PRAISING GOD IN PANGLAO ISLAND

This year’s trip to Cebu and Bohol was never a smooth way for me and my Aunt Espie, because we have to go through the continuous rainfall even during the time when we’re already on board the fast craft en route to Tagbilaran City. Everytime we retire in our place after visiting the Basilica del Santo Niño de Cebu, we always hear bad news on television of natural calamities such as flash floods and landslides hitting the neighboring provinces in the Visayas region as well as first-world countries like Australia and Brazil. Upon knowing all those distressing news, it came as a realization on my part that because we human beings don’t care much for nature and our Mother Earth, she ended up abused and misused. And the catastrophic result is coming back to devour us.
I am feeling blessed being able to return to Bohol this year, which is the birthplace of my father, the late Gregorio B. Calamba, Sr. He was born in Bilar. Though, I was born and raised in Davao City, I can feel a certain connection with Bohol, especially during the first time I set foot in this God-blessed province three years ago. Bohol is the home of several nature’s bounty, from sea to hills. Not to mention, are the gentle Bol-anons, who always have a ready smile for all visitors, both local and foreign. Bol-anons’ love for mother nature is an inspiration for people who will have the chance of visiting such magnificent province in the Visayas. Bohol, if continuously protected by Bol-anons from exploitations of monstrous commercialism will surely be a living paradise for us Filipinos.
Our visit to Panglao Island is also a thanksgiving for the great blessings and graces showered upon us for all these years. Professor Espie Chinel Aparis expressed her heartfelt thanksgiving to the Lord and Mary Immaculate for the successful completion of her 8th book entitled “Carrillon of Prayers”, a prayer collection book she shares with everyone who needs a prayer book companion which they can bring with them, wherever they go. The “Carrillon of Prayers” is published by the Mary Immaculate Health & Educational Foundation, and the foundation invites prayer advocates to share their blessings for reproduction of more copies of this one-of-a-kind prayer book. Aside from prayer book reproduction, part of the proceeds of donation shall go to the Mary Immaculate Learning Center, in which poor but deserving school children will have a better place for early education.
The wonders of Panglao Island never fail to amaze me. Panglao Island is an awesome creation of God that we need to take good care of for our children’s future environment. Often the marvels we see in creation prompt us to worship God. This theme is repeated throughout the scripture: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiword”, from Psalms 19:1. Creation’s stimulus to praise need not be limited to the visual. It can also be widened to include hearing nature’s songs. The gentle sound of waves in Panglao Island is both a song and dance of praises for God. As we go about our daily routine, we can tune our hearts to the melodies God has placed in His creatures and let them serve as an added springboard of praise to the Creator.