Oct. 10,2011


Segovia Celebrates His 60th Birthday With Love Songs
by Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City,Southern Leyte-City Tourism Officer Royen Kangleon Segovia,Sr. has celebrated his 60th birthday during the recent Saturday at Ampil Function Hall with love songs and surprises.

Invited attendees were mostly his brothers and their respective families,close relatives,friends and some guests.

The EMCEE of the program was his own niece, a registered nurse who works at the provincial hospital. The celebrant's daughter Katherine,now married,rendered a duet love song together with her uncle who works at the COMELEC office. Another pair, the celebrant's niece and nephew, also rendered a duet song .A dance number followed presented by his three grand-daughters. Still another an 80-year-old relative of his from brgy. Maslog,Tomas Oppus who rendered yesterday's popular song “Your Are Always In My Heart”.

The EMCEE also called Katherine,her first cousin, to say something about her father. She revealed to the audience that his celebrant father is thoughtful.”He always bring something for us whenever he comes back from his travel”,she said.”But he is a strict disciplinarian..”

A long slide presentation of the celebrant's pictorial essay has followed. It portrayed his early life as young and handsome guy who participated in several amateur singing contests in various places of which he had won,receiving trophies and cash prizes. Until he reached the stage of finding a beautiful woman whom he married later and begot 5 children.
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The slide presentation taken from the past and old,new and recent pictures of the celebrant were video-taped to make it “uploadable” in the computer for proper arrangements,editing and enhancing with insertion of musical background from the Beatles' “In My Life” covered by another female singer.

At the end of the presentation Segovia expressed his thankfulness to such a beautiful recollection of his past and present life with his family and as a city government’s Tourism Officer.”I'm surprise. They did not tell me about this”,he said.

Nonetheless, he has a high percentage of “suspicion” and “perception” that the wonderful pictorial essay was made possible by the collaborative efforts of his own children,some kin,an in-law and his staff at the City Tourism Office.”I'm overwhelmed. I now know that many people have loved me”,he intimated.

Segovia was also thankful for having such beautiful and handsome children and the things he has in life. He was likewise grateful to God that he has reached at this new lease of his life,even though he confessed that at the beginning he did not expect to reach such the longevity of age.”I could not ask for more”,he said.

After his speech he requested all the attendees not to leave but to stay longer to continue rendering songs for such a rare occasional affair. He’s also hopeful that all have enjoyed the foods and drinks and urged them to dance to their hearts' content.

However,some guests who might not have the mood to sing some songs or dance, or that having another things to do at home have preferred to go. Majority of those who decided to remain were Segovia's keith and kin,some friends and his staff. This news writer/news blogger also existed a few minutes later.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

New Maasin Maternity And Children Hospital Opens In Maasin In

September 10,2011

New Maasin Maternity And Children Hospital Opens In Maasin
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-At last the eleven-year-old city of Maasin has now a new well-equipped and licensed hospital exclusively for children and pregnant mothers.
The 4-storey new edifice (with telephone no. (053)381-2371) is conveniently located along Ruperto K.Kangleon St.,brgy. Abgao here, not far from the Land Transportation Office and the Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez Memorial Provincial Hospital(SOYMPH)
The modern air-conditioned medical building has clinical laboratoary,emergency room,operating room, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, delivery room, labor room and three spacious rooms where admitted sick children are to be confined.
Earlier, there was a motorcade starting at MMCH towards barangayTagnipa.It turned left passing the long Tomas Oppus road down to barangay Asuncion and proceeded to brgy Ichon in Macrohon and went back to MMCH location in Abgao.
The motorcade led by Engr. Diosdado Villamor,businessman and the husband of Dr. Joecelyn Verano-Villamor was participated in by his comrades in the motorcycling club,relatives,friends and all the MMCH staff and personnel.
Prior to the blessing and inauguration of the new modern hospital, a mass officiated by Bishop Precioso Cantillas was held inside the first floor of the building.
In his homily Cantillas said that the new Maasin Maternity and Children Hospital is an added boost to the infra growth of the young city that would serve those who come for consultation or confinement.
The Bishop admonished the MMCH staff and personnel to be compassionate in caring for their patients as such virtue is being reflected on the hospital’s vision posted upon the nearby wall.
Right after the mass ,retired provincial hospital administrator Cecilia M. Verano ,DR. Joecelyn’s mother threw up numerous ten-peso coins for the visitors and guests to pick up quick at random. Some have tried to catch the spreading coins while it was thrown away before touching the floor. There was somebody who was unintentionally hit on the head, while another one was hit on the mouth. Both were able to pick up a coin or two and just ignored the accidental hit.
On the other hand, we do not know exactly what that kind of generous gesture represents, whether it is for luck, wellness or for prosperity as to the opening of the new hospital. All of those who were there during the opening and blessing were treated to sumptuous dinner at the third and fourth floor of the building.
The hospital management has hired several former volunteer nurses and nursing aids previously working at the provincial hospital. Most of its invited guests were nurses and doctors working at the government hospital, which is a walking distance from the MMCH.
Were it not for the refusal of Dr. Joecelyn Verano-Villamor to be interviewed by this news writer(news blogger),we can have the exact amount of the total cost for the construction of the entire 4-storey building including perchance the medical equipments installed for the hospital’s operation.
She has excused herself for being tired already after attending to her many young patients at their new hospital and at the provincial hospital starting at one in the afternoon until nine in the evening.
However, a publisher/Editor of another local paper the Southern Leyte Balita was able to interview her earlier on that same day. The opening of the new private hospital was witnessed by Maasin Mayor Maloney L. Samaco and a SP member Cesar Rey.
Organizational Staff: 1)Dr. Zenaida Bantug Abiera-Medical Director; 2)Dr.Joecelyn Verano –Villamor-Chief of Clinics; 3)Dr. Jose T. Santiago-Pathologist; 4)Tita T. Recablanca-Medical Technologist; 5)Joyce Jane M. Verano-Medical Technologist; 6)Mario T. Maceda-Medical Technician.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Kinamot Sa Abgao Restaurant.Tel. no. (053)381-3878.
Villa Romana Hotel.13 airconditioned rooms with TV sets,etc.
Tel no.(053)381-0639.Tomas Oppus St.,brgy. Abgao, Maasin City.

New Supercha Foodhaus 2 & Function Hall
Tel. no.(053)381-0929
Open Daily From Monday To Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 1:00p.m.; 4:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.
EXCEPT Sunday: 4:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.

N.B.The eleven years old city of Maasin has no skin specialist yet until now. Only those w ho have the means can go to Cebu City for their skin problems. But those with little income cannot afford to go to Cebu for consultations. We hope that a skin specialist/dermatologist from nearby cities will be interested to put up a clinic here to serve those who have skin problems.

Natasha Service Center/MSE Marikina Shoe Service Center,
A.Bantug Street,Tunga-Tunga,Maasin City,Southern Leyte
Tel nos. (053)570-8144;(053)381-0430.