marian alumni newsletter 2009

Official Newsletter of St. Mary’s College Alumni Foundation, Inc. July 2009

Sad news indeed. Madame PompeyaGeneroso Naval, erstwhile Dean of Disciplineand Spanish teacher passed on Tuesdayevening at 10 pm, June 2, 2009 . Prior to herdeath she had limited mobility after having anoperation to arrest aneurysm of the brain. Shewas 84. She is survived by her children: AnnaMarie,Carmelita,Bong,Marides, Bong,Maggieand Robbie.

Madame Pompeya Naval passes on

Marian graduates ofsome decades ago left the St. Mary’s Col-lege Q.C. as “bagets” and so shall theyreturn as “bagets” still, at least in heart andspirit.

“Bagets Never Forget”..this year’sHomecoming theme, is certain to rock SMCgrounds and bring the house down as ourRuby (Batch ’69), Coral or Jade (Batch ’74),Pearl (Batch ’79) and Silver (Batch ’84) highschool Jubilarians and other alumni stormback with same vigor, never mind the added

poundage, lines and white strands. Today,July 18, 2009 will mark yet another mile-stone and a day to be remembered whenwe all go back to our own separate ways.

A tribute to our dear Madam PompeyaNaval who peacefully joined her Creator lastJune 2, 2009 will highlight this year’s cel-ebration with an AV presentation of her lifeand times as she herself chronicled a fewmonths before she passed on. MommyNaval will also be this year’s recipient of aposthumous award for her outstanding con-tributions to the academic and values

formation of Marians and to the raising ofSMC’s institutional standards.

After a Thanksgiving Mass at theAnunciation Hall, electrifying performancesby representatives of different batches, fea-turing the Silver Jubilarians (Batch ’84), andother exciting events await Homecomingalumni at the SMC Auditorium. And, givingin to the clamor of those who witnessedtheir most applauded number last year, ourvery own RVM sisters will surprise usagain with yet another su-perb presentation.

Madame Naval took her elementaryand high school at the ImmaculateConcepcion College in Davao City (anRVM school), graduated with a degreein BS Commerce at the Far EasternUnversity and St. Mary’s College for aBachelor’s Degree in Education as asecond course.

(Continued on Page 7)

Risse Aquino-Jose, Batch ‘76

Marian Alumni Newsletter • July 2009

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Lulu R. Robles, B’79President, SMCAFI (2007-2009)

E D I T O R I A L B O A R DE D I T O R I A L B O A R DE D I T O R I A L B O A R DE D I T O R I A L B O A R DE D I T O R I A L B O A R DDr. Priscelina Patajo-Legasto ‘69

Lulu R. Robles ‘79Risse Aquino-Jose ‘76

President’s Report

Soon after we, the current officers and members of the board,took our oath of office, we sat down and reviewed the achieve-ments of our predecessors. With this as our backbone, we startedlaying out our own plans for the next two years. Thanks to therelentless effort of the ‘Working Fun Team’ (a term that best suitsthe members and volunteers of the Foundation), this past yearhas been equally significant as the first as we have successfullydelivered our plans from the drawing board to completion. Torecap, projects that the board of directors are proud to have ac-complished this past year include:

• Medical mission in Payatas, Quezon City• Christmas caroling• Scholarship Program• Visit to the Sisters• Career Talks to Fourth Year High School students• Outreach project: Visit to the OrphanagesApart from free consultations and medicines administered

by volunteer physicians, the medical mission also provided freex-ray and blood tests in aid of diagnosis. Through the courtesyof Maynilad Water, potable water was also made available at themission site, and since good grooming is requisite to good health,the free haircut was also a sell-out. It could perhaps be as-serted that the mission was one for the books as it did not onlyrender assistance to a huge crowd of indigents but also morepatients after the medical service was extended for another weekwith free x-ray and blood tests available to them at theFoundation’s designated clinic.

We are equally thankful for the outcome of the 2008 Christ-mas Caroling since we not only brought joy to homes throughour music, but were also able to exceed the amount we hadhoped to raise for the Scholarship Program. This feat we owe tofamilies who welcomed us in their homes and generously sharedtheir blessings for a noble cause. The season of giving, as cus-tomary, was extended to February when Batch’83 sponsored theVisit to the Nuns at St. Joseph Infirmary. Jubilant faces greetedus as we walked in with our little offerings. The “children’s party”theme which made our dear sisters experience the vitality ofyouth again was well loved, sending adrenalin rush to its limitwith the sisters’ version of “Hep, Hep, Hooray”, the magic show,and a feast on fishballs and ice cream. From the once youngsisters, we also visited the young ones of Meritxelle Home forthe Girls and House of Refuge Orphanages. The children wereoverwhelmed with excitement as we distributed goodies, pre-sented a puppet show and held parlor games.

Undeniably, many accomplishments have brought pride to thepresent Alumni Board. However, in its struggle to reach out to Mariansall over the world and promote alumni involvement, the Board isespecially proud of the success of the Alumni website’s first year ofon-line operation. The tremendous response to the website is tes-timony to this achievement, substantiating the principle on whichthe project was premised – that communication is the key to anysuccessful organization. It is gratifying to know that the websitehas now become a most effective channel for disseminating vitalissues, information and announcements concerning our Alma Materand fellow alumni, with case in point – the untimely demise of one ofthe pillars and icon of St. Mary’s College – Mdm. Pompeya Naval.The e-mail blasts launched about Madam Naval’s passing resultedin a flooding of sympathy messages and memories of her fromalumni all over the world which somehow lifted off some grief fromthe family and friends she left behind.

Indeed a somber year for the Marian community who notonly lost a most inspiring persona but a doting mother as well forsome who experienced Madam Naval’s distinctive nurturing. She

peacefully joined her Creator on June 2, 2009 after a lingeringillness. An ‘icon’, a ‘pillar’…we could allude to her with as manyexalting words, but this remarkable woman would prefer to beregarded simply as ‘teacher’, ‘dean’ and the most endearing epi-thet for her, ‘Mommy Naval’. The measure of her success andfulfillment, as she humbly conveyed during a privileged interviewa few months before she passed on, is ‘seeing those whom shetaught and disciplined become successful in their lives’.

Upon learning of Madam Naval’s passing, the Alumni Boarddeemed it fit to pay tribute to her contributions and involvement inthe Alumni affairs, and steadfast dedication to her cause – edu-cating and shaping the youth. The tribute started off with a solemnprogram during the wake at the Sanctuarium where Dean GloriaSantos, distinguished past presidents of the Foundation (Ms.Sessie Caoyonan, Atty. Lorna Patajo Kapunan, Ms. CorinaParungao Izaguirre, Ms. Fe Serquina Arellano & Ms. GraceCamacho De Jesus) and yours truly gave sincere messages ofsympathy and our own recollections of Madam Naval. My grati-tude goes to these highly esteemed personalities who, with suchshort notice and without hesitation, responded to my invitation totake part in the eulogy – a true measure of how loved and ad-mired Madam really is.

Looking back at the last two years that the Foundation wasunder my helm, it has indeed rewarded me with an experiencewhich not only gave me wisdom, but more importantly, an op-portunity to recompense the institution that fostered me andestablished my academic core. Though my achievements maynot measure up to those which my parents, Atty. Jose La RosaRobles and Evangelina Ramos Robles, accomplished as pastpresidents of the Family Council and servants of the BlessedMother and Mother Ignacia, I am nonetheless grateful that Iwas given a chance, to continue their legacy of service. Work-ing with a handful of esteemed individuals that comprise theBoard made me reap for myself as well, valuable friendshipsand camaraderie which I am confident would stand through thetest of time. To my brilliant and dependable colleagues in theFoundation, my profound gratitude. Even with the enormousresponsibility and tasks that my presidency entailed, not tomention the demands of my career as a private person, I man-aged to go through my term with less difficulties and stressthan I expected because of your support, active participation,gung-ho attitude and encouragement.

For my final message to my fellow Alumni, I encourage youto keep a special place for our Alma Mater in our present andfuture lives, just as St. Mary’s College was a very significant partof our past. The Foundation is the perfect venue to share yourachievements and contributions to society with its current stu-dents who may regard you as symbols of hope and sources ofinspiration. I look forward in the coming years with so much ex-pectation for your active involvement in the affairs of the Foundationand your support for the progress of our dear St. Mary’s College.The fulfillment of our dreams and hopes for this institution, bethey small or seemingly impossible to achieve, will largely de-pend on us. Though I have to relinquish my post to my successor,this wouldn’t diminish my commitment to the friendships I wasprivileged to earn during my tenure nor dampen my resolve tocarry on with what I started - to be an involved alumna.


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Visit to the RVM Sisters 2009

“The Marian Magic:Sharing, Caring & Giving”

Regina Banaag- Gochuico ‘83

The Jubilee Hall at the St. Joseph’sInfirmary of the RVM Mother House wasfilled with laughter as SMCQC alumni en-tertained the elderly sisters of the RVMcommunity last February 28, 2009. Ayearly activity organized by the St. Mary’sCollege Alumni Foundation (SMCAF), thisyear’s visit was sponsored by H.S. Batch83. The event had a children’s party theme,complete with life-size cut-outs of popularDisney characters for the backdrop andDisney songs for background music.

Highlights of the program included amedley of OPM and Visayan songs per-formed by the SMCAF Choir, and an upbeatdance number by one of the youngeralumna (the daughter of a member of Batch‘83) and her friends from the USTSalinggawi Dance Troupe. The RVM sis-ters enthusiastically participated in all thegames and we were all amused as wewatched them imitate the Hula moves ofthe game leader, with much grace and

gusto. It was hilarious to see them try theirbest not to be confused during the “Hep-Hep Hooray” portion. Of course, thechildren’s party would not have been com-plete without the much-awaited magicshow which undoubtedly brought out thechild in each of the RVM sisters.

The program culminated with childrenof Batch 83 distributing Disney backpacksfilled with toiletry items to all the sisters,including those who were bed-ridden. Af-terwards, a sumptuous merienda-cenabuffet was served at the Dining Hall. Tocomplement the theme, fishball and “dirty”ice cream carts were brought in, reminis-cent of our school days.

True to its title of “Sharing, Caring &Giving,” the members of Batch ‘83,SMCAF and alumnae from other batchescame in full force to prove that we con-tinue to practice the Marian teachingsinstilled in each of us during our stay atSt. Mary’s College, QC.

Sr. Maria Anicia B. Co, RVMPresident, SMC, QC

Message

My dear Marian Alumni,

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

Let this greeting remind you of yourdays at St. Mary’s College, Quezon City.This greeting becomes especially meaning-ful this year as we join in the celebration ofthe “Year of the Two Hearts” (the SacredHeart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heartof Mary). The “Year of the Two Hearts” fromJune 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010 was pro-claimed by the Catholic BishopsConference of the Philippines with the pas-toral letter signed by its president,Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo on April 19,2009. This year coincides with the “Year ofthe Priest” proclaimed by the Holy Father,Pope Benedict XVI. Let your coming backto your Alma Mater for bonding and renewalrefresh your sense of belonging to theChurch.

I do believe that even as you left usyears ago, you have carried with you thatsense of belonging to a faith-community andthat you have always lived as a faithful dis-ciple of Jesus in the spirit of our Foundress,Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. Itgives me great joy indeed to welcome youat your homecoming. I open the doors ofSt. Mary’s to you so that you may breathein afresh the spirit of yesteryears and cher-ish the memories of events and experiencesthat shaped you to become the personsyou are now – Ignacian Marian leaders offaith, excellence and service.

As you have grown, St. Mary’s hasgrown as well. Your Alma Mater keeps upwith the changing realities of our times.May you be happy to know that even aspast edifices may be gone and have givenway to new ones, the spirit of unity, loveand communion, inspired by VenerableIgnacia, continues to reign within and amongus. This is the spirit that I hope will enlivenyour homecoming activities and will be withyou wherever you may go to fulfill God’sdream for you.

May your love for Jesus and Mary beever renewed!

Welcome and Congratulations, ourdear Alumni, Jubilarians and all!

Affectionately in the Holy Triune God,

S. Ma. Anicia B. Co, RVM

Bagets was a big thing in high school. Itwas certainly the fad when we were in our teensand we were running in and out of St. Mary’scampus. We were punks. Our hair done in siete.We sang offertory songs alongside tunes ofZapped. We had our Nolis and Filis tucked inour big schoolbags but sought refuge in SweetDreams pocketbooks. We had Denmanbrushes and Goody combs in the pockets ofour P.E. uniforms. We shared everything fromhawflakes to clover chips to softdrink bottle de-posit cards. And while the rest were either busychit chatting about boys (or girls)or playing any-thing from sipa to volleyball, the rest of us weretreating ourselves to sago, bananaque or bola-bola at the Panay gate when the long period ofclasses were over. Growing up in St. Mary’s inthe 80’s was colorful just like the fashion andmusic back then. Life in high school we thoughtwas so easy, much like how Aga Mulach wouldmimic Michael Jackson, or how Gary V. bloomedfrom Kundirana and like how every movie thatSharon Cuneta made was a sure fire gimik forus then. Who ever thought life would go by sofast?

This year, we celebrate life as we earn our25th year after high school. This year, we acknowl-edge that we were once Bagets, we likewiseconcede that we can never go back to that timeagain, yet, this year too, we recognize that part ofour lives that brought out the best of memories inus, the lifelong friends, the lessons learned, thedesire to be the best we can be.

We were Bagets! We will never forget!

Ting Rillo-Cabalza, HS Batch ‘84

I have been living in the USA for about14 years now. I had left the motherland toseek greener pastures, to blaze a trail formy nieces and nephews to follow if theyso choose, to explore the world outsidethe confines of what I was brought up in,and to fulfill the need to learn new things.Occasionally, it can be lonely. There arethe sporadic bouts of homesickness, thelonging to be with family and friends andanything familiar, the need to be reas-sured by loved ones that you are missedand loved. “It can only get better in time,”says the song, but it does not hold true in

Joyie Salazar-Abiog, HS Batch ’84

By: Cielo Gruenberg-Vilchez, HS Batch ‘84

this case. On the contrary, the yearninggrows more and more with each passingday.

So, three years ago, my mom informedme that long-time schoolmate, classmateand family friend, Ting Rillo, had beenlooking for me. While a little hesitant at thebeginning, I was glad I did not say ‘No’ or Icould have missed out on the chance to bereconnected to my batch. And lo andbehold, my Marian sisters and I have beentogether ever since. Thanks to innovationson the technological front, half a world awayis so much closer than we once knew. Not

a day goes by without a text message or anemail or an instant message from some-one. That’s how this batch was broughttogether, and that’s how we are stickingtogether from here on.

The feeling of being reunited with mylong-lost Marian sisters is, to put it mildly,indescribable! It can be bittersweet; it canbe joyous; it can be poignant; it can befulfilling and yet frustrating; it can beeverything; it can be nothing. Yes, I lovedmy high school years, and I am thankful forthe opportunities I have been blessed with:

To our moms and dads, for pushing us

beyond what we are capable of, for dream-ing with us our dreams and helping usrealize them, and yet still keeping usgrounded. To our teachers: the faculty andnuns, for recognizing the potential in eachone and for helping us bring out thosepotentials as we become truly culturedChristian Marians. To our brothers andsisters, for inspiring us to become betterrole models. I need to especially mentionmy dad, Joe Salazar, Tito Cris Rillo and mylate godfather, Ninong Joe Robles forleading by example as they headed theFamily Council way back then. The friend-

ship they forged coupled by their leadershiphad taught me that leading can be fun, andthat participation is essential in beinginfluential. To our dear spouses, our betterhalves, for enduring ear-piercing shrieks aswe get together, for acting as our escorts,for being our chauffers, our babysitters, forlovingly letting us be just as we are. To ourchildren, for making us want to be betterhuman beings. To our Marian sisters, forthe laughter and tears, for the company, forshared experiences, for the memories andfor those yet to come…

It has been a rocky yet rewarding roadto where we are going. The fundraisingevents, and there were numerous: bingo,ukay-ukay, bazaars and concerts. Theparties, the reunions or whatever-the-reason-to-get-together get-togethers: in the

Philippines, down-under, in the west andeast coasts of the USA, and also in themidwest, as we have slowly but surelyrediscovered where our other batch matesare. The hard work it took to even justname our Homecoming theme and most ofall to re-construct our yearbook to ensure itlasts another 25 years or so. Who said itwas impossible to accomplish what wedid? Neither time nor distance was ahindrance when we found our will to makeit work, and that, my dearest sisters, we did.More importantly, we did them all TO-GETHER. And all these culminate intoanother milestone that we have reached:our 25th year; our homecoming.

With open arms, let us all togethersay: welcome home, sisters! Welcomehome!

When I was asked to write about ourhigh school days, I immediately jogged mymemory bank for the most significant,humorous, outstanding incidents thatwould leave us all either cracking up or intears. Hard as I try, I could not come up withone that was common to us all. I thoughtfor days and though there were many funnymemories and hilarious episodes, it wasthe ordinary, mundane, day to day ones thatleft a lasting impression…

I can vividly recall walks along the SMCquadrangle. It seemed enormous backthen!! The countless volleyball gamesplayed (kailangan naka shorts under theskirt!), the marches led by CAT officers,strong voices echoing in my head (includ-ing my own!). I can still feel the hot concretestairs we would sit on…I rememberagonizing over the lengthy walk to theauditorium from any classroom (ang init ngaraw!), I vaguely recall the canteen, bustlingwith activity (may pera pa kaya akopangkain?). I can still smell the ground inits heat, after a strong drizzle (papasokkaya ako ngayon?). I recall the lazy dayswhen nothing’s a buzz and distinctlyremember… the waiting…alwayswaiting…for the next event…waiting forwhat was yet to come… for the sections tobe announced beginning each school year(sino kaya ang cheatmate ko ngayon?!),…for the much awaited recess, the covetedlunch break so we could be with the“barkada” (ano kaya ang baon ni chinky?),the short trips to mom and pop grocer(dalian mo tapos na ang recess!), the mini-breaks in between subjects, a schoolproject submission (sino kaya anggagawa?), first Friday mass (gala uniformsna naman!), the preparations for linggo ngwika, the anticipated school fair where wecould look our best in civilian clothes (sino

kaya ang partner ko sa jail booth?).,Beautiful Filipina…the next Corinthian party(I wonder if the Bedans and Ateneans aregoing to be there?). There was alwayssomething to look forward to in highschool. There was never a dull moment,even though there were many dull mo-ments.

I wonder, how many of us still long togo back to those days….those days whenat times our deepest thoughts were abouthow bad our hair was one day. Yes…thereare days when I do long to go back to whenthings were simpler, easier, uncompli-cated, devoid of responsibly…don’t we all?.It was the best and worst time of our lives!And when I do give in to the temptation tolook back, I often wonder how much of ithas really influenced the kind of person Ihad become, the life I live, the choices I hadmade. How much of high school hasremained in our blood? A lot, I suppose.

Now, over 20 years later, as mothers,wives, homemakers, lawyers, doctors,career women, bankers, nurses,teachers…we are all touching otherpeople, shaping others’ lives. We are whowe are because of who we oncewere…and yes, high school had much todo with who we turned out to be, both thegood and the bad. We have our teachers tothank (or blame!) who have painstakinglypromoted the love for learning (that’sprobably why i‘m still a student!), and whohave proven to be genuine educators inevery sense. We have the campus foreveretched (no matter how blurry!) in ourmemory, the RVM sisters who have instilledthe love for God and spiritual things. Wehave the friendships that have remainedtrue to this day. The legacy of SMC has andalways will remain in us, and no one canever take that away…

Marian Alumni Newsletter • July 2009 Marian Alumni Newsletter • July 2009

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Long Lost But Reunited... A MarianLong Lost But Reunited... A MarianLong Lost But Reunited... A MarianLong Lost But Reunited... A MarianLong Lost But Reunited... A Marian Comes Home Comes Home Comes Home Comes Home Comes Home

Memoirs of my High School Life


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The cool crisp Saturday morning of OC-TOBER 25, 2008 once again lay witness tothe dynamism, zest, vigor and determinationof the SMC QC Alumni Foundation Inc., asthey embarked on another vocation to bringhope, cheer and humanitarian service to twoadopted RVM-MINSAC (Mother Ignacia Na-tional Social Action Center) communities inPayatas “B” Quezon City, namely BarangayTrece and Barangay Rolling Hills.

Given five (5) weeks to prepare, the stra-tegic planning involved close coordinationbetween the Special Projects Committee(Rhea Gega- Relos, Tet Samson, DahraMandoza-Villanueva) with RVM Sister Bing(MINSAC Payatas Coordinator). Sisters Milaand Apol took care of the logistics. The physi-cal set up, general services, andarrangement with the two barangays werecoursed through Grace de la Cruz (Officer-In-Charge of the Quezon City BarangayOperations Center), who also supplied theproject’s transport services, manpower,tents, chairs, tables and trash bags. Mean-while, Lulu Robles, Eileen Tawatao-Garcia,Meiose Tan-Cristobal handled theoutsourcing of medical services/facilities andsponsorships. Concurrently, Dr. Tetchie Cadiz

Heeding the Call to ServeHeeding the Call to ServeHeeding the Call to ServeHeeding the Call to ServeHeeding the Call to Serve

Briones with the Sagipbayan volunteers(composed of medical students from St.Luke’s Medical Center) embody the medicalsupport team. Pooled together were the ser-vices of 11 Medical Doctors, 2 (two) of whomare Marians: Dr. Marigold Polido-Esteban ’94,Dr. Melanie Siapno ’82, 2 (two) RegisteredNurses, (1) one, a Marian, Ma. RaineldaMendiola-Kuizon ‘82 and 12 (twelve)Sagipbayan students.

With God’s will, and through voluntaryacts, perseverance and resourcefulness …the “mission team” was able to push throughwith the project, and nary a drizzle or two, northe heat of the sun, nor the grumbling of emptystomachs, stopped the SMC QC AlumniFoundation Inc. from reaching out to thesemarginalized communities.

Provided FREE that day were medicalconsultations, medicines, 2 cubic meter po-table water from MAYNILAD through RisseJose (Batch‘76), hair cut performed by vol-unteers from the Philippine Army (throughGrace de la Cruz, Batch ‘79), and the X-ray,ECG/CBC services of Lopez Laboratories.

Adding to the glee and excitement of thepeople were the distribution of biscuits fromLa Pacita, a lecture on proper hygiene and

parlor games by the Sagipbayan studentswherein they also gave out free Zest bathsoaps. Statistically, the half day medical mis-sion benefited 300 patients (174 children and126 adults), groomed 35 others, with sev-eral households getting additional potablewater.

But the mission did not end in Payatas.Days after, Lulu Robles extended the remain-ing free 17 ECG and 37 CBC services toanybody who deemed needs most. Andthrough word of mouth, SMS, emails, etc. thenews spread like wild fire. Many partook ofthese services and were very grateful.

We will continue to move forward andpay forward !

Volunteer workers was spearheaded bythe Alumni President Lulu Robles (’79), withEileen Tawatao (’72), Dahra Mendoza-Villanueva (’78), Rhea Gega- Relos (’79),Theresa Samson (’79), Grace de la Cruz (’79),Tina Bernabe (’79), Mariebeth Caballero-Fernandez (’78), Amy Tengco (‘77), LynnAguilar – Umali, Verne (’71), Meiose Tan –Cristobal (’82), Rose May Zabala (’82), DrTetchie Cadiz Briones (’76), Dr. Melanie C.Siapno (’82), Dr. Goldie Esteban (’90), andMa. Rainelda Kuizon, RN (‘82)


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Rhea Gega-Relos, Batch ‘79


77

On June 12, 2009, the St. Mary’sCollege alumni foundation board membersand friends, led by its president, Ms. LuluR. Robles, batch ‘79 set forth on a taskclose to every woman’s heart... mothering.A visit to the neglected,abandoned andsurrendered street children of two orphan-ages was the calling of the day. The wholemorning was devoted to Meritxelle, from9:30AM to 1:00PM and the afternoon was toThe House of Refuge,1:30PM to 5:00PM,both in Marikina City. With the group wasAtty. Gwen Pimentel-Gana, batch ‘76, analumni board member and the currentpresident of the Child Caring Agencies ofthe Philippines.

For starters, the alumni set up afestive mood by decorating the venue withtoys, assorted prizes that any child wouldwish for and colorful twisted balloons (analumni new learned skill). The childrenactively participated in the program andgames: bring me, pinata, connectingstraws, stop dance and the hulahoop towhich other alumni members tried too, tothe amusement ?? / to the disgust rather

Outreach: Let the Love FlowEileen Tawatao-Garcia, Batch ‘74

of the audience (hahaha). It was an earlylunch of Jollibee meals before the high-light of the program, a puppet show of“under the sea creatures” that broughtdelight to the children as well as theadults. The show was conceptualized byMs. Lenie Tadena ’78. The puppets wereSigfrid seahorse-Ms. Tet Samson ’79,Oscar octopus-Lenie Tadena ’78, Clamsyclam-Ms. Beth Cabanero-Fernandez ’78and Stephanie starfish- Ms. MayeenCristobal ’07.The latter was the crowdfavorite and most endearing puppet withher lovable character and a sweet voice tomatch it.

Following by the warm exchange ofthanks of the orphanages’ executivedirectors and the alumni president and itsmembers , was the love offering of sacks ofrice. canned good, medicines, toys,clothes, school materials. School bagseach filled with a pair of slippers, anumbrella, a kiddie watch, assorted recre-ational toys and snack items were donatedby the alumni president, Ms. Lulu R.Robles.

With the overflow of love and compas-sion throughout the day, it was difficult toleave, especially with a sight to behold atMeritxelle — a child of four having a taste often minutes or so of motherly cuddlingfrom Ms. Ana Marie Naval-Montecastro ’67.

As we headed home, we askedourselves “Were we tired at the end of theday? Oh yes, we were certainly tired, butwith a happy tune in our hearts”

The special projects team, composedof Ms. Rhea Gega-Relos, Ms. Tet Samsonboth of batch ’79, Dahra Villanueva-Mendoza ’78 and Ms. Meiose Tan-Cristobal’82, who emceed the program, outdidthemselves once again with their dedica-tion and the painstaking task of sorting outall donations of clothes, food items andmedicines, a week before the outreach.Other alumni members and friends whojoined the outreach were: Ms. VangieAndrada-Palileo , Lynn Aguilar, both ’71, Ms.Eileen Tawatao-Garcia, Ms. Filna Cortez-Felix, both ’74, Ms. Nini Mercado-Tan , Ms.Maggie Naval-Montecastro,visiting fromAustralia, both‘78

No Marian would havegraduated from high schoolwithout getting Madame Navalnervously into her system. Theerstwhile discipline stalwartwould have put any modern-daydiscipline guru to shame withher stern Spanish mestiza fea-tures, her knitted eyebrows anddagger looks, her “let me seethose knees” warnings and hercountless “conferences” withyou and your parents for thosedisciplinary measures punish-able by suspension. The

terroristic mien however sim-ply fades from memory manymany years later.

These same terroristic en-counters and brushes with theschool law were eventually putto good stead when our char-acters started evolving frombeing gangly, giggly, nonchalanthigh schoolers to women ofsubstance today. Admit it or notsome sense has been knockedinto on our heads, sisters.

During her ret irementyears, she was actively in-

volved in the Alumni foundationactivities, insisting many a timeon being well enough to be upand about, even if she shouldhave stayed home. Oh we couldhear her singing “Me importastu, y tu, tu, y nadia mas que tu”or recit ing “adios patr iaadorada, region del solquerida”.

A few months before herpassing, we sought out Ma-dame for an interview. Readon elsewhere on this site forher innermost thoughts andmusings on life and her jour-ney.

The passing of an era in-deed. For you, youngerMarians, these may be alienterritory. But hey, brush up alittle on your history. It’s al-ways good to be attuned andin tune.

A little prayer or two, ormasses for the repose of hersoul wil l help speed up herflight into God’s embrace andwho knows, she may even rubelbows with Mother Ignacia bythen.

We will miss you madame.This space in our hearts is right-fully yours.

Madame Pompeya Naval passes on(Continued from Page 1)

(This interview with Madam Navalwas conducted in November 2008. Wepay homage to the late Mrs. Naval throughthis resuscitated piece.)

Teachers are often regarded as iconsof intelligence, wisdom and discipline. Ifthere is one such icon that Marians haveregarded as highly unforgettable in thespan of three (3) decades, then it is noother than Mrs. Pompeya G. Naval.

She was known as the stern Dean ofDiscipline from the 70’s to the 80’s, whowas always prim and proper. Marianalumnae have their own stories to tellabout their personal encounters withMadam Naval, whether inside the class-room during their Economics classes, orworse than that, inside her cramped of-fice, where she reprimanded studentsguilty of various misdemeanors.

For those who do not know her per-sonal ly, she might be considered assomeone with superhuman qualities whohad never done anything wrong and whodid not know the meaning of the word“fun.” But did you know that our very ownMrs. Naval got a grade of “F” in Conductwhen she was in the 7th grade? Yes, youread it right. So if you want to know moreshocking revelations, read on.

R. Gochuico ‘83, L. Robles ‘79 and E. Garcia ‘74

The Younger Years

Born in April 10, 1925 in Davao City,Madam Naval was the daughter of a Gover-nor and the granddaughter of a Spaniard. Shegrew up fluently speaking four languages:Davaoeño, Tagalog, English and Spanish.

Being the middle child and the only girlin a brood of seven, she was somewhat boy-ish, playing high jump and soft ball in school.She even boasted, “I was good in soft ball.”

Not wanting to be left out, she was al-ways part of whatever rowdy game herbrothers were playing. “I was ‘Jane’ whenthey played Tarzan the Apeman.” In addition,she would swing from vine to vine wearing askirt tucked in between her legs.

Her mother was very strict. Inspite of that,she was a naughty and talkative girl. She al-ways argued with her teachers, never allowinga chance to fight for what she believed wasright. It was for this reason that her 7th gradeteacher gave her a failing grade in Conduct.

She spent her primary grades at theImmaculate Concepcion College and highschool at St. Mary’s University, both in DavaoCity. She was supposed to be the classvaledictorian in her senior year but then thewar broke out and classes were sus-pended.

Like most young girls during her time,she took formal lessons in piano from el-

ementary to high school but confessed, “I justpretended to know the piano pieces, that’s whymy teacher would always get mad at me.”

She stayed in Davao until college then trans-ferred to Manila because she got married to anavy man. They married in 1950, before she evenfinished college. She eventually earned herBachelor’s degree in Education at St. Mary’s Col-lege in Quezon City, where she graduated withthe distinction of magna cum laude. She alsofinished an Economics course at the Universityof the East (UE) and took her Master’s degree atthe De La Salle University (DLSU).

Mrs. Naval – The Teacher, The Dean

Madam Naval’s career as a teacher in St,Mary’s College, QC (SMCQC) began in 1963,where she taught Spanish, English, Economics,and Accounting 1 and 2.

She also taught at the Chinese General Schoolof Nursing for a year and in DLSU, while teaching inSMCQC. However, Sr. Consuelo, then principal ofSMCQC, asked her to stop teaching in severalschools because it was already affecting the qual-ity of her teaching. She experienced handling alllevels from elementary to college but admitted thatit was most difficult to handle high school students.“Mga maldita na kasi,” she added with a smile.

Almost all her former students rememberthe distinctive sounds her high-heeled shoesand bunch of keys made while she walked

along the corridors ofSMCQC. Believe it or not,she did these on pur-pose to warn thestudents that she was

coming. (And oh, how we all behaved instantly.)Ever wondered why she had so many keys

then? She simply said “I had a lot of cabinets inmy office.” Of course, knowing how space-de-prived her office was, it is hard to believe thosewere all cabinet keys. Until now, it will remain asthe “unsolved case of the mysterious keys.”

After 35 years of teaching in SMCQC, Mrs.Naval retired in 1998. When asked what she con-siders as her greatest achievement as Dean ofDiscipline, she answered: “I was able to at leastsee to it that all those who were disciplined by mebecame successful in their lives.” Nevertheless,she wanted to be remembered as Mrs. Naval theTeacher, not the Dean.

Madam: the Mother, the Person

While teaching in SMCQC, she was also busywith other endeavors such as being active in theDaughters of Mary Immaculate, the CatholicWomen’s League and the Corazon de Jesus. Shealso found time to attend parties, some of whichwere organized by her students.

She managed to raise six children (2 boys, 4girls) on her own, after the tragic death of her hus-band in 1972. He got accidentally burned duringa barbecue party in their house. “He was a verygood man, very humble.”

She considered herself a strict mother, espe-cially to the elder children. Her 16 grandchildrenand 3 great grandchildren fondly called her Tata, a

shortened form of the Spanish word Abuelita(grandmother). This 83-year old grandmotherhad never lost her vivacious spirit. In fact, whenone of her grandsons arrived during the inter-view, they greeted each other with their veryown “secret handshake,” similar to what teen-age boys do when they greet each other with“Pare, kumusta?” or the more sosyal “Heydude, wazzup?”

At the time of the interview, Mrs. Navalstill dreamt of going to Rome and the HolyLand. “I have been to Spain four times, Aus-tralia three times, France, but never to Rome.”Her favorite place outside the Philippines wasSpain, specifically Parque del Buen Retiro inMadrid, which according to her is the biggestpark in the whole world. She rememberedwith pride, “When I spoke to the drivers inSpanish they thought I was a native.”

Until the time she was struck ill, MadamNaval had not lost her flair for fashion. Herthick, gray hair was neatly brushed back andher nails were freshly polished. When hav-ing a modista was the “in” thing during the70’s and 80’s, she designed her own clothesand rarely bought off the rack. The image of apostura Madam Naval in her high-heeledshoes, holding an abanico, with a mantonwrapped around her shoulders and a flowerclipped on one side of her head is still freshin every Marian’s memory.

Words from the Wise

In parting, we asked our dear Mrs. Navalwhat she wanted all Marians to always re-member and she gave this piece of advice:

Playing Favorites

Favorite expression: “Que animal.” “Que torpe.”Favorite perfume: Tea Rose, Diorissimo, Elizabeth ArdenFavorite dish: LaingFavorite dishes to cook: Paella and Afritada

(She admits to being a good cook)Favorite drink: red wineFavorite movie: Blood on the Sun

(a 1945 film starring James Cagney)Favorite actor: ‘Julian’ of the Koreanovela “My Girl”Favorite song: Cura Me – “Promise Me”Favorite singer: Martin Nievera & Christian BautistaFavorite author: Jose RizalFavorite literary piece: Me Piden Versos by RizalFavorite TV show: all shows of ABS-CBN

(a certified Kapamilya)Favorite politician: Cheez Escudero

Trivia: Mrs Naval …… used to be a soloist in a U.N.O. band during

liberation… never learned how to drive a car… is not afraid of cockroaches but hates mice

Farewell Tribute for Madame Pompeya G. NavalDahra Villanueva- Mendoza, Batch ‘78

“besame, besame mucho….como si fuera esta nochela última vez……”

Does Madam Naval’s voice orhumming this favorite song of herswhile walking along the corridor toher next class with the matchingtinkling of her keys still linger inyour memory???

When the news of Madam’sdemise reached the AlumniFoundation Officers, Pres. Lulu’sdecision to hold a farewell tributefor her was unanimously agreedon.

On June 6, 2009 at theSanctuarium, was the Marian nightwith Mdm. Naval. A sad night but itwas also a reunion of some sort.Familiar faces from differentbatches interacting, it was like aprelude to the up coming AlumniHomecoming.

The farewell tribute followedthe SMC Alumni Foundation-sponsored. Atty. Gwen Pimentel

Gana from batch ’77 was theemcee of the program. The firstspeaker to share her experiencewith Madam was Dean GloriaSantos who was already briefedthat she only had 5 minutes tospeak. With the years they haveknown each other, 5 minutes wasjust not enough…so she went onand on. We didn’t mind at all for herstories were so amusing and welearned things about Madam whichwe never knew. Did you know thatMadam Naval was a student ofDean Santos?

The other speakers weresome of the past presidents of theFoundation. Ms. Sessie Caoyonan,Phd. from batch ’63 (1993-1995),who shared the lessons in life shehad picked up from Madam Naval.The most significant that sheremembers is “hwag kangmagpaapi”.

Atty. Lorna Patajo Kapunanfrom batch ’69 (1995-1997) whobecause of a controversial

(yummy!) case that is currentlyin her hands shared somefunny lines addressed toMadam, such as, “ it is not truethat I have a video and it is alsonot true that I am being paid inkind…” and these brought thehouse down with laughter.

Ms. Corina ParungaoIzaguirre from batch ’75 (1999-2001) proudly related themotherly attention she received.

Ms. Fe Serquina Arellanofrom batch ’69 (2001-2005),though still weak and recover-ing from a near death foodpoisoning came to honor ourdear Madam. She was not herusual bubbly self but towardsthe end of her sharing shecracked a funny line. Fe’s back!

Ms. Grace Camacho DeJesus from batch ’74 (2005-2007), with her usualcomposed nature also sharedthat her bond with Madamstarted not in high school but

during the years that she waswith the Alumni Foundation.Better late than never.

The last speaker was Ms.Paraluman Robles from batch’79 (2007-present). Aside fromthe praises, she shared a triviawhich she gathered from thelast interview done with Madam.Unbelievable, but does anyoneknow that at one time, MadamNaval, in her youth and

school years, received afailing grade??? What sub-ject?? Hold on to your seattightly……CONDUCT! Withthis, the house broke down withlaughter.

It doesn’t end there. Inbetween the speakers’ sharing,songs were rendered by theAlumni Choir, some ofMadam’s favorites like Besamemucho, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig, and The Love Story. Therewas also an audio-visualpresentation of her last

interview. Shown were old andrecent pictures with her indifferent moods, her thoughts,teachings, her favorite scents,singers and evenexpressions….”que torpe!…queanimal!…” The presentationbrought smiles and tears toeveryone. More tears when thechoir, facing Madam Naval, andeveryone standing, sang a veryheart touching song, A Light ofA Million Mornings.

This farewell tribute to agreat woman, our mother, ourmentor and our dear friend, wasa celebration of life for MadamNaval loved life and lived hers tothe fullest and no doubt, hastouched a lot of lives. She willalways be in our Marian hearts.The night of tribute ended witheveryone rising up to applaudher.

And life goes on….

“besame, besame mucho…que tengo miedopederte, pederteotra vez…….”

Sharing Mommy / Madam Naval with Saint Mary’s

It was not really hard togrow up in a household wherewe had to share Mommy,Pompeya G. Naval, with SaintMary’s College – with the nuns,the Marians, and her co-teachers in the high schoolfaculty. Since we were small,Saint Mary’s has always beenpart of Mommy’s existence, wewould even tease her that itwas her “small kingdom”. Itwas obvious that it was herewhere she was happiest, it washer and, eventually, our secondhome.

This could have been amajor reason why she chose forthe family to set up its permanentresidence near the school, just awalking distance away. Hence, itwas no surprise that she wouldalways volunteer for Christmasparties – organized by heradvisory classes and the faculty –to be held here. As Saint Mary’swas her second home, our

house was also an extension ofthe school.

There is no doubt abouthow much Mommy loved SaintMary’s, and we can say,especially from all the love thatwas expressed and the tributegiven during the wake, that theschool loved her back. Shegrew up with the. R.V.M. sistersway back in Davao, as shestarted her schooling with themat the Immaculate ConceptionCollege (ICC), a sister schoolof Saint Mary’s. In fact, theywere the ones who convincedher that Daddy was the rightman for her and that sheshould immediately accept hismarriage proposal, which shedid. She had best friends evenamong the nuns. The one Iremember vividly was withSister Isabelita Riego de Dios,who was her counselor, mentorand shoulder to cry on.

Despite the heartaches

that she would occasionallyreceive from them, Mommytruly loved the Marians,particularly the advisoryclasses she would handle.Outstanding to her, of course,are the Scoobydoos of Batch1969, which includes one ofmy sisters. She was so proudof the achievements of herstudents, as if they were hervery own daughters! And they,in turn, reciprocated this lovethat they would visit her whenthey found out that she was inthe hospital, or even when shewas already bedridden. It wasfun hearing them tell her fromwhat high school batch theyare, and she would surprisethem by remembering theirnames, and even some ‘kalokohans’ they had commit-ted back then.

The co-teachers ofMommy at Saint Mary’s


Anna Marie Naval-Montecastro, Batch ‘67

“Primero, faith in God. I was a very religiousperson. I used to go to the chapel immedi-ately to pray the rosary. Pray the Rosary, to theBlessed Mother.”

After surviving a world war, the tragicdeath of her husband, 35 years of handlingmaldita students, an aneurism attack and afractured leg, it was her faith that pulled herthrough. At 83, faith was what gave herstrength and inner peace- something whichshe hoped to share with everyone.


10

In our life’s journey, we constantlystruggle with career, love, family, andthe most inevitable, health. Early on orlater in our lives we will have to con-front these battles and it is during thesetrying moments when we need sourcesof hope and inspiration so that we mayface the onslaught with undaunted cour-age and fearless acceptance ofimpending defeat. Yielding to God’s willand living what’s left of life to the fullestis what “Answered Prayers” is allabout. Heeding our call for stories ofinspiration, we have valiant survivorsof the dreaded “C” who shared howthey fought and conquered the painfulbattle. For those who could not get acopy of this year’s issue of the AlumniNewsletter, the following articles canalso be downloaded from the AlumniWebsite Newsletter. We also encour-age all Alumni to share your own“Answered prayers” or of those youknow to serve as inspiration for all ofus who, in one way or another, has abattle to win.

I have been battlingcancer for the past 14 years.In 1994, my brother was di-agnosed with brain cancerand after a few months, mymother was diagnosed withlung cancer. It was the mostdevastating and harrowingexperience not only for mebut for my whole family. Littledid I know that I, too, wouldone day suffer the samefate.

Last year, I was diagnosed with breastcancer. Even if two of my family membersalready died of the dreaded disease, I didnot expect that I would eventually contract it.The idea never occurred to me. It nevercrossed my thoughts because suffering fromcancer only happens to other people. I didn’tthink it will ever happen to me.

How and when did I find out about mybreast cancer? It all started with a routineexecutive check-up. I went through the wholegamut of tests - blood, x-ray, ENT exam, OB-GYN pelvic, rehab medicine, and breastmammogram and sonogram. The mammo-gram did not reveal any significant findingsbut the sonogram was able to detect a smalllump. I underwent surgical biopsy to excisethe lump off my right breast. The surgeonasked me to return after a week for the re-sults of the biopsy. I returned to his clinic afterone week, alone and clueless. I thought thatif at all, the results would probably show thatI was just cystic.

When the doctor dropped the bomb, Ifelt like my body let me down. It betrayed me.In the beginning, it was as if the doctor wastalking about someone else, another patient.Only when I noticed that I was the only otherperson in the clinic aside from my doctor, didI fully realize that he was indeed talking aboutME. Negative thoughts started forming in myhead. I cannot forget what he said, “Mrs. Ador-able, masama po ang result ng biopsy… youhave cancer of the breast…”

He handed the biopsy report to me andit read, among other medical jargon, INVA-SIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA. The worst partabout the whole incident was that nobody wasthere to comfort me or assure me that every-thing would be alright. I faced the truth bymyself.

The World Will Not Stop JustBecause I Have Breast Cancer

Ebol Parungao- Adorable, Batch ‘73

The confluence ofevents that followed after Ifound out about my condi-tion became a dizzying roundof consultations withoncologists, specialists inthe field of cancer. I was notconvinced with a secondopinion. I went for a third,fourth, and a fifth opinion.They all said the same thing.I needed surgery and Ineeded treatment after sur-

gery. After hearing the same advice from allthe doctors, I had no choice but to relent towhat they recommended, mastectomy. I hadto lose my breast so I may live.

Cancer is a great equalizer; it does notmatter if you are young or old, rich or poor,short or tall. Anyone can be a victim. Havingcancer in your family history makes the oddsgreater but those who do not have a familyhistory of cancer are not spared. The key tosurvival is early detection.

No, I did not cry, I was worried but it didnot consume me. I was more depressed 14years ago, when cancer took the lives of mymother and brother. That experience prob-ably prepared me for the time when the wordbecame real to me. It saddened me, thethought that I was not spared, that I will be-come a part of statistics made meinconsolable but I also realized that canceris not the end of my life. It is the beginning ofthe rest of my life. Breast cancer will not killme, it is pushing me to live.

There is so much to be thankful for. Forone, knowing that the good Lord allowed meto detect this at an early stage is already thegreatest blessing I have received thus far.Then, there is the incessant pounding ofprayers to the heavens by family and friendsfor which I will be eternally grateful. To myfellow Marians, please accept my gratitudefor your love, prayers and support. I know Iam not alone in this battle because I feel somuch love from everyone I know.

Breast cancer is not a death sentence. Ithas given purpose and meaning to my life.Yes, I have breast cancer but the world willnot stop just because of it. It has only beenten months since the diagnosis, but in myheart I truly believe that I am totally, completelyand permanently healed.

It has been almosttwo years since I was di-agnosed with stage 3cancer of the breast. Ini-tially, I felt frightened anddepressed but then I real-ized that I had to fight

because of my loved ones. It was the worstcrisis of my life, a long, hard, painful battlefilled with uncertainties. I can not say it isover. It is a continuing odyssey.

I noticed the pea-sized lump on myright breast as early as June 2006. Myhusband, a doctor, wanted immediatesurgery but I said not to worry since bothof my sisters had previously been oper-ated for benign breast cysts. I actually didnot feel much pain except for anoccasional fleeting stabbing sensationnear my right shoulder. I thought maybe,it was a heart problem. I was relieved tofind out that there was nothing to worryabout. The lump grew at a slow pace andmy husband continued to nag me abouthaving surgery. I still said no and insistedthat it was my body and I was respon-sible for it.

Previously, before the lump on mybreast, I got to know some cancer survi-vors and had been continuously prayingfor them. In fact, they became my closefriends. I sat in the audience and wasnot on stage. When I was called onstage and diagnosed with cancer, it was

Cancer is a BlessingJudy Ann Tiosejo-Guison, Batch 79

A n s w e r e d P r a y e r s



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The Scholarship Program is projectthrough by which Marians the world overcan “pay back” of what they havelearned and gained from a RVM edu-cation. Celebrating batches areencouraged to support the scholarshipprogram by donating to the “Adopt aBatch Scholar” fund whereby a celebrat-ing batch picks a scholar from amongthe applicants for 1st year and under-takes to send the scholar through highschool. An applicant may qualify if, heor she is a Filipino citizen; financiallydisadvantaged but intellectually deserv-ing. An applicant for 1st year must be agraduate of the SMC grade school or ifthe applicant is already in 1st, 2nd or 3rd

year high school in SMC, the grant willbe awarded during the next school year.As a scholar, he/she must maintain anaverage of 85% and must comply withall other requirements as may be re-quired by the Scholarship Committee.

Last March 2009, two of our schol-ars graduated and have moved on tocollege. They are Angelo Rosario whois now studying in the University of thePhilippines and Claire Ting who is nowstudying in University of Santo Tomas.

For this school year, the Founda-tion has accepted for this school yearthree scholars, namely: Joben Guevarraand Michael Miguel for first year andAira Famela Guevarra for third year. Thethree will be entitled to a free full tu-ition, and book allowance of Php3,000.00.

Alumni President Lulu Robles andthe Alumni Board together with theAlumni Choir have been busy augment-ing the trust fund of the scholarshipprogram by painstakingly serenadingfriends and benefactors every Christ-mas season. The Alumni Board intendsto venture into more proactive activitiesthat would generate funds to ensure thesustainability of the Scholarship pro-gram in the years to come.

Career TalkScholarshipProgram StillGoing Strong!Gwen Pimentel- Gana, Batch ‘77

Two Marian alumnae, Past SMCAF Presi-dent Corina Parungao Isaguirre ‘75 andAlumni Director, Mayang Sison Pascual ‘76graciously partnered and put their heads to-gether for a talk to high school studentsregarding how best to choose a college pro-gram that would match their personalitiesand passions. The students were eager tolisten to the exchange of interesting sugges-tions regarding what careers are best suitedfor them based on their ‘True Colors’ – amethod culled from a Jungian Typology ofpersonality types.

Those who are prepping themselves upwith options to take when they finally leavethe cozy confines of St. Mary’s College andcross over to a bigger academic of collegeareana, were treated to an interactive discus-sion that brought the auditorium buzzing as

the students stood up to be counted and af-firmed.

Corina presented the 4 basic colors ofGreen, Blue, Orange and Gold to describe ba-sic personality types which correspond tocharacter traits that would be a big plus factorfor a particular job or profession. Mayang onthe other hand, shared her own experience inchoosing her career and invited the audienceto participate in a guessing game of sorts whenshe got them to match their ‘colors’ with the listof professions in a particular category.

At the end of the Forum, the studentswere left knowing themselves a bit more, andless anxious about the future. More impor-tantly, they gained some insight into how tochoose their college program well by lever-aging on their strengths and naturalinclinations or passions.

In its commitment to give back the rewards of a first-rate RVM education to theintellectually deserving yet financially disadvantaged students, the Alumni Foundationhas as priority project the SMCAFI Scholarship Program. Through the generosity ofsome groups and individuals and the support of St. Mary’s College Q.C., the Foundationis proud to have facilitated the full high school education of a number of scholars. Thefollowing are letters of gratitude by two of them who recently graduated and are nowcompetitively pursuing their chosen career path.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude foryour support over the past four years. My family and Igreatly appreciate all the help. My marching with batch2009 to get a high school diploma last March wouldn’thave been possible without it. I hope that you continueyour efforts to help students like myself who do nothave enough financial capabilities to enjoy studying inSMCQC.

Right now, I am at a crossroads, having to make achoice between UST’s Industrial Engineering programand UP Manila’s Organizational Communications pro-gram. Both are schools of good reputation and I wouldn’thave this chance if it weren’t for your help.

Sincerely,Claire Danica TingSMCQC Batch 2009

In behalf of my family, I wouldlike to thank you for the four-yearscholarship that the SMCAF hasgranted me. I was able to gradu-ate because of the assistance thatyou have given.

Now that I am already a part ofthe SMCAF, I would like to extendmy willingness to support yourcause. Thank you and more powerto the SMC Alumni Foundation.

God Bless!

Very Truly Yours,Daniel Angelo S. Rosario IIISMC Batch 2009

Letters from SMCAFI Scholars

Mayang Sison-Pascual, Batch ‘76


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Batch ’79 remains “the batch to beat”since we celebrated our Silver Jubilee 5 yearsago, having the most number of attendeesEVER! Not only for that reason, but even thethen incumbent Alumni President, FeSerquina-Arrelano, stated in her messageto us that our batch introduced a lot of “firsts”in the history of the SMC Alumni Foundation,Inc. Among these “firsts”, the Silver Jubileewas traditionally celebrated in February butnow it’s being celebrated in July. Oh, yeah,we were the culprits since we had the gump-tion to request that change to accommodateour foreign-based batchmates because ourbatch is an all-for-one and one-for-all type ofgroup. We’re a tight group, what can I say? Iwould even venture to say that Batch ’79 hadalways been the batch to beat in the historyof SMC by being earmarked by providence tobe SMC’s “special” batch. Let me expoundbefore you burn me at the stake. Undoubt-edly, Batch ’79 had the most number ofstudents because the school year of 1974-1975 was the last year that SMC had a Grade7 level in elementary, and approximately 80students in the entire Grade 6 level weretransferred to Grade 7 level via an accelera-tion test that year. By our sheer number alone,I wouldn’t doubt that our batch had the mostloyalty awardees, most inter-school awards,most medals and honors, and, albeit infa-mous, the most problem students, kickouts,

summer school attendees and controver-sies. On top of that, we were the last batchever to have overnights at the SMC ground(1st and 2nd years), a weekend camping trip(3rd year at Mt. Makiling) and a Bivouac (4thyear at Mt. Batulao). As soon as we gradu-ated, the powers-that-be in SMC put a stop toall of these due to “undesirable” incidentsduring our time (undesirable according tothem, fabulous according to us). Yes, wewere renegades, both as academics andmischiefs. The two had to go hand-in-hand....we were in high school, c’mon!Despite our scampishness, we all grew upexemplary adults, true to SMC’s three-pronged mission (check out the Alumniwebsite to figure that one out).

I believe, though, that the most impor-tant aspect of our being the batch to beat andbeing a “special” batch is our undying devo-tion to SMC and our relationship with the lateMrs. Pompeya Naval. Mrs. Naval stated, inher Silver Jubilee message to the batch, she“...never thought that this class will remem-ber me well”. This is quite understandablesince she probably had the worst headacheof her life during our batch year. She had tomention in her message that she remem-bers (she didn’t write “fondly”) reprimandingus for some misdemeanor, which was reallykind of her to mention just “a” misdemeanorbecause there were tons of that during our

year. But she also mentioned rememberingour batch having many achievements thatyear. She probably thought we detested herfor being such a strict disciplinarian but sheactually is the most memorable individual andthe one which occupies a space in our heartseven if she has already passed on. And ourbatch made sure she knew our deep senti-ments while she was still with us, and wemade her feel it many, many times over. Mrs.Naval will live on in Batch 79’s hearts forever.

So will we still be the batch to beat asPearl Jubilarians this time? I’m just yawninghere...it’s not even that challenging, really. Atthis point, we’re just trying to beat ourselvesnow. I mean, our preparations for this PearlJubilee has been underway since the lastquarter of last year. I’m based here in NewYork and I went home last December, at-tended our batch’s pre-New Year’s Eve party.It was a testament to our batch’s wily ways tohave everyone participate in the Pearl Jubi-lee preparations. A surprise meeting washeld while we were all still digesting the Fili-pino delicacies we’ve just inhaled! See, that’swhy we love our batch...we always have thatelement of surprise...and ransom, occasion-ally. But the ransom money gets added tothe batch fund, so all is well. But the hair-pulling and slapping and coercion is adifferent matter. I’m kidding, I’m kidding!

“The Dust that Won’t Settle”

>>>

The Pearl Jubilarians: Batch 1979

Jingle Tuason, Batch ‘79



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Hectic as it was, the miniMarian reunion prior to much an-ticipated visit to our belovedMadam Pompeya Generoso Na-val last February turned out to bea poignant experience for us fiveformer Marians. We didn't knowof course that in less than fivemonths, we would not have herwith us anymore.

After our quick but laugh-ter filled dinner at Anabels' inQuezon City, (especially whenebull ient Fe Sil ica Arellanojoined us), Lulu drove us toMadam Naval's place. Hack-neyed as it may sound, but itfelt like it was only yesterdaywhen we used to drop by to seeour batchmate, Anna Marie Na-val and Madam would be thereas usual to regale us with sto-ries about her young days inDavao as the Governor'sdaughter. I personally spentquite a few hours daily duringour rehearsals and four nightperformances with Madam forour annual play "Henrietta theEighth". We would sometimesee each other at the same hairsalon; she for her matriarch'srole, I for "Maggie", the family'sspinster cook!

We were also there to sharethe family's grief over the acci-dental death of her belovedhusband, Captain Mario Navalright after we graduated in 1967.We saw her once again after thatwhen we attended our very firsthomecoming. We were the mostrecent graduates and as ex-pected, we were most excited tosee our former classmates.Then life went on and we all fol-lowed our own paths and futures.

Batchmate Tina VeridianoSmall and I visited SMC cam-

pus again in 2005 and wereentertained by then high schoolprincipal Mrs. Navarette; butwere unable to visit Madam dueto our tight schedule. MarjhorieGumabao D'Angelo (batch 70)lucked out, had a brief audi-ence with her and shared it withus, her co SMCNAAAgroupmates.

As I read Lulu's sad emailregarding Madam's passing lastmonth, I was reminded of Will-iam Wordworth's "Intimations ofImmortality":

"...Our birth is but a sleepand a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us,our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhereits setting,

And cometh from afar:And not in utter nakedness:But trainling clouds of glory

do we comeFrom God, who is our home:Heaven lies about us in our

infancy!Shades of the prison-house

begins to closeUpon the growing Boy,But he beholds the light, and

whence it flowsHe sees it in his joy,The Youth, who daily farther

from the east,Must travel still is Nature's

PriestAnd by vision splendidIs on his way attended;At length the man perceives

it die awayAnd fade into the light of

common day ..."

Good bye, our dear MadamNaval, see you in Heaven!

I can’t help but be amazed with the stuffthat our batch comes up with. I don’t want tospoil the surprise too much but we’re goingglobal this time. Yessiree!!! Do I hear another“first” in the annals of the SMC Alumni? I heara resounding “YES” as I’m seated on mymakeshift stool here! Our batch will be per-forming two songs — “Up, Up and Away” and“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” — which aretruly indicative of our global theme. The Phil-ippine-based Batch 79ers will be joined byour batchmates around the world for our PearlJubilee presentation and, as I write this, ourPinay-mates have been rehearsing non-stopevery Saturday. Photos of their rehearsals arecontinuously updated in Facebook so that ev-ery batchmate around the world can join in onthe fun. In fact, a few of our foreign-basedbatchmates will be there for the Pearl Jubilee,unable to be just mere spectators of this event.Let me just tell you that our preparations forthis astounding feat have been sensationaland truly intergalactic. Our Philippine-basedbatchmates were true models of patience, in-genuity and tenacity on their indefatigablequest to reach out to each and every batchmatearound the globe. In return, our foreign-based

batchmates inundated them with photos andvideos to show their appreciation and coop-eration, claiming their rightful place as abatchmate, indeed. This is what an SMC batchshould be all about. A primal yell is let out andwe all come a-running to heed the call.

I am very honored to have graduated highschool in 1979 at SMC, to be a part of a batchyear whose students covered the entire spec-trum of teenage life — we had artists,dancers, intellectuals, comediennes, rock-ers, fun-lovers, jokesters, mindblowers,angsters, fashionistas, the shy ones, the loudones, the prim-and-propers, the eccentrics,the weirdos....the entire gamut! It was a won-derful year to be alive and be a teenagerdespite the pimples, the split ends, the un-comfortable CAT fatigues, the firstheartaches, and all those growing pains!Most importantly, we had each other to sharethose lifetime memories with.

30 years hence, we’re back in SMC tocommemorate a milestone. Our Pearl Jubi-lee will be an attestation of our commitmentas a batch group to continually participate inSMC’s activities as her alumni, to give backto her student community, to never let herdown when our services are required. Weremain proud graduates of the Marian phi-

losophies and intend to lead our daily livesin a manner becoming of a true Marian.

And speaking of a true Marian, in the lasttwo years, since 2007, a Batch 79er has beenheading the Alumni activities and projects asits President. And that is Lulu Robles, whomwe are very proud of. True to being a Batch79er, she introduced a lot of “firsts” duringher tenure and, thanks to her leadership andastuteness, we now have an Alumni websiteserving as a vestibule to each and everyMarian around the globe to rekindle lostfriendships and keep us in-the-loop on any-thing and everything that’s SMCQC. Nextmonth, a new Alumni President will be electedand it may seem that our batch will beforgotten...but wait...

Our Pearl Jubilee may be the last timeyou’ll be seeing us on that auditorium stage.But it will not be the end of us. Batch 79 aimsto be a ubiquitous presence in SMC, a readyand willing participant in her various projectsnow and in the future. You will not be able toget rid of us that easily.

For Batch 79 will always be at the fore-front, as the trailblazers that we are, leavingeverything and everyone in our dust. And thatdust won’t settle until we ourselves, Batch’79, turn into dust.

>>>

Norma Esperida-Cummins, Batch 67

Good bye, our dear Madam Naval...


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became the sisters she never had.They were always there to listen toher sentimental outbursts, especiallyabout her family. They were alwayspresent during her birthday celebra-tions, and they all knew that whenApril comes around, the birthday ofMrs. Naval would just be around thecorner. They were always her specialguests, together with the alumnae.

Mommy lived a full life becauseof all the opportunities that SaintMary’s afforded her. It was here thatshe became a wife, a mother,maturing to be a grandmother and agreat grandmother, not only of herown children but of her students, herbeloved Marians. It is no surprisethen that when an alumna wouldhear Saint Mary’s, the next questionwe would hear would be, “ Kilala nyoba si Madam Naval?” She lived andbreathed Saint Mary’s, and from adaughter who grew up and startedto work in this school, I can proudlysay that Saint Mary’s will alwaysremember my mommy, MadamPompeya G. Naval.

Pompeya G. Naval : Mother andTeacher

P – eople say that she was agood teacher

O – thers say that she wasstrict

M – adam Naval could havebeen either or both

P – erhaps that was why shewas such an

E – nigma to all whose livesshe touched

Y – oung and old alike

A – ll from Saint Mary’s andher family

G– reatness of heart, no doubtshe had

N – ever a dull moment whenever she sings

A – lways the life of the partywhenever she swings

V – aliant were her was ofhandling life

A – lways turning to the LORDabove

L – iving her mission as amother, teacher and wife

Sharing Mommy...(Continued from Page 9)

Cancer is a Blessing(Continued from Page 11)

a different story. On September 7, 2007, I had aradical mastectomy. I had two tumors removed– one was 3 cm by 5 cm big and the other, 2 cmby 3 cm. All lymph nodes were positive for can-cer and my whole right breast was affected. Myright chest was scraped to the bone of tissueand muscle. Luckily, the surgeon was able tomake do with my remaining skin; therefore askin graft was not necessary. I woke up weakand depressed. I did not know what wouldhappen next.

It was the first time that I had heard of theword oncologist (doctors who treat tumors) andbecame aware of the kind of protocol neededfor my treatment. Three weeks after surgery Ihad my first chemotherapy. My protocol requiredsix sessions, three weeks apart. The firstchemo was scary since I did not know how Iwould react, what to expect, and if I would sur-vive. I have heard of many cancer patients whodied during chemotherapy. From the beginningof my diagnosis, many were praying for me in-cluding my Catholic communityFamilia-Lourdes, the Marian Alumni, mybatchmates, teachers from SMC, my friends,relatives and loved ones. I had a huge cheeringsquad of prayer warriors and cancer survivorwarriors too. I said to myself, what else could Iask from God? Still, the depression, pain andanxiety visited me from time to time. SometimesI wondered if my sanity was still intact.

The chemotherapy protocol I had was forcancers of stage 4 (this is the highest you cango, it means cancer has spread to other partsof your body). The colleagues of my oncolo-gist were amazed to find out that I was stillalive and okay despite such a high dosage andcombination of drugs. The fourth and fifth ses-sions were hard but the sixth and last sessionwas indescribable. It was at this point that Ioffered my life to God. I was losing hope anddid not know whether or not I would still wakeup the next morning. I was weak physically,spiritually and mentally. I keep asking myself:“What will happen next?”

Despite all my anxieties and pain, I had toshow my friends and loved ones that I wasokay while deep inside I was hurting and grow-ing tired of the battle. I had to be strong not formyself but for everyone’s sake. People hid theirtears when they saw me and I smiled and toldthem not to worry since I was still alive andstanding. It was like witnessing my own fu-neral.

I survived the chemotherapy but I still hadto undergo 36 sessions of radiotherapy. It wasa Monday to Friday ritual. It was not exactly pain-ful except after the 20th session, when theradiation that accumulated in my body startedto burn my skin and turn it red. I did not like going

to the hospital almost everyday. It was de-pressing and dreary to see others in a worststate compared to mine. I always came with ajolly mood and cheered everyone along theway.

A month after the last radiotherapy ses-sion, my oncologist insisted that I still neededa hysterectomy (removal of uterus, ovaries andfallopian tubes). Like a mother going to market,I bargained for a better deal. My oncologist said“There can be no deal, your cancer feeds onyour hormones and you need to go into a meno-pause as soon as possible.” My husband andsurgeon also agreed. Hence, I was out-voted. I did not want another surgery and I prayed hardfor guidance from the Holy Spirit. This was Hismessage to me: “Judy Ann, you survived yourfirst surgery, your chemotherapy, and your ra-diotherapy. Do you still doubt God’s power toheal you? Where is your faith in the Almightywho has granted you the grace to be wellagain? Do you realize by now that He has aspecial mission for you? Or, are you still oblivi-ous to your own pain and suffering? Christ diedfor our sins and He did not question God, ourFather. Instead, Jesus said, ‘Thy will be done.’” Then I prayed, “God, I am so sorry to havedoubted you,” and responded in Jesus’ words“Thy will be done.”

I had another surgery last May 17, 2008,two days before my eldest son’s birthday. Iwas back teaching again in college on June16, 2008. My classroom was on the fifth floorand I was able to finish the semester. Here Iam now, writing in our website. My battle lastedonly eleven months but it felt like a decade. Ibelieve that through this whole ordeal, Godhas made me a better person. As my friendGladys (a cancer survivor of five years) usedto say every time we attended a wake, “Godhas blessed us with cancer so that weknow we can go anytime and not be afraid ofdeath.”

Many have lost loved ones because ofcancer. A lot of people are afraid to openly talkabout cancer and even more terrified to admitto themselves that they have the disease. It isbut natural for us humans to be afraid of deathbut we should always remember, that life onearth is a temporary existence. Our primarypurpose in life is to be reunited with God, ourFather and Creator.

I welcome others who wish to sharetheir experiences about cancer. The healingstarts with acceptance and understanding,not with fear and stubbornness. God lovesus all and if others do not make it, we do nothave a right to question God. He is our Cre-ator and Father. He knows what is best forus. God bless us!


15

The Alumni Christmas party was a hilarious celebration madememorable as the members endeavored to outdo each other intheir 70’s costumes. Bonggaytiousness was the theme of thenight as the ladies donned their outrageous wigs, their humongousearrings and the ever ubiquitious elephant pants! Leading the70’s pack was no less than our alumni prexy in her psychedelic,multi-candy colored satin blouse complete with matching headbandana and scarf. Not to be outdone was the past president FeSilica Serquina Arellano incognito in her white-rimmed darkglasses.

The Pot (ehe), ‘luck’ session was groaning with nachos,korean beef stew, waldorf salad, Elar’s lechon, Nathaniel’sbuko pandan and the pampabatang Jacinto Panciteriangchicharong bulaklak. It was an all night eating binge that

Mayang Sison- Pascual, HS Batch ‘76

saved partygoers from going bulimic by the intermittent danc-ing and games that punctuated the evening and brought manyclose to a party hangover.

The games by how they were called, were just a shadenaughty & funky: ‘ Isuksok Mo’ (threading the needle), “Are youSmarter than Meiose?” (who is a 5th grader by heart)? The long-est line competition used all the coins that was begged, stolenand ‘borrowed’ so we could donate to the scholarship fund. Asurprise number was sprung by our ‘Abba’ trio Vangee Palileo,Risse Aquino and moi inspired by the ‘Mama Mia’ film.

Of course, the night would not have been complete withoutthe traditional exchange of gifts, of kisses, of goodwill and goodfeelings flowing throughout, much like the wine and the songsthese riotous women imbibed and belted out!

Alumni Go ’70sChristmas Party 2008:


16

Paraluman R. Robles '79President

Evangeline Andrada-Palileo'71

Director for Finance

Eileen Tawatao-Garcia '74Director for Alumni Affairs

Melinda Macalintal-Rada '72Director for School Affairs

Amelita G. Tengco '77Director for Communications

and Documentation

Nerisse Aquino-Jose '76Director for Publicity and

Promotions

Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana'77

Director for Scholarship

Elvira Sison-Pascual ‘76Director for Marketing

Dahra Villanueva-Mendoza'78

Aurea Gega-Relos '79Ma. Theresa Samson '79

Directors for Community Dev't.and Directors for Special

Projects

Meiose Tan-Cristobal '82Director for Membership

Lynn Aguilar-Umali '70Director for Corporate Affairs

Regina Banaag-Gochuico '83Agnes Zapanta-Bengco '79

Directors

Grace Camacho-De Jesus '74Immediate Past President

ADVISERS

Dean Gloria M. Santos

Dr. Priscelina Patajo-Legasto '68

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan '69

Ms. Corinna Parungao-Isaguirre '75

Ms. Fe Silica Serquina-Arellano '69

SMCAF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Alumni from differentbatches gathered once moreduring the yuletide seasonlast year, for the traditionalcaroling of the St. Mary’sCollege Alumni FoundationChoir. The group serenadedthe households of generousfriends and fellow alumniwith Christmas carols togather funds for thefoundation’s scholarshipprogram, medical missionand other projects lined upfor 2009.

To the foundation, thecaroling was a huge success

as it ensured that funds forprojects and on going scholar-ship grants. To the mariancarolers, it was a mostenriching and heartwarmingoccasion to bond up with oldfriends and fellow mariansduring practice nights and adefinitely awesome andfulfilling experience to meetand sing for marians andmarian friends who had sograciously opened theirhomes to receive us and beserenaded.

You, too can be a partof this now yearly tradition

by either joining us as amarian caroler, by gra-ciously sharing in raisingthe funds through yourgenerous pledges andsupport or by hosting onenight of the caroling mara-thon. Maybe you can evendo all three. For moreinformation on how you canbe a part of this activity youcan contact the alumniadministrator through ourwebsite or go visit thealumni office. It is never toolate or too early to hear fromyou. See you soon!

Professor Priscelina Patajo-Legasto, Ph.D. garnered the Metrobank ACES on January 22, 2009.The Award for Continuing Excellence and Service is given by Metrobank Foundation to previousawardees of the Metrobank Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT), the Metrobank Art and DesignExcellence (MADE), The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) and the Country’s OutstandingPolicemen in Service (COPS) who have continued to stand out in their respective fields after havingbeen honored by the Foundation for their achievements

Preachy, SMC HS Batch’68 and currently a Full Professor of Comparative Literature at the De-partment of English, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines-Diliman, was a Metrobank1998 Outstanding Teacher (Tertiary Level).

Congratulations

marian alumni newsletter 2009

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