Notre Dame of Jolo Hi-School Homecoming

Notre Dame of Jolo High School Homecoming Reunion.
Day 01 – 25 September 2009

I took the early flight from Cebu to Zamboanga City together with Anthony “Boy” Dominic my Aunt Concepcion Dominic-Tan’s younger brother who was also attending the NDJ Hi-School homecoming celebration with his class ’54 batch. Heavy downpour welcomed us at Zamboanga City Int’l Airport and by the time we were at the receiving area, there were already crowd of people surrounding the baggage carousel each to his own trolley. Later on the PAL flight from Manila also arrived and familiar faces passing by me with curious looks on them then from nowhere Joey Chiong greeted me. That hi-hello broke the ice and I managed to meet those ladies. I met Myrna Carasco, Emelyn Izquierdo and few others whose name slipped my mind. According to Joey, our friends (Maridel Serrato, Irene Ulama & Annabelle Yanga) would be flying in later in the evening. Of course Eugene Tan was there to meet Joey and his gang with his equally winsome smile to welcome us as well. When I phoned Albert Wu later, he told me he was there also to meet his cousin Susan Koh. I learned later that Delite Tan-Cantar, Marianne Dominic-Lao & Pauline Dominic Sulit had already moved to Zamboanga while Jimmy Ting was already in Zamboanga City since yesterday.

I really salute Imelda Conculada-Salasa for trying her best to rope in more old classmates to attend the event. I still have to get from her the actual number of our batch coming for the reunion. I know Leonardo Wee would be attending and hopefully, I’d be able to meet Thomas Chang again. On the other hand after those lengthy exchanges of email & chat message with Noel De Las Penas, I was also hoping to see him in this event.

My whole afternoon was spent for doing some errand and getting some few more things for the event. Later around 7pm I dropped by Japanese Restaurant to join Mimi who was already having dinner with her elder sister’s batch'72. The only baby present there was Mimi’s daughter Shasha.

We adjourned upstairs at the lobby of Garden Orchids to meet more friends—old friends of course. Then after the usual hugs-kiss-hello greetings, we jumped into Mimi’s van where Shasha drove us around the city and culminated at Paseo Del Mar a new park next to Fort del Pillar. It’s a newly opened park within the city almost a replica of Clark Quays in Singapore or a Riviera cafe in Venice. The lighting was a work of arts in itself. Shasha got for us Nickel-buckles—a concoction of fresh fruits topped with choice ice-cream and for those who had been away from Philippines for so long opted for fresh mango juice. After more shooting poses, we decided to go back to Garden Orchids as it started to drizzle. Finally when we reached the hotel, the heavens opened its floodgates and in few minutes the whole parking lots was already inundated with water.

Meeting more Notre Damians from different batches, more exchanges of kisses & hugs until Albert appeared & dragged me to room302 to announce room service only to be surprised by the presence of Nida Manuel-Dammang. The room which was ransacked from their Class’79 male room, looked like a harem with Maridel Serrato, Arnie Perera, Irene Ulama, Nena and some other 7 equally mid-forty’s revellers sprawling in whatever positions they felt comfortable. Telly was on like everyone in the room, Madel was immensely hooked to the Pinoy tele-novela with eyes already red from crying over something that only Pinay would do.

Going back to the lobby, it was time to search for Jimmy ‘Joey’ Chiong ‘ but instead found Eugene Tan the main guy for the event still glued to his seat sorting out the last minute registrants. Joey was already tucked in his bed when we knock at his room and immediately jumped to his feet when he saw Madel, tho’ both of them flew in from US they came from different states and both were still experiencing jet-lag.

Outside the hotel, the rain hadn’t stopped and typhoon Ondoy still pounding Northern Philippines. So Albert & I decided to wait a little and continued talking with others who seemed not very enthusiastic to go home. Some more guys who was having drinks in one of the bars came out and dragged us in to join them. Finally we called it a night & went home around 3am.
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