Aliguas Mangaldan: USA & Canada

MAREVA'S ANNUAL PICNIC INVITATION AND REMINDER

The  Mangaldan  Residents  of  Vancouver  will be having their Annual  Potluck  Picnic  lunch  ( 11:00 -5:00  p.m ) on  July 26, 2008  at  Jericho  Beach , Vancouver , the same venue  of  the  event  last  year . We  wish  to  invite   and   remind  all  Mangaldanians  in  the  vicinity , about  this  annual  event . We hope to see  more  of  our  Kabaleyans   and  share   some  good times  as well  as  camaraderie  with  everybody  from  our  beloved town  of Mangaldan ...                                                                                                                                                          

 

 

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MAREVA'S   Quick  Response  To "  Typhoon  Cosme's " Victims ....

The MAREVA  group  wants  to acknowledge  Frank Aquino  ( who now  resides  in Mangaldan ) who  was unanimously  selected  to spearhead  the  project   we  started  here in  Vancouver in helping  the  "poorest  of  the poor " affected  by  Typhoon " Cosme " in Mangaldan . Mrs. Purita  Lopez  Tamondong ,  a  longtime  resident  of Mangaldan , assisted   Frank  in this  endeavor , along  with  some  people  who  devoted  their  time  and  effort  to  make  this project   a  successful one  .

We  are  also  reprinting  the  e-mail  sent  by   former  Canada   resident  Frank  Aquino to  Rusty  Miraflor  , present  Chairman  of  MAREVA . We want  all  MAREVA  members  to  share  in  the good  news  of  a job  well done ..   

Dear  Friends ,

I would  like  to  share  the e-mail  of Kuya Frank so  you will  know  what  transpired   in  Mangaldan  when  our project  was  implemented  by  him . He certainly did an excellent job ..

RUSTY

July  2nd , 2008

Dear Rusty ,

I really feel elated  yesterday  because we made many poor people  in dire need of food -250  of them , 125 in Lanas and 125 in Inlambo , very  happy . These very poor people were  all smiles  and  were really  happy  as each received  a  package  of two kilos of rice , three  packs of  payless  noodles and  two  cans  of  sardines .

Our distribution  system  was very organized , very smooth and very much  appreciated by everyone . The  very  poor  and needy  people  were  identified by the Barangay Captains from Barangay  Lanas  and Inlambo , as recommended  by  the  Dept. of  Social  Welfare  ( Madam  Wing de Guzman  was my first contact  who joined  us  in our  distribution )  after talking  and  consulting  with Mayor Hermie Romero . Each  of the families  identified  were  given  a  claim  ticket ( prepared by DSW ) which  says , " Munting  handog  ng  Mangaldan Association  of Vancouver , Canada  ( MAREVA ) : Typhoon Calamity Fund  , July 1st ,2008 .@ 9.00  a.m.  Thru   Hon. Mayor Herminio Romero . "

I was not able to contact Mrs. Wilma  Cancino- Zacarias as suggested  by  your group  so  she was not able to join us . I was not able to get  an answer from her phone so  Atchi Purita  and  I proceeded  without her .  I was very  lucky   to  enlist some help in repacking the items  for distribution  from  our tutors   and  staff  in  my  own   Tutorial  office for  a few days  .  Mr . Cesar  Abril , Community Affairs  officer  and staff  of the  Mayor's office and PNP  helped in  transporting  sacks  of  goodies . Everybody  was cooperative .

Mayor Hermie  Romero  and  his   secretary  , Ms .  Rosalie Holipas  joined us in  Lanas . In the Mayor's speech , he emphasized   to the people  that  this   " panangaro"  was  from   the  Mangaldan  Association  of  Vancouver , Canada  or MAREVA , in conjunction  with the "Young Ones Tutorial  Center  Of  Mangaldan "  which  I  founded . It was so  gratifying   to see so many faces  lighten  up  while  receiving  their  package . It was  such a  wonderful feeling  to hand  the  packages to these   very  poor and  deserving  people   as well  very  thankful  ones , too . It was kind of  emotional  to share  them  this "panangaro" . The Mayor  was not able to join us in  Inlambo  due  to  an  imortant  commitment ..

Kuya Frank

The  MAREVA  group   wish  to  extend  our  heartfelt  gratitude  to the people  in Mangaldan  starting  from  the Town  Mayor  and   everybody  involved  who , in one  way  or  another , have contributed  to  the  success  of  our  project  : Cosme  Calamity  Fund  Distribution . Without  you  all  , we  would  not  have  done it  successfully ...

Again , kudos  to  Mr. Frank  D . Aquino  and   Mrs. Purita  Lopez Tamondong  for  a  job  well  done . The  funds  we ( MAREVA ) sent ( from the  proceeds  of our  Mangaldan  Town Fiesta  Hawaiian  Style ) went  a  long way  to  provide  immediate  help  to  the  very needy  ones . 

From  the MAREVA  officers   and  members

        

New Grad: Cecille Marie Lopez Tan

Pepe and Mona Tan share with the Aliguas Mangaldan community their joy in the milestone achievement of their daughter, Cecille Marie Lopez Tan who graduated last June 4, 2008 with a bachelor of arts degree major in sociology at the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

The Lopez-Tan family.

Cecille with her Ninang Frances Ong Salonga (third from left), and close friend Lilia Ceres (second from left).

MAREVA's Spring Celebration of Town Fiesta

It had to wait till May, with the spring season rolling closely to summer, and the balikbayans back from the reunions in Hometown Mangaldan. Mangaldan Residents of Vancouver (MAREVA) went "Hawaiian" last night, May 17, 2008, to have a belated celebration of the town's fiesta. MAREVA Chairperson Rustica "Rusty" Cervas-Miraflor called on kabaleyans to keep in mind the teachings of the town's patron saint, Santo Tomas de Aquinas.

We'll leave the rest of the storytelling to Aliguas Mangaldan co-Editor Marie Aquino-Junio. Here are some pictures of the occasion.

Jun Cadang celebrates 50th Birthday

October 9th was a Tuesday and few would likely be around for an evening celebration. So Tony "Jun" Cadang decided to celebrate a few days earlier, on Saturday, Oct 6th which coincided with Pacquioa's boxing fight with Mexico's Barrera. Jun's brother-in-law, Ronnie Limon, hosted the affair in his residence in Vancouver, BC.

Word went out earlier that Jun arranged for a "canding" to be slaughtered in order to prepare the traditional "pinapaitan" and "calderetta". When Edwin Fabia, got the invitation, he said, he would not miss the affair, because..."canding la tan ..ay." There was an added treat, a whole "lechon". Somebody commented that it was still a shade off the standard of Mang Pedring's (Martinez) lechon in Poblacion, Mangaldan. Always the first guest to arrive, Roque Bautista had the first crack on the lechon.

As I arrived, Espie Limon was in the midst of cooking pancit sotanghon. Her dish easily beat all the pancit offered by various Pinoy cucinas in the downtown Vancouver area. Ronnie had shed a good set of pounds, "ta kabango-bangon ko ni labat, lapud dway simba ak ya nan sick leave." Still, Ronnie was such a gracious and generous host.

Ronnie and Espie's two-bedroom ground level residence burst to the seams with over 50 guests. It was the proverbial, "banig na kaya gamitin ng 20 tao ... basta SRO lang." The whole affair really was chummy and homey, with everyone elbow to elbow, watching Paquiao's fight and all enjoyed each kabaleyan's company.

Of course, after the boxing fight, the guests poured into three groups: one room was for the poker players, another room was for the "44". The elders chatted in the kitchen and nibbled at the overflowing food. There were brandys but I opted for the corona to avoid getting a following morning's hangover.

Here's a video clip of Jun's birthday celebration.

Orly Cervas celebrates 60 Years

by Pepe Tan

Former Mangaldan Residents of Vancouver (MAREVA) Chairman Orly Cervas was treated to a sumptuous seafood dinner by his family on his 6oth birthday last September 23, 2007. The occasion was captured in the following photos:

Orly stands beside his wife, Rose and compadre Pepe Tan. Sitting on the table (l-r): Alex Urbano, Briggy Miraflor, Rusty Cervas-Miraflor and comadre Mona Lopez-Tan.

Orly with co-workers.

Orly and family (wife, Rose; children, Grace, Jay, Jennifer and 5 grandchildren)

Vancouver 4 D'Boys Meets Again

by Djoma

Last May 2007, the Vancouver 4 D'Boys grouped informally for the first time. Ronnie Limon was kind enough to host the evening event in his house. During that meeting, long time Vancouver resident, Roque Bautista (Brgy. Osiem) surfaced and showed his old "barkadista" generosity.

It took another four months to bring the boys together again. Ronnie had transferred to a new location and was just so glad to host the group again. New attendees were: Edwin Fabia, son of former Poblacion Barangay Captain (now municipal councilor) Arthur Leo M. Fabia, and Redentor "Red" Idia, son of former Bari Elementary School Principal Manny Ydia and spouse Merlie. Edwin brought along a home made "Dinak-dakan". I could not recall who prepared the "Kinilaw". Ronnie provided the group with "fresh, wild caught" sockeye salmon and a house specialty, "Lau-ya" (pampabata daw).

I brought with me my "abalayan" Guilles Herbosa who was in Vancouver to greet our new grandson, Pablo Federico Herbosa-De Guzman. We had just come from the BC Sardines Festival in Steveston, Richmond.

Here's a brief (1 min, 28 sec) video clip of the happening. Enjoy!

Potluck Picnic in Vancouver

The Mangaldan Residents of the Greater Vancouver District in British Columbia, Canada held their annual picnic last Saturday, August 4, 2007 which coincided with the celebration of BC Day. The venue was Jericho beach, located on the west end of the city of Vancouver, with a premium view of the English Channel, Stanley Park and the North Shore.

Marie Aquino-Junio coordinated the event with the support of other members of MAREVA. Together with Reyna Pagal and a willing-but-less-able assistance from Esther Mejia, the three-some start to set-up the table. Carding Pagal, meanwhile built a fire to cook skewered pork barbecue which later on became a center of attention. Under the watchful eye of Estrella Mejia-Espinosa, Jun Jimenez took time to sneak a cola drink as the tables got loaded with 'calderos' of 'pinapaitan tan calderetta'.

Vancouver is known for its 'temperate-tropical climate'. To the newbie, this means, you have snow up in Grouse Mountain which is just 20 minutes car ride from downtown, and 10 minutes down the slopes, by the waters of the Burrard Inlet, one would enjoy a dip in the warm ocean waters. And so it was at the picnic grounds. Under the shade, it was temperate, and out in the sun, it was tropical with bikini-clad players diving into the fine sand in a game of beach volleyball. Hey look, in the deeper shades, Mangaldanians clutched their jackets: Dolor Mejia, Marie Aquino, Connie Perez, Estrella Espinosa and Reyna Pagal. And yet at the fringes of the shade, seniors' senior Esther Mejia and Jun Jimenez relaxed with the warm air flowing around them. Carding Pagal stayed warm with his portable barbecue pit.

Picnics are opportunities to re-experience our native foods, a moment to push aside raw crisp green garden salads, blood-red medium rare steaks, oil dripping potato frys, cold turkey breast sandwich... so when the fiesta food gets to the table, grab it and enjoy the sense memories of childhood past. JP (John Paul, son of Dolly Cervas-Catungal), in black shirt and choker calls, "Get the food!". JP is on a short vacation break in Vancouver and will return to Toronto in a few days to resume his graduate studies in Urban Planning. Meanwhile, Cecille De Vera-Townsend, Reyna Pagal, Lito Espinosa and Marie Aquino are in a huddle, about what? Lito is struggling with something in his hands. What prompts the foursome of Estrella, Marie, Cecille and Lito to make those faces? And the culprit is revealed! They are peeling and munching 'ma-eta ya inlambong a mani'. So much for craving native food.

I hitched with Marie and Remo Gambioli to get to the picnic grounds. We both reside in West Vancouver and have to cross the Lions Gate bridge that connect mainland vancouver to the north shore. In the car, Marie made a pitch for recycling, a big deal for eco-conscious west vancouverites. She brought pens so that Kabaleyans would be able to mark their drinking cups, and reuse them to minimize trash. Marie went around selling her plea for conservation. She caught the three-some of Roque Capito (Dagupeno married to a lady from Barangay Bateng), Redentor "Red" Idia (son of former Bari Elementary School Principal Manuel Idia and spouse Merlie) and Philip Fabia. The white trash bag by the tree was where we would collect the non-compostable. Are the three guys convinced? Ho-hum! Lito Espinosa walks in, pensive about something else. Distracted, Philip looks to me and Red is the only one who may end up being convinced by Marie. And so the boys, the Hagibis of Vancouver, show-off their stuff: Ronnie Limon, Roque, Red, Philip, Rey and Pepe Tan. Hey, look back at the three pictures: why do men keep their hands in their pockets? "Ambelat amo?" And there is Philip clutching a disposable plate, ready for another round. During the Mangaldan-Vancouver Fiesta 2007 lunch, I heard Pepe crack humour, "basta panangan, aliguas taga-mangaldan." He said that is a fitting tribute to our website, Aliguas Mangaldan.

The picnic story continues in the next few days. Thank you for your readership... Djoma