TFL run up

The primary articles in this newly created blog are copied from the maiden issue of our 4-page, 8.5 by 11 inches tabloid theFamilyLink jan-april 1998 issue.



The editor decided to republish the tidbits of information in the internet to provide many of our relatives a chance to trace a bit of the history of our clan.
It is also one purpose of theFamilyLink blog to continue the link of love among our family members and to unify us by keeping everybody informed on the whereabouts, the significant developments and precious events of the members. This is so because it has been 9 years since theFamilyLink's maiden circulation and our family grew bigger and bigger and now we are scattered in practically all parts of the Philippines and some of us are now based in US and Canada.
In view of the fact that theFamilyLink newsletter is published only whenever there is availability of funds, we firmed up to maximize the use of the internet knowing most of our relatives and family friends are now living with infobahn set on their own computers. This would also lessen our expenses in printing bulks of our newsletter.
And just like the newsletter, this blog is updated whenever there are significant developments in our family.
Read on and enjoy.

A poet in the family

Virgilio Tampo, Diday's partner, is a poet by heart. Behind his laconic facade, Vir is a person of varied intense emotions eloquently expressed in the words of his poignant poems he only finds time to compose in the stillness of the night.
We culled this poem from his collection of verses as his contribution to our newsletter.

Gama
(a memory of a place)

Running my fingers through your hair
And tipping your brow.
I only hear the river murmurs,
The parallel of waters cascading
Rhymes with the throbbing beat
Of this sobbing heart
Though silent as it was lonesome
Birds sing a melody unrehearsed
To a drifting leaf, dancing
And receding upon my sight
Foretelling the coming of fall
On early summer.
Should I call this day mine?
The hills, the proud breasts of Kanlaon
I quivered of your avowal.
Should I say, I love you,
And be released?
What arrow doesn't point their poison of mercy
And forks at me.
This incidental get away
Of February's last heat
And days that recedes
Perhaps in parody of pursuit
For long-gone yesterdays
Days when I was young
The last nerve gasp for guts
I am beyond my written ode,
I am beyond the lamentations
Of somnambulistic
Sleepless nights.

- Feb. 28, 1981

What’s up in Kabankalan City

Kabankalan, also dubbed as Pearl of the South, is a charming and progressive city in south of Negros.

The city is noted for its friendly people and unhurried pace of life. It’s now quite easy for Kabankalanons to go to Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental and jump off to Cebu because of the superhighway that connects Kabankalan to the oriental side of Negros.

Edgar and Raquel “Ging-ging” Dizon are certainly lucky to have established themselves in Kabankalan. Ging-ging, an instructor at Fortress College is now busy preparing to take the compre exams for her masters in sociology in Silliman University, Dumaguete City. Edgar is kept busy with his printing jobs which include t-shirts, stickers, posters and streamers and lately the flex signs. There are now several establishments in Kabankalan sporting his outputs. He’s also the sole distributor of Jacob’s purified water in the city.

They’re blessed with four frisky and hyper-active boys. The last attempt to have a girl turned out to be a boy and Ging-ging says enough is enough…no more babies.

Their eldest Jared Ian, 11, will be grade V this coming school year. He’s with the honor roll and was awarded outstanding in co-curricular activities.

Net is Jezreel Ian, 9, grade IV, with honors and an exemplary behavior awardee. The third is Jazer Ian, 7, grade II, 2^nd honor and a leadership awardee.

The youngest is Jeriel Ian, 3, a nursery pupil this coming school year. A multi-talented kid, he entertains people with his songs, dance and recitation…provided you toss him a peso for his bubble gum.

With four super energetic boys, the house is a bedlam on weekends, but then how empty home would be without them.

Still alive and kicking

What’s keeping Marietta Mixdon Yap busy these days is attending to her small sari-sari store in La Carlota City.

Her small store is oftentimes “looted” of goodies by her apos.

Maring’s only joy is that she has something to give everytime any of her 18 apos begs her for snacks.

After all, isn’t it the role of all grandmothers?

In God’s time

Proceso M. Yap Jr. and her charming wife Arlene Estonina of Su-ay, Himamaylan are still childless after 3 years of marriage. However, both do not feel anxious just trusting the Lord that in His own time the baby will come.

Jun is teaching electronics at the Todd Vocational School of the Asian Christian Outreach (ASCO) in Kabankalan and Arlene is an elementary school teacher in Paloypoy, Himamaylan.

The young couple has now a nice house in Kabankalan City, constructed in their lot beside a vast sugarcane field where they enjoy a continuous cool breeze coming from the open field.

It’s really a luxury just lying down on their cool bamboo floor with no need for an electric fan because of the brisk, refreshing country breeze passing through their wide windows.

Fond of dogs, Jun and Arlene has five pet dogs at home.

Berean Baptist Church open a Bible school

The Berean Baptist Church in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental pastured by Jether Jimena, husband of Rebecca (Yap), has such a pleasant, clean and well-maintained compound that never fails to attract the attention of the passers-by.

Within the church compound is a school building with less that a hundred students under Becky’s supervision. The school offers the accelerated Christian education patterned after the US method of instructions with instructional materials coming from the US.

The Jimena’s three children Jireh, Jethre, the only girl and Joseph are students of this school.

Becky gladly informs that an additional floor will be added soon in one of the buildings in the compound to house the proposed Bible school. Construction may start before the end of this year.

Pastor Jimena’s plush office is equipped with an internet that helps facilitate and speed up their various communications here and abroad.

Greetings from Cagayan de Oro City

Their house is ideal for those who want to forget time, swim in the clear waters of the sea and fest on fresh sea foods.

Noel and Vivian Yap are now residents of the bustling and progressive Cagayan de Oro City.

They’re staying in a huge house beside the sea, with a sprawling and landscaped yard abloom with orchids the whole year round.

Their house is ideal for vacationers who want to forget all about time, take a dip in the clear, blue sea and to feast on fresh sea foods for breakfast.

Noel and Vivian are connected with Rev. Al Galo’s Healing Ministry and once a month a healing crusade is held in their place (actually owned by Rev. Galo, brother of Vivian) which also serves as the ministry’s healing center in the city.

The children are now grown up. Vivinyl, the eldest daughter, is now a church worker and choir directress in Binulig Baptist Church in the beautiful town of Sipalay, in deep south of Negros. A singer and a former member of the singing group at Doane Bible School where she graduated, Ninyll, with her group, toured the US for almost a year, two years ago.

Rey, the only son, is a second year computer student in AMA, Cagayan. Gay and Novi-ann just graduated from high school.

Their huge house in Cagayan became alive and exciting with the coming of an additional member of their family, Shem, Gay’s 3 year-old baby, who’s now the prince of the house.

Shem’s antics and naughtiness are a source of delight to his doting grandparents who babysit for him if his parents are away.