The bill renaming Lobog Bridge to ALFONSO BURLAT APDUJAN BRIDGE was pending at the Committee on Public Works & Highways for some time due the lack of endorsement by Barangay Panalsalan, where the bridge is located. Ms. Minnehaha Ratilla was able to secure the barangay endorsement and was submitted to the House of Representatives.

Even with the pandemic, there were virtual House committee meetings and the bill was approved at the committee level. Next step will be the approval of the whole House.

One of the unforgettable stories in American Literature we learned in high school is "The Song of Hiawatha". The epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a love story between the Indian brave Hiawatha and Minnehaha, a maiden of the Dacotahs. Her name means “laughing water”, literally translates to "rapid water" or "waterfall".

Hiawatha proposes marriage both out of his love for her and to seal peace between their tribes. Their love is mutual and powerful. So they got married and lived happily ever after. Well, not really.

Thursday, July 23, 2020 was not a typical day. Waking up, it felt like I didn't even have the energy to get out of bed. There was this feeling of general discomfort, uneasiness, and muscle pains that I wanted to stretch my body as far as I could. Often these are first signs of flu, an infection or some other disease.

Then it hit me: Maybe I have the coronavirus? I kept my suspicion to myself, knowing I had no fever, cough, shortness of breath or the other covid symptoms. Just rest and hope things will get better tomorrow and thereafter.

Anthem is defined as a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause. Based on this, one would think that the Lumasag-Rillas families have a family anthem (2 songs, actually. "Now I Know" and "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie").

Buena Fe tells me that when she was younger, she would go with her parents to attend family gatherings of relatives in the Lumasag-Rillas side. She recalls seeing her father, with the accordion, singing along with his Lumasag cousins.

Before this lockdown happened, I used to order our household needs (mineral water, LPG, food takeouts, etc.) through our landline, 414-48-24. No prefix 8 yet at that time. Then in late July, 2019, the phone had no dial tone. I thought it couldn't have been due to non-payment, as I have religiously paid my monthly bills since the phone was installed.

So I called up the Bayantel Customer Care to report the out-of-order phone. She was very nice, assured me that the my report is properly recorded and will be endorsed to their repair contractor for scheduling.

This picture was taken in one of those Christmas family reunions in the mid-60's. As always, the venue was the Apepe-Claret-Yap residence in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, in a place we fondly called Paraw. Everyone was there - grandparents, aunts, uncles and grandchildren - not really a big family at that time.

Of those seated, only Tia Belen (Avelina Roda-Claret), Tia Noming (Norma Claret-Apdujan) and Tio Dodong (Rogelio Claret Yap) are with us. The rest have passed on. Today, many of the grandchildren are grandparents themselves.

The result of the making of the family tree of the Apdujan-Rillas Family, starting from the Mente-Pania couple down to the children, grand children, great grand children and great great grand children.

The tree may be viewed or downloaded.