Year 5, Issue No. 22, January 28, 2002

Cheers to Cheerine!
LCHS, ably represented by Cheerine U. Dy, took part in the National Chinese Oratorical Contest of Chinese-Filipino Schools held last Dec. 1 & 2 in Manila.  The contest was sponsored by the Grand Family Association of the Philippines, Inc. and the Association of Chinese-Filipino Schools in the Philippines.  Cheerine Dy won 2nd place in the provincial schools category, after which she moved up to compete with winners from two other categories of the National Capital Region Chinese schools.  The final winners were from Xavier School, 1st place; Chiang Kai Shek College, 2nd place; Philippine Cultural High School, 3rd place; Grace Christian High School, 4th place; and Sacred Heart School for Girls, 5th place.  Cheerine is a consistent 4th year honor student of LCHS and the daughter of alumnus Ben Hur Dy (Batch '60) and Ellen Dy.

Focus on environmental protection
Jan Brian R. Anoos, LCHS grade VI pupil, joined the 8th RCBC Kwentong Kalikasan, Katha ng Kabataan, a nationwide short story writing contest on environment preservation. The school selection of entries took place last Nov. 16.  Jan Bryan's story bested five other contestants from other schools.  He is the son of alumna Precila Rosario-Anoos (Batch '80) of BPI, Iligan branch.  Precila is the sister of Willy Kwan Rosario (Batch '73) who now resides in the U.S.A. with his wife. Two other siblings are Leonila Rosario-Zorilla (Batch '72) and Melesia Rosario-Papa (Batch '75).

As one alumnus pointed out, "The government's thrust of "sustainable development" gives emphasis on the equal utilitization of our natural resources for the benefit of the public and for the preservation and protection of our environment. (Roger Suminguit, Batch '73)

Report from LCHS-AA President Beng Hong Vy

As president of the LCHS-AA, I would like express my sincerest thanks to all the alumni who, in one way or another, helped in making the December 30, 2001 Christmas Party a success.  This year’s party was quite different because Chinese dance and drama dominated the program. The Alisan dance was performed by the students of LCHS; so with the martial arts demonstration.  A musical drama adapted from Kang San Bedin was the most applauded number.  (See the video tape of the program which Roger Suminguit will bring along with him to Cebu.)  The program was emceed by Rodolfo Yu and Bunz Cu-Lim.  The success of the said affair I credited  to the hard working committee members and also to the people who attended the affair.

We had a meeting last Wednesday, Jan 16, 2002, the first monthly board meeting for the year 2002.  In that meeting we made assessment of the Dec. 30, 2001 affair.  We rated this affair very satisfactory and each one made suggestions on how to improve the weak points for this year's Christmas Party.  James Booc as the chairman of the raffle committee made his financial report to the body.  During the deliberation the body agreed that part of the income will be used to buy chairs to augment the number of chairs  we were able to procure last Alumni Homecoming from 50 to 150 pieces.  An amount of P100,000 will go to the Scholarship Foundation to increase its fund.  -- Beng Hong Vy, President, LCHS Alumni Association

Open letter to Vicente Sy Seng Ho

To Vicente Sy Seng Ho, President, Roosevelt Chemical, Inc., Manila:
The Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and students of Lanao Chung Hua School, Iligan City, are deeply awed by your magnanimous generosity and concern through your donation of P73,000 worth of various paint products last July 9.  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Your nobleness will forever be etched in the history of this school, especially because you have truly exemplified the true essence of the Chinese trait, which is a giving person.  We shall be circulating this generous gesture in our local Chinese community as our form of gratitude and, also to imbue to everyone concerned this valuable message that prosperity is truly the fruit of magnanimity.  We thank you and your family once again.  May your tribe increase and may God continue to bless you!  -- Sy Chu An, President, LCHS Board of Trustees

 Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

Alumni bankers, et cetera.

More and more alumni are "invading" the banks in Iligan City.  To name a few, Edelino Dagondon (Batch '74) and Aida Lagrosas-Clemen (Batch '75) are with Allied Bank; Catalina Dagohoy (Batch '75) is with Banco Filipino, Wilson Tan (Batch '77) is with First e-Bank, and Marigold Papa (Batch '96) is working at Philippine Farmer's Bank.  Marigold is the daughter of Melisia Rosario-Papa. Melisia herself is connected with First e-Bank, Iligan branch. A brother of Melisia is connected with National Power Corp., Mindanao Regional Office, Ditucalan, Iligan City. The Rosario family name is a byword at Gen. Aguinaldo St., where the family runs the Rosario Bazaar fronting the old public market.  A few years back, I, too, was connected with the Allied Bank, Iligan branch, together with Edelino Dagondon, Evangeline Tan (Batch '74), Larry Sy Handumon (Batch '72), and Aida Lagrosas-Clemen.  We were recruited by then Allied Bank EVP Eddie Rodriguez (Batch '62) back in the 70s.  Travel note:  I will be in Cebu this week to deliver a video tape of our Christmas party to the Spectrum to share the fun we had last Dec. 30 with our fellow alumni in Cebu.  Accompanying me on this trip is Victor "A-E" Chiu (Batch '65).

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

Young as we were then in the fabulous 60s, our appetites were as voracious as any hypermetabolic kid in the neighborhood next door, growing up in an environment that set no limit to what we would or should eat. We could eat what we wanted at generous servings, without limit, primarily because prices of commodities then were not as high rocketing as today, such time when rice was sold at P5.00 a kilo, pork belly at P10.00 per kilo, soft drinks at 15c a bottle, etc. We all had such wonderful childhood, on a full diet scale, in an eat-all-you-can ambiance, although our choices of tsitsirias were few compared to the present-day junk foods. Yes, our worldly pleasures were that simple and low tech. Yet we were happy as happy can be. And those were the days, my friend!

Let me therefore bring you back to that era in our lives when ama or mama or our kusinera would cook our favorite dishes with us partaking of them on the dining table, non-stop and fast-paced, as if there was no tomorrow. How many of these below do you remember? Here’s a list of THE FOOD WE GREW UP WITH:

A – Arroz caldo (kiam bae) – Arroz valenciana (kiam pong) – Ampao - Alimango – Alugbati – Ampalaya – Afritada - Atis.
B – Bibingka – Binaki – Binangkal -  Balbacua – Beef steak – Bolabola – Bakua – Bachang – Bahu -  Bam-i-  Bananacue – Buchi – Butong – Barbecue – Bihon – Brazo de Mercedez – Bacalao – Balimbing -  Balot – Bulad (palotpot, anduhaw, bodboron, lagaw, tangigue, carballas, bolinao, etc.)
C – Chicharon – Caldereta – Cassava cake – Chay po – Chicos – Cha (tea) – Cogon grass - Champorado – Champoy -  Cotton candy – Camaron rebosado – Camoteng kahoy – Coco macaroons – Chorizo bilbao – Chop suoy – Corn flakes – Coca Cola – Choco Vim – Cerveza Negra.
D – Dinuguan – Dinuldog – Donut – Dikiam – Durian.
E – Ensaimada – Egg (salted, century, scrambled, sonny side up, pouch, hard boiled, omelet, pie, etc.)
F – Fruit salad - Fruit cake - Fried rice – Fried chicken - Fried dace – Fita biscuit.
G – Gulaman – Goto – Graham crackers – Gem crackers – Ginger Ale – Guava jelly – Ginaling – Gabe.
H – Humba – Halohalo – He peo – He be – He wan - Holintao – Heo ko - Hotdog – Ham - Hamburger – Hopia – Hipon.
I – Iceflower – Ibus – Inon-onan – Iba - Isda (tamban, tulingan, diwit, bangus, lapulapu, anduhaw, etc.)
J – Jamonada – Jackfruit – Jam (orange, mango, strawberry, pineapple, etc.)
K – Kuchinta – Karekare – kimchiam -  Kiamchay – Kiamto – Kiamoy – Kiamba – Kiamkimchu – Kangkong.
L – Lumpia – Lomi – Lachi – Lomboy – Lanzones – Lollipop - Leche flan – Longganiza.
M – Maruya – Menudo – Maja blanca – Morcon - Misua – Maki – Mami – Mei teh – Mua chi -  Masareal – Mais – Manggang hilaw – Mamon – Mansanas – Marie biscuit – Marang.
N – Ngohiong – Nilat-ang baka – Nougat – Noodle soup (Royco) – Nokos.
O – Otap - Owachian (oyster omelet) – Oyap.
P – Puto – Palitaw – Puto maya – Pancit (chami) – Pae bokne - Pochero – Polvoron – Prunes – Pasas – Pinttimoy – Pakwan (Fat and Thin) – Peniato - Paklay – Paksiw – Piyaya – Pepsi Cola – Peanut butter – Pan (de sal, de leche, de agua, de coco, etc.)
Q – Quekiam - Queso de bola.
R – Repolyo - Relyeno (bangus, alimango, manok, etc.)
S – Siakoy - Sikwati – Sinugbang baboy – Sinanglag – Star apple – Sibot – Saging – Spaghetti – Sansapia – Shark’s fin soup (he-che) – Sardenas – Siopao – Siomai – Sunkist – Star margarine.
T – Tabirak – Torta – Tiratira – Tocino – Turon – Tikoy – Tungkoy – Tu ka kon -  Tinapa – Tinola – Talong – Tawkua – Taw din (soya milk) – Tawsi - Tubo – Tisa -- Tru orange.
U – Ukoy – Ulang – Utan kalamunggay – Ube.
V – Vanhouten chocolate.
W – Wonton soup – Watergrass – Water chestnut – Watermelon.
X – Xeniguelas.
Y – Yam.
Z – Zuman.

Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

Ever been caught before? I mean ever been pulled over by a traffic cop?  I always wondered how it would feel -- until last year when I felt it first-hand. The year 2001 was very memorable for me because I was caught twice. In all my driving years I’ve never been caught before last year nor give any reason to be arrested. I am always a cautious and defensive driver. That’s why when the traffic officer suddenly appeared in front of me motioning me to stop, I was surprised. Honestly, I didn’t know what I did wrong. On both occasions I had “VIP’s” as my passengers.  Which made the whole experience even more embarrassing. And what’s more, I was caught on the same spot on both occasions.  Which makes me wonder what’s with this intersection that seems to be bad fung sui for me.  Some may think that I just didn’t learn my lesson the first time, but on both occasions I was pulled over for two different reasons.

I know some people would say that “babae kasi,” that’s why I got caught.  It has nothing to do with fung sui.  I know a lot of people who still think that women are stupid drivers.  Well, ever since I started driving I try not to be labeled as a “stupid driver.”  But different people have different meaning of “stupid.”  For some people when they see a car that’s running at a snail's pace, they’d say that it’s probably driven by a woman.  Or when they see a car that’s hesitating to change lanes in the high way, they’d also say that “babae siguro yan.” Which irks me, because, for all we know, these cars might just be driven by a member of their tribe.  There are lots of “stupid” male drivers out there too.  Just like those bus drivers and jeepney drivers who stop anywhere and anytime they feel like it.  For them it seems like the other cars owe it to them to wait patiently while they wait for the passengers to either get on or get off. They don’t even have enough decency to pull over properly so as not to obstruct the flow of traffic.  Though if I try to enumerate the stupid things some male drivers do, I’d have to write an encyclopedia about it.  So let’s just stick to the issue at hand.

Ever wondered how to deal with cops? With all the stigma that’s been attached to the image of policemen, most of the time our fears would somehow take over before they even say a word.  We’re afraid that they would charge us with something we didn’t do or ask for a horrendous amount of money for a minor offense.  Since I was caught in broad daylight I didn’t panic, because I know I could always ask for help if I need to. After I was told where I made a mistake, I realized that I was wrong. I was willing to just take the ticket and get on the way, but the cop wanted to give a “sermon.” And after some time I noticed that it was just going in circles.  I feel that he was waiting for something. And so I let President Manuel A. Roxas do the talking, and it worked.  I got off the minute he saw the “former president.”  For the benefit of our foreign readers, President Manuel A. Roxas is the face on our 100-peso bill.  On both occasions, I just let the president do the talking for me to make things easier.  But just for the record, these traffic enforcers didn’t ask for it out right.  I just considered it as a “tip” for a person who reminded me that a “no left turn” street will always be “no left turn” even on Sundays and for reminding me to always wear my seat belt.

By the way, for those who are wondering who were the “VIP’s” with me. Well, on my first offense it was our friend Dok Ernie whom I was taking to the airport on his way home.  And on my second offense I was with my 6-ko and 6-kim (Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dy). Aside of course from the “VVIP” (very very important person) inside my wallet.  The next time mahuli‘kaw on the streets, just stay calm, don’t panic and check your wallet if you have the right president with you.

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

Hand-To-Mouse Art:  Being earthlings who are privileged observers to the turbocharged technological innovations of the new millennium, we have no options but to exhibit an unmistakable glaze of amusement to all these digital rollovers that make our hearts execute a belly flop with a winning smile. You don't have to backpedal to the remote past to appreciate how our lives have been dubbed, colored, refurbished and molded for the better by the onslaught of computers, Internet and websites.  These trendy marvels reboot energy-perking chemicals to surge thru flesh, bones, sinuses. It has become as ephemeral as air. To wit, a wonder hit that keeps on throbbing! Take the recent Yuletide season as example. Was there any yucky moment in your December morning precipitated by accessing emailboxes without any electronic strings of "ho ho ho" greeting cards? Was there a drag in your day where your grin was colder than the one hanging around an IRS investigator's chin because you wailed in pulsating doubts about having friends in the other end of the spectrum who may not have juggled your name with a wink? Make no bones about it, those animated, caroling holiday swingers that soared thru cyberspace were really a breed on their own. They hatch chirps of contagious joy that stirs your spirit to speak with quivering tenderness, aside from salvaging yourself from collecting dust in your stabbing sense of inadequacy and loneliness. It is a satisfying bang to note that somewhere, somehow, someone remembers and loves you. It is amazing that there is a lot of good science behind this hand-to-mouse art: It lowers the pleasure center of your brain into your fingers, let those digits do the talking on the keyboard, while your sit bones gather pressure sores. Phew! The impulse is such a rush of dizzying delight. It is the most certain and speedy process to hunt and nail down kins and heaven-on-earth pals with buoyant cheers, whether they are a stone throw away or at the edge of the Temperate zone. Also, emails are, in this time of Anthrax panic, the safest route to spray someone with kindness and loving thoughts, without the miserable taste of stamp glue. Hence, if you are still a cellar dweller, a doormat to these current bounces of megabytes and RAMs, it is never too late to grab a chair, supply words to your hummed inner ballads and breathe the heightened enlightenment of the other universe out there. Remember, Valentine's Day is peeking in the horizon. You don't want your heart to be an orphan, sulking in a state of hypnotic isolation.

Ride the waves.

Pre-Valentine Stretching Exercises:  WHAT IF – this pair of wistful words that blow out a whoosh of breath must have mystified, bewitched, massaged, cooed your rational self at one point or another, in more ways than one. Overwhelming! What if you are embroiled in a juicy swap of body heat waves with the Luv of your life and the beating heart at the core of that dream abruptly disrupts your nocturnal waltz of thrill by ringing your phone, revamping your soul with sweet nothings that explode with rhapsodic loveliness and refreshing hues typical around happy rainbows? What if, while having your dearest's wolfishly admired picture glued in your left shirt pocket, the frequently eye-kissed object thumps your chest to pace in a synchronized dazzle with the frozen Kodak smile that never disappoints to sway senses and move mountains by its gentle strength, and paint your mornings with coal-hot red sensory teases (so hot you feel your bones softening) that render you to ambulate like an ape? What if your mind trades punches with the luxurious perks of being idle and your sparring partner who regularly fills the void sinks into edgy pensiveness and captivates major spheres of your brain to stream along the realms of fairy wans and Cinderella tales? What if, as silence resonates into the ghostly quiet hours of gnawing emptiness, the Romeo in you sponges all the muffled harmonies from the lazy moon that took half a day to rotate and decorate your skies with a mixedbag of whimsical images? What if a  strain of love bug resets your vital buttons and you yield to the grip of a passionate high, an escapist fantasy that can subdue the most raging bull of headaches known to mankind? What if you are entitled to an exquisite moment to trumpet the guarded shocker in your heart, hushed by cold fear that if it is ultimately freed to fly, you will have a litter of eardrums and eyeballs to pick up on the ground? What if sessions like windshield wiper caresses, traffic stop light rendezvous, miso soup cure-all mystic elicit the wild promise of a breezy walk along rosy memory lane that soothes thwarted yearnings conceived many moons ago in the loneliness of space and the sadness of time? What if plaintive lyrics that target psychic fragility enrich the airwaves with melodic lines of inspiration, lullabies that brush the hearing bones to bristle in trancelike rhythm of sheer enchantment? Why an avalanche of what ifs in an atmosphere where such emotional word combination is reserved for romantics who idolize the gods of daydreams, the magic lords who can choreograph a dance of love out of ordinary bubbles in thin air? Because cupid is aiming the arrow at the February calendar. Why not be like Robin Hood who specializes on halving an apple on top of a live head with a single shot?

Not in my lifetime. Mind you, we are dealing with the apple of my eyes.

Charles O. Sy, Batch '67

If you want to be the toast of the town, you have to have a lot of bread. ---ooooo--- More people are now eating tofu because it's rich in calcium, which is good for our bones.  So to all tofu eaters: bone appetit! ---ooooo--- Alumnus Peter Sy is looking for the cook who made the famous siopao of the old Canton Restaurant. Being one of those who missed this siopao of the good old days, I hope Peter will find the recipe -- by hook or by cook. ---ooooo--- There's a restaurant in downtown Cebu called Manila Restaurant which is famous for its sati noodles.  Try it and you'll be sati-sfied. ---ooooo--- Our LCHS-AA officers will soon be busy wrapping lumpia in celebration of the Year of the Horse hosted by Toto Samson.  This is a good way of establishing wrap-port among our officers. ---ooooo--- My favorite Chinese restaurant owner is not only an honest man, he also serves the best tea in town. His policy is:  Honest tea is the best policy. ---ooooo--- Aside from coffee shops, tea houses are now proliferating in Cebu.  It appears health buffs now realize the benefits of tea.  Maybe on my next birthday I should invite them to my birthday par-tea. ---ooooo--- With Mad Cow disease spreading like crazy, the owner of my favorite steak restaurant has stopped serving European beef because his reputation is at steak. ---ooooo--- Because of Mad Cow, the decreased sales of many steak houses have made it difficult for them to make both ends meat.

The operational directions and development of Philippine Chinese schools are facing a new round of challenges due to the increasing integration of society.  In addition to this, the recognition of teaching Chinese as a second language has brought about a new subject dimension for the Chinese teachers to study and to deliberate on.  In view of this concern, the Mindanao Chinese-Filipino School Association and the Philippine Chinese Education Research Center select, every year, a Chinese school in Mindanao to host a 2-3 day seminar-workshop on Chinese language teaching.  The effect of these annual seminars, in relation to the operation and development, new teaching philosophies and methods of the Chinese schools will surely pave the way for an appreciable concrete upgrading of the schools' standards and will encourage the students to be more interested in studying the Chinese language.

The first seminar-workshop was held in Cagayan de Oro City two years ago at Oro Christian Grace School, followed by Ozamis Kong Hua School last year.  The 3rd Mindanao Chinese Language Seminar will be held in our school.  Observing agreed decorum as a host school, board and lodging expenses of invited participants will be shouldered by our school.  Around 150 participants are expected to attend and these include teachers, school administrators, and representatives of the Philippine Chinese Education Research Center and officials of the Mindanao Chinese-Filipino School Association. Our school, at present, needs further improvement in facilities and equipment so that we need sufficient finances to fund the expenses for preparations and accommodations of the 3rd Chinese Language Seminar, which will be held in February 2002.  Recently, the notable Cebu Anonymous Person has generously donated P100,000, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lanao Chung Hua School, Mr. Sy Chu An, has pledged to donate P40,000.

We would like to take this opportunity to announce our gratitude in public for their philanthropic generosity.  Currently, we still need to source out futher a bigger amount of funding.  We appeal to all local Chinese businessmen, for the sake of your children's education and the generations to come, to enthusiastically support this fund-raising drive and to collectively endorse ideas on this undertaking in order to strengthen Chinese education in Iligan.

"I wish there were windows to my soul, so that you can see some of my feelings." -- Artemus Ward

Sleeping with the Enemy
One of the attitudes that seemed to have been ingrained in so many of us is what is called the I-told-you-so mentality. This mentality is so pervasive especially in our own family, and sometimes it reminds us what Michael Douglas said in the movie Traffic, "How can you win this war when the enemy is your own family?" People whom we love and are close to us are the ones who hurt us the most with this mentality. We go to them to seek comfort from what we've done wrong only to be told, "I told you so! But you never listened to me!" It is as though whatever we've done can be undone by this kind of admonition.  Unwittingly, they not only want us to admit when we have done something wrong, they want us to suffer for it, feel terrible for it, and be punished severely, preferably by ourselves with regrets and guilt. It's like adding salt to a wound. Not only that it makes you feel bad of what you've just done wrong, it makes you feel worse.

Comfort for the Troubled
All too often when we make mistake we are troubled by such mistake that depending on the degree, we may lose sleep and appetite. We may even lose our courage and confidence that instead of confronting our mistake to get over it and learn something, we avoid it and live in fear of making the same mistake again. Now how many investors made the mistake of suspending their skepticism to indulge on counting paper profits during the stock market bubble only to lose their profits as well as part of their capital when the market tank? Imagine those who had the stocks of Enron that used to trade at $90 and now selling at 50 cents. Their mistake was not selling the stock at $90, or $80, or even $10 just to cut losses or break even. It's not easy to deal with such mistake even if you are a millionaire. Yet mistakes such as this often become the sources of verbal skirmishes and intellectual antagonism especially between husbands and wives. And every time there is a difference of opinion or an argument, past mistakes like this are being recalled like reserve units to do battle. But then again, as Joe Louis said, "I don't like money, actually, but it quiets my nerves."

Depending on how bad the mistake is, that's also how bad we fee and suffer. What we are seeking is comfort, if not relief, a way to diminish our bad feelings so we'll be able to live and deal with our mistake in a more rational way. Thus what we need is not someone's admonition or wise crack, but someone's kindness to listen to us with sympathetic ears and emphatic mind, someone who can offer us a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on, a handkerchief to wipe our tears, and a hug to make us feel better. In fact, no words are needed. Just the old-fashioned kindness and understanding. (Continued next issue)
 

BATCH 1980
Egylyn Bazar, Pala-o, Iligan City; Alexander Bernardo, Doña Juana Subd., Iligan City, tel. 221-4800; Guat Bing Chiu, Cagayan de Oro City; Jocelyn Chu, Bayug, Iligan City; Sheila Dagondon, Allied Banking Corp., Quezon Ave., Iligan City, tel. 221-9532; Janet Dy, Iligan Shoe Center, Aguinaldo St., Iligan City, tel. 221-3158; Felda Escalante, Lanao Milling Corp., Tubod Highway, Iligan City, tel. 221-2756;  Marlon Joe, Labao Ext., Iligan City, tel. 223-9149; May Lim, Cebu City; Jerry Ling, 23 Seminary Road, Pala-o, Iligan City, tel. 221-3678; Leonardo Pancho, Ozamis City; James Racines, Racines Store, Quezon Ave. Ext., Iligan City, tel. 221-3253, cell 0917-7160372; Precila Rosario, Bank of P.I., J. Luna St., Iligan City, tel. 221-2720; Mary Evelyn So (Cabili), Cagayan de Oro City, c/o Denso Motor Parts, Sabayle St., Iligan City, tel. 221-5087; Kenton S. Sua, Sua & Alambra Law Offices, Room 622, Bank of P.I. Bldg., Plaza Cervantes, Binondo, Manila, tels. 242-1159, 242-1156, cell 0917-8382563, e-mail: kenton@netasia.net; Maria Teresa Sy, Cebu City; Caroline Sy, Crown Paper & Stationers, Roxas Ave., cor. Aguinaldo St., Iligan City, tels. 221-3115, 221-2680; and Jocelyn Tan, Pampanga City.  [Next issue: Batch 1981]