Local hero
There are yet so many towns that I want to explore in my home province of Bohol. Hopefully, in time I will be able to do so since countless stories are just waiting to be written about the peculiar history of each town.
For example, Jagna. Jagna located at the southern coast of Bohol was where my mother, the late Rosalinda L. Sales, PhD, used to tag me whenever she visited Colegio de la Medalla Milagrosa, while she served as private schools’ area supervisor in the province. I remember with delight sleeping in the convent of the nuns each time. I vividly remember one Christmas season – 1990 – when my mum asked me to sit as judge on her behalf, naturally, to choose the school’s Miss Personality which I did with gusto!
Jagna is a bustling commercial trading center with day-to-day market and port operations. The town church, Simbahan ng Jagna, in honor of St. Michael The Archangel, was built during the Spanish era with its “ceiling frescoes and Baroque architecture,” serving as an attraction to both local and foreign tourists.
Interestingly, I just learned in June, this year, that Jagna has a local hero: Captain Gregorio “Goyo” Caseñas whose statue is standing proudly at the well-kept Jagna town plaza and rightly so!
According to the Bohol Provincial Library FB Page, four hundred Boholano patriots led by Captain Goyo, were killed by United States Armed Forces on March 8, 1901, in Lonoy, Jagna, Bohol.
“Lonoy was a hilly barrio of Jagna town, Bohol Island. There were two Filipino guerilla encampments on Mt. Verde in Barrio Lonoy, Jagna. Major Miguel Balmoria’s campsite was on the upper part, while Captain Gregorio ‘Goyo’ Caseñas’ was on the lower part of the village.”
Reportedly, Kapitan Goyo’s troops were volunteer farmers and evidently with no military training and combat experience but relied on the supernatural powers of their talisman or anting-anting when confronting the bayonets of the Americans.
The story of the death of Kapitan Goyo’s troops smacks of betrayal by a fellow Boholano but I’m not surprised. Betrayal is not unknown to many of us, regardless of relationship, race, age, stature, and faith. Betrayal happens to everyone most especially the heroes of our land. Like most of us who have been betrayed one way or the other, betrayal hurts so badly because it violates a sacred trust.
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Booster bummer
Monday morning, I had my second booster shot at the Rural Health Unit of Baclayon, Bohol. Everything went fine that day, I was able to work on the requirements of my upcoming engagement with an FM Station in my birth city and was excitedly looking forward to my Tuesday lunch date with high school classmates Alice Alice de la Serna del Valle and Ivie Datahan-Atup.
But by evening, I experienced headache – not the light kind – and woke up feverish at dawn. On the second day, I felt physical exhaustion and by afternoon, my blood pressure was up. On Wednesday, I still felt the physical exhaustion.
I wonder why I had side effects when with Moderna last February, everything was smooth. No side effects at all except for the sore injection site. I would say the side effects were a bummer since I was not able to meet with Alice and Ivie for the lunch date. Talk about timing huh! Hopefully, it will happen very soon.
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September morn
September will be a brand-new month since my new project will be launched in an FM Station in Tagbilaran City. I want to thank my sponsors for believing in me. I have sponsors from Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos. I feel blessed and supported.
I hope to be able to engage my audience who have missed me in Kwentas Klaras on account of my leave of absence. See you soon via FB Live! We will announce the time, day, and start very soon. Of course, you can hear me live as well on your radio and stereo sets.
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Food for Thought
There is a thousand and one reasons why you decide on a major move in your life or there is only one reason. Sometimes a thousand reasons are reduced to only one and this one kicks you so hard on the butt you must execute it! Are you there right now? ‘Cause I’m sure as “Ice and Fire” I’m there.
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Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
