Shadow and Sunshine

We bury fellow media man Mike Asignacion this afternoon, then on Monday afternoon, we will also bury Fr. Ben Escrupulo, both residents of Helvetia and both at Rolling Hills Memorial Park. But life is not all darkness and shadows. It also has light and sunshine. Fr. Felix Pasquin in a Mass Thursday night for Mike told us Fr. Wilfredo Dejilla has been named Vicar General of the Diocese of San Carlos. Fr. Dejilla is the brother of Roger and Virgie Dejilla of Helvetia.

That is the light. It drives the shadows. Then we also have the sunshine because at 4 o'clock this afternoon we will also open the Sunshine Channel at SkyCable 14.

This is the only cable TV here that can make live cablecasts and that allows televiewers to interact with the program host.

It is managed by our vice president at the Negros Press Club Amado Villacarlos, an experienced television producer.

Sunshine Channel will just do that. Bring Sunshine by promoting progress and economic development. It will help in promoting skills in farming, it will be oriented to education, peace and order and health. The bottom line is promoting the quality of life of its televiewers.

* * *

So, life is not all sadness and sorrow. I like these lines from Ecclesiastes that to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the Heavens.

There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to break and a time to build… Read the whole passage. It's very beautiful.

Yes, the focus must be on the time to build. Hence, the importance of the opening of the Sunshine TV Channel 14 today and the other day the inauguration of the new 8th branch of Jolibee at Lacson St.

The future opening of SM Shoemart at the reclamation, the future opening of the call centers here, and the putting up of the new City Hall. This clearly shows this is also the time to build.

* * *

We are not superstitious but we believe in the power of cosmic forces influencing the life on earth.

That is why Sunshine Channel 14 opens today, January 14 and the blessing will be made, according to the program at 4:14 this afternoon, or one hour and 34 minutes before the full moon at 5:48 p.m.

We have been arranging our telephone number to have a number 14 in it.

We remember when DAILY STAR was launched April 12, 1982, all the planets were aligned. We DAILY STAR incorporators contributed P5,000 each. We are also making it P5,000 each as a share at Sunshine.

That DAILY STAR experience was good. The inauguration ceremonies for Sunshine will be cablecast live over Channel 14.

* * *

It pays to have many friends in media and in business.

We are very happy everything is turning out well. Before we start the operation, we already have enough people to buy television slot with their respective programs. See our ad. And we have a number of advertisers too. The important thing in every endeavor is, if you have many friends.

Sunshine Channel has many friends among politicians and businessmen. But it will not indulge in partisan politics. It's a family channel that we insist on the right language used. And we are happy with our friends, we call them the Sunshine Family.

We believe we will be in it as long as we are relevant to the needs of our community. Every business must have its philosophy. I hope I have spelled out that philosophy.

* * *

I want to welcome an old hand in the Negros Press Club, Doulat Janjiani who asked to be reinstated in the roll of membership of NPC. Doulat paid his dues, then paid for his ID and I invited him to come for the election. But he cannot because at 81, with his health condition, traveling is already difficult. He called up the other day and I found his voice firm and strong like one who does not suffer from heart ailment that brings him to Houston, Texas once in a while to visit his cardiologist.

And his Ilonggo was impeccable with perfect accent and a correct Ilonggo diction.

He was born in India in 1925 and has lived in the Philippines the last 76 years.

He was treasurer of the Negros Press Club during the presidency of Osias Magallanes as president in 1958. Doulat was photographer of Negros Clarion of Angel Lobaton Sr. but supplied his photos also to other papers.

He has established friendship with the members of the press in Houston, Texas for which he carried the name of Negros Press Club.

Because of our communication with Doulat Janjani, I was entertaining the idea of having a homecoming of elder members of the Negros Press Club, 70 and above to celebrate in 2006, the 70th anniversary of NPC, founded in 1936.

I will start first with the septuagenarians here in Negros Occidental. So, if you qualify, get in touch with NPC secretary Mae Maranon.

***

I met yesterday at NPC Zhaldaen Garde, young son of Cyrus and Rose Garde who suffered kidney ailment while young. It was the help of Mike Asignacion that saved him.

I write this to let the Asignacion family know the help of Mike that is recognized by many. Zhaldaen graduated valedictorian in elementary. And tops his class in high school.*

back to top