huff and puff

(This column appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s another week and we are days away to EVRAA 2011 which Calbayog will be hosting from January 30 to February 4. An invitation has been sent to Congressman Manny Pacquiao to be the guest of honor during the opening ceremony, so far there still is no advice regarding his attendance.

And what’s with today’s title? It occurred to me a few days ago while I was trying to get rid of smokers around me. So, you want more funds for the government? Let’s not talk about oil, we will always be at the mercy of the Arabs. Instead of raising mrt fare and what have you, why not raise taxes of tobacco, like really raise taxes. You’ll make a good number of people happy, you raise revenues, you’ll make Kim smile, you’ll make Cabral, Ona and the DOH guys smile. Of course that is on top of putting graphic pictures of damaged lungs and other body organs on the cigarette packages. It’s not a question of raising taxes of tobacco, it’s a question of having the balls to raise taxes and make a pack of cigarette cost something like 200 pesos. Well, that would be the day. Wait, did I mention the lobbyists? Well, that’s not exactly a different story. And I rest my case, for now.

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Last Friday, I featured the account on Fr. Cantius Kobak’s Archeological Expedition in Samar. It was read during the reopening of the CKC Museum. Here’s the second part of that account:

"They (the group of Fr. Cantius) even went to Homonhon, the island where Ferdinand Magellan landed centuries ago. Unfortunately it was fiesta and there was no opportunity for diggings, albeit the priest and the people received them with wonderful hospitality."

"Back to Guiuan, they explored the high mountains believed to have protected the place from the treacherous waves of the Pacific Ocean. They found hundreds of pieces of shell bracelets that are both broken and in perfect shape."

"On November 18, 1968, they visited Laoang, Batag and Kahayagan in Northern Samar. In Barangay Burabod in Batag Island, the people presented them with large burial jars with stone lids. In a little hill in another barangay of Batag Island, inquiries from old folks led them to finding “a small Chinese stoneware bowl”. Since it looked broken, Fr. Cantius took off a large portion and it revealed as small skull in deteriorated state. Digging gently further, longer arms or wrist bones with five shell bracelets appeared, all indicative of a child burial. Other archeological items were also found: rusted daggers, ancient agong (bell), beads and a golden earring."

"On December 28, 1968, they found some fine treasures in Capul, Mungulbungol (now San Vicente), Dalupiri (now San Antonio) and Samputan Islet, west of Capul. A kind individual in Mungubungol gave them a blue and white Chinese burial urn with lid, small jars, beads, bracelets and carnelian gemstones. It was a child-burial jar of a Datu (class). In Dalupiri, the group was given a fine precious celadon dish."

"On February 1969, Fr. Cantius requested the Filipino friar who was with him in Batag Island to go back and see. The said priest went to Batag and came back with two sacks of broken stoneware, earthenware, porcelain dragon jars and other archeological recoveries. When as family cleared a hill for two hectares, broken recoveries were given to the friar while the good ones were sold. Fr. Cantius was happy even with the broken recoveries. He restored three dragon jars and a lot of porcelain and earthen wares."

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The CKC Museum was established. While recoveries were being made, a large hall (at the CKC campus) was allocated for the planned museum. At that time some Professional American Archeologists heard about the finds and came to Calbayog to see it. They dated, labeled and described all the materials recovered from burial sites.

In 1969, the Christ the King College Archeological Museum was formally opened for public viewing. It was temporarily closed in 2005 when the Padua Building was renovated.

The Museum’s Second Spring. In November 2009, two months after the 5th death anniversary of Fr. Cantius, the City Council of Calbayog passed a Resolution declaring him as “An Honorary Samarnon and Adopted Son of the City”.

Before the end of 2010, it was deemed fitting that in its reopening the CKC Museum be named in his honor, he who was known as the Historian of Samar and the Bisayan region.

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This is it for now. Have a nice week everyone! Ciao!