INTERNET NEWSLETTER OF THE ALUMNI OF LANAO CHUNG HUA SCHOOL
Vol. II - No. 17, August 10, 1998, Iligan City, Philippines

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Iligan City, known for its bounty of waterfalls, is having problems with water supply. City residents complain that no water comes out of their faucet specially in the morning. This despite the fact that the city has abundant water resources. Shane Farquharsson, a consultant from AusAid, an Australian agency providing assistance to Third World countries, said Iligan has one of the country's best water sources.  Iligan's quality of water is extremely high, said the consultant. The city's main source of water supply is Ditucalan Spring, 160 meters above sea level and 14 kilometers from the city proper. There is also a mountain spring source in Barangay Abaga and other smaller springs in the eastern part of the city. Farquharsson noted that because the water source is so far from the city, a reservoir should have been built near the downtown area so that there would be two sources to supply water to the city during peak hours, like early mornings.  Water in Iligan costs only 50 centavos per cubic meter, while Cagayan de Oro City charges P7 to P9 per cubic meter.

Lanao del Norte gets set for Palaro '99

Preparations are now under way for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa by Lanao del Norte in April next year in Iligan City and Tanggub. The Palaro '99 will mark the first time that Central Mindanao will host the national games.  The provincial government recently unveiled its proposed sports complex on a 60-hectare lot near Agora Market.  The complex will include a state-of-the-art stadium, 50-room hotel, a media center, gymnasium, grandstand, swimming pool and other facilities.  A total budget of P400 million has been prepared for the hosting of the Palaro.

Iligan traders to join Toronto fair

Handicraft manufacturers in Iligan City will join a global competition at the annual Canadian Technology Triangle (CTT) Business Expo in Toronto, Canada, Aug. 21 to Sept. 7, 1998.  Eddie Reston, president of the Northern Mindanao Traders Association and owner of the Iligan-based Hiyas Arts, said that the Philippines stands a good chance of winning in this competition because of the country's long history of producing handicraft.  Some of the products to be presented in the trade exhibition are the hand-made paper from Salay, Misamis Oriental; the hand-woven fabrics from Lanao del Sur; the tinalak, which is made of abaca from Davao; and other native products not found in other parts of the world.

Racism in Germany too
Sun, 19 Jul 1998 18:24:49 EDT

I enjoyed reading your Spectrum.  The article "Australia - Haunted by Its Past" by Leonardo Tan ((Spectrum, July 13, 1998 issue) is particularly interesting in view of the developing opinions over here in Germany.  The German Nazists were against foreigners and there seems to be no end to it.  Now, the politicians are making it difficult for foreigners living here who may want to integrate themselves in society.  A good working knowledge of the German language is a must, foreign cultural habits are not tolerated, such as those pertaining to religion (like Turkish Muslim women wearing shawls).  Asylum seekers who are overstaying and becoming tricky (falsification of registration in order to get monthly support from different districts) are already forced to leave the country despite church intervention.

Alan Valdez, travel and tour agent, Berlin, Germany
alanvaldez@aol.com

Greetings! I'm the son of Manuel Te and I'm working here in Manila. I am very impressed by our LCHS  home page.  I belong to HS Batch '90.  I tried to access the list of students by batches (e.g. 1990) but the link is still under construction.  When can we expect the completion of the list?  Can I be of any help?  I'll spread the good news regarding this web page. More power and God Bless!

Maximilian N. Te (Batch '90), Manila, Philippines

(Editors' Note:  Our page for Batch '90 is still bare due to unavailability of data.  You will be of great help to us if you can e-mail us a list of names belonging to your batch. We will post the list on your batch page as soon as we receive the initial data from you. Thanks)

The Go brothers: where are they now?

Remember the family of Henry Go, Iligan branch manager of William Lines in the mid 60s? The Go children spent a few years at LCHS during their father's assignment in Iligan. Henry Go passed away in July two years ago in Davao City.  His wife now lives in Cagayan de Oro, where the children regularly commute to pay her a visit. Known for their amicableness, the Go children made many friends while at LCHS. Where are they now?

They are all doing well in their respective careers and family life. The eldest, Jose "Sammy" A. Go (Batch '67), is now assistant branch manager of Solidbank-Fuente in Cebu. His wife is the former Susan Uy of Cebu, with whom he has three kids. Younger brother Henry James (Batch '68), better known as Bobot, is also a banker.  He is manager of China Banking Corp. in Butuan.  He is married to Marivic of Davao. Mario Loreto is a successful dealer of Beer Na Beer in Ozamis City, where he lives with his wife Ann Ann (daughter of Leonard Ong of Cebu). Two younger brothers are now doctors by profession.  Edwin Lino is now a doctor in Nueva Ecija, where he runs his own OB-Gyne clinic.  The youngest of the brothers, Fernando Douglas or "Pido" is a pediatrician practicing in Manila.  He will soon move to Cagayan de Oro after completing his studies in the specialized field of hematology and oncology.  Both Edwin and Pido are certified bachelors. Single alumnae may pay them a visit anytime at their clinics for free consultation ... even if it doesn't concern OB-Gyne or children's matters. Meanwhile, the two Go sisters are also doing fine.  Josephine Jane (Batch '66) resides in Cagayan de Oro, where she runs her own shop at the Limketkai Commercial Complex, dealing in Promac footwear, appliances & RTWs. She is married to Stephen Lim of the Limketkai clan. Jane was crowned Miss Iligan, representing the then Iligan Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the 1968 city fiesta celebration, where she bested other beauteous contenders like Constanchita Abragan and Merle Galan.   The younger sister Maria Edna now lives in Manila where she assists her husband Delfin Ong, of Cebu, in their family business.

Dateline Buffalo By Ernesto L. Yu, M.D., Batch '65  Ernstyu49@aol.com

Twenty three years of American culture are sufficient to set me into rationalizing that I'm white to the bone with sharp features (don't dare mention height!). Nonetheless, deep in me, my being an Iliganon aches every now and then, especially when cornered by the question "What do you miss all these years?" Well, it's sound off time, baby. Here is a personal inventory.

Maruya - The overlapping banana snack that usually puffs up my taste buds to utter submission. The sugary native delicacy is heavenly gratifying even when fried in the imagination. It revives my carefree adolescence in the company of the ALABER brothers (ALex Rodriguez, Alberto Bernardo and ERnie Yu), the suppressed flight of my high school infatuations, the endearing moments of "love in the afternoon." Of course, it also reincarnates my one atypical episode of scrambling a million times to the men's room after letting my unruly appetite center succumbed to an awful bout of banana republic overdose. Gosh, that was the occasion when I pledged not to ever abuse that "explosive" stuff again. Until the next school recess when the aroma of this sizzling, layered fruit merienda blurred my unfounded fear.

Chinese Cemetery - Cresencio "Cresing" Tan, an uncle who drilled in me the ABCs of good working habits, died of cancer at a tender age years ago. Until now, I have only communicated with him in prayers. Being my effective guidance counselor and confidante when I was shaping up into manhood, I owe him big-time emotionally: his pat on the shoulder when I topped (believe it or not) our Histology class; his healing motivation after my first (and only!) love letter rejection slip; his consoling whispers when police officers castrated me with terrorizing sermon and scare tactics for crashing a homemade kite into their headquarters' flag pole; his trembling gazes when he ultimately knelt on the altar with me by his side as best man for composing with him the winning entry to Aunt Laria's heart ... I need to plant personally lighted candles in his ashes.

E. Aguinaldo Street (formerly, Washington St.) - where I refined the enduring patience of a stock boy and the eagle eyes of a part-time security guard (especially during Christmas season) in our Pasing's Grocery store. I relished the twilight parade of coolly uniformed St. Michael beauties into our chocolate department for fulfilling exchanges of muted glances and smiles prior to their catching up (actually, hanging by!) a bumpy and gagged-to-the-max jeepney ride home. On the same stretch, I frequently checked on Peter Dy and Jesus Chan if they have replenished their treasures of marbles and rubber bands for another rounds of Lucky Nine card game. Along the way, I stole shy glimpses, via heart's dictates, of Charie Chin and Dy Sio Te, two inspiring classmates who adorned the block and my loveless teenage paradise. (To be continued)
 

Briefs from Down Under By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66 edtan@idx.com.au

I am very impressed with the new masthead and layout of our LCHS SPECTRUM. But what intrigues me is that the original Spectrum Bulletin was founded on August 1, 1968 - which was exactly 3 decades ago this week! A long time indeed in the history of life for a resurrected newsletter.

While the editor, Charles O. Sy, was busy setting up the maiden issue in Cebu City and coordinating with our alma mater in Iligan way back 30 years ago, I was just pleased to be in Manila concentrating in my architectural studies at Far Eastern University. I said I was pleased as I had already finished my senior high Chinese studies at Chiang Kai Shek College in Tondo, Manila. No more intimidating and tedious memory works mostly without comprehension. "Si Diam", as Dr. Henry Yu aptly put it in his article last week.

I was deep in slumber at around four o'clock in the early August morning in a typical Manila boarding house.  I was lying on the top bunk of a double deck bed.  Suddenly I was awakened by some movement. At first it was horizontal, smooth motion as if my board mate under me was just moving heavily. Then it was followed by vertical vibrations accompanied by terrifying sounds of creaking buildings and walls bumping other walls of adjacent structures! Was my board mate under me kicking my bed?  That was what I thought at first before I realized it was a giant earthquake. It was worse than the one I experienced in Iligan when I was still a kid.

Trembling with fear and in total darkness as the power went off, I switched on my transistor radio and tuned in to my favorite public service program "Johnny Midnight" for the news.  Through the program I learned that it was indeed quite a strong tremor almost measuring 8 on the Richter scale and lasted about 20 seconds! It was then followed by a report that one of the buildings of FEU was heavily damaged and was now leaning to one side. Streets around Metro Manila were full of building debris and glasses from broken windows. A fire here and there. And then someone from Sta. Cruz reported hysterically that Ruby Tower had collapsed just like a house of cards! Johnny Midnight was quite skeptical at first about the report as it could be just a hoax.  My boarding house was only about 15 minutes' walk from Ruby Tower. I almost jumped from were I was and my first impulse was to be at the collapsed apartment building were many of my friends were staying. Only a month before, one of them even invited me to move there with them as they had a vacant space for me.

It was a great disaster. More than 300 lost their lives at the collapsed Ruby Tower. Many with their whole families perished together. I knew some of them. It was something I could never forget. In a way I almost died with them 30 years ago.
 

Dr. Do Little By Alex S. Rodriguez, M.D., Batch '65 alpacino_8@hotmail.com

6.  Sleeping with wet hair can cause blindness is truly a myth.

7.  Exercise and vital capacity.
Exercise can help a lot in prolonging life span and will make one's body better. But it does not apply to everybody. When you start it early in life, it gives more benefits assuming that one is healthy enough to do it. It improves your vital capacity and body resistance through better circulation. It eliminates unwanted calories or weight. But if one has started late, always ask yourself about your health status and your body capacity. If one has been a chronic heavy smoker for 40 years and suddenly quit smoking and would like to improve his vital capacity by doing a 1-mile run a day, please consult your cardiologist or internist first.

8.  Rabies and dog bites.
Rabies is a virus which infects the brain of the dog and the virus goes to the circulation where it is found in the dog's saliva. So when one is beaten by a rabid dog, the person becomes rabid too and can infect anybody.  You will notice that a mad dog appears out of nowhere and bites anybody. Therefore one is dealing with a sick dog.  This same rabies virus will go to your brain and do the same infection. There is no cure to it but there is immunization to it. Since the incubation period of such an infection is 10-14 days, which means the start of the infection to the appearance of the signs and symptoms of the disease, thus the dog should be closely watched within this period. If the suspicion is strong, I would suggest to start the shots so one will have enough antibodies to fight the virus. Of course one has to consider the hypersensitivity of an individual and weigh the benefits between starting the immunization early or later. At this point, money is no object because there is no treatment for rabies but through building up your own antibodies. (Continued next issue)

It's 2:00 a.m. And I'm still awake. It's just one of those endless nights. Gulped a warm glass of milk. I read somewhere that it helps one go to sleep. But  it didn't.

As I tossed and turned, I talked to myself ... silently, of course. Always wanted to be a writer. I just didn't have the drive to pursue it as others did  (maybe because of the fierce competition or the uncertain employment opportunities it offers). I wonder if now is the right time ...

1977. Roosevelt Street. Lanao Community School it was called. My first day of school. I was anxious and scared of what would happen to me. Mom and I walked through the small red gate, there was a bigger one for the cars to pass through. Tall pine trees lined the main entrance periphery. I think there were around six trees in a row; one tree for each grade school room situated parallel to where it was planted.

My kindergarten room was way farther. Mom and the principal had a private chat so I slowly paced myself into the main entrance door where there was a huge wooden carving of Chinese characters.  At that time, I thought maybe they stood for the name of the school ... I never knew. Turning to my left I noticed numerous old pictures of prominent businessmen and politicians who helped built the school. I found myself staring at one particular picture; I never saw him in person but he looked so familiar. It was Ang Kong.

My paternal grandfather died before I was born. Every November 1 and 2, visiting the Chinese cemetery, I often looked at his picture ... wondering how it would have been having two grandpas. At the other end of the museum-like structure was a medium-size stage (where I was to dance in one of the programs).  Further ahead stood an ancient canteen selling everything from candies to maruya. Gigantic trees surrounded the school grounds; they must have been in existence since World War II or even WWI?

Excitement engulfed me as I walked towards my room, passing the two-storey high school building and the ROTC office.  As I entered the classroom, everybody was chatting away mindlessly ... until the teacher arrived.  Each of our names was announced and we were made to stand as we were called. Names like Henrietta "Ric- Ric" Lee, Mary Jane "Chin-Chin" Tan, Jason Robert Lim, Brendon Bernardo, Joel Bernardo, Marlybeth Kho, Carlo Bodiongan, Jocelyn "Inday" Acedo, Mark Dano, Jecely So, and Gay Marie Tiu. We would play at the back of our room where there were gardens full of plants.

Break time.  I proceeded to enjoy myself at the playground. After sometime I felt thirsty and went to retrieve my lunch box where mom prepared me something nice to eat and drink. Alas, my orange juice was all gone. Someone drank my juice! I know who did it, he had done this several times already. Forgot his name after all these years, but I can still remember he has a blond, well actually bulaw, kind of hair. Had been scolded numerous times by the teacher, but still he stole my drink ... I wonder where he could be right now?

(Editors' Note:  Alfredo "Al-Al" Lai II, of Batch '89, is the son of Alfredo Lai and Elita "Po Hua" Ong Lai (Batch '62).  He is a registered nurse and was features editor of the Plumblossom, LCHS student publication in 1989.)
 

LCHS-AA ROSTER OF MEMBERS

Published hereunder, in installments, is the list of registered members of the LCHS Alumni Association.  The Membership Committee is publishing the list to encourage those who are not yet listed to register now for membership.

First Installment: A to C
Abadiano, Bernadette; Abadiano, Maricar A.; Abejo, Philip John; Acedo, Jacqueline; Acedo, Jocelyn; Alvarez, Venancio Jr.; Andaquig, Aida T.; Andaquig, Alfredo T. Jr.; Andaquig, Leah Mae; Andaquig, Ryan Roy T.; Ang, Alicia Velasco; Ang, Charles; Ang, Dennis; Ang, Edwin S.; Ang, Evangeline S.; Ang, Haidee M.; Ang, Jimmy M.; Ang, Jocelyn; Ang, Linda; Ang, Ritchelle B.; Angkee, Quennie M.; Babatido, Romeo Jay; Baco, Arnold J.; Baltazar, Marl; Benaojan, Jinnah Dorothy S.; Benolerao, Vicente Dy (deceased); Bernardo, Alberto E.; Bernardo, Alexander E.; Bernardo, Bernard Brendon; Bernardo, Finella; Bernardo, Kenneth; Bernardo, Perla; Bernardo, Philip E.; Bernardo, Stylus C.; Bodiongan, Catherine; Bodiongan, Christopher; Booc, Evelyn L.; Booc, Helen; Booc, Jose; Booc, Margarette; Booc, Robert; Booc, Rufino; Bruton, Christopher; Buenaventura, Dina Uy;

Cabilan, Glenda Sy; Cabili, Mary Evelyn So; Chan, Carlo  Bodiongan; Chan, Jewel Joy K.; Chan, Mike Jay-aar K.; Chan, Nathalie; Chan, Susan Ong (CdeO); Chan, Susan "Yiu Hua" Ong (deceased); Chan, Vicente (Lim Kim San); Chen, Johnny Tamala; Chin, Debbie Jane T.; Chin, Eugenio; Chiu, Ernesto Jr. (deceased); Chiu, Ning Ning; Chua, Alexander; Chua, Christopher Teck An; Chua, Cresencia; Chua, Eleanor T. Co; Chua, Josefina; Chua, Junith R.; Chua, Terence; Chua, Tuesday Mae B.; Chua Victoria Kho; Clemen, Aida Lagrosas; Co, Anita; Co, Edwin S.; Co, Francisco S.; Co, Robert S.; Co, Ruben T.; Co, Sofia Vy; Co, Steward A.; Cristobal, Asuncion Pua; Cristobal, Po Tee; Cruz, Enrique Dy; Cruzabra, Grace Joy B.; and Cu, Maria Jo.