Gie and I am so excited to attend my high school reunion in 2021 because it's also the first time that she'll be reunited with her high school classmates in Guimba; we'll be visiting five religious sites for the 500-year anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines; and the only time that I will be able to invite and see some of my former students, classmates, or co-teachers in Acoje, Sta. Cruz, Don Bosco, and the Catholic University of Santo Tomas, who friended me, or that I corresponded with by mail or on social media after migrating to the US; and together with our friends & relatives, most especially my own siblings-- Ate Fel, Kuya Muling, Kuya Bert & Kuya Arthur (who for the first time we'll all be retired and united in our parents' ancestral home since Papa & Mama's Golden Anniversary 20 years ago,) will join us in celebrating our 40th year of wedded bliss, while distributing some giveaways to our guests, and children that we'll encounter along the way in the Philippines. Wouldn't that be awesome God?
And what could be more wonderful, when by that time, we would have gotten our vaccination against the coronavirus here in the US (also those in the Philippines,) and we'll surely have a great time during our reunions and celebrations with family and friends, without worrying about getting sick.
Although, we will not find out our final itinerary in the Philippines until after our month-long cruise to Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, and passing through the International Dateline, before proceeding to other South Pacific & Hawaiian islands, then to mainland USA (which, by the way, will not be cancelled, as well as our flights, inspite of the COVID-19 pandemic because it's outside of Asia,) and our granddaughters occasions, namely: Violet's Christening & Xiomara's birthday, this coming June in New Jersey (which was already booked by our children Osbert, Claire-Voe & Kendra, while our Charismatic brothers & sisters are praying for us-- that nobody from our cruise gets sick, and we don't have to be quarantined for 14 days after our cruise disembarkation in Los Angeles;) Jesus, we trust in You.
So, after arriving and resting for a few days in our ancestral home, which was renovated by my brothers and sister in Sta. Rita, Macabebe, Pampanga, we intend to go to Guimba, and stay there for 2 nights during Gie's reunion & sightseeing with her high school classmates; proceed to visit my favorite teacher, Sr. Marieta in her Benedictine Convent in Damortis, La Union, where she retired, and meet some of my relatives there too from my Mom's side, before going to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag, and ask for Mama Mary's intercession; go to Dagupan City (where Gie went to college,) and invite to our occasion in Pampanga, Tocing & family-- Gie's 3rd cousin & my 2nd nephew from both of our mothers' sides (and therefore, we are not related at all;) pass by the new scenic highway from Mangatarem, Pangasinan to Sta. Cruz, Zambales, for our high school Golden Jubilee or Reunion, and visits to my previous school Santa Cruz Academy, and Parish of San Miguel, in order to reminish and have fun with former classmates and teachers, donate some goodies to my beloved Alma Mater, and pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament inside the church, then take a good look at the stone sculpture of St. Michael in the church façade's crypt that Gie & me donated, (and while still hoping that I could convince our classmate Delia, who was the only one who offered me her home where we'll be staying for 2 nights, because Gie is not comfortable of leaving our stuff in the local hotels-- that's why she has accepted her classmate's invitation for us to stay at her home in Guimba, during their reunion also.)
After that, we'll go back to Pampanga, and rest again for a few days before travelling to Batangas (where my paternal Grandma was born and grew up, before getting married to Grandpa, who brought her to his hometown in Macabebe, Pampanga, where I was born,) to visit the world's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary; then proceed to Kamay ni Hesus Shrine in Lukban, Quezon province, and pray for healing of all abused and abandoned children, with our healing minister Fr. Faller, who came to the US and conducted healing services twice in our Prayer Group in St. John's Parish, Bergenfield, New Jersey, and once in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I saw the presence of the Blessed Mother during his healing service.
Finally, I'll get to show Gie our local patroness-- Virgen de los Remedios, in San Fernando, Pampanga, and pray the Holy Rosary, before visiting closeby the new bamboo organ in Betis, which was commissioned in preparation for the celebration of five centuries of Christianity in the country, and take a look at original furniture carvings of local artisans in the area, where Papa used to procure their gorgeous, hand-carved mahogany sala & dining room sets for our stores to sell in Zambales; then try the Pampango catering by tasting their food that we will be serving after the Thanksgiving Mass (hopefully to be concelebrated by our friends-- Fr. Tony, UST Vice-Rector, Regent & Dean, and San Pablo, Laguna Seminary Rector & our former NJ's visiting priest, Fr. Emil,) in honor of Papa & Mama, and all our faithful departed in the Ocampo & Diaz clans, followed by our very simple 40th anniversary blessing by the celebrant priest, which shall transpire, together with the presence of our invited guests, relatives, and friends, either in Sta. Rita Chapel which is a block away, or hopefully with Kuya Bert & Jobelle's permission, at the beautiful & roomy garden in front of their new residence, which is directly across from our ancestral home in Sta. Rita, where our catered reception with beautifully decorated settings, tables & chairs that our kabayan event planners always prepared (such us when I visited the Philippines during Mama's 90th Birthday Celebration with Thanksgiving Mass led by our Charismatic friend Fr. Sonny Ramirez, O.P., or the Babang Luksa for Mama/Death Anniversary Celebration officiated by my college classmate & buddy Fr. Tony Aureada, O.P.,) and set it up to look gorgeous and magnificent like a film set shoot, which impressed me a lot.
Anyway, I wish that I'll get to see, and talk to everybody, including Gie's relatives in the Philippines whom I haven't seen and communicated with at all; but unfortunately, so many of them passed on already, including Mama & Papa, and all their 10 brothers & sisters (except for our youngest aunt & uncle,) cousins, neighbors, all of my elementary school teachers, and Graduate School professors (including UST Rector & friend, Fr. Fermin, and my master thesis adviser & Palanca Awardee, Dr. Hornedo,) classmates, friends, and students, some of whom were younger than me, but their memories live on.
However, I look forward to celebrating their legacy, and those who are still alive, and influenced our lives, especially our mentors, not only because I came from a family of teachers, but I was also one of them, who loved and was proud of the noble teaching profession, and taught for seven wonderful & unforgettable years in Acoje Barangay High School, Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati, Catholic University of Santo Tomas College of Science, Nursing and Education, while moonlighting also as a Philosophy professor at San Sebastian College, and University of the East in the Philippines, before assuming other careers & vocations, after coming to America, 39 years ago.
And being the youngest among four kids, who got spoiled and addicted to different vices during my final year in the academia, while the Filipino society was breaking down also due to nine years of Martial Law, and the corruption & excesses of the Marcos regime, thank God I was able to leave the country, and come to America, where I would not have survived and flourished, if not for God and my wife & children, first and foremost; but also because of the persons who loved me unconditionally, or that I learned from in the Philippines, such as my parents-- Mama & Papa, life coach & mentor like Sr. Marieta, my elementary school teachers, undergraduate & Graduate School professors, and my high school teachers, particularly the ones I like to honor here individually because I see them on Facebook, and they look healthy, fulfilled, and inspiring, and hopefully, they will attend our Reunion in 2021.
But first, please allow me to use their nicknames, as my term of endearment & respect for them, and for looking young & active, instead of calling them Mister, Missus, Sir, or Madam, just like I forbid my former students to still call me Sir, Mr., or Professor, which was a long time ago, not only because we are equal, and no longer in teacher--student roles, but aside from the fact, that the younger generation, in general, always surpasses the previous generation, when it comes to the body of knowledge acquired, and its application (but not in faith & morals, which are absolute & immutable;) so that, Aristotle was greater than his teacher Plato, who surpassed his mentor Socrates; hence, I rejoice in all lovers of wisdom, or students, who surpass their gurus, or teachers.
Anyway, the reason I chose and went to Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is a part of the United Kingdom, during one of our cruises last year, instead of Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland was because of its history, which I learned in Manny's class, when I received a copy of Current Events magazine which featured about what's happening in Belfast in the late 60's and early 70's. Aside from being a connoisseur of local and world politics because they affect our lives as citizens (I'm not a politician, although our town's Democrats & Republicans wanted me to run) which I attribute to his History class, I also learned how to debate, and mastered the science of correct thinking, while studying and teaching Philosophy & History in college, due to an early start in Manny's class, and winning the school debate against the seniors, during our junior year with him, and garnering the best speaker award from Senator Gordon, who was so young then, and one of the judges, while running as a Zambales delegate to the Constitutional Convention.
I owe a lot to Alma, because she was a tough teacher (and I was stricter, but a challenging Philosophy professor, especially among UST Pre-Med students, particularly the only B.S. Chemistry class in UST, which was composed of valedictorians and a few salutatorians around the country, who were very smart, and inspiring to teach as their mentor, especially during our departmental exams, which I had to cover in all my classes,) so I was used to keeping my students on their toes. Although, I was never in Alma's folkdance group, even though I was the only male folkdancer in all the school programs from Grade 1 to high school, except in hers of course, I enjoyed her Speech class which was the best, not because I got rid of my stage fright during our declamation pieces, which we had to deliver from memory (which I didn't have because I was used to singing in amateur contests since I was a little boy,) but due to the fact that I learned how to pronounce all the difficult English words, and right intonations in all kinds of sentences in her class, which propelled me in my radio program at Radio Veritas as a moderator, while emceeing not only in front of thousands of devotees in the tri-state of New York, New Jersey & Connecticut during the annual Marian Festival at Blue Army Shrine in New Jersey, and National Charismatic Conventions in the US, but also in hotel dinner-dances, and most especially, as a Sunday lector in church.
Eng had favorites, not only in our Science class, but also among his cadets & officers in PMT or Military Training, where I ended up in his new Drum & Bugle Corp in school, and hauled up, or carried a huge bass drum during our town parades, which I hated. I was also jealous of my brother who became a cadet officer with a beautiful cadet sponsor-- Myrna Maniago, who was the daughter of our town's Municipal Judge. Fortunately, he recognized my singing talent, when we sang Zaccheus and a selection from Guys & Dolls, during one of our school programs. Not only did I excel in all our PMT training inspite of getting no recognition, but my best moments were when I topped our ROTC training in college, and gave blood to the Red Cross at the UST grounds & grandstand, while getting A's in M1 Garand Rifle assembly & disassembly, and firing a round of ammunitions during our bivouac in Antipolo Rizal, while getting straight A's from the Army Captain who was our ROTC commandant, and also my college professor in Math or Statistics I & II. Not only that, but what goes around, comes around, so they say, because I became the Commandant of the PMT cadets in Acoje High School, during my first teaching job, and taught my cadet officers how to march, do the wooden rifle exhibitions correctly, and plant thousands of seedling trees for our PMT reforestation project at Acoje Mining Company, which I thought was very cool, especially today, with the onset of climate change.
And last but not the least, Fely had no favoritism in her class, and she's not beholden to anyone, even though her brother Norman (God bless his soul!) was one of my real friends. And, I credit her for learning all the orchestra musical instruments in her Music class, which I can still identify until now because Gie and me go to a lot of Symphony Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble Concerts in Las Vegas. It was during my teaching stint in Acoje that I was sent as the delegate of the Province of Zambales to the National Choral Conducting Seminar at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila, and became a member of the Teachers' Band afterwards, because of my musical training. But little did they know that I got it all from knowing all the orchestra musical instruments in Fely's class, because I never played any musical instruments in my life, except that humongous bass drum.
My point is that, every teacher of ours deserve an accolade for their dedication alone (which reminded me of Mrs. Molina & Mrs. Mamaril, who taught me how to diagram sentences, and painstakingly corrected my compositions in high school.) I was not an English major in college, yet my first job in America was as a Production Editor at Prentice-Hall Publishing. Neither did I become a writer in high school because we didn't have a school paper then; but I credit my love for writing, editing, and speaking in English, not only because Gie encouraged me as a remembrance, or legacy to our children & grandchildren (while I can still recall, and am not senile yet,) but because of my English teachers, from Mama who taught us English at home, and up to my high school and college English teachers, who were patient with me in learning how to speak and write in English correctly, as a second language, after Pilipino, not only because I ended up living in a predominantly English-speaking country, but also because it is the language of business and communications worldwide.
Lastly, I hope and pray that during our Golden Jubilee, aside from seeing how time, obviously, had changed us all individually, both physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, or while we're exchanging pIeasantries and anecdotes joyfully about retirement, our spouses, children, and grandchildren, or whatever is making us alive and still kicking afterall these years, and commiserating about our long lost friends, classmates, teachers, parents, spouses, and children, or even the loss of our health, beauty, vigor, power, and well-being, please don't ever forget that it's fine; we're ok because we're all in the same boat; and we are one-- the same imperfect human being before God, yet still standing, and thankful before the Lord, for creating and keeping us alive, while seeing, valuing, and loving each other, during our upcoming Reunion, and beyond.
(TO BE FINALLY CONCLUDED AFTER OUR REUNION IN FEBRUARY 2021...)
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