MNHS CLASS ' 61 CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE

Balikbayans  who  belong  to  the    MNHS  class '61  are  now  back  in  their  respective  homes  but  the  memories  of  their  Golden  Jubilee  celebrations   are  still  very  much  fresh  in  their  minds . In  fact , it  was  not  only  the  balikbayan  group  but  all  the  members  of  Class '61  who  were  present   during  the  two-day  celebration   share  the  same  sentiments  of  love  and  joy ..

Courtesy  of  Norman  Cortez  , who  was  the  coordinator  abroad , pictures  which  captured  the  moments  during  this  special  event , were  sent   to  me  to  be  shared  to  our  readers . Ernest  Serote  , the   over-all  Class '61  Coordinator  based  in  the  Philippines  , prepared  the  program  and  coordinated  the  activities  with  the  assistance  of  their  classmates  who  are  also  based  in  Mangaldan  and  Metro  Manila  ,  maintaining  a  close  contact  with  their  counterparts  abroad .

The  two-day  celebration  started  with  a  holy  mass  at  the  MNHS  Auditorium /Gymnasium  officiated  by  Msgr . Heramia ,  followed  by  the   blessing  and  turning  over  of  the  flagpole  project  of  the  class . Ms. Pilar  Idia , assistant  to  the   current  MNHS  Principal ,  Dr . Rosalino   Agpalo  ,  represented  him  and  accepted  the donation . The  motorcade  followed  after   the  ground  ceremony . Twelve  vehicles occupied  by  the  jubilarians  snaked  their  way  across  the  main  streets  of  Mangaldan .

Lunch  was  served  after  the  motorcade , followed  by  the  program . Fifty  one  class  members were  present  . Norman  Cortez , who  is  a  USA  based  class  member was  the  master  of  ceremonies . Our  incumbent  Mayor  Romero  was  the  Guest  of  Honor  and  Speaker  . Thanks  to  the  presence  of  former  teachers   Mr. Benjamin  Mercado  and  Mrs. Beatrice  Lalatag , the  program   reiterated   the  deep  camaderie  the  class experienced .  A  forum  followed  and  the  class  members  were  divided  into  three  groups  . Group  A  consists  of  class  members   who  are  Mangaldan -based , represented  by  Amado  Serote . Group B are  those  who  left  Mangaldan  for  Metro  Manila  represented  by  Virginia  Fabia- Uson  . Group  C  are  the  balikbayans (  foreign  based  )  represented  by  Nati  Lim  Rillorta  .  The  forum  became  the  start  of  their   Fellowship  Day   and  each  member   shared  his  or  her  experience . It  became the  ice  breaker  and  so , the  jubilarians  had  the  time  of  their  lives  discovering  more  about  their  classmates . It  became  a  renewal of  their  friendships .

The  evening  which  was  the  Fellowship  Night  became  more  cordial  and  informal as  everybody   played   games , danced  and  had  karaoke  singing .

Inspite  of  a  late  night , the  class  members  got  ready  the  next  morning  for  the  picnic lunch  at  the  PTA  beach  resort in  San  Fabian . The  day  was  another  enjoyable  day  for  the  jubilarians .

The  balikbayan  group  took  the  opportunity  to  do  some  tour  in  their  own  backyard (  Philippines ) . They  went  to  San  Fernando ( La Union ) , Vigan  (  Ilocos  Sur ) , Laoag  ( Ilocos  Norte ) , Baguio  City and  Bohol . The  experience  of  such  an  enjoyable  reunion  prompted  the  class  members  to  have  a  reunion  every  two  years , considering  that  everyone  of  them  is   now  in  their  golden  years.  " Ang  klaseng di nagpapaiwan " . is  now  the  class'   motto  .. 

Here  are  some  pictures which  the  class  wants  to  share  with  us  through  the  courtesy  of  Norman  Cortez .

                                            

   The  MNHS  Choir  sang   during  the  mass  held  at  the  auditorium  officiated  by  Msgr. Heramia ..

                                                                      

                                            

Msgr. Heramia  is  shown  blessing  the  new  flagpole , donated  by  the  MNHS  Class '61 , during  the  celebration  of  the  Class'  Golden  Jubilee . The  members  of  the  class   gathered  around  the  site ..      

                                        

The  early  flag  ceremony   followed   after   the  blessing  of  the  newly   erected   flagpole . The  jubilarians   joined   the  MNHS   students   during  the  ceremony  .

                                            

Here  is  the  close-up  ( not  too  close , though  ,  so  click  on  the  picture  to  get  a  better  view )  of  the  marker  for  the  flagpole  donated  by  the  Class '61  class .

 
                                                               

                                          

                The  motorcade  was  ready  to  roll  after   the  turn  over  of  the  flagpole to  the  administration .

                                           

             Norman  M . Cortez  was  the  Master  of  Ceremony  during  the  Forum .

                                          

        Mayor Herminio  A  . Romero  was  the  guest  speaker  during  the  program  and  forum  after  lunch .

                                         

 

This  picture  was  taken  during  the  forum  . Invited  guests  were  Mayor  Herminio A. Romero ,   and  the  former mentors  of   the  class  , Mr. Benjamin  Mercado and  Mrs. Beatrice  Lalatag  .

                                      

Bong  Padre  received  the   posthumous  award  for  his  late  father , Sofronio  Padre , who  was the  Principal   during  the  Class'  high  school  years  in  MNHS  till   their  graduation .

                                       

Mr.  Benjamin  Mercado , a  former   teacher  of   the  jubilarians  received his  certificate  of  appreciation  from  Norman M. Cortez .

                                      

Modesta  Sison Lomibao  presented  the  Plaque  of  Appreciation  to  the  Class '61  mentor , Mrs. Beatrice Lalatag .

 

                                        

Virginia Fabia Uson  presented  her  co-group  based  in  Manila . Left  to  right  are  Marietta Navarro , Lucrecia Calicdan , Ernesto Serote , Modesta Sison -Lomibao , Pacita  Frianeza - Cahigas , Avelina  Visperas-Cabanilla , and  Teresita Dotong-Lizardo    

                                       

The  foreign  based  members  of  the  class   are  presented  by  their representative  Nati  Lim Rillorta .The  balikbayans  are  Violeta  Ferrer  Castillo ,  Julieta  Formoso  Commander  , Erlinda Lomibao Ramos , Luz Langit dela Rosa , Pete  Cendana  and  Ligaya Lomibao  . Norman Cortez  is  not  in  this  photo .  

                                       

The  Mangaldan -based  members  of  Class '61  are  being  applauded  by  the  audience  led  by Mayor  Herminio A. Romero . They  are  presented  by  Amado  Serote  who  acted  as  the  representative .  
   
 

                                       

 

Here  is  the  group  picture  of  the   51  happy  and  lucky  attendees  of  the   Class 61  Golden  Jubilee  celebration  .  First  row , left  to  right :  Samuel Santa  Cruz , Antonio Biagtan , Rodolfo Fernandez, Bernardo Carino , Juanito Guba , Norma Romero Fernandez , Floro  Morales , Antonio Aquino , Eligio Bautista , Carmen Cendana , Concepcion Bautista Alvarez, Victoria Casupang  Macasling , Rodolfo Muyano, Erlinda Lomibao Ramos  and  Virginia Fabia Uson .

Second Row  , left  to  right : Vicente  Quinto , Pedro Salayog , Arsenio Senin , Irene de Guzman  Soriano , Violeta  Ferrer Castillo , Lucrecia Landicho  Canta , Erlinda Ferrer  Mamayson , Teresita  Dotong  Lizardo , Modesto Sison  Lomibao , Luz  Langit  dela  Rosa , Msgr . Heramia , Ernest Serote , Ligaya Lomibao Magno , Nati  Lim  Rillorta ,  Maria  Viduya  Sarzaba , Avelina  Visperas Cabanilla , Marcelina  Padilla Molina , Amparo Magalong  Velasquez and Melinda Quinto Tibigar .

Third Row , left to right : Bong Padre , Rodrigo Malanum , Norman Cortez , Elpidio Maningding , Julieta Formoso Comander , Amado  Serote , Lucrecia  Calicdan Ferrer , Marietta  Navarro , Pacita Frianeza  Caliyas , Salvacion  Visperas  Sabahan , Flor de Gusman  Beltran , Merarda  Quinto  Caramat , Julieta  Nate  Ceralde , Amelia  Roca  Quisto , Marcelo  Lomibao , Gerardo Naoe , Nemesio  de Guzman  and  Mario de Guzman .    

                                        
 
 The  Fellowship  Night  was  an  informal  and  intimate gathering  where  almost  everybody  joined  in  the  games ,  the  singing  and  the  dancing .  Each  group  prepared  their  own presentations  .  It  was  a  night  to  remember  for  the  jubilarians  ! !

                                     

And  finally , the  Golden  Jubilarians  posed  in  front  of  their  beloved  Alma  Mater , the  Mangaldan  National  High  School ......

CONGRATULATIONS  , CLASS ' 61 ! ! !  GOD  BLESS  YOU . MAY  YOU  HAVE  MANY  MORE  HAPPY  YEARS  TO  GET  TOGETHER  . CONGRATULATIONS  TO  THE  ORGANIZERS  AND  COORDINATORS . I  MUST  SAY , IT  WAS  A  JOB  WELL  DONE .. 

By  Marie  Aquino  Junio    
   

  
 

                                          


 

 

       

Comments

[Living in the philippines]

Congratulations to class 61. It has been years.:)

[Cecile Ferrer-Mejia]

To: Alumni of MNHS, Class '61,
My sincerest "Congratulations" to your successful Golden Jubilee reunion! May God bless you with good health and long life that you may celebrate many more!
I feel overjoyed reading reunions because it proved one thing - wherever we live - we made time to go home to our hometown and visit our alma mater to pay tribute to this special place, where we spent the most memorable four years of our lives.
I could imagine how everbody felt -- the jubilation and the celebration that followed! I could hear the laughters and the "aahhs" and "oohss" to everybody's never-ending stories as to what happened since graduation. All told, it was the opportune time to renew old friendships that were slipping away with the passage of time. My heart goes to those who did not make it! Truly, they missed the chance of a lifetime. Golden Jubilee reunion happens only once!
To honor your former mentors is commendable! Lest not forget those who played a big part in shaping what we are today.
Finally, the flagpole donation will definitely "stand tall"! It symbolizes everlasting gratitude to your alma mater. Long live, MNHS Class of 1961!
Cecile Ferrer-Mejia, MNHS '59er

[Marie A. junio]

Hi , Ross and Cecile , I am trying to figure out why your comments are not going through . When you read this , post again your comments and we'll see if it will be published ..

Marie

[Marie A. junio]

Dear Ernesto ,

Kudos to you for spearheading a successful celebration of your Class '61's Golden Anniversary . With the help and cooperation of your other classmates , you truly achieve your goals .

Thank you for your interesting and informative comment. It would be another interesting post when we unravel the mystery behind the Class '61's flagpole project .

It is unfortunate that no matter what a class organizer will do , there are always some members of the class who won't be able to join the group . It could be that they live quite far , their work won't allow them to get time off or they are shy or they are plain "indifferent " or other reasons . But hopefully as news will reach them that your Golden Jubilee and reunion was worth going to , they might change their minds for future get togethers . Continue getting infos from their relatives , their neighbors and their friends . Somehow , somewhere , words will reach them of the success of your celebration and they will be there two years from now . Hope for the best ..

Good luck and God bless you and your class in all your undertakings .

Sincerely ,

Marie

[Ernesto M. Serote]

Thanks, Marie, for the brief but substantial post about Class '61, Ang klaseng di nagpapaiwan. It was indeed a memorable event and the memories we packed up are worth taking to our graves. If you must know, we are currently preparing a book of memorabilia, a yearbook of sorts but it covers a half century in the life of a class and its members. We are however running into difficulties tracing the where abouts of all 169 of us. As of last reckoning 44 of us have passed on and out of the surviving 125 nearly half remain unheard from. To our knowledge about 25 are based abroad, mostly in North America but only a dozen or so are in touch with us. We are therefore seeking help from other alumni from other classes to trace our classmates including our former teachers or their families. We have prepared certificates of gratitude for each of them but many remain unclaimed or undelivered.
Let me end before this "comment" turns into a full-length post. But I promise to send you another post soon, this time on the mystery behind Class 61's flagpole project.
Cheers!
Ernesto M. Serote
Class Valedictorian