Save the Bells ( Kampanya para sa Kampana)

It all started from a casual exchange of conversations in a Facebook group of alumni from the Mount Carmel School of Infanta (MCSI)..

But it quickly gathered momentum and has spread like wildfire...before we knew it, it is now an official campaign project aptly dubbed KAMPANYA PARA SA KAMPANA..a fund-raising campaign for the restoration/replacement of the historic church bells of St. Mark's Cathedral in my hometown of  Infanta, Quezon.

The only remaining bell. Photo courtesy of Shina Mutya-Combalicer

To me and to everyone in Infanta, the bells are part of our every celebration...Almost everyone in town grew up hearing their unique sounds.....slow and solemn during the Angelus, sorrowful during funerals and times of mourning....and of course, who can ever forget their very festive and joyous rings to mark the start of our traditional Simbang Gabi and how they compete with the fireworks at the high point of every Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve mass....It is something we look forward to especially during the Christmas season..they really bring happy thoughts..happy memories..

The sounds were so unique only a handful of individuals is capable of doing it... They all came from a a family of talented musicians, the bell-ringing task being passed from one generation to another thus preserving the unique and distinctive "repeke" the bells are best known for..

That is why it is quite disheartening to know that our beloved Church bells are no longer ringing as they used to..

Old age has already caught up with them..inscriptions on the bells suggest they were made in the late 1800's..but nobody in our town could tell exactly when they arrived and were installed in our cathedral..From the original three bells, only one is left working..the largest (32" dia.) ,though still hanging precariously,had developed a crack while the smallest (about 22" dia.) already fell off from its chain..

Our alumni association together with the Parish Priest and of course, the whole town of Infanta are initiating a campaign to raise funds to help save the bells..Restoration is originally part of the plan but initial investigations and various expert opinions suggest it will be a very delicate and, admittedly, expensive process..the least we can do now is to replace them.

In line with this, we have launched various campaign strategies to help generate funds. I've done my part in creating the advertising posters and t-shirt designs while others are making the rounds and visits to solicit donations. Shina of streetsmartchic.com  has already posted the same call in her blog. ..Still others are giving and sharing their time and talent for the success of this project...

Here is the campaign theme song composed and sung by our homegrown talent, Norman Taniegra. Video courtesy of Kaye Villaflor with photos from various sources.



For anyone who wishes to help, kindly visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/kampanyaparasakampana for more information.