Internet Newsletter of the Alumni of Lanao Chung Hua School Vol. 4, No. 6, June 26, 2000, Iligan City, Philippines THE BEAT GOES ON GAH campaign goes to Cebu The Grand Alumni Homecoming (GAH) campaign has expanded over to the shores of Cebu City. LCHS-AA President Arturo Samson, GAH Secretariat Co-Chair Roger Suminguit, and Raffles Committee Co-Chair Alexander Chua arrived in Cebu City last June 23 to intensify the campaign for GAH registration among alumni in Cebu.  Accompanied by Cebu area coordinator Roderick Ngo, Charles O. Sy and Igdono Caracho of the Spectrum, the LCHS-AA top guns went on a relentless  two-day campaign among alumni widely dispersed in Metro Cebu.  In turn, alumni in Cebu responded enthusiastically with their advanced registration fee payments, ad placements, and buying of the GAH raffle tickets.  The campaign raised over P50,000 of additional funds for the GAH.  Among those who gave their support were Glenda Siao Lim, Alfredo Uy, Dy Shek Tong, Kho Siok We, Felipe Lim, Sy Chu Tek, Rosie Siao Sy, Amelia Sy, Lilian Ang, Elsa Ang, Gregoria Ang, Jonas Sy, Jane Dy Wang, Bebencio Palang, and several others. Accompanying photos hereunder show various scenes of the team on the campaign trail.

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 5 WEEKS To GAH

Photo at left shows Roderick Ngo, Alexander Chua, and President Arturo Samson exchanging light banter with
Glenda Siao Lim (third from left) at her Philippine Airlines office.  Photo at right shows Arturo Samson
discussing details of the GAH with former LCHS teacher, Kho Siok We, at her office at the Cebu Eastern College.

Photo at left shows the GAH campaign team in their visit to the office of Bebencio Palang (seated) of Batch '56.
Photo at right shows GAH souvenir program editor Charles O. Sy turning over to GAH top honchos the
completed layout and materials of the 172-page souvenir program for final printing in Iligan City.

More alumni register for GAH
By Teresita Racines (Batch '67)

With the GAH drive heading toward its homestretch, more alumni are surfacing each day to register themselves for the GAH.  The following are the latest additions, bringing the total number of registered alumni to 121, as of June 21:  Eleanor Co; Ruben Co; Jesus Dy; Aicelle Dy Pico; Aimee Dy Pico; Francisco Dy Pico Jr.; Francisco Dy Pico Sr.; Miguel Ong; Santiago Ong; James Racines; Jorge Racines Jr.; Julius Racines; Edmund Samson; Marcelino Siao; Sy Beng Gui; Raymund Sy; Richard Sy; Romeo Sy; Ruben Sy; Sandy Sy; Sharon Sy; Sherwin Sy; Calix Tan; Felisa Khu Yu; Charles Ang; Joselyn Ang; Linda Ang; Rudy Co; Reynaldo Suminguit; Roberto Lagrosas; Marie Josiefel Q. Ello; Albert Chiu; Vinson Ngo; Jorlyn Sy; Peterson Sy; Guardson Siao; Elaine Co Bartolome; Edelino Dagondon; Luis Kho; Agripino Jo; and So Pick Giok Dy.

FFCCCI donates more school buildings
By Peter C. Dy (Batch '66)

The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCI) donated three more school buildings to three different barangays in Iligan City on June 23, 2000. Leading the turnover ceremonies was Robin Sy, FFCCCI vice president, who, along with David Chua, owner of Cathay Pacific Steel Corp., and William Gatchalian, represented by Evelyn de la Rosa, donated the school buildings. The recipients were the barangays of Dalipuga, Sta. Filomena, and Tomas Cabili. Over a span of 30 years, the Federation has donated to the Philippine Government over 3,000 units of two-room barrio school buildings throughout the country. Playing host to the FFCCCI top guns in Iligan was Councilor Henry C. Dy, president of the Lanao Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

LCHS enrollment hits 278
By Igdono Caracho (Batch '66)

Enrollment at LCHS this school year registered 278 students, a slight increase over last year's 248.  The enrollment figure is distributed as follows: Nursery - 13; Kinder 1- 12; Kinder 2 - 22; Grade I - 21; Grade II - 23; Grade III - 27; Grade IV - 33; Grade V - 27; and Grade VI - 26.  In the High School level, First Year - 19; Second Year - 26; Third Year - 16; and Fourth Year - 13.  Meanwhile,,  several new teachers have joined the LCHS faculty this school year.  They are Glenda Sy Cabilan, as head of the Chinese department; and Kong Chio, new Chinese teacher.  In the English department, the new teachers are Carina Acuba, Wenna Balaido, Silmarie Emperio, Michel Samantha Marzo, Elvira Raganas, and Beverly Romano.  The new assistant to the principal is Christine Monica Uy.  Head of Elementary, English department is Elizabeth David; and Normita Alivio, head of High School, English deparment.

New alumni achievers

Congratulations to two alumni for their recent achievements: Alfred Lai II (Batch '89) and Edmund Samson (Batch '76).  Spectrum staffer Alfred Lai II recently passed the State Licensure Exam for registered nurses in the U.S.A.  He is currently working at a nursing home in Chicago, Illinois, and is studying for GRE to pursue his Masters in Nursing.  Architect Edmund Samson, on the other hand, has just been elected president of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Cebu chapter.  He is president and CEO of the EDSA Architecture, Inc. and has recently completed his design for a dream project: a multi-million and modern terminal that will soon become a landmark in the harbor of Cebu.

New Spectrum subscribers

More alumni have recently been added to the Spectrum growing list of subscribers.  They are Alfredo Uy (Batch '61), Cebu; Jovencio Samson (Batch '73), Miami, Florida, U.S.A.; Daniel Sy (Batch '97), Iligan; Felicitas Sonia Clemen (Batch '71), Davao; Elizabeth Lim (Batch '70), Iligan; Robert Dychutee (Batch '72), Iligan; Joselyn Ang (Batch '67), Iligan; David Lee (Batch '76), U.S.A.; Cristina Vy Tan (Batch '70), Cebu; Kho Siok We (Batch '57), Cebu; Johnson Samson (Batch '81), Cebu; and Rosalinda Go (Batch '62), U.S.A.

Missing Iligan
Sat, 17 Jun 2000 14:31:11 EDT

Thanks for including me in the Spectrum subscription list. It's been a long time since I last heard about Iligan. Now, with the Spectrum I will know more about Iligan and other news direct from home.  Thanks again. --David Lee (Batch '76), U.S.A., DLCLVREALT@aol.com

Has the GAH steering committee accredited some Iligan hotels as the official homecoming shelters to house alumni from out of town? Probably they should work on some discounts and we can publish them in the Spectrum for choice and reservation. -- Rene Tio (Batch '70), Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, via ICQ No. 38582393.

Tidbits from CdeO

"Tracers" pack of paparazzi recently ventured out to Cagayan de Oro City and romped off with a harvest of tidbits about alumni in this golden pineapple city and its neighboring towns.  Do you know that the municipal mayor of Lugait is an LCHS alumnus?  He is Yuri Taongan (Batch '82), son of Lim Tiao Pin. Over in Nawa-an, its former mayor is Clemente "Engkit" Lim (Batch '65).  When you are in Initao, the name that automatically rings a bell is Lucio Choa Tan (Batch '67).  Lucio, a consistent class valedictorian in his LCHS days, runs the family's chain of flourishing businesses dealing in coconut shell charcoal products. He is married to Lucing Co, of Atlas Corn Mill, Mandaue City, with whom, he has one daughter (now pursuing college education).  Lucio's younger sister, Fena (Batch '67), lives in Manila with her husband George Lao, an importer of auto parts. Fena and George have 3 children.  Two other sisters are: Cynthia (Batch '68), who runs a tourist bus rental service company with her husband Edgar Co; and Edna (Batch '69) who, together with husband Virgilio Ramos, runs a restaurant in Manila.  Like elder sister Fena, Cynthia and Edna also have 3 kids each. Another alumnus in CdeO is Venancio Alvarez Jr. (Batch '68), who works with Fortune Tobacco Corp.  In CdeO, the only son of Corazon So-Tan (Batch '60), is a lawyer.  He is Samson Tan, who finished law at the FEU in Manila, and now runs the Lex Law Review School.

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

How do  I count my blessings without knocking myself unconscious from repetitively bombarding that moldy organ of intelligence on top of my shoulders with intense drilling for answers? At the current pathetic state of my neural networks, if I evolve dazed and confused but the rest of my aging anatomy intact after each dizzying wading through my mental weeds, I'd be all smile for this manna from heaven.

At  any rate, I regard your reading my cranial random gags and sputters in Spectrum as one of those sorts. How else can I be heard from faraway Buffalo without this biweekly Charlie's angel? What other viable routes can I forcefully channel your thoughts away from pressing issues that linger in your private paradise and nail down your full attention on me for a few leisure minutes every other Monday? Undoubtedly, our alumni newsletter has transcribed into visual prints the "occasional integrity" of my intracranial circuits. It may not be as healthy and robust as a typical 51-year old mammal, but, hey, I don't swallow my vocabularies to be flushed eventually into the sound of silence. I spit them out fresh, before things get blanketed in "senior moments" (yes, the forgetfulness that eats up your brain when you hit 50!). I paste wings on my pet adjectives and adverbs in order to disperse the main idea that somewhere in the flatlands of Upstate New York an alumnus from LCHS, who now moves like a domesticated arthritic house cat, is willing to strip his soul naked in order to touch and caress buddies (dinosaurs and Neantherthals are appropriate alternative nouns) of the Austin Power and original Woodstock eras. A real by-product of being nostalgia-crazy. The privilege of having this opportunity spread on my doorsteps merits a note of gratitude and tip. Before the creepy Alzheimer bugs chop off my head for desert.

If you desire to boogie with my glad nerves and speed up the merriment streaming in my veins, you only have to pat my shoulder back through the blindingly fast speed of e-mail technology: Click your mouse on the underlined name under the Dateline Buffalo byline and, baboom!, you'll be sitting next to my happy beating heart. I guarantee that your knocks will be answered on a timely fashion, even if I have to look for my brain. Thus, can we step on the brake and chitchat for a change? For all we know, we may never have this chance encounter again. Although there is a definite aura to wordless whispers, amplifying the volume of your hushed murmurs into my ears is a warm mechanism to rewind our days of wine and roses. Trust me, I have been in and out of that emotional bandwidth lately. See you in Iligan this August, troopers of my youth. Assuming you blot out the horrifying tales in Mindanao that make my feet moist and cold.

I may have mastered the karate shout but I have no plans of swinging with hooded tarzans in the Lanao jungle.

By Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

Drinking is probably an integral part of our culture.  Some people drink as a way of relaxing after a hard day's work.  While some others drink as an escape from problems and difficulties. Others simply just couldn't function without the taste of alcohol in their blood.

Whenever my husband and I get to be invited to some parties, it’s always an occasion to pray that the spirits of the San Johnny XO that they will be consuming won't take us to heaven when we go home.  Back when I still couldn't drive, I had to brace myself for the roller-coaster ride on the way home. It usually consisted of  "aaaay truck!" or "please not so faaaaast!"  It's like riding with a blind driver.

While still in the party whenever I tell him not to drink too much, he'll tell me to go home ahead.  So as not to disrupt his concentration, I guess. But when the party is over and he can barely walk straight, then he'd thank heavens that I stayed behind to help him get home.

Before I learned how to drive whenever he drinks he'll leave at least 1% of his brain functioning just to be able to drive us home.  Now that he knows somebody will be driving him then he won't stop drinking if some of his senses still work.

Well, I may feel so irritated at him at the time of the drinking, but I always feel vindicated the morning after.  When I see him unable to open his eyes fully due to a very nasty headache, or when the other night's smoking triggers his sinusitis then I feel all my "anguish" has paid off.

It is during this mornings that he'd say half to himself and half to me that he'd never drink again ever.  By "ever" he means just a few days or until his headache's gone.  That's part of what we call "usapang lasing."  Every time I see him suffer like this I say to myself not "kawawa naman," but “gaba na na nimo” complete with a demonic laughter. Guess, nature has its way of punishing people who push themselves beyond their limits.

I may feel embarrassed at the party for the things that he'll blurt out or something he'll do without thinking. but when the morning after comes I'm always the one laughing and standing while he cowers in pain somewhere in the nooks and crannies of our room.

By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66

Everyone in Australia is now bracing for the impact of a new tax which will be introduced by July 1. It is called "Goods and Services Tax" or GST. It is a form of consumption tax commonly called Value Added Tax or VAT in some countries like in the Philippines. The rate of tax is 10% which should be easy to compute.  But no, it is now creating a greal deal of confusion on how it is going to be implemented. The politicians who made the law would think that they had already covered every aspect of the new tax, while our accountants here pretend that they understand the whole new tax reform. But the rest of the people here believe that chaos and confusions will rule in the next few months after GST becomes effective in less than a week's time. If the much anticipated Y2K Bug did not materialize last January 1st, this GST will surely hit Australians real hard and may jeopardize its economy.

Why the confusions? This is because of the many exemptions the government has to compromise with a minor political party that holds the balance of power in the upper house in order to pass the legislation. Imagine a cooked prawn which is cold is GST free, while a hot one will be hit with 10%. A whole barbecue chicken is not taxable but cut it into pieces and it will be more expensive with GST. A plain loaf of bread has no GST but not the one that comes with cream, butter, or sugar.  A bottle of pure orange or any fruit juice will be exempted but not the adulterated ones. These are just a few examples that will be very confusing to the buying public and to the sellers as well. Many corner stores cannot cope with the 10% stress that they will just simply close their shops permanently.  Some  health products are also exempted but not all. A few months ago, Australian women were in revolt when they found out that they have to pay GST with tampons but condoms don't have to. It seems the implementation has some sexist undertones here. The government explanation was that tampons are only for hygiene while condoms are for preventing diseases. The anomalous situations are just countless!

And this include the SERVICES arm of the economy which was no tax component before. Air, train, bus and taxi fares will incur GST. A plumber or electrician is going to charge additional 10%. You may not be obliged to pay a 10% tip to your waiter here but your bill will include already the GST.  Well, maybe it is a good time to start stockpiling!

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

Monday, June 8, l964 was the first day of classes at LCHS when we were in grade six under Miss Josefina Tan as our teacher-in-charge. I remember how excited we were then seeing our classmates again after the summer vacation.  Looking back, it must have been the same feelings my sixth grader daughter Hazel and her third grader sister Hannah went thru the night before the start of classes, the main reason for their not getting a sound sleep just thinking of the fun and laughter, tsismis, chika, and all. We should know, we've been there.

Like my daughters, I woke up very early that morning and prepared myself for school with Golden Gate notebook, a pad of intermediate paper, and Bic ballpen in hand. So excited was I that I could hardly finish a plateful breakfast of garlic rice, scrambled egg and Purefoods hotdogs. LCHS was just a walking distance from our store cum residence located then at #63 Washington St. The bell rang at 7:l5 a.m. As usual, we assembled at the quadrangle for the flag ceremonies to the tune of "Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan, alab ng puso, sa dibdib mo'y buhay" followed by "Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas, ito ang bayan ng aking sinilangan."  Then the welcome address of our school principal (Mr. Tan Lian Hon), after which we excitedly walked towards the grade six classroom, the place where we spent the last year of our elementary grades. The first hour was spent in seemingly endless loquaciousness, sharing experiences about the things we did last summer. Recess time saw us munching banana cue with matching Coke (pronounced as Cox by some) for our morning snacks. The bell rang again and we all went back to our classroom. The election of class officers took place. I was elected president, with Beng Hong Vy as vice-president; Alice Ngo as secretary; Dy Chiok Hian as treasurer; Betty Bernardo as PRO; Castor Ong Lim and Felicitas Ly as sergent-at-arms. There were 30 of us in that class. Dismissal was at ll:45 a.m. We went home for lunch. Then at 1:15 p.m. we went back to school for our Chinese classes. We were in grade five under Mr. Luis Yap as our teacher-in-charge, who at that time was in all-black mourning clothes in deference to his father. Yap Sian welcomed us with a smile and a short introduction of himself. He was a native of Iloilo (as in "Ilong lang." Pronounce it the Chinese way, man!). Dismissal time was at 4:45 p.m. after the flag retreat. Then we went our separate ways with some of us going to Crystal Educational Supply for some school requirements (HB drawing pencil, artgum, among others, remember?)

It being the first day of classes, we had nothing much to study yet, so back home we were glued to our seats at the dining hall while listening to the tigidig-tigidig of "Principe Abante," our favorite radio drama. Our store closed at 8:00 p.m., as most others did during that time, with us preparing for the next day's classes before we finally got into our kapok-laden mattress.

It was a school-home-school-home routine. Saturday mornings were spent attending Chinese classes, with Saturday afternoon as the official start of our weekend which saw us either listening to DXIC's "Kini ang inyong ... Tiya Dely" at home (while the maid ironed our clothes), or read Junior Classic illustrated comics, saw movies, or went out shopping, biking, or played indoor games. Sundays would see us play at our backyard with our neighbor friends after attending the 8:00 a.m. Holy Mass at St. Michael's Cathedral.  Sunday nights saw us gather around the city plaza for the amateur singing contest sponsored by Darigold, Purico, Royco, among others.

Today, after six years and three decades, only the memories of those school days remain in the inner recesses of our beings. Indeed, so fantastic and wonderful for us just to remember every little thing we did, specially now that we will all soon be going back to a place which has made us what we are today. Nostalgia is the name of the game and we're all playing the game, for the sheer fun of bringing back the hands of time, no matter how ephemeral it will be. Truly, the past is our gateway to the present. And no one throws away memories of the DAYS IN THE LIFE OF SIXTH GRADERS Betty, Rodrigo, Apolonia, Yolanda, Chiok Hian, Delia, Mario, Benny, Leodegaria, Janet, Kee Siang, Using, Castor, Jose, Josefina, Richard, Jimmy, Alice, Charita, Julius, Adelfa, Edna, Leopoldo, Timmy, Antonio, Elson, Segundino, Beng Hong, and Rodolfo, who were all once upon a time my classmates at LCHS for School Year l964-l965. And that was 36 years ago.

Marriage, for me, is like death that comes like a thief in the night. But unlike death, it is a happy event.

I was 22 years old when I started working with National Power Corporation. I was single and the youngest in our department. My office mates kept on telling me not to marry yet, since I was still too young, until I reached the age of 27 or 28 when everyone already seems to be worried that I am still single. It never came to a point when I heard them say it is time to marry.  Instead I was asked why I haven't  got married yet. I find solace in the company of my girl friends who are in the same situation. Finally, my knight in shining armor came and saved me from further "humiliation."

It is really in the Pinoys that expect ladies of age or in their late twenties to be already married, and if not, then it is just very Pinoy to ask why. And if a woman marries and does not have a child after a year or two, then she will again be constantly asked if anything is wrong. I have read in an article in a newspaper where the writer is in the same situation as I was before I got married. She said that only the Pinoys do that. The Westerners are not concerned with women who married late, couples who preferred not to have a child right after marriage, or women or men who did not marry. So I thought this is the way it is here in the Philippines.

June is here again, and I hope that the people who are getting married are not doing so because of the pressure from family or friends, but marrying for love. Because eventually those people pressuring one to get married are just supporting actors.  In the end it is still the couple that has to make the marriage work. Being single and enjoying life is far better than being married and already experiencing hell here on earth. No marriage is most happiest than being married to someone you love, someone who complements to each other; where one's weakest is the other's strongest. Just like Ernie's load of laundry to do or dishes to wash, because having love in marriage means doing things you wouldn't do otherwise, but one will also be reaping the rewards that one can reap in no other relationship.

My daughter Karen turned 12 last June 10.  Gosh! I can't believe my tiny tot whom I've raised alone by myself is now a pre-teen!  Like an echo to my ears, I could still hear Dr. Mila Tolentino, my OB, exclaim: "It's a girl!"  My heart was pounding with joy, tears pouring down my cheeks, I was speechless!  To see my baby for the first time, to hear her first cry, to touch her soft skin -- she was a beautiful and perfectly normal 7 lbs. 2 oz., 20 1/2" tall baby girl.

I remember counting how many fingers and toes she had when the doctor handed her to me at the delivery table.  I prayed at 3 o'clock in the morning for 2 1/2 hours when I realized my bag of water was leaking.  No regular contraction, no untolerable pain, but I decided to go to the hospital for observation and ended up delivering Karen that evening NSVD.  It was a pleasant experience for being a primigravida.  I was well prepared for what to bring in my suitcase except what to name my baby!  Thank God! I've my brother, Henry, who suggested: "How about Giselle Karen?"  Because Karen was slightly jaundice, the pediatrician wanted to keep her in the hospital for phototherapy, but I objected: "No, I can take care of her at home."  And I did without complication.  The jaundice just resolved by itself.

First night back home came the reality of motherhood:  Sleepless nights, feeling helpless, exhausted, frustrated, and sobbing alone in the dark with Karen in my arms or she wouldn't stop serenading us with moonlight rock 'n roll.  No wonder she's a good singer and pianist. She likes music --  must be from that early start, huh!  I finally did "palina" every 6 p.m. a few times, and believe it or not, she slept well at night like a good baby since then.

Once Karen had a very high fever.  She was hospitalized for a couple of days and the Pedi Resident on duty put her on IV antibiotic for a viral infection.  She really didn't need that medicine.  Anyway, it added up to our hospital bills.   Since it was before payday, I didn't have enough money to pay.  I worked as a nurse at Metro Cebu Community Hospital. We rented a small one-bedroom house close to my sister, Mila's.  My mother, Pasing, helped us in taking care of Karen when I worked.  One time, I had conjunctivitis or sore eyes for a week and couldn't take care of Karen so my family did.  In 1990, a big typhoon hit Cebu and many people lost their houses, but the one we rented wasn't affected no matter how tiny it was.  There was no electricity and water supply due to the typhoon for almost two months, but my brother and sister in Christ, Edward and Linda Uytengsu brought us big gallons of water many times. We used candles at night.  God put these people into our lives--He provided us, and we survived. (To be continued)

Ever since I was in grade school our teachers used to let us play the game of "Trip to Jerusalem." At parlor games, the "Trip to Jerusalem" always topped the list. When I became a mom I often saw my kids play the game. Now I became a grandma, my grandsons still play the same game in school. When I visited my brother in the U.S.A., I saw my niece playing "Trip to Jerusalem" with her friends. When I went to Kimmen, China a few years back, the school children also played "Trip to Jerusalem."  Why is this game so popular for generations throughout the world?

Last May 23. when our tour bus was travelling from Howard Johnson Hotel in Nazareth to Jerusalem, I chanced up to ask our tour guide why the game of "Trip tp Jerusalem" was known to the whole world and being played for generations. The tour guide, a Jew, said that Jerusalem, being the capital of Israel, the Holy Land, is one of the oldest cities in the world.  It was founded more than 4,000 years ago. Jerusalem is one of the holiest cities in the world.  Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, to Christians and to the Muslims or Arabs.  The people are mostly shepherds and farmers. They are descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of biblical fame. This Holy Land is bounded in the north by Lebanon, east by Syria and south by the Sinai desert. It is small in size but it has played a great role in human history.  In ancient times it was crossed by the most important lines of communications.  It was the meeting place of the east and the west. This land of faith and love has also been a land of war, bloodshed and misery (we were scheduled to visit the Elisha Spring in Jericho on May 25, 2000, but the trip was called off because of the war with Lebanon).

Since time immemorial this Holy Land was surrounded by the great empires, such as Egypt, Babylon, and Persia. Greece and Rome exceeded it in physical strength and economic growth. So there was war after war, and riot after riot.  All the empires are trying to conquer and capture the city of Jerusalem -- in much the same fashion children try to outdo each other to conquer and capture the last chair to become the winner of the game known the world over as "Trip of Jerusalem."

The Grand Alumni Homecoming is a little over a month away.  Yet, not a few alumni still appear undecided about attending the grand affair mainly due to the cloud of uncertainty on the peace and order condition in Iligan City.

That is understandable.  Many alumni, living abroad or away from Iligan, view the situation from raw media reports which tend to sensationalize the story.  News of ongoing spates of violence and armed skirmishes, most of which occur far away from Iligan, appear to emanate from the city itself because the reports were dispatched from the city where the media stations are based.  The areas where the armed forces are engaged in military operations are concentrated in the hinterlands of Zamboanga and Basilan, miles and miles away from Iligan.  Even so, in most cases, the facts are blown out of proportion. The same is true with one's perception when one views the situation from afar.  More often than not, the real score is distorted with exaggeration and tainted with personal prejudice.

The truth is the situation in Iligan is the same as it was many years ago.  Sporadic incidents of petty crime and misdemeanor still occur as they did years ago. The situation today is no different from what it always had been before our alumni left home to seek greener pasture elsewhere.  Neither is the rate of criminality or spate of violence any worse than anywhere else in the country or abroad.  There are even greater chances of one's being kidnapped in Manila's Binondo or one's being mugged in the streets of New York's Bronx than in Iligan.  That is the objective reality.

Needless to say, there is no reason for our alumni to shy away from the Grand Alumni Homecoming on Aug. 3-5, 2000, simply on the basis of perceived conditions obtaining in Iligan.  Because if indeed the situation is that bad and serious, our alumni leaders back home will definitely not risk our safety just to lure us to the Grand Alumni Homecoming at all costs.  They might as well call off the affair.  Yet they, who are in Iligan, know the actual situation better than anybody else outside the city.  They would know better than to put our lives and limbs in jeopardy if the prevailing condition does not indeed warrant our safety and security.

That should spell the basis for one's decision to come or not to come home.  Not the sound and fury screaming out of the pages of the tabloid nor the voices of frenzy from some prophets of doom.