ADEN high school batch celebrates 29th year anniversary

March 20, 2009
11:36AM

Dear Batch mates:

Did you guys know that it has been 10,590 days now since we had our high school graduation back in March 22, 1980? If you want a more exact time count, from the time our graduation ceremony started at 5PM on March 22, 1980 until the first minute I started writing this letter, the time that had lapsed is 15,250,176 minutes.

Time is perceived by many in different ways. Some consider time as an opportunity to earn green bucks thus creating the belief that “Time is Money”. To avid historians, time should be Marked/Tagged with a title, painstakingly recorded in great detail and fervently studied so that the knowledge extracted from it can be passed on to the next generation. To the God fearing, time is owned by our Creator and these men and women chose to devote their lives towards the worship of the Almighty and the service of mankind. To an Atenean from ADNU, time should be devoted towards blindly following the all familiar university motto of “Premum Regnum Dei”. What does time mean to you?

Twenty nine years is a lengthy period that was given to us by our Maker to chisel our path through life. I do not doubt that all of us fought wild winds and stormy seas during our journey. Like the stock market, we encountered profits and losses in our lives. But to some, their life’s debits out weighed their life’s credits. I continue to pray for our batch mates who are currently weighed down by misfortunes (Debits). May the Almighty someday provide them a grace of life’s credits that would relieve them from their anguish.

Though debits exist in our batch’s balance sheets, we also have notable credits. Did you guys know that our batch is populated with members that had taken a career in government service? Some held government jobs but has moved on to the private sector due to one reason or another. Below are the batch mates whom I know hold/held a career with a government agency/institution:

Porfirio Bragais – Philippine Law Enforcement Agency (Ret), San Fernando , Cam . Sur.
Joseph Abante – Municipal Court, Tinambac, Cam Sur
Arnel Abrigo – Naga City Prosecutors office, Naga City
Jerry Adolfo – Magarao Sheriff Department
Leoncio Badiong Jr. – Land Bank, Bulacan
Tomas Carino – Central Bank, Naga City
Perfecto Perfecto – Works for Land Bank, Naga in addition to having a private law practice(?)
Eduardo San Buenaventura – Dept of Agriculture, ATI-RTC, Guinobatan, Albay
Alexander Sayson – Provincial Assessors Office, Capitol, Cam . Sur.
Chito Torres – RTC office, Capitol, Cam . Sur
Jerry Borja – U.S. Navy (Served), City of San Diego , Department of Engineering, California .
Gabby Del Puerto – U.S. Navy (Served), Department of Transportation, California .
Mike Wyland – U.S. Navy (Retired)
Kenneth Pavilando – U.S. Army (Retired)
Decio Turiano – U.S. Navy (Served)
Glicerio Valenciano – U.S. Navy (Active)
Jesse Crescini – U.S. Navy (Served)
Enrique Besenio – Boy Scout of the Philippines
Noel Rabe – Department of Water District ( ? ) Naga City
Noel Motos - Department of Water District (?) Naga City
Cesar Concon – City of Cebu (?)
Sem Cordial – Philippine Department of Agriculture (?)
Ramon Estipona – Casureco
Johannes De Hitta – Central Bank of the Philippines
Engracio Imperial – Land Bank of the Philippines
Edwin Luntok – Naga City Court
Roy Ragrario – Philippine Department of Interior (?)
Reginald Reclusado – Philippine Army Engineering Corps (?)
Leandro Rellosa – Philippine Postal Service
Arecio Rendor – Councilor, Oas, Albay
Gene Sambo – Philippine Department of Interior
Clarito Santos – Philippine Army (Served)
Harry Samuel De Los Santos – Albay Regional Hospital , Physician (late 1980’s)
Alex Sarmiento – Philippine Law Enforcement Agency, Cebu (?)
Loreto Tan – City Hall, Naga City
Nelson Tuico – Personnel of U.S. peace keeping force, Iraq
Albert Villafuerte – City Hall, Naga City
Ivan Yuboco – Social Services Agency , California
Gerard Zantua – PAGIBIG funds, Legaspi City .
Rufo Burgada – Kagawad, Tinambac, Cam . Sur.

Please notify me if I made an error in noting the branch of the government agency that you served under so that I could make corrections in my records. If you guys wish to add a batch mate’s name on the list, kindly email me his name and branch of service.

Our batch also holds a noticeable marker in the historical books of ADEN ’s prefect of discipline. It was during our last year in high school that the KKK was formed by LG-20, headed by KKK supremo, Decio Turiano.

KKK is still active in ADENU high school but the identity of its members are now hidden from the prying eyes of OPSA. When I went to the new campus of ADNU high school back in February 2008, I spotted Jovie De Los Trino and we had a short but lively chat. When I asked Jovie where I can meet with any KKK members, Jovie’s eyes widened with alarm. He immediately chuckled a little bit and told me in a friendly tone, “Ivan, medyo bawal na ang kikiks ngonyan digdi.”. While Jovie and I were talking, Greg Abonal came by and was surprised to see me. After a few minutes of chatting with sir Greg, I told him about the book I was writing that contained memoirs of the members of batch 1980. Then sir Greg’s mood suddenly changed to a sour one and said, “Kamo baga idtong nagpuon kaidtong kikiks!” When I tried to respond to what sir Greg just said, Sir Greg immediately walked away with his head trailing a little smoke (Nag high blood si sir Greg pagkadangog lang kang pangaran na KKK). That was a clear indicator that our batch has marked a place in ADEN high school’s history.

Chris Canlas is right when he mentioned that our batch has a lot to thank about. Though we have chosen different careers and relocated to far away lands/countries, we are forever marked as Ateneans that belonged to an active batch called mighty 80.

Tomorrow evening, I will prepare a decent Filipino meal for my wife and kids. (Ivan cooks? Yes I do. Not as good as some of you but I can handle myself in the kitchen). During dinner, I will tell my children stories about my high school days. My children (specially my 11 year old daughter) always enjoy hearing my stories about the time when I was their age. Hopefully they do the same when their time comes to keep their memories alive.

Gentlemen, happy 29th anniversary