Author:
Arlene
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Date Posted: 18:40:23 05/04/03 Sun
My Dear Classmates,
Before I went to LA the last Holy Week, I attended a company sponsored conference in legaspi city. Of course, I took the chance to visit Sorsogon and checked my mother. Part of me though since I left our town (now city) way back, I always hope that and wonder if I would see some of you and possibly tell me about the whereabouts and ways of life of the others.
Certainly, you would not know that I longed to see you and that I terribly missed you. True, I am busy now with my profession, my work and so committed to my family. I could not thus justify entertaining thoughts about you, albeit, your memories, the happy times we shared, and your smiles, are still so vivid in my heart.
When I was about to return to legaspi that afternoon, mama asked me to accompany her to the house of kiko corcuera. the latter takes care of the insurance of their house along Rizal st. partly across of Petron Gas Station. Mama, who retired sometime ago as elementary school teacher is partly into insurance selling. Kiko, however, and his family now live in Pang-pang Village. We could not easily find his house in Pang-pang. It seemed to be located at the farthermost part of the subdivision. Kiko was there with his wife and mother. He was outside the house, in his backyard garden attending to the plants. Kiko, from the beginning is a homebuddy. His wife is lucky to find him. He is not adventurous but attentive to the needs of his family. I could be wrong, I think, they now have three children. I heard, kiko's wife plans to go to australia very soon. His sister is already there. Kiko is connected with the Land Bank branch in Sorsogon. Previuosly, he was with the Department of Agrarian Reform.
Kiko told me about the reunion for this year and accordingly the class would meet after the traditional parade at Noli's (Lustestica) residence.
The week that followed, I received a call from Noli. He told me about the plan of the national government to reorganize and privatize the BIR. Noli works there since the time he finished his A.B. Economics degree in BU. He also told me that about half of the employees may be adversely affected. Then he asked if I could find time to come home to attend the reunion. I regretted telling him straight that i was scheduled to fly to LA with my family. I forgot who he is. Noli, the true blue military man in our CAT, blew his top again. Ha! Ha! Ha! To assuage him, I promise to come home to sorsogon after my return from LA and report to him whatever info I could gather from the U.S. Noli is married to my not so distant cousin from Bacon. He sure was destined to get hitched with a woman from that place.
Days before I left for LA, I chance upon Ronnie Abitria in a turo-turo restaurant infront of NAPOCOR Office in Quezon City. He was with some of his officemates. All of them are guys, of course. We often take our lunch in that place. He was still soft spoken and always half-smiling when talking. Like me, he is also connected with NAPOCOR. He is one of our good engineers and, take note, still an eligible bachelor. He drives a car, which looks sporty to me and with lots of accessories. He also has his own house located in Quezon City.
We did not actually stay in LA but in a place called Orange County which is about half an hour drive from LA. Edgar and Susan Dichoso-Echano are the ones who live in LA. Edgar picked me at my sister-in-laws' house one morning after we returned from Seattle. He told me, his babysitter went somewhere and could not attend to their baby. Instead of Susan, Edgar took the day-off. Susan is one lucky woman. I knew it since we were in high school. Edgar was one classmate who would go places. He was so diligent and good natured. The heaven has blessed him with good life. Susan too even before was simple but pretty and hardworking. They now have a big beautiful house (plus a condo which they are renting out), expensive cars and three children. Who would imagine that a boy from Banao, Bacon would reach that far. Edgar is now in the process of setting up his own company.
I would have been contented if he brought me to a macdonalds resto that morning. We could have taken our breakfast there. After all, what I only desired was to see him, so I would have something to report to our classmates when I return to the nativeland. But he would not listen. He instead brought me to a classy resto where we would be served by some americans. All throughout, he was always trying to convince me to migrate to U.S. I could not tell him then that though I like the idea, especially now that I have been there and experienced the weather and other things that make that place so beautiful and attractive, I am actually afraid now of starting all over again. I dont have the perseverance, diligence and tenacity of edgar.
From the states and after returning to my work in NAPOCOR for a week, I went home to sorsogon on the 26th of april. I arrived in Legaspi ciy via PAL. I rode in a tricycle from the airport to Albay Capitol, then I rode a jeepney to Daraga and finally a Don-don Liner bus to Sorsogon. On the way to sorsogon, somewhere in Panlayaan or Kilometro trese, we passed by the cyclists in the Tour of Luzon who were headed to Legaspi. I should be in sorsogon that day, it was my father's death anniversary. My mother prepared some food for merienda cena. Relatives and friends of my father came. We also visited his pantheon which as you all know is just across our house in Almendras.
I called Cesar, hoping I could talk to him. I expected to get all the info i need from him, being the Provincial administrator, the true political kingpin of sorsogon (the real power/or power broker), and the one all or anyone in our class would expect to visit, whenever in town or city.
I was able to talk to him but only on the cellphone. He was in Gumaca on the way to Manila. He advised me though to visit the wake of Leticia Basilan of Batch 81. I was told later, she died of Lupus. I dont know what disease is that. I asked the cellphone of Noli. The latter, however, does not have one.
I was scheduled to go back to Manila the following day. That night, I had nowhere to go. I needed to meet a classmate. I asked my cousin, jun-jun Mella to drive me around. We checked our friends, Nonoy Fajardo and Dennis Delgado. Both of them were also in Manila. We went to the house of Leticia Basilan. I was not familiar with any of the people there. So we proceeded to Noli's house in Pang-Pang Village. It was already 9 P.M.
They must be already sleeping. We called out Noli. His wife opened the door and approached us from inside the gate. Noli was not yet home. He was attending to something in Bibincahan.
I thought then that I would go home empty handed. The following morning, 6 a.m., I went to Bacon Beach with my cousins from the father side, who picked me up. We went swimming until about 7:30 when the sun was about to come out. I went to church (the protestant) 9:30 to commune with God and renew ties with old family friends, the Lopezes, Salandanans, Botes, Corrals and many more. The Pastor's daughter was baptized that sunday morning..
From the church, at about 12 a.m., i proceeded home. From afar, I saw Noli, Arnel Caguia and Anto Duana waiting outside our gate. They told me, they were there since 10 a.m. A minute later, Paul Advincula joined us from Sampaloc. I was simply very happy talking to them. It seemed, my high schools days came alive again. I was carefree. I could not even remember that I had a mission to fulfill. My memory got blurred. All I could remember are bits of pieces of the info they relayed to me. Noli was elected by acclamation as President while Topet Ayo was elected Vice President for Metro Manila. Then we ate in the house whatever food was left in our kitchen. Noli and Anto did all the talking, as usual. About thirty from our class joined the parade. I promised to help in coordinating things and inform you and them about developments.
I will continue my litanies later....
joseph
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Para sa mga Batch83 Snhs SORSOGON CITY
... hmmmm...
juan s
hello
hello class 82
Hi if you folks are from Don sol, Sorsogon, Philippines
hello!!!