Of golden memories and giving back

MANILA, Philippines - It all started with a collective will to “give back to education” in gratitude for the quality education which they received from the Maryknoll Sisters of St. James Academy in Malabon City (then a town of the province of Rizal).

In early 2007, the St. James Academy Alumni Association, then headed by Nila Barrican-Tupaz, launched the “One Class, One Scholar” program for the SJA Night School. The project was designed to provide quality education to needy but deserving high school students. Representatives of SJA HS Class 1961, headed by Virginia Borromeo-Cabrera, who then just retired from a busy banking career, got together to respond to the alumni association’s noble project. After a series of meetings and renewed communications with their classmates here and abroad, Class 1961 chose to enroll not one but three scholars in the program! By the following school year, the class was ready to enroll another two scholars in the SJA Night School. However, the FAPE (Fund Assistance for Private Education) was then combined with the Department of Education’s EVS (Educational Voucher System) to suffice for the tuition fees for the Night School. Undaunted, Class 1961 screened needy but deserving students for enrollment in regular day school of three other private schools in the area. Thus, starting with school year 2010-2011, Class ’61 sponsored six high school freshmen scholars: three at San Jose Academy in Navotas City, two at Immaculate Conception Parochial School in Malabon City, and another one at La Purisima Concepcion Academy, also in Malabon City!

With their indefatigable zeal to give back, the class also engaged in Christmas gift-giving activities at the City of Malabon University; Catmon Elementary School and Tonsuya Elementary School, both in Malabon City; and at San Lorenzo Ruiz Charity Pre-School and Daanghari Elementary School, both in Navotas City. Classmates, now residing in the US and in Canada, sent additional donations of books and school supplies for the recipient schools.

Now, even as the class members are now senior citizen retirees, the collective generosity in their hearts seems to well unceasingly and unafraid. SJA Class 1961 has embarked on raising a Golden Fund for the construction of a much-needed classroom at Daanghari Elementary School in Navotas City, drinking fountains in several public schools in Malabon City, as well as the back-filling of school grounds in Muzon in Malabon City. Whatever they cannot reach from their own pensions now, they intend to solicit from concerned citizens here and abroad who would want to share in giving back to education.

High in Tagaytay Highlands: The golden jubilarian girls proudly wear their SJA Class ’61 T-shirts. Standing in extreme right is gracious hostess and classmate Chita Monroy-Oreta.

Thus, this year, SJA HS Class ’61 held their Golden Jubilee celebration with a difference! To balance their hard work and zeal to give back, the classmates planned fun treats for their “young once” spirits!

A fitting jumpstart to their celebration was a walking tour of Intramuros and Binondo.

For half a day, the baby boomers, including their USA and Canada contingents, became instant street walkers, cultural trippers, and urban adventurers. They walked within the ancient walls of Intramuros, from the Manila Cathedral to the San Agustin Church and Museum, reliving Philippine history from Spanish colonialism, the Filipino-American War, and the Japanese Occupation. Then they drove to Binondo and delighted in Tsinoy treats in the quaint alleys of Chinatown. Through a specially arranged food-tasting experience, the St. Jamers enjoyed authentic Chinese lumpia, an array of hopia varieties, special cuapao and bicho-bicho.

The next two days were spent by the St. Jamers ’61 in Tagaytay Highlands. Clad in their white T-shirt uniforms bearing the embroidered Philippine map in gold and their blue-and-gold class logo seal complete with a button pin courtesy of balikbayan classmate Nini Castro-Banaag, off they went for an overnight get-together with gracious hostess classmate Chita Monroy-Oreta, including dinner hosted by another classmate Antolin Oreta, Jr.

Most well-attended was the class’ dress-up evening affair — the “Friends Forever” Golden Reunion ball held at the penthouse of the new Malabon City Hall. It was a dinner party complete with a well-prepared program of songs, dances, and DVD showing, plus a stage play presented by the class’ nine scholars with script written by one of their fourth-year scholars, Judy Anne Lachenal.

Dancing queens: Malabon-Navotas golden girls give an endearing interpretation of the Cariñosa folk dance. In photo are Irma Aquino, Terry Perez, Pines Ferrer-Lagera, Lydia Bautista, Sandy de Jesus-Zapanta, Lucy Santos-Sembrano, Erlinda Garcia-Sioson, and Mely Sta. Rita-De la Cruz.

Valentine’s Day saw some 20 jubilarians off to Panglao Island in Bohol for a three-day, two-night tour of the unspoiled scenic spots in this Visayan tourist destination. Highlights of the tour were getting a close-up glimpse of the famous Philippine tarsier and our very own eighth wonder of the world, the awesome Chocolate Hills, as well as dolphin watching, sightseeing in the butterfly conservation farm, the sea shell museum, the Blood Compact monument, and the Hinagdanan Cave.

Back in Manila, they visited their beloved alma mater, St. James Academy, now a diocesan school run by the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Trinity. There, they were feted to a sumptuous lunch including pancit malabon and sapin-sapin by the St. James Alumni Association officers.

Capping off the reunion activities were a series of despedidas, in honor of the Class ’61 balikbayans from various parts of the US and Canada. Foremost of these was a sit-down dinner hosted by classmate Atty. Ramon Maronilla, president of the City of Malabon University. The dinner also featured classical piano renditions by concert pianist Mary V. Gutierrez-Gibson, another classmate.

Reunion committees were headed by Virginia Borromeo-Cabrera, overall chairman, Concepcion Leonio-Belardo, Pines Ferrer-Lagera, Chita Monroy-Oreta, Linda Garcia-Sioson, Sandy de Jesus-Zapanta, Clarita Guansing, Mely Sta.Rita-de la Cruz, Atty. Martha Ignacio-Farolan and Antolin Oreta, Jr. 

The SJA Class ’61 class picture circa 2011: Seated in front row are Ricardo Panganiban, Saturnino Castro, Ramon Maronilla, Oscar Valenzuela, Paul de Jesus, Arthur Mateos, Cesar Z. Santos, Rodrigo Cruz, and Angeles de los Reyes. In second row are Pines Ferrer-Lagera, teachers Sixta Cruz, Gloria Toribio, Isabelita Dytuco-Castillo, Lourdes Jocson-Lachica, Remedios Mercado, Norma Gervasio-Tapang, and Raymunda Mendoza, Virgie Borromeo-Cabrera, Estrella Camus-Reodica, Martha Ignacio-Farolan, and Nenita Castro-Banaag. Standing in third row are Herminia Roque, Jasmin Lazaro-Espiritu, Estelita Sanchez-Oanes, Carmelita Sta. Rita-De la Cruz, Lydia Bautista, Tessie Cruz-Nañagas, Lucy Santos-Sembrano, Chita Monroy-Oreta, Mary V. Gutierrez, Lydia Rodriguez-Arcellana, Chit Leonio-Belardo, Gloria Santos-Mayo, Tessie de Jesus. Standing in fourth row are: Ernesto Roque, Vergel Santos, Antolin Oreta Jr., Benedicto Guillen, Godofredo Mozo, Santiago Papa, Danilo de Jesus, Conrado Flores, and Rafael Provido, Jr.

Fifty years may not be forever, but the members of the SJA Class ’61 chose the theme “Friends Forever” for their Golden Jubilee activities, wishfully thinking perhaps that their two-week celebration will be remembered by them for the rest of their lives.