Welcome to the
Candonians of Southern California, Inc.
COMMENTARIES
Date:         Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:17:12 -0800 (PST)
From:        "Isabel Astrero" <isabel_unpdean@yahoo.com>

Congratulations on your website!  I was able to open it at last, and it gave me nostalgic feelings to be seeing
most of you again, even in pictures and articles only.  It made me feel homesick too, for OUR (mine and your)
university, and the scholars who shed tears (most of them, anyway) as they related the stories of their lives
during the interview.  I pray that your organization will continue its noble endeavor of helping  those who need
them most.  Without you, these young and intelligent students who have the ambition of helping their families
out of the quagmire of poverty would only add to the growing number of "liabilities" among our countrymen.
May your tribe increase.
                                                  By Lando Valdez
                                            Candon City, Ilocos Sur
                                                 Wed, 6 Feb 2008

Thanks for the launching of the website tagacandon.com; we are now able to update ourselves to the real picture of Candonians of
Southern California Inc.17 years ago today some Candonians in southern Californians bonded together to
formed     an association for a common good and to help themselves and othersThese Candonians braved unknown shores in
search for a better life for themselves and family. They excelled and prospered despite numerous challenges theyhad to overcome.
This feat was always a source of an endless pride for us homebodies here in Candon City . Candonians all over USA, particularly
in southern California, had shared part of the fruit’s of their labors to their families back home, to the less fortunate, but deserving
students, they benefited them with scholarships, and they also gave donations to the Adopt-a-School projects, etc. Mind you these
are not all just ‘mana’ in the sky, but achieved thru hard work and sacrifices.

By the collective wisdom of the association’s founders and officers down to its present president, the association was now a
success story. They tried further to cultivate in the minds of every members that education and dedication was not enough;
education without goodness is nothing, dedication that falters is also nothing. What they envisioned for every member, is to be
more cultured, enlightened, and to be socially competent. And, more so, to know the difference between what is seemingly right
and good, to what is really right and good. This entails higher awareness for things relevant to human aspirations.

My further reading in the website, in the “statement of position” I came to notice the incident of a walk-out during the election of
officers in 2007, this was done by not only one but one third of all the officers: conspiracy? Ignoring this fact does not change the
fact that this indeed happened. This does not surprise me at all, if this did happen here in our own country. Walk-out, walk-in and
the likes was already a long time fad over here. Here anyone who lost or about to lost in a contest with their peers will do a walk-
out thinking that it is the only cool thing to do. But others are sour grapping, thinking otherwise: cheated! Still I deemed the act as
a very non-dramatic and futile gesture which runs counter to the aims and ideals of the association, in which every member
suppose to uphold.

Anyway, with due respect to all concerns, I may quote here the late Venerable Emilio de Peralta. “Anyone can ‘stand-up’ for his
or her own opinions and prejudices’. (Quote, unquote) I am all respect to all who deserved it, but to my ‘friends’ a little love and
malice is permitted. Even a fool like me had opinions too.

My best wishes for your on coming event for the month of March. More power to everybody! And as a parting words for Mrs.
Lilia R. Alog and company: just stay as good as you are, do the right thing to the best of your ability and no one will ever accuse
you of acts that is prejudicial to the association nor to anyone!
Subject:        Re: Website
Date:        Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:02:50 +0000

Manang here is the complete message that we want it posted in the comment section of the Candonians
website.  "Iti nagan ti amin a miembros ti SJI batch '74 iyawat mi ti naimposoan a panagyaman mi ken Mr. &
Mrs. Willy Alog ken ti familia na ti inda panang parwad daytoy a website. Itan adda lugar nga paka-ammoan
dagiti naduma -duma a pasamak ken damdamag ti amin a taga Candon sadinno man a parte toy lubong. A
brilliant idea!"  Thank you and regards!     

titovic