Random tag

JMom has tagged me! She wants me to write 8 random facts/habits of mine:

1. I have two "live" moles: one dark blue mole half an inch under my lower right eyelid and the other (royal blue) on my left foot aligned with the big toe.

2. I go to bed with my books! Lucky me (or books?)! I used to curl in bed with the latest Stephen King book but I got starring roles in King-ish nightmares afterwards so I read them in daytime now.

3. Yesterday (July 21), I stood in line at 7 a.m. at National Bookstore Davao City to get my second first edition of JK Rowling's books: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the first being Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince).

4. I collect Snoopy thingamajigs.

5. I live by the Max Erhmann's Desiderata. It's a hard thing to do but I try to live by it.

6. The last time I checked, my IQ was 120+. No, it wasn't Mensa certified. :)

7. The only song I can play on guitar is Today by Bobby Goldsboro. I started learning guitar playing by piece and started with it. Then the minus-ones (or is it minuses-one) came to the music bars . . .

8. I used to be the most in-demand godfather for baptisms; now it's for being a principal sponsor in weddings. Sigh . . .

Approaching 1000 hits!

As of this writing, this blog has been hit 992 times. To my regular readers, thank you! To blog bypassers, thanks for dropping by!

Tita Lacambra-Ayala's poetry

When I started out as a budding writer, I had to travel 4 hours by bus to Davao City on weekends to bring my short story manuscripts to Tita Lacambra-Ayala. She became my mentor and cheerleader. Their apartment behind a row of commercial establishments along Quirino Avenue, became my literary sanctuary. Joey and the rest of the brood went in and out of the house, planting a kiss on her cheek each time and surprising me with their calling her by her first name. Quite an unconventional set-up.

Her husband Joe would come home Saturday morning from the banana plantation where he worked and leave in the afternoon with bags of freshly laundered/ironed clothes and provisions. Often he would also bring home some of the paintings he had finished.

Some Davao artists and writers would also drop by to return/borrow books, for some chitchat, and to listen to what Tita had to say about the state of the arts in the city.

We would consume a prodigious amount of cigarettes, rum coke and pomelo or some fruits in season while she read and critiqued my stories. When we finish early, she would have me tag along to exhibits, poetry reading, book hunting.

Or she would ask me to reveal more of myself as a person. When I recounted to her how my father was shot dead by robbers, after I processed his SSS death benefits in Davao, she shed some tears. I should have joined her for a good cry, but I had to go back home that same day. I cried in the busride home. I was wearing a silver-coated crucifix on a string around my neck and a loose silk shirt embellished with blue peacocks that day.

The next time I saw her, she showed me a column she wrote about how she felt over my father's death. And soon after she wrote a poem for me and included it in one of the anthologies in her self-published Roadmap series (a book in the form of a roadmap featuring paintings and poems of local artists and writers).

This is the poem she wrote as published in Camels and Shapes of Darkness in a time of Olives, the poetry flipside of Friends - The Adventures of a Professional Amateur, her autobiography. This was published by UP Press as part of its Philippine Writer Series in 1998.

Counterpoint in Double Poem
(For Gilbert)

thong around your neck
speaks
crucified in gold

the blue peacocks

turn their eyes inwards

suspecting audiences

fanning summer's fall

smoke scrolls
the sunset air with
unlit fires
secret conflagrations

uncomposed poems

tumble into fits

of disaster

"some buses are longer
than the bridges
and cannot
make a turn --
the roads are bordered
with newtonian faults"

where farther to

consider

the edge of things?

you are in their

continuous center

evolving platitudes

wise and angry
against this ravage
of violent
abstractions

Notre Dame Dadiangas High School Batch '73 list II

In preparation for its 35th Grand Homecoming next year, Batch '73 would like to establish contact with its members worldwide. Notre Dame Dadiangas Girls alumni may contact Victoria Gonzaga-Firmalino at Vickee_gonzaga@yahoo.com.ph (cellphone # 09156546485) (landline 301-7366). Notre Dame Dadiangas Boys alumni may contact Danilo Sanchez at dansanz0956@yahoo.com (cellphone # 09062057090). Batchmates may also register in our yahoogroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDDCHighSchoolBatch1973/members or you can leave your contact info (email address, phone number, address, etc.) in the comments section (click below) this blogpost or in the message box at left margin of this page.

Notre Dame Dadiangas Boys Batch '73:

Edgardo Abatayo
Filbert Absin*
Rodrigo Aclan
Desiderio Alaba*
Marto Albaran
Armando Aliwalas
Jose Alvarado Jr.*
Ponciano Ampo
Santiago Anfone
Jesus Aparente
Ramon Arana*
Caesar Aranas Jr.*
Cesar Bacatan
Ramon Baldostamon
Rogelio Balido †
Mejorico Baloria
Roland Baruc
Manuel Basadre Jr.
Sensino Basadre
Estanislao Bayan
Julius Bernal
Demetrio Biadoma ^
Arthur Bognosan †
Eduardo Bonjoc
Je Buenaventura
Jonathan Bueno
Rodirgo Buhi
Danilo Cababayao
Ben Cabradilla
Nestor Cagunan
Felix Canizares
Antonio Cantre †
Cyrus Carballo*
Eugenio Carillo Jr. †
Elmer Celebrado †
Justino Cemini
Rolando Copia †
George Cordero
Eriberto Cortel
Panfilo Cristobal
Arturo Cruz
Roberto Cruz ^
Melecio Dable
Emmanuel Dayanan
Manuel Decatoria
Edgardo Delfin
Nestor Deligos*
Tranquilino Deydo Jr.
Felix Ditchoson
Edilberto Dolorosa
Benjamin Dupalco †
Oscar Engkong
Juanito Escaño
Efren Felisan
Alfredo Fernandez
Julio Firmalino*
Eulogio Franco Jr.
Orlando Galang
Isabelo Gallemit
William Galvan*
Danilo Geraldizo
Jose Billy Gilay
Juanito Go †
Antonio Gultiano
Ben Hurtado
Rodrigo Ibero †
Winston Jabonillo*
Jose de Jesus
Henry de Jose
Eduardo Joseph
Dalmacio Jugarap
Elpido Lastimosa Jr.
Charlie Laureano
Virgilio Lauzon*
Miguel de Leon
Ceasar Lim
Mariano Lim*
Vicente Lim
Nixon Lomboy*
Carlito Lopez
Manuel Lopez*
Vitor Loquias
David Lu
Mariano Macalam*
Mario Macaraeg †
Wilfredo Monterde
Ranie Mullanida*
Denis Nacua ^
Hector Natividad ^
Fernando Ocat*
Freddie Oloroso
Henry Panlaque
Cesar Paquingan
Adolfo Perez Jr.
Jose Perona
Cesar Pontino
Norberto Ramizo
Mario Rebucan
Edgardo Recibe
Juanito Reyes
Ricardo Roldan
Leonilo Sabasaje
Juan Sabido
Danilo Sanchez*
Nante Santos*
Juancito Sarenas ^
Eduardo Senajon
Edgar Sim
Vivencio Soguilon*
Herminigildo Solana
Alando Suansing
Gilbert Tan*
Jaime Tablizo*
Romeo Ting
Ramon Trespeces Jr.
Ofresino Uy
Samson Uy
Mario Villaspin
Charles Wong
Eleazar Zetha

† RIP

* South Cotabato/Sarangani/General Santos City based

^ Metro Manila based

Notre Dame Dadiangas High School Batch '73 list

In preparation for its 35th Grand Homecoming next year, Batch '73 would like to establish contact with its members worldwide. Notre Dame Dadiangas Girls alumni may contact Victoria Gonzaga-Firmalino at Vickee_gonzaga@yahoo.com.ph (cellphone # 09156546485) (landline 301-7366). Notre Dame Dadiangas Boys alumni may contact Danilo Sanchez at dansanz0956@yahoo.com (cellphone # 09062057090). Batchmates may also register in our yahoogroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDDCHighSchoolBatch1973/members or you can leave your contact info (email address, phone number, address, etc.) in the comments section (click below) this blogpost or in the message box at left margin of this page.

Notre Dame Dadiangas Girls Batch '73:

Monica Abucejo
Evelyn Abueva-Olarte
Alicia Acharon-Tagpuno
Marietta Alforte-Fundar
Severina Alforte
Ma. Ofelia Altarejos
Minda Andang*
Mary Aprille Rose Anung-Contreras
Necita Arancon-Demonteverde
Julita Arquisa
Antonia Asibal-Alquizor
Victoria Avestruz-Wong
Purisima Azarcon
Crispina Azuela
Judith Balajadia
Expedelita Balan
Evelyn Baloria
Gilda Bantawig-Elemia*
Esmeralda Basaya^
Esterlina Barot-Lacson*
Rabia Batuwa-Tayoto
Webina Bemon
Helen Betonio
Estrella Bolido
Teresa Borgonia
Ninfa Bretaña
Agapita Cabradilla
Lorna Calderon-Dela Torre
Elena Calvario
Zenaida Campos
Rosalind Canizares-Niez
Salustiana Carillo
Angelina Catapang-Bongcawil
Elvira Cauayan*
Susan Chavez
Rebecca Corporal-Isa
Melinda de la Cruz vda. de Pitogo*
Teodora Cruz
Lucia Cua vda. de Chua
Bibiana Cuajotor -Peñaranda
Rosanna Cuarenta-Tan*
Aracelie Dagupioso
Ma. Lani Dalisay-Callao†
Erlinda Damicog
Lolita Delfin
Flor Delizo
Bessie Deocampo
Mae Diamonon-Europa
Elizabeth Diapera
Ma. Lourdes Dinopol-Canaria
Bernardita Diot-Briones
Corazon Dizon-Rodriguez
Felma Domantay
Erlinda Dulay+
Glynda Dumanig
Fredisminda Dupalco-Carriedo
Evelyn Duran-Flores
Marilou Dypiangco*
Nancy Elisan
Rosalinda Erbina
Adela Escote
Corazon Estinoco
Jasmin Fauni
Leonida Felisan
Aster Fernandez-Lim
Marilyn Ferrariz-Polinario
Monserat Firmalino-Vingno
Mariame Franco-Saplor
Gloria Gamolo-Bermejo
Anita Garcia-Angeles
Eden Garcia
Sonia Garcia-Lauzon*
Ma. Colleen Garcera-Janssen
Mercedita Geraldizo-Ometer
Victoria Gonzaga-Firmalino*
Ceferina Graciosa
Susan Guatlo-Acosta*
Consuelo Guzman-Baes*
Nelia de Guzman-Soriano*

Ma. Salome Inguillo-Aduca

Edna Javier-Tupas

Fernie de Jesus
Mildred Joven-Sayson
Benilda Labos
Myrna Lacsamana-Sapasap+
Eva Diana Lavega
Jocelyn Leyva-Cuevas
Zenaida Llerena
Violeta Lopez-Makiling*
Marianita Loreco
Loida Lubaton
Eva Magallanes
Inocencia Makilang
Dalisay Malones
Francisca Managbanag
Erlinda Manaloto
Angelita Mapalo-Cruz
Perla Maratas
Teresita Mejorada
Lourdes Mesina^
Edna Mirabueno-Tanchuling
Myrna Mirabueno
Elena Mojado-Bogador
Sabiniana Mullanida
Marialina Munez
Prima Muring
Florentina Nalugon-Maulit
Corazon Narciso vda. de Florida
Letecia Narte-Azares
Thelma Narte-Garcia
Ma. Paz Natividad-Arana*
Maria Navalta-Sardido
Susan Nuñez-Frippiat
Corazon Ogaco
Amelia Olarte
Cristeta Olarte-dela Cruz
Angelita Ondangan
Carmen Ongkingco
Ermelinda Orantoy
Norma Osorio
Andrea Padernal-Gamboa
Afdulia Padilla
Anne Palma
Amelia Pamintuan
Sernisa Pananguiton
Alicia Pelarco
Ninfa Perez
Jocelyn Pilapil
Arlene Elena Plata-Dacanay
Regina Prieto
Helen Posadas
Lolita Punla
Juliet Ras
Susan Raval
Angelina Regner-Espinosa
Teresita Rivera
Angela Romero-Orcajada
Florence dela Rosa
Jocelyn del Rosario-Rivera
Regina Salcedo
Leah Saligumba-Pendon
Elizabeth Sanchez-Mendoza*
Loida Sanz-Gregorio
Jurie Sendico*
Merlyn Soguilon
Judith Solon
Marietta Soon
Lurencia Sulanting
Elizabeth Sumajit
Edna Sunga-Casabuena*
Editha Tagalog-Ty
Ellen Tan
Emilita Tatel-Dalagan
Teresita Tatel
Elvira Templonuevo
Josephine Toledo-de Leon*
Melody Tolentino
Janet Totesora-Yson
Teresita Tubao-Garcia*
Remedios Tubon-Magbanua
Felicitacion Ugsang-Arizola
Susana Verba-Cordova
Helen Villanueva-Santos
Rowena Villanueva-Peria*
Marietta Villarin
Ma Wilhilmina Villasis*
Josefina Villegas-Mariano
Elsa Vinculado-Rabot †
Conchita Yap-Pinili †
Celia Young
Emelina Yu-Ang*
Evangeline Yumang
Bernadette Yway-Rafanan
Angelina Zaulda
Herlina Zerrudo

† RIP

* General Santos City based

^ South Cotabato based

+ Davao City based

Notre Dame Dadiangas High School Batch '73

Notre Dame Dadiangas High School Batch '73

Several batchmates of Notre Dame of Dadiangas High School Batch '73 (NDDBD & NDDFG) met at Vir and Sonia (Garcia) Lauzon's home on July 8 to discuss preliminary plans for the 35th (Coral/Jade/Emerald) Grand Homecoming next year.

Present were: Minda Andang, Mary Aprille Rose Anung, Gilda Bantawig, Esmeralda Basaya, Erlinda Dulay, Glynda Dumanig, Sonia Garcia, Victoria Gonzaga, Ceferina Graciosa, Nelia de Guzman, Consuelo Guzman, Ma. Paz Natividad, Jurie Sendico, Edna Sunga, Filbert Absin, Jose Alvarado Jr., Danilo Cababayao, Ben Cabradilla, Cyrus Carballo, Winston Jabonillo, Virgilio Lauzon, Carlito Lopez, Danilo Sanchez, Vivencio Soguilon Jr., Gilbert Tan.

If you belong to NDD High School Batch '73, you may contact the following: Bebot Sanchez (09062057090), Vickee Gonzaga (09166546485). You may also want to join our yahoogroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDDCHighSchoolBatch1973/

Thank God for Small Blessings

To finish my MBA degree, I decided to request for a study leave with pay for one year. The University committee decided to deload me by two subjects (6 units) instead. Well, beggars can't be choosy so I thank them and God for the small blessing that came my way this week.

Going back to graduate school was a smooth transition for me. It helped that I'm studying at my former employer and alma mater. Seeing the familiar faces of former colleagues and coworkers made me instantly at home. It was the campus where I spent 15 years of my life since I was a freshman high school student. The warning bell was no longer a buzzer but an instrumental version of Edelweiss from The Sound of Music and the main bell was Elephant Walk.

My classmates are way younger than me. Two or three are my former college students. I'm amazed at their energy level even after 8 hours of work. Their enthusiasm is infecting. One classmate said she was "frozen" (her credits were frozen after 5 years) during the first day introductions. When it was my turn to introduce myself, I said "I'm from the Ice Age," much to the delight of the class. I think I will learn a lot from them and from my classes.