Above pictures were taken during SMSSI Chairman Rufino Bomasang's quick visit to the East Coast and West Coast USA in
October 2005. He made a side trip to the USA [from a business trip
to London and Oslo, Norway] to try and energize SMS Alumni and friends
in on-going SMS fund-raising initiatives as well as visit relatives.
While in New Jersey he was appraised of the
current status of
the SMSSAFF involvement in the fund-raising campaign for SMS projects
by the SMSSAFF Treasurer [Inez
Saley] on Saturday morning [Oct.
22]. Manang Inez gave him a check amounting to more than eight thousand
dollars {$8,000.00 +] representing donations from alumni and friends to
ongoing SMS projects.
The SMSSI Chairman of the Board then shared information with manang Inez and yours truly on the progress of his fund-raising efforts
with colleagues in the energy and mining sectors - that it is
progressing well as he expected. He said that the fund-raising golf
tournament, which has raised already a substantial sum, can be made a
yearly event since his corporate friends have been very receptive of our
efforts to help SMS and other needy schools attending to the education
of indigenous people in Northern Luzon. He also talked about the lead
role that SMS is fast assuming as regards the revitalization of the
Episcopal Mission Schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region [CAR].
In the afternoon of Oct. 22, he dialogued with New York and New
Jersey SMS alumni and friends prior to the BIBAK-NE general assembly and
halloween party in the St. Luke and All Saints Church, Union, New Jersey.
Unfortunately only a few SMS alumni and friends came as most of them
were not informed earlier about the visit of the SMSSI President.
The next day, October 23, Chairman Bomasang
planed to Virginia to visit his grandson, daughter and son-in-law.
While in Virginia SMS alumni and friends in the Maryland, Virginia and
Washingtoc D. C. area led by SMSSAFF Chairman of the Board of
Trustees [Edwin Abeya], invited him for dinner and dialogue
with him. From feedback from the BOT chair, SMS alumni and friends in
the Washington-Virginia-Maryland area are all excited and very much
encouraged with what is currently going on in SMS.
From Virginia, the Engr. Bomasang proceeded to
California [October 25-26] where he was able to have dinner and dialogue with officers
and members of SMSSAFF California Chapter led by manong Max Batong.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he said that he will attend the
SMS alumni and friends gathering to be hosted by SMSSAFF West Coast
Chapter during the last week of August, next year.
According to the Chairman, the ongoing
fund-raising campaign for the SMSS projects called for by the five year
development plan is proceeding well for which reason we are one year
ahead of project timetables.
However, we still have a long way to go and I
agree with both the Chairmen of SMSSI [Engr. Bomasang]
and SMSSAFF BOT Chair [Edwin Abeya] that we can not sit on our laurels. The SMSS sports complex and
boys/girls dormitories are huge projects. Then we will have to start
building on the SMSS endowment fund. The challenge is still daunting but
with every alumni contributing time, talents, treasures or prayers
[whatever what one is blessed with], we shall overcome.
Our current spark plugs to the SMSS initiatives [Engr.
Rufino Bomasang, Dr. Dennis Gomowad Faustino and Kent Kolot Sinkey] are functioning strong.
We can only hope and pray that they remain so forever - but we all know
that is just wishful thinking. We have to prepare a strong foundation
for
our alma mater while they are here to help us. We can only have ourselves to blame, if
we have not prepared well enough for a post Bomasang-Faustino-Sinkey era.
LBS |
