Sapang Balen’s Curse

“Magmula sa araw na ito, binibigyan ko ng sumpa ang
Sapang Balen. Sinuman ang lalapastangan nito ay magiging
malas sa buhay.” (From this day on, I am putting a curse on
Sapang Balen. Whoever dares to show disrespect to it will be
unlucky in life).
With these words, Bp. Pablo “Ambo” S. David walked
the length of the Sapang Balen, portable sound system in
hand, and warned the people to stop killing the helpless river
lest they want to be unlucky for the rest of their lives. As he
was doing this, he could hear gasps and whispers from
onlookers and passersby. Then, a handful of residents living
near the river joined his group and hastily picked up some
trash lying in heaps along the riverbank.
Why would a Bishop go to this extent to help revive a
waterway?
“The river has life and anyone who dumps garbage
without compunction is killing it slowly. Laws and ordinances
do not seem to work at all; people just ignore these. Let us see
how they will react to a curse from a Bishop,” he stated.
Bp. Ambo has been deeply involved in the revival of
Sapang Balen since the “Sagip Sapang Balen Project” was
launched by the Holy Rosary Parish in May 23, 2009. The aim
is to revive the dying river which used to be a haven for
aquatic creatures and a beautiful sight to behold for many
Angeles folks of old.
The Bishop, who is well-known for his insightful
homilies/lectures and his penchant for social development,
confesses that “as a Filipino, I believe in “sumpa” (curses or
hexes). These are very much part of Filipino culture and
tradition. Usually pronounced by someone in retribution for an
extreme act of disrespect or wrongdoing, a curse is believed to
be effective especially when pronounced by a person of
authority such as one’s elders or by a priest. To Kapampangans
who are well known for their legendary love and respect for
the clergy, being the object of a priest’s sumpa is a fearsome
prospect.
Bp. Ambo offers an easy way out of his “sumpa” -
“Kung gusto ninyong pagsisihan ang inyong ginawang
paglapastangan, mangumpisal kayo at ang tanging parusang
ibibigay ko sa inyo ay magpulot kayo ng dalawang sako ng
basura mula sa ilog.” (If you want to make amends for the sin
you committed, just confess to me. For your penance I will ask
you to collect two sacks of trash from the river.)

HRP-SAC Medical & Allied Health Services BRINGING HOPE TO LIVES OF AILING PARISHIONERS by Olive Dizon, Organizational Development Committee

Your
donations
helped save
the life of
2-yr-old
Emerald
Ashley
Lorega, a
girl with a
congenital
heart
ailment

What started as a simple profiling of the seven (7) barangays covered by the Holy Rosary Parish opened up opportunities to help bring hope to the families of four (4) children afflicted with various ailments and handicaps. In January of this year,
volunteers of the Holy Rosary Parish-Social Action Center (HRP-SAC) embarked on a profiling of the parish’s seven barangays to help identify social issues and problems that the parish community could respond to. The “Litrato ng Barangay” served as a tool that brought to the attention of HRP-SAC four cases needing immediate medical assistance. These included a 2-year old girl from Brgy. San Nicolas
who was afflicted with a congenital heart disease (Patent Ductus Arteriosus in medical terms); a 6-year old girl from Brgy. San Jose who was born with
an imperforate anus; a 4-year old girl from Brgy. San Jose and another 4-year old boy from Sto. Cristo. The last two suffered from profound hearing loss.
Recognizing that the resources of their families were insufficient to meet the medical needs of the children, HRP-SAC volunteers started preparing the necessary documents and requirements needed to seek professional help for the four beneficiaries in February. This was done in close coordination with the Chapel Pastoral Councils (CPCs), the Barangay Councils and the City Social
Welfare and Development Office. The parish linked up with various nongovernment
organizations, government institutions and private groups to facilitate delivery of the muchneeded medical services. Inocencio Magtoto Memorial Foundation, Inc. performed audiometry on ten (10) children with hearing problems to identify
the level of hearing loss and recommend possible interventions. Among those recommended for treatment were the two 4-year olds who were later
referred to Better Hearing Philippines Inc. University of Sto. Tomas Hospital (Charity Ward) for the fitting of high-powered hearing aids.

The Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, for its part, has scheduled a surgery on the child with an imperforate anus on July 7, 2009. The procedure was originally scheduled earlier but because of the patient’s weak lungs, the operation
had to be delayed. Recently, another ailing child received assistance for a procedure called transmission electron microscopy at the Philippine General Hospital. The 7-month old baby is afflicted with Epidermolysis bullosa (EB). EB is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of extremely fragile skin and recurrent blister formation. It results to painful sores that are comparable to third degree
burns. Mobilization of resources for the HRP-SAC’s
Medical and Allied Health Services started in March when Bp. Pablo “Ambo” S. David aired an appeal to parishioners of the Holy Rosary Parish to help finance the surgery of Emerald Ashley Lorega, the two-year old child with congenital heart disease. The young patient had a successful surgery at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) last June 5, 2009, with PGH raising a counterpart fund to match
HRP’s assistance and help save the child’s life. Bp. Ambo has, since, earmarked the First Friday and last Wednesday mass collections every month for HRPSAC.

WHEELCHAIR DONATION

Still as part of its Medical and Allied Health Services, HRP-SAC distributed wheelchairs to indigent patients from various barangays of Angeles. Among the beneficiaries were a 40-year old resident of Villa Angela, Angeles City who suffered from a bone fracture as a result of an accident; a 60-year old resident of Brgy. Pulung Bulu, Angeles City who had below the knee amputation due to diabetes); and
an 18-year old resident of Brgy. Pulung Bulu, Angeles City who suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

The said wheelchairs were donations from a private donor and from Bahay Pag-ibig, a center run by the Archdiocese of San Fernando for the Elderly and the Abandoned. In November 2008, Bahay Pagibig donated two wheelchairs for a 60-year old
resident of Brgy. San Jose and a 71-year old resident of Brgy. Pulung Bulu. Both beneficiaries survived cardio-vascular arrest, which diminished their ability
to move freely. Prior to the distribution of the wheelchairs, the beneficiaries had to undergo interview and screening to verify their health condition. The City Social Welfare and Development Office assisted in the assessment and
preparation of a case study for each of the beneficiaries.

HRP-Doctors’ Group

In a related development the parish, with the help of volunteer doctor Dr. Luz Torres-Hecker (an Angeles City-based Internal Medicine specialist), has started organizing a doctors’ group for its Referral Program.

A component of HRP-SAC’s Medical and Allied Health Services, the said program aims to
provide medical attention to qualified indigent patients through referrals to either public or private clinics. It is intended to benefit indigents requiring major procedures that are not easily accessible and affordable to them. To date, twenty (20) physicians of varying fields of specialization have signed up for
the HRP Doctors’ Group.

HRP-SAC hopes to attract more volunteer medical and allied health professionals to afford a wider range of services available for the parish’s poor and ailing members. This initiative is a venue for doctors to provide services not only as professionals
practicing their profession, but as Christians giving flesh to their faith through concrete acts of service for the neglected and disadvantaged in society.

Service to the Community and Society

HRP-SAC currently functions as a group under the Parish Ministry on Service – Ad Extra (extending service to the community and society). It provides the necessary services to enable the barangay pastoral councils and parish-mandated
organizations to implement programs and projects for the upliftment of the quality of life of the poor and marginalized in their immediate environment.
Its four committees (Formation & Capacitybuilding Committee, Organizational Development Committee, Program Development & Management Committee and the Secretariat) have been put in place with corresponding functions and tactical plans (from May to October 2009). Bp. Ambo regularly facilitates formation sessions for the spiritual growth and nourishment not only of the HRP-SAC volunteers but for interested parishioners and leaders. HRP-SAC is currently engaged in a number
of parish-level projects and services intended to address social concerns such as environmental protection, health promotion, advancement of the rights and welfare of marginalized sectors including women, children and persons with disabilities.

“Story-telling with Bp. Ambo” Launched By Vangie Nicdao, Project Development and Management Committee

The newly-organized Holy Rosary Parish- Social Action Center (HRP-SAC), in coordination
with New Life Lay Missionaries, Inc. launched “Story-telling with Bp. Ambo” last May 23, 2009.
The once-a-month activity features Bp. Pablo “Ambo” S. David, Parish Priest of Holy Rosary
Parish as storyteller narrating stories on varying themes every third Saturday of each month. It is
designed to educate children about social issues and the parish’s advocacies. It is on its trial run from May to September 2009.

Session on Rabies Prevention
The story-telling session for May featured the story of a 5-year old boy who died of rabies after getting scratched by a neighbor’s unvaccinated dog.
“Mga bata, kung mahal n’yo ang inyong mga alagang aso paalalahanin ang inyong mga magulang
na pabakunahan ang mga ito taun-taon at huwag hayaang magpagala-gala.” In simple words, Bp.
Ambo advocated for responsible pet ownership and rabies prevention before an audience of 52 children (aged 5 to 10) from four barangays of Angeles City, namely Brgy. Amsic, Cutcut, Sto. Rosario and Cutcut. The children are beneficiaries of a 6-month catechesis cum feeding program implemented by the New Life Lay Missionaries, Inc. since April 2009. Seated comfortably on plastic mats spread on the floor in the Bishop’s Conference Room, the children nodded vigorously and listened attentively as Bp. Ambo, whom the children fondly called Among Ambo, narrated his story with the passion of a well-seasoned story-teller. The session was made interactive by a question and answer portion that elicited eager response from the children. Holy Rosary Parish has involved itself in the advocacy against rabies through its membership in the City-Government-initiated Coalition Against Rabies Disease (CARD). It sits as member of the
Committee on Education and Information of CARD along with Santungan ng Kababaihan at Kabataan sa Pampanga (SANGKAP) which sponsored the food for the launching of the story-telling project. SANGKAP is a non-government organization that concerns itself with issues affecting children, women and the youth. Its initial project is Rabies Prevention and Organized Intervention (R-POI).

Session on Heroism
All 52 children who attended the May session were in for another treat, this time with a
story about heroism. The June 20 story-telling session featured a faculty member of the Holy
Angel University Lab School who narrated a story entitled, “The Most Beautiful Thing in the
World”. With the aid of an oversized storybook with colorful illustrations Ms. Naomi Villanueva,
the story-teller, kept the children attentive throughout the session which was made livelier by
audience participation. Ms. Villanueva stood in for Bp. Ambo who had a hectic schedule throughout the month of June. After the session, members of the New Life
Lay Missionaries, Inc. and Barangay Health Workers distributed food among the children and
other participants as part of their supplemental feeding program.

SEMINAR ON DETECTION OF HEARING & VISUAL IMPAIRMENT HELD By Vangie Nicdao, Project Development & Management Committee

Seminar participants with Bp. Ambo and facilitators, Jean
Cunanan & Tonette Gomez of IMMFI (seated, 2nd and
3rd from the left, respectively)


The Holy Rosary Parish-Social Action Center (HRP-SAC) in partnership with the Inocencio Magtoto Memorial Foundation, Inc. (IMMFI) conducted a seminar on Early Detection of Hearing and Visual Impairment among Young Learners on May 21-22, 2009. 43 teachers from 36 Elementary and Secondary Schools of the Division of Angeles City attended the seminar held at the Bishop’s Conference Roe Rof the Holy Rosary Parish. Resource persons included Ms. Antonita M. Gomez and Ms. Jean W. Cunanan of IMMFI. On the first day, Ms. Gomez discussed
the Hearing Screening Process and the Hearing Examination Process. Ms. Cunanan, on the other
hand, conducted the hands-on demonstration that gave the participants a first-hand experience
on how to detect hearing impairment among their pupils and what to do if such cases are
discovered. The participants took turns in acting as pupils, which made the whole learning process light and enjoyable. On the second day, Ms. Gomez delivered a lecture on visual impairment. Among the topics discussed were: Visual Acuity Test Procedures, The Eye and Its Parts, Types of Visual Impairments as well as Signs and Symptoms of Eye Problems. After the lecture, Ms. Cunanan conducted an actual workshop on detecting visual impairment using the visual acuity chart to check the vision of the pupils. The facilitators emphasized
that it is important for teachers to develop skills in detecting hearing and visual impairment among their pupils because these could impede the learning process of the children. Early detection can also prevent further damage to the hearing and vision of their pupils. The participants resolved to start performing hearing and visual impairment screening among their
pupils this school year. In the event of any confirmed case, appropriate action will be taken including referral to medical specialists if necessary. HRP-SAC has, recently, initiated the organization of a Volunteer Group of Medical Practitioners as part of its Medical and Allied Services. (Please see related article, page 7). Bp. Pablo S. David, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando and Parish Priest of the Holy Rosary Parish closed the twoday
session with an inspirational message for the participants and the resource persons.

Holy Rosary Parish Goes Green ...

non-biodegradable trash like plastic bags and styropor containers that littered and clogged the waterway. Participants brought with them sticks, empty sacks, and other cleaning implements to facilitate the removal of trash.

To this day, the old folks of Angeles
remember how crystal clear water used to flow freely along the river. They used to wash their
clothes and bathe in it. The advent of economic progress and “development” eventually led to
environmental degradation that manifested in the death of the city’s waterways. Non-biodegradable waste materials started to amass along the river. Fishes and other aquatic organisms started to disappear. Water pollution became a major concern. Soon enough, the Sapang Balen of old had become a fond memory, tucked away in many old folks’
treasure trove of childhood stories.

Unabated increase in population and lack of
discipline and awareness among the people living near the Sapang Balen were seen as major factors that contributed greatly to the death of the river. As houses began sprouting along the length of Sapang Balen, improper waste disposal became more rampant. In recent years, the occurrence of flashfloods during heavy rainfall has become aproblem in the city because of clogged waterways. When flooding occurs, the garbage that has been improperly disposed comes back to litter the streets of the city.


The May 23 rally served as a kick-off activity for the project which the parish hopes to
sustain through community involvement. Groups and individuals have pledged to continue with the clean-up drive every Saturday to help revive Sapang Balen. Meetings have been conducted to plan for an organized and sustainable campaign using appropriate methods that would help
address this particular issue.

The Sagip Sapang Balen environmental rally was a wake up call not only for the City
Government of Angeles but for all the residents of Angeles. With it came the realization that each
citizen plays a vital role in caring for the environment for the sake of future generations of Angeleños and Angeleñas.

Giving Flesh to Christian Service and Social Responsibility

Giving Flesh to Christian Service...

When Bp. Ambo took over as Parish Priest in May 2008, he opted to continue what Bp. Bobet
started but with shifts in nature and organizational set-up. The Desk for the Poor has, since, come to be known as the HRP-SAC. It shifted to a developmentoriented nature to give people a venue to address social concerns and issues in the context of Christian service and social responsibility. Concern for the poor is translated to action in a manner that allows the poor to help themselves and maintain their dignity. Structurally, it has been made
a part of the Parish Pastoral Council and has been given an allocation from the Parish Priest’s
Discretionary Fund through the Parish Finance Council. Other sources of funding are: First Friday and 3rd Wednesday collections as well as pledges and donations from generous groups and individuals. HRP-SAC is manned on a rotation basis by twelve part-time volunteers who hold office at the 2nd floor of the Holy Rosary Parish Hall in Sto. Rosario,
Angeles City.

Strategic Planning & Team-building

HRP-SAC went through an organizational development process (OD process) from February to
April of this year to provide a strong footing and direction for its volunteers. The OD Process
culminated in a Strategic Planning Workshop/Team-building Session on April 15 to 16, 2009.
Sessions on the first of the two-day workshop tackled the following: a) Review of the Organizational Structure; 2) Definition of Roles and Functions of the Different Committees; and
3) Tactical Planning. Volunteer Consultant Tonette M. Gomez of the Inocencio Magtoto Memorial Foundation, Inc. (IMMFI) facilitated the lecture/ workshops. On the second day of the workshop, the HRPSAC volunteers hied off to Pita, Bataan with Bp. Ambo and volunteer consultant Nina L.B. Tomen of Santungan ng Kababaihan at Kabataan sa Pampanga (SANGKAP) for the Team-building Session. Bp. Ambo led the group in a reflection on charisms and mission. HRP-SAC Report (January—June 2009) Page 3 Contextualizing the team-building session on the biblical passages on “One Body with Many Parts” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), Bp. Ambo
emphasized that “team-building in the Christian setting means building the body of Christ”. “To
be a Christian is to respond to a calling. We are all sent to fulfill a mission. If we are attentive to
the proddings of the Holy Spirit, then we learn to recognize what our mission is. Our gifts become
charisms when we share these for the good of all,” he added. After Bp. Ambo’s talk, the volunteers exchanged stories and insights about their work at the HRP-SAC – their fears, expectations and sentiments. They returned to Angeles City with renewed zeal and love for their mission. (Pls. turn to page 8) HRP-SAC Volunteers hamming it up at the Davids’ Resthouse in Pita Contextualizing the team-building session on the biblical passages on “One Body with Many Parts” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), Bp. Ambo emphasized that “team-building in the Christian setting means building the body of Christ”. “To be a Christian is to respond to a calling. We are all sent to fulfill a mission. If we are attentive to the proddings of the Holy Spirit, then we learn to recognize what our mission is. Our gifts become charisms when we share these for the good of all,” he added. After Bp. Ambo’s talk, the volunteers exchanged stories and insights about their work at the HRP-SAC – their fears, expectations and sentiments. They returned to Angeles City with renewed zeal and love for their mission.

Holy Rosary Parish Goes Green with “Sagip Sapang Balen” By: Rodel de Ocera, Formation & Capacity-building Committee

Last May 23, 2009 the Knights of Columbus and the Holy Rosary Parish - Social Action Center (HRPSAC), spearheaded an environmental rally aimed at creating awareness about the sorry state of the Sapang Balen. Dubbed as “Sagip Sapang Balen” (Save Sapang Balen), the rally was led by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” S. David, D.D. Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando and Parish Priest of the Holy Rosary Parish. Joining him were Angeles City Vice-Mayor Vi cky Vega -Kabigt ing, representatives from the Office of City Mayor Blueboy Nepomuceno and
various Barangay Councils. Angeles C i t y - b a s e d n o n - g o v e r nme n t organizations and civic groups, schools and universities, Chapel Pastoral Councils and Parish Mandated Organizations wer e, likewise, represented in what could be considered the first environmental
rally in the city to save an important waterway, the Sapang Balen.
Participants gathered in front of the Museo ng Angeles for a short program before marching along the route of the river towards the slaughterhouse in Brgy. Pampang. Along the way Bp. Ambo led the team in picking up waste materials and other

Giving Flesh to Christian Service and Social Responsibility By: Ronel de la Peña and Rufo Pabustan, Jr., Secretariat

“Christian service is an action geared towards the total
development of the human person. In view of this, the Archdiocese of
San Fernando should exert all efforts to adequately and
accurately respond to the needs of people in order to facilitate the full
attainment of their spiritual, corporal, moral, social and cultural
goals.” To give flesh to Christian service as defined by the
Archdiocesan Integrated Pastoral Plan-2 (AIPP-2 Art. 26, #1), Bp.
Pablo “Ambo” V.S. David, D.D., organized the Holy Rosary Parish –
Social Action Center (HRP-SAC).
From Charity to Social Development
HRP-SAC traces its roots to the Desk for the Poor that was
established under the administration of Bp. Roberto C. Mallari, D.D.
when he was assigned at the Holy Rosary Parish in 2006. It was a
way for the parish to reach out to the disadvantaged through charity.
At that time, its budget came from the pockets of Bp. Bobet along
with contributions from generous organizations and individuals.