Internet Newsletter of the Alumni of Lanao Chung Hua School Vol. 4, No. 22, January 15, 2001, Iligan City, Philippines Keong Hei Huat Chai! Beware: the Year of the Ssssnake! Come Jan. 24, 2001, the Snake will slither its way into the Chinese Lunar Calendar. If year 2000 was marred by economic and political crises, year 2001, the Year of the Snake, will not be any better.  It will be a year marked by turbulence and conflicts, according to Chinese astrologers.  This is a year for reflection and searching for peaceful solutions to nagging problems.  It will be a very unpredictable year for everyone. The snake is considered as the most cunning of all animals.  The lunar calendar dates back to 2637 B.C. Every full astrological cycle passes through each of the twelve signs five times, each of which has one "golden" year. The full cycle takes 60 years. Legend has it that Buddha summoned all the animals before he departed from Earth. Only twelve of the animals came to bid him farewell, so Buddha honored them each with a year. The order was taken from the sequence that they appeared to him: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

EDITORIAL STAFF Charles O. Sy, Editor Henry L. Yu, Associate Editor Correspondents: Iligan - Johnny Chen, Teresita Racines, Vinson Ngo, Roger Suminguit, & Armi Leslie Te. Cebu - Igdono Caracho. Manila - Marie Janieffer Lee. Canada - Peter Dy & Mikee Lee. Australia - Leonardo Tan. U.S.A. - Ernesto Yu & Aurora Tansiokhian. Founded Aug. 1, 1968. Published fortnightly since its revival on April 15, 1997. Distributed free on the Internet to LCHS alumni and supporters worldwide. Postal address: LCHS Alumni Association, Lanao Chung Hua School, Pala-o, Iligan City, Philippines. Website: http://www.iligan.com/~lchs/alumni/ For subscription, contact: Johnny Chen, Tel. No. (063) 221-3883. Email: johnchen@iligan.com For submission of manuscripts, Email: charlesy@cnms.net

Despite lesser attendance compared to the previous year, the LCHS-AA Christmas party last Dec. 30 turned out to be just as lively. It was observed that unlike at the GAH, the young ones outnumbered the young once this time at the Christmas bash. The party, held at the LCHS Gym, was emceed by Rodolfo Yu (Batch '69), as perennial program host.  The party started with an invocation by the emcee himself, followed by dinner with foods catered by Dr. Belinda Cu Lim. After the Christmas message of Councilor Henry Dy, game master Roger Suminguit took center stage for the parlor games such as "give me an item," "kwarta o kahon," among others. The games were participated in mostly by small kids and children of alumni.  Most grown-up alumni preferred to simply stand aside and chat the night away. The party culminated with the drawing of raffle prizes.

List of raffle draw winners
By Teresita Racines (Batch '67)

The following are the winners at the LCHS-AA Christmas party raffle draw on Dec. 30, 2000.  1st prize: 21" color TV set - Herbert Laguna, of Cagayan de Oro; 2nd prize: refrigerator - Aurora Sy, Iligan; and 3rd prize: microwave oven - Mark Gesalem, Iligan. Consolation prizes: 1 bicycle & 1 lampshade - Venancio Alvarez; 1 lampshade - Corazon So Tan; 1 bicycle - Leo Sanchez; 1 bicycle - Andy Lee's granddchild; and 1 electric fan - Flora Chiu Macarambon.

Spectrum editorship changes hands soon

The editorship of the Spectrum will change hands starting April 16, 2001.  Henry Yu will replace Charles O. Sy who will relinquish the post after serving as editor for 4 years since the revival of the Spectrum on April 15, 1997.   The turnover is part of the policy revamp being instituted in the Spectrum to give staff members the opportunity to share their talents as editor. The incoming editor, Henry Yu, of Batch 1969, is a physician by profession.  He is a seasoned editor, having been editor of various publications of note and medical journals.  He was also co-editor of the Campus Keeper, a publication of senior and junior high school students of LCHS in 1969, of which he is the founder.

By Ernesto L. Yu, M.D., Batch '65

Being a part-time aficionado of gym workout, I'm astounded to observe the unrelenting intensity on the faces of the same aspiring crowd who tenderize and pulverize into dust, day in and day out, the treadmill and ab machines. These vibrant-for-the-first-few-months fanatics have ultimately entrusted their flabby anatomies (mine included) to the scientific art of streaming distorted waistlines and shredding off exuberant adipose growth through grunting, perpetual-motion aerobics and adrenaline-surging pushups. For good. For now.

The splendid New Year's resolution - to barter one's triple chins and sagging backsides for non-surgical body shaping - should peter out soon, just like musical opiates that gradually ring discordant notes or a pint of milk that outlives its shelf life and becomes cheese. Nonetheless, while my sense of self-worth is flaming, I have to squeeze my ballooning frame through the traffic jam in the gym created by the daily throb of eager beavers who will soon realize that there's more to these social dazzles other than embracing multitude of exercise dynamics and weightlifting heavies designed to evaporate perspiration and trim unwanted hysteria-eliciting fat pads. Of course, the other flip to this madness is to contract one's bundles of motion muscles that are genetically primed to hug spoons and forks, direct the educated reflexes to slam dunk in the barracks of feel-good calories and dump those sinful garbage into a liberated mouth that has been blistered by self-mandated hunger pains. All these sweaty sacrifices in exchange for a tube-of-toothpaste-squeezed-in-the-middle shape! It might speed up one's trip to purgatory but it will be a final judgment day where one's smile is as gigantic as his bloated cheeks!

The motto, "Eat to live, not live to eat," was definitely formulated for the birds, like turkeys and ostriches. These feathered species never schooled themselves in the flapping mechanics because of too much addiction to beck-to-gizzard drills. Why learn to fly and drag your weighty butt in the wind when you consume less energy chewing in standing position?

Personally, I'm trying to recall the John Doe who, Christmas last, presented me this 3-month trial membership at the Buffalo Athletic Club. I need to settle with the heartless donor his misguided impressions of my exploding mid-section as a hallmark of a ticking time bomb, my chorus of gasping snores as a calling card of the American Fatso Society, my rapid propulsion to two weight-class strata as an act of suicide in installment basis, and my transformation into a shopping mall rat that constantly sniffs the air for bargains in elastic pants and oversized garments as a silent plea for medical help.

After months of bruising attempts at training my appetite center not to be rude to plateful of veggie diet, sugarless cola and drenching rounds of pounding calisthenics, I fashioned a face so vividly alive (my mirror seconded this statement), recouped my confident stride and reclaimed the previous luster of my brain cells. Not bad for a seasonal convert of physical education who now dislikes the sedentary culture - TV channel-surfing from a leather couch equipped with remote control gadgets and warmed by a sackful of potato chips.

Nevertheless, I dearly miss the greasy tub on my belly.

By Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

December 30 has always been the date of the LCHS-AA's Christmas party, as far as I can remember.  It has become an annual LCHS tradition, much like the misa de gallo is to us Catholics or the noche buena is to us Filipinos. Though it's been years since I last attended one, I know that every year it will be there. It's one event that has remained constant amidst all the changes that we have to go through in our lives. It's one of the reasons to go home to Iligan to during the Christmas season. It feels like being home and being there in that "old" gym of ours makes one feel young again.  It just brings back so many memories.

While on our way to the party that night I was silently hoping to see as much people as those present during the first GAH last August. I know it was wishful thinking on my part. Looking around the gym that night I couldn't help but notice that there was something or somebody missing.  Then I realized that for one, our own family lacks one member this year, my sister Jojo.  Normally I would have been glancing her way and watching her chatting the night away with her batch mates. Then I noticed that coincidentally or intentionally it seems that I didn't see any body from her batch that night too.  As I looked around for my own batch mates I realized that many of them didn't show up as I expected them to.  It was then that one by one I began to count and realized that there were just so many people whom I wished to see that night who didn't make it.  Where were you? Why didn't you show up?

I ended up texting some people that night hoping that with my last effort I could convince some of them to drop by and grace the event.  Even if some are from out of town, I just thought that I'd send them a message that the party needs them that night.  You know some people may think that "well, if I don't go, no one will even notice I'm not there."  But for me I think just being there and filling up a space in the gym that night would have made the event more alive, more festive.

I can see how much effort the committees put into this event. As usual the food and the program were exemplary.  It's amazing how the people who prepare for this event each year find that same degree of enthusiasm and selflessness in them.  Just amazing! How can we ever thank these people enough?

So for those who for one reason or another missed this year's Christmas party, I just like to let you all know how I wish you were there that night with us.  It doesn't mean that we have to talk; just seeing you there either chatting with your friends or drinking a bottle of beer in one corner, would have made that night just perfect!

I wish to see you all there next Christmas party, same time, same place, guys!

By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66

On January 20, George Walker Bush will become the 43rd US president after a very long, controversial and unprecedented presidential election count. The American electoral process was an eye-opener not only to the American people but to millions around the world who were confused as to why Vice President Al Gore lost when he got half a million more popular votes than the winner. In the final battle, it was the 25 electoral college votes of Florida that really counted and they were all awarded to Bush with just a handful of votes separating them. Many Americans may still believe that Gore was really cheated, but we really should admire the outgoing Vice President for his being very gracious in defeat. And he is conducting himself like a true statesman after his concession speech by trying to unite the sole remaining superpower. Perhaps he is comforted by the thought that he won the popular votes and with the deadlock election he already made his unique niche in American history. But had Gore won in his native Tennessee, it could have been a different story.

For sure, there will be some fine tuning with regards to the confusing Electoral College Vote which was devised by the founding fathers of America to ensure that their country will avoid electing the wrong person as president. In simple term, the College is the second screening test. I strongly recommend that the Republic of the Philippines seriously consider introducing a similar electoral college vote!

January 1, 2001 marks the Centenary Federation of Australia. We had a wonderful celebration of Australia's 100th birthday on New Year's Day and the celebration will go on throughout this year. It was on January 1, 1901 when the six British colonies of this continent formally became a nation which is formally known as Commonwealth of Australia. New Zealand almost made it too were it not for the tyranny of distance which was a week by sea travel a century ago.

Many people are still confused with Australia and Austria. Remember the movie "Sound of Music"? That was Austria. And I just learned the other day that the number one tourist selling souvenir t-shirt in that country is one with the marking: WE DON'T HAVE KANGAROOS HERE! But a few weeks ago, a car hit a kangaroo in one of Austria's highways. The kangaroo was an escapee from a nearby zoo.

Are we now in year 2001 or still in 2000? As if we are not that confused already with the question of when the third millennium is supposed to start! Well, there is a small group here who argues that this year should be counted as year 2000 because the Roman Catholic Church about thirteen centuries ago eliminated the year 666! Believe it or not!

Late last year, Australia's Federal leader of the opposition was attacked by the Prime Minister for using the word "boondoggle" in his criticism over the government's wasteful projects. The word "boondoggle" was used in some headlines of our newspapers and was aired repeatedly on the airwaves of our talk-back radio stations after that controversy. The Prime Minister alleged that the leader of the opposition has a problem communicating with the Australian people as this is the first time we heard such a word. But apparently not in America. The most commonly used word associated with boondoggle is "white elephant."

But this particular word "boondoggle" rings a bell to my ear. We used this word back in Iligan as "bondagol." So it seems that our Visayan dialect borrowed the word from our American rulers in the past.

By Henry L. Yu, M.D., Batch '69

In celebration of the annual Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu every third Sunday of January, which for this year falls on the 21st, I dedicate this column to all His devotees, Cebuanos or non-Cebuanos alike. This one's for you wherever you are ...

The very first time I set foot on this "Queen City of the South" was in 1960 when I tagged along with my mom on board M/V Don Victoriano. It took all of twelve hours from Iligan to Cebu by boat. Our first stop was Manila Restaurant (Manalili) for a bowl of maki-mi and siopao, after which we went to Inting's Grocery for some stock orders for our grocery store, then to Gay Sen Goldsmith for some jewelry business transactions which my mom was engaged in during those times. We had lunch at International Rice House (Colon), after which we went to Crown Grocery to continue with the business orders. By 5:30 p.m., after an early dinner, we boarded a taxi to pier 4, and took the boat for our trip back to Iligan.

I remember the summer of 1966 when I came to Cebu with my uncle Cresing for a vacation. We checked-in at Intercontinental Hotel (Manalili). I was then 14 years old. We had lunch at Chicken Island (Colon) consisting of fried spring chicken which was their house specialty, and dinner at Swank Café (Sanciangko) with its mouth watering daing na bangus sprinkled with fresh lemon. We also savored the renowned pancit guisado, sweet and sour pork, lumpia shanghai, and wanton soup of Majestic Restaurant (Colon). Oh, that was one such palatable summer I'll never forget.

In 1970, I was again in Cebu with my favorite uncle and a fellow Iliganon, Jaime Rodriguez, who accompanied me in our lakwatsa for the whole duration of that sojourn. At that time, I was already a college student at Silliman University in Dumaguete City. Three years after, in March of 1973, I took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) held then at the Cebu Coliseum. The following day was my scheduled personal interview with Dr. Jose Paradela, as part of my application to Medicine Proper at the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM). The summer of 1973 is equally unforgettable because that was the time when I got my letter of acceptance to CIM as first year medical student for the school year 1973-1974. The rest is history.

I have always been captivated by the lure of a more glittering life of a bigger city like Cebu back in my younger days, not knowing that someday I would become a permanent resident of this provincial capital situated on the eastern coast. Looking back, it was in June of 1973 when I started life as a Cebuano who would speak the language of Sugbuanons in due time and live their glamorous lifestyle. Since then, it was Cebu City for me. But what was Cebu like during that time? I remember the first day of classes at CIM. There were two sections with 100 students each. I belonged to section B per alphabetical arrangement. After dismissal in the afternoon, we went to White Gold House (Juan Luna) to buy the materials needed for our school uniform and some toiletries. That time, my brother Ernie was a postgraduate intern of Cebu Velez General Hospital. On weekends, he would take me out for dinner at Shamrock Fuente or Dairy King, nightclubbing either at After Six or Southern Flame, or snacks of maxi hamburger at Moonwalk fronting Cebu Foodarama (Mango Avenue). Other times, I would either find myself eating my favorite chicken mami and siopao at Fuji Teahouse located in what is now the Gaisano Metro in downtown Cebu, shopped along White Gold House, Fairmart, Cinderella, Chekito Bazar, Sen Hiap Hing, or watched movies at Victor, Rizal, Vision, etc. I remember one time when I had to rush and walk hurriedly from downtown Cebu to my lodging house in Ramos beating the curfew set at 10:00 p.m. during the Martial Law era. Saturday afternoons would see us flock at CIM for some overtimes in Anatomy. Sundays would be spent doing double times and cramming for our weekly exam in Biochemistry the following Monday. While our other classmates in high school were already working and earning, we were still at the threshold of being medical students, trying hard to be the doctors that we have always wanted to become. Being dependent and non-earning individuals that we were then, it was a real tight and calculated budget on our pocket. Window-shopping was a favorite pastime. It was enough to make our day.

Back in the 70s, tourism and accommodation posed a problem among the hospitable Cebuanos in us who would want to tour our guests around as there were fewer places to go and see or hotels to stay in then. Through the years, Cebu has caught up with the changing time and technology so as to excel in more aspects than one. It has become an important educational and training center, thus the name "Convention City of the South" being added, aside from calling it the "Queen City of the South." Cebu is now considered as the second most important city outside of Metro Manila. It is a metropolis in itself with the Cebuanos feeling proud to be part of its growth in terms of business, tourism, entertainment, education, geography, and more. It offers a rich blend of cultural heritage and history that merits consideration from among the local and foreign tourists when they plan for a pleasure trip. Famous for its pristine beaches, fresh seafoods, mangoes, lechon, premium quality fashion accessories, furniture, handicrafts, guitars, the Sinulog Festival, among many others, Cebu is the penultimate place to be. It is truly my kind of city.

Today, the province of Cebu is made up of 167 islands, 5 cities, and 48 municipalities. It is undoubtedly one of the country's ideal destinations for both local and foreign tourists to have a sight seeing tour of the city and its sceneries. Cebu is an important business landmark from among those in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao regions. It boasts of several new high rise buildings, skywalks and flyovers, gigantic malls, five-star hotels, and sky high condominiums all of which were erected to meet the growing needs of the Cebuanos and their dynamic lifestyle and the many transient tourists who come to the city in order to see and to believe.

But in my moments of solitude, when life takes on a standstill, I long for the old Cebu because it was where lots of beautiful memories were built and created together with the many significant people that have been part and parcel of my young life, when the world was simpler, more peaceful, devoid of so much trash and traffic, trivialities and all.

I will never forget Cebu of the 70s, ang Sugbu sa karaang panahon. THE CEBU  OF MY YOUTH.  For always. For life.

Wonder
By Jonathan Mark N. Te
Batch 1996

Cloud whispered,
"The sky is blue
And everything's clear.
Nimbus is not around
But why are you here?"

"Dare you ask?
I am at wonders.
At flight with you
Brings me joy and happiness."
I mused eternally.

BATCH 1958
Eddie Ang, U.S.A.; Alicia Bernardo, Iligan City; Rufino Booc, Cebu City; Paciencia Chiu, Cebu City; Lucio Co (deceased); Carlos Dy, Discovery Lights, Pala-o, Iligan City, tel. 221-6446, e-mail: apollo@iligan.com;  Flora Dy Cham, Cebu City; Monica Jo (deceased); Lim Kim San, U.S.A.; Honorata Tan (deceased); Victorio Tan, Manila; Aurora Tansiokhian, Bunn Hill, N.Y., U.S.A., e-mail: atanust65@pol.net; Felix Te (deceased); Aurora Samson, Manila; Guardson Siao, 2nd St., Palm Spring, Brgy. San Miguel, Iligan City; Jaime Sy, Cagayan de Oro City; Marciana Sy Roa, Cagayan de Oro City;  Elena Uy, Bukidnon; Sena Uy, Iligan City; Dina Uy, Cagayan de Oro City; Alicia Velasco, Cagayan de Oro City; and Pablito Yu, Manila. (Next issue: Batch 1959)

From near and afar, they all came to the party

Had you been present at the GAH on Aug. 3-5, 2000, you could have the pleasure of reuniting and chatting with these alumni shown in this photo gallery who came home from near and afar to grace the grand reunion.