Vol. 11, No. 19, Jan. 7, 2008

The LCHS Alumni Association has set up a blog to regularly update alumni on matters related to the LCHS community and the 3rd LCHS Grand Alumni Homecoming slated on May 23-24, 2008.  Conceptualized by Johnny Chen, LCHS-AA 1st vice president, the blog also allows members to interact with one another by posting their own blog or comment.

A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in chronological order.  It serves as an personal diary of sorts or a group's journal that one can openly browse on the blog site.  The term "blog" is a shortened form of "web log."  Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called "blogging."  Individual articles on a blog are called "blog posts" or "entries." A person who posts these entries is called a "blogger."

The LCHS Alumni Blog was officially launched during the annual Christmas party last Dec. 30 at the LCHS gym. All alumni, here and abroad, are encouraged to join the blog and share their ideas.  One must first register for a Google Account to be able to participate in the blog. To register, please proceed to the Google registration page on this website: http://www.blogger.com/i.g?inviteID=8868636758339211561&blogID=1785673234852368147

After your registration, you can use your Google account name to log on and join the LCHS Alumni Blog anytime on this site: http://lchsalumni.blogspot.com

TRANSITION
Sy back as Spectrum editor

With this maiden issue for the new year 2008, the Spectrum announces the return of its founder Charles O. Sy (Batch '67) as its new editor, with Roger Suminguit (Batch '73) as associate editor.  The fast changing developments in modern communications and digital technology have made it necessary for the Spectrum to institute changes to meet the new challenges in the service of its global readership. The editorial transition and the shift to the PDF format are two of such changes this paper has undertaken pursuant to its objectives. Early on, Charles O. Sy was Spectrum editor from 1997 to 2001.  He was succeeded by Henry Yu (Batch '69), from 2001 to 2002; Victor Chiu (Batch '65), 2002 to 2004; and Roger Suminguit (Batch '73), 2004 to 2007.

Deadline for GAH2008 theme & logo: Jan. 15

The contest for the GAH2008 theme and logo design is now ongoing.  Deadline for submission of entries is Jan. 15, 2008.  Entries may be submitted by email to Roger Suminguit, email: teboncho719@yahoo.com.  The winner of the contest will be entitled to free registration in GAH2008. All alumni are qualified to join the contest. The theme of the GAH2000 was "Onward LCHS in a New Millennium: The Beat Goes On."  And for GAH2005 the theme was "LCHS: Looking Back and Moving Forward ... The Beat Continues."

Christmas raffle draw winners
By Geraldine Tan (Batch '87), LCHS-AA Treasurer

Listed hereunder are the winners of the raffle draws held during the annual LCHS Alumni Christmas Party on Dec. 30, 2007 at the LCHS gym.

1st Prize -- Sanyo 2-Door 7-cu.ft. Refrigerator
Ticket# 3572 Jennifer Samson, Chicago, U.S.A.; Solicited by Geraldine Tan

2nd Prize -- Matrix 29" Colored Television
Ticket# 1847 Young Auto Supply Co., Cebu City; Solicited by Andy Lee

3rd Prize -- Dining Table Set (6 Seater)
Ticket# 3747 Melanio Siao, Iligan City; Solicited by Vice Mayor Henry Dy

Consolation Prizes: 10 Electric Fans
#1644 -- Lycel Sy Bermudez, Kauswagan, CdO; S/by Midtown Hardware
#2757 -- Infinity Sports; S/by Edward Sy
#2861 -- Global Computer Forms Corp.; S/by Edward Sy
#0617 -- N C M Mktg., Manila; S/by FK Mart
#3117 -- Shaun Yu, Iligan; S/by JY Dimsum
#3276 -- John Regson Chua, Iligan
#1055 -- Richard D. Lim/Johndorf Ventures Corp.; S/by Terry Racines
#1076 -- Richard D. Lim/Johndorf Ventures Corp.; S/by Terry Racines
#3535 -- Jam-Jam Tan, Iligan City; S/by Gigi Tan
#0204 -- Erich Marielle C. Paza, Iligan City; S/by Alexander Chua

Consolation Prizes: 6 Oven Toasters
# 0558 -- Tin Tin Bazaar, Manila; S/by FK Mart
# 3368 -- Benson Heinrick Booc Go, Cebu City; S/by Helen Go
# 1161 -- Lalita Uy, Iligan City; S/by Terry Racines
# 3248 -- Boboy Tenazas, Iligan City; S/by Charles Robin Sy
# 2531 -- Lydia Sy Chona; S/by Charles "Anlok" O. Sy
# 1116 -- Robert Ching, CdO; S/by Terry Racines

Consolation Prizes: 10 Emergency Lights
# 3370 -- Benson Heinrick Booc Go, Cebu City; S/by Helen Go
# 2127 -- Freshman Mktg; S/by Regence Enterprises
# 1857 -- Luis Kho, Iligan City
# 0726 -- Delia Dy, Iligan City
# 0729 -- Delia Dy, Iligan City
# 3276 -- MDR Micro Sales, Cebu City; S/by Crown Paper
# 1590 -- Consolidated Paper, Manila; S/by Crown Paper
# 2370 -- Alanvic Enterprises, Manila; S/by SMA Traders/Alicia Go
# 3535 -- Khozany P. Batuampar, Tubod, Iligan City; S/by Terry Racines
#1183 -- Lalita Uy, Iligan City

Consolation Prizes: 4 Airpots
# 3056 -- Norman B. Acuno, El Salvado, Mis Or.; S/by Jeverly So Chen
# 0541 -- Megamuda, Cebu City; S/by FK Mart
# 3374 -- Christine Booc, Iligan City
# 0491 -- Rosita Cañada, Iligan City

Fantastic
Mon, 17 Dec 2007 6:11:46 AM

To the Spectrum staff: Congratulations! Wow! The Spectrum's new PDF format is just fantastic. So professionally presented. So attractive. And above all, it's so easy to read; I don't need my reading glasses anymore. A great step forward. Thank you all for your great efforts in constant updates for the latest technology. And  above all, thank you very much for your never tiring voluntary service in giving us the information we crave for not only from our hometown Iligan but from the worldwide LCHS community. Keep up the good work! I salute you all. Merry Christmas to one and all.
--Leonardo Tan (Batch '66), Sydney, Australia, email: edtan@iinet.net.au

Greetings
Tue, 25 Dec 2007 5:37:57 AM
To all my batch mates, friends, fellow alumni:  Merry Christmas and a Happy More Prosperous 2008 to all!
--Laureto & Elsie Lao, Stonehill Court, Riverside, California, U.S.A.; email: elsierito5788@sbcglobal.net
 
 

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

It was an evening of band music and dance presentations, of good food and raffles, of batch reunions and fellowship.  The LCHS Alumni Christmas Party at the LCHS gym last Dec. 30 drew one of the highest turnouts in attendance in alumni history. Occupying centerstage were the golden jubilarians (Batch '57), with the silver jubilarians (Batch '82) playing hosts to the party.

The occasion came complete with a catchy theme coined by James Booc and his batch mates of Class 1982. The theme was "82 Na Po Sila!" The ambience was already festive from the start with Belinda "Bunz" Cu-Lim as emcee. Stevenson So (son of Christopher Chua Tek An) gave the welcome address.  The Resurrection of the Lord Choir sang the National Anthem and the Invocation while LCHS students regaled the crowd with their splendid Chinese dance and song numbers. Highlighting the party atmosphere were the 3G Band led by Yugene Taongan (Batch '83), and the Oliverio Band with alumni and friends as members.  The event marked a new era of youthful alumni running the show under the stewardship of LCHS-AA president James Booc and his contemporaries. Noticeable among the crowd was the attendance of many young alumni who came in full force.

Seen at the party was Pablo Lim Jr. (Batch '71) who made a rare appearance by coming all the way from Manticao with his wife and children.  Also spotted in the crowd were members of Batch '71, such as Dr. Sionnie Dychutee, Evangeline Yee-Tan, Aida Andaquig, Eddie Lueong, and Dominador Tan who were visibly enjoying themselves.  There were also alumni from older batches, the likes of Rolando "Tiya" Te, Tony Benolerao, Mike Handumon, LCHS-AA past presidents Manuel Te, Carlos Dy, Andy Lee, Chua Tek An, Arturo Samson, Dy Sio Te & Immediate past president & Iligan vice mayor Henry Dy.

Of course the affair would not have been such a huge success without the support of generous alumni and friends. Four litsons were donated by Charles Ang family, Benjohnson Siao family, Victorino Tan family, and Ernest Oliver Uy family. Other donations came from Oliverio Taongan, Dagaerag family, Class of '57 headed by Sy Bing Gui, Tanduay Distillers, Inc., Ma'am Normita Alivio, Mrs. Donessa Maninggo, Asia GM Printstation (Ngo family), and Kodak Photo Arts Center of Robert Booc.  Also giving the party a helping hand were our usual volunteers from Batch '72, namely Roberto "Henry" Lagrosas, Jackson Wong, Robert Dychutee, and Reynaldo "Bonton" Suminguit. Doors prizes came from Ang Suan Em Store (Santiago Ong), Simon Sandals, SMA Traders (Alicia Cu-Go), Geraldine "Gigi" Tan, JY Dimsum (Jaimes Yu family), Teepoy's Grill & Restaurant (Lester R. Salazar, Philip Jones Lee, Chester Dy-Carlos, et al) Windston Cigarettes, and Denso Motors Parts (Tek An So family).

This year's successful Christmas bash signalled the rise of a younger generation of alumni stalwarts on whose shoulders now rests the task of running the GAH2008 on May 23-24, 2008, and the next Christmas party on Dec. 30, 2008.  They are members of Batch '83 (silver jubilarians of 2008) headed by Johnny Chen, Jimmy Mecina Ang & Ronald Sy, and Batch '84 headed by Robert Booc & Edward Sy, and Geraldine Tan (LCHS-AA Treasurer) along with other batch mates.

The LCHS-AA officers and directors are looking forward to see you all at our 3rd GAH. We assure you that you will experience a different and more dynamic celebration. Come and let's party!  Happy New Year!

Lord, with a grateful heart, we come to You today to thank You for all the things that You have brought into our lives the past 365 days of the past year.

We bow down and kneel before You, O Lord, and praise You as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, a forgiving and merciful Father that You are.

Grant us the grace of a deeply repentant heart. Forgive us for all the times that we have been so selfish and proud, for the things that we have said and done which may have hurt others, for doing the things which were not in accordance with Your teachings. Pardon us, Lord, for all our sins and shortcomings.

Lord, thank you for the good life - good health, good food, good friends, good tidings, good cheers. Thank you for all the times that You have been there for us through our family and friends who stood by us in good times or in bad.

Lord, we ask for Your graces and blessings as we start another year, and as we continue and go on with life's many journeys. We offer to You our children: Guide them in their daily activities, never allow them to be separated from You. We offer to You our family: Grant us good health and guide us in our directions and decisions in life. Let there always be love, peace, and harmony in our home. Help us to treat everyone fairly and justly regardless of who they are. Remind us always to have good thoughts, to say good words, and to do good deeds. But most of all, to be humble all the days of our lives as we are all but passing visitors on this earth. In all these, Lord, always remind us of Your love, and from that love, help us to build and live life with You in our hearts and minds. For always. At all times.

Lord, help us to start the new year right, with You as the center of our lives today, tomorrow, and the coming days of the year 2008. All these we ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord and God's Holy Spirit. Amen.

The mere mention of the word lumpia makes my mouth water.  Fresh lumpia tops my list of special Chinese delicacies.  It is not only delicious, it is nutritious as well.

Some people call it "Chinese lumpia."  Which, of course, is redundant because lumpia, in essence, is already Chinese by origin. However, the name has several variations. Some regions in China refer to it as poh-pia.  In our ancestral home of Kinmen it is commonly known as chit-pia.

As a child I had always thought that the word chit-pia was derived from seven ingredients wrapped altogether as a dish. The term, it turns out, actually refers to the way the wrapper was made in early China.  Each layer was massaged and flattened by hand in a repetitive circular motion on a hot plate until a desired thin film of round wrapper was achieved.

Owing to the array of ingredients needed to make an ideal lumpia meal, preparations can prove to be an awesome task, requiring long hours of back-aching kitchen chore.  A traditional lumpia recipe consists of bean sprouts, string beans, shelled and deveined shrimps, chopped pork loin meat, bits of fish and chicken meat, carrots, cabbage, bean curd, lettuce, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Garnishings come in choices of either garlic, dried oyster, scrambled egg, ground peanuts, sea weeds, tomato catsup, coriander, and Chinese parsley or yan-suy, or a combination thereof, which one applies according to one's personal preference.  I, for instance, seldom apply ground peanuts because their potent taste tends to undermine what ought to be a largely vegetarian flavor of the dish.  Parsley and chopped garlic, on the other hand, are for me a must so as to add more sting to the overall aroma. Other lumpia enthusiasts, however, are not content without a generous sprinkle of bean sprouts to add a lingering crunch to the dish.

Pretty much like the way European gourmets gather in groups to feast on fondue, our lumpia is a social meal in character.  It is best enjoyed and appreciated when savored with a group.

Much of the quality depends on how the ingredients are prepared.  The finer each ingredient is chopped, the better the overall texture.  Which is why the preparation itself entails such a tedious chore.  It takes a great deal of patience to whip up this exotic concoction, and an equal amount of diligence to wrap up a perfect bundle of this eclectic mix of gustatory rarity.

It is said that the art of appreciating lumpia is in the wrapping.  Half of the fun in a lumpia party is in the wrapping itself.  The fragile wrapper is akin to the crepe in a way that it requires delicate handling.  It is often best to cover the wrappers first with a slightly moist cloth to soften its texture before meal time. Otherwise, a brittle wrapper, when filled, can easily give way and turn messy when the bundle breaks apart into a plateful of smithereens.

Wrapping lumpia is almost a form of ritual.  A seasoned lumpia aficionado follows a certain norm in wrapping. The wrapper's inner part is first lined with lettuce leaves to reinforce its hold. Unto the bed of lettuce comes the side dish consisting of slivers of scrambled egg and bean sprouts. This is followed by a liberal spread of the entrée or main dish, preferrably served hot.  After which the garnishings are applied according to taste. The larger the load of each wrap, the more one gets to savor this hearty meal.  Not everyone, of course, can manage to wrap up a huge bundle without ending up with some inevitable spillage with each mouthful of the overstuffed dish.  How to avoid any spill as one sinks one's teeth into this jumble of bloated dish requires a little practice and a good measure of grace. Therein lies the art of eating lumpia.

I have had the fortune of savoring this delicacy in different variations, each with varying degree of tastefulness. Quite a few were excellent, some were fairly passable, and some others simply mediocre. Home-made lumpia among many Iligan households, noted for their Kinmen recipe, ranks among the best there is. The ideal lumpia comes with a balanced mix of all finely chopped morsels. The end-product is never too dry nor too greasy but fairly allows the residue of vegetable juice to enhance its consistency and add to its succulence.  Such is the marvel of this irresistible gastronomic treat.  Little wonder a lumpia party is one occasion that we always look forward to with much anticipation. Ahh, goodah!

Igdono U. Caracho, Batch '66

A narrow alley is sandwiched by two traditional brick houses in a typical communal village in Kinmen, Fujian.  The traditional southern Fujian architecture is very much in evidence in many old houses in Kinmen. Ancestral halls, where one can see exquisite architecture as well as sculptures on the roofs, windows and beams, are usually the focus of attention, since they are the most important buildings and the spiritual centers of clan life in Kinmen.  Photo by Roderick Ngo (Batch '70).