A wonderful Silver Episcopal Jubilee celebration

By ODON SABARRE
March 6, 2007

Around 12 o’clock noon of October 16, my good friends Nydia Yap, Mila Cadiz and Tita Chan rode off to Naval Leyte to greet best wishes to a dear friend of ours, Msgr. Filomeno Bactol D.D, Bishop of Naval who was celebrating his Silver Episcopal Jubilee.

We arrived at about 2 p.m., and we were received gracefully with garlands and souvenirs for the occasion.

Msgr. Bactol treated us to a merienda of Carigara delicacies and their delicious “suman.”

He left us for a while because he was going to attend the Forum whose topic was BEC: An instrument of Renewal for the Clergy given by Msgr. Jose Marie Delgado and the Naval Experience given by Fr. Marvyn Maceda.

Later, Bishop Bactol asked us to accompany him to a nearby bridge where he would all welcome the former First Lady Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos who was arriving all the way from Manila. Mrs. Marcos was with her “Blue Ladies” Luz Mate, Lily Montejo, Lus Bakunawa, Fe Bautista and her security.

Then we all went to the office of Naval Mayor Gerry Espina who warmly welcomed all of us.

Nydia and company had to go back to Tacloban because she was going to entertain the National President of the Filipino Chinese Catholic Association of the Philippines, Mrs. Conchita Tan, who happens to be her close friend.

I was left behind because I was going to do an interpretative dance number titled “Lessons We Learned” and Msgr. Ben Sabillo was supposed to sing it. Do you know that I danced together with my late brother, Tommy, (we were known as the SABARRE BROTHERS) during Msgr., Bactol’s Ordination in Palo, Leyte as a Bishop 25 years ago? I was so delighted that I was going to dance for him again. I still remember that Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, the First Lady then, was his “ninang” in that special occasion.

The affair in the evening was BEC: Fiesta sa Nayon and it narrated Msgr. Bactol’s journey to Bishophood. In between the narration were musical numbers. I was so impressed together with everyone; with the students from NIT (Naval Institute of Technology) where they performed in total darkness and the only ones that you could see were their gloves in ultra violet rays where they created images of birds flying, letters and signs, depicting the 25th anniversary of Msgr. Bactol. Mrs. Marcos was gasping a lot of Oh’s and Ah’s in her admiration.

Later, in my number, I prayed hard and asked our Dear Lord for assistance because my audience in the Presidential table were the Celebrant, Bishop Filomeno Bactol together with Bishop Leonardo Medroso, Bishop Emmanuel Transe, Bishop Angel Hobayan, Mrs. Imelda Marcos together with her Blue Ladies, Mayor Gerry Espina, Virgie Veloso, and lots of priests and nuns in the audience.

Praise the very good Lord, I did my number very well, and I got a “Bravo” from Mrs. Marcos and thunderous applause from the audience.

I was so elated when Bishop Transe told me that they are my silent admirers of my craft. Bishop Dean congratulated me warmly and told me that I can still really dance.

“You were great”! “I just see and read you in the papers and it is my first time to see you dance and I am impressed, wished I could have seen you during your younger days” exclaimed Mayor Espina.

“Nagparayaw ka gu hin ora-ora kay nakadi hi “ma’am,” teased Mana Lily Motejo. Mana Luz Bakunawa told me that she was impressed with my “turns” or “pirouettes.”

I am thankful to our Dear Lords because at my age and my weight, I can still manage to dance.

The next day, Oct. 17, at about 9:30 am, it was the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the Cathedral Church of our Lady of the Holy Rosary, I saw in the corridor the former Mayor of Tacloban, Uldarico Mate, and asked him, who is his companions were and he answered, “Upat nga Chicks” and when I went inside the church, the 4 chicks happened to be “hens” already, because they were namely Mana Miming Dublado, Mana Daisy Soledad, Mana Fely Ortega, and Mana Beny Santiago Johnton. Next to arrive in the church was our gorgeous Congresswoman of the First District, Congw. Remedios “Matin” Petilla who came with her close friend Cora Quintero Villareal. She was really stunning with her Filipina Kimona and skirt, I asked for Gov. Jericho Petilla and she told me that all Governors were in Cebu for a conference.

In about 10 minutes, Mrs. Imelda Marcos together with her entourage arrived and lots of friends and fans came to greet her. Parang “Artista” ang dumating. She looked very regal and lovely and she looked trimmer.

Then the Mass started with the procession of about 80 priests, followed by the 7 Bishops, the Main Celebrant Bishop Bactol. He looked very serene and holy. The Bishop who just arrived was Bishop Maximiano Cruz and Bishop Isabelo Abarquez.

In the procession, I saw Fr. Fabian Mariano, Fr. Oscar Florencio, our Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, Fr. Noel, the Rector of the Calbayog Seminary and lots of others who are mostly my friends.

Letters of the best wishes from a lot of Bishops all over the country and from POPE BENEDICT XVI were read and the Mass formally started.

I could see that a lot of people really love and care for Bishop Bactol because of the enormous attendance of his relatives, priests, nuns from different Congregations, members from Catholic Organizations, and friends. And they all line up during the “Offertory” to give something. Congw. Petilla and Mrs. Marcos brought the CHALICE OF THE BREAD AND WINE.

Aside from the money given by his well-off friends, he received tomatoes, pipino, kilos of rice, camotes, papaya and other simple gifts from simple folks just to show their love admiration and gratitude to the good Bishop. Bishop Medroso was excellent in his Homily.

The Mass ended with a “Thank You” speech from the celebrant and he gave a gift to Mrs. Marcos, 5 volumes of the speeches by the late President Ferdinand Marcos, which were compiled by his student, a Seminarian during his teaching days.

The celebration ended with a sumptuous lunch. Later everyone started heading for home. I rode back together with Msgr. Ramon Aguilos, parish priest of San Jose, and we agreed that indeed the whole affair was beautifully and really blessed by heaven.

To Bishop Bactol, my heartfelt congratulations and hoping to perform for you again in your GOLDEN EPISCOPAL CELEBRATION in the year 2031.