Another foreign ambassador recently visited Iligan City (in aerial photo) to look for potential investment area that will both benefit the city and the government of France. An indication of the city's peaceful safety situation, Vice-Mayor Henry Dy said.

French Ambassador Gerard Chesnel visited the city's Iligan Cement Corporation (ICC), Lafarge along with Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza. Chesnel was on his 4-day visit in Northern Mindanao that includes Marawi City. The guests were welcomed by Vice-Mayor Henry Dy.  Iligan City, despite the economic downturns it has encountered the previous years, is slowly recovering industrially, Secretary Dureza said in an interview with local media. This was also seconded by Dy who said the city is totally safe for foreigners who wished to put their business here.  Early on, Australian Ambassador Tony Hely also visited Iligan City to give financial support through international support organization, AusAid.

CHARTER DAY
Iligan City turns 56

Almost a thousand Iliganons, government officials and ordinary citizens alike, gathered at the City Public Plaza to celebrate the city's 56th Charter Day anniversary last June 16.

"Happy Birthday Iligan! You have come a long way from a quiet municipality to a city boosting with progress," Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Lluch-Cruz (in photo) said in a speech at the early morning of June 16, the same date when the late President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act 525 separating Iligan from Lanao del Norte and declaring it a city.

Honored guests present in the celebration were Mindanao State University (MSU) President Ricardo de Leon and PNP Regional Director General Florante Baguio. Both acknowledged the city's role and effort in preserving peace and promoting progress in the whole region. World-renowned Bayanihan Dance Troupe also graced the occasion with a presentation at the MSU-IIT Gymnasium.  Several events were lined up for the celebration starting with the now-traditional Tambayayong Festival wherein more than twenty advocacy floats from different government and private sectors paraded the streets of Iligan. Also for the first time, local officials and government employees partied at the famous El Centro Street Party at the eve of the celebration.

Iligan honors firms on 56th Charter Day

The Iligan City Treasurer' Office generated a total of P80 million in revenues last year sourced from 56 major industrial and commercial sector taxpayers.  City Treasurer Ernersto Balat said the revenue collected was significant due to the massive tax collection campaign initiated by the City Government.

The 56 taxpayers were given recognition during the simple awarding ceremony in time with the city's 56th Charter Day led by Mayor Lawrence Cruz and city officials.  Mayor Cruz expressed confidence that Iligan City's economy will fully recover after it collapsed in 1999 when then National Steel Corp. (NSC) closed.  Its shutdown affected other downstream industries contributing socio-economic growth to Iligan City, then known as industrial hub of the Southern Philippines.  The re-operation of then NSC now Global Steel Industries had greatly contributed to the gradual revival of the economy here and is seen to boost the neighboring provinces and cities.

Lino Lim, 41

Lino Gabo Lim (Batch '82) passed away in Luga-it, Misamis Oriental, last May 8.  He was 41.  He studied at LCHS up to Grade IV.  He is survived by his wife Melinda Monsanto Lim, with whom he has two daughters and one son.  The accompanying photo was taken during the class reunion of Batch '82, two days before the GAH2005. (J.Booc)

On Spectrum website pictorial
Sat, 17 Jun 2006

Excellent work, nice pictures (on the pictorial on your website at: www.oocities.org/lchsspectrum). Very nice to see someone taking so much interest and pain on such an interesting subject. Great work!
--Alyson Freya, U.S.A., email: alyson_freya@aol.com

OFF TO MALAYSIA.  Terry Racines (Batch '67) flew off to Penang, Malaysia, last June 15, together with five other colleagues belonging to the faculty of MSU-IIT.  They attended a four-day educational seminar in Penang courtesy of MSU-IIT.  Before departing for Malaysia, Terry and her group also spent a few days touring Singapore.

MORE ON KIM.  Shortly after our item on Kimberly "Kim" Chiu (in photo), the Pinoy Big Brother Teen winner, appeared in the Spectrum, we have been swamped with inquiries and requests for more intimate info about this overnight celebrity.

CHINESE CUTIE.  The 16-year old Kim is the daughter of William Tiu, son of alumna Ayling Chiu-Tiu (Batch '47). Kim adopted the surname of her paternal grandmother Ayling, of the Chiu family in Iligan.  They now reside at V. Rama Ave., Guadalupe, Cebu City. Kim, popularly known in Pinoy Big Brother as the "Chinese cutie from Cebu," has a brother and two sisters, Lakambini and Twinkle.  Her parents separated when she was 9 years old. Her father met her stepmother during a business trip in Vietnam. Kim's dad figured in a vehicular accident and her tita took care of him there.

With her endearing Chinese looks you'd think boys would be courting her left and right. But Kim's opinion of guys is not exactly the same as their opinion of her.  "Tingin ko sa lahat ng lalaki manloloko. Sa simula ok kayo, kapag tumagal na, sumasama na ang ugali. Di na nagtetext, di na nagsasabi kung saan pupunta. Madali kang pagsawaan."

TO BE A STAR.  Kim feels challenged by Pinoy Big Brother.  "Gusto ko maging artista. Gusto ko din makita sa TV at patunayan sa mama ko, sa tita ko, sa mga tao na may talent ako. Pwede ako sumayaw, kumanta at umarte. I can play the guitar." Kim's really praying she wouldn't cry, something she hates doing. "Kasi pagumiyak ako sasabihin nila na talo ako."

Kim was a third year high school student of Cebu Cherish High School before she joined the Pinoy Big Brother reality TV show.  Kim said she is overwhelmed and very thankful for all the things that happened to her since she joined the reality show.  She recounted how her life changed dramatically after bagging the top prize.  "Dati, 'pag naglalakad sa mall walang pumapansin sa akin. Ngayon meron nang nagpapa-picture tapos autograph."

Now that she is a national celebrity, she has to put her formal schooling on hold in the meantime as she pursues her dream of stardom in Manila.

Henry L. Yu, M.D., Batch '69

June 23, 2006

To our ever dearest daughter,

As you celebrate another birthday today, we thank God Almighty for all the blessings He has given you the past 18 years. This is indeed one very special moment in your life as you only become a debutante once in your lifetime.

We thank the Lord for all the years that we have shared together as a family, for the mission He gave us to be your parents. We may have been overprotective of you, but please understand that we are doing this because we love you so much and we only want the best for you and your future.

As you turned 18 today, we are filled with mixed emotions. For one thing, we could feel that we are indeed growing older as we see in you the image of a young lady who was our little angel not too long ago, somebody we used to carry and cuddle with so much love and affection. We fondly remember all those times of your very young life, like when we would read bedtime stories for you, putting you to sleep by singing out-of-tune lullabies, being by your side and offering you our dose of TLC when you were sick, buying items needed for your school projects, attending school activities, and a lot of other things which we did out of our unconditional love for you as your parents. Indeed, how fast time flies!

We hope that you will always remember the valuable lessons we taught you through the years. May you put into practice such virtues and traits as you continue with your journey through life as a college student and in the coming years of your adulthood. Please remember that we will always be here for you not only as your parents but also as your best friends to whom you can turn to anytime in your moments of doubts, perplexities, as well as your triumphs and victories. You will always be our little angel no matter how old you are because our love for you knows no time. It is as boundless as the sea and as sure as the sunrise and sunset.

Let me just quote these beautiful lines that I have read somewhere: "As you grow up, I feel you moving away from me in a direction all your own. I understand that you must follow your own path to wherever it takes you, but it is hard to let you go. We have always been so much a part of each other. My child, I know I can't hold your hand anymore or catch you when you stumble. I understand that you must separate yourself a little from me; it is a natural part of growing up. But trust my love enough to let me walk beside you as you seek out who you are and what you want to become. Let me be nearby as you explore your future and take it for your own. Let us take care that any distance between us never grows too wide to cross."

We thank the Lord for giving us the chance to be your parents. We thank you for giving us the chance to be your best friends. Happy birthday to you, our dearest daughter. We love you so much. And that will be forever.

Love,
Dad

Igdono U. Caracho, Batch '66