The Journey of Dr. Ruben and Glenda: A Life of Love, Service, and Spiritual Mission
Dr. Ruben first met Glenda, known as the beauty of Gitagom, during a gathering of the Rizalian Association of Mercy founded by Rafael Mondejar in Matangad, Misamis Oriental. Glenda was the eldest daughter of Roberto Buray and Rufina Oliveros, both active members of the association.
Their friendship began through Olive, Glenda’s closest friend, who introduced the two. Glenda admired Dr. Ruben for his remarkable skills as a basketball player, and their friendship gradually grew into a deep affection for one another. Over time, their relationship developed into love.
Dr. Hugh Tovar supported the idea of Dr. Ruben and Glenda building a life together. However, Glenda’s mother, Rufina, initially opposed the marriage because she wanted her daughter to complete her studies and pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. Members of the Spiritual Division became involved in guiding and supporting their courtship, believing in the union of the two.
As part of her preparation for her teaching profession, Dr. Hugh Tovar offered Glenda an opportunity for spiritual study. She was instructed to wear white clothing before sleeping from 6:00 in the evening until 6:00 the following morning for thirty days. During this spiritual experience, she believed she encountered great professors in a spiritual realm, including former United States President Theodore Roosevelt.
In 1955, Dr. Ruben and Glenda entered into a civil marriage. Dr. Ruben then focused on his responsibilities as a husband and provider. He first created a stainless buckle that he sold to Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Cagayan de Oro City. Later, he worked as a tobacco peddler and eventually entered the tobacco business through the support of a Chinese tobacco businessman, expanding his trade throughout Misamis Province.
The Caballeros de Rizal Agricultural Endeavor
Dr. Ruben’s spiritual mission expanded when he traveled to Maguinda, near the Agusan River, with his cousin Arturo Ecleo. They went there to offer tobacco products to members of the Caballeros de Rizal Agricultural Endeavor, led by its president, Datu Santiago Ecleo.
Recognizing Dr. Ruben’s spiritual abilities, Datu Santiago invited him to join the organization as a spiritual doctor. The agreement provided Dr. Ruben with a monthly allowance of P350.00 and one sack of rice as support for his family.
In 1957, Dr. Ruben became the Chief Doctor of the Caballeros de Rizal Agricultural Endeavor. He moved to Maguinda with Glenda and their first son, Rico. Together with dedicated supporters such as Apolinario Sumampong, Isidro Luzon, and Felipe Gulle, Glenda stood firmly beside her husband and supported his healing mission.
She assisted in caring for patients who came from distant and remote communities across the highlands of Mindanao and the Visayas, as well as some areas of Luzon.
A Time of Hardship in Maguinda
In 1958, while Dr. Ruben was away on a mission in Masbate, Glenda faced severe difficulties in Maguinda. The support previously provided by the Caballeros stopped, leaving the family struggling for food and their monthly needs.
During that difficult period, they survived mostly on camote and camote leaves. The greatest sorrow came with the passing of their beloved son, Rico, a loss that deeply affected both Dr. Ruben and Glenda.
The Mission in Cab-ilan
After Rico’s death, the couple decided to leave Maguinda and begin a new chapter. Glenda returned to Gitagom, while Dr. Ruben established a small healing center known as a “tambalanan” in Cab-ilan.
Word of his healing work spread, and hundreds to thousands of people traveled from different parts of the country seeking his assistance. His activities attracted the attention of local authorities in Surigao, who questioned how an ordinary man from Cab-ilan could perform what many considered miraculous healings.
Dr. Castro of the Provincial Hospital, along with some members of the clergy, later filed a case against Dr. Ruben for alleged illegal practice of medicine.
The Mission in Puyange
In 1959, Dr. Ruben and Glenda moved their mission to Puyange. They gathered their relatives, including Dr. Ruben’s brothers and sisters, their mother Justiniana, and devoted followers who wished to support his spiritual work.
Among those who came to them was Arsenio Nazareno, a blind man who, according to accounts of the mission, regained his eyesight through healing and later joined Dr. Ruben in his service.
Together, they built another small "Tambalanan" made of round timber with a cogon roof where patients continued to seek healing and spiritual guidance.
The life journey of Dr. Ruben and Glenda was marked by love, sacrifice, faith, and dedication. Through years of hardship and service, they remained united in their mission to help others and continue the work they believed was entrusted to them.
Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. was once called "The South’s Mysterious Superstar" by the WHO Magazine in (September 26 Issue) 1981, for being a charismatic leader, the undefeated mayor of Dinagat and the architect of Barangay San Jose in the municipality of Dinagat for making it as the “Most Outstanding Barangay of the Philippines” in 1980; a recognition given by the elite Rotary Club of Makati. San Jose was then home of his association, the PBMA. He was chosen as the “Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines” in 1985. The south mentioned here is Mindanao, being one of the three big groups of islands in the Philippine Archipelago. Mindanao is being tagged as the land of promised by some local writers and historians. This land is blessed with abundance of natural reasources, fertile soil, mineral reserves and the best climate in the world yet a dangerous place for many. It evokes contrasting images of bounty and want, of war and peace, of rapid development amid the increasing impoverishment of its people.