by Djoma Serafica-De Guzman
I just posted Anne Evangelista-Buaron's update on the alumni preparations for the STCS Diamond Jubilee in 2008. Looking at the top pictures of today's Aliguas Mangaldan front page, I could not help noticing that in March 2008, two milestone events are going to happen: the first batch of Mangaldan National High School which graduated in 1948 will come back to their alma mater to celebrate 60 years of friendship and, the full complement of Santo Tomas Catholic School alumni across the years will converge in the school grounds to celebrate the school's 60 years-Diamond Jubilee...and I will turn 60 in the same month...
As the flurry of messages find their way through Aliguas Mangaldan, with classmates making frenetic messages to get in touch with one another and try to get "home" in March 2008, I am reminded of my mother's words as she struggled to send 7 children to private schools in Manila with just her's and my father's public servants' wages, "There is no not much material things we can bequeath to you. Our main gift to each of you would be the education that you are getting now that will open better life opportunities for you and your children to come." It was almost a yearly ritual that Mama would troop to the pawnshop as the June enrolment came. And this practice was repeated many times across families in Mangaldan where providing a good education to one's children was and remains an enduring value system.
During my stint as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts in Lyceum Northwestern Dagupan, I was flabbergasted by a request from a relative for me to make special accomodation to her plea. She came into my office and I quickly greeted her with respect by making "pingsiw" (touching my forehead to the right hand of the person of older age). Her niece failed to make the cut-off point of the infamous NCEE which determined who may be accomodated for college education. Those who failed would be relegated to the vocational courses. My aunt was well-off and that caused her a major concern because, "What will the people say if I cannot send my favorite niece to school and earn a degree. 'Kababaeng ak'. " Could I make an exception and allow the niece to get enrolled. She said no matter if the niece would last only for one semester because, "makapoy amo so ulo to". At least, "ni panengneng ed karaklan ya aka tonton met ed colegio may ugaw." ... so much for the education vaue system.
The point nonetheless is clear. For Mangaldanians, providing a good education for one's children is a life goal. And as the alumni in MNHS and STCS jump with joy in seeing each other again, let it not be lost in the din of the celebrations the memory of the parents who made the sacrifices without which there will be no alma mater to come home to. Salamat ed si Ina tan si Ama!
Djoma and grandchildren Pablo and Natalie
