Roman de la Cruz, Writer, Historian, Journalist

Roman de la Cruz, Writer, Historian, Journalist
by Melchor F. Cichon

I first met Mr. Roman de la Cruz about three decades ago.
By then, he was already known as a journalist, publisher, writer.
The last time I met him, I learned that he was being recommended to the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Award, known as the Nobel Prize in Asia.
With that information, I gathered everything I know about him and wrote this article. I hope that this article will give you some insights about this great man.

He is known as the Dean of Aklan journalism and the historian of Aklan.

But he is also a poet, a novelist, a politician, an essayist, and a lay minister.

He started writing when he was still in high school. Now at 82 years old, he is still actively writing on his age-old Remington typewriter. “I will not use a computer,” he said. “I do not have time to study that”.

Aside from his weekly editorials and essays in his weekly newspaper, The Aklan Reporter, his major works include Town of A Thousand, a 270-page history of Kalibo, the capital of Aklan, covering the period from the middle of the 13th century up to year 1993. He is presently updating this work. His 618-line epic poem, Song of The Ati-Ati, was published in 1973. His short stories on war and non-war, were compiled in a book entitled: Alone Along A Lonely Road and Other Stories which came out in 1973. His other works are Concordance on the Triune God; Is Christ God; Life with the Family, City World; The Power of Prayer With Praise, The Joy and The Wrath, The Hero Who Was Not, To The Child King: An Image and A Song, The Adventures of Umpag and Bonghayan, Out Of Too Much Grief, and The Filipino Speaks, a 79-page treatise in reaction to a multi-interneted article of an American from Nevada proclaiming “nothing respectable has ever come from the Filipino people during the entire human history. ”

But his monumental contribution to Aklan is his 929-page five-language dictionary that came out in 2004. It includes English, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, Kinaray-a and Aklanon words. His whole collection of works are now being compiled in a two-volume book entitled Legacy. It consists of short stories, novel, historical book, book of poetry, eulogies, speeches and lectures, declamations, essays and others.

His name is Roman A. de la Cruz. Mr. de la Cruz or Tay Omeng to most of his friends was born in Kalibo, Aklan, on August 9, 1923.

He studied at Kalibo Elementary School, then proceeded to Kalibo Institute, and took his Bachelor of Science in Education degree at Northwestern Visayan Colleges also in Kalibo. At the age of 17, his short stories were published in Philippine Commonweal. These were then included in Jose Garcia Villa’s Roll of Honor for Filipino Short Stories , 1940-41. During the war, he enlisted himself as a guerilla in the USAFFE.

His experiences in the war were included in his short story book, Alone along the Lonely Road and Other Stories. One of the stories here had been included in the The Voice of the Veteran (An Anthology of the Best in Song and Story by the Defenders of Freedom) edited by Manuel E. Buenafe in 1946. After the war, Tay Omeng taught in high school from 1950 to 1956.

But he left his teaching career and switched to journalism and politics.

He founded and edited The Aklan Reporter, where he wrote a lot of essays and poems on politics, economics, religion, and other things about the happenings in the Philippines. While editing and publishing this community newsweekly, he wrote short stories, novels, historical materials, and dictionary.

And joined politics.

He was elected as Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member of Kalibo from 1971 to 1986 (16 years). Tay Omeng is indulging not only in writing, but he is also in sculpture and in sketches. His six-foot cement sculpture of Jesus Christ is in their house, still unfinished. His sketches are found in the covers of his books. He also molded the Madonna and Child which can be seen on the wall of their sala in Kalibo.

A religious and civic minded man, Tay Omeng is involved in the various civic and religious organizations like the Knights of Columbus, Barangay Sang Birhen, Charistmatic Movement, and Aklan Press Club. As a writer, publisher and community leader, his biodata is included in Baron’s “Who’s Who in the Asian Pacific Rim” 1992 international edition. In 1996, the Department of Education and Culture conferred him the Huwarang Pamilyang Pilipino Award (Model Filipino Family) for Western Visayas. On December 14, 2004, the Publishers Association of the Philippines conferred an Award of recognition to Aklan Reporter/Roman A. de la Cruz during its 9th National Press Congress pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 738. And this year (2005), the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan together with the Kalibo Knights of Columbus and the Philippine Association of Publishers, Inc. (PAPI) have endorsed nomination to the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature and Journalism. Dela Cruz is married to Julita O. Ilarina of Banga, Aklan. They have seven children -Vellyzarius, Cortesa, Marlon, Didecas, Sumra, Hagbong and Amihan.

He is the grandson of the late Roman Aguirre of Lezo, Aklan, one of the 19 Martyrs of Aklan.

Roman A. de la Cruz, Aklan's Literary Giant*

Roman A. de la Cruz, Aklan's Literary Giant*

by Melchor F. Cichon
September 14, 2007

Every time, I go home to Aklan, I make it a point that I pass by the house of Mr. Roman Aguirre de la Cruz, or Tatay Omeng for some personal reasons.

But the last time I went to Aklan, I failed to pass by him because of my hectic schedule. I was then travelling with Prof. Virgilio Almario, a national artist who visited Aklan for a book he was writing on.

But I asked Sumra, his daughter, how Tatay Omeng was. And she said that he was OK.

I did not know that it was not so.

Tatay Omeng was not only a World War II veteran, but he was also a teacher, a sculptor, a politician, a novelist, a short story writer, a poet, and a dictionary maker. In fact his five-language dictionary is to me his most memorable legacy to Aklan and to the world. In this book, he was able to capture and publish thousands of Aklanon words that will be used by this generation and the generations to come.

I visited him not only because he would always gift me with his published works, but because he would discuss with me the present socio-political situations in Aklan and in the country. He would tell me his on-going projects like the one which he had at the Aklan Rehabilitation Center where he conducted a creative writing workshop among the inmates. I believed he made good in it because after several meetings with them, he was able to come up with a book of poems written by the prisoners. This to me is the first time in Aklan that a creative writing workshop was ever held inside a rehabilitation center.

And while he was inside the Center, he would persuade the inmates to go back to our Lord. And I think he was successful too in this because, he was able to put up a poster of our Lord Jesus Christ inside their cells. This is a part of his mission: to make this world a better place to live in.

On my part, Tatay Omeng helped me edit for free of charge two of my books of poems: Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii? And the book, Haiku, Luwa and Other Poems by Aklanons.

Tatay Omeng was not only helpful to me but to all the members of the Aklan Literary Circles. He promised and fulfilled his promise to allow us younger writers to publish our works in the Aklan Reporter. On several occasions, our works were printed in the Aklan Reporter. He would also chip in to help finance the several creative writing workshops we held in Kalibo.

As mentioned earlier, Tatay Omeng was a poet.

We are aware of his famous 618-line epic poem on Ati-Ati, and his many poems in English.

But he did not write Aklanon poems until after we the younger writers encouraged him to write poems in Aklanon. That was when he was about 60 years old. As far as I know, he wrote ten Aklanon poems. These are all included in the book Song of the Ati-Ati and Other Poems, 1994.

Even at this age, and being already an accomplished writer, Tatay Omeng attended several workshops conducted by Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada, of the UP in the Visayas. He was a fellow in the Baguio and in Iloilo City creative writing workshops. While in Iloilo City, although he could afford to stay in hotels, he preferred to stay in a classroom together with younger poets so he could further discuss with them the different techniques in poetry writing being fed to them by Dr. Deriada.

Although he was there listening to the new theory of poetry writing, he was not always in consonance with Dr. Deriada’s teachings. He in fact put this in one of his poems: Ulihing Tubo.

Here is his poem.

Ulihing Tubo
Ni Roman de la Cruz

Ratong binohian mo nga pana, Toto,
Hay tumiurok sa dughan ku ginikanan nakon
Nga pirming nahawag sa hueag ku mga batan-on.
Apang ro ungon hay gulping naduea
Sa mabuot mo nga pagbawi.
Saeamat Toto.
Magahilubot kita. (1994)

In one of those workshops, in Baguio, Tatay Omeng wrote a poem which won a prize. The title of his poem is Ano Gid Man. It is a poem with religious underpinning.

Allow me to read that poem:

ANO GID MAN
By Roman de la Cruz

Itay, nagburoka si Nanay
Nga hubas eon ro atong taeagbasan.
Ring gin-uli sa pagpamanday
Basi buhinan mo pa para sa simbahan.
Kueang pa katon ro imong kinita.
Nahawag gid ako, Itay, basi hitaman ka.
Kanugon kon owa't kamatuoran
Ro imong ginatuohan.
Pabay-i eang, Toto.
Ro tubi nga nagailig paeawod
Mabalik man gihapon paagi sa uean.
Owa't pagwasi, owa't pag-uyang.
Kon buko't matuod rang ginatuohan,
Ano gid man,
Basta matuman ko ro hutik kang dughan

In another poem, Tatay Omeng focused on the rain that awakened him. Here his religious relief is apparent.

AGAHON
by Roman A. de la Cruz

Ro mga tudlo ku uean
Nga nagpatik sa sim
Hay redoblante nga nagpukaw
Sa akong hamuok nga katueogon.

Bangon eon sa kahayag nga magaabot
Ag humoeag ka.

As a parting line, let me read an excerpt of Tatay Omeng’s poems, Eulogy:

Indeed, greatness and humility are the same and one
And so when the last battle of life’s journey was won
And saw that the inevitable would soon come
When he could have been laid in the nation’s shrine among the high,
His votive wish was that when he die
He be borne back to the humble hometown that he loved
So that his folks here in the countryside
And in this one last wish of his
He proved his greatness still.

Tatay Omeng, you have not passed this way in vain.
Goodbye.

* This is the eulogy I delivered in honor of Tatay Omeng last September 14, 2007 at Kalibo Cathedral, Kalibo, Aklan.

Alice Santos Paraiso: A Silent Warrior Librarian

Alice Santos Paraiso: A Silent Warrior Librarian

by Melchor F. Cichon

"...it is more fun working in libraries and I love what I am doing."
These words came from one of the most successful librarians in the Philippines today.
I am referring to Mrs. Alice Santos-Paraiso, a librarian, a mother, and a leader.
Alice as she is fondly called by her friends and colleagues was born in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on October 22, 1952. She passed away on March 23, 2018.
She received her elementary and secondary education at St. Anne's Academy in her birthplace. After this, she enrolled at the University of the East, Manila, where she took up Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Library Science, and minoring in Pilipino.
By this time, she was already working at the University of the Philippines Library in Diliman, Quezon City.
When the Post Graduate Training Course for Science Information Specialist in Southeast Asia (PGTCSIS) opened in the U.P. Institute of Library Science (UPILS), now known as the School of Library and Information Studies, she was chosen as one of the lucky trainees. This program was sponsored by United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UPILS and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Before she became the Head Librarian of Goethe-Institut Philippinen, she worked as a Library Assistant, then later as Research Assistant at the University of the Philippines doing readers and reference services, indexing of magazines and newspapers, and some cataloging and classification jobs. After her stint in U.P., she transferred to Technology Resource Center (TRC) in Makati City where she worked as a librarian. Of course, her duties widened and that included managing the whole library and doing all aspects of library work from acquisition of materials, cataloging and classification and readers service. She now experienced doing Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) service of the company and in-charge of the computerization of the Patent DataBase and contributing to the Philippine National Bibliography.
Now she was ready for a higher responsibility. And when the opportunity came, she grabbed it. This time it was in Lagos, Nigeria. She applied as a librarian at the National Library of Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria.
And was accepted.
She worked there doing research and documentation of the National Library of Nigeria, aside from being Assistant Editor of the Newsletter of the National Library of Nigeria, from 1981 to 1983.
But the longing for home came.
So she went home.
In 1985, she was employed as a part-time librarian of Goethe-Institut Philippinen Library, Salcedo Village, Makati City. After a year she became full-time librarian and when the German librarian went on retirement, she then became the Head Librarian.
And while she works in this German library she was also very much involved in Philippine librarianship.
She was elected as the president of the Association of Special Libraries of the Philippines (ASLP).
Along with her involvement in ASLP, she served as resource person or participant in many seminar-workshops and conferences not only in the Philippines but also abroad like Germany, the United States, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.
To know more about Alice, here is part of my online interview with her.
Melchor F.Cichon (MFC): What made you decide to take up LS and stayed on it until now?
Alice Santos Paraiso (ASP): Well, after high school I wanted to take up architecture but it was my mother who introduced me to library science, because at that time, one of our relatives was a librarian at the Central Bank of the Philippines.
So without knowing what will be my job after graduation and what is library science all about, I adhered to what my mother told me.
Wondering aloud, I said to myself: "Oh I will work in a library where all the books are locked inside the cabinet with glass door-- our high school library was like that."
But then when I saw a university library, I was surprised that the shelves were open and not locked. So my perspective on what library work was all about was drastically changed.
Summer vacation, and had nothing to do at home, I decided to look for some part time job.
I checked the classified ads of the newspapers and I found one which I thought I would like it. So I applied and I was called for an interview. I found out, however, that the job was for sales representative. This is not the kind of job for me, so I declined it.
Since, we were staying at the UP Campus, my father told me to apply at the UP Main Library. So I applied and I was accepted as a library assistant provided that I would continue with my studies. I only had one year to finish my bachelor degree.
I became a working student - working from 7:30am to 4:30 pm, then I had to travel to Manila (Univ. of the East) for my 6 p. m. class. At that time, traffic was not a problem and there were buses inside the Campus going to Manila. All those studying in Manila would leave the Main Library before 5 p. m. to catch up with the evening classes.
While working as a library assistant, I found out that there is more fun working in the library.
I have experienced working in different types of libraries for the past 43 years.
My first experience as an undergraduate student was in a University Library. After 5 years, I transferred to a Special Library (Technology Resource Center). Then, I got an offer at the National Library of Nigeria and I worked there for three years. And in 1985, I was accepted at the Goethe-Institut until my retirement in May 2014.
Why I stayed on this until now? It is more fun working in libraries and I love what I am doing.
The work we do is important and not boring. You get to know/meet so many people with different personalities and backgrounds. There is always something new to learn, something new idea to consider. We are surrounded by the world of ideas and we get to help students and researchers to find their way in and out of this world of ideas. It is so fulfilling, encouraging when you are able to help them through their assignments and put together their research papers. These students are very grateful for our help.
We are not just libraries and librarians, we have great role in the preservation of culture for the future generations. We developed skills in the process like - attention to details, eagerness to learn new things, interpersonal and communication skills, adaptability to new technologies, willingness to serve with a smile, patience and a happy disposition at all times.
MFC: What is your greatest accomplishment in and out of librarianship?
ASP: First, I consider it as a great accomplishment when students and researchers are very grateful for whatever help I have been extending to them. When I can see the materials they are looking for in just a click, that's an accomplishment.
I was the first Filipino who became the Head Librarian of the Goethe-Institut. The head librarian of the Institut has always been a German national.
My other great accomplishment is when I became the President of the Association of Special Libraries of the Philippines in 2012. It was also during my time as president that the whole (12 members) of the ASLP Board went on a “Group Study Tour of Libraries, Museums and Archives in the Federal Republic of Germany”. It was an immense thought to have visited seventeen (17) various institutions consisting of libraries, museums, archives and conservation/preservation center in 10 days in Germany. And as what one of the Board Members said “Germany – a country where buildings were built for the libraries and where librarians are essential.”
This was sponsored by the Bibliothek & Information International (BII) and the Goethe-Institut Philippinen.
Another great accomplishment I have had was when I was elected Treasurer of the Special Libraries Association, Asian Chapter for 2014.
I also consider as my greatest accomplishment when I got to see seminarians became priests through prayers, masses, financial and moral support. I am also helping the old, sick and retired diocesan priests through the Ephesus Foundation “One with Mary caring for Priests” whenever I am able to.
But my greatest and most important accomplishment was to have a family with a lovely and pretty daughter, Gloria S. Paraiso,
MFC: Do you have any other comments?
ASP: Today, libraries are not only about information, it is a place where people meet together to discuss great ideas and people have the tools and facilities to develop these ideas into concrete projects. A haven for study and research, library is an access point and distribution center for print and electronic information. The library should be a place where people will be inspired, surprised and empowered.
That's Alice Santos Paraiso, the successful Filipino silent warrior librarian.

Christine M. Abrigo: A Profile

Christine  M. Abrigo: A Profile

by

Melchor F. Cichon

November 10, 2013

Oh, how small the world is!

I never have thought that after almost 20 years,  I would "meet" the daughter of one of my colleagues at the U.P. in the Visayas, now known as U.P. Visayas.  I did not even know that her mother has passed away about 20 years ago. 

I mean, I met her through Facebook.

But she is not just a daughter.  She is a librarian to reckon with.

According to Mr. Joseph Marmol Yap, her colleague at the De la Salle University Library, she is a hardworking,  mabusisi, and seryoso type of person.

"She never fails to remind us of the things that we need to do, " Mr. Yap said about her, and,   "A very responsible librarian (since she is the assistant director for operations)".  

She said she is an organized lady.  

I am referring to Mrs. Christine M. Abrigo, the Assistant Director for Operation, De La Salle University Libraries, Taft Avenue, Manila.

Her husband is Vince Abrigo (who is also a librarian by profession). They have a child, Mithi Aiello Katerina.

Christine's mother, Rosita Manglal-lan, was once an employee of the College of Fisheries, UPV, Diliman, Quezon City. It is now known as the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (UPV-CFOS).

When the UPV College of Fisheries was transferred from UP Diliman to UP Visayas, almost all of its employees were uprooted to Miag-ao, Iloilo, including Christine and her parents.

And that was also the reason why Christine continued her secondary education in Miag-ao, Iloilo, including her college freshman year at UP Visayas.

At that time her mother, Rosita (known as Tita among us)  was in-charge of the Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology (IMFO) Library. IMFO is one of the institutes of the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

Later Christine transferred to UP Diliman where she earned her BLIS and her MLIS degrees.

I asked her what triggered her to take up a library science course.

"By accident, " she said.

Before she transferred to UP Diliman from UPV, she was taking up a BS Fisheries in UPV-CFOS. She then took up units for a BS Geography degree. The next semester, she got anxious because she was already a third year student, and yet she could still not visualize of getting any  college degree. That motivated her to consult the university's counseling diagnostics services. The results showed that she was inclined at anything sketchy, hence she was advised to take up architecture.  However this is a 5-year degree, aside from being very expensive and it requires lots of math. The results also showed that she was inclined for anything that would require orderliness and literature. She was advised to take up Library Science. 

She took the challenge. And she did not regret for taking it.

Now, Christine works as an Associate Librarian at the University Library, De la Salle University, Taft Avenue, Manila.

But before this, Christine, like most young professionals, has hopped from one work to another, perhaps to gain the needed experience and skills before she settled for good.

She once said: "I refuse to belong to a librarian club of purists who are seemingly contented with keeping stale and do not venture any longer into the labyrinth of the evolving profession."

Immediately after she graduated from her Bachelor of Library and Information Science, at the School of Library and Information Studies, UP Diliman, in 1997, she immediately worked as a cataloger at the Rizal Library, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

After this, she worked as Archives Officer II at Sampaguita Pictures Film Archive, Ortigas Avenue Extension, New Manila, Quezon City, 1998-1999. 

Her works focused on archiving of the film, video and photo collection;  monitoring the preservation and conservation of the studio's film and video collection.

After her stint in Sampaguita Pictures, she moved to the University Library, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City where she was assigned as a media librarian, a reference librarian, and as gifts and exchange librarian.

Then she moved to another institution. This time at Br. Benedict Learning Resource Center (BBLRC), a unit of  De La Salle University Libraries, where she was engaged in various library works which included supervising and directing all activities relating to the operation of the Br. Benedict Learning Resource Center (BBLRC); recommending, administering  and reviewing  policies and procedures related to the operation of the BBLRC; developing, implementing and evaluating programs for the continuous improvement of the services; monitoring the efficient and effective use of resources, facilities, and equipment, and setting  the physical arrangement and proper upkeep of the concerned area of responsibility; delivering professional and quality assistance to users; establishing  and maintaining effective communication with students, faculty, administrators, staff,  and visiting users of the library.

Then, she was appointed as Assistant Director for Operations, a position that really requires a lot of  technical, human, conceptual  and design skills to achieve  the goals of their institution.

And now that she has settled, I wonder what other things she thinks of as a librarian.

She referred me to her blog (http://cmabrigo.wordpress.com/welcome/about/)

She wrote and I quote:

"I have been a practicing librarian for about 16 years now. Although I may have garnered a relatively fair share of career experience over the years, I still consider myself as an everyday thriving professional, more so, an advocate of progressive librarianship. Progressive in the sense that my thrust lies not on the demeaning stereotypes every Filipino librarian get in the line of duty, but on tapping the potentials that still need to be roused from within him/her. I refuse to belong in a librarian club of purists who are seemingly contented with keeping stale and do not venture any longer into the labyrinth of the evolving profession. Traditional librarianship to me is the key to all doors of progress. And just as one is armed with these indispensable traditions, it is but imperative that those doors need not be left undiscovered."

It reminds me of a saying that says, give more works to a fast worker and he/she will do them efficiently.

And indeed, this is true.

As I mentioned earlier, Christine is not just an ordinary daughter, but she is also an extra-ordinary worker.

While working as a librarian at De La Salle University Libraries, she is also active in library organizations. 

She is a member of the following: Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI), Society of Film Archivists (SOFIA), Philippine Association of Academic and Research Libraries (PAARL), U.P. Library Science Alumni Association (UPLSAA), and International Labour Organization Intern Network.

Not only that she is also active in research and publications. Some of her works are found in her blog: http://cmabrigo.wordpress.com/

Lastly, here is what she says about herself: Hindi po ako marunong magsulat ng poetry But I blog.  (I'm a grammar nazi). I also read (my preferences are varied). I love music. I like watching theater season plays. I am also cheap - I (and my husband) would look out for free concerts and free e-books; Lucky Me pancit canton, kikiam, siomai = solb! Hmm, librarianship is not really my kind of fancy, but of course, anything about it, I pay attention.

That's Christine:  the librarian, the researcher, the blogger, the administrator, and a mother  rolled into one.