Vol. 6, No. 2, April 29, 2002
In the recognition programs held on March 22 and March 26, 2002 in the
Lanao Chung Hua School Gym, the following high 
school
students were given the “Best in Mathematics” awards: Joni A. Ling,
first year; Krissa Hanika Cabagui, second year; Enjoy Faith C. Ang, third
year; and Cheerine U. Dy, fourth year. In photo: Mr. & Mrs. Ben
Hur Dy, the proud parents of Cheerine U. Dy, posed with their daughter
who graduated as Valedictorian for English and Chinese departments.
Awarded as one of the ten outstanding students in Filipino-Chinese schools,
Cheerine also received the Mercury Drug Corp. Awards for "Best in Science
and Mathematics."
Best in Math awards, Grade School
In the recognition programs held on March 22 and March 26, 2002 in the Lanao Chung Hua School Gym, the following grade school students were given the “Best in Mathematics” awards: Norman Ted U. Tabasa, grade 1; Nicole Leslie L. Chua, grade 2; Ann Catherine L. Co, grade 3; Karen Andrea L. Chua, grade 4; Franzymyll V. Dy, grade 5; and Tritan Ervin G. Lim, grade 6.
Salute
to alumni new college grads
By Roger Suminguit (Batch '73)
The LCHS Alumni now has new college graduates. Among them are: Jennifer A. Tan (Batch '96), who graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Interior Design at the University of San Carlos -Technological Center (USC-TC), Cebu City. She is the youngest daughter of Engr. Calix (Batch '56) & Elisa Tan of Iligan Electrical Supply; Carolyn Jean Sy (Batch '98), graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Interior Design at USC-TC, Cebu City. She is the daughter of Mr. Samson Sy & Aurora Ong-Sy (Batch '66); Sandy Sy (Batch '96), graduated B.S in Architecture at the USC-TC. She is the daughter of Mr. Sy Beng Gui (Batch '57) & Gloria Sy of SBG Gen. Merchandise; Daniel Sy (Batch '97), graduated B.S. Chemical Engineering at the USC-TC. She is the son of Tata Sy & Khu Chai Tin (Batch '66); Minnie Noreen Dy (Batch '98), graduated B.S. Psychology at MSU-IIT, Iligan City. She is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Michael Dy. Debbie Jane Chiu (Batch '98), gaduated B.S. Information Technology, MSU-IIT, Iligan City.
Alumna's
daughter graduates with flying colors
By Roger Suminguit (Batch '73)
The son and daughter of Nida Te-Tejada graduated with flying colors in college. They are Maricris Te-Tejada graduated B.S. Psychology, cum laude, at MSU-IIT, Iligan City. Maricris is a consistent honor student while in high school of the same school. Another sibling, Christopher Don Te-Tejada, graduated B.S.C Business Administration at the Southern Capital College, Oroquita City.
Whitney Dy bags gold in Manila swimfest
Whitney Dy, daughter of William Dy (Batch '71), has added more gold
medals to her name. She bagged the gold in the 200-m free-style and 50-m
backstroke swimming competition of the 1st Manila Youth Games held recently.
Last Mar. 17, she also clinched the gold in the 7 to 10 years old category
of the Fit & Tri Youth Triathlon 2002 Series held in Ayala Alabang,
Metro Manila.
Letters
of condolence
Mon, 8 Apr 2002 11:14:48 -0600
Dear Roger Suminguit and family: We are very sorry for your loss.
-- Peter Dy (Batch '66), Tita Dy <and family, Edmonton,
Canada, e-mail: pdy@telusplanet.net
Fri, 12 Apr 2002 15:54:44 +0800 (PHT) [Addressed to: Dr. Henry L. Yu,
e-mail: hvty@skyinet.net]
Please help me get in touch with Fr. Pacifico Gupana. He officiated
the wedding of Joan Quimbo. I got the information from LCHS Spectrum
issued last August 13, 2001. Thank you very much. --Isagani Marcorde,
e-mail: gani@xs.edu.ph
Tue, 02 Apr 2002 13:21:51
Fellow LCHS alumni: Finally, Tore Victor Chiu had come out of
the cocoon to join the movement. Congratulations to our new and another
good caliber editor. A-E, I'll be watching your every move. Bitaw,
I'm glad you took the position and you're all well deserving to handle
the job. Cheer & more years to the Spectrum!--Alex Rodriguez
(Batch '65), Miramar, Florida, U.S.A., e-mail: alpacino_8@hotmail.com
Roger Suminguit, Batch '73
The Debalucos Family
I happened to meet Deborah Debalucos-Paulin (Batch '66) together with her only son while I was visiting a friend at Dunkin' Donuts in Iligan City. The Debalucos family used to live in Abaga, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte.
For four decades, we hardly got the chance to meet the Debalucos family. During their school days at LCHS, the Debalucos siblings were very active and popular in all school activities, like basketball, volleyball as well as indigenous games like patentero, antulihaw, kundici, diolin, lastico and many others.
Their late father Go He Yan and their late mother died on November 9, 1982 and April 16, 2000, respectively. They were the kamote baron of Iligan whose products were in great demand in Cebu and Manila.
Among the Dabalucos siblings are: Danielito, who died on December 1, 1999 at the age of 62; he has one son, Arnolfo. Danielito studied at the old LCHS in the late 50's, located at Quezon Ave., cor B. S. Ong St. Concepcion "Ai Hua" Go-Lim (Batch '62) resides in Lambaguhon, Iligan City, with telephone no. 225-9262 and has two children. Her eldest son, Dr. Arnel G. Lim, is an Internal Medicine practitioner at E & R Hospital in Iligan City; he also teaches medicine course at MSU-IIT. Adelaida "Mei Hua" G. Flauta (Batch '64) resides in Camague, Iligan City, with telephone no. 223-8801. Two of her four children are Janet, a nurse and Alvin (Batch '91), an aeronautic engineer. Nicomedes "Kim Huat" Debalucos (Batch '66), a popular basketball star of LCHS in the 60s. Kim Huat resides at Rosario Heights, Iligan City and has four children, all professionals. The eldest son, Audie, is a practicing doctor with medical clinic at Garcia's bldg., Iligan City; other siblings are Nicomedes Jr. (Batch '92) while the others are a dentist, an electrical engineer, and computer science graduates. Deborah "Diok Hua" Go-Paulin (Batch '66) resides at Rosario Heights, Iligan City, with telephone no. 221-7624, cell No. 0919-4650603. Deborah has one child, Leonilo G. Paulin, Jr., a 2001 graduate of Political Science and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at MSU-IIT; he is now preparing for bar review and exams. Virgilio "Kim Tay" Debalucos (Batch '68) resides at Mahayahay, Iligan City, with telephone no. 221-9281 and has six children, among them are a nurse working in London, an engineer and a midwife. Edilberto "Kim Eng" Debalucos (Batch '72) likewise resides at Rosario Heights, Iligan City, with telephone no. 221-7624, and has three children, all graduated at MSU-IIT, with Electronic Computer Engineering and Information Technology & Information Systems courses. Felixberto Debalucos (Batch '73), who resides at Saray, Iligan City, is a rice and general merchandise businessman at the old public market (back of Gaisano), with cell no. 0919-2314335. He has four children, the eldest is a graduate of B.S. Psychology at MSU-IIT and recently one of the top ten, a candidate for employment at the Philippine Coast Guard based in Manila. Marilyn Debalucos-Paray (Batch '74) resides in Rosario Heights, Iligan City, and has four children, all still studying. The tenth sibling, Romeo Debalucos (Batch '76) resides at Rosario Heights, Iligan City and has six children, all still studying in various schools in Iligan City.
Ann Jeremy L. Suminguit (Batch '95), a graduate of Computer Science at the Iligan Medical Center College, Iligan City, is now working in Taiwan. She is the eldest daughter of Romeo Suminguit (Batch '73) & Mely Lagrosas-Suminguit.
Henry L. Yu, M.D., Batch '69
The Things We Did Last Summer
Once upon a time, we were the kids of the rolling 50s and the fabulous 60s. We were young, innocent, and carefree, who looked forward to the start of each brand new day with nothing in mind but to be with our friends and neighbors - playing games, enjoying the fanfare, and the sun.
Today, we take a sentimental journey to nostalgia-land into our glorious past. So, join me as we reminisce the things we did in the summers of our youth, those times when we would be ...
1. Catching dragonflies and grasshoppers.These and many many more were the things we did in the summers of our youth, part of such a wonderful childhood that was ours, an era long gone by but forever remembered by us, just because ...
2. Playing indoor games like sungka, dama, domino, chess, Chinese checker, jackstone, scrabble, etc.
3. Playing outdoor games like patintero, bato-lata, siatong, karang, takingking, jolen, lastiko, skipping rope, high jump, etc.
4. Eating popcorn, cotton candy, ice drop, or ice cream at the city plaza.
5. Bicycling, camping, or mountain climbing.
6. Swimming at Timoga or Saray beach.
7. Listening to the stories of our folks.
8. Listening to radio dramas.
9. Reading Junior Illustrated Classics, Wakasan komiks, etc.
10. Attending jam sessions.
11. Strumming the guitar.
12. Feeding the fishes in the aquarium.
13. Watching the sunrise and the sunset.
14. Watching our store.
15. Attending catechism classes.
16. Joining Flores de Mayo.
17. Playing balay-balay, luto-luto, etc.
18. Buying 45 rpm records from Everlast Bazaar or Hamilton Dept. Store.
19. Buying Song Cavalcade or Pioneer Songhits from Capitan’s Newstand.
20. Reading Graphic, Kislap, Alimyon, or Lanao Mail.
21. Playing bowling, badminton, or pingpong.
22. Watering the plants.
23. Learning to cook.
24. Doing some crochets.
25. Requesting songs and listening to dedication program over DXIC.
26. Writing penpal letters.
27. Selling sweepstakes.
28. Shining shoes.
29. Attending fiesta celebrations.
30. Watching movies at King, Queen, Premier, or Century Theatre.
31. Shopping at Doris Dept. Store or Crystal Educational Supply.
32. Playing in the rain.
33. Sunbathing at Kanaway beach.
34. Answering crossword puzzles.
35. Eating siniguelas, marang, durian, and other fruits of the season.
36. Eating halo-halo or mais con yelo at Casa Esperanza or Tan’s Refreshment Parlor.
37. Fishing at Tambacan.
38. Marketing at the mercado.
39. Watching the parade on Labor’s Day.
40. Skating at the plaza.
41. Picture-taking at 7-Up or Lard’s Studio.
42. Having a haircut at Dina’s Barbershop.
43. Having new pants and shirts from Jam Chiong or Neil’s Tailoring.
44. Walking around the city in Spartan rubber slippers.
45. Eating pancit and siopao at Canton Restaurant.
46. Eating barbecue, arroz caldo, or dinuguan at Kapit Bahay Restaurant.
47. Going to the dentist for tooth extraction or filling (pasta).
48. Playing the harmonica or drums.
49. Riding the tartanilla.
50. Watching rainbows and the falling stars.
Ernesto L. Yu, M.D., Batch '65
Abu's In Town
In the current Yu Dynasty, it is a running ritual that any new face that knocks on the doorbell and decides to stay at least overnight will be welcomed kindly and warmly, baptized and tagged instantly, without waiting for the consent forms to be signed, with an amusing nickname that would sweeten the pie when such brief rendezvous is pulverized into a page for the diary book.
Thus, the Christian titles Abu Fe (Quat Ching) and Abu Jen (Janiefer Lee) reverberated in Buffalo's airwaves throughout the duo's 4-day visit and roaming of the Niagara regions last April 5-8, ably escorted by no other than the main breathing attractions in the city of the original chicken wings (me, me, me). In point of fact, it was Vancouver Jojo (the eldest of the three-sister musketeers) who coined the terminology. Like the famed hide-and-seek pirates in the rugged Zamboanga terrains, Abu Fe and Abu Jen hail from the Mindanao frontier and invade in an on-again-off-again fashion: "Will visit Buffalo in spring. Opps, plan aborted!" However, unlike their horrible and irrational counterparts, they exude the essence of the best in humankind. They bite with authentic enthusiasm to rekindle a friendship strand that has been pierced together during the 2000 LCHS Grand Reunion and has been suspended somewhere in time, waiting for the perfect stolen moment to thaw. They strapped within them a refreshing attitude (not the terrorists' vests sutured with dynamites!) to handle whatever cold reception -- freezing wind chill factor, snowflakes --- that may greet them when they kiss our airport ground. They ambushed with a knowing desire to inflate their hosts' ego as chefs by chowing without any facial grimaces anything displayed on the dining table that bears a resemblance to soft diet, and to preserve such intensity even if the one-day old choking gourmet were "revisits" (a tad better than doggy bag) from the fridge; to offer unwavering trust and faith on their tour guide's (chauffeur Ernie and his disabled brain) trial-and-error method of locating target destinations with a promise not to retell the awful "accidental detours" in order for their patient Ernie not to double his Alzheimer's medication; to lay on my laps a real assurance that they'd comeback to Buffalo in a wink during the peak summer splendor when trees are no longer naked, the sunshine is strong enough to melt frozen smiles, and the wild ducks that never fly south during winter months parade their swimming offsprings in our pool; to adhere wholly to my set-up during Kodak moments as I am armed with the professional photographer's diploma and, most of all, I flaunt the "big" one (Camera, I mean. Silly); and to wrap up the whole circus with a heartfelt thank you card containing a promissory note that the next paper product of this kind will be bundled with tip!
In short, in my words, the two Abu's invasion of Buffalo's flatland injected lovely to the word loveliness, extracted rainbows out of rain, sifted laughters out of tears and sprinkled wonders over wonderful.
So, to Abu Fe and Abu Jen: Keep the change. I can grind a lifetime of dreams out of the bounding pulse of delightful memories. By the way, was my culinary best (Indian fried rice topped with scrambled egg spiced with scallop and shrimp) a dream or a nightmare? That will be your lifetime to sleep with a smile or snore in cold sweat.
Charles O. Sy, Batch '67
Pun-demonium
The reason why I like jazz music is because it has lots of sax appeal.-- ooo -- It's not true that the Spectrum stopped publishing weekly back in 1999 because the staff was starting to write weakly.-- ooo -- I had a toothache when I was in Cagayan de Oro recently. The front desk clerk at my hotel offered me an analgesic tablet. She said it was their way of giving their guests molar support.-- ooo -- The sole of one of my shoes got detached during a quarry site inspection in CdeO. I spent the rest of the day going sole-searching.-- ooo -- A fisherman in Misamis Oriental became rich overnight when he caught an eel inside which he found a diamond ring. Now he can retire comfortably on his eel-gotten wealth.-- ooo -- Roderick Ngo says he will defend everybody's freedom of speech, but he is against the freedom of spits.-- ooo -- Watching TV these days can be irritating. Every now and then, they interrupt the commercials with a movie.-- ooo -- New cars these days easily get dented due to their thin metal. Seems they don't make cars anymore like they auto.-- ooo -- It seems the marriage of a certain Robert Hao and Janice Siao could not materialize because they are not comfortable with a Hao-Siao wedding.-- ooo -- But definitely Richard Tan and Catherine Go will make a good couple because it takes two to Tan-Go.-- ooo -- A group of strip dancers at my favorite pub was recently hauled off to jail by the local vice squad. I advised the girls to go to court to seek redress.
Iligan’s First Two-in-One All-Girls Basketball Team
From the archive of the late Dy Tiao Lim, we have unearthed some rare pictures which were taken sometime in 1941. Among the remarkable finds is a picture of not one but two all-girls Lanao Chinese School basketball teams, judging from their different uniforms. It appears that the teams had one coach each, one standing at the extreme left and the other standing at the extreme right. According to Mr. Pedro Timonera, an old-timer who was sixteen years old in 1941, this could be the first all-girls basketball team in Iligan.
Because the picture was taken sixty-one years ago, just before the outbreak of the Pacific war, we had a great difficulty in identifying the persons in the picture. These girls must be among the first batch of students of our school. They must have come not only from Iligan but also from neighboring places such as Dansalan, Kolambugan and Initao. Can you help us identify them?
Old-timers recall with nostalgia those pre-war years known as “peace time”. What was life in Iligan then? Was it sweet and easy? Peaceful? Dull and difficult? In search of answers, we sought some old-timers to share with us a glimpse of what they lived through.
Sy Chu Kio, 83 years old, owner of Kim Guan Commercial:
When I arrived in the Philippines before the war, I was happy to know that there were many basketball enthusiasts in Iligan. Even when I was still in China, basketball was my favorite game. I used to represent my district in Amoy in province-wide basketball tournament.
Among the good players in Iligan were Dy Tiao Boc, Kingsan Dy Pico, Jose Dy Pico, Dy Peng Sing and other young men whose names I can no longer recall.
We did not open our stores on Sunday because there was a Blue Sunday law. While other merchants played mahjongg, I played basketball. We played purely for sports. There were three basketball courts. The first one was located at the back of what is now Lian Guan Trading. The second was built near the old auditorium in what is now Lai-Lai Restaurant and Department of Education building. The third is in the present site of the Philippine National Bank. I cannot recall playing against the all-girls basketball team although I heard that Dy Tiao Boc and Jose Dy Pico were coaching them.
After the war, I continued playing basketball. Early in the morning, my business partners and I used to play even against high school students. I played until old age and infirmity put an end to my passion for sports.
Salud Neri, 82 years old, a former LCHS teacher:
I was twenty-one years old in 1941. Iligan then was such a small place that we could spot a stranger in a second. There were two important streets: Calle Commercial (now Quezon Avenue) and Washington Street (now Aguinaldo Street). I lived with the family of Jose Ong who owned the lot in Roosevelt Extension where the Chinese school would be later built. Even in the town center, there were plenty of coconut trees at the top of which the crows made their nests. We could see the crows fly overhead in late afternoon. Our chief means of transportation were the horse-driven rigs (tartanillas). At sundown, we retired for evening prayer and early supper. We slept early because there was no radio, TV or movie to keep us awake.
If everyday life was dull, life on Sunday was colorful, vibrant and active. I joined the Jolly Seasiders, a song-and-dance club that assembled after the church services. We also watch basketball and tennis games organized by the Chinese merchants who closed their stores on Sunday. They were really sports-minded. Even the Chinese girls played basketball well. Iligan was quite an isolated place. The road to Cagayan de Oro was impassable. Many bridges were not yet built. Cagayan was accessible only by boat. But the road to Dansalan was well-paved. The Americans liked the climate of Dansalan and Lake Lanao so much that they neglected the development of Iligan.
Pedro Timonera, 77 years old, a retired government employee:
I was sixteen years old in 1941. Just before the outbreak of the Pacific war, the population of Iligan did not exceed 30,000. Iligan was not as important as Dansalan (now Marawi City), the capital of the undivided Lanao province. There was no high school in Iligan. We had to go to Dansalan to continue our studies. I studied at the Lanao Provincial High School, Camp Keithly, Dansalan. Every Sunday, I came down to Iligan to visit my family, go to church, go swimming or play tennis and basketball.
The leading sports figures in Iligan were Dy Tiao Boc, Sy Chu Kio and King San Dy Pico. I learned how to play basketball and tennis from them. My group of Filipino boys were allowed to use the basketball court built by the Lanao Chinese Young Men's Athletic Association (LCYMAA). I remember the LCS all-women basketball team. They played mostly exhibition games against visiting players, men or women. They gave so much pleasure and entertainment to people in a sleepy town.
.
Chinese Work Ethics & Values:
Asset for Nation Building
By Henry Siao
Batch 1956
Reneriano Soliva of the MSU-IIT once made this observation: “Almost
all Chinese students aspire to become self-employed, while almost all 
Filipino
students aspire to become employees.” Mr. Soliva made a bull’s-eye observation
on the most important behavioral difference between a Filipino and a Chinese,
insofar as individual enterprise is concerned.
This behavioral difference is actually the result of several culture-based qualities and values that make for Chinese private initiative and have made the ethnic Chinese among us active members in the nation-building team. I shall enumerate some traits of the Chinese that have made them economic persons par excellence. Before I start, I wish to clarify that I use the word Chinese to signify the Philippine Chinese, which is one of the ethno-linguistic groupings within the Filipino nation today, just as Tagalogs, Cebuanos and Ilongos are.
The traits of the Chinese that are assets for national development are as follows:
1. Capacity for hard work coupled with patience -- These are traits that come to the mind of the average Filipino when asked to describe the Chinese, and hence need no elaboration.
2. Frugality and willingness to postpone gratification of the normal human desire for consumption and luxury -- The Chinese are generally more thrifty, and they generally lag behind their Filipino friends of equal economic status in the buying of luxury items and appliances, like TV, Betamax and cars.
3. Healthy respect for money -- China is not as blessed as the Philippines when it comes to natural resources. Its hills are rugged and most of its soils is barren. The specters of penury and privation down through the centuries must have seeped into the subconscious mind of the Chinese people. Chinese proverbs say: “Once you have money, it is easy to talk,” and “Busy hands keep poverty away.” Accent on such values may have made the Chinese materialistic and achievement oriented.
4. Credit worthiness -- Many Western writers have observed that a Chinese always tries to live up to his word. The saying “His word is his bond” may be used as a gauge to measure the importance the ancient Chinese placed on the word that have been uttered by him. The offshoot of this cultural value is that the average Chinese will do his utmost best to pay his debt.
Sometime ago, when Larmingo Tam was still with Mindanao Steel Corporation, he told me that in the five years of existence of Minsteel, no Chinese check had yet bounced. Filipino manufacturers, importers, and wholesaler prefer Chinese dealers because of their better paying habits.
I see some of you raise doubting eyes on this statement. But those engaged in business know this to be a fact. The truth is I know of a Filipino salesman who was so exasperated with the paying habit of Filipino businessmen, that he actually recommended to his office to blacklist almost all the Filipino businessmen under his account. Almost all Filipino salesmen I meet tell me that their company prefers Chinese dealers.
I have just enumerated the above four points, which touched on six cultural values, namely: hard work, patience, frugality, postponement of gratification, respect for money, and credit worthiness. I did this because of my sincere and earnest desire to inform you on what I think are the underlying reasons for Chinese success in business.
Positive-minded people will agree with me these cultural values are the very qualities needed to strengthen the national economy, and accelerate nation-building. But there are also a lot of conscientious observers who are not the least affected by racial discrimination, but who sincerely believe that if the Chinese are successful, “There might be nothing left for Filipinos.” This is a weighty observation that deserves careful answers.
(Adapted from a speech delivered before the Iligan
Toastmasters Club and reprinted with the publisher’s permission from the
August 24-30, 1987 issue of Mindanaw Week.)
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