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Booc Brothers Defeated in Barangay Polls

Joe Booc, for many years a household byword among Iligan's masses, was defeated in the May 12 barangay elections. He ran against Precy Cuevas, incumbent barangay captain of Iligan's Barangay Bagong Silang and lost by a hairline margin of three measly votes.

Joe's younger brother, Roque "Thaysan" Booc, who also tried throwing his hat into the ring, likewise lost in his bid for barangay captain of Iligan Problacion.

Meanwhile, Aldo Caracho, of Class '67, won a seat as new councilor of his barangay in Sitio Noria, placing 4th among the list of council winners. Sitio Noria is a thriving residential suburb located at the back of the Iligan City Hall. Aldo is a salesman of Fortune Tobacco Corporation.

Going Physical with Vy Sio Eng

Vy Sio Eng, former LCHS Chinese teacher, who's vacationing in Iligan, is currently leading a group of health buffs in a daily round of Chinese exercise called "Lian Hua Buh."

The group gathers every morning at 5:00 o'clock at the LCHS grounds to work out with Vy Sio Eng in the new physical art, the effects of which are said to be beneficial to the kidney.

LCHS Computers Update

The computer systems acquired by LCHS from Microtouch Computer Systems, Inc. (MCSI) of Iligan City consisted of sixteen units, not ten units as earlier reported in our last issue. MCSI is a sister company of Iligan Global Access Network, Inc.(IligaNet).

Among the computer systems are 10 units 5x86-122 diskless workstation; 5 units K5 PR-75/PR-100 Pentium class diskless workstation; and one unit K5 Pentium class server.

The school also recently renovated an entire classroom on the second floor, fully equipped with air-conditioning, to serve as computer room for the students.

NSC's Top Man

The giant National Steel Corporation (NSC) has a new plant manager in Iligan City.. And he is an LCHS alumnus: Franklin "Bobo" Siao. He was recently hired by NSC as Acting Plant Manager of the country's foremost steel-making empire.

Franklin was formerly manager of INPORT, an arrastre and stevedoring service company in Cagayan de Oro City.

This Alumna is now a Bank Manager

Janet Lee (Class '69) is now branch manager of PCIBank Iligan branch. Janet was a student leader and one of the editors of the Campus Keeper and the LCHS Time-Out during her days at LCHS.

New Civil Engineer

Arthur Lim, son of Helen Ngo-Lim (Class '68) and Dr. Dionesio Lim of Lopez Jaena, Mis. Occ., recently passed the Civil Engineering board exams given last May 10 and 11. Arthur finished B.S. Civil Engineering at the University of San Carlos. He is currently assistant manager of Westpoint Inn, a new four-storey pension house located near the Fuente Osmena in Cebu city.

Lullette Yau Reaps Top Honors

Lullette Samson Yau was recently graduated magna cum laude, B.S. in Computer Science, at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City.

She is the daughter of Esteban Yau, of Cebu City, and Lolly (nee Samson) Yau, of Iligan City and an alumna of LCHS. Lullette is also a 1997 BPI Science awardee.

From: agustin@iligan.com
Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 15:32:29 +0800

Good day! I'm one of the readers of the LCHS Spectrum, being married to an alumnus. I find your publication a good read. Since I'm not from Iligan, I get to know more about Iliganons, known or unknown to me. I commend your effort to get LCHS alumni together through the net.

GINA CU
Iligan, Philippines

How Our Readers Can Help the Spectrum

Lately we have received quite a number of suggestions from concerned alumni on how our new Internet newsletter can reach more alumni. All proved to be quite constructive, helpful and encouraging. Here's one that we wish to share with our readers, hoping that they will take the cue from there.

Our current subscribers can easily help the Spectrum establish a wider reach by taking a little initiative themselves to share every issue of our newsletter with fellow alumni who have no access to the Internet yet. They can pass around print-out copies of our newsletter among fellow alumni within their reach, or they may fax copies of the newsletter to fellow alumni in their respective locality who have fax accessibility.

That way our current e-mail recipients can help the Spectrum reach out to more alumni and thus ensure its viability. Readers are the lifeblood of any publication. And our Spectrum will thrive better with a broader base of readership.

Subscribers, who wish to print out copies of the Spectrum to distribute to alumni not linked up to the Net, can also access every issue from two available web sites where the editions are presented with enhanced fonts and layout. The sites are:

Goodah!

Three yuppie lawyers had been having lunch at the same Chinese restaurant for more than a year. At each meal, they gave the waiter a bad time. They changed the orders; they sent the food back; they made fun of him.

One day the men agreed to apologize to the waiter and leave him a large tip for all the trouble they caused him. Their leader called the waiter and said, "Listen, we're sorry for being so rough on you. We're not gonna give you a hard time any more, and we're gonna give you a big tip. What do you think of that?"

"Velly good!" said the Chinese waiter. "Now I don't have to spit on your soup no more!"

This issue we feature excerpts from an article written by Lovely A. Carillo in the May 2-3, 1997 issue of Business World.

A tour along the junction of Iligan City and Timoga reveals a huge, Hollywood-like five-letter word which has eluded the city for quite some time now - PEACE.

Peace is relative for this exotic city of waterfalls and springs, in spite of its designation as the industrial highway not only of Mindanao but of the whole country.

What Southern Mindanao is to agriculture, then Iligan City is definitely to industries. However, the wealth of its industries seems a David to Goliath-sized tensions.

This city has witnessed the death of thousands of Christians and Muslims, either because of politics or just plain misunderstanding.

Iligan's name came from the seasonal surge and outflow of its two major river, which brings forth thick schools of hipon. Pioneering residents of the city said old folks called this phenomenon ilig.

"Cebuano-speaking folks here believe Iligan means 'where good fortune gravitates'," a resident said.

Iligan's endowment of waterfalls scattered along the east side provided leverage for progress. Its waters are sourced mostly from Lake Lanao, the second largest lake in the country after Laguna de Bay.

One of nature's gifts, the Maria Cristina Falls, which gushes fiercely from the Agus River, became the source of Iligan's wealth and the mainspring of the city's industries.

Today, Iligan is the show window of almost all industries in existence in the island. Aside from the famous National Steel Corporation, which has built a mile-long empire in the city, there is also the Alcantara-owned Alsons Cement which can be seen by travellers traversing the highways from Cagayan de Oro to Iligan City.

For Iliganons, peace is relative - it depends on whether you know how to bow to those in the majority or if you know where to place your stake.

No matter how difficult it is to live here, businessmen are reaping profits from their enterprises, thanks to people who have long been deprived of these amenities.

Youngsters have their own enjoyment and they still manage to party till midnight in spite of the kidnapping scare, proving that residents are already immune to the fear as it has become a part of their daily life.

But all it not lost for Iligan. Perhaps the greatest redemption it has are its waterfalls, which lure not only businessmen but also tourists, both local and foreign.

One such blessing is the Timoga Spring, which provides a respite to everyone.

"Muslims who often travel to the south called these lands Tim'u'ga, from the word tinga which means lead - a substance believed to be bountiful at that time," Marietta Marzo, one of the operators of the Timoga Spring Resort, said. She said it was the Muslims who gave its name.

There are six resorts in Timoga, namely Timoga Spring Resorts, Laurento, Mimar's Springway, Timoga Mini Spring Pool, Mariano and Sons, and Marvillas - with 19 pools altogether.

In spite of the Muslims being in the majority of the residents in the area, it is amazing how the lechon trade, which used to be a monopoly of a single store right in front of the resort, has boomed with some 20 dealers.

Ilokanos, known for their industry and knack for keeping money, developed more areas northward from the first pool.

"What makes Timoga a wonder is the inexhaustible natural spring water that flows freely in and out of the pools, making them among the cleanest in the country," Delia Abu, a resident, said.

The power of the waters from the hilly incline makes enough pressure for a gushing flow even without electric power, Mr. (Ruderick) Marzo said.

He said Timoga's gradual development improved the living conditions of the people in the surrounding areas. Those who used to depend solely on copra and charcoal, he said, now have additional opportunities.

"Many of the people here have found employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in selling camote, banana, puso, lechon, drinks, car washing and even pool maintenance," he said.

Timoga and other similar resorts and waterfalls could give Iligan a chance to make it big in tourism, especially now that the island is closely coordinating with East Asian countries through the Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

BIMP-EAGA, an economic cooperation which aims to raise the standard of living of the member countries, could just give Iligan the boost it needs to transform the area's reputation from a land of war into a peaceful one.

But first, the residents themselves and the politicians in the area should strive to make that five-letter word inscribed on top of one of Iligan's hills true and long-lasting.