Vol. 8, No. 18, Dec. 6, 2004

Henry C. Dy, president of the LCHS Alumni Association, recently received a letter of solicitation from the LCHS Administration to give loyalty awards to members of the LCHS faculty and its administrative personnel.

The award is intended to give due recognition and honors to its teachers and staff who have been serving the school for many years.  It has been noted that some teachers have been with LCHS for 17 long years already.   The LCHS-AA acknowledges the good gesture by the school administration. It also recognizes the fact that there are members of the faculty and staff who deserve to be honored for their dedication and loyalty to the Alma Mater.

Meanwhile, officers of the LCHS Alumni Foundation, Inc. are now going hammer and tong in the fund drive for its Scholarship Program.  During the recent officers meeting of the Foundation, concerns were aired regarding the low sales of its Christmas raffle tickets.  Only a handful of booklets have been reported sold so far.  Preparations for the alumni Christmas party are now underway.  Weekly meetings have been set this December by the Alumni Foundation together with the officers and directors of the LCHS Alumni Association to be held every Tuesday.  With the alumni Christmas party fast approaching, the officers are appealing to all alumni and officers to intensify efforts in selling the raffle tickets.

Christmas raffle prizes at stake

1st prize: 21-in. color TV, with DVD player
2nd prize: 7-cu.ft. refrigerator
3rd prize: Washing machine
4th prize: Microwave oven
5th prize: Mountain bike
plus: 30 consolation prizes

Draw date: Dec. 30, 2004, at LCHS Alumni Christmas Party, LCHS gym, Iligan City. A project of the LCHS Alumni Foundation, Inc., for the benefit of the LCHS Scholarship Fund.

Iligan welcomes Gothong Lines

Here's a piece of good news for Iligan shippers and travelers.  A new cargo and passenger vessel has been added to the current fleet of ships serving Iligan City.

The vessel, "M/V Ozamis Bay 1," made her maiden voyage last Nov. 22.  It belongs to the Carlos A. Gothong Shipping Lines.  The other shipping companies serving the Iligan route are Sulpicio Shipping Lines, and WG&A & Cebu Ferries.  "M/V Ozamis Bay 1" sails from Iligan to Cebu via Ozamis at 4:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday & Friday, and from Cebu to Iligan via Ozamis at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.  The ship can accommodate 1,200 passengers.  It has amenities such as restaurant, cabins, suite rooms, tourist & economy classes.

Fake P5 coins in Iligan?

Residents of Iligan City are alarmed by reports of counterfeit P5 coins circulating in the city.  A number of market vendors and retail storeowners have refused to accept P5 coins.  Some shops even post notices in their stores that they will not accept P5 coins.  But big establishments still accept the coins noting they have no choice since there are no guidelines yet from the Bangko Sentral on the matter. Businessmen in Iligan urged Bangko Sentral to make a statement on the matter as this issue confuses people and often leads to conflict.

Surveillance cameras for Iligan

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Iligan City recently granted City Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz the authority to negotiate with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) concerning the P15M loan application for the purchase, installation and maintenance of surveillance cameras in 40 strategic areas in the city.  The amount will also cover the creation of the central monitoring system and the construction of the city’s information and communication technology center at the third floor of the legislative building.

On new GAH 2005 sked

Wed, 24 Nov 2004 06:18:58 +0000
Wazup? Is it possible to change the date of our GAH?  It's due to the fact that it is the week of July 4 which is a big holiday here in the U.S. Why not make it July 15 and 16?  Just a thought.
--Larry Sy, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A., email: lvs@comcast.net

[Hi yah there, bro! The 2nd GAH sked is yet to be finalized until February 2005.  We are awaiting more comments from other alumni in other places. Please browse our Spectrum website at: www.oocities.org/lchsspectrum for any new feedback from alumni living outside the Philippines.   Meanwhile, just set your sked ahead for GAH 2005. Your brods here are waiting for your arrival, like Henry, Wahoy, Bonton, Romy, Jacky, Robert, Eddie, Gorio, William Vina, Cesar Pacle & Justo.  Thanks, brother!  --Editor]

Roger Suminguit, Batch '73

Samson Shipping Agency.  Our hats off to past alumni president, Arturo G. "Toto" Samson (Batch '59) on the opening of his new business outfit.   He recently opened the Samson Shipping Agency, a booking and ticketing outlet for Gothong Shipping Lines.  Toto is the agency's operations manager, along with his enterprising wife Eileen G. Samson as general manager.  Their ticket office is located at Samson Electrical Supply along Gen. Aguinaldo St., Iligan City.  Manning the ticket sales are their two lovely daughters, Janice G. Samson (Batch '95), and Jacque Lynn G. Samson ('97).

Being the modest guy that he is, Toto Samson himself would not divulge any info to "Tracers" regarding the latest accomplishments of his children.  Yet, "Tracers" somehow still managed to gather enough insights about the Samson children from its eyes and ears around the city.  Janice Samson (in photo, on the left) and Jacque Lynn Samson (in photo, at center) are products of the University of San Carlos, Cebu City.  Janice graduated cum laude, B.S in Business Administration. Jacque Lynn finished B.S. in Hotel & Restaurant Management. Their eldest sister Jennifer Samson ('94), in photo, on the right, is a registered nurse and is now working in Miami, Florida, U.S.A.  She is a green card holder and a graduate of the Cebu Doctors College.

New Alumni Professionals.  Following the footstep of his father as an electrical engineer, the youngest of the Samson siblings recently passed the government licensure exams for electrical engineers.  He is John Arthur G. Samson ('99). He graduated last March at the University of San Carlos and passed the Electrical Engineering Board Exams given last September 18-20.  John Arthur will take his oath on December 5, 2004 at Cebu Midtown Hotel.  Congratulations to our new electrical engineer!  Another new alumni professional is the son of Jose Tan Sr., the perennial golf buddy of Carlos C. Dy.  Joe Tan is now in Manila to grace the conferment of his son, Dr. Jose Tan Jr. (Batch '84) as Diplomate in Surgery.

New Breed of Badminton Buffs.  Nowadays it seems younger alumni are gradually replacing the older generation of our alumni badminton club.  The younger alumni play real mean badminton every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday evening at the LCHS gymnasium.  During the 60s, after a round of badminton, the players would converge at the Canton Restaurant or Oriental Restaurant for some quick bites of siopao or lo-mi and a bottle of softdrinks or beer.  But nowadays the younger players would wind up at Teepoy's Grill with heavy  meals and rounds of beer.  There's evidently a big difference.  But then of course, our new badminton buffs are a lot younger and more energetic and can withstand long hours of endurance play.   Hey, are the old alumni badminton players finally hanging their rackets?  Basin lain na pud nga racket ilang gibuhat karon.  Among the younger generation of alumni comprising the new-age badminton enthusiasts are Ernest Oliver C. Uy ('87), Ronald U. Sy ('83), Chester Dy-Carlos ('87), James Booc ('82), Franklin Tan ('89), Brendon Bernardo ('89), Ruben T. Co ('86), and some of their sport-minded friends.

Christmas Lights Around the City.   Christmas season is upon us!  Christmas lightings of different colors, shades and designs now adorn every household in the country.  In Iligan, the Christmas Activity Committee has enjoined all establishments to put up Christmas lightings beginning December 1 to enliven the Christmas spirit in town.  At the City Hall in Pala-o, its main building has been decorated with colorful Christmas lights that are visible from afar.  Different barangays all over the city are also busy making innovations in their Christmas lightings and decor in preparation for the ongoing city-wide Christmas light contests.

Multi-awarded Alumna Tours Japan.  I just received a surprise text message from Cotabato City.  Remie Tan-Wee (in photo at left) conveyed to us her excitement over the approval of her Japan visa last November 26.  She is now on tour and enjoying a few bites of authentic sushi and tempura in the Land of the Rising Sun. Remie, the dashing lady from down south, has been jetting lately across Asian countries because she is always on top of Philippine Airline highest ticket sales. Remie, basta sa susunod, sama na kami ha? Ok?

Busy Bodies.  "Tracers" has observed that our longest-running columnist and correspondent in Manila, Marie Janiefer Lee (in photo, on the left), has been having her hands full lately with her seemingly endless civic activities.  Which is not surprising.  She is now the club president of Rotary International of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.  Janiefer sent us a text message asking to be excused from writing for this week's issue of the Spectrum.  She could not send her articles on time for this issue because she had to attend the required seminar as president-elect of her Rotary Club.  She says she doesn't want to submit an article that's half cooked.  Well, Pwede naman yan sa next issue pero taasan mo lang kasama ang seminar activities ha?  Another alumnus who is ever on the go is Dr. Henry Yu ('69), in photo, on the right, who was spotted in Manila last Nov. 25-27 where he attended the 26th annual convention of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) held at the posh EDSA Shangrila Hotel.

Kong Hua Foundation Day.  The Kong Hua High School in Cagayan de Oro City celebrated its 67th Foundation Day last November 28.  The celebration brought its alumni closer together with the theme: One Voice, One Strength & One Family.  The festivities included a grand reunion of all its alumni.  And it seemed they left no stone unturned in their preparations to entice their alumni to attend the grand reunion.  The organizers had attractive posters pasted all over the major establishments in CdO.  I read one poster posted right on front of the main glass door at the Gaisano Mall announcing the commemoration of Batch 1954 as Golden Jubilarians & Batch 1979 as Silver Jubilarians.  CdO's Kong Hua opened one year ahead of our school.  We marked the 66th Foundation Day of LCHS last November 12 with much fanfare and festivities.

LCHS Jubilarians.   We are also informing the LCHS Batch 1954 & Batch 1979 to come forward and be recognized as this year's jubilarians at our Christmas Party on December 30, 2004 at the LCHS gymnasium.  Members of these batches may send their class representatives to our alumni officers meeting on December 8 at Crystal Inn, Tibanga, so they can contribute their inputs on our tribute to them as this year's jubilarians.  See you all at our Christmas bash. Mag-kita-kits kitang tanan!  Hala-beer-a!

Assorted jokes from the Internet

A husband snoring all night is only trying to get back at his wife nagging all day.

Why do bachelors stay trim while married men gain weight?  Bachelors look at the ref, see nothing tasty, then go to bed.  Married men go to bed, see nothing tasty, then go to ref.

The boat is about to sink.  A priest shouts, "San Juan, San Pablo, San Pedro."  A nun shouts, "Santa Maria, Santa Rita, Santa Clara!" The Chinese passenger butts in, "Ano ba yan!  Lulubok na barko, tawag pa pasahero!"