Spectrum on IligaNet

The LCHS Spectrum is now visible on the web page of IligaNet, courtesy of Johnny Chen. With this, LCHS alumni who are not yet on our mailing list can now access our Internet newsletter on the World Wide Web. Our thanks to Johnny Chen and the IligaNet for the generous gesture. The URL of IligaNet is: http://www.iligan.com/

(Editor's Note: Earlier in our April 23, 1997 issue, the name of the alumnus responsible for featuring our newsletter on the IligaNet web page was erroneously reported as Johnny Po. It should have been Johnny Chen. Sorry for the mix-up.)

Iligan Cops Stage Protest

About 300 policemen all fully armed, led by eight top officers, staged a protest last April 26 against the city police chief whom they reportedly accused of mishandling police funds.

Gathered at the public plaza in front of Precinct 1, the cops alleged that Sr. Supt. Porfirio Corpuz misused funds and solicited money from other officers. While the protest was quiet, residents were alarmed, said Iligan city councilor Lawrence Cruz.

The rally ended early in the afternoon when Cruz invited the protesting cops to a dialog inside the city police station.

Tension initially gripped the atmosphere as some 20 policemen loyal to Corpuz refused entry but later gave way.

Iligan Gets P42-M ADB Loan

Iligan City is borrowing P42 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the installation of a drainage system and the construction of a bus terminal and public market.

City Mayor Alejo Yanez signed the loan agreement with the Dept. of Finance in December last year, according to reports in the Business World, April 25, 1997 issue.

The loan was made through the Municipal Development Fund (MDF) program of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and the Dept. of Finance. An MDF loan is available to provinces, cities, and municipalities.

Of the aggregate amount, P26 million will be alloted for the installation of the drainage system. The bus terminal and public market will cost P12 million and P4 million, respectively.

CdeO-Iligan Corridor Investments Reach P26-B

Actual investments in the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC) for the first quarter of 1997 have hit P26.7 billion.

Among the projects are the expansion of a shopping mall belonging to a national chain of stores in Cebu; a new 68-hectare industrial park at Tagoloan, Mis. Oriental; a new bottling plant by one of the country's leading food conglomerates; a Filipino- Canadian joint venture at Laguindingan, Mis. Oriental to manufacture galvanized iron poles; the Cagayan de Oro branch of a national computer college; and seven new branches of banking and finance companies.

Big ticket direct investments in 1996 included the expansion of the Mindanao Portland Cement; the Pueblo de Oro township project; the rollout of new digital telephones systems by three LECs (Local Exchange Carriers) in Cagayan de Oro and one in Iligan; the 274-hectare NSC Ecozone project; the 8.5-hectare reclamation project of Iligan's foreshore by Lawin Development Corp.; and the LPG depot of Petronas Energy (Phils.), Inc.

Vy Beng Hong's New Building

Vy Beng Hong recently inaugurated his new commercial building along Quezon Ave., Iligan City. The occasion was attended by several fellow alumni, among them were Santi Ong, Roderick Ngo, Teresita Racines, and Jimmy Ling.

The new edifice was constructed by another alumnus, Roderick Ngo.

Newly-weds

Two LCHS alumni recently bade farewell to bachelorhood. Dominic Siao exchanged marital vows with Sheila Aguilar last March 8, in wedding ceremonies held in Cebu City. The bride is the daughter of Engr. and Mrs. Rey Aguila of Iligan City.

Agustin Cu, of J & K Hardware, also got married recently, to Gina, of Iloilo City in wedding ceremonies held in that city.

Editors Notes

Subscription Listing:

We are inviting fellow alumni to send in e-mail addresses of other alumni for inclusion in our mailing list so that they may also receive subsequent issues of our newsletter on their e-mails. Current alumni on the list can also share our newsletter with fellow alumni who don't have Internet access by printing out our newsletters to pass on to others.

Spectrum Web Site

This current issue of the LCHS Spectrum and all previous issues may also be viewed on the World Wide Web at this site:  http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2972/

Staff Writers/Contributors:

Our current crop of staff writers and correspondents is steadily increasing in numbers.
They are:
Henry L. Yu (Cebu, Philippines) charlesy@durian.usc.edu.ph
Santi Ong (Iligan, Philippines) santi@iligan.com
Terry Racines (Iligan, Philippines) TERRY@math1.msuiit.edu.ph
Loloy Tan (Sydney, Australia) edtan@mail.usyd.edu.au
Mike Lee (Edmonton, Canada) mnmm@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Peter Dy (Edmonton, Canada) pdy@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Alex Rodriguez (Florida, U.S.A.) ccopp@safari.net

Echoes from the Past:

This issue we feature a flashback into of one of the largest and most successful LCHS alumni homecoming and Christmas parties ever held. Here's an account of the party held on Dec. 29, 1968 as published in the January 1969 issue of the LCHS Spectrum.

The very moment we stepped into the grand threshold of the LCHS auditorium, a striking glimpse of an aboriginal locale was what immediately saturated in our mind. The cozy atmosphere of the hall, coupled with that hip-swaying Bali-hai music, reflected a typical Hawaiian motif.

The decor was splendid (kudos to the decor committee). Softly as we trudged along the aisle, gifts-for-exchange in hand, we found our path adorned with banana trunks prompting an alumnus to describe the motif as befitting a banana republic.

Instantaneously as the soft Bali-hai music shifted to the beat of samba, we found ourselves transported to the peerless homegrown Caribbean environs.

The time drew near and one by one our fellow alumni trekked in. Smiling faces, animated shrieks, mammoth hairdos, mini-skirts, high heels, Beatle haircuts, crew cuts, big mouths, non-run stockings, seamlesses, fish nets...all were on the scene, combined with a heavy exchange of Christmas greetings and hellos. In a second the auditorium was awash in endless chuckles and chatters.

The clock struck eight and there from amidst the eye-catching bevy of our fellow alumnae, charming and beautifully-grown Grace Po sat gracefully by while her dad George Po busied himself arranging the gifts, door prizes, etc. Together with Grace at the sidelines was the cynosure of all eyes, Merle Galan. No doubt, our boys that evening appeared exceptionally attentive!

The first to come to the limelight was no other than our very own prexy Carlos "Bonnie" Dy. Dressed in polo barong, Bonnie was again in his busy self. And there was Dy Sun Kang, rushing back and forth, seeing to it that each alumni get his stub for the gift exchange.

Approaching the entrance now we met two of our alumni from Dumaguete, Ernesto and Henry Yu. Both wore yellow striped polo shirts. My! I thought they were to perform a duet. Familiar faces were altogether seen in the hall like Bebencio Ma Palang, Rudy "Waya" Te, Chua Tek An, Manuel Sy Gaite, Richard Sy, with their beautiful spouses and juniors. And there was that man with the camera, Cresencio Tan, clicking away his shutters every which way.

No sooner had we arrived from a brief joy ride along Quezon Avenue when then the party reeled off. The ladies had their pick of the dishes first and then the men rushed in a cordon armed to the teeth with spoons and matching plates. Indeed the food was worth the two pesos we each contributed.

We had a good twenty minutes' breather and then the lights dimmed. As the sound of the popular hit "Mony Mony" filled the hall, we saw dominating the dance floor Bonnie Dy, Merle Galan, James So, Grace Po, Maning Gaite, Mila Handumon, Ernie Yu, Betty Bernardo, Henry Yu, Alex Handumon, Antonio Te, Virgie Handumon, Stephen Sy doing his "horsy" steps, Charie Chin, Roberto Handumon, and there was Gregorio Dy doing his version of the "horse".

Among the throng of on-lookers were happy pairs like Mr. and Mrs. Henry Siao, Mr. and Mrs. Sy Chu Pin, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sy, Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Te, and many more. Also huddled in faintly-lit corners, we saw groups like that of Johnson Dy, Sandy So, Arturo Samson, Henry Dy, Yolando Siao, Augusto Sy, Ong Ching An, James Tiu Huan, Victor Chiu, Peter Co. At the rear section were Romulo Tiu, Carmen Chan, Francisco Co, Khu Chai Tin, Bonifacio Co, Constantino Sy, Wilson Lim, Suniel Lim, Miguel Ong, Peter Dy and Robert Co.

With the music stopping at interval, Maning, Bonnie, Waya and Teck An came up with the draws for the consolation prizes in the night's raffles. Of course they didn't need any microphone at all, Maning Gaite, with his baritone, was there to do the job.

The first prize, a portable piano organ, was won by Mrs. Sy Chu Pin. Other prizes, mostly play things, went to Mrs. Henry Ang, James So, Leonardo Go, among others.

The affair ended a couple of minutes near midnight with the auditorium a veritable sea of torn Christmas wrappers.