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.)