Of Homecomings and Reunions

This will be one of the few times that I won’t be dealing on sports-related materials so I hope my editors will indulge me again on this piece. Here we go.

Some of my high school batch ’78 of the then Don Bosco Technical High School attended the alumni homecoming at the Punta Princesa campus last February 3. Of the 70 or so from our batch, the “Dirty Dozen” came, which is the majority of the core group who gets together once in a while anyway. Recollections of past deeds and misdeeds were more vivid with the aid of that glorious golden liquid from Mandaue.

Reunited were DPWH’s Roger Ricardo and Rey Navales, Nestle’s Nigel Wenceslao, musician Edwin Umapas, USJ-R instructor Jun Enad, Jun Gaviola, Billy Cabonita, Jovy Francisco, Nic Empacis, Kenny Pogoy and Joe Villanueva. After 30 years, except for a few receeding hairlines and some extended waistlines, nothing much has changed. Especially Joe who still is in his ridiculously confusing self. Lubog gihapon, mas tin-aw pa ang tubig sa baha. We missed our alumni past president Boy Urgello who migrated to the US and the rest of the guys, especially the Pasil and Jagobiao boys. Hopefully, one of these days we could have a better and bigger gathering.

Among the things discussed was a proposal to have a bi-monthly meeting and the group agreed to have some kind of a fund to benefit the Don Bosco Boys’ Home in Liloan and an initial amount was collected. We hope to generate some decent amount to maximize our group’s assistance to the boys’ home in which one of our high school mentors, Fr. Peter Porio, is the director. It would also be nice if the other batches will also do their part, if they haven’t done it yet.

Still on reunions, this coming March 1 and 2 will also be USJ-R’s 15th Engineering Alumni Homecoming. The engineering batch ’83, as silver jubilarians, are hosting the event. Engineers Roger, Nigel and Kenny are actively involved in the preparations. I was supposed to be a part of this batch of engineers as upon high school graduation, most of us took up engineering courses at either USC, CIT and USJ-R.

I foolishly opted to make an academic excursion during those times that I actually ended at UC miraculously finishing a management course. Those were the days and I regretted all the waste done with that scholastic misadventure.

Back to the engineering homecoming. I was informed that aside from food, live bands will perform for the crowd. And what better way to float on the entertainment with the promise of free-flowing beer. Na hala, langoy na ta!

This should be a big gathering as the event also marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the university’s College of Engineering. Everyone who’s part of the Josenian Engineering Alumni is invited. Engineers Benny Abad and Rene Magdadaro of Castilex, apil raba mo ani.

If memory serves me right, a P500 registration entitles the alumni the above mentioned perks plus an alumni kit and a souvenir shirt. Part of the amount goes to a scholarship grant so you not only get to eat, drink and be merry but you also contribute to a worthy cause.

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