakeholders concerned. The technical plan will only be prepared after upon consultation with other technical attached agencies of the government and other stakeholders concerned. This should be guided by a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with implementing guidelines to be followed by all stakeholders for mutual cooperation and assistance.
  1. There is a need to restore and rehabilitate the integrity of the Bued River. The river is the source of life not just for man but also for other living organisms existing in the river. Now, the river is so much affected and damaged due to natural intrusion and by unprecedented abuse of man through illegal fishing and unsystematic and irresponsible quarrying operations done in the area. In view of this, the restoration can only be done and effective when all other man-made interventions and disturbances like illegal fishing and quarrying operations are stopped until the river system has fully recovered from its dying state.
  1. There are seen literal abuses of the quarrying operations in the area. There it seems that the terms and conditions on how quarrying operations should be done under the rules and regulations as stipulated in the mining act of 1994 was desecrated and violated. The scattered mounds of oversized materials at the former and recent quarry areas attest to this. The existence of potholes due to the extraction of materials is very visible. There were seen quarrying operations even at night just to meet the deadline of the contractors. There should be proper interventions to rectify the abuses mentioned above.
  1. Before the renewal of quarrying permits – there should be a clear and definitive mining work program to include quarry plan, quarry development and production, and environmental protection to be followed and implemented by all quarry operators. We should raise the level of awareness of the quarry operators that they should not only be interested with profiteering but also their social responsibility to protect the people and the environment.
  1. The river is God’s free gift to man. A gift that he makes to all human beings. The river belongs to man because God entrusted it to man, and by his work man subdues it and makes it yield fruit (cf. Gen. 1:28). It is God’s will that man should communicate with nature as an intelligent and noble master and guardian, a steward of creation, and not as a reckless exploiter. It is then our responsibility to take care of our river because once it is lost we can never regain it again.

Bro. Antonio J. Supremido, Jr., Secretary, Peoples’ Initiative for Christian Development of San Fabian.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Faith amidst Massive Destruction

by Antonio J. Supremido, Jr.

September 8, 2011- San Fabian, Pangasinan. Due to the recent onslaught of Typhoon “Mina”, five  houses were lost during the devastation of the storm at barangay Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan. Three  houses were abandoned including one  house which was left precipitously  hanging by the river bank. The abandoned houses are expected  to be lost anytime clip_image002when raging waters would rush in again due to the heavy rainfall.

Loss of properties and livelihood

Two  hectares of rice lands were lost due to the rampaging waters of Bued River. They were eroded and carried along by the raging waters that flowed from the river. These lands were already  planted with rice palay ready to be  harvested by the next month. The residents were not only deprived of their shelter and properties  but also their source of livelihood and living.

Irrigation Canals eroded

A portion of irrigation canal which supplies water to the farmlands of five (5) barangays was also lost. The barangays greatly affected are: Baragays  Binday, Anonang, Cabaruan, Aramal, and Angio. Unless the irrigation canals will be rebuilt soon, the palays will die due to the lack of supply of water.

Multi-Sectoral Dialogue

A dialogue held at the Parish Center participated in by various stakeholders, namely, the barangay officials, the farmers, the local municipal agricultural office, and church leaders. They  identified some immediate major concerns: the construction of the irrigation canal that would link it to the undamaged canals bringing water to  the five (5) barangays;  and to relocate the displaced families who lost their lands and homes. Mentioned also was the aggravating circumstance that brought about the massive erosion and destruction of the river banks of the Bued River: unabated, unregulated and unsystematic quarrying operations in the area.

A Repeat of 2009 Calamity

In 2009, at the height of Typhoon Pepeng, 21 houses in Binday South were destroyed and washed away by the rampagiquarry09.3ng waters of Bued River. (please read “Quarrying Activities cause Massive Erosion in San Fabian – ed) The irrigation canals supplying the much needed water to the five barangays were also destroyed at that time. During that year, the harvests of the farmers were greatly affected by the lack of water supply due to the erosion of the irrigation canals.

Faith in God remains

The families have expressed anxieties of hopelessness and misery. They have seen how their houses together with their possessions destroyed as the raging waters rushed to devastate them. They have seen how their dreams and aspirations for their families were lost; their meager resources gone with the rampaging waters.

There is one thing that they have not lost, though. It is  their faith in God. When their properties were dissipating like the wind,  they could not  but turn their eyes above, trusting in God’s Mercy. Their faith has assured them that everything is not lost. God is there who assures them of comfort and protection.

The Holy Family Village Housing Project

The Church came to provide hope during their moments of  helplessness. The Parish of St. Fabian , Pope and Martyr, through Caritas Lingayen-Dagupan, has organized a housing program, the Holy Family Village Housing Project. The project is for the affected families. (please read “Housing Program launched for Typhoon Pepeng Victims” – ed.)

The approach of the church is holistic. Composite to the shelter which the church will offer them is their spiritual formation nourished by their monthly Eucharistic celebrations and weekly prayer meetings and bible sharing. They will be given livelihood programs through skills development for their daily living. Now, they are part of rebuilding their dreams. They are soon to live in their own houses fruit of their labor and sweat of their brow.

Monday, September 5, 2011

KC of San Fabian Parish holds Medical Mission

by  Antonio J. Supremido, Jr.
 
4 September 2011 -SAN FABIAN. The Knights of Columbus (K of C) of the Parish of San Fabian, Pope and Martyr, Council 5739, conducted a Medical Mission and feeding program for the people of Barangay Longos Amangonan, Parac-Parac. These activities are part of the K of C’s commitment as a service organization for the betterment of the community.

The medical mission was conducted in response to meet the demands of many who are suffering from flu and influenza brought about by bad weather brought about by the monsoon rains and typhoons that wrecked the most part of northern Luzon these past days. The beneficiaries were mostly the children and elderly. There were more than 300 patients served. Medicines and vitamins were given to patients.

Feeding the Children
 
Aside from the medical mission, Feeding program was also done in the community. There were about 250 children served. They were first given vitamins and then fed with delicious and nutritious food. The feeding was in preparation for the feeding program which will be conducted by the parish through the Hapag-Asa Feeding Program. 
 
Information Campaign: Cleanliness!
 
The activities were also an opportunity to gather the local community. This was an occasion where the church can give important information to the community. They were advised about  the value of cleanliness,  cleaning their surroundings, washing their hands before eating, as a deterrent to any form of sicknesses. “Prevention is better than cure”. The information campaign was very timely since the incidence of dengue cases is high in the province.

The Medical and Feeding Program was indeed a success. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the members of the K of C of San Fabian through the abled leadership of its Grand Knight, Ernesto C. Vigilia.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Olupan na Laiko - Arkidiosis na Lingayen-Dagupan

by Silvana Jacinta M. de Vera
 
Seeds of ONLA-ALD

ONLA-ALD Team in Baguio City
Early this year of 2011, Most Rev. Socrates B. Villegas, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese Lingayen-Dagupan chose four small seeds in the persons of Mar Vistro, Janice Hebron, Silvana M. de Vera and Susan Aoanan, to be planted in the grounds of the Council of the Laity for the Archdiocese. These four seed-persons were to serve as Vicariate Coordinators (at that time, there were only four Vicariates). Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Father Soc then had a thought, that born in the soil of Pangasinan, the promising council has to have a name in its own language, which will give more meaning to its purpose.

Olupan na Laiko – Arkidiosis na Lingayen-Dagupan

Father Soc's not knowing the language was not a hindrance to the formulation of a local nickname. As if guided by an angel, he gave guide questions to the four seed persons that led to the coining of ONLA-ALD (Olupan Na LAiko – Arkidiosis na Lingayen–Dagupan) which means "GO ALD". These four chosen Vicariate Coordinators were then tasked to begin making plans in meeting the Vision- Mission of the Archdiocese, the I C TH U S, and to start they chose to work on ‘Unity in Diversity’.

This gave birth to the formulation by Father Soc of the  Prayer for Unity which was prayed in all churches of the Archdiocese during the whole Marian month of May. Tilled with the prayers of the whole Archdiocese, watered with Father Soc’s passion for a Council of the Laity and fertilized with support from the clergy, the ground of ONLA-ALD became rich and ready for more seeds.

Assembly of Lay Leaders

An assembly of lay leaders was organized, and with the spirit of Stewardship, a new seed of a leader began to sprout and called the attention of the inspired and inspiring Archbishop which led to the appointment of Tony Supremido as the first President of ONLA-ALD. The four chosen Vicariate Coordinators were then appointed as Archdiocesan Coordinators for the Ministry of Worship, Education, Service and Temporalities. Dennis Oaing was also added to the list to take the position of a Coordinator for the Ministry of Youth.

Team Building

Taking its shape,  ONLA-ALD was then ready for its first formation – a Team Building Program. Father Soc invited the Lubid Team and so ONLA-ALD Core Team was organized. More leaders were added to the group, 10 Vicariate Coordinators and 10 BEC Coordinators from the five Vicariates of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan (this time, there are already 5 Vicariates).



In the afternoon of August 19, 2011, 25 of the chosen leaders arrived at the site with their Spiritual Director, Rev. Fr. Mario Sanchez, ready to undergo the Team Building Program.  The SVD Divine Word Retreat House in Sunnyside, Baguio City was a perfect place for the Lubid Challenge and there they stayed and struggled for two nights and two days until they reached the finish line victoriously and strongly animated on the afternoon of August 21, 2011.



Pictures, courtesy of Fr. Mario Sanchez, ONLA-ALD Spiritual Director