Manny Tuazon celebrated his 40+ birthday with a few good friends at his home in Queens, NY. It was a night of fun and laughter, food, wine (and beer no?) and of course, men!

   Here is an email from Paring Erick on his recent trip down under that gave him a chance to see Tony Ocampo in Melbourne. 

   "I breezed in to Australia while everyone was sleeping.  Nice to renew bonds with Tony Ocampo and wife, Virginia." -Fr. Erick

   Everyone has been asking where Bong is.  We are so sad to locate him in an unexpected way.  Fr. Erick send as a news that Bong passed away from an accident.  Our condolences and deepest sympathy to Bong's family.
 

  We got the pictures from the Long Beach & Anaheim mini-reunions.  Ruben was in town to visit relatives and that paved a way to meet the great Josephine Broken in Long Beach and the uncomparable Bautistas in Buena Park.  Thanks, Fenchie & Ruben for the pictures.  Go Lakers Go!!!

   Thanks, Tess/Lex for the pictures from our Riverside mini-reunion last October.  Here are the happy faces in our Riverside rendevouz.
 

   Bong Lauza has been sought by many and here is a writeup from Evelyn as tribute to the late Bong Lauza.  Evelyn has found 2 more batchmates, Ester Trilliana Roxas and Rebecca (Rebbie) Aguilar.
   Nenette Kit Cruz has been located in the USA.  We will have more on Nenette next issue.  Thanks, Obet Reylado for helping us locate her.
   Crisanto Martinez from Batch 79 broke his silence when he heard the news on Sir Rudy.  Cris was one of my best buddies in Kanluran Patrol in Troop 85.  Here are some info on Cris from his email.
 

   A general scout alumni reunion was held at Sir Rudy’s place in Col Salgado St, Kamias, Quezon City to celebrate his 79th birthday.  Here is a copy of an email and pictures sent to us by Ronnel Samson.  We have a bunch of Batch 78 present in the event.
   Thanks a million for the update, Ronnel!  Happy Birthday, Sir Rudy!!!

   Please change or add the following email addresses in your list.  Also notify us if your email address changed.  If you know the email address of other batchmates who has not contacted us yet, please let us know and we will contact them.

   Here is a weekly Gospel reflections from Fr. Erick Santos. We hope that it can be of help to the Catholics out there who attend the Sunday masses.  They are simple and down-to-earth reflections for the "masa" who comprises majority of the faithful in the Archdiocese of Manila.

I guess every member of batch 78 especially Troop 85 members know Bong Lauza.  It's sad to know that he is dead now.  Yesterday, I received a call from Sir Rudy telling me that Bong is dead. The former wife of Bong, Mayette, called Sir Rudy and informed him that Bong met a vehicular accident last 21 November 2002.  Sir Rudy immediately called me and I relayed the news to every batchmate who is in my phone directory. Last night, Friday, we went to the wake of Bong at Malate Church. Some of our batchmate who were there were Edmon Liao, Evelyn Alcaraz, Perlie Gonzales and daughter, Edna Adriano.  I was with my wife Ruby last night.  Rod Bondoc of batch 80 was also at the wake. Eric Santos was also there and will officiate a mass for Bong tonight at 7:30pm.

We hope to see more scout alumni tomight at the wake.

This is all for now.

rss (Ronnel Samson)

         Father Erick has arrived from the wake of Bong Lauza held at the mortuary of Malate Church when he broke this news to us. He has learned from his first wife that he died several days ago from a motorcycle accident.  He could hardly recognize the once handsome Bong on the coffin.  His nose bridge apparently was broken and he looked  very different.  Present in the wake were Evelyn Alcaraz, Perlie, Dolly, Edmon, Ronnel, Edna and Rod Bondoc of batch '80.
       Sir Rudy was badly shaken knowing about the news and Evelyn had to rush to his place to check on him as he was feeling dizzy.  Apparently, Bong and Evelyn were the best of friends in high school and she promised Sir Rudy during his birthday that she would locate Bong. Likewise,  Evelyn was also feeling down when Father Erick talked to her that afternoon. In honor of Bong Lauza Father Erick celebrated a mass attended by Batch '78 members and former Troop 85 scouts the following evening.  Here is the latest email from Fr. Erick:

-----Original Message-----
From: Rev. Fr. Erick Y. Santos [mailto:henrique@info.com.ph]
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 2:11 PM
To: Buzon, Valentino 
Subject: BONG LAUZA, R.I.P.

Paring Val,

Peace and every blessing!

Just to update you on Bong. I went to say a mass for our beloved batchmate and Troop 85 comrade Bong Lauza at the Malate Church last night.  Our batchmates were there to show our love for a friend:  Edmon Liao and his entire family, Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Celis,  Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Cena, Mr.and Mrs. Elmer Pangan,  Mr. and Mrs. Ronnel Samson with their son and pet dog,  Perlie Gonzales and daughter, Olive Griarte Seña, Evelyn Alcaraz Muallil  ( who fetched and sent Sir Rudy Gutierrez home),  Dolly dela Cruz,  Dr. Ching Cabildo Albornoz and son,  Dodie Morales and our beloved Sirs Noel Maninang(SPL), Jimmy Roque(JASM) and Jun Narvaez(Scribe) of Batch '77.  Sir Rudy looked very happy to see all of us.  We have a new-found buddy in the person of Rebbie Aguilar-Asistio, E2, who was Bong's high school sweetheart after his break-up with a certain Nenita, also a batchmate. I actually wasn't able to readily recognize her and embraced her tightly upon learning that she was Rebbie.  Edmon and and I were close to her and most of the time sided with her whenever she and Bong would have a petty-quarrel.  She was a cry baby in high school. Rod Bondoc of Batch '80 tried to locate her that same morning.

I also had a chance to talk to Bong's oldest son to first wife, Mayet. He is a dentistry student at CEU.  I admire the young man for his gentleness and breeding.  He tearfully told me that it was in 1996 that he last saw his dad before his parents separated. He has a brother and four other step-brothers and sisters with Bong's second wife, Jojo.  He related to me how his mom sweat it out just to send them to good schools. Knowing that Bong's other family is financially hard-up (Jojo is jobless and is five-month pregnant with her and Bong's fifth baby), he promised me that he would see to it that all his half-brothers and sisters would continue going to school and will help them all secure a good future once he has established himself as a dentist in a few years.  Even Fr. Mickey, Malate's Irish parish priest who knows Bong's life through and through, was amazed by the young man's maturity and love for his father's children inspite of the fact that Bong was not able to see them through their adolescence. 

Then, I talked to Bong's eldest daughter with his second wife.  She is in third year high school . . . a beautiful and soft-spoken young girl.  I promised her that I would send her to college.  She was trying to hold back her tears when I assured her of her education.  Seeing her mother heavy with a child and with Bong laid in the coffin, I could not afford not to worry for them.

There was the lighter moments 'though.  We had a circle meeting with Sir Rudy and planned the Troop 85 Batches '77 to '79 reunion camp out in January.  Sir Jimmy was suggesting for it to be held in a hotel.   Not everyone would still be willing to sleep in tents.  Sir Rudy decided that it be held in a Bulacan resort of a former scout.  No worry . . . there are cottages there.  We sung "Scouting ng Maynila"  and "Laging Handa."  Evelyn protested that the girls also want to join,  Sir Rudy decided that we would tag them along to cook for us.

Before the night end, Sir Rudy led the Troop 85 impromptu tribute to Bong. We gathered in front of his coffin,  recited the "May the Great Scoutmaster of all good scouts . . .,"  sung the taps (Day is Done) afterwhich each scout gave Bong his final words.  We sung "Scouting You're For Me" one more time and were amazed that we could still sing it well (with second voice) after twenty-five years! Edmon's and Bong's sons watched us closely as each one gave the final "pugay kamay" to Sir Bong.  I even heard Edmon's son asking "Are they all Boy Scouts?  Including Father Erick?"  To which Edmon nodded with pride.  I went home a "renewed scout" like others.

Bong's interment is schedule on Tuesday,  December 3 at the La Loma Cemetery (burial lot of Mayet) after the 9:00 a.m. service at Malate Church.

Parang pelikula ang buhay ni Bong.  All his life, he was a lagalag and grew up without a family (his parents were separated and he lived with Sir Rudy).  His father died sometime in 1985 while no one can't locate her mother up to now.  Finally, he will go to His Father's house . . . where there will only be PEACE AND JOY.

Paring Erick 

"For all the laughters.... for all the friends I met and gained.... for the kindness..... para sa naging masaya kong high school days..... para sa masasayang ala-ala.... maraming salamat kay Bong." - Evelyn Alcaraz
 
 

Newly-Found Buddies.....

-----Original Message-----
From: Ma. Evelyn Alcaraz [mailto:megalcaraz@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 1:33 PM
To: vbuzon@kpmg.ca
Subject: Newly found buddies 
 

Hi Val,

I know that we are all in mourning for the departure of our dear friend and batchmate Bong. Ako talaga, sobrang lungkot ko, si Bong ang kaunaunahan kong naging kaibigan nang magtransfer ako sa THS from other school. Kahit simangutan ko yan palagi pa ring nagpapatawa. Dahil kay Bong ang dami kong nakilalang mga kaeskwela at tuluyang naging mga kaibigan. Karamihan syempre ay from troop 85 katulad nina Noel Maninang, Jun Narvaez, Ric Carpio, Erik Santos, Roger Narvaez, George Passion, Rod Bondoc, Rey Medenilla, Edmon Liao at marami pang iba. Kung naging lalaki rin ako sigurado nagboy scout at hindi model cat ako. In fact, dahil sa kanya kaya na meet ko ang aking first boyfriend. Bong was so good to me then. With him, there was no dull moment and he never failed to always amuse me. Kahit notebook lang ang bitbit ko pag nakita nya di sya papayag na di sya nag magdala para sa akin.

Kagabi, on his sermon during the mass of Fr. Erik, I was not able to hold back my tears. Pilit ko ngang pinipigil dahil I was siting between Mayeth, and Rebbie, Bong's first wife and ex-girlfriend respectively, baka mapagbintangan pa ko. Minsan, Ronnel sent me a text message, thanking me for the moral support that I was trying to extend to Sir Rudy. I told him that it is my pleasure to be of help pag dating kay Sir Rudy kahit ngayon lang nya ko nakilala dahil may mga kaibaigan ako na alam kong hindi lang natulungan ni Sir, itinuring din nyang parang mga anak. Isa na doon si Bong. Ang pangako ko nga kay sir Rudy hahanapin ko si Bong, kung kailangan ipaaadvertise ko sa newspapers para lang makita sya. Kaya lang naunahan ako....

For all the laughters.... for all the friends I met and gained.... for the kindness..... para sa naging masaya kong high school days..... para sa masasayang ala-ala.... maraming salamat kay Bong.

Thank you and best regards,

Evelyn Alcaraz
 

Nenette Kit Cruz has been located in the Washington State, USA.  We will have more on Nenette next issue.  Thanks, Obet Reylado for helping us locate her.
 
 

She is now Mrs. Ester Roxas. She is currently working as HRD Manager sa Lux Philippines( formerly electrolux). She is married to Joey Roxas who is in the construction business. They have three lovely kids: Genesis, 18; Exodus,14;Jose Canlas,10.Her e-mail address is ester.roxas@luxphil.com. I promised her that she will receive the December issue of  Kaeskwela. Sana hindi pa ko huli.
 

We have also found Rebecca (Rebbie) Aguilar, a devoted housewife and a mother of  two. Her e-mail address is rebie_asistio@yahoo.com. Further info to follow.

- Thanks EvelynAlcaraz -

From:  [mail to: cmartinez@lepantomining.com]
Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 3:20 AM
Subject: RE: Sir Rudy
 

Dear friends,

This is Crisanto "Cris" Martinez batch 79. My wife, the former Criselda Imperio belong to your batch. As they say "Once a scout always a scout". I was the patrol leader of Kanluran during my third year and was the JASM when Roger Narvaez was the Chairman and Hector Guina as the SPL. Val, you were with us during our camping in Amparo (in Novaliches) and you were the Asst. Patrol Leader of Villa Vargas. Remember, ikaw ang Jesus Christ during our Jesus Christ Superstar palabas nung nag campfire. I was Pilate, remember?

Anyway, I'm a lawyer now and connected with Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. as its Human Resource Manager. I was tasked to retrieve e-mails for my wife Criselda since she's  the one who belong to your batch (IVSS- Libra), but upon reading this item about Sir Rudy, I can't help but respond. I really don't know where my fellow scouts are now (batch 79)...however, please count me in to help Sir Rudy.

Cris O. Martinez
office (02)7501435
cel 0917 8155390