Saturday, July 15, 2006

More Pics from the June 17-18, 2006 Reunion

June 17, 2006



Gabby, Dave and Rene having a light moment in front of the Visitor's Room while waiting for the mass to start




It's the last thing we'd want ourselves dragged into, but why can't we resist "scandals?"
And they have become a staple in our reunions, huh!


Nice pose, Dave!

Let's take a closer look at Weewee. Looks like he's now in the second movement of the Moonlight Sonata here. Nakaturog daw kamo Franz?


June 18, 2006 Breakfast before breaking up for home.

 
 
 
  Posted by Picasa

Friday, July 14, 2006

Get well soon Gabby!


mga padi, gabby is presently hospitalized coz he somehow caught the dengue virus. no word on the state of his condition yet but it seems its not scarely serious yet.

lets pray for his quick recovery. and do text him from time to time --just to lift his spirits up. hospital is a nasty, boring place to be ya know!

and mga padi be on the look out na for dengue rin lalo na sa mga anak natin at medyo mahirap ma-dengue ngayon

some tips on dengue prevention here and here

siya get well fast gabby!
FATHERHOOD
My dad, me and my son

YAYES

(I do not consider myself a writer, yet I am flattered by your comments and encouragement to continue writing. If priesthood is my first love, writing comes second and teaching ranks third……..oh great brown God I hope my wife does not see this! I have promised myself never to write a sad story. I want you to laugh when you read the words I write, perhaps listen to the child inside me as it tries to speak to that little child in you. Today I beg for an exemption.)

I am the son of my father. I am the father of my son.

In nomine padre …………….

My dad is ED BASARES the overachiever: an academician, an administrator, a broadcaster, a politician and a lawyer. He started as a classroom teacher even before I entered my first grade in school, and by the time I did he was already the school principal. He later moved on to become a College Dean, Director for Student Affairs and Vice President for Administration. He capped his scholarly record with two baccalaureate degrees, two masteral (including his Bachelor of Laws) and a doctorate in Education. In his short stint in government service he was a recipient of several Certificates of Merit. In the broadcast industry, he was rated number one radio commentator in the province and earned the monicker from his peers as the DEAN OF BROADCAST MEDIA in Sorsogon. When he entered politics in 1992 he was classified as a sure winner albeit they used a different parameter when counting the votes. He has continued to be present in every electoral process since then and has refused to acknowledge defeat. When I saw him in 1997 after years of absence I was shocked at how old he had become, yet he has refused to fade into retirement. Well, I still have to meet a politician who does not consider himself immortal. My father became a lawyer in 2002 . To date he is practicing his law profession.

Et fili……..

It was hard growing up under his shadow.
I was only in grade four when he required me to learn journalism as he imposed on me to read and re-write the news from the newspapers. Reading was a habit he instilled upon me that no book or magazine from his library was missed. Yet he left me alone to learn. No grade in the line of seven was acceptable to him as he monitored mine every grading period. Bad English for him was and is a mortal sin. I finished my elementary grades with honors and he was there.

I told him I would enter the seminary. He was not surprised. Two instances I remember well of how proud he was during my seminary years--
one when I was assigned to serve an acolyte to the Bishop one Sunday during our summer break, and two when he “gave” me to Fr. Ding Caindec after I became his official acolyte every time Fr Ding would say mass outside the seminary. He never wanted me to become a priest as I am his only son and eldest at that. Yet he acknowledged my identity and duties then as a seminarian as he allowed me to spend days in the parish especially during the Lenten season. Somehow he attributed my decision to leave the seminary when Fr Ding left for Rome on my second year. To a certain degree he was right for Fr. Ding was more like a second father to me.

When I was in second year college (outside the seminary), knowing I had long turned my back on the norms and values of a seminarian, and while he was station manager of DZMS, he secretly invited Fr Ding, then back from Rome, to say mass and compelled me to attend. I cried a lot at Fr Ding’s shoulder.

My dad is a strict disciplinarian and hard on his children, hardest on me. Sometimes I suspect I was his favorite whipping bag. He is a distant father. It is easy for him to shower praises on his students against whom I pale in comparison, albeit he spends most of his nights wondering if he has made me wrong or what in heavens name a curse has fallen upon me.

While sometimes I envied some of his students it was easy for me to understand: ED BASARES is a father to his students, a teacher to his son. And I grew up looking for a father.

It was always a love-hate relationship between us as he perpetually tried to control me during the times I was uncontrollable and stubbornly refused to do so at times I needed it most. He is never satisfied with what I can do yet secretly confides to his friends his amazement with the little things I have managed to do.

These days everytime I go home, I spend all my time with my kids playing with them after school and I would see him secretly watching, perhaps wondering why. But by all means he is a doting lolo.

ED BASARES will always be ED BASARES. He has fought his battle and emerged victorious from it, all by himself as he grew up an orphan. He has carved his destiny and earned the respect of others with no one beside him and with nothing but pure guts and determination.

et mi fili

My son was born in 1995. I had always wanted a son. For five years he was my only child. To date he is about to enter his adolescence period. And I fear so much that he would commit the same mistakes I did. My only wish and prayer for my son is for him to live a different life from mine. So I refused to cast a shadow on him and gave him a different name. At bedtime and away from the ears of his mom he would tell me stories about his girl classmates and, oh God here it goes. Four occasions my son would never miss--my birthday, his birthday, his siblings birthday, and his mom’s birthday.

I know I will never verbally have the chance to tell my dad I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF HIM. It is my hope that just being a father to my own son would speak louder than words.
For the son comes from the father.

In some instances the rock speaks because it is silent, the sand moves because it is still.
The sad story shall continue on and on. Until like my dad, in his career path, it will arrive…..
………….at a time which is not a time,
………….at a place which is not a place.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

June 17-18, 2006 Reunion Pictures

Was this the first meeting between Val and Dave after 20 years or so?

Val couldn't help giving Dave a big hug upon the latter's arrival at our "home away from home." Dave chose to sleep in his home at San Roque on the night the Manila Contingent arrived since he was tasked with fetching Tyrone at the Legazpi Airport early the next morning. A last-minute change of plan, however, saw Tivo picking up Tyrone on his way from Naga to Sorsogon.



Garanghawan in the morning of June 17, 2006, just before breakfast. Franz who arrived days before the reunion and stayed with relatives in Casiguran came by his lonesome.
[Funny that Jason and Franz, who arrived within an hour of each other, seemed to have forgotten that one was only a text away and they could have given each other a helping hand in the hauling of the half-sack of rice, the 5 kilos of Alimusan and the crabs that Jason brought from Casiguran. Pero, masiramon an alimusan, Padi Jason. Magdara ka uli next reunion.]
Rene, who lives in a nearby subdivision, showed up at almost the same time.




I have no idea what came upon Rino and Gabby. What were the scarves for? (he he he)

UCPB Bank Account



Mga Padi,

Reminder lang. Please deposit your share capital contributions to the the bank account above before July 15, 2006.

Junie

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Happy Birthday Collins!

dida na lang kita sa eskwelahan mo magkaraon :-)

Monday, July 03, 2006

Happy Birthday Dave!

bagan ok dida mag-inom inom sa farm mo padi :-)

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Happy Birthday Erwin!


sa sunod na pagkirita na lang an irinuman ta ha padi Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Tyrone's plane















rino emailed these cellphone pix when they checked out tyrone's plane at the legazpi airport















the original pix was dark and blurry and after some adjustments in photoshop out came jason hehehe feeling piloto dito. bagay man gayud padi. magpaturo ka kan tyrone :-)















tyrone's recently acquired cessna

Monday, June 26, 2006

Happy Birthday Henri!

irinuman kita padi! :-) Posted by Picasa

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Welcome Home, Victor Andrew A. MontaƱo

Finally, we have established contact with our long-lost classmate. Let's drink to this!

Here's the email he sent me on Saturday, June 24, 2006


Junie,

Am I eligible for the start up business venture that batch 86 are planning to organize. If I am eligible, how do I join and how can I deposit the required amount of investment. I am out of the country and out of touch from our class for many years. But Fr. Gerry initiated the contact and now I can follow events from the net.


Victor Andrew

STAND TALL STAND PROUD MONS. PAX

yayes

Our seminary before was run like a well oiled machine; precise and on the dot in every scheduled activity. The Father Rector, Mons. Pax, herded his flock and made them follow a strict regimen day in and day out giving emphasis on punctuality. The moment we rose until the time we retired we already knew what to follow, how to do things, and where to do them.

His authority on our lives was not confined within its walls for even as we went home we were required to serve the parish.

To our young minds then, discipline and order was a fearsome image. We sulked in corners whenever Mons. Pax made his rounds with that patented clinking of keys as he walked down the corridor; always fearful of what mistake we might have made or what he might find in us. There was fear in hearing his booming voice, his sharp stare was enough to make us toe the line. Order and discipline was Mons. Pax's daily menu. He became the personification of authority every one at our age loved to hate.

Obedience from a young mind is borne out of fear for its penalty but no mind remains young forever the moment it realizes wisdom. The time when wisdom takes over has come. The young men who loved to hate order and discipline grew up and rose from the immaturity and selfishness characteristic of its age to awaken in a deep sense of gratitude and sincere admiration of Mons. Pax.

His passion for order and discipline is well served for its purpose. It is admirable how he made us felt the pride. There was pride in the uniform, there was pride in our language, there was pride in our acts, there was pride in our identity.

For one, we only went home once a month then spending much of our time during weekends at the study hall and in housecleaning. And when we went home at the end of the month, we spent much time serving the parish.

Every Saturday Mons. Pax never absented himself from his routine round. The seminary must be spotlessly cleaned as he inspected every nook and corner. Everybody had his own assignment to clean, his own area of responsibility. It was our home, its cleanliness was our responsibility was the standing dictum. It was where we learned to accept responsibility in a communal spirit. Home visit was at the end of the month and before we left the Rector saw to it to instill in our minds that we were going out not for vacation. The community was an extension of our lives, we were to report to our respective parishes and serve. There was always a reminder on how we were expected to behave outside. The moment we left we carry our identity with us with dignity and pride.

Second, enrollment during our time was never a problem as the number of freshmen to go in had to be trimmed down based on the available facilities. Mons. Pax sales pitch on vocation campaigns was simple: GUSTO MO MAGING GWAPO ENTER OLPS! Gwapo each and every seminarian became because like raw materials we were cut into refined pieces of jewel. From the haircut to the clothes we wore, the words and manner we spoke, all bore the distinct identity of being seminarians that every parent in the community shared the pride of having a son in the seminary.

Third, we spent much of our weekends studying. We had two hours study period in the morning, another two hours in the afternoon, and two hours again in the evening. Once in making his rounds during study period he caught one lazy soul excusing himself with "I'm done with my assignment." Mons Pax was quick to answer: "KAY NANO, MADUNONG KA NA?" Knowledge as he always emphasized is an infinite world to conquer.

As the Chinese proverb says it: If you want to be remembered do either of these three; plant a tree, write a book, father a son. Mons. Pax will always be remembered by his seminarians. He planted trees in our hearts and minds some of which already bore fruit. He has written a book whose pages are written in the lives of his seminarians filled with the wisdom of his words. He has fathered us all with his brand of discipline and order that we carry the pride of sharing them to our children.

In my first article here I declared I wanted my son to enter OLPS. I am still finding it hard to convince him, so I told him, "OK, son, we wait until Mons Pax returns to the seminary."

Take your bow Monsignor Pax, we are grateful for the discipline.

Thursday, June 22, 2006



Happy Birthday, Eric!

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Happy Birthday Dante!

bagan masiram an karaon nan irinuman niyo da sa bikol a

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Biyaheng Bikol - Southroad Update

from rino:

Sked on Friday, June 16, 2006 - Trip to OLPS Bikol

Departure: 8 am

Meeting Place: MC Home Depot Parking Area ( below MRT Mantrade/Magallanes Station

6 pm: Dinner at Atty. Tivo's home in Naga City... off to Sorsogon after

ps. bring lots of STORIES and SNACKS for the long trip :-)

pls. call rino for updates

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Fighting Over the Queen


What made the Turin Chess Olympics memorable was the duel between Armenia and England. Not on the chess board, but on the dance floor. GMs Danny Gromally of England and Levon Aronian of Armenia got in tangles with each other over Australian No. 3 Arianne Caoili. And get this, her father is pinoy.

Gromally was very fond of 19 year-old Caoili. When Gromally saw Aronian dancing with her, he punched and shoved the Armenian literally flooring the poor guy. It didn't end there. Later, a few Armenian players attacked Gromally to avenge Aronian.

So who's this half-pinoy whom they fought over? She's dubbed as the Anna Kournikova of chess, some blogs devoted to chess even calls her the "chess babe." She's a contestant in the World Chess Beauty Contest (vote for her). Of her achievements, she surprised everyone when she played during the 1996 US Open in Alexandria, Virginia at 9 years old. She's currently rated at 2169. A Woman International Master, the Turin Chess Olympiad was her first international title. She needs two more of these to be a GM. Many observers noted that her game plateaued in the previous tournaments but suddenly picked up at Turin. If her achievements don't impress you, then check her pic.

Monday, June 12, 2006

YellowCab Meetup

A group pic after the quick meetup. not included is tyrone who left early as he was preparing to leave for the US that night.

we met up in makati with gojie who wasnt able to attend the meeting as he had a class that day. while wiron wasnt able to come as he was rehearsing his choir

Its good to meet up with franz and moonvale who i hadnt seen in twenty two years or so. franz has bulked up a bit --on track to becoming the next mr. philippines yata :=) while moonvale is in his hippie grunge best :-)

For the meeting on the 17th in Sorsogon. Rino will bring his car so magcarpool na lang ulit. Most will come but we still have to finalize the list. Posted by Picasa

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Love


can't resist posting this cute pix of tyrone and his lovely wife, maricris.

this is off the flickr set that collins uploaded earlier today. very nice pix taken by collins --pwede ka na padi mag interior design photographer :-)

anybody pala willing to donate a flckr account? costs $25 (1 year) or $50 (2 years)

i can't buy coz they only accept paypal and they don't accept philippine issued credit cards

hey mervs, pwede ba? hehehe

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Happy Birthday Tyrone!

hulaton na lang daw sa 17 an irinuman Posted by Picasa