Bp. Ambo narrates the story of Poypoy to a group of children from 4 barangays of Angles City

“Story-telling with Bp. Ambo” Features

Anti-Rabies Advocacy of HRP-SAC

Angeles City - The newly-organized Holy Rosary Parish-Social Action Center (HRP-SAC), in coordination with New Life Lay Missionaries, Inc. and Santungan ng Kababaihan at Kabataan sa Pampanga (SANGKAP) launched “Story-telling with Bp. Ambo” last May 23, 2009. The once-a-month story-telling activity is designed to educate children about social issues and the parish’s advocacies. It will have its trial run from May to September 2009, with topics varying monthly in line with community-celebrated events.

Last Saturday’s launching coincided with the birthday of Gian Carlo “Poypoy” Tomen, a five year old boy who died of rabies in December of last year, barely two months after getting scratched by a neighbor’s unvaccinated dog.

“Mga bata, kung mahal n’yo ang inyong mga alagang aso paalalahanin ang inyong mga magulang na pabakunahan ang mga ito taun-taon at huwag hayaang magpagala-gala.” In simple words, Bp. Pablo S. David, D.D., Parish Priest of Holy Rosary Parish in Angeles City advocated for responsible pet ownership and rabies prevention by telling the story of Poypoy. His audience was a group of 52 children (aged 5 to 10) from four barangays of Angeles City, namely Brgy. Amsic, Cutcut, Sto. Rosario and Cutcut. The children are beneficiaries of a 6-month catechesis cum feeding program implemented by the New Life Lay Missionaries, Inc. since April 2009.

Seated comfortably on plastic mats spread on the floor in the Bishop’s Conference Room, the children nodded vigorously and listened attentively as Bp. David, whom the children fondly called Among Ambo, narrated his story with the passion of a well-seasoned story-teller. The session was made interactive by a question and answer portion that elicited eager response from the children.  

Speaking in behalf of her group, Ms. Emy Bustos, President of the New Life Lay Missionaries, Inc. said that it was a privilege hearing about Poypoy’s story from the Bishop. “It touched me to the core,” she added. Next month’s topic will be heroism, in line with the celebration of Philippine Independence Day.

Holy Rosary Parish has involved itself in the advocacy against rabies through its membership in the City-Government-initiated Coalition Against Rabies Disease (CARD). It sits as member of the Committee on Education and Information of CARD.

“We are very grateful for the parish’s involvement in the anti-rabies advocacy,” says Nina L.B.Tomen, a member of SANGKAP which is a non-government organization engaged in rabies prevention and organized intervention. “Based on 2007 figures released by the Department of Health, Angeles City had the highest rabies morbidity rate in Region III (at 8.3 per 100,000 population). There were 26 reported cases in the city last 2007.”

Also on Saturday, the Holy Rosary Parish embarked in a campaign for environmental protection. Bp. David led around a thousand volunteers from various sectors, organizations and barangays of Angeles City in a river clean-up drive dubbed as “Sagip Sapang Balen”. Rally participants helped pick up litter clogging the waterway in an attempt to help revive it and create awareness on proper waste disposal.

In addition to its anti-rabies and environmental protection advocacies the parish, through the HRP-SAC and various parish mandated organizations, has established a counseling center and a crisis center for women. It is also in the process of putting up a parish media unit to reach out to a greater number of people. ###