Passage of a beautiful soul
The funeral Mass of Gerry Ortega was one of the most beautiful I have ever attended. The singing was so full of heart. The sermon was sincere and enlightened. I was literally on a high when we all held hands and sang “The Lord’s Prayer” I felt so much soul, I felt lifted up and I felt the heavens descend. It was like blessings were pouring on us from above. I could feel Gerry and I could feel his caring for his loved ones, for the community, and for the country. Bishop Arigo was amazing. He gave a beautiful homily. He said that living one’s faith necessarily means taking care of the environment. At the pulpit he urged everyone to join in the 10-million-signature campaign. The following week 10,000 candles will be lit for Gerry. Bishop Arigo and Gerry had often talked about saving Palawan. Well, maybe with Gerry’s death their dreams will come true.
Gerry has such a beautiful family. Walking behind the coffin en route to the cemetery marveling at the trees and the magnificence in which he must have spent his childhood I could understand why he was the way he was.
Gerry’s special nature does not end there. His family his cousins, his nieces, nephews, even his friends from them I felt a sweetness and a softness that I speculate comes from living life in a place where nature abounds. The song written for Gerry was just so beautiful. It was composed by Mat Marquez and his singing brought me and everyone in the Mass to tears. Even Mayor Hagedorn sang beautifully, actually and he also brought me to tears. Listening to everyone talk of Gerry, I remembered my own father’s funeral where, like Gerry, people seemed to be attending from all over, saying how my dad had helped them to the point where my mother remarked, “I didn’t know your dad was a great man pala…”
Similarly, as I leaned over and wondered if Patty was feeling the same way while walking beside her behind the coffin I looked back at the procession. I was amazed: there was a swarm of people as far as my eyes could see. Aborlan is two hours away from Puerto Princesa. Far… and people had come all the way from Manila and different parts of the country. My communities had weathered the trip in the evening, brought their own calderos so that they could cook, slept on the bus, and despite hardly any sleep they were smiling: happy to be there but also deeply, deeply sad at the loss of someone who cared.
In my eulogy remarks I said that, hearing everyone talk, it was crystal clear that Gerry’s death had lit a flame even in hearts that had never met or seen him and this flame continues to burn brightly.
Talking before 50 student leaders at the Ateneo from Baguio, Cebu, Davao Manila, I could feel Gerry’s presence. And when all pledged to get the signatures in, I could feel the flame lit in their hearts as well.
Yes, Gerry is dead. But his spirit lives on, ever more brightly. Passion and integrity never, ever die. But like a flame, they light up other flames, and therein lies the future of this country.
Palawan has 17 key biodiversity areas. It carries part of the 70 percent biodiversity necessary for this planet to survive. Palawan has two world heritage sites, and eight declared protected sites. Although lush and beautiful, its topsoil is actually very thin. Mining would and is destroying this fragile ecosystem. And in this “last frontier: there are 354 mining applications. There is a mining application even for the Underground River! Gerry’s lush hometown Aborland has 75 mining applications! No wonder he was so adamantly against mining! The Palawan Sustainable Council for Development chaired by Baham Mitra who should be taking care of Palawan has done nothing to preserve its splendor. Under the administration of the PCSD, Palawan has actually lost its forest cover. Primary forests (forests made by God, not by man) which are supposed to be protected have actually been reclassified sometimes by as much as 90 percent! to accommodate mining claims.
Are we going to allow this to go on, to the wealth that God has given us? If you want to save Palawan from mining, if you believe that Ang Yaman ng Palawan ay Yaman ng Pilipinas, please log on to www.no2mininginpala-wan.com and register your signature. We want to gather 10 million signatures. You can download the form and have members of your household or community who lack e-mail addresses sign a hard copy. Then you can fax these forms to 415-2227. Or you can scan it and send to signatures@no2mininginpalawan.com. Questions can be sent to signatures@no2mi-ninginpalawan.com.
There is nothing in the world that can stand in the face of a people united for a noble cause. If we act together, we can fulfill Gerry’s dream, which is your dream, our dream. It’s the world we want to give our children. It’s the world we were meant to have. Let’s not let greed take this away from us.
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I can be reached at regina_lopez@abs-cbn.com.
