CAMILO “YEL” COBILE: The man who connects “home” to the world
Yel Cobile
By Ronald O. Reyes
The spirit of “Bayanihan” (mutual aid) will always prevail in the psyche of every Filipino. This peculiar characteristic of ours, however, is even more appreciated if it is being manifested continually by any Filipino citizen who have had acquired fame and fortune abroad.
This best characterizes Camilo “Yel” Kangleon Cobile. Born in Maasin, but is now residing in Virginia, USA after he migrated to the States in 1977.
He started his life there by signing up in the US Army, and eventually became the only Filipino in their camp class. With sheer perseverance and determination, he managed to graduate with second highest honors and earned the “Outstanding Graduate” award during the completion of his Advanced Individual Training in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Thus began his colorful career in military service, rising fast to higher ranks while accomplishing countless sensitive missions in different wartime US contingent operations. His dedication to his job in several departments at US Defense and Intelligence agencies brought him many honors and recognitions. Noteworthy to mention are his 3 Army Commendation Medals, 4 Achievement Medals, 2 Good Conduct Medals, several Certificates of Achievement and Letters of Commendation, among others.
In 1982, he settled to a lady from North Carolina. He then ended his army duty in 1986.
In 1991, he started working as civil engineer in an environmental protection and engineering headquarter in Virginia, managing diverse multi-million construction projects together with other scientists, geologists, engineers and federal law enforcement officers.
The Search
Despite Yel’s numerous accomplishments abroad, the strong “urge” to reconnect to his true roots had made him ventured into another intricate, humbling, and patriotic act— this time for his beloved home town and province—Maasin and Southern Leyte.
Utilizing his ingenuity in computer programming, he put up a personal web page for his people back home. He then dedicated the site to his beloved province where his “true trials and tribulations evolved”.
The site was called www.southernleyteonline.com, which was officially launched last August 15, 2004, in time for the fiesta celebration of Maasin, his birthplace.
Devoid of any political or vested interest, Yel offered this pioneering private endeavor as an effort to bring forward the developments of the day-to-day happenings in Southern Leyte to the world via internet.
By forging efforts with some friends in the media based in Maasin like from the Associated Media of Southern Leyte (AMSL) under the leadership of Jani Arnaiz (also the correspondent for Inquirer-Visayas news bureau and co-owner of this site), the on-line news site came into existence, covering environmental, educational, technological, tourism development, and other issues in the province for the benefit of those Southern Leyteños overseas who also wish to “reconnect” to their province.
Aside from the on-line news, he had also reinvented the features of his first website–www.maasincity.com. This site which he personally dedicated to his birthplace will link on-line visitors (also potential tourists and entrepreneurs) to the historical evolution, culture, governance, business, and tourism potential of his native place.
Today, however, Yel fused the features from southernleyteonline to www.maasincity.com to avoid repetition of work and duplication of stories since the two are interrelated to each other.
To every Southern Leyteño and Maasinhon visiting online, Yel reminded them to “ be faithful keepers of our heritage…undertake meaningful strides that promote an awareness of mutual solidarity among ourselves…come together as people, united and unselfishly willing to reach out and help one another under the spirit of “Bayanihan”.
“It is only in looking back to where we came from that we can move forward as people from Maasin and Southern Leyte,” he added.
Truly, Yel’s humble yet inspiring effort for his fellowmen back home and to the world bears the signature of a true Filipino “Bayanihan” spirit.
Note: In a separate report filed by Bong Pedalino in this site, Yel Cobile was on the news recently for calling local leaders in the province and city to award a posthumous hero citation to Agustin “Gus” Cerro Arnaiz, 85, for having actively served as member of Philippine Scouts during the last world war. “Gus” was also remembered as a veteran Journalist and Publisher of The REPORTER weekly newspaper, who minced no word at exposing the evils of bad governance, particularly during the martial law years, among other socio-political issues. He was the father of Jani Arnaiz.
I have been tracking Yel’s maasincity.com site since 1998. I think the current aesthetics of his site is the third facelift now including an online forum and calendar. The one thing I like about his endeavor (as he calls it) is the fact that he does it on his own initiative without financial support or backing from anyone. Also, sigun sa sulti ni Mam Oping (Ampil), Yel’s site is also providing free advertisement of her Ampil Pensionne. I think they are related.
Am somewhat elated that Jani’s newspaper is raising attention of Maasinhon people and Southern Leytenos about Yel’s patriotic act. I think it had been time that he gets recognized by us for his contributions that allow us to inter-connect with each other through his maasincity.com website. In fact, I recommend others to take time to visit his site and just surf its online forum. You are gonna see that forumers are duly refrained due to Yel’s strict online rules. Oh by the way, for people who like to banter about our local politicians, forget it. Yel’s site does not allow it. He may allow them in a very minimal sense, but he frowns on individual name calling. As I continually frequent his site, I understood that he really wants us to maintain professionalism and cvil behavior with one another regardless of viewpoints being bantered.
I happen to be a pupil and student of Mam Bebing and Sir Fred Cobile, Yel’s parents. I like Mam Bebing’s Ave Maria songs in the church. When she sang it, I could never hold back my tears. Sir Fred, I remember, was very strict in math when he taught in Maasin Institute (now College of Maasin). He and Mr. Elmer Espina were very good friends.
Anyway, I just wanna say something about this decent person and family. Yel’s parents did their contribution to the community with their talents in teachng. On the other side of the coin, Yel is doing his turn through his online maasincity.com.
Manalamat na lamang ko nimo, Yel sa imong mga kontribyusyon, bay. Manghinaut pod ko nga inig-retire nimo, mopauli ka diri sa Maasin aron modagan ka pagka mayor o di gani gobernador. pwede pod ug ma kongresman ka bay. Maajo hinuon siguro kay kahibawo ko nga ikaw lihiro man ug utok. Dili ba bulok ba. I also hope nga dili nimo panumbalingon kining mga tabi diri bahin sa imong mga ig-agaw (Oging ug Mian). Ang mga tawo nahibawo na nila. Kaming mga talirongan nimo, nahibawo pod nimo nga maajo kang tawo. Nala sigi, Bay, uli na aron kaming mga ultimong tawo intawon maka-amgo ug maajong gobyerno. Thank you for your time.
By tha way, Yel is on Facebook. He has pictures you can see about him and his family.
another outstanding citizen of maasin and southern leyte that is worth mentioning here is DANIEL ESPERE. he is serving in afghanistan now.
i can never do what he did to accomplish something against all odds.
and more.
i appreciate you daniel..
@epic:
Morag korek jud ka bay. But you see, it may be hard to pinpoint kini si Daniel kay giusob man kaha nang ijang nawong, bay. Di ba sa ijang post dinhing website, ning-ingon sija nga nagplastik surgery sija aron di na sija gukdon sa mga politikal enemies sa Manila? Maajo untag mahibaw-an nato kon kinsa jud na sija aron ma-honor nato sija, pero mahimong peligro na hinuon kay patjon unja na sija sa mga goons. Na mabasol na hinuon ta, simbako lajo ra to.
mao nga ato na lamang handumon ang ijang mga mensahe dinhi, bay. Intawon, morag maluoy ko sa ijang kaagi nga sa ijang pagkapobre, nagmalampuson gihapon despite all odds. He is almost the same as General Bonifacio Ramos who was also a working student of SJC during his time. Maka-prove jud nga kadtong mga tawo nga hard working gajud, bay, magmalampuson gajud. Kita hinoong medyo bentaha ug kahimtang, nahabilin, nahagbung, og di gani wa makatiwas ug hay skol. Hahay!
I wonder also if we could term Daniel as an unknown soldier. just thinking out loud though.
@taga maasin:
two heads are better than one. korek jud ka bay, SALAMAT dili nato ibutang sa peligro
ang safety ni daniel. therefore we silently honor him. and salute him
for his works in afghanistan in protecting us.
ang Ginoo na lang ang mahibalo.
the BIBLE SAYS
VENGEANCE IS MINE SAYS THE LORD. I WILL REPAY.
@bruce:
Amen, bay…
Uy morag namingaw man si Daniel. Tingalig tua na pod sija sa gubat. Na mag-ampo na lamang ta for his safety.
hahaha. he needs a break from the millenneum also.the mill. cannot
understand simple instructions. mag boho.mosimang. hai dapit nang
scandenavian countries bay, ning-abut na ta russia ug sa australia.
nalibug na noon ko hai na kong dapita. kidding.
i hope daniel is alright.
i dont think the official so. leyte website is working.
kindly check
Nice post. There are a lot of bloggers from Southern Leyte already who are also doing their part in making the world know what is happening in this part. Their sites are more widely visited and more updated than Yel’s site as well.
I’m not saying they are better I’m just pointing it out so a lot of us here would know. Sel Laplana is one of the top bloggers from the Philippines comes from Malitbog if I’m not mistaken. Geoffrey Roseti (sorry boss di ko kabalo sa spelling sa last name) is also a top blogger who is from Maasin as well and many others who, in their own little way is keeping us updates on what is happening here.
There is also a social network created for Maasinhons which is currently on beta and it’s maasinsii.com. Yes, this is the part where I shamelessly plug my new website.
Bendz, i think the author came from Maasin City. You’re right… the outdated websites are featured on this article.
@Bendz and @Selboy (if you don’t mind, Bay Yel):
To my understanding Yel was the one who pioneered the website specifically for and/or about Maasin. I am saying “pioneered” because he started it in 1998 and it’s been up since then – no down time. At that time no other website was ever available for anyone to visit let alone know about Maassin City and Southern Leyte. As someone said, without any help from anyone, he took his own personal time and financial resources in posting relevant information that actually placed Maasin City and Southern Leyte on the World Wide Web. It’s probably worth considering that he was the first one to do that for our province. I think that is a record because other sites emerged thereafter but only lasted for awhile. Of course, some are still up which I won’t mention to avoid being O.T. under this article.
I think Yel took the southernleyteonline.com site down to eliminate the redundance of information being posted. Before he did, he was using it as a news repository reflecting news and information about Maasin and Southern Leyte. In 2006, I accompanied him to the office of Southern Leyte Times in Mambajao when he paid Wowie Reyes a year’s subscription of their newspaper. He also reaffirmed their previous verbal agreement with them about posting and accrediting their news and information on southernleyteonline site. (As a side note, you’ll probably notice on the homepage slideshow of the Maasin City site a picture of Tony Reyes, Yel and his old time barkada, “The Fireflies” indulging on beer and pulutan at SMB restaurant.)
You see, Yel is not a selfish person. He is giving back something to our community for us to enjoy or even benefit in the long run. He may still be in Virginia, but I think his heart is still in Maasin. Because of his strong convictions, he continuously announces to the world, through his Maasin City website, what our province can offer in terms of places and things worth visiting. In a sense, he has been or still is trying to help our city and provincial governments in promoting tourism in hopes that the industry would eventually jump-start. I am however ashamed that this is one major factor that our politicians have grossly failed to recognize on his behalf. But did anyone hear Yel complain? I think not.
Even if the Maasin City website would seem outdated (with whatever standards you folks go by), Yel’s site still remains for Maasin City and Southern Leyte. After I contacted him, he told me that the banner ad links to The Reporter Online, The Southern Leyte Times, and the Ampil Pensionne are all free of charge. Through his site, majority of the Maasinhon and Southern Leyte OFWs, and even local folks came to know not only about our local newspapers but also about other national circulations like Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star, The Freeeman, The Philippine Inquirer, just to name a few. He took time to include these information resources for us because I believe he cares about us. If he didn’t, he probably had done it for a profit like many other website owners I know.
Nowadays, there is a maze of websites about our province. Owners opt for sole informational format while some opt for blog or forum purposes. Upon visiting all, if not most, of these sites, you will see their own respective styels or personalities, so to speak, as some lean towards personal blogs, some towards egotistical expressions, some towards personal agendas, and some towards promotion of their respective barangay economics. But I vouch that MaasinCity.Com site is a unique personality of its own devoid of any preference towards sex, religion, political affiliation, age, personal convictions, etc.
Yel is my boyhood friend. I am one of “The Fireflies” of Maasin City known for our Lettermen-like crooning renditions. (Thanks Jani for allowing Ronald to feature our friend, Maasin’s friend.)
@ Fireflies. I have heard stories about the guy and googled him years before and I am also a fan.
Though I was still not born during your heydays as Fireflies, I was lucky enough to be Alex Garciano’s neighbor so I got the chance to listen to you guys during special occasions. Is Nong Joe (Mancera) part of your band?
i adore your site and your stories Ka Bendz…
i know you, man…you’re famous!
more power….
ajo-ajo.
@ yoyo Nyaks my site is purely for SEO thus the stories are not really that relevant.
I wonder where the other bloggers are. Things like this pump us up.
@ Fireflies again.. I forgot to mention that Yel’s website has been an inspiration to myself and perhaps lots of other bloggers from Southern Leyte. I cannot really speak for all of them all.
The reason why I pointed out that his site needs updates is because I frequent the site myself and have gone to all the pages and just like an eager fan, I just can’t wait for the man to share his stories. Stories of a man who’s circumstance brought him to a strange land but has kept his heart in this part of the world he calls home.
You see that’s the good thing about bloggers. We are not really in close competition as keywords as limitless.
Consider my first comment as a hey-dude-what’s-up call for the man we all admire.
oot
senor yel cobile
if youre planning to watch in person the pacguiao – clottey boxing fight at the cowboy
statium in arlington texas you just have the right outfit in that pix.
it will march 13. i dont like that date 13
Holy Cow!!! I just found this link in Google about Yel’s achievements – http://www.maasincity.com/kangleonfamily/bio/yelcobile.pdf.
I never really realized how he had become after all his maverick younger years of happy-go-lucky feats. I remember him dropping out of college for two years, played in a band in Tiger’s Den, Chaparral, Premiere Coctail Lounge and Beachway with Tito Enage, Alex Garciano, Bulaw, Celso Abiera, Toring Veloso, Rey Veloso, & Efren Reyes. I remember also that his parents, Sir Fred and Maam Bebing, got upset about it when he was also fooling around with a local lady, Luz Rufin. Ehem…
To think of how he was before and what he is now, one would really wonder at such a 180-degree turn-around change in life to finish college anyway and went for the gusto life ever offered him. How he achieved all his personal merits should be an example for our young generation to consider – that a mistake in life can be used as a guiding light to be a better person. I am proud to be one of Yel’s friends.
If given the opportunity, I could have done the same things he did. But, nah…. I have my own ways. Yel is Yel, and me is me. he he he…
[...] Fiestas de Lado b. … su muestra Submarina, a partir de las 19.30 horas en Olleros y Roseti. …CAMILO YEL COBILE: The man who connects home to the world …By Ronald O. Reyes The spirit of Bayanihan (mutual aid) will always prevail in the psyche of every [...]