As this column's heading suggests, we intend to focus our irreverent attention on matters concerning, involving, of interest and relevant to women of all ages, sizes, shapes, persuasions, and advocacies, which, after all is said and done, touch on practically everything under the sun. In other words, topics, concerns and information as broad and divergent in depth and scope as anything one can poke an inquiring nose into. Because we of the fair sex (which some men find quite unfair, really!) are most capable of finding kinship with and can easily relate to, contribute our own feminine views to -- put a skirt on, so to speak -- most issues. We have been as notoriously curious about everything and anything since our ancestress, Eve, raised her eyes to examine the merits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and undertook to concoct the first fruit-based recipe which she shared with her husband, Adam. The rest has become our own story, and thousands of years later, we ladies are still at it – and putting our skirts on and creating our own changes and improvements to the benefit and sometimes, detriment, of the male side of the populace of this earth.

With the issue on issues to be tackled in this column having been thus laid to rest, we can now move on to other random topics.

Such as the new faces in the Albay Capitol since newly-elected Governor Joey Sarte Salceda assumed his post early last July. Albayanons are proud to note that Governor Salceda has appointed women to significant positions in the provincial government, notably former Manito Mayor Emily Kare, now Executive Assistant (Albay Mabuhay Task Force Program Coordinator) and Dr. Ligaya L. Palcon (Executive Assistant on Education and Environment). Expect fast and impressive results from them!

Likewise, Gov. Salceda made history when he asked Eriberto Leroy Cope Berces to join him as Albay's Provincial Administrator, making him, at the age of 34, the youngest to assume said office. More detailed stories on them – and the rest of our new faces at the Capitol – will soon appear, so keep posted.

Last Sept. 22, we had the fortuitous chance of witnessing the Bicol Express Caravan 2007 at work at the Anislag Resettlement area. Spearheaded by former international beauty queen Margie Moran Floirendo of Habitat, and under the over-all coordination of Leo Borras of Ateneo de Naga, a group of about 600 volunteers from private entities and colleges and universities – Globe, Ayala Group of Companies, La Salle, Ateneo de Naga, to name a few – motored from Manila and Naga to Anislag, Daraga, Albay where they helped build housing units for families of evacuees and victims of calamities who have been relocated there. What spurred me to go there was the presence of my youngest daughter, Chai, who was one of the 105 volunteer students from Ateneo de Naga who took part in said humanitarian undertaking. Together with all the rest of the Caravan members, and under strong intermittent rains, she shoveled gravel and sand, and connected steel/aluminum trusses, even as others cheerfully mixed cement, hefted heavy loads of construction materials, pushed laden wheelbarrows, etc., that saw about a hundred housing units taking wonderful shape right before the grateful eyes of the lucky beneficiaries. According to Chai, Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda and Daraga Mayor Cicero C. Triunfante were generous and kind enough to sponsor their lunch and dinner, while Aquinas University and Lafayette Mining Corporation helped contribute significantly to the successful conduct of said community service-oriented activity.

One bonus pleasant surprise came in the form of Tessie Cruz Villacorta of the Ayala Group of Companies who was responsible for the presence of the Globe and Ayala contingents. A classmate in college, it was the first time we met in 41 years – and in such a most unlikely place as Anislag! With her was her husband, lawyer Hector Villacorta, one of the most unassuming people I have had the privilege to meet. Tessie told me that she had e-mailed me about her planned visit to Albay, but as circumstances would have it, I had the misfortune of being unable to visit my e-mail box for the past two weeks, hence my total ignorance of her involvement with the Habitat-initiated Bicol Express Caravan (as of now, I'm still unable to access the Internet!). Since her stay was most limited, I managed to have a very brief tete-a-tete with her at the Pepperland Hotel where she and Hector were billeted. She was kind enough to share with me a sampling of her daughter Carissa's writings. Carissa is the youngest of three children, and is a gifted writer and author of books. New York-based for quite some time now, she writes column articles for Philippine News, excerpts from which I would like to take the liberty to quote for our edification and to serve as food for thought.

Too bad I couldn't see my friends off last Sunday. That they and the rest of their companions would make a special and precious parenthesis out of their very busy lives in order to make a significant difference for the better among the less privileged in our province without minding the sweat and neither counting the cost, not only impressed me -- and many others -- no end, but has inspired and encouraged us to do our own bit for the benefit of our fellow men and women. May their tribe increase!

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