                         Welcome Remarks                              Tirso Gutierrez, Jr.
                         Acknowledgment of Honorees               Herminio (Minyong) Garcia
                                                                                Iluminada (Lhu) Siochi-Florentino
         7:00          Dinner

The program above was prepared by Hermie with some modifications suggested by our colleagues. In fact, this may still change slightly, but basically we'll follow the above. Invitations were all prepared by Hermie also. Maganda ang invitations, complete with the PCS Logo pati sa envelope. Very formal ang dating. Part of the backdrop is a projector which will show our pictures and the teachers' as well, old and recent - scanning and projector c/o Butch Alvarez We still have to finalize what tokens to be given, fun activity and raffle prizes. Fun activities: Part one - all attendees will be divided into 5 groups and each will be given 3 sets of the alphabets (A-Z). Raquel will ask them to form words depending on criteria ( e. g. food that starts with letter B, famous people whose fisrt name starts with letter E, etc...). The group with the most number of words formed (cumulative) wins. Part two - version of 'MERON O WALA' from the noontime show 'EAT BULAGA'. Streamers are taken care of by Mon del Rosario. Some more details (e.g. teachers who were invited and those who said yes already) tomorrow, ABANGAN ANG SUSUNOD NA KABANATA...

To those of us who, in one way or the other, were influenced, molded, touched, mothered, fathered etc... by our beloved teachers, please feel free to e-mail us any message you want us to convey to them. We want this accasion to be memorable and worthwhile, not only for our teachers but for Batch '75 as well.

Conch has provided you with the names of our teachers who confirmed attendance and we really hope they would all come. Actually we were expecting about 50%-75% confirmation, but surprisingly, most of them are eager to come after all.

1) Miss Que
2) Mrs. San Gabriel-Gonzalo
3) Mrs. Ding Miranda-Boyles
4) Mrs.Weigand
5) Mrs. Esteban
6) Mrs. Yogore
7) Mrs. Gamalinda-Yogore
8) Miss Estrera
9) Miss Valino
10) Miss Abueg
11) Miss Plaza
12) Mr. Inigo
13) Mr. Alvarez
14) Mrs. Pabalate
15) Mrs. Quebengco
16) Mrs. Gabriel
17) Miss Chanco
18) Mrs. Diaz-Cayabyab
19) Mr. Calubayan
20) Mr. Generoso
21) Mr. Milanes
22) Mrs. Cinco
23) Mrs. Paulate-Acuba
24) Mr. Diaz
25) Mrs. Chu
26) Mr. Magalit
27) Mrs. Gustilo
28) Msgr. Cirilos (School Director)
29) Miss Demingoy (H.S. Principal)
30) Mr. de Vivar (Elem. Principal)

We hope everybody makes it.
Miss Flordeliza can't make it due to some previous commitments.
The Magtibays (Edith and Elba) can't be found.
We tried looking for Miss Bartolome, we failed.
We decided to limit our honorees/guests to 30. With the above list, plus the husband of Mrs. Yogore (she requested that her husband be included), we're okay.
Fee/person = P 250 Teachers/guests are free - care of our funds.
Nonong Rodriguez has pledged to provide the lechon. This is just great. Thanks Nonong.
Rocky promised to add fruit salad to the leche flan for desert. Let's give her a big, big hand guys.
TO BE CONTINUED...

Mrs. Pabalate --- I cannot thank you enough for all the extra hours you spent training me for those speech contests. When people ask me why I speak English so well, I tell them I had a great teacher in High School who trained me not only to understand the English language but to speak it right as well --- I used a lot of your techniques when I taught English as a Second Language in adult school. You are also the person who introduced me to American idioms --- can't forget that!

Ms. Chanco --- your influence has been so great. My two younger children (ages 10 and 5) are in full Spanish immersion classes. Without my Spanish training from you, there is no way I could help with homework. Come and visit --- my kids can practice with you !!!

Mrs. Chu --- our beautiful senior class advisor. I still look at our class picture every so often and think of your charm. We owe a lot of what we have become to your tutelage and confidence that we were all worth something. Take pride --- look at what we have become !!!

Judy Cayabyab --- how can I ever forget you --- you were cool. I always thought I wanted to be like you when I grew up. You were non-traditional --- I think I drew a lot of strength from you as an individual. You have given me a lot of answers and gave me opportunities to think out loud --- can't forget how I tried to hide in the Music Room so I don't have to dissect the frog and the earthworm --- I thought you liked me enough to excuse my faint heart --- but of course, you were the teacher, so you got your way ...

Ms. Paulate --- P for Physics!!! I truly love you --- I don't know how I would have survived Engineering school without ever thinking of you every time I had to sit and take a physics exam. You were the one who turned on every cell in my brain so I could understand relativity, displacement, energy, dynamics and other laws of physics, which upon deeper scrutiny, I now realize hold also true for relationships, family values and other non-scientific aspects of life. You occupy a special place in the right lobe of my brain (the side that dominantly controls my heart, of course!).

Ms. San Gabriel --- glass tubes and petri dishes, bunsen burners and botched experiments. I enjoyed it so much I went into Chemistry. Then I relized I liked it because of you and since you were not there to teach it, I changed majors ---

Mr. Alvarez --- CAT !!!! You were responsible for bringing us girls closer to the boys (with the consent and assistance of Ms. Ibanez of course). We loved to attend joint practices, you knew that, didn't you? Why do you think we braved long hours of practice? It's the perfect excuse for our parents to let us stay in school late --- Seriously, we learned a lot about appearance, demeanor and discipline ---thank you.

To all of you PCS teachers who have made a difference in my life, you are the reason I have now chosen a career in education. It is now my turn to try and make a difference in the lives of the young adults in our program with the Department of Labor, with the hope that someday they, too, will provide the care and nurturing others need to realize their full potential --- I love you all !!!

Lhu Florentino - she was the lady emcee, given no time to rehearse and/or prepare for this event, she was just great. Tagasalo kay Nonong na hyper the whole night. Lhu, please take a bow.

Nonong Rodriguez - the other emcee, dressed in an 'Abu Sayaf'- inspired costume, bagay sa kanya at sa kanyang kulay, sobrang adrenalin that night, ang daming spiels na nakakatakot, once in a while kung anu-ano ang sinasabi, pero overall, pare - saludo kami. Hermie should have been the emcee but he needed to fly to Singapore and can't make it in time for the event and Nonong whole-heartedly agreed to replace himI Husay ano? And, SI NONONG NAG-DONATE NG ISANG BUONG LITSON!!! KASAMA RIN ANG MGA BOTTLES OF RED WINE. Also, please take note that Nonong offered his place for the meetings prior to the event. Pati pagkain during the meetings, sagot niya rin. Thanks pare. Sa uulitin.

Precy Palmiano del Rosario - Kagagaling lang ng 'sore eyes', maga pa ang mga mata, tinulungan kami sa medley para hindi kami mapahiya - wala akong masabi sa galing and her love for the batch. Imagine, nagbigay lang kami ng mga kanta, in no time, nagawa niya ang medley - at nag-produce ng mga kopya sa lahat, with matching rehearsals hours (minutes?) before the event proper. Saan ka naman makakakita ng ganyang devotion?

Mon del Rosario - The backdrop was so impressive. Ang laki! The teachers, I guess felt so at home and very relaxed seeing the big streamer with bold letters emphasizing that it was truly their night. He also donated some Shell give-aways (t-shirts, umbrellas, bags, etc..). Tuwang-tuwa at parang mga bata ang ibang teachers. A few even approached me and asked for these items. Ayaw pahuhuli.

Beth Velasquez - who took care of the arrangement with Phil. Columbian; the restaurant with its cozy ambiance and fantastic food really made an impression, para hindi tayo mapintasan ng mga teachers. Hanggang sa matapos ang event, Beth was there to handle issues and situations. Kudos!!! Wala akong masabi. Pati mga candles, siya na rin ang bumili. Kasa-kasama niya sina Ruby Colina and Pat Ocampo kung ano man ang dapat bilhin (tokens for the teachers, wrappers, etc...).

Pat Ocampo - with Lhu Florentino's (and Cecille Reodica Padilla's?) help, took care of the flowers. Nai-imagine niyo na ba kung gaano kaganda ang place during the affair, with floating candles, flowers and all? Si Pat tumataas ang kilay pag sumosobra na ang gastusin. Afterall, she's our treasurer.

Butch Alvarez - with help from Nonong & son (who scanned some pictures) and Emil, took care of the pictures - old, new, very recent (as in pictures during the night itself). What more can we ask for? We projected the pictures on the screen as we sang the medley of songs, with Precy on the piano. Talagang nostalgic ang effect. Naiiyak ang mga teachers.

Rocky - As usual, napakinabangan na naman siya. Last minute e nag-babalot pa ng Del Monte food products. These bags of Del Monte goodies were supposed to be given to the winners of fun activity 1 but for lack of time, we just donated them to the teachers. And to those who helped her put them in bags, thank you all. Rocky also consolidated all questions used for the 'Meron o wala' game (fun activity 2) where the winner, Mr. Inigo won P 4,000.

Hermie a.k.a. Shazam - it's a pity he was in Singapore during the event. He was supposed to be the partner of Lhu as emcee. Pero naman, he is the man behind the impressive invitations which I mailed to our teachers, he created the initial version of the program which we modified quite a bit. Kung baga, siya ang nagsimula ng concept. Thanks Hermie. Hindi naman nasayang ang pagod mo in the end.

Ruby Colina - She has volunteered to call all our batchmates to remind them of our meetings. She's been doing this for months now to help Beth. And this time, she really made sure that all would attend this event. Thanks to her, we were expecting about 25-30 only. There were 43 of us from the batch who made it. RUBY ALSO RENDERED A BEAUTIFUL SONG FOR THE TEACHERS. Cute talaga si Ruby.

Cecille Padilla, Conch Valguna - who took care of the registration booth, name tags at ang mga bayad ng ka-batch. Salamat sa paniningil.

Alex Ysrael - rendered two (?) songs. Thanks. Maganda pala talaga ang boses mo..

Miles, Noel (at kung sino pa from USA ang nag-contribute) - we read your messages to the respective teachers. They appreciated these. Thanks for your contribution.

And to all you guys, who in one way or the other made this affair unforgettable, WALA AKONG MASABI!!!. I salute you. Pasensiya na ang nalimutan kong banggitin.

Each was assigned one teacher. When the teacher's name was called, he/she was requested to go infront and the one assigned would say something - anything about that teacher, then a token was handed to the teacher. So, hanggang maubos ang lahat ng teachers.

The thing that, I guess, we enjoyed most ( especially the teachers) was the serenade. Lights were out (well at least the room was dimly lit) with just floating candles on each of the teachers' tables. Then, habang kumakanta kami, some of us approached the teachers and to each, we offered a long-stemmed rose (red for women, white for men). Talagang naiyak ang lahat, pati kami. While this was going on, we flashed the pictures on the screen, nag-reminisce ang lahat, including us.

Then, we allowed the teachers to say something in response. (Rocky, others, please help me out. I don't remember all these) - Mrs. Pangilinan said that Alumni/graduates of other schools like Maryknoll don't have such an event to honor their teachers and this is the first time she was invited to such.

- Mrs. Garbriel was saying she has high regards for us from PCS, that the PCS graduates are admitted to La Salle kahit mababa ang grades because of our school's high education standard.

- Mrs. Weigand thanked us for inviting her, and asked that we pray for her good health. I think she has cancer and I told her we will all pray that God will give her many more productive and happy years on earth.

- Mrs. Cayabyab is something else. According to her, she prayed to God not too long ago to give her some kind of a sign regarding something - a petition of sort, most probably. She did not elaborate. And the red rose is something that she has longed to receive all this time. Parang puputok daw ang dibdib niya when somebody gave her the rose. Affirmative/positive ang sagot sa kanyang kahilingan. Galing 'no?

- Mr. Calubayan was so accommodating when we asked him to play the piano. So while the tribute was going on, he was playing the piano in the background. Nice guy, huh?

Yung sinabi ng iba, hindi ko na matandaan. Overall, maligaya ang lahat ng ating mga teachers. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

By the way, as I was doing this, Mrs. Ding Miranda Boyles called and with a heavy heart she was very apologetic for not making it to the affair. She was really looking forward to this, but her sister got hospitalized the night before (Friday). She's the eldest so she said she has got to be in the hospital. She feels very sad and worried that we might be angry with her. I just told her I would tell you guys what happened and assured her that we understand. I invited her to the homecoming and if possible, we can have a special get-together even before the homecoming. Let's please keep in touch with her, okay guys?

O ayan ha, blow-by blow account ito.. Whoever wants to add anything to the above, please feel free, okay?

Teacher's Appreciation Night