Internet Newsletter of the Alumni of Lanao Chung Hua School Vol. 4, No. 23, January 29, 2001, Iligan City, Philippines INTERNET VOTING MULLED LCHS-AA election up ahead By Roger Suminguit (Batch '73) The leadership of the LCHS Alumni Association will soon change hands with the election of a new set of directors and officers in the months ahead.  The nomination of candidates for directors is scheduled in the middle of February, with the election to follow in March 2001.  Alumni will vote for 19 members of the board of directors, who in turn shall elect the officers among themselves. The current leadership is encouraging alumni belonging to batches of the 60s and 70s to be nominated in order to infuse younger blood into the Association.  Many of the older officers are set to retire soon. The nomination committee is composed of all LCHS-AA past presidents and the outgoing president. Also under consideration is a plan to allow out of town alumni to cast their votes through the Internet.  Alumni outside Iligan are welcome to name their nominees.  Nominations may be sent by e-mail to Terry Racines at: csm-tur@sulat.msuiit.edu.ph, or by text messaging to Roger Suminguit, cell #0917-3305322; or Arturo Samson, cell #0917-7162042. The nominee must be (1) an LCHS alumnus or alumna; (2) a resident of Iligan City; and (3) willing to serve if elected.

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

Two fourth year high school students of LCHS recently hurdled the entrance examinations given by the country's top universities for prospective enrollees.  Jane Dale Racines passed the entrance tests on Psychology for the Ateneo de Manila University.  Jane Dale, together with Sheila Vy, also passed the entrance tests for MSU-IIT and on International Studies (Europe) for the De La Salle University.

Whitney Dy bags gold in swimfest

Whitney Dy bagged the gold medal anew in the swimming competition of the Batang Pinoy National Games held in Laguna recently. She won in the 6-year old category. She is the daughter of William Dy (Batch '71) and Beth Dy. Whitney is a consistent gold medalist in various swimming competitions in Manila.

Alumni tidbits

"Tracers" has unearthed a few fresh tidbits about alumni over the week. "Tracers" recently learned that Eddie Rodriguez (Batch '61) had a close brush with death sometime last September. This corner had reported earlier that the amiable Eddie underwent appendectomy (Spectrum, Oct. 23, 2000). What many did not know was that Eddie went through something more serious than that.  His appendix had burst, and the contamination had spread to several internal organs in his body. He had to undergo emergency surgery to save not only his vital organs but his life.  Now fully recovered, Eddie says that he's thankful to the Lord for giving him a second lease of life.  Do you know that Laureto Capuyan Lao (Batch '68) and wife Elsie Tan Lao (Batch '70) are already grandparents?  Laureto and Elsie are engaged in the trucking business in California, U.S.A., where they have stayed for 17 years now.  They have two married daughters, and one 4-year old grandson. Laureto and Elsie can be reached at e-mail address: elsierito@aol.com.  Rodrigo Cayubit (Batch '69) is currently back home in Iligan for a vacation from Taiwan. He attended the birthday bash of Remedios Suminguit Shu (Batch '76) last Jan. 24.  Remedios is also on vacation from Taiwan. The Iligan city government participated in the Sinulog festival in Cebu City last Jan. 21. Accompanied by Mayor Franklin Quijano, the Iligan contingent presented an impressive performance which received wide public acclaim. Many among the multitude of spectators said its presentation was excellent and unique.  Good show, Iligan! Hala bira!

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

The last two weeks, my America Online email box has been strangled to its ultimate breath with unforgiving doses of Erap-tion and dizzying rounds of THE man's last circus act. It was like being coerced to witness the mid-morning wicked waves along Hawaii's surfing coastline: A giant body of ocean water clouds the horizon but nothing other than bubbles kiss the shore. It was not until tonight that I learned Gloria hymns are in, Erap's rap is a goner!

For a while, buckets of one-liner (Erap synonym: Herap) spiced with storylines patterned after the Old Testament of Filipino jokes (Lucio Tan is 25% Filipino, 75% Chinese; Erap 25% Pinoy, 75% alcohol) choked my neckline to seizure point. This bug wildly mutated into epidemic seriousness, becoming a plague of sort in US-Filipino Internet servers which, I'm certain, was the root cause of California's flickering electric might.

Evolving from a mold where curiosity is always dissected for its background noises, I initiated an email solicitation of opinion on the Impeachment Trial among an army of pals scattered around US soil. From the Lonestar State of Texas comes this advice: "Erap should get American visa. We need to ax our fascination in Lotto fairy tales. Jueteng has more chances of winning." A model couple from Detroit have this to contribute: "It's about time Erap identifies himself to his breed. Those kids need a father image, not a mere image of a father." A Virginian lamented the fact that "With XX-chromosomed relief pitcher on the mound, yellow will again be the national color!" A lawyer from Philadelphia has this two cents: "Sue those malignant monkies who flamed the People's Power. Erap is my man." An alcoholic from Maryland slurred: "It's San Miguel time. Ayos na ang kasunod." Intoned a senior citizen from Florida: "Perfect timing for Erap to hi-five with his Mickey Mouse gangmates. He'll truly droll on the daily buffet specials, featuring Viagra Con Toro." A chorus from Las Vegas: "Bet 5 to 1 that Lover Boy will have a field day on Valentine's party. He has no more thread of fear of being chased ever again by journalists' darting eyes." Weirdest echo punched in from Seattle: "Strap him on a rocketship fueled with quitis. It's his only chance to explode and glow once more." Kindest remark was aired in Los Angeles: "Erap's drop-dead glamour belongs in the silver screen. Stay and die in movies. In that order."

A cool mortal like Erap should consider ice-cold Buffalo for temporary home base, I think. The poetic water cascade at Niagara Falls - a jewel of a marvel that never cuts short its thunderous flow even during winter season - should implant an insight that life goes on whatever awful circumstances you are boiled in. Would I willingly offer shelter to a fallen, emotionally crippled comrade? Only if he refrains from twitching eyebrow muscles when it is my turn to tease the karaoke machine and only if he educates me in the mechanics of how to save a fortune. I wouldn't think twice of extending a comforting shoulder to a man who is bound for sainthood: No one else in Philippine history has inspired its citizens to pray so hard.

By Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

What started out as just a simple protest action against what seemed to be a "trick" hatched by 11 senators during the impeachment trial, back-fired.  The 11 senators who voted "no" on whether to open an envelope that allegedly contains more evidences that might pin the president down did indeed bring the president down after all by merely voting "no." At that time while 10 senators were brought to tears, the 11 went out grinning from ear to ear, thinking that they had finally put an end to the trial and that the then president would be acquitted. It's funny how their jubilation turned out to be short-lived. Because in less than 24 hours the whole nation was after their heads. And in less than a week the very person who they wanted to stay in power is now dethroned, toppled and powerless.

If they had just voted "yes" and let the people know what's really inside that controversial envelope, their idol would still have been in Malacañang palace right now.  They probably thought that they could all get away with it and that they could easily fool the people watching the so-called impeachment tele-novela.  They forgot how the whole country was mesmerized by Marimar and Rosalinda.  They should have known that with the impeachment trial being watched by almost everybody from all walks of life, no one could get away that easily. Everybody noticed and talked about minute details like which senator seemed to be sleeping during each session, so how could anybody let something as important as a “bag of evidence” slip away that easily? That was their biggest mistake, so far.

So here we are at the threshold of a New Year, the year of the Snake. Personally, I'm terrified of snakes. Seeing those scales in a snake feels like somebody accidentally scratches the blackboard with his nails. I just hope that this year won't be that scaly, or rather scary, for that matter.

Another new this year is of course our president. Although that people power 2 wasn't really because the people wants her to lead the country but she's the rightful successor constitutionally. So in other words we really didn't have much choice. It's either her or be stuck with a drunken skipper on this sinking ship we call the Philippines.

Everybody knows that she's no magician and that she can't turn the ship around over night. Everybody has to do his part for this whole government to run the way it should. Now this new administration could learn from history. Edsa People Power 1 was not just a miracle that happens once in a lifetime, People Power 2 just proved it. So they better put their acts together.

Now that we have this new administration it doesn't mean that we could all go back to being blind, being deaf, or be totally apathetic. We should learn from our mistakes, mistakes in judgment and mistakes in choices, in the hope that we won't commit them again.

This year we're going to have an election, please take it seriously.  And please remember those names that we should not vote for and please take note of those whom we should.  Let's not be fooled by those politicians who are from the Balimbing Republic. Please turn off your amnesia buttons this time.  Elections are there for us to have a say on who will lead us, it's our right and our duty, so let's use it wisely. Don't use this holiday to go to the beach or go on a vacation abroad, please bear in mind that the candidates you like may not win without your vote.

So to everyone Happy Chinese New Year! And Happy New President! I hope that after the May election all of us will still be happy.

By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66

While vacationing in Iligan in May last year, I had the opportunity of visiting an old house along our famous Timoga with a couple of Filipino friends from Sydney, Australia. It was just an afterthought. It was never in our itinerary to tour the nondescript but well preserved landmark by the creek. We had a swim in one of the swimming pools there and our next target was Tinago Falls. But my friends from Sydney were curious when I told them that long before the swimming pools were built, our family used to picnic right inside the manicured lawn of the house of Mrs. Macaraeg, who was the mother-in-law of the late President Diosdado Macapagal. The house has an access at the back with concrete steps leading to the cool and crystal clear water of the famous spring. And their very young daughter named Gloria used to stay with her maternal grandma in that very house in the early 50s.

In contrast to the ever changing resort swimming pools adjacent to it, the 2-storey white painted house and the ground areas seemed to have remained the same with the passage of time. A well preserved edifice of mainly wooden structure of more than half a century still surrounded by the same bermuda grass plus some beautiful flowers. The caretaker gave us a tour of the house. And it was very striking that every wall was adorned with commendations and plaques of achievements belonging to then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. As if this modest house was transformed into a mini shrine or museum of the political family. After a short tour of the house which is really small by today's standard, I thanked our tour guide and gave a passing remark to him that surely Gloria Macapagal will be the next president of the Philippines.

Little did I know that it will be that soon! How would I have known that there will be a popular revolt of EDSA II culminating in the hastily organized inauguration of Mrs. Arroyo as the 14th President of the Republic at around midday on January 20, 2001?  We never anticipated that the well prepared inauguration of Pres. George W. Bush will have a double program as beamed around the world by CNN, BBC and other news networks half way around the world, half a day earlier due to time difference. But the coincidence does not end there. Both their predecessors, who were both left handed, were impeached by their respective Houses of Congress because of their immoral conducts with women. And both had ended their presidency on the very same day. And that both new Presidents George W and Gloria M.A. had a former president as their father.

While watching the inauguration of Madame President Gloria M. Arroyo, I could not help myself but be delighted by how the Visayan pillars of Philippine social scene were instrumental and surrounding her in her moment of history. The oath taking was made right in front of Jaime Cardinal Sin, who is from Iloilo. Administering the oath was Chief Justice Hilario Davide from Cebu. Holding the microphone for the new President was Senate President Aquilino Pimentel from Cagayan de Oro. And of course the new President who also considers herself as part Iliganon!

We could only wish Madame Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo all the best and may her presidency be a refreshing success in contrast to the one the Filipino people had just replaced. And may that humble house along Timoga creek remain ever the same as a testimony of truth and honesty and not to be transformed into a mansion of shame rebuilt with graft and corruption. Otherwise there will be another sequel to the EDSA revolution. And this time around we could not guarantee if the script will remain a bloodless and peaceful one. The Filipino spectators may be bored and tired of a non-violent revolt and demand a bloody one in the next sequel.

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

Iligan City, Friday, February 10, 1961. A baby girl was born at #63 Washington Street, delivered by a midwife. I remember I was down with flu that time. Nevertheless, the rejoicing and excitement was evidently creeping deep within me. It was one most awaited moment for everyone at home who looked forward to her coming. The baby was named Evelyn Jean, two equally beautiful names picked up at random through a raffle. She came at a time when I was 8-going-9. Others would have taken it against the world as a case of sibling rivalry as she took over my position being the apple of the family's eyes, and now, as the youngest among the five children of Hua Lam and Pasing. But for me, it was such a blessing and joy to have her in the family. I didn't mind playing second fiddle to one younger sister who would call me ahia from then on, forty years hence.  I remember how happy and proud I was telling my classmates the following day that I just had a baby sister.

I was practically there each time Evelyn celebrated one special occasion after the other. I WAS THERE when she was baptized at the St. Michael's Cathedral one fine Sunday morning. I remember how we would hurry back home after class dismissals to be with her. I remember her 101 baby things (Lactogen, sterilizer, Johnson's baby powder, Ivory soap, rattle, teether, bibs, walking doll, luto-luto, balay-balay, tea set, among other things). I WAS THERE when she celebrated her First Birthday, when I gifted her with a pair of pink shoes to match her pink birthday dress, when she blew her first birthday candle, and when her baby hair were shaven off late afternoon of that day, as tradition would have it.

She was, by any standards, the darling of the family with everybody's attention solely focused on her. We were the closest among the brood – as playmates, soulmates, and confidants, who kept each other's company day in and day out, despite our age gap, gender differences, biorhythms, and mood swings.

I WAS THERE when she started Grade I in 1968 under Miss Enriqueta Arnejo. I would check on her in their classroom and would buy her maruya, banana cue, Chippy, or whatever. I WAS THERE when she joined those baby contests, the "Little Miss Shellane," when she recited "Ang gatas at ang itlog ay pagkaing pangpalusog," and other fun-filled activities for kids her age. Albums after albums were piled up, of the pictures we took from the time she was born up to the time when she was old enough to collect them by herself. The master's bedroom was her sanctuary. It was where she used to stay most of the time drawing from sunrise to sundown or playing paper dolls, and other such girl things.  I remember her yaya Bebang and the separation anxiety which she experienced when Bebang bade goodbye to settle down.

June of l968 was when we started living apart from each other as I was then pursuing my studies in Dumaguete City. But neither time nor distance have made us strangers as we were in touch regularly through letters and long distance. I remember how excited I was each time vacation came for that would mean fun times and togetherness with her back in Iligan. We were living apart from each other for nine years, only to be together again in June of 1977 when she took up Nursing at Velez College, at a time when I was a graduating medical student. We stayed together in our eldest sister Mila's place from 1977 till we finally parted ways again in 1982 when she got married. Oh, we did spend several one-on-one, heart to heart sessions of seemingly endless dialogues before her marriage. Her views were different from mine then. But eventually she had the final say. So be it. I WAS THERE during her engagement, and her wedding day that January of 1982 when she was the young, beautiful, and blushing bride at Sacred Heart Church. And I WAS THERE too when her marriage started to crumble. For the world's greatest brother that was me, it was some kind of a little death on my part. My heart really bled for her.

She left for the U.S.A. in 1983 to mend a broken heart and for greener pasture and stayed there for three years. Believing in second chance, I advised her to give her marriage another try. So she came back in 1986 and reconciled with her husband. I WAS THERE when she delivered a baby girl at Chong Hua Hospital on June 10, l988, a daughter named Giselle Karen. However, the reconciliation didn't solve their marital problems. So finally Evelyn decided to call it quits. I WAS THERE when she brought her things to our home on board a taxi with Karen, and when she left back to the U.S. that afternoon of April 1, 1991. Oh, parting was such sweet sorrow, and, yes, a little death. Again.

Today, we are oceans apart, but we are in touch regularly through e-mails, something that makes us so near while apart. It comforts me somehow realizing that she has Karen in her life. At least, with a good and responsible daughter like her, I live in the assurance that come what may, she'll never be alone and lonely. All it takes is a Karen to continue living the checkered or dotted life, in accucolor or in panavision.

Today, I could see a reflection of Evelyn in my daughters, the closeness and the bonding nonpareil. I just pray and hope that my daughters will not go through the same shades of experiences that Evelyn went through in her life. But, if and when, God forbid, I will still be there for them, just as I WAS THERE, I am there, and I will be there, for Evelyn, rain or shine, through thick and thin. No hindrances as to time, space, and circumstances. Brother-sister, that's how we will always be. For a lifetime. Now and Forever.

Today, as Evelyn celebrates another milestone, I join her in thanking God for all that she has had in life – the fun, laughter, blood, sweat, and tears, the sunshine and the rain, and the many lessons in life – all of which have made her a better person that she is today.

Yes, the baby is now a lady.

 Happy 40th birthday, dearest sister. God loves you.  So do I.

My kind of woman

A man left for work one Friday afternoon. But, being payday, instead of going home, he stayed out the entire weekend partying with the boys and spending his entire paycheck. When he finally appeared at home, Sunday night, he was confronted by a very angry wife and was barraged for nearly two hours with a tirade befitting his actions.  Finally his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him. "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three days?"

To which he replied. "That would be fine with me."

Monday went by and he didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went with the same results. Come Thursday, the swelling went down just enough where he could see her a little out of the corner of his left eye. --Contributed by Larry Sy (Batch '722), Burnham, Illinois, U.S.A.

It was a scenario reminiscent of the People Power revolt that overthrew the regime of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. But this time with a little help from a tiny little gadget.

The recent people's uprising, now called People Power II, that dethroned Joseph Estrada on Jan. 20, 2001 sprang essentially from the initiative of the people themselves. Triggered by the vote of eleven senators to suppress bank documents that would have revealed incriminating evidence on Estrada's bank accounts, people everywhere spontaneously reacted by marching to the streets to ventilate their indignation.

Like everyone else, I was appalled by the senate vote of 11-10 not to open the envelope containing crucial documents of Estrada's bank transactions. It was about 10 p.m. in the evening of Jan. 16 when the impeachment trial was adjourned after the senate vote was counted.  By 11 p.m. that evening, text messages from friends in Manila were already flooding my cell phone urging people to take to the streets in mass protest. By 11:30 p.m. people in Cebu were spreading text messages mobilizing people for a noise barrage at the Fuente Osmeña.  From midnight onward, the Fuente Osmeña oval was swamped with people from all walks of life (some still in their pajamas) demonstrating their protest. The crowd in Manila swelled to a formidable tempest at the EDSA Shrine in the days that followed.

The senate vote, as everyone knows, was the straw that broke the camel's back.  It was a blatant act that confirmed what the people have suspected all along about the 11 senators' ties with Malacañang Palace.  Their conspiracy to shoot down the evidence set ablaze the wrath of a people already traumatized by economic ills and incensed by Estrada's shenanigans.

What contributed to the swiftness of the people's collective response was not so much the backing of respected leaders like Corazon Aquino and Cardinal Sin but the facility of mobile text messaging, a new tool that was unheard of in the People Power revolt of 1986.  The cell phone, which practically everyone in the country now carries, provided an easy medium for everyone to disseminate information about the sins of Estrada and to exhort people for mass action.

I saw how the cell phone came into play when I joined the indignation rally at Cebu's Fuente Osmeña. The crowd at the oval was slowly thinning out due to a slight drizzle in the afternoon of Jan. 19. When AFP Chief of Staff General Angelo Reyes and Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and other military top brass joined the People Power II at the Edsa Shrine in Manila, the news was conveyed to Cebu within a matter of seconds.  Rep. Clavel Martinez, who was delivering her speech on a makeshift stage at the Fuente Osmeña, received a call from Manila on her cell phone within seconds following the military defection.  She immediately broke the news to the deafening cheer of the crowd.  The news buoyed the spirit of the rallyists. Text messages of the good news immediately spread like wild fire. And more people trooped to the oval to turn the crowd into a roaring mass of humanity.

It may be said that half of the people's battle against Estrada was fought with what is now termed as the "text guerilla warfare." The rest is history.

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.