Just came back from my vacation in the Philippines. Although it was a month vacation, it seems like it went unfinished and yet it was still rewarding. A couple of misses but still finished great ala Michael Jordan. That's how I described my recent visit to our native homeland, the Philippines.
I had a chance to attend the Triskelion Chamber of Commerce and be able to meet some brods and shake the hands of Bro. Cong. Raffy Nantes who I haven't seen since the late 70's, but I missed that... Thanks Bro. Atty. Benjie Moraleda Jr. of UP for the invitation. I also had a chance to meet a lot of UST brods and sis, other invited brods and sis, but I missed that. Thanks for the invitation Bro. John Badillo on your Christmas party at Packo's Grill..... I had a chance to listen and meet our founding fathers that are based in the Philippines on the Call for Unity meeting in EARIST but I missed that also... I even e-mailed Bro. Manny Gorospe of FEU that I will be attending the meeting and Bro. Manny posted my e-mail on the wall to ensure that I will be able to get-in the jam packed auditorium...Thank you Bro. Manny. Due to other conflicts, I wasn't able to attend the above fraternity matters....
But that will change, when I received a call from our outgoing National Premier Dodong Encanto....I accepted his invitation to visit our brothers in the maximum security Muntinlupa Bilibid Jail Prison who are in the death row and others who are serving life time sentences. I joined the team headed by Bro. Dodong Encanto of NU, National Premier, Bro. Boying Sudla of Adamson, National Treasurer, Bro. Jojo Navarro of UM, Bro. Manny Evangelista of FEU, Bro. Manny Gorospe of FEU, Secretary of Membership, and Bro. Sonny Mallari of TUP who sponsored the trip. Before going to the Bilibid Prison, fellow SSC alumni Bro. Roger Kabigting asked us to stop by his Shooting Range in Binondo for some freshly baked hopias to be given to our beloved brods in the prison.
We arrived at the Muntinlupa prison past the set deadline for visiting hours but somehow managed to smooth-talked the officer-in-charge and allowed us to have a 30 minute visit inside the compound. Once inside, we had the liberty to go anywhere we wishes and spend some time with our beloved brothers and showed them we truly care for them. I was really moved when I saw the some of the brods in tears because of our unexpected visit. All in all, we were able to shook hands with 12 brods in which 4 of them are on the death row.
Even with constraint because of their affiliation with their own gangs inside the prison, our fellow triskelions still had a chance to celebrate our 34th anniversary last October. Depressing to know, but they were able to group 25 triskelions for the celebration. Is there something wrong with this picture? I am happy that they were able to celebrate but to find out that we have at least 25 triskelions serving life time sentences, I can see that we are overlooking our orientation and not preaching the true meaning of our Tenets and Codes of Conducts which should be our guiding principle on our daily lives.
Nevertheless, they are still triskelion at heart and deserves a visit from their brothers outside the prison compound. We should also remember that they once fought and defend the name of our fraternity when it was unjustly criticized and some of these brods just happen to practice capital "N." Their only request from us is to visit them and write them letters. It's so sad to find out that we do not have a program for these brods. But this will change as the Manila Council headed by Bro. Manny Evangelista of FEU will spearhead the project for the regular visitation of our fellow triskelion behind the bars.
It does not take a lot of money to be able to show support for this brods. Bro. Sonny Mallari sponsored the trip by donating jackets and gave P200 for each triskelion that went our way. They were satisfied with the hopias, jackets, and some cash... Anything will do! I made a commitment to Bro. Dodong Encanto that we will come back for another visit so we can accomodate their request of shirts with the TGP seal and 2 electric fans. On the same date of my departure, we were able to deliver their requests as promised. It feels good to show that they are still a Triskelion. Once a triskelion will always be a triskelion.. Thank you brother Dodong for letting me and the rest of the Triskelions of Northern California a part of this and hopefully the rest of the other triskelions will follow to help the brothers behind the bars.
To my fellow brothers, Bro. Dodong Encanto, Bro. Sonny Mallari, Bro. Manny Evangelista, Bro. Jojo Navarro, Bro. Manny Gorospe, Bro. Roger Kabigting, and Bro. Boying Sudla, you guys are heroes to this brothers. You showed them that they are never forgotten regardless of their situations. Thank you all...
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