A National Conference on Ethnic Chinese as Filipinos will be held on Nov. 27-28, 1997 at the Balay Kalinungan, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City. The conference is sponsored by the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies, in cooperation with the Chinese Studies Program, University of St. La Salle, and Negros Kaisa.

The discussion will focus on the changes in ethnic identities of the local born Chinese and contemporary developments that have taken place among ethnic Chinese all over the country. It hopes to explore concerns on socio-cultural issues like prejudices and stereotypes, as well as economic and political issues such as loyalty, myths of economic dominance, among other issues.

The organizers are also inviting participants from Iligan to share their insights on the issues. So far, there are 13 speakers/presentors lined up for the forum. There will be two presentors on Cebu, three on Negros, two on Manila, and one each on Sulu, Camarines, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Pampanga, and Dr.Frederick Magdalena from MSU who'll present a paper on the Chinese in Moroland

Registration fee is P400 to cover conference kit and meals. Interested parties may communicate with Richie R. Santos, Chinese Studies Program, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, tel. no. (632)924-460l, fax no. (632)924-6049, or e-mail: ritch@pusit.admu.edu.ph

Jimmy Ling's Children

Jimmy Ling, who passed away last June 20, had five children (3 girls and 2 boys), not four as reported in our last issue. He was laid to rest at the Iligan Chinese cemetery on June 25, 1997.

Iran to Invest Billions in Iligan Oil Refinery
From "The Freeman", June 27, 1997 issue

The Iranian government is set to invest a billion dollars to put up an oil refinery in Iligan City. The refinery is a joint venture between the Iranian government and a group of businessmen led by Jack Rodriguez.

The refinery will have a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day initially. The refinery's produce will be exported. Initial investment for the project was pegged at $150 million but is expected to cost $1 billion. 

1964 - we were in Grade V under Miss Demeterio. It was during this year when I formed a barkada group called THJL (which stood for Timmy, Henry, Jimmy, and Leopoldo). We would often go biking to the City Hall or to Celdran Village or watched movies together on Saturday afternoons at the King or Queen Theater
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Barkada Days
Those were the days when LCHS saw the proliferation of barkada groups on campus like the group of Jane Sy (Yok Tsin), Gloria Tecson (Kee Dian), Shirley Co, Sio Hua Vy, and Elizabeth Lim (Yu Bin). There were also the groups of Dionesio Chiu, Rudy Co, Antonio Te, et al, called The Grizzly; the ALABER Brothers (of Alex Rodriguez, Alberto Bernardo, and Ernesto Yu); and the COSY Boys (of Charles Sy, Rudy Co and Sammy Go).

Off campus, we too had our share of unforgettable characters in Iligan. Many of them were feared by us as kids yet today we somehow remember them with a sense of fondness. In more ways than one, they were the vignettes that colored the landscape of our childhood. There was a character named Henio, short and stout, who peddled siopao around the city. We always scampered for safety whenever we crossed paths with him. There was Purong who peddled Sweepstakes tickets and newspapers. And there was the pair of Iko and Maganda who, at one time or another, seemed to have made the basement of the plaza rotunda their perennial home. And there, too, was Kokang the Witch with her black umbrella.

And who could ever forget Alaska Ice Drop? Masarap Ice Cream (the kling-kling mobile type)? Saray Beach? Sunsets at the pier? Rosario Heights Subdivision? The seemingly non-stop music of Hamilton Dept. Store? The Manila Baratillo? The pan de coco and pan munay of Elite Bakery? The soya milk sold at the plaza? The halo-halo of Goodwill Refreshment and Cafe Esperanza? The puto of Jonas Refreshment? The ibus and suman at the plaza carenderia? The siopao and pancit of Hong Kong Restaurant (owned by the family of Felicitas Ly)? Tambacan where we used to go fishing? The ubiquitous tartanilla? The Caltex Spelling Bee contests? Neil's Tailoring? Neri Studio?

Final Elementary Year
1965 - we were in our last year of Elementary education (Grade VI) with Miss Josefina Tan as our adviser. This was the time when we held a class fund raising project by selling empanada with sotanghon filling for recess snacks. Apolonia Chiu was my best friend and classmate at this time. We would often share our "baons" during picnics at Timoga or during field trips to Maria Cristina Falls or Union Carbide, etc.

1965 saw my elder brother, Ernesto, graduate from High School. He proceeded to Silliman University for his Pre-Med course (1965-69), and to the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) for his Medicine proper (1969-73). Now he is in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., with his family (married to Dr. Verna Yap, with 3 sons).

I will never forget the diminutive and debonaire Mr. Luis Yap (Yap Sian) who, at that time when he taught at LCHS, was in all-black mourning clothes in deference to his father's death. Yap Sian was the one who disciplined me to do good with my Chinese studies. He was our teacher-in-charge in Grade V Chinese class. He was remarkably good at drawing and painting and introduced his students to the fine art of pen, watercolor and charcoal painting.

Throughout the six years from Grade I to Grade VI, the three of us (Alice Ngo-Militante, Adelfa Tan-Dy, and myself) were consistently the first, second, and third honor students, respectively. And that was likewise the case when we marched for our Elementary Graduation on March 27, 1965 held as usual at the LCHS auditorium with that pathognomonic dark blue curtain and the piano located at the left side below the stage. We were 29 Elementary graduates (17 boys and 12 girls).

For our Chinese class in Grade VI, which also consisted of 17 boys and 12 girls, we had Miss Perfecta Uy (Eng Hoy Ching) as our teacher-in-charge. Some of the boys were still in short pants, like Johnson Lim (Hong Guan), Johnny Sim, Antonio Go, Pablito Ngo, Charles Ang (Amboy), Santiago Ong (Ching Guan), and Rene Tio, who I still remember as that boy wearing an all-black mourning polo and short pants in deference to his father's passing away. (Continue next issue) 

This is Sydney, Australia, reporting for the first time for LCHS Spectrum! Our icebreaker from the land called 'Down Under'. Some news briefs. Thus the title "Briefs from Down Under". If the title suggests something else, that is purely intentional.

Who are the LCHS alumni here in Sydney? Aside from this writer and his two sons, Edison and Jeremy, we only have Jaime (Tiu) Andaquig (Iligan Construction Supply). Maybe we have some more alumni living here but they're out of contact. We know Lyndon Co is now in Melbourne.

Jaime Andaquig and his wife, the former Lolita Cabili, are both connected with Sydney's most luxurious hotel, the Ritz Carlton. While Jaime is involved in the purchasing, Lolit is in the accounting department. Ritz Carlton is the temporary home of such famous celebrities as Mel Gibson and Princess Diana. Jaime and Lolit are currently enjoying their vacation back in Iligan!

Lyndon Co, who came to Australia in mid-1995, first landed in Sydney with his wife. They are both in the computer profession. Early this year, they moved to Melbourne for better job opportunities. Lyndon is the son of Co Chik Khing, eldest brother of Robert and Edwin Co.

Dr. David Y. Dy, LCHS Batch '74, son of Dy Tiao Un, was a recent visitor here in Sydney. He came with his wife, Dra. Amy Goleta-Dy, who attended a medical conference sponsored by the Royal Alexandria Children's Hospital at the Ayers Rock, which is located at the center of the Australian continent, three and a half hours by plane from Sydney.

David, who finished his medical course from UP, was a topnotcher in the medical board exams. For a while he pursued further research and studies in Japan, Sydney (University of New South Wales), and Houston, Texas. This month, while he was here, he visited St. George Hospital, the teaching hospital of U of NSW, where his former professor, Dr. David Morris, is the chief surgeon.

Dr. Dy is a surgeon-oncologist (cancer cases) with clinics at St. Luke Hospital and Manila Medical Center, Metro Manila. His wife, Dra. Amy, is a pediatric oncologist, who also had two-year studies here in Sydney with the Royal Alexandria Children's Hospital.

I was shocked to learn from the Spectrum about the untimely passing away of a great friend and compare, Jimmy Ling. It is indeed a great loss not only to his family and friends but to our Iligan community as a whole, where he rendered unselfish services. He will be sadly missed. We pray that Jimmy will have a peaceful journey to the House of our Creator. 

Due to space limitation, continuation of Teresita Ang See's article, "Cultural Conflict and Integration in the Philippines" will be resumed in our next issue.

Birthday Greetings

Our birthday greetings to LCHS alumnus, Roderick Ngo (Batch '70), who marks his natal day tomorrow July 1! Big celebration confined to cyberspace. So birthday presents are likewise accepted only thru e-mails. Chow is strictly BYOP--Bring Your Own Pentium. :-)