MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT PO! Tagumpay nating naidaos the Ika-75 na taong pagdiriwang ng kamatayan ng ating ninuno. Ang pagdiriwang na ito ay hudyat lamang ng isang simulain upang ating isariwa ng kadalian ng ating lahi . . . MABUHAY! (double click here)
Alan Rio Luga, was then a Lt. Colonel when he was assigned as the Chief of a Command Center during the AFP's all out campaign to neutralize the Abu Sayaf. The operation commanded by Luga as Center Chief led to series of encounters with the main force of the ASG. It resulted to series of clashes with ASG's splinter groups that eventually led to an encounter with its leader Khadafy Janjalani along with his loyal followers. After his body was dug up in a grave to confirm his identity, Janjalani was given a decent burial in a Muslim tradition. It was an honorable warfare.
Like his Great Grandfather before him, the late Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, a national hero, who once told the American expeditionary forces in Cebu : "I return to you deserters from your camp who sought service with me. I request that you do the same should any of my men weaken from their duty. It is my desire to wage honorable warfare." In a surprise attack, General Henry Lawton with his men run away from battle in the island. Gen. Lawton never set foot in the island of Cebu again. While his grandson, Gen. Emilio S. Luga, Jr., then Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Tabak Divsion once said: while we wages honorable warfare, it is with deep regret that we were not given an opportunity to wage such a war as Filipinos defending our nation against foreign colonizers, like our ancestor. It is with deep regret that we have to defend this nation against our fellow Filipinos that threatens the Republic and the institutions it represents, which our ancestors have dearly fought for.
Today, the AFP Central Command 802nd Infantry Brigade Commander declared that, the battle against the communist insurgency in the Cebu-Bohol-Leyte Development Triangle (CEBOLEY), Cebu and Bohol have been declared insurgency-free. The Brigade Commander's name was Col. Alan Rio Luga, the son of Gen. Emilio S. Luga, Jr., and the Great Grandson of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, who once defended Cebu from foreign colonizer and thereafter from brigands and lawless elements, as the American, who saw much battle in the Philippines, once said: "That then, was Luga, who in 1908 was wearing the red epaulets of the Constabulary. He had been sent to Cebu Island with instructions to keep the island clean and bandit free. And Cebu was clean, under the administration of this capable and valiant native officer. Before me lies Luga's accolade, written by an American officer who saw much service in the Philippines: "In Mateo Luga, you saw a man to remember as long as you live."
The accomplishment of Col. Alan Rio Luga in his recent assignment may not be that colorful in terms of armed encounters. His assignment, however, opens the gateway for the province of Bohol and Cebu to reach the height of peace and development in the Region, never have been experienced in the annals of the Region's history. Today, Bohol and Cebu has one of the lowest crime rate in terms of population ratio with a tourism turn-out, unprecedented in the region's history. This could have never been accomplished by Col. Luga alone. It is the people of Bohol and Cebu, who were the real winners of this war, to whom Col. Alan R. Luga owes his gratitude to earn a coveted star in Armed Forces of the Philippines. CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIGADIER GENERAL ALAN RIO LUGA!
LONG LIVE GENERAL MATEO NORIEL LUGA, HIS COUSINS, THE TRIBAL WARRIORS AND THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF LUGA AFTER THEM!
(ACKNOWLEDGMENT: We would like to acknowlege the Armed Forces of the United States of America and the combatants in the American Expeditionary Forces who saw battle in the Philippines, who, out of respect and admiration to Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga have written historical accounts of the late General - without whom, his name must have been forgotten by history.)
(FR. ANGEL B. LUGA, the Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Cauayan, Isabela and the most senior among the Luga clan in Tumauini, Isabela with his brother Eng. Tony B. Luga , who were the host for this event is inviting all of us to embrace the occassion)
We have been informed by Romeo Luga, the Luga Group from Nueva Vizcaya and Central Luzon that their cell of more than 20 have already organized to depart from Metro Manila going Nueva Vizacaya via Cauayan where they are to assemble before going to Tumauini. The Metro Manila Group of Col. Mateo Luga c/o Mala Jean Luga, consisting of the direct descendants of Gen. Mateo Luga from all over the country including those from abroad numbering more than 21 (others are still to confirm their attendance), shall be leaving Manila by land via Cauayan direct to Tumauini, others by air via Tuguegarao. The Northern Luzon Group headed by Gen. Victor Luga numbering more than 40 shall depart from the different parts of Ilocos Region to assemble at Tumauini. The Tumauini Group from Ugad, the largest contingent of more than 100 families shall be taken care of by Fr. Angel B. Luga in Tumauini.
We have also been informed by Tony Luga thru Mala Jean Luga that the Davao contigent of Maj. Rustico Luga, the oldest surviving Luga at 94, were also organizing and are presently directly coordinating with Fr. Angel Luga thru Eng. Tony Luga. There are other groups from Davao, headed by Dolly Luga numbering eight (8) persons requesting transportation assistance. Please contact Dolly Luga in Davao 482-3001, they need help.
The Group are expecting a word from Gen. Emilio S. Luga, Jr., from Central Visayas, the most senior and one of the most respected retired general of our AFP, a direct descendant of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, which we are sure are also monitoring our activities thru Col. Mateo Luga.
Romeo Luga from Central Luzon is suggesting that if there are those who are willing to volunteer to extend transporation assets for mass transport of other groups to depart from Manila who are without means of transport, it would be most convenient and welcome to help others. Romeo Luga already organized their group with respective vehicles and others without transportation accommodation are coordinating with him. The transportation cost from Cubao to Cauayan is P 500.00 per person. Thus, if it there are about 20 persons, the total costs shall be P P 20,000.00 back and forth. If there are those willing to volunteer for a larger vehicle to ferry the remaining group without any transport from Manila and which they can also used within Tumauini vice-versa, it would be much better. Hence, the number of those without private transport should be firmed up to estimate their actual number. They need logistic support.
We were informed by Mala Jean Luga that Engr. Tony Luga shall be arriving in Metro Manila on the third week of March to firm-up everything for the event. Please stay in touch and be alert for our latest bulletin. Godspeed.
VIVA YBANAG!
Stay in contact with your respective field coordinators.
PLEASE COORDINATE WITH YOUR AREA COORDINATORS:
HOST :
FR. ANGEL B. LUGA Parish Priest Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Cauayan, Isabela Representing the LUGA CLAN of Tumauini, Isabela mobile: 09164516488
OVER ALL COORDINATOR: NORTHERN LUZON:
ENG. TONY LUGA Tumauini, Isabela mobile : 09159350421 email : ENGR. TONY LUGA @ tony.luga@yahoo.com
CENTRAL LUZON:
ROMEO LUGA Central Luzon mobile: 0919-6862026
METRO MANILA:
MALA JEAN LUGA Metro Manila mobile: 09202480313 email: mala jean luga @ malajean@msn.com
This is what we are going to expect at Camp Samal. It's a very nice place where you can stay overnight or even two nights. Feel the experience of praying inside Tumauini Church, when you go over there. Just sit, concentrate and feel the aura of a more than 400 years old Church. Afterward, you can inspect and look intensely the intricate details of the brick formations specially if you have a camera, it's so cool! Its a once in a lifetime shot you have there! We can also visit the San Pablo Church, it is also a unique structure.
From Manila you can take an aircon bus (P500.00 to Cauayan at Our Lady of the Pillar Church) your travel shall take 8 hours. You can leave Manila in Cubao via Dalin Transport or via Victory Lines across Kamuning GMA 7. You can leave at around 9:00 or 10:00 in the evening and have a good sleep while on travel. You'll arrive at around 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., it will not take two hours from Cauayan City to Tumauini.
We are still looking into the schedules, the costing and an ideal package tour within Isabela and around Tumauini, where you can enjoy while on travel. We shall have a travel documentary to document your travel on photo and video, which can be viewed by our relatives worldwide. What is unique in Isabela are its Barroque Churches, which were already declared as a heritage site by no less than the UNESCO, aside from its breath holding sceneries. The Barroque Churches in Isabela already earned worldwide reputation as among the most unique edifice that withstood the test of time. It's a lifetime experience.
Never have we imagined that it was almost two years ago on May 30, 2008 that we meet at Col. Mateo Luga's home in Fairview to talk about the Homecoming of Gen. Mateo Noriel Luga, in his place of birth in Tumauini, Isabela. Never have we encountered in our history books the life and times of a Great Leader, a hero at that, who lives by the principles of love, family, honor, country, and glory who lived a life of a leader, fighting his own war with men foreign to his culture to fight an honorable warfare against the navy of the greatest nation in this planet, the Naval Forces of the United States of America, in Cebu. He fought an honorable warfare despite rescuing his love ones made as hostage to weaken his resolve. His heroism was written by his fierciest enemy the Americans, out of respect and admiration because of his high degree of honor and candor to his enemies despite superiority in force and application of strategies uncommon to honorable warfare. He deserves our admiration and respect.
In honor of this Great Warrior, your attendance to this event as a gesture of honoring his legacy to live beyond generations shall be given life by experiencing and seeing for ourselves where this Great Leader started his own war in Tumauini, Isabela. Please contact Eng. Tony Luga of Malappo Nga Ibanag Cooperative at Mobile: 09159350421. Your advance reservations, pledges or sponsorship to this event shall surely help the organizers of this event. We shall firm up everything on the ground to firm-up everything.
Tagumpay nating naidaos the Ika-75 na taong pagdiriwang ng kamatayan ng ating ninuno. Ang pagdiriwang na ito ay hudyat lamang ng isang simulain upang ating isariwa ng kadalian ng ating lahi . . . MABUHAY! (double click here) 
Tagumpay nating naidaos the Ika-75 na taong pagdiriwang ng kamatayan ng ating ninuno. Ang pagdiriwang na ito ay hudyat lamang ng isang simulain upang ating isariwa ng kadalian ng ating lahi . . . MABUHAY! (double click here) 
