Submitted on 2009/10/12 at 3:42am
NOTE: This message was delivered during the Opening Program of the 6th Pista sa Kabubudlan, held on October 9-10, 2009, at the Bulan Ecopark, Barangay Calomagon.
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“Dios marhay na hapun tabi sa iyo entero.
Dako-dako na onra nan kaugmahan na i-welcome ko na naman kamo entero sa ika-unom na pagselebrar ta san Fiesta sa Kabubudlan o Feast of the Mountains. Ini na Fiesta sa Kabubudlan sayo na na institutionalized event didi sa ato bungto.
Sa sulod sin nakaagi na lima kataon, luway-luway na inbag-o ta ini na lugar, nan luway-luway na inpatalubo ta an mga puno sin kahoy na ato intaranum. Niyan imud ta na an bunga san ato kapagalan. Ini na Ecopark sayo na espeho o panalmingan san mga gusto ta ikontribuer o idanun para sa kaayadan san kapalibutan ta.
Pero, gusto ko tabi kamo padumdumun na ini na inhihimo ta dire ini dapat nagtatapos sa pagtanum ta lang sin puno didi sa Ecopark. Para sa ako, an katuyuhan sini na Fiesta sa Kabubudlan an magtukdo, an mag-edukar, an maghikayat sin sayo na adbokasiya o awareness para pagmakulugan ta an kapalibutan ta.
San nakaagi na semana, entero kita nakabalita san nangyari sa Metro Manila. Makamumundo an epekto sadto na pag-uran nan pagbaha. Nan hasta niyan, dire pa nag-uudong an pag-uran sa Northern Luzon. Dara tabi ini sin Climate Change na epekto san Global Warming.
An sabi san mga scientists tabi, na puwera san tama na pagtapuk basura, an pinakasolusyun talaga sa Global Warming an ibalik ta an mga puno sa kinab-an. Na kaipuhan magtanum, magtanum, magtanum kirita puno.
An activity ta didi sa Ecopark dapat idara ta sa iba na lugar, o mismo sa mga natad o lugar nato. Kaya ngane. Otrohon ko tabi na an Fiesta sa Kabubudlan is more of an advocacy, an educational venture, creating an awareness among us of the need to preserve Mother Earth. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to the next generation after us. We are stewards of God’s creation, of Mother Earth. Magiging kumpleto lamang tabi an kaogmahan ko bilang mao an nagbatug sini na Ecopark nan Fiesta sa Kabubudlan kun maimud ko na insasabuhay na san kada taga- Bulan an tunay na pagmakulog sa kapalibutan.
Sa sulod sin lima na kataun na pagselebrar, naimud ko tabi an pambihira na pag responde san mga taga-Bulan sa panawagan ko na mag-atender kamo sini na Fiesta Sa Kabubudlan. Nan naimud ko tabi an pambihira na entusiasmo san manlaen-laen na sector san bungto ta, lalo na an mga kabatan-an. Dahil sini, dire masukol an pagpasalamat ko sa kada sayo sa iyo. Nan gusto ko tabi maintindihan san kada sayo na ini na aktibidad, binatugan ko lang, pero wara iba na mapadagus kundi karamu, kirita entero, dahilan sa nakasalalay sa kada sayo sa ato, sa ato entero na tawo, an puturo san ato kinab-an.
Sayo sa gusto ko ibalita sa iyo na san September 30, an Ecopark an napili na Regional Winner sa Brigada Ahensiya Search san Civil Service Commission. Inkikilala na tabi an Fiesta sa Kabubudlan dire lang didi sa bungto ta kundi maski sa iba na lugar didi sa Probinsiya ta, nan sa Rehiyon Bikol. Nan dahil sa internet , naniwala ako tabi na maabut an panahun makikilala an mga taga-Bulan dahil sa inhihimo ta niyan, nan para sa kapalibutan ta. Makikilala nira na an mga taga-Bulan maaram magmakulog nan magpasalamat sa biyaya san Mahal na Diyos sa ato nan ini lalanganan o hihirutan ta. Kaugmahan ko sabihun na didi sa Bikol kita lang an may-on sin irog sini na institutionalized event.
Gamitun ko man tabi ini na oportunidad na pasalamatan an mga bisita ta na maging parte san ato aktibidad. Nagparagal sira na makaabut didi sa Bulan nan didi sa Ecopark.
May manlaen-laen kita na aktibidades niyan na adlaw nan lalo na an tree-planting activity sa aga. Makisumayo kamo sa amo, magpartisipar tabi kamo, nan iudok niyo sa boot niyo an hihimuon ta. Kaupod sa pagtanum ta an pagkamoot, sinseridad, pag-asa nan pagpasalamat. Ihuring ta sa mga puno na itatanum ta, nan sa ingud na tatanuman ta na dire kita nalilimut sa pagpasalamat sa Mahal na Diyos. Nan ihuring ta sa hangin niyan, nan ipaabut sa Mahal na Dios, nan sa mga nilalang niya, sa mga bayong, sa mga panganuron, na hihimuon ta an obligasyon ta para maging mapresko gihapun an kapalibutan. Ihuring ta sa puso ta, na nagtutubod ako sa hihimuon ko niyan para sa kapalibutan, nan pagbaba ko sa bulod na ini, dara ko an aspirasyun sin pakisumayo sa kapalibutan, nan ibabalangibog ko sa bilog na komunidad yuon na pag-asa nan aspirasyun.
Sa entero na huyaa niyan, nan pati na sa mga maabut pa taud-taud o sa aga, inpapaabut ko tabi an pasalamat sa kada sayo sa iyo. Mabuhay po an kada taga-Bulan, mabuhay kirita entero.
Happy Fiesta sa Kabubudlan! Salamat, Dios mabalos.” //
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Submitted on 2009/10/12 at 3:39am
THOUSANDS TURNED UP FOR BULAN “FEAST OF THE MOUNTAINS 2009” CELEBRATION
Bulan, Sorsogon, October 10, 2009:
“Grabe an tawo! Gulpi an tawo niyan! Mas daghan niyan kaysa last year!” Overwhelming! It was the Woodstock, Bulan Version! These were the remarks heard from organizers, media reporters, traffic enforcers and observers as thousands of Bulan citizens turned up to attend various activities in celebration of, and in response to the call of Mayor Helen De Castro to, the 2009 Fiesta sa Kabubudlan (Feast of the Mountains) held on October 9-10, at the Bulan Ecopark in Barangay Calomagon. This is the sixth year of this kind since the Lady Mayor started it all in 2004. Observers estimate that over eight thousand people came to the celebration. An average of five thousand people used to come to the Ecopark celebration during the last five years. But this time even the parking lots were more than jampacked and authorities have to locate a new site for the vehicles.
As early as Thursday, a day before formal activities were to begin, groups of young people were already setting up camps and pitching tents, even as LGU organizers were making final preparations for the busy two days ahead. Enterprising citizens , with their panindas, were already busy selling goods to the early comers.
By Friday morning, a steady stream of vehicles and people, some hiking, braving the dust, made way to the Ecopark, about seven kilometers away from the town center. It was a good and busy day for many tricycle drivers fetching passengers. This went on until midnight. Traffic was busiest between 3:00 PM until ten in the evening.
Young and old, students and teachers, barangay officials tugging along their residents, boys and girls scouts, families, along with their children, even babies and toddlers, visitors from the neighboring towns of Juban, Matnog and Irosin came. Groups of youngsters from barangays Casini and San Agustin, in Irosin registered their attendance. As of eight in the evening, registration officers already recorded 156 groups and organizations. Many more were coming and many others missed the registration. An Israeli tourist came and stayed during the festivities. Tents and huts soon filled up the designated camping area. The camp area already filled up, many decided to pitch their tents, even in undesignated areas. One teacher commented that , “ Baga ini an Family Day, a Youth Day, an Environmentalist’s Day all rolled into one.”
Traffic Safety officers, with the assistance of police interns from the Solis Institute of Technology, Barangay Tanods and other volunteers were kept busy all throughout. Police authorites from the Bulan Municipal Police Station and the 509th PPMG kept the peace and order. The Rural Health Unit First Aid Team and the Bulan Rescue Team were on hand to assist people in need. The LGU ambulance stood nearby. The Kabalikat Civicom, and other civic groups like BANWA, BEAT and Uswag-Bulan, were on hand to extend assistance to the participants. The Bulan Fil-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade did their share by keeping the roads watered and freed off dust near the Ecopark. Despite the stream of vehicles traveling back and forth the site, not a single accident or untoward incident was recorded. Everything went according to public order and safety plans.
After lunch, even before the Opening Ceremonies, the organizers already conducted the “Laro ng Lahi” contests like Palosebo, Tubi-Tubi-ay, and other local and traditional games.
At the Opening Program, municipal officials led by Mayor Helen De Castro,together with Vice-Mayor Manuel Gogola and the Sangguniang Bayan Members, formally declared the Fiesta open. The Governor sent her representative, Dr. Librada Esplana. The speakers spoke on the need to avert Global Warming and Climate Change, and the tragic experiences from calamities as a result of unwanton destruction of the environment. Mayor De Castro exhorted the participants that before they were to plant the seedlings the next day, they have to offer prayers of hope and, thanksgiving to God. She said that this environment activity should not end with the tree-planting activity, but rather, participants should, when they come down the Ecopark, bring along with them that aspiration and desire to help Mother Earth, by planting trees anywhere they can, especially in their own backyard. She said that this environment activity is more of an advocacy, a movement, an educational venture on the ecology. Cultural numbers were also presented. The “Fiesta sa Kabubudlan” March or Theme Song, written and composed by Mr. Edwin Gloriane, was played for the first time. Once legislated, this shall be the official song of the annual celebration.
Mayor Benito Doma of Prieto-Diaz town and Visitors from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Los Banos came. They gave lectures and workshops to the Bulan audience. Mayor Doma, an awardee-mayor, lectured on Mangrove Reforestation , while the DOST researchers, Dr. Emelyne Cortiguerra and Mr. Eduard Bonong, gave lectures and demos on charcoal bricketting, an alternative form of livelihood, instead of cutting trees for charcoal. It was attended by members from NGO’s and cooperatives in Bulan.
In the evening, a pageant in search of the “Diyosa ng Kalikasan” was conducted. It focused on awareness for the environment. Also named were the “Diwata ng Hangin”, “Diwata ng Tubig”, “Diwata ng Kabundukan”. Seven beautiful contestants represented their schools. Winner as Diyosa ng Kalikasan was Lily-Ann Gaton of Alcoba National HS. Named as Diwatas were Patricia Molina of SLI-KRAMS, Jeneza Bon of JP Laurel HS, and Margie Mirabel of Magic 5 Organization. In order to participate in this pageant, the representative had to register by way of contributing twenty seedlings to the organizers. The gowns donned by the contestants were from recycled indigenous materials.
After the pageant search, a ten-minute fireworks display wowed the entire camp. A disco-dancing, attended by hundreds of people followed. It went on until dawn of the next day. Even as other activities were going on, every place in the Ecopark was filled with people just enjoying, singing, strolling, playing, or promenading. The clear moonlit sky even brightened the celebration.
At 6:30 o’clock on Saturday, a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving, presided by the Bulan Parish Priest, Fr. Ernie Mendina, was celebrated. Mayor Helen de Castro and the municipal officials, employees and the participants were in attendance.
The highlight of the celebration, the tree-planting activity after the Holy Mass was a rare experience to many, even emotional and poignant, as adults overhear children and youngsters, heeding the appeal of Mayor De Castro, whispering to the plants and to the soil, and praying, as they plant their seedlings. One Boy Scout was overheard, “ Sana tabi mawara na an mga baha sa Bulan.” Another, “Please tabi, ayaw na pagpabagyuha sa Pilipinas, kay kairuman san mga Pilipino!” Another girl, prayed, “Sige ha, pagbalik namo otro taun kisyera maimud ko ikaw na dako na na puno.” The more than one-hectare land prepared for planting by the MENRO and the GSO was not enough space for planting, as other participants simply helped together carefully handle one seedling to be planted. It became more of a symbolic action to many, even as they promised to instead plant trees in their own communities. The organizers did not expect nor anticipate the great increase in the number of participants this year. They promised a bigger planting areas next year. The garbage site-turned Ecopark is a 14.5-hectare lot donated by the late Ambassador Tomas G. De Castro, uncle-in-law of Mayor De Castro.
After the Tree-planting activity, a kite-flying contest was conducted. Twelve beautiful kites, expertly crafted by members of the competing groups, were pitted against each other. The winner was from Team Barangay Inararan, led by Team Leader Robert Cadag. They won P2,000. Runners-up were from Team Barangay Zone 8, and Team Danao National High School.
Even as the majority of the attendees already packed up by midday, many others opted to stay a little longer to enjoy the surroundings of the camp. Mayor De Castro and the employees thanked everybody and she personally saw to it that everybody was safely on the way home upon leaving camp. The campers enthusiastically promised Mayor de Castro that they shall continue cooperating with her leadership and programs even as they profusedly thanked her for the great and unique experience, and that they anticipate a bigger celebration next year. The Mayor also thanked the municipal employees for the excellent, accident-free and peaceful celebration. Of particular mention, the Mayor acknowledged the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources under Ms. Kelly Tan, the foremost department involved in the organization of the event. She noted of the professionalism and devotion to work of the municipal employees who helped her achieve a goal in public service, even as she emphasized that this is an unending crusade to save the environment.
All the four Bulan radio stations gave full coverage to the event. Thus giving the other citizens all over Bulan a chance to monitor everything that was taking place in the Ecopark. //
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Bulan Observer 
This is good news for Tagabulans at home and abroad. A very commendable program by LGU-Bulan!
To pay respect to the mountains that protect Bulan is not just an advocacy but a duty of each one at home. Planting trees not only in Calomagon but in and around Bulan should be held annually. Each tree must be protected, illegal commercial lumbering must be penalized and the LGU should guard the forests by creating a task force that enforces the law and reports violations.
Global warming is a fact. Glaciers are melting. Super typhoons will be coming anytime soon over the Philippines, over Bulan. Ondoy was just a foretaste of what is to come. That’s why plant trees now as many as you can, cut trees as less as you can. It’s a race against time.
Trees keep Bulan in place, they protect it from landslides, reduce flooding, act as windshield against strong typhoon winds.
With trees in abundance, animals like birds, etc. stay in Bulan. That’s good for us, isn’t it?
With trees in abundance, Bulan will also profit economically, will have enough wood materials to build houses, bridges and even boats.
Each child should be educated on the value of a tree for survival, its importance on his future.
The LGU- Bulan should be prepared for the coming disasters. Marikina was 10 meters under water. Imagine if this would happen in Bulan. It could happen; we never know enough about this global warming, but with ice melting the sea level will also rise, and Bulan is just beside the sea and has rivers.
I don’t want to cause fears or whatever. But there will be problems caused by melting glaciers. Melting glaciers will not only increase the water level, for instance, but are also bringing other threats like poisonous chemicals, etc., that are now re-surfacing after being trapped in ice for centuries. That’s the discovery that’s alarming European scientists as of now.
Hence, plant trees everywhere in Bulan, keep Bulan clean and free the canals from clogging waste of all sorts, keep the seashores clean, stop illegal lumbering and illegal mining!
Update the MDCC program, train more rescue personnel, acquire more rubber boats and other needed equipments.
And leaders should be in Bulan in times of calamities!
jun asuncion
Bulan Observer
No doubt Pyesta sa Kabubudlan is a very nice program. However, it would be much much better if the activity will be held in the mountains of Bulan like Vintacan and Kalumatan, and not on the hills of Calomagon.
Do you know why in Calomagon? It’s becoz the de Castro have a vested interest in it.I have no doubt in my mind they will call it theirs in the future.I doubt that Tio Masing donated it for that cause.
ang kapal kapal…
Mr./ Ms. Anonymous:
Men are blind in their own cause. We all know that, don’t we?
But isn’t it better if we keep a civil tongue in our head?
Oliver
Dear Jun, Oliver, and Mr./Ms. Anonymous:
Good morning to all of you, and to our fellow Bulanenos.
Thank you Jun and Oliver for your positive comments. Nakapataba tabi ini puso, although we know that we don’t have any perfect solutions to the many challenges we face in making sure that public welfare is addressed. We can do only so much but we are doing the best we can, and are trying more.
I hope Mr/Ms Anonymous was there to see everything that happened sa Fiesta sa Kabubudlan. Or everything that we are trying to do in the local government. Anyway, we still respect his/her opinion whoever he/she is. But I think he/she is out of tune.
I have been trying to follow all the internet comments and blogs of Anonymous and I found out that he/she had nothing good to say about our local Administration. I cannot blame him/her, she might be in the other side in our local political fence. If this is so, then we can not expect anything positive from him/her.
Jun, when you began your blog site, I never found out about it until after months later, and when we came to read the comments of our constituents, or from you, they were hurting, painful, often personal. Some were like cursing to high heavens, and many were damning us to hell… Personally, I was called a “propagandist” for the Mayor, which I think is quite derogatory, because I am not. My work with for the Mayor and the Local administration is also my work for the people of Bulan. We may not be very articulate, but we want to bring our message across.
In our group, we were always very reasonable in our consultation meetings that we are in a democratic community, and that these negative comments were coming simply because much is to be desired of the way we inform our own people. Rightly or wrongly of the way they look at us, they have the right and freedom to do so.We have to respect them, and these comments should be a guide to us to be able to do better or to avoid what must be avoided, for the sake of our people in Bulan. Mayor Baby told us to be aggressive in our public information campaign, so that people also will know what we are doing for the common good.
Of course we cannot do anything anymore to the political opposition in Bulan, who did nothing but to destroy our credibility and image, to detract us, to keep on filing court cases, to propagandize against us, or to prevaricate. They have been doing this since 1995. We have already counted many court cases they have filed against us. And this is unprecendented in the political history of Bulan. And the same people were doing it, the same political group. But we have been used to these.
We know what it means to be “in politics”.” KUN LIBAKON NAN PAKARAOTON KA SAN KALABAN MO DIRE YUON MAKANGANGALAS, KUN OMAWUN KA SAN KAAPIN MO, DIRE YUON MAKANGANGALAS. PERO KUN OMAWUN KA SAN KALABAN MO, O KAYA LIBAKUN KA SAN KAAPIN MO, MAO YUON AN MAKANGANGALAS.”
But from a philosophical point of view, we in the group, especially Mayor De Castro, know why we are here in politics. We know that politics is not a game, it is not a fight or war. It is about public service, it is about ideals, about public welfare, about the common good. It is about our children, our poor people. It is about balancing progress and sustainability vis-a-vis the moral fabric of our community. It is about our “polis”. It is balancing the implementation of laws vis-a-vis human considerations. Ah, your blog cannot take all we wish to say, but we want ALSO (like many of our constituents) to promote what is good as much as we can.
If Mr/Ms. Anonymous cannot accept whatever good we are trying to do, we can do nothing about it.
I was smiling to myself a few weeks ago because there is one blog, I think created by a Bulan citizen, publishing about the COA Special Audit Report on the Bulan Terminal. When I tried to post my comments for and in behalf of the LGU and Mayor De Castro, they never had it published. What they published were only everything bad about the terminal project. We were trying to reason out, but they never accepted us. If they have the right to speak ill of us, so do we have the right to defend ourselves. It is basic constitutional right. You see until now, I am waiting for my comment to be published in this blogsite.
Mayad pa kamo tabi Jun. I have always seen the wisdom in your site.
We know that in many of your blog archives, we can read there countless criticisms, negative comments, libak, pakaraot, may mga buwa pa against the De Castros, and the De Castro Administration. and yet I think, we are mature enough not to be onion-skinned. And we are humble enough to accept things we have to change tabi. Atty Benjie (my good student) graphically described in your site in May 2008 how I figured in a motocycle accident. His details were not correct. But there was some bit of sarcasm by the way he took the issue. And I became the butt of jokes in cyberspace by some of our pilyo na kababayans. It was personally hurting. But it’s ok lang.
Now. Even if we find many negative comments from your blog followers, we found it also necessary to have your site linked to our LGU website. It’s how we look at democracy at work.
If we were afraid of these comments, we would not link it to our site. We find no reason why our LGU readers should avoid your site, that is why WE ARE LINKING YOUR BLOG TO OUR SITE. At least from here, people will have a chance to reflect, and think and be wise in what they read and decide upon. This is democracy at work.
So thank you, Jun, Oliver.
And to Mr/Ms Anonymous, well, take Mr. Geronilla’s advice: KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN YOUR HEAD! By that, we shall have a more peaceful and fruitful dialogue.
More power to Bulan Observer!
Tonyboy
To Tonyboy Gilana,
Thanks for this message. My post The Town Of Bulan Is Different should serve as my short reply to your message.
jun asuncion
ang kapalkapal…. ng Tao na nagsidalo sa pista ng Kabundukan sa Eco Park. Di ba ikaw rin Anonymous ay namangha sa kakapalan ng tao na iyong nasaksihan at nagsipagdiwang sa ipinagmamalaki ng bawat isang Eco Park? Sana kahit sa kalagitnaan ng maraming tao ay nakita mo rin ang kagandahan at alindog nito. Sapagkat ang lugar na ito ay isang pilak ng Bulan. Salamat ulit sa susunod mong pagtangkilik.
This was one of the places I enjoyed beside Sabang!
mila g. asuncion
kapal-kapal? kasing kapal ng mukha ng nagsasabi nito. You know, I feel pity on this fellow because he has nothing in mind but negative opinions, as if he was born on a negative world. I presume he belonged to the opposition who had nothing but hatred and envy in their hearts. . . mga taong atat na umupo sa puwesto at mga taong ayaw patulan ng kanilang mga kababayan. . . sapagkat walang lumalabas sa bunganga kung hindi foul words. . as foul as their breathes. .
Kumusta ka na, saro ako sa mga kabatch mo sa Bulan High School. Aram ko man saro ka sa mga listuon ko na kaklase, proud ako saimo classmates kun hain ka nian, imagine saro ka na boses san bungto nato, aram ko na daghanun man an achievements san saato na Mayor, nagpapasalamat man kami sa pagpadaba niya san bungto, nan aram ko daku an contribution mo sa paghatag sin idea to make it possible. kaya classmate, in acknowledge ko an participation and dedication mo sa trabaho. Keep up the good work, good luck and God bless you. ignore mo lang an negative opinions, basta we believe in you and we did see results already.
Regards.
good day! hindi ako Bulaneno pero nagustuhan ko ang bayan na ito, friendly people, nice place, malinis! I also witness the town fiesta PADARAW Festival and fiesta sa kabubudlan at masasabi ko isa ito sa magagandang festival na napuntahan ko! keep up the good work bulanenos! tama na yun magsiraan magtulungan na lang tayo sa ikakaunlad ng bulan.
Dear Rod:
Good morning!
Thank you Rod for your refreshing and uplifting comments. Sometimes for us in the LGU, especially for Mayor De Castro, it is heartwarming when people appreciate you for what you are doing. It is good that you were actually there, and did see what was happening. And to think that you are not a native of Bulan. At least you were not biased in your observations.
Oftentimes, there are many who often do not actually see, talk much, and ends up not saying anything at all.
Thank you!
Tonyboy-PIO Bulan
It’s about time to Refresh and Uplift Bulan so that the blind Bulanenõs would begin to see and talk less.
jun asuncion