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Symphony in Samar
Guest Post, Special Feature

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I was touched by this story about a special trip to Samar, a province in the Philippines, by
Junfil Olarte. A former Aeronautical Engineering Technician in Singapore, Junfils passion for
writing as an international travel writer began in early 2003. His interests are travel, culture,

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history, lifestyle, languages, food and wine. Junfil believes the spirit of international travel is
one of the best medicines for the many pressures in life.
A Trip to Samar
by Junfil Olarte
A soft breezy sunrise rouses me as my ship nears the
coast and moors at the docks of Maguino-o, off the city of

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Based in the San
Francisco Bay Area,
Catherine Sweeney
provides inspiration
and information for the
sophisticated traveler.

Calbayog, Western Samar in the Central Philippines. I feel

like a sixteenth-century explorer reincarnated. There you
are, I whisper upon sighting the shores of Samar,
believing I could reach the location only through history
books. It is one of the very destinations I often read about
and even longed to visit since I was seven or eight.
Maguino-o seaport really looks like an isolated place. You can
hardly notice the houses nearby. The scene still brings you
back to the early years (undeveloped in other words), with
meagerly built homes yet pacific, having fresh air and

Seize every travel opportunity -- I do! I'm a

travel enthusiast with a lifelong passion for

unblemished environment. Perhaps, unlike many travel

going places. A weekend getaway, a last-

writers in the country, such a place catches my attention

minute trip to Europe, a cross-country road

most. Especially, that it does not see even a glimpse of

trip or a local jaunt -- theyre all on my radar.

foreign visitors.

And its all made extra special when Im

enjoying the finer things in life with my

Come, quickly, Joel gives me a nod, that bus will take us 30

minutes to Calbayog. Really feel like Ferdinand Magellan
reincarnated, I respond. He grins. And we both laugh,

husband and co-blogger, Mr. TWS. Get

inspired as I share my photos and stories
highlighting the best of destinations, food,
wine, history, culture and the arts.

leaving the seaport of Maguino-o having done a few snapshots.

Franciscan Father Marlowe Rosales receives us warmly
when we get in at the Friarys refectory, situated right
beside the secondary school premises of Christ the King
College (a popular OFM run school in Calbayog City). With
us in the dining room is Father Marcelo Tubac, the

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schools OIC President, whom I also ask for some

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information about the area, along with Father Rosales who

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has arranged my media visit in the city.

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Father Rosales

I say that this city in Samar is not touristy: narrow streets

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as weve meandered through it, having only one or two

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(yet tiny) department stores with small number of

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celebrated refreshment centres. Seeing foreign travellers roaming around here is sporadic. However, it does

have something very important. The splendour of the citys natural attractions, its colourful culture and arts,

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historical features and the ancient relics in its museum are simply remarkable, which interest me to even travel

Highlights

22 hours by sea from my port of origin in Northwestern Mindanao Southern Philippines, with stopover in Cebu,

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sailing through the island straits of Leyte.

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We do have natural spots here, Father Marlowe tells me,

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but still fairly developed. These are beaches and

Samar Museum

waterfalls; a hot spring that provides therapeutic waters;

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and a number of caves in its forests (part of Samar

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Islands vast labyrinth of caves) that hardly ever visited by

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domestic and foreign tourists. I can assist you going to

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these attractions if you choose to stay long, Father

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Marlowe convinces me. But tomorrow, he continues,

Festival

were going to drive eleven kilometres from this city for the

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orchestra concert.

Toronto

The following day finds us driving through a narrow road

off the city to witness the said orchestra concert in Migara.

This remote destination situates itself at the upper vicinity of Calbayog, about eleven kilometres away from the
city proper. Perhaps the most interesting thing Ive learnt from this journey is how one colourful musical legacy
(which goes back years before the Second World War) has been brought back by a Franciscan Priest to life
after it ceases in 1975.
Jose Cinco Gomez, in fact, was the famous composer in Samar, who had his Colegio de San Vicente de Paul
Orchestra organised in 1930 (renamed the Cecilian Orchestra two years later). The arrival of American
Franciscans in 1951 had reopened Christ the King College (CKC), where Mr. Gomez became a member of the
schools personnel and set up the Kings Royal Orchestra. This became the CKC Astro Notes as dedicated
to American space travellers who first landed on the moon in the late 1960s.

Click here to visit y Travel Blog.

Jose Gomezs organised orchestra five decades ago had

enjoyed performing its original pieces in Calbayog and its
neighbouring towns and even played classical symphony
from European Legends as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven.
However, Samars piece of music died right after the day
Jose Gomez passed away in 1975. And no one since then
has ever taken his place to revive such rare legacy he left.
It really wasnt easy at first when I first arrived here in September 2006, recalls Father Rosales, sitting in front
of the car whilst on our way to Migara. School students had only bare knowledge on such musical instruments,
he explains, and I needed much time to do a research-study on each of those instruments to teach them.
Father Marlowe then embarked on a great task of reviving Calbayogs symphony, which had been dormant for
three decades, and bringing music to young students of Christ the King College. He obtained his Bachelor of

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Music in Conducting and Bachelor of Music in Music Education in the University of Santo Tomas Manila in
1998-2001, and began teaching students at CKC such orchestral instruments, including piano, and the reading
of its musical notes which is the most difficult and crucial of all. I say its tough, really, explains the 38-year-old
priest. I even thought trumpet was just a mere instrument where you simply blow on it in order to create
harmonic tunes, Father Marlowe smiles. In the case of strings, he adds, Id had assistance from already
learnt students to help others for fast learning.
The Orchestra received considerable help and funding from
natives of Calbayog who are already living in the United
States. Other than that, Father Rosales would even attend
meetings of CKCs Parents-Teachers Association,
requesting donations for the much required additional
instruments, but received only a few responses. With this in
mind, he did file a personal loan at the school in order to
purchase some of those needed musical gadgets.

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The long months of difficult endeavours had turned into one great honour when Father Marlowe Rosales set up
the CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra in 2007, signifying the renaissance of the islands long lost legacy. The
symphony group then did its first performance at the Monastery of Saint Clare on March 9, 2008, followed by
concerts at different venues in several towns of the province, and even spent successful performances at
Philippine Capital sites as Manilas Century Park Hotel, Mall of Asia, and Forbes Park.
CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra members are composed of high
school learners as young as 13 to 16. Many tried, but not all
were selected, to become participants of the Orchestras first
chorale set. Persistent interest and discipline on the part of
aspirants came to be the basis of the final selection. Carl
Bordeos, CKCs Public Relations who happens to be the
bands Concert Coordinator, says the Orchestra is filled
initially with students from secondary level, but it has now had
some college members: members who pursued their college
studies at the same school and chose to remain in the
Orchestra.
CKC Orchestra is the only orchestra existing in Samar provinces (or perhaps, in the entire Philippine Islands in
terms of young school artists) that has successfully established itself and even obtained noteworthy publicity
from famous Philippine media as ABS-CBNs Umagang Kay Ganda and GMAs Mel & Joey in 2009 and
2010, respectively. Because of this rare and great achievement (same as the Franciscan Father Cantius
Kobak), the City Government Council passed an Official Resolution on October 11, 2010 declaring Father
Marlowe Rosales (a native from Ozamiz City, Southern Philippines) as an Adopted Son of Calbayog.
As we arrive in Migara, Father Marlowes colourful story about the symphony revival reminds me of how the
Franciscan Friars, from past to present, have bequeathed a wealth of priceless heritage to the people of Samar.
This concert is part of the schools outreach program, so that less fortunate people, especially poor children,
can watch the Orchestra at no cost, he explains as we move toward the concert grounds.
CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra will perform concerts in the Philippine Capital on the following dates:
April 1, 2011-Camp Crame, Quezon City
April 2, 2011- Resorts World Manila
April 3, 2011 Paco Park Manila
Christ the King College
Calbayog City website
Photos courtesy of : Joel F. Te Roa, SFO/Carl Bordeos,
CKC PR
The article was originally published in its entirety on
Daves Travel Corner.

Junfil Olarte and two orchestra members

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Posted by Catherine Sweeney at 11:52 am

Tagged with: Phillipines

4 Responses to Symphony in Samar

1.

Grace says:
March 30, 2011 at 12:32 am

So glad you featured this on your blog! Ive never been to Samar myself and I am from the Philippines. I was not aware
they had an orchestra.
Grace recently posted..Around the world in a day at the LA Times Travel &amp Adventure Show
Reply

2.

robin says:
March 30, 2011 at 2:38 am

Another great story! The orchestra sounds like a real labour of love and the post reads like one.
robin recently posted..Tiempo
Reply

3.

Jozef @ Where Now says:

March 31, 2011 at 9:42 am

Great story there really is nothing like listening to a live orchestra!

Jozef @ Where Now recently posted..The Pantanal Day 2
Reply

4.

Laurel says:
March 31, 2011 at 10:15 am

What an inspirational story and kudos to the CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra for persevering during difficult times.
Laurel recently posted..Why Im Afraid to Have Surgery in Germany
Reply

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