HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: REIGNITING FRIENDSHIPS & CAMARADERIE

 HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: REIGNITING FRIENDSHIP & CAMARADERIE

By Henry Libo-on, Class '71.

* * * * * * * * * * 

 

Source: Bacolod City National High School Facebook Page.

Thank you.

 

Introduction

For the past 53 years, most of our classmates and members of Class 1971 have never met in most of our high school reunions. Distance, jobs, and family matters are some of the reasons why most of our fellow graduates do not make it to the Class Reunion.

That is why, the campaign for more attendance during reunions have been earnestly conducted by the alumni officers and batch leaders.

Be that as it may, the attendance did not reach the expectation of most members of the Class or Batches. I was involved in alumni affairs of the university where I graduated from and the problem on attendance was the same as our high school class reunions.

So, those members of the class and batches have to exert their best efforts to increase the attendance. 

I would like to congratulate the alumni from all over and those coming from abroad for their presence and involvement in those events and activities. "Siguro nyo na lang next time, nga wala sang may ma balda kay indi na kamo joven bala...haha."

The spirit of "taga city high" was kept alive by this year's class reunion and those events conducted before this reunion such as the "despedida" party for Rosema and Anna at Imay's. 

* * * * * * * 

Also, there were a "packet" of meetups with close friends from high school that were organized by, for example, Cecille, Leah, Lucena, Tess E., Dominga, Marissa, Emelia, Celia N, and many, many others. 

Rosanna, even if she's in the big apple, had been actively organizing the meetups. To those whom I failed to mention, please make a comment below, haha....sorry kon nalipatan ta kamo, charge it to "senior's moment", lol. Bawi-on ko na lang sa pag publish sang inyo pictures. 

Of course, I would like to mention, Nani ... Deogracias (asta subong ga worry gid sya kon nga-a kataas sang balayran nya sa kuryente...ask Joji, joke lang Ji....Victor, Joemarie (dala mo migs, imo editorial board sa CREAM?)... and all for their presence too. Pacencia mga schoolmates, I cannot memorize all your names, but I cannot forget your faces....who can forget those faces nga daw mga matinee idols?

I spotted, Edna A., Mars Z, Tersah, Sonia, Merlinda, Edith, Cora ang miss naton sa Sugarland, Gee, Joji (Ji, where is Pilar?). I also spotted Edith M, Monina, Ma. Theresa C., Antonia M., Priscilla, Xavier, Henry R., Marilyn T. who was manning the Registration together with the others. 

Did I see Arturo G? joke lang, he was there at the back less his hunting gears but busy ensuring that those bottles will be empty, haha. He's not alone though...upod nya mga world-class golfers, ina bala nga "gulp...gulp". Joke lang guys, ma "hunter" na lang ko ya sa Patag, lol.

 Did I see Liby S.? Well, Suzette is still busy in Penn, Edurne and Zeny nga nagpuli just to attend the reunion, and many more.  

In spirit, so to speak, they were with us, like Cometa (get well soon), Jane (get well soon), Edna S., Helen B. and many more...more....wala kita video messages nu? Last year may ara, well, it was our Golden Jubilee.

Finally, me? Ay, abaw, I stayed at home and readied my green tee, and other things for the Sunday's big event. While staying at home listening to the noises emanating from City High (na gali), I never thought that day was a Sunday and a Reunion Day. I thought all the while it was a Saturday, and that noise was just coming from the celebration of the purok fiesta nearby. I live at the back of Bacolod City High School - Taculing. If it was not a serious syndrome of Dementia or Alzheimer, what was it? I thought the next day was a Sunday but in reality, Domingo na gid ya gali, ga pahimunong pa ako iya sa balay ko. What a shame. Sorry classmates. 

When Deogracias called me at around 6pm, didto na ako naka marasmas. Very sad. Anyway, the reunion was great, the attendance was great, but it could have been a big opportunity for me, had I reached my "lucid" moment....haha...

City High graduates will continue to rise. They will continue to reach greater heights. They will continue to level up their friendships and camaraderie as we move on to the next class reunion and together, we will sing our Alma Mater Song.

Alma Mater Song

Midst the sweet plantation wide

'Neath the spacious sky

Nobly stands with fame and pride

Glorious City High

( Refrain )

Sing on high let banners fly

Hail oh hail with hearts delight

Alma Mater City High

Thee with honors fight

Pledge we true our ties to her

Noble purpose keep

Friends and schoolmates we revere

Love and honor dear

Repeat Refrain

Now, let us have a look and those moments captured by your cameras and cellphones.

Please check kon ari ka di sa picture, posted by Tersah L. Seronio.

* * * * * * * * * * * 

So, there you are. 

The 53rd Alumni Reunion of Class '71 was held at the Bacolod City National High School grounds on Sunday, April 21, 2024. 

It was also the general alumni homecoming of all classes and graduates of BCHS and BCNHS at the Bacolod Arts Center. Congratulations to the alumni awardees.

* * * * * * * * * * 

And so, I would like to share these quotes from bing.com about High School Reunions, to wit: 

• “That’s the fun of going to a high school reunion: it’s seeing the people who you were close to all those years ago and re-exploring the relationships of the past.” Jon Hurwitz
• “You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories.” Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
• “We may have aged, but we’re still the coolest kids from high school.”
• “They say high school is the best time of your life. I say it’s the best time to make friends for life.”
• “We survived high school, and now we’re here to prove that we’re even better survivors of adulthood.”

Wow, beautiful quotations. While we knew that most of our classmates have reached their impossible dreams and now living a quiet and peaceful lives as retirees and keeping track of the successes of their children, let us not forget those who thought they are less worthy of going to high school reunions because they thought they have fallen apart.

We attend high school reunions because we wanted to rekindle friendships and remember the happiest moments of our youth. We, who were the coolest kids in the campus, haha.

And, if we see someone who have this feeling of "falling apart", I am very sure, our classmates will be there to extend a friendly hand, to extend a brotherly and sisterly support so that no one is left behind. Yes, so that no one is left behind.

* * * * * * * * * 

"It is not what you are but who you are".

Now, because of hard work and great opportunities you reached your goals. So, you might be rich, poor, farmer, doctor and more, and we are happy with what you achieved. 

On the other hand we are also happy to be with you, the you that we have known in high school. The you who is the "bida" in school, the clown, the achiever, the "pambato", the leader, the star, and all others. 

The important thing is who you are to your high school classmates and friends. Since high school you know each other, laugh together, eat together, do schoolwork together, dance and sing together, compete in academic and extra-curricular activities together, sometimes you win or lost, and still, you ended up as friends. So, it is who you are (just be yourself) that matters to your classmates and friends, o' di ba?

* * * * * * * * *

So, next time, please, attend your high school reunion. We are going to be there to re-ignite our memories of youth, and not to judge anyone. If you were "rising" the more we want to share with you, your experiences. If you felt that you were "falling apart", the more we will be there to empathize and appreciate your courage, yes, your courage to face the music of life... in this world... where the name of the game is "survival of the fittest". 

Remember our Alma Mater Song, it says: 

 "friends and schoolmates we revere love and honor dear".

* * * * * * * 

 

Ang taga City High ma survive..we had that "training"...hmmm...kita pa ya?

Tanan kita naka experience sang "highs and lows".

Ako? Na miss ko ang event.... pacencia han nyo na lang, kay na mild dementia ang Lolo nyo, that's my moment of "low"....haha...

But I am making it up through this Blog. 

 

* * * * * * * * * 

This is your classmate and forever friend Henry, the Touristang Pobre, signing off. 

 

* * * * * * * 

Salamat sa friendship, Gracias, Grazie, Xie Xie, Arigato,  Spasiba, Shukran Habibi (lol), Thank you, and more. 

Arrivederci, Adios, Ciao'

 

* * * * * * * * 

 

 

BCHS-BCNHS Alma Mater Song

Source: Hidlaw Sadya TV from YouTube.

Disclaimer: No Copyright Infringement intended. 

Thank you.

 

* * * * * * * * 

*The Blogger, Henry Libo-on had been an Executive Assistant (P.A.) to the Governor of Negros Occidental and then Mayor of **Bacolod City, Honorable Alfredo L. Montelibano, Jr. 

****He was a travel writer and columnist of WHAT'S ON (In the Visayas and Mindanao), a tourist guide magazine published in Cebu and distributed all over Vis-Min areas. 

******He was formerly an OIC-City Planning and Development Officer of Bacolod City Government.

*******He was a former writer and columnist of the Negros Daily Bulletin published in Bacolod City and distributed all over Negros Occidental and the Western Visayas Region. 

*****He was a former member of the Negros Press Club.

*****He finished a leadership training at the National Defense College of the Philippines, FLP Class #9, under the auspices of the Civil Service Commission and the National Defense College of the Philippines, Fort Bonifacio, Makati City. 

*****He attended a short course on Designing Sustainable Development (master's in urban management) at the University of Canberra, Australia. 

*****He was a past President of the Blue & Gold Alumni Association of ONI, UNO, and UNO-R.

*****He was past Auditor, and Member of the Board, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Bacolod City Council.

*****He was a former Instructor and Professor, BSN, and MN at Riverside College, Bacolod City.

*****He was a former Member of the Local School Board, Bacolod City

*****He was a former President of the Bacolod City-Wide Federation of PTA.

*****He was awarded as Outstanding City Government Employee of Bacolod City Government.

*****He was awarded as Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Negros Occidental - Recoletos in the field of Public Administration.

*****As a singer and representative of Bacolod City High School to the Provincial Athletic Association Meet - Literary Musical Vocal Solo Competition circa 1968-69, he brought honor to City High by winning the Championship, o' di ba ang saya? 

*****He is currently a Blogger - Touristang Pobre.blogger.com    and a YouTuber - Henry Estado Squad.

*****He is a Lifetime Member of the Negrense Blogging Society. 

*****He is an author of the unpublished book titled - "The River Keeps Flowing".

*****He is currently based in the U.S. but calls Bacolod City and Negros Occidental his home.

Ciao' .......