The Patria story

Media

Part of The Carolinian

Title: The Patria story
Creator: Alonzo, Marietta
Language: English
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: In THE MONTH of June this year. Cebu will witness one big mo mentous event... an event which, for its significance, will be long re membered in the history of social welfare movements in this province, if not in the entire archipelago. For after years of planning and working by MARIETTA ALONZO The PHTRIM Story on the part of the common mass, the Patria Community Service Cen ter, undoubtedly the biggest and the most beautiful recreational center in the Visayas and Minda nao, will throw open its gates to commence its role of community building and spiritual crusading. Positively the only one of its kind in these parts, the Center houses modern facilities for constructive and wholesome recreation, em bracing almost all phases of indoor sports and games as well as such edifying and delectable arts as music, drama, creative writing and similar things. This edifice, built almost entirely through charity, is a monument to the civic-mindedness of the people of Cebu; its success as a community project is a concrete indication of their altruistic nature and points out how great a faith they have in the Catholic youth upon whose dy namism and leadership they in vested a part of their resources to help bring to realization this direlyneeded structure for the common man. But how did all this come about? How did it happen that the much maligned, much scorned members of the "lost generation" hitched upon such a noble undertaking as building a community center? The story of the exploits can now be told. The story of the Patria can now be disclosed. . . the real-life saga of courage and dynamism, of service and sacrifice, faith and de votion, as portrayed by the youth ful band who were the advocates of the project. Well may those who look with derision upon today's youth read it, and well may other youths here and everywhere emu late what these silent workers have done. A Section of the Patria Bowling Alley—Recreation Department. The Germ of an Idea IT ALL STARTED when a small group of eager students from the different' colleges and universities in Cebu agreed to band themselves together and, with Christ as their light, to wage a vigilant war against the sagging morality of our young people. This group, bear ing the standard of what is now the Cebu Student Catholic Action, found out in the course of their cru sade that the misdirection and mis guidance of young people or of any individual, for that matter, spring from the bad influences they en counter during leisure hours. Be cause of the absence of character building recreational centers, the youth are compelled to frequent cabarets, if not gambling dens and other ill-reputed nooks where they drink to the dreg the venal in fluences of these places. The SCA members feared that as long as such places continue to attract the young elements of society, as long as facilities for wholesome pastimes are not provided them, their mo rality would sink, by gradual stages, into its lowest ebb. One big question, therefore, came to light: Could the organization provide such facilities? Among the student actionists, only the most deter mined and the most strong-willed did not consider the idea fanatically hopeless. The SCA did not have a cent in its coffers. How then could an organization as poor as the SCA undertake such a huge project? Impossible was the word that played on my lips. But the actionists refused to (Continued on page 22) Page 16 THE CAROLINIAN ^Anything ^ou Say (Continued from page 2) Sir: Why did you ever scrap the "campuscrats?” It was such a nice column — newsy, colorful, light, and just wonderful for "the little women.” We were so much in the habit of reading it that you can fairly imagine tvhat a let-down it brought us when it came out only during the first issue of the Carolinian last year. I’ve heard that the column was discontinued because only a special group kept being mentioned and that it contained nothing but gossip. Well, these are not such serious reasons because they can be helped! With respect to the first, all the columnist has to do is look for other faces, ivrite the human side of campus activities. As for the next objection, I don’t see hotv innocuous gossip, if this is the right word, can ever hurt anybody. I mean, small talk about somebody having something new or unusual would not sound so gossipy. Things like these are allowed even in big magazines. But ive certainly hope you will revive the “Campuscrats” minus the objectionable features, that is. I guess everybody sort of knows what’s wrong with the Carolinian. It lacks the real, honest-to-goodness feminine touch! Tita Cui What Do You Think (Continued from, page IS) are prone to believe the ideas sug gested in the context because they have no time to investigate. These novels are proper only lor researchers and graduate school students who want to compile the works ol Rizal and make a com parison ol the different phases ol his literary masterpieces. It is proper for them because they, unlike our young high school students, are already equipped with high understanding. LORETA CACHO College of Education I am lor the compulsory reading ol Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. That the bill would violate the principle of academic freedom and natural right of parents to send their children to schools ol their choice is absurd because the prohibition of the two novels lor public -read ing is, by itself, a violation of aca demic freedom. The proposal of some Senators to make some alterations of the said books or publish footnotes in the unexpurgated versions of the two books is thoughtless if we are to admit and say that Rizal is our na tional hero and that he was truthful in writing them because they were taken and based upon actual facts that happened during the critical period of the Spanish rule in the Philippines. As Senator Laurel said: "Expurgating the Noli and the Fili would be disfiguring Rizal." The Legend at Mt. Tempoong (Continued from page 21) lovers. And the promise, too — oh, so sweet indeed is the tongue of love. Or so they thought. But the king got wind of the whole affair and became mad as a tornado. He cursed Lawin for the encroachment the lad made on his royal household. In his fit of anger he unleashed all the fury ol his pagan birth. The sky darkened and rain fell in tor rents, drowning all the inhabitants of the island, except Lawin who was transformed into a big white whale and was cast into the lake at the summit of the mountain. This was made as his watery jail to punish him for his unsolicited intrusion. Alimyon was turned into mountain ranges bordering Mt. Tempoong, gazing night and day at the sky but never on the lake where Lawin was transformed into a whale. To this day, passengers aboard ship passing around Camiguin Is land could see the outline of the buxom Alimyon in the silhouettes of the mountain ranges. This has been said to be the sleeping beauty of the Camiguin mountains. Lawin who was turned into a white whale in a lake nearby, can be seen by hunters every full moon, appearing on the surface of the lake, hugging and kissing the sha dow of Alimyon cast on the lake by the light of the full eastern moon. THE PHTRtH STORY (Continued from page 16) shrink from the challenge. They j chose, as their critics branded them, to be fanatical. But not hopeless. | Inspired by the enlivening influence of their Adviser, the Rev. Fr. Ber| nard Wrocklage, SVD, of USC, and I fired by the youthful spirit to dare i and do big things, they resolved i to push through their project at all cost. I The Initial Action With the idea conceived, the or; ganization started making arrange ments. His Grace Archbishop Julio R. Rosales of Cebu was consulted for his approval of the project. With the approval secured a formal re solution was adopted for the con struction of the Patria as the organ ization's 1955-1956 Archdiocesan project. This resolution was unani mously approved by the SCA Exe cutive Board on February, 1954 in a meeting held at the University of the Visayas with then Rev. Fr. Epifanio Surban, who represented the Archbishop, attending. The next move concerned the site of the building. The building had to be located in the very heart of the city and, because of its pur pose, had to be accessible to trans portation facilities. After several deliberations, the spacious lot of i 6,600 square meters in front of the j Cebu Cathedral Church was chosen as the project site. Through the good Offices of the Archbishop, the lot, owned by the Archdiocese of Cebu, was finally obtained on lease. Then, as the land was occupied by squatters, efforts were made to relocate them. In doing this, the SCA encountered difficulties as some of the settlers refused to va cate the place. Only alter consi derable effort notably on the part of Mr. Anastacio Fabiaha, one of | the SCA executive officers, were these people successfully ejected I from the area. The Fund Campaign Even as the site was yet unde cided, the Student Actionists, from the lowest members to the highest officers, started girding themselves for a head-and-heel effort to raise the enormous sum called for by the project. This hectic campaign was waged through such means as person-to-person approaches, hold ing of musical concerts, benefit shows and games, appeals to wealthy citizens, and appeals to various social and religious or(Continued on page 25) Page 22 The CAROLINIAN you mean?" Aling Sisa asked in surprise. "Your one plus one here is al ways two, isn't it?" "Sure. How else will it be?" answered Aling Sisa. "That's wrong. To us, philoso phers, one plus one can be three." "Three???" the father stood up in astonishment and relief. "Yes, three," the son replied assuringly. "Then find the third, my son. These two slices will be Sisa's and mine," the father answered, at the same time nibbling hastily at the slice. He consumed it before the "bakya" of Aling Sisa took a swift landing on his bald head. When he attended the dance held that night to mark the vesper of the fiesta, he was the object of the laughter of all. He was wear ‘‘My everlasting deerest Rosita, Of all the queer birds I ever did see, you, Rosita, are the queerest by part to me. Yes, Rosita, deer, sweat. U R always N my heart. Even thought you are not awaked. I was planning to dance over you but I felt ashame very great. Besides, you are very dancing with pretty men. Please visit to me, Rosita. Thank you. You are welcome. Your very own, Ritss" They could not give the letter to Rosita while she was yet at the dance. So they accompanied her up to her house. Even during the long walk to her house, Isidro and Rito could not muster the nerve to hand over the letter to her. So when Rosita was inside the house, they serenaded her, deciding to hand the letter the moment she looked out of the window. But she did not, even at the tenth repetition of the only song Isidro had learned in the city. Instead, her window was slammed in a final gesture of annoyance the minute Isidro aped Johnny Ray. The prospect of giving the letter looked bleak apd dim, so Isidro ing an old white coat, rumpled at ■ every square inch, mottled with stain all over the back and the sleeves. His black tie was a PMT cravat which was loosened and dangled about his breast. His pants were also of white sharkskin cloth but riddled with moth holes, two on one leg and four on the other. His footwear consisted of a pair of rub ber shoes, originally white but turned brownish by the dirt and mud that clung to it. The girls were ashamed to dance with him. Not only because of his comical attire, but also because of his ugly and age-worn figure and his unorthodox stroke in dancing. Almost always, he would step on the girls' innocent and naked toes (the girls were only wearing sandals). He could not dance for long because he was snatched by an old bachelor friend who begged him to write a love letter to the lovely girl, Rosita, the belle of the evening. He could not disappoint the friend he just met. So, for his friend's sake, he wrote: decided to climb the window and whisper to Rosita about the letter. This he did. But before he could bring up his other foot, Rito, who was half-sprawled under the house mapping out the location of Rosita's bed, stepped on a sleeping pig which squealed in anger and in pain. Rosita's father, who was awakened by the noise, quickly looked out of the window and saw Isidro climbing up. He tapped Isi dro's dome with a "garrote" which sent Isidro diving into familiar, so lid tierra firma. That brought him back to the city for hospitalization! # The PfiTRIfl Story (Continued from page 22) ganizations within and outside the country. On the occasion of the celebra tion of the first Archdiocesan Marian Congress in Cebu, the SCA, realizing the splendid opportunity offered by the affair, obtained per mission from the Archbishop to collect donations from the many persons who attended the celebra tion. The permission 'granted, a Patria Crusade was immediately organized under the leadership of Mr. Lindy Morrell who conducted the drive so competently that no less than two thousand pesos were collected. The barangay Raffles, the Candle Guessing Contest, the Patria Col lection Sunday, the Asian Festival, and other special events were some of the features sponsored in con junction with this fund-raising ef fort. The various activities continued throughout the months during which the Center was in the process of construction. The drive attained its maximum success with the par ticipation of several prominent city residents who were organized into the Patria Fund Drive Committee with no less than Mrs. Luna Brio nes herself, the Governor's lady, as Chairman. Among those who took an active hand in the drive were Don Gil Garcia, Don Mariano Gonzales, Mr. Francis Lim, Doha Esperanza Osmena, Mrs. Ceferina del Rosario, Mrs. Luisa Pido, Mr. Ismael Lim Kakeng, Mr. Miguel de los Reyes, Mr. Felipe Pareja, Mrs. Loreto Victorino, and many others. The Rev. Fr. Wrocklage who used to go out soliciting for donations as early as seven o'clock in the morning and as late as nine o'clock in the evening, should be credited for being the most enthusiastic, the most zealous, and the most un tiring of all fund solicitors. The proceeds of these efforts, in addition to bank and private loans, satisfied to a certain extent what amount of money was de manded for the construction of the project. The Construction Approximately fifteen months after the drafting of the resolution to construct the Patria and after accumulating a saving of about ten thousand pesos, the SCA de cided to start the construction. August 15, the Feast of the Assump(Please turn to next page) SUMMER, 1956 Page 25 The PF TRI fl To \JJait Forever night is a blackbird in a hollow mind and the mind tiptoes in a penumbra . . . it cannot use the sight for groping is a habit of death — a red ember that waits in the dark: its darkness-light an end, a beginning. there are no footprints in the sand of time — silly, there is no sand, no time . . . only the waiting, the long, timeless waiting and wishing for the beginning to end and for the end to begin. EDITHA A. OCANTE tion of Our Lady, was the date on which the cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Rosales in a simple but solemn ceremony graced by the presence of prominent citizens and leaders of various community or ganizations. The venerable ex President Sergio Osmena, Sr., was among those present. The actual construction work started on September 12, 1955, with Engr. H. del Rosario as the con struction engineer and Jose Mer cado and Teodoro Trinidad as ar chitects. Employment of an aver age number of 80 laborers conti nued throughout the more than 35 weeks of construction, resulting in what is now the completed Main Unit of the structure. This finished portion sheltering the 10-alley bowl ing hall, the billiard rooms, the chess and pingpong rooms, the spacious lobby, and the different sections for offices. At the time of writing, the gross expense of the Patria amounts to no less than onehundred thousand pesos. Students' Participation in the Project Probably no other student or ganization can boast of a stronger loyalty and a more unfaltering de votion to a cause than the Student Catholic Action at the time when it undertook the building of a gigan tic project. Catching the thrill of seeing the building gaining form, everybody rallied behind the cause and rendered every sort of service they could offer in behalf of the project. When the construction was threatened with lack of funds, the SCA members went out, individually or in groups, soliciting for aid from one house to another. The courage and enthusiasm with which they performed this teasing job should be taken as a merit of the character of these young student actionists. The youthful and brave crusaders approached even people who did not sympathize with the aims be hind the establishment of the Patria, explaining the urgency of having a community center. Undoubtedly, it was this spirit of certainty and en thusiasm which finally won for them the support of the people to the project. But what probably was Page 26 THE CAROLINIAN (Continued from page 25) STORY the most concrete portrayal ol ge nuine sacrifice by the Student Ac tionists was their hollow-blocking making activity. Sacrificing their classes, they buckled down and sweated hard in molding and shap ing thousands of the much-needed hollow blocks. Each of these blocks, carrying the imprints of bruised young hands, gives shape to the Patria that you see today. In this connection mention should be made of the Patria Committee, a special body composed of the top leaders of the Cebu SCA. Acting as the core of all student activities relating to the Patria, this commit tee served as the policy-making body of the organization and dir ected every deal which the body transacted in behalf of the project. It was the intelligence circle, the rudder, of the organization. Chairmanned by Mr. Bartolome de Cas tro, the Patria Committee had Fran cis Zosa, Johnny Mercado, Fe Men doza, Felix Matuguina, Anastacio Fabicma, Jr., Lindy Morrell, and Jesus Solon as members. Patria and the Community It is hard to recount the innu merable benefits which the Patria has in store for the individual and for the community as a whole. Far from being merely a recreation center, it aspires to attain some thing big, something valuable for the community. To be sure, the Patria is an institution which ra diates with ambitious plans for the man in the street. Although its ultimate aim is his spiritual up lift, it doesn't spare any effort to wards the attainment of his mate rial welfare, believing that "a cer tain modicum of1 material comfort is necessary for the practice of virtue." These words of Mons. Julio Ro sales strike the keynote to the real nature ol the Patria as an institu tion: "The Patria serves our people by providing recreational facilities, leadership training, intellectual and cultural development, social work and labor union services. Catholic publications, cooperatives for the poor, credit unions, and offices for Catholic organization." J The Second Rainbow Let me but explain in adjectives and tears . . . The feeling is a hurt thing that chokes and brings a sob among the ruins of dreams, and hopes and laughter. Let me but behold the color of red clouds Because when the clouds are red no more — I shall look in the sand for fragments of glass and build me another rainbow. VIOLETA P. DEJORAS SUMMER, 1956 Page 27