CPH Reunion Long Beach-Side

CEBU, Philippines - Two years ago, I invited a small group of ex-Cebu Plaza Hotel employees to come to Phoenix (Arizona) and we drove over to Palm Springs (California) where two friends live: Auring and husband who work in the casinos. Our group was composed of Steve Gonzales, a night auditor of Marriott Vacations Club, and Pabs, a Housekeeping supervisor at The Chateaux – from Park City,Utah; Roque who works in a group home with his wife Inday in San Luis Obispo and lechon maker Dindo Porral in Long Beach – from California; and me — from Arizona. Though few, we had lots of fun and adventures and we felt good meeting each other again. That was in the summer of 2008.

My job as International Customer Service agent for US Air brings me to several places, seeing ex-CPH colleagues along the way. (I am also a realtor and a real estate broker.) This January, I visited Dindo in Long Beach. Aside from his Cebu-style lechon that I would occasionally fly over to pick up, Dindo is connected with a public school. In a Target parking lot, we hatched the plan for another reunion, especially since he offered his place as venue. As his brod-in-law is a great cook, he also offered to take care of food preparations – with a lechon, of course! What’s more, an all-Cebuano band, Heart of the South, rehearses at his place. They perform in an Anaheim bar called The Other Place and their manager/base guitarist Jeffrey Daclan is Dindo’s close friend. We had a ready-made party set-up.

 I immediately created CPH-USA and Around the World Fan Club that now has about 200 members. I encouraged people to post “before” and “now” photos. Then, I asked members to become club officers in their respective places. Mr. Steve Alfafara gladly accepted, together with Rosendo “Dindo” Porral and myself. Our core group decided on March 20 as the reunion date as it was spring break weekend. Then it hit me, why not involve the Cebu CPH guys?

The Cebu members were initially reluctant as they just had a couple of reunions. Tessie, whom I contacted, told me Memie should be the lead organizer. She and Suyen would just help. They did not just help, they did an awesome job overall! I promised Memie I would raise funds for the Cebu reunion, by adding an extra $5 to the US reunion contributions. We raised P40,000.00 from the US contributions alone, plus from other members in Canada and the Middle East who were updated through our online club. To all the cheerful givers, yours is the success of this endeavor!

Thirty attendees, plus guests, came on that Saturday night get-together. Majority were from Los Angeles, while others flew in or commuted from other places, like ex-Gen. Manager Randy Baron and wife(Randy is currently a hotel manager.) who came from San Francisco. Jinky Gapusan Gonzales is Operations Manager for both Deer Valley properties, Teeny and Edwin are with hotels, and Pabs of The Chateaux– all from Park City, Utah. Annabel Son came from New York. She is Customer Service supervisor of overnightmountings.com; while Mae Gesulga from Houston, Texas, is a treatment coordinator for a cosmetic surgeon. Mae is a licensed vocational nurse. Tata Lapasaran of Jacksonville, Florida, is with the Engineering Dept. of a hotel. Cris Lazo of New Jersey works in a hospital where his wife is a nurse. Grace Arroyo-Smith of L.A. works at a Hilton Hotel, while Jojo Nacua and wife operate a group home business for children with disabilities.

We had two lechons along with Filipino dishes. We shopped early at San Pedro Port (California version of our Pasil!) for fish, prawns and crabs – available only on Saturday mornings. So, we had sinugba and kinilaw. Dindo’s wife makes the most delicious chicharon bulaklak that had me hooked on this Pinoy delicacy. The “P” CPH pool cake was made and designed by Richard Suarez, who also sent a beautiful video of our reunions through Facebook. What was amazing was that I saw puso (our Cebuano hanging rice) for the first time in ten years! A permanent open bar was made for the event, with Tanduay on the list.

Of course, the Heart of the South provided a variety of music and entertainment all night long. Bravo!

I am already preparing for next year’s reunion, which could be in Florida, to give the east coast members a closer destination. Could also be in Houston, Texas, where we have a ready host. Date should be close to our reunion date this year, but depending on weather conditions and other circumstances, like holidays.

Congratulations to all of us for such a successful first Grand CPH Reunion.