Vol. 7, No. 21, January 19, 2004

LCHS-AA president Henry C. Dy (Batch '64), in photo, is running for vice mayor of Iligan City in the May 10, 2004 elections.  His running mate is Lawrence Lluch Cruz for city mayor, along with Alipio Cirilo Badelles for congressman, under the KNP (Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino) Party of FPJ and Sen. Edgardo Angara.  Comprising their line-up for city councilors are Providencio "Boy" Abragan, Ariel Anghay, Bienvenido Badelles, Alfredo Busico, Voltaire Rovira, Varf Belmonte, Moises Dalisay Jr., Dr. Chonilo Ruiz, Pastor Bayani Areola, and Roy Opiniano.  The other candidates are Franklin Quijano who is seeking reelection as city mayor, and Tete Pacaña for vice mayor, of the Lakas-CMD Party.

Henry Dy is a former city councilor.  He served as councilor of Iligan city for three terms.  He is best noted for having brought education to the masses with the donations of school buildings to various barangays in the city.  These donations were made out of his personal funds while some others were made by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Inc. through his initiatives.   In the May 14, 2001 election, he ran for vice mayor under the administration party, Lakas-NUCD, but lost to Lawrence Cruz.  Henry's running mate in the 2001 election was Pedro Generalao for city mayor.

Pit Senyor!

The streets of Cebu come alive on Jan. 18 with an explosion of rhythmic drumbeats, movement, color and pageantry in a grand mardi gras, in photo, in honor of the Santo Niño.  The Sinulog dance is based on the movement of the river current, hence the dancers move with wave-like movement.  Started in 1981, the Sinulog festival has become a yearly celebration that draws huge crowds of spectators and participants alike. People converge along the route of the grand procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a kaleidoscope of sound and wild color and chants of "Pit Senyor!"

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

Bonifacia "Pancing" Co-Go (Batch '65) celebrated her birthday recently with an all-ladies dinner bash at the newly opened East-West Restaurant at the Cebu Ayala Center.  Gracing Pancing's party were her close friends and her morning jogging group, including NinetteNeri-Garcia, wife of Alvin Garcia, former city mayor of Cebu.  Meanwhile, in Iligan, the Reading Ministry of the Redemptorist Church tendered a surprise birthday party for Fr. Manoling Thomas who turned 55 last Jan. 11. Suniel Lim (Batch '66), president of the Reading Ministry, gave the welcome remark at the party.

Several alumni and friends in Cebu were seen feasting themselves on sumptuous fresh lumpia, Kinmen style, in advanced celebration of the Lunar New Year.   The lumpia dinner was personally prepared and hosted by Li Ching Dy-Ngo (sister of Jack Dy of Cuadro Ocho) at her residence in Villa Aurora, Mabolo, Cebu last Jan. 11.  Enjoying the rare feast were Roderick Ngo (Batch '70), Glicerio Uy (Batch '65), Charles O. Sy (Batch '67), Jack Dy, Joseph Ngo and Natalie Teng-Ngo.  After dinner the group trooped to the Fuente Osmeña to catch a glimpse of the world's longest barbecue grill (in photo).  The contraption was part of the "Sugbayanihan," one of the highlights of this year's celebration of the feast of the Sto. Niño in Cebu.  The city of Cebu and the South East Asian Food Inc. (maker of Datu Puti soy sauce) put up a grill stand measuring 1,309 meters in length that spanned from the skywalk at Fuente Osmeña all the way to the junction of Sanciangco Street.  More than 700 vendors, using up 500 sacks of charcoal and 4 tons of pork, took part in the barbecue marathon.  With it, Cebu hopes to set a new record of having the longest barbecue grill in the Guinness Book of Records, demolishing the existing record held by Sicuani, Peru in 1989, with its grill line measuring 613 meters and Dagupan's 1.1-km bangus grill.  Hala bira!

Clemente "Engkit" Ong Lim, 56

Clemente "Engkit" Ong Lim (Batch '65) passed away in the early hours of Monday, Jan. 5, 2004.  He was 56 years old.  He was born on Oct. 23, 1947.  He succumbed to cardio-pulmonary arrest secondary to congestive heart failure, complicated by the presence of diabetes, kidney failure and gallstones. He is survived by his wife Liliosa H. Lim and son William Lim (20 yrs. of age).  Among his siblings are Totong Jo Lim, Carlos "Ilaga" Ong Lim (deceased), and Castor "Boycat" Ong Lim.  He was laid to rest right at the back of his house near the beach in Maputi, Naawan, Mis. Or. on Saturday, Jan. 10.  Engkit ran a copra business in Maputi.  He was once also manager of the Rural Bank of Naawan.  He was active in government service, having served as vice mayor for three terms and mayor for two terms of the municipality of Naawan, Mis. Or.  We request our pious readers to pray for the eternal repose of his soul.
 
 

Letters of Condolences

Tue, 06 Jan 2004 02:46:39 +0000
Heartfelt condolence to the family of Clemente "Eng Kit" Ong Lim. Eng Kit was the classmate of my brother Ernesto (Class 1965) and Castor was my classmate (Class 1969). My prayers for the eternal repose of Eng Kit's soul.
--Henry Lim Yu (Batch '69), Cebu, Philippines, email: hvty@skyinet.net

Tue, 06 Jan 2004 06:14:00 +0000
I can't believe this very sad news about Ingkit. To my good friend, our fervent prayer for your eternal rest and our deepest sympathy to his love ones and family. We will miss you as always and God be with you always.
--Alex Rodriguez (Batch '65) & family, Miramar, Fl., U.S.A., email: alpacino_8@hotmail.com

Tue, 6 Jan 2004 09:29:08 -0700
Dear Totong and family:  With profound sadness, we offer our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family of the late "Engkit" Lim.  May our Lord continue to bless his soul and welcome him into His kingdom of eternal life and glory.
--Hesing Dy (Batch '63) and Melania Dy, Edmonton, Canada, email: Jesus.Dy@gov.ab.ca

Tue, 6 Jan 2004 18:51:36 -0600
To Engkit family: Please accept our profound sorrow & deepest sympathy. May the Lord guide you all during this time of bereavement.
--Greg Dy (Batch '58) & Family, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A., email: gregdy@juno.com

Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:26:26 -0700
We are greatly saddened to hear the passing of Engkit. Please extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Liliosa, and family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this very difficult time.
--Peter, Tita Dy and Family, Edmonton, Canada, email: pdy@telusplanet.net

Thu, 8 Jan 2004 17:51:50 -0500 (EST)
Dear Liliosa H. Lim & family:  With my heartfelt condolence and deepest sympathy to the untimely demise of Clemente "Engkit" Lim who was my former classmate and a good friend. "Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in Me, even if should die, shall live; (John 11:25)." We can never fully prepare ourselves for a great loss like this; but, always remember, we are not alone. "Jesus wept. (John 11:35)"
--John Go (Batch '65) & family, Edmonton, Canada, email: johnygo2@yahoo.ca

Year of the Monkey
Fri, 09 Jan 2004 08:22:58

May the Year of the Monkey bring you a gorilla of wealth, ape of wisdom, chimpanzee of health, kingkong of love.  May the flea be with you.  Happy monkey scratching new year!
--Rene Tio (Batch '70), Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, via text message +639169565106

Charles O. Sy, Batch '67

There's a pall of gloom shrouding our alumni community.  The succession of recent deaths involved our alumni who were all under 60.  Mike Lee's statement in his email to me echoes the sense of unease shared by many alumni our age:  "It is a discomforting thought when every obituary item I read nowadays belongs to our generation."

In my Class of 1967, we have already lost three batch mates through the years.  They were, in photo, from left:  Carlos Lim, Alberto Yu and Susan Ong.  They, too, were in the prime of their lives when they passed away.

Carlos Lim, whom we all called by his nickname "Ilaga," was a dependable classmate. We were seated together in some of our classes.  He was among the few taller guys in our class who were often assigned seats at the rear end of our classroom.  For somebody his size, he could well have been a campus bully.  Yet he never figured in any fight or mischief so common among boys our age.  Level-headed, humble and witty, Carlos had a keen sense of humor that made him always fun to be with.  We often shared jokes.  And he would laugh with a hearty guffaw whenever I made fun aping our teachers during classes.  He was also good in Math and Pilipino.  I remember copying from Ilaga's test papers on many occasions.  Generous by nature, he always allowed me to copy his answers without any qualm.  I remember one particularly difficult exam in Pilipino when he warned me, "Dili ko sigurado sa akong answers, apan kung gusto ka nga mokopia, bahala ka."  I persisted anyhow and was able to answer a good number of questions.  But the teacher, Catalina Daan, flunked me anyway.  She found out that I had exactly the same correct and wrong answers as Ilaga's.

I had not seen Ilaga again since we went our separate ways after high school at LCHS.   I was working at the Solidbank in Cebu when I returned to Iligan for a vacation.  The first thing I did upon arriving home was to stop by Sen Hua Trading on Quezon Avenue where Ilaga was working.  There I received the shock of my life when I was informed by the store personnel that Ilaga was gone.  He died of heart attack.

I had not seen Alberto after we left LCHS until 1981 when our company undertook a site development project for the National Steel Corporation in Iligan.  When Albert heard that I was in town to recruit personnel for the project, he applied for a job with us.  He remained with us after the project was completed and moved on with the company to Cebu together with his family.  He was a hard-working employee who was always seeking new methods to improve our cement batching operations.  Several years later, he retired after suffering a mild stroke.  He died in June 1996.  Alberto may be gone but his presence lingers on with us in the person of his daughter, Alona, who has since joined our company in charge of payroll computerization.

Susan was a family friend and a helpful classmate.  I remember often visiting her house to copy our homework during our years at LCHS.  Yet she never complained.  She was always ready to help.   Soft-spoken yet approachable by nature, she was quick to make friends.  Within a few days after we set foot in CEC, she already had several friends among our new classmates while I was still groping in the dark.  I remember when we started the Spectrum in 1968 and had difficulty meeting our printing costs, Susan did not even ask what she could do to help.  Instead, she went ahead to approach our CEC classmates for contributions. When she died of cancer in August 1995 our former CEC classmates showed up in full force to bid her farewell. Today, Susan's two grownup daughters take after her personable trait and industry. Eldest daughter Jennifer runs the Philipson Enterprises, a construction supply store Susan used to manage together with her husband Felipe Chan. Her second daughter Abigail runs a chain of flourishing native fast food outlets called Sugbahan at Robinson's Place, Cebu Ayala Center, and Elizabeth Mall.

"Death," according to essayist William Hazlitt, "cancels everything but truth; and strips a man of everything but genius and virtue."
Each death of someone dear to us tears away a fragment of our heart.  Yet they also leave with us the legacy of their virtue that stays imperishable in our memory.

Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

Last week a friend asked me if I know any Fung Shui expert.  She said that since the Chinese New year is fast approaching she wants to be prepared for the New Year; she wants to know what the Year of the Monkey has in store for her.  At first I didn’t know how to react to her question since I always thought that Fung Shui experts are good only at checking the “flow of energy,” the Yin and Yang in houses or places of business.  I never thought we could ask them stuff that we would normally ask a fortune-teller.  Well, anyway, I just told her that I could ask a friend of a friend to give us a name.

My friend is a full-blooded Filipino but she said each year she would seek Fung Shui experts to advise her on stuff, especially on financial matters.  She asked me if I do the same thing, and I was feeling kind a awkward telling her that I don’t.  It’s not that I don’t believe those stuff; it’s just that I won’t go out of my way to seek their advice.  I always believe that with enough optimism, nothing is impossible.  But my friend couldn’t believe what I just said. She asked me: “Aren’t you Chinese?”  Now it’s my identity being questioned.  She said that she thought all Chinese do this all the time.  Well, I guess there are people who do but I’m just not a member of that group.

She wants to seek another expert’s advice because she wants to confirm what the first “expert” she went to told her.  Whew! That’s a lot of work.  I mean why go through all the trouble of asking for advice from somebody you don’t even believe.  Well, who wouldn’t seek another advice when she was told that this coming Year of the Monkey would be bad year for her and the only way to break the spell is by buying a three-headed dragon and place it prominently in her house. Firstly, nobody wants to hear some bad news.  Secondly, we’ve looked all over for that dragon from the shops in Chinatown to the expensive boutiques in the malls but we just couldn’t find one.  The shopkeepers would look at us as if we’re three-headed.  As if we’ve just asked “does it snow here in Manila?”  After being subjected to this ridicule I was challenged to prove that the first “expert” is wrong, so I had to find another “expert.”

A friend of a friend said that he knows somebody and that we could meet for dinner.  So armed with nothing but our charms we went to that date. My friend asked so many things from the expert that I thought he’d walk out on us.  I was hoping he would stay longer so that I could also ask for my “luck” in the coming year, since I was already there anyway.  At first I acted as if I’m not interested to have my fortune told but deep inside me I was getting excited too.  I said to myself “why not?”

The first thing he asked me was the exact time of my birth.  Oh no! This is something I really don’t know, but I thought I could just call my mother through her cell and I’d be ok.  But for some unknown reasons my mother didn’t answer her phone.  I was already thinking of calling all the banks in Iligan since she normally hangs out there, but of course how could I.  I don’t have the numbers and it was already late.  I called up our house, I called up the store but there’s no mama.  The “expert” said he really couldn’t do anything without that piece of information.  So I just sat there feeling helpless.  I keep thinking how did I ever get sucked into this.  If I didn’t meddle with my friend’s business with the expert I’d have been home sitting-pretty, not here with beads of sweat forming on my forehead since I just couldn’t get hold of my mother.

After a few more tries my mother finally answered her cell phone, saying that she’s out and she could not hear me.  So I waited some more until she got home, where it’s quiet enough for her to hear me.  She said I was born around 3 or 4 in the morning.  Before I could hang up she asked me if I already know the exact date.  I paused for a few seconds before the question finally sink into my brain.  Then I said “of course!” Unless I’ve been celebrating on the wrong date for the past 33 years.  “Si mama gyud joker kaayo!”

The “expert” told me that I’m basically this and basically that.  Something that I already know, basically.  So I just nodded and nodded to his every word.  I wanted to scream in frustration because he was telling me things that I already know about myself; I was expecting him to tell me things that I still don’t know. Then he said you’ll have a basically good life.  Before I could ask him to explain what he means by “good” he was already packing his stuff, shoving his books and his huge compass-like thingy into his black bag.  When we asked him if we need some lucky charms to make our lives lucky and to fight the bad elements coming our way, he just said that those people who prescribe those stuff are just merchants wanting to make a sale, so he wants us to be thankful that he is not that kind of person.  Well, what he said made us both happy and sad -- we’re happy because it means that there’s no need to hunt for that three-headed dragon; we’re sad because we were hoping he’d advise us to carry some kind of talisman to bring good luck and to ward away evil elements.

My friend got some bad news once again. She was told that the new place she’s eyeing for her business isn’t a good place to be for the next ten years.  After nodding to every word the expert told her, she turned to me and said, “I don’t believe him.” I almost fell off my chair asking myself why did we have to go through all this when in fact she’s still going to follow what her instincts told her?!  But there’s nothing I could do then.  I couldn’t possibly hit her on the head so I just roll my eyes to the heavens hoping for some divine intervention.  I feel that we’d have been spared from all the trouble if we just followed her instinct from the start.  But it was also her instinct which told her to ask an expert in the first place. Anyway, next time I know better; we’ll just have to tie a gag on those instincts.

As we were leaving the restaurant, she said, “See we feel very Chinese after that experience.”  Yes, she’s kinda right although that feeling instantly left me when she asked for her Tikoy.  She asked me what’s the significance of Tikoy.  Well, that’s something I have to look for in the dictionary or the directory or maybe in the internet.  For one thing, I don’t even like eating Tikoy because it sticks to my teeth like glue.  Or was it the real purpose of Tikoy?  Maybe it’s really meant to stick to our teeth so that for the whole year we won’t get hungry; there will always be morsels of tikoy left between the gaps of our teeth. Yuck, right?!

I hope that not knowing a good Fung Shui expert and not being fond of Tikoy doesn’t make me a lesser Chinese.  I hope that it’s what’s in my heart that counts. Let’s all welcome the Year of the Monkey with a big bang and with a big bunch of bananas.

Have you ever wondered why life needs to change?  You're happy and content, you've got your routines, and all of a sudden something bad happened.  Is it to cause pain and suffering?  A misfortune in life?  A karma for what you did?  Many countless thoughts come into your mind as to "why" and "how" could it happen when something bad struck you. You either go thru self-pity or complain and whine or give up, "I can't take this, it's too much!"  But have you ever wondered if something good comes out from something bad?

It took me 42 long years to finally realize that God has a good plan for my life, and every single battle that I fought was to make me strong and appreciate what I have.  It all started with low self-esteem issue (inferiority complex), the main root of my inner struggle.  It never bothered me that I am bowlegged until I was about eight when a woman asked me if my mom didn't massage my legs when I was a baby, that's why I'm bowlegged.  I was so embarrassed and hurt.  Since then I became very self-conscious of my legs and how I walk.  It was aggravated by few classmates who ridiculed me for being bowlegged; they would imitate how I walk.  Oh, for many, many years I hated God for how He created me. I accused God for being unfair.  I even came to a point of wishing I was dead.  I hated myself.  I wanted to be someone else. Outside, I appeared to be strong and confident, but deep in my heart was an emotional turmoil.  Every time I was put to test, I would fall apart. I didn't have the inner strength to sustain me.  I allowed my emotions to control my mind and actions.  I would hide in my room; cried like a baby. The inner pain was like cancer to my spirit.

It takes one to understand the torture of this emotional battle, and how serious it can be that you should not take it for granted. I am finally cured or I wouldn't have the courage to publicize my story.  Looking back, had I been born with beautiful long, straight legs, I probably would be conceited, critical and insensitive to others.  I probably would be just another shallow person who couldn't see beyond the physical.  I probably would not know how to appreciate and live life with gratitude that I have two legs and I can walk.  God did not make a mistake when He custom-designed my physical appearance -- I look like me for a reason in God's plans.

Same thing with everything that happened in life happened for a reason.  I married young and didn't know any chores.  I had to learn everything in a hard way.  But looking back, I gained a lot to become who I am.  No matter how painful my past was, I still thank God for allowing it to happen.  It needed to happen to change me, to discover my potentials and become the best of me.  If I had not been insulted and criticized, then until now I still wouldn't know how to cook and do chores.

Being so far away from home raising my daughter alone is not easy.  But God never gave me more than anything I could handle.  I don't know of any other better way to raise my daughter than constant prayer and faith.  Every stage in a child's life is an experience, with teenage life as the most challenging.  It is no longer just about grades, foods, play, but also clothes, boys, freedom and peer pressure.  Coming from a conservative family upbringing and cultural background, raising a teenager in the States is a struggle. Talking back to parents wasn't how we were raised, and we want our White-washed children to do the same.  Due to fear of being reprimanded, we never talked to our parents about personal issues and here we are, expecting our children to tell us everything.  I think "letting go" is very hard to do, we just want to baby our children no matter how old they are, just like how our own parents treated us.  I can go on and on, but the bottom line is, every challenge that I had faced allowed me to know more about my daughter and appreciate her strength and maturity.  It also allowed me to thank God for His blessings.

Even in my journey of faith, I fell many, many times before I reached this stage of submission and obedience to the Lord.  I had a lot of baggage I carried on for many years that prevailed me from growing.  God had gradually removed each one of them.  As I was saved, I looked at my daughter and asked God to make it a package deal.  I was very surprised to hear my 15 1/2-year-old daughter ministering the words of God to our 24-year-old family friend on Christmas Day. Until then, I never knew her faith.

May I have enlightened your spirit today, and you will start examining yourself on what good did something bad bring to your life. God bless!

The Ballad of Lord Geoffrey and Margaret
By Candice Ang Uy
Cebu, Philippines

In the darkest hour of night
the ancients, with wistful eyes, will say
soft whisperings echo in the glen
shadows with arms entwined in loving embrace
the grass unbent beneath their feet.

Lord Geoffrey was to the manor born
his handsome looks and easy charm
belying a kind-hearted and generous nature;
though wealth and power he had,
his people loved him for his heart.

Margaret, for that was her name,
was the village merchant’s daughter
Of blackest hair and fairest skin;
Beauty to rival the rose, purity
unsullied by a touch of sin.

Geoffrey loved her truly
and she in turn with him
many secret nights in the glen
they had vowed their love and devotion;
the gleaming moon in mute witness

how filled with ire the father
curses and threats upon his son,
but Geoffrey remained unmoved
only more resolute he grew
till his father lost the cause.

How gladdened he was to hear of his father’s acceptance
and with haste he sought
Margaret; she
rejoicing at the joyous news

But all was not it seemed
for the elder had a deceitful heart,
she would never be his bride
not a drop of her blood
would ever taint their name.

And so he commanded his son
on some pretended quest;
this he had to do before
living in wedded bliss
with no misgivings, Geoffrey bade farewell.

Many days flew past.
Margaret diligent on her bridal finery;
overseeing the preparations
for her coming nuptial day,
thoughts always resting on her beloved.

When suddenly news broke upon them
Lord Geoffrey was dead.
He had been beset by robbers
and was slain in battle,
weeping carried on the passing breeze.

Margaret was faint with grief.
The hands which had lovingly sewn her gown
now hung limp.
She moved trance-like to the one
place where they had been happiest

The solitary figure in the glen
never to see sunrise upon
his beloved face; to spend her days
in endless wandering
and unceasing pain.

If not in life then in death
they shall be together.
She willingly let life ebb from
her, falling to sleep never
to awaken again.

Unaware of his father’s treachery
Geoffrey came upon the throng.
White-faced villagers mourning his demise;
the crescendo of babbled voices
filling him with dread.

Lying soft upon the grass
her beauty unmarred by death;
the loving eyes that had once
caressed him, the laughter that
had roused his heart, stilled

He had lain beside her
she in his clasped embrace
as it always had been
his blood a crimson trail
stark against her fairest skin.

And so the ancients say
that in the darkest hour of night
Lord Geoffrey and Margaret walk the glen
their love undimmed by time
untouched by Death.

[Author's Note:  This ballad was born of an idea to write a story poem, a story of a star-crossed love which was not destined to bear fruit.  The names were born out of the author’s own preference, aside from the fact that they sounded so right together.  The poem is set in Medieval England, one of the author’s favorite chapters in World History.  This is meant as a pre-Valentine piece.  On Valentine’s Day, one’s thoughts often dwell on love and so this speaks of love, triumphant even in death.  Comments or just plain how-do-you-do e-mails are welcomed at: candz911@yahoo.co.uk]