Contents… (Hyperlinked: (Click on page number to go directly to article or simply scroll down)

2 A Different Picnic (Urbano A. Dauz, MD)

Instead of just the usual sumptuous Filipino dishes and games, this year’s AFPSI Picnic with a Caribbean theme

offered fun and excitement that bordered on pomp and revelry. Photos inside cannot tell the whole story.

Serving the Homeland I This issue features organizations that serve the Philippines in various ways. They show living and lasting

examples of love at work and altruism worthy of emulation.

6 The PMAC: CME and Medical Mission (Cesar V. Reyes, MD)

The first Philippine medical group in the US to be organized, the PMAC serves the Philippines through medical-

surgical missions done by members individually or by the association as a group.

11 PEACE- A Class Act (Carmelo C. Dichoso, MD)

Founded in the wake of People Power, the Philippine Economic and Cultural Endowment has a singular

purpose- serving the homeland- and targets the construction of potable water systems as its signature project.

16 Multiplying the Magic of Ten Cents (Cosme R. Cagas, MD)

This abridged version of the Dr. Andres B. Lao Memorial Lecture describes how a modest and inexpensive

program of feeding malnourished children in the Philippines grew quickly within a few years.

20 Meet Dr. Bone, Centenarian Growing up in the rough and tumble of the Illinois prairie during the Great Depression, Chet Bone had to fend

for himself. A working student, he finished Medicine, later to serve man and the profession for 68 years.

23 Three Loves and the Portuguese Soul (Christopher Conner, BFA, MA, LPC)

After traveling in Portugal where he saw beautiful landscapes and stayed in fortresses and palaces turned into

hotels, the author distills the Portuguese soul through three love stories and hears it in the country’s Fado music.

26 The Quote that Refreshes (Cosme R. Cagas, MD)

A quotation from a Spanish poet on an apartment wall in the third floor in Madrid made the ascent to the last

flight of stairs with a heavy suitcase seem like a breeze.

27 Smitten. Chapter 32 of the WWII historical novel, “I Shall Return”

Black American Lt. Jefferson obeyed his commander to surrender to the enemy. Earlier, after serving as ROTC

Commander at the Silliman Institute, he met a beautiful student at the University of San Carlos, the memory of

whom inspired him to endure captivity. In cruel Japanese hands, could he really survive the war?

30 TheAugust Moon- (Lestrino C. Baquiran, MD)

31 drip drip drip (a graphic poem) - (Cosme R. Cagas, MD)

The ILLINI

Official Publication of the Association of Filipino Physicians in Southern Illinois

Volume IV, Fall-Winter, 2015

A Different Picnic Urbano A. Dauz, MD

Conviviality. Fun. Excitement. Pomp and

revelry. All of these and more were on

display on a cloudy Sunday afternoon during

the AFPSI Annual Picnic held at the cozy and

ambient Staunton Fitness Center in Staunton,

Illinois owned by Dr. Nic and Kay Pineda on

September 27, 2015.

Hang on there. Did I say picnic? The word

“picnic” conjures up images of plentiful food

and drinks followed afterwards by doing a

variety of activities such as playing parlor

games or having a pickup ball game or so,

chatting with friends for a while and finally

dispersing and calling it quits for the day. Not

this one. Similarity to a regular picnic ended

after partaking of the food and drinks.

Something else happened. The atmosphere

and tempo of activities changed to a

Caribbean theme envisioned, organized and

choreographed by the creative and imaginative

duo Mrs. Elcee Cagas Conner, AFPSI VP, and

Mrs. Lily Santos, AFPSI Auxiliary President.

The contrived imagery, Caribbean inspired

music, colorful wardrobe attires requiring a

number of wardrobe changes, as well as a

variety of performances and activities elicited

so much fun and excitement among the

attendees. The oft-repeated meme “never a

dull moment in AFPSI gatherings” got another

boost and rightly so.

Caribbean Matinee Show

Not long after Dr. Nic Pineda, our perennial

host and current AFPSI President, gave his

welcoming remarks followed by the invoc-

ation by Dr. Virginia Dauz, the gastronomic

cravings of the attendees was satiated by a

sumptuous lunch of customary Pinoy dishes.

Luckily, a backup lechon arrived just in time–

a trademark staple of any typical Filipino

party- thanks to the uncanny anticipation of

Mrs. Santos as the lechon being cooked on site

was absolutely not ready by lunchtime. In

retrospect, this turned out to be the only minor

glitch to the set of well laid plans.

2

The Association of Filipino

Physicians of Southern

Illinois Officers, 2015-16

Nicolas Pineda, MD- President

Elcee Cagas Conner, RRT- VP

Carlos Deleste, MD, Pres.-elect

Erica Salarda, MD- Secretary

Grace M. Farinas, BSN-Treasurer

Venerio Santos, MD-Auditor

Chris Conner, BFA,MCouns- BM.

Cesar Yu, MD-Exec. Dir.

Emma Sunga, MD, Imm. P. Pres.

Board of Governors Calixto Aquino, MD

Solomon Apostol, MD

Claravel Criste, MD

David Deloso, MD

Arnel Garcia, MD

Marcos Sunga, MD

Board of Advisers

Albert Butalid, MD

Cosme R. Cagas, MD

Virginia Dauz, MD

Emma Sunga, MD

Jose Villegas, MD

Evelyn Yu, MD

Auxiliary Officers 2015-16 Lily Santos -President

Julie Garcia, Vice Pres.

Arlette Amorado, MD-Secretary

Ynna Naguit-Treasurer

Georgina Zurliene- Auditor 1

Vivian Deloso- Auditor 2

Freddie Salarda- PRO

Board of Governors Wilma Aquino

Ann Butalid

Linda Cagas

Grace Farinas

Board of Advisers

Wilma Aquino

Elcee Cagas Conner

Mellie Chatto

Grace Pineda

Kay Pineda

Editorial Board Cosme R. Cagas, MD- Editor

Urbano Dauz, MD

David Deloso, MD

Rebecca Geronimo, BSN

Virgilio R. Pilapil, MD

Associate Editors

Office of the Editor

1 Bunkum Woods Drive

Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Crcagas@aol.com ccagas2@gmail.com

3

The festivities soon turned into high gear with the

persuasively funny urgings of the lively emcee

duo of Mrs. Conner and Dr. Virgilio Guzman. The

Caribbean-inspired revelry started with a Conga

Line Dance by the ladies of AFPSI wearing their

colorful Caribbean outfits. Leading the line and

revving up the uppity tempo of the dance was Mrs.

Vivian Deloso, the energetic and lovely wife of

Dr. Dave Deloso, former AFPSI vice-president.

After another wardrobe change, the AFPSI women

–consisting of Dr. Evelyn Yu, Mrs. Ann Butalid,

Mrs. Julie Garcia, Dr. Emma Sunga, Mrs. Lily

Santos, Mrs. Elcee Conner, Mrs. Vivian Deloso,

Dr. Melinda Barrientos, Mrs. Virgie Abinoja, Mrs.

Wilma Aquino and Dr. Elvie Salarda, attired in

their beautiful skirts and matching flowing veils

performed a lilting and captivating Caribbean

dance which later turned into an unexpected

fundraiser for a charitable project in Leyte. As

they were finishing their dance routine, they

randomly invited surprised and unsuspecting men

from the audience to dance with them and

beguiled them further to donate for this charitable

cause as well. Everyone cooperated willingly and

raucously all in the spirit of fun and gaiety.

Towards the end of the matinee show a Best

Costume award ended as a two way tie between

Mr. and Mrs. Alan & Gina Zurliene and Dr. &

Mrs. Albert & Ann Butalid.

Limitations and a High Point

The passage of time exposed the vulner-

abilities and limitations of the aging members

of AFPSI as the younger members showed

their athleticism, flexibility and agility with

effortless ease. Dr. Erica Salarda, about thirty

something, won the Hula Hoop Contest and

the limber Mrs. Vivian Deloso trumped every-

one else successfully limbo rocking her way

under a bar set 3-4 feet high. Any senior mem-

ber of AFPSI who watched them cannot help

but feel the angst and dismay of facing the

reality of aging and putting up with stiff and

arthritic joints. They just cannot keep up try-

4

ing to bend their knees, hyperextend their

back or shuffle their waist for the hula hoop or

the limbo rock. Poor guys!

The high point of the day? Nothing matched

the special presentation set to the tune of “The

Banana Boat Song” sang by Dr. Carlos

Deleste and his dancers with our AFPSI

founder, Dr. Cosme Cagas, as the main

character. He practically held everyone on

edge as he hilariously and realistically

impersonated a drunken, one-eyed pirate of

the Caribbean appropriately attired as such

holding a big bottle of half-consumed Bacardi

rum, dancing and prancing about amidst a crowd

of costumed Caribbean lady revelers. What

surprised everyone was his remarkable

transformation from an impeccably dressed

attendee who looked dapper wearing a spot-less

blue blazer at the start of the day mingling easily

with everyone. It turned out to be a successful ruse

as no one expected him to be part of the cast

acting as a tipsy vagabond. You can bet not even

the strict-looking and stern-faced, mystical

Captain Hook in the “Pirates of the Caribbean”

could have suppressed a word of praise or stifle a

trace of a smile on his face with the splendid

performance of a fellow pirate.

Pope’s Visit – A Coincidence

Then came the time to say goodbye. All good

things have to end somehow.

It is apropos to mention at this point that a

seemingly providential coincidence in time

occurred when Pope Francis, who was visiting

this country for the first time, happened to

attend the “Celebration of Family”

commemoration in Philadelphia the evening

prior to our picnic date. In his message to the

congregation then, he lauded the family and

its structure and stated in strong terms why

mankind should sustain, strengthen, and

maintain it, paying special emphasis and

attention on the very young and on the very

old members, because according to him, “the

young represent the future of the family and

the old represent the living memorial of the

family.”

This exhortation holds true with our own

families. It extends to our very own AFPSI as

well because we, too, are a family.

5 Back to Contents

The PMAC

Continuing Medical Education and Medical Mission

CESAR V REYES MD*

The Philippine

Medical Association in

Chicago (PMAC) was founded on March 27,

1961, and preceded the Association of

Philippine Practicing Physicians in America

and virtually all other Pilipino medical groups

in the United States, by seven Pilipino

physicians led by Isaias Sunga,MD.

.

Dr. Isaias Sunga PMAC Dr. Anita Avila, first woman PMAC president, a prototypical mission

Founder and First President volunteer, attends to Tacloban children in January, 2015.

The founding of the PMAC was prompted by

media news releases belittling foreign

graduates who were dubbed to have had

substandard education and poor postgraduate

training. The fledgling organization did

disprove the negative view of the Pilipino

physicians who came to the United States,

specifically Chicago, under the Foreign

Medical Graduate (FMG) Exchange Visitors

program. Among the earliest members

included Drs. Sunga, Elpidio Gamboa,

Vivencio Battung, Jose Manaligod, Andres

Botuyan, Helen Yuvienco, Romeo Quiniquini,

Nicanor Ligon, Abellardo Pelaez, Deogracias

Esquerra, Leonardo Maguigad, Ponciano

Guinto, and Hernan Reyes.

The inaugural election was held on April

1961. Dr Sunga was elected first president and

Dr. H. Reyes vice president. Early on, they

use the Philippine Consulate at 201 North

Wells as its postal address. The initial

constitution was ratified by 25 new members.

In 1974, the name was expanded to Philippine

Medical Association in Chicago and the

Midwest with the admission of Pilipino

doctors from 12 other Midwest states. Later

the name was changed back to PMAC when it 6

really represented only Pilipino physicians

residing in the Chicago area.

When a law passed discriminating against the

FMG and a Visa Qualifying examination

requirement added to slow down immigration

and imperil early practices of the Pilipino

physicians, the PMAC under the leadership of

then President Enrique Villalon successfully

lobbied in Washington against these hurdles.

A Visa Qualifying examination fund was also

raised to continue to fight biases against the

Pilipino physicians.

In 1992, the PMAC Foundation as the tax-

exempt arm was initiated by Dr. Sunga. Anita

Avila, MD became the first woman president,

followed by her husband Meneleo Avila, MD,

making a history as first as wife and husband

to have had own terms as prexy. Emma Yee

Salazar, MD, the second woman president, led

the PMAC at its half-century milestone. In

2014, Nida Blankas Hernaez, MD was the

third woman president; while Ramon Lopez,

MD served as the 54th

president. The current

president, 55th

in line, is Gerardo Guzman,

MD.

Continuing Medical Education

As a legacy, the continuing medical education

activities was not accredited early on, but the

PMAC members patiently continued to have

scientific seminars and educational meetings

to update their medical knowledge and to keep

abreast with the changing trend in diagnosis

and management of old and new diseases. The

first scientific meeting was held in August,

1966, under the presidency of Max Baldoza,

MD, held at the Illinois Masonic Hospital,

under the guidance of Dr. Manaligod. The

topic was “Hemodilution Technique in Open

Heart Surgery” with Dr. Battung as speaker.

The second scientific meeting was held at the

Rizal Center in Chicago with Nunilo Rubio

MD, lecturing on “Diabetes Mellitus”.

The first scientific meeting jointly sponsored

with the Chicago Medical Society was held at

the Conrad Hilton, Michigan Avenue, in

downtown Chicago. The conference was also

organized by Dr. Manaligod, was most

elaborate, and included high-caliber topic like

“Pediatric Cardiology” by pediatric

cardiologist and professor Rene Arcilla MD of

the University of Chicago, “Electron

Microscopy of Kidney Diseases” by Dr.

Manaligod, “Pediatric Surgery” by Dr. H. 7

Reyes, and “Missile injuries of the Chest and

Abdomen” by Dr. Battung.

It was not until in the 1980s, however, under

the leadership of Benjamin Lumicao MD that

the continuing medical education program was

accredited by the ACCME (Accreditation

Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Honorio Benzon MD, anesthesiology

professor of Northwestern University

Feinberg School of Medicine, chaired the

continuing medical education program until

1998. Then Alfonso Estrada MD, a

cardiologist, took over the continuing medical

education committee from 1998 through 2003.

Dr. Estrada appointed CME committee

members who belonged to a wide range of

specialties, to help develop topics that cut

across different specialties and to fill in the

practice gaps of prospective learners.

The mission of the CME program was revised

and reviewed to update with the ever-

changing healthcare environment. In 2003,

Leonardo Malalis, MD, an entrepreneurial

neonatologist, became the continuing medical

education chairman until 2008. Members of

the CME committee remain essentially the

same, and occasionally new members were

invited to replace those who quit or retired

from their medical practice. Dr. Malalis was

replaced by Celso Del Mundo, MD who had

served to 2015 when the ACCME

accreditation received for another four year

cycle.

The CME is under the auspices of the PMAC

and funded by supports received from the

organization and the PMAC Foundation.

Quarterly meetings are done to assess the

needs of the organization in term of

continuing medical education, for educational

purposes, evaluation of past activities, review

of joint sponsorship applications, for approval

and evaluation of the ACCME guideline for

compliance. CME Committee meetings are

also scheduled any when it is deemed

necessary. The committee members are all

active PMAC members and belong to

different specialties. The members receive no

compensation, including the committee

chairman. They are dedicated bunch with

main goal of maintaining a viable program to

provide quality medical education to all the

PMAC members and other medical

communities.

Publications

During his term as president, Dr. Philip Chua

started the publication of a monthly PMAC

Bulletin, which later became the Philippine

American Medical Bulletin, edited by Cosme

R. Cagas, MD for many years. After a brief

hiatus, the PMAC News is restarted as a

monthly e-newsletter with a circulation of

some 6000 subscribers worldwide.

8

PMAC mission in Pansol, Calamba, Laguna, in January 2015

Charitable Projects

Other subsequent presidents also developed

various projects, including the funding of the

Maria Project; Leprosarium visits and

donations; free Chicago clinics for indigents; a

full scholar at the University of Santo Thomas

Faculty of Medicine and Surgery; review

classes for the ECFMG by Procopio Yanong,

MD; licensure review for Illinois and other

state medical examinations; mobile medical

health clinic by Pedro Lucina MD; medical

surgical mission to the Philippines by

Rolando Casis MD et al; and several other

philanthropic endeavors.

What have become annual undertakings by

every president in recent several years are the

Thanksgiving luncheon provided to Pilipino

seniors, indigent and homeless in Chicago

held at the Rizal Center, and the medical

mission. The latter has expanded to

encompass medical, surgical, dental and

ophthalmological works, is now the PMAC

biggest function every year and essentially the

highlight of a president’s term. It is usually 9

preceded a few months earlier by the largest

fund raising of the organization, and often

participated by the most number of volunteers

from all over the United States.

In the recent years, the PMAC and its

volunteers have helped the mother country in

short-term free healthcare services to the

indigent and less fortunate people who would

not have any access to a physician for lack of

resource, in the following venues: 2008 in

Laoag City;2010 Iloilo; 2011 Bantayan in

Cebu; 2012 Vigan City; 2013 Surigao; 2014

Maringuque; 2015 Tacloban City and

Calamba in Laguna. In January 2016, the

PMAC will be serving the citizens of

Olongapo City.

The other aspect of mission works is

extending medical education to the local

physicians and physicians-in-training at the

mission. The PMAC has always endeavored to

share new knowledge and know-how—in

balance with patient care. This usually is

realized in a formal continuing medical

education seminar, recruitment of skilled and

experience lecturers to join the mission works,

grand rounds with interns and residents

whenever available, and planned involvement

of local physicians in the surgeries as well as

local nurses in preoperative and postoperative

care.

REFERENCES

1. Battung VR. History of the Philippine Medical Association in Chicago. PMAC Directory 2013:3-7.

2. Del Mundo C. CME Corner series. PMAC News, 2013-2014.

3. Reyes CV, Reyes EA. The role of fine-needle aspiration cytology in medical-surgical missions. Acta

Cytol 2009;53:524-526.

*The author edits three monthly e-publications and is

the third recipient of the PEACE Life Achievement Award (2015).

10 Back to Contents

PEACE – A Class Act Carmelo C. Dichoso, M.D.

The decade of the

1980’s marked a wel-

come chapter in the saga

of the Filipino

physicians who immigrated to America,

seeking professional growth and a better

life for themselves and their families. It

was around this time that this audacious

group of doctors had already established

themselves, quite comfortably, in their

respective private practices and/or

academic appointments, after having been

assimilated into the mainstream of

American medicine. Having benefited

from the bounty of the West, they began

to look back towards the country they left

behind and started asking themselves how

to give back. It was also at this time that

the complexion of events in the

Philippines was profoundly changing with

the rise of People Power, and talk of

nation rebuilding was in the air. It was

against this backdrop that concerned

Filipino physicians in America, other

Filipino Americans and their friends

initiated the creation and launching of

organizations, foundations and projects

geared towards humanitarian endeavors

in the Philippines.

One such organization was conceived by

Dr. Cosme R. Cagas of Illinois who in

turn asked Dr. Philip Chua of Indiana to

be Co-Founder. It was Dr. Chua who

named the organization PEACE, the

Philippine Economic and Cultural

endowment. Its preamble states that it is a

“brotherhood of men and women united

by a common bond of love and concern

for the Philippines and its people and for

one another, and through science,

charity and education shall uplift the

human spirit, promote the dignity of man

and provide assistance to people in

need.” So robust was the endorsement of

the new organization that even before the

formal organizational meeting was held in

Norfolk, Virginia twelve physicians

already paid their dues as Life Members.

These were: Cosme R. Cagas, MD,

Eusebio C. Kho, MD, Daniel Fabito, MD,

Leo Pardo, MD, Jose G. Vijungco, MD,

Casimiro C. Garcia, MD, Felipe S. Chua,

MD, Manolo Apanay, MD, Edgardo

Dujon, MD, Wilfrido Feliciano, MD,

Victor O’Yek, MD, and Ludovico

Villanueva, MD.

11

Editorial. Phil Am Med Bull, July 1988

Potable water is lacking almost everywhere:

50% of rural folks are not served with potable water

17% draw water from creeks or rivers

47% from inconvenient sources

37 from shallow wells that dry up in the summer

To have a grasp of how to operate in the

Philippines, PEACE officers journeyed to

the country and conferred with a cross-

section of the populace including ordinary

citizens, leaders in various fields and

government officials. This resulted in the

formation of a sister organization

christened PEACE Philippines and the

crystallization of the building of artesian

wells throughout the Philippines as the top

priority project. It was recognized that

there was a dearth of potable water in

sitios, barrios, towns and even some cities

exposing the population to the spread of

water-borne diseases. An Editorial, “The

Need for Clean Water,” elucidating this

fact was widely received and appreciated.

As PEACE membership grew, PEACE

Chapters were founded in Southern

Illinois by Dr. Reynaldo Gotanco and in

West Virginia by Dr. Rano Bofill.

Fundraising

A decision was made not to use

membership dues for the construction of

artesian wells. The money for this purpose

initially came from donations from

physicians and other concerned

individuals. Later, additional funds came

from a variety of fundraising activities. A

fundraising committee headed by Dr. Leo

Pardo arranged for Rico Pelaez of

Cagayan de Oro to perform a guitar

concert in Springfield, Illinois and for

noted pianist Joselito Pascual from Manila

to tour the USA and give piano

performances. Early on, two Singing for

Peace events were staged by amateurs

who themselves remunerated PEACE for

their participation. In 2013, A Singing for

the Philippines presentation was success-

fully orchestrated by PEACE and the SI-

MO Chapter of the University of the

Philippines Medical Society in America,

in cooperation with the Association of

Filipino Physicians in Southern Illinois

and the Association of Philippine

Physicians in America.

During the presidential tenures of Dr.

Lestrino Baquiran and Dr. Antonio Abiog,

golf tournaments sponsored by PEACE

generated substantial revenues. Other

sources of funds have come from lotteries

and auctions held by the ladies of PEACE.

A tax-exempt organization, PEACE

welcomes donations from all quarters.

12

The first flow of water is a celebration of life and thanksgiving

Lucban, Quezon, 2014 Tacloban, 2014 Ozamis City 2015

Artesian Wells

The construction of each well or water

system is normally triggered by a proposal

from an individual or group of individuals

who will essentially supervise the

progress of the project and develop a

sense of responsibility for the project’s

success. The Commission on Filipinos

Overseas had been instrumental in

certifying the safety and drinkability of

the water produced by these wells. Other

agencies and organizations such as

PEACE Philippines, the Philippine

Reconstruction Movement, local

government entities, rotary clubs and

foundations have invaluably contributed

to the success of this project.

PEACE-funded artesian wells vary in

shape, size and depth, from the simplest

“jetmatic” to medium-sized wells, and to

regular deep wells costing a few thousand

dollars. PEACE has also subsidized the

construction of elaborate water systems

that allow water to be piped into school

buildings and homes supplying whole

barangays. Each well or water system

bears the name of the person or group

who donated the money through PEACE,13

PEACE members attending annual meeting 2013

and a picture of the finished product is sent to

the donor. At the time of its 25th Silver

Jubilee, PEACE had constructed more than

500 artesian wells and other more elaborate

water systems.

Other Charities

Although the building of artesian wells

remains the paramount preoccupation of

PEACE, it has extended its humanitarian

reach to other areas in need of assistance.

These include a program for immunization

against measles in orphanages in Greater

Manila led by Dr. Daniel Fabito’s APPA-

PMA Medical Aid Assistance in coordination

with PEACE Philippines, as well as the

raising of funds to assist victims of natural

calamities. For instance, PEACE raised more

then $22,000 for the earthquake victims in

Central and Northern Luzon. Funds were also

raised for those affected by the Mount

Pinatubo volcanic eruption and the flooding in

Central Luzon and the Bicol region.

Additional projects initiated by members and

officers of PEACE are Education for

Philippine Children through TV by Dr.

Rolando Sineneng; Breast Feeding Promotion

by Debbie Bocar; the DADS Foundation;

assistance with the building of homes for the

poor (Gawad Kalinga); a Free Medical Clinic

in Taguig, Rizal; and projects defrayed by

UST Medicine Class ’57. Together with the

DADS Foundation, which was established by

Dr. Cagas and his brothers, PEACE has

constructed a Barangay Stage in Matanao,

Davao del Sur, a covered pathway at an

elementary school in Oroquieta, Misamis

Occidental, contributed to the construction of

the Doña Salud Village in Digos, Davao del

Sur, the Christ UM Church in Kabacan, North

Cotabato and water systems in Oroquieta

City that allow water to be piped into homes

in two barangays. These structures clearly

bear the name of PEACE. DADS F. has also

given substantial cash awards to outstanding

teachers in Oroquieta. During a meeting last

year, it was agreed upon that scholarships,

feeding of school children and dental health

initiatives be added to PEACE’s charitable

activities. This year, it approved a breast

cancer screening project.

Awards

In 1996, PEACE as an organization was a

recipient of the LINKAPIL AWARD. In

14

the earlier years after its founding, mem-

bers who donated at least $3000 were .

PEACE officers for 2015-17. Pres. Urbano Dauz is second from right

recognized with a certificate and a medallion.

The first was Dr. Nilda Ante who donated

$5000.00. Others included: Dr. Casimiro C.

Garcia, Dr. Lestrino Baquiran, Dr. Cosme R.

Cagas, Dr. Rosario Laserna, Dr. Antonio

Abiog, Dr. Oscar Laserna, Dr. Carmelo

Dichoso, and Dr. Paul Sambat. Later, PEACE

awards were expanded to include:

Humanitarian of the Year Award: 2007 –

Eusebio C. Kho, MD; 2009 – Manuel Cacdac,

M.D. and Fe Cacdac; 2010 –Daniel E. Santos,

MD; 2011 – Jesus Ho, MD; 2013 - Augustus

Soriano, MD; and 2014 - Ramon Suarez, MD,

Nenita L. Suarez, MD, Engr. Roberto Kiamco

and Benita Kiamco, MD; Family of the Year

Award: 2008 – Drs. Philip and Farida Chua

and Family; and Lifetime Achievement Award:

2011 - Lestrino Baquiran, MD; 2014 –

Virgilio R. Pilapil; MD, and 2015 – Cesar V.

Reyes, MD.

Incumbent Officers

President- Urbano A. Dauz, MD, President-

Elect Arachelle B. Jose, MD, Vice President -

David M. Conner, MD, Secretary -Engr. Djien

Su, Treasurer -Elcee Cagas-Conner, RRT,

Auditor- Cesar G. Yu, MD, Immed. Past

President – Augustus P. Soriano, MD.

Governors: Conrado Abinoja, MD, Calixto F.

Aquino, MD, Arch. Penn Baluyut, Enrico T.

Farinas, MD, Wilfrido C. Feliciano, MD,

Ramon G. Lopez, MD, Nicolas C. Pineda,

MD and Ramon Suarez, MD. Advisers:

Lestrino C. Baquiran, MD, Nelson D. Bocar,

MD, Carmelo C. Dichoso, MD, Virgilio R.

Pilapil, MD, Daniel E. Santos, MD, and

Rolando S. Sineneng, MD.

Commentary

Twenty nine years ago, Dr. Cosme R. Cagas,

who has started four other foundations,

conceived the idea of PEACE, a purely

charitable organization that is virtually devoid

of the ever lurking specter of politics and

shored up by genuinely humanitarian men and

women eager to mitigate the suffering of our

disadvantaged compatriots in the Philippines.

Through his leadership, tenacious dedication

and perseverance, and with the assistance of

staunch and innovative officers and members

of the organization, PEACE has touched in

salutary ways the lives of many Filipinos with

its principal Artesian Wells project as well as

its other various altruistic endeavors which

continue to multiply. These are tangible and

unimpeachable accomplishments with long-

term benefits -- a feather in the cap of an

organization that does not thrive on empty

rhetoric.

With the continuing infusion of new well-

meaning and enthusiastic officers and

members who share Dr. Cagas’ passion for

living life for others, there can be optimism

about the future. 15 Back to Contents

Multiplying the Magic of Ten Cents

DR. ANDRES B. LAO MEMORIAL LECTURE

Bisaya Medical AssociationOrlando, Florida June 14, 2014

(This article is an abridged version of the

Dr. Andres B. Lao Memorial Lecture shown above)

Cosme R. Cagas, MD

Visiting the US for the first time in 2009, my

youngest brother Rio spoke before the

Belleville (Illinois) Rotary Club at the

invitation of Rotarian Dr. Enrico T. Farinas,

Jr. His topic: “The Magic of Ten Cents”.

What’s so magical about $0.10? Impressed, a

member in the audience, right there and then,

cut a check for $150 as donation. More than

impressed, I resolved to do more.

Better than Christmas Gifts

To put the subject in perspective let me give a

little background:

Since 2001, Mrs. Patricia Dunn, a member of

the Christ United Methodist Church of

Fairview Heights, IL had been giving me

school supplies, clothing, toys, dolls and shoes

that I shipped out to the Philippines in

Balikbayan boxes. Timed to be distributed

there at Christmas time, the recipient children

and teenagers and their families had been very

thankful for the yearly gifts. After hearing Rio

speak, I spoke with Pat and husband Jim

Dunn. Jim had been most responsible in the

building of our sister church called Christ

United Methodist Church (Upper Paatan,

Kabacan, North Cotabato), named after our

very own church in Fairview Heights (Rev.

Shane Bishop, Senior Pastor). I convinced

them to convert the funds she spends for the

annual Christmas gifts as well as the money I

spend for the Balikbayan boxes to start a new

project in an elementary school.

The Magic

As president of the Rotary Club of Digos

(Davao del Sur), Rio adopted as one of his

projects the feeding of children in Igpit

elementary school, the feeding being given

16

five times a week during school days. Before

the start of the program Igpit kids had been

known to score badly compared to other

schools in the district. After a few years of the

feeding program, they ranked among the top

performers! (which only proves that one

cannot think with an empty stomach!). How

much did it cost the Rotary Club? Believe it or

not, only $0.10 a meal! That’s about $20 per

child per year. In 2013, four years later, the

cost stayed inexpensive at $0.118 per meal or

$23 per child per year.

Cooperative Effort

The Feeding Program has been a cooperative

effort of the Rotary Club, the community

(Barangay officials), the school, especially

the teachers and the parents. Supervision is

done by the Rotarians, marketing by the

teachers and cooking and serving by the

parents, the mothers in particular. (Some

schools also grow vegetables).

Modest Start

With Jim and Pat as co-chairs we at Christ

Philippine Missions, in 2009, the same year

that Rio spoke before the Belleville

Rotarians, started out with 100 recipients in

Barangay San Miguel also in Digos, Davao

del Sur using Rio’s pioneering work in Igpit,

as model and involving the local church to

do the evangelization. We named it Mimi’s

Kitchen in honor of Dominic Lucmayon, a

devoted worker of the Digos City United

Methodist Church. As it develops, Pat

announced she was giving more to the

program and we immediately created

another center in a different school, calling it

Pat’s Kitchen, at my suggestion, to recog- 17

nize this kind and generous lady who gives

not only to the Philippines but everywhere,

which the church senior pastor the reverend

Shane Bishop calls, “down the hall, around

the corner and around the world.”

The following year, Rev. Jeffrey Bealmear

who used to be Associate Pastor at Christ

and then Pastor at Aledo United Methodist

Church (Aledo, Illinois) convinced his

congregation to start a feeding program for

100 of their own and we at Christ added

another 25 recipients at Mimi’s kitchen.

Because of my observation that virtually all

children that I examined during a medical

mission suffer from dental caries, I recom-

mended to the board to add dental health

program. Today all children in the feeding

program also receive two toothbrushes and a

jumbo sized toothpaste (cost-- $4.00 per

dental kit).

In 2011, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Heitkamp (who

traveled with me and Rev. Shane Bishop to

the Philippines in 2007) and the Journey

United Methodist Church also began a feeding

program in a fourth elementary school.

In 2013, as we at Christ expanded our

program, Rev. Bealmear who had visited the

Philippines twice with me (2009 and 2111)

and now Pastor at Metropolis United

Methodist Church (Metropolis, S. IL) inspired

the men and women there to feed all 79

students at the small Cosme Cagas Memorial

Elementary School in Dullan Sur, Oroquieta,

Misamis Occ. Mrs. Anne Olson has taken

charge of the Aledo program and her church

has increased their sponsorship to 125

including the provision of dental kits. Finally

Jim Holloway of the Grace Community

Baptist Church (Trenton, IL) donated half his

wages to the Christ Philippine Missions, a part

of which was allocated to feed another 29

children. Meanwhile the local Rotary Club

had changed its area and left Igpit without

sponsor. Mrs. Buenaventura Magbanua, a

retired school teacher who taught there long

ago supported the program there last year; this

year DADS Foundation (Cagas brothers) has

assumed the responsibility with Mrs.

Magbanua supplying the dental kits.

18

The Feeding and Dental Health programs 2013 are summarized below:

Sponsors Feeding Dental Kits

Christ 268 375

Aledo 125 125

Rev. Heitkamp 78/125

Jim Holloway* 29/125

DADS F. 100 100

Metropolis 79 79

Total 679 679

(*of the Grace Community Baptist Church, Trenton, IL)

The program reaches many children at little

cost. Because of many donors and helpers

working together, it has been possible to

replicate the pioneering work of Rio and the

Rotary Club of Digos. I thank Rev. Bishop for

initiating the Philippine programs in general,

Jim Dunn (a passionate advocate who go on

speaking engagements with me and who had

accompanied me to many places in the

Philippines (three times starting in 2006) and

Pat Dunn, both devout and benevolent souls,

Rev. Bealmear, Mrs. Anne Olson, numerous

individual donors, workers for Christ, both in

the US and the Philippines, too many to

mention here.

Other groups can follow the Digos model and

replicate and even multiply the magic for

many malnourished children.

19 Back to Contents

Malnutrition in the Philippines (9-2015)

1. Filipino children suffer from Sub-Saharan levels

of malnutrition.

2. International studies show that the Philippines has the

ninth largest proportion of stunted children. One of three

Filipino children under five suffer from stunting.

3. One in four children sometimes skip meals and as many as

1.5 million sometimes go a whole day without a single meal.

3. Sometimes families hide children out of shame that they

cannot feed them.

4. Filipino men average height is 5’3” inches, one of the shortest

in Southeast Asia (Thai men average height 5’7”).

(Source: Filipino Reporter, Sept. 4-10, 2015)

Meet Dr. Bone, Centenarian Cosme R. Cagas, MD

Even at the IL DDS, Department of Human Services, where physicians enjoy “work” until their

late 80’s or early 90’s, usually after retiring from clinical practice, Dr. Ernst Chester Bone holds

a record worthy of a Guinness.

Work Ethic

Growing up at the rough and tumble of the Illinois prairie as a teenager during the Great

Depression, Chet Bone had to fend for himself. Jobs were not to be found and his father, a real

estate broker, didn’t earn much during those difficult times.

While attending Illinois College, he worked for board and lodging, delivering cream and eggs

early in the morning. He bought wheat stalks (straw), baled and sold them to a paper company.

Soon he employed crew of five to do the physical work, paying them $1 per day thereby

launching himself as a budding entrepreneur when gasoline cost $0.13 per gallon and corn the

same per bushel.

Finding no suitable job after finishing college (AB, 1936), he accepted the only position offered

him, teaching chemistry and physics at his Alma Mater for which he earned $1,035 per year. The

college elevated him to become director of admissions (1938-43) while “Chet” pursued a masters

degree in education (completed 1942) at the University of Illinois. A biology teacher urged

young Chet Bone to aim for medical school, a study that took three full years (1943-46) without

any vacation, just a few days off for Christmas. He paid $30 per month for board and lodging.

Medical Career

After internship at the University of Illinois Research and Education Hospital in 1947, Dr. Bone

was back in Jacksonville, Illinois where began his romance with medicine. He scrubbed for 20

general surgeon Ellsworth Black for four years, an experience that permitted him to tackle any

condition at his office and the hospital. At last count, he had delivered 4500 babies.

Dr. Bone served briefly with the US Navy Medical Corp ((1951-51). In 1954, Dr. HD Scott, Jr.

joined him until 1989 when Dr. Bone retired from clinical practice to start as medical consultant

of the Illinois Department of Human Services until his full retirement on March 15, 2015 at an

age just past 100. That is a period of 68 years as working physician!

In the last few years before retirement, Dr. Bone came to work with a walker. I asked him why

medicine and why he worked this long.

“I love people, I love interacting with them. Work keeps me cognitively active. Besides,

I enjoy the flexibility… I take time off!” He considered it a joy to see caring people.

As to his longevity, it helped that his father lived 80 years and his mother 93. He never smoked,

had occasional whisky and even that he quit 30 years ago because of arrythmia.

Dr. Bone didn’t just do and thoroughly enjoy medicine, he was a physician leader. Among many

other positions in organized medicine, he was a charter diplomate of the American Board of

Family Practice, a charter fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a member of

the Illinois State Medical Society, serving these organizations in a number of committee

positions and president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians and the Morgan-Scott

Medical Society.

Entrepreneur and Community Man

His early experience as an entrepreneur, which was forced upon him by necessity, and having

grew up in one, led Dr. Bone to own and manage a farm for 30 years (1950-80). He was one of

the founders and directors of the Lincoln-Douglas Savings and Loan Association and the First

National Bank (both in Jacksonville) and later served as a director of the Elliot State Bank and a

Medical Preferred Provider Organization.

Dr. Bone’s service to the community maybe gleaned in part from the positions he had held:

medical director, MacMurray College Health Service and the Barton Stone Christian Home;

trustee Passavant Area Hospital Association; elder of the First Presbyterian Church; member,

Angus Society, Jacksonville Hall of Fame, Jacksonville District #117School Board, State

Educational Advisory Council, National Board of Directors of the American Korean Foundation

and many others.

Athlete and Entertainer

A big and tall man, Chet Bone played basketball. While attending college he graciously accepted

the position of coach to the basketball team called “Flaming Arrows” of the David Prince Junior

High School.

21

Dr. Bone is third from left (photo circa 2004)

Former Illinois Congressman Paul Findly recalls with nostalgia Chet Bone’s “rich, strong and

expressive voice” as a singer for the “Double Octet”, a group of male college students. While

doctoring, Chet regularly sang with the “Passavant Follies”. Every Christmas the DDS Section F

physicians and psychologists treat the entire staff with a luncheon. At the conclusion, Dr. Bone

used to entertain with his jokes, a skill that he had honed as a stand-up comedian.

Accolades

Spending a long lifetime of service to profession, community and humanity, Dr. Ernst Chester

Bone received many awards of recognition, among which are: Illinois Physician of the Year, 4-H

State of Illinois Alumni Recognition Award, and Outstanding Older Worker Award of the State

of Illinois.

Some of the testimonials heaped upon him on his 100th

birthday follow:

A name easily recognized… to mention… follows praise and positive review—Kayla Hurt

Morgan County’s most admired citizen, a friend of all—Paul Findly

One living hero among us—Paul Bradbury

Friend, mentor, gentleman, role model. His presence commands respect—David Faulkner.

I “worked” with Dr. Bone for 13 years. During this time it had been my pleasure to know him.

Always humble, he greets with a soft voice, a ready smile and a warm handshake. Dr. Bone is a

giant among men.

22 Back to Contents

Three Loves and the Portuguese Soul Chris Conner

Sitting in the Clube de Fado, an intimate

nightspot nestled in the heart of Lisbon, one

can hear the heart wrenching songs of love

and loss etched upon the Portuguese soul. On

a balmy summer night, Lisbon breathes a

whisper of past loves, of stolen kisses and

passionate farewells around every turn of its

winding streets. One of the oldest cities in

Western Europe (predating London, Paris and

Rome), Lisbon’s history stretches back across

the centuries, a history filled with

romance and tragedy. When my family

announced our summer trip to Portugal, I

selected three works for study, stories which

would transport me through Portugal’s past

just as I traveled to her shores. Within these

three works, I found three loves that cut to the

heart as deeply as that haunting Fado music.

The author Bertrand Bookstore (open since 1732)

In 1579, when the poet Luís de Camões

published his epic Os Luciadas, the

Portuguese Empire was at the height of its

power. An immense navy carried gold, silk

and spices to Lisbon from colonies that

spanned the known world. Camões carried his

manuscript across the empire in his

travels, writing all the while, from Goa to

Macau and finally back to the land of his

birth. The poem tells a fantastical version of

explorer Vasco de Gama’s sea voyages, in a

style clearly modeled on Virgil’s Aeneid.

However, Gama’s adventures provide little

opportunity for dalliance and the Portuguese

soul demands a love story. So Camões

digresses, much as Virgil wrote of Cleopatra,

to tell the tale of Portugal’s doomed Queen,

the posthumous royal consort Ines de Castro.

This legendary beauty married the crown

prince Pedro in secret, only to be assassinated

at the whim of her cruel and disapproving

father-in-law. As the story goes, upon her

husband’s eventual ascent to the throne, Ines

was unearthed from her tomb to sit beside him

on the throne as courtiers paraded past to kiss

the ring on her skeletal finger and pay

homage. At his own death, King Pedro was

buried in an tomb adjacent to his lost bride,

facing her even in death, so that he may

behold her once again at the time of judgment,

when the dead rise

from their graves.

The 17th century saw Portugal fight a long

and bitter war for Independence from their

Western neighbor, Spain. Desperate to liberate

their country, Portuguese rebels turned to

France for support. The arrival of a French

regiment in Beja, Portugal, would give rise to

another enduring love story. In 1669, the

publication of five love letters, from a

Portuguese nun named Mariana Alcoforado 23

Fountain in the heart of Lisbon St. George Castle, Lisbon

to the French Captain who seduced and

abandoned her, captivated the literati of

Europe. Convent walls could not hold back

Mariana’s rage and despair, but there she

would live out her life, cloistered away for

almost six decades after her affair, never to

see her Captain again. Whether she repented

or regretted her writings in those long years is

open to conjecture. The searing intensity of

Mariana’s desire soon associated the very

term Portuguese with frustrated, doomed love,

despite the fact that the letters were published

in French and Mariana’s actual authorship is

disputed up to the present day.

The stories of Ines and Mariana, however

fictionalized, come from history. This last

love story exists only in fiction, albeit in a

novel hailed as Portugal’s literary master-

piece, a work still mandatory for all Port-

uguese high school students. Visiting Bert-

rand, the oldest bookstore in Lisbon, one can

buy a copy in the original language. Luckily, I

had already brought the most recent English

translation in my backpack. José Maria de Eça

de Queirós’s 1888 novel, Os Maias, or

Episodes from the Romantic Life, follows a

wealthy Portuguese family through the

24

tumultuous 19th century. The hero, of sorts,

Carlos de Maia, exemplifies the dreamy

romanticism and languorous apathy of his age,

the slow waning of past imperial glories.

Indulged by his doting grandfather, Carlos has

every advantage in life: money, intelligence

and good looks. But as time passes, Carlos

cannot bring himself to accomplish anything.

He graduates medical school and sets up a

practice, but spends more time decorating his

office than seeing patients. He dreams of

conducting research and publishing articles,

only to succumb to procrastination and ennui.

He speaks of reforming the country and chal-

lenging the establishment, yet his evenings are

spent running around town with his best friend

and personal Mephistopheles, the charming

and dissolute writer João de Ega. Carlos drifts

through life, unfulfilled by worldly pleasures,

until a chance encounter with a mysterious

woman on the streets of Lisbon. This is Maria

Eduarda, whose unhappy past is tied to Car-

los’s own, and whose love will bring him the

first real joy and true sorrow of his young life.

In one evocative chapter, Carlos takes his

carriage to the nearby town of Sintra, in search

of Maria Eduarda, but does not find her there.

Less than an hour away from Lisbon, Sintra

Seteais Palace interior Seteais Palace maze

blossoms where the mountains meet the sea,

still adorned with the same palaces and

gardens where the melancholy Carlos would

have wandered, hoping to find his beloved.

During my stay in Sintra, my family and I

lodged in the Seteais Palace. As described in

the novel, this ducal residence was abandoned,

still lying in ruins during the 1880s. But newly

renovated, we could enjoy the past brought

back to life, see those once dormant gardens

full and lush, hear music playing within those

once silent halls. Carlos found the setting a

sad sight, reminiscent of his own internal

emptiness, but now the same place bustles

with visitors, each room restored to its former

splendor. In the end, having lost Maria

Eduarda, Carlos confides to his friend Ega that

he finds nothing in life worth striving for. And

yet, as the novel closes, Carlos and Ega begin

to run, laughing, hurrying to catch one of

Lisbon’s famous streetcars. The possibility of

hope, tantalizing and elusive, stretches out

ahead of them. Like Pedro’s dream of a

reunion with Ines at the final judgment, like

Mariana’s letters enflaming hearts far beyond

her convent cell, the hope for human

connection never dies.

In those Fado songs, still sung in the cafes of

Lisbon, we hear the voices of a love that lasts

through time, across centuries, even beyond

death itself.

25 Back to Contents

Gleanings

The Quote That Refreshes Cosme R. Cagas, MD

Winding down our (my wife Linda , daughter

Elcee and grandson Christopher and me) trip

of Spain and Portugal this summer (2015)

where we stayed in castles, fortresses or

palaces turned into hotels, our last stop, the

day before going home to the US, was Madrid

(this was our second trip of Spain). By this

time, because Elcee has the weakness of

shopping at local stores with the lame excuse

that goods are cheaper there or could not

bought anywhere else (sometimes true or

partly so), our luggages were the heaviest than

at any other time during the trip. To top it all,

of all places, of all times, Elcee, who made all

the arrangements, reserved an apartment near

Plaza Mayor (“ for a different experience and

because we are having dinner with Evelyn

Pardo and her husband there where the

bullfighters dine”).

The taxi took us to an address, which I

thought was the apartment. But no, it was only

the office where we were given the keys. “No

worry,” said the lady who accompanied us,

“it’s only a couple of blocks.” So we pulled

the suitcases (in my case plus a shoulder bag)

along the side walk. The couple of blocks

turned out to be six blocks. And that was the

less laborious part. Our apartment was on the

fourth floor and there was no one to help us

haul our luggage up. I had to stop at each floor

to take my breath. Linda upbraided me for

tarrying too long on the third floor. I pointed

to a quotation on the wall to her and to Chris:

Although the name of the author of the

quotation was barely legible, I knew that the

third part of the name was erased or had

faded. I told Chris, who is quite

knowledgeable on the arts and world

literature, it was a quotation from Federico

Garcia Lorca. I challenged him to furnish the

last word as I translated in English—

When life presents you reasons for crying,

show that you have a thousand and one reasons to ___?

Chris quickly provided the last word—

smile!

Reading the quotation made my day.

Somehow the suitcase seemed lighter; the

ascent up the last flight of stairs a breeze.

26 Back to Contents

Smitten

(Chapter 32 of the historical novel, “I Shall Return”)*

Cosme R. Cagas

Wainwright assigned to Sharp all command except that

on the fortified islands on Manila Bay. But Homma insisted

that all troops surrender. Sharp and the regional commanders

initially refused to obey Wainwright’s order to surrender but

once convinced that the helpless in Corregidor might be

slaughtered if they didn’t, they too waved the white flag. Many,

however, parted with their commanders to organize guerrilla

groups.

It seems appropriate to tell at this time the

story of an American soldier who chose to

obey a direct order to surrender to the Jap-

anese because you will hear more of him as

this story unfolds.

Unable to sleep, Lt. Jefferson ruminated on his

life and how he came to be at the Old Bilibid

Prison in Manila. His mind haunted him with

existentialist-type questions.

Had I made the correct decisions in my life?

What if I had listened to my parents way back

home in East St. Louis pleading me not to

leave them in 1937? Why did I respond to my

Presbyterian pastor who announced the need

for a senior cadet officer at Silliman Institute

and arranged for my appointment there? Why

was I so eager to take the first available

Pacific Clipper flying to a strange and

unknown land halfway across the globe? Why

did I obey my commander when it seemed out

of character for me? I could be watching

baseball in St. Louis this very hour instead of

being bitten by bedbugs in this miserable,

God-forsaken place!

He first believed that it was all his fault. He

had always been a non-conformist and as far

as he could remember he did what others

generally didn’t like to do. And he knew he

was head-strong and at times driven by

passion instead of by reason. And although he 27

was not particularly religious, he was so

smitten by a sermon one Sunday that the

following week without his parents’

knowledge he transferred his church

membership from the Southern Baptist Church

in his home town of East St. Louis to the

Presbyterian Church in nearby Belleville

despite that he was the only man of color in

that congregation. Since then he became a

devout Christian with Kierkegaardan leap of

faith and passionate commitment.

Rethinking, he decided that his life had not

been that loathsome after all. His decisions

that seemed to be rash at first blush were not

that bad at all. Being a Japanese prisoner of

war now was really the worst in his life’s

history. Moreover, compared to hundred

others, he was well off, one of the relatively

healthy POWs. Many developed bloody

diarrhea when Manila got flooded resulting in

sewer backup at Bilibid, the most mal-

nourished among them succumbing to amebic

dysentery; many had recurrent fevers, chills

and shaking from untreated malaria; and still

num-erous others were maimed, decrepit or

swollen with beri-beri-- virtual walking deads.

He believed that God would see him through

this physical, mental and emotional trial. And

then there is the matter of predestination. He

finally decided that up to that point in his life,

it had been God who helped him make the

difficult decisions or that God had made the

decisions for him, he was not sure now which.

He moved on to thinking of more pleasant

thoughts.1*

He had come to love the country so much that

before mid-1941 when his contract with the

institute was to expire, he chose to join the

United States Army requesting a Philippine

assignment. Before reporting for duty, he took

a terminal leave visiting the sprawling comer-

cial center of the Visayas, the old City of

Cebu, where the best thing that really hap-

pened in his life until then occurred. By

chance he met this young, charming and

beautiful student at the University of San

Carlos, the Philippines’oldest school that

became a university. He cherished every

minute when they spoke together. She had

given him attention as if he were the only man

in this world. He had met many beautiful

Filipinas before but they only saw his color or

acted as if he was invisible or so transparent

that they could see through him. He thought,

this particular girl saw him as a person, as he

really was, so that the color of his skin did not

matter. He believed that when she politely

declined his invitation for dinner, it was not

because she didn’t like him but because

Philippine ladies at that age simply didn’t go

on a date. He was sure that she meant it when

she offered her soft and delicate hand for a

goodbye handshake and said, “I hope we meet

again!” She didn’t seem to mind his holding

her hand much much longer than the custom-

ary time usually considered socially accept-

able. He had carefully folded and kept her

letter written on linen paper between the pages

of his King James bible. He read and reread it

many times over because it gave him the

inspiration to see through the difficult days

and the thought of seeing her again after the

war was just tantalizing, challenging. He

vowed to move heaven and earth to win her

love and make her his wife.

____________________

28

The sound of Japanese guards shouting jogged

Lt. Jefferson’s reverie. When it was quiet

again, he recalled his days after Silliman.

Entering the army as first lieutenant, his

instructions were to report to the Davao

garrison. Except for a few including a sergeant

all those under him were Filipinos, the

majority of whom were new recruits. Barely a

few months after his arrival, after heavy

bombing, the Japanese landed in Davao on

December 19- 20, 194.2*

Most of the Filipino soldiers ran away seeing

the futility of the fight. A number rejoined so

that an army of about 500 took the long and

arduous trek to Del Monte to connect with

Gen. Sharp.

The easier route would have been through

southern Davao because there was a highway

being constructed between the city and Digos,

and from there the Sayre Highway was open

clear through Cagayan de Misamis. But the

Japanese had already occupied the area south

of Davao where they shortly established a

seaplane base.

They had to cross and scale heavily forested,

unchartered, and sometimes steep mountains

of the Mt. Apo range that were without roads

or even trails. They lost one man who fell into

a deep gully. They had to hack their way

through dense and matted undergrowths and

had to contend with hunger all day and cold

and rain especially at night. With heavy rain

sometimes came landslides and flash floods.

On crossing rivers or streams blood-sucking

leeches hang on tightly to their bare skin or

underneath their trousers.3*

All told it took them more than one month to

reach Del Monte. In contrast, today the route

they covered, now with well paved roads,

could be traveled by car in eight hours.

The headquarters at Del Monte bustled with

war preparations. But there was some time to

socialize. Lt. Jefferson met Capt. Tugas one

day at the mess hall. Upon learning that the

captain came from Misamis Occ., the lieu-

tenant requested him to carry a letter to the

lady student with whom he was smitten with

love. Although Capt. Tugas told him that he

didn’t know when he’d be back to Westerm

Misamis, he agreed to carry the letter. The

envelope bore her name with address at

Dagatan, Oroquieta, Misamis Occ. Capt.

Tugas said he knew her family.

Lt. Col. Hilsman command was reassigned to

Negros. For Lt. Jefferson, the short annals of

his Philippine travels, travails, and adventures

only a few months long, had come full

circle.4*

In answer to an inner restlessness and tur-

bulence, with the help of a former cadet

officer, Jefferson sneaked into Silliman at

night. Using a flashlight, they searched names

of graduates with the same address as his lady

love in the library’s yearbooks, starting with

1941 down. To their disappointment, not all

yearbooks bore the addresses of the alumni.

They then searched for the list of registrants

by year. That job was quite formidable

because since its opening at the turn of the

twentieth century, the institute (university by

1938) had enrolled hundreds of students.

Nevertheless after three hours, they found

one! That happened to belong to my father, a

physics major, the records showed. He wrote

in pencil my father’s name beside his lady

love’s and their common address at the inside

back cover of his bible, the only material item

he owned that the Japanese guards didn’t

covet.

__________________

Negros was divided into five sectors each

under a battallion commander. The officers

were released from central control but under

Hilsman. When the commanders received

direct orders from Sharp to surrender their

forces, all, including Hilsman resisted it at

first. Their feelings and responses echoed the

pain of command and onus of responsibility

that King, Wainwright and Sharp before them

had to bear and suffer in making their fateful

decisions.5*

So, that’s how I ended up in this crowded,

stinking, mouse-and-bed-bug-infested place!

Jefferson muttered to himself. Is this the result

of disobedience to my parents? He decided it

didn’t matter then. Opening his bible, he was

at once thankful that he still could read the

fine prints despite the poor lighting. Turning

to the Book of Job he found the answer to his

questions and more: Nothing happens in this

world without God at least permitting. God’s

always in control!

(Hard copies available from the author, www.outskirtspress.com, www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com

e-books form Outskirts and Amazon for only $3.00. Chapter notes are omitted in this reprint)

29 Back to Contents

The August Moon

The August Moon

Under the August moon

I saw you again

Without the bright lights

Mostly moonlight.

The same smiling face

Now, more shifty, less eye contact

Portending, after apologies, excuses,

Small to and fros,

Nos, maybes,

What cannot yet be,

What might never be.

I would still see your face

Were the moon to go dark

Were I to go blind

Without benefit of touch

Of your cheeks, your nose

The eyelids around your eyes

Your so distant lips.

Full, new or crescent moons

Will illumine you.

Why does your face persist, why do you?

Why this desire?

I must try to forget you

Store feelings that know only accepted pain

In the cloud of love

Wait for their download

A kind bombardment

Drops of relief

Released by you.

Lestrino C. Baquiran, MD.

(Reprinted with persmission from the Filipino Reporter)

30 Back to Contents

drip

drip

drip

from

a

lea

k y fau c e t ove r tim e t i m e t i m \ e MAKE A RIVER OF PURE WASTE…

Cosme R. Cagas, MD

(Revision of a poem originally published in “Our Twentieth Century’s Greatest Poems,” 1982)

31 Back to Contents