Headquarters Letter
Issued by the National President
June 2010
Past Issues
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Lumen School Opens
Lumen School of Bacolod opened last May with its first free Summer Class in Bago City, about 20 minutes from Bacolod city proper. It had an enrollment of 92 students which included high school students. This coming school year, however, Lumen will only accept preschool students (nursery, kindergarten and preparatory). Elementary school will start next school year. The teachers were Glony Ganciar and Glendale Toledo who were trained in Golden Link College last year. A third teacher during the summer class was Loredel Agustin, a teacher of TOS Learning Center.
Lumen School was founded by Mrs. Susana Cruz, together with her husband, Donato Cruz; it is now headed by Ruth Cruz, the daughter of Susana. It is intended to become a college. The training of the teachers and the supervision of its academic program is done by Golden Link College.
 
Left photo: Some of the summer class students of Lumen School. On the left is TSP President Vic Hao Chin Jr. On the extreme right is Ms. Rekha Nahar, Administrator of Golden Link College; to her right is Ruth Cruz, Administrator of Lumen School. The ladies in blue are the faculty members; from left is Glony Ganciar, Verna Jamili, Glendale Toledo and Loredel Agustin. Right photo: a presentation by preschool pupils during the Closing Program of the Free Summer Classes.
The above photo is the building of Lumen School.
Susana Cruz Passes Away
One of the pillars of the Visayas-Mindanao Federation, Mrs. Susana Cruz, passed away at St. Luke's Hospital in Quezon City last January 7, 2010. She was cremated in Sanctuarium and her ashes were buried in Bacolod City.
Susana was the Founder and President of the Bacolod Lodge of the Theosophical Society. She established three schools: Besant School, Rainbow Play Center, and Lumen School. A program in her honor was conducted at the Prominence Inn in Bacolod City, whether family members and friends shared their feelings and memories of Susana. Vic Hao Chin Jr. and Boy Quezon of Ormoc attended the program, as well as join the burial ceremonies the next day. |
Above: Susana Cruz singing and being serenaded by aspiring singers during the Year-End Party last December 2009. Surrounding her from left are Tony Valenciano, Rosel Doval-Santos, William Serrano and Pat Munoz. |
The TS was virtually the only organization that Susana was very active in for the last twenty years. She never missed a regional or national convention. She attended the World Congress of the TS in Sydney in 2001. Her theosophical work has been greatly supported by her entire family, especially her husband, Donato, who is also a member of the TS. Ruth, her eldest daughter, is also a member and has established a new study group, called Lumen Study Group in Bacolod. Her other daughter, Ruby, together with her husband, Philip Cruz, are also actively assisting in continuing the legacy of Susana.
To Susana, it's been a blessing to have been your co-worker and close friend this life. Till we meet again!
National Convention and Election in Manila
The next national convention and national election will be held at the national headquarters on November 19-21, 2010 (Friday to Sunday). The first day will again be devoted to a retreat.
The national election will choose the seven members of the board of trustees, who will in turn elect the officers among themselves, specifically President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
There will be a review and planning on the national work based on the 10-year goals of the section. Members are urged to attend the said convention.
Theosophical World Congress in Rome
The international Theosophical Society will be holding its 10th World Congress in Rome, Italy, from July 10-15, 2010. The theme is "Universal Brotherhood without Distinction: A Road to Awareness."
Members are welcome to attend the congress. Several members from the Philippines are planning to attend it. The last Congress was in Sydney in 2001. The Congress is held every seven or more years in various parts of the world. It is different from the International Convention which is held in Chennai, Madras, India every December 26-31 of each year.
For information, please visit the http://theosophy.ph and click on further information on the World Congress. Or go to the website of the TS in Italy: http://www.teosofica.org/en/10th-world-congress-of-the-theosophical-society/,262
Indo-Pacific Conference in India this December
The triennial conference of the Indo-Pacific Federation of the Theosophical Society will be held in Adyar, Chennai, India at the international headquarters of the Theosophical Society, simultaneous with the International Convention, on Dec. 26-31, 2010. The theme of the convention is "Theosophical Teachings on the Path."
The Indo-Pacific Conference is regularly held every three years in various member countries. When it is held in India, it is done simultaneously with the International Convention to take advantage of the lectures and activities of the said convention.
Members of the TS in the Philippines are welcome to attend the said dual convention. Information may be obtained from TS Adyar's website: http://www.ts-adyar.org/content/135th-international-convention.
Visayas Federation Conference in Davao
The Visayas Federation Conference was held at Davao City last April 23-25, 2010 and hosted by the Southern Mindanao Cluster: Maharlika Lodge, Toril Lodge, Celestine Lodge and General Santos Study Group. The theme of the conference was "Understanding
Spirituality and Stewardship of our Natural World." The next convention will be held Ormoc City.
A lecture by Bebot Rodil during the Visayas Mindanao Federation Convention at Davao City
Luzon Federation Conference in Los Banos
The Luzon Federation Conference was held inside the campus of University of the Philippines in Los Banos last May 21 to 23. It was the largest Luzon Federation gathering since its founding. The theme was "Karma and Human Destiny." It was hosted by members who lived in Los Banos, headed by Victor and Jo Penaranda, assisted by Nikos Penaranda, Richard and Consuelo Estrella. It was decided that the next convention will be in Cabanatuan City.
Above: Participants in the Luzon Federation Conference listen to the talk of Tony Valenciano of Pandacan Lodge.
Three New Study Groups Formed
New Study Groups of the TS were formed in the following places: Lumen Study Group, Bacolod City, headed by Ruth Cruz; Kananga Study Group, Kananga, Leyte, headed by Henry Nicolas, and Arbuela Study Group, Albuera, Leyte, headed by Michael Andrade.
Lumen Study Group is the third group in Bacolod City, while in Leyte there are already a total of 4 groups, the other two being in Ormoc and Palompon. |
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Seminars and Lectures in Leyte
The TS has been quite busy in Leyte lately under the initiative of Arnold Lumangtad of Ormoc Lodge, and Virgie Suralta of Palompon. As a result of this series of activities, two new study groups were formed, and two more are being planned in Isabel and Hilongos. The following are the various seminars and lectures in the past few months:
March 3: Public Lecture on Handling Stress and Emotional Distress, Kananga Municipal Hall, Kananga, Leyte
March 4: Lecture on Self-Transformative Education and Character Builidng, St. Peter's College, Ormoc, Leyte; also in Jose Navarro Polytechnic College in Ormoc, Leyte
March 4: Public lecture on Handling Stress and Emotional Distress, hosted by Barangay Cogon, Ormoc, Leyte
March 5: Lectures on Self-Transformative Education and Character Building in the following schools: San Antonio College, Ormoc; Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte
March 6-7: Self-Transformation Seminar, Palompon Institute of Technology, Leyte
March 8: Public Lecture on Handling Stress and Emotional Distress, Palompon, Leyte
March 9: Lectures on Self-Transformation and Character Building: St. Paul School and Eastern Visayas State University
May 26: Meeting of Palompon Study Group on the Theosophical Center in Palompon
May 27-28, Self-Transformation Seminar for Kananga Teacher's Association, Kananga, Leyte
May 27, Lecture on Handling Stress and Emotional Distress, hosted by the Knights of Columbus, Albuera, Leyte
May 29-30, Self-Transformation Seminar for the public, Santo Nino College, Ormoc, Leyte
May 29, Lecture of Introductory Theosophy
May 30, Lecture of Theosophy
May 31, Lecture on Theosophy
June 10-12: Golden Link Youth Camp for the 92 members of the Sanguniang Kabataan of Kananga, Leyte
The lectures and seminars were conducted by Vic Hao Chin and Bimboy Penaranda. The youth camp was conducted by Janice Gapaz, Bimboy Penaranda, and Gady Llamasares. The youth camp was so successful that at the end of the camp the participants lined up on both sides of the street just to wave goodbye to the facilitators.
Below are some photos of the Leyte activities:
Above: Bimboy Penaranda conducting Self-Transformation to public school teachers in Kananga, Leyte, organized by the Kananga Public School Teachers Association.
Above: participants of the youth camp conducted by the Theosophical Society for young people in Kananga, Leyte. The youth camp was organized and funded by the municipal government of Kananga.
Golden Link College Offers New Courses, Has New Building
Golden Link College opened three more college courses this school year, namely, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. These are in addition to existing courses: Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education.
The total population of the college, most of whom are in the Basic Education Department, is 510, or an increase of 18% over last year's 432 students.
This June, Golden Link College has a new building which will house the assembly hall, canteen, library and additional classrooms. The original plan was to construct only the assembly hall with the fund donated by TOS USA and Kern Foundation. It was decided that the building be made into a four-story structure to meet the needs of the growing population of the college.
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This is the new building (still under construction) of Golden Link College. It is partly funded by the donation of TOS-USA and Kern Foundation. |
TS to Conduct ST Seminar for OPAPP
| The Theosophical Society in the Philippines is partnering with the government's Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) to conduct the Self-Transformation Seminar to the faculty of four public schools in Guinobatan and Ligao in Albay province. OPAPP is the government arm involved in bringing about a culture of peace in the country, including negotiating with armed rebel groups such as the MNLF and the MILF. |
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The partnership was concluded through the efforts of Bimboy Penaranda, TS Board member. He said that the seminars will be conducted between July and October of this year.
ST Seminar Conducted for Mercedarian School
A 3-day Self-Transformation Seminar was conducted for the faculty and administration of Mercedarian School, a Catholic school run by the Mercedarian Order (Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded in 1218 in Spain) at the request of its principal, Sr. Evelyn. It was conducted by Vic Hao Chin, Jr., TSP President, with the assistance of Virgie Agustin Soneja.
The participants of the Self-Transformation Seminar at the Mercedarian School. Seated at the center (in white) is Sister Evelyn, the principal of the school. To her right is Vic Hao Chin Jr., President of the TS.
The school had previously requested Vic to conduct a lecture on parenting to the parents of their students last January 31, 2010.
Past Issues:
2009 October
2008 December
2008 April
2008 January
2007 August |
