Vol. 8, No. 21, Jan. 31, 2005

Lanao Chung Hua School congratulates the following students for their laudable efforts in the 2005 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Mathematics Challenge Elimination Rounds, Iligan City Division.  Among the 34 elementary schools and 21 high schools, LCHS is consistently within the top five in all the grade and high school levels.

For the Elementary Department, the Grade 1 representatives were Annamitz Rapliza, Ernest Mikhail Uy and Ronamae Darlene Alivio and were ranked 3rd; Grade 2 pupils Justin Roland Lee, Jan Avery Tamala and Justin Ann Yu were ranked 3rd; Mary Olivienne Uy, Maxine Ang and Khrislyn Mae Aguilar represented the Grade 3 class and ranked number 1; the Grade 4 ranked 4th and was composed of Al Josef Rai Tan, Thomas Derrick Siao and Norman Ted Tabasa; the Grade 5 pupils Kenn Carlson Dy, Nicole Leslie Chua and Joshua Ling were ranked 3rd; and the Grade 6 pupils which was composed of Ann Catherine Co, Kento Fujimori and Reggielloyd Aguilar were ranked 4th.

In the High School Department, we had Karen Andrea Chua, Kevin Bryan Dy and Jason Louie Lim who represented the First Year and were ranked 2nd; Second Year students were Ben Alfie Oliverio, Pao-Ju Chi and Grace Ortiz and were ranked 5th; the Third Year ranked 3rd and was composed of Tristan Ervin Lim, New Blossom Ang and Zynth Yap; the Seniors grabbed the 4th place and was composed of Joni Ling, Katrina Lee and Giselle Mae Letigio. Jiayou to one and all.

Maria Uy Salibo, 75

Maria Uy Salibo passed away last Jan. 29 at Mindanao Sanitarium Hospital, Iligan City.  She died of health complications due to acute renal failure and bibasal pneumonia.  She was 75 years old. She was the eldest sister of Marcela "Sena" Uy, Luisa Uy-Libron, Eliza Uy, Glicerio Uy and Lalita Uy.  Her other siblings (now deceased) were Esteban, Isidro (Angie), Valentin, Flora and Henry (Amang).  She was laid to rest at the Iligan Chinese Cemetery on Jan. 31, 2005.  We request our pious readers to pray for the eternal repose of her soul.

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

NUPTIALS.  Vanessa Yu and Joald Santos exchanged marital vows last Jan. 23 at the Sacred Heart Church, Cebu City.  Vanessa is the daughter of Gloria Lagrosas-Yu (Batch '62) and Joald is the son of Alfonso and Deborah Santos, of Cebu City.  Dr. Vivina Chiu-Yrastorza (Batch '61) stood as one of the principal sponsors.  Vanessa is a bank officer handling trust accounts and money market placements at the Metrobank, Cebu Branch.  At the well-attended wedding reception, held at the Sinulog Ballroom of the City Sports Club Cebu, a choral group called "Good Sounds" composed of Vanessa's bank colleagues serenaded the newly-weds. "Tracers" also learned that a touching moment during the dinner reception was the traditional bridal bouquet ceremony.  Instead of tossing the bouquet for the single ladies to catch, the bride offered the bouquet to her mother, whom she described as the "most important person in her life."

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.  Speaking of weddings, here at home in Iligan, Aldo Caracho (Batch '67) and Macrina Completo-Caracho of Balamban, Cebu  celebrated their silver wedding anniversary by renewing their marital vows at the Lord of the Holy Cross Parish Church, Pala-o, Iligan City, last Jan. 19.  Fr. Alan Mirasol was the officiating priest at the church ceremony.  Among those in attendance were Aldo's brother Igdono Caracho (Batch '66) who sailed from Cebu to Iligan to grace the affair; Aldo's aunt, Mrs. Anita Uy Racines, the matriarch of the Uy and Racines families; Dina Uy-Buenaventura and Rogelio Buenaventura, and other relatives from Opol, Mis. Oriental.  Dinner reception was held at Esmeralda, Isabel Village, Pala-o, Iligan, with the "Millionaryong Mini" providing the entertainment.  In photo are, from left: Macrina Caracho, Aldo Caracho, Mrs. Anita Uy Racines, and Igdono Caracho.
 

ALUMNI WHEREABOUTS.  Spotted in Cebu last Jan. 24 was LCHS-AA past president Arturo "Toto" Samson (in left photo).  He was there for a conference at the headquarters of the A.D. Gothong Shipping Lines as a shipping and ticketing agent of the company.  While in Cebu, Toto found time to pay a visit with a hometown friend now residing in Cebu, Samson Sy.  Needless to say, it was a happy reunion of two Samsons.  Jesus "Hesing" Dy (Batch '63) arrived in Cebu City from Edmonton together with his wife Melania last Jan. 22.  After doing some house-cleaning and house-warming of their new house at the Pacific Grand Villa, Mactan, Cebu, Hesing will head home to Iligan on Feb. 6 in time for the first death anniversary of his father, the late Dy Un Suy, on Feb. 7.  Glenda Siao-Lim (Batch ‘59), in right photo, got in touch with Spectrum recently to inquire about the exact date of our Grand Alumni Homecoming 2005. Glenda, who missed the GAH in 2000, wants to be sure she won’t miss the gathering this time.  We told her the schedule is set on July 7-9, 2005 and will be announced officially very soon.  Glenda is a ranking officer of the Philippine Airlines in Cebu.

Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

For my column in this issue, I'm giving way to this feng shui tip from my "classmate" in Rotary President-elect training (PETS), Dr. Freddie Siy. It's something we could all try to follow for the Chinese New year.  It's entitled "Feng-Shui Tips to Bring Prosperity in Chinese New Year 2005."

FIRST:
A. On Feb. 8, 2005, between 5-7 a.m., put a crystal ball and place it in the southern portion of your house.  Include also Chinese gold bars and 5 pcs. 10 peso coins and place them all in a wash basin.  Paste a piece of red round paper into the center of wash basin.

B. In your salas, between 8-11 p.m., (1) burn a handful of charcoal to drive out the evil spirits of your house; (2) place a big mamon cake (huat ke in Chinese), put 3 pieces of red 50-peso bill on top of it as your mini-flag pole (huat ke can be bought in any bakery or grocery store in Chinatown, especially along Ongpin St.); (3) hold 10 pieces of candies.  From inside of your salas, murmur:  For those who want to stay in the house please bring in LUCK; for those who want to leave please leave your LUCK. Then go out, upon reaching the door, throw away those candies.  The candies should be: 2 yellow, 2 red, 2 black, 2 silver, 2 green.

C.  Wear red or black/blue lingerie (underwear) throughout the night.  Wear light green and silver/white color for the whole year more often.

SECOND:
On  Feb. 9, 2005, between 12:15-12:45 a.m., 5:35-6:35 a.m., (1) Hold & burn 9 pieces of incense stick; (2) face north-east; (3) bow 9 times at the same time wish your luck; (4) place your burned incense stick anywhere in your house.

For a good start for the year 2005 (pang-buena mano), for those who have factory or in manufacturing business:

On Feb. 12, 2005, between 7-1:00 p.m., noon time, (1) hold & burn 9 pieces of incense stick;  (2) face south, bow 9 times, and wish your luck.

For those who have stores, office, factory, and those professionals:

On Feb. 15, 2005, between 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., noontime, (1) hold & burn 9 pieces of incense stick; (2) face south-west; (3) bow also 9 time and wish your luck.

Should you have any inquiries, please call Dr. Freddie Siy, cell no. 0920-9037532.

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

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sinulog (Feast of Senor Santo Niño), join me in this journey to nostalgia-land as we revisit and reminisce a good old city of a bygone era -- the Cebu of the 60's and 70's.

I remember the very first time I set foot on this "Queen City of the South". It was in the summer of 1960 when I tagged along with my mom on board M/V Don Victoriano from Iligan City, my original hometown.  Our first stop was Manila Restaurant in Manalili for their famous maki-mi and siopao, after which we went to Inting's Grocery for some stock orders, then to Gay Sen Goldsmith for some jewelry business transactions which my mom was engaged in during those times.  We had lunch at International Rice House in Colon, then to Crown Grocery in Carbon to continue with the business orders. By 5:30 p.m. after an early dinner, we boarded a taxi to pier 4, and took the boat for our trip back to Iligan.

The summer of 1966 saw me again in Cebu with my uncle Cresing for a vacation. We checked-in at International Hotel in Manalili.  We took our meals at Chicken Island (Colon) for their famous fried spring chicken, Swank Cafe (Sanciangko) for their daing na bangus, or Majestic Restaurant (Colon) for their pancit and sweet & sour pork, etc.  We watched movies at Eden, Vision, and Majestic. Played bowling at Osvel's.  And a litany of sight seeing tours. Oh, whattasummer it was for the then 14-year old teener that was me!

I have always been captivated by the lure of a more glamorous and glittering life of a bigger city like Cebu back in my younger days, not knowing that someday I would become a permanent resident of this booming city.  Looking back, it was in June of 1973 when I started life as a Cebuano who would speak the language of Sugbuanons (wa instead of wala, diinstead of dili, bay instead of balay, etc.) and live their glamorous and classy lifestyle.  Since then, it was Cebu for me. I remember the first day of classes in medical school at CIM. After dismissal in the afternoon, we went to White Gold (Juan Luna) to buy the clothing materials for our school uniform and some toiletries. We took our dinner at the revolving resto of Skyview Hotel. My brother Dodong Ernie had his postgraduate internship at Velez Hospital in 1973, so on weekends he would take me out for dinner at Shamrock Fuente, Ric's Barbecue House, Lawiswis Kawayan, or Dairy King. At times, we would go nightclubbing at After Six or Southern Flame. After attending Sunday mass at Sacred Heart Church, we would have a late breakfast at Foodarama (Mango Avenue) or a snack of maxi hamburger at Moonwalk. Other times, I would either find myself eating my favorite chicken mami and siopao at Fuji Teahouse or shopped along White Gold, Fairmart, Cinderella, Chekito Bazar, Sen Hiap Hing, Paulino, Gaw, Happy Emporium, or watched movies at Victor, Mever, Rizal, Vision, etc.

Back in the 70's, tourism posed a problem among us, hospitable Cebuanos, who would want to tour our guests around as there were fewer places to go and see then. Through the years, Cebu has caught up with the changing time and technology so as to excel in more aspects than one. It has become an important educational and training center, the second most important city outside Metro Manila.  Cebu is a metropolis in itself with the Cebuanos feeling proud to be part of its growth in terms of business, tourism, entertainment, education, geography, and more. It offers a rich blend of cultural heritage and history that merits consideration from among the many local and foreign tourists whenever they plan for a pleasure R & R trip. Famous for its pristine beaches, sweet mangoes, fresh seafoods, delicious lechon, otap, rosquillos, masareal, premium quality fashion accessories, guitar, furniture, handicrafts, the Sinulog Festival, among many others, Cebu is the penultimate place to be. It is truly my kind of city.

Today, Cebu is undoubtedly one of the country's ideal destinations for both local and foreign tourists to have a sight seeing tour of the city and its sceneries or spending a weekend break. It is an important business landmark from among those in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao regions. It boasts of several new high rise buildings, skywalks and flyovers, gigantic malls, five-star hotels, sky high condominium, etc. Cebu is the "Queen and Convention City of the South".

With all these innovations and accessibilities added to a cosmopolitan kind of life and living in Cebu, in my moments of solitude, when life takes on a standstill, I still long for the good old Cebu because it was where lots of beautiful memories were built and created together with the many significant people that have been part and parcel of my young life, when the world was simpler, more peaceful, devoid of so much trash and traffic, trivialities and all. I will never forget Cebu. Ang Sugbu sa karaang panahon. THE CEBU OF MY YOUTH. For always. For life.

Courtship
By Candice  Ang  Uy
Cebu, Philippines

He has come calling
mustering all his courage
he had taken the first step
but still the task seemed daunting.

He rings the bell
his collar suddenly seems too tight
he fidgets and brushes his hair, once too many
could she be home, he couldn’t tell.

Her mother opens the door
gives him a knowing smile
making him flush to his ears
how he wishes to be part of the floor.

She leads him to the living room
he stands ramrod-straight as the grandfather clock
and wonders if he is
playing to perfection the role of a petrified groom.

Finally, she is here!
Oh, divine!  What sweet bliss!
To have his dream girl
standing by so near.

Mother leaves them alone
saying she has to go
to the kitchen and make
use of the phone.

He gives her the single rose
“I hope you like it,” he says
“Thank you,” she replies and blushes prettily
holding the flower to her dainty nose.

His heart skips a beat
his arm itching to be
placed around the back
of her seat.

They sit some more, talk, and laugh
sometimes they run out of words
so to break the silence
he pretends to cough.

She gives him lemonade
he gulps three glasses in a row
feeling he’d been running out too long
and in desperate need of shade.

The clock is chiming at four.
He stands, upsets his chair
and almost topples the empty glass
the lines he has rehearsed before.

The words he struggles to speak
he stammers and stutters
tripping over his tongue
until it comes out in a squeak.

“May I call on you again?”
Her cheeks are peony-red, the
look in her eyes dreamy,
“I will see you then.”

He goes out the door
his feet on angel’s wings
barely touching the suddenly
non-existent floor.

She dashes straight to her room
whoops, shrieks, and flings herself
upon the bed, holding to
her nose the rose, a picture of love in bloom.

[Author's Note:  This piece was written over a year ago.  The author had many laughs while writing this piece because of the scenes the words painted.  First love, young love, or first crush can be a very wonderful and hilarious time, hilarious when one is looking back on it.  This piece is dedicated to those who have been in love before, those who are still in love, and to those who have yet to find love.  Enjoy and laugh!  Comments are welcomed at candz911@yahoo.com.]

Igdono U. Caracho, Batch '66

It's Shoe-time!