By ADELA DEYAEN WAYAS and KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio Filipino-Chinese community has made another valuable contribution to the city in the form of two story books of wisdom and hope.

On January 25, author Engr. Richard Cheng launched his books, the Valley of Peace-Ping On and The Day the Cricket Stopped Singing at the Hotel Supreme as part of the Chinese New Year celebration.

In the said book launching, Cheng distributed copies of his book to over 40 public elementary and secondary schools in the city. He said it is very important to share values to children where they can pick up lessons of life.

Cheng shared that his book is a collection of ancient and modern stories touched by Chinese wisdom that bridges the past with the present time. He said with his books, readers are to experience the exiting and complex Chinese culture.

Valley of Peace, as Cheng described connects readers with important values including courage, friendship, faith, gratitude, helpfulness, journeys, joy, kindness, love, nurturing, openness, patience, persistence, plentitude, and quests, dealing with sadness, and separation, temptation, and many more.

He also emphasized the significance of his Chinese roots in producing the book. He said his father used to tell him and his siblings “ your path was carved for you long before your birth, and is accented by the deep and profound symbolism in Chinese history…”

Dr. Elma Dona-al, principal of the Baguio City National High School, said Cheng’s books are an exemplary work with a taste of maternity and technology. She added that the books teaches the wisdom of simple living and the joys and tears called for it.

Dona-al said the books are a good motivation for techers to teach as well. She said the Valley of Peace is hope in written form. She added that it is a value laden book that teaches the values of family, peace and gratitude.

Palanca awardee and National Poet Francis Macansantos said the stories in the books are charming, tasteful, memorable and wise. He added that these stories teaches the readers that life is full of significance and that everything around us is significant.

Macansantos also complained that the books came to late as he would have wanted to read these stories to his only child who is now 23 years old when she was younger. He, however pointed out that the books’ wisdom would still be very true today and that it would still be helpful to his daughter.

The book launching was attended by educators and mentors from variuos schools in the city.

The Books are available at Baguio Chinese Hospital in Trancoville at P350 each. # nordis.net