Since last Tuesday, 02 October, our Alma Mater, the Quezon National High School (formerly Quezon Provincial High School) in Lucena City has been celebrating its 110th founding anniversary. We received a week ago an invitation to attend this event from retired Gen. Charlemagne Alejandrino Class 69, president of the alumni association and chair of the Executive Committee for the celebration and the Grand Alumni Homecoming. The activity will end today with the Alumni Grand Ball which will also feature the giving of Dangal ng Quezon High Awards.
In a letter accompanying the invitation, the Chair informed us that I was one of those selected as recipients of the Dangal ng Quezon High Award. I have thanked the Chair and the selection committee for this honor and also expressed regret that I could not be present to receive the award on account of previous commitment. I indicated in the letter my wish that a close friend and classmate, Romeo "Butch" Gonzales, receive the award on my behalf.
As a member of Class 1958 of what was then QPHS, I graduated from the school 54 years ago. Since I woke up this Saturday morning, I have been trying to run through my mind some key milestones of my four-year stay in this school.
Some notes:
-Probably like other alumni, I remember the teachers who influenced us the most, not only in their handling of the subjects assigned to them, but the examples they showed in terms of values that a school system is supposed to reenforce in the young lives under their care: infinite patience and spiritiual values (Miss Unson); discipline in class (Ms. Abcede, Ms. Aglibut, Ms. Villanueva); strength of character (Ms. Mercedes Castro);
good grooming and pleasant personality (Ms. Lavarez, Ms. Buenaventuara).
-We were also molded by the interactions with diverse personalities inside and outside the classroom: motherly/sisterly concern and always ready with advice and assistance (Mil, Isa ); gentle demeanor and always with a smile (Brenda, Argee); thespian skills and life-of-the-party approach (Nini, Norma, Butch); debonair looks, playboy type (Nilo, Fili); senatorial look (Jovito); business-like manners and genius in math and geometry (Satur); generous ways (Abe, Ben); snob appeal (Carol); and so on.
-Some real-life experiences taught us valuable lessons for future use: my throwing stones that broke windows in our physics class which resulted in my two-week suspension from classes; my winning a place in a national competition for features writing to atone somewhat for my earlier sin; intense mentoring by the school paper adviser to prepare us for editorship; assignment as auxiliary of the Legion of Mary to a tough neighborhood in the city's abandoned air strip which taught me about the hierarchy of needs and its implications to community work; the remains of my father taken away without notice from his resting place to give way as burial site for a rich Chinese businessman in town; a medical doctor declining to go with me to treat a sister who was sick with dengue fever and who died soon after; a Chinese store owner in Iyam allowing us to get what we need and to pay later, a kind gesture my Grandmother would remember until her final days; and so on.
Let's end here. I cannot see this page anymore because of the mist in my eyes. Now I remember Mr. Francisco Salazar, our principal, who would shed tears when he walked around the campus and probably would remember something from his own past as a high school student in the same school.
Finally thank you for whoever nominated me for the award. I owe you dinner here in Bohol, my adopted province. Cheers!
NMP/06 Oct 2012
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