Many decades have passed since Carlos P. Romulo wrote an article with the above
title, yet today the analogy of the bamboo still aptly describes the Butuanon
expat. The more successful the Butuanon becomes, the more he bends to look back
to his homeland, as if to touch his roots in the land that once nurtured him
and his forebears.
A successful Butuanon Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, did
bend to touch the soil of his hometown. He provided funds for the drilling of
two dozen artesian wells in distant barrios ngani Butuan. Today, safe water
flows where there was none before. Water-borne diseases are prevented in the
community. Implemented by the Ivory Charities Foundation, Inc., the project is
dubbed AURORA WELLS in honor of the donor.s late mother, Aurora S. Garcia, who
was a great teacher at the Butuan Central Elementary School.
Today, in San Francisco, California, USA and in Sydney, Australia reside the
children of a great English teacher who was among the first .pensionados. from
Butuan to study in Ohio and New York. They donated funds, through the Ivory
Charities Foundation, Inc., for the construction of a library to honor their
mother. Today, there stands the CARIDAD T. ELUMBA LIBRARY OF ENGLISH at the
Agusan National High School. It is comfortably air-conditioned, adequately
stocked with 828 textbooks and references, many periodicals and journals, and
equipped with a desktop computer and printer. Butuan is blessed with expatriate
Butuanons who cherish fond memories of their families in their hometown.
Many years ago, a family from Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte immigrated to the
USA. The son soon became a physician and built up a successful practice in Los
Angeles, California. He never forgot his roots. He embarked on a project to
inculcate moral values, patriotism, the love for Butuan and the teaching of the
Butuanon dialect on the Butuanon youth. Implemented by the Ivory Charities
Foundation, Inc., and supported by the Department of Education and Culture and
the faculty of Butuan Central Elementary School, the program, called THE
ALFONSO R. ALAAN YOUTH PROJECT, honors the memory of the donor's late father.
It is in its 4th year and today it involves 18 teachers and 452 pupils in
Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6. A plaque of recognition and appreciation signed by the
Secretary of Education and Culture was awarded for the project.
The benevolence of expatriate Butuanons is truly awesome. It is immensely
appreciated ngani Butuan. There are many many more Butuanons abroad, mostly in
the U.S., who have grown "tall" and are looking back constantly to touch their
roots ngani Butuan. Their unsung stories will be featured in future articles in
this section.
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