Badoc Adopts Maui Councilmember Gladys Baisa at Husband's Homecoming

By Danny Agsalog
Fil-Am Observer August 2009 Issue
Front Page



BADOC, Ilocos Norte – On her first ever trip to the Philippines, the Municipality of Badoc adopted as daughter Maui Councilmember Gladys C. Baisa through a resolution approved on July 13 at its 55th regular session.



Badoc Mayor Thomas N. Torralba presented the resolution to Councilmember Baisa on July 15 at the Office of the Mayor.



The staff of the municipality, members of the Sangguniang Bayan, and Baisas’ relatives attended the presentation of the resolution.



Sherman Baisa, husband of Councilmember Baisa, accompanied her to Badoc.



The Baisas trace their roots to Badoc, with Sherman’s father, Cirilo, migrating to Hawai’i in 1921 or 88 years ago and never came back.



The Baisas could not find the words to describe their first-ever visit to Badoc.



Mayor Torralba and his staff searched for Sherman’s living relatives and arranged for a meeting between them at the reception held by the municipality for the councilmember.



“Sherman is the first in his family to visit his father’s birthplace. This is homecoming for him,” the councilmember said.



“It is a dream come true,” added Sherman, the seventh of nine children, following the emotional meeting with his relatives.



At the same reception, Councilmember Baisa was presented with formal request via a Sangguniang Bayan resolution to establish a “Sister City” relationship between Badoc and the county of Maui, a request the latter promised to push at the council of the County of Maui.

After the reception in the mayor’s office, the Baisas were escorted by Mayor Torralba to visit Barangay Turod where the late Cirilo lived prior to his migration to Hawaii.



The Baisas’ day tour concluded with a visit to Port Salomague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, where the elder Baisa boarded the boat that would bring him to Hawai’i.



During their short trip to the Philippines, Councilmember Baisa was also able to pay courtesy visits to local dignitaries.



She visited the office of the Governor of Ilocos Norte, Michael Marcos Keon, with whom she exchanged gifts and discussed common issues such as the economy, governance, and culture.



She also visited Mayor Alfredo Valdez of the Municipality of San Nicolas, where she was given the opportunity to learn about the operation of the Local Government Units in the Philippines.

“It has been an exciting, emotional, and very productive visit,” Baisa said, recalling the whole trip at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 2, prior to checking-in for their return flight to Hawaii.



“I will go back to Hawaii and start planning for my next visit to Ilocos Norte,” she said. “I really enjoyed the country and its people.