YOU ARE INVITED!

Fr. Angel Baquiran Luga’s Isabela Awaits You Project awakened not only national consciousness, but it has also ignited the bond among the tribal communities in Isabela fortified and cemented by their faith. What was once a simple project merely to awaken the hearts and minds of a family to rekindle their past, touched the spirit of the different tribal cultural minorities in Cagayan Valley, the Gaddang, Ibanag, Yogad, Agta, Itawis, Ivatan, to be proud of their roots to honor the return of one of their child long forgotten by history. His symbolic return turned into a festivity that ignited the bond of Filipino culture: Love of God, Family, Country and Honor. No less than the National Historical Institute acknowledges that Mateo Noriel Luga, the only known tribal leader in Philippine History who rose from the rank of the Philippine Revolutionary Government to become a general during the Filipino-Spanish and the Filipino-American Revolt, may have been the most unsung hero in Philippine History. Sadly, he died a poor man on his way home to his beloved land. He never made it back to the place where he started his own little war. His journey to carry on his resolve to fight for the freedom of his people from Cagayan Valley went further to distant shores and reached its peak leading men in combat to send a fleet of the world’s mightiest army running away from battle in a land foreign from his culture in the company of people not of his own. Despite his family being made a shield to weaken his morale, he rescued his loved ones in enemy’s lair and fought back an honorable war that earned the respect and admiration not of Filipino historians, but his fiercest enemy, the American Expeditionary Forces in the island of Cebu. He lived honorably in peace as farmer thereafter with his family by his side and stood by his nationalistic ideals. He died a poor man in unknown tomb never realizing his dream to return to the beloved land where he started his own little war: Cagayan Valley . Isabela Awaits You is a continuing saga of the revolution that this man started , now turned into an advocacy that touches our soul, hearts and minds as Filipinos.

In its first expeditionary mission to rally for the symbolic return this Ibanag Revolutionary, Fr. Angel Luga started his own revolt: ”The Ibanag Cyber Revolution Has Begun” followed by ”Isabela Awaits You Part I”. It did not stopped from there, it was followed by Isabela Awaits You Part II”. Then followed by Isabela Awaits You Part III: One Barangay, One Chapel, One Community, One Church Project”, where Fr. Angel Baquiran Luga advocated to build a Chapel in every Barangay in Cauayan City, turns out into churches in each Barangay. The ”The 75th Death Anniversary of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga: The Return of the Tribal Warriors” may have put closure to fulfill the wish of this forgotten warrior. It, however, commenced an advocacy that touches the hearts and minds of many that continues to linger beyond the shores among Filipinos . . .

On June 18, 2011 Fr. Angel Baquiran Luga, who is now the newly installed Parish Priest of St. Matthias Church in Tumauini shall produce another missionary work, right at the place where it all started: “Isabela Awaits You Part IV: “THE JEWEL OF THE VALLEY”. Tell your family and friends to attend the early morning Mass with Fr. Angel Luga at St. Matthias Church on June 19, 2011. JOIN US IN OUR JOURNEY! Isabela Awaits You Part IV! (Double click here . . .).
(In honor of the 150th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal)

BANGON TUMAINI: Isabela Awaits You!

It left ten (10) dead, thousands homeless and millions in losses. Typhoon Megi hit Tumauini on 19 October of 2010. St. Mathias Church, which have withstood centuries of calamities, havoc and war, that symbolizes the strength of the different tribes in Cagayan Valley, then and now known as the "Jewel of the Valley" was not spared. Tumauini is still coping with the ravages of what was left by the storm until today, still recuperating and healing the wounds of what was left by Megi.

In its fourth missionary project of Fr. Angel B. Luga: Isabela Awaits You: Part IV, we shall endeavor to present to you Tumauini today and how those of you from here and abroad could help our fellowmen to stand from the rubles of what was left by the havoc.

May God be with us.

(Acknowledgment: Pictures from googgle image search news items)

Isabela Awaits You!

Fr. Angel Baquiran Luga’s

ISABELA AWAITS YOU . . .

PART IV

with

Raymund F. Catindig

Papa Nicko “Lakay”

Joel & Jonel Padernal

Uao Antonio Jr.

Roy R. Luga

“THE JEWEL OF THE VALLEY”

What has started as a simple project to Commemorate the 75th Death Anniversary of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga has turned in a worldwide advocacy. From the Isabela Awaits You Part I Project of Father Angel B. Luga, it was followed by Isabela Awaits You Project Part II.. These projects now turned into a worldwide advocacy in the cyber media, that inspired families, relatives and friends to bond together and make a difference on the lives of others. Having been touched by the humility, simplicity and devotion of a simple tribal leader who disappeared in his place of birth at a young age, who secretly joined the Katipunan to fight for our freedom - he rose from the rank to become a general, rescued his family taken hostage by foreign colonizers to weaken his resolve and fought back fighting an honorable war sending a fleet of navy of the mightiest army in the world running away from battle in the island of Cebu. He continued his nationalist ideals after the revolution to maintain peace and order, leaved his influential post finding unacceptable foreign policies of the Americans and joined in the distribution of lands to the people. Then lived honorable in peace as a farmer with his family and died a poor man on his way back to his native land . . . ISABELA. He did not make it back.

No less than the National Historical Institute acknowledges that Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga may have been the most unsung hero in Philippine history. His account were not written by his fellow Filipinos nor was he hailed in his native land It was his fiercest enemy, the American soldiers who saw much battle in the Philippines, who honored him out of respect

and admiration for fighting an honorably war despite the adversities. To date, his family cannot locate his grave.

Soon Fr. Angel B. Luga, who is now the Parish Priest of St. Mathias Church in Tumauini with his brother Engr. Tony B. Luga, now a Barangay Captain of Barangay Ugad, shall be, again, producing the 4^th segment of “Isabela Awaits You . . . “ entitled: the “Jewel of the Valley”. Tumauini, where Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga was born, was once the capital of the entire Cagayan Valley, they called . . . “The Jewel of the Valley”. See its beauty, people and culture to be brought to you by the original producer and creators of Isabela Awaits You Parts I, II and III, now with Raymund F. Catindig of Isabela News @ Blogspot, the Philippine Star, a newsman, writer and fellow advocate, who now resides in Isabela.

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JOIN US!

300 YEARS WAR . . .

[Gen. Nicetas C. Parena (Ret.), Chairman of Kalinga Foundation, a Civic Organization that helps in livelihood projects of the families of the soldiers, being interviewed by Joel Atencio, PNA]

300 YEARS 4 GENERATIONS OF WARRIORS/PEACEKEEPERS

Its been quite a while since I haven't wrote on modern day history concerning matters not known generally to the public. It has been years since we started the advocacy for one of the most unsung hero in Philippine history to earn the recognition he deserves in our history books, not because he bears a name similar to that of ours. It was his deeds, his life and times that inspires many, to advocate the ideals he lived by. A true Filipino without any desire for self interest, but to secure and promote the freedom we already attained.

As I retrace history, I do not know if it was incidental or Divine to be at places in the wrong time or wrong time at the right place with the right? Or, wrong people? Decision makers, the silent operators or the people behind that changes the course of history. Whichever it may lead, history must be written for the next generation to live by, for the ideals that people in the past stood by, in the hope for others to understand what really transpired and how it happened. Without history . . . we do not know why we are following a path where we are leading to. For many . . . pana-panahon lang po - but for some, it has been the path long laid even before others set in. Our advocacy shall continue . . . because the ideals was already there even before our coming.

The problem with our governance is continuity, picking the bits and pieces is hard, especially if politics sets in whenever change of administration takes place. Well, there are those who remains regardless of changes, conflict or war . . .

“THE 1986/1989 COUP”
IN HONOR OF THE TWO SENIOR SURVIVING LUGA OF THE AFP

GEN. EMILIO S. LUGA JR. (Ret.) COL. MATEO H. LUGA (Ret.)

Roy R. Luga

The 1983 assassination of Benigno Aquino ignited the unification of the people's sentiment for a change of leadership in government. With the popularity of his leadership in question and his failing health, President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ control in governance slowly loses its grip.

In Negros, student activism is at its peak. The rising cost of fuel , goods, commodities and tuition fees sparked student unrest. Student leaders of West Negros College were in the forefront of boycotts, rallies and long marches to protest government anti-poor policies and human rights atrocities. Different NGOs and political party espousing nationwide solution to the political turmoil besetting our country begun to emerge. The sustained mass action forced then President Ferdinand E. Marcos to call a snap election in 1986, which resulted to series of event history foretold.

Sometime in February 1986, many NGOs helped organized the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), former student leaders and nationalistic individuals joined the organization in the hope of protecting the ballots for the sentiment of the people to be truly heard. The walk-out by NAMFREL personnel manning the computers for its operation quick count at PICC caused a major scandal that put in question the true winner of the snap presidential poll. Three (3) nights before the February 25, 1986 EDSA Revolution, in a ball of Silliman University’s College of Law: “Effective 12:00 midnight, I am already considered a renegade. I am withdrawing my loyalty to the Armed Forces of the Philippines”: Captain Cresencio Tan, President of the College of Law, Commandant of the ROTC, Silliman University. In Manila, words of impending arrest of then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and the PC/INP Chief, Fidel Valdez Ramos, hit the main story of the print media the following day.

REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!

TO BE CONTINUED . . .