"My friends in Baguio were very worried in my coming to Ilocos Sur,...they were concerned about my blood pressure ,...it's because this place is the land of bagnets!

"Surely, I can proudly say that Laoag took care of me very well,....nagado ti bawang!"

"But I know I'll be taken care of better in Ilocos Sur because I was born here and...thanks to the local officials most especially to Gov. Chavit Singson ..and Mayor Ferdie Medina!"

Thus said the man, amid deafening applause and laughter, who was just installed the new Archbishop of Nueva Segovia, the Most Reverend Ernesto Antolin Salgado D.D. in his closing speech in the hot humid St. Paul's Cathedral. Born in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur, he can still fire one's imagination with his clear, crisp and familiar voice just like when he was my prefect years ago.

Earlier, as my friend from Cabugao was saying, people from Sinait to Bantay lined the highway to greet him. There were some in cars and buses who welcomed him in a motorcade. There were a lot of security people. Siguro sikat siya talaga!

Under an overcast sky and a light drizzle, the ceremony started. A long line of priests, bishops and archbishops from all walks of dioceses, as I noticed in their shoes; some wore signature shoes and others so-so, paraded from the Archbishop's Palace to the Cathedral of Vigan. Almost all were talking to each other as they walk, oh yes they can get away with it while in our seminary days, we would be damned with so many demerits if we're caught talking to each other on our march from the old seminary to the cathedral for the Sunday afternoon mass.

Near the end of the line was the celebrant in his grand purple robe. Beside him was the outgoing Archbishop Edmundo Abaya DD, followed by the Papal Nuncio, the Most Reverend Antonio M. Franco carefully walking tall in his stately robe. In front of these people was my friend and classmate Fr. Vet Avila, slowly walking in measured steps and eyes looking around acting like a bodyguard. As the good Archbishop approached the Cathedral, a faint clapping could be heard later on growing louder and louder until I was overwhelmed by the warm reception. There was a tear in my eye.

After the reading of the appointment, pledge of allegiance to the church and rites of the staff and hat the mass went on.The Papal Nuncio delivered the homily about his first meeting with Apo Erning and his mission from hereon. As the priests were greeting with the sign of peace, my mind kept wondering what I felt if ever I had become a priest. No regrets.

It was just after 11 am when the ceremony ended and there was lunch at the Minor Seminary, as my aunt was telling me, 20 lechons were ordered. As I had some pressing work to do, I had to beg off from the lechon and the luncheon. Along the plaza as I went on, I felt some kind of goodness and joy that Nueva Segovia is in good hands. That at one time when I was sick, there was a priest who helped me through and he was no other than the Most Reverend Ernesto Salgado.

Welcome back, Apo Erning!

We are posting several articles about Apo Erning. This one is from Steve Donato, who entered the ICMS in 1962 and graduated in 1966.

Watch out for the other articles, to be posted soon.

We are inviting others who might wish to write about their own stories about Apo Erning or describe his installation as the new Archbishop of Nueva Segovia and the other functions after that, for us who were not there.