CANADA CONNECTION: Remembering Our Alma Mater VNHS (Part II)

Oasis of our nostalgia – For any member of Batch 72 who settled in other country for good, or had been away from its campus for quite sometime, a visit to our alma mater Victorias National High School worth a thousand fold, if only to reminisce our memories or relieve the nostalgia to its atmosphere as a peaceful and conducive venue for learning, and of our caring and loving teachers whose patience and understanding of our seemingly childlike stubbornness and bullheadedness are beyond compare.

Indeed, we won’t refuse the fact that VNHS played a very significant role in our life, as it was the gateway of our growth and development to what we are now.

As a school, VNHS has undoubtedly paved the way to our success, either as businessperson or professional.
With 7 Sections, the Batch 72 is proud to have members who became, nurses, teachers, midwives, seamen, chemist, agriculturists, artist, business men and women, civic and political leaders, heath care aides, and other service-oriented professionals.

Because of what we are now, after 50 years, we can’t afford to let days pass without expressing our indebtedness to our high school teachers who provided us the necessary tools, knowledge and techniques to face squarely the challenges in our life, and become successful in our career.

Personally, I am very thankful to our Chemistry teacher, Reynaldo ” Sir Entit” Homillosa, for his teachings on basic principles of chemistry, particularly on writing chemical formulas and balancing chemical reactions. Likewise to our teachers in Physics, Biology, English, Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry, Social Studies, Mathematics, and even Spanish, who painstakingly taught us all the basics of the said respective subjects.

A million thanks, of course, to Mrs. Consorcia Masacote-Guelos for temporarily fostering me during my high-school days, affording me the chance to graduate with recognition as “Outstanding in Service and Industry”.

To all of you dear teachers, and on behalf of fellow Batch 72 members, we say from the bottom of our heart, “Thank You Very Much”.

*****

Closeknit Unity at its best – If there’s any group of alumni that has unity as strong as crystals of diamond, and friendship like birds of same feathers flocking together, one would certainly refer to them as members of Batch 72 of Victorias National High School.

As early as our Freshmen year in 1969, this spirit of unity and camaraderie had been amplified during our Intramurals in which we triumphantly clobbered our upperclassmen in the Cheering Contest, thanks to our theme song “If you, if you happened to be blue…there’s one, there’s one advice good for you…come and….come and listen to our team…boys and girls , boys and girls all dress in green…” This was followed by our yell: Boom Sika Boom, Sika Boom ik, Sis bomba….Freshmen Freshmen rah rah rah!

I think the song and yell was a brainchild of Mr. Hernando Demegillo and Mr. Guillermo Juele.The Wot-Wot Train was designed by our batchmate-artist Ireneo Biyo.

Another unforgettable moment of our batch was that bottle of mixture of wine and orange juice, called Orange Wine, spiced with kinilaw and ripe papaya, which made its way in the midst of some of our batchmates frolicking in the campus, spontaneously kindling the spirit of camaraderie, thus kept our teacher wonder of their reddish face when they entered the classroom.

On weekends, many of us also spent time strumming guitars to the tune of “A Time for Us”, “First of May”, and other melodious songs as we sat along the beach, and picnicking in Mambukal Summer Resort.

Our Junior-Senior Prom also served as venue for us to have our first dance, fortunately and unfortunately, with our wouldbe loved one that never was. Ditto during our Graduation Ball at the newly constructed Municipal Gym, which we pioneered its use. But our warm camaraderie and unity did not end after graduation, in every annual homecoming or reunion everybody is always around to do the hugging, shaking, or kissing.

The bowling game cum dinner at Tops Bowling Lanes in August 1996 was also well participated in by active members.

Then, our fund raising raffles held as highlight of our Pre-Silver Jubilee Homecoming in February 1997 yielded some cash for our Silver Jubilee Homecoming because everyone joined hands in selling tickets.

The realization of our dream to have an Alumni Center, funded by the Countryside Development Fund of Cong. Jose Carlos Lacson, is also a manifestation of our strong bond of unity as everybody gives a helping hand to keep the Center fully usable with tables, chairs, electric fans, books, and refrigerator.
If not for our close-knitness, our hosting as Silver Jubilarians of the General Alumni Homecoming in April 1997 would not have been a resounding success.

Indeed, it is our high hopes that even after our 50th Jubilee Homecoming we remain united as we grow older, keeping in mind our theme “Sustaining Togetherness”.* (Dan Cajurao)