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)
(In honor of the 150th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal)
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