BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar- In a rare occasion, the St. Lawrence The Martyr Church of this town was brimming with faithful on Sunday (December 16), the start of the ‘Misa de Gallo.’
After all, it’s not just an ordinary mass ushering the first of the nine early Masses before the Christmas Day celebration on December 25.
In the words of the town parish priest, Fr. Serafin Tybaco, Jr., it’s a “very special mass.’

The Church used the just returned Balangiga Bells signaling the start of the dawn masses which was clearly heard, at least within the town center.
At 4:15 am, the smallest of the three historic bells, which were mounted in a movable platform made of gold-painted steel and specially built by the Department of National Defense, was pealed five times to signal the start of the mass.
About 900 faithful attended the two- hour mass which was marred by a power failure. The church used its power generator all throughout the proceeding.
“This is a very special mass because the bells are now with us. The pealing of the bells is so distinctive that could not be described in words,” Fr. Tybaco said during an interview after he presided the mass.
He hopes that with the returned of the bells, the already religious Balangiga-ons will “further deepen their faith.”
Severa Duran, 80, said that she was heartened to see that the church was filled with the faithful.
“While there were times that the church is filled up with people, today’s number of Churchgoers is bigger. Perhaps, it’s because we have the bells already,” she said.
Duran said that what made her doubly excited to see the bells is that it happened ‘in my lifetime.’
“There were efforts before for the bells be returned to us but all failed until now. At least it happened in my lifetime,” the retired school teacher said.
The three bells, which was officially turned over to the parish Saturday by town Mayor Randy Graza after a ceremony held at the town’s gymnasium or covered court and witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte and US officials led by John Law, chief of mission of the US Embassy, and Defense Assistant Secretary Joseph Filter.
Just after the mass ended, the bells were immediately surrounded by those who attended mass.
And as expected, they took photos with the bells as their backdrop.
Several children were seen touching the bells.
Melody Lumagbas, 13, said that she, just like the rest of the people of Balangiga, is happy to see the bells up close and personal.
“I just saw the bells on television and now, the bells are in our Church. I am happy to see them myself,” she said, giggling.
The bells are temporarily placed inside the Church due to ‘security concern,’ Fr. Tybaco said.
He could not say when these bells are to be place back to the church’s belfry or at the church’s grounds where three concrete stands were earlier constructed.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar – The return of the historic bells to the town was also a cause for celebration among soldiers in the region.
Thus said Capt. Francis Agno, spokesperson of the 8th Infantry Division whose main camp was named after General Vicente Lukban who served as the top military official of Samar Island at that time.
Samar, under Lukban’s leadership, remained one of the few areas of Filipino resistance during the American occupation.
“It was Gen. Lukban who led the attack during the Balangiga Encounter on September 28, 1901 and because of his heroism, the 8th Division headquarters was named after him,” Agno shared.
Camp Vicente Lukban is located in Barangay Maulong, Catbalogan City.
Cyril Lukban, a great-great grandson of General Lukban, also expressed pride that his ancestor was part of the Filipino guerillas responsible on the worst single defeat by the American troops during the Filipino-American War.
The 52-year old Lukban personally visited Balangiga to witness the momentous turnover of the revered bells on Saturday (December 15).
“The bells are back to unite the people in Balangiga. We are very much happy to be here,” he said.
The bells were returned to the country 117 years after these artifacts were forcibly removed by the American soldiers from the belfry of the church of the town.
The three bells were repatriated back to the country on December 11 and were formally turned over to the parish of St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish on Dec.15.
Gen. Lukban’s name is inscribed along with 113 Filipino soldiers who fought during the September 28,1901 attack against the American soldiers assigned at that time in this town at the Balangiga Incident Marker, located within the town plaza.
The Balangiga Incident Marker is the work of National Artist Napoleon Abueva which was inaugurated during the 102nd Balangiga Incident anniversary on September 28, 2003. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

CALBAYOG CITY-As part of the contributing agent of the community’s welfare, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Samar First District Engineering Office (DPWH-SFDEO) conducted a coastal clean-up drive at Barangay Burabod Sta. Margarita, Samar, with the help of volunteers from nearby barangays on December 10, 2018 to promote better ocean health and environmental consciousness.
Tons of trash are dumped on the coastlines every year. The garbage includes plastic bottles, plastic bags and packaging, food wrappers and cigarette butts – detracting from the natural beauty of the shore and harming wildlife.
Volunteers from every section of SFDEO picked and segregated trash and debris for item classification. They were able to collect 238 kilograms of trash, mostly consisting of plastic bottles and wrappers, used diapers, and soiled cardboard.
The whole process was sped up with the presence of locals from the villages of Burabod, Cautod, and Monbon who volunteered to join the coastal clean- up.
Trash accumulates in the ocean, threatens the health of every creatures in it and the ecosystem, at the same time endangering the life of people. What goes to the ocean goes back to us. (BON JOSEPH A. ASTILLA/PIO STAFF)