GULAKA

SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR PARISH
GUTALAC, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE

            A young church has its advantages and disadvantages.  On one hand, it has no past organization and orientation to reckon with.  New thrust can easily be introduced.  But, on the other hand, it has to start from nothing.  Motivating the people, changing their values, and building basic ecclesial structures can be a head ache, leading to frustration.

            This describes aptly the Parish of San Isidro Labrador in Gutalac.  Made a parish in 1984 with Fr. Bonifacio Soria its first parish priest, it had to be administered again by St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Labason two years later.  With the sudden departure of Fr. Soria, his initial efforts and successes ended in vain.

            In 1988, Fr. Renato Paluca came and conquered the hearts of the people. Giving importance to the poor, he inspires and oversees them in forming themselves into basic ecclesial communities. Cooperatives are being set-up in various chapels. The youth is also afforded proper value and role. But action without prayer is nil. So prayer meetings, besides the traditional devotions, are held. From the pastor to his flock, the church in Gutalac is truly becoming alive and real as what it perceives to be its mission:  ‘pasgsangyaw sa maayong balita sa mga kabus!” This same charisma is followed and put forward by the succeeding pastors, Fr. Joveniano Buctuan, Fr. Rev. Fr. Esquirion A. Santisas, Fr. Sandy Mallorca and Fr. Severo Caermare.

            To date, Fr. Wayne Ycalina, Jr. administers the Parish of San Isidro Labrador.

SAINT VINCENT FERRER PARISH
LABASON, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE

            Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish passed the half-century mark last year, having been established on March 25, 1941.  It has undergone structural growth as it was handed on from pastor to another. The first three shepherds, Fr. Epefanio Baleares, Fr. Pio Saavedra and Fr. Bernardino Costa laid down the basic organization. Fr. Anacleto Pellano, who served the parish for seventeen years (1953-1970), was said to have built the church. Fr. Salvador Mora and Fr. Edito Gamallo focused their ministry on forming the people into communities. Fr. Faron Calumba, Fr. Noel Saldariega and Fr. Arnold Caboverde tried team-ministry and optional tithing as a alternative to “arancel system” Fr. Emigdio Socias rebuilt the rectory and animated further the ecclesial communities. Following him were priests who administered the parish for only two years of less: Fr. Philip Alicayos, Fr. Oswldo Bacareza, Fr. Renato Paluca and Fr. Hamilcar Blanco, Fr. Rodrigo Zafra, Fr. Gregorio Canonigo, Fr. Noel Salderiega and Msgr. Alfredo P. Ganson. Through the vibrant and effective leadership of Msgr. Fred, the BECs among the parishioners are strengthened, the renovation of the church was accomplished, the construction of the new parish convent was realized and the establishment of the St. Vincent’s Kindergarten School. The present parish pastor is Rev. Fr. Philip Alicayos.

            The church as people shows maturity in their life of faith and service. Lay leaders, ministers, catechists and the youth continue to undergo formation seminars and in-services. Ministry among families, Bible seminars and health program have been held and implemented. Perpetual dawn rosary and ecology seminars have been introduced while cooperatives are gradually established.  Indeed, the flock of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish has shown unity not only in terms of the conventional, mandated organizations but also as BECs. If they have gone a long way since its parochial erection, they will continue to scale more mountains.