The legacy of
Gloria and Toñing

That was a beautiful ceremony last night when the daughters of the late Antonio and Gloria Esteban turned over for the use of the Centro Giovanni Paulo II Research Center, their ancestral home in Bacolod City. The parents of Amelia Rodriguez, Glorieta Javelosa, Xenia Esteban and Merle Villacorta must be smiling over the place as their old home, a landmark in Bacolod City, will now be used to pursue one of the dreams of the late beloved Pope John Paul II – the strengthening of the family.

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But that is nothing to wonder at, because these girls, better known to friends and relatives here as Miling, Baby, Tata and Nini, had been brought up seeing the religiousity of their parents and their willingness to always help the Church in all its projects. In fact, their mother, Gloria, was one of the first in the city and province to be awarded by the Holy Father, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice honors for her work and leadership in religious organizations.

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Hers was quite an outstanding feat, considering that she was also a politician, having been the first woman to be very active in local politics. Elected the first woman vice mayor of Bacolod, she later also became the first lady vice governor of the Province of Negros Occidental. As such, her name had never been besmirched by any tint of graft and corruption, as she continued to maintain her religious practices and assistance to the church. Now, even in death, this mission of the couple continues, with her children pursuing it.

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It is also good to know that the Center, appropriately named after the late Pope, will be headed by Msgr. Vic Rivas, who has himself undergone studies and acquired appropriate degrees in this project aimed at the family. No other would be more suited to it than Mons Vic, who is also director of the Pope John Paul II National Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Bacolod City.

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The ceremony last night was attended by Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra and several parish priests of the Diocese. Significantly, the inauguration was timed with the coming 31st anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Bacolod City, a city so blessed, because it was one of the only four he visited during that historic first visit to the country. It also took place just three days before the birthday of Gloria which falls on February 18, a date we always looked forward to because it meant another gathering at the famous Esteban mansion, now the seat of the new Center.

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At the gathering last night, we were happy to meet so many old friends and the delegates who attended the national conference on nuptial theology called the “Blessed John Paul’s Nuptial Theology: Call to Family Ministry, Agenda for Humanity” being held at the Planta Centro Hotel in Bacolod City. I was very happy to see an old friend from La Consolation College days, Elsa Monotilla Jalandoni, who is now very active in parish work in La Carlota, as well as Leah Sanchez, wife of my late former officemate, Romeo Sanchez, who is also active in church work at Eroreco.

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It was also very nice to meet, through them, a very impressive couple, Retired General Enrique Bulan and his wie, Celia, who are also known for their ministry in church and family concerns. That sounds unusual for a military man, a general at that, but that is what makes them unique. They are involved in the projects of the St. Ignatius Cathedral in Camp Aguinaldo.

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Meanwhile, a recent development that should shake the complacency of Chief Justice Renato Corona a bit is the announcement from the office of the Ombudsman about the suspension and dismissal of some officials for not reporting truthfully their personal information on their sworn Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. The officials, both from the Bureau of Customs, did not include the businesses of their wives and some real estate properties in their SALNs. I understand the Justices are not under the Ombudsman, but in cases involving the SALN, shouldn’t sauce for the gander be sauce for the goose, as well? Or are high court officials a different breed than the others?*

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