The Ateneo HS batch 80's
Remembrance of Things Past

Jun Badiong
“I really cherish the simple memory of me, together with classmates Ronnie Amoranto, Butch Badiong and Buddy Anisco, as we usually had our lunch (baon) at the second floor landing/stairs of the old wooden building (above the office the then Prefect of Discipline)... Remembering those moments... the tranquility. It was so peaceful as you would feel the cool breeze coming from Queborac... the gentle rustle of the acasia trees... the serenity of those precious minutes as we enjoy our break time... then we would venture into the rice fields and the grasslands of Queborac...with no purpose at all... maybe just feel being one with nature... those memories......”

Edgar Genio
“I remember the extra-curricular activities – the summer guitar lessons, the CAT Officer Candidates School activities during the summer of our junior year, with the swimming lessons, the early Saturday morning jogs and the karate kata exercises. I also enjoyed training as a runner for Ateneo. Unfortunately, we got soundly beaten at the Inter-School meet.”

Bogs Abogado
“Memories... We looked forward during those days for Signal no. 2 to be announced when there was typhoon because no classes syempre. Our barkada is composed of abonal, Aurellano, Barte, Banaag. We would play basketball, watch movies, play Beatles, America or Led Zep records in our homes.

“These are the people of Ateneo in our era that left eternal imprint in my medula oblongata:

1. Sofronio Llorin – I can never forget his haircut and, more, importantly, his humor.
2. Vernon Delos Trino – Prefect of discipline who suspended me, together with my “Tagay” buddies for drinking in public on our 4th year. Who can forget his moustache and paarkilahang komiks in his office?
3. Fr. Nemesio Que – When we were suspended, he allowed us to stay in his office and allowed us to smoke his cigarettes. The only Jesuit whom we consider as barkada or one of the boys.
4. Mrs. Barrameda – The English teacher who taught us how to pronounce the Arrrteneo way.
5. Mr. Destura (TURA) – the “terror” of Ateneo. His mere presence brings chill to you bones.
6. Mr. Obias – Our 4th year moderator. I thought na terror but with a soft heart.
7. Principal Greg Abonal – Who caught me always when am wearing maong pants.
8. Mr. Rubio – The famous Chemistry teacher who loves to drink spirits just like us. A typical Bicolano oragon.
9. Mr. Pasilaban – small but terrible
10. Mr, Ordas – very gentle and kind teacher, prone to abuse by his students
11. Mr. Lopez – the history teacher who always wore jacket even during summer.

Algy Gapit
“It was one of the late Mr. Edilberto Ordas’ (physics teacher) “interesting” classes wherein most of the students in the back rows were busy scanning their books. At first he was grinning in approval, thinking that indeed those students at the back were really attentive to what he was teaching. But when he called one of the boys, everyone hurriedly closed their books with astonished looks and nervous faces. And when he approached these boys, he was surprised to see that they were holding a different book (logarithmic book table) which was not at all related to his subject. He found out that they were playing “BURUKLITAN” with a 25cents bet (pangbaduya) wherein the highest last digit on the book page scanned won the best. The players caught as far as I can remember were myself, Susing, Engracio, Logans, Adam, Coach Hermoso, Fornoles, Jun Guia, Imperial, Martin (paralatik) Lelis. Dac was sidebetting but was not caught.

Upon further investigation by Mr. Destura (the prefect) he found out that more were involved in the mini Casino. Thereby almost half of our class were suspended for 3 days.”

Ivan Yuboco
“Haircut inspection days were one of the most dreaded events in Ateneo and I particularly remember a school year where the whole student body was turmoiled because of it. Back in June 1977, I remember going to the Ateneo the week before the school year started and every student I saw seemed to be in shock. It did not take long for me to find out why - there was a new haircut rule! Outside the CNASA, (whose name was later changed to OPSA), was a bulletin board and it showed the specifications of the new haircut rule called : 3x4. The rule basically states that a student should use his fingers as a measuring tool and the hairline should start three fingers above the tip of the ears. For the back of the head, the hairline should start above the fourth finger. Every student grumbled while walking towards the local barbershops and some of them even went to local photo studios to have their pictures taken before the barber massacres their manly hair style.

With the emergence of the Bee Gees and VST and Company hairstyles, the 3x4 style became an abomination to the “macho look” of the late 70’s and so many students rebelled against the rule. Many took their frustration by destroying school property and graffiti littered the walls of all the buildings. The school maintenance personnel had their hands full with numerous repair jobs that they had to do around the campus. The faculty finally decided to have a dialog with the student body in a very diplomatic way. The following week there was an announcement that the 3x4 haircut was being abolished and the old haircut rule was reinstated.”

Chris Canlas
“Ako, what I always remember (aside from of course the pretty colegialas) were the activities that made up each day in the lives of the Mighty 80 Atenistas. From the time we lined up in the early morning at the assembly hall, doing assignments while standing up, not listening to announcements unless its a declaration of a school holiday, until the morning agenda was done. I will always be fond of recalling the aliases that we call our classmates. The laughter and endless shouting each time the bell rings for recess and in between classes. The long lines at the canteen to get the most sought after “Coco Pie” and toasted siopao. The lines however seemed to be longer in the CNASA office, remember guys?

Come dismissal time, like ants looking for their prized sugar, you see Ateneans practically all over the city’s Centro. And yet, the following day, however typical it may look, seems to be another exciting new day for the Mighty 80’s. All these things and a million more, in the life of a true Mighty 80 atenean, too lengthy to narrate, are all but part of the past but shall remain in our hearts and in our minds. Jiggs, Ronski, Larks, Francis, Jabords (+), Jun B., Alex, Bogs, Tibarts, Muriel, Boogie, Edgar, Raffy, Teody, Marln and all the Mighty 80...

Teody Laquindanum
“My fond memories of HS:

1. Going back to school during Saturdays to catch tortoises under the wooden Administration building near the assembly hall.
2. Playing soccer against the group of the Yuboco brothers while raining heavily and the field in all mud.
3. After the overnight vigil on first Fridays, walking with the group to the Plaza Quezon and eating pandesal, suman and balisusu.
4. Overnight excursion at the Malabsay falls in Carolina and mixing all sorts of canned goods for guisado breakfast the following day.
5. CAT Parade and review.
6. Pagmumulat.
7. Joint class with CSI girls.
8. Memorizing the Preamble, the Bill of Rights and Shakespeare pieces.
9. Jabords voluntary cleaning of their family poultry farm, grabbing one chicken by the neck and shouting: “ Ma, may gadan na naman sarong manok digdi” and his mom would yell back: “daklagan na sa basura sa likod kan harong ngani mapurot man kan mga basurero.” At that cue, some of us would catch the chicken and run to our house several meters away where we cook it as adobo sa gata and off we go to Penafrancia resort riding Dacudao’s Hi-ace van in an overloaded capacity.”