HS’83 Celebrates Silver Jubilee Homecoming and Hosts the 62nd Ateneo de Naga Grand Alumni Homecoming

“Hirilingan…Orogmahan…Tarabangan in 2008 (HOT in 2008)”.  Befitting its theme, the High School Batch 1983 celebrated its Silver Jubilee Homecoming and hosting of the 62nd Ateneo de Naga  Grand Alumni Homecoming with lots of fun and a bit of fund-raising to help the school varsity program during a memorable 3-day period from December 28 to December 30, 2008 in Naga City.  The Overall Mgt Team for the Grand Alumni Homecoming headed by Art Puncia and Jobel Belarmino was tireless in coming up with batch reunion and homecoming activities that were enjoyable and meaningful.

To start the homecoming celebrations, HS Batch 1983 had a family mass in the morning of December 28 at the Christ the King Chapel.  The mass was officiated by Fr. Francisco Mallari, S.J.   The lector and  readers  during the mass were  children of HS Batch 1983 members.  This family activity of the batch was timely as that Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia).  After the family mass, the batch hosted a brunch at the Xavier Hall for the family members of Batch 83. The brunch was an opportunity for many classmates to meet the family  of other batch members.

HS Batch 1983 held  its batch reunion in the evening of December 28 at the La Piazza Ballroom, Avenue Plaza Hotel.  The highlight of the batch reunion was the teacher appreciation number where HS Batch 1983 awarded plaques of appreciation to the  teachers during their high school years at the Ateneo.  Teachers present during the batch reunion  were Mrs.   Evelyn Florece, Ms. Fe Olin, Mrs. Mayette Cortes, Mr. Joey delos Trino and Mr. Diggs Villabroza. Given also  special recognition for their exemplary support of   Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 1983 in its preparations for the grand alumni homecoming were Lilibeth Llacer-Sanchez and Nannah Rosins-Zaens, both from  CSI HS 1983.  

The following day, December 29, was the opening of the 3rd Ateneo Homecoming Bola-Bolahan, an inter batch basketball unity games at the College Covered Courts at the Ateneo de Naga campus. The  championship game between Batch 83 and Batch 84 was held the following day (Dec 30).  Thru the initiative of HS Batch 1983 and with the support of HS Batches 1984, 1985 and 1986, this tournament was able to raise funds for the Ateneo basketball varsity program c/o Coach Noli Ayo.  (For more details on the basketball tournament, please refer to http://www.adnu.edu.ph/NewsAndEvents/01072009.asp)

At 4pm  of the last day (Dec 30) of their silver jubilee, HS Batch 1983 attended  together with HS Batch 1958 (celebrating their Golden Jubilee) and other alumni a homecoming mass at the Christ the King Chapel.  The mass was officiated by Fr. Wilmer Tria, Fr. Rey Caceres and Fr. Arnel Esperila, all members of the  Class of 1983 of the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary.  After the mass, the golden and silver knights sung together heartily the Alma Mater Song and Regnum Dei.
After the mass, the HS Batch 1983 members gathered for a special and sentimental picture taking in front of the historic Four Pillars of the Ateneo de Naga.  Many  batch members tried to position themselves in the same spot  where each was positioned  in a group picture taking prior to the high school graduation 25 years ago.
From the picture taking, the HS Batch 83 members  and other alumni proceeded to the Xavier Hall for the Homecoming Dinner, Raffle. Program and Fellowship. Accompanied by their lovely muses, the 100-strong HS Batch 83 participants had a lively grand entrance at the start of the homecoming program.  In the welcome remarks, Art Puncia shared that in the process of preparing for the 2008 homecoming, HS Batch 1983 became a more cohesive group, sharing in the joy and hardships of an endeavor as grand as an alumni homecoming in  Ateneo de Naga.  

 The emcees for the program were Tootz dela Torre (HS Batch 1971) and Ric Lozano (HS Batch 1983).  Musical entertainment during the program was provided by the Joseph &  James Reburiano, the  Ateneo University Choir, L-Ray Dancers and 4K Barrel.  The outgoing Alumni Association president Mr. Remy Manchus (HS Batch 1958) had a valedictory speech.  There was an oath-taking of the  newly-elected  officers and board members  of the Ateneo de Naga Alumni Association  headed by Francis Badilla (HS Batch 1984)  during the program (for more on the oath-taking and list of new alumni officers, please refer to www.adnu85.org & http://atenista84.net) .  Next was a message  from  the school officials represented by Mr. Ramon Ayo, the University Treasurer.  There was also an awarding of the basketball championship trophy to Batch 84.  Last was the formal turnover from Batch 83 to Batch 84.

Prior to the formal turnover, there was a message from the HS Batch 1983 president, Vicboy de Lima.  It was stressed in the  message that batch reunions and alumni homecomings are popular activities because they are events for touching base (hirilingan) with classmates and friends and having lots of merriment (orogmahan).  The message  noted that  reunions and homecoming can be more meaningful if the concept of helping (tarabangan) is integrated into the activities. It was added in the message that HS Batch 1983 has been trying as a group to be true to the Jesuit ideal of being “men for others” by initiating outreach activities during its homecoming year (2008):  green project in Ateneo de Naga HS campus in Pacol (March 2008), sponsoring a college scholar (May 2008),  tree planting in Mt Asog (July 2008), and helping public schools in Buhi (June and Sep 2008).  It was hoped that HS Batch 1983 shall continue these outreach initiatives beyond 2008, even up to its golden jubilee 25 years from now.  In closing his message, Mr. de Lima thanked, in behalf of HS Batch 83, the school officials, alumni association and fellow alumni for their help and support in the homecoming activities.

The alumni fellowship followed the alumni program.  The highlight of the fellowship was the musical entertainment provided by a Manila-based band called Hardy Ames.  Living up to the spirit of tarabangan, HS Batch 1983 headed by Noel Guevara incorporated a little fund-raising by putting a modest price to those alumni who would like to sing accompanied by the band.  A flurry of request(s) for songs from different batches immediately came after the fund-raising announcement.  However, it was cut short due to a majority of  the audience  clamoring to hear more of the 1980’s  repertoire of the band.  The ensuing band set list created a lot of nostalgic excitement among the batches that jolted the alumni to their feet and ended up dancing on stage with the band.

 The fellowship and the music lasted up to 3am of Dec 31.  By that time,  the small fund-raising was able to generate a modest amount which HS Batch 1983 is planning to turn over to the school this coming Jan 25, 2009 when it sponsors the first alumni mass for the year 2009.