The Borgueta Family

Together they arrive for the regular gatherings of TawagAwit-St Thomas More Parish Chapter. Three brothers carry musical instruments; the father has the amplifier and the mother the music sheets. The Borgueta family provides the musical backbone of the group and their commitment is an inspiration to the other ministry members.

It took me nearly a year to convince Bro Noel and Sis Gladys to join the group; and it was only later on that I realised that they were waiting for their eldest son, Justine, to arrive in New Zealand. Justine was left behind in the Philippines to finish his degree in the University of San Carlos in Cebu, while the rest settled in Auckland.

Once the family was complete, it wasn’t difficult to persuade Bro Noel and Sis Gladys to join TawagAwit. That was nearly a year ago. During the feast of St Thomas More on July 11, 2009, the family accepted the task of providing the band music during the program. They came early to put in place the instruments and the sound system. The boys, whose band is called TBB or The Borgueta Brothers, rehearsed their songs inside the children’s room; while their parents prepared the stage for them. When the boys (joined by pop-rock artist Junnes) started their performance, Bro Noel documented the performance while Sis Gladys was smiling and on her feet proud of her boys, more so when the youngest son, Eric, sang for the first time before a crowd. It was such a joy to witness the support of the parents and the unity of the family as they offered their gift of music to the delight of the audience.

God created the first family unit out of one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:21-22) for He meant the family to be united in flesh, in blood and in spirit. He wants the family to support each other not just in the basic necessities in life, but in all its other aspects. "Now if anyone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1Timothy 5:8).

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them"; while business leader Lee Iacocca tells: "The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family." It is important for an individual not to take for granted the family; for among the greatest joys in life are time spent with family. In his book The Life of Reason, George Santayana writes: "The family is one of nature's masterpieces." I would opt to re-phase that: "The family is one of God’s masterpieces."

by Mel Libre