| Subject: Rev. & Mrs. Pedro Ramos Campground |
Author:
Aie
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Date Posted: 07:54:29 03/10/03 Mon
As promised, here's the main text of Manong Ped's launching message. Touching, indeed. I was deeply honored to have represented the group in accepting such loving offer. Hindi tayo nag-iisa sa ating mga panaginip.
Part II of my earlier report will be a description of the place. It was love at first sight for all of us who went there in December after the Family Camp.
Manong Ped said he will be leaving for the US of A next week and will be back in June. Wishing him safe passage and a happy reunion with his family.
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RAMOS CAMPSITE REMARKS
(by Manong Pedronio Ramos)
VIC AND I are happy and delighted that the Dugong Christian Youth Fellowship has accepted our offer to set aside a parcel of our farm in Cabalisian for its permanent campsite.
The hilltop farm, bounded on the north by the Cabalisian River and on the south by the Parasapas Creek, was Papang’s dream farm. For years he eyed the possibility of acquiring the property, but the family barely existed on limited funds with a number of us in college. At one time, he was an administrator of the farm owned by Mr. Turner. In the mid 1960s, I was involved in the miracle rice program of the government while working for the Manila Chronicle. I enrolled Papang to be one of the certified seeds producers in Pangasinan under the sponsorship of the Bureau of Plant Industry.
Papang was surprised by the first harvest. The yield was high and the seeds were bought by the government for its self-sufficiency in rice program. Since Vic was the only Ramos scholar left in college, he used the proceeds to buy the Turner property. When I went home for a vacation one day, he told me he had bought the Turner farm. I knew then that his dream farm had been realized. He showed me the deed of sale and I was surprised to see Vic and I were the buyers. It’s for the two of you, he said. Manage it well in remembrance of me.
I was touched deeply. A father’s legacy and abiding love are things you’ll always cherish in life. In the intervening years, Vic added more parcels to the original 34-hectare farm and my sisters also laid claims to adjoining areas. The Ramos farm now has a total area of more than 80 heactares. Vic has also spent a fortune planting and re-planting mango trees. More than 2,000 trees have survived fires and the vagaries of weather. Some of the trees are bearing fruits. In a year or two, we’ll have a respectable production. Perhaps we can export to Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin, with Fred and Renato as our agents. And Renato can organize a mango-picking tour for a change, instead of apples.
When I came home for good last year, I saw the farm and re-oriented myself to its layout. I ignored the presence of tall talahibs which are all over. I only saw its potentials. Last May or June, I joined the Dugong CYF in its memorial tree planting in its Tabitha’s which was leased from Ike and Sammy Ylarde, my nephews. The parents dug the holes and the children planted the young trees, fetched water from a big pond and watered their saplings. I was impressed by the involvement of both parents and children in such an endeavor. I though aloud and came up with the idea of giving the CYF a campsite as well as some parcels for vegetable and fruit growing. I told Vic about it and he was amenable. That’s how the campsite was born.
In a few years, the hills of Cabalisian will resound to the voices of children---their laughters, cries, and excitement at camp. Papang, I’m sure, will be smiling up there—seeing children and parents working on the campsite, like in the Lord’s vineyard.
Vic and I are happy to share with the Dugong CYF Papang’s legacy and abiding love. And you honor our family with your acceptance. Thank you.
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