MESSAGE
on the Opening of the Rex Book Store, Inc. ,
Calapan City, June 28, 2007
ATTY. DOMINADOR D. BUHAIN
President, Rex Book Store, Inc.
Gov. Arnan C. Panaligan, Mayor Doy Leachon, City Councilor Girlie Ignacio, Bishop Warlito Cajandig, Dr. Florida C. Leuterio, Dean of Academic Affairs, Divine World College of Calapan,; Dr. Estrellita A. Dolor, Superintendent, Department of Education Division of Calapan, Dr. Edna G. Piol, Campos Dean, MINSCAT, Bungabong Campos, Educators, Professionals, Students, Good Friends:
GREETINGS!
The putting up of REX Book Store – Oriental Mindoro is historically meaningful, not only because it is the birthplace of my wife Cynthia but also because the lot where the store is situated was inherited by her and by process of law became jointly owned by me and our children upon her demise.
I wish to convey that as early as four decades ago, I developed an attraction to the province of Oriental Mindoro. One has to traverse the blue waters in the many islands from Batangas to land on the island. I could remember the rivulet which shrimps within the lot of Mr. Capati – – the father of Allan Capati. The green grass, shady mango trees, the corals of Puerto Galera, the small museum and more importantly the hospitality of the people where we as strangers were given shelter and food for free.
It was not, however, well accepted in Calapan because I was accosted by a group probably led by Manong Loving.
The overall experience nevertheless embedded upon me the desire to be a part of the province. As Divine Providence would have allowed it, the golden opportunity presented itself when I started to work at Philamlife Insurance Company and that I learned one day that the beautiful daughter of the then Governor of Oriental Mindoro was working in the canteen.
Despite the many suitors, I relentlessly pursued my offer of love which fortunately was accepted. What happened next was history. We were supposed to be blessed with one more child other than Don and Danda, but the result of the ultrasound did not allow the survival of the supposed child.
Athe original REX Book Store was razed to the ground after a conflagration but through prayers and perseverance under the stewardship of our present Chairman Mr. Juanito Fontelera, not to mention my selling efforts throughout the Archipelago, we managed to survive and somehow to progress and until this point in time under the virtual leadership of the third generation led by Chief Operating Officer Don Buhain, we are sustained by Divine Providence.
It is just unfortunate that Cynthia went ahead to see her Creator for more than five years now.
I must confess that at this point in time I did not follow the template or rigid requirements of Don in putting up this branch. Coincidentally, he is a superior awardee at the Asian Institute of Management. There were occasions in the past like the putting up of REX Tuguegarao, Batanes and Trece Martirez that REX transcends business considerations in its noble motivation to bring forth education or knowledge to a locality and likewise to solicit knowledge therefrom in the form of authorship and to imbibe the culture as well.
I therefore hope and pray that with the patronage of the people and schools of Oriental Mindoro and the indispensable support of Gov. Arnan C. Panaligan, Mayor Leachon, City Councilor Girlie Ignacio, Dr. Florida C. Leuterio,; Dr. Estrellita A. Dolor, Dr. Edna G. Piol, students and good friends, the putting up of this branch will not only be historically significant but at the same time would be commercially viable.
Thank you very much.
