25 years later, poveda is still it
MANILA, Philippines — No one really knows the importance of a homecoming until one has spent enough time away, experiencing life or being mangled by it, meeting other people or unfamiliar versions of oneself, seeing foreign places and then hearing the call back home.?Twenty-five years is more than enough time away so that when Poveda's Batch 1999 celebrated their 25th homecoming last January 6, the sweet smell of familiarity, warmth, and belonging wafted through the hallways of Saint Pedro Poveda College.?A happy trail of loud cheers, boisterous laughter, and warm hugs was formed right at registration, which went all the way up to the gym, where some 400 members of the Poveda community — alumnae and their families, teachers, and staffers — reunited for ¡Vamos a Celebrar!, the culminating activity of Batch 1999's yearlong homecoming campaign.?Incidentally, it is also the first time in Poveda history that a homecoming was led by a group, instead of a lone chairwoman.
Composed of Gel Bugayong, Tina de Vera, Pia de Leon, Kitty Ferreria, and Michaela King, the council of five led Batch 1999 in raising P2.3 million in donations and mounting a party that made everybody feel like they were back home.?
Some batchmates literally came home for it, like Raya de Leon, Beverly Tanjutco, and Maricon Jomalesa, who flew from the US where they are now based; Celine van den Berg, who came from the Netherlands, where she settled with her young family; and Maricis Kho, Yasmin Ortiga, and Monica Alcid from Singapore.?Some 300 Povedans who couldn't make it logged onto YouTube, where the party was livestreamed.
And what a party it was. In her welcoming remarks, Poveda president Rosalinda Basas kept having to say, "Girls, settle down," because the happy chatter just wouldn't die down. More boisterous laughs, excited greetings, and happy reunions took place.?Batch ’99's Nina Cruz Zialcita held up her own onstage as she hosted the program with DJ Slick Rick and internet personality Macoy Dubs, who came as Auntie Julie, his popular Povedan Tita persona.?
As homecoming hosts, Batch ’99 prepared two special performances. Their batch band Empire, composed of Meg Serranilla, Pia de Leon, and Lou Albano, covered a string of hits from the ’90s, which got everybody singing along, nostalgic for high school.?Meanwhile, 25 years had nothing on hardcourt dancers Anna Bueno, Nadine Cuevas, Pattie Poniente, Katrina Wenceslao, Carmen Segura, Pia Martinez, Nikki Bugia, and Kyla Rivera, who, with exact precision and grace, performed a shortened version of the routine that made them champions at the J&J interschool cheer-dance competition in November 1998. ?
Four other celebrating batches — the Golden jubilarians of Batch 1974, the Ruby ladies of Batch 1984, the Pearl celebrants of Batch 1994, and Batch 1989, who are celebrating their coral anniversary — also each took the stage for a dance presentation, while Batch 1979, who are celebrating their Sapphire anniversary, had an AVP. ?
Sponsors Legarde had a fun segment, getting audience members to play the game Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes but in Spanish. It was a riot.?Ramon Jacinto opened the night with a bang, bringing with him his cool rock-’n’-roll music that got everybody dancing. Of course, his performance was all thanks to Hermana Frannie Aguinaldo Jacinto of Batch 1969. ?Baihana serenaded the crowd during the sumptuous dinner catered by K by Cunanan. Itchyworms performed their greatest hits as the finale, and DJ Gerard Henson closed the evening with an after-party set that had everybody dancing like it was the ’90s.?But fun as it may seem, the homecoming event was not without solemn moments of grace. Festivities began with a holy mass, presided over by school chaplain Fr. Rick Montanez with the majestic Hangad choir animating the celebration. Hangad also accompanied the Halili Cruz dancers for the most meaningful invocation before the party proper.?Making the event more significant was Batch ’99's turnover of the P2.3 million donations to the Pedro Poveda Foundation for the college educational fund of seminarians; to the Teresian Association Inc. for the medical needs of elderly Teresians; and to support various causes and advocacies of the Asociacion de Alumnas de Poveda.?Leaving the party, one couldn't help but linger by the mini-exhibit that Batch ’99 mounted. It contained all things Poveda — yearbooks, library cards, IDs, home economics projects, as well as uniforms — that was collated by their very own Katrina Wenceslao.?Posing with friends by the photo wall that bore old high school class pictures became extra-irresistible, as was writing short messages to each other, to their teachers, to the school.?Front and center of the photo wall was !Vamos!, which was the Batch ’99's chosen tagline for the most grueling homecoming exercise that proved more difficult than any trimestral exam, session test, or third week of any IW we’d ever experienced.?But it was all worth it. “Ang saya pala,” Chinggay Singson said. Following the event, social media was abuzz with that homecoming high. “Had the best time at homecoming, so happy to see old friends,” said Andrea Aguilar. “It was great seeing old friends and teachers,” Anna Dimalanta piped in. And on and on it went.?In practically all social media posts, the beloved Mang Baguio is present and smiling — as he had been in our lives 25 years ago — as teachers like Sir Dave, Sir Marlo, Mrs. Par, Sir Mike, Teacher Michelle, Teacher Mawie, and Teacher Kit have, 25 years later, strangely and pleasantly become friends. ?
Over and over, people echoed each other: It's good to be back.
