Knights of Columbus Council 5739 adopts a Community

1 September 2012- San Fabian, Pangasinan. “I came so that they might have life and have it abundantly. “(Jn 10,10). These words from the Gospel of John have inspired, motivated and moved the members of the Knight of Columbus Council 5739 of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, to adopt one community that “they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Sitio Biew, Brgy. Tocok

The community of Sitio Biew, Brgy. Tocok, San Fabian, Pangsinan is home to about twenty-five families. Most of them have migrated to Sitio Biew hoping to find a place to build their dreams and aspirations. Opportunities for education and livelihood skills have eluded them for the years they have been in Sitio Biew. Poverty has become their way of life.

The members of the Knights of Columbus Council 5739 have been conducting regular meetings with the residents. They have been providing opportunities for growth and development through formation for community development and cooperation, providing avenues for spiritual formation as well as livelihood skills training.

The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Marty, through the Knights of Columbus and generous benefactors have committed itself in helping and providing support and opportunities for self-reliancy among the members of the community of Sitio Biew.

Mass and Baptisms

Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza celebrated mass and the sacrament of baptism with the community last 10 August 2012. There were more than 30 children who received the Sacrament of Baptism.

The Knights of Columbus prepared a simple arroz caldo for the residents. Sis. Silvana M. de Vera provided delicious empanada as added menu for everybody.

The community has been processed and assessed with the following basic needs, like: potable drinking water, bathrooms and toilets for their basic personal needs, and livelihood opportunities, especially for the women of the community to augment the meager income of the menfolk.

Houses for Binday, Trees for the Theology Seminary

The Knights of Columbus of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, Council 5739 has been helping and lending their support to the twenty-five families of  Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan in building their houses in the newly constructed Holy Family Village.  The flood waters of Typhoon Pepeng in 2009 have destroyed and washed away their houses and lands.

They have also been planting trees for the Theology Seminary in Brgy. Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan.

Knights of Columbus Council 5739 of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr is led by Grand Knight James Gutay

Photos courtesy of Bro. Bernie Solis and Bro. Pompeyo Tercero of KC 5739

Faith amidst Massive Destruction

by Antonio J. Supremido, Jr.

September 8, 2011- San Fabian, Pangasinan. Due to the recent onslaught of Typhoon “Mina”, five  houses were lost during the devastation of the storm at barangay Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan. Three  houses were abandoned including one  house which was left precipitously  hanging by the river bank. The abandoned houses are expected  to be lost anytime when raging waters would rush in again due to the heavy rainfall.

Loss of properties and livelihood

Two  hectares of rice lands were lost due to the rampaging waters of Bued River. They were eroded and carried along by the raging waters that flowed from the river. These lands were already  planted with rice palay ready to be  harvested by the next month. The residents were not only deprived of their shelter and properties  but also their source of livelihood and living.

Irrigation Canals eroded

A portion of irrigation canal which supplies water to the farmlands of five (5) barangays was also lost. The barangays greatly affected are: Baragays  Binday, Anonang, Cabaruan, Aramal, and Angio. Unless the irrigation canals will be rebuilt soon, the palays will die due to the lack of supply of water.

Multi-Sectoral Dialogue

A dialogue held at the Parish Center participated in by various stakeholders, namely, the barangay officials, the farmers, the local municipal agricultural office, and church leaders. They  identified some immediate major concerns: the construction of the irrigation canal that would link it to the undamaged canals bringing water to  the five (5) barangays;  and to relocate the displaced families who lost their lands and homes. Mentioned also was the aggravating circumstance that brought about the massive erosion and destruction of the river banks of the Bued River: unabated, unregulated and unsystematic quarrying operations in the area.

A Repeat of 2009 Calamity

In 2009, at the height of Typhoon Pepeng, 21 houses in Binday South were destroyed and washed away by the rampaging waters of Bued River. (please read “Quarrying Activities cause Massive Erosion in San Fabian – ed) The irrigation canals supplying the much needed water to the five barangays were also destroyed at that time. During that year, the harvests of the farmers were greatly affected by the lack of water supply due to the erosion of the irrigation canals.

Faith in God remains

The families have expressed anxieties of hopelessness and misery. They have seen how their houses together with their possessions destroyed as the raging waters rushed to devastate them. They have seen how their dreams and aspirations for their families were lost; their meager resources gone with the rampaging waters.

There is one thing that they have not lost, though. It is  their faith in God. When their properties were dissipating like the wind,  they could not  but turn their eyes above, trusting in God’s Mercy. Their faith has assured them that everything is not lost. God is there who assures them of comfort and protection.

The Holy Family Village Housing Project

The Church came to provide hope during their moments of  helplessness. The Parish of St. Fabian , Pope and Martyr, through Caritas Lingayen-Dagupan, has organized a housing program, the Holy Family Village Housing Project. The project is for the affected families. (please read “Housing Program launched for Typhoon Pepeng Victims” – ed.)

The approach of the church is holistic. Composite to the shelter which the church will offer them is their spiritual formation nourished by their monthly Eucharistic celebrations and weekly prayer meetings and bible sharing. They will be given livelihood programs through skills development for their daily living. Now, they are part of rebuilding their dreams. They are soon to live in their own houses fruit of their labor and sweat of their brow.

Holy Family Village on Top of a Hill

by Dado Gerard C. Vallejos

1 May 2011 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The project which was born from the devastation of Typhoon Pepeng is nearing its completion. The Holy Family Village which will house twenty-five families who lost their lands and houses by Typhoon Pepeng’s rampaging waters is nearing completion. The basic structures of the first eight row-houses are now standing since the project was started on July of 2010.

The foundation and the lay out of the second row-houses are now being  constructed. The houses will be built on three slopes of a hill bought by the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan specifically for the project.
It has been a slow but steady work for the twenty-five family beneficiaries who are providing the labor in building the houses which they will soon occupy. Seeing the first row of houses brings hope and joy to them. The “Food for Work” program has been on-going and is providing the needed continued support for the families.

“Sometimes, we do not know where to get the needed funds, but help would come at the most unexpected time and sources.” Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest of San Fabian, said with regard to the Food for Work component of the project.

“God sends generous people always, all the time”, he further said.

The Franciscan Movement for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (FMJPIC) provides the much needed funds for the materials in building the houses.

The first 8 row-houses located at the topmost level of the Holy Family Village

 

The second 8 row-houses on the second level of the hill.

(Dado Gerad C. Vallejos is a member of the Parish Ministry of Social Action (MISA). He is Teacher-I at the Longos Central Elementary School, San Fabian, Pangasinan)

"Food for Work" program launched; "Lugaw with Father Soc" to be held

7 October 2010 - San Fabian. Twenty-five families whose lives were abruptly changed by the rampaging flood waters of Typhoon Pepeng a year ago are rebuilding their lives -- and their homes at the planned "Holy Family Village" in Brgy. Binday, San Fabian.

The Holy Family Village is the housing project of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr with the Franciscan Movement for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (FMJPIC) which will provide the materials for the homes. The beneficiaries are providing the labor and work force in the preparation of the land and the building of the houses.

During the last Parish Pastoral Council meeting held last 22 September 2010 at the Parish Rectory Hall, it was decided that the parish will provide the necessary funds and other necessities in support of the housing project especially in providing "food for work" for the beneficiaries working at the housing site.

To raise funds for the "Food for Work" program, a "Lugaw with Father Soc" will be held on 17 October 2010, Sunday. Archbishop Soc will celebrate the mass at 4,30 PM. The "Lugaw with Father Soc" will follow at the Parish Center.

The parish has been asking for food donations, especially canned goods, noodles, sugar and coffee, rice and other non-perishable goods which can be used to feed the workers.

Small cans will also be distributed to the different schools which can hold coins for the children to give for the program.

"We want that the whole parish will be involved in this program." Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest said. "The children should be aware that they can help in the completion of the housing project by giving something no matter how little. What matters is the generosity and the willingness to help. That is what is important."

Tickets for the "Lugaw with Father Soc" are available at the Parish Office. Mrs. Felomina Sagun heads the committee in selling the tickets. Each ticket is worth Phil. Pesos One thousand (P1,000.00).