So much have happened since the last days of July this year through the first week of this month of August. Let me begin with our Zonta Club of Cebu 1 Board of Directors Meeting last July 24th at the Molave Room of the Cebu Country Club.
We opened with greeting our birthday celebrants of the month: Flor Streegan on July 4th, Rufina Tanchan on July 10th, Mila Espina on July 16th, Lucille Clina on July 29th, and Ma. Ellen Luna on July 29th; and their blowing out of the candles on their birthday cake.
Highlight of the meeting was a report on the Zonta International Convention held from June 27th through July 1st at the World Trade Center in Orlando, Florida.
It opened with the entry of 67 colorful flags representing member countries around the world, with the Philippines’ among them. A video message presentation followed on “Say NO to Violence Against Women (VAW)”, with over 30,000 members having raised $5.1 Million for the cause and the Amelia Earhart Fellowship Scholarships; and the Zonta International Government Structure.
The 3-day convention took up the following concerns: the Zonta International Foundation fund-raising to support its VAW projects worldwide, District Meeting highlights, our Cebu Zonta 1 “selfies”, the kick-off of our Golden Z Convention, leadership, an opening forum, business meetings, and inspiring talks.
The last day featured a 5K walk/run race, Service Recognition Awards to District Women, with those from Cebu led by our Anita Sanchez.
Education awardees shared their stories, a recap was given by the Business Section, leadership workshops followed, ending with thanks for the support of all these in this ending Biennium. Our Z women: truly busy and effective bees, or Zs!
Religious observations wound up the last days of July: The Apostle St. James, Patron of Spain on the 25th; Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin and Patron of Barili, Cebu on the 26th; the solemn opening in Miami, Florida, of the 132nd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus on the 28th; the Memorial of St. Martha, Disciple of the Lord, a prototype of the busy housewife and Patroness of Cooks, on the 29th; and the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola who established the Society of Jesus known as Jesuits, the largest male congregation of the Church, on the 31st. And this year, the 3rd week of July was observed as National Disability Week for the Differently Abled, with an intensified desire from a valuable part of the labor force and society.
The month of August is celebrated as “Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa” or National Language Month in a Proclamation signed by President Fidel V. Ramos on July 15, 1997. The celebration coincides with the birth month of the Father of the Philippine National Language, President Manuel L. Quezon who was born on August 19, 1878.
August 1st was the 5th death anniversary of President Corazon C. Aquino, who died of colon cancer at the age of 76 in 2009. In commemoration, Philpost this year has release 200,000 copies of scented P5-stamps and P100-souvenir sheets, a collection of her paintings. Her death came 20 days earlier than the 26th death anniversary of her husband, former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. who was coming home after a 3-year exile in the States.
He was shot to death at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983 while being escorted to a waiting vehicle to transport him to prison.
August 1st was also the 445th Founding Anniversary of Cebu Province, with a week-long agro-trade fair of products from 41 towns and 40 private establishments held at the Capitol Compound.
On the environment, heated emotional debate continues, as I write, on whether to cut or retain century-old acacia trees in southern Cebu, with activist Fr. Robert Reyes of the Coalition to Save the Trees strongly campaigning to retain them, saying “They need doctors, not axes.”
The results should be known as you read this. And also another national phenomenon is that of sinkholes in Central Visayas, threatening residents near them. Sinkholes are large natural depressions or holes in the ground, caused by the chemical dissolution of carbonite rocks beneath the ground surface.
On August 3rd, a breast feeding campaign was held for mothers in Manila, Davao and Iloilo, while in Cebu it was at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and at Ayala.
On August 4, 1964, President Diosado Macapagal approved a Republic Act officially changing the date of the country’s Independence Day from July 4th to June 12th. Now, National Hospital Week is being observed from August 6th through to the 12th by virtue of a Proclamation signed by then President Ramos on May 21, 1993.
The first day, August 6th, is also the birth anniversary of Dr. Sixto Orosa, who drafted an Act establishing provincial hospitals throughout the country and organizing what has evolved into the current hospital system.
In sports, after 3 years of hosting the Cobra Ironman this year, Cebu has been placed as the first and leading sporting destination, with Canadian Brent McMahon as fastest swimmer, bicyclist and runner; and Swiss Caroline Steffen having participated in the women’s pro-division for the 3rd year. It certainly is a women’s sports year this year!
And for now, do listen in tomorrow at 2:00 – 3:00 PM on Radio Station dyLA for the monthly Women’s Kapihan.
In conclusion, belated Happy Birthday yesterday, the 7th, to Virgie Romoff!
Until next week, then, as always, may God continue to bless us, one and all!