Celebrating Pozorrubio's Writers - 2: "Dream Come True: Ciudad de Pozorrubio?"

Written by "Noel Gonzalez" with introduction by G.Quesada

(This is the second in a series of articles celebrating Pozorrubio's writers.The piece below entitled "Dream Come True: Ciudad de Pozorrubio?" was written by Mr. Emiliano V. Jovellanos , using the pen name " Noel Gonzales". It won the Second Place Award in the 1st Pozorrubio Essay/Expository Writing Contest launched by the St. Philomena's Academy Batch '64 Alumni (http://spa64.quesadatech.com ) and Quesada e-Technologies (www.quesadatech.com ) in July, 2009.

The award, consisting of an expensive plaque and P20,000 cash, was handed over to the author by the guest speaker during the Awarding Ceremony, Hon. Mayor Emma T. Chan (Municipal Mayor of Pozorrubio) and Engr. Gin.Quesada (concurrent head of the two sponsoring organizations) assisted by the Board of Directors of the said organizations.

The awarding ceremony was held at the Function Hall of Pozorrubio Executive Building, Pozorrubio, Pangasinan last January 14, 2010, an event forming part of the town fiesta and founding anniversary celebration.

Mel, as the author is popularly called, has written several historical and cultural articles about Pozorrubio and Pangasinan, foremost among them is his 'Historical Vignettes' that relates the story of the founding of Pozorrubio, and the Pangasinan Vignettes. His articles about Pangasinan had been republished and quoted in various online publications in Pangasinan including blogsites. As a writer active in the Pangasinan media, he has written news and feature articles for the Weekly Star Tribune of which he is currently the editor-in-chief. He authored the Pangasinan-English dictionary, one of the 2 dictionaries he developed. Credited to him is the composition of the Pozorrubio hymn and his Alma Mater's hymn.

Mel is currently the president of the DJGT Foundation, presently an adviser to the Metro-Urdaneta Press Club, and current president of the Ulupan na Pansiyansay Salitan Pangasinan (an organization aiming for the preservation of the Pangasinan language and culture). He is a faculty member of the Urdaneta City University.

His keen observative attitude characteristic of writers, his having served once in one administration of Pozorrubio and other places, his being a dynamic media practitioner exposed to various information have enabled him to write the piece below which, in spite of his sophisticated exposure in the writing world, is a direct to the point, simple, and practical easy- to- follow guidelines for those involved in the governance of the town in their quest to improve the lot of the Pozorrubians and concurrently reaching a cityhood status.

Mel is married to the former Ellen Edralin, R.N.and has three daugthers - Diana Cecilia, Mellen Joyce and Lady Pamela (the child in his article).

For more of Mel V. Jovellanos, see 'Profile of the Author' at the end of the article - Gin.Quesada).

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Dream Come True: Ciudad de Pozorrubio?

By "Noel Gonzalez"

Mabilay!

I begin this essay with the Pangasinan language’s word counterpart for Mabuhay! Like mabuhay, mabilay stands for life, exhorting everyone to live, enjoy life and move relentlessly forward. This single word symbolizes our beloved hometown’s past, present and future: 140 years of struggle, ups and downs, frustrations and success.. But the question is, what will Pozorrubio be during the next decades?

Lately I have been promoted to the position of commissioner. Every morning I usually put my ten-month-old granddaughter in her stroller and off we go around the plaza pergola and the parks in front of the municipio. Tanya, my apo, loves to grin and people cannot help but be contaminated by her the radiance of her baby smiles. People usually greet me with a hearty, “ good morning, commissioner,” obviously referring to my being a baby sitter (manag-komis or komis, which is to take care of the baby].

What will be my grand –daughter’s future? When she grows up and finishes college will she find herself also in London, New York, San Diego or Singapore? Meaning, by Year 2030 will their still be this demeaning and discouraging exodus of our professionals? Our promising young men and women still abandoning our beloved Pozorrubio?

I would like my apo to stay put in Pozorrubio. But who will stop her from boarding the plane headed for distant lands?

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