MANILA PRIORY NEWSLETTER

S t . S c h o l a s t i c a ’ s P r i o r y 2 5 6 0 L e o n G u i n t o S t r e e t M a l a t e , M a n i l a , P h i l i p p i n e s

Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014

Day 1: February 20, 2014

Thursday

Part I

7:30 am Motorcade

Opening Salvo

Part II

9:00 am Holy Mass

Blessing of the New Building

Family Day Celebration SPC Got Talent

Part III

3:00 pm Musical Dance Concert

Day 2: February 21, 2014

Friday

Part I

5:00 am Fun Run (with bikers)

Morning Praise (Prayer Dance)

Part II

8:00 am Field Demo

Part III

3:00 pm Holy Mass

Service Awarding Ceremony

Fellowship

“Celebrating 100 Years of Faithfulness in Serving God, Country and Creation”

Continuing the Legacy of Excellence…

Day 3: February 22, 2014

Saturday

Part I

9:00 am First Communion

Part II

1:00 pm High School J.S. Prom

MANILA PRIORY Page 2

On February 7, 2014, at 9:00 in the morning, the administrators, doctors and employees of Divine word Hospital painted the main thoroughfares of Tacloban City blue, with their royal blue shirts in a parade that marked the beginning of their year-long activities that will end on its golden jubilee of foundation next year, February 7, 2015. .The simple but meaningful and colorful parade was led by the drum and bugle corps of the SVD owned school, Liceo del Verbo Divino, followed by the OSB sisters, the doctors, employees and selected students of St. Scholastica’s College-Tacloban. The participants carried 49 multi-colored placards bearing scripture passages of hope and thanksgiving and a dozen more placards bearing Thank You messages to major donors and volunteers of the hospital. The parade was meant to awaken hope and a sense of thanksgiving to a people devastated by super typhoon Yolanda that struck the city three months back, in addition to announcing to the people the 49th founding anniversary of the hospital.

When the parade reached the hospital grounds, the participants were welcomed with surprise and amazement with a giant Thank You tarpaulin in front of the hospital that was just installed for the occasion. It was meant to honor all who have helped the hospital rise back to its feet after the deadly typhoon.

A choice of lugaw or champorado with skyflakes and bottled water were served to the participants and to all the people in the out-patient department and the

passers-by. We counted more than 900 bowls served that morning.

At 1:30 p.m. the renovated Business Office was blessed by Fr. William, SVD, hospital chaplain. After the blessing, holy mass presided by Msgr. Benedicto Catilogo and concelebrated by two SVD priests, Fr. William and Fr. Agus followed. With just a few minutes in between, the program started. In addition to honoring the service awardees who have served the hospital for 10,15,20 and 25 years, there was also the recognition of the hospitals “Yolanda Heroes”, those who rendered round the clock duty during and immediately after the typhoon. They were not able to rest and eat enough, not able to go home and be with their families, nor change their clothing for days.

Mother Adelaida Ygrubay, OSB Prioress of Manila and Sr. Imelda Halili, OSB, Procurator handed to them a certificate of appreciation and a small token. A simple merienda cena followed. Though the whole day’s celebration was simple in keeping with the present situation in Tacloban, all went home happy, hopeful and thankful!

From February 7, 2014 to February 7, 2015, Divine Word Hospital will be celebrating a year of hope and thanksgiving.

By Sr. Ana Maria Raca, OSB

Service Awardees Yolanda Heroes

Page 3 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014

Super Typhoon Yolanda, with sustained winds of 314 kilometers (198 miles) an hour, struck the Philippine archipelago on November 8, 2013, pummelling several entire coastal towns across Central Visayas as the sea surged ashore and left behind shattered homes and countless bodies scattered across wastelands. It also wrecked livelihoods on a massive scale, destroying crops, livestock, and coconut plantations and fishing boats. Hence, desperation built up with dozens of displaced and devastated communities who were devoid of shelter, clothes, food, water and medicines.

In response to the enormous devastation wrought

by the monstrous typhoon Yolanda in Samar and Leyte,

Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, president of St.

Scholastica’s College, Manila called on all students, par-

ents, alumnae, benefactors, friends here and abroad to

send in their donations to help in the immediate relief and

recovery efforts in the affected communities. The disaster

response was quick and overwhelming.

Honed to be of service to the poor and the less

fortunate, the Scholasticans brought relief goods to the

pergola at Gate 1 and the waiting area turned into an

instant relief centre. Much of the assistance came in the

form of clothes, medical supplies, food, water and other

basic necessities for survival in the wastelands. The

destruction of airports, roads, bridges and other

infrastructures hampered the delivery and distribution of

relief supplies. Sr. Celine Saplala, OSB, the Institutional

Social Action Center coordinator, the staff and the

countless volunteer hands of students, parents, teachers,

alumnae packed and re-packed relief items.

In coordination with the Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, Air Asia, INAED, Gothong Shipping, and 2GO Cargo, St. Scholastica’s College’s relief goods were transported by land, sea and air and were safely received by our Sisters in Tacloban and Ormoc and were distributed accordingly to people in dire need of relief and humanitarian assistance.

The overwhelming flow of relief goods at the pergola from the students, alumnae, friends, and benefactors.

Relief goods were received, packed and re-packed systematically with the aid of students, teachers, parents, and alumnae-volunteers.

The prompt response of the Scholastican community for the immediate delivery of relief goods to Samar and Tacloban typhoon-stricken

communities.

MANILA PRIORY Page 4

Two months after typhoon Yolanda ravaged the

Visayas region, grieving survivors keep their spirit high and

continue to radiate the ray of hope as numerous local and

international relief, rehabilitation and recovery efforts keep

flowing like a spring of living water from generous-hearted

people here and abroad.

On November 20, 2013, SSC-Manila ended the Phase

I of the Relief Operations and moved to Phase II of the

OplanYolly with a roundtable discussion on Nov. 27, 2013.

The next project is the resettlement community for homeless

survivors. From Dec. 26-30,2013, a third team of four (4)

Sisters led by S. Celine travelled to Ormoc, Tacloban and

Samar and brought relief goods, cooking utensils, and housing

materials to fifteen (15) families of our school personnel

whose houses in Ormoc, Tacloban and Samar were destroyed

during the typhoon. Then on January 19-21, 2014, Sr. Mary

Thomas accompanied by Sr. Regina David, OSB, Dean Becky

Marquez and Prof. Aurora Lomibao distributed relief goods in

Payapay, and finalized plans of adopting Tanauan II Central

Elem. School – a project in partnership with San Beda College

- Mendiola and Alabang. They also visited the site of the

resettlement community in Alang-alang where SSC, through

the help of benefactors and Habitat for Humanity, will build

thirty (30) houses for 30 displaced families. These two

ongoing projects are called “Yakap-Eskwela” (for the adopt-a-

school program) and Sambayanan in San Benito (for the

resettlement community project).

In the words of our school president, Sr. Mary

Thomas: “We thank our partners, here and

abroad – individuals, students, alumni, families, groups,

communities, clubs and organizations, companies, schools,

monasteries and religious congregations – for your donations in

cash and in kind, for your volunteer work, for your caring

heart, for walking the extra mile. Every effort that was put in

was precious. We will remember you in our rehabilitation and

recovery efforts. You will be very much a part of the

community we will build, the houses we will make, the farm

we will till. THANK YOU more than words can express.”

By : Sr. Rosalina Fajardo, OSB

The month of January is a time of recovery from the

super typhoon “Yolanda. The community has been reduced to 5

members because of lack of space and we expected less

enrolment. As the school building in Manlurip can not be used

anymore, the community was able to negotiate to use again the

Arnold Jansen building owned by the SVD Fathers so that we

can open classes by January 15, 2014. With the positive answer

given to us, Sr. Andrea, our new treasurer was appointed by

Mother Adelaida to take charge of the repairs of the said

building. Work began on the first week of January so as to be

ready for the opening of classes of the College Department on

January 15, 2014. The building has now 18 offices on the

second floor, 8 classrooms in the third floor and laboratories on

the 4th floor. Enrolment was good with 581 on the first week and

at the end of the month increased to 599 students. A part of the

2nd floor will be used for the sisters’ living quarters which

contains 5 cells, a small kitchen, refectory, chapel and comfort

rooms. At present the sisters are still staying at the DWH until

they can transfer to the school building. We thank the Hospital

community for taking us in during and after the typhoon.

Sr. Jessica and nine teachers continue classes of the

BED in Manlurip. They are holding classes in 5 big tents

donated by the Taiwan Tsu chi Foundation here in Tacloban.

The 3rd year students are using one of the classrooms on the 2nd

floor of SSC-T.

We thank God and Mother Adelaida for their

protection and constant loving care. We also thank all the

sisters, friends, alumnae and all benefactors who gave material

and financial help so that we can continue our mission in

Tacloban

By: Sr. Baptista Busmente, OSB

The school president, Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, and the Prioress of the Community of Benedictine Sisters, Mother Adelaida Ygrubay, OSB

oversee the smooth and efficient delivery of relief goods at Tacloban Airport.

SSC–Tacloban in Jansen Bldg.

SSC–Tacloban: BED in the old site

Page 5 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014

The Super typhoon Yolanda which badly hit

the province of Leyte last November 8, 2013 created

a big impact on the global community because of the

great destruction both in lives and properties.

Thousands of people lost their lives and billions of

pesos were lost on damages to properties.

The Koreans were among the first foreign

volunteers who came over to Leyte to extend

medical assistance to victims of typhoon Yolanda

and also in the rehabilitation of the badly hit places

in the province.

Our very own Changwon Fatima Hospital

sent their medical team to treat patients from the

affected areas. They came February 17, 2014 and

left Tacloban February 21, 2014. The twelve

members of the team composed of four medical

doctors: two surgeons, a pediatrician, one internist,

and four nurses including Sister Caritas and Sister

HyuJu Agnes, a pharmacist with aide and two

administrators.

After resting for a few hours after their

arrival, they were given a tour of the badly hit places

in Leyte. They began their medical mission on the

second day. They treated around one thousand two

hundred (1,200) patients on their four day medical

mission. Among the nine groups of the Korean

medical missions coordinated by Divine Word

Hospital, the group had a record breaker of treating

six hundred (600) patients for one day in Dagami,

Leyte. The medical team was very organized as

commented by the volunteer nurses of Divine Word

Hospital who served as their interpreters during the

medical mission. The people of Leyte were very

thankful of the Korean Medical Mission because

they were treated for free and also given free

medicines with the complete dosage. KUDOS TO

CHANGWON FATIMA MEDICAL TEAM!

By: Sister Martha Lugtu, OSB

MANILA PRIORY Page 6

Around eighteen (18) IPs, sisters and mission

partners representing communities, regional and national

IP organizations and SPA sisters directly working with IPs

from SPA centers in Luzon and Mindanao attended a

consultation from 15-17 January, 2014 held at the

wholeness Farm, Mendez. This consultation was called in

response to Priory Chapter that mandated the Socio

-Pastoral Apostolate to make a common framework that

will guide the OSB SPA centers in their apostolate with

the Indigenous Peoples. But this common framework can

be born only after consulting with some IP leaders who are

already our partners or with whom we have linkages. In

this gathering, we listened to the IP Situation through the

workshops conducted in groups and additional inputs of

the IP representatives.

Having listened to and heard each other, we came

up with a common understanding on the IP situation, how

things came about, what is actually happening. The inputs

given by the IP representatives deepened our

understanding on how the IP land rights are violated due

to systematic and massive land grabbing by big foreign

and local mining companies; state enforced dispossession

from their ancestral lands, plunder and militarization of IP

communities and institutionalized discrimination among

others. They shared also with us their struggles,

challenges, hopes and aspirations towards self

-determination. From their perspective, “Land is life; The

IPs honor and care for nature because they know that

nature sustains their lives, their existence. Their respect

for their land is respect for life, knowing that life is

sustained by the land given by God.”

In summary the IPs long standing call to

DEFEND LIFE, RIGHTS AND LAND TOWARDS

SELF DETERMINATION needs all the support we

could give.

The assembly also identified several areas for

further reflection and an initial basis for a common

framework for our SPA-IP programs and services.

We thank the preparatory committee who paved

the way for the IP consultation: Sr. Celine Saplala, OSB

(SPA Charperson), Sr. Odilia Bulayungan, OSB (CDC-

Taal). Sr. Angela Bingan, OSB (IPA-Angeles), Sr.

Miriam Noemi Francisco, OSB (ENFIDE) and

Documentor - Berna Lablabong (SPA- NO-Staff).

By: Sr. Odilia Bulayungan,OSB

Page 7 Vol. IV No. 1 Jan. - Feb. 2014

We express our gratitude to all who have

contributed to this newsletter.

Sr. Virginia Ferino, OSB Priory Secretariat

Stella Marie Martinez Layout Editor

Sr. Soledad Hilado, OSB

December 30, 1921-February 10, 2014

Sr. Soledad Hilado, OSB passed away on February 10,

2014, Feast of St. Scholastica, at the age of 92. Sister led St.

Scholastica‘s College as its 8th (1956-1958) and 12th (1973-

1981) President. Under her leadership, she steered the school

into academic excellence.

She was also responsible for translating into concrete

action the school’s option for the poor by starting the scholar-

ship for and the acceptance of economically disadvantaged stu-

dents. This changed the landscape of Scholastican education by

making it accessible to economically disadvantaged students.

She was instrumental in the founding and growth of PAASCU

and sat on its Board and its Tertiary Commission for many

years.

Sister served as member of the SSC Board of Trustees

and Director of the Association of Benedictine Schools (ABS)

for several years. She was the Director of St. Scholastica’s

Research and Development Foundation (SSRDF) and worked

hard to build the scholarship fund into what it is today. Her heart

always overflowed with joy at the success of every SSRDF

scholar. There is so much more that S. Soledad has done that has

gone unnoticed and unheralded which was her characteristic

way of doing things.

As a symbol of our deep respect and esteem for her

contribution to this institution and to Scholastican education, the

Philippine flag and the SSC flag in the campus will be flownat

half-mast. Her remains lay at the school chapel and all are

requested to pay their respects. The funeral mass will be on

February 13, 2014 at 9:00 AM

By. Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB

Sr. Lillian Ruth Lansang, OSB From Germany for homeleave January 8 – March 2, 2014

Congratulations! Mother Bles Birthing Clinics

has been chosen as a featured program in

Highlights: 2013, a report from the Center for

Health Market Innovations (CHMI) on innovative programs working to improve

healthcare for the poor in low- and

middle-income countries.

The birthing clinics in Samar and Leyte are

projects of Sr. Eloisa David, OSB with

government aid.

Sr. Franz Kim, OSB (J) Back to Daegu after Exposure Aug. 27, 2013- Jan. 7, 2014

Sr. Leah Ann Sison, OSB Back to Norfolk after homeleave

Dec. 16, 2013- Jan.16, 2014

Sr. Benilda Maramba, OSB

Missioned to Ndanda, Tanzania February 28, 2014

(L) Sr. Marie Luca Kim, OSB (M) Sr. Chris Gu, OSB (R) Sr. Paulo Seo, OSB

From Daegu for Exposure

February 21, 2014

Sr. Eloisa David, OSB