Sunday, September 20, 2009
San Lorenzo Ruiz Diocesan Guild, Legaspi City
An Encounter with San Lorenzo
We promised a woman, a retired BIR official who served as Assistant Regional Director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in
It was not within our itenirary. Hence, after we finished our job (we only have 5 to 6 hours left since our flight to Manila shall be in early morning, the following day), we went over to Avel Roces (a friend of a distant relative), whose mother was one of the pioneer member of the Guild, to ask how to get there. Avel told us that it will take only about an hour and thirty minutes to reach the place using public transport. He told us where to take a ride. [Above photo: Avelino Roces [right], scriptwriter whose mother, Melly Roces was the first Secretary of the Guild.]
Alone, in the middle of the road outside Avel’s house in I stood. I have been to Camarines Norte almost 11 years ago inspecting the progress of the agricultural development in the Camarines Norte, but not this far. I have to admit, I am not familiar with the place. With the Guild’s souvenir program in my hand which read: “I am a Christian and I Shall Die for God, and for Him I will give many thousands of lives if I have them” – I have no recourse but to keep my promise.
With my equipments in a bag clinging on my shoulder and the souvenir program at hand, I decided to go on - alone, proceeded to the bus terminal and took a Besta Van to Tabaco. As I was seated two seat afar from the last row, two men wearing dark jackets in hooded caps staring straight at me boarded the van. They sat right at the back where I am seated. One looked at the souvenir program I was reading, while the other was staring at the passengers. As the van moved after it was filled, one of the dou asked me if I am a missionary. The man talks intelligently, I told him: No, I shall go to San Lorenzo Ruiz Shrine in Tabaco to visit the shrine.
[Salvador "Buddy" Jarcia, former OIC REgional Fishereires Training Center, Tabaco, Albay with wife and the staff of the Philippine Telecom Service in Tabaco where Buddy's wife works.]
I learned later that the person I am talking with is a government official who is about to retire from the service in less than a year. He was the former OIC of the