Vol. 6, No. 18, December 9, 2002
What’s
the perfect solution to economic crisis? Open a new business to stimulate
the economy! That is the step taken by a few bold and daring alumni
together with their associates. Teepoy's Grills And Restaurant will
open on Dec. 8. It is located at the vacant lot owned by alumnus
Bebencio "Bebe" Palang (Batch '56) in front of the residence of former
city mayor Camilo Cabili. Monsignor Gemar Vera Cruz and City Mayor
Franklin Quijano will grace the occasion. The new business is owned by
Philip Jones Lee (Batch '80), Jason Robert Lim (Batch '89), Raymond Sy
(Batch '87), Chester Dy-Carlos (Batch '87), Jason A. Sy, son of Gregoria
"Bebe" Ang-Sy (Batch '59) and Yvette Sy of Lian Hong Co., Inc., fellow
masons Atty. Rafael Benedictos, Assistant City Legal Counsel, Lester Salazar,
Stephen Monteroyo, Colleen Dumanjog, Dr. Rey Mateo and Patrick King of
Cebu City. The restaurant offers new delicacies such as sisig, maskara,
talaba, tamislat, pork & tuna belly, bollavaise, kilawinna
baboy sulop and others. The specialty of the house is ngo-yong,
the food that became popular in Cebu City.
Alumni golfers place 3rd in Baguio tournament
LCHS alumni golfers, Henry Dy (Batch '64) and Greg Dy (Batch '59) won
third place in the Class-D/AM Division of the 53rd Fil-Am Golf Tournament
held Dec. 2-7, 2002 at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay, Baguio
City. Henry and Greg were part of the PMA Cavalier team that included
Jose Tan Sr., Benigno Reyes, and Ray Dacones. Their individual score in
the final round: Joe, 14; Benigno, 18; Ray, 18; Greg, 18; and Henry,
24. Formal awarding ceremonies were held last Dec. 7.
Alive @ 25! Iligan theatre group celebrates 25 years
Alive @ 25! was the celebratory cry of the Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) when it presented its Silver Anniversary Performance album, "Diwang-IPAG, IPAG-diwang" at 7:00 p.m. on December 6 at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. IPAG Founder and Artistic Director Steven P.C. Fernandez directed from his script and music "Diwang-IPAG," a dance-music-theater collage of the images and sounds that have characterized IPAG’s work in a quarter of a century. The resident cultural company of MSU-IIT, IPAG was founded in 1978 to fill the cultural and artistic vacuum in Iligan. Twenty five years later, the company has become a leading theater in the country presenting over 40 major productions in extensive tours here and abroad. IPAG recently won the Grand Prize in the Concourse de Chanson Internationaux of the 13th International Folkloric Festival in Port sur Saone, France. It also did a command performance for Prince Albert of Monaco among other well-appreciated performances in its last Europe and Asian tours.
Sen.
Pimentel urges boycott of de Oro
subdivision
discriminating against Muslims
Senator Aquilino Pimentel is urging the "Christian community" in Cagayan de Oro City to "consider boycotting the subdivision" which discriminated against Muslims, citing the case of Dr. Jamail A. Kamlian, vice chancellor of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT). "How sad that a city that prides itself as the City of Golden Friendship has in its midst people who discriminate against a fellow Filipino because he is Muslim," the senator from Cagayan de Oro City said.
"The Christian community in Cagayan de Oro should consider boycotting the subdivision to dramatize the people's outrage that this horrible incident had taken place in our beloved city where in times past there were no Muslims or Christians. All were treated as Filipinos who were equal before the law of man and God. Insensitive acts like the one suffered by Dr. Kamlian should never be tolerated by a community that calls itself civilized and Christian," Pimentel said in an e-mailed letter to MindaNews, a newspaper published in Davao City. "I am not sure I know Dr. Kamlian. But my knowing him or not knowing him is of no moment. His rights as a Filipino or even as a human being have been denigrated. He is, thus, entitled to seek redress in court or to demand an appropriate apology from those who had wronged him. Neither do i do know who the owners of the subdivision are. But if they have any sense at all, they should apologize forthwith to Dr. Kamlian and award him the house and lot that he was sales-talked into buying."
Cebu Kinmen Ass'n election Dec. 8
The Cebu Kinmen Association will hold its election of new officers and directors on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at 10:00 a.m., at the Grand Majestic Convention Center, Cebu City. The election will be followed by a lauriat luncheon for all members. The affair promises to be another occasion for members to get together in a atmosphere of fellowship and camaraderie. The association counts among its members many LCHS alumni and Iliganons now residing in Cebu. The outgoing president of the association is Tereso "Koko" Tan of TSK Mercantile Corp.
Roger Suminguit, Batch '73
Back from U.S.A. Newton Siao and Elson Siao, both of Batch '56, flew over from the U.S.A. to Cebu recently to grace the wedding of their nephew, Brandon Derick Sy, youngest son of Alfredo "Chu Tek" Sy (Batch '56) and Rosie "Bian-Bian" Siao-Sy (Batch '60). Among some of the familiar faces seen at the wedding ceremonies and at the well-attended wedding reception held at the Grand Majestic Convention Center last Dec. 1 were: Dy Shek Tong, Dy Tiao Un, Bebencio Palang, Tina Bernardo-Ong, Sy Chu An, Sy Chu Pin, Sy Chu Eng, Florcita Tiu-Sy, Amelia "Leh-Hwa" Sy, Ramonita Siao, Glenda Siao-Lim, Benjohnson Siao, Nelson Sy, Jonas Sy, Aida Lim-Uy, Felipe Lim, Betty Lim, Henry Siao, Norma Wee-Siao, Sergio Siao, Dominic Siao, Peter Sy, Lydia Sy-Chona, Siok Kuan Ang-Teng, Elsa Ang-Uy, and Gregoria Ang-Sy. Also present was Charito "Un-Hui" Go-Sia (Batch '61) whose daughter, Stephanie Sia-Ledesma, is now a successful opthalmologist in Cebu City. Stephanie holds office at the Cebu Multispecialty Clinic, 2nd Floor, Diez Bldg., Ranudo St., Cebu City.
Back from China. Melecia Dy-Lamayan (Batch '70) is back from China after visiting the factory of surgical stainless cookware factory on a company-sponsored group tour. The company, INOSPHIL, is the largest distributor the unique surgical stainless cooking ware which is very popular among modern housewives in the Philippines. Their group had been to Tian An Mien Square, the Forbidden City and of course, the Great Wall of China. They missed by a few hours the group of Kris Aquino, Maricel Soriano and Ara Mina who went to China to complete the filming of Mano Po, a story of a great Chinese-Filipino family, starring Eddie Garcia who acted as the family patriarch. Kris took over the part of Assunta de Rossi who could not fulfill her commitment due to the kidnapping of the children of her fiance, Congressman Jules Ledesma.
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Melecia "Lecon" Dy-Lamayan (with both hands up) with friends at the Great Wall of China. |
Back from Cagayan
de Oro. "Tracers"
again took a trip to nearby Cagayan de Oro city and was amazed at the progress
he saw. This city in northern Mindanao is turning 
into
one of the island's shopping capitals. Less than a month after tycoon
Henry
Sy's SM City opened its stores here, the John Gokongwei group's
Robinsons shopping mall is due to start operations on Dec. 12. The
8,000 square-meter Big R Supercenter, Robinsons' first branch in Mindanao,
is inside the Limketkai Center, the local commercial center. Cagayan
de Oro City has about 500,000 people. Compared with other regions,
it has a relatively low unemployment rate because of the operation of various
industries. The traffic jams that the motorists suffered daily are
unmistakable signs of the city's progress. In contrast, it seems
that the 300,000 people of Iligan have given up hope of even recapturing
its old glory. In fact, city officials are no longer talking of Iligan
as "the industrial center of the south." They now see Iligan as "the
city of waterfalls." Even the city mayor has shifted his priority
from commerce and industry to agriculture. “This move is set to shift
the imbalance of industrialization and agriculture in Iligan’s economic
map,” said Mayor Franklin M. Quijano, referring to the city’s over-emphasis
on industrialization. He now pins his hopes on abaca, also
known as Manila hemp, a natural fiber that has many uses. “Now is
the time we focus on Iligan’s potential as an agricultural city,” he said
during a visit to Rogongon, the site of the abaca production project,
which measures almost half Iligan’s total land area of 83,337 hectares.
Te abaca production project centers on developing the arable 36,000-hectare
land of Rogongon into a “world-class
abaca plantation site.”
Fidel
Fuertes Stradivarius!
In the Ryukyuan Kingdom of yore we had the masters and sages of
Shuri Castle whose words of wisdom teaches and inspires every Ryukyuan
even up to this very day.
One of the most widely debated and feared if not very hated subject was the foreign Japanese code of Bushido which was forced into the daily lives of all the native Ryukyuans.
While novels and movies have glorified and embellished this ancient 'code' as the way of the brave, mighty and honorable, it's also true that many innocent men, women and even children were gorified as a result of its strict and very stern interpretations.
Thus it's to my great bewilderment and astonishment to be informed by the Spectrum that an even more stricter code was known to exist, as reported by Mr. Fidel L. Fuertes in his article about the 'Code of Kalantiaw'.
What is even more mysterious and intriguing is why such a much more sadistic code invokes mere merry laughter among Mr. Fidel's students when just even the mere echo of the much tamer 'Bushido' invokes instant tremors and palpatations?
Is it because of Mr. Fidel's unique interpretation of the 'Code of Kalantiaw' that made his students even more creative and intelligent as proven by the many excellent writers of the Spectrum?
A teacher with such a profound and positive gleaming and persuasive effect is like a thousand Stradivarius playing simultaneously!
I really envy those pupils of Mr. Fidel who were able to experience his 'Code of Kalantiaw' lectures first-hand for even now I still don't have the slightest clue why such an unforgiving code envokes only plain laughter?
I'm still wondering why?
Kunichiwa to Mr. Fidel and may his health be as strong as a 'Sumo-Samurai' so that we may continue to enjoy this 'Fidel -- Fiddler of the Academic Stradivarius' phenomenon in the concerts of our daily orchestra! Respectfully, HSN --Hiro S. Nobumasa, e-mail: naruwan4ever@yahoo.com
Old
bird mounts
I saw your photos on the Internet. I was interested in the old
bird mounts depicted in a few photos (on Spectrum website pictorial
page). I would be very interested in acquiring these, that is, if
they were intended to be disposed of. I am asking on behalf of a
university bird collection where the skeletons and skulls can be used.
These would be in good shape despite the outward poor condition of the
birds. Is there someone I can talk to regarding acquiring these items?
Thank you. --Phil Cuthbert, e-mail: quagga62@attbi.com
Ernesto L. Yu, M.D., Batch '65
Black is Black
I bravely acknowledge, though pretty humiliating to swallow, that my rusting and moldy memory networks have ultimately gone to the dogs! Shuffled and shredded but, good news!, reversible. I hope.
In the last Spectrum issue (“Turkey Talk”), I reported about the incredible bargains during our Thanksgiving Day that evaporate after just a few hours of public exposure. The correct time frame is the Friday after Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday, the so-called Black Friday. Black in the sense that if you go to the mall during the first five hours when all the inventory specials and horrendous mark-downs are the captivating features of the moment, the flood of humanity fighting for an immediate dive into the goodies pool, the shoving and exchanges of flying elbows can handily give you an easy black eye. Get there a few minutes late or be slow as molasses and you will be greeted by blankety blank sceneries, as black as nothingness.
Yep, you can tag me as the grandest of turkeys there is for such gross jumbling of numbers. Then again, if I don’t right my wrong, not only will I be a screwball forever, I won’t be able to air out a soothing chorus of snores during nap sessions as my conscience has gnawing wounds to nurse and heal. I attribute such grave error to the fact that when I was a team member of the Early Bird (stores open as early as 6 AM ) Commercial Strike Force, I got disoriented from all the dizzying circling and backing to spot a parking space. Perhaps, my disjointed data was a sad ill effect of years of gulping the slimy algae and chlorine flavoring in our local drinking water. Better still, with a looming Spectrum deadline to sink my teeth on, I somehow triggered off the panic buttons of my brain cells and hugged the first lighted lane in a dimming memory channel, without realizing it was on a Friday and not a Thursday when my feet pumped on the gas pedal. Clearly, my mind was out of sync, juggling screwed up thoughts in present tense, not splitting atoms of the past in perfect chronological order and harmony.
Oh well, does a miscalculation in the range of 24 hours really hang heavy on anyone’s chest, to a point where it renders one helpless as a drowning toad? Regrettably, personally, it does. Life can be twisted in mere seconds. Visualize going for a high-tech, Japanese brand of wireless bungee jumping. Joking aside, there is no way I will be able to breathe with sincerity and reverence if I don’t reframe in correct sequence my previous essay.
Yeah, right, old man? If you second the motion this distasteful sentiment, land an email in my box, complete with your current digital photo. Rest assured, your smile will grace my dartboard.
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Glimpses of Iligan and Some Lasting
Memories
By Charles O. Sy
Batch 1967
Around the city's downtown area, one can't help but notice a host of changes in this heart of the city. Gen. Aguinaldo St., once a beehive of activity with the public market right at its core, now has to contend with a newer market place in uptown Pala-o for a share of the economic pie. This major thoroughfare, once known as Washington St., still teems with an array of commercial establishments, with new players like Chowking and Dunkin Donuts leading the pack. Gone is the Dy Un Suy Store where I as a kid spent countless pleasurable moments with the Dy brothers fishing for ibis and halu-an in their backyard by the bank of the Baslayan Creek. Gone too is the Pasing's Grocery where I spent many lazy afternoons with the Yu brothers discovering new pleasures in biking, boxing, basketball, and even cockfighting. Gone too is the Lian Thay Trading where I spent many summer breaks playing with the late Jesus Chan amidst the sweet scent of ripe mangoes combined with the stench of his father's stockpile of raw cowhides drying under the sun in their backyard.
Today, a new lane, constructed over a section of the Baslayan creek, offers commuters direct access from Aguinaldo St. to the spot once occupied by the Canton Restaurant on Quezon Avenue. Lining both sides of the new road are eateries, curio shops and bazaars run by enterprising Muslim traders. The ancient hanging bridge across the Tambacan River at the back of the public market is still in use today. But residents these days drive through a new concrete road from San Miguel St. that cuts across Tambacan to reach the idle Pryce Commercial Complex along the Tubod national highway.
Near the premises of what used to be the Century Theater are several new shops and nightspots like the Nietzsche's Cafe & Restaurant and the Lytz Rhythm & Piano Bar that give a little sizzle to Iligan's sluggish nightlife. The Oriental Restaurant is now replaced by the Patio Alejandra, a favorite dining place among local residents. Across the street is Madelicious Native Restaurant that specializes in grilled delicacies. A stone's throw away is the 18K KTV Bar where GROs with hideous facial makeup turn pretty inside dark cubicles. The Delailah Jones Beauty Parlor along San Miguel St. is still there after all these years -- and still flourishing in gay abandon. Not far away is another beauty shop called Clandestine Beauty Parlor. Why clandestine, of all names? Could it be that the shop also services clandestine trysts in the dead of night?
The rise of many new banks has likewise taken the places of many old haunts. The site of the former Tin Lu Sing Shoe Store is now Allied Bank territory (in photo). The former gasoline station on Aguinaldo St. fronting the public plaza has been replaced by United Coconut Planters Bank. And Banco Filipino now occupies the Sheker Building at the corner of Quezon Ave. and Mabini St. The site used to be occupied by Biema Shoes and DXIC, the kingpin among the city's radio stations in our time. Having resided just across the street, I often visited the station to observe the disc jockeys at work, to drop letters for its dedication program, and to watch the local combos, like the Ramblers, the Cossacks, and the South Timbermen in their Sunday jam sessions. DXIC has since moved to Roxas Ave., and Biema Shoes to Cabili Ave.
At the vicinity of the public plaza, a new building now occupies the corner of Del Pilar and B. Labao streets. On this spot once stood the Kapit Bahay Native Restaurant, renowned for the finest barbecue in town in the early 60s. I remember frequenting this little restaurant as a kid, not only to buy its barbecue but also to listen to Teddy Randazzo's "One More Chance" and Jerry Vale's "Innamorata" on its jukebox. It is now replaced by the Cheve Building that houses the Rizal Bank and Lhuillier Pawnshop. Occupying the ground floor of the Maria Cristina Hotel now is the CMG Insurance Agency. It used to house the Doris Department Store, the city's pioneer department store and supermarket. It was our source of imported stuffs like preserved peaches, walnuts, dried prunes, Horlicks, marshmallows, and assorted goodies.
On Juan Luna st. by the corner of the public plaza now stands a new building occupied by St. Lawrence Institute of Technology, Quality Appliance Plaza, and Lai-Lai Oriental Park & Restaurant. On this same spot once stood the Crystal Educational Supply, which I, as a fresh high school kid, frequently visited to catch a glimpse of a charming sales girl in the store by whom I was smitten head over heels. I would steal glances with the sales girl while pretending to browse magazines like the Philippine Free Press. My flight of fancy lasted several months. In the end, I did not succeed in winning her heart but I discovered instead a new love for magazines like the Philippine Free Press.
Along the same street by the corner of Quezon Avenue now stands the Iligan School & Office Supplies in the same building that once housed the Manila Banking Corp. As a high school greenhorn, I was a regular visitor of the bank; not because I maintained a fat account in it but because the bank had pretty tellers. Adding to the attraction were the three beautiful daughters of the bank manager, Salvador Nosce who hailed from Tayabas, Quezon. The Nosce sisters -- Mariquit, Maribel and Marilou -- studied at St. Michael's College and often hung out at the bank. I never had the chance to even get within talking distance with anyone of them. Either because their father was always around, or they were often surrounded by boys from the La Salle Academy. Just seeing the girls from a distance inside the Manila Bank or in their school yard was enough to make my day. However, by some strange twist of fate, several years later when I was already in college, force of circumstances brought me back from Cebu to Iligan. I enrolled at the St. Michael's College and joined some 20 other aspiring students in the editorial exams for its school paper, the Sword & Shield. There, I and Marilou Nosce finally crossed paths -- right in her own turf. I became editor of the Sword & Shield, of which she was to become my associate editor.
These are but a few glimpses of Iligan that linger in our memories like
an old familiar love song. Many of the old haunts may have disappeared
or gone out of fashion. Yet our memories of them remain irreplaceable
in the inner recesses of our hearts.
Beware of E-mail Scam!
We received an e-mail recently from a stranger seeking assistance and dangling an offer involving a huge sum of money. The ploy has been circulating on the Internet for quite sometime. The names of the sender may vary from one e-mail to another but they all involve the same modus operandi. Once a recipient responds to the bait, he will be asked to disclose his bank account number and send a certain amount of money to cover some expenses with the promise of a share of the loot. The ploy is nothing but a scam that preys on the gullible and people who are easily duped by the false hopes of making a fast buck. Hereunder is one such letter. Read on and judge for yourselves.
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 09:11:29 -0800 (PST)
From: roseline banky <roseline_banky@go.com>
Subject: Urgent
X-Mailer: GoMail 3.0.0
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am wife of the late chief security officer to the former president of Somalia. At present I am in a village near Mogadishu. I got your contact through Internet online in our nearby country.
In the course of the war in my country, my husband was arrested and killed by the opposition leader earlier February this year, due to his involvement in the government of the former president of the country. This situation has led myself and three of my children in a very difficult situation here. Which made me to contact you for an assistance in helping me to transfer out some huge amount of money which my husband have deposited. The amount is US$9.5 million, this was the money given to him to buy ammunition before he was arrested and killed by the opposition party. The Government is not aware of this money in our custody now. I would have invited you to Somalia to see things yourself, but the situation here will not be suitable for you to come.
Now I needed your assistance to send the whole of this money (US$9.5 million) into your private or company account over there for investment. I would have operated with this money here but due to the situation and my husband's involvement in the country's political crisis here, I cannot be allowed to use this fund here. Because we are under close monitor here. Where your assistance could be possible, I will offer you 20% of the total sum (US$9.5M) and all your expenses will be taken care of immediately after the transaction. Please, your prompt reply through my email will be highly appreciated to enable me conclude our internal arrangements here. Thanks as you offer to assist.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Roseline Banky
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BATCH
1989
Acedo Jocelyn, 77 Doña Esperanza
Subd., Katipunan St., Labangon, tel. 410-0489, cell 0915-5014760; Fernando
Apao II, Buruun, Iligan City, tel. 223-6861; Brendon Bernardo,
Urcen Marketing, Aguinaldo St., Iligan City, tel. 221-4670, cell 0917-9229309;
e-mail: brendon@iligan.com; Carlo Bodiongan, 21 Bloomsfield Ave.,
Apt. 2F, New Jersey 07003, U.S.A., tel. (973)-748-683l, e-mail: Elcarlo1@msn.com;
Roberto
Dy Jr., Dy Yao Store, Mercado St., Iligan City, tel. 221-2017;
Enrique
Dy-Cruz, Smart Ecom, Iligan City, cell 0918-9184567; Marlybeth Kho,
Manila; Alfred Lai II, 2711 North 72nd Court., Apt. BW, Elmwood
Park, IL60707, U.S.A., tel. (847)-697-6737, e-mail: alf73@att.net;
Henrietta
Lee, 946 Busilak St., Mandaluyong City, tel. 533-6472, cell 0917-9698836;
Jason
Robert Lim, Regence Trading, Sabayle St., Iligan City, tel. 221-2812,
cell 0917-7160204; Ann Dee Po, Oroquita City; Jocelyn So,
JTS Commercial, Capitol Drive, Balanga, Bataan, cell 0917-7160788;
Franklin
Tan, Iligan Electrical Supply, Quezon Ave., Iligan City, tels. 221-2700,
221-5588; Mary Jane Tan, Crestan Commercial, Sabayle St., Iligan
City, tel. 221-2318, cell 0917-7162506; and Gay Marie Tiu, BJ 02
Doña Juana Subd., Pala-o, Iligan City, tel. 221-4321, e-mail: gmmtiu@goplay.com.
Honorary Members: Michael Badelles,
Purok 6, Tipanoy, Iligan City, tel. 221-9118; Joel Bernardo, Bernardo
& Sons, Quezon Ave., Iligan City, tel. 221-6398, cell 0917-4060874;
Jeremy Bobadilla, 916 Kusang Loob, Sta. Cruz, Manila, tel. 711-5636;
Lizalie
Booc, Hotline Bakeshop, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, tel. (08822)-728-455;
Donald
Chiu, Leading Enterprise, Rm 206, #18 Cherry Court Bldg., Gen.
Maxilom Ave., Cebu City, tels. 233-4515, cell 0917-9263068;
Jesus Coralde;
Terence
Chua, Dynasty Court Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City, tel. (08822)-728-469;
Mark
Dano, Nema Electrical Supply, Iligan City, tel. 221-5655, cell 0917-5338532;
Alvin
Docog, 0172-B Ganes Apt., Pala-o, Iligan City, tel. 221-3343;
Sally
Mondarte, Iligan Light & Power, Inc., Iligan City; Golda Sagario,
Bagong Lipunan Restaurant, Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City, cell 0917-7063748;
Robinson
Salvador, c/o Mike Saltiaga, 33 Nateb St., Mandaluyong, Iligan City,
tel. 221-1667; Duke Sanchez;
Sherwin Jasper Sy, Magallanes
Corn Mill, Laligan (Tulay), Valencia, Bukidnon, cell 0918-4709062;
Rachel
Te, Velez Hospital, F. Ramos St., Cebu City, tel. 416-5888; and Suzette
Ylanan, Metrobank, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, tel. (088)-227-26595.
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