The Dionela Family Reunion - Last Year

Dateline LIBACAO
By: Alex E. Dionela

In keeping with our well-cherished tradition, the holding of reunions among families and clans had become a convenient way to bring together people of blood relations in order to renew ties among themselves - having come from the same ancestry. It is also an opportunity for the young and old in the family hierarchy to meet each other and enhance further their close personal relationships, including distant relatives already residing in distant places.
The Dionela clan, a large family in northern Antique province particularly in the towns of Pandan and Sebaste held their 1st Grand Family Reunion on April 26, 2008 in hometown Pandan. It was a whole-day affair attended by immediate and extended family members of all ages and from all walks of life coming from different places in the country with some had came home from abroad purposely to be with their relatives on this memorable occasion.
That historic big gathering of people belonging to one family had turned-out into a sentimental homecoming for everyone. It was like seeing once again a long lost family member. The festive mood of the occasion had not even spared those who had figured-in in partisan politics past and present not withstanding their having belonged to opposing camps. Hence, there was no excuse for one to spoil the occasion – an event of a lifetime to treasure and remember. It was very obvious in the faces of those present that everyone seems so aware of having a Dionela blood in their veins and were happy to be part of the whole big family. As if there was an inviolable rule for everyone to be cordial, brotherly and friendly and set aside for the moment one’s personal and political differences so as not to spoil the occasion and thus attain the gathering’s goal – the revival of their once close family relations.
In Pandan one would find a place called “minuro” which is officially named Barangay Dionela. Another Barangay Dionela could also be found in Caluya in the island of Sibay and a school in barangay Pajo in Libertad is named Alejo S. Dionela Primary School, all in the province of Antique.
This family is proud on the many achievements of its sons and daughters who had distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of human endeavor. To name a few, it had the late Fr. Ignacio Dionela who was the first Pandananon catholic priest, former Pandan Mayors the late Miguel Dionela, Felimon Dionela and Arthur Dionela and leading local private physician Dr. Renato DionelaTugon. Other Dionelas had also held various local elected posts and high positions in government, in police and military service and the private and business sectors with some also excelling in specific fields of professions here and abroad.
In Bacolod, the family has lawyer Cris Dionela whose only child Kareen, is young and beautiful physician at the Riverside Medical Center. His brother Edgar, is author of popular cartoon character “Simo” published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. In nearby Aklan province it has Dra. Agrilita Dionela-Fernandez, recently retired Rural Health Physician of Kalibo whose son Aldrinne is now the young Rural Health Physician in Libacao. Carlito Dionela and Danilo Dionela are Election Officers of Batan and Altavas, respectively and this humble writer is the Civil Registrar in Libacao. Danilo’s brother Megara had figured in many protest rallies and mass actions. And in far away Sorsogon, is Antonio Dionela, a former Mayor of Bacon town. The foremost of these achievers is Peter Dionela Garucho, Jr., then the Tourism and later Executive Secretary of former President Cory Aquino. He is now President and CEO of First Gen Holdings Corp. of the Lopez group of companies. The latest achiever so far is 2Lt. Norman Dionela, a 2008 “cum laude” graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. Of course there are a lot more of these achievers in the clan but sad to say I still have to know all of them. So my earnest apologies to those whom I failed to mention in this enumeration. Perhaps, if a family tree could be made sometime later then no one will be left out as we open the pages of the family’s story and history. Congratulations and best wishes.
Note: A reprint from the Hala Birada Newsweekly in Kalibo, Aklan dated April 24-30, 2008