BOOK LAUNCHING
21 March 2008
Museo it Akean, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines
Tumbokon pays tribute
to Aklan’s imminent writer
to Aklan’s imminent writer
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| Tumbokon: former Minister of State for Public Information and Presidential Adviser of then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos |
Former Assemblyman Jose “Soning” Tumbokon recently paid tribute to the late Dr. Beato A. Dela Cruz who is known in Aklan as outstanding educator imminent and prolific writer and highly respected man of letters.
Tumbokon was Guest Speaker during the launching of Dela Cruz’s book of poems and poetry entitled “This Be Our World” held at Museo it Akean in the Ati-Atihan capital town of Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines.
The 234-page book was edited by UlyssesV. Espartero as commissioned by the Dr. Beato A. Dela Cruz Educational Foundation.
The affair was also graced by former Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino, Provincial Administrator Atty. Diego M. Luces, SP Member Plaridel Morania, Kalibo Senior SB Member Mark Vega Quimpo and SB Member Emmanuel Soviet Russia Dela Cruz.
Present also were the author’s family including his wife, Josefina Icamina Dela Cruz; his sons, Commodore Gualterio I. Dela Cruz and JG Macciri Group President John Guidon Macciri Dela Cruz; his brother, Atty. Manuel Dela Cruz; and daughters-in-law Allied Health Group Founder Dr. Cynthia C. Dela Cruz and New Washington SB Member Celia C. Dela Cruz.
Tumbokon underscored that Dela Cruz was his great mentor, and educator par excellence, who paved the way for his modest successes in life and who has an indelible imprint of great impact to his life. “Where I succeeded most, his mentorship shined as my bright guiding light, a brilliant one. He was my instructor in English and Literature and with his contaminating focus on studies, he changed my cavalier attitude in school and engrossed me for three solid years to peruse books in the library.
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| Ulysses with Assemblyman Tumbokon |
“At that early stage of my schooling (2nd year to 4th year high school), I rummage the library and read the Harvard Classics edition on the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Tumbokon further said.
At the prime of his public career, Tumbokon served as Minister of State for Public Information, Chairman of the Committee on Public Information of the Batasang Pambansa and Spokesman of the lawmaking body and the KBL Ruling Party.
Tumbokon recalled that it was at the U.N. Committee on Public Information at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, USA where he felt most the value of his mentorship. “I was Philippine Head Delegate to the U.N. Committee on Public Information Committee meeting. I attended said meeting with no reference paper and no anticipation of what would be taken up. There were no computers then and all I had was an old manual portable typewriter with me,” he added.
For his representations in said meeting, Tumbokon received letters of congratulations from General Carlos P. Romulo, then Philippine Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for “your excellent and exemplary performance in the said meeting” and from U.N. Undersecretary General for Public Information Nobushi Akashi for “your words of beauty and wisdom which will serve as inspiration to the youth of the world for many years to come.”
Tumbokon believed Dr. Dela Cruz was his “only guiding light as he was in my search for knowledge then and the facility in use of the English language, oral or written.”
Dela Cruz had his durable imprint not only on the person of Tumbokon but upon the lives of a generation of Aklanons who underwent penitential tutelage from him in his English and Literature classes and also from his administration of the Aklan Division of Schools as its Division School Superintendent.
BOOK LAUNCHING
18 March 2009
Museo it Akean, Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines
PAPI prexy graces launching of 19 martyrs booklet
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| the author, Atty. Ronquillo C. Tolentino |
Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) President Juan P. Dayang graced the launching of a booklet on the 19 Martyrs of Aklan on March 18, 2009 at the Museo it Akean in the historic town of Kalibo, the capital town of the country’s oldest province.
Dayang served as mayor of Kalibo during the term of Pres. Corazon Aquino.
The booklet carries the title, “Ro Desenueve Martirez it Akean” (The 19 Martyrs of Aklan). Authored by lawyer-journalist and former Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino, this historical piece chronicles the events and circumstances leading to the martyrdom of Aklan's freedom fighters in 1897.
The booklet will be distributed to the public and private schools and libraries all throughout the province in an attempt, borrowing the words of the late Justice and Father of Aklan Godofredo P. Ramos, “to re-dedicate ourselves to the sacredness of their sacrifice and selflessness in the name of freedom and faith.”
Ulysses V. Espartero, the Project Editor, said the publication aims to inspire and to rekindle the spirit of love of freedom among the young generation. This project was initiated by the Aklan Historical Society in cooperation with the Aklan Media Forum.
The 19 Martyrs of Aklan include Roman Aguirre, Tomas Briones, Domingo Dela Cruz, Claro Delgado, Angelo Fernandez, Simon Inocencio, Catalino Mangat, Lamberto Mangat, Valeriano Masinda, Maximo Mationg, Simplicio Reyes, Valeriano Dalida, Isidro Jimenez, Canuto Segovia, Gavino Sucgang, Francisco Villorente, Benito Iban, Candido Iban and Gabino Yonsal.
The launching is one of the highlights of the month-long observance of March as Month of Aklan Martyrs and Patriots as per Kalibo Municipal Ordinance sponsored by SB Members Lilian Quimpo-Tirol and Emmanuel Soviet Russia Dela Cruz. SB Member Mark Quimpo has been designated as chairman of the celebration.
