Internet Newsletter of the Alumni of Lanao Chung Hua School Vol. 3, No. 20, December 13, 1999, Iligan City, Philippines CREME OF THE CROP LCHS shines in talent search By Igdono Caracho (Batch '66) LCHS outshone other schools in the "Search for Gifted and Talented Children" among elementary students in different private schools in Iligan City.  The search was in celebration of "National Week of the Gifted and Talented" on Nov. 22-27, 1999. Among the LCHS pupils who won in various talent categories were: Story Telling Contest - Ann Aubrey Oliverio, 1st place (Pilipino); and Gladys Uy, 1st place (English); Creative Dancing - Ann Aubrey Oliverio & Lionel Yap, 1st place; Poetry Writing - Kristina Carmela So, 2nd (Pilipino); and Farah Michelle Alivio, 2nd (English); Anecdote Writing - Kristine Carmela So, 2nd (Pilipino); and Polimyr Caesar Dave Dingal, 3rd (English); Folk Dance - "Sa Kabukiran," selected elementary students, 1st place; and "Carinosa," selected elementary students, 3rd; Poster Making - Tristan Ervin Lim, 3rd; and Soap Sculpturing - Justin Paul Uy, 2nd. Alumni wife wins Nestle raffle By Peter Dy (Batch '66) November 27 turned out to be a day of early Christmas shopping spree for Norma Rodriguez, wife of Albert "Boy" Rodriguez (Batch '64).  Norma won a Nestle major raffle prize of Nestle products worth P20,000 in Iligan City, the sum of which she had to spend within 3 minutes. She picked Lian Hong Company to do her shopping and gobbled up a huge bunch of goodies amounting to P26,000 in 3 minutes flat.  A real shopper indeed, this one. Our congrats to Boy and Norma Rodriguez!

EDITORIAL STAFF Charles O. Sy, Editor Henry L. Yu, Associate Editor Correspondents: Iligan - Johnny Chen, Alfred Lai II, 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 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 33 WEEKS to Grand Homecoming

Vinson wuz here.   Spectrum Iligan correspondent Vinson Ngo recently paid a courtesy call on Spectrum Cebu staff.  He was in Cebu for a Microsoft-sponsored seminar on Y2K and took time out to meet with Charles Sy and Igdono Caracho (accompanying photo). It was the first time for Vinson to meet Charles and Igdono in person. They have been in contact regularly through e-mail on matters related to the Spectrum but have never seen each other before.  Needless to say, the brief "eyeball" turned out to be a fun-filled encounter with endless exchange of light banter and shared memories of LCHS ... just like old pals in a mini-reunion.

Back from tour.  Just back in Iligan from a  two-month swing through the east and west coasts of the U.S.A. is Spectrum staffer Terry Racines. She arrived home last Dec. 10. Part of her itinerary was a visit to her sister Gloricita Racines in Kinnan, Keno, Oregon.  She also visited former classmate Lolita Lua in Winconsin, where she is working with the clearing department of the Associated Bank. Lolita used to work as pastry chef of a big hotel. With Terry on the trip was Elsa Lagrosas, who is still in Los Angeles on an extended stay.  Elsa is on leave from her job as head of the lab department of Dr. Uy Hospital in Iligan City.

On maternity leave.  Spectrum columnist Marie Janiefer Lee will soon go on maternity leave to give birth to her third baby.  Expected date of delivery is sometime late in January 2000. Her column will resume after her delivery.

Who says LCHS alumni can't sing?
Sat, 27 Nov 1999 01:11:24 EST

I really don't know what our reunion program will include but this is just a thought:  Can we include selected representatives from each batch to give a musical presentation during the program or fellowship night?  For instance, Batch 1957 representative(s) might want to sing a Chinese song or whatever they choose.  Batch 1965 might sing the Beatles.  Maybe we can also request the Vultures combo and the United band to sing with the help of  Karaoke machine? That way it will be a truly fun night to remember.

Larry Sy (Batch '72), Burnham, Illinois., U.S.A., LVS2000@aol.com

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

Over the weekend, I prayed my heart out that we didn't perforate your eardrums with piercing ringing sounds when the last emperor of the Yu Dynasty, Christopher (our baby on the throne) tossed this question to our faces: What makes Christmas different from all other holidays? All five members of my clan put in our two-cents, and it has SANTA written all over the democratic forum: The trudge through Santa's insane long line in the mall just to vibrate with joy in his potbelly; the last minute appeals from naughty kids sent through priority mail to the North Pole; the stocky old man in red and white velvet who finds thrills in chimney climbing and midnight travels; the festive Santa air that seems to exempt no sinuses once inhaled and mesmerized.

St. Nick, since our Chris no longer answers to the nickname Pher Pher (he is now a second year college student) and has ceased believing in you as that stranger in the night who crowns "Tots of the Year" with toys that tickle glad nerves, I've decided to amend your wounded ego with awe-inspiring notes, in the hope that it will spark your December volunteerism in your trademark fly-by-night lifestyle with a gang of reindeers. Super S, you are one spectral presence. Christmas has to have you to teach preschoolers that a day of "reversed behavior" - from bratty to composed - guarantees a session to sit beside and giggle with the grand legend among senior citizens; to pump up the volume of traditional carols that never disappoint to recharge drained emotion batteries; to inject into narrow-minded mortals the down-home wisdom that you don't need new wardrobes to kick off the Yuletide celebration - Look, Santa still finds satisfying bang ouut of his centuries-old outfit!

I'm sure you have observed how I have been stuffing my mouth recently, without Verna's darting looks, with clumps of feel-good calories in anticipation that I'd be able to model your jacket without layers of artificial pads. Moreover, I'm positive that you pardon me for the every minute that I castrated my spouse (in my wild dreams!), the eternal diet police who never fails to sermon my fat cells on the "End of Days" of abusing snacks. Although it is pretty obvious that my being genetically Asian means sporting your luxuriant white beard is as impossible as running into snowflakes in hell, I still embrace the belief that we dreamers should have the earth-shaking thuds and oomph of your footsteps and the easy smile that you can extract from people of all ages with the mere echo of your name.

Kindly scatter these good tidings to the following Spectrum columnists: A) Charles Sy-llables - Boss, your eye-moistening march through Baslayan Creek revived the gasping LCHS memories in my data bank. I was able to find my map to the old schoolhouse. Regrettably, I don't recall a litter of dead animal flesh along the running water. Could it be because I glued my eyes on shapely shadows that were sterilized with good suds and rinses in those nipa-covered shower stalls? Chief, upgrade your annual Christmas eve honking: share life with other holy ones aside from St. Michael. I drink to that. B) Loloy Dundee: Welcome the millennium by staying politically correct in your vocabularies even if you create a cuckoo out of every word in your lips. I wholeheartedly subscribe to your sentiment: Good grief! The craziness has to stop before we address ourselves as it, that, and which. Sadly, we can't give this sign of changing times the horrible weight it deserves. Unless we have an idle million bucks to hush discrimination lawsuits. Don't pick your jaw up off the floor of City Hall. Swim in the choppy waves of distasteful reality. You are right on the money but no cigar! Have a Merry Festive and a Happy Whatever. C) Aurora of the Bunn fame - Colonel, you are one lucky Army reservist to own a bunker in the picturesque Binghamton hills, free of guerillas to test your survival might. Your journals have always been as fluid and disciplined as your military stripes. May the winter solstice finds you curled by the fireplace, cuddling your intellectual treasures and will flush to us soon those literary beauties. I can't wait. D) Brod Henry- To carve out occasional period of quiet time with the quaint reminders of the prestine past and pine for the innocent days is indeed a symphony for the senses. Sentimental journeys are always rewarded with sprinkles of tears and a thwarted yearning or two. Those mystical recoveries of the golden era blots out the darkness in solitude and makes good lessons in life; aside from forcing you to hum, "Where have all the hairs gone..." Instill in your young daughters that Santa's magic can be in their stockings if they are captured audience of his tales.Even if they have to fake it. Just like during our days. E) Marie Jan - like an aged Chardonnay, your verbal grace via heart 's dictates dazzles our faculties, make us froth with delight and discover the enchantment under the everydayness of things. With a few breathing lessons (La Maze) left in your prenatal booklet, suffer through the holiday in cardboard meals. Once you air out the high-pitched Maternity Ward anthem "Oouch! Never again!", you'll have all the excuses in the world to stab lustily on SEEfood diet. Incidentally, if you snare a live monkey in Iligan "sua-ting", I'll trade you my baby machine gun.

Say hi to Mrs. Claus. Ask her to phone my Verna for her secret stay-positive recipes that keep me lean, firm, healthy but starving. My man, with an extra trim in your waistline baggage, Rudolph can safely sigh, "Yes, Virginia, there is a lightweight Santa."

P.S. To all readers, your gift is in my holiday web page:
(http://hometown.aol.com/ernstyu49/myhomepage/holiday.html)

By Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

Christmas is really for the kids and for the kid-at-heart. When my kids learned that it's already December they just won't stop bugging me to put up the tree and the other decorations. Honestly, they just don't know that I just need a little "push" so to speak because if I could just have it my way I'd have decorated the house the day after All Soul's Day.  There's just something about this season that I'll probably never outgrow.

I don't think it's the prospect of receiving gifts because I think I'm way passed that age now.  (Though a few from family and friends would be very welcome.)  It's probably the giving, seeing the joy and the delight in a child's eyes that's probably the best gift one could ask for.

Our kids will receive their gifts from us, from their godparents, aunts and uncles, making their Christmas perfect.  I just wonder what would Christmas be like for those kids who don't have family and friends. Every Christmas I always get solicitations from different groups asking for donations.  Much as I wanted to help out it's just hard to determine how legitimate these groups are. I'm afraid that I'd be a victim of a scam.  So every year I just silently hope and pray that I could get a chance to share some blessings to the less fortunate especially those children out there who are abandoned or orphaned.

Just two nights ago I got a call from the directress of my three-year old son's school.  She asked me if I could help them with their project for this year's Christmas program.  They are inviting some 30 children from White Cross Children's Home to be the guests/audience at the program.  The nuns from the orphanage told the school that the kids would welcome any used clothes and toys we could spare. But most of all they need school supplies and raincoats.

I know most of us get carried away by the highly commercialized aspect of the holidays.  Like we have to buy only the most expensive gifts, the latest fashion, and the so-called "the best" and the biggest, to make our Christmas perfect.  But this year maybe we should stop for awhile and think of those who need something as simple as some pencils and papers.  These are things we don't even consider good enough for a Christmas gift.

I decided to provide the raincoats.  The 30 raincoats cost the same as one big Voltes Five robot (which incidentally is what my son's been asking).  But I know unlike the robot these raincoats would not end up in the attic after a few months. It will protect 30 children, ages 3 up to 7 years old, from the cold rain.  They'll be using these coats month after month, or until it gets either too small for them or too worn out.  So Voltes Five would just have to wait.

This Christmas, I may have helped grant a little child's wish to have a raincoat but it's actually my Christmas wish that came true earlier this year.  I hope that you too would be instruments in making someone's wish come true.  Merry Christmas to all of you!

By Leonardo "Eddie" Tan, Batch '66

I am not writing about the GLOBALIZATION as defined by the World Trade Organization, nor the recent battle between the common workers against the industrialists in a few nights of "sleepless in Seattle." My subject matter here is about the globalization of standards. Our world is getting smaller everyday courtesy of our advancing technologies. Yet, everyday and everywhere, we have to hurdle the obstacles of conversions or clarifications if we are talking in the same term!

When an Englishman says "one billion," make sure you really understand what he means by it. You might be missing three more zeros! As we know it, a billion is one thousand million. But for the British, it could be a million million. When I was new here in Australia, the term billion was seldom used perhaps to avoid confusion. Instead it was always expressed in a thousand million. 3.5 billion became 3 thousand 500 million. I then thought, are Australians ignorant of the term billion? It turned out that I was not aware of the British standard.

To write the date today in the simplistic form would be 12/7/99, which is December 7, 1999. But here in Australia and perhaps in other former British colonies it would be interpreted as the 12th day of July, 1999. If you have an appointment here or book a seat in the plane, you would be 5 months off!

What about the different zones introduced by the DVD manufacturers which was the subject of inquiry of one of our alumni recently? It is such an inconvenience that I could not borrow some of the great movies from my friends. And I could not bring back my home video tapes to the Philippines or to USA for my relatives to watch as they won't work. We have different TV and video systems. One is European PAL while the other is American NTSC system. This reminds me of the war between Betamax and VHS in the early days of video market. Betamax video recorders are now confined in the Sony and Sanyo museums.

Why do be have different electrical plugs for every country? With various electrical voltages and cycles? Why are some manufacturers still using the Imperial system of measurement instead of the metric system? Which was the reason why a space vehicle crashed on the surface of Mars last September. A very expensive way of finding out that millimeters and inches don't mix well. Why does the USA still use gallon while Canada had converted to liter long ago? Imagine if the incident some years ago would be repeated where the American pilot presumed his jetliner was filled with jet fuel in gallons when the Canadian ground crew completed the refueling in liters. The jetliner was of course flying on 75% lesser fuel and luckily the aircraft was able to glide and crash landed without any casualty. And we have this question between miles and kilometers just by crossing a border. What if this Australian tourist, traveling from USA and whose mind has been conditioned to "miles," suddenly sees a "100" limit road sign as he enters Canada? Not being used to it, this poor Aussie could soon be flying very low!

Interpreted as miles, the 100 kilometers per hour is basically a killer speed of 160 kph! And of course the world would be a more pleasant place to drive if we have the same rules all throughout. Over there you keep to the right, while here we keep to the left! That's why here in Australia, we never say we are driving on the "right" side of the road but on the "correct" side!

These are just a few examples of the many confusing and chaotic states of our different standards today. Unless we all agree in the globalization of this kind, we shall inherit these daily irritants perhaps till the 22nd century.

By Aurora H. Tansiokhian, M.D., Batch '58

Just before the Thanksgiving turkey graces the table of millions of Americans, Bambi the deer retreats deep into the woods and forests to escape man the armed hunter.

The pickup trucks park along the sides of the road, the bright orange hats and vests, and the scarcity of sighted deer on the road, are sure signs that indeed, the official 1999 deer-hunting season in New York Southern Zone has begun.

Deer mating season is also in full swing. The usually reclusive white tailed bucks (male deer) are more visible this time of year (autumnal rut). They throw caution to the wind (not specie specific!!) as they pursue females across roads, meadows and backyards. Eleven months out of the year, one rarely sees them. They stay away from people.  The does are different.  We watch them all year in the back yard, sometimes with their fawns.

Why the license to hunt deer? Deer can be a big nuisance to farmers, gardeners and drivers.

Deer ate almost every plant in my yard except daffodils.  And how they love apples!  It was okay for them to eat the apples on the ground, but they also left their droppings all over, so I had to watch my step. It took away the pleasure of walking in my backyard. Thus I had a brick pathway to let me avoid the droppings.  But deer came too close for comfort.   “Spooked” deer have jumped through glass windows causing property and human damage. So this summer, I invested in an eight-foot fence to keep them away.  They had cost me a bundle.

Deer-vehicle collision fatalities (occasionally involving injury or death to the vehicle occupant) have been increasing in New York State.  In 1997, there were 11,571 such reported accidents.  The average insurance claim for car damage was over $1,000.00.  On a 20-mile stretch of a highway, 120 dead deer a month in May and June are typically removed by the Department of Transportation.

I was surprised to see a dead deer in my backyard this past winter. She must have been hit by a vehicle and struggled into a familiar place.  I dragged her to the roadside for pickup.

Today, hunting in much of the Western world is not for the survival of man the hunter, but for the survival of man the manufacturer and marketer and, ironically, of the hunted itself.

Manufacturers of guns; outfitters who provide clothing for the hunt; small towns and lodges that host the hunters; all depend on the hunter. Ironically, so do the deer.  Wolves once kept the quantity of the deer herd in check thus assuring that the forest and woods can support a robust herd. Now, with wolves having been hunted to virtual extinction in the Northeastern USA, man now is the wolf.  We have become the ultimate managers of our universe.

I will miss them but I have my priorities.  No Lyme disease for me!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, NEARLY EVERYBODY!  -- Ogden Nash

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

The Yuletide Season strikes again! You know it's Christmas time in the city when stores start to have an array of displays - from greeting cards, Christmas decors, to non-stop blinking lights, Christmas songs via CDs and cassette tapes, etc.  There's no stopping the season of merriment, reminiscences, sentimental journeys, get-togethers, manito-manita, exchanging gifts, and the seemingly endless list of parties to attend to with matching high cholesterol smorgasbord menus. It is doubly significant this year as we are heading for the new millennium. The countdown has long started. Everybody's going gaga over it - millennium weddings, millennium babies, millennium colors (gray and silver), millennium cakes and pastries, and everything in the name of the new millennium. Yo! it's the name of the game! So catch up and be counted. Who says we're old? The new millennium fever is here to stay.

For us kids of the 60s, we thank God that we are still very much around to celebrate another millennium. Indeed a rare chance; a once in a lifetime experience. How do we know it's Christmas? Well, the atmosphere says it all. In the Philippines, we start the Yuletide Season as early as SeptemBER when the month starts with a BER as in SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, and on to DecemBER. It's Christmas time when we start listing down the names of our Godchildren, relatives, and friends. An endless listing of what to give. Truly a season of giving and forgiving.

How was Christmas of the 60s compared with the 90s? Practically the same spirit of merry making, of preparations, of celebrations.  But we certainly didn't have the high-tech stuffs which our children have now. Ours then were simpler in more ways than one, but enjoyable to the max nonetheless.  We never had the CDs, the computers, brick games, cell phones, the text, E-mails, Internet, the web, the Fonkards, the videos, and the latest state-of-the-art amenities that our children have in this Mambo No. 5 generation.

Decades may have passed from the time we were kids but the fact still remains that we are what we have been - all children of God awaiting for His coming, the Lord our Savior. The feeling of excitement is still with us (and also with you). The countdown and everything else that spells joy and happiness of the Season's best.

Yes, we still believe in the magic of Christmas. And yes, "Santa Claus is coming to town, so you better watch out, you better not cry ... Although it's been said many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you."

It is a chilly December 28, 1968 evening. The yuletide rain seems unstoppable even as our rickety jeep comes to a halt at the residence of Virginia Ngo in front of Kim San Company. Among the first to arrive for our class reunion is Sammy Go, followed by Florentina Tan and Elsa Lagrosas. Ever the genial host, Virginia Ngo busies herself entertaining party guests Castor Lim, Antonio Te, San Mondarte, Santiago Ong, and Lee Kee Sing.  At another corner, Susan Ong, Marcy Sy and Joselyn Ang arrange the table for the Christmas gifts that each of us brings in.

A few minutes past nine, the living room resounds with the familiar endless chatter typical of our school days at LCHS. After my opening pep talk, the party kicks off with Sammy Go and Rudy Co rendering a hit song of the Bee Gees. Not to be outdone, Antonio Te follows it up with his soulful rendition of "Birdie Told Me."  That done, everybody raids the dinner table that abounds with delectable dishes prepared by Lily Lueong, Virginia Ngo, Josefina Tiu, Elsa Lagrosas, and Mila Handumon.

Caught speechless with a mouthful of food at one corner of the dining room is Manuel Tiu, who comes attired in the fad of the season - a Nehru-style suit.  Alda Caracho and Ramon Balian huddle themselves in another corner with stockpile of fried chicken, meal balls and fruit salad, enough to last them a lifetime. Alberto Yu, now pursuing a course in Marine Engineering, sits beside Dionesio Chiu, who is equally busy maneuvering his spoon and fork.  At the patio the source of busy chatter and girlish giggles is unmistakable. What with Teresita Racines, Aida Chow, Susan Ong, Fena Choa Tan and Marcy Sy all assembled in a rare quorum.  The respite following the ambush on the dining table ushers us back to the sounds of the 60s while Dionesio Chiu and Mila Handumon display their fancy footwork with a dance to the tune of "Mony Mony."  All the while class prexy Lucio Choa Tan is busy encouraging everyone to join the dance ... except himself.

While the dance is in progress, another party guest Suniel Lim sneaks in with his Canon camera. He is on assignment for the Spectrum and is going the rounds taking pictures of different class reunions taking place on the same evening. After the dance, the party culminates with a "Recollection" game. A small box containing a set of questionnaire on funny or memorable experiences of the class is passed around with everybody seated around a circle. As the music stops, the last to hold the box draws a sheet of questionnaire to answer in all candor, a variation of "Truth or Consequence" and "Trip to Jerusalem" combined. The game proves to be an enjoyable one as it brings back memories of the good old days at LCHS. After the game, the traditional "exchanging gifts" followed.

The party draws to a close as the clock strikes twelve. Everybody bids each other a tearful farewell and thanks the parents of Virginia Ngo for hosting the party.  We step out into the night groggy with euphoria and recharged with a new sense of nostalgia, and part ways once more with promises of another reunion in the near future.

(The foregoing piece is rehashed from the article "Class '67 Christmas Reunion," published in the Spectrum, January 1969.)