The Golden Girls: St Scholastica's Batch 58 by B Canapi

message Dear Golden Jubilarians, How fast time flies! Fifty years seem only like yesterday, come and gone. Those were years when you played around sand boxes as kindergarten tots, when you romped around the grade school corridors, and thrilled at the thought of being in high school! Those were days of school plays, glee club rehearsals, volleyball games, visits to slums and orphanages, catechism lessons, first formal gown and first dance, and endless sermons from your teachers on discipline and academic excellence. Consciously or unconsciously, your years at SSC filled you with SCHOLASTICAN IDEALS, which equipped you for life: to think for yourselves, form right judgements, live, graciously and compassionately with others. Today, you return to your alma mater with accomplishments as mother, wife, grandmother, auntie, career woman. As you meet your classmates, you will be picking up from where you left off – as though you were away from each other for just a week or a month. All of a sudden you become a child again, a teen-ager, a young woman – you are back at SSC, back to the dear old chapel, the old cement tables beside the canteen, the acacia trees and the caterpillars, the social hall, and our Blessed Mother’s statue beckoning to you. Welcome back! We have all been waiting for you through all these years!

Sister M. Angelica Leviste, OSB President

message How fast time flies! It was 54 years ago, and I still remember myself as a fresh college graduate and a neophyte teacher in an exclusive well-known elite girl’s school. You were my first batch of Scholastican students, full of energy and mischief. It was one of the most difficult but delightful year which challenged me to become a well-rounded and developed teacher. You made me love my chosen profession and was part of making my stay at St. Scholastica’s College for 45 fruitful years very memorable. SSC was my second home. May I congratulate each one of you for continuing to keep and treasure the virtue you received from your Scholastican education. “Ora het Labora” and the good value of “Prayer and Work”. You have touched so many lives along your journey in life as mothers, in-laws, grandparents, achievers, and members of your society. Mrs. Teresita Constantino De Vera

Looking Back

W hat makes one a Scholastican? Is it in walking those hallowed halls? Is it in the brand of education we all received? Is it in enduring the strictness of those German Nuns? Was it in living, breathing, and eating Ora et Labora every waking moment we were in St. Scholastica? Maybe it is, but maybe it goes beyond that. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard it millions of times: Scholasticans are characterized by their intense discipline and fierceness. They are outspoken, they never back down, and they always fight for what they believe in. They are unflappable and fearless. They are religious and God-fearing. These qualities and more hold true for Scholasticans of this day as it did for our time. Which of our shared experiences was instrumental into turning us into we are today? Whatever it was, it cannot be denied that our stay at St. Scholastica formed and molded us into women of distinction and honor. There are thousands of schools in Manila, the Philippines, and yet to this day, Scholasticans are identifiable by the traits and virtues that they possess and exhibit. Perhaps, those German Nuns knew what they were doing after all.

Ora et Labora

Do you remember?

Ms. Ongpin, our music teacher and our choir songs? I still remember some of the nice pieces she taught us especially “Tea for Two”.

“Kinit Quintos” and her favorite “algebraic” expression, “I cannot believe this!!! when we somehow could not solve difficult problems even with her help? -- x 2 , y 2 , z 2 ?

Our conservative PE teacher, Ms de Leon, and her energetic associate, Ms Constantino? Ms Remedios Salazar and her crisp Biology teaching voice? Our teacher in Spanish (anonymous) and her tantrums during class?

How, if we forgot our veil for Mass, we would pretend to be “sick” and go to the Clinic instead of having to kneel and pray in the chapel for punishment?

Sr. Ma. Narcissa and how she would painfully pinch our ears when we misbehaved and who, among our classmates, was pinched most often? We finally learned that to avoid too much pain, one had to follow the track of the pinch.

“MMK”: Maala ala mo kaya ---- si Ms. Hernandez na payat? How we ran into Sr. Concepcion again in Grade 6 as our teacher and Grade School Principal? She did not have to pull me in to the classroom by that time.

Sr. Irmburg and the blush on her smiling pretty face? Sr. Louis and how she vividly taught us World History and her favorite phrase “The Glory that was Greece and the Grandeur that was Rome”? Sr. Bruno who would forget her undersleeve every so often?

Sr. Ma. Elisabeth and her expertise in Physics? Our superiors: Mother General, Mother Prioress, Mother Directress (Sr. Kuniberta, Sr. Assumpta & Sr. Ligouri)?

How we would follow the Sisters to the Clausura which was off limits then and tried to peek inside to see how it was different from the real world?

How we had to remove our socks and go up and down the stairs handcarrying our shoes because we noisily dragged our feet?

How one ring of a tiny bell would signal the start of programs at St. Cecilia’s Hall and would render perfect silence in the auditorium? How we had to listen to the Sisters sing the Gregorian Chant in the pristine SSC Chapel?

Written by: Mila Reyes

The Golden Girls

I am married to Amadeo Veloso. I worked for my father, Justice Vicente Abad Santos, at the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court from 1970 to 1986. Amading worked for San Miguel Corporation until he retired in 1996. He now has his own business -- Q&H Foods, Inc. We have three children, namely Monica, Amadeo Jr, and Yvonne. Monica is SSC HS’ 81, Bachelor in Science in Business and Economics from De La Salle, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cal State, Long Beach. She is married to Mark Paul Yankowski. They have two boys, Matthew Alexander and Jonathan Mark. Amadeo Jr is La Salle HS’82, UP College of Medicine ‘91 and took his Post Doctoral course in Ophthalmology at Harvard in Boston. He is married to Ma. Imelda Yap. They have three children -Nicole Beatriz, Bettina Alexandra, and Carlos Amadeo. Yvonne is SSC HS ‘86, Bachelor of Science in Commerce from De La Salle, and a Master degree from Asian Institute of management. She is married to Richard Gonzalez. They have two boys -Lorenzo Miguel and Rafael Gabriel

R a q u e l A b a d S a n t o s Ve l o s o

I graduated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, merits of Masters in Nursing Education from University of Santo Tomas in 1962. I was a Professor at the UST College of Nursing on 1962-1965 and 1967-1972. I have been married to Rene Dadivas since 1972, and I have three 3 children: Jennifer, Masters in Linguistics, Bachelor of Science in Human Resources, married to Michael Hong with 3 yr-old son, Sammy; Joseph, Masters in Health Care Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business, residing in Sugarland,Texas, with wife Diane Martinez and 3 sons, Joey, 7 yrs., Jaeren 5, and Jackson, 6 mos.; JR, 28 yrs. old, single, just graduated from Medical School at the American University of the Caribbean. We are currently residing in Niles, Illinois. I am most grateful to SSC for instilling in me the importance of good quality education, excellent work ethics and always having God as the center of my life!

Rosa Aclan Dadivas

Besides having all the fond memories in grade school and high school in SSC, what I cherish most is the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one leading me in everything, besides being my best friend, and the only one after my best interests. From the Philippines to San Francisco in 1965, to Taipei in 1976, and now to Enumclaw, Washington since 1999, out Lord has blessed me with 3 wonderful and God-fearing sons (Jeffrey Kenneth, who is married to Jenny, Nicholas Marcus, and Howard Patrick) and just recently, a grandson as well -- Milton Kendrick Lopez, born on March 23, 2008.

The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious yo you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

Nina Angangco Lopez

Lita Atienza Castillo

Having recently retired as the only female Branch Manager of PAGCOR, I now work as a consultant for the said company. Blessed with four successful children, I can say that God has been good to me. My eldest, Raffy, is the Operation Manager of Mead Johnson and has four kids. Roderick works for the City of Seattle as a Systems Analyst and has lived in the States for the last 20 years with his wife and two daughters. Catherine is the first female jet captain in the Philippines, and is with Cebu Pacific. She has just completed training by Airbus as a Certified Instructor Rocky works as a call center Supervisor in Makati.

Diana Balais Childs

I am a retired grandmother, with four grandsons and a granddaughter, and presently residing in Winter Park, Florida. I have two daughters and a son from my first marriage to Tirso â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bonggoyâ&#x20AC;? Verano who I met while working at Ace-Compton Advertising. He was also in the advertising/marketing field. I worked at Cooper Laboratories, makers of Oral-B Toothbrushes, CooperVision lenses and the Aveeno line, as the office manager, when they opened in the Philippines. This was my biggest challenge as I was also a liaison officer for the corporate office in California. Moved to Sunnyvale (Silicon Valley), California in 1981 and worked at our coporate office in Palo Alto for the next 10 years. My last job was at one of the biggest law firms in Central Florida where I have been residing for the last ten years. My life is blessed and inspite of all the trials and tests handed to me only made me a stronger and better person. I truly believe that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the best education from St. Scholastica. All the teachings, both academically and spiritually, have led me to where I am now. All I can say is I am lucky to be a Scholastican. My deepest gratitude to the nuns and teachers for their never-ending support.

Raised in a family of thespians and artists, it was no surprise that Carmen Barredo became a pioneering force in Philippine theater arts. With Zenaida Amador, she co-founded the first theater company in the country, the prestigious Repertory Company. Through her influence and mentoring the country’s best artists thrived: Leo Martinez, Peque Gallaga, Monique Wilson, Lea Salonga, Laurice Guillen, Bart Guingona, Audie Gemora, Cocoy Laurel, to name a few. She has appeared in over 200 productions, including television and film, winning the ALIW Hall of Fame Best Actress Award, Ten Outstanding Women Award, Alay ng Maynila and Karilagan Award. From the pages of Daughters True: 100 Years of Scholastican Education, 1906-2006

Carmencita “Baby” Barredo

100 Outstanding Scholasticans Awardee

...Not what we have taken from this world, but what we have given back to it, to make it a better place for others to live in...

Josefina Bustamante Arag on

I am married to Rontu Ghosh, and we have a beautiful daughter, Reena. St Scholastica taught me

Morality, Honesty, and Integrity

The school has embedded in me principles of morality and compassion. St Scholastica has also taught me that there are

no boudaries in achievement Rosario Car mona Ghosh

After 10 years of being a boarder at SSC, I joined my gangmates in Marquette University for post graduate studies. There, I met my future husband, Arthur Lazatin Pecson, who was also taking his Masters in Economics in the same University. Sadly, I did not finish my MA, but I did get my MD (Marriage Degree) instead. We stayed on for another seven years. Finally coming back to Manila, I remained a housewife and a mother to our five children: Ricky (married to Grace Quitain), a doctor in Davao City; Josine (married to Jojo Ignacio with five boys); Jay, Kristin, and Robert. After my husband died in December 2006, I was invited to run as a Kagawad in Barangay Dasmari単as. I am now currently serving in the Barangay. St Scholastica has taught me all of the right values and discipline which I am very thankful for, as I am now enjoying a happy, fruitful, and peaceful life.

Cecille Castro Pecson

I took up my Bachelor of Science in Commerce, major in Accounting, at the University of Sto. Tomas. After graduation, I got my first job at a financing company in Binondo, Manila, where I met my husband Domingo Cho. We were married on November 25, 1973. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re blessed with two loving children, Mark David, who is 34 years old now, married to Mary Ann Bulay, with two children of their own, Amanda, 2 1/2 years old and Marcus, one year and three months old. My second son, Dick Milton, who is 32 years old now, is married to Felicia Bocobo, with a daughter, Danielle Faye, one year and eight months old. At present, my children and I are connected with Green Cross, Inc. and my husband, with Globe Plastic, Inc. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m forever grateful to St. Scholastica College for giving me the knowledge, the skills and the tools upon which I could use to face the vast ocean of life. It is where I first learned the basic principles and values of life. Most importantly, I thank St. Scholastica for introducing me to the existence of God Almighty where I started my devotion to a prayerful life, a gift that has opened so many doors and has helped me in so many ways.

Mary Co Cho

Left Manila in May 1967 with a degree in Business Administration. Joined the United Nations same year, initially as an administrative assistant and thereafter, moved up the ranks. After 38 years of service the majority of which were spent as Procurement Officer and subsequently as Head of Headquarters Procurement Section, retired in 2005. Presently doing volunteer work at local nursing home, doing occasional consultancies when called upon by the United Nations, and active at Parish prayer group consisting mostly of Filipinos. Coming from a family that appreciates good cuisine - my daughter being a professional chef - I enjoy dining with family, relatives, and friends privately or in New York restaurants as often as the occasion presents itself. My years in St. Scho instilled in me the importance of a close-knit family, and maintaining friendships. Amazingly, the values handed down by my parents blended with those of the Scholastican nuns during my formative years. It got me through tough times in my career where oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrity is frequently put to the test. I am most grateful to them, and of course to my parents for my Scholastican education.

Sylvia Cornista Leonard

Back in the sixties, I caught the eye of my professor in the Graduate School of UST, Enrique Syquia, who eventually became Ambassador to Malta until his demise. We were blessed with five sons, whose firsts are all “Jose”, after my patron saint, St. Joseph. The eldest, Jose Fernando is the first Summa Cum Laude in UST College of Physical Therapy, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from UST College of Medicine. He has become one of this country’s top Orthopedic Surgeon, specializing in hip and knee replacement. The second, Jose Francisco, became a priest. He completed his training at San Carlos Seminary in Makati and UST Central Seminary. He took Ecclesiastical Faculties and a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology from the Angelicum in Rome. He finished both courses with Magna cum Laude standing. He is currently a full-time director at San Carlos Seminary, and is a member of the International Association of Exorcists, based in Rome. Jose Martin graduated with Honors in Business Management in La Salle and AIM. He was a successful businessman, and he later worked for the Department of Budget and Management. He then opted to move his family to the States. He is now Director of Compliance in one of the biggest medical drug distributors in the USA. Jose Tomas is a graduate of the Ateneo Law School. After a brief stint with the Ateneo’s Free Legal Aid and Human Rights Department, he went to Nottingham University in England to take up his Master’s degree in International Law, graduating with distinction. Upon the death of his father, he resigned from government work and took over Syquia Law Offices. Jose Luis graduated Cum Laude from UST Law School, then went to Pittsburg University for his Masters in Law, also graduating Cum Laude. He worked for the Department of Budget and Management, and his expertise was renowned internationally. I have also been blessed with fifteen grandchildren. Looking back at my life, I thank God for entrusting me with a wonderful husband and a happy family. I’m currently involved with charities, religious, cultural, and civic. I teach catechism in my parish, and values formation in the seminary. God is good, and my faith keeps me going.

Leticia Corpus Syquia

What can I say about my high school days at SSC? What I vividly remember is during Sr Kuniberta’s “regime”, we were disciplined with a “psychological whip” to keep us in line. To a certain degree, it has helped shape me. Them German nuns were tough, including the only Filipina Directress Sr Soledad, and to think that she is related to a sister-in-law of mine! I can’t seem to get away from them nuns! I am a proud member of the Chocolate Gang, which was composed of six naughty students, always getting into trouble! One of us even got suspended! Those were our younger days! My husband and I are both retired and have built a clinic in Ecuador in memory of our son Emmett. It is managed and run by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Spanish Order from Spain. They have done a great job in managing and operating the clinic and the number of patients keeps growing in leaps and bounds, since there is no adequate medical care in the area. My daughter Deirdre and her husband Renè Brodeur have two children, Drake and Giselle. Deirdre is a self-employed business and career consultant. They live in Colorado, where I go to every month to baby-sit the grandchildren.

Frances Cuisia Dalton

Nora de Gala Santiago

My son Noel once told me that all the Scholasticans he has ever met (and yes, that includes me!) are all alike -- they are all opinionated, strong-willed women, very firm in their convictions. I can attribute this to the training we all got from St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad to note that, after all these years, some things never change. I have been married to Emmanuel Santiago since 1967. I have four children: Socorro, Noel, Sari, and Gladys. I also have one apo - Mellise, daughter of Gladys.

After school, I married Leoncio Flores. I have seven wonderful children: Cecile, Enrique, Michael, Adrian, Ruby Ann, Benedicto, and Winston. Life has been very good to me, and I feel blessed.

Things I learned from St. Scho: - Self-Discipline - Religiosity - Sacrifice - Modesty - And high moral values

Guillermina de los Santos Flores

I am married to Alfredo Primero Jr. We were blessed with three children -- Pebbles, Domini, and Judge. I have also been blessed with the most adorable grandchildren -- Polo, Pia, Paige, Rafael, Mayumi, and Mulawin.

Cynthia De Ocampo Primero

I am married to Gale, my husband of 38 years. We have four children -- our daughter Cara and our son Nelson and their spouses -- Steve and Sarah. We have three grandchildren,-- granddaughter Sadie who is 9 and two grandsons, Nate who is 7 and Niko, 3. They are our sources of joy. We are happily retired. I have 12 years worth of memories -- mostly happy, some painful -- studying in St. Scho (Received a loyalty medal during our High School graduation). Besides academics, we were taught discipline, neatness, organizational skills, proper behavior, ethics, and values. Painfully, we were also taught how to handle humiliation in front of the whole class and sometimes in front of the whole student body -- through the teacher’s’ physical punishments and what would now be considered verbal abuse. Was the harshness meant to make us strong? How many of us were told we would “never make it”? Perhaps this was meant to make us ambitious, more driven? Did such experiences make me who I am today? In some instances, they prepared me for life’s REAL lessons. In other instances, I am who I am today despite of them and because of choices I made. At this point, I would like to share an excerpt of Tao, 22 which I try to live by: “The woman of Tao holds oneness in her heart and her world is at peace... Does not try to please and therefore shines; Does not seek attention and therefore excels; Does not justify herself and is therefore trusted; Does not imitate others and is therefore herself; Does not compete and therefore no one in the world can surpass her.” Namaste!

Millie Ejaype Williams

How do I begin to write about my mother? If you know Carmen, you know it’s hard to pin her down to a few paragraphs. I’ll give it a shot anyway. • •

Carmen Filamor Canapi

• • • • • • • • • • • •

She loves to be called “Gorgeous” and Sexy Lola”. She loves it so much, it’s her email address (cfcsexylola!) She was married to Ben Canapi, who before his death was one of the country’s finest Creative Directors in the field of Advertising. He was the first Filipino Creative Director of McCann Erickson Philippines, and the first Asian Creative Director for J. Walter Thompson. She has five gorgeous children: Tanya, Treena, Tricia, RB and Angelo. The three girls all studied at St Scho, the two boys didn’t. She loves her two apos, Natasha and Veronica way too much. She always has a smile on her face. No. Matter. What. She has an insane tolerance for pain. It’s so insane, she didn’t even notice she was having heart problems and needed surgery. She loves her friends and is VERY loyal to them. For her, her friends are her real wealth. She cannot dance to save her life. That’s why her performance in the Golden Jubilee was one for the books. Speaking of which, that’s the last time she’s ever going to dance. If she tries again, Baby Barredo will kill her. She’s super-matyaga with everything she sets her mind to. Case in point: the Golden Jubilee! She’s a fantastic cook, BUT she will only “cook for those she love”. You will NEVER win an argument with her. NEVER! She can talk forever. Trust me, I know. She is a die-hard Scholastican. She lives, breathes, eats Ora et Labora every day of her life. She raised all of us with the same moral code those German Nuns instilled on her. Yes, it was that bad for us.

Ang sarap maging anak ng Scholastican! Sayang, lalake ako. RB Canapi

I have retired from the Philippine National Bank; prior to that, I was the Senior Vice President in charge of the corporate banking group. I currently sit in the board of Asiatrust bank. I have three lovely children; Maria Monica, Maria Lourdes, and Alfredo Jr. I have also been blessed with nine beautiful grandchildren My stay in St Scholastica truly developed my values in life. The reason why i was successful in my career was because St Scholastica molded my moral core.

Marie Galvez Mu単oz

I have the fondest memories of my Scholastican days, where I formed the closest friends that I have to this day. My boarder years were the most fun where I not only learned a scheduled, disciplined life, but full of escapades that exasperated the nuns. I was elected president of St Scholastica’s Alumnae Association from 1989 - 1991, an honor that I shall cherish for the rest of my life. In June 19, 1967, I married Jesus “Chito” Puno, a Civil Engineer - Contractor, with whom I had seven children: Lea (Deseased at 7); Tina, an Architect; Jeffrey, a Businessman, married to Pediatrician Aileen de los Santos, with two children - Joshua and Justin; Jobert, a Civil Engineer - Contractor married to Jayjay Cotoco Ornubia, a businesswoman; Marite, a Consultant married to Richard Irvine, an Ad Executive at leo Burnett, with two children - Jacob and Isabella Marie; Tricia, a Doctor serving her residency at Medical City; and Lyca, a Communications Graduate working at Summit Publishing as Assistant Editor of Seventeen Magazine. God has been good to me for giving me an education such as I have received from St Scholastica’s. Serving him thru the community Couples for Christ, and its outreach arm Gawad Kalinga is my way, together with my husband, or returning God’s goodness and blessings.

Maria Concepcion Gamboa Puno

My gratitude to the Lord for His guidance in walking me through my business career as well as for my continued spiritual journey. In the course of my journeys at the Big Apple I realized the formation I received as a student at St. Scholastica’s College helped tremendously achieve my goals. Two words that stand out from school days were “follow instructions” which to the presence work to my advantage. Although my spiritual goal, Heaven, is still to come, I pray for the Lord’s usual guidance and remain in His employment; that is, in search for souls.

Lourdes Gotauco

I have lived in three countries: Philippines, Canada and the U.S. My happiest days were spent in Bacolod City where regular Sunday outings with relatives wading in the seashore and enjoying Sinugba after attendance at Holy Mass characterized an idyllic carefree childhood. It ended too soon when my mother, the late Gilda Kilayko (she was a good friend of the late Rosario Macapagal Filamor, mother of Carmen Canapi) decided to bring us to Manila in order for us to study at her alma mater, St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College. At that time, St. Scho in Bacolod was not yet founded. The Scholastican tradition provided a good liberal arts foundation, but we missed out on the training and skills we would have gotten if right away I had taken up a law degree at the Ateneo, and my sister, Vicky, also a St. Scho. alumna, doctor of medicine at U.S.T. Getting a good job is difficult only with a Bachelor of Arts degree, this I came to realize too late in coming to Canada and the U.S. I have re-invented myself several times to live up to the complexities of life in New York City. I am not only a journalist and a published author, but also a licensed registered nurse (R.N.). a paralegal, and a business entrepreneur! I have my own foreign degree evaluation service that has been accredited by the United States Citizen and Immigration Services. My company evaluates foreign degrees from colleges and universities worldwide, and evaluates their U.S. equivalency for the purpose of beneficiaries getting work visas and green cards. My clients are mostly immigration lawyers but also computer consultants who regularly bring I.T. professionals to the U.S. under the H-1B visas from India, China and worldwide My parents have left us agricultural lands in Iligan City and Bacolod City, and in the current global food crisis, these need to be attended to. I have resisted many lucrative offers to turn these lands into subdivisions, because converting agricultural lands to build houses for the well to do and migrants who earn dollars from abroad is just not the ethical thing to do. Sooner or later, I hope to retire in the Philippines and take up law, perhaps at the University of the Visayas, founded by my father, the late Paulino Gullas, a bar topnotcher and a Cebu delegate to the founding Fathers Constitutional Convention.

Cecilia Gullas

I am married to Joaquin Jack Rodriguez, and I have four sons (Joaquin Jr., Antonio, Sean, and Armando) and eight grandchildren. I am proud to be a Scholastican. St. Scholastica gave me a good religious education and moral and spiritual values that I carry to this day. Because of this education, I was inspired by God to do great things.

Sonja Habana Rodriguez

I graduated from Holy Ghost College (now College of the Holy Spirit) with a degree in B.S.Chemistry. I taught Algebra, Physics and Geometry at Maryknoll Fathers’ High School in my hometown of Pakil, Laguna for 3 years. I then relocated to Manila and accepted another teaching position at the Philippine Women’s University Middle Division. In 1974, my family migrated to the United States of America, and I was employed at Shell Oil Company in California as a chemist until I retired in 2002. I’m happy to say my husband and I were blessed with four children (2 boys and 2 girls) and 5 grandchildren. With the school’s academic standards, I learned to excel with discipline in all my school work. I developed a wellrounded personality through music, dances, school plays, and other school activities. Without the strict but excellent supervision of the Superior and nuns, I will not be where I am today. St.Scholastica’s College had become the spine and strength of my goal in life and so, I was able to walk in the avenue of success. I owe it to my Alma Mater, St. Scholastica’s College.

Vivian Isorena Natividad

After graduating from the San Francisco College For Women in San Francisco, California, with a Bachelor of Arts, major in music, I came back to Manila and pursued my Bachelor of Music Education at St. Scholatica’s school of music. Eventually, I became a music educator at St. Scholastica, The Assumption Convent, San Lorenzo Preschool and the International School. I became the choral conductor for The Assumption Chorale as well as head of the music ministry of St. John Bosco Parish. Soon after, I married Francisco Hugo, a Lasallian, with whom I have two children, Rosanne Marie and Marie Veronique, both graduates of the Assumption Convent. Francis was a senior vice president of Ramitextiles for many years as its finance officer. Rosanne is an entertainment supplier/ event coordinator while Veronique is a teacher at Beacon International School. She is married to Paul Yap with whom she has a son, Tybalt Alexander. My best memories of school were the great times we had in Physics when Sr. Elizabeth would improvise a makeshift oven and bake some cookies while applying the principles of Physics. She made my senior year memorable in other ways as well, with her many photos of our class.

Rosemarie Kahn Hugo

The well known motto of St. Benedict, “Ora et Labora” is one that has remained a constant in my life, whether as a wife, mother or educator. I encouraged the youth in my parish to likewise remain prayerful when I served as an adult coordinator of the Antioch Youth Movement and as the President of the Ministry on Music. Today, as a board member of the Catholic Women’s Club, I go back many a time to the same motto in the service to the poor and destitute. My life is truly a fulfillment of the Scholastican in me.

I left Manila in 1964 to pursue a career in dietetics. One year of dietetic internship was spent at Harper Hospital and then 2 years spent for an MA in Foods & Nutrition at Wayne State University. Henry ford Hospital became the Holy Grail of my career since 1965, allowing my professional growth. Hopefully, the next major event in my life is returning to the Philippines which I will always call HOME. Henry Ford Hospital has afforded me the career opportunities to meet my professional needs. The area of expertise I chose was in research and clinical dietetics with specialty in all aspects of kidney disease and the replacement therapies. The past 12 years, I added also another specialty, liver disease and liver transplantation and at the same time maintaining the renal disease specialty.

Christina Kilates

Everyone is entitled to 15 minutes of fame in his/her lifetime, so here it is: • I was awarded as the 1st Recognized Renal Dietitian of Michigan by the National Kidney Foundation. • I defined the role of the renal dietitian as a member of the health care team in the 1979 Medical Manual of the Encyclopedia Britannica. • With my research and clinical experience in nutrition and kidney disease, these allowed me to be published in medical and nutrition journals such as: Kidney International, Diabetes Journal, Journal on Renal Nutrition and Mineral Metabolism, to name a few. A number of research publications have been cited in textbooks and medical journals. • I was invited to be a visiting lecturer at Wayne State University, Marygrove College and Mercy College. • I was invited as lecturer or as member of the faculty of several medical congress and conferences allowing me to travel quite extensively in the U.S. in cities such as Chicago, Kentucky, Washington D.C. and locally in Detroit. In Asia, I was also invited as lecturer or to present my research in Singapore, Hongkong and the Philippines. In Europe, I have lectured in Stockholm, United Kingdom at Harrogate, twice in Vienna, twice in Italy (Naples & Padua), twice in France (Lyon & Marseille) etc. • I was appointed as one of the 10 board examiners of the Renal Specialty Examination by the American Dietetic Association for certification as a renal specialist. With all these, it is humbling to know, that there is still a lot that I do not know and that there are a lot of individuals that know more than me. It is with the Benedictine spirit, education and discipline “Ora et Labora” that I was able to accomplish a little in my life. St. Scholastica’s College has equipped me with “a great but ordinary means to a great but ordinary end.” Society has given me a lot and in the coming years it will be my turn to render back to society of what I have taken.

I am married with two children: Samantha and George. Both my kids are living in the States; Samantha is in LA, working in a PR firm, while George manages a 5-star boutique hotel in Nantucket, MA. My husband John is an investment banker and financial consultant to certain firms and families in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. I lived in New York for a number of years and worked as a property manager for Brown, Harris, Stevens. I am now retired and currently a lady farmer, raising mostly lettuce and high-value crops on a small farm in Batangas. When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not at the farm, I play golf and spend time with my friends, trying to change the world. I look upon my years at SSC as the formative years, where I made most of my closest friends whom I still see a great deal. SSC provided the basis for my life... from Mother Gratia to High School... the influence of the Benedictine Nuns made it easier for my transition from college to moving to Germany, where I lived and worked for many years. And yes, I still believe in Discipline.

Esther Lee Sallee

My years in St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, with the guidance of my parents, has instilled in me a very high moral value, good discipline, and reputable character. My integrity is impeccable such that I was most often made the treasurer in many group activities. I worked with the Oppen Group of Companies for the past 40 years as Controller, wherein I am entrusted most of the financial activities and undertakings of the companies, as well as the personal funds of the owners. I graduated from St. Theresaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College in Manila with a degree of bachelor of Science in Commerce, major in Accounting. I passed the board and became a Certified Public Accountant. Before joining the Oppen Group of Companies, I worked with Carlos J. Valdes & Co., CPAs for 4 years. I am married to Maximo Roque, who I met during my stay at Carlos J. Valdez. We have four children (Michael, Dennis, Christine, and Raymond), and five grandchildren.

Choly Limjenco-Roque

Guia Lina Mercado After the intensive moral and spiritual training imposed by the German nuns in school, I felt motivated and strong enough to embark on a new journey away from the security and comfort offered by my parents. I decided to go to New York after graduation and enrolled at the Parsons School of Design in Manhattan. This wonderful and exciting city exposed me to various forms of art and sharpened my senses and helped me to become more creative in my work. It was also where I met my husband, Flor Mercado. After finishing my studies, my parents surprised me by coming to New York. They requested me to return to Manila and encouraged me to practice my profession back home. Interior Design was a relative novelty in Manila during the early 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Only a select few wanted to engage the services of a professional designer but I still managed to survive. It was a very interesting field. It gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of people who later became my clients and friends. I learned to study their likes and idiosyncrasies, and managed to work on their demands and meet their needs. I also got married and had a son. When Arne decided to study at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, a Lasallian school in Moraga, California. Flor and I agreed to accompany him. We relocated to San Francisco and maintained a residence there since the 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. My husband passed on 14 years ago. Despite being a widowed, I still have much to be grateful for, I often dine out with good friends, and we also enjoy the theatre, opera and symphony performances in the city. I thank the Lord for the guidance and blessings I have received and pray that He guides me along the way. If any of our classmates find themselves in this City by the Bay, I would like to invite them to look me up so that I can spend time with them.

Maritina Llamas Araneta Well... what is my life story? I have been a self-supporting divorced woman since 1978, and life has brought me to Los Angeles, where my parents lived. I moved to Las Vegas permanently in 1995. I was very active in our 40th reunion here; it was so much joy being with my alma mater SSC classmates. I am semi-retired, though Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still a licensed realtor. I have 4 grown kid, all married except for Frankie, who is happily working in Madrid. The rest live in Manila; Jim has 3 kids, Bettina has 1 son, and my youngest son Inaki has 2 girls. Basically thats it. I am enjoying this era of my life tremendously, as I have more time for my kids, grandkids, family and friends. And I thank God for all these blessings

Sylvia Martinez Severino I am married to Rolando C. Severino, a business executive. I finished B.S. Nutrition at PWU. We are blessed with 8 children and 20 grandchildren, 3 of whom are already professionals. I can never forget my school days in St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, where I learned many lessons in life and the value of self-sacrifice and hard-work and the trying to develop a relationship with God and bringing others closer to Him. I will never forget how they showed me the easiest way to God is thru Mama Mary and that LOVE is always the answer!

I should say, I did not take my studies very seriously! I had more play, play than work! Memorable moments? I was part of the Glee Club and I truly enjoyed the preparations for the stage performances as conducted by our beloved OT. I loved getting an award pinned on my lapel 2 years in a row, for having one of the nicest Mary Like dresses (thank you Flora Go!) The many parties held in my classmates residences and the women gossips after that. Raising Christmas funds, each time trying to outdo the other Section to get a recognition from Sr. Soledad As a member of the Sodality of Our Lady, the moral and spiritual values I have acquired in my relationship to God and to mankind. Whatever I do in this world, there is always a God that watches, and therfore, I know, my conscience tells me to do what is right and avoid what is wrong in my relationship to my husband, siblings, friends and employees.

Jazmin Or teg a Tubese

Adelwisa Panlilio Fer nandez I was married to Raul (Ace) Fernandez, PhD Chem Engineering, for 39 years before he succumbed to pancreatic cancer. We have four children. My eldest is Yvette, married to Marc Ferreol, living in New York and working with Bloomberg Television. She is currently one of the editors at Bloomberg MUSE, the arts and lifestyle section. The second was Jackie, an ophthalmologist fellow at Harvard, who died 8 months after her father, of ovarian cancer. She and her husband, Bobbit who is a doctoral candidate at Harvard School of Education, founded Carewell, whose mission is to give support, education and hope free of charge to cancer patients and their families. The third is Joey, who is a head teacher at Beacon School. Fourth is Lara, an architect at C/S Consultancy, an architectural firm. I work as a Building Administrator for two family owned buildings, and I am the proud owner of Azure Cafe and part-owner of La Piazza. I am actively involved in Carewell and the scholarship committee of Santuario de San Antonio Parish. I also love to cook and to travel.

Melania Rayos Alejandrino Growing up with the benedictine nuns has instilled in me the German discipline, a strong solid foundation enabling me to meet numerous challenges and contradictions in life. Thanks to them for they have taught us to have deep faith & trust in God. Now in the sunset of my life, I look at my past sand say to myself â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have survived.â&#x20AC;? Presently I am single, happy, fulfilled & independent. I have two wonderful children: Paul is married to Imelda Rimando with 2 sons, Nico ,a HS student at California HS, San Ramon,CA & Daniel a middle school student at Iron Horse Middle School,San Ramon. Ma. Elisa aka as Candy is married to Aurelio (Riley) Chaves with 3 children, Tricia , a college student at DLSU and Martin& Gab both HS student at Don Bosco, Makati. I always thank God for the scond chance of happiness and for the daily blessings & miracles. Hopefully my dear classmates it is also likewise with you- moving forward in the direction God wants us to go & following His will.

I was barely six years old when my aunt or cousin would take me to school for Grade 1 classes. I would cling to the classroom door every morning, yelling and crying, unwilling to go in but Sr. Ma. Concepcion would successfully pull me in after a major effort. My family, especially my Mom, had serious doubts about my desire to go to school since I had dropped out from Sr. Ma. Gratia’s famous kindergarten class the previous year. Little did I know what I was in for to get an education at St. Scholastica’s College. The workload was undeniably heavy but we had excellent teaching and guidance from the Benedictine sisters and our secular teachers. We were very fortunate to have had German sisters then who tried to straighten us out with their strict “German” discipline. All in all, I am very proud of the excellent education, discipline and guidance I had at St. Scholastica’s College. It was an experience with a shining star.

Mila Reyes C l a s s Va l e d i c t o r i a n 100 Outstanding Scholasticans Awardee

“Let nothing disturb you Let nothing frighten you All thing are passing God never changes Patient endurance attains all things Who has God, in nothing is wanting God alone suffices” Bookmark of St Teresa of Avila

I entered the Carmelite Monastery of Lipa on May 30, 1963, and I recieved the Carmelite habit on December of that year. I made my first Profession of Religious Vows in 1965, and my Solemn Profession of Vows in 1969. I was then “borrowed” by Laoag Carmel, and I was secretary to the first President of the newly formed Association of Carmelite Nuns of the Philippines. I then spent some time at Jaro Carmel before returning to Lipa carmel in 2001. I then served as the prioress of Lipa carmel from 2002 to 2005. I currently serve as a Councilor for the Association of Carmelite Nuns of the Philippines.

Cecilla Rillo (Sister Mary Grace)

Mercedes Rivera da Silva

Married to Antonio Da Silva in 1971, we have four children: Juan Carlos married to Celeste Abad; Maria Leilani; Jose Javier, married to Grazie Casquero; and Rafael Mateo. We also have six grandchildren: Joaquin, Diego, Lucia, Iggy, Ariana and Rocio. After high school graduation, I went on to earn a Bachelor degree in Music Education and Piano in St. Scholastica’s College. With an East West Center Scholarship, I was able to finish a Masters Degree in Music Education at the University of Hawaii. For the next 40 years, I taught music in SSC, Ateneo, Woodrose and the most years at the International School, Manila. After retirement in 2002, I have the JOY of being with my grandchildren and traveling to visit with many friends and classmates! Some of my memorable accomplishments is being class president of Year IV -A HS ‘58, Sodality Prefect in 1962; being awarded one of the 10 Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 1963, earning the East West Center Scholarship in 1964, and being one of the founders of the Philippine Society for Music Education in 1970. A poem Sister Irmengardis taught us in first year high school, “Life is What You Make it” influenced my philosophy in life. Daily Mass in our chapel, Sodality, SCA and the goodness of the Benedictine sisters throughout my student life influenced what discipline and character I developed through the years. My life till today is still ORA et LABORA! I will never forget Sisters Irmengardis, Irmburg, Lieou, Caridad, Scholastica, Ancilla, Veronica, Frideburga, Bruno, Elizabeth, Odiliana, Ildephonsa, Gunfrida. They were my mentors and spiritual mothers. Miss Amada Katigbak was my strict but loving piano teacher from first year high school till I made my recital in 1963! I am so grateful and blessed to have celebrated my High school Golden Jubilee with wonderful classmates in Feb.10, 2008. That in all things, GOD may be GLORIFIED!

Ve r a R o g u l s k y

I have no great achievements. I have no great wealth. I have no great successes. I go day by day doing little things. I visit my hospice (dying) patient once a week, taking her to lunch or bringing her lunch. We sit and talk, solve world problems, discuss the ruination of moral values or I just sit and become a presence when she can no longer talk and is preparing herself to take the last step. I bring oranges to my phototheraphy nurse because I know people take her for granted and maybe I just brightened her day. I make a bracelet or some bling for a friend and I listen to her ah and ooh and I delight in her joy. I lunch with friends, catch up, laugh and share a glass or two of wine. I take singing lessons for fun, but the best part is the “merienda” afterwards. Who knew I could sing in a choir as I flunked the audition for the singing class at St. Scho and was relegated to the sewing class which I absolutely hated. I never did finish embroidering the table cloth. On most Sundays I volunteer at the religious gift shop at church which is like “Central High” where people come and say hello. I restore an outdoor statue of Our Lady of LaSalette because she is peeling, rusting and is in disrepair. I clean, I paint and make her new again and she seems to be pleased. I attend funeral Masses and stand and grieve for the family, remember members of my family who died and think of what my funeral will be. Time is running too quickly and I can’t quite catch up. Before I know it another day has passed. Today, a friend calls and asks, would I teach a group of women and men a Filipino dance (Miss De Leon and Miss Constantino - are you impressed???)? Of course I agree. I did this two years ago with great panache. Who knew I could do this. I took art appreciation under Sr. Bruno - who knew I could paint in oils, acrylics or water color? I took creative writing under Mrs. Rotor, who knew I would write this tome? I never took arts and crafts, but who knew I would be able to design and make all sorts of jewelry.

During the years spent in San Francisco, I mingled and walked with many people: good people, sad people, happy people, the old, the young, mayors, police chiefs, religious, classmates who pop up, strangers who became extended family and friends. So, this is the woman I am today. My mother was first in shaping me, assisted by the likes of Sr. Elizabeth, Sr. Caridad, Mrs. Rotor, Sr. Bruno and all the wonderful and not so wonderful teachers who inspired, taught, preached, and teased my brain. Even the little nun who told me not to come back to the library for a while (I was there everyday) because I was reading too much and when did I do my homework. (Undaunted, I am still a voracious reader. They all had a hand in making me, in helping me assimilate, absorb, breathe, and grow, not seeing the result, but hoping I would become what a true Scholastican is - caring, compassionate, and a joyful person. I am truly blessed to have journeyed through the halls of St. Scho, sat under the mango tree (as we all did), eating siomai or drinking Tru Orange at the cafeteria with the “Ricky Ticklers” - Marina Uy, Demy Vidal, Millie Ejaype, Cholly Limhengco, Nora De Gala, Helen Johnson, and Marinela Nicholas (RIP), eating buko at Villa Escudero during a field trip or enjoying Nido Beach in Cavite, hanging out at the physics lab with Sr. Elizabeth and her camera constantly snapping photos, looking at movie magazines and getting caught by Sr. Liguori, demerits for chatting in Tagalog, etc. The memories of events go dim, but classmates and teachers are remembered and appreciated. As I go through my “Memories of Yesterday,” classmates write about Miss De Leon’s sexy dances, Sr. Kikay’s “silence or it’s none of your business,” Sr. Lieu’s stories, Sr. Frideburga’s daily sermons, and laughing sessions. Family, classmates, teachers - all had a part in me and I hope I emerged as a kind and good person with a generous giving spirit and loyal to truth and values.

I got married to Albert Anido and we had six children. Alfie went into acting with Regal Films, but died very early. Babita is living on her own; she is a partner at Rocks, a jewelry shop at Greenbelt 5. Gigi is currently in the States with her husband. Abet is currently working as a manager in Quezon City. April is working in a Call Center in Makati, and Arianne is working with Babita. I am now a widow as Bert died back in 2003. I totally enjoyed my high school days! My time in St Scholastica was one of my happiest moments in my life! With all the naughtiness and kalokohan going around, my high school life was truly memorable! I was happy that the German Nuns were very strict with us. I probably wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be where I am now if it werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for them! I am proud to be a Scholastican because of them!

Sarah Serrano Anido

Georgiana Setzer Unson

My family moved to the US in 1985 mainly because we did not see a future for our two sons in the Philippines. On hindsight, this was a good decision â&#x20AC;&#x201C; my two sons are now on their own, one being a doctor with his own practice, the other a computer engineer who has worked with various tech companies including Sun Microsystems and Yahoo. My husband and I are now retired and spend our time working our home, being involved in church activities, and traveling from time to time. Thinking back to my SSC days and what is the most important thing that I took out of SSC - I do not think there is any one single thing that stands out but rather it is a compilation of things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; being in a religious school that grounded me in my faith, the school itself which provided the environment for me to learn and make friends, my classmates and schoolmates with whom I interacted, the nuns who somehow provided me with a great sense of value and inner peace, all these things combined to help make me the person I am today.

Rosario Simpao Ignacio Ever since my early childhood, I always knew I would be a doctor. In May, 1966, this dream came true despite the numerous road blocks that I encountered. I got married early, after my first year of medicine proper, but,contrary to expectations, I continued with my studies. When I walked up the stage to receive my diploma, I already had two children who witnessed that important milestone. Because of my family obligations, I made a choice to teach at the Medical College of UST instead of going into clinical practice. After 13 years and 3 more children, my family decided to relocate to the United States. Initially, I was content to care for my family and manage a small business but when I was presented the opportunity to join a residency program, I knew that God was giving me a second chance to pursue my lifelong ambition. With my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessing I moved to Maryland to join a hospital. The work was a major challenge, with long hours and hard labor. I felt the anguish of separation from my family who remained in San Francisco. Three years later, with another son added to the family, I completed my training. I set out to establish a private practice in Virginia after my family joined me. I am now 65 and proud to be who I am, Wife, Mother and Physician. When people ask me when will I retire, I say, as long as I still love and enjoy my work and my patients still need me and the Lord gives me the strength to care for them, I will continue to pursue the final chapter of that childhood dream .

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m married to Paul William & blessed with 4 wonderful kids, Warren, Andrew, Lorelei, & Terrence. My eldest son, Warren is married to Leonora. They have 2 kids, Leslie & Wesly (fraternal twins), now 11 years studying at St. Jude. My second son Andrew is married to Cynthia and has 2 sons, Keith, a grade 1 student in Xavier, & Kyle, a nursery student at St. Mark. All my children are very active in running our business, W&L Corp., located in Q.C., a direct importer of bearings & filters, used in all sorts of automotives & industrials applications. St. Scho has taught me to be God fearing, independent, self-disciplined, business minded, helpful to those are in need, gift of sharing & not to be self centered. My memorable moments in St. Scho are of my classmates who are very helpful when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in need.

Lilian Sy Uy

Being married happily to George for 44 years, I thank the Lord for giving us eight healthy kids (Raymond, Grace, Raphael, Gretchen, Geraldine, Gladys, Randolph, and Roniel John) and eleven loving grandchildren (Rino, Margaret, Paolo, Raimus, Annika, Gian, Richard, Marcus, Sabrina, Andrew, and Jessica). My education at St Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College motivated me to send all my children to catholic schools. Thank God all of them are professionals with a solid foundation. Now that the Golden Jubilee has come and gone, my dream now is for us to celebrate the DIAMOND Jubilee!

Rebecca Tablante Precilla

Nora Sycip Lim

I love to remember my highschool days with my classmates of 50 years ago. Things we did in class, PE, recess, laughing and chatting even about the most silly things, going to movies together etc. are all precious memories for me, never to be forgotten. My classmates are truly friends that you cannot replace as they know you well and we can just relax and enjoy each others company without any pretense. I feel very lucky and thankful to have such a beautiful group of friends. Friends of more than 50 years is hard to find and something to be treasured forever. I am thankful to SSC for giving me have a very good foundation in my education. This developed me into a well rounded person so that I can cope with my work in the bank after graduation and then working with my husband. We have a wonderful family anyone would be proud of, Mimi a finance major from La Salle and used to work in investment banking but now works with her husband. Marge who is an Atenean management engineering and worked with Unilever for many years and now resides in the US with her husband. Ren is a La Salle Computer Science graduate who also worked in a bank but now also working with her husband, Kelly who finished economics in the US works in JP Morgan and my only son Marvin who also graduated management engineering from the US and now works in Macquarie Bank. My children are all successful in their work they found and happy with their family. I am now semi retired while Mac is now retired. We travel every now and then and at our age, naturally look forward to visits each week from our five grandchildren.

Fondest memory from St. Scholastica’s? I remember that most of my classmates called me “Dalaga”. According to them, it was because I was “Ladylike”. At this point in my life, I am most thankful for having a loving husband (Rene Zalamea) and my lovable children (Maylyn, Eric, and Melanie).

Hedy Umali Zalamea

After St. Scholastica, I took up and finished BS Pharmacy at UST. . I took care of two girls, Cora and Ria, and sent them to school. Cora now has four kids, while Ria is a Psychometrician at Paco Catholic School. My family is engaged in the Sugar industry.

Carmelita Unson

What did I learn from St Scholastica that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always cherished & took to heart up to now?

Ora et Labora This motto helped me endure and overcome the difficulties I faced while pursuing my Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Iowa and studying for my Actuarial Fellowship exams. I lived my life by this motto.

Marina Uy Boma

I consider myself very fortunate to have pursued my elementary and high school education at St. Scholastica. The school and teacher’s emphasis on knowledge, morality, and religion have made me who I am today. In 1963, I married Tony Rocha. We enjoy a wonderful partnership together that has grown continuously over the past 45 years. We brought into this world three sons and a daughter. While our eldest (Tony Jr.) and our youngest (Ina) are happily single, our second son (Carlos) and third son (Miguel) have given us three marvelous grandchildren. They are two amazing boys (Carlos Jr. and Santi) from Carlos, and a precious granddaughter (Frances) from Miguel. In 1971, we relocated our family to San Francisco, California where we continue to reside. St. Scholastica provided me with the tools to become a devoted, loving wife, a proud mother, and a productive member of my community. Over the past 20 years, I’ve also been a sales associate at Macy’s, and still find time to play Elvis songs on my Ukalele.

L i a Ve l o s o R o c h a

It’s hard to imagine that 50 years had gone by since we left the portals of St. Scholastica’s College. But because our alma mater has equipped us with the necessary smarts to face the challenges of the world, we came out to be productive citizens, making a difference in the lives of our family, friends and community. Having been under the tutelage of the great teachers we had from kinder to our senior year in high school, I am what I am today because of their high academic standards. The most critical matter that was inculcated in my mind from the education that I got from SSC is to have great faith, hope and trust in the Lord. This has been my guiding light throughout my life and for this, I will always be grateful to my alma mater.

Cecilia Viola Cruz

After high school, I enrolled at the University of the Philippines with fellow Scholasticans, Rookie Abad Santos (Veloso) and Guia Recio (Santos). We were inseparable during those years and shared many memorable moments. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree major in Social Sciences, I worked for the President of the Republic Group of Corporations for more than 7 years but the call to see the other side of world was so tempting that, armed with the determination to succeed further in life, I migrated to Canada in 1970. Not long after, I married Bert Cruz who I met at Republic Flour Mills. After years of raising three daughters, they successfully obtained their diplomas from various universities in Ontario. Veronica Cruz-Milne is a Public Health Officer with the City of Toronto, Jennifer Cruz, is with Ontario Infrastructure and Melissa is with Fairmont Hotels in Vancouver. We are blessed with a brand new grandchild, Sabrina, who is 2 months old today. By next year, I will retire from the accounting firm I’ve been with for almost 30 years. Bert and I have found a new life as members of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community in Toronto, serving in the Leadership Conference as Secretariat Coordinators. Our affiliation with the BLD has further strengthened our faith and we truly enjoy being in a community of believers. Life has been good to me and my family and it is only by serving the Lord through the BLD Community, that we are able to show to Him our love and gratitude.

I am not a woman of many words, di ako ma-palabok. I can safely say, though, that the lessons I learned from St Scholastica, I was able to practice everyday in my life. From doing volunteer work in Baclaran Church, to loving my two children, the lessons served me well.

Demy Vidal

I have chosen to remain single, and I am enjoying every minute of my single blessedness! After my retirement from Chinabank, where I was an Account Officer with the Corporate banking group for twenty years, I am now an independent Beauty Consultant for MaryKay Cosmetics, a multinational company, as I want to keep myself productive and busy. I am also happy to note that I have excelled in my MaryKay career, being a consistent top Beauty Consultant for the past four years. I am proud to be a Scholastican. The education and discipline that I have received from the Benedictine Sisters has been very applicable to my everyday life.

G e o r g i a n a Yu

L i n d a Yu Wa l k e r

I left Manila for New York City in 1969; attended graduate school of business for my MBA. Became a corporate banker at the New York office of a major Chicago money-center wholesale bank. I then transferred to Atlanta with four others from Chicago to start up a regional office covering a 7-state region in the Southeast. Eventually taken off the line and transferred to a staff position at the head office in Chicago. My first assignment was training Manager, lecturing and training new MBAs on corporate lending. After two years of that, I became Chief of Staff of a $2 Billion department. After two years, I was assigned back to a line position in the Highly Leveraged Transaction Group, primarily doing leveraged buyouts and mergers and acquisitions. I eventually retired in 2008. My husband Lindsay and I have been married since 1972. After leaving New York, we became a commuting couple, as we worked in different cities and would only get together only on weekends. We are now living together fulltime in Southern California. I used to rebel inwardly against the strictness of the institution, and the many rules that we had to follow. In retrospect, I felt we were too sheltered, so overly naive after leaving school to deal with the realities of life and the world we live in. However, who I am today is a result of the ethical, moral, and social values taught by the nuns, for which I am grateful. I am equally grateful for the integrity they have instilled in me, giving me strong principles to live by. In hindsight, the strictness and the rules have been beneficial. The other value I learned from being schooled at St. Scholastica’s is the discipline that we received. I believe I am fairly disciplined today and I attribute this to how I was “raised” at St. Scholastica’s College. Thus, I have the utmost respect and the deepest gratitude for St. Scholastica’s College and for all the invaluable guidance the school has given me.

L i l y Yu M o n t e ve r d e Much has been written about Mother Lily (Monteverde), how she started out, how she succeeded (and failed too along the way), her outbursts, her shrewdness, her sometimes unorthodox ways, and even her personal life. It’s not always that she is written about in a flattering light, and one thing is certain - in the history of Philippine cinema, Mother Lily is a legend in her own right! Her reputation precedes her and no matter what, many people would think they owe their lives to her. Today, she is among the very few who has continued to produce movies even if sometimes her films fail to break even at the box-office, because according to her, filmmaking is her passion and mission in life. Her father had to put her in convents (at St. Scholastica’s and Maryknoll where she spent eight years in all but never finished her college course!) in an effort to tame her, but the young and adventurous Lily got her own ways, sneaking during the day or even night either to go to Sampaguita or LVN Studios to see her favorite movie stars, or to meet her suitors at nearby Ateneo de Manila University. At St. Scholastica’s, she so upset one of the nuns that she told her pointblank: “You’ll never succeed in life!” She’s still a nun when she saw her last, while Mother Lily has become a legend. In 1974, with P400,000 she was able to raise from re-issuing foreign movies, she felt she was ready. She used that money to produce “Kayod sa Araw, Kayod sa Gabi.” It was a boxoffice hit in 1976, it made P4 million. And with that, Regal Films was born.

In the ‘80s, Regal Films enjoyed a spectacular growth and Mother Lily launched a new generation of stars - the socalled Regal Babies. Among them were Maricel Soriano, Aga Muhlach, Gabby Concepcion, Dina Bonnevie, Snooky, William and Albert Martinez, and Kris Aquino. So far, Mother Lily has produced close to 1,000 films. She succeeded as a movie producer (and even more so in her real estate business) because she is very focused in anything she does, she said. Today, “the Filipino film industry is still fighting for survival, we still have the same problems as before: piracy, high cost of production, taxation, competition from Hollywood and a government that doesn’t seem to support the film industry.” But she refuses to let the economy and the shortcomings of the Philippine government to dampen her spirits, she stressed.

Sourced from http://bizsuccess.manila.ph

We h a v e c o m e h o m e . And we have come full circle.

Zenaida Carmona

Te r e s i t a B a g t a s

Imelda Cerrado

Dr Sonia Garcia Rosario

Helen Johnson Sartaguda

Flora Go

Richilda Lazaro Salgado Ludette Mossesgeld Moy

Linda Perez

Dorothy Paraz Santos

Guia Recio Santos

Susan Sandejas - Gomez

Vivian Tan Uy

Class Salutatorian

We â&#x20AC;&#x2122; r e m i s s i n g YO U !

Those who have gone ahead... Marinella Nicholas Sanchez R e m e d i o s S e v i l l a n o Yo u n g B e l e n To r r e s D u r a n

Rita Ching Tan Celia Coscolluela Victorino Laura Dionisio Mary Ann Francisco Magpile Arlyne Gamatero Romero Rosemarie Garcia Ching Milagros Gatmaytan Betty Go Leonora Gonzales Ilarde Violeta Granda Corazon Henares Anita Lahoz Quisumbing Merceditas Lanuza Pilar Lanuza Te r e s i t a L l o r e t Eloisa Lucero Pareno Marin Madrinan Samonte Gliceria Mananzan Rosario Erlinda Mesa Carlos Violeta de Mesa Marmalejo Car men Navar ro Pedrosa Enriquita Quimpo Reynoso Mila Relova Nolasco Leticia Rosete Lourma Salcedo Evelyn Suarez Lita Tible Leonor Frances Tiongson Issac R o s a l i e To n g s o n V i l l a n u e v a

The Long Road Home

So what’s the big deal about Batch ‘58 wearing 80’s glam and dancing to “Footloose” for their 2008 performance? They’ve done this before.

Sure, it brought the house down, but everybody should have expected it from this batch. The showstoppers. The headliners. Go back twenty-five years, back to 1983, when batch ‘58 hosted the Alumni Homecoming for that year. One word: Broadway. Baby Barredo wanted to turn the entire homecoming into a Broadway spectacle, and everybody else was too scared to say no. So Broadway it was.

If we were to look for a moment during that Alumni Homecoming that best describes what was going on, we only have to turn to Letty Corpuz (Syquia) and her short stint as a Broadway Showgirl. The epitome of “prim and proper”, Letty was prevailed upon to perform as a Showgirl. Decked in showgirl garb, this was the most daring ensemble we have ever seen her wear. Even her children (bless them) have never seen their mother wear anything like that! Yet there she was, looking every bit the Broadway Showgirl, dancing her heart out. And that was the story of Batch ‘58 Silver Jubilee. It’s safe to say that not everybody felt comfortable doing Baby’s vision. Nevertheless, everybody sucked it up, got down to work, and gave it their all. And in the end, we were all glad we did our best.

Well, we can never blame Baby for not pulling out all the stops. With the resources of Repertory Philippines at her disposal, she made sure that Batch ‘58’s take on Broadway didn’t look sloppy and amateurish. She even went as far as to tap some Rep kids to perform along with us. Yes, that included a very, very young Lea Salonga, among others.

The 1983 Alumni Homecoming was a breakthrough in so many ways. If only for the fact that Baby turned her entire batch into a Broadway spectacle, that should be enough. And yet, there are other reasons why this Alumni Homecoming is unmatched to this day. •

• •

We were the first batch to turn the Homecoming into our very own musical production. We masterplanned the event as if it was an actual Broadway Musical. We were the first batch to include our children in the performances. We started a trend. Before this, homecomings were cut-and-dried affairs. Jubilee batches came and performed one number. After 1983, there was a marked improvement in the succeeding Alumni Homecomings.

So you see, as much as the 2008 Golden Jubilee performance was stunning, it was the least we could do. Once you’ve raised the bar, there’s nothing left to do but to raise it again.

We may have gone our separate ways after 1983, but we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stray too far.

It would seem that we cared for each other as batchmates and friends that we would find any reason, any excuse to meet up. Excursions, birthdays, anniversaries, ordinations, outings, mahjong sessions -- any reason at all!

On the other side of the world, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve kept the ties strong as well

It may have been much harder for these women to meet up -- the US is a big country -but they do make the most of all their get-togethers

SSC 1998 Alumni Homecoming Ruby Jubilarians For this Alumni Homecoming, Batch ‘58 went the Filipiñana route. Sure, it’s a far cry from that Broadway spectacle they pulled off 15 years earlier, but a performance is a performance.

SSC 2003 Alumni Homecoming Sapphire Jubilarians This time around, Batch ‘58 did a rousing Boogie number. Well, we thought it was rousing enough at that time.

The Golden Girls started meeting and planning for the 2008 Alumni Homecoming as early as 2007. They were informed by

Batch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;83 that this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homecoming would have an eighties theme, and the girls wanted to come up with a performance that was worthy of a Golden Jubilee performance. It was decided that Baby Barredo should helm this performance again. Since she was the architect of that groundbreaking â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;83 Homecoming, perhaps she could weave her magic again for 2008. Baby accepted, but only if the batch was going to listen to her. It has been twenty-five years since their turn with Broadway, and the Golden Girls were understandably had more to take care of in their plate than they did back then. There was also the passage of time; some of the girls aged gracefully, some, well, aged.

The Girls got in line again, just as they did twenty-five years ago. They realized that, to do something monumental and great, to stay true to what they achieved back in 1983, they would have to give their time and their heart to this performance

After a few meetings, we still couldn’t lock down what we wanted to do.

One thing was for sure: there was no way we would hit the stage looking like ailing old women.

None of us felt old; give or take the occasional aches and pains, all of us felt young and vibrant. And all of us felt that we wanted to do something crazy, we wanted to do something off the charts.

Eventually, it was decided that we would dance to two 80s staples: “Buttercup” and “Footloose”. It was also decided that this was going to be a full, energetic production number, not merely some lame dance. To this end, Baby brought in one of her choreographers, Deanna Aquino, to come up with a rather complicated but fun number for us to do. So we were now decided with what we were going to do.

Now came the hard part: learning the whole production number.

The “bonding” (has been) 50-50! Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not! Carmen Filamor Canapi

Once again, we have bonded like we did when we had our twenty-fifth! Cecille Castro Pecson Oh, it was great! This started (for me) in New York, because I was emailing everybody in the US. Can you imagine that I haven’t talked to some of them for 50 years? Wow, it was really very delightful! Lourdes Gotauco

It took us a while to recognize everybody! I hate to admit it! Esther Lee Sallee

Baby weaves her magic again. Should we expect anything less from her? The woman behind the success of Repertory Philippines, and the architect behind the successful 1983 production, Baby Barredo once again drew up a production number for our batch that was guaranteed to be a knockout!

Our Unsung Hero.

Deanna Aquino, shown here leading a last-minute rehearsal, will always have a special place in our hearts. This choreographer was very diligent and patient towards our batch. It’s not easy getting a group of embattled “Senior Citizens” to listen to you, much less Scholasticans at that, but somehow she prevailed and won us over.

The practice sessions at the Repertory became a real theatrical production to me.

It was like watching a soap opera starring my classmates in their personal dramas with their personalities unfolding. Having read the book “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle (who also wrote “The Power of Now”), I was reminded of passages in his book and recognized the ego factor at work -- sometimes subtly, sometimes flauntingly. This book, with its insights, has taught me to bear witness rather than be involved; to observe rather than connect to the drama acting out. My first encounter with the ego was on the first time I attended practice. I went early and those in the blue group were only too happy to share the steps they learned. One from the orange group told me the positions in HER group were filled so there was no reason to show me. Ironically, I ended up doing the same dance routine as her group. Was what her fear? What would be lost in the teaching? I was asked by two members of my group to change positions with them. The first time I did step aside and the choreographer changed us back to our original positions. The second time, I suggested that the matter be taken up with the choreographer or the director. Did they feel “less” because they were not in front and center? Was their position on the stage their measuring stick of their importance? Another way that ego was evident was through negativity -- negative comments, negative facial expression, negative body language. etc. Complaints during the practices were abundant. Some were valid. Most of the time it was the ego’s need to feel superior. Such emotional energy is enough to contaminate large areas of one’s life. One’s home? The planet? And who wants to be around such energy? “Name dropping” amused me. Do you feel you are more important through your association with someone “important”, “rich” or “famous?” Does it work with people who don’t know the importance or fame of the persons being mentioned? Does your title go with you when you leave this planet? Are you not worthy enough to stand alone as you are? How do you measure your worth? After you shed the image, the title, or position, what is your TRUE identity? Millie Ejaype Williams

When you gather together a group of Scholasticans in their prime, be prepared for fireworks. The rehearsals were, as Millie pointed

out, a constant clashing of egos, with nobody taking any quarter and nobody backing down. At least, during the start. Ultimately, we all fell in line, kept ourselves in check, and worked our backs off to make sure weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have one stunner of a performance.

We may have different temperaments, beliefs, priorities, and what have you. Some of us have to be pandered to, some of us were troopers. Some of us gave sixty percent, seventy percent, while others gave ninety percent, a hundred percent, maybe more! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the way it is, in this group as well as in the world we live in. The thing is, when it mattered the most, we all buckled down to work and got things down.

The thing with fireworks, they burn hot, they burn fast, but boy do they make one heck of a show!

The Event

Preparing for the big day was a production number in itself.

Most of the Golden Girls filed into various parlors and beauty salons to have their hair and make-up done. Baby Barredo offered the services of Repertory Philippines make-up artists, and a handful of them took Baby up on her offer.

The Calm. Resplendent in Gold, the Golden Girls started to arrive at St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the Alumni Homecoming. There was a palpable excitement in the air.

Before the Storm.

They arrived, one after the other. Some came alone, others came with entire families in tow, and quite a few arrived in groups, like inseparable sisters. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a real reunion in the purest sense of the word -- most of the Golden Girls have been attending meetings and rehearsing for the past couple of months -- but there was a lot of love to go around between all of them anyway.

Is it our imagination, or do these Golden Jubilarians look younger than they actually are?

Time for some introspection

The Golden Girls gathered at the chapel for the Thanksgiving Mass. Scholasticans young and old took this time to give thanks for all the blessings they have received, and to give honor to the school that shaped them into the women they are today.

After the Thanksgiving Mass, the Golden Girls filed into a classroom and quickly exchanged their gold outfits for the Madonna-inspired numbers they were going to wear. It felt like Mardi Gras in the makeshift dressing room, and all of us were invited.

There was none of the nerves, apprehension, and tension youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expect from a group about to perform like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never before. Instead, the atmosphere inside that classroom was festive, joyful, jubilant even. It was a celebration in there.

Decking themselves (and each other) in ribbons, feathers, tons of jewelry (real and fake), glitter and sequins, laughing and giggling all the time, It was like watching a group of teenage girls dressing up for the High School Prom, although this would be have been the most outlandish prom in the history of proms. Could this be the start of a trend? Performances by Golden Jubilarians usually tended to be dreary and slow, a concession to the weight of their age bearing down on their backs and knees. But here we have a batch that planned an outlandish, energetic number that nobody would expect from women of their age. Was this a sign that the world was getting younger, that 60 really is the new 40, and that we could expect more of this in the years to come?

Or was this the result of a collective meeting of minds, the decision of an extraordinary batch to do something totally out-of-this-world? Anchored by a visionary creative force (Baby Barredo), and about to be unleashed by a group that were dying to do something this crazy, could this be Batch ‘58’s legacy? Just like 25 years ago, was this batch really about making headlines and statements? We’re they real pioneers, well ahead of their time? Only time will tell.

The Eighties were in full swing in St. Cecilia, at least for one more night. From the groovy event logo, to their choice of music

and gimmicks, to getting no less than Gary V. to electrify the captive audience, Batch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;83 made sure that this Alumni Homecoming was going to be more energetic and festive than any Homecoming ever staged. Which suited the Golden Girls just well. They were about to stun everyone in St. Cecilia with a performance nobody was expecting from them.

This was the “Bluff ”.

Coming out to “Buttercup”, the Golden Girls sashayed onto the stage, clapping and swaying to that cheesy Eighties song. For the unsuspecting audience, this was a good enough departure from the usual performances of Golden Jubilarians of the past. It was enough for them that this year’s Golden Jubilarians chose to go out looking like Madonna.

Little did they suspect that this was only the intro...

Here comes the Swerve.

Just when the audience was beginning to believe that “Buttercup” was all they were going to get, the opening guitar riffs of “Footloose” cut through the music, and the all the Golden Girls cleared the stage, leaving five of their own to do a posedown. At this point, it was very clear to the spectators that

this wasn’t going to be the typical, run-of-the-mill performance you’d expect from a Golden Jubilee batch.

This is where the real party started.

With Kenny Loggin’s “Footloose” blaring over the Auditorium, the Golden Girls, well, let loose. Divided into three groups (Orange, Blue, and Green), each group had a rather vigorous dance routine to pull off, before merging for the finale. So just how energetic were the Golden Girls? Let’s just put

there were younger batches that looked older than the Golden Girls. Don’t it this way:

worry, we won’t name names. You know who you are.

For six minutes, the Golden Girls weren’t in their late sixties. They They They They

weren’t wives, mothers, and grandmothers. weren’t successful doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, teachers, producers, bankers, social workers, directors, entrepreneurs. didn’t own booming businesses, they weren’t in positions of power, they haven’t changed the world yet. weren’t the extraordinary women they are today.

Instead, for six minutes, it was 1958 all over again, and they were once again this extraordinary batch of girls, molded and formed in the spirit of St. Scholastica.

Full of boundless energy, they danced to their heart’s content and gave all of us a performance never to be forgotten.

The performance may have only lasted six minutes, but the memories will remain in their hearts and minds forever.

Epilogue February 10, 2008 -- another date, another experience to be recorded in our Book of Memories. It was an event, just like our high school graduation over fifty years ago, with the exception of how life changed us. Observing my classmates during our time together, especially the dance practices, was priceless for me. We all had our paths to walk that led us to Homecoming Day. Getting to THAT day was more interesting to me than the day itself. It is not the goal, but the process or journey getting to the goal, that teaches us our lessons in life. We then choose to either be fast or slow learners or stay stagnant and not learn. The first social event I attended was the “Three Kings Party” hosted by Baby Barredo. The game played, especially for those arriving from abroad or the provinces, was “how many do you recognize?” of our classmates. Some I recognized immediately. Others I recognized after they spoke. In physical appearance, we all changed. Most matured gracefully; some aged. Some got a little help from their cosmetic surgeon...and more power to them! Some stayed single. Others are married, divorced or widowed. Some achieved fame through their profession -- medicine, journalism, theater, movie industry, finance, and family-owned businesses. Some are still employed; most are happily retired and relish their roles of “Lola”, “Nana” or “Grandma”. It was a time to “bond” (that seems to be the operative word). We shared stories about our school days. How the Benedictine German nuns molded us through their physical punishment -- who remembers her ear being pinched by Sister Narcisa in 5th grade? When we had to remove our shoes to get to our classroom so we would learn to walk like young ladies instead of a herd of cows? Those “humbling” experiences prepared us for the humble pies life would have us eat. When we went on strike when our Spanish teacher went back on her word she wouldn’t give us a test on a certain day and did... and we all intentionally flunked it? The lesson was to have word of honor and to stand for what is right. “Ribbon Day” when we all wore ribbons on our hair? Happiness comes with togetherness. How hard we worked for the Christmas Drive to get a free day at the beach? Again, the process taught us how sweet it is to reach our goal TOGETHER. It is in togetherness -- being ONE -- that we gain strength. As we create and live with positive energy, we can change the earth’s vibrational frequency so we can all come from the place of love and understanding because WE ARE ONE. There was not enough time to share 50 years worth of memories with everyone but it was great to have the time to reconnect and bond. In the end, what really connected us was laughter. How simple and wonderful is that? Not much different from graduation, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways once more. So we will continue to walk our paths that will lead us to Homecoming Day 2013 Millie Ejaype - Williams

Post Homecoming Activities

CONGRATULATIONS TO HS CLASS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;58 ON OUR GOLDEN JUBILEE May the good Lord continue to shower us with his graces and blessings, and may we have many, many more years of friendship, camaraderie, and good health! Mila Reyes

Congratulations to our fellow Scholasticans of High School 1958 for achieving the Golden Jubilee milestone. Sincere appreciation to the Organizing Committee for the successful celebration to honor each of us. A special acknowledgement and commendation to the individuals who lend their outstanding support and service and rose to the occasion. TINA KILATES

Congratulations, Batchmates! Lily Yu Monteverde

Congratulations to the Golden Girls! Vera Rogulsky

Congratulations to the Golden Girls of Batch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;58! Compliments of Lilian Sy

More power to

The Golden Girls! Rosario Simpao

Congratulations to HS Class â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;58!

From the Ghosh Family (Rosario Charito Ghosh, Rontu Ghosh, & Reena Ghosh)

Congratulations Batchmates!

We did it! From Demi, Dely, Ditas, & Nora

Acknowledgements Our first round of thanks have to go to the fantastic group of girls, without which this whole affair would have fallen apart. Of course, we have to hand it to Cecile Castro Pecson, who was the overall head of the batch for this reunion. We would also want to thank those who have lent their time, effort, and resources to make everything a smashing success. To Dely Panlilio Fernandez, for graciously lending her house for all those meetings, to Lourdes Gotauco, for helping out with coordinating with our classmates residing in the States, to Millie Ejaype Williams, for lending her time and effort, as well as writing a very nice article. Super, super thanks to all of those who hosted all those wonderful lunches and dinners: Lily Yu Monteverde, Lita Atienza Castillo , Sonja Habana Rodriguez, Hedy Umali Zalamea, and Rosario Carmona Ghosh. Thank you, Ging Garcia, our “honorary classmate”, for that wonderful lechon. Thanks too for those who brought food for all those meetings. Then, we have to thank Baby Barredo, whose extraordinary vision and extreme patience made performers out of a bunch of “spoiled brats” (as she would describe us!). Well Baby, you did it again! Special thanks also has to go to Deanna Aquino, our choreographer from Repertory Philippines, who diligently taught us our moves over, and over, AND OVER, and over again. Special thanks, also, to the incomparable Oskar Peralta, who went out of his way to design and manufacture our wonderful costumes for the event. Video coverage, photo coverage, and the design and execution of this book of memories were given as “a labor of love” by RB Canapi and his fledging production house, psychoCOW productions. Speaking of which, thanks to Lita Unson for taking photos of ALL our activities through the years, and everybody else who shared those photos you see on this book of memories, and thanks to Mila Reyes for that cute article. Many, many thanks to Camen Filamor Canapi, who did EVERYTHING she could -- from contacting batchmates here and abroad, to helping out with the coordination, to looking for suppliers, to soliciting sponsorships here and in the US, to as far as to look over every single detail and hound everybody for this book -- to make this event a smashing success! And to all of you who helped out in their own way to make this part of our journey truly memorable... THANK YOU. You know who you are!

3rd Genaration Awardees

Mother & Daughter Jubilarians

Carmen Filamor Canapi Chita Gamboa Puno Melania Rayos Alejandrino

Carmen Filamor & Tanya Canapi Cynthia de Ocampo & Pebbles Primero