•  3rd Set: Reunion Photos (Posted: 1/14/04)
        Pre-reunion soiree     In Ilocandia     Sightsee by boat
        Ladies & gents          All the alumni  Some of the alumni
        Show topper        
•  Pagninilay-nilay (Posted: 1/14/04)
        ... a poem about the 2003 reunion
        (by Eladio de los Santos, '58 alumnus).
•  U.S. Coordinator's Reunion Recap (Posted: 12/15/03)
•  2nd Set: Reunion Photos (Posted: 12/15/03)
        The hula guys     The chorus line     Formal group photo
•  1st Set: Reunion Photos (Posted: 12/8/03)
        Alumni group photo     Sightseeing in Baguio
•  Latest Reunion Itinerary (Posted: 10/8/03)
•  Recent Developments (Posted: 9/24/03)
•  U.S. Liaison's 8/10/03 EMail
       Listing alumni attending, to date. (Posted: 8/10/03)
•  Schedule Of Activites To Date
      (Posted: 7/10/03)
•  Coordinator's 4/30/03 Letter
      (Posted: 6/12/03)
•  U.S. Coordinators Named
   (Posted: 6/12/03)
•  Preliminary Plans: 2003 Reunion
  
•  Mla. Alums Meeting March for the 2003 Reunion (Posted: 3/12/03)
•  Class' 45th Anniversary To Be Held In The P.I. (Posted: 7/18/02)

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  U.S. Coordinator's Reunion Recap

  By all accounts it was a successful celebration, a meeting of former classmates and friends.  It was week for the treasure chest, memories to be recalled over and over again.
   
  The week started on October 30th.  The U.S. Group met at our hotel room at Galleria in Ortigas Center at noon.  We rehearsed our hula presentation.  They have already received the lyrics and tape of the song and each one got their leis and grass skirt.  Around 2 pm we proceeded to Romy and Lety's house for a pre-reunion dinner.  Present were Remy San Jose, Matt Garcia, Zeny Linsangan, Sal Ligon, Oscar and Myrna Vallarta, Vicki Pascual, Jess de Leon, Eli Santos and Efren Pascual along with the host.  Off course, lots of beso beso, kumusta, tawanan at kwentuhan.  The next day we all went home to our hometowns for All Saint's Day.  Todos los Santos in Gapan these days is party time.  Everyone brings food.  I could not believe my eyes when I saw vendors taking orders for pizza, hamburgers, etc, for delivery in the cemetery.
   
  November 2, 2003
   
  The venue was Lacson Memorial banquet hall at Castellano.  There were 52 alumni plus their guests, that started arriving after 10 am.  The theme of the day was Apos and Anaks.  The Pilipino Dance Troupe entertained us with folk dances and ballroom dances.  There were songs and dances presented by the Anaks and Apos.  The alumni had the "Battle of the Minds" parlor game and of course our very own love duet by Eyo and Lilia de Guzman.  The Caballero String Band provided music.  The audience participated in dancing the tinikling with the Dance Troupe.  Raffles were drawn, prizes given.  Everyone had a prize.  The buffet lunch was very good.  Two lechons donated by Bayani Peralta and Norma Camaya.  The group parted about 5 pm.
   
  November 3, 2003
   
  Meeting place was in front of Gapan Central School. An air conditioned bus was waiting for us at 8 am. There were 24 alumni and spouses, 2 grandchildren and a son that came along.  Matt and Bayani went to the palengke to buy nilagang mais, grapes, paper plates and spoons and 2 gallons of gulaman sa malamig.  The two forgot to buy a cucharon.  The bus stopped at every palengke along the way to look for one.  Bayani, Eyo, Rudy and Efren alternately went down to buy one.  It was not until we reached Guimba that we found one.  While the bus was moving 50 miles per hour, picture this scenario.  The jug of gulaman on the floor, Rudy holding it tight, Vicki filling the cups and Efren passing them to the back and not a drop spilled.  We arrived Agoo, La Union around 2:30 pm.  We stopped at a Jollibee for lunch.  I was not really hungry yet at that time because all along the way there was a continuous passing of food from the front to the back of the bus - chicaron, mani, butong pakwan, sandwiches, etc.  We arrived at Baguio about 4:30 pm.  After checking into the Sun Rise hotel, we went shopping for some souvenirs. Baguio is now too crowded.  Wow, traffic galore and a sea of pedestrians.  I missed the pine scents.  There was a mix up in communication.  We were supposed to meet at the entrance of the mall by 6:00 pm, but Lety, Efren and Vicki were missing.  After waiting for 45 minutes, we headed back to he bus and found them waiting for us in the comforts of the air conditioned bus.  After mea culpa the three were forgiven and we headed to Barrio Fiesta for dinner.  We feasted on grilled seafood, crispy pata, sinigang na hito, tortang talong and caldareta.  I am still salivating just thinking about it.  After dinner we had a mini sight seeing.  We drove around the Mansion house, Camp John Hay and Wright Park.  We retired early that night, tired form the trip but looking forward for the rest of the week.
   
  November 4, 2003
   
  Breakfast was at 7:00 am. The hotel staff was overwhelmed by the deluge of hungry guests.  Service was a little slow.  Bayani was the last one served.  Well, he really gave them a piece of his mind before we left.  While having breakfast Efren, Matt and Vicki were trying to recall the names of the attendees on the first day.  They could only come up with 51 names.  Who do you think was the name they missed - Bayani.  After breakfast we continued to Ilocos Sur.  The sun was bright, the sky was blue and clear.  We made a stop at a gas station at San Fernando La Union.  Eyo bought all the banana qs of a vendor to her delight.  Efren overheard Vicki trying to haggle the price with a vendor.  He said "Vicki, alam mo bang 5 cents lang ang tinatawad mo? Masarap kasing tumawad."  We arrived at Bantay Ilocos Sur where we stopped at the oldest church built in 1590.  Lunch was 2pm at Chow King at Vigan.  The waiter was so confused with our orders, I think he was ready to call it a day. We toured the old Spanish town in a caretela, stopped by Fr. Burgos, former home and the pottery factory.  It reminded me of Intramurors but better preserved and developed for tourists.  Pushing northward we arrived at Fort Ilocandia around 6:00 pm.  It is a 5 star hotel casino, the pride of Ilocos.  After dinner we went to a far away corner of the hotel grounds.  Rudy Mariano taught the group, the Chili Cha Cha line dance.  He made sure everyone knew it before we stopped.  Before we retired that night the U.S. Group again practiced the hula at Efren and Vicki's room.
   
  November 5, 2003
   
  We had complimentary buffet breakfast the next morning.  It was also the birthday of Remy San Jose, so we had an impromptu birthday party.  While waiting for the bus, we took pictures, talked and laughed once more.  We left at around 8:30 am on the way to Ilocos Norte.  We stopped at Marcos Museum, where the body of the former President still lies frozen.  The room has little light and cold-kind of eerie.  Next stop was Sarrat, where we stopped at the old church where Imee Marcos got married.  We walked the grounds and went back to the bus but we almost left Rudy Siwa.  He got engrossed talking with the church keeper, telling him about "apparitions" of the Nazarenne to him.  We headed further north to Pagudpud - the northernmost town of Luzon.  We stopped for lunch at Saud Beach Resort, a most beautiful place white sand, coconut trees, and blue clear water.  Too bad it was high tide, the water was deep, we could not swim.  Not too far is the Patapat Ridge, where the China sea meets the Pacific Ocean and where the Cordillera Mountain ends.  I have to admit, the Ilocos Region is far more scenic than Nueva Ecija.  The roads are all cemented, no pot holes.  The Cordillera Mountain is always on one side and ahead.  The south China Sea is on the opposite side along the way peaking through the trees and the fields. We traced our trail back south to Alaminos Pangasinan.  It was a 9 hour ride in the bus.  Bayani tried to keep us from being bored by singing a la Tom Jones.  Everyone complained about how cold the bus was.  The driver did not know how to adjust the a/c.  Rudy Mariano complained the most.  He was sitting by an air duct, the cold air hitting his lap.  When we made a gas stop, he got out of the bus "to thaw", so "as not to ruin his sex life".  We arrived at Alaminos around 1 am.  The budget hotel and restaurant had meager amenities but the owner made up on hospitality.
   
  November 6, 2003
   
  The next morning we had a buffet breakfast while waiting for the rented motorized banca, we practiced the chili cha cha in the dining room to the delight of the owner and her staff.  She offered us free 2nd night if we would stay another day.  We took the motor boats to Hundred Islands.  It was warm and humid in the Islands, but the water was clear and cool and so inviting.  The two apos of Ben Siwa went swimming.  Unable to resist, Leonora, Cely, Remy and Dina went swimming too in their clothing.  The rest of us were contented on rolling our pants and wading in the water.  We went back to the hotel in time for lunch.  We were greeted by vendors outside the hotel.  Word got around that there were tourists in the hotel.  Lunch was fresh, seafood and the best ginatan topped by pinipig that I have ever tasted.  We had a schedule to meet so we left around 2 pm back to Gapan by 6 pm.  The Gapan group got off and I went with my brothers driver back to the Galleria Hotel.  The rest went to MLA on the bus.  I heard they got stopped twice by the police for lack of permit.  Efren bribed the cop to let them go.
   
  November 7, 2003
   
  Club Pilipino, Green Hills. Attire Hawaiian.  We arrived early for the farewell dinner.  We had great band that played '58 music and pop songs.  Reservation was for 70 people but around 8:30 pm a big group from Gapan came, so two tables were added.  Benito Sumang, Into Yamsuan and Bayani Peralta took them along in their cars.  Guests came in colorful Hawaiian attire.  Dinner was buffet.  The program started around 9:30 pm.  There were guests singers.  Not to be out done, Eyo and Lilia gave us another duet.  The Ilocos group presented the chili cha cha line dance headed by Rudy Mariano.  My husband and I danced the Bolero.  The P.I. group gave their choral rendition of Magandang Gabi.  Bayani surprised us with his a la Tom Jones Delilah -ay Diana pala.  Doming and Linda Cenon also gave us a duet.
   
  The surprise hit was by the hula dancers of the USA.  No one knew except Eli and he kept his promise to keep it to himself.  The spouses sang the first verse of the Hawaiian song, Pearly Shell.  Before the 2nd verse, the lights dim and in came the guys one by one swaying into the dance floor in full Hawaiian gear - grass skirts, leis, bra and wigs.  The crowd was really surprised.  They gave a round of laughter and applause.  The guys did a superb job.  They were all troopers, not one was timid.  They danced in unison like pros.  Can you believe it - the crowd asked for an encore.  So they did one again to the tune of Tiny Bubbles.  There was dance, dance, dance for the rest for the evening, but even good things has to end.  When it came time for Romy to say his closing remarks, there was a crackle in his voice.  He had extended the night for another hour, but the reunion had to end.  We sang Auld Lang Syne 5 times hand in hand, reluctant to part but we had to say goodbye to each other. Till we meet again in 2008,  Hasta la vista amigos, amigas.
   
   - Linda Siwa

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  NESHS 2003 Class Reunion Itinerary (As of 10/2/03)

  Dear classmates,   

  Our reunion is only 4 weeks away. Here is a summary of activities and our participations:   

  Nov 2, 2003: Meeting place at BUCANA from 8:00 am to 10:00 am. A bus will take us to Lacson Memorial at Castillano. 
   

  1. Duet by Rogelio de Guzman and wife.
  2. Duet by Domingo Cenon and wife.
  3. Dance number by Rudy and Linda Siwa.

  I will be calling to introduce each of you; you will stand with spouse and family (or maybe come to the podium).   

  Nov 3, 2003: Meeting place at Bucana 6:00 am to join the trip to Ilocandia.   

  Nov 7, 2003: Last day dinner dance at Club Filipino in Greenhills. Attire is Hawaiian. 
   

  1. Duet by Rogelio de Guzman and wife.
  2. Dance by Rudy and Linda Siwa.
  3. Group presentation of Hawaiin song while the men are doing the hula. I will be sending you the tape and lyrics of the song. Please memorize the song. The men will dress up as hula dancers. I already ordered the grass skirts and leis. Improvise for the bra, be creative use flowers, coconut shells, etc. This will be hilarious and fun. Please let me know your departure dates, and telephone numbers where I can reach you. Rudy and I will be staying at the Galleria Suites at Ortigas Center from Oct 27. evening to Oct. 31 morning. We need to meet Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 to practice.
  4. Possible line dancing to be taught by Rodolfo Mariano.

  Don’t forget to bring 3 raffle prizes….nothing expensive, just a memento of the reunion. If you want to share your talent during the first or last day, please let me know right away.   

  Regards,    

  Linda Baguisa Siwa

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  Recent Developments (Posted: 9/24/03)

  (Excerpted from Eladio delos Santos' , P.I. Liaison, 9/17/03 email to Efren Pascual, U.S. Liaison, consequential to the hosting group's  meeting held September 14 at the residence of Romy Padiernos)

  First day of reunion, Sunday, Nov 2, 2003 - A bus will ferry reunion participants from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM from "Bucana" in Gapan to Lacson Memorial at Castellano, the venue of the reunion.
   
  Live String Band will be at Castellano on Nov. 2, 2003 to provide the music.
   
  There will be  presentation numbers from the US Group, Metro Manila Group and the Gapan Group  plus a special dance number from the Nueva Ecija South High School Dance Troupe.
   
  PI alumni are requested to bring at least 2 raffle prizes each (not compulsory). US alumni to bring at least 3 raffle prizes each (not compulsory).
   
  Second day of reunion, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003 - Reunion participants joining the trip to Baguio and the Ilocandia will converge at "Bucana" at 6 AM where the busses will be stationed.
   
  Last day of reunion, Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 - Dinner dance at Club Filipino (Greenhills, San Juan) starts at 7 PM. Attire is semi-formal.
   
  Live String Band will be at Club Pilipino on Nov. 7,  2003 to provide the music.
   
  Encore presentation from the US Group, Metro Manila Group and the Gapan group.

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  Schedule Of Activities To Date

  (Excerpted from Eladio delos Santos' 6/20/03 letter to alumni)

  The general reunion will be held in Gapan City on November 2, 2003 - a whole day fest with a ‘talents’ program prepared by the Class ’58 members and their children.

  * November 3^: Trip to the Baguio City. Lodging at Teachers’ camp.
  * November 4: Start of the tour of Ilocandia (highlighted by the white sand beach of Saud in Pagudpud). Lodging at Saud Resort and Hotel.
  * November 5^: Trip through Patapat shoreline on the way to Fort Ilocandia and its historic churches; tour of Vigan & Alaminos, Pangasinan. Lodging at the resort cottages in Alaminos wharf.
  * November 6: Tour of Hundred Islands. Trip back to Gapan City and Manila.
  * November 7^: Farewell Dinner at Club Pilipino in Greenhills, 6:00 in the evening.

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  2003 Reunion U.S. Coordinators Named

  In a letter dated May 7, 2003, Romeo A. Padiernos, 2003 Reunion Coordinator, officially named Erlinda and Rolanda Siwa (husband-and-wife and both NESHS '58 alumni) as U.S. Coordinators for the 2003 reunion. In the same letter, Erlinda and Rolando were requested to exert all efforts to promote the active participation of the alumni and their families in the November reunion.

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Preliminary Plans: 2003 Reunion

(Excerpted from Eladio de los Santos 4/1/03 Email to Efren Pascual. Messrs. de los Santos & Pascual are both NESHS '58 alumni)

1 April 2003

From our  La Vista meeting, I am happy to report the following:

Preliminary Plans-

Sun Nov 2, Day 1: General Reunion in Gapan (Venue: Rotary Club across De Leon old residence, Green Meadows in Castellano or Water Resort in Penaranda). Subject to result of comparison and ocular inspection.

Mon Nov 3, Day 2: AM Trip from Gapan to Baguio (approx 5 hrs travel by bus); PM City Tour & Shopping. Overnight stay at Teacher’s Camp.

Tue Nov 4, Day 3: Trip to Ilocos: (6.5 hrs) First stop- Pagudpod., where the group could go to the white sand beach, ‘sight-see’ and spend the night at Saud Resort & Hotel’s cottage type accommodations (2, 4, & 6 persons/cottage).

Wed Nov 5, Day 4: AM Trip to Patapat (approaching Cagayan Valley)- 1 hr; then to Fort Ilocandia (Ilocos Norte)- 3hrs; then to Ilocos Sur- 2.5 hrs; then to Alaminos Pangasinan- 3.5 hrs for overnight stay.

Thu Nov 6: Day 5: AM Trip to Hundred Islands; PM Trip to Gapan/Manila.

NOTES:

• PhP 75,000.00 from the Class’ fund of PhP 86,758.42 (as of 2-24-03) will be used to subsidized expenses of the class members PLUS wife/husband ONLY. Dependents’ expenses, should they decide to bring their children along, will be shouldered by the parents.
• A fixed amount, say PhP2,000.00, from each class member (out of their own reunion budget) will be given to the Class Treasurer who will take charge of settling the group’s expenses OTHER than "personal".
• Bus service from Manila to Gapan (if the US based participants will be staying in Manila) and from Gapan to the various destinations up North and back to Gapan/Manila, will be provided by Romy.
• November 3 is a Monday. It was suggested that US based class members should be in the Philippines by Nov 1^st AT THE LATEST, so we could hold the Day 1 scheduled reunion in Gapan on Sunday, November 2; the reason being that those in Gapan who could not join the trip to the North, could AT LEAST attend the reunion in a weekend and enjoy the pleasure of everybody’s company being a non-working day.
• There will be a "Talent Exhibition " portion during the scheduled events so that the US/Phil groups are requested to do the necessary preparations.
• Ocular inspection and place’ assessment, including per head cost computation of accommodation and related matters, will be done by Romy’s aide. Into will assist in Gapan’s inspections.
• Have furnished Romy of the e-mails addresses of US-based members who can communicate with Romy’s daughter, Dondi. Dondi will handle Romy’s communication.
• Romy will send the letters of invitation to the Philippine reunion thru Dondi.

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Metro Mla. March Planning Meeting for the 2003 Reunion

(Excerpted from Eladio de los Santos' 2/25/03 Email to Efren Pascual)

25 February 2003

Dear Pareng Efren:

... I was able to talk to Romy and he is scheduling a March get-together for the Metro Manila members. This will be followed by another grouping in Gapan, after which the reunion plans will be finalized. 

Lahat daw ng pag-uusap ay naaayon sa November's frame of time na na-discussed na nuon sa Virginia.

Until here and warm regards to everyone.

All the best,

Eli

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The alumni in attendance decided that the P.I. reunion will start on the first week of November 2003 and conclude by November 8, 2003. The highlight of the commemoration will be a "grand" reunion in Gapan of Gapan-, Manila- and U.S.-based alumni. The alumni group also delegated Mernilo Dionisio, NESHS '58 alumnus, to be the Reunion's U.S. Liaison and that the P.I. Liaison will be designated by the P.I.-based alumni at a later date.

Both P.I.- and U.S.-based alumni were present in the meeting. The alumni in attendance were: Remedios de San Jose Almodiel (P.I.), Mernilo Dionisio, Norma Afablo Grajo, Horatio Lotuaco, Illuminada Mariano (P.I.), Rodolfo Mariano, Romeo Padiernos (P.I.), Conchita Palomo dela Pena, Estrella Reyes, Erlinda Baguisa Siwa, Rolando Siwa and Esperanza Magbitang Tanghal.

Romeo Padiernos, NESHS '58 alumnus and P.I. alumni delegation lead, proposed the inclusion of a multi-day tour of northern Luzon, for interested alumni, in the line-up reunion activities.