Date : February 1, 2014
Venue : JCentre Convention Hall
Mandaue City
It was indeed a night of strolling down memory lane for my elementary (1990) and highschool (1994) batches of St. Josephs Academy...Our alma mater which we can proudly say was the only school at that time, sincerely adhering to its mission-vission "Solidarity with the Poor".
Of course it had the lowest tuition for a private school at that time which had the best standard #education.
Come to think of it, Family Day, Teachers Day and Field Demonstration held in one day with various costumes creatively out only of our school uniform. :)
Anyway for 50 years already, the alumni of my alma mater SJA has been organizing annual homecomings.
Because this year is so special, the organizing batches (Elementary 1985 and Highschool 1989) came up with a special theme "Glitterati Night".
But prior to this, the celebration started with a Holy Mass at the SJA quadrangle at 9 in the morning followed with a motorcade all around city.
And so we arrived, fashionably late my bff (best friend forever) Mae Elaine Bathan, now a lawyer and president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and my bf (best friend) James Relampagos, a multi awarded Cebu Gem basketball star now an airline employee.
We all just came from our respective out of town trips and coming back to Cebu was challenged by tropical depression "Basyang".
The program was quite long, with at least six batches with intermission and surprise numbers.
I was surprised to know that one of my favorite news and feature sources, Dr. Glenda Ilano-Basubas (president of the Philippine Mental Health Association-Cebu) is a certified Josephian. #PMHA
And so here is our #selfie.
I also learned that the beautiful wife of Police Superintendent Anthony Obenza, of Iloilo Airport Police, Bella Obenza is a class 1980 #graduate of #SJA. Oh my she sang so well ..like a rockstar the #OPM "Nosibalasi" song.
Unfortunately I noticed that our teachers were not given that valuable importance that night. They were given flowers and stuffs and were only called in their seats. Would have preferred them to be seated up on the stage and representatives give them gifts and say something about them.
Well anyway, I can't let the night pass not to greet them and so I braved the crowd, table hopped bowing down or walking so low so as not to disturb the program.. and found my way to the teachers tables for our #Selfies!
First Madam Selma Yosores, highschool Trigonometry teacher.
Madam Yosores had a soft voice and very calm compusure, very patient in teaching us #trigonometry even if we were half listening.
Then of course my favorite teacher in highschool who is now the principal of #SJA, Madam Perlita Quinones..glamorous and ageless.
Madam Q as we fondly called her was really a classic in teaching us Values Education, Ethics, Right Manners and Good Conduct.
We always look forward to her stories, very practical ones with values that I adhered to in my daily undertakings. She inspired us to be "storytellers" too.
And then there was my Grade 3 Science and Math teacher Madam --- Descallar.
Ah yes, I went next to the person who is partially responsible for my love for writing. Seriously Ms. Beatrice Perez (now Yap) doesn't like my writing. :)
Because the good writers of "Reach Out: Magazine already graduated, I was put as a feature writer (for there was no other vacancy and I was a free hand tag along of the brilliant /fellow Manpark Girl Anna Rose Espiritu).
I cant remember my first assignment for a feature story was but I did remembered Ms. Betty said, "You don't write well. You better improve else I'll drop your name from the Editorial Box". Ooouuuch!
But I was only hurt a little because I know she wants me to improve!
And here we are now with our #selfie I chance to take, stopping her from talking on and on that she read this stuff I wrote or heard Leo Lastimosa's "Arangkada" said about me and that...
Well you can just imagine peeps, if I had been a bad then it only means that St. Josephs was really a standard when it comes to English.
Here comes another grade school favorite.. Filipino teacher and Librarian Madam Fe Tambolero. My Gosh! She looks better now that she is no longer skinny! LOOK at our selfie..
AH yes she's very sentimental... she cried and said she did not expect to see me after so many years.
She was very motherly. She cried again when we chanced upon her in going out for another pic with the group and BFF Elaine.
And then there was Miss Gelma Perez, soft spoken also ..patiently teaching us crochet, cross stitch and other homeroom necessities.
Miss Perez is also the aunt of our beautiful flight attendant/model Cristina Perez of the Philippine Airlines.
And now I made one #selfie with two amazing elementary teachers Miss -- Gonzaga and Madam ___ Lim!
Truly Amazing is an understatement considering these two are the most influential teachers for me / us because they teach no less than Language and Reading and Science and Math.
Miss Gonzaga is now at Consolacion Elementary School and I told her I'd transfer my kids there no mattet how far it is.
Of course she made me understand Math or lets say her "terrorism" forced me to love Math. I may have given her headaches in Math but she adored me in Science. Siiighhh..
Anyway's here are my Teacher #selfies again in a collage I made thru #photogrid.
Now lets proceed with all the picture2x! My it was indeed a night filled with all those cellphone and camera flashes.
Most of us were half listening to the program as we were busy reacquainting and even recalling each others names.Gosh! Funny most of them said they have not forgotten me and so therefore I conclude that I was indeed noisy in SJA. =)
Here is a batch pic with all of us. By the way, we were the largest contingent. Thanks to Facebook and to the sponsor-a-batchmate program.
Firstly I had a picture taken with my two closest friends since Childbirth...my neighbors since Prep in Del Pilar St. Guizo Mandaue City--Claire Nimor Ventulan and Anna Rose Gonzal Espiritu. Gosh I love hearing maiden names.
Our common introduction was "We live in Manpark ...across (in my case) or beside (for Anna Rose and Claire's case)
We were together whole elementary and a few years in high school known as "Manpark Girls". Anna Rose was the smartest and most beautiful; Claire the most sought after and talented while Me, ahhhm I'm just the hottest? :P
And then here's a pic of me and tikla...Janamel O. Dutosme, from Marfa and who also became a closest close friend. ♥
And so I again table hopped for selfies with them since I may not be able to have a pic with all of them. Here goes!
With the ever boyish to stylish Stephany Ubas-Duterte and the bestfriend pair Mitzi Mayol and Arleen Soon.. Rakenrol!
Next is Cleofe and Richelle Milan ---I will never forget the curly hair
Now here is me with the Balikbayan Michelle Sumampong-Canoy and Jessica Cardenas-Gamao. By the way Jessica is one of the point persons of Mutya ng Pilipinas.
This time with my favorite reunitedk friend Dr. Lorraine Manatad with Adeline Rivera-Solante (nga gihikling ang gidala nga babyloo) . I say reunited with Nang Loryang because we were not close during elementary and highschool .. she was kinda "isog" you know. We got reunited January 2010 gathering and immediately our love for RH had us volting in always.
Next is the selfie with my kumare, Darlene Sevilla-Esmero of Pagibig Fund and the luckiest girl of the night, Shirlynie Gonzaga. Shyrl brought home the biggest prize.. a wide Samsung flat tv.
Ooohkay I better be careful with this next one hehe.. Here is my #selfie with my internal medicine doctor Anabel Laranjo and Jhoane Remedio-Mejala. Anabel is looking after my gallbladder thats why I go the other way when I was bringing bottles of SML. Hehehe kinda hard to avoid eh
Here is Nergisa and Regina. Yes they kinda sound the same and used to be one of the smallest in the batch too. =) Regina is married to Oscar, her long time boyfriend we also get to hang around with in the St. Joseph Church Grand Choir for the Alleluia. ★
Then here is Marlitz Tagalog ..always a fashion and head turner... I love her tiger designed shawl
Ohkay ladies... ang susunod na palabas ay rated PG...Por Giv me if naunhan mo nako pag selfie or pag pose with the boys...
Selfie with a businessman and a lawyer... My Dong Cel (Celso Jordan) and Atty. Arthur Flores (crush ni Gelyn and Vice Versa saona ahaha)
Selfie with James Donald Aranas, brother of Jane Dahlia Aranas (twin) They were the coolest non Catholic batchmates we had back then.
All in pic, James Donald, Arthur Flores, Celso Jordan, Glover Ian Ceniza, Peter Anthony Linao (brother of one of major sponsors and president of reunited batch, the newly married sister in law of Darlene Ronquillo--Pamela Andrea Linao), Nong Jose Noel Quimera and of course, my bf! James Relampagos (wala jud mi nagka uyab ani niya ha ♥♥♥)
We also had.. I mean he, the Mayor of Mandaue City had a picture with us. Of course, because we are too good to miss. Mayor Jonas Cortes is also a Josephian.
And so here are the shots I took, some stolen and some after stolen... I will tag and identify as I go along the way. (Kay daghan na ga atang ani nga blog hehe)
Janamel meets Mildred (Alejandrino) I miss this girl...
Shirlynie's winning moment!
Some behind the scenes
Captured emotions...
Busy pod ang uban if walay flash sa cam hmmmm... txt2x!
And yah, because Feth and Loryang felt they were one of the boys.. hahaaay
But before all these, we have a batch member who had a very special participation to the entire anniversary celebration. Our very own Fr, Charles Louis Jayme who gave the homily in the morning's anniversary mass.
"We are the dream that has come true,"
Charles homily
An honor to share these thoughts to my fellow alumni & alumnae this 9am mass:
As I stand before you today, I cannot help myself but look back to that year that this venerable institution was only a dream. Let me extend my gratitude to the uncle of my brother priest, Fr. Love Alojipan, the late Msgr. Jose Alojipan. He was the one who was instrumental in realizing this dream of quality education. He was the one who had worked hard just to make his dream of teaching students come true. And that bold dream truly has come into fruition; that bold dream has molded you and me and others to become who we are now; that bold dream is now in its 50 years of teaching and moulding students.
. As we gather here today, we celebrate a coming home to where we used to be. We do not only celebrate but we also give thanks to our alma mater for teaching us and molding us to who and what we are now. Our gathering and our celebration today may also give us the impression that all of us must continue to emulate a life and the values that St. Joseph's Academy has taught us throughout these years. As inscribed in the sanctuary of our parish, “Ite Ad Joseph”, we are asked that as we go through our lives, we must go to Joseph. We must go to Joseph and live a life of humility, of total obedience to the will of the father for us. We must live a life of humble service to all. We go to Joseph and follow his footsteps. I believe this was the dream; these were the values that were taught to us while we were studying here. I believe that they were gifts to us back then and these gifts must also be renewed in us as we gather and celebrate this day.
. Pope Francis wrote his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, the joy of the gospel. In this encyclical he admonishes all of us to bring the joy of the gospel to everybody, through our actions, through our words and in everything we do in life. I was deeply moved when he said, “If we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?” Meaning, if we have received that gift of love which gives meaning to our lives, there will be no reason why we cannot share such love to others. If our alma mater has given us a lot throughout the years that has changed our lives, how can we fail to share such gifts to others? I believe that this is the challenge of that dream. This is OUR challenge as we continue to live on with our lives and to follow Joseph’s footsteps.
. True enough WE are the dream that has come true for Msgr. Alojipan. If he were here with us today, he must have been the happiest person in the whole world looking at us, seeing us the realities of his dream. As we thank him for such a dream, as we thank our alma mater for moulding us, we must also continue to live on and go to Joseph. That dream has come to a reality in us. Let us also live out the values once taught to us and share them with your children, with our nephews and nieces and with everybody around us.
Before the program ended (which did not signal the end of the parteh though) I had a pose with my first degree cousin Amor Monteron, the only cousin of mine who also is a Josephian like me. Shr graduated last year.
Allow me to post this pic of mine with a trophy or whatever you may call it, a memorabilia of the 50th grand homecoming. Just imagine I was half my size but 100 percent more beautiful than graduation day.
WINNER!
Like I said, the program ended but certainly NOT the night. But since it involved personalities with high security concerns, might as well keep the details off the blog and just in our close FB Page.
Once again my dears, we are just so lucky at that time and age we certanly had the best which somehow made us who we are today. Big or small, rich or soon to be rich, the values we learned as loving Christians always made us stand out... in any field.. sky.. or water.
Hail St. Joseph!
*Liked this or you might wanna vomit after reading this, leave a comment. Now let me sleep kay alas dos nas kadlawn. =)
Venue : JCentre Convention Hall
Mandaue City
It was indeed a night of strolling down memory lane for my elementary (1990) and highschool (1994) batches of St. Josephs Academy...Our alma mater which we can proudly say was the only school at that time, sincerely adhering to its mission-vission "Solidarity with the Poor".
Of course it had the lowest tuition for a private school at that time which had the best standard #education.
Come to think of it, Family Day, Teachers Day and Field Demonstration held in one day with various costumes creatively out only of our school uniform. :)
Anyway for 50 years already, the alumni of my alma mater SJA has been organizing annual homecomings.
Because this year is so special, the organizing batches (Elementary 1985 and Highschool 1989) came up with a special theme "Glitterati Night".
But prior to this, the celebration started with a Holy Mass at the SJA quadrangle at 9 in the morning followed with a motorcade all around city.
And so we arrived, fashionably late my bff (best friend forever) Mae Elaine Bathan, now a lawyer and president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and my bf (best friend) James Relampagos, a multi awarded Cebu Gem basketball star now an airline employee.
We all just came from our respective out of town trips and coming back to Cebu was challenged by tropical depression "Basyang".
The program was quite long, with at least six batches with intermission and surprise numbers.
I was surprised to know that one of my favorite news and feature sources, Dr. Glenda Ilano-Basubas (president of the Philippine Mental Health Association-Cebu) is a certified Josephian. #PMHA
And so here is our #selfie.
I also learned that the beautiful wife of Police Superintendent Anthony Obenza, of Iloilo Airport Police, Bella Obenza is a class 1980 #graduate of #SJA. Oh my she sang so well ..like a rockstar the #OPM "Nosibalasi" song.
Unfortunately I noticed that our teachers were not given that valuable importance that night. They were given flowers and stuffs and were only called in their seats. Would have preferred them to be seated up on the stage and representatives give them gifts and say something about them.
Well anyway, I can't let the night pass not to greet them and so I braved the crowd, table hopped bowing down or walking so low so as not to disturb the program.. and found my way to the teachers tables for our #Selfies!
First Madam Selma Yosores, highschool Trigonometry teacher.
Madam Yosores had a soft voice and very calm compusure, very patient in teaching us #trigonometry even if we were half listening.
Then of course my favorite teacher in highschool who is now the principal of #SJA, Madam Perlita Quinones..glamorous and ageless.
Madam Q as we fondly called her was really a classic in teaching us Values Education, Ethics, Right Manners and Good Conduct.
We always look forward to her stories, very practical ones with values that I adhered to in my daily undertakings. She inspired us to be "storytellers" too.
And then there was my Grade 3 Science and Math teacher Madam --- Descallar.
Ah yes, I went next to the person who is partially responsible for my love for writing. Seriously Ms. Beatrice Perez (now Yap) doesn't like my writing. :)
Because the good writers of "Reach Out: Magazine already graduated, I was put as a feature writer (for there was no other vacancy and I was a free hand tag along of the brilliant /fellow Manpark Girl Anna Rose Espiritu).
I cant remember my first assignment for a feature story was but I did remembered Ms. Betty said, "You don't write well. You better improve else I'll drop your name from the Editorial Box". Ooouuuch!
But I was only hurt a little because I know she wants me to improve!
And here we are now with our #selfie I chance to take, stopping her from talking on and on that she read this stuff I wrote or heard Leo Lastimosa's "Arangkada" said about me and that...
Well you can just imagine peeps, if I had been a bad then it only means that St. Josephs was really a standard when it comes to English.
Here comes another grade school favorite.. Filipino teacher and Librarian Madam Fe Tambolero. My Gosh! She looks better now that she is no longer skinny! LOOK at our selfie..
AH yes she's very sentimental... she cried and said she did not expect to see me after so many years.
She was very motherly. She cried again when we chanced upon her in going out for another pic with the group and BFF Elaine.
And then there was Miss Gelma Perez, soft spoken also ..patiently teaching us crochet, cross stitch and other homeroom necessities.
Miss Perez is also the aunt of our beautiful flight attendant/model Cristina Perez of the Philippine Airlines.
And now I made one #selfie with two amazing elementary teachers Miss -- Gonzaga and Madam ___ Lim!
Truly Amazing is an understatement considering these two are the most influential teachers for me / us because they teach no less than Language and Reading and Science and Math.
Miss Gonzaga is now at Consolacion Elementary School and I told her I'd transfer my kids there no mattet how far it is.
Of course she made me understand Math or lets say her "terrorism" forced me to love Math. I may have given her headaches in Math but she adored me in Science. Siiighhh..
Anyway's here are my Teacher #selfies again in a collage I made thru #photogrid.
Now lets proceed with all the picture2x! My it was indeed a night filled with all those cellphone and camera flashes.
Most of us were half listening to the program as we were busy reacquainting and even recalling each others names.Gosh! Funny most of them said they have not forgotten me and so therefore I conclude that I was indeed noisy in SJA. =)
Here is a batch pic with all of us. By the way, we were the largest contingent. Thanks to Facebook and to the sponsor-a-batchmate program.
Firstly I had a picture taken with my two closest friends since Childbirth...my neighbors since Prep in Del Pilar St. Guizo Mandaue City--Claire Nimor Ventulan and Anna Rose Gonzal Espiritu. Gosh I love hearing maiden names.
Our common introduction was "We live in Manpark ...across (in my case) or beside (for Anna Rose and Claire's case)
We were together whole elementary and a few years in high school known as "Manpark Girls". Anna Rose was the smartest and most beautiful; Claire the most sought after and talented while Me, ahhhm I'm just the hottest? :P
And then here's a pic of me and tikla...Janamel O. Dutosme, from Marfa and who also became a closest close friend. ♥
And so I again table hopped for selfies with them since I may not be able to have a pic with all of them. Here goes!
With the ever boyish to stylish Stephany Ubas-Duterte and the bestfriend pair Mitzi Mayol and Arleen Soon.. Rakenrol!
Next is Cleofe and Richelle Milan ---I will never forget the curly hair
Now here is me with the Balikbayan Michelle Sumampong-Canoy and Jessica Cardenas-Gamao. By the way Jessica is one of the point persons of Mutya ng Pilipinas.
This time with my favorite reunitedk friend Dr. Lorraine Manatad with Adeline Rivera-Solante (nga gihikling ang gidala nga babyloo) . I say reunited with Nang Loryang because we were not close during elementary and highschool .. she was kinda "isog" you know. We got reunited January 2010 gathering and immediately our love for RH had us volting in always.
Next is the selfie with my kumare, Darlene Sevilla-Esmero of Pagibig Fund and the luckiest girl of the night, Shirlynie Gonzaga. Shyrl brought home the biggest prize.. a wide Samsung flat tv.
Ooohkay I better be careful with this next one hehe.. Here is my #selfie with my internal medicine doctor Anabel Laranjo and Jhoane Remedio-Mejala. Anabel is looking after my gallbladder thats why I go the other way when I was bringing bottles of SML. Hehehe kinda hard to avoid eh
Here is Nergisa and Regina. Yes they kinda sound the same and used to be one of the smallest in the batch too. =) Regina is married to Oscar, her long time boyfriend we also get to hang around with in the St. Joseph Church Grand Choir for the Alleluia. ★
Then here is Marlitz Tagalog ..always a fashion and head turner... I love her tiger designed shawl
Ohkay ladies... ang susunod na palabas ay rated PG...Por Giv me if naunhan mo nako pag selfie or pag pose with the boys...
Selfie with a businessman and a lawyer... My Dong Cel (Celso Jordan) and Atty. Arthur Flores (crush ni Gelyn and Vice Versa saona ahaha)
Selfie with James Donald Aranas, brother of Jane Dahlia Aranas (twin) They were the coolest non Catholic batchmates we had back then.
All in pic, James Donald, Arthur Flores, Celso Jordan, Glover Ian Ceniza, Peter Anthony Linao (brother of one of major sponsors and president of reunited batch, the newly married sister in law of Darlene Ronquillo--Pamela Andrea Linao), Nong Jose Noel Quimera and of course, my bf! James Relampagos (wala jud mi nagka uyab ani niya ha ♥♥♥)
We also had.. I mean he, the Mayor of Mandaue City had a picture with us. Of course, because we are too good to miss. Mayor Jonas Cortes is also a Josephian.
And so here are the shots I took, some stolen and some after stolen... I will tag and identify as I go along the way. (Kay daghan na ga atang ani nga blog hehe)
Janamel meets Mildred (Alejandrino) I miss this girl...
Shirlynie's winning moment!
Some behind the scenes
Captured emotions...
Busy pod ang uban if walay flash sa cam hmmmm... txt2x!
And yah, because Feth and Loryang felt they were one of the boys.. hahaaay
But before all these, we have a batch member who had a very special participation to the entire anniversary celebration. Our very own Fr, Charles Louis Jayme who gave the homily in the morning's anniversary mass.
"We are the dream that has come true,"
Charles homily
An honor to share these thoughts to my fellow alumni & alumnae this 9am mass:
As I stand before you today, I cannot help myself but look back to that year that this venerable institution was only a dream. Let me extend my gratitude to the uncle of my brother priest, Fr. Love Alojipan, the late Msgr. Jose Alojipan. He was the one who was instrumental in realizing this dream of quality education. He was the one who had worked hard just to make his dream of teaching students come true. And that bold dream truly has come into fruition; that bold dream has molded you and me and others to become who we are now; that bold dream is now in its 50 years of teaching and moulding students.
. As we gather here today, we celebrate a coming home to where we used to be. We do not only celebrate but we also give thanks to our alma mater for teaching us and molding us to who and what we are now. Our gathering and our celebration today may also give us the impression that all of us must continue to emulate a life and the values that St. Joseph's Academy has taught us throughout these years. As inscribed in the sanctuary of our parish, “Ite Ad Joseph”, we are asked that as we go through our lives, we must go to Joseph. We must go to Joseph and live a life of humility, of total obedience to the will of the father for us. We must live a life of humble service to all. We go to Joseph and follow his footsteps. I believe this was the dream; these were the values that were taught to us while we were studying here. I believe that they were gifts to us back then and these gifts must also be renewed in us as we gather and celebrate this day.
. Pope Francis wrote his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, the joy of the gospel. In this encyclical he admonishes all of us to bring the joy of the gospel to everybody, through our actions, through our words and in everything we do in life. I was deeply moved when he said, “If we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?” Meaning, if we have received that gift of love which gives meaning to our lives, there will be no reason why we cannot share such love to others. If our alma mater has given us a lot throughout the years that has changed our lives, how can we fail to share such gifts to others? I believe that this is the challenge of that dream. This is OUR challenge as we continue to live on with our lives and to follow Joseph’s footsteps.
. True enough WE are the dream that has come true for Msgr. Alojipan. If he were here with us today, he must have been the happiest person in the whole world looking at us, seeing us the realities of his dream. As we thank him for such a dream, as we thank our alma mater for moulding us, we must also continue to live on and go to Joseph. That dream has come to a reality in us. Let us also live out the values once taught to us and share them with your children, with our nephews and nieces and with everybody around us.
Before the program ended (which did not signal the end of the parteh though) I had a pose with my first degree cousin Amor Monteron, the only cousin of mine who also is a Josephian like me. Shr graduated last year.
Allow me to post this pic of mine with a trophy or whatever you may call it, a memorabilia of the 50th grand homecoming. Just imagine I was half my size but 100 percent more beautiful than graduation day.
WINNER!
Like I said, the program ended but certainly NOT the night. But since it involved personalities with high security concerns, might as well keep the details off the blog and just in our close FB Page.
Once again my dears, we are just so lucky at that time and age we certanly had the best which somehow made us who we are today. Big or small, rich or soon to be rich, the values we learned as loving Christians always made us stand out... in any field.. sky.. or water.
Hail St. Joseph!
*Liked this or you might wanna vomit after reading this, leave a comment. Now let me sleep kay alas dos nas kadlawn. =)
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