THE MINDANAO POST APRIL 8-10, 2023

humility, selfless love

MANILA – With the celebration of Holy Week, various traditions practiced in the country resurfaced, especially now with the easing of most Covid-19 restrictions.

However, it seems that many are forgetting the real message of the occasion, the ‘mandatum’ or command left by Jesus Christ himself, of loving one another without expecting anything in return, and serving others with a humble heart.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Catholic priest Fr. Andiy Egargo noted that Holy Week, which is originally a Catholic tradition, is now being observed by other Christian communities, with Holy Thursday as the beginning of the three days of Paschal Triduum.

“The three days within the Paschal Triduum are Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter (from Easter vigil to Easter Sunday). Paschal Triduum commemorates the saving event for the whole of humanity through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ,” Fr. Andiy said.

SUNKEN CEMETERY – Catarman, Camiguin- The remains of an old cemetery sunk by the eruption of Mt. Vulcan in 1871 was transformed into a pristine sanctuary below the waves. A giant cross is erected as the landmark of this mysterious historical site. The place also houses a beautiful seascape. (Department of TourismNorthern Mindanao Office)

VISITA IGLESIA. The Catholic faithful flock to the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila on Maundy Thursday (April 6, 2023) to pray and recite the Stations of the Cross. Visita Iglesia is a Catholic tradition during Holy Week which involves visiting 7 or 14 churches to pray or meditate on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

CONCEPTION

HOLY WEEK, from p1..

He said that on Holy Thursday, there are two important events being commemorated -- the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Orders, and the Institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

The word “maundy” (Maundy Thursday), Fr. Andiy explained, comes from the Latin word ‘mandatum’ which means command.

The mandatum, from the scriptures of John 13:15 reads: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

The Holy Thursday Liturgy ends with the “transfer” of the Blessed Sacrament or the consecrated hosts to the “Altar of Repose.”

In the tradition of most Filipino Catholics, this Altar of Repose is the place where people visit and pray during the Visita Iglesia.

On the evening of the Holy Thursday, right after the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, the rite of the washing of the feet takes place inside the church.

This act symbolizes “serving with humility” as when Jesus Christ himself washed the feet of his disciples.

With the commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, Fr. Andiy said that the universal call for all of us is to stay humble and practice selfless love - love without expecting anything in return - the same love that God has for us. (PNA)

Lenten 2023: A time for reflection and repentance

QUEZON CITY – Ca -

tholicism is one of the many influences of the Spaniards during their colonization hundred years ago and today it covers a large population in the Philippines.

The commemoration of Holy Week is one of the significant seasons for Filipino Catholics. It is a time to reflect, repent, and express their faith.

This religious tradition starts on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of the lent season. This tradition of wearing ashes on the forehead symbolizes the dust from which God made his people. This continues on Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, and ends on Easter Sun-

day, the time when Jesus has finally resurrected.

Filipinos are big on traditions and common practices, thus, aside from fasting, abstinence, and having a prayerful and reflective season, Filipino Catholics also developed a variety of practices across different provinces and through the years gained popularity as a unique Holy Week commemoration

Visita Iglesia

One of the most common practices during Holy Week is Visita Iglesia (visiting churches). Filipino Catholics dedicate a day during the lent season to visit at least seven churches where they pray the rosary and do the Stations of the Cross.

The goal of Visita Igle-

sia is to pay homage to the Blessed Sacrament and to seek penance for one’s sins. Catholics believe that if they visit at least seven churches and complete the Stations of the Cross, their wishes and faith requests will come true.

Penitensiya

Another tradition across many provinces in the Philippines is penitensiya (penance). On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, people re-enact the hardships of Jesus Christ by self-inflicting wounds and wearing of the crown of thorns. While hitting themselves on the wounded parts of their bodies, these individuals say their prayers and seek forgiveness for their sins. For some, this has become a yearly devotion.

In Pampanga, they have their own unique take on penitensya as well as senakulo (passion play). Kapampangans yearly prepare an act where they depict the crucifixion in a live audience. For devotees, having a chance to be nailed on a cross similar to Jesus Christ is their way of expressing their faith and their way of repentance.

Pabasa ng Pasyon

Another elderly tradition is the Pabasa ng Pasyon (Reading of the Passion). This is a common generational practice for Filipino Catholic families because it can be done in churches or at home. Pasyon are chanted in a certain tone and mostly it is done non-stop with some having to do it overnight, thus, it requires dedication

and consistency to properly do this practice.

Procession

Catholics are known to immortalize their faith through images or humansized figures that they can touch and whisper their prayers. In Paete, Laguna – Carving Capital of the Philippines, they show their faith and visualize Catholicism by creating Bible characters into actual images and yearly, these are paraded across the town. During the procession, devotees walk while praying the rosary as their way of sacrifice.

Moriones Festival

Different from the solemn activities during the Holy Week across the country, people in the Province of Marinduque have a unique take. During

the celebration of the Moriones Festival, performers wear masks and helmets or moriones, symbolizing Roman soldiers as the festival is a celebration of Longinus, a Roman centurion who is said to have converted at the foot of the cross in the province.

The Philippines practices different traditions and beliefs. Aside from Catholicism, it is also a home of other religions – Muslim, Protestant, Buddhism, and others but what matters most is the respect we give to each other on our beliefs and how we express our faiths.

Despite the differences in practices, this Lent Season, let us give our Catholic brothers and sisters the freedom to reflect and repent. (MVV, PIA-CPSD)

IMMACULATE

PARISH CHURCH — Jasaan Misamis Oriental - La Immaculada Concepcion Parish Church, also known as the Jasaan Church, is nestled in the Municipality of Jasaan in Misamis Oriental. The Jesuits built the parish church around the late 19th Century and early 20th century. It is one of the Natural Cultural Heritage due to its cultural values and a Heritage Structure of the Spanish Colonial Period for its artistic design. (Department of Tourism - Northern Mindanao Office)

Army vows strengthened ties with IP communities

By Nef Luczon CAGAYAN DE ORO

CITY -- The 4th Infantry Division (4ID) of the Philippine Army on Wednesday vowed to continue strengthening relations with the indigenous peoples (IP) communities in the Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions.

In a statement, MGen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, 4ID Commander, said part of his leadership includes working closely with IPs to facilitate peace and development in the indigenous cultural communities so they would not get recruited by communist rebels, and prevent their villages from becoming rebel mass bases.

“Let’s re-establish our warm and strong relationship. We are committed to supporting and assisting our IPs in providing lasting solutions to the issues we have discussed,” he said.

With the help of other local government units and line government agencies under the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC), Cuerpo said the issues and concerns of IP will be discussed and eventually resolved.

On April 5, the 4ID addressed concerns from more than 100 IP leaders from the two regions who

paid a visit to its headquarters here, which was also facilitated by the National Commission on Indigenous People.

Cuerpo and other 4ID officials held discussions on IPs being enlisted in the Army, the support for the institutionalization of the Indigenous Defense System, additional military detachments in ancestral domains, military reservations, and ancestral land security.

Datu Jimmy Guinsod, the Provincial Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative of Surigao del Sur province, said the 4ID’s gesture of showing importance to them and giving protection to their ancestral domains were highly commendable.

Bae Anna Jessa Mae Crisostomo, spokesperson for the Mindanao Indigenous People’s Youth Organization and the National TF-ELCAC Focal Person for IP Concerns, said that by partnering with the 4ID and IP communities, everyone can contribute to ensuring peace and development in ancestral domains.

During the dialogue, Cuerpo was conferred with the title “Datu Uma-angkag,” which means a brave and charismatic warrior, for participating in the event. (PNA)

THE city government of Cagayan de Oro through Mayor Rolando "Klarex" Uy thanked the religious pilgrims in adhering to the guidelines, especially in pilgrimage sites, in order to have a peaceful, safe and meaningful Holy Week celebration. (CIO)

Editorial&Opinion

Random Holy Week thoughts and memories

“Unless there is a Good Friday to your life, there can be no Easter Sunday” – Ven. Fulton Sheen

This week, we have our annual Holy Week nonworking days plus one (aside from Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter, we get Monday off, too). It is one of the longest Holy Week breaks in recent history.

As the Holy Week begins, most work-related activities are put on hold. Our fast-paced lives suddenly grind to a halt and we get to reflect and entertain random thoughts and memories.

Palm Sunday commemorates the day when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover. For Filipino Catholics, it is the day of the palm fronds or “palaspas”.

I often see churchgoers jockeying for position before or after Mass to ensure that their palm fronds get properly blessed with holy water. Over the years, our “palaspas” have gone beyond being just religious symbols to works of art. I have always loved the sight of these decorated palm fronds being raised at the same time during Palm Sundays. Growing up, I remember my aunts telling me to hang these blessed palm fronds to ward off evil spirits and to keep one as a handy weapon for evilenchanted creatures.

Holy Wednesday -- According to reports, millions of Filipinos will be flooding the airports, bus terminals and ports on this day. Authorities also expect that all roads going out of Metro Manila will be filled with thousands of vehicles. The annual exodus has begun.

Spatial Turns: From

Maundy Thursday -- When I was in grade school, a teacher asked me why we sometimes call Holy Thursday “Maundy Thursday”. Not having studied the assignment that day, I said it was because like the ordinary Monday, it heralded the start of sadness and sorrow. It was only later that I learned that the word Maundy came from the Latin word ‘mandatum’ or ‘command’ which refers to the instructions Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper.

Good Friday -- When I was a kid, I always wondered why Good Friday was called “Good”. I asked an aunt what was “good” about the day Jesus Christ was crucified. I reasoned that it should actually be called “Bad Friday”. My aunt called me “pilosopo” and instructed me to reflect on my irreverence and pray. My aunt was a nun and the principal of an all-girl school and I did not want to get on her bad side so I never asked that question again.

As kids, we were always told that we were not allowed to swim, take a bath, make noises or do anything enjoyable on Good Fridays. I always wondered why we went to the beach on Holy Week only to spend one day just staring quietly at the

beach. Then one Good Friday, an older cousin ignored the rules and swam on that day. I can never forget the sight of my cousin giggling (I think he was drunk) as he came out of the water with a smack of black jellyfish attached all over his body. To this day, I refuse to go near a beach on Good Friday.

Black Saturday -- We have always been told that Holy Saturday was still a day of mourning. It commemorates the day Jesus Christ was laid in his tomb after his death by crucifixion, hence, the word black. We were allowed to swim on Black Saturday but we were supposed to do it quietly. One summer during the 80’s I was shocked to see an establishment in Baguio City hold a Black Saturday Disco night.

Easter Sunday -- My cousins and I used to have Easter egg hunts at our Tita’s place. I have always wondered what happened to the eggs we never found. Unfortunately, we have a worldwide shortage of eggs. Can we still afford to hide eggs?

One of the most memorable Easter Mass for me was a Mass I attended with many of my relatives in a makeshift chapel in front of a beach. It was 4 in the morning, and my cousins

and I were all huddled together with towels draped over our shoulders. I remember the cool breeze and the sound of waves crashing on the shore as we said our prayers. It was the last time we were all together on an Easter Sunday.

People spend Holy Week in different ways. Other than the religious significance for us Catholics, the Holy Week is also about family and memories that will last a lifetime.

This is my oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.

(ATTY. GILBERTO LAUENGCO, J.D. is a lawyer, educator, political strategist, government consultant, Lego enthusiast, and the director of CAER Think Tank. He is a Former Vice Chairman of MECO, Special Assistant of NFA and City Administrator among others. His broad experience has molded his unique approach to issues analysis which he calls the oblique observation.)

to Cagaiang (Part 1)

spatial configurations and how geography affects those spatial turns and changes man’s cultural values, stereotypes, mores, and norms.

Most of these pre-colonial settlements in the Philippines live in complex settlements near inland waterways or on the coastline.

Still, traditionally, many pre-colonial Mindanawnons live nomadic or semi-nomadic in small villages.

HI there!

Pardon me for not writing these past two weeks. I isolated myself, preparing for comprehensive examinations—hopefully, I passed.

Studying for an upcoming examination enables us to learn new concepts and widen historical perspectives, especially “spatial histories.”

In one of my previous columns, quoting Alan R. H. Baker,

“geography plays a vital role in shaping historical events and essential in understanding causes and effects.”

History and geography are mutually dependent, and critical to study them together to understand the past and interpret it correctly and fully.

Thus, a geographical perspective in studying history may help understand human and historical processes through

Houses are made from light materials and raised a meter or two above ground for ventilation and protection against threats—like rodents. One example of this pre-colonial settlement pattern is the pre-colonial village of Datu Salangsang in Himologan.

The village of Datu Salangsang’s first contact with the Spaniards came in 1622 when two Augustinian Recol-

lect, Fray Juan de San Nicolas and Fray Francisco de la Madre De Dios, began Spanish connection in Himologan.

Salangsang’s refusal to accept the friars motivated the two to talk to his grandmother, Dona Magdalena Bacuya, and the latter convinced Salangsang to take the Augustinian Recollects.

Fr. Francis Madigan SJ, quoting from a Spanish chronicler, described Himologan as “one large structure that housed the inhabitants, a rough stone or woods wall fortifying the village. The interior has divided living quarters, a small temple (diwatahan) at the center.”

The problem exposes the village’s location to be vulnerable to attacks by the slave raiders from Maguindanao, and Fray de San Nicolas and Fray de la Madre De Dios cannot defend the villagers.

Hence, a new prior who studied architecture, gunnery, and military tactics at the University of Salamanca, Fray Augustin “El Frayle Capitan” de San Pedro.

He saw three disadvantages in Himologan: the village is small to hold all the settlers, they are surrounded at the foot of the hill, and there is no water source.

According to Fr. Madigan, El Frayle Capitan convinced Datu Salangsang to transfer the settlement to an elevated fortification enabling the defending villagers to command an excellent peripheral at the lower river.

Hence, Himologan settlers moved from their old settlement to a stronghold called Cagaiang in 1624.

The transfer of the settlement from Himologan to

Solon expects general price levels to decline moving forward

MANILA – An economist-lawmaker on Wednesday said the slowdown of the inflation rate in March would give the country's economy ample room to absorb potential external shocks in the global monetary and financial environment.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the decline in inflation also anchored inflation expectations, which would allow businesses and consumers to make firmer decisions about their spending and investing activities this year.

Salceda expressed hope that the country could meet the central bank's 2 percent to 4 percent inflation target by October this year.

"I sustain my observation that general price levels will continue to decline moving forward. We will hit BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) inflation targets by October, if not earlier. But the annual average price levels are likely to be above 5 percent for the full year 2023," he said.

He noted that food is significantly cheaper this month compared to last month, with a month-on-month inflation rate of negative 1.2 percent.

Vegetables, in particular, are 14.1 percent cheaper this month compared to last month, while corn is cheaper at negative 0.7 percent month on month, he added.

"Onion farm gate prices, in particular, have now hit the PHP50 range in many areas, as I predicted some weeks ago," he said.

Salceda noted that rice liberalization continues to show its benefits on the consumer side, with year-on-year inflation at only 2.6 percent, well within the BSP target.

"There are signs of impending price hikes in rice, however, so we have to watch out to make sure the price increases, if needed, are not above necessary. El Niño is the main upside risk, moving forward," he said.

He emphasized the need to implement measures regarding irrigation maintenance and coverage, urging President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to formalize his directives to the water management agencies in an executive order.

He, however, pointed out that corn remains expensive at 11.7 percent year-on-year inflation, which will continue to have impacts on the price of meat, fish, processed food, and other key commodities.

"There are signs of a downward momentum in prices, with month-on-month inflation being at negative 0.7 percent, but El Niño looms large as an upside risk to price," he said.

Flour and bread remain expensive at 11.7 percent year-on-year inflation due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while fish and seafood prices are still high due to the Mindoro oil spill and the generally warmer climate, he added.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported the second consecutive month of deceleration of the inflation rate to 7.6 percent in March from February’s 8.6 percent, bringing the average inflation for the three-month period to 8.3 percent.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile oil and food items, meanwhile, accelerated to 8 percent last month from 7.8 percent in February.

March’s inflation rate was within the central bank’s 7.4 percent to 8.2 percent projection for the month.

The BSP said it is “consistent with the overall assessment that inflation will remain elevated over the near term before gradually decelerating back to target range towards end-2023.” (PNA)

FIRST SHIPMENT.

About 18 metric tons of durian from Davao City are shipped to China on Thursday (April 6, 2023), the first since the signing of a USD2-billion fruit export deal between Manila and Beijing in January. The Davao region covers around 78 percent of the total durian production in the country.

(PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)

Travel&Tourism

seen to lure more Chinese tourists

BEIJING – The Philippines’ Department of Tourism has launched the “Bisita Be My Guest” (BBMG) here to encourage Filipinos to invite more Chinese tourists to visit the country.

Erwin Batane, the country’s tourism attaché in Beijing, said the target is to lure at least 33 percent of the 1.75 million Chinese tourists who visited the Philippines in 2019.

He said Chinese tourists are among the big contributors to the Philippines’ eco-tourism sector, spending over USD2.33 billion while vacationing in the country before borders have been closed due to Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“This is the reason why we want to encourage our Filipinos here to participate in the BBMG campaign of the government and invite or bring home a Chinese to travel to the Philippines again and win prizes for themselves and their guests,” Batane said during the BBMG launch

at Hilton Hotel here.

He said when the country opened its borders to foreigners in 2022, more Chinese tourists started to visit again the Philippines but still way below the prepandemic number.

“We still have a long way to go and more effort is needed to reach the pre-pandemic record to encourage Chinese tourists to come to the Philippines,” Batane said.

Batane said he expects group travels and flights from China to boost the tourism industry since the Chinese government has identified the Philippines as among the 20 pilot countries wherein its residents can visit as tourists.

The Philippine government officially launched the BBMG program in December last year, incentivizing Filipinos who invite foreign tourists with travel discounts and a chance to win a condominium and free vacation trips.

“As Filipinos, we can help in our little ways

by promoting the Philippines and the beauty of the country, the smiles of the people, and our culture of hospitality while the country has yet to have the funds to boost tourism promotion. Having been abroad, they have developed acquaintances with other people whom they can invite to visit the country,” Batane said.

“Imagine 10 percent of our population are working abroad, so if you are looking at 110 million Filipinos, there are about 11 million who are abroad and if they bring at least one visitor, that is 11 million visitors,” Batane added.

During his state visit to China last January, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the concerned government agencies to help facilitate the processing of e-visa and other travel documents to encourage more Chinese tourists to travel in the Philippines.

“The concept of gov -

ernment is that if we can extend the hospitality by giving the e-visa while continuing to consider various factors but I am sure it is upcoming,” he said.

He said Chinese tourists remain attracted to the beautiful beaches in the Philippines.

“China is a very big country with 1.4 billion

people but its only beaches in the eastern part cannot be accessed at least nine months a year due to the cold weather, that is why if you show the white beaches and crystal blue waters to the Chinese, they will be encouraged to travel to our country,” he added.

In an earlier interview, Philippine Ambassador

to the Republic of China

Jaime FlorCruz said the Philippine embassy in Beijing and the consular offices in different parts of China have released at least 1,000 visas per day. He said the number would increase once group travels resume and more travel agencies start to operate. (PNA)

OUT TO SEA. The Torrijos White Beach in Marinduque is filled with tourists on Maundy Thursday (April 6, 2023). The Catholic church reminds the faithful to reflect on the sacrifices of Jesus Christ even while enjoying the Lenten break.(PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

Apo Whang-Od’s Vogue PH cover earns praise globally

By Arabella Asis

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, along with other celebrities and fashion icons across the globe, hailed Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay’s cover shot for Vogue Philippines.

“Now THIS is real beauty �� �� ,” the actr e s s captioned after reposting the picture from the magazine cover.

Other Hollywood celebrities and influencers like Mario Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Bretman Rock, and Gigi Hadid also lauded Whang-Od’s beauty.

Meanwhile, Filipino actress Cherry Pie Picache and fashion designer Rajo Laurel extended their gratitude for showing Whang-

SANCHEZ | from p4

Cagaiang is common to the development of modern Christian settlements.

In its entirety, the Spanish campaign in the Philippines resettled the indigenous inhabitants to a settlement pattern called the reducciones; such resettlement patterns moved the inhabitants, notably those converted to Christianity under the bajas de la campanas (within the church bells).

Such movement shifted the historical stage from the indigenous nomadic or semi-nomadic settlement before Spanish colonization to a confined space

Od love and support.

“Thank you. One of our country’s PH [treasures],” Picache commented.

Whang-Od, now 106 years old, is the oldest person to be featured on the cover of Vogue Magazine.

She is often described as the “last” and oldest “mambabatok” (traditional Kalinga tattoo).

According to Vogue Philippines, the publication aimed to showcase someone with cultural impact and stories within.

“The decision to forgo common fashion publication templates and include someone whose cultural impact has spanned beyond metrics hopefully marks a new era in the industry,” (ptvnews.ph)

reducing the converted people integrating them into the colony.

Nevertheless, the transfer of Salangsang’s settlement to Cagaiang began the history of the urban settlements of Cagayan de Oro.

Such spatial turns rationalize human settlements in urban centers.

In this case, the Spanish history in Cagayan has just begun creating a ripple effect of structural transformation that started as a reducciones, the pueblo, and the Plaza Mayor (now Gaston Park).

The urbanization of Cagayan de Oro has just begun. (MT)

PFF needs to see Bulua’s ‘Super Girl’

CAGAYAN DE ORO City

— There is no secret in Cagayan de Oro’s football community that Bulua FC Lady Strikers have a gem in their line-up.

The CdO football community have known the 16-year-old Stephanie ‘Tipay’ Martinez since she was 10-years-old when she started kicking the ball for coach Jun Actub of the Lady Strikers.

She was already then a main ‘woman’ for the Bulua FC Strikers which won the title in the Girls 12 team category of the Bulua Fiesta PIA Cup Futsal tournament of senator Pia Cayatano.

She is not only a gem but a ‘Super Girl’ of Cagayan de Oro’s football community.

COMPLETE STRIKER

Stephanie is complete striker, tall for her age, strong, has leadership skills and the most important of all, a scoring machine.

Tipay as what her friends and coach calls her, was unstoppable during the Cagayan de Oro City Department of Education (DepEd) Division meet Futsal tournament where she scored a total of 11 goals in the three-team one-day competition.

She scored six goals for Bulua National High School against Lumbia National High School and then finished the tournament with five more goals against Xavier University High School team.

Tipay is feared every time she plays for Bulua in any tournament. “She is very talented, her booming shots were unstoppable and her dribbling skills were fantastic. We always pray that she gets sick or break her leg when we play against her,’’ joked her friend and many times opponent on the futsal floor Mary Love Lacar of

Lumbia Raptors.

Lacar a strong defender for the Raptors during the CdO Division meet, could not stop Martinez as the Grade 10 student scored six goals against her.

SOLDIER

Unfortunately, Tipay has another dream. She said she wants to be a soldier because soldiers right now are paid well. However, if there is an opportunity for her to have a decent future in football she is ready to shift her focused.

She said, right now she enjoys more playing futsal but she is also good in playing football. Unfortunately, specially now here in Cagayan de Oro City there is no opportunity to play 11-aside football.

Most of the tournaments played here are 5-aside futsal and 7-aside festival football. The Philippines do not even have a women’s national futsal team and the national women’s football team are focused on playing for the Women’s World Cup and the Olympic Qualifying tournaments.

When the PFF organized the Festival Of Football aimed to find new talents few months ago, it did not even send a national coach to see the talents. Local coaches organized the event, took some pictures and nothing has been heard about it anymore.

Tipay was present during that event and she was a talent waiting to be picked. Of course there were trials for players who could afford to go to Davao City for some age group national teams.

COACHES

The coaches who organized the trials did not send her. If she was sent she could not go as she could not afford the trip. Her family is poor.

We wish the PFF could get Tipay for a national

youth training team where she could blossom to be a scoring machine. She is a talent waiting to be picked. She deserves to play on the 11-aside pitch not to handle an M-16 in a battle field.

CdO’s ’Super Girl’ footballer’s favorite international female booter is US veteran striker Alex Morgan.

The 33-year-old Morgan is the all-time 5th top scorer of the USA WNFT with a total of 120 international goals.

HIGALA

Locally she admires

her perennial nemesis at Higala FC, Gail Loking. The Grade 12 defender, midfielder from SMS and Tipay’s teams always clash in local tournaments.

“We are not close but I admire her intelligence during matches, she is also very humble and very skillful,’’ Tipay said about Loking.

Tipay is one of the products of Bulua FC Strikers of football mad teaching couples Jun Actub of Bulua National High School and his wife Heintje of Bulua Elementary School.

“I learned playing foot-

ball and futsal from coach Jun Actub. He has been our coach since I was 10 years old,’’ she said.

COACH JUN ACTUB

“Coach Jun Actub founded the Bulua Strikers FC in 2014 with his wife and some parents of the students from BNHS and BES.

Tipay’s guardian, aunt and constant companion Melanie ‘Emyat’ Martinez is also a big influence in her footballing life.

Emyat is the very active president of the Bulua Strikers FC parents group. She has been responsible

for organizing the parents of players in taking care of the needs of the players.

Emyat has also two children playing for the Strikers and has been the doting aunt for Tipay.

Tipay on her part never stops training and even this Holy Week she is on the field or in the gym training with the Srikers for the coming tournaments this summer. She has never been to any tryouts of the PFF. But in case they will call she will always be ready. (jackbiantantambok@gmail. com)

SUPER GIRL. Bulua Striker Stephanie ‘Tipay’ Martinez (center) escapes past Lumbia Raptors striker Precious Mary Exequil during the Cagayan de Oro City Futsal competition. (Photo by Jack Biantan)

ROSEVALE CUP. Tipay Martinez displays the Rosevale Cup trophy in the Girls 18 category and her Fair Play Award. (Contributed photo)

FOUNDER. Coach Jun Actub is responsible for developing young talents at Bulua Strikers Football Club.

(Photo by Jack Biantan