ALIGUAS MANGALDAN: Celebrating Life, History and Culture of Mangaldanians

Thanksgiving to Mangaldan Vancouverites

When Djoma de Guzman, spouse Maridel Hernandez and their son Johann arrived in Canada last year, it was Pepe Tan who met them at the Vancouver airport (YVR) and guided them to a well selected motor inn. After that, Orlando "Dong" de Vera and spouse Mita took over to ease in the De Guzman family into the new culture and environment of Canada.

Djoma first met Pepe at Vancouver in 2001 through the introduction by former Brgy. Kgd. Ronnie Limon (Poblacion) and spouse Espie. During that visit, Pepe and spouse Mona (Lopez) hosted Djoma to a sumptous and delectable home-baked whole sockeye salmon dinner.

Last September 23, 2006, Djoma and family hosted a thanksgiving dinner to Pepe and Mona and Dong and Mita. Djoma and Mona are related through the Lopez-Sta. Maria-Serafica clan. That night, Djoma also discovered that he is related to Pepe through the De Guzman-Blaquer clan. Djoma is related to Dong through the De Vera-Serafica clan. Dong is the son of Jacobo "Jake/Cubing" de Vera whose brothers are Sixto, Agustin, Rustico (spouse-Romana de Vera), Gregorio.

That night, the group missed the company of Marie Aquino, who had another dinner appointment, but all enjoyed her fabled gift of a heart shaped "leche flan" - Mangaldan super quality.

In the picture from left to right are: Mona, Pepe, Natalie (Djoma's granddaughter) and mother Riz, Maridel, Dong and Mita.

Kaluyagan ed Canada

Greetings to all our 'Kabaleyan tan Kanayon' diad Mangaldan tan diad biek taew! Marie Aquino and yours truly, Djoma de Guzman, have taken the initiative to publish a website to bring together Mangaldan residents of the Greater Vancouver Metropolitan Area, British Columbia, Canada. Marie used to write in Mangaldan Times under the column "Across the Miles". Djoma served as editor of the same community newspaper for two years.

Through this forum, we hope to inform relatives and friends about life here in the Pacific Northwest America. This weblog format will allow readers back home and here to respond in real time by using the Comment button. We will also publish a photo section showcasing the Mangaldan families here. We would also appreciate receiving pictures of Mangaldan and its residents to keep us up to date with what is going on back home.

We would like our children and grandchildren here to know about their roots and embrace the values that our forefathers have handed down to us, to care for each other, to stand together and march to a progressive and prosperous future --- to give back to our hometown --- ALIGUAS MANGALDAN!

In case you are wondering what the picture is about, it is one of the hundreds of Spirit Bears randomly placed in Vancouver to welcome all to the city. Each bear looks different following the designated local artist's preference.

So here goes, our first attempt to reconnect. Welcome to the weblog of the Mangaldan Residents of the Pacific Northwest America which hopes to receive participation from British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, California. Those from the other provinces of Canada and states of USA are also invited to join and publish in this forum.

Aliguas Mangaldan volunteer editorial team:

"Djoma" Jose Maria Serafica-De Guzman is a human resource development and knowledge management consultant. He shares his organizational skills to push forward the sense of community among our 'Kabaleyan' through Aliguas Mangaldan. Email your stories, events and pictures to Djoma for uploading to this site. Hopefully, Aliguas Mangaldan will become a forum for collaboration to assist our migrant townmates, a space for the celebration of life and a linkage to our birth root.

"Marie" Margarita Aquino-Junio is the first chairperson of the Mangaldan Residents of Greater Vancouver Group which was organized in 1994. She used to write for Mangaldan's Sentinel (formerly Mangaldan Times). Read her articles about the Mangaldan Residents of Greater Vancouver in Aliguas Mangaldan's Vancouver with Love. She writes about the association and various topics of interests to our Kabaleyan. Email your stories and pictures to Marie .