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MANILA PRIORY NEWSLETTER
S t . S c h o l a s t i c a ’ s P r i o r y 2 5 6 0 L e o n G u i n t o S t r e e t M a l a t e , M a n i l a , P h i l i p p i n e s
Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014
Day 1: February 20, 2014
Thursday
Part I
7:30 am Motorcade
Opening Salvo
Part II
9:00 am Holy Mass
Blessing of the New Building
Family Day Celebration SPC Got Talent
Part III
3:00 pm Musical Dance Concert
Day 2: February 21, 2014
Friday
Part I
5:00 am Fun Run (with bikers)
Morning Praise (Prayer Dance)
Part II
8:00 am Field Demo
Part III
3:00 pm Holy Mass
Service Awarding Ceremony
Fellowship
“Celebrating 100 Years of Faithfulness in Serving God, Country and Creation”
Continuing the Legacy of Excellence…
Day 3: February 22, 2014
Saturday
Part I
9:00 am First Communion
Part II
1:00 pm High School J.S. Prom
MANILA PRIORY Page 2
On February 7, 2014, at 9:00 in the morning, the administrators, doctors and employees of Divine word Hospital painted the main thoroughfares of Tacloban City blue, with their royal blue shirts in a parade that marked the beginning of their year-long activities that will end on its golden jubilee of foundation next year, February 7, 2015. .The simple but meaningful and colorful parade was led by the drum and bugle corps of the SVD owned school, Liceo del Verbo Divino, followed by the OSB sisters, the doctors, employees and selected students of St. Scholastica’s College-Tacloban. The participants carried 49 multi-colored placards bearing scripture passages of hope and thanksgiving and a dozen more placards bearing Thank You messages to major donors and volunteers of the hospital. The parade was meant to awaken hope and a sense of thanksgiving to a people devastated by super typhoon Yolanda that struck the city three months back, in addition to announcing to the people the 49th founding anniversary of the hospital.
When the parade reached the hospital grounds, the participants were welcomed with surprise and amazement with a giant Thank You tarpaulin in front of the hospital that was just installed for the occasion. It was meant to honor all who have helped the hospital rise back to its feet after the deadly typhoon.
A choice of lugaw or champorado with skyflakes and bottled water were served to the participants and to all the people in the out-patient department and the
passers-by. We counted more than 900 bowls served that morning.
At 1:30 p.m. the renovated Business Office was blessed by Fr. William, SVD, hospital chaplain. After the blessing, holy mass presided by Msgr. Benedicto Catilogo and concelebrated by two SVD priests, Fr. William and Fr. Agus followed. With just a few minutes in between, the program started. In addition to honoring the service awardees who have served the hospital for 10,15,20 and 25 years, there was also the recognition of the hospitals “Yolanda Heroes”, those who rendered round the clock duty during and immediately after the typhoon. They were not able to rest and eat enough, not able to go home and be with their families, nor change their clothing for days.
Mother Adelaida Ygrubay, OSB Prioress of Manila and Sr. Imelda Halili, OSB, Procurator handed to them a certificate of appreciation and a small token. A simple merienda cena followed. Though the whole day’s celebration was simple in keeping with the present situation in Tacloban, all went home happy, hopeful and thankful!
From February 7, 2014 to February 7, 2015, Divine Word Hospital will be celebrating a year of hope and thanksgiving.
By Sr. Ana Maria Raca, OSB
Service Awardees Yolanda Heroes
Page 3 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014
Super Typhoon Yolanda, with sustained winds of 314 kilometers (198 miles) an hour, struck the Philippine archipelago on November 8, 2013, pummelling several entire coastal towns across Central Visayas as the sea surged ashore and left behind shattered homes and countless bodies scattered across wastelands. It also wrecked livelihoods on a massive scale, destroying crops, livestock, and coconut plantations and fishing boats. Hence, desperation built up with dozens of displaced and devastated communities who were devoid of shelter, clothes, food, water and medicines.
In response to the enormous devastation wrought
by the monstrous typhoon Yolanda in Samar and Leyte,
Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, president of St.
Scholastica’s College, Manila called on all students, par-
ents, alumnae, benefactors, friends here and abroad to
send in their donations to help in the immediate relief and
recovery efforts in the affected communities. The disaster
response was quick and overwhelming.
Honed to be of service to the poor and the less
fortunate, the Scholasticans brought relief goods to the
pergola at Gate 1 and the waiting area turned into an
instant relief centre. Much of the assistance came in the
form of clothes, medical supplies, food, water and other
basic necessities for survival in the wastelands. The
destruction of airports, roads, bridges and other
infrastructures hampered the delivery and distribution of
relief supplies. Sr. Celine Saplala, OSB, the Institutional
Social Action Center coordinator, the staff and the
countless volunteer hands of students, parents, teachers,
alumnae packed and re-packed relief items.
In coordination with the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, Air Asia, INAED, Gothong Shipping, and 2GO Cargo, St. Scholastica’s College’s relief goods were transported by land, sea and air and were safely received by our Sisters in Tacloban and Ormoc and were distributed accordingly to people in dire need of relief and humanitarian assistance.
The overwhelming flow of relief goods at the pergola from the students, alumnae, friends, and benefactors.
Relief goods were received, packed and re-packed systematically with the aid of students, teachers, parents, and alumnae-volunteers.
The prompt response of the Scholastican community for the immediate delivery of relief goods to Samar and Tacloban typhoon-stricken
communities.
MANILA PRIORY Page 4
Two months after typhoon Yolanda ravaged the
Visayas region, grieving survivors keep their spirit high and
continue to radiate the ray of hope as numerous local and
international relief, rehabilitation and recovery efforts keep
flowing like a spring of living water from generous-hearted
people here and abroad.
On November 20, 2013, SSC-Manila ended the Phase
I of the Relief Operations and moved to Phase II of the
OplanYolly with a roundtable discussion on Nov. 27, 2013.
The next project is the resettlement community for homeless
survivors. From Dec. 26-30,2013, a third team of four (4)
Sisters led by S. Celine travelled to Ormoc, Tacloban and
Samar and brought relief goods, cooking utensils, and housing
materials to fifteen (15) families of our school personnel
whose houses in Ormoc, Tacloban and Samar were destroyed
during the typhoon. Then on January 19-21, 2014, Sr. Mary
Thomas accompanied by Sr. Regina David, OSB, Dean Becky
Marquez and Prof. Aurora Lomibao distributed relief goods in
Payapay, and finalized plans of adopting Tanauan II Central
Elem. School – a project in partnership with San Beda College
- Mendiola and Alabang. They also visited the site of the
resettlement community in Alang-alang where SSC, through
the help of benefactors and Habitat for Humanity, will build
thirty (30) houses for 30 displaced families. These two
ongoing projects are called “Yakap-Eskwela” (for the adopt-a-
school program) and Sambayanan in San Benito (for the
resettlement community project).
In the words of our school president, Sr. Mary
Thomas: “We thank our partners, here and
abroad – individuals, students, alumni, families, groups,
communities, clubs and organizations, companies, schools,
monasteries and religious congregations – for your donations in
cash and in kind, for your volunteer work, for your caring
heart, for walking the extra mile. Every effort that was put in
was precious. We will remember you in our rehabilitation and
recovery efforts. You will be very much a part of the
community we will build, the houses we will make, the farm
we will till. THANK YOU more than words can express.”
By : Sr. Rosalina Fajardo, OSB
The month of January is a time of recovery from the
super typhoon “Yolanda. The community has been reduced to 5
members because of lack of space and we expected less
enrolment. As the school building in Manlurip can not be used
anymore, the community was able to negotiate to use again the
Arnold Jansen building owned by the SVD Fathers so that we
can open classes by January 15, 2014. With the positive answer
given to us, Sr. Andrea, our new treasurer was appointed by
Mother Adelaida to take charge of the repairs of the said
building. Work began on the first week of January so as to be
ready for the opening of classes of the College Department on
January 15, 2014. The building has now 18 offices on the
second floor, 8 classrooms in the third floor and laboratories on
the 4th floor. Enrolment was good with 581 on the first week and
at the end of the month increased to 599 students. A part of the
2nd floor will be used for the sisters’ living quarters which
contains 5 cells, a small kitchen, refectory, chapel and comfort
rooms. At present the sisters are still staying at the DWH until
they can transfer to the school building. We thank the Hospital
community for taking us in during and after the typhoon.
Sr. Jessica and nine teachers continue classes of the
BED in Manlurip. They are holding classes in 5 big tents
donated by the Taiwan Tsu chi Foundation here in Tacloban.
The 3rd year students are using one of the classrooms on the 2nd
floor of SSC-T.
We thank God and Mother Adelaida for their
protection and constant loving care. We also thank all the
sisters, friends, alumnae and all benefactors who gave material
and financial help so that we can continue our mission in
Tacloban
By: Sr. Baptista Busmente, OSB
The school president, Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, and the Prioress of the Community of Benedictine Sisters, Mother Adelaida Ygrubay, OSB
oversee the smooth and efficient delivery of relief goods at Tacloban Airport.
SSC–Tacloban in Jansen Bldg.
SSC–Tacloban: BED in the old site
Page 5 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014
The Super typhoon Yolanda which badly hit
the province of Leyte last November 8, 2013 created
a big impact on the global community because of the
great destruction both in lives and properties.
Thousands of people lost their lives and billions of
pesos were lost on damages to properties.
The Koreans were among the first foreign
volunteers who came over to Leyte to extend
medical assistance to victims of typhoon Yolanda
and also in the rehabilitation of the badly hit places
in the province.
Our very own Changwon Fatima Hospital
sent their medical team to treat patients from the
affected areas. They came February 17, 2014 and
left Tacloban February 21, 2014. The twelve
members of the team composed of four medical
doctors: two surgeons, a pediatrician, one internist,
and four nurses including Sister Caritas and Sister
HyuJu Agnes, a pharmacist with aide and two
administrators.
After resting for a few hours after their
arrival, they were given a tour of the badly hit places
in Leyte. They began their medical mission on the
second day. They treated around one thousand two
hundred (1,200) patients on their four day medical
mission. Among the nine groups of the Korean
medical missions coordinated by Divine Word
Hospital, the group had a record breaker of treating
six hundred (600) patients for one day in Dagami,
Leyte. The medical team was very organized as
commented by the volunteer nurses of Divine Word
Hospital who served as their interpreters during the
medical mission. The people of Leyte were very
thankful of the Korean Medical Mission because
they were treated for free and also given free
medicines with the complete dosage. KUDOS TO
CHANGWON FATIMA MEDICAL TEAM!
By: Sister Martha Lugtu, OSB
MANILA PRIORY Page 6
Around eighteen (18) IPs, sisters and mission
partners representing communities, regional and national
IP organizations and SPA sisters directly working with IPs
from SPA centers in Luzon and Mindanao attended a
consultation from 15-17 January, 2014 held at the
wholeness Farm, Mendez. This consultation was called in
response to Priory Chapter that mandated the Socio
-Pastoral Apostolate to make a common framework that
will guide the OSB SPA centers in their apostolate with
the Indigenous Peoples. But this common framework can
be born only after consulting with some IP leaders who are
already our partners or with whom we have linkages. In
this gathering, we listened to the IP Situation through the
workshops conducted in groups and additional inputs of
the IP representatives.
Having listened to and heard each other, we came
up with a common understanding on the IP situation, how
things came about, what is actually happening. The inputs
given by the IP representatives deepened our
understanding on how the IP land rights are violated due
to systematic and massive land grabbing by big foreign
and local mining companies; state enforced dispossession
from their ancestral lands, plunder and militarization of IP
communities and institutionalized discrimination among
others. They shared also with us their struggles,
challenges, hopes and aspirations towards self
-determination. From their perspective, “Land is life; The
IPs honor and care for nature because they know that
nature sustains their lives, their existence. Their respect
for their land is respect for life, knowing that life is
sustained by the land given by God.”
In summary the IPs long standing call to
DEFEND LIFE, RIGHTS AND LAND TOWARDS
SELF DETERMINATION needs all the support we
could give.
The assembly also identified several areas for
further reflection and an initial basis for a common
framework for our SPA-IP programs and services.
We thank the preparatory committee who paved
the way for the IP consultation: Sr. Celine Saplala, OSB
(SPA Charperson), Sr. Odilia Bulayungan, OSB (CDC-
Taal). Sr. Angela Bingan, OSB (IPA-Angeles), Sr.
Miriam Noemi Francisco, OSB (ENFIDE) and
Documentor - Berna Lablabong (SPA- NO-Staff).
By: Sr. Odilia Bulayungan,OSB
Page 7 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014
We express our gratitude to all who have
contributed to this newsletter.
Sr. Virginia Ferino, OSB Priory Secretariat
Stella Marie Martinez Layout Editor
Sr. Soledad Hilado, OSB
December 30, 1921-February 10, 2014
Sr. Soledad Hilado, OSB passed away on February 10,
2014, Feast of St. Scholastica, at the age of 92. Sister led St.
Scholastica‘s College as its 8th (1956-1958) and 12th (1973-
1981) President. Under her leadership, she steered the school
into academic excellence.
She was also responsible for translating into concrete
action the school’s option for the poor by starting the scholar-
ship for and the acceptance of economically disadvantaged stu-
dents. This changed the landscape of Scholastican education by
making it accessible to economically disadvantaged students.
She was instrumental in the founding and growth of PAASCU
and sat on its Board and its Tertiary Commission for many
years.
Sister served as member of the SSC Board of Trustees
and Director of the Association of Benedictine Schools (ABS)
for several years. She was the Director of St. Scholastica’s
Research and Development Foundation (SSRDF) and worked
hard to build the scholarship fund into what it is today. Her heart
always overflowed with joy at the success of every SSRDF
scholar. There is so much more that S. Soledad has done that has
gone unnoticed and unheralded which was her characteristic
way of doing things.
As a symbol of our deep respect and esteem for her
contribution to this institution and to Scholastican education, the
Philippine flag and the SSC flag in the campus will be flownat
half-mast. Her remains lay at the school chapel and all are
requested to pay their respects. The funeral mass will be on
February 13, 2014 at 9:00 AM
By. Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB
Sr. Lillian Ruth Lansang, OSB From Germany for homeleave January 8 – March 2, 2014
Congratulations! Mother Bles Birthing Clinics
has been chosen as a featured program in
Highlights: 2013, a report from the Center for
Health Market Innovations (CHMI) on innovative programs working to improve
healthcare for the poor in low- and
middle-income countries.
The birthing clinics in Samar and Leyte are
projects of Sr. Eloisa David, OSB with
government aid.
Sr. Franz Kim, OSB (J) Back to Daegu after Exposure Aug. 27, 2013- Jan. 7, 2014
Sr. Leah Ann Sison, OSB Back to Norfolk after homeleave
Dec. 16, 2013- Jan.16, 2014
Sr. Benilda Maramba, OSB
Missioned to Ndanda, Tanzania February 28, 2014
(L) Sr. Marie Luca Kim, OSB (M) Sr. Chris Gu, OSB (R) Sr. Paulo Seo, OSB
From Daegu for Exposure
February 21, 2014
Sr. Eloisa David, OSB