SILVER THREADS ISSUE 42 1ST-4TH QRT 2020 small2

“A pandemic is upon us,

but life goes on”

THE JY CHRONICLES:

Rising to the

Challenge

page 10

UBF NEWS:

Full speed ahead,

never mind the

pandemic

page 06

BAYANIHAN SAGAD:

OSCA Awards

2020

page 20

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dear Unilab Retirees and Friends,

We have been in an unexpected and

unfamiliar situation for nearly a year now,

brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Everybody will agree that this pandemic

has considerably disrupted lives not only

in our country, but throughout the world.

What we are seeing and experiencing

is a major shift in our daily lives from

routine activities, and to a great extent,

our financial capabilities as the economy

continues to dip.

Looking closely at it, we are all facing

uncertainties nowadays. Uncertainty

over the economy, finances, employment,

leisure and that most impacted segment

of our lives, our physical and mental

health. The things we used to do - eating

out, hanging out with friends, attending

social gatherings, travel, visiting family

members and even routine errands like

doing the grocery or shopping - we have

to do without, or at the very least, be

extra careful and vigilant. Thus, you will

often encounter this particular advice.

INGAT! For me, it is like facing an invisible

adversary or going into battle with an

unknown enemy.

The events that we are dealing with

definitely cause anxiety and fear among

us. Covid 19 is a deadly and serious health

problem unprecedented in our time.

Nobody knew it would hit us this hard.

We awaken every day to face endless

Art

PUBLISHER

challenges. For now, it would serve

everybody better not to focus on the

uncertainty of the future as that can only

make us frustrated, disturbed, scared and

anxious. Indeed, anxiety brought about by

the pandemic can be shaken off and that is

for sure. All we have to do is think outside

the box in order to alleviate the situation

and enable us to cope up with the stress,

accepting what is doable and what is not.

With that frame of mind, allow me to share

some ways that can help us to feel less

stressed during this time of what we call

a temporary New Normal:

a. Think positive by embracing the

change

By learning to accept uncertainties as part

and parcel of life, you acknowledge that

not all is controllable. As the saying goes,

the only permanent thing in this world

is change. One thing is sure, the Covid-19

pandemic will eventually end and the

time will come that you can return to your

previous state. Focus on what is within

your control. In doing so, you will feel

more calm and less stressed.

b. You are not alone

Don’t feel sorry for yourself and for your

family because the entire society is also

in the same situation as you are.

c. Limit exposure to news

Being informed is necessary to cope with

any eventuality. But it doesn’t mean that

it has to be 24/7; it will translate into

information overload and bring you more

worries. It is important to be informed but

give yourself a break. What is imperative

is you know the basic health protocols:

wearing a mask, social distancing, good

hygiene, healthy diet; we in Unilab are

fortunate to have access to supplements

to strengthen our immunity.

d. Set a new routine

By accepting the new reality that it

is relatively a different situation now,

indulging in new activities is necessary.

Think of going back to what you have

been wanting to do but have had no time

for it, like urban gardening, cooking,

painting, reading and the like.

e. Exercise

Exercising will help keep you away from

stressful news and help you to maintain

a sense of normalcy in your everyday life.

According to scientific studies, exercise

improves a person’s well-being, boosts

mood and neutralize stress hormones.

At this point, always think that you’re

not alone in this adjustment process.

Do not let the situation dim your

spirit. Go against all negative thoughts

and uncertainties precipitated by the

pandemic.

Rest assured that we in UBF are always

with you. As you know we have taken

major steps to continue our service to

each and every Unilab retiree. Initiatives

such as TextMed, Online UL Product

Purchase (OUPP) and the reimbursement

drop box are just some of the ways that

we are able to continue with the medical

assistance programs of the Foundation.

The E-School is an ingenious way for UBF

to promote health and wellness using

social media channels.

Lastly, let me wish you and your family

well and always take care of yourself

and your love ones.

2 SILVER THREADS 1st-4th QTR 2020 / Issue No. 42 SILVER THREADS 1st-4th QTR 2020 / Issue No. 42 3

IN THIS ISSUE

02

05

06

09

10

14

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20

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24

27

29

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31

32

34

35

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Arthur Loyola

UBF NEWS:

UBF GETS NEW LICENSE TO OPERATE,

CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION FROM

DSWD

FULL SPEED AHEAD, NEVER MIND THE

PANDEMIC

UBF, RETIREES DISTRIBUTE PACKED

FOOD IN HOSPITALS

THE JY CHRONICLES:

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Long Perez

our daily dose:

why do we get sick? a bolder

look at illness (part 2)

Dr. Vir Ofiana

BAYANIHAN SAGAD:

UBF SUPPORTS SENIOR CITIZEN

PARTNERS DURING PANDEMIC

OSCA AWARDS 2020

Mariel Macaguiwa

HATAW SA TAG-ARAW:

TACKLES GROUND GOLF

COVID IN MY MIND

Long Perez

NEWS ROUNDUP:

UNILAB RETIREES CHRISTMAS PARTY:

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

UBF HOSTS PARTY FOR VOLUNTEERS

LIGHT TO PIERCE THE DARKNESS

COVER STORIES:

BEAUTIFUL LIFE LESSONS I LEARNED

FROM THIS PANDEMIC

Gemma S. Dimaculangan

THE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS SHINE

Eliza Damot

COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS

Dan M. Payawal

THE CROSS OF LOVE

J. Galo E. Leopando

KITCHEN NOTES:

THREE-CHEESE BAKED PENNE

The song is ended but the melody

lingers on

Editorial BoARD

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Jocelyn Campos Hess

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Clinton Campos Hess

PUBLISHER

Arthur M. Loyola

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Gonzalo E. Perez

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

Eduardo S. Alcaraz

Carlos T. Ardosa

Virgilio M. Ofiana, M.D.

CREATIVE DIRECTION

Melissa “goldimissy” Rivera

PUBLICATION COORDINATORS

Marisa M. Cayabyab

Carlos V. Gonzaga

PHOTOGRAPHS

UBF Archives

CONTRIBUTORS

Mariel Macaguiwa

Gemma Dimaculangan

Eliza Damot

Dan Payawal

J. Galo Leopando

Esmeralda Fadul

Silver Threads is a quarterly publication of the

United Bayanihan Foundation, Inc. for Unilab

retirees and their families.

Send your comments, suggestions

and contributions to:

Editor-in-Chief care of UBF Secretariat,

66 United Street, Mandaluyong City

email avgonzaga@unilab.com.ph.

The United Bayanihan Foundation (UBF)

which celebrated its 40th anniversary

last year, got its new license to operate

and certificate of registration from

the Department of Social Welfare and

Development (DSWD) last September

30. The license was issued after UBF

complied with the licensing requirements

to operate as an Auxiliary Social Welfare

and Development providing programs and

services to children, youth, senior citizens

and families.

With the license, the UBF has the legal

authority to operate as a Social Work

Agency and implement its programs and

services. The license has a 3-year validity

UBF NEWS

UBF gets new license to

operate, certificate of

registration from DSWD

October aand November siesta beds delivered to LUWALHATI

By Carlos T. Ardosa

– from September 30, 2020 to September

29, 2023.

At the same time, the DSWD issued

a certificate of registration to UBF for

having satisfactorily complied with

the requirements as a Social Welfare

and Development Agency (SWDA) in

accordance with Section 23 of Republic

Act 4373, “An Act to Regulate the Practice

of Social Work and Operation of Social

Work Agencies in the Philippines. . .”. With

the registration, the UBF shall be included

in the DSWD Registry as a confirmation

that its purposes are within the purview

of social welfare and development and has

the legal authorization to operate.

While on paper it may look like a cut and

dried affair, on the ground it was not as

easy as all that to get the nod of DSWD.

The documentary requirement itself was

daunting to say the least, without mention

at all that this was happening in the time

of lockdown. Many of the external offices

with which UBF had to coordinate as well

as our own department were either closed

or operating at greatly reduced capacity.

But all’s well that ends well and through

sheer stick-to-itiveness, the UBF Team was

able to pull it off.


UBF NEWS

Full speed ahead, never mind

the pandemic

By Carlos T. Ardosa

Never one to be caught flatfooted, UBF

reinvented itself with unwavering

enthusiasm and creativeness in the

time of the pandemic. UBF programs

intended to benefit Unilab retirees and

its external community emerged in their

latest iterations and simply sailed over

the hurdles of lockdown and quarantine.

Among these are: E-School, Bayanihan

Sagad Fights Covid 19, UL Retirees Fight

Covid 19 thru Bayanihan Sagad, Purchase

of Life-saving Drugs thru MC account,

Alagang Unilab of UBF Partners, On-Line

UL Product Purchase (OUPP), Cash Medical,

Virtual Holy Mass, Anti-Flu Vaccination

at Health First, I Book U-Pay, I-Care and

TextMEd.

The E-School or E-Senior Citizen at Home

to Optimize Learning, is a virtual seminar

targeting senior citizen-partners, local

government units, Office of the Senior

Citizens Affairs (OSCA), Pastoral Council for

the Elderly and homes for the aged.

It aims to continue the education of seniors

and those involved with them despite the

constraints of the times, train seniors to

be more “techie” and introduce them to

the use of electronic media and “gadgets”

which is the wave of the future, useful in

so many applications. Moreover it makes

them feel connected, so important today

when many are isolated, out of touch and

in need to communicate with others.

So far, 11 of such virtual schools have been

conducted since its launching on June 24.

Experts from various fields of endeavour

conducted these schools using the Zoom

and MS Teams Apps.

The Bayanihan Sagad First Covid 19

implemented in May and June provided

packed lunchs to frontliners in the fight

against the pandemic in hospitals where

doctors who have been serving as resource

speakers and lecturers in UBF seminars are

employed or assigned.

The UL - Retirees Fight Covid 19 thru

Bayanihan Sagad was an initiative of

a Unilab retiree from Manufacturing

Division who broached the idea of a

crowdfunding among his fellow retirees,

the proceeds to be coursed thru UBF and

utilized solely and exclusively for meals for

front-liners. A total of P318,600 was raised

from voluntary contributions of 111 retirees

and UBF personnel. The amount paid for

packed meals served from April to May

in the following hospitals: Lung Center of

the Phils, East Ave Medical Center, Jose

Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Jose Reyes

Memorial Hospital, Rizal Medical Center.

This effort no doubt strengthened in the

retirees the spirit of volunteerism, long an

advocacy of the Foundation.

The Purchase of Life-Saving Drugs thru

MC account project is a system whereby

life-saving drugs prescribed to and being

taken by a retiree can be purchased using

the account of the UBF Manager with the

approval of the EC Chairman under the

MedsRUs Exemption account. It aims to

facilitate the continued access of retireepatients

to life-saving drugs during these

disruptive times.

The Online UL Product Purchase (OUPP)

is a project where Retirees and their

family can continue to avail themselves

of discounted prices of UL brands without

having to personally come to Unilab/

UBF. Payments are made via online bank

transfer. Orders are coursed through the

assigned UBF Text Coordinator. Deliveries

are made through various modes already in

place and functioning.


UBF NEWS

UBF, Retirees

distribute packed

food in hospitals

The Cash Medical Program implemented

in July continues to accept applications

for reimbursement of medical expenses

incurred by retirees through the use of

a drop box installed at the outer entrance

of the UBF office. This is a practical way

to circumvent the temporary shutdown

of the office on Sheridan St. The program

aims to provide an uninterrupted vital

service to retirees even when the UBF

office is physically closed and spare

them from personally having to submit

and queue in the processing of their

documents.

The Virtual Holy Mass was officiated

on August 18 by Fr. Jerry Orbos via

ZOOM, the first of its kind for UBF and

retirees. The annual Anti-Flu Vaccination

for retirees was conducted last July at

Health First. It was arranged for retirees

at the Health First facility on a strictly

scheduled basis (by batch and allotted

time only) to prevent massing and overcrowding

in view of the social distancing

protocol.

The I-Book U-Pay Project is related to

TextMed where by UBF arranges with

courier outfits to pick up and deliver

medicines to retirees. The beneficiary

shoulders the cost of delivery. The I-CARE

is a project started last May via UBF

has tapped retiree-volunteers to help

in the delivery of medicines to fellow

retirees living in the same subdivision or

neighborhood. In practical application,

a retiree who has his own means of

transportation and comes to UBF for

his medicines or other transactions,

volunteers to pick up and delivery items

if any, to his fellow retiree living in the

same general area.

Under its Text Med project, the

Foundation organized its personnel into

Text Coordinators (TC) assigned to batches

of retirees based on their surnames for

the purpose of facilitating the delivery

of maintenance medicines to the users.

The process involves Sales Ad where

specific product orders are processed and

released.

The charitable and benevolent spirit in

UBF has not waned at all especially during

the pandemic. From April to May, 2020, it

distributed packed food to frontliners in

seven hospitals where its doctor-speakers

serve under its UBF Bayanihan Sagad

Fights Covid 19 Program – an endeavour

that somehow made a difference in the

lives of the recipients. The beneficiaries

were the UP-PGH, San Lazaro Hospital, UST

Hospital, Ospital ng Maynila, Mandaluyong

Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez

Memorial Medical Center and Marikina

Doctors Hospital. Unilab retirees too did

their share in raising funds for packed

meals for frontliners of other hospitals,

namely Dr. Jose Reyes Medical Center, East

Avenue MedicalCenter, Lung Center of the

Philippines, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Medical

Center and Rizal Medical Center.

8 SILVER THREADS 4Q 2019/ Issue No. 41

SILVER THREADS 1st-4th QTR 2020 / Issue No. 42

9

THE JY CHRONICLES

RISING

to the

CHallenge

by: Long Perez

“Keeping alive his

legacy of empathy

and generosity.”

The primordial consideration is to get the medicines where they are needed

most on time.

missions with remarkable success and

more importantly, keeping alive his legacy

of empathy and generosity in times of

calamity.

Such was the character of Mr. Campos who

kept a loose purse string when it came to

back-stopping noble causes. He was a soft

touch for charities; religious organizations

and institutions, colleges and universities,

hospitals and foundations at one time or

the other, felt the gentle and reassuring

buttress of his support every time it was

needed. Calamities and emergencies

needed no prompting to galvanize Mr.

Campos and his organization into action.

When the Great Flood of ’72 ravaged

Central Luzon and Metro Manila, it

wrought untold hardship upon the

populace. Fear stalked the land and the

people, then as now steeped in religious

superstition, thought that the end of the

world was at hand. For the rain was biblical

in proportion, coming down in torrents for

forty days and nights. Just before the onset

of the downpour the ivory image of the

Santo Nino was stolen from the Binondo

church, reinforcing all the more the belief

that indeed the wrath of the Lord had

descended upon the sorry landscape.

Unilab and UBF have been responding

quite admirably to the Covid 19 pandemic;

the former through substantial donations

from the very start of the crisis and

making sure that its products, especially

immunity-boosting supplements, are

continuously available in the market

and the latter, through innovative ways

of providing uninterrupted service and

benefits to retirees and senior citizens. It

is noteworthy to mention that UBF on its

own, and on the initiative of retirees, also

came to the aid of front liners in the early

days of the pandemic.

Mr. Jose Y Campos, Unilab and UBF

founder, must be smiling benevolently

from his place to see the organizations

that he founded, now under the able care

of daughter Jocelyn Campos Hess and

grandson Clinton Campos Hess, humming

along apace, fulfilling their avowed

Roads, covered in water several feet

deep in places, were rendered practically

impassable. Most businesses and activities

came to a grounding halt. The flow of

produce from the north into the central

plains and Manila was at a virtual standstill

and the people, suffering from hunger, the


wetness and the bone-chilling cold, fell

easy prey to illness and disease, mostly of

the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal

variety. Into this watery and muddy milieu

Unilab quickly plunged.

Upon directions from above (read: Mr. JY

Campos), the main conference room of the

company was converted into a command

post/war room where top officers of Unilab

met to plot ways the company could join

in the effort to alleviate the widespread

suffering. The special target was Central

Luzon which had become a veritable flood

plain, isolated from the north and the

south. Because of the intimate knowledge

of the field men of the area and their wellestablished

relations with local health units,

they were placed at the forefront of the

operations, now aptly called Bayanihan

Agad.

Come hell or high water, production must continue on schedule.

Teams fanned out in every available

vehicle that could tackle the submerged

highways. Their mission was to organize

local volunteer medical groups to conduct

free clinics. The old motor pool improvised

snorkels on the few Toyata Land Cruiser

jeeps and delivery vans in the company

fleet to make them fit to tackle the floods

and loaded them with much-needed

medicines. This was long before the

advent of cellphones and social media so

everything had to be done face-to-face.

Once a team left the company compound,

it was strictly on its own, not to be heard

from for days until the job was done. It was

wet and dangerous work and some of the

stories that came out from those who were

involved were pretty hairy.But that was

just the way it was. When the situation

demanded it, Mr. Campos and his cadre of

intrepid warriors waded right in, never

mind the expense and the personal sacrifice

and danger that it might entail.

It was in a way a situation similar to when

the Asian Flu virus hit the country in ’57.

Making its way from China to Manila via

Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, the

influenza, with its characteristic fever

and body ache symptoms, soon laid low

a goodly number of us and shortly rose

to epidemic proportions. Unilab at the

time was barely 12 years old but it was

distributing a drug called AP Histallin that

was found to have an almost dramatic

effect in the symptomatic relief of the

disease. Demand for the medicine was off

the chart and it was all hands on deck to

ensure that deliveries were timely and

adequate.

AP Histallin came from the US in thick

rolls of tinfoil that held thousands of

the tablet. Harding Escobar, one of the

original pioneers, would be waiting at

the airport and as soon as the cargo was

off-loaded, he would take hold of it and

rush it to the Mayflower compound

where plant manager Ben Sugang and

his crew at Packaging, working 3 shifts,

were ready with their cutters to trim the

foils into 4-tablet squares and pack them

in boxes of 100s. Then the mobilization

executed with military precision to see

to it that the product was distributed

nationwide by every available means of

transport.

Of course the Asian Flu - AP Histallin

episode spelled unprecedented sales

for the company that year; but handin-hand

with that, a real service

was rendered to the nation at large.

And that was made possible because

everybody pitched in and did his

part.

Challenges are inherent in the dayto-day

affairs of any organization but

rising to meet them with whatever

it takes is a fine tradition in Unilab

and UBF. It’s a lesson we learned from

Mr. JY Campos and if we continue

to fulfill our mission even in the face

of a pandemic, it’s because we’ve

learned our lesson well from an

extraordinary teacher.


OUR DAILY DOSE

Why do

we get sick?

A BOLDER LOOK

AT ILLNESS part 2

by: Dr. Vir Ofiana

In Part I, we noted that there are several

factors that predispose us to become sick.

Our body is burdened with chemical toxins;

we may be deficient in nutrients; we are

exposed to “electrosmog”; and/or stress may

have gotten the better of us. These factors,

according to a best-selling book on natural

cures, make the body acidic. Acidity alone

can weaken our immune system – our main

defense against infection and cancer – and

breakdown our genetically weak organs

resulting in disease.

Foul Air

We learned how toxins pollute the air

we breathe and contaminate the food we

eat as well as the water we drink. The

World Health Organization estimates that

millions of people die each year from causes

directly attributed to air pollution. Health

hazards range from subtle biochemical and

physiological changes to obvious effects

like difficulty of breathing, aggravation of

existing respiratory and cardiac disorders,

birth defects, damage to the immune,

neurological and reproductive systems, and

cancer. Air pollution comes from various

sources including wind-blown dust (talk

about Taal ashfall) and wild fires (California

and Australia bushfires), carrying gases

such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide,

carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and

other toxic chemicals. Worse still, these

substances may interact with each other

in the air to form secondary pollutants.

Ground-level ozone which makes up

photochemical smog is a classic result of

this interaction.

We also noted how pollutants can decrease

the oxygen content of air that we breathe

leading to tissue hypoxia that also makes us

sick.

So much for the toxins that enter our body

through the air we inhale. What we eat is

no less than an effective conduit of harmful

chemicals that make the body toxic.


OUR DAILY DOSE

The Problem With Food

It all began when our ancestors started

cooking some ten thousand years ago

with the advent of agriculture and animal

husbandry. This period called the Neolithic

saw the use of grinding tools, pots, ovens

and the consumption of dairy products,

grains and cereals. It was the beginning of

culinary art.

What’s the problem with cooking? The

simple act of cooking changes the chemical

formula and structure of food. Eating

causes molecular agitation producing

millions of unpredictable carbohydrateprotein

combinations called “Maillard

molecules”. As early as 1916 the American

chemical engineer named Maillard

discovered that simply boiling a potato in

water produces 420 new molecules not

present in the original unprocessed potato.

We‘re talking of 420 for a cooked potato;

this can become millions, if not billions, of

chemical compounds in complex recipes.

In the same year, Maillard proved that

eating amino acids with the carbonyl group

of sugars yielded in a spate of successive

reactions compounds called melanoidins

that impart the brown pigment in food

cooked at high temperatures. These socalled

Maillard or browning reactions

produce alien molecules that the human

body cannot handle leading to disease.

We Are Genetically Unprepared to

Handle Processed Food

According to geneticists, it takes a million

or so years for our genes to completely

adapt to a new environment. The genes

of our six million year-old homo sapiens

ancestors which we, modern men and

women, still carry today have been

programmed to survive on natural,

unprocessed food – food that is in the

state in which we find them in nature.

A food that has been ground, frozen,

cooked, mixed, seasoned or denatured

in any way does not suit our nutritional

instinct. This and other instincts are

organized in our primitive brain: the

hypothalamus and limbic system. These

instincts guarantee our well-being and

physical fitness.

Humans are as fully endowed as animals

with nutritional instinct that guide us

in selecting the food that will keep us

healthy and make us recover fast when

we are sick. An essential part of this

nutritional instinct is our geneticallydetermined

senses of taste and smell

that tell us what we need and how

much. When we eat a particular food

in its strictly original state, the taste of

that food changes at some point from

pleasant to unpleasant. When our

need for that food is satisfied, its taste

becomes unpleasant because our body

doesn’t want it anymore although it

may still be hungry for other foods.

This mechanism applies only with

unaltered food and only when eaten

separately – unmixed with others – as

our ancestors used to do.

Once food is denatured in any

manner, it exceeds the capacity of

our instinctive computer brain to

analyze it. When it is cooked, a food’s

thermally modified structure will no

longer trigger a taste-change response.

As a result we can continue to eat that

food beyond the amount our body

normally requires resulting in obesity

and many other disorders. Not only is

the production of abnormal molecules

per se problematic, now they also

make us eat more and more of them!

Food processing tricks our nutritional

instinct so that we keep on eating

even if there is no more need. This is

how processed food causes nutritional

overloads of carbohydrates, fats and

proteins.

Health Hazards of Food Processing

Anyone who doubts that cooking

can alter the molecular structure of

food needs only to observe how egg

white turns opaque in the frying pan.

Abnormal molecules as a consequence

of food processing to which we are not

genetically adapted, can accumulate in

the body. Research has confirmed that

some of these molecules can be toxic,

carcinogenic, mutagenic (disturbs DNA

replication), neurotoxic, or antigenic

(involved in autoimmune diseases such as

rheumatoid arthritis and lupus).

The health hazards of food processing are

compounded by the problem of chemical

contamination from the use of potentially

toxic food containers, cooking pots and

kitchen utensils (read Part I).


Bayanihan Sagad

UBF supportS senior citizen

partners during pandemic

By Mariel Macaguiwa

Bayanihan Sagad

United Bayanihan Foundation also

have these Alagang Unilab Donation to

United Bayanihan Foundation Partners,

a collaborative effort between Unilab

External Affairs and the United Bayanihan

Foundation to provide medicines, face

masks, alcohol which are the basic weapons

against Covid-19. The beneficiaries for this

project are the LGU’s of cities and nearby

provinces (OSCA Mandaluyong, OSCA

Marikina, OSCA Manila, OSCA San Juan,

OSCA Pasig, OSCA Quezon City-SSDD).

OSCA-Mandaluyong City coordinators Pinky Santos (middle) and Engene Torres

(right) receive the donated medicines, alcohol and face mask

As we watch the coronavirus pandemic

play out on a global scale, it’s easy to feel

helpless. But we know no matter who you

are or what your situation, you can make a

difference. There is always something you

can do to help others. And by helping others

you will also help yourself. Did you know

that research shows that volunteering

makes you happier and healthier?

Especially now with most of us isolated

from others or confined to interacting with

only those in our households – it’s a great

way to reinforce our community ties and

remind us that we’re all working towards

a common goal.

Last July 17, the first online webinar

started conducting for senior citizens

in Metro Manila and nearby provinces

namely E-SCHOOL or the E-Senior

Classroom at Home, an Opportunity

to Optimize Learning with the topic

Mr. Antonio Ramos, OSCA Head of San Juan City, accepts the donated medicines

from UBF.

of “Being Mindful during this time of

Covid-19” led by Dra. Cheridine Oro-

Josef. It is a webinar involving senior

citizens to continue the education of

seniors and those involved with them

despite the constraints of the times.

It is also made to train seniors to be more

“techie” and through this medium, it also

makes seniors feel connected especially

in this situation when so many are

feel isolated, out of touch and need to

communicate with others. And to date,

United Bayanihan Foundation is still

educating the fellow senior citizens even

if they are in the comfort of their home.

And yes, maybe we are at our darkest time

in the history of mankind. A time where

tomorrow’s fate is at stake. But we will

never stop in reaching out to everyone,

especially our beloved senior citizens

for this is the time that we need to come

together to overcome an invisible foe. Truly,

the United Bayanihan Foundation Inc., in

providing a touchstone during this time,

serves a humble but effective way to be of

service to those sorely in need of it.

Senior citizens of Pasig City show the alcohol and face mask distributed by UBF

through the OSCA and the Pasig City Senior Citizens Federation.

18 SILVER THREADS 4Q 2019/ Issue No. 41 SILVER THREADS 4Q 2019/ Issue No. 41 19

OSCA AWARDS 2020: UBF continues tradition of recognizing

exceptional seniors via online.

The whole world is facing a serious enemy

right now. An enemy which sets us apart

and takes not just our freedom but also

hundreds of thousand lives. Another

horrible time in the history, they say.

Bayanihan Sagad

OSCA AWARDS 2020:

PAGKILALA; KAAGAPAY NG

NAKATATANDA AT TAGAPAGHATID

NG BAGONG PAG-ASA TUNGO SA

PAGBANGON NG BAYAN

by: Mariel Macaguiwa

But for United Bayanihan Foundation’s

advocacy it will not be a hindrance in

continuing to promote active ageing and

healthy lifestyle to senior citizens here in

Metro Manila and the nearby provinces.

This year, United Bayanihan Foundation

Inc. holds OSCA Awards or the

Outstanding Senior Citizen Achievement

(OSCA) Awards thru online last October

29,2020, moderated by Mr. Carlos Gonzaga

& Ms. Princess Celestial.

It has a goal to move local government

units, individuals and civil society

oganizations to come up with the better

programs for the elderly, as well as to

inspire the seniors to remain active in

their communities despite the ongoing

pandemic crisis. UBF continues to

encourage volunteerism among elderly

and recognizes the inspiring acts of

leadership, exemplary achievements

shown by individuals and groups.

The awardees are selected because

of their passionate efforts and true

dedication in serving their respective

communities despite this pandemic.

Just like the past awardings , it went

through via online interview screening

process , starting from the local OSCA

Offices of United Bayanihan Foundation’s

partner cities and municipalities, and

followed by panel interviews and

evaluation conducted by Mr. Arthur

Loyola, UBF Executive Director; Ms.

Virginia Daniles , DSWD & Center Head

in Graces Home for the Elderly, Ms.

Rowena Dizon, Philippine Council of NGO

Certification and Mr. Jude Trinidad of

St. Lukes Medical Foundation.

Thirteen (13) senior citizens participated

in this year’s OSCA Awards for the

individual category while five (5)

organizations were assessed for group

category. For the individuals, six (6)

individuals were recognized.

The six (6) individual awardees

includes Salvacion Basiano (Caloocan

City); Rose Marie Sibug (Makati City);

Beatriz Santos (Municipality of Pateros);

Rosa Gutierrez(Quezon City – SSDD) ;

Corazon Mina(San Mateo, Rizal) ; and

Rosalinda Borja (Taguig City). Recognized

winners in the group category are, Our

Lady of the Abandoned Cooperative

(Marikina City) ; Pateros Senior Citizens

Association Inc. (Municipality of Pateros)

;Association of Retired Educators

of Valenzuela (Valenzuela City) ;

Nagkakaisang Senior Citizen ng Maynila

Inc – District VI (City of Manila) and The

Glowing Seniors Association (Paombong,

Bulacan).

Special guest performer for this year’s

OSCA Awards is Mr. Carl Regalado, the

very talented Unilab retiree and one of

the SCKAT Talent Competition winner

last 2019. And the father and daughter

tandem Willy San Juan,singer/composer

and her daughter, Maely San Juan.

Before closing the event, UBF Manager,

Ms. Marisa Cayabyab gave her closing

remarks. “Ang UBF po ay naniniwala na

ang mga senior,kayo po ang nagbibigay

sigla at inspirasyon sa bawat kabataan,

sa pamilya , at sa mga kapwa seniors.

Kayo po ang nagsisilbing ilaw ng

bagong pag-asa. You are the light of

home. Again, congratulations to all the

candidates. We salute you po! Maraming

Salamat po!”


HATAW SA TAG-ARAW

Hataw sa Tag-Araw tackles

Ground Golf

By Carlos T. Ardosa

A summer outing on a road less travelled,

that’s what a batch of Unilab retirees

enjoyed when they hied off to the

Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City on

February 12, 2020 – not to ponder on the

historic significance of the place where

the first battle of the Philippine Revolution

against the Spanish colonial masters

took place – but to discover ground golf.

Actually, this was the second time that UBF

mounted such an activity for the retirees in

the same place, the first was in June, 2017,

when the Foundation cobbled together a

tournament that pitted seniors from San

Juan, San Pedro, Laguna, Taguig, Navotas,

and Unilab against one another. Now it

looks to be a staple in the Hataw sa Tagaraw

series of UBF.

As the sport was alien to the “new

players,” each of the seven teams formed

was assigned a member of the San Juan

Ground Golf Association during the

entire stretch of the tournament to guide

them as they went from “hole” to “hole”

until they reached their goal. The course,

made more challenging with a smattering

of broken terrain, is at least 10 meters

wide and 30 meters long. The game itself

requires simple equipment: a club, a ball,

and a start mat. Instead of an actual hole

in the ground, “holes” are identified by

posts towards which the players aim to

make the ball roll. As in traditional golf,

the object of the game is to go from one

hole to the next with the least number of

strokes. The player with the lowest points

at the end wins. A hole in one is called

a “tomari” and gives the player a 3-point

deduction from his/her total score.

The tournament was ushered in by

a ceremonial tee-off by UBF Manager

Marissa Cayabyab. UFB Executive Director

welcomed the players to the tournament

and wished them success in the game.

After almost two hours of flexing their

muscles under the heat of the sun, fanned

occasionally by cool winds, the winners

emerged, thrilled at the thought that they

“scored” somehow despite being neophytes

in the sport. Other players who failed to

score were nonetheless happy to have

spent some real quality time with their

peers and to have discovered a new sport.

UBF arranged the tournament with Ms.

Evelyn Mendoza of the San Juan Ground

Golf Association and Tony Ramos, chief of

San Juan Office for Senior Citizens Affairs.

Ground Golf, a mini version of golf, is

a club and ball sport invented in Japan

and designed to be simple to play. Its low

stress and low physical effort demand

makes it popular with the elderly of

Japan. It is played from spring until

fall. It traces its beginnings in 1982 in

Japan when the Education Committee

of the Sports Department of Tomari

Village in Tomari Prefecture thought of

enhancing the sports and life activities

of those in their 60s and above in the

village. The sport’s popularity quickly

spread in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand,

Singapore, Guam, Hawaii, Spain and

Russia.

In the Philippines, ground golf was

adopted in Marikina in 2006 when

a group of Japanese from Chiba City,

Japan introduced the game to the

senior citizens of the city during the

incumbency of Mayor Marides C.

Fernando.

22

SILVER THREADS 1st-4th QTR 2020 / Issue No. 42 SILVER THREADS 4Q 2019/ Issue No. 41 23

COVID

I cannot anymore recall my visceral

reaction when Covid 19 first made the

scene, probably a dismissive shrug

or even a tasteless joke same as most

everybody else’s response when the

news about a new infectious disease

started to filter in. It seems so long ago

that the details of the incipient pandemic

are blurred if not lost. Today it looks like

we have known no other life and time

than this that require of us to turn our

backs on our gregarious nature, to be

scrupulously clean and antiseptic, and to

cover our faces in masks and shields that

we are hardly recognizable even to our

closest friends.

Bayanihan Sagad

MIND

by: Long Perez

IN MY

“It is the new normal,” people say in a

resigned, tired tone. But how could it be

normal, old or new, when everything is so

abnormal? I step into the supermarket and

the guard asks me to show my quarantine

pass. It takes like forever to dig it out of my

wallet, thick and fat, not with cash but with

all the trash I keep there. The guard shoots

me in the forehead with his thermometer

gun and I am brain dead. Then just to be

sure I don’t decompose too quickly, he gives

me a couple of squirts of alcohol, forever

altering my long-held belief that the liquid’s

usefulness is best appreciated only if it

comes as bourbon, Scotch or at the very

least, beer.

Offices (including UBF) and banks are

not much different: heavy see-through

screens hang from ceiling to floor and the

people behind counters and desks from

whom you used to get the sweetest smiles,

are grim, their answers to queries short if

not monosyllabic. After all who wants to

engage in gossipy conversation through a

mask and shield from behind a curtain of

clear plastic?

Ah, the new normal. As if it were a magic

wand that explains away and renders

more palatable all the inconveniences, the

aggravations, the adjustments one has to

make to cope with the situation. But even

those are after a while acceptable; one gets

used to … well… the new normal. Learn

and live. But what is galling, especially to

seniors like me (and others who share the

opinion) is seeing that precious commodity

called “time”

“Learn

and live”

slipping through

our fingers. Past a

certain age, there

is nothing much

left to a person except time. He has run and

won his race. No more clawing ambition

to succeed or prove himself. The children

have long flown the nest and there is only

oneself to care of, to love, pamper, and spoil

even. “Finally, I have time for myself,” is

not an uncommon statement to be heard

coming from seniors.

Now, that which we most treasure in

the last inning of our mortal life is being

inexorably if unceremoniously hijacked

by the pandemic. If one were young and

“Finally,

I have time

for myself”

twenty, what is one year lost? Or even

five years. One would still be only

twenty-five when normal returns. But

if you are pushing eighty, six months

of lockdown and do-nothingness is half

a year removed from the remaining

balance - which is by no means

substantial. “It aint fair!” your spirit

screams in protest.

I know of people – close friends, some -

who have never ventured out of their

homes since. They are right. For the

enemy is lurking invisible just about

anywhere: on hard surfaces, in droplets

and in aerosols, ready to pounce on the

unknowing and lay him lower than a

snake’s belly. Others run the risk and

go about their old routines as normally

as possible under the circumstances,

albeit armed with the de rigueur mask

and shield and a bottle of alcohol always

within easy reach. Once I saw a lady

browsing the supermarket shelves with

a small alcohol flask hanging from her

waist belt. Good girl!.

Most are lucky, braving the gauntlets

of CQs with nary a hiccup. Others, not

so. My older brother, a mining engineer

specializing in blasting, persisted with

his project of blowing up a mountain in

Batangas, a known Covid hotspot. He

24

SILVER THREADS 4Q 2019/ Issue No. 41

SILVER THREADS 1st-4th QTR 2020 / Issue No. 42 25

promptly came down with the virus,

in the process infecting his wife and

daughter who is a medical doctor. They

ended up confined in the same hospital

at the same time but in different rooms.

My sister-in-law and niece were out in

two weeks but my brother stayed for

exactly 40 days and ran up a bill of 1.9

million pesos, reminding me of the hoary

joke that if the illness don’t kill you, the

hospital bill will. Luckily my brother

survived both and is now recuperating.

Describing his experience, he painted

a picture of constantly gasping for air,

unbearable body pains, bed sores, the

indignity of being fed through NGT and

the inability to perform bodily functions

unassisted. It got so bad dark thoughts

entered his mind, like holding his breath.

“Haha, now that’s a dumbbell thing to

do,” I chided him, secretly wondering if

I might not think the same were I in his

shoes.

“Too many

women, too

little time.”

So what

to do?

Shall

one put

life on

hold

until

this madness goes away, if it ever will? I

keep thinking of a Pinoy friend of mine

in LA, who fancied himself to be God’s

gift to the ladies and had this blurb on

the rear car plate of his BMW, “Too many

women, too little time.” Indeed. Perhaps

not the many women but the little time.

I remember too the US Navy battleship

captain in WWII who steamed straight

towards the Japanese armada, bellowing

into the horn, “Full speed ahead and

damn the torpedoes!”

I trotted out my airgun and all summer I

was out dove hunting in the ricefields in

Morong, Rizal, ending up with a freezerfull

of the critters that I gave most of

them away. When it started to rain, I

went after ducks on the big lake. Now

and then I go to a firing range nearby

and shoot up a storm. Lately, my buddies

and I have been doing wild boars on the

foothills of the Sierra Madre. Too little

time, can’t afford to lose any more. I began

reading again, finally fully appreciating

the universal and awesome human truths

in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, in Poe’s

The Cask of Amontillado, in Faulkner’s

A Rose for Emily, and in Hemingway’s,

Conrad’s and Chekov’s short stories. To be

sure I have read them all before, decades

ago, but now from the perspective of my

own accumulated experience, how deeply

and profoundly these authors explore and

pump the depths of man’s mind and heart,

is enough to bring tears to a grown man’s

eyes.

Outside, in a more civilized setting,

such as the semblance of it is now and

apart from my personal preferences on

how to ride this storm out, I follow the

protocols: avoid large crowds, mask, shield

and alcohol and absolutely no abrazos

and besos. We can only try our best to

improve the odds, beyond that, we can do

no more. But there is life to be lived. We

have to make a choice. In the meantime

make the best of it and be safe.

Editor’s Note:

These stories were supposed

to have been published in the

First Quarter 2020 issue of

Silver Threads. The outbreak

of the COVID-19 pandemic and

consequent lockdown hampered

us in the timely delivery of these

narratives.

Unilab Retirees

Christmas Party:

Let the good

times roll!

by: Carlos T. Ardosa

Valentine’s Day in December? Why not

when majority of the attendees heeded

the organizers’ call for hearts and love

as the prevailing party motif and so the

supreme effort to come clad in various

if not in darker shades of red. Welcome

to Unilab Retirees Christmas Party!

The traditional Christmas get-together

of Mr. JY Campos’ extended family

last December 12 at the Ynares Sports

Center in Kapitolyo, Pasig, had all

the trimmings of a homecoming, the

retirees presumably retelling stories

salvaged from way back when, of

cherished and bitter-sweet moments, of

engagements with their superiors and

peers and their up-close encounters

with the company’s Founders.

NEWS ROUNDUP

UBF hosts party

for Volunteers

by: Carlos T. Ardosa

For the fourth straight year, UBF hosted

a Thanksgiving Party for its Retiree-

Volunteers. The December 10 event

held at the Unilab EC Boardroom was

an occasion to express the Foundation’s

gratitude to the volunteers for their

selflessness and dedication in sharing

precious time and resource in the

foundation’s many programs for its

beneficiaries. As long-time volunteers,

they have in truth become fixtures in

a number of homes for the aged and

destitute throughout Metro Manila and

its fringes, part of the family, you might

say.

Light to Pierce

the Darkness

by: Vilma R. Taroy

Ageing is not an excuse to discontinue

one’s involvement in activities. Thus

the text message we received re: Advent

Recollection for UBF retirees and spouses

on November 27, 2019, was like a whiff of

fresh air for my husband and me who are

literally now “under house arrest.”

This “house arrest” that is mainly due to

health problems, has robbed us of the

joy of going out with friends to celebrate

special occasions, go window shopping,

watch movies for free courtesy of our

Senior Citizen card, or even take an early

morning walk in our subdivision.


27

Beautiful Life Lessons

I Learned From This Pandemic

By Gemma S. Dimaculangan

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, UBF reached out for retirees

be an insipiration to their fellow Unilab retiress by launching

the Silver Threads Writing Contest. The

response elicited twenty heart-warming stories

of beautiful life lsessons learned from this

pandemic and staying positive during the

coronavirus crisis. Our sincerest gratitude

to all the participants.

UBF now proudly presents to you

the top 3 winning entries of the Writing

Competition.

Living in the time of pandemic reminds me of

the first time I fell in love.

As those of you who have been fortunate

enough to experience true love will recall, being

in love made the grass seem greener, the sun

more brilliant, waiting an agony and parting

such sweet sorrow. Love made every little thing

you did more important and consequential.

Everything became much more intense,

remarkable and precious.

Living through this pandemic changed me, just

as surely as falling in love made me a different

person.

I feel real joy when I wake up each morning,

thankful for an uneventful night, and praying

for more of the same kind of mornings. I no

longer take waking up for granted. Even the

seemingly mundane becomes valuable. There

is purpose to everything if you care to find it. I

can’t thank God enough for the gift of a fresh

new day.

I am pleasantly surprised that I relish staying

home even after 31 years of working in an

office. How easy it is to trade wearing stylish

clothes and high heels for the comfort of simple

housedresses and going barefoot! I do not miss

going to the malls as much as I thought I would.

I am content to be with people who mattered

the most.

I discovered that I can settle for a life of

domesticity, that I can grow things and be able

to cook them. I found that I didn’t mind getting

my hands dirty and that often, it can even be

more satisfying than a manicure.

It made me cherish my family and household

more. I want to give them my best all the

time. My heart feels full when I hear their

easy banter, knowing that my calm exterior

assuages their fears. I tell my daughter how

elated I am that she works from home and eats

healthier food. No matter how late she needs

to work, I no longer worry how she will get

home.

I feel blessed that my neighbours, who never

used to talk to each other, are now reaching out

and helping one another survive this ordeal.

Our chat group support, like Bayanihan, makes

our sense of community stronger, encourages

us to look beyond our walls and extend help

to those who need it. We started shifting our

focus away from ourselves. It is strangely

wonderful that a pandemic could foster

neighbourliness and brotherhood.

I have learned to converse with God and beg

for humanity’s sake. I realize now that I am

not in control. I have set aside special times for

praying, alone or with my family. My spiritual

life had been so undernourished before the

pandemic struck. Praying has relieved my

anxieties and fear of the future. The daily

rosary and novenas have become my vitamins

for the soul.

The pandemic has made me realize my life’s

true value. It has made me see the world

and the people around me with fresh eyes.

Everything I do is significant. Everything I do

for others, even more so. I take nothing for

granted. The grass is greener, the sun is more

brilliant because, by God’s grace, I am alive

today. The joy of living becomes intense when

I recognize that I am given a chance to be a

better person, and that makes each day truly

remarkable and precious.

28



29

The Light Will Always Shine

In the past seven months, we have learned

to live with the “new normal” – of staying at

home and only going out when necessary.

But way before the phrase entered our daily

vocabulary, I was already quite used to

the idea. After all, I have been undergoing

dialysis for more than four years and have

spent most of that period at home. And I

have spent a significant portion of that period

reflecting on life.

Still, the pandemic and the community

quarantine gave me a new perspective about

life and the human condition.

Foremost is the realization that for all the

modern comforts and scientific advancements

we enjoy and have at our disposal; these are

powerless against a virus so small which has

the potential of wiping out humanity.

And given the seriousness posed by the virus

especially to immunocompromised people

like me; I realize now more than ever that our

time on this earth is limited and we should

make the most of that time with our family

and loved ones.

And perhaps even more significantly, I realize

that science/human knowledge by itself

cannot deliver us from the pandemic. Unlike

in the movies, scientists do not come up with

a vaccine before the 2-hour movie is finished.

In real life, it would take a lot of time and a

whole lot of prayers.

Hence, it is very heartening to witness more

people turning to prayer and even utilizing

technology like zoom to engage and involve

more people in praying for the sick, the

frontliners, our leaders, the country and the

world.Nothing happens by accident.

The same is true with the pandemic.

Perhaps it was something preordained; for

us to pause from our busy schedules and to

take stock. To recognize the things that really

matter and to appreciate what we have. And

By Eliza Damot

as many of us have seen, the things that matter

which we need to appreciate can be found at

home with our families.

The pandemic has forced us to embrace a new

kind of reality. Our movement outside our

homes has been restricted and has effectively

foreclosed any physical contact with people

outside the members of our immediate family.

Still, I am thankful for modern technology

which has enabled us to communicate with

family and friends, overcoming the beyond

physical limitations and the restrictions

imposed because of the virus. During these

uncertain times, the love and support

communicated and shared with, between,

and among family and friends go a long way.

And given my medical condition, I am equally

thankful for the blessing that is UNILAB

and the United Bayanihan Foundation. The

benefits and programs accorded to me and

other retirees similarly situated are more

than appreciated especially in the face of the

uncertainties during the pandemic. Truly the

embodiment of malasakit.

Looking back at the past few months, I recall

how we welcomed 2020 with so much hope

and optimism. And I also recall how our

optimism was repeatedly challenged. We had

barely recovered from the effects of the Taal

eruption in January when we were made to

face the Covid-19 scare in March. As if the virus

transmissions and deaths were not enough, the

quarantine also battered our economy with

many of our countrymen losing their jobs and

means of livelihood.

But inspite of, rather, because of all these, we

should maintain our optimism and trust that

we shall overcome the virus and that things

will get better.

We just need to keep the faith, remain hopeful

and always be thankful.

Until then, stay safe.

The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t come to an

end yet and as cases and deaths keep on

rising, millions of people across the world

continue to suffer from tremendous fears,

anxieties, worries and hunger. Many rich,

powerful nations and brilliant people are in

panic, helpless and clueless on what to do.

Overwhelmed by uncertainties, they have

stopped working and rather hide in fear

inside their homes. Many people see it as a

punishment or as a great disaster, but others

see it as a great corrector.

People who have experienced loss of a loved

one can’t help asking, questioning God and

pleading for His help, divine mercy and love.

“Where is God who is full of mercy and love,

have you abandoned and forgotten us?”

Pondering in fear, what if this disaster would

further lead to massive deaths and destruction

than it already has, like what happened in

the great flood (Noah’s day) and Sodom and

Gomorrah?

In my opinion, I don’t think that there is

any danger that this dreadful thinking and

happenings will overtake us. Do not forget that

God is God and not man. We may lose our hope

but God is a God of love, mercy and forgiveness

– nothing less.

Definitely, our world will still go on. God has

only asked for a chance to show His love for

us. Though we don’t even give thanks for the

gift of life that we received, he won’t make this

a reason nor a case against those He loves – so

nothing to worry. I think that the peace, love

and happiness that we lose from our sinful

lives will be found again. Just keep on praying

and God’s wide-open arms will embrace us

once more.

Reflecting on what this pandemic has brought

to the world, I’ve come to realize so many

things about life. We know for a fact that life

COUNTING

OUR BLESSINGS

By Dan M. Payawal

on earth is just temporary, but this has been

amplified even more when everyone starts to

see life as a journey and we are just pilgrims

returning to our real home in heaven.

We became more appreciative of what we

used to have and do before this pandemic

intercedes. We used to go to church three times

a week to pray, hear masses and novenas. Now

that we are restricted from going outside and

everything turns to online, we are becoming

more grateful of having the luxury of internet

and cable tv – allow us to attend the mass

through live streaming.

We used to have a regular family reunion on

Sundays where we eat and play together. There

is no greater feeling than being with the family

but knowing that they’re safe and healthy

amidst the pandemic, there is nothing more to

ask for.

We used to wear fancy clothes and shoes but

now that we are stuck at home, we found

comfort in our pajamas, plain shorts, t-shirts

and slippers.

This pandemic shows no mercy and respect for

elderly, race and color, religion, occupation and

profession; however, we see longer patience,

understanding and more obedience with each

other.

We learn how to adapt to changes and pivot

how we do our work. We found the simpler,

practical and better way of doing things:

working from home, online learning, meetings

and buying.

The pandemic has made clear our priorities and

see what truly is valuable to us. It taught us

the value of further strengthening family ties,

home life, looking after and taking care of one

another. The greatest lessons that I’ve learned

from all these are to always think positive,

pray, live our life to the fullest and be a blessing

to other. Amen!


31

THE CROSS OF LOVE

By J. Galo E. Leopando, Unilab Retiree

The year 2021 marks the quincentenary of

the first Cross planted in Cebu by Ferdinand

Magellan on March 17, 1521. The Cross has

been around us for almost 500 hundred

years and so much has been written, talked

about, and debated on about what the Cross

is, its significance, and its meaning.

Of the many thoughts on what the

Cross is all about, four (4) very important

realizations emerged:

The Cross is a symbol of sacrifice,

forgiveness, victory, and love. The sacrifice

made to obtain forgiveness led to our

victory over sin and death through a

demonstration of the highest form of love -

that of laying down one’s life so that others

may live.

Whenever we look at the Cross let us be

reminded that in life, we have to make

sacrifices to get what we need. Our life’s

journey will be full of challenges which

most often make us feel frustrated and

helpless before we can overcome. But

always we make it past the difficulties of

life.

Whenever we look at the Cross let us

think of the times when we suffered at the

hands of others and the pain and anger that

we might have experienced. Think also

of the many times that the simple act of

forgiveness best eased our feelings.

Whenever we look at the Cross let us be

reminded that love is the reason on why

the Cross is what it is. It is the symbol of the

“Never

forget that

in the end,

good will

always

prevail”.

undying

love of

God, the

moment

he took the

Cross and

died on

that Cross

so that we

may all

live. The

Cross is the

redemption that the Lord died for. We all

know that the greatest love is when we lay

our lives for others.

Whenever we look at the Cross let us

be reminded that the Cross showed us

the victory of good over evil. When

the Lord died on the Cross, the door to

unconditional love was opened for us.

Never forget that in the end, good will

always prevail.

Eight months ago we gave up so many

things. How do we see the Cross now

that our routine was disrupted, our social

life altered, and our spiritual practices

changed?

The lockdown and the pandemic gave me

the chance to be renewed and recharged.

Through the available technology, I

reconnected to my circle of friends. My

spirituality was even more deepened and

straightened through the daily masses that

I attended from the day one to date. In one

of the homilies of Father Tito Caluag, he

briefly but clearly, opened up my eyes and

mind to how I must see the Cross. He said

that the Cross represents the two greatest

love there is. The first is to “Love God with

all your heart, mind, and strength,” and the

second is to “Love your neighbor as you

love yourself.”

The Cross according to him has two

(2) beams, each representing the two

commandments on love. The vertical

beam is the the love Jesus has for all of us

and the love that we must have for Him in

return. The horizontal beam on the other

hand is the love that we must have for

our fellowmen. Very simple, yes, but very

profound. These points made me recall

once again what I heard a long time ago

that if we define the Bible in one word,

that word is Love. The Cross in our life

is the love that we have for God and our

fellowmen. Each time we look at the Cross

look at the vertical beam first then at the

horizontal beam.

Think about these questions:

• When did I last carry the cross for

Jesus?

• Will I always be ready to carry the

cross for my neighbors and even for

those who bear a grudge against me?

• Will I be ready to give my love and in

return accept love?

Look intensely at the Cross of our life..

embrace it because it is the Cross of

Love.


Three-Cheese

Baked Penne

WHAT TO PREPARE:

500 g penne (Marks & Spencer wheat

penne, if available)

1/2 k medium ground beef

1 cup Italian sausage, chopped

3 cups spaghetti sauce

1 cup tomato paste

2 tbsp cooking oil

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large white onion, chopped

1 big bell pepper, chopped

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1/4 tsp dried, crushed oregano leaves

1/4 tsp dried, crushed thyme leaves

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp Himalayan or iodized salt

1 cup grated quickmelt cheese

1/2 cup grated quezo de bola

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

HOW TO DO IT:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, pour the cooking oil and

sauté the garlic until golden brown. Add the

onions and bell peppers, cook until softened.

3. Add the ground beef and cook until brown.

Pour the sausage, followed by the

mushrooms and allow them to mix with the

ground beef, simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Pour the tomato sauce. Add the tomato

paste, stir and blend, and let the meat sauce

simmer for 3 minutes.

5. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.

Stir to blend. Add more of each, as desired.

6. Remove skillet from fire. Mix the meat sauce

with the pasta.

7. Meanwhile, oil the bottom of a 9 x 3 inch

baking pan.

8. Pour half of the pasta with meat sauce

into the baking pan. Add 1/2 of the grated

quickmelt cheese, 1/2 of the grated queso

de bola, and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese.

Spread evenly.

9. Pour the remaining pasta with meat sauce.

Top with the remaining cheeses. Spread

evenly. Cover with foil.

10. Bake in a pre-heated (350 degrees

Fahrenheit) oven for 20 minutes.

11. Remove the foil and continue baking for

another 3-5 minutes, until the cheeses

have completely melted and bubbling

and the top layer has achieved that slightly

burnished appeal.

12. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

13. Let the baked pasta rest for 8-10 minutes

before serving.

The song is ended

Melody

BUT the

TEODULO Z. VILLAREAL

February 15, 1935 - January 14, 2020

Distribution

EDWIN G. DERIQUITO

January 21 1953 - February 06, 2020

Manufacturing

BENEDICTO N. CALEDA

May 01, 1956 - February 28, 2020

UL International

BARTOLOME A. BATERINA

April 08, 1951 - March 06, 2020

Promotions

FELICITO C. TABLIZO

November 20, 1930 - March 27, 2020

Distribution

NEHEMIAS T. VENZON

January 16, 1932 - April 01, 2020

Administrative

NESTOR D. APUHIN

April 13, 1963 - April 08, 2020

Business Development Group

DIVINO E. VALENCIA

May 07, 1950 - April 12, 2020

Distribution

CASTOR L. AMPER, JR.

February 28, 1936 - May 11, 2020

Promotions

ANTONIO V. CARLOS

August 12, 1936 - April 17, 2020

Promotions

lingers on

RENE F. ADVINCULA

November 22, 1958 - May 27, 2020

Promotions

FERNANDO B. HERNANDEZ

November 23, 1957 - July 31, 2020

Promotions

HOMER L. FLORES

May 07, 1938 - August 25, 2020

Administrative

PATRICIO H. MENDOZA

March 17, 1947 - August 24, 2020

Greenfield Development Corp

HENRY T. WALDE

April 26, 1955 - September 04, 2020

Promotions

FRANCISCA C. ZAGALA

August 22, 1932 - August 13, 2020

Manufacturing

TRINIDAD T. CASTRENCE

July 22, 1928 - September 10, 2020

Manufacturing

ZALDY G. GUEVARRA

December 20, 1959 - October 02, 2020

Property Services Group

OSCAR F. FUENTES

April 28, 1950 - November 4, 2020

Promotions

GAUDENCIO P. SAGARAL

November 18, 1952 - November 13, 2020

Administrative


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SILVER THREADS ISSUE 42 1ST-4TH QRT 2020 small2

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