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Vol. 6, No. 9, August 5, 2002

News
REVIVAL
Coming soon: Campus Keeper

Watch out for the maiden issue of the Campus Keeper, a publication of the students of LCHS in web and print editions. The Campus Keeper was a newsletter of the Junior and Senior high school students of LCHS in 1968, founded and co-edited by Henry L. Yu (Batch '69) and Emelita Lee (Batch '68).  Preparations are under way to revive the Campus Keeper by selected fourth year students of LCHS with the help of the Spectrum staff led by Victor Chiu and Roger Suminguit.  The core group of the new Campus Keeper is composed of Farley Ong, editor; Enjoy Faith Ang, assistant editor; Myra Bonggas, Elbert Louie Eslao, Gwyneth Nicole Chua, and Raffy Tan, staff members.

LCHS CAT-Unit joins city clean-up
By Enjoy Faith Ang, Fourth Year Student

Last Sunday, July 21, the city mayor of Iligan requested all CAT Units to participate in cleaning the city and get rid of all the garbage, campaign handbills and posters.  The LCHS CAT-Unit gladly participated in this event so that the students would be exposed to public service. The cleaning started outside the school campus at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 10:00 a.m. in front of the Gregorio Lluch Hospital.  Although it was a big effort in cleaning those dried leaves, plastics, garbage and posters under the scorching heat of the sun, we really had a great time and learned the value of cooperation.  It was a fulfilling activity because our effort was not in vain.

Annual English Week winners
By Gwyneth Nicole Chua, Fourth Year Student

The school held its annual English Week celebration which would enrich the students' abilities.  This event proved to be successful since our contestants performed remarkably. The winners of this year’s event were:  Enjoy Faith Ang, Essay Writing Contest (4th year student); Giselle Letigio, Story Writing Contest (2nd year student); Marah Michelle Alivio, Poem Writing Contest (2nd year student); First Year Team, Slogan Writing Contest; Second Year Team, Poster Making Contest; Roxanne Cono, Oration Contest (3rd year student); Natasha Apple Tolentino (Grade II), Declamation Contest, Grade 1 & 2 category; Czarine Chiu (Grade IV), Declamation Contest, Grade 3 & 4 category; Johnahleen Maceda (Grade VI), Declamation Contest, Grade 5 & 6 category.

LCHS to participate in debates
By Raffy Earl Tan, Fourth Year Student

LCHS will be fielding her topnotch high school debaters to the Annual Intervarsity Debating Championship on Aug. 10 and 17, hosted by the MSU-IIT Noble Debating Society (MINDS).  Chosen to represent our school are:  Dave de Jesus, Giselle Letigio, Jan Brian Ano-os, debaters; Raffy Earl Tan, adjudicator, and Ma’am Sandra Bunda, coach.  Because LCHS students have become perennial participants in the annual debates, they have been infected with a contagious virus that causes the victims to suffer from "debatitis."  In line with this, the MINDS conducted a debate and adjudication seminar and workshop on July 27 and August 3.  All participants were excused from their PMT formation.  For this upcoming 5th All-Iligan Intervarsity Debating Championship on August 10 and 17, their coach and the adjudicator have their full support towards the LCHS debaters and they are likewise asking for everybody's moral support and encouragement. To the LCHS debaters, wish you all the luck!



LCHS STUDENT SECTION

The Campus Keeper: Stirring a Hornet's Nest
By Charles O. Sy
Batch 1967

The birth of the Scholastic Gazette in 1965 signalled the dawn of campus journalism in LCHS. But the project was not pursued by succeeding batches. It left a vacuum after it closed shop with the graduation of the staff members belonging to Batch '65.

Second School Organ.   The year 1968 saw the emergence of the second LCHS student publication, the Campus Keeper. It was published by an association of senior and junior students called the Campus Keeper Organization (CKO). The maiden issue of the Campus Keeper came off the press on Jan. 15, 1968. Like the Gazette, the Campus Keeper was printed by mimeograph and started out with a lean staff. But its staff was more organized, its objectives more focused, and its contents more diverse.

Running the Campus Keeper were Henry L. Yu (Batch '69) and Emelita Lee (Batch '68), as co-editors; Delia Dy, Roderick Ngo, and Antonio Leo Te, as columnists; and Vy Beng Hong, as staff artist. Complementing the writing staff were the CKO officers, namely Castor Lim, Elizabeth Lim, Janet Lee, Gloria Tecson, Alex Handumon, and Betty Bernardo.

Published monthly, the Campus Keeper was a merry mix of newsy tidbits and literary works of the students. Dominant in its content were campus trivia, essays and poems. There were also quizzes, humor section, profiles, and interviews.  It also ran a Pilipino section called "Dahong Pilipino."

Outspoken Staff.   Like its predecessor, Campus Keeper opened doors to a new wave of budding writers such as Rodolfo Yu, Henry Yu, Janet Lee, Delia Dy, Alex Handumon, and Gloria Tecson. The articles were generally concerned with school programs and student activities. But on its second issue, February 1968, the paper became more vocal in its perceptions of the state of school facilities.  Emilita Lee, in her column "Progress Notes," began to tackle more sensitive issues such as the lack of laboratory equipment and the scant supply of reference books and pamphlets in the library.  Castor Lim, president of the CKO, in his "Points to Ponder" column, sounded his alarm on the rise of vandalism within the school.

As it progressed, the paper became even more outspoken. It came out with a terse editorial in the March 1968 issue entitled "Be Fair to Everybody" that was critical of the perceived priorities given by the administration on Chinese classes over English classes. Another section called "Letters" exhorted students to air their views on a range of campus issues, such as the state of disrepair of the classrooms.

The Final Straw.   Eventually the final straw that broke the camel's back came from the incisive pen of Henry Yu. He lashed out at the lack of books in the library and its lack of a full-time librarian, and its inconvenient location. "Who wants to go to the library when it's as high as the Tower of Paris?" he wrote in an article entitled "Let's Face the Truth."  Another issue of significance that was raised in the article was the lab facilities. Citing the installation of airconditioners in the faculty room, he wrote, "Instead of spending for books, lab equipment, specimens, etc., it is utilized for the benefit of those things that are not so necessary."

For the first time in years, the Campus Keeper had crystallized nagging issues confronting the school, and the students had found in the Campus Keeper a mouthpiece that dealt with issues they could personally relate to.  Yet by doing so, the Campus Keeper also found itself stirring a hornet's nest.  School officials, long accustomed to a benign and complacent studentry, were outraged.  Consequently, Henry Yu was summoned to the principal's office and given a severe tongue lashing, which eventually led to his voluntary banishment to another school. Thus ended another chapter of the student press in LCHS.   (Reprinted from the March 8, 1999 issue of the Spectrum.)

Milestone
Shahanah So Cabili & Gwyneth Nicole Chua

August birthday celebrants

"Milestone" wishes to greet happy birthday to the birthday celebrants for the month of August:  First Year ClassJay Dy, August 8; Patrick Zorilla, August 9; Harold Wenrei So, August 10; Rosemarie Chan, August 16; Ramon Romero, August 25; Second Year Class: Allen Quing, August 20; Reejay Alibanggo, August 28; Third Year Class: Roxanne Conol, August 30; Fourth Year Class: Ben Nahshon Sy, August 8; Cromwell Jansen Co, August 25.  All those born from July 23 to August 22 fall under the zodiac sign of Leo while all those born from August 23 to September 22 fall under the zodiac sign of Virgo.  Since all the five visible planets nearly conjoin in the western sky, our resident astrologer advises all those born in the month of August to take advantage of this auspicious sign.  It is the best time to unleash the creative power within you -- to dream, to build, to sing! Your spirit of enterprise will inspire many around you. Your enthusiasm will be contagious!

* * * * * * * * *
Our School Life
By Cromwell Jansen Co & Elbert Louie Eslao

When we were in Kinder II,
we don’t know what to do.
When we were in Grade 1,
we played under the sun.
When we were in Grade 2,
we lost a shoe.
When we were in Grade 3,
we were bitten by a bee.
When we were in Grade 4,
we learned about crust, mantle and core.
When we were in Grade 5,
we began to strive.
When we were in Grade 6,
we met babes and chicks.
When we were Freshmen,
our assignments were more than ten.
When we were Sophomore,
changes and problems were even more.
When we were Juniors,
opportunities keep knocking on our doors.
When we are now Seniors,
we still won’t drink hard liquors.

Feature

My First Trip to China
By Cromwell Jansen Co
Fourth Year Student

I stepped on Xiamen soil (a major commercial hub in South China) for the first time on March 24, 2002. In fact, it was the first time I ever exited Philippine soil. I was so excited although I had feeling about the trip but my instincts somehow proved me wrong.

We were at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 9 a.m.; we were to depart at 11a.m. There were tons of procedures and formalities once you entered the airport premises. Luckily, my classmates and schoolmates, including my sister in this fascinating journey, accompanied me.

The plane was right on time, our trip was smooth and pleasant, and the plane served good food with comfortable accommodation. It took us two hours to reach Xiamen. When we finally arrived I was so excited to finally step on foreign grounds and get to see the splendor of the world.

When I walked off the plane, there were Chinese people who looked similar to the ones I know in the Philippines. After loading all our baggage in carts we finally walked out of the airport terminal.  As I stepped out I felt the natural cold breeze I had only experienced here in Xiamen.  There was a crowd of people gathering outside the airport; a stranger approached me and asked us to follow him.  So we did as we were told, and he led us to a large truck. We found out that he was the person assigned by Xiamen University to look after us. After loading our baggage in the large truck the lady, who was to be our tour guide, led us to the bus where we would be safely taken to Xiamen University.

On our way to Xiamen University, we traveled across a wide stretch of water.  I also noticed something different and unique about this city. Xiamen has a red brick road beside its main road.  The red road, as the tour guide told us, was for commuters on bicycle or just simply strolling.  One of the fascinating things about Xiamen is its fresh, cool and clean air.  When we passed by the city proper, the tall skyscrapers, colorful lights, high-tech resources and sizable amount of people amazed us.  Upon reaching our final destination we discovered that the university was gigantic.  There were over 20 dormitories, a huge lagoon, and two banks in its premises.

As we climbed up the stairs and proceeded to our dormitory, we observed peculiar trees and plants. When we arrived at the site, we were surprised to know that we were assigned at the 5th floor, so we had to carry our bags ourselves all the way up using only the stairs.

Our room was very nice; it had two beds, two study tables, two study lamps and two book shelves.  There was also an allocated space for us to wash our clothes and hang them to dry.  I shared my room with classmate and close friend, Bryann Quing. We’ve been friends ever since first grade.  My sister, Claire, was also with me on this trip but she went with her friend, Heidi Dy-Henry.  Our classmate Jian Racines was Claire Yu’s (a second year student) roommate while Claire Yu’s classmate Joni Ling (a second year student) and Katrina Lee (also a second year student) were also roommates. My classmate Elbert Eslao's roommate was a student from Xavier School (Manila).

The school was very huge; it is the largest school I’ve ever entered.  It was full of green vegetation. They have specific planting patterns for specific plants.  Xiamen University also encourages students to play table tennis, badminton, soccer, basketball and a sport that I have just learned how to play called Volleyball.  Inside Xiamen University we found several shops and grocery stores.  There are several statues and busts commemorating the founders and the outstanding leaders.  There was also a couple a bookstores separately located there.

The following days we ventured outside the university.  We visited a temple near the university. There were gods of different forms, shapes and sizes. Beside the school are several small stores, boutiques, restaurants and more bookstores.

The classes there were very enlightening. The teachers were very nice and gleeful. They taught us lots of things. Our class consisted of Tu Xie, Kuo Yu and Ting LiTu Xie is mostly on writing the Chinese language. They taught us how to compose good sentences and improve our vocabulary.  Kuo Yu practices our speaking and conversation skills.  They taught us how to order in a restaurant, teach and ask people for direction and more. Ting Li practices our listening skills.

In the afternoon, we had different activities in different classes on different days.  On Mondays, we had calligraphy and Chinese drawings.  On Tuesdays, they taught us Wu Shu or Chinese martial arts.  It helped us to stay physically fit.  On Wednesday, we cruised around Xiamen, visiting temples, islands and other elegant and magnificent sites.  On Thursdays, we were taught how to encode Chinese letters in the computer.  On Fridays and Saturdays, they taught us how to sing in Chinese.

We went to the Gu Lang Yu Islands. There were lots of cultural items and other peculiar things. They sold shredded pork and meat products. We had to ride a small ferryboat to get to the island.  When riding the boat you don’t have to pay any fare when heading out, only when coming back.  We were also visited by our former teachers.  Our Grade 1-3 Chinese teacher, Mrs. Lim, visited us.  She took us to Zhong Shan Lu, a fabulous place that's full of small and exquisite stores. Our other Chinese teacher visited us the following day.  Mrs. Sy was our former math teacher during grade three; she was accompanied by her husband, Mr. Sy, who is a former principal of our school.

This trip gave me experiences both in learning Chinese language and learning the culture of our ancestors. We discovered that instead of the jeepneys they use buses which cost P6.50 in our currency.  Most of our trips consisted of temple visits and garden appreciation. They also made structures, statues, temples or an item of worship which is dedicated to famous people. After every trip, we always ended up in tea advertisements.

Our group also hosted some presentations.  At most times, we were the audience but sometimes we would also be called upon to perform. In other times, the locals performed on stage while we were to observe their techniques as well as their culture.

On our graduation, we had multiple presentations. The locals, who were as young as my little sister, got to perform also which fascinated me the most. We also observed their different types of musical instruments and costumes.  After the program, we went to one of Xiamen’s finest restaurants. We had delicious seafoods ranging from shrimps to turtles.

The following day, we prepared for our trip to Wu Yi Shan. This trip was a reward of sorts for our achievements during this study tour. After our lunch we proceeded directly to the train station.  We slept overnight on the train before reaching our destination. On the train, our group was in the last compartment apart from the rest of the group.  The compartment was a semi-cabin compartment.  The cabin has six very uncomfortable beds.  Our teacher warned us to be wary of pick pocketers since we were mixed with strangers.  During this long trip on the train we had long conversations among our group that somehow made us even closer to each other. When we reached the destination we were taken to a separate hotel together with another group. But we were still left out, meaning the majority of our new friends and schoolmates were assigned to other hotels. The hotel served a couple of plates more than the usual. I have to admit that the hotel accommodation is a lot better than the dormitory.

After settling in, we prepared ourselves for another trip. We would be climbing the mountains and enjoying the view.  When we got there, there were small stores selling souvenir items and drinkable fluids. We also saw some people selling paintings of magnificent mountains. The paintings were so Chinese in form and in color.  We went to caves with bat droppings; the smell of it made some of us dizzy. We also saw spectacular sights, such as mini waterfalls, great statues of Chinese gods and goddesses, and Chinese stone calligraphy, some were painted directly in the stone, some were carved.  We also went river rafting. The water was so cold and fresh. The mountains and trees were magnificent. There were also museums with stuffed animals and man-made trees.  We also climbed a high mountain which could be compared to the steps of Iligan's Tinago falls. After an exhausting three-day stay in the mountain resort, buying souvenirs and stamps, climbing, river rafting, and long talks with our friends in the middle of the night, we set out for home bringing fond memories along with us. We took the same train for the return trip, and needless to say, the same uncomfortable compartment and beds.

When we arrived, we prepared our baggage and our papers for the balikbayan trip. Then, before we knew it, we were aboard a Philippine Airline plane. The plane was smaller and more uncomfortable when we first got to the plane going to Xiamen. When we got to the airport, I had mixed feelings of happiness and sadness.  I was happy because I could now go back home to Iligan but sad because I won't be able to see my new friends again.

II experienced numerous things on this trip.  I have learned a bit of Chinese culture and tradition.  I have learned that the Chinese atmosphere, literally, is clean and fresh. I have learned the different perspectives of different people.  I have learned that most of the residents of Xiamen are neat, tidy and well disciplined.  I have also learned that they used buses instead of jeepneys. I have earned that there are also churches for Protestants and for Catholics. And last but not the least, I have realized how lucky I am to travel out of the country and explore this enchanted place called XIAMEN.


Xiamen Tour
By Elbert Louie Eslao
Fourth Year Student

Summer 2002 was a great experience for me. I had a study tour in Xiamen, China. Together with my classmates, schoolmates and other friends from different Chinese schools in the Philippines, we visited the following famous tourist sites in Xiamen.

LotusMulberry-Lotus Tree and Kaiyuan Temple.  During the Cultural Revolution, Zhou Enlai issued orders to protect Kaiyuan Temple (and many other relics) from destruction by zealous Red Guards. And happily, they also spared the famed Mulberry-Lotus tree.

Old Stone Saint.  A granite statue of a Song Dynasty Taoist saint (some claim he is Lao Tzu, Taoism's founder). The fellow is 5.5m. high and Stone7.3m. wide. Legend has it that if you rub his nose you'll love 120 years, at a 1,000 years of nose rubbers were rubbing it away, so a few years back they fenced him off and hired a guard (though if you rub his palm with a few Yuan, you can still rub noses with the Old Stone Saint). Whether you succeed or not, I'm sure you'll never again take life for granite.

GunHuli Shan.  Huli Hill fort, located strategically on the beach behind Xia Da, has always been considered the door to Xiamen. And given that Xiamen is "China's gateway," that makes Huli Hill Fort China's doorstep. Huli Fort boasts of The World of Exotic Stones, and an exhibition of ancient armaments.  But its real claim to fame is the 60-ton German-made coastal defense gun installed by some big shot back in 1896.

Nanputuo Temple, right outside the #1 Bus terminal and Xia Da's old gate, sprawls across the Five Old Man Mountains like a Chinese miniature Templelandscape on steroids. The complex's original structures were built over 1,000 years ago, during the Tang Dynasty, and now include the Heavenly Emperor Palace, the Grand Majestic Treasure Palace, the Buddhist Scripture Pavilion, and the Great Benevolent Ticket Seller.

IsletGulangyu Islet.  A mere 500 meters as the fly flies across the harbor from downtown Xiamen lies the famous 1.77 square kilometer island of G (or "Drum Waves," because the breakers pound the rocks like drums). The 10 minute ferry ride to Gulangyu costs nothing unless you sit upstairs, where a ticket lady will collect about twice nothing (one Yuan or so).  But unless you can swim, you have to pay the piper for the return trip which, at about 1.5 Yuan, is still a better deal than Hong Kong's Star Ferry, New York State's Island Ferry, or Disney Land's "Pirates of the Caribbean."
 

ObitCross

Tseng Chia Chiang, husband of Maribel Mecina Ang (Batch '82), died last July 11, 2002 in Taoyuan, Taiwan.  He is survived by his wife, one son aged 10 and one daughter aged 8.  Maribel is the eldest child of Mr. & Mrs. Margarito Ang who own the famous Cinderella Bakeshop at Super Market in Palao, Iligan City.  In 1988, Maribel went to Taiwan to work and in 1997 opened her business called Maribel Pinoy Goods, selling Filipino food items to expatriates in Taiwan.  Other siblings are Jimmy (Batch '83), Lorelie (Batch '86), Benedict (Batch '86), Haydee (Batch '94) & Dennis (Batch '97).
 
Letter of Condolence

Friday, July 19, 2002
Dear Maribel Mecina-Tsang:  Our deepest sympathy and condolences to you as you may go through this time of sadness, and may God be with you and your family in this time of need.  --James Booc & your batch mates.
 
Message of Thanks

Arturo and Ellen Samson, together with their brothers and sisters, and the rest of the Samson Family:  sons-in law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the late

Conchita Samson (aka Gan So Kim)
who peacefully joined her Creator on July 9, 2002

wish to thank all who paid their last respects, sent flowers and messages of sympathy, offered Masses and prayers, visited and kept vigil at the wake, attended the funeral rites, and who, in many countless and generous ways, gave us comfort at this time of our great loss and sorrow.

Thank you for sharing with us the happy memories of our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother who, for 85 years, lived a long and full life of grace and beauty.  She showed us the value of love and integrity, emulated the qualities that made one worthy of respect, and gave us all an abundance of joy, happiness, and unconditional love.

Forum
GAH: Three days too long?

The duration of the next reunion in Iligan has to be under the baton of the alumni officers. Two days or three days, it doesn't make a major dent for us outsiders who just partake on the enchanting residues of the officers' migraine and sleepless nights.  I am pretty sure it would take only a few minutes for every attendee to string together the golden days of wine and roses. I know scores of us are under the mercy of the Alzheimer bugs, just the same, familiar smiles and eye language have the habit of wrecking through old banks of memories. In a flash, we are back to short pants and smoking Chesterfield cigarettes at the back of the science building.

I have only two requests.  First, I need to have the chance to deliver a Thanksgiving speech to fellow alumni, classmates, heroes, teachers and departed souls.  Preferably, the podium has a shield against being ambushed by rotten tomatoes.  Kidding aside, I missed to air out some "straight from the heart" words the last time around.  Second, no other activities should be planned if Arturo Samson and family will have the itch to invite me to another grand Chinese lumpia marathon in their premises.  Such gastronomic experience has been tickling my taste buds for months.  Hear that, Toto.  In the meantime, I will try to inflate my Northwest Airlines mileage program and start dreaming of THE dreams. -- Ernesto L. Yu (Batch '65), Buffalo, New York, U.S.A.

Wanted: more teachers in GAH2005

A common observation of many was that only a few former teachers of LCHS were able to attend the first grand alumni homecoming in 2000.  Hopefully, GAH2005 will see more teachers gracing the affair.  This early, it may help if efforts are made to gather as much information as possible on the whereabouts of our former teachers.  Once their addresses are available, the LCHS-AA secretariat can take the initiative of communicating with the teachers to notify them ahead of time about the next GAH scheduled in the third week of July 2005.  Surely our former mentors would be pleased to have the chance to reunite with their former colleagues and students as much as we do.  Given enough time to plan ahead and the right motivation, our former teachers will surely grace the next GAH in full force. --Charles O. Sy (Batch '67), Cebu, Philippines

No more "baryo-baryo" for the next GAH

During the first grand alumni homecoming in 2000, there was a night described as "barrio fiesta."  How appropriate!  Except for Charles Sy and the alumni officers who were busy roaming around, all the alumni were glued to their seats with their own batchmates.  Nag-baryo-baryo silang tanan!  There was really no interaction between the old and the young.  To achieve unity and solidarity, may I propose a day or a night for "breaking the ice."  Why not group the alumni in a random manner and convert each group into a team -- for games, singing contest, dance contest, story-telling contest, durian-eating contest or simply a tour group or a picnic group who are getting to know each other.  Who knows what friendship may bloom?  Or what opportunity may arise?  I think such an acquaintance party is more enriching than counting the gray hair of your favorite classmates. --Roberto "Henry" Lagrosas (Batch '72), Iligan City, Philippines.
Mail
Whatta great piece!

Yo!  Whatta great piece of informative article my friend Charmaine Molo came up with in the July 22 issue of the Spectrum.  It's really for and about LCHS alumni.  Congratulations!  Keep up the good work. Here's a suggestion: When mentioning names of LCHS students in the Spectrum please include their parents' names too so we'll know whose sons or daughters are they. Thanks and more power. --Dr. Henry Lim Yu (Batch '69), Cebu City, Philippines, e-mail: hvty@skyinet.net

[Thanks for your appreciation.  Many friends told me they enjoyed my initial offering and with enthusiasm supplied me with more names with ErvinFaithrepeating syllables such as Yong-Yong.  My, I can't understand how the nickname of my dear classmate, Lydia Sy, escaped me!  I hope I'm not, as your Brod Ernie would say, in the early stages of Alzheimer's.  Well,  I didn't realize that we have more alumni bearing names with repeating syllables.  Here are they:  Lulu (Lucille Lee), Ging-Ging (Melania Handumon), Hong-Hong (Glenda Sy-Cabilan), Tata (Roger Suminguit, Agustin Tiu, the late Leopoldo Tan and Rainato Sy akaSy Chu Guan), Diong-Diong (San Mondarte), Jojo (Marie Josiefel Quimbo), Jen-Jen (Marie Janiefer Quimbo), Nene (Nenita Chan, Soledad Yu and Juanita Te), Lily (Josefina Tiu). Eng-Eng (Glenda Siao-Lim and Felisa Khu-Yu), and Pao-Pao (Deanna Tan the daughter of Manuel "Aki" Tan).  There, as you suggested, I disclose the father of the child.  Among the present-day LCHS students, we have one dabbing in poetry:  Cromwell Jansen Co, son of Robert Co (Batch '66).  Together with his classmate, Elbert Louie Eslao, he wrote "The Seniors" which impressed Rene Tio (Batch '70) who declared that "these are the students I would like to keep an eye on."  I too am impressed with the achievement of Enjoy Faith Ang, in photo at left, the daughter of my classmate, the late Carmen Chan.  Last March, she finished third year at the top of her class and came out the best in all subjects. Rare though it is, this grand-slam feat was duplicated in Grade VI by Tristan Ervin G. Lim, in photo with medals at right, the son of Gil Lim (Batch '76).  These acts are reminiscent of the waves created by the twin sisters, Franzel and Lucille Lee (Batch '76), sisters of your classmate Janet, who eventually graduated summa cum laude in college. --Charmaine Molo (Batch '65), Iligan City, Philippines.]

* * * * * * * * *
Hail to the Seniors!

Alas, we alumni readers have a substantial glimpse of the present LCHS students' literary and journalistic prowess. In the recent issues of the Spectrum, it made me happy to read the contribution of the students, whether they may be an article or open letter, a news item or poem. "We have opportunities to nurture; for a better future ... Fourth year's the best; so forget the rest; for we are the most outstanding batch, that all MUST WATCH." Wow, these are the students I would like to keep an eye on. And by the way Seniors, I like your poem  "The Seniors".  It is well written, nice rhyme, and its message hit the point -- be optimistic of your future! More power to you! --Rene Tio (Batch '70), Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, e-mail:  fishers@cdo.weblinq.com

ColumnRogerTracers
Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

Alumni whereabouts

"Tracers" bumped into Joel Dy Lituan (Batch '65) who is now doing brisk business in many towns of Lanao del Norte.  A resident of Kolambugan for almost four decades, Joel said that he knew of the first grand alumni homecoming in 2000 only after the event had taken place. Next time around, he won't miss it -- come hell or high water. Aida Lim-Uy (Batch '61) was among five recipients of the Top Sellers Awards given recently by the Malaysian Airlines (MAS) to travel agencies in Cebu City.  The awards were given at the recognition dinner held at the Il Sole Ristorante, The Village, Lahug, Cebu City.  Aida Uy, who owns the Cebu Fortune Travel Inc., received a plaque of recognition and an all-expenses paid trip to Malaysia for one week.  Currently back home for a well-deserved rest and recreation in Iligan is another travel bug, Mike Lee (Batch '66).  He recently returned home from a two-week swing across China and a side trip to the resort island of Boracay with his family.  Mike and family are scheduled to fly back to Edmonton, Canada, by the middle of August.  Also vacationing in Iligan is Mike Lee's brother from Taiwan, Dy Shik Hian.  Now 72 years old, Shik Hian flew home to Iligan last July 29 to join Mike for a family reunion.

ColumnsPen

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

Random Thoughts on Friendship

I can’t remember when was the last time I was falling for a friend.  But when you came, I knew I am at it again.

Having someone to love and who loves you in return is one of life’s greatest gifts.  A treasure to keep for a lifetime.

I know not why I’m feeling this way towards you.  All I know is it was you. It is you. It will be you.

In a lifetime, you win some you lose some.  But in you, I’m a winner all the way because I have you, near or far, in thoughts, in spirit.

So many people have come into our lives.  But only a few have ever shown us what love is really all about.  Thank you for coming into my life. And for showing me the way.

I know not when these feelings will end.  All I know is with you and me together, we can make a symphony.

Sometimes I wonder why we’ve ever met.  Other times I wonder why it has to be you.  But most of the time I just sit down and smile, thanking God for sending you into my life.

Each time I started counting the many blessings that life has given me, I think of you as the greatest of them all. Why? Because you’ve given me the best thing money can’t buy: Your friendship.

All my life, I’ve been searching and looking for the right friend.  Today I have found the answer in you.

Neither your beauty, brain, or bank. They don’t matter.  Only one thing does: You as a person.

All day long, we work so hard at making life better only to realize that the best has already come.  It is having you in my life.

Friends do come in variable sizes, shapes, colors, and for different reasons and seasons.  But you are one and the same: A true friend all the time. All the while. All the way.

Having someone like you to color my world is such a wonderful blessing.  Thank you for painting my life with meanings.

Thank you for being with me in good times or in bad times.  But most of all, for being there when I was at my worst.

A true friend laughs and cries with you like no other, no matter how trivial the matters are.

The best a friend can give is the assurance that come what may, he will always be there for us.

True friendship is not just a feeling between two individuals.  It is a decision to love and to cherish each other for better or for worst till death do they part.

A true friend remembers you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month, or 365 days a year. In other words, each and every day. For a lifetime.

Now I simply cannot imagine living life without you because life has never been the same again since the time I met you.

True friends stay together, live together, grow together, but not necessarily die together.  But when one goes ahead, will the other be far behind?

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

Lady Killers, Elvis, Mango Tree: It would have been a fitting duel between memory soundness and exasperation of who-the-heck had the author-researcher’s identity, Charmaine Molo, didn’t happen to ring a bell. The mere enumeration in proper order of Alex, Alberto and Ernie of the Alaber spotlight, based on hair sheen from dabs of Tancho pomade, narrowed down the clue to an old timer who must have a bounding reserve of the very remote past. Yes, the Dark Ages when Elvis’ sideburns were sufficiently bushy to qualify as donor sites in hair transplantation; when puppy love has to be leashed with barks of theme songs humming in lyrics that can handily substitute for muffled love whispers; when Jerk and Watosi were dance floor aerobics to strain muscles in drenching sweats, not name-calling of some degrading sort; when the trunk of the mature mango tree parallel to the high school building was a roomy bulletin board for hearts pounding in sign language. Indeed, Inday Charmaine, was one of the 16 tribe members who marched with us to secure our official release papers from LCHS in 1965. No, there was no struggle or plea bargain whatsoever when my diploma touched my palms. Neither did I have to dash out away from the principal grips with a fruit basket as soft money. OK, what is so intriguing, charming and syrupy about the Alaber brothers? Among scores of distinguished features (save your vomit for last), the three-member circus highlighted a common physical asset: Lady-killer; the lady dies before anyone could mumble a word! Doubtlessly, we could have roped a heaving throng of college beauties during our hormonal renaissance and whistle our way in the gland opera of “kilabot ng mga colegiala” if our drooling eyes were as potent as tranquilizer darts. Such unsolicited remark, however, is like glossing and glazing over our nerve endings some much-needed gorgeous goose bumps, at a phase in our life when we are beyond statistical wonder and are huffing and puffing in exfoliating identities. Anyhow, for a new Spectrum staff to have her pulse on a generation of LCHS alumni dating as far back as the era when dinosaurs freely roamed Iligan’s earth and coughs up delightful and amusing facts and figures out of those moldy data, I have to take off my hat to a classmate for such splendid stew of trivia questions and nostalgic shading.

Even if such bowing will expose the relocated sideburns on my forehead.

Tarzan English: Elbert Louie Elsao’s cocktail of Charles Sy’s signature Sy-llables drink was an entertaining read along the realm of generic stuffs. Although duplicate servings from the original recipe always come up short of a spice or two, it’s refreshing to observe that Charley’s virus strain is rummaging in someone else literary instinct. Since the art of writing fires off with a bang of enthusiasm and benumbed fascination, the cloning process of Elbert is intelligently crafted in sound channels, a landmark start for the new kid in The Spectrum town. At any rate, whatever merits are bundled in my counterfeit strokes at Sy-llables Incorporated, there will always be one unsurpassed Charles Sy. In the annals of LCHS infancy, there never was one his like. Here are my wildly ambitious stabs at Charles’ trademark inner sparks: After twenty years of marriage, a heart transplant patient files for divorce. His reason: He had a change of heart/ A patient gagged and let out a whooshing  fart when I checked his swollen tonsils, made me hesitate to do a rectal exam as he may have tons to sell/ A golfer was handed a traffic violation ticket. Since such ordeal, he stopped gulping/ A gal went on a diet, eating infrequently. Yet, she continued to have horrendous weight gain. Her family discovered that she had foods in frequently/ An employee asked bluntly for a raise. The manager calmly advised him to have a rest forever/ Pals used to greet, “How are you?” My usual reply, “Yu is fine”. So they rephrased their routine question, “How is Yu?” “Sorry,” I countered, “ Yu speaks no Tarzan English.”

Harboring Sy-llables worms that need to hatch in printed form? Sy An Lok.

.FeaturesStar

Fruit of My Desire
By Charles O. Sy
Batch 1967

It is often called "King of the Fruits."  Others refer to it as "fruit of the gods" while some others describe it as the kind of fruit that "smells like Durianhell but tastes like heaven."  That's because when it comes to durian, one either totally adores it or utterly abhors it.

Durian, known by its scientific name durio zibethinus, is to me is a fruit to die for.  I have learned to savor it since I was a kid in Iligan City, where this intriguing exotic fruit is abundant.

Most of the durians in Iligan come from the hinterlands of Marawi City, which is renowned for its Malagkit variety.  The fruit is oblong in shape with sharp woody spikes.  Like all other varieties, the fruit splits into five segments, each containing brown seeds covered with thick, creamy and light yellowish pulp with an overpowering aroma. Its aroma is so strong that it leaves a lingering scent hours after the fruit is consumed.  During my school days in Cebu, we had to contain durian fruits in air-tight cans or glass jars when transporting them from Iligan to Cebu for pasalubong. Despite that, the unmistakable scent of durian could still be detected by people nearby as evidenced by the quizzical look in their faces.

Today, durian is available in commercial quantity in Cebu and Manila. Most of them come from the Consunji plantations in Davao, with year-round harvests of premium varieties like Mamer, Atabrine, Malagkit, and Arancillo.  They sell for about P90 to P110 per kilogram. Also available are the Thai varieties, such as Chanee and Munthong, that come from the Cojuangco farms in Negros Occidental. Thai varieties are larger in size. The skin is dull green to rust color and the thorns are bigger. The flesh is golden yellow, thicker, fuller and sweeter.

The best variety, however, is cultivated in Malaysia. The Malaysian variety, which comes with names like D24, D123, and MDUR 88, is a lot softer in texture, with 25% more edible portion than local variety.  Its pulp is more aromatic, glutinous and extra creamy.  I had my first taste of this variety when I was in Hong Kong with Roderick Ngo and Glicerio Uy in 1995.  We chanced upon an array of Malaysian durian in a row of fruit stands along a sidewalk in downtown Hong Kong. They were neatly packed in styropor containers and ready to eat.  The sight of this rare Asian delight was simply irresistible and we feasted on the durian with our bare hands right on the sidewalk.  Not content with that, we bought two more packs and brought them back to our hotel to continue our feast.  Needless to say, our room still smelled of durian when we checked out of the hotel the following day.

Choosing a good durian can be tricky.  It may be said that this is one "tough nut to crack."  How do we know if its flesh is meaty and ripe?  A common practice is to observe if there are narrow cracks between segments on its shell.  Generally the shell cracks by itself when the fruit ripens. This, however, is not exactly accurate as some enterprising vendors forcibly slit the sections with a knife even if the fruit is not yet ripe just to lure gullible buyers.

A friend from Davao, David Chan, whose family owns a durian farm, tells me that they determine the fruit's ripeness by gently pressing two spikes on its shell with their fingers toward each other.  If the spikes stay firm and do not budge, the fruit is still green.  If the spikes are pliant enough to bend as they are pressed toward each other, then it's most likely ripe and ready to eat.

To determine if the fruit is meaty and full, you need to lift the whole fruit with both hands, raise it near your ear by the side of your head and shake it -- the fruit, not your head, silly.  If you hear some vigorous hollow movements inside, reject it; its content is apparently sparse and dry. A full and meaty fruit doesn't produce any hollow movement within when shaken.

Research shows that this exotic fruit is not only delicious but it is nutritious as well.  A 100-gram edible portion of the fruit contains 153 calories, and is rich in protein, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.  Durian diet can be quite filling. I can devour a whole fruit by myself and go without meals throughout the day.  Interestingly, there are those who claim that durian is also a potent aphrodisiac.  Now this aspect I still have to find out for myself.

Whether the aphrodisiac aspect is fact or myth, it can still be said with certainty that those who have not learned to savor this exotic delight are not only missing a good half of their life, they are missing one hell of a chunk of heaven.

FlashbackFilm

Know your fellow alumni
Junior Band
Can you identify these seven little aspiring musicians?  Photo, taken by E. Neri Studio in 1954, shows some of the members of the LCHS Junior School Band in full regalia.  From left: Perla Yu, Aurora Ong, Norma Sy, Bonifacia Co, Carmen Lee, Carmen Chan, and Florcita Tiu. Photo courtesy of Aurora Ong (Batch '66).
 
WRITE NOW!

Does the Spectrum enlighten you or entertain you? Does it inspire you or infuriate you? Does it inform you or provoke you?  Whatever it does, your feedback is most welcome. The Spectrum welcomes articles, letters, poems, news tidbits, and comments from its readers worldwide. Sound off your ideas -- write now!
 
EDITORIAL STAFF
VICTOR L. CHIU, editor 
Correspondents: Roger Suminguit,Teresita Racines, Charmaine Molo, Rodolfo Yu, Vinson Ngo, & Michael John Siangco (Iligan); Igdono Caracho (Cebu); Emma Yap Matiao (Dumaguete); Marie Janiefer Lee (Manila); Peter Dy (Canada); Leonardo Tan (Australia); Ernesto Yu & Aurora Tansiokhian (U.S.A.); Castor Ong Lim, business & circulation manager (Iligan) & Marie Joan Q. Quidlat, treasurer, (Iligan); and Charles O. Sy & Henry L. Yu, past editors.
Founded Aug. 1, 1968.  Published fortnightly since its revival on April 15, 1997. Distributed free on the Internet to LCHS alumni & supporters worldwide. Postal address: LCHS Alumni Association, Lanao Chung Hua School, Pala-o, Iligan City, Philippines. Web site: www.geocities.com/lchsspectrum. Spectrum welcomes articles, news reports & comments from LCHS alumni, students and readers. For subscription, contact Roger Suminguit, tel. 221-2422. For contribution, e-mail manuscripts to the editor: perfidia6180@hotmail.com with cc to: spectrum@iligan.com
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