MWBuzz Person of the Year: Ernesto ‘Ernie’ and Mary Penia

Ernie (right) and Mary Pena … promoting the importance of books 

By PERCY A OSTONAL

"IT SEEMS like only yesterday when you're working on your assignment at JPHS library in the 60s and were having a hard time accessing the books you need.

“With a big number of students during my senior year in 1964 against a few copies available, such books were precious like gold.”

These were the words of Ernesto "Ernie" Pena, who along with his wife and fellow alumni, the former Maria P Bacuno, has been chosen by MWBuzz as “Person of the year” for helping to strengthen the educational foundation of Jose Panganiban (National) High School and Gawad Kalinga High School students of yesteryears as well as the present.

The Gawad Kalinga High School is located at Baranggay Osmena, which was later split to pave way for the creation of the new barangay Gawad Kalinga.

A self-made man from a poor family and a native of the place, Pena, after graduation, was accepted into the US Navy in December of 1964. 

As mentioned in my previous article “Books for Mambulao Schools”, for more than 30 years, this community service has become a "life time commitment" for Ernie and Mary, and would continue as long as they're around.  

The Penas have long settled in the state of Pennsylvania.

At Mambulaoans Worldwide Buzz, we subscribed to the ideal concept of community service, the preservation and care of Mambulao Bay, mangrove re-planting,  community partnership in livelihood with the local authority and the promotion of educational and skills training initiatives .

Congratulations, Ernie and Mary!

Your commitment and involvement towards promoting learning awareness at an early age makes the future leasers of our community well on their way prepared.