Online Marketing

Any day is a good day to start a blog. Been away for ages! But I thought resuscitating my website for additional online spaces to share a growing culture is timely. This pandemic is really a challenging time. Why? There had never been a time like this before!

This blogspot was started in 2014. I opened an account in Youtube in the same year. Facebook was way ahead. I also made an account with Instagram, Linked In, Google+ Twitter and Skype. You name them! Every new account I made was actually preparing me for now. Seven years in the making. And here we are in the new  era of Online Marketing. During this pandemic, we were locked down and we had to find solutions fast. We cannot mess with the deadly virus. And so, online shops began to mushroom. Delivery service such as Grab and Foodpanda became a trend and online marketing was born. Today, we see the biggest advertisers such as Shoppee and Lazada, Amazon and E-bay skyrocketing in their sales. G-Cash, Alipay, Shoppee Pay  became our mode of money transfer and payment. We're also banking online. Boom! We're facing a new era. 

Education has no less  become online. Friendships are nourished with online games simply because our kids cannot see each other. Virtual is the next best thing!  Hey, don;t get me wrong! Those relationships which they started from childhood are still strong and growing stronger everyday. Our faith has made a quantum leap into the tubes as well. Look at how we attend the Eucharistic Celebrations. How else, but online, of course. That doesn't make our faith any weaker. On the contrary we have decided to remain faithful.

Personally, this pandemic is an eye-opener. I've been reaching and teaching more or less 40 kids in the classrooms while youtubers are reaching millions. When I opened my channel in 2014, I thought I was there only as a viewer. I never thought that I could create my own content as I do today. I may still be a newbie as a creator but it took a pandemic to make me start seriously. Little by little my subscribers are growing. I am reaching people more than I do inside the classroom.

It may take awhile before I can be monetized but online marketing has opened a new possibility. In fact, many are claiming Online Marketing as a very promising and untapped resource. It's actually like the gold rush! We'll see  what we can do and what we can discover in the coming days. God

 

Magsungay River

Did you know that Bacolod started as a small village near Magsungay River? It became known as San Sebastian de Magsunggay when the Spanish missionaries put the small village under the protection of St. Sebastian.

According to Fr. Cuesta, a Spanish Recollect historian and as quoted by Mr. Modesto Sa-onoy, our local historian, this settlement can be traced back from 1500s. History books are consistent in mentioning the existence of Magsungay when there was no Bacolod, yet. Mr. Saonoy quoted 1777 as the year when the relics of San Sebastian was donated to the visita, that is, a small mission dependent upon Bago. So, Bago predated Bacolod. 

Next time, I would like to photograph, the same River a little further inland where it will be called Lupit River near San Antonio Abad Church. The same sources mentioned the occurence of the bloodiest battle in 1787 when Moro raiders in 12 and a half vintas attacked them at 4:00 in the morning. So, that means 18 vintas of blood thirsty pirates attacked them before the break of day. Hundreds of Taga-Ilogs died in the attack. Their women were raped and almost all of the houses were either burned down or looted.

Lupit River winds up at the back of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos and I intend to follow this river trek up to that bridge near the Bacolod City High School and towards the New Government Center where the river is said to be called Ngalan River. Well, not through the river, of course. Sorry but it's not clean, anymore. I will just do it by land. Okay? 

Seriously, I want this river cleaned up and turned into a Historic tourist attraction for the City of Smiles, Bacolod. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1143030969069978&set=pcb.1143032159069859&type=3

St. Michael de Archangel Parish Church in Argao, Cebu

 

The marker does not bear the National Historical Commission's Mark.

Marker in marble reads:

The construction of this beautiful Baroque Rococo Church was begun in 1734 - a year after the parish was established by the Augustinian Order and was completed in 1788.

On the Bicentenary of her completion specifically from September 29 1987 until September 29, 1988 the feastday of St. Michael the Archangel, Patron Saint of Argao, the Argawanons, thru the Argao Parish Bicentenary Commission headed by Hilario C. Davide, Jr., restored her and her premises to their original beauty and grandeur - in gratitude to their forebears who built her. In thanksgiving to God for the countless blessings he showered and continues to shower upon them. As an expression of the constancy of their love for Our Lady and their devotion to their Patron Saint and Protector, and as their spiritual gift to the generations yet to come.

The feastday was fittingly climaxed by a pontifical Mass with His Eminence Ricardo D. Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu as  the Main Celebrant.

Installed this 29th day of September in the year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight.

St. Michael the Archangel Church in Argao is beautiful. It is something that the Argawanons can be really proud of. I appreciate their love for the Church. I'm sure the restoration of their Parish Church cost them a lot but their generosity is indeed remarkable. The result is a fitting legacy and living testimony of your fervor.

A story of how they happened to make "torta", a local delicacy made of flour, eggs and sugar have been faithfully circulated. They said they've been using the egg whites for the construction of the church walls, putting stone upon stone using egg whites as adhesive. And what with the eggyolks? They started using them to make torta. It's a folk story, so we can no longer trace the original author. Thanks to people who have been retelling this story, 

Carcar

Facade of St. Catherine of Alexandria

Life-sized statues of the apostles around St. Catherine's

Carcaranons must be very industrious persons. To think of making ampao, a delicacy made of sweetened puffed rice sometimes drizzled with peanuts. They also make chicharon, banana and camote chips. Their shoe making industry have flourished and supplied neighboring islands with spadrilles, sandals and other footwear. 

They're friendly, hospitable, courteous and honest people. I have observed that with those who attended us at the mall, at the restaurant, the tricycle driver who brought us around, as well as the Innkeeper at the Pension House where we spent the night.  Going around the city made me feel at home right away. It was a simple and peaceful place.

The Church of Carcar was dedicated to their Patron Saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria, a fourth century martyr of the faith. She was martyred for her philosophical  defense of the Christian Faith. Now she is considered as the patron saint of science, students, and teachers.The Church Architectural design is one of a kind. It's not common to find Eastern Orthodox style of architecture in the Philippines. Seeing the Church of Carcar will make you feel like you are in the land of Alladin and Disney Princess, Jasmin. 

Carcar Museum

The Carcar Museum was originally a Dispensary where the cholera victims were treated during the outbreak. It's an American Era Wooden building with two floors. How I love the woodwork intricately designed like the dainty white lace or crocheted white bedspread.

When we first had the ocular visit, it was clean up day at the museum and we were not allowed to go to the second floor. I was so intrigued by what the museum curator told me. She said, the table where the Leon Kilat plot was hatched was displayed upstairs. At that time, I barely knew Leon Kilat. I googled everything I could to know about him, especially because he was from Negros Island.

I was transported through the "google wayback" to the time of Pantaleon Villegas and the people behind the plot. I saw what an able fighter he was. He was precisely called Leon for his bravery and Kilat for his lightning skills. He learned magic from Cebu because he used to perform in the circus there. He was legendary for his speed and fighting skills. I do not want to mention now the names of those responsible. I became emotional: moved to tears, angered and felt patriotic. Later, my heart found a way to understand the plight of those Filipinos who plotted against Leon's life. Imagine, he was a highly able General of the Katipunan, who won against the Spanish troops in Cebu. As the Spaniards regrouped themselves and called for reinforcement from Manila, Leon Kilat went to Carcar to meet with his friends in order to plan further for Philippine Independence. He was welcomed by his Carcaranon friends with a banquet. He ate and drank that night of Holy Thursday, just like Jesus. That very night, they killed him with their own hands, afraid of Spanish retaliation. So, at dawn of Good Friday, they hanged him at the center of town so people would see that he was dead. They wanted to prove to the Spaniards that they were not supportive of whatever Leon was fighting for. Now, the Carcaranons have placed Leon Kilat's Monument astride his horse to redeem themselves.

In Carcar, Judas' statue was placed away from the church. It was standing alone near the convento. My reflection was, any one of us can be a Judas if we are not careful. Oh, the complications of the human heart. May St. Catherine of Alexandria help us pray to God for purity and faithfulness to God.

In case you do not know, the second Bishop of  Bacolod, Monsigneur Manuel Yap was a son of Carcar. They have also the Servant of God, Monsigneur Camomot who has founded so many Diocesan Congregations of Sisters to aid the Church. Our very own Blessed Virgin Missionaries of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or BVMC and Sisters of the Rural Mission were founded by him. Thank you, Carcar.

Palm Sunday 2015

Tomorrow, March 29, 2015 will be Palm Sunday. It is the start of Holy Week. We bring Palm branches to  Church to be blessed, intended for our home altars. How do we prepare our palm branches? Do we make them or do we buy them?

According to the Catholic tradition and transfer of faith that was handed to me, the palm branches represent our welcome for Christ into our lives. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a a donkey and he was given a king's welcome. They were waiting for a Messiah and they were filled with high hopes it was going to be Jesus. They thought Jesus will be another King David for them; someone who will deliver them from their enemies, the Romans.    

Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday. The Gospel read on this day is the Passion Narrative and the Priest wears red vestments. Passion Sunday readings set the tone for the whole Holy Week.We need to prepare ourselves for another Paschal experience in our lives. Jesus showed us the way and everyday we experience suffering, death and resurrection. We're not aliens to the Paschal experience. We are in fact, so at home with it. We may not naturally like the little and big pains we undergo in life but each time we experience pain, we look forward to deliverance, we look forward to the resurrection.

May Holy Week 2015 bring us to greater depths in our spiritual journey.May we experience a happier Easter and a more meaningful Christian Life this year.

Patrocinio de Maria, Boljoon, Cebu

Boljoon Church Complex

Visiting an Ecclesiastical Heritage Site like the Boljoon Church Complex was very enriching. It was good to know that several hundreds of years ago, this place near the sea was occupied by settlers most probably from Borneo. Gold necklaces, bracelets, a lone ear piece such as one worn by a chieftain like Humabon and Lapu-lapu were found there. Human remains were found in the area. A young tour guide assigned by the museum curator explained to us how the human skeletons were found. He said it was not exactly a graveyard as we understand it today. It was believed that people of long ago buried their dead under their homes, He said, if they were buried elsewhere, their spirits will not be at rest according to their common belief.  There must have been a village in that area before the Spaniards came. He explained further that women were buried  with pots or Chinese porcelain because women were related to the preparation of food. Men, on the other hand were buried with hands and arms crossed over their chest with  farming tools over the head.

With the coming of the Spanish Missionaries, a big Church was built and the people seemed to welcome the Christian faith. The vast Church Complex included the Church of Patrocinio de Maria which means Patronage of Mary. It has a seating capacity of more or less 500 persons. In my calculations, there were about 25 pews on the left and another 25 pews on the right which can sit about 10 regular person per pew.The Convento was huge. The walls were super thick and were constructed from the limestone which must have been cut from the mountain near the area.The Museum was located at the ground-floor of the Convento and the Guide explained that during Moro Raids, the Parish Priest passed through an escape passage which he showed us. There was a big open area in front of the church and at the left side 

El Gran Baluarte was located much further near the sea. According to the marker I read near the building it was the largest extant Spanish watchtower in the Philippines built by Fr. Julian Bermejo, OSA in 1808. According to the marker, it was the main fortress in the vast church complex's fortification. The marker pointed out that during the height of the Moro Raids, the structure served as Fr. Bermejo's command center in his elaborate defense of the Visayan seas. (This portion was not part of our museum tour. After dispersal from our museum tour, I saw this building from afar and I run to take a picture. Then, I discovered the marker where I got the info I wrote above.) The marker even added that the basement was used as a prison and that there was a mural painting made by the prisoners themselves at the same basement of the watchtower.

I found the Escuela Catolico. It was an old wooden building with two big staircases. It was built in 1909 so it was a later addition. I would have gone inside if not for the limited time. I could imagine St. Pedro Calungsod with his companion catechists being instructed there before being sent to the Marianas. If I was not aware that he was martyred in Guam many centuries back, I would have believed my imagination. Who would know for certain what took place in these sacred grounds of history or herstory? If only the walls can tell what really happened then. Now, imagination is the only limit. Why don't the Historical Commission reconstruct this Spanish Village? The residents can dress up like they were in the Spanish Era like the way they preserved Fort Santiago. Perhaps more tourists and pilgrims will be interested to come and film makers will make historical movies shoot here.

The original records found in the museum are in bad state because of the humidity. There are no air conditioning units to cool the place and preserve the museum pieces. The steel trusses they placed on the ceiling must be removed to restore the beauty and grandeur of the painted ceiling. The paintings that were stolen from the old pulpit must be replaced to restore the aesthetics. More pilgrims should come to visit Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon, Cebu.

Importance of Research

For Academic Institutions to thrive and flourish, it is important to go into research. If all we did in the past was finish our Master Thesis and even attempted a dissertation, that will not do today. We challenge ourselves to work on Studies that will help improve our teaching and assure the growth and development of our students.

The challenge is upon us and we gladly embrace it. With God, nothing is impossible. With the spirit of St. Augustine who loved knowledge so much and made it as the scaffolding of love, I will push myself to the limits and vow to maximize the gifts the Lord has given me. Amen.

So, where do we start? 

1. Find a problem

2. Review Related Literature

3. Clarify Methodologies to be used in the study

4. Conduct the Study

5.. Draw the Conclusions

6. Make the Proposals

7. GROW

Reading and writing go hand in hand. Academic life is such. We cannot give what we do not have. So, in order to give better, let's have more. Really, life is so simple!