THE FIRST ENTRY!!

Since this is the maiden entry, I had to take 2 Advils before starting... Wow, we've come a long way from our Gov. Pack Road huddles, borrowing five centavos more from Concordia to add to ten and have a fifteen-centavo pansit from the Munar karinderia... and why not to take advantage of technology to bring our hearts and minds together once more: the players are the same, the scenario and means of communication have changed. So friends, here we are again, meeting in the blogsphere nga conada.


I suspect people will be more interested in photos and images than text. Tama yan, noh? So I implore you to please submit old, new, creased, crisp, hi-res, low-res , color, b and w, videos, clips, photos of yourself, your loved ones, groups, individuals (passport photos accepted, even if they were taken 5 years ago without glasses and Clairol touch-ups). In addition to our objective of jumping into our Goldeness in 2011, let us also make this blog into our collective Brag Book.


So our blog will "officially" commence in the merry month of May 2009. 1 and 2 May, were reunion days. Delma kindly pre-registered YT (Yours Truly) for the reunion, now at 700 pesos. Included were merienda, lunch at the BCHS Auditorium, Gala Night at the Country Club.


Birok kami nga birok iti Class 86, ( silver in 2011), at least to make some introductions and links. But they eluded us, or we eluded them. Awan uray maysa. Perhaps we should try to get a list somewhere. If you know, or you know someone who knows an '86er, kindly let me know.

Delma and YT attended the fund raising lunch at the Country Club for the Balay ti Alumni. It was fun, the highlight was karaoke at 20 dollars a song for the balikbayans, and a special Golden Jubillarian dedicated from a secret admirer, to Alma Lloren Madamba, on his knees and singing One More Time, offering a flower from the vase. As I only had baht on me, my contribution was bought by Nick Flores '59 (a Bangkok resident as well) and matched it in dollars.


Idi kwan, the parade from the Post Office to City High. Maymaysac. Class 62, awan uray maysa. 5 from 60: Dely and Bernard Balatian, Zeny Pebenito, Genie de Guia Abiad and Joey Tabanda.

Delma and I were able to get a few more updates for the BCHS61 address file, kept up to date by Rudy, who will appreciate your checking the entries and he will update the list.

We had no candidates for the Board of Directors: each class could submit one candidate, and three can vote. So Class61 had one vote, no candidate.


SUGGESTED BCHS61 ACTIVITIES

Based on the business side of discussions at the reunion, these are some suggested areas which will require inputs from you, dearest classmates.


1 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. As you are aware, there is a huge, huge number of indigent high school students who are willing, but unable to, carry on their high school studies. The current rate is P6,000 per year per student. For example, Class 60 had funds to support only a number of students at P5,000 per year per student. Class 59 is funding five students. One likely possibility is for BCHS61 to sponsor one student for four years with a total of P24,000. Then we take it from there depending on the generosity of our collective pockets.


2 BALAY TI ALUMNI. The building shell is up with a dirt floor, the stairs and rooms are being readied. It will need another P1.5 million pesos to place tiles, windows, wall finishing, partitions. There are a number of donor groups such as Corporate (Philex gave P1 million;) Families (there are five of us who gave in one family name); and by Class. Would you be amenable to creating a Class61 Fund? Again, by way of example, Class55 target of P100,000 was surpassed with a collection of P180,000. What do you think of a target at least for Class61 of P50,000? Every little bit helps, of course.

3 STORYBOARD. Bernard Balatian gave a presentation on the series of panels on permanent display at the Balay ti Alumni. Each "page" is about one plywood size, with a plastic protective cover. It is suitable to post photos, announcements, etc. The cost of each board is P2,500. They are thinking also of selling half a board of about P2,000. Class 59 (sorry if comparisons are made all the time!!) has pledged for three boards.


4 SPORTS LIBRARY. This will be a first in Baguio, and aimed at stimulating the interest of youth, for sports both as a recreational and career activity. I can't remember which class is making the initial move on this, but contributions are most welcome in the form of books, magazine subscriptions, CDs, whatever.


And so, dearest kakabsats, what is in store for us to do? First, let us find out what and how we can do. Second, we need volunteers for these "posts". And third, we need a team to look into the "social" side of things, to make our Golden Anniversary a super one.


VOLUNTEERS OR NOMINATIONS NEEDED, FOR:

General Coordinator

Focal Points, individually or as teams, for both Suggested BCHS61 Activities matters, and the Golden Anniversary activities, and to coordinate with organizers and class members for:

East Coast, USA and Canada

Mid-West, USA and Canada

West Coast, USA and Canada

Rest of the World (siac laengen daytoy)

Manila and rest of the Philippines

Baguio

Treasurer

Qualifications: Must have access to an email address, hard-working, unpaid, very willing to put in a number of hours, work on responses by email and snail mail, some monetary resources.

For Treasurer, in addition, must have a Baguio and external overseas account.

My nomination: Our General, Joe, will be the General Coordinator.

Please give your nominations early!! Lots of work ahead of us!!

CHECKLIST, GOLDEN JUBILEE

Let us start on a collective checklist of the stuff we need to focus on.

Here is an attempt to start the list:

Liaison with Class 86, Silver Jubilee

Completion of BCHS61 List

Slogan for Class61 (my entry: GOLD CLASS. "CLASS OF GOLD" was 58's)

Accommodation in Baguio for overseas class members

Special Class61 event: (outing, lunch, dinner)

Special articles of clothing: caps, vests, tshirts, jackets,

Special souvenir articles: (thumb drives for senior BCHS principal and teachers <>, bookmarks cum ruler, keychains, whatever

Special music (oldies, dance hits of the early sixties)

Ania pay?? Forgive me na lang, if you find this blog not to your liking. But we need to start somewhere, haan aya kadi?? Your views are most welcome, a!! On anything, anything at all. Do get in touch!! rajadamnern1@yahoo.com

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