PURELY PERSONAL Our Lady of the Saltbeds in Allaga, Nueva Ecija

THE BLESSED Mother finds ways for us to get to know her in

the most strange manner. Her title as Nuestra Se?ora de la Salera

(or Our Lady of the Salt beds) was made known to me when I

met fashion designer Glenn Lopez who was doing the

illustrations of the FDAP members participating in the ongoing

bridal show at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Glenn Lopez's family comes from Allaga town, 45 minutes away

from Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija. The old name of the town

was ''Pulong Bibit'' which was just ricefields and water before

the Spaniards came to the town. One passes by it when one

wants to go to Concepcion, Tarlac.

The founder of the town named it ''Allaga'' after a town of the

same name in Zaragoza, Spain. That was in 1849. Oral history

reveals that a galleon bearing the image of the Blessed Mother

was about to capsize due to a heavy storm. The people in the

ship prayed to the Virgin Mary to save them.

The ship righted itself again and went on its journey. The

following morning, the people found salt clinging to the image.

So they named her ''Nuestra Se?ora de Salera'' (salera means salt

beds).

Glenn's father Agustin Soriano Lopez was born in Allaga. His

grandmother Purificacion Fajardo Soriano's father Emiliano was

a Spanish soldier. Glenn's mother Ma. Filipinas Cordovez Uy

Garrido hails from Leyte.

Glenn found out from talking to people there that Our Lady of

the Salera is also known as the patroness of travel. Very few

people among my acquaintance know of her. Aureo Alonzo

dressed up the image one time during her fiesta which falls on

April 26. It's a beautiful image, 3 ft tall. The present parish priest

is Fr. Ariel Musgi. I am still waiting for a novena, so I can show

how she looks like.

Marian procession in Las Pi?as

Albert Seeland who is the caretaker of the small chapel in

Pamplona Subdivision, Las Pi?as asked a florist to decorate a

carroza so the Immaculate Conception image enthroned in the

chapel can join in the Marian procession being organized by

Our Lady of Fatima Parish in nearby Philamlife Village.

Resplendent in her new vestments, the Virgin made it possible

for Albert to get a carroza. It was lent by Tess Carillo. Then, the

little twins Renee Micaela and Renee Valerie Fajardo were able

to join the procession as flower bearers. According to Albert,

The Virgin must have been happy because the heavy rain that

was threatening to fall did not come.

Mass in the ricefields

When Fr. Jun Villanueva is installed as first parish priest in

Calungusan, Bataan on June 29 at 9 a.m., the Holy Mass will be

held in the ricefields which will be the site of the church. Sts.

Peter and Paul Parish is starting from scratch--no parish church

and no convento.

A new parish in the Diocese of Balanga, the people come from

the barrios of Bangad, Bantan, Camachile, General Lim, Sto.

Domingo and Calungusan.

Father Jun was ordained in 1993, a very young priest. He must

have taken it as a challenge in the name of Jesus Christ to

undertake such tremendous responsibility. Let's help him. You

can write him c/o Bishop Honesto Ongtioco. Bishop's

Residence, Balanga, Batan.

Ugnayan Foundation now has 88 students

THE SCHOLARS of Ugnayan Foundation has risen to 88

coming from Bangued and Dolores. Among these are 16 new

Grade 6 students. Chaired by Ms Anastasia Verzola, the

foundation has been helping poor students go to school for the

past many years.

They need help, however, to be able to go on. Those who

believe in saving children from a life of poverty due to

noneducation can help by writing to Ms Anastasia Verzola at

No. 3K-E Kamuning, Quezon City, or call 924-0811.

God bless you.