THE CALL TIME for the Briefing for BF Homes Community Building Ministry was 5:30 pm. Since I’ve sworn to always disprove my name in matters that require punctuality, I was there ahead of time. But not earlier than General Edong Acuña, whom I found already busy reviewing his Power Point Presentation. It took time to fill the Clubhouse with people, a given norm in most communities that is not unique to BF, and the venue gradually brightened up with uniformed ministry members and others who came in their smart casuals. The emcees were nowhere to do their task so GenDong (my moniker for the indefatigable ministry spearhead) took it upon himself to shift the attention of the audience to his opening spiel. It was something not in the program, he said, but he thought it would be in order to welcome new homeowners (tenants, the husband corrected later) and introduce them to the audience. So Alvin and Rona Mae Tolentino was called to the front, which they dutifully did. Alvin spoke for the two of them, hoping to grow, start a family, and settle in the village. GenDong called the board members to welcome them in a picture-taking solidarity. Applause.
Anton and Bing were already on hand to present Atty. Melissa Bautista, President of the Homeowners Association, for her inspirational message. Prim and precise, she admitted not knowing how to inspire, yet inspire she did, with her simple, straightforward speech taking us back to 2012, when they moved in, and expressing her gratitude to the board’s support, and realizing the difficulty of getting volunteers to help them out. She hoped that, for the sake of what’s best for families, GenDong’s leadership sustains, a legal advisory system be put in place, and the important sense of volunteerism does not deplete. Integrity did not need approbation; the soft murmurs of assent spoke volumes.
To put the people in proper perspective, the pair of emcees called on Kuya Noel for the Opening Prayer. After which, GenDong presented his briefing. Time was the essence of his presentation. As limited as the scarce materials that he realized when he did the research (of which his briefing was a product) of the association’s origin. Even before he presented his PPP, he already told me that bringing back the newsletter to its old glory would be a problem. Not only were the back issues eaten up by the elements but also blurred were the pictures accompanying them. Our mutual hope was photographer Rodel, who has been chronicling the activities of the ministry lately, and an imagined collage would only require writers to wriggle life into them. It dawned on us early enough that the magic lens of Rodel’s camera would be an indispensable publication component.
Highlights of his briefing were: The community started as “Doña Romana Subdivision in 1970; a group formed a breakaway organization but later agreed to a merger of what is now the homeowners’ association; in 2002, the newsletter “Araw” was changed to “Sinag;” adoption of a “Code of Corporate Governance and Ethics;” formation of the Sr. Citizens Affairs, Health, and Wellness Committee and organization of the BFH Community Building Ministry during the Village Fiesta.
He noticed that there used to be a flagpole in front of the Clubhouse (erected in 2001), the curious disappearance not speaking well of the community’s patriotism, albeit the singing of the anthem at the program’s start. This considering that the defunct Monday Morning Club used to have a flag-raising ceremony after the morning Mass.
Forest Park retains its name, the appendage “nature” being bereft of animals to justify it.
After his briefing, the emcees thought the audience might be thinking of dinner already so decided to squeeze in the closing remarks of Atty. Francis Rivera. His message focused on the justification for the “Ibalik si Maritess” project. While the catchy slogan connotes a negative attribute of rumor-mongering, it aimed to promote among the residents a shoulder to hang an arm on in times of despair or difficulty and, especially, encourage the growing number of the elderly to get out of their comfort zones and circulate among their peers. He made the crowd laugh with a funny anecdote about Ate Peth, his wife, being an accidental Sharonian.
The surprise of the evening was soon announced by Anton and Bing. They called on the board members to sing to GenDong a Happy Birthday song followed by the regulation photo op. The birthday boy gamely went with the warm well-wishing.
Grace before dinner was prayed by yours truly and everyone took no time in partaking of the sumptuous food.
Amen.





