Internet Newsletter of the Alumni of Lanao Chung Hua School Vol. 4, No. 5, June 12, 2000, Iligan City, Philippines THE BEAT GOES ON GAH picks up momentum Registration for the Grand Alumni Homecoming on Aug. 3-5, 2000 is fast picking up momentum. Over the past several weeks, registration by alumni has increased steadily in volume. This in part comes as a result of the ongoing house to house campaign being conducted by the GAH top guns in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. LCHS-AA president Arturo Samson and GAH secretariat co-chairperson Roger Suminguit are also set to travel to Cebu City to promote the GAH on Jun. 23 & 24. Laying the groundwork for this part of the GAH blitz is Cebu area coordinator Roderick Ngo.  In addition to the list of registered alumni reported in the May 29 issue of the Spectrum, the following have recently signed up for the GAH: Yu, Ernesto; Racines, Julius; Racines, Jorge Jr.; Racines, James; So, Pitrickson; So, James; Dy-Henry, Honey; Dy-Henry, Hiram; Dy-Henry, Hazel; Dy, Jesus; Dy, Johnson; Dy, Peter; Dy, Henry; Tan, Leonardo; Jo, Juanita Te; Yu, Felisa Khu; Dy-Pico Aileen; Racines, Gloricita; Samson, Jacque-Lynn; Samson. Janice; Samson, Jennifer; Samson, John  Arthur; Alvarez, Venancio Jr.; Khu, Fernando; and Khu, Sio Tin Vy.

EDITORIAL STAFF Charles O. Sy, Editor Henry L. Yu, Associate Editor Correspondents: Iligan - Johnny Chen, Teresita Racines, Vinson Ngo, & Roger Suminguit. Cebu - Igdono Caracho. Metro Manila - Marie Janiefer Lee. Canada - Peter Dy & Mike Lee. Australia - Leonardo Tan. U.S.A. - Ernesto Yu, Alex Rodriguez, Aurora Tansiokhian, & Alfred Lai II. 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 7 WEEKS to Grand Homecoming

Two new Certified Public Accountants have been added to the growing list of LCHS alumni professionals.  Maida Q. Dy (Batch '91) & Christine L. Tan (Batch '95) passed the CPA licensure examination given last May 21-22.  Maida is the daughter of Allan Michael A. Dy (Batch '73), and Christine is the daughter of the late Cresensio Tan and Hilaria Lua Tan.  Some 5,562 took the recent licensure exams, out of which only 1,012 passed, or about 18 percent.

Henry Dy reelected to BSP board

Councilor Henry C. Dy (Batch '64) was reelected to the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines last June 3.  He sits in the Board as a representative of the Business Group under the private sector. He is currently in Manila for the first meeting of the newly reconstituted National Executive Board on June 10 at which they will elect the national officers for the year 2000-200l.

Fire destroys Iligan old market

A fire destroyed the old central market in Iligan early this week. Razed to the ground was the whole of Building B containing the dry goods section. The hour-long fire that originated from a small shanty located on the western wing of the building damaged properties estimated at P15 million. Some 290 stalls selling garments and other dry goods owned mostly be Muslim traders were burned.

Yu kids win art awards

Hazel Valerie T. Yu, 11-year old daughter of alumnus Dr. Henry Yu (Batch '69), was recipient of three awards during the culmination rites of the summer art and painting class of the Cebu Academy of Arts last may 27. She was awarded "Young Artist of the Year," "Best in Art Paper Collage," and the "Grand Prize Winner" for exemplary performance. Her younger sister, Hannah Victoria T. Yu, 8-year old, also won the "Best in Clay Modelling" award.

Feedback from Australia
Fri, 26 May 2000 12:43:36 +1000

To Rene Tio:  Your feature article "A Visit to Niagara Falls," was a good one (Spectrum, May 29, 2000). Keep up the good work!  Your alumni association seems to be composed of very active members all over the world. That is quite interesting.  Hopefully 20 years from now, Oro Christian Grace School (OCGS) alumni will emulate the same thing. The article "Australia 101" by Marie Janiefer Lee was a good one, too. Yes, Wallaby is not a bee, nor a Wombat a bat.  Congratulations on your first Grand Reunion, it sure will be a big day.  --Ida Elizaga To, Melbourne, Australiia, toi@wva.org.au

Alumni news roundup

"Tracers" recently scooped up a stockpile of updates on alumni whereabouts.  LCHS alumna Luisa Uy-Libron, incumbent president of the United Way of Iligan & Lanao del Norte, led her club members last May 28 in offering community service with a Barangay Free Dental & Medical Clinic at the Doña Actub Memorial School in Pala-o.  Luisa is owner of the popular Loy Pharmacy in Iligan.  More and more alumni are pursuing their career in the insurance business. Antonio "Dodo" Chan (Batch '65) and Walter Dy Lituan are now connected with Pioneer Insurance & Surety Corporation, Iligan branch. Antonio Boneralao is likewise in the insurance business. Rodulfo Suy (Batch '66) is engaged in coconut trading in Iligan City. Remember Nene Yu (Batch '62), of the famous Oriental Restaurant, formerly located at San Miguel and J. Luna Sts. in Iligan?  Nene is now into agri-business in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. Our cheers to Carina Dy-Carlos Yu (Batch '91), who gave birth to a 6.6 lbs. baby girl named Corrine Wesnee, last June 1. Carina resides in Manila with husband Wilmon Yu. She's the daughter of Carlos "Bonnie" Dy (Batch '58).

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

After three decades in a state where friendship was loosely glued by e-mails, I finally recouped the bruising tenderness of trading fresh hellos and sharing dinner tables with J (Hesing's Caucasian nickname) and his ever lovely Melania, high school ace John Go and inamorata Aida, and Tita Dy (Peter's everlasting trophy) and her three inspirations to report to labor camp rain or shine (Peterson, Melody and Philip).

Hesing, in spite of being baked daily in the sun, an inevitable consequence of his addiction to golf, manages to preserve a blemish-free complexion over a cool head. He has a way of narrating stories, complete with audio and visual effects, that renders his tales entertaining and suspenseful. It makes you beg for more cliffhangers. Truthfully, it made me wish I could duplicate his gift so that I can be out at night longer (hahaha). He tickled everyone's funny bones to the limit with his anecdotes on early life as an immigrant in Canada. Like mispronouncing similar sounding words: "I need raise (he meant 'rest')" when asked by his supervisor if he could cover for a weekend shift. And got his mistake! Equally youthful lifetime partner Melania featured her culinary skill during the party in their home with a serving of clam kinilaw that soaked our nostalgic taste buds in ultimate high. Even my breed of American-raised kids gave my palate a run for its money. The rest of the various assortment on the dinner table, she confessed, magically appeared after a phone call to her Chinese restaurant chef. Just the same, she infused an ambience that made it so conducive to ignore one's self-imposed emotional hatred of bloating calories. We totally lost our resolution to diet after the initial trip to her Buffet Central. I hope she didn't notice how I could cram an astounding load of delicious delights into a physique that easily qualifies as one of Snow White's seven sidekicks!

Tita, whom I reflexly addressed as "Tits" for short without realizing the other no-no connotation, is as blooming as when I first spotted her some 27 years ago. She still exhibits her trademark sparkles in her eyes (score one for Pe Tek's shower of loving care). Peterson, the oldest son, who is a definite "Peter son", is so outgoing and connected easily with both crowd of young and restless and arthritic dinosaurs. Melody (I pledged not to call her Princess) is a stunning package of beauty and brain who should make any Romeo drool in unspoken words (caught one of my sons doing just that). Philip, the youngest of the trio, is quiet and composed in his six-foot frame. His height advantage made me question my "Napoleon" stature and my dad's carving a science out of dwarfness.

John "Toti" Go, the classmate who made a habit of raising the median grade in our math class, gave us a free show of his health evaluation technique using a gadget that pinpoints the system in your body that can be saved by herbal boosters. He was ably supported by his teammate Aida (did I say captain?). I was pretty electrified to learn from him that my deteriorating memory jewels have some flickering lights left that can be renewed by tonics derived from plant roots.

Edmonton Oilers is Alberta's prime pride in professional hockey. They are consistent winners (even if they flopped this year) in the heart of every Edmonton fan. Hence the title of my article - The LCHS alumni circle in Edmonton "oiled and greased" our sojourn with a pack of vacation memories that will linger in our mental vaults in a winning manner. They made our reunion a splendor-in-the-grass moment and made us leave our hearts in Edmonton.

Comrades, we welcome another invitation to your region to clean up the scatter of our heart beats.

By Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

I have two sisters.  I guess they are given to me to be my angels. Although when we were younger, we were little devils to each other.

The three-year age gap between Jojo and me is probably the main reason why we didn't get along back when we were small.  They told me how I destroyed most of her toys because she would not play with me.  I was probably her worst nightmare back then.  When she was already into song hits and jingles, me and Joan were still playing balay-balay and luto-luto.  When she was already using shampoo and conditioner, we would just use soap and immersed it in a kabo of water to make our own version of Palmolive shampoo.

Back then Joan and I really couldn't understand her.  Like why she preferred to watch a movie with her friends rather than with us.  Or eat with her friends in the canteen rather than with us.  We thought we'd never really understand her.

The age gap between Joan and me is one year and one month.  We are like twins, though paternal twins because we have little resemblance.  We were always together.  We were always dressed in the same types of clothes.  And we like the same things.  We would fight and make up several times in one day.
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Joan was the teaser.  She was always trying my patience.  My mother would always tell her that she wouldn't know what she would get once I reached my "breaking point."  Sometimes Jojo and Joan would join forces against me.  They would make me jealous by sleeping in one bed together and deliberately leaving me out.  That was probably why I started sleeping with my mother.

We never fought physically, like pulling each other's hair or scratching each other's eyes.  We were very "bayot" when it comes to fighting -- puro storya lang.

Looking back now, I never thought that we would soon become so close to each other. Now if there's such a term as a "spoiled sister" then that's probably me.  My sisters are always there for me.  I've never told them this but it seems that the reason why I'm not afraid to try something new is because I know that, whether I make it or not, I know they will always be there for me. It's like saying, "I'm not afraid to climb new mountains and explore new heights because if I fall, I know they will be at the bottom to catch me.  And on my way to the peak, I know they will be there to cheer me on."

If there's a Mother's Day and a Father's Day, maybe it's about time we have a Sister's Day -- just to celebrate the special bond that sisters share.

By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66

Sydney started its final countdown a few days ago for the 100 remaining days before the Games of Millennium Olympic, which coincided with the touch down of the Olympic flame at Uluru or Ayers Rock, known also as the Red Center of the Australian continent. This Olympic flame will then tour around the country with all kinds of torch bearers. Men and women, young and old, famous and the unknowns, business leaders and the jobless, past and present Olympians, and many others numbering in the thousands, will share the glory of carrying the torch which will be the highlight of the Sydney 2000 Olympic opening ceremony come September 15. It is still a closely guarded secret as to how the giant cauldron at one corner of the 110,000-seat stadium will finally be lighted by the last torch bearer in a ceremony that will be watched by almost everyone in the known world who has a TV set.

Only less than a hundred days to go and Sydney will play host to the greatest show on earth for about two weeks! This city is really getting a lot of excitements day after day. But as an LCHSian living in Sydney, the Olympic can wait. The games come and go every 4 years anyway. But this is my city as host of the games. Yet I won't be going to watch the actual games anyway. Like most of you, I will be watching the Sydney Olympics on the TV!

What is always in my mind and the event I am really looking forward to is the first ever LCHS Grand Alumni Homecoming, which is just seven weeks away. Not a day passes without me thinking about our big affair. I would always dream about the 3 days of August with the first big night, which will be a Barrio Fiesta, as my main concern, with me as the probable master of ceremonies. What will I say? What jokes to share? Should I sing and dance like Billy Crystal? That would be brilliant! But I would more likely appear as the resurrected Ike Lozada perhaps? Will the school gym be full of alumni? Will decorations still be needed? I have a feeling an emcee for this kind of function is not so critical. Perhaps nobody will even be interested in what I will say or even bother to listen to the jokes that I may crack. Everyone will just be so happy to see each other after a long long time. Barrio Fiesta? Maybe more of a market place! I will just keep on daydreaming till the actual event come into reality.  By this time, I could picture perhaps a giant streamer emblazoned across the LCHS main building announcing the grand reunion.

My trip last month to Iligan was indeed a great psychological boost for my own personal view of  this GAH. I am not sure now if my heart made the return trip with me to Sydney. Okay, it might be corny, but I have to admit that I left my heart in Iligan! I should have stayed in Iligan till the first week of August! Like my batch mate Peter Dy, I could be in Iligan helping everyone in the preparation of this biggest event of our alma mater. And in doing so, I would not be missing any episode of Rosalinda.   See you in August!

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

The month of June ushers in memories of people, places, and events. It marks the beginning of another school year that our students eagerly waited for, wanting to get back to where they've been two months ago. It's back to school season once again:  school bus, PTA, books, home work, barkada, tsismis, fun, among many others. Department stores have it ("Back to School" promo sales). Parents have it too in their pocket calendar (enrollment and tuition fees). We all have it (celebration of many special occasions: freedom, weddings, fiestas, birthdays, etc.).

June is the MARRY month when romance, either of the long overdue or the whirlwind variety, ends up in the church's altar to the tune of "This is the moment I've waited for. I can hear my heart singing, soon bells will be ringing."  Practically all magazines would come up with a special issue about wedding suggestions, recommendations, and other details. June Bride is the name of the game. So, how many of our LCHS alumni once upon a time played the game as June Bride? At the moment, I can't think of any. All I know is that a wedding occurred all in the name of love.

June is the MERRY month for many employees who give you one of their best smiles as they receive the second half of their l3th month bonus.

June l2 is a public non-working holiday when we celebrate Philippine Independence Day with flags of all sizes hanging around store premises or attached to running vehicles, when red-white-and-blue (stars over you) suddenly become the colors of the season, when a long parade is part of the day's agenda with patriotic Filipinos joining the march in celebration of our freedom day.

June l9 is the birthday of our national hero, Dr.  Jose Protacio Rizal, whose biography/life story has repeatedly been taught to us since the beginning of our very young life. The third Sunday is Father's Day a fitting tribute to all daddies, papas, or tatays in the world, inatays (meaning ina at tatay) included, they who gave us our names, drove for us, sent us to school, or acted as the official and legal chaperones in the many activities of our lives.

June 24 is the feast of San Juan when people celebrate it by frolicking under the sun at the beach or splashing water "here, there, and everywhere" (a song by the Beatles) to their heart's content. Tsk, tsk, tsk … ang  tamaan ay huwag magalit!

My very own JUNE DIARY is loaded with an assortment of memories, a condiment of the little-of-everything kind birth and death, joy and sorrow, sunshine and rain.

June 3 (l979) was the day I took the Philippine Medical Board Exam in Manila along with some l,041 hopefuls all trying to hit the same bull's eye: an M.D. after their surnames.

June 11 (l998) was my induction as the 70th  president of the Cebu Medical Society at a time when our country was celebrating its centennial year of Philippine Independence.

June 20 (l997) is the death anniversary of a dear classmate and friend (Jimmy Ling) who left without the formalities of delivering a valedictory address. How I really wished we had more time together reminiscing the "memories of our dreams" (a song by Eddie Peregrina).

June 23 (l988) is the birthday of my daughter Hazel Valerie who's turning l2 this year. How time flies! "Dad, can you buy me a body lotion like the one my classmate is using?"  She told me the other night. Then I realized that babies do grow up. "Is this the little girl I carried?" so I sang.

June 25 (l949) is the birthday of the Spectrum boss (Charles Sy). Oh, that boy too has grown up to be "a well respected man" (a song by the Beatles again!)

June 30 (l999) was the day I turned over the presidential gavel to the then incoming CMS president in the person of Dr. Tomas Polloso.

Well, the list can go on and on and on without end. You have your memories just as I have mine. But the bottom line is: we are all equal as far as June is concerned. We all go thru a certain June in our lives  a June to be born, a June to get married, to learn, earn, and yearn, a June to say goodbye at a time God has appointed. Only He knows what tomorrow's June will bring. I can only pray and hope that God will bring us more sunshine, rainbows, and blue birds in the sky for our JUNE DIARY, for the rest of the year 2000 and thereafter. All these we ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our lord and God's Holy Spirit. Amen.

It was Tuesday morning, I remember.  I was running towards the stop hoping to catch the bus that was just about to leave.  I sighed with relief as I stuck my card to the now familiar tone of the machine and said "Thank you" to the CTA driver.

Two bus rides and one train ride before I get to downtown and a 1-1/2 hour passed by.  I entertained myself with thoughts of Iligan; how I took for granted the luxuries Iliganons have.

The Sears Tower was humongous and serene in all its glory when I first saw it.  Other tall buildings surrounding it are also monumental and pretty old.  Walking down State Street, I stopped for a moment and familiarized myself with the map I was holding.  Good thing I learned how to use it when I was in Edmonton a few years ago.  Later I discovered that there are streets here well known for the racial ethnicity.  Like Devon is for Indian and Pakistani, Lawrence is for Korean, Harlem is for the Italian, Belmont is for the Polish.  As I am writing this I realize that there is no Filipino Street.  There are Filipino stores or communities around but they are not concentrated in one area.  Which, I think, proves our innate and unique capability to adapt to change, wherever we may be.

It's been 3 months and I should admit that I missed not being able to wear shorts and walk around outside the apartment.  And so in a warm April weekend morning at 70 degrees, I went out to the park to smell the clean, fresh breeze and exercise a bit. Immensely enjoyed it until a cool air swept through the area abruptly and it was already 50 degrees in just an hours' time.  Now, where is my jacket when I needed it most?

(Editor's Note: Alfred Lai II is currently working at a nursing home in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. and is studying for GRE to pursue his Masters in Nursing.)

Summer in the Philippines will soon be over. Rainy days will be here to stay till the end of the year. When summer comes many people troop to Baguio, summer capital of the Philippines; some would frolic on the beaches; while others would enroll their kids in swimming lessons, painting, sports clinic, and other summer classes available.

I went to Taiwan the year after I graduated from college and what cool way to spend summer since it is spring time in Taipei.  When I started working I always wanted to have a summer vacation to recharge. Until last 1993, three of my classmates Steward Co, Albert Chiu and my bosom buddy Jorlyn Sy, together with a mutual friend Edmund Lao, and I went to Boracay Island. It was seven days filled with sun, sand and sea. Boracay was really a heaven on earth for us. It seems like when God created the universe, He made Boracay first and poured all the beautiful things into it. The water is crystal clear, with powdery white sand, corals and exotic fishes abound. In Boracay, one can really feel God's presence through His beautiful creation.

The following year, Jorlyn and I, along with Robert Booc (Batch '84) and his two uncles, went to Palawan. It was more of a spelunking trip because all the sites we went to for five days were the different caves around Palawan, like the Underground River, Tabon caves and lots of other caves. Then 1995 summer came, together with my sisters, my mother and Jorlyn, we went to Hong Kong and Macau. It was another five days of adventure in the wilds of Shim Tsa Tsui, Mongkok, and other night markets. In 1996, I went to Hong Kong and Boracay with my husband Boyan. Summer of 1997 was spent at home nursing my new-born Alec. 1998 came and went without a vacation for me since Alec was still a baby.

Then in 1999, after a month's training in Surabaya, Indonesia sponsored by JICA, I was able to go to the world famous Bali. I was so thrilled to be in Bali and experience what Bali really is. Sad to say, the beaches of Bali fell short of my high expectation. It is nothing compared to the beaches of Boracay. Bali was really developed to be a tourist attraction, 5 star hotels lined the beaches. Where in the world can you see signature shops that are just a stone's throw from the beach? Gucci, Lacoste, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Bally, you name it, they have it! Everything is so expensive, a McDonald's hamburger that costs around 7500 Rupiah in other parts of Indonesia would cost 14,000 to 15,000 Rupiah in Bali. The island of Bali is part of Indonesia, but it is dominantly Hindu, unlike the rest of the country which is dominantly Muslim. One could find litson in Bali, sate babe or pork barbecue. But definitely no beef which one could rarely see in other parts of the country.

Balinese women are often seen sweeping the streets, cementing pavements, farming, and working to support the family, while the Balinese men are at home relaxing. It is their practice that women's job are heavier than that of the men. Maybe because of this practice there might be men out there who will be contemplating of living in Bali. 70% of the tourists are Japanese, while the remaining 20% are either Australians or Germans, and the rest are of other nationalities.

After my trip to Indonesia, Boyan, Alec and I went to visit Bohol. But after having been to Boracay, I do not know if there would be other places that would impress me more than Boracay. So for those who are thinking of going abroad the next summer, why not try Boracay? It is less expensive and definitely worth the trip. I am sure Steward and Jorlyn would readily agree.