Theresians are educated and trained by the ICM Sisters originally from Belgium. The first STC was set up in 1915 in Manila. Among exclusive girls’ schools then, it ranked one of the – if not the – highest in standards. Most families who could afford it sent their daughters here and the Manila school branched into STC Quezon City, STC Cebu and STC Baguio. They say that the prominence and knowledge of the school decreased considerably when the original Manila school closed. The College department of STC QC was also discontinued. Later on, the Baguio school closed as well so that, today, there remain two schools. Like most new graduates, I kept in and was out of touch with the school and with the alumni. Speaking with a student a few months ago, I gathered that some facilities had not been upgraded and some of the best instructors I’ve fallen under no longer teach.
I was already in television working on a daily morning show when, after one all- nighter with the staff, I drove home, slept on the wheel and figured in a really bad accident. Surviving and escaping death it was probably not unnatural to want to trace roots. I felt absolutely nostalgic going through the school grounds where I spent 12 years of my formative years from preparatory to completing high school in this beautiful campus along D. Tuazon in QC... I do, greatly, credit St. Theresa’s for the foundation of my education. It was a school that was intensive on language and writing (hence, the "seamless shift from Tagalog to English" as one writer recently described) aside from extra curriculars in theatre and sports. I entered the small auditorium that still looked exactly the same since those declamation contests. It was indescribable. Since then, though, I’d never been able to go back. I got busy applying education in earning a living.
It was like being in a twilight zone when, fast forward, about a year ago, I found myself in socials – one after another – and every girl, I swear, would either be from Assumption or St. Scholastica or Poveda (formerly Theresiana) or Maryknoll. Only now, as I am writing this, do I figure it’s mostly because it would seem most Theresians are not into the party scene. These are the types who bury themselves in some obscure activity looking to find meaning or relevance in even having her nails done. I don’t think it’s that much of an exaggeration. Think. Our brother classes of choice were mostly from the Ateneo (you know – the guys whose cheers during basketball games are in latin and its attempts to compete with UST’s otherwise household-wordable "Go USTE! Go USTE!!"). During the same year’s alumni dance reunion of the La Salle Greenhills a couple of months ago they announced that "all girls from the same batch from Assumption, St. Scho, Poveda and Maryknoll were invited to attend." I heard my co-organizers grunt in dismay – and that was it.
One fine day I thought, "it’s time to give back" and actually do something about it. I had small projects in mind when I called up the alumni association. Fast forward, a few weeks later, it was just about the same time the batch was preparing for its jubilee. I still think I bit off more than I could chew. Just the same I had to gulp it down. My grand dream was to have a spread on St. Theresa’s College and tell everyone about the school with quality graduates who hardly socialize. And what better way to re-introduce the school than through its graduates? See? I was right. Most of the Theresians you will meet have been introduced into society not necessarily because of their surnames or social pedigree but because of their accomplishments.
The task I inflicted myself with was to get together graduates in a list the school had in its drawers. While most Theresians are unsung heroes in their own accomplishments with not as much of an audience to applaud, many, I discover, do have the world as their stage. I was speaking with Ms. Owen de Castro, one of our teachers in 4th year high, "Why they should be shouting to the world they’re from STC." Sr. Jo Nebres, the present high school principal, agreed.
Writing and calling up the women one by one was a thrill. It was suspenseful. Would it ever happen, getting all the divas of big business, the movie industry, journalism, broadcast, the arts, academe, sports and clergy together? With many of the women it was automatic, "Woooow! Finally! Really? Who else will be in the photo? How wonderful! I’m in!" We had a stylist to assign the clothes’ colors (Maureen Disini and her 1,000 pairs of earrings, 500 belts, 750 brooches to choose from), photo styling by Suki Salvador (with his unending patience dealing with changes in schedules and dealing with 25 divas, that excludes me), makeup by Rey and Mitch from Guerlain, food and flowers by Pepato and Fiori d’M of Margarita Fores (mmmm... gumamela iced tea!) and the magical, maybe miraculous, lens of Portfolio’s Raymund Isaac.
And, as fate would have it, over a month of rearranging schedules and over five sessions at the studio, each of the women agreed and have been now immortalized as a certified Theresian... I was thrilled beyond measure.
(Next week: Loida Lewis flies in from New York for the shoot. Gemma Cruz-Araneta lays claim on her STC legacy. Smart quips that could only come from Chitang Nakpil. Shooting an Asian Hero. How we convinced Lisa Macuja to wear a "formal tutu" and more...)
(E-mail the author at korina_abs@yahoo.com)