Wednesday, September 17, 2008

How the Patria de Cebu was Built

Circa 1954

“What man can imagine, man can do.” – John F. Mee

The site of the Patria used to be a squatter settlement not even the Archbishop of Cebu, the Knights of Columbus, and the Daughters of Isabela were able to persuade the squatters to move out of the Church ground. The squatters were backed up by the local political officials which made them a formidable force to contend with. The squatter site became a crime den.

Prohibition Against YMCA Patronage by Archbishop Rosales

Around this time the Cebu Catholic Hierarchy was strict in its mandate that no Catholic youth should patronize the YMCA Recreation Center in Jones Avenue. The Catholic youth were at a lost on where to play bowling, play billiards and learn swimming. This representation had already graduated from U.P. Diliman with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and was strengthened in his faith by the U.P. Chaplain, the late Father John Delaney, SJ. and was pursuing a Master’s Degree in English at the University of San Carlos. With the help of Reverend Father Bernard Wrocklege, SVD (Society of Divine Word). of the University of San Carlos they motivated the Archdiocesan Student Catholic Action of Cebu to undertake the construction of a Catholic Recreation Center in Cebu City.

The Offered Site

When Archbishop Julio R. Rosales learned of their plan he offered to provide a lot where the Catholic Recreation Center would be built. But the site the Archbishop had in mind was the squatter settlement in front of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. He challenged the Student Catholic Action to moved out the squatters from the church grounds. Catholic Lay Leader Lindy C. Morrell informed the Archdiocesan Student Catholic Action of Cebu about the Archbishop’s offer and the challenge. Archbishop Julio Rosales wrote to the Vatican for permission to allow the Student Catholic Action to use the area as the site of the Archdiocesan Student Catholic Action recreation and service center to be called the Patria de Cebu. The Vatican gave its permission.

The Quest for Relocation Venue for Patria Squatters

With Cebu Archdiocesan Student Catholic Action President Bartolome de Castro, SCA’s leaders Francis Zosa, Anastacio Fabiania, Jr., Felix Matugina, Fe Mendoza, Azucena Derecho, Hermenia Florido, Jess Solon, Jess Hernandez, Leon Gonzaga, Jr., Augusto Go and Lindy C. Morrell, and Rev. Fr. Wrocklege, the team scoured Cebu City to look for a relocation site for the squatters. They spotted the empty sprawling grounds of the Cebu City Hippodrome or racetrack where racehorses used to engage in Sunday racing. At once they lost no time in trying to persuade some of the squatters to relocate to the new site. Unfortunately one of the leaders of the squatters refused to move. USC Law student Augusto Go offered his flatbed truck to haul the squatters’ houses to the relocation site providing that the SCA would furnish the driver.

The Death Threat by Squatters

This representation being a professional driver offered to do the driving chore. Just as the SCA students were about to move the first house for relocation, the hostile leader of the squatters named Tasio from Leyte drew his bolo to hack this representation. Reverend Father Wrocklege stepped into the picture and told Tasio “If you are going to kill this young man, kill me first!” Tasio’s hand shook in anger but he could not strike the priest. Lindy C. Morrell and Anastacio Fabiaña, Jr. bargained with Tasio to go with the team to inspect the site so that he would have the first pick of the relocation site. Tasio cooled down and agreed to go with the team to the site to see for himself where he could relocate his house. Upon seeing a spot that he liked he agreed to have his house to be moved to the site ahead of the others. Thus the intended site for the Patria was cleared of squatters.

Drawing the Patria Blueprint

Two young architects of Cebu City, Teodoro Trinidad and Jose Mercado (the younger brother of journalist Johnny Mercado) drew the blueprint for the Patria de Cebu making it one of the strongest structure in Cebu City at that point in time because of the special features that they have incorporated into the building plan – installing tie beams in the foundations of the building. This design is capable of taking the seismic shocks of earthquakes giving the Patria the distinction of being the first structure in Cebu City to enjoy this feature. Teddy Trinidad and Pepe Mercado crafted the blueprints for free. Patria construction boss was Dionisio Licaron.

Hand-Made Ave Maria Hollow Blocks

Each Student Catholic Action volunteer would make a hollow block with his own hands using the iron mold provided by Rev. Fr. Ernest Hoerdeman, SVD of the University of San Carlos. When the hollow block took shape and was removed from its mold the SCA volunteer would pray one Hail Mary over the hollow block. Lindy C. Morrell named the hollow blocks made by the SCA volunteers as the “Ave Maria Hollow Blocks”. The entire Patria Building is made up of Ave Maria hollow blocks. This is possibly the only structure in the Philippines made by students and prayed for with ‘Hail Mary’s. The SCA volunteers who made the hollow blocks were fed by meals cooked by female USC SCA volunteers in the field headed by USC student Luz Adolfo who later became Mrs. Luz Morrell. Rev. Fr. Veronico Salvador, brother of Archbishop Manuel Salvador, was one Diocesan priest who helped support the SCA project by regularly donating bags of cement for the hollow block-making project of the SCA volunteers.


Operation Red Hat

To help generate funds for the Patria project the SCA leaders wrote an appeal to cardinals and bishops all over the world appealing to them to donate funds to finance the Patria construction. Each time a solicitation letter was mailed to a cardinal or bishop one “Hail Mary” was prayed over each letter before dropping it to the mailbox. Contributions from local, national, and international sources were being received by Archbishop Julio Rosales as a result of SCA’s Operation Red Hat.

A Special Appeal

This representation humbly appeals to His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Archbishop of Cebu to name a room in the Patria de Cebu Building after the late Rev. Fr. Bernard Wrocklege, SVD who was the spiritual leader of the SCA Patria builders. Also this Lay Leader recommends that another room be named after the two young architects Teodoro Trinidad and Jose Mercado for crafting the blueprints and supervising the construction of the Patria de Cebu Building for free.

Unforeseen Problem

When the Patria de Cebu Building was finished the builders awaited the shipment of the bowling alleys, billiard tables and other equipment by a supplier from Manila. Unfortunately the Puyat Manufacturing Facility caught fire. The suppliers refused to honor their contract to ship the entire sports equipment to the Patria (which was supposed to be paid in several installments over a three-year period) but insisted that the entire shipment be paid in cash. The Student Catholic Action of the Archdiocese of Cebu were preparing to file a legal suit against the Puyat Company to compel the firm to honor their contract with SCA. The advisers of Archbishop Rosales counseled the prelate to incorporate the Patria de Cebu and secure a bank loan to pay for the sports equipment.

Planned Student Protest

The SCA students objected to the plan to incorporate the Patria and to secure a loan to pay for the sports equipment because they felt that once the equipment were installed the patrons of the Patria de Cebu movement who were very generous in giving contributions to finance the Patria project would no longer feel obliged to continue giving their contributions. The students were overruled. The Patria was incorporated. Archbishop Rosales told Lay Leader Lindy C. Morrell that he follow the counsel of his advisers because they were older and more knowledgeable in life. But Lindy Morrell replied: “Your advisers say I am young and know no better. Your Excellency I am glad that I am young for But Rev. Fr. Bernard Wrocklege, SVD and Lay Leader Lindy C. Morrell were not included among the list of incorporators. The students were aggrieved and were planning to demonstrate before the Archbishop’s Palace. Rev. Fr. Wrocklege and Lay Leader Lindy Morrell were able to pacify the disgruntled students telling them that in building the Patria they were also building themselves as responsible citizens and that although they were not named among the list of incorporators their named were listed in each hollow block that they made which would be honored by Jesus Christ Himself. After all the two leaders reminded the SCA volunteers that their noble work was aimed to restore all things to Christ. These words calmed the students.

Rev. Fr. Wrocklege Assigned Back to the U.S.

But Archbishop Rosales did not know of this act of pacifying the students and had Rev. Fr. Wrocklege transferred back to the United States in Techny, Illinois without the knowledge of the students who were not able to say goodbye to their beloved spiritual adviser. This is why naming a room in the Patria of Cebu in honor of Rev. Fr. Bernard Wrocklege, SVD would help sooth the hurt that the SCA volunteers felt.

The After-Years

The career paths of the SCA leaders who built the Patria de Cebu proved to be colorful and impressive. Bartolome de Castro, Archdiocesan SCA President became an executive with the United Nations in New York. Law student Augusto Go is now the President of the University of Cebu. Francis Zosa became a congressman and is now a successful practicing lawyer in Cebu City. Felix Matugina is a successful businessman in Mandaue City. Leon Gonzaga, Jr. became a labor judge in Cagayan de Oro City. Anastacio Fabiaña, Jr. became a marketing supervisor. Jess Hernandez became a marketing executive for a pharmaceutical company. Azucena Derecho joined the Pink Sisters and later became the head of a Mother House of the Pink Sisters in India. Fe Mendoza became a high-ranking nun of the Good Shepherd Order. The last news heard is that she was in Rome studying Islam and Arabic for possible assignment to the Middle East. Jess Solon became a Provincial Development Officer of PACD now known as DILG. Lindy C. Morrell went on to become a Regional Executive Director of the National Economic and Development Authority and later earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Management from Stratford International University in Wyoming State, U.S.A., and a Doctor of Letters Degree in Journalism from St. Clements University of the British West Indies Islands of Turks and Caicos near the Bahammas; and the former Ms. Luz Adolfo earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics from USC and married her childhood sweetheart Lindy C. Morrell.

It is suggested that if ever Cardinal Vidal will follow the recommendation that Rev. Fr. Bernard Wrocklege , SVD and architects Teodoro Trinidad and Jose Mercado be honored by having rooms in the Patria de Cebu Building named after them that appropriate ceremonies be held in such an undertaking.

Inter-Generational Heritage

This story of the Patria should be told and retold to inspire other young people of future generations that the youth have their own building prowess.

“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” - Benjamin Disraeli



-LCM

5 comments:

Unknown said...

We are proud to know about the history of Patria de Cebu and the role our friends, Lindy Morrell and Jose Mercado, played in the building of this center.
This is a model other young students can follow. We know there is much hope for the Philippines when honest and sincere leaders lead and the young follow.
Nestor J. Mercado and
Elnora Minoza-Mercado (from Cebu)and Alok Sarwal, authors of Voices from Colorado: Perspectives of Asian Pacific Americans. Denver, Colorado, 2008.
voicesfromcolorado@gmail.com

Steven De Castro said...

I appreciate this history very much!!!

Steven De Castro said...

Mr. Morell: Mr. Johnny Mercado told me that he tried to reach you regarding the passing of my father, Bart deCastro. For more information, please email me at acquit@manhattanfirm.com and provide your mailing address.

Melvin said...

A very inspiring SCA Story. We just Celebrated SCA Diamond Jubilee last April 2011 at St. Paul University in Manila with over 500 SCA leaders, animators and chaplains in attendance. At present, we are trying to revive SCA in Cebu. We are counting much on the help of Alumni SCAns from Cebu. To you, whom by God's wisdom and grace, would be able to read this we are reviving SCA in USJ-R for now and hopefully in other schools in the near future. Please contact us at USJ-R Campus Ministry Office. Thank You and God Bless

Troy Elizaga said...

The Patria is about to be demolished. A commercial building will take its place.