Vol. 13, No. 4, June 22, 2009

Henry Dy reelected to BSP nat'l board

Iligan Vice Mayor Henry Dy (Batch '64), in picture, has been reelected to the prestigious Executive National Board of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) representing the business sector. The election took place on the occasion of the 53rd Annual National Council Meeting of the BSP held last May at the Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City.  Henry Dy and the rest of the national board members and officers led by BSP National President Jejomar Binay were formally inducted last June 20 at the BSP Camp Site, Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna.

Batch '65 get-together July 11

Members of Batch '65 will have a get-together in Iligan City on July 11, 2009.  The occasion is timed with the homecoming of Alex Rodriguez who is scheduled to arrive in Iligan on July 10 from Miramar, Florida, U.S.A. where he resides with his family. Expected to be present at this rare reunion are members of Alex's batch of 1965 along with several of his old hometown friends. The gathering will take place starting at 5:00 p.m., July 11, at the house of Elynnor "Gingging" R. Rocha, San Miguel Glass Palace, along Benito Labao St.  Members of Batch '65 are Vicente Balucan, Alberto Bernardo, Antonio Chan, Carmen Chan (deceased), Charrie Chin, Fernando Chin, Victor Chiu, Bonifacia Co, Antonio "Alaska" Dy, Joel Lituan Dy, Nelson "Toto" Dy, Dy Sio Te, John Go, Corazon Guiterez, Fernando Khu, Artemio Lagrosas, Clemente Lim (deceased); Charmaine Molo, Victor "Ching Sui" Ong; Alexander Rodriguez, Jaime Rodriguez, Johnson Sy (deceased); Lydia Sy, Norma Sy, Marciano Tan, Manuel Te, James Tiu Huan, Anita Uy, Glicerio Uy, and Ernesto Yu.

Dave Dingal, summa cum laude

Dave Dingal is scheduled to graduate summa cum laude this July with the degree of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.  He will proceed to the University of Pennsylvannia, U.S.A., where he will pursue his Ph.D. as full scholar.  Dave Dingal finished Grade 6 as class valedictorian in LCHS. He belongs to Batch 2005.

BATCH '59 REUNION. Members of Batch '59 stationed in different places in the country converged in Iligan last month for a rare summer get-together. It was a memorable occasion for members of the batch as they all made good their promise to show up made about five years ago. Among those in the get-together were Dy Peck Giok (Cebu), Glenda Siao (Cebu), Ching Sio Eng (Cotabato), Linda Ang (Iligan), Gregoria Ang (Cebu), Maya Siao (Iligan), Remedios Ong (Iligan), Te Khing Dian (Iligan), Mike Handumon (Ozamis), Bonnie Dy (Iligan), Walter Lituan (Iligan), Orlando Go (Bukidnon), Sandy Chua (Iligan), and Toto Samson (Iligan), see photos below.  They held their get-together at the Naawan Beach Resort and Midway Beach Resort.  They also drove to El Salvador to visit the Divine Mercy Shrine.

NEW GRANDPA. In Cebu, another alumnus is now a grandpa. Jose Sam Go (Batch '67) became a grandpa last April when his daughter Jennifer June gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Hats off to our new ang-kong! Sammy turned 60 last June 3.

NEW GRANDMA. The latest alumna to become a new grandma is Susan Ngo-Lo (Batch '74).  The wife of Susan's son Michael Lo recently gave birth to Susan's first grand son, baby James Michael, in Chino Hills, California, U.S.A.

NEW ENGINEER.  Kenley Lawrence Chan passed the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission in  May 2009 and released last May 12.  Kenley is the youngest son of Felipe Chan and the late Susan Ong-Chan (Batch '67).  Only 1,199 out of 2,744 passed the board exam.  Kenley's rating in the exam was only a few decimal points shy of landing him in the top ten list. He is a graduate of the De La Salle University with the degree of Civil Engineering, specializing in Construction Technology and Management.

NEW FUNCTION ROOM. The Celedon Pensionne House (in photo) recently inaugurated and formally opened its new function room.  Located near the Iligan Medical Center College in Pala-o, Iligan, Celadon is owned and operated by Henry Siao and Juanita Wee-Siao. The occasion was graced by the presence of the city's dignitaries, business leaders and LCHS alumni officers.

NEW ROTARIAN PRESIDENT.  Romeo DyPico has been elected president of the Rotary Club of Cebu West.  He was inducted as new club president on the occasion of the club's 47th charter anniversary and induction of officers & directors for 2009-2010 last June 11 at the Casino Español, Cebu City.

NEW OFFICE.  Johndorf Ventures Corp. inaugurated its new office at the 14th Floor, Ayala Life FGU building, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City, last June 18.  Johndorf Ventures is a leading developer company with housing projects in Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Iligan, and Mactan, Cebu. It's owned and operated by Richard Lim and his brothers Wilson, Johnson and Wilford.

NEW MALL SHOPS. Many new outlets have opened shop at the Gaisano Super City Mall located on Roxas Avenue. The latest addition is the Mandarin Tea Garden located on the mall's ground floor. Many alumni can be seen enjoying a hearty meal at this new dimsum house during weekends. Among the crowd's favorites are its siomai dumplings, congee, noodles, and fried rice.  Another good news is that four first-class movie theaters are set to open this September.  The theaters all come with modern projector and audio systems and upholstered seats.

Ten wonderful commandments
From Ellen N. Lim, Manila, Philippines; email: [email protected]
Fri May 29 14:09:28 2009

1.  Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.
2.  Make the best of your circumstances.  No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with the gladness of life.  The trick is to make the laughter outweigh the tears.
3.  Don't take yourself too seriously.  Don't think that somehow you should be protected from misfortune that befalls other people.
4.  You can't please everybody.  Don't let criticism worry you.
5.  Don't let your neighbors set your standards. Be yourself.
6.  Do the things you enjoy doing. And stay out of debt.
7.  Never borrow troubles. Imaginary things are harder to bear than real ones.
8.  Have many interests. If you can't travel, read about new places.
9.  Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.
10. Keep busy at something. A busy person never has time to be unhappy.

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

I recently received text messages from one of our concerned alumni informing me that former LCHS teacher, Mr. Fidel Fuertes, has just been discharged from the City Hospital.

The text messages indicated that Mr. Fuertes was not being attended in his home after coming out from the hospital. The concerned alumni shared the information with us in order to seek solution or find ways to help Mr. Fuertes who is left alone in his house without proper health care.

From my several visits with him in his house, I have the impression that he seems to be neglected, which is why he prefers to seek help from LCHS alumni.

One alumnus suggested sending Mr. Fuertes to the Iligan Home of the Aged where he can be taken care of. That appears to be a more practical solution. Thus, together with Henry Lagrosas, I went to the Home of the Aged last June 14 to inquire about the accommodation thereat. The center, officially known as Bishop Bienvenido Tudtud Home for the Aged, is located in Saray.

A certain Sister there (the center is operated and managed by nuns) told us that Fuertes is not qualified because he still has children and relatives in Iligan.  The center can only accept abandoned, no-relatives aged persons.

We are worried about Mr. Fuertes' health condition if this situation continues. We hope some of our concerned alumni will find it in their hearts to offer some form of help or financial assistance to our dear former mentor. Can we count on you?

[Those who wish to extend assistance to Fidel Fuertes may communicate directly with Roger Suminguit: email: [email protected] or cell no. +639189277641.-- Editor]

Charles O. Sy, Batch '67

"The ultimate measure of a man," said Martin Luther King, "is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy."

One person I knew who measured up to M. L. King's maxim was Ong Ching An, a.k.a. Robert Dy (Batch '63). Hym-Hym, as he was better known among friends, was not only content in seeking challenges, he went out of his way to meet the bull by the horn.

As a family friend and neighbor, I had known Hym-Hym since I was a kid.  Even at that early age I already had the impression that he was a character born with a high spirit of tenacity.  I was once playing at the city plaza with his younger brother Mike when we were harassed by a bunch of backstreet bullies.  When Hym-Hym got wind of the incident he rushed to the plaza to seek out the bullies and engaged them in a fistfight all by himself.  How he did it with his lanky built I couldn't quite figure.  But I remember the bullies scampered away from him whenever their paths crossed thereafter.

Hym-Hym was forever in search of new conquests.   Through the years he had continued to amaze me with his obsession with bold ideas and new discoveries.   Once after seeing that I still failed to grasp the principle of the kaleidoscope even after all his explanation, he proceeded to form one from cut-out cardboard and shards of broken stained glass to illustrate his point.

As he grew older, his fascination with theories and strategies grew deeper.  And with it, his capacity for mental analysis became even more profound.  He became absorbed in the game of chess, which he once described to me as "a game of strategy, foresight and conquests."  He poured himself in volumes of chess books and probed into every move of the grandmasters.  In time he became an astute player respected by chess veterans.

As enormous as his passion for chess was his readiness to share his discoveries with friends.  From him I learned to read chess moves and in the process also picked up a few lessons from him, such as the "Queen's Gambit" and end-game strategies. He also took me along in his chess tournaments, where he beat the best players in Iligan.  Even then he was never contented with his triumphs.  He once stretched his mental capacity to the limits by playing blindfolded against a chess champion from Cagayan de Oro.  It was an unprecedented feat.  He won hands down, or rather, eyes closed.

His thirst for new conquests was unquenchable.  He continually set himself out to explore many other things that would have befuddled the ordinary mind.  He often applied unconventional approaches when he taught at LCHS in the mid-60s.  His students fondly remember him for having reintroduced scouting and camping in LCHS.  The school's scouting facilities, which had remained idle for years, were refurbished by him.  Using these camping implements, he opened doors to his students to new discoveries in the great outdoors.

In 1981, when Hym-Hym learned that I was in Cagayan de Oro with a group of Toastmasters top guns from Cebu to induct the officers of the first Toastmasters Club in CdO, he lost no time in driving to CdO that evening along with Henry Siao and Jaime Semaña to observe our ceremonies. The three of them rushed back to Iligan after our program that same evening to make preparations for our group to conduct a demonstration meeting in Iligan the following day. Their efforts eventually gave birth to the first Toastmasters Club in Iligan City.

He was also fascinated with magic and often gate-crashed carnival backrooms to learn from the professional wizards. He analyzed the cosmic configuration and toyed around with the laws of physics.  Applying the concept of constants and variables in Algebra, he developed his own equation of beating the odds at the casinos. In pursuit of his business sidelines, he immersed himself in the roller-coaster economics of the stock market.  No single challenge or risk, however enormous, ever deterred the man from his pursuits.

Surprisingly, all his feats and breakthroughs seemed insignificant to him compared to what he believed he could still have achieved. Down to the last few days of his life, he remained unfazed and undeterred.  When he fell ill to cancer, he asked his kid brother Santi, "Why does this have to happen to me when I still have yet to make my major break?"

Even then he remained stoppable.  Moments before he passed away in 1988, as the doctor was removing his oxygen mouthpiece for replacement, he still persisted to live on despite the anguish.  "Not just yet," he said, holding back the doctor's hand. "Le me breathe some more."

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

o Human as they are, fathers do have their imperfections and shortcomings. So they too need to be reminded of some things that they may have taken for granted or have forgotten along the way.

o Fathers are to be the all-around persona in the lives of their children, not just as a working father but also as a teacher, adviser, disciplinarian, and best of all, as their best friend.

o Fathers should realize that with the passage of time, their children do grow up and they ought to adjust to situations and adapt to their children's generation.

o Fathers should be more understanding and considerate towards their children as they have been kids themselves once upon a time. They should not expect the children to fully understand their ways because in the first place these children have never been fathers themselves as yet.

o Fathers should not underestimate their children just because they are just their kids. They should realize that the kids too have their own ways of thinking, preferences, mood swings, likes and dislikes.

o Fathers find it hard when they are torn between love and discipline in dealing with their children. To be cruel in order to be good is not an easy task.

o Fathers should weigh and re-evaluate things carefully first before they reprimand their kids or blow their top.

o Fathers should not forget the fact that the earth revolves around the sun, that time changes and so do happenings and things that surround us. They should not compare their kids' ways to their old and relatively conservative upbringing.

o Fathers should realize that their children's generation is different from theirs. They need to update themselves with their children’s kind of life. There should be a balance between these two different worlds lest chaos ensues, and the so-called generation gap is bound to happen.

o Fathers should make it their responsibility to guide and mold their children to be good Christians. They should make this as their mission in life, bestowed upon them by God in the name of fatherhood.

o Fathers, even if they are the most successful professionals in the world or the richest among their peers, are still nothing if and when their children go astray and everything else fall apart into one shattered dream. Nothing could be more hurting than to see their children suffer.

o Fatherhood is never an easy task. It entails a litany of challenges. When the children misbehave and grow up as problematic citizens of the country, people would always put the blame on fathers, saying "there are no delinquent children, only delinquent parents". People oftentimes blame fathers for being either too strict or too lenient that they spoiled the kids by sparing the rod. Either way, it's a loss-loss situation for dear old fathers.

o Fathers should make his family his top priority. In the final analysis, family life comes first. As Corinthians 13:13 would put it: "These three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. And the greatest of these is Love."

o A father's love is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is a love for all seasons -- one that is, in fact, more than forever ...

Belinda "Bunz" Lim, M.D., Batch '82

My sister Chute Cu-Duhaylungsod (Batch '90) and I traveled to San Francisco, U.S.A. last May 18 to attend the 51st Annual World Team Convention of GNLD International, producer of nutritional products that we started taking since January 2005 when I was diagnosed to have fatty liver. So Far, the products also resolved my chronic fatigue syndrome, thus I am able to work in the very exhausting Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital (GTLMH), our very own Iligan City Hospital.

While we were in San Francisco, after the convention we went to see and live and be adopted by no other than Guido Samson (Batch '71), aka Lao Gui Du, in his very warm, friendly and very hospitable home in Salinas, California.

It seems that when we say Australia, ang dangpanan sa tanan is ... Eddie "Leonardo" Tan, and when we speak of San Francisco, maybe even the U.S.A., ang dangpanan also is no other than Guido Samson! Who among us who has gone to San Fo has not been to Guido's place?

I had the pleasure of knowing Guido before in the Resurrection of the Lord.  We were in the choir then, singing "Beautiful ... beautiful ... my world is beautiful." I don't know if Guido still remembers it but I sure do remember it.

And now, I'm knowing Guido again, this time as my eating companion.  He's such a sport too, he eats anything I cook despite the fact that his wife Ophelia is such a cook.

Guids, thank you very much for sharing your home with us. Imagine letting us sleep on your daughter's bed and opening your fridge to us. I pray that more blessings come to you and to your family a million fold!

Great signs
From Alex Rodriguez (Batch '65), Miramar, Florida, U.S.A

Gynecologist -- Dr. Chua at your cervix.
Septic tank truck -- Yesterday's meals on wheels.
Plumber's office -- We repair what your husband fixed.
Tire shop -- Invite us to your next blowout.
Electrical shop -- Let us remove your shorts.
Maternity room door -- Push, push, push!
Optometrist' s clinic -- If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

Igdono U. Caracho, Batch '66