MANDALUYONG: DON BOSCO TECHNICAL CENTRE - HALL OF FAME & JUBILEE
Fr. Eli Cruz sdb
MANDALUYONG: December 20th -- “Anak, Gabay Mo” or "Child, Your Guide" (AGM) made its maiden broadcast over DWXI 1314 KHz of the Delta Broadcasting System on 15 November 1992. Hosted by selected elementary and high school students of Don BoscoTechnical College in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, AGM was recognized for three years by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) as the Best Public Service Program and Best Educational Program for Radio. In November 2002, the students received the Hall of Fame trophy from the CMMA for drawing other young people to discuss and solve social problems through media. Because of their courage to expose child abuse by a sardines’ factory in Manila, these young broadcasters were chosen to represent the country in the Global March Against Child Labor in Malaysia and Thailand. Kip Oebanda, one of the young broadcasters, was chosen to speak before the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland on the rights of all children.
Don Bosco Technical College will celebrate its 50th year of foundation in 2003. The Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chavez, will open the year-long celebrations on 17 January 2003 with the Mass and the testimonial dinner to honor outstanding past pupils and other members of the Educative-Pastoral Community who have made significant contribution "pro Deo et Patria." Those in public service include the Secretary of Finance, the Customs Commissioner, and the City Mayor of Mandaluyong. Those in pastroal ministry include bishops Msgr. Precioso Cantillas, SDB, Msgr. Leo Drona, SDB, and Msgr. Francesco Panfilo, SDB. Since the Salesian pioneers Fr. Louis Ferrari and Fr. Pierangelo Quaranta established the school on 19 March 1953 (feast of St. Joseph), the school has produced 53 Salesian priests and brothers and 23 non-Salesian ones.
The 18th century Spanish building (1716) at the heart of the campus of Don Bosco-Mandaluyong stands as testimony to events that led to the 1896 uprising of the country’s patriots, the Katipuneros, against the Spanish colonizers. The building later became the Asilo de Mandaloya, an orphanage where the saintly Mother Consuelo Barcelo y Pages stayed for 16 years (1883-1899). She co-founded the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation. Her cause for canonization has been introduced. Early in the 20th century, the building became the San Carlos Seminary, home for the formation of the local clergy. One of them was Rufino Cardinal Santos, the first Filipino cardinal of the Church.
The school indeed stands on historic and hallowed grounds
