Our 50th Post - A Gala Speech



PeaEye Florendo Natividad
addressing the crowd during Gala Night

I have been bothered by the passage of time since my travel to Baguio for the golden jubilee.  I have missed the camaraderie of classmates of long ago.  One such person I miss is Filipinas Florendo, a marvelous conversationalist.  Abit as she is popularly known is wonderfully un-complicated.  Un-complicated and easy to talk with.  Spanning time and distance, I stuck by her, unaware, that I had followed her through all her accomplishments, hoping for some of that to rub off.

As she bids goodbye to leading the Class of 62, we hope that she will stick around to share her accomplishments with us.  Our "hats off" for your leadership and guidance.  Hurrah !!! for your up-coming 66th Birthday fren !  I was going to wait for July 4th to send everyone's greetings, however, the 50th post (June) deserves an un-complicated profile.

Surprise !!!

Seeing NICK after 50+ Years

For those of you who did not get a chance to meet Nick again after 50+ years, you missed that famous sparkle in his smile, he used to flaunt around during high school days.  Nick who??? (as many of us inquired when he got introduced).  I don't know what took over my inner self, but punching him on the arm a few times was what I did, in my excitement to see that he fulfilled his promise of "possible" attendance to the golden jubilee.

As always, Nick Rivera just smiles and not a word from him. I will always remember the day I was able to trace him. I knew he went off to join the US Navy, but where he settled after all these years was a predicament.  I did a US search, using a few navigational search tools, including the US Census (LOL) with no luck. Gali's recommendation of a simple Foo.com  search gave me a narrower search. It does not help much when searching a very popular Spanish name. There were a few Nicanor Riveras listed and 8 in the California area alone.  I left messages for everyone of them, introducing myself and emphasizing the "Baguio" word more than enough.  I was numbering my calls. Luckily, my 4th message was answered.

During our telephone conversation, I learned that he studied at Saint Louis for a year+ until he was called to the Navy. He took the chance in 1963 and has never been back to the Philippines since then.  Nick and his family settled in North Carolina (somewhere).  Plays golf and one golfing partner, Freddie Veraque, who I met during an International Alumni reunion in Washington, DC, belongs to Class62.  Nick retired from the Navy but seems indispensable.  He still works with a military partnered company in San Diego.

We targeted him for the "celebrity roast".  Our prepared spiel now wasted, as he was nowhere to be found after registration day. I have always thought that he will stick around for all the reunion events as he had a week off from work. However, as the mystery carries on for another decade, we wait for another chance.

NB:  Leni Lou ... you should wake up earlier ... (tur-oog ka ngamin!).  Kitam ngay, you missed your "Nick" chance (lol)

A Night of Celebration

Manny Mayo, Beth Frigillana-Orpilla, Glo Turingan Valeros, Leni Lou San Agustin

Time expands and compress like an accordion, but happy are the bunch who celebrated their 50+ years of friendship.  Ladies and gentlemen in their prime giggling all throughout the night, exchanging glances and swapping stories of high school escapades and love abandoned.

Waiting for a Ride - 6 May 2012

Finally, I see Vickie and Patrocinio 
Seated (L-R): MannyM, AtongP, EvelynP, DannyL
Standing:  AmyRR, MiguelC, Lydia (Miguel's spouse)



Front(L-R): Benjie, Gali, Leni, Cres, AmyRR, Estela
2ndRow: MiguelC, Danny, Vickie
3rd Row: MannyM, Leda, Atong, Evelyn, Patrocinio

And the many more who had their valets deliver their cars promptly, we say goodbye for now, till next time.

Auld Lang Syne 6 May 2012




(Eds Note:  Hope these pictures have enough representation.  To the many who are not featured, please send me pics, so I can include you)

 

Induction & Celebrity Roast - 6 May 2012

Induction of New Class62 Officers by Judge Mayo
Cef (Vice), MannyN (Board), Winnie (Sec)
Estela (Treas), Tammy (Board), Danny (Pres - hidden)

Best Prize of the Night 
Miguel garnered 15 APO's

Ping needles Tammy

Tammy denies !!!

Smiles and laughter as they nervously await their turn !

And so, Gali admits and adds more
Room 6 - where he gets rejected; Eyes roamed and longing for Estela;
which left Winnie crying !!! (LOL)



Lining Up and Digging in - 6 May 2012

JimmyV, AmyHN, Father Manny, Winnie

Aida & Guest, PeaEye & Ping,
Official Photographer & Rodson Cahulogan



Ania ngay kuma dayta? Ping asks; Na-im-imas sa didiay Sinanglao;
BethF:  Wen sa kabsat, ngem awan met idtoy in-luto da;
Ping:  Bay-am ta appan kami to iddiay Vigan, Ilocos Sur !!



& Company @ Dinner - 6 May 2012



Ping, Manny, Leda, GloV, BethR
 with Father Manny



Estela, Cres, AmyRR, Beth, Ping, Araceli
Warlito, Daniel, Cef with Father Manny

Evelyn, Amy, Atong

Ping, Jimmy & GloV, Beth & MannyO,
BethR, Manny Natividad



Rudy, Pat, Cres, Vickie, Benjie, Ping
Danny, Father Manny, MannySr.
Back: MannyM, MannyN, Cef, Gali 



Father Manny, MannySr., Winnie

Leni, GloV, MannyOrpilla
Back: Winnie, AmyHN

AmyRR, Cef, Father Manny

Marichu & Warlito Quitos
 Freda & Manny Mayo

MannyN, RudyC, Tammy, Leni, MannyM,
Ping, Danny, GloV, AmyRR, Cef

Nag-imas@ The Country Club- 6 May 2012

Plated Japanese Starter



Roast Beef




Pearl Pork



Dessert, Pineapple & Watermelon

These are the only food pictures I was able to retrieve, however, my eyes were as big as a marble to see so much. I wonder, was there any chicken on the buffet table?  Everyone seems busy trying out the sushi and my brain could only remember the company (LOL)

BTW... a toast to Gali for the glass of wine sent my way !!!

Pairs, A continuing Story & Cha Cha Cha

The Chief and his Squaw
"Hau"

Cowboys: Mindoro Warlito Quitos
& Antipolo Manny Natividad

Arnold and Agnes Diaz '63
(Can't avoid being popular!)

Dr. Praxy Valdez Atanacio
 (brother - Julius Valdez'62) & PeaEye

Hi Sch. BFF MannyN & Benjie





Referencing "A Continuing Story"
Hi Sch friends on to UP, Diliman
Benjie & Rudy instrumental in the final hook-up of
PeaEye & Manny (huh?!? have u heard ?)





Cha Cha Cha Class62 Presentation @ Gala Night with Vickie, Winnie, Atong, Estela, Evelyn and GloV

Country Club - Special Treat 6May2012

Father Manny Flores Jr

 Son of Engr. Manuel Flores Sr, celebrated ecumenical mass

 The homily centered upon friendship over the years

 ( a span of more than 50 years) 

Much Needed Diversion - letter from Gali

Sa’an met - no lumakay ken bumaket tayo amin nen (as if we’re still young) when we revisit the blog 5 or 10 years from now, those posting dates might be confused with or as the actual dates of activities in the absence of captions indicating the time when the pictures were taken. I am not referring to the UFOs (Unidentified Freewheeling Old-timers). Of course, we have the schedule of events posted separately somewhere in the blog ngem I will not probably remember – if not too lazy - to cross refer no lakayak la unayen.

Our first apo is now seven months old. He’s a constant reminder nga lakay’en dayto’y kabsat yo. Otherwise, he’s so adorable that I’m enjoying every minute of my apostolic job besides being Cynthia’s “Canadian” as in maglinis kana dyan, magluto kana dyan, etc.

Kumusta kayo amin. I hope this finds you all well.     Gali

Bida ka naman talaga !!!

Did you forget that I took a picture of you the 1st day?

I was meaning to do Profiles after posting the reunion events.  However, profiling now, seems to break the trend of seeing too much of Arnold !!!

To the best "kana dyan" and a goodlooking lolo lakay

Congratulatulations for embarking your "apostolic" duties.  May you be as good or better than Vickie Estepa, who is soon to retire from her "apostolic" work as she travels back and forth to The Philippines like a doña.  Forget competing with Miguel Cahulogan who has had his "apostolic" duties 15 times over. (LOL).