Vol. 8, No. 2, April 26, 2004

Ali Dimaporo, Muslim political kingpin, died of complications brought about by pneumonia last April 21 at the Philippine Heart Center, Manila.  He was 95.  He was a long time ally of the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos and head of one of the country's powerful political dynasties.   He leaves behind eight children.  One of his children, Abdullah "Bobby" Dimaporo, is a representative of the second district of Lanao del Norte.  Abdullah's wife, Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, is running for reelection as governor of Lanao del Norte.   Dimaporo's remains were brought by military plane to Cagayan de Oro off to his hometown in Benidayan, Lanao del Sur for burial rites. Maranaos went out in the streets and hung white cloth in mourning at the second district towns as more than two hundred vehicles formed a convoy following his remains to reach the far town of Benidayan.

Ali Dimaporo served as congressman of Lanao del Norte for three terms.  He was a former governor of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, and was president of the MSU for 10 years from 1976.  Born on June 15, 1918 in Binidayan, Lanao, Dimaporo was the eldest among four children of Datu Dimaporo Mamalapat and Potri Maamor Burngao.

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

Masons Annual Convention

Members of Freemansonry from all over the country flocked to Cagayan de Oro City last week for their Annual Convention (Ancom).  Delegates from Iligan, belonging to the different Lodges, attended the affair in hordes.  Many others, like brothers Carlos "Bonnie" Dy (Batch '57) and Peter Dy (Batch '66), also took part in the two-day Ancom golf tournament held at the sprawling Pueblo golf course.   Speaking of summer conventions, members of Toastmasters clubs from different major cities in the Philippines will converge in Cebu City for the annual Toastmasters District Convention scheduled on April 30-May2, 2004 at the Cebu Grand Convention Center to be hosted jointly by the Toastmasters clubs in Metro Cebu.

Marie Janiefer Q. Lee, Batch '87

Our Rotary club meets every Tuesday at Pinausukan Restaurant along Roxas Blvd., Manila.  On April 6, 2004, the Tuesday right before the Holy Week long weekend, our Rotary meeting was cancelled as announced in the previous meeting to give those who were going out of town the chance to hit the road early.  My Rotarian friend Star and I had nothing to do that night so I suggested that we send out text messages to our fellow Rotarians asking them why there’s nobody in Pinausukan and that we’ve been waiting for them.  We want to find out who and what their responses would be like.

Our club president called, in just a matter of seconds, he was already in Australia then and said, “Jenny, we don’t have a meeting tonight; didn’t you hear it announced last meeting?”  For my part I was having a hard time suppressing my laughter.

Next it was our immediate past president who was in Batangas.  He called up and said, “Jenny, that’s what you get for chatting during meetings; you didn’t hear the announcement about the cancellation of this week’s meeting.”  I was already getting teary-eyed from laughing so hard.

Then one of the directors called; he was obviously not listening during the meeting because he said, “Hah! Nobody’s there yet?  Not even the club secretary?  Well, let me call them.”

Aside from the calls, my cell phone got bombarded by text messages of varying emotions and reactions, messages like the following:

A:  “Ayan di kasi nakikinig sa meeting, wala po tayong meeting tonight, umuwi ka na!”

B: “Galing na ako dyan, eh, walang tao kaya umalis na ako.”

C:  “Jenny, sa susunod makikinig sa meeting ha?  Wala tayongmeeting tonight.”

D:  “Heh! Tumigil kayo, wala lang kayong magawa noh?!”

The members of our club are mostly in their late forties, fifties and sixties. Star and I are the youngest in the group.  Most of them are company presidents, and top bureau officials in the government.  I bet that nobody in their respective offices would dare play this kind of trick on them until they met us.  Hehehe.  The older the member is, the more serious the responses were.  The younger ones knew that we were just playing around.

When we told our husbands about what we just did they laughed until their jaws hurt.  Although my husband told me that playing tricks like that might make my club realize that the next president in line is a very immature person and I might get booted out of office even before my term started.

The following Tuesday, April 13, Star and I have to put up with questions like:  “Were you really here?” and “How come you didn’t know that it was cancelled?” over and over, as one by one those people we texted came in.  During the meeting they would call our attention every now and then just to make sure that we’re listening and not just chatting in one dark corner of Pinausukan, cooking up something mischievous again.

Charles O. Sy, Batch '67

My friend Roderick Ngo has advised me against eating too much ginger.  He says it could be gingerous to our health. - ooo - There is growing interest among kids these days to raise rabbits as house pets.   It seems this hobby is hare to stay. - ooo - I have a dish washer friend in Cebu who works part time as a DJ in a disco pub.  We call him Dish Jockey. - ooo - While taking a snack in an ice cream parlor in CdO, I was served my ice cream with the wrong flavor.  I complained to the waiter for not giving me a fair shake. - ooo - It's not true that presidential aspirant Eddie Gil, of the Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa Party, told his detractors who call him a nuisance candidate to go to Gil. - ooo - It's a sad commentary of our time that the Tinago Falls resort, once the crown jewel of Iligan tourism, has fallen to hard times.  The Tinago Residence Inn has ceased operations due to financial difficulties.  What was once an attractive tourist destination is now nothing but a deserted jungle of ruins and decay.  The abandoned complex is in a deplorable state of utter disrepair.  The cottages are dilapidated.  The flora and fauna that once gave the resort its life and color have vanished.  Some of the concrete slabs that make up the steps leading down to the foot of the Tinago Falls have caved in, rendering the descent hazardous to visitors.  It's a shame that Iligan, which prides itself as "the city of waterfalls," cannot even manage to sustain a single resort as popular and promising as the Tinago Falls.  In apparent mockery, local residents are now saying the Tinago Falls is truly living up to its name tinago. - ooo - The Spectrum is now on its 8th year of operation.   For the last seven years it has sustained itself on scant resources and limited inputs from our alumni community for whose interest the Spectrum was conceived.   Given this lopsided equation, it is hard to imagine how we ever managed to survive this long.  For the Spectrum to sustain itself further on, it will need to attune itself to the realities of the times. With the dearth of material contributions coming from LCHS alumni, the Spectrum is left with no other recourse but to embrace the participation of non-alumni friends noted for their writing skills.  For this reason our readers can expect to see more articles touching on a wider range of topics aside from those concerning the alma mater and our alumni community. - ooo - For long term sustainability, however, it is imperative that the Spectrum enlist the participation of the younger set of our alumni population.  Through the years, the Spectrum, like the LCHS Alumni Association itself, has been run by alumni belonging mostly to batches of the 50s and 60s.  It is time for those belonging to batches of the 70s and 80s to take their turn if this publication, and the alumni association for that matter, are to remain relevant to a rapidly-changing world.  With their untapped energy and new ideas, there's much that our younger alumni generation can do to take the reins and steer the Spectrum to a new dawn.  The prospect is not farfetched for old folks like us with a penchant for the glories of the past to give way to younger alumni with an eye on the promise of a brighter future for the Spectrum.

Leonardo Tan, Batch '66

Only 3 weeks left before the big E-Day for the Philippines.  And I must confess that I have been following the election campaign religiously by reading some major Philippine dailies with their internet editions on a daily basis.

I read the candidates' stand on various issues or the lack of it and most of the opinions expressed by the leading national columnists.  I learned that there are some interests once again for "CHA-CHA" or charter change.  Some are advocating a shift to parliamentary system vis-à-vis the present presidential system the Filipinos inherited from the Americans.  Some would go just half-way with the so called federal system as championed by the senator from our neighbouring province of Misamis Oriental.

But what really surprised me until now is the deafening silence about the provision with regards to how Filipino citizenship is acquired.  I thought this very important issue should be redefined, especially with the recent controversy questioning the citizenship of presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr.

This is not an endorsement for FPJ.  But I am happy that the Philippine Supreme Court saw the light in rendering a favourable decision in FPJ’s favour by declaring him as a natural born Filipino and thus eligible to run and be elected as president of the country.

It was a time of great anxiety and uncertainty while the case was pending in the highest court of the land for some weeks.  All these could have been avoided had the principle of Jus Soli been one of the factors in identifying one’s being a natural born citizen.  Let us expand the proposed new constitution to accommodate the principle based on one’s birthplace and not limit it to the old rule of Jus Sanguinis or by blood.

I must admit that I have never encountered again these two main principles in attaining natural citizenship since my studies of the subject Philippine Government at LCHS until the celebrated case of FPJ surfaced some months ago.

Most of the progressive countries have long adopted Jus Soli.  And I could not find any argument against it.  Instead, it has all the merits.  Except maybe that it would eliminate some government red tapes, thereby ceasing to enrich a few pockets of immigration officials.

This Spectrum newsmagazine contributed very excellent and vivid examples in its recent issues. I am referring to the pictures regarding the ancestral homes in Kinmen and some landmarks in Iligan. I am sure our sentiments are very clear cut as black and white.  There are no grey areas.  We all know where we really belong.  We all realised where our being Chinese ends and our being Filipinos as inevitable.

Of course we respect and understand if our parents yearn for Kinmen.  Remember they were born there.  That is their Jus Soli.  But our generation, born and raised in the Philippines, has no other land that they could cherish and love but the land of their birth.  And this comes naturally.  They have every right that the constitution should guarantee that they should be declared as natural born citizens.

Another great argument for jus soli is the recent article of Charles O. Sy with his last visit to Iligan, which inspired him to write a very nostalgic article entitled “A Trip Down Memory Lane.”  As Tsinoys, can we write the same about the land of our parents?  A strange land for us that we have no memory of except perhaps for a few fleeting visits.

I am very much in favour of jus soli to be incorporated in the new constitution, if there will be any.  The compelling reasons are just endless. I think Jus Soli is long overdue for the Philippines.

Today's Lesson
Forwarded by Peter Dy (Batch '66)
Iligan, Philippines

A professor stood before his Philosophy 101 class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full.  The students agreed with a unanimous yes!

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour the entire contents in to the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now," the professor said, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff!"

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for your life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.  Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your partner out dancing.  Play another 18 holes.  There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.  The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers!"

After ten exhilirating weeks, I am home.  It was my fifth trip to America.  And I am still impressed.  By 911.  Disneyland.  And Tom Hanks.

I cried my eyes out in Philadelphia.  Cried again in Forest Gump.  Wolf was intriguing.  Lion King, enchanting.  Shadowlands, endearing.  If I call my friend, Rosie, the "concert queen," I am what we call in the family, the self-proclaimed "movie queen."  So you can imagine what a ball I had with all the summer movie premieres and productions.

As always, America did not disappoint me.  It remains unparalleled as an entertainment capital.  The theme parks were incredible.  The shows, unequalled.  Dining was a world-class endeavor.  Shopping, a delightful escapade and an addictive experience.  When I left America, I was all ready to found "Shop-a-holics Anonymous."

I ate in America's restaurants.  Strolled through her theme parks. Shopped in her malls.  Poured obscene amounts of money into her economy.  Probably halted the recession.  And saved the economy from further destruction.

Everywhere I went, I saw small and insignificant pleasures.  Water fountains.  Mail boxes.  Public phones.  Inconsequential and long-forgotten conveniences.  Parking meters.  Vending machines.  Cement roads.  Symbols of the First World.  Recyclable containers.  Disposable toilet seat covers.  Beepers for restaurant queues.

The extent of their technological immersion is staggering.  The computer chip has found its way into every nook and cranny of American life.  Public fax machines.  Credit-card automated safeboxes.  Phones at 30,000 feet.

My letters never got ripped in half.  My packages never got lost in the mail.  I never had to carry paper whenever I entered a restroom.  And running water flowed from faucets everywhere.  I never had to explain a return.  I simply got my money back.  Without any questions.

I can understand why many people are magnetized by America.  Factory outlets run from coast to coast.  Shady trees line the streets.  Violinists and pianists serenade in the stores.  Micky Mouse resides on both coasts.  Best of all, everything in America works.  The lights.  The phones.  The faucets.  24 hours a day.

You can count on the cops, the firemen, and the garbage collectors.  911 arrives in 8 minutes.  And they're still racing to make it in 5.  People pay their taxes.  For fear of going to jail.  And because they see where their taxes are going each year.

I can understand why people would like to make America their permanent abode.  Gas prices are competitive.  Merchandise is returnable.  People can live on their salaries.  Get a car.  A house. A tux.  All on credit.

I count myself lucky, though.  That for all of America's attractions, I neither have to leave may family nor my friends.  Or my country.  To seek employment.  A better life.  Greener pastures.

Like many nations in the world, America has her share of spiralling problems.  Crime.  Graft. Recession.  Gangland wars.  Weakening currency.  And fallen icons.  But unlike many nations in the world, it can stand proud as a free nation.

Nowhere in the world have I seen a nation where the banner of every community, home and individual is freedom.  Stepping into America for the very first time while living under repressive times, I found the concept of freedom -- alien, novel, surreal.

Children speak.  Parents listen.  The boob tube makes fun of public figures.  Gays and lesbians march into the streets.  Prophylactics abound in schools and gas stations.  Playboy and Penthouse on any bookstore shelf.  The Piano is hailed as a movie great.  And Madonna's book got published.

I learned many other concepts in America aside from freedom.  Ecological Balance.  Sexism.  Honor System.  Animal Rights.  Affirmative Action.  Consumer Education.

If only for the memories, America will always occupy a special place in my heart.  The leaves turning gold in the autumn.  The promise of spring in the air.  The initiation to art, cooking and winter.  The appreciation of home, family and summer.

Cruising through the streets in a convertible.  Summer picnics and boardwalk strolls.  Marathon shopping expeditions.  Daily train rides and laundry disasters.

My friend, AJ, I will forever miss.  A friend who taught me to fall in love with Americans and to understand them more.  A friend who introduced me to Rodin, avocado sandwiches and Nora Ephron.  A friend who opened my eyes to alcoholism, drug addiction and latch-key kids. From the day we parted, I never forgot what our friendship stood for.  A blend of the East and the West.  In perfect harmony while it lasted.

America will always be on top of my list.  As a favorite holiday destination.  A perfect hideaway.  A shopping paradise.  A place where memories can be made and stored forever.  Where hearts can break and heal.  Where moonlit walks and perfect nights are possible.

I am certain that one day, I would bring my own children to this place.  A place that is both real and magical.  A place where people can make choices.  Freely and without guilt.  A place where assimilation need not be the key to understanding and comprehending culture.

America will always be a second home to me.  But the first will always be where my heart is.  Where the potholes and scandals come in hordes.  Where the people are warm, friendly and nosey.  Where the weather is wet, tropical and rainy.

It's funny.  Almost impossible to explain why.  But no matter how often I go or how long I stay, no matter how delightful and enticing America sways, I will always come home to stay.

[About the Author:    Melanie "Mimi" Lim (in photo) writes from Cebu City, where she is a college professor at the University of the Philippines -- Cebu.  She is a past president of the Taipan Toastmasters Club and past editor of its award-winning newsletter, the Kampei.  She spent about three years in Beijing studying Chinese language and worked with a center that assists foreign students in China.  Mimi also writes a Sunday column in the Sun-Star Daily.  Aside from her writing skills, she is also well known for her eloquence as a speaker.]