Habemus Pastorem!

The new bishop’s motto is very challenging. In his Episcopal Coat of Arms, these Latin words are inscribed: Animam Meam Pono Pro Ovibus. (I lay down my life for the sheep). This was taken from the Story of the Good Shepherd, John 10:15.

Thank you, Lord, for this gift. We have now a full-time shepherd!

Each bishop has his own coat of arms that bears his episcopal motto — usually a quote from Scripture — and symbols that have some personal significance to the man. These coats of arms are used on documents, letterhead, and other items.

Eight days after his episcopal ordination, Most Rev. Pablito Martinez Tagura, SVD, DD, was formally installed in his ecclesiastical office by Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, today, February 25, 2022, 37th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Finally after almost 8 years of having no apostolic vicar, the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose de Mindoro (AVSJ), Bishop Tagura was installed via a solemn eucharistic celebration held at San Joseph the Worker Cathedral in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The 61-year-old prelate was appointed by Pope Francis to his new office last December 17, 2022.

Bishop Tagura was born on Jan 15, 1962 in Tayum, Bengued. His birthday falls on the death day of Saint Arnold Janssen, founder of SVD. Tagura joined Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City in 1978. He professed his first vows on June 6, 1982, and his final vows on May 31, 1988. He was ordained priest on December 17, 1988. He served as Rector of Christ the King Seminary and Provincial Admonitor of SVD’s Philippine Central Province.

The good bishop is a scholar. In 1997, he studied at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, and was a guest professor at Divine Word College, Epworth, Iowa, USA.

With the seat vacant, Bishop David William V. Antonio was officially installed on February 12, 2016, as the administrator of AVSJ and he took full charge of the local church as mandated by the Roman Pontiff until this very moment that the seat for the Vicar Apostolic is already occupied. Bishop Antonio kept the fire of faith burning, so to speak, for 7 years.

While waiting for the holy mass to start, somebody from a religious organization recognized and approached me and led me to the reserved pew for government officials. I hesitated at first but because of her insistence knowing that I am the municipal administrator of Sablayan, I followed her. I sat at far back where Cong. Odie Tarriela, Gov. Ed Gadiano, and Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD (whom I asked for a selfie when the mass ended for I read his Manila Bulletin column) are seated. Sablayan First Councilor Clarinda Alvarez-Lorenzo was beside me. Included in the row are Vice-Mayor George Oriero of Calintaan and SB Tom Janolo, also of said town, with SP Alex Del Valle who is near the aisle. 

Mayor Lyn Tria and former San Jose Vice Mayor Roderick Q. Agas are seated behind me. Rod tapped my shoulder and said, “Seems you truly missed church events like this. You are so silent.” I smiled at him, nodded, and said, “I am.” Agas and I were former lay workers of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose under the late bishops Vicente C. Manuel, SVD, DD, and Antonio P. Palang, SVD, DD. I worked as the program coordinator of the Diocesan Human Development Commission, also known as the Human Development Office (HDO), the social action arm of the Vicariate from 1990 to 2010. VM Agas who served as a board member of the 2^nd District of the province and was later elected as vice-mayor of San Jose until 2022, once worked with the Vicariate-owned radio station DZVT, part of her social communication apostolate. Bokal Alex, a broadcast journalist by profession, was also with VM Rod at DZVT in the 90s.

Truth is, I am silently reflecting on the Gospel today while the new bishop is rendering his homily. Three times Jesus told Peter: “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep”, thus Peter became a new person with a new mission. Not unlike me when I transfered to government service from being a pastoral worker of the vicariate. In my moment of reflection, I presume the Good Shepherd would like to say this: “You Peter will now be in charge of my sheep but I want to emphasize that they are MY sheep. I am not giving you a sheep of your own. They are mine.” Peter, like me, is not the main shepherd but just the administrator. Even those who lead a government office have no people neither office of their own.

Jesus is the shepherd who laid his life for the sheep, that they might keep theirs. Bishop Pablito M. Tagura knows for sure how challenging and demanding this job is, especially with the very turbulent road we have gone through.

But Jesus has heralded him on this road.

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(Photo from San Jose MIO)

Cultural Appropriation and the Indigenous People’s Education (IPEd) in Occidental Mindoro

 

The Indigenous People's Education (IPEd) Program is DepEd's response to the right of IPs to basic education that is responsive to their context, respects their identities, and promote the IPs' indigenous knowledge, skills, and other aspects of their cultural heritage.

As a human rights advocate, I believe that efforts should be made to ensure that the Mangyans have access to rights-based education that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and that does not aim at or result in undesirable assimilation. 

The IPEd here in our Division, like in any other DepEd divisions in the country, is not yet fully established. In the previous assessment of the department itself, it was found that the problem lies in a lack of learning resources and a lack of knowledge of the IPs’ systems and practices.

I believe that all interventions, be it in education or other aspects or social dimensions must be culturally appropriate. The cultural appropriation must be eliminated in the general educational system.

The present educational system and I am very sorry to tell you this, is rampant with cultural appropriation, and exploitation of the Mangyan culture than promoting it. During cultural presentations, we exploit and misuse the Mangyans’ cultural tradition, fashion, symbols, language, songs and music, and traditional dance steps by “modernizing” them. By doing such, we are distorting or losing their cultural heritage because we are removing those aspects from their originating cultural contexts, and such displays are disrespectful or even a form of desecration of their ethnicity and humanity. Such lowland "intrusions" are an affront and more damaging to their already waning culture. 

But despite these flaws and bottlenecks, teachers and administrators are trying their capacities to implement it and abide by the noble act towards IP culture and education, therefore the Community Engagement cum Orientation on the Formation of Consultative Advisory Body or CAB meeting this 22^nd of February, Ash Wednesday, here in Mamburao.  

In my opinion, this is our immediate task as CAB-IPEd: Set up indigenous education resource centers, essentially task-organizing in nature, to handle research and promotion of courses, teaching materials, and teaching methods for indigenous education and to assist the schools, to develop ethnic education curriculum plans and evaluation methods suitable for the local indigenous peoples, and deal with other indigenous education matters.

Secondly, to implement the teaching of indigenous peoples’ languages, cultures, and art, educational institutions of all types at all levels may select and appoint tribal leaders and elders or prominent members of IC/ICCs with relevant expertise to provide related teaching support. They must be accredited by the NCIP and/or the ICCAO/ IP Affairs Office of the Province. The role of the NCIP is as highly important as the IP leadership as well.

The CAB-IPEd shall regularly organize ethnic education-related training programs and workshops to enhance the professional skills of indigenous education teachers. 

Our indigenous education teachers shall study courses on indigenous peoples’ cultures and/or multi-cultural education courses to improve their professional teaching skills in close coordination with the NCIP and other related government agencies.

LGUs at all levels shall provide opportunities to learn about the indigenous cultures of the Mangyan and multi-culturalism to enhance the basic knowledge of multicultural and indigenous education-related efforts of the teachers and other staff in schools at all school levels to enhance their professional development.

This is our first line of defense or self-reminder against cultural appropriation. Educators also need to be educated. In this particular aspect, by the tribespeople themselves.

The road ahead to IP education is long and rough but this historic gathering is a giant leap in hitting this challenging road. Cultural immersion is imperative in this quest.

On behalf of Mayor Bong Marquez, I would like to thank Ms. Marilyn S. Pille, PSDS-Sablayan, Atty. Ulysses G. Bambo of the Legal Division, Mary Queen T. Bernardo of the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) and Ms. Haydee P. Abeleda, focal person of IPEd, all of DepEd-Occidental Mindoro, and the rest of the organizers and participants, especially to the Mangyan attendees, for such a historic and timely endeavor.

Fadi, fadi. Saayo fagayu.

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Photo: Dr. Marilyn S. Pille

Si Narsing at Si Francing: Mga Tauhan sa Dalawang Aklat ng mga Kuwentong Bayan

Ang aking kakilalang si Rowena Festin at kaibigang si Allan Paul Catena na kapwa propesor sa kolehiyo ay sumulat ng mga aklat na sana ay sundan ng mga kabataan ng San San Jose (Pandurucan) at iba pang bayan sa Occidental Mindoro na nagnanais magsulat sa hinaharap.

Bagama’t ang kanilang mga akda ay hindi sa anyo ng kasaysayang pampook, ang mga ito ay pumpon ng mga kuwentong-bayan na inihain sa pamamagitan ng literatura. Ang sinumang lumaki, isinilang at nagkamalay sa dulong bayan na ito sa timog ng Kanlurang Mindoro at pinakamaunlad na bayan sa lalawigan noong 1960s at 70s hanggang 80s ay tiyak na makakakonek sa Si Mang Francing at ang mga Lagalag na Kaluluwa sa Siete Central ni Catena at Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento ni Festin.

Ang Si Mang Francing … ay inilathala ng Hinabing Salita Publishing House sa Tarlac noong 2020 samantalang ang Ang Buang …  naman ay noong 2022 ng University of Philippines Press sa Diliman. Ang dalawang aklat ay smorgasbord na likha ng dalawang awtor na may kasing likot ng tandô-tándò  na imahinasyon at diwang mapanghalukay tulad ng kurukutok.

Hindi taga-San Jose si Catena pero dito siya nakapag-asawa. Kababaryo ko sa Bubog ang kanyang biyenan na dating basketball coach sa amin noong bata pa ako. 1990s yata nang siya ay napadpad dito galing ng maraming lugar, sa Los Baños at kung saan-saan pa. Siya ngayon ang Director for External Affairs and Global Linkages sa Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC). Isa ako sa napili ni Doc Allan na sumulat ng blurb ng Si Mang Francing … na ating mababasa ang ganito:

“Pinaglaruan ng pluma ni Allan Paul Catena ang ilang bahagi ng kasaysayan ng Occidental Mindoro sa gintong multiberso ng kababalaghan o paniwalaan-dili. Totoong tao sina Hiroo Onoda, Maria (Puting Kilay), Mang Francing at iba pang tauhan sa kuwento na nabuhay sa magkakaibang-panahon na malikhain niyang isinilid ang mga ito sa isang kapsula ng hiwaga na sinapnan din ng konting komedya.”

Samantala, si Festin naman ay taal na taga-San Jose (Pandurucan). Kabilang siya sa huling batch ng mga high school sa St. Joseph School bago ito nagsara noong 1982. Isinilang at lumaki siya sa San Roque 2. Kilalang alagad ng panitikan sa bansa, ang kanyang mga tula at maikling kuwento ay nagkamit ng Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards at Gawad Galian. Maraming mga akda niya ang tampok sa mga Pambansa at pandaigdigang dyornal at antolohiya. Ang kanyang aklat ng mga tula na Banayad ay nagwagi ng National Book Award. Propesor siya ngayon sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Pampanga.

Ang bayan at ng tao ay iisa at kapwa sila dapat na itampok dahil kung lalabnaw ang isa, lalabnaw sila pareho kaya mahalagang balansyadong mapanatili ang mga kaalamang-bayan na mayroon tayo simula noon hanggang ngayon. Ito marahil ay pakay at layon ng dalawang manunulat sa unang tipa pa lamang nila sa keyboard nang umpisahan nilang sulatin ang mga ito.

Hindi na napag-uukulan ng panahon ang pagsasariwa at pananatili ng mga kuwentong bayan sa panahon ng Tiktok at vlogging na iniluwal ng bagong teknolohiya, ang labis na pagkahumaling natin sa halalan kaysa sa panitikan. Kasama na ang pagiging murit natin sa mga tagisan ng itsura at pigura, kaysa sa tagisan ng diskurso at talino.

Naging bigo ang mga dapat sana’y mga tanod ng kasaysayang lokal sa aspetong ito. Hindi sila gumawa ng paraan upang yumabong ang literaturang batay sa lokal na kasaysayan sa atin. Kasabay na yatang tumanda ni Kuya Rudy (Candelario) ang layuning iyon at parang sumama na rin kay Ka Bise (Acebes) sa hukay.

Mabuti na lang ay may mga akdang ganito na kahit papaano ay magpapatuloy, magbibigay ng pagkilala sa mundo sa ating bayang sinilangan. Mga akdang nagbibigay halaga sa mga kuwentong-bayan sa layong magbigay ito ng katuturan at papel sa mayamang kultura at kasaysayan ng Pandurucan, maging ng Sablayan o alinmang bayan sa lalawigan.

Ang “Si Mang Francing …” at  “Ang Buang …” ay mistulang kasing-bisa ng kinayod na niyog na inorasyonan ng batikang albularyong taga-Bubog at amba tulad ng bato sa marusing na kamay ni Narsing Buang na taga-San Roque 2, sa nanganganib na paglaho at paglimot natin sa kahalagahan at iral ng mga kuwentong-bayan kagaya ng mga nasa aklat nina Catena at Festin.