‘Sang Una’ launched

“Sang Una (Once upon a Time),” a book by first-time author Monina Suarez Magallanes, was launched at Balay Negrense in Silay City recently.

It is the story of her family over several generation. Supported by archival and documentary records, oral interviews, and extensive research, the book becomes more than clan history and captures the history and social conventions of the locales in which they lived: Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Davao, Msgr. Guillermo Gaston said.

It is also told through the life story of the author’s 101-year-old mother, Maria Teodorica Suarez Magallanes, who has lived through all 14 past presidents of the Philippine Republic, except for Emilio Aguinaldo.

Her story of love, family, sacrifice, and quiet conviction everyone can relate to, has real characters who may touch and leave something of themselves in the reader.

The book will be of great interest to the Suarez-Magallanes family and the wider clan of Gaston and Lacson relatives, especially in Negros Occidental and Iloilo, Gaston said.

Magallanes is a former international civil servant with the United Nations Development Program.

Born and educated in the Philippines, she left in 1971 aged 24 for the United States and spent the next 25 years working for UNDP in New York City followed by assignments in several countries in Africa and Asia working in the field of management of development assistance programs and projects.

While living and working in New York City where she spent 15 years, she studied part-time and earned her master’s degree in Sociology from New York University.

Now retired and living with her husband, Bill Buchanan, in Western Australia, Monina has varied interests.

She is currently the State Coordinator for Western Australia of the Australia Association of Former International Civil Servants. She is also her suburb’s street representative for Neighborhood Watch.*

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Storytelling tilt conducted

The Provincial Library Services Division of the Office of the Governor in Negros Occidental held a storytelling contest in line with the 2011 National Book Week Celebration with the theme, “Aklatan para sa Kaunlaran (Libraries for progress)” at the Provincial Library recently, a Capitol press release said.

Board Member and chairman of the Committee on Education, Culture and Arts Miller Serondo (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) emphasized the importance of education in alleviating the poor condition of the Filipino family and the opportunity of taking a glimpse of their rich heritage, through the oral tradition, storytelling.

Provincial librarian and APISNO adviser, Joyce Deloso, said the activity is aimed to provide opportunity for students to learn and tell stories from around the world, the press release said.

Eight high school students from public schools participated in the competition and each was given seven minutes to tell a story of their choice.

The participants were judged by Negros Occidental Historical Council Inc. executive director, Roque Hofileña, Jean Lee Patindol and PIO Assistant Information Officer Alaine Borja, according to their choice of story, memory, projection, diction, personality and poise.

Wendy Hershey Escosora of Negros Occidental High School bested 7 others with “Pyramus and Thisbe” as her winning piece, Jhonnielyn Joy Fidel of Bacolod City National High School was second, while Sheena Mae Cantallopez of La Castellana National High School ranked third, the press release said.

An art exhibit by artist Stella Gomez was launched during the National Book Week Celebration at the Provincial Library, the press release added.*

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Livelihood
trainings conducted

More livelihood trainings were jointly held by the St. John’s Institute Alumni Association and beneficiaries of the Handumanan Sang Hua Ming GK Village recently, and a “Screen Printing Seminar for Textile 2” was conducted by Jose Tan Jr. of SJI Batch ’89, a press release from SJI said.

Simultaneously held was the training on ginger vacuum production and pro-biotic basal fertilizer formulation sponsored by SJI Batch 2004 and Sammy Briones, CFC coordinator, with the Center for Agricultural Productivity, Environment Care and Countryside Industrialization Inc., represented by Babie Embalzado.

The SJI Alumni Association said in the press release that prospective markets had been identified for both the textile printing service and the ginger banks before the training.

Every livelihood project brought to the village is geared to ensure identified markets, economic and social benefits to the community through a profit-sharing scheme and skills enhancement, the press release said.   

The village continues to operate a sewing center that serves contracts for Vikmik Enterprises, Kiculo, BACNOBA and Azatri Inc., the press release added.*

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LINK officers elected

The Bacolod Federation of Lusog Isip Ng Kabata-an Clubs recently elected the officers of its Advisory Board at a special meeting held at the Conference Room of the Philippine Mental Health Association Administration Building in Bacolod City, a press release from the PMHA said. 

Elected were Marilou Saban – president, Gwen de la Cruz – vice president, Katherine Madrilejo – secretary, Lea Alameda – treasurer, Alma Arcenas – auditor, Maria Teresa Felisa Faeldonea – business manager, and Jocelyn Pama – public information officer/immediate past president.

The meeting was attended by student-officers and advisers from Bacolod Christian College of Negros, Bacolod City National High School, Bata National High School, Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, Luisa Medel National High School, La Consolacion College-Bacolod, and Negros Occidental High School. 

The officers of the Advisory Board are faculty members and guidance counselors of the secondary schools with LINK Clubs. Organized by the PMHA for public and private secondary school students in Bacolod City, the federation of LINK Clubs aims to increase the involvement of young people in the promotion of sound mental health in the community, the press release said.*

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