Bagacay Point Lighthouse is locally known as "Parola sa Liloan", this lighthouse was also one of the reason why Liloan was called "The Light of the North" that provides guiding light to mariners, navigators and fishermen from coastal towns in northern Cebu. Overlooking the Mactan Channel, the lighthouse is situated on an elevated area in Barangay Catarman, Liloan and was built during the American period under the executive order issued by the first American governor-general of the Philippines, William Howard Taft on July 28, 1903 who allocated an area on where it was built on 1904 the 72 feet lighthouse was errected on April 1, 1905. The lighthouse is one of the most important heritage site and symbolic structure in the coastal town until today.
0 Comments
Sunday morning, July 9, 2017 I was scheduled to visit Balintawak Sugbu's Headquarters at Carlo Campaña's house in Jugan, Consolacion, Cebu to buy sticks. Carlo Campaña is known for making customized eskrima sticks which are carve and burned with a touch of his own style in designing it, he also tells me that customized sticks that he will be making in the future will have leather grips, well that is one thing that collector of his masterpieces on a stick will soon be waiting to have. Balintawak Sugbu is one of the closest groups I knew may be because practitioners of their system is like a brother to me whom I can talk to whatever we want to talk. Just a bit of Balintawak Sugbu's background, Carlo "Kaloy" Campaña learn eskrima through his neighborhood friend John Villasin who is a son of the late Atty. Jose Villasin, one of the original founding members of Balintawak Eskrima. Kaloy served as the chief instructor of the Villasin club for a number of years until he decided to put up his own club called Balintawak Sugbu. They are having their training every Sunday 2pm. I took a picture of him holding his masterpiece with a dragon design. Combate Eskrima Maranga is headed by Rodrigo Maranga, he is the son of the late Major Timoteo Maranga who is one of the original members of Balintawak who later founded a system called "Tres Personas Eskrima De Combate Super Kwentada System" and was later shortened as C.E.M or Combate Eskrima Maranga. His son Rico maranga was a good friend who also resides in Lapu-Lapu City, he invited me to come to their training, I took my camera with me since it is a moment to see them train. What I had in mind is to see them train with their cuentada system since they have a broad background in the Balintawak system but later I found out that they are also practicing their own system in fighting long range. I always had a great talk with Rico Maranga whenever we will meet may it be martial arts or spiritual and I guess having my camera with me became a lifestyle to preserve moments that are meant to be treasured, they were training along with their foreign students, the training end with a group picture that I took. June 10, 2016, I had a chance to sneak at a friend (Antonio Tejero) who is practicing with his master in eskrima "GM Pacifico Taneo" also known as Noy Paming locally in our barangay, a student of the late Grandmaster Gerardo Alcuizar (10th dan Doce Pares) founder of DUREX club wayback 1970's. I usually met him roving with his bike at Collinwood, Basak, Lapu-Lapu City while we were practicing Eskrima with my group in Eskrima De Campo JDC-IO, we would have a little chat as we meet during our practice. Noy Paming is the founder and chief instructor of Pac's Grappling Confederation, he teaches his own type of Eskrima, Combat Judo and a comprehensive knife defense, disarming and immobilization system. One of his motto in his system is "Out of many, one", his system of Filipino Martial Art includes combat judo wherein he documented his style in a written syllabus, a systematic curriculum that can be broken down in course outline and lesson plans adaptable to a crash course, a seminar, or a long-term training towards a belt grade certification. Originally Combat Judo was a term that was used for hand to hand combat by many Allied Forces during WWII. After WWII Combat Judo -term was passed to Filipino martial arts with American soldiers doing their service in the Philippines. Combat Judo -term refers to empty hand grappling.
This historical structure is found in Barangay Lilo-an, Santander, Cebu. Watchtowers locally known as "Bantayan sa Hari" was built to protect the locals from moro pirates. It was Fr. Julian Bermejo who strategized to built thesae structures as the first line of defense against moro raidsThis Historical heritage proudly stands until now as evidence in two watchtowers located in barangays Poblacion and Lilo-an. The state of belligerence ended with the defeat of Moro Chieftain named "Goranding". I was at Parkleen carwash somewhere at Uptown, Cebu City, when I met Pastor Donnie Lama, I was with Stephen Tabasa, part owner of Parkleen Carwash when we had a talk with Pastor Donnie Lama who was having his car washed at Parkleen, we had a few talk but came to a point when he said he is a Christian, that was when he shared a bit of his story on March 2, 2016. On March 3, 2015 Pastor Donnie Lama messaged stephen Tabasa that he would visit Parkleen Carwash at 4:00pm, and when he came operation in the carwash stopped and we listen to his testimony. This was his story: Pastor Donnie was jailed in the Al Malaz Prison of Saudi Arabia for eighteen months on the charges of being a preacher. He was jailed by mistake, a case of mistaken identity, Saudi authorities were looking for a murderer but since it was a mistaken identity he was freed of those mistaken charges, Saudi authorities confiscated a photograph during a raid which showed him serving Communion to Christian believers, fearing that the authorities would come back he decided to remove items that could be used as evidence against him he took his Bible, cassette tapes, videos, and Christian pamphlets and placed them in safe keeping in the house of a close friend. He kept the photo albums that had pictures of his wife and children. Then the raid happened 5 Saudi authorities in civillian clothing entered his apartment handcuffed him, he was kicked, slap, spat on his face and strangled, and he nearly passed out, he was manhandled and was brought to the Sulaimaniah Police Station where he was interrogated, though no evidence was found against him , he was charged with having a fake passport, when he told the officer that he was sponsored by Saudi Airlines he was charged again of another crime which is murder but he denied having involvement of any murder since he didn't do such a thing he received slaps and then they accused him of being a priest and denied this charge again. Then he was charged with preaching Jesus as God. He did not deny that he preached the Gospel, but he denied that he was a priest (When I later had time to reflect on this experience, I realized that the religious police were correct when they accused me of being a priest. In I Peter 2:9 we're told that "We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." Indeed, I am a priest by the Biblical definition.-Pastor Donnie Lama). With no concrete evidence against him he was released but the problem was not over, he was arrested again on the accusation of being a priest and detained him, he was sent to an isolation cell, beaten up tortured and accused him of crimes he did not commit, he felt disappointed, bitter and disappointed, no friends could visit himbut despite of all he suffered, he would recall psalms 91"Whosoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty can say to Him, 'You are my Defender and Protector. You are my God; in You I trust.' He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. He will cover you with His wings; you will be safe in His care; His faithfulness will protect and defend you. You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day or the plagues that strike in the dark or the evils that kill in daylight." The temptation in jail is great, he was tempted and was offered immediate freedom if he renounced his faith and embraced Islam and he will also be paid, enticing as being released from jail but he did not do it since this would mean turning against his Christian faith. He spent 18 months of his sentence with 70 lashes, he would also remember Stephen a persecuted Christian who was stoned and yet he did not pray that the Lord would save him. Instead he prayed, "Lord, do not hold their sins against them." He had compassion on the people who stoned him to death until his last breath. So Stephen followed in the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, Donnie remembered Stephen when he was being whipped, the whip was 1 ½ meters long with a heavy lead attached to the tip. Pastor Donnie told us the story of his family that he left in the Philippines, his 6 years old son asked his mom when will his dad come back, Donnie's wife told her son to pray to God as she closed the door the child went and prayed to God to see his dad again not knowing that Donnie was already released in prison, at that point of his story Pastor Donnie was weeping and so are we who were listening to his testimony were deeply touched, he was about to comeback, but he is suffering Hypertension and was having difficulty in breathing, he begged the doctor to permit him to go and the doctor asked if there was a nurse on board the airplane and there were and assigned the nurse to look after him because of this he was transferred to the business class and so was the nurse, he had no money with him In the middle of the flight a passenger from economy class approached him and handed him an envelope. It contained money that were collected by passengers during the flight. He was speechless as tears welled up in his eyes and flowed. He thanked God that in spite of the terrible tests he had endured as God showed His love and compassion through His children even in the flight. The flight attendant insisted on taking him to his residence. His family was there awaiting for his arrival. When his wife saw him approaching the house she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him and both cry. It was the day before Easter, but to Pastor Donnie, it was already Easter when Jesus was resurrected and He rendered powerless the gates of hell. It was a tearful reunion, and yet this shows victory over death. Pastor Donnie showed the move of faith to God to touch others that there is Hope and that God's love is forever with us. The picture above was taken at Parkleen Carwash with me and Pastor Donnie Lama with a Reader's Digest Magazine with his story entitled "The Courage of Donnie Lama". November 2, 2015 was the day I smell the fragrance that filled our house and since that day my life changed. I am saved, I became free form sins, grace change what I could not change. I didn't know the meaning of the fragrance then but my hunger and thirst for God became stronger. it was on January 23, 2016 that I encountered this verse from the bible John 12:3 "And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment" when Mary broke the flask and anointed Jesus, the house was pervaded with the sweetest fragrance of an expensive perfume. Human reasoning said it was really too much: it was giving the Lord more than his due. That is why Judas took the lead, and the other disciples supported him, in voicing a general complaint that Mary's action was a wasteful one. All of the twelve thought it was a waste. To Judas of course, who had never called Jesus "Lord," everything that was poured out upon him was waste. Not only was ointment a waste, even water would have been waste. Here Judas stands for the world. In the world's estimation the service of the Lord, and our giving ourselves to him for such service, is sheer waste. He has never been loved, never had a place in the hearts of the world, so any giving to him is a waste. February 4, 2015 this verse enlightened me on the meaning of the fragrance that filled our house on November 2, 2015. Ephesians 5:12 - "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Jesus sacrificed his most precious life to save us from sins and that action became a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, just like Mary who sacrificed her most precious ointment by breaking the flask of ointment to anoint Jesus because she knew it is worthy to sacrifice it for what Jesus did for her family especially to Lazarus who died and lived because of Jesus. For many years I may have lived far from God, it is just now that I realized that breaking myself apart and leaving the life I knew behind was really worth it and I surrender my life to God, I know many will say that my life is such a waste because I could make good in the world, because I have some natural talent or other asset in the world's eyes, I don't mind if they count it a shame for me to be serving the Lord. "What waste of a useful life!" they say just like Judas, he felt it was a waste. "We could manage better with the money by using it in some other way. There were plenty of poor people. Why not rather give it for charity, do some social service for their uplift, help the poor in some practical way? Why pour it out at the feet of Jesus? That is always the way the world reasons. "Can you not find a better employment for your life? Can you not do something better with yourself than this? It is going a bit too far to give yourself altogether to the Lord!" But if the Lord is worthy, then how can it be a waste? He is worthy to be so served. He is worthy for me to be his prisoner. He is worthy for me just to live for him. He is WORTHY! What the world says about this does not matter. The Lord says: "Do not trouble her." So let us not be troubled. Men may say what they like, but we can stand on this ground, that the Lord said, "It is a good work. Every true work is not done on the poor; every true work is done to me." When once our eyes have been opened to the real worth of our Lord Jesus, NOTHING is too good for him. "Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of" (Mark 14.9). I was invited by a friend "Elmer Tancinco" in Consolacion, Cebu, they are having a Christmas Party Celebration in their group who is practicing a style of Eskrima called "Balintawak" a Filipino martial art developed by Venancio "Anciong" Bacon in the 1950's to enhance and preserve the combative nature of arnis which he felt was being watered down by other styles of Philippine martial arts. It is named after a small street in Cebu where it was founded. Elmer Tancinco introduced me to his teacher his name is Carlo Veloso Campaña he is also known as "Kaloy" an artist who formerly work in a furniture factory, he is designing eskrima sticks, according to him when he was having a hard time financially making sticks have helped him when he was in need as he said "Nakatabang jud ni nako pamaligya ug stick nga ako gibuhat sa panahon sa kalisud." I am very impressed to see his art on a stick by burning, those two sticks in the picture were his eagle and dragon design on a stick, we had a great and good talk the night that we've met, these people are worth to be remembered for their dedication in Filipino Martial Arts and it was a pleasure for me to meet them. He started to learn eskrima when he was 13 years old through a friend and a classmate of him named John Villacin a son of a well known Balintawak practitioner who directly learned eskrima through the founder of Balintawak "Anciong Bacon". Carlo also teaches balintawak to few of his students who are willing to learn balintawak in Consolacion, Cebu his stick designs were already known to eskrima circles, I heard his name through my Senior Trainer in Eskrima De Campo JDC-IO Erwin Ian Almagro for he also bought a stick from Carlo. I'll be back soon to have my own stick. A big Salute to the guy "KUDOS!" From the time we were born we are hearing songs from our parents who sing lullaby songs or hum to a tune for us to get asleep, and as we grow up the songs we are hearing were the tunes of the present age that we are in and being a music lover would make you travel from the present music to the past music, but being a musician and a song writer of the present age was being a music lover as well as creating the music that would make such a vision of what the future of the music is. In the present age were bands who write their own songs were discourage by the mainstream media maybe because it is costly compared to those singers with good looks, who only knows how to sing cover songs but, guess that's the reason I stopped watching T.V. but in spite of what is happening on the mainstream media, independent artists still emerge, they are the brave musicians who wrote their own songs, perform publicly with their instruments and still doing it because they love what they do. Even in the local bar scene the public will still favor those who play cover, and only a few bars caters the independent bands. When I was young I dreamed of becoming just like my favorite artist who sing songs on stage, have their own album and travel from place to place to perform, when I was in high school I want to be in a band and luckily the close friends that I have became my band mates, in college my high school band separated from each other to pursue another career in life, and after college some were married, some were professionals, and I choose to live and pursue what makes me happy, I guess musician nowadays live just like that although some were lucky to make a living out of music and some were under paid and some were even abused to not being paid for the gig but in the end it is still "What makes us happy" that keeps musicians doing what they want to do, thank dopamine for those shudders of delight it is a mood enhancing chemical in the brain that has a key role in setting good moods. I've been writing songs for years now and has been encouraging upcoming musicians to always go for it, who knows where music would take you, when I was young I dreamed for it and then it happened and my band would play where our music would lead us, I dreamed of having an album someday and then it came and we did a self produced album on 2007, life in music is a life well spent and experiencing it is experiencing a piece of immortality, I'm still hoping that great artists will continuously emerge and people would keep on supporting them, as of what I say earlier "being a musician and a song writer of the present age was being a music lover as well as creating the music that would make such a vision of what the future of the music is." I was scanning a book with old photo's of Cebu and it just so happened to pass by a page where there is an old photos of guitar vendors in Opon which is known as Lapu-Lapu City, according to some locals in Lapu-Lapu City "OPON" or "OPONG" is Lapu-Lapu's nickname. Opon is known for guitar making and if you happen to pass by in a place here in Lapu-Lapu City called Pajac upon entering the barangay you will be greeted by a big guitar as a sign of welcome. The guitar-making industry in Lapu-Lapu City started when the Spanish friars assigned in Cebu needed to repair the guitars they were using. Instead of waiting for the guitars to arrive from Mexico, they commissioned the townspeople of Opon to make new guitars and repair the existing guitars they had, thus began the guitar industry in Cebu. Vendors of Guitars and coconut ukulele, 1937 Guitar Vendor, 1918-1930, note the long banjo for sale among all the guitars. |
Jay DilanWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2019
Categories
All
|