Vol. 12, No. 1, April 21, 2008
11th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
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ON THIS OUR 11th ANNIVERSARY
The SPECTRUM ... reaffirms its mission to herald the voice of our alumni from coast to coast, to bring them closer together from shore to shore. Visit our website: www.geocities.com/lchsspectrum |
GAH 2008 REGISTRATIONS
The
early birds
With
still a month to go, alumni from all over are already coming forward in
droves to register for the 3rd LCHS Grand Alumni Homecoming set on May
23-24, 2008 at the LCHS gym. The figure is expected to swell as D-day approaches.
Among the early birds who have registered, as of April 19, 2008, are:
Nelly Co ('61), Judith Chu ('84), Peter Dy ('66), John Go ('65), Mario Go ('68), Mike Lee ('66), Marie Josiefel Quimbo ('83), Mario Loreto Go ('71), Reynaldo Grepaldeo ('84), Josephine Jane Go Lim ('66), Evelyn Booc Tiu ('90), Igdono Caracho ('66), Janet Dy Dualansan ('80), Alice Ngo ('69), Helen Ngo ('68), Roderick Ngo ('70), Susan Ngo ('74), Charles O. Sy ('67), Lydia Sy Chona ('65), Jose Tan Jr. ('84), Jane Dy Wang ('74), Emily Uy ('71), Vy Sio Hua ('70), Sofia Vy ('59), Felicitas Clemen ('71), Emma Yap ('66), Jonathan Quilat ('74), Raymundo Quilat ('77), William Cua ('87), Shanine Marie Acedo (2008), Jimmy Ang ('83), Rhea Mar Babarin ('95), Barbe Baguio (2008), James Booc ('82), Sheik-din Booc ('55), Edwin Co ('68), Robert Co ('66), Steward Co ('83), Alicia Cu ('79), Belinda Cu ('82), Soylong Samuel Chock ('83), Debbie Jane Chiu ('98), Josefina Chiu ('48), Victor Chiu ('65), Jose Chu ('82), Junith Chu ('87), Sarah Belle Chua (2008), Albert Chiu ('83), Enrique Cruz ('89), Mark Dano ('89), Bryan Cynric Dy (2002), Carlos Dy ('58), Delia Dy ('69), Fe Dy ('54), Jocelyn Dy ('78), Jury Dy ('83), Kelly Dy ('74), Kevin Bryan Dy (2008), Letecia Dy ('70), Melecia Dy ('70), Chester Dy-Carlos ('87), Cristina Dy-Carlos ('90), Robert Dychutee ('72), Henry James Go ('68);
Felisa Khu ('75), Franklin Khu (2002), Castor Ong Lim ('69), Elena Lim ('66), Elizabeth Lim ('70), Jason Louie Lim (2008), Mona Lisa Moncada (2008), Reuna Oblimar ('87), Natalie Ong (2008), Marie Joan Quimbo ('87), Teresita Racines ('67), Michelle Salud ('93), John Arthur Samson ('99), Arturo Samson ('59), Dominic Siao ('85), Frederick Siao ('83), Henry Siao ('56), Mark Stanley Siao ('93), Sergio Siao ('66), Jeverly So ('91), Pitrickson So ('95), Rogelio Suminguit ('73), Beng Tee Sy ('48), Charles Robin Sy ('82), Jorlyn Sy ('83), Romeo Sy ('87), Ronald Sy ('83), Ruben Sy ('91), Johnny Chen Tamala ('83), Angelie Tan ('87), Geraldine Tan ('87), Ramil Tan ('90), Yugene Taongan ('83), Manuel Te ('65), Joy Kathleen Tiu ('91), Ernest Oliver Uy ('87), Siu Tin Vy ('66), Beng Hong Vy ('69), Evangeline Yee ('71), Peterson Sy ('82), Pablo Lim ('71), Kenton Sua ('80), Gloria Quilat ('73), Marie Janiefer Quimbo ('87), Elena Yap ('71), Gregorio Dy ('59), Johnson Dy ('64), Ritky Dy ('76), Willy Dy ('84), Johnny Chu ('76), Jose Sam Go ('67), Constantino Sy ('68), Marciano Tan ('65), Pablito Tan ('66), Remedios Tan Wee ('64), Eric Taladua ('83), Jefferson Taladua ('85), Ian Uy ('86), Betty Sy Lim ('68), Janet Lee Tan ('69), Adelfa Dy ('69), Henry Kwan, Aldo Uy Caracho ('68), Vinancio Alvarez ('68), Dennis Khu ('83), Edward Sy ('84), Jessica Sy ('82), and Gina Sy ('78).
Henry
Dy elected VP of VMLP
Iligan City Vice Mayor Henry Dy was elected National Vice President of the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines (VMLP). The election was held on the occasion of the 17th National Convention of the VMLP at the Manila Hotel on April 18, 2008. Henry Dy won by garnering almost double the number of votes of his rival. Henry Dy ran under the slate of Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama who was elected new President of the VMLP. All candidates of the Rama-Dy ticket swept the elections. The VMLP is composed of 1,100 vice mayors from all over the Philippines.
The
beat goes on
From Peter Dy (Batch '66), Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada, email: pdy@shaw.ca
Sat, 12 Apr 2008 9:42:20 PM
Happy 11th anniversary to our online Spectrum, especially to our founder and editor-in-chief, Charles O. Sy, for a job well done. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all alumni and non-alumni for their contributions. More power to the Spectrum. The beat goes on!
A
big toast
From Leonardo "Loloy" Tan (Batch '66), Sydney, Australia; email:
edtan@iinet.net.au
Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:43:56 +1000
To the Spectrum editor and staff: A big toast for a wonderful achievement! Eleven years of great service to the LCHS community, constantly linking us together through news and information, thereby somehow quenching our thirst for news from home. Without the rebirth of Spectrum via the Internet a decade and one year ago, I wonder if something like the LCHS Grand Alumni Homecoming could have been conceived. Now we are about to experience the third one next month. This is just one of its by-products!
To the untiring editor and staff, writers and contributors, our great
and heartfelt gratitude for entertaining us through all these years. Your
voluntary efforts are well appreciated by the entire LCHS community and
to the other readers scattered around the world. And it is getting better
and better as the years go by. Again, here is a BIG toast for the
decade and one anniversary!
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Rewind: A gathering of the boys in GAH 2000 |
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New restaurant in Iligan
BAKERS SECRETARY. As the nation comes to grip with the rising prices of basic commodities like rice and flour, one person who is very much in the center of the limelight lately is Marilou Lim Bordalba (Batch '72), sister of LCHS-AA executive veep Suniel Lim ('66). As secretary of the Cebu Bakers Association, Marilou has taken the cudgels for Cebu's bakers in asserting their position in the thorny issue of the rising cost of bakery products. She spoke before Cebu's media to explain why bakers are compelled to increase the prices of bakery items. Marilou is owner of Mommy Lou's Bakeshop located in Talisay City, Cebu.
SIGHTED IN CEBU. Seen recently visiting Cebu city was Victoria "Un-Ling" Go (Batch '64). She was on vacation from her job as medical technologist in the U.S.A. She flew to Cebu to visit her elder sister Charito Go (Batch '61). Shortly thereafter, Victoria and Charito, along with two other sisters Helen Go and Conchita "Chiao-Kun" Go (Batch '70) and their families, took off for a four-day holiday in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Victoria is scheduled to return to the U.S.A. on April 26. Also sighted in Cebu recently was Margarita "Siok Teng" Kho (Batch '68). She has returned home from Taiwan where she used to work at a multinational company for several years. Before moving to Taiwan, she used to work with Solidbank, Cebu Carbon branch. She now lives with elder sister Kho Siok We (Batch '57) in their residence along Junquera St., Cebu. Spotlight also learned that Kho Siok We is set to retire as school administrator of Cebu Eastern College before school opens in June this year. Also living with Siok We and Siok Teng in Cebu is their brother Robert Kho (Batch '57).
NEW
RESTAURANT IN ILIGAN. A new restaurant has opened in Iligan.
Located at the Pryce Business Park, National Highway, Tubod, Iligan City,
Bella's Kitchen Chicken Ati-atihan is part of the country's restaurant
chains specializing in chicken barbecue. It opened last Mar. 26 with
Congressman Vicente Belmonte as guest of honor. The restaurant sits on
a 300-square meter lot. It's open at 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. with relaxing
sound from featured acoustic bands on certain nights. Chicken Ati-Atihan
is known for its distinctive taste of juicy chicken marinated through a
quality standard procedure and served with special sauce, rice and papaya
pickles. Bella's Kitchen Chicken Ati-Atihan is owned and managed by Doris
Camila Badelles. The place has an estimated capacity of 150 guests
and accepts catering for special occasions.
Charles O. Sy, Batch '67
Anniversary Sans Fanfare
Jonas Sy, who is into rice trading, says the high cost of prime commodities is due to the rice and fall of supply and demand.
He suggests we may soon have to eat corn instead of rice. Sounds logical but corny.
The National Food Authority insists that rice hoarders are killing the cereal industry. It's time they run after the cereal killers.
With the prices of pork and beef also increasing, it will be hard for us to make both ends meat.
Now even the price of chickens is going up. I smell fowl play somewhere.
With this issue, the Spectrum marks its 11th anniversary. Many didn't expect the Spectrum to go beyond one year. Neither did we. Yet, we survived one full year. And added ten more to its age.
Our initial impulse is to celebrate our new milestone with a bang. But having gone this far, we deemed it fit to let the occasion remain just a simple red letter day in this paper's history, minus the fanfare. For now, it can be said, the Spectrum has come of age -- battle scarred but still kicking. It would now seem superfluous to blow our own horn. We have grown past our early birth pangs, and overcame our growing-up jitters. After all these years, we've mellowed with age yet grown more assured of our fate. We've seen this paper gather momentum from the succession of one editor to another. We've also seen this paper falter with the exits of one staff writer after another. Yet, despite our remaining skeleton force, somehow this paper weathered the storm and persisted without let-up. All because you, our readers, chose to remain with us through all these years.
In law there's a doctrine called "res ipsa loquitor," which means "the thing speaks for itself." How we fared is evident in this paper's eleven years of uninterrupted run. Prudence dictates that we mark our anniversary without much ado and allow its milestone to speak for itself.
Henry L. Yu, M.D., Batch '69
Thank You, Lord
Thank You, Lord ...
... for allowing mama and papa to meet
... for giving mama the strength to carry me inside her womb for nine
months
... for the loud cry that signaled my life, for giving me my name
... for welcoming me into this world.
Thank You, Lord ...
... for giving me my first two front teeth and letting me crawl at
six months
... for letting me walk just before I could blow my first birthday
candle
... for neither giving me infant colic nor febrile convulsion
... for not allowing me to get too ill to warrant admission in the
hospital
... for neither complicating my measles nor leaving a scar out of the
chicken pox epidemic.
Thank You, Lord ...
... for the sunny day on my first day in kindergarten
... for the trust you gave my classmates when they elected me as the
class president
... for letting me win in the oratorical contest, the spelling bee,
intramurals and other interschool competitions, for the dances and songs,
for the medal on my elementary graduation.
Thank You, Lord ...
... for the memories of high school
... for the penpals, the autographs, the Beatles, the jam sessions
... for the barkadas, the puppy loves, the picnics, the fun, laughter,
and tears
... for the school organ that I have to edit, the Junior-Senior
Prom, and our high school graduation.
Thank You, Lord …
... for guiding me and enlightening my young mind as to the course
to take up in college
... for the campus life, convocations, group study, educational tours
... for my classmates, our college professors and the lessons that
we've learned
... for my brod and sis in the fraternity, for protecting us from the
influence of bad companies
... for the baccalaureate mass, the yearbook, the class ring, and the
diploma on college graduation.
Thank You, Lord …
... for giving me the right medical school where I strived to reach
my goal
... for the strength I needed to hurdle with enthusiasm the challenges
of becoming a doctor.
Thank You, Lord …
... for the memories of postgraduate internship, for opening my eyes
to the harsh realities of life, for the hospital duties, the actual medical
cases, the diagnosis and treatment,
... for letting me realized that life, indeed, is too short with so
many things to do in lifetime.
Thank You, Lord …
... for giving me the stamina, patience, and diligence to review and
prepare for the board exam, for not letting me get sick during those crucial
moments.
Thank You, Lord …
... for Christmas 1979, for giving me the greatest gift of my life
- an M.D. after my name.
Thank You, Lord …
... for the memories of being a resident physician
... for the joy of seeing a morbid patient live again
... for the heartbreaking drama of seeing a cancer patient suffer which
made me realized so many things in life
... for the first time experiences of signing a birth or death certificate,
of receiving my first paycheck, a portion of which I offered to Your altar,
and a part of which I used to buy a gift to thank mom and dad.
Thank You, Lord …
... for the thrills and anxieties of finishing my residency training
... for the ambivalent feelings of being a private practitioner who
would soon be left all by his own thereafter.
Thank You, Lord …
... for the wonderful family that you have created in my life, where
You play center stage, where You make us feel Your presence each time we
kneel in prayers
... for giving me the chance to experience how it is to be a husband
to a wife who loves and accepts me for what I am
... for giving me the chance to experience how it is to be a father
to two lovely daughters who will, someday, be thanking You too for allowing
me and their mom to meet.
Looking back, I cannot thank You enough, Lord, for the abundant graces and blessings that You have given me.
Thank You, Lord, for the privilege, miracles, mercy and the magic of being alive each day as I wake up to welcome the morning sun with a smile and a song in my heart.
I know I am nothing without You, Lord. I live in the assurance that You will not grant me something that which You and I cannot handle together.
Thank You for being there in good times or in bad. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life, for this new beginning of another journey towards life.
In Your Time. Amen.
Last
Will
From Roderick Ngo (Batch '70), Cebu, Philippines
An elderly but wealthy gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
A month later, the elderly gentleman went back to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."
The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"
(Graduation speech of Stacey Kaye N. Militante, who graduated on top of her high school class on March 25, 2008 from the Sacred Heart School Hijas de Jesus, Cebu City. She is the daughter of LCHS alumna Alice Ngo Militante of Class 1969.)
Let
me quote a line from one of Rivermaya's songs, Liwanag sa Dilim. "Isigaw
mo sa hangin, tumindig at magsilbing liwanag sa dilim." Ever
since the song was played in 2006, it has become the song of my life. Magsilbing
liwanag sa dilim, or being a light in the darkness is a great challenge
for all of us. It means letting our inner light shine in order to
touch other people's lives, and make a difference in this world.
We as persons and as Christians are called by God to be a light in the
darkness. Today, as we mark the formal end of our high school lives
–- as they say, the most enjoyable and carefree time of our lives, as well
as the time of values-formation and development of the human person -–
we bring ourselves to remember those who have made a difference in our
lives. They who have shone their light on us throughout these years
have inspired us to shine our light on others and in turn, make a difference
in our own ways.
Throughout these years, Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus has provided us with a balance of both fun and learning as she molded us to become the persons we are today. We, the 103 girls before you, proudly present ourselves to the world because of all that Sacred Heart has done for us. We thank our alma mater for instilling in us the core values we need to face the world -– simplicity and joy, solidarity with the poor, self-discipline, sense of the common good, and care for God's creation.
As we move on with our new journey –- where our principles will be tested, where temptations lurk in the unlikeliest of places, where our spirits will be crushed and our patience pushed to the limit -– surely, the significance of these core values will be imprinted in all our hearts as we strive to live up to them even as we leave this school.
We would also like to thank all the members of the Sacred Heart family who have helped us become who we are today. First, to Sr. Gene and Mdm. Roiles: you have made us realize how we should let go of our worldly desires in order to focus on what is truly important. You have spearheaded our values-formation, and I believe you have done a great job. To our beloved teachers, you have touched our lives in the greatest way possible. From Nursery to 4th year, you teachers have been the ones who taught us all we needed to learn in order to face LIFE. You not only taught us the sciences, languages or the arts. You have taught us, and even made us repeat over and over, the values we need in order to live a good life following the spirituality of Bld. Candida Ma. de Jesus and Bld. Antonia Bandres. For all those times you made us repeat them, throughout the 4-13 years that we've been here, they are now surely in all of our hearts. To the school's staff and secretaries, thank you for making the school system honest and orderly. To the maintenance staff and the guards, thank you so much for keeping the school clean and for ensuring our safety at all times. We would just like to let you know how much we truly appreciate your dedication to this school, and how you never fail to smile at us and brighten our day. To all other school personnel I failed to mention, we would like you to know that we are truly grateful for your gift of person which has contributed much to our formation.
We would also like to thank our families who have been there for us all the way. Without you, we wouldn't be here today. To our parents, thank you for sending us to this school. Thank you for all your hard work and loving support, and for making us feel that we are always cared for, always loved. We can never thank you enough. Most heartfelt thanks to our friends and fellow graduates for the memorable and meaningful bond we have forged all through this time. You've made our stay in Sacred Heart so much more enjoyable, making each test or quiz more fun to study for just because you're there. Always remember "I'll have you're back, and you can lean on me." To all of you present here, thank you for showing your support in this very significant event of our lives. Your presence is greatly appreciated.
To our beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model, whose virtues of simplicity and purity we emulate, seeking what would always please God and giving her whole self generously to Him. It is her influence that we try to follow as we become women of substance with strong sense of justice and responsibility.
Most of all, our greatest thanks to God, the one who has given us EVERYTHING. You, O Lord, are the reason of our existence, and the source of all life. You have allowed all these people to come into our lives and become instruments of Your love for us. May we, too, become instruments of Your love to others as we strive to make a difference in this world for Your greater glory.
On a final note, an added line from my favorite song. "Harapin mong magiting ang bagong awitin. Ikaw ang liwanag sa dilim." Armed with the values we have assimilated throughout the years of formation in this school, we are ready to face the world with courage. We will make a difference in the society. We aim to become persons of integrity and with self-direction, sense of service, always using freedom responsibly and most of all become persons for others.
Seniors batch 2008, we have done it! We will not only succeed, we will prevail in giving honor and pride to the people who love us, look up to us and to the institution which formed us, our alma mater.
This is not a time for goodbye; it's an occasion to say, "until then." Everyone, good evening once again.
Igdono U. Caracho, Batch '66
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