Spectrum 3-23-98

LCHS SPECTRUM
WEEKLY INTERNET NEWSLETTER OF THE ALUMNI OF LANAO CHUNG HUA SCHOOL

Vol. I - No. 47, March 23, 1998, Iligan City, Philippines

IN THIS ISSUE:

NEWS
E-MAILS
COLUMNS
FEATURE
EDITORS' NOTES

STAFF:
Charles O. Sy
Henry L. Yu
Editors

Correspondents:
Johnny T. Chen, Iligan
Santiago Ong, Iligan
Teresita U. Racines, Iligan
Igdono U. Caracho, Cebu
Peter C. Dy, Canada
Mike Lee, Canada
Leonardo Tan, Australia
Ernesto L. Yu, U.S.A.
Alex S. Rodriguez, U.S.A.

LCHS SPECTRUM
Founded on August 1, 1968
Published weekly since its
revival on April 15, 1997
E-mail address:
charlesy@durian.usc.edu.ph
Postal address:
P.O. Box 128
Cebu City, Philippines

LCHS-AA Starts List-up of Nominees
By Johnny T. Chen (Batch '83)

The LCHS Alumni Association has started the list-up of nominees for a new set of officers. The Ad Hoc Committee on Elections has sent out letters to some 156 nominees seeking their acceptance of the nomination. Once confirmed, they shall be included in the List of Nominees, to be circulated among registered alumni by mid-April.

From the list, alumni association members will pick 20 of their choices to sit as members of the Board of Directors of the LCHS-AA. Campaigning for or by any of those nominated is encouraged. Official Election Ballots will be distributed during the week of May 17 to 23, 1998. Canvassing of these ballots is set on May 24, 1998, Sunday, at the LCHS Library. The first ten top vote getters shall serve a two-year term, and the next ten for one year. Only registered alumni are qualified to vote. So far, the Association has 401 registered members. It is anticipated that a major thrust of the incoming Membership Committee chairman will be the drive to increase the LCHS-AA membership.

Boy Te's Daughter is Class '98 Valedictorian
By Teresita U. Racines (Batch '67)

Abigail Louise Te is this year's LCHS high school valedictorian. She is the daughter of Dr. Antonio Leo "Boy" Te (class '70) and Lorna Te. Abigail was first runner-up in the Iligan City Math Olympiad (division level) held in October last year. The father, Boy Te, who is pursuing his medical profession in Taiwan, is coming home to Iligan to attend his daughter's crowning glory.

Henry Dy to Run for Last Term as Councilor
By Igdono U. Caracho (Batch '66)

Henry Dy (Batch '64) will run anew for his final term as Iligan City councilor under the LAKAS-NUCD banner in the May 11 elections. Incumbent Mayor Alejo Yañez and Vice Mayor Pedro Generalao (both of LAKAS NUCD) are likewise seeking another term. Initial reports indicate that the opposition camp, with the backing of Camilo Cabili and Nano Badelles, is contemplating to field in Franklin Quijano for the mayoralty race. Meanwhile, the first congressional seat of Iligan City and Lanao del Norte will see a four-cornered fight among four contenders, namely Alipio "Tikbong" Badelles (LAMMP), Ramon Jacinto (LAKAS NUCD), Ariel "Jojo" Borja (Independent), and Franco Badelles. In the gubernatorial race, a possible rival of incumbent Lanao del Norte Governor Sabdullah Dimaporo (LAKAS NUCD) is Macabanggit Lanto.

Iligan to Erect Overpass for Pedestrians

While the bad news in Iligan is that pedestrians are now being fined for jaywalking, the good news is: two pedestrian overpasses will soon be constructed. The proposed sites for the overpasses are located along Roxas Avenue in between Iligan City Central School and the Iligan City National High School at Mahayahay, and along the highway in front of MSU-IIT at Tibanga. City Mayor Alejo Yañez and Councilor Henry Dy recently met with a Cebu construction firm to discuss the plan for the proposed structures.

E-MAILS

Does Spectrum Keep Back-Up Files?
Fri, 20 Mar 1998 14:52:01 +0800

As announced in the Spectrum regarding its upcoming first anniversary issue in April, I would suggest we publish an index of articles of the issues stored in our archive at our LCHS website. This will be our guide for facilitating references. By the way, do we have back-up of the treasured archive? Moth and decay may not be able to touch it, but hardware breakdown and communicable viruses do. Sneeeeze! We have already lost issues of the earlier releases of the Spectrum circa 1968 in hard copies. With new technology at hand, I hope we store them with care, for future generations to read.

Rene Tio (Batch '70), Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
fishers@cdo.weblinq.com

(Editors Note: Aside from the files stored at the server of Iliganet, the editors also maintain complete files of the Spectrum in hard copies as well as digital files on hard disks. Thanks for the suggestion!)

Dateline Buffalo

By Ernesto L. Yu, M.D., Batch 1965
Ernstyu49@aol.com

Culture Shocks, Part II

Confession: My Chinese-Filipino in-laws are territorial clans with surpassing generosity. When my welfare was entrusted to their watchful eyes last vacation, it seemed that they only have three major priorities in life: First, to bombard, short of spoon-feed, my receptive palate with steady servings of native calories three times a day and two times in-between; Second, to rally their staff of hired help (chauffeur, travel guides) to maneuver me through the languid sweetness in the air around exotic places that would electrify my cultural awareness, like cock fighting arena and karaoke bars; and Third, to duplicate the above daily programs, by the book. What a heavenly paradise for a holiday on the cheap! No wonder, after a decade in Buffalo's concentration camp, my emotionally rigid wife (woo!) rebuilt the requisite grit to brave the 18-hour aerial torment to Bohol, to recapture her social throne as the family's little princess. I was touchingly impressed by my adopted relatives' room-temperature manners, unfailing politeness, candid display of openness and demonstration of family cohesiveness. Such endearing attributes made me drool like an angel full of pie.

Logical add-ons: If there were no siesta hours, partner, you could have dismissed the long-standing gospel about fat fanaticism and bloated your gizzard an extra measure. Astonished by such exhibit of typical Tsinoy benevolence? Feast on these three packaged reasons in this spectacular show of shows: First, they wholeheartedly valued the softness of your heart that readily collapsed to their dearest daughter's ransom notes; Second, that the crispy lechon and other lard-saturated ethnic cuisines may have reset your pacemaker's pathways, but why breathe in the clammy fear about the doomsday message of cholesterols' ill-effects when you are on a summer break! and Third, exhibit raw arrogance and drown their crowned Tessie in grizzled despair, the same homegrown wonder boys will ambush like prowling wolves, to tour you around the alluring heights of the suburbs in blindfold; and let you stand poetically on the hill for a brief course on the Law of Gravity. Kidding aside, don't ever spoil the broth unless you desire to carry on life's daily grinds with artificial limbs and without procreation tools. Safe flying and landing, Captain America.

---ooooo--- Assumptions: FLIPONICS is a generic, New Age buzz-word for Filipino English: "I wish you are (vernacular) ... so that we will ... (vernacular) ... OK?" In our recent Manticao visit, whenever my husband was in half-hearted chatter with his siblings, they indulged in this barrage of halting English. It made me feel like getting in and out of coma: now I have all my mental faculties, in a second I'm a toast. Though Pete (Pedro in derivative form) updated me with timely translations, some terminologies were just too greek to be chopped into comprehensible phonics, like lutong macao and imong kabit. Once, I was in a solo flight in the shopping mall and this doggedly amiable sales personnel convulsed into this same "Star Wars communique" in warp speed and raspy accent. To abbreviate a lengthy theatrical drama, I ended up purchasing a dozen of Tiger Balms.

Peaceful negotiations: At least, my brethren didn't dress their English drills with lots of "ah" and "you know". Amazingly, scores of 30-years-ago Filipino transplants still twirl these linguistic nightmares when trading light conversation among themselves, instead of employing sign language. If kabit or o-yab are used in the past tense, don't bother splitting your skull in the Lanao Mail’s dictionary section. These words are only, ah, ah, legal terms for divorce purposes, you know, ah, ah, when uttered in sensuous overtone, you know, over the phone. And, ah, ah, regarding the Chinese medicinal rub that you got sucked into, I'm pretty sure it is now but a greasy history, as thick as glue! Should have settled for the non-messy White Flower.

Briefs from Down Under

By Leonardo "Loloy" Tan, Batch 1966
edtan@bigpond.com

Tidbits on LCHS and other Memories

Alumna Fe Dy-Quimbo should be congratulated for her "History of LCHS" which I enjoyed in our three past issues. Among the articles that came thru this cyber magazine, I thought that was a very enlightening piece of work indeed. Now I know a lot more about my alma mater.

Maybe we could have a capsulized version of the origin of LCHS in a bronze plate to be unveiled during the Grand Reunion. While on this subject, perhaps we could also have a photo exhibit or a "History in Pictures" from the early days of LCHS to the present. Anyone possessing such priceless memorabilia should lend them to the body handling the Grand Reunion to be shared by everyone.

I am happy about the new name of our sixty-something LCHS: Lanao Chung Hua School. This was the very name I suggested to the Board of Trustees when the planning of the new school premise started sometime in late 1986. I acted then as the Architect-Consultant for the Board. And I put forward the idea about adopting a new name for the new school building.

I remember a school function where the then School Superintendent Pundaudaya was the guest speaker. He talked about being misled by the school's name - Lanao Community School. He said he always received an excellent report about the school but just did not know which "community" did it belong to. He thought it was a school somewhere in a certain hidden valley. It was indeed a great misnomer. Now we have a name which is the exact Chinese phonetic equivalent in English at the same time retaining its initials - LCHS!

***** I don't have to emphasize the literary skills of our editor, but I really enjoyed his writing about the school auditorium and the laboratory. However, Charles "Anlok" Sy missed out something in his last piece about our school lab which was very dear to my memory. That was the first object which introduced me to physics while I was still in my very young age. I am referring to the pocket-size dynamo with the tiny light bulb attached at the other end. I was still in my kinder years when I first wandered into the laboratory which was then housed at the ground floor of the 2-storey high school building. I was immensely fascinated when I witnessed the tiny bulb being lighted, energized by turning the little wheel of the miniaturized dynamo as shown to me by an older student. I could not resist trying it myself. It was a miracle, I could light a bulb! Since then I was interested in science.

In later years, when I first visited the hydro-electric plant along the Agus River dwarfed by the majestic Maria Cristina Falls, I immediately understood the principle of science it involved. This was the giant version of the pocket-size dynamo I first tried at the school's laboratory! About a decade and half ago, I revisited the school's administration office; I saw the pocket-size dynamo lying in one of the teachers' tables used as a paper weight! And every time I came closed to it, I always turned the little wheel a few times and always without fail the bulb still turned bright! Still being fascinated.

***** Who can beat Henry Yu's journey through the memory lane in alphabetical orders? Or his crystal clear narrative about his classroom experiences or about his hometown adventures? It is as if he video-taped everything (when video cam was not yet invented) and now playing it for us all to enjoy. He wrote about the town's characters such as Purong the newsboy who never grew up, Henio the siopao man who scared all the kids in the neighborhood and many others. But has Henry forgotten about Simeon - The One Man Band? I could not find iit in all his narratives.

Simeon studied law in Manila as a government scholar. He had one problem. He was too bright. And he became one of the characters in Iligan that I could not forget. He would roam around the city carrying all his musical instruments, which consisted of a big drum, a pair of cymbals, harmonica and an improvised tambourine, and he played only a boring monotonous tune of - bong...toot...toot...bong!!!

***** Ernie Yu, where were you when I was a teenager struggling a few lines with my love notes to our charming young ladies? Wow, I could perhaps have been more successful with my quest to shoot with Cupid's arrow with Ernie's skills and assistance of his mastery of flowery words. I have to admit that I have to read Ernie's pieces a few times before I am back on the road of understanding. His avenues are full of beautiful flowers that travellers like me are often distracted. Or maybe my understanding of English is just not adequate enough. But this is not to be worried about, I am improving every time I come to "Dateline Buffalo."

Sentimental Journey

By Henry L. Yu, M.D., Batch 1969

Glossary of Memories from A to Z

--- Y ---

Yoyo - Another best loved toy, originally made of tin material which later was made of plastic, the ones from Coca Cola where you exchanged the crown marked with a "Free Yoyo" plus an addition of P1.00. Yes, there was such a thing as the Coca Cola Yoyo Contest.
Yap - As in Miss Concepcion Yap or Mr. Luis Yap. The former was our grade four teacher in the English dep't who was full of smile when she saw me graduate from the primary (grade four) as third honor; the latter was our teacher in grade five Chinese dep't. who was so good at painting and drawing. "Yap Sian" was the one who disciplined me to do good in my Chinese subjects.
Yee Tin - Another popular medicinal embrocation we used either for headache or toothache.
Yesterday - A very popular song by the Beatles. "Yesterday, all my troubles seem so far away..." Matt Monroe also has his own version of the song.
Yellow - This color signifies jealousy, so as much as possible we didn't like such color, so with black or violet which stood for sorrow or death. We loved the colors red for happiness, blue for loyalty, white for purity, and green for hope. But we love the songs "Yellow Bird", "Tie a Yellow Ribbon", etc. --- Z --- Zorro - The popular film hero with his typical black cape and mask riding on a horse with a latigo.
Zebra - We always associated the latter "z" to zebra or zoo, that's what we were taught in grade one.
Zygote - From Miss Teresita Maulas, our General Science teacher in second year, we were taught that a zygote is "a cell formed by the union of two sexual cells."
Zaldy Zhornack - One of the members of the Lo-Waist Gang. He is the husband of Shirley Gorospe. A reel and real love team to watch in the 50s and 60s.

FEATURE

An Invitation for the Lenten Season
By Janet Lee Tan
Batch 1969

As a sign of gratitude to God because the Lord has done great things for us, the St. Michael Filipino-Chinese Catholic Community invites the Filipino-Chinese Catholics in Iligan to spend the Lenten Season with them thru a whole day Retreat Conference from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M., at Maria Cristina Hotel on April 10, 1998 (Good Friday).

Our very special speaker will come all the way from the USA. She is Sister Claire Theresa Mahoney, DM-K.M.R.M., of Our Lady of Mercy and Maria Rosa Mystica House of Providence Cenacle Prayer. She will enlighten us on the messages of the Blessed Mother, especially on how Mary keeps her promises, and the power of the Holy Rosary.

To cover hotel accomodation and meal expenses, each participant is requested to donate P150.00 only. See you all in this momentous day with the Lord!

EDITORS' NOTES:

Birthday Boy: Our belated birthday greetings to Spectrum's Cebu anchorman, Igdono Caracho, who marked his birthday last March 12. This elusive bachelor sneaked out of Cebu, before the Spectrum staff caught up with him, and hied off to Iligan where he celebrated his natal day with his hometown buddies and relatives on March 14. To appease Spectrum's Cebu staff, Igdono promptly sent over one whole lechon de leche by e-mail. Some high-tech dinner treat indeed!

Dr. Do Little: A new column called "Dr. Do Little" will soon adorn the Spectrum, in which LCHS alumnus, Dr. Alexander Rodriguez (Batch '65), of Florida, U.S.A., will share his professional or personal insights on medical and health issues. From time to time, the column will be in the form of an advice or public service feature, to which all LCHS alumni are welcome to send in their questions for Alex Rodriguez to give his comments in his column. Address your e-mails to "Dr. Do Little" c/o the LCHS Spectrum, charlesy@durian.usc.edu.ph.