VOTE FOR JESSE ROBREDO IN THE WORLDMAYOR 2010 CONTEST

Please vote Mayor Jesse Robredo in the worldmayor 2010 search, with the total list of 840 nominees it is now shortlisted into 25 candidates. Please visit the website below to cast your vote, to support him and be proud to be a Filipino.

http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2010/world-mayor-2010-nominations

Who is Jesse Robredo? He is appointed by president Aquino as the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

JESSE ROBREDO PROFILE:

Jesse M. Robredo, former mayor of Naga City, Philippines, is an internationally recognized expert in local governance.

He is an Edward Mason Fellow and a graduate of Masters in Public Administration at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Previously, he completed his Masters in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines, finishing at the top of his class as university and college scholar. He is an alumnus of the De La Salle University, having obtained undergraduate degrees in Industrial Management Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Mayor Robredo joined San Miguel Corporation's Magnolia division after his graduation from De La Salle in 1980. Returning home to Naga City in 1986, he was named Program Director of the Bicol River BasinDevelopment Program, an agency tasked to undertake integrated area development planning in the region's three provinces.

In 1988, he won his mayoralty bid, making him the youngest Philippine city mayor at the age 29. He would later serve the city for an unprecedented six 3-year terms as local chief executive.

Cited in 1999 by Asiaweek Magazine for transforming Naga City from a lethargic Philippine city into one of Asia's Most Improved, Robredo energized the bureaucracy, dramatically improved stakeholdership and people participation in governance, in the process restoring Naga to its preeminent position as premier city of the Bicol Region. Today, Naga is considered a model local government in the country and a laboratory of local government innovation.

In recognition of his skills and competence as a leader and development manager, his peers elected Robredo president of the League of Cities of the Philippines in 1995, the national association of city mayors. He was also elected chairman of the Regional Development Council, the regional planning and coordinative body of Bicol's six provinces and seven cities, from 1992-98. Since 1995, he also chairs the Metro Naga Development Council.

In recognition of his work, Robredo received 14 major individual awards, including the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the 1996 Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) Award, the Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), 1998 Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence as Most Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines and the first ever “Dangal ng Bayan ” Award of the Civil Service Commission. In March 2008, he was conferred an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree by the Far Eastern University in Manila.

A trustee of Synergeia Foundation, a national advocacy group for education governance reforms, Robredo is a member of the Liberal Party of the Philippines and a prime mover behind the Kaya Natin!, a national movement that seeks to bring genuine change and ethical leadership in the country.

A Centennial Years (100 years) Celebration for you FATHERS

This year 2010 the third Sunday of June is the century or one hundred years Celebration for you Fathers. Father's Day poses as just the perfect occasion to express feelings of gratitude and thankfulness to every daddy, papa, tatay, itay, ama in the world. It is your special day honoring your fatherhood and parenting not only to your family but the entire society.

The brief history of Father's Day Celebration.

The first observance of Father's Day through the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. To pay tribute to her great dad, Sonora held the first Father's Day celebration on 19th of June 1910, on the birthday of her father. After listening to a church sermon at Spokane's Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909 about the newly recognized Mother's Day, Dodd felt strongly that fatherhood needed recognition, as well.

States and organizations began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."

After a protracted struggle of over four decades, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day in 1966. Since then, fathers had been honored and recognized by their families throughout the country on the third Sunday in June. Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. Sonora Smart Dodd was honored for her contribution at the World's Fair in Spokane in 1974. Mrs. Dodd died in 1978 at age 96.

To all the father this is your day thank you for your undying love and support to your family, continue to be a role model for your children and to all people you keep in touch.

To TATAY, thank you so so so much for everything, wherever you are, your still in my heart remembering the goodness you have shared with us. Despite our difficulty during our times, you have done your part and share the best you can to ease the burden we have. You teach us to strive hard to alleviate the status of our life. You always reminded us to study hard because we inherit nothing from you but our education. Please continue praying for me as I traverse this chosen life of mine.

THE VISITA IGLESIA 2010

The Visita Iglesia is a tradition of the Filipino people during holy week, wherein you have to visit seven churches. The group of friends decided to visit the different churches in Batangas. We are all amazed of the beautiful churches - cathedral and basilica of this province. Our first stop is the city of Lipa, the Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Sebastian Cathedral, then San Jose, Batangas the St. Joseph Church, next is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, then we go to the town of Taal, we visited the St. Martin de Tours Church and our Lady of Casaysay and the last is the Caleruega Transfiguration Chapel.

1. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church

Amid the busy city of Lipa stands a church where solemnity and serenity can be best experienced. The convent of the contemplative order of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. This church is well known among Batanguenos and perhaps to most Filipinos for this happens to be the site of the mysterious shower of rose petals decades ago.

Through the initiative of Bishop Alfredo Versoza and then auxilliary Bishop Alrfredo Ma. Obviar (who was the first father and chaplain of the monastery), the sisters from Carmel Manila left for their new monastery in Lipa on the same day Carmel Lipa was founded, which was the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace. This is primarily the reason why the Carmel has been associated with several forms of the Virgin Mary.

Carmel, as local folks refer to it, was founded on May 31, 1946, just a year after World War II left the town of Lipa in ruins (Lipa bounced back heavily and was made city in August 1947, after the Japanese killed more than 20,000 innocent Lipa natives, with more casualties resulting from massacres carried out by the Japanese when they were losing the war against the Americans in the ending years). Through the initiative of Bishop Alfredo Versoza and then auxilliary Bishop Alrfredo Ma. Obviar (who was the first father and chaplain of the monastery), the sisters from Carmel Manila left for their new monastery in Lipa on the same day Carmel Lipa was founded, which was the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace. This is primarily the reason why the Carmel has been associated with several forms of the Virgin Mary.

2. San Sebastian Cathedral Church

The cathedral of St. Sebastian is known simply as “Kadetral”. It stands tall right in the heart of Lipa City, among its business streets, young and bright students, great looking women, and its courteous and hospitals elders. Because its accessibility, the church itself is rarely empty, even when there’s no mass.

The feast of St. Sebastian is held at the 20^th of January every year. In Lipa, it is usually a weeklong event with put-up shops lining the streets of the city, culminating in a concert or big gathering of different personalities. It was built in the Romanesque tradition with circular dome, massive walls and balconies. Its first construction was completed in 1865, but after the was it underwent massive constructions. The church has an architecture which used columns and arches in an ascending and descending order, creating the effect of a shadow and light play. The domes of the church and bell tower have elaborate moldings and arched stained-glass windows. The nave or body of the church is barrel-vaulted and now illuminated by modern chandeliers. It also features a winding stairway to the choir loft.

3. St Joseph Church in San Jose Batangas

The Magnificent church of St Joseph in San Jose, Batangas is 237 years old, established in 1765. The church was built by the Augustinian friar, Fr. Manuel Blanco in 1812. It has a large one-aisle interior and is remarkable for its restored main altar, geometrical decorations and flowery capitals on the columns. The church is a paragon of Baroque architecture in the Philippines and with elaborate carvings of local flora, combines this with the neo-classical lines of an adjacent convent.

4. Immaculate Conception Church Batangas

The Basilica de Immaculada Concepcion is considered to be one of the oldest Catholic churches in the province. Situated at the end of the main road of the city where most schools, offices and businesses are located, this church serves as a place for reflection for most, after a hard and busy day of school and work. Right in front of it is a spacious well maintained park. The surrounding of the church is lined with century old trees that a photo enthusiast had to walk around to find the best angle as the church is hidden behind lush greens. Even the park across the street is full of trees.

The Basilica's Historical Marker states the following story: The first church built in 1581 by Father Diego Mojica, Augustinian Pastor of Calapan, Mindoro was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of our Mother as a Parish. In 1601, the stone foundation was placed for the second church on which the priests had it built from 1682-1721. The convent with artillery placements was built in 1693 as a defense against sea pirates. After 179 years, the church was demolished and rebuilding was led by Fr. Pedro Cuesta in 1851 and inaugurated in 1857. Dedicated as a Basilica Menor on February 13, 1948. Its centennial was celebrated in 1957.

The first church on the present site was built in 1581 by Father Diego Mojica, Augustinian Pastor of Calapan, Mindoro. In 1601, the stone foundation was placed for the second church on which the priests built from 1682-1721. The convent with artillery placements was built years later as a defense against sea pirates. After 179 years, the church was demolished. On the same year, the church was rebuilt through Fr. Pedro Cuesta’s endeavor. The church was then granted a Basilica status by Pope Pius XII. “Given in Rome, at St. Peters, with the seal of the Fisherman, on the 13th day of February in the year 1948, the tenth of our Pontificate -1948.” Since the church construction was offered to the Immaculate Concepcion, it was then called the Basilica de Immaculada Concepcion. Though the Basilica has been constructed, many years ago, it has maintained it’s well-built structure and exceptional make up. Vivid paintings on ceilings and walls are noticeable up to date.

5. St. Martin de Tours Church

It is identified as the largest Catholic church in Asia, the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours, which stand 96 meters tall and 45 meters wide on a plateau in the heart of the town of Taal. The church remains magnificent with its old but artistically beautiful make-up.

In 1570, Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo, two Spanish generals explored the coast of Batangas on their way to Manila and came upon a Malay settlement at the mouth of Taal River. IN 1572, the town of Taal was founded and its convent and stone church were constructed later. It was first built by Father Diego Espina in 1575 in what is known as San Nicolas, which was historically a part of Balangon. It was destroyed when the volcano erupted in 1754. It was rebuilt at the present site in 1755, but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1849. The construction of the present church was started in 1856, according to the plans of architect, Lucian Oliver and later inaugurated in 1885.

The Augustinian Missionaries started construction in 1756, and it took a century for the church to achieve it present form. The façade resembles that of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Its tabernacle is made of silver, the one of its kind in the Philippines. The structure of this church is really magnificent.

6. Our Lady of Casaysay Church

The Church is a few minutes away from the main Basilicia of Taal, the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours. Not everyone know the place as there is also an altar dedicated to Our Lady of Casaysay inside the basilica. There is a “milagrosang balon” (miraculous spring) at the back of the church just across a stony path, you have to climbed a rugged rock to get to the grotto and an old arch under which lies the two miraculous spring.

We are expecting a big church similar to the different basilica we have visited, but it is a small church as just like of the image of Our Lady. The painting on the ceiling which is made in black and white is also beautiful.

Our Lady of Caysasay was the title given to Our Blessed Virgin Mary taken from the name of the Casaysay bird that flew around the image when it was found on the branch of a tree in the woods of Taal in the 1700s. Juan Maningkad, a fisherman found the statue in the Pansipit River in the year 1603. But Taal folks said strange phenomenon had occurred when the image "disappeared" from time to time but comes back again the next day. This puzzled the people, including the parish priest. During its disappearances, the statue goes back to the river where it was originally located. The image was then brought to the church of the barrio, but the same incident occurred. This strange happening was repeated a number of times prompting, Ms. Espiritu to report the matter to the parish priest. To investigate the mysterious coming and going of the image, the priest decided to have volunteers keep a vigil beside the turn. They sat and prayed, painstakingly waiting for the moment to happen. Then suddenly they saw with their eyes the glorious image going out from the turn and coming back again. The priest decided that the villagers should light candles and follow the image the next time it left from the turn. When the phenomenon again occurred the image led the people to Caysasay, the place it was originally found. The villagers concluded that it was the Lady's wish to stay in the river of Pansipit. A chapel was built in Labac. An orphanage was added to the sanctuary. The well and the sampaga tree from which the image was recovered was consecrated and marked by a stone arch bas-relief of the Virgin.

7. The Caleruega Transfiguration Chapel

The Caleruega Church is located in Nasugbu, Batangas a bit off Tagaytay City, which is a famous place for retreats and wedding ceremonies. The actual church is just small but the area surrounding is large with green hills and great landscapes in different direction. Its façade is a reproduction of the original chapel in Caleruega, Spain. Its hut-shaped roof is in remembrance of the temporary sheds that the apostles wanted to build for Jesus, Moses and Elijah during the transfiguration. The seal of Dominican Province of the Philippines is depicted in stained glass in the upper portion of the chapel’s façade.

This is a house of prayer wherein you can do a lot of activities like recollections, prayer and renewal workshops, youth camps, marriage and family encounter celebrations, leadership seminars environment activities and so much more. It is one of the most favorite churches for weddings, it is so in-demand that you need to book a date a year ahead.

Further, down the hill, there’s a hanging rope bridge connecting to a larger and orchard which is always flocked by families and tourist for an afternoon picnic. On a regular day, visitors are charged a minimal entrance fee of P20.00.