CEBU, Philippines — The Carcar City government has formally immortalized one of their most illustrious sons, former The FREEMAN columnist Peary Aleonar, by naming a bridge after him.
And not only that – Aleonar, who was also an engineer and a judge, was also installed in the city’s Hall of Fame, along with other Carcaranons who have brought pride to the city.
The structure, now called the Judge Peary Aleonar Bridge, used to be the Baracca Bridge, which connects Barangays Poblacion II and III.
“It is fitting and proper to honor the life and times of Peary Gumersindo Aleonar (1926-2004) who has given pride and honor to Carcar City, an example of the almost boundless reach of human endeavor that any Carcaron can aspire for and pursue, by naming a bridge in Carcar City after him,” read part of the ordinance.
The unveiling was witnessed by two of Aleonar’s children, Guy and Dina.
Dina could not help but shed some tears as the marker was unveiled by Carcar city officials, headed by Mayor Patrick Barcenas himself.
Barcenas, in an interview, said Aleonar very well deserves it, saying that Aleonar has bridged gaps not only in Carcar but for the rest of Cebu in whatever way he can.
They had chosen that bridge since it is the nearest place to Aleonar’s ancestral home.
Barcenas also said that he even wanted the whole street named after Aleonar, but such a street is still under construction, he said.
Aleonar is only the third one to have either a bridge or a street named after them.
Aside from the bridge, Aleonar has also been named in the first batch of the city’s Hall of Fame awardees.
The city’s first batch of the Hall of Fame is a mix of politicians, religious leaders, writers, composers, and others that excelled in culture and arts, music, and sports.
Barcenas himself has been included already, along with Nicepuro and Mercedita Apura in the city mayor level, along with 13 municipal mayors prior to Carcar’s cityhood.
The venerable Teofilo Camomot is also included in the first batch of Hall of Famers.
Fishermen Pedro Gantuanco and Rulfo Wamar were also named into the Hall of Fame, after finding the “Koga papers” during World War II. The Koga papers allegedly contained the Japanese war strategies in the Far East, and historians believed that the discovery of these documents led to the defeat of the Japanese forces to the Americans.
Top writers/composers were also honored including Maria Cabigon, Dioscado Camomot, Vicente Florido, Vicente Garces, Sinfronza Alcordo, Epifanio Alfafara, Diosdado Alesna, Arman Vergara, Bonifacio Deiparine, Marcelino Navarra, Galileo Varga, Manolito Languido, and Jose Galicano.
The Father of Kabkaban Festival, Val Sandiego, and multi-awarded choreographer, Kathryn Estenzo, had also been recognized into the Hall of Fame along with national taekwondo player Nica Garces and national football player Angelika Bengstsson, painters Martino Abellana and Romulo Galicano, Reyna ng Aliwan Marla Alforque Pino, ex-pro Anton Villoria, sculptors Ramon and Sindulfo Abellana, and international performer Sheryn Regis.
Mayor Barcenas and the rest of the city officials hope that those recognized Carcaranons will also inspire others, especially the young ones, to be in their best and make not only Carcar city proud, but the rest of the country as well.