Firm Impressions

Penman for Monday, January 31, 2011



THESE PAST two weeks have been marked by all kinds of unexpected and almost odd but happy reconnections with a part of my youth that, until recently, I hadn’t thought about in a long, long while. That’s the time I spent as a schoolboy at La Salle Green Hills in the early ‘60s.

A couple of weekends ago, Beng and I drove out to what’s becoming one of our favorite hideaways, One Tagaytay Place near People’s Park in that city, on the ridge overlooking the lake. I’d written about One Tagaytay before and how glad we were to discover it for its cozy appointments, tasteful décor, and reasonable rates. I was even more pleased to find that its manager was an old batchmate from LSGH, Karl Velhagen, whom I sought out for a chat before checking out. It turns out that Karl had worked previously with another La Salle classmate of mine, Johnny Valdes. I haven’t seen Johnny since I left La Salle in 1966, but many Filipinos will know and appreciate the company he founded: Johnny Air Cargo, which transports parcels and packages quickly and cheaply from the US to the Philippines. I’d been a JAC suki long before I realized that the “Johnny” in the company name was someone I knew; I use them to bring my fountain pens and other eBay pickups over.

Two Saturdays ago, our special guests at the monthly meeting of our pen club were the JAC sales people, who had come over to promote their services. (The Parker pen sales representatives were there, too, but I’ll write more about Parkers another time.) They lit up when they learned that I knew their boss from way back; they were even more surprised when—after they described him as a “soft-spoken” man—I told them that Johnny was a great orator, who creamed us regularly in the declamation contests with such memorable pieces as the climactic monologue from Christopher Marlowe’s “Faustus.”

That was the kind of training we got at La Salle, which has been on my mind a lot these past few months, since I began working on a book to commemorate the centennial of the arrival of the La Salle brothers in the Philippines in 1911. I’ve been interviewing the brothers and their students for the book, which we expect to launch later this year.

I can’t write about my own experience with the La Salle brothers in the book, so let me tell my story now, in the hope that it will spur others to share their own recollections. It’s a sob story that I’ve told many times before, so bear with me when I say, again, that I must have been the poorest boy in La Salle Green Hills, which I attended from 1960 to 1966, covering Prep to Grade 7; our class was accelerated twice, saving me some time and my parents a lot of money. My mother was a minimum-wage postal clerk in Mandaluyong, and my father was often in between jobs, but they had resolved to give me, their first-born, the best schooling they thought I could get.

La Salle Green Hills had just opened, and it looked very promising, so they enrolled me there, marshaling every peso they could find for that purpose; my younger siblings either went to public school or stopped schooling for a year so their kuya could be a La Sallista who spoke and used English as well as anyone could—a family sacrifice I was expected to repay later in life.

Still, we were happy at home, and I enjoyed my days in school. My teachers and classmates were kind to me; some friends would give me rides in their family car—otherwise, I would have had to walk, as a I did most days, to the bus stop on EDSA (then Highway 54), and then walk the same distance from the highway to where we lived on Boni Avenue; others shared their sandwiches and candy bars. While I couldn’t share in my classmates’ enthusiasm for remote-controlled cars, I found comfort in the library, and became a bookworm.

That, I’m sure, is how and why I wanted to become a writer, beginning with crude but spirited imitations of the Hardy Boys and whatever else I was devouring. I wasn’t the smartest kid in my class—a quiet but very bright boy named Tofi Reyes seemed to have a lock on that distinction—but I picked up enough “green stars” to keep my parents happy. I also somehow became the Most Outstanding Cub Scout and then Senior Patrol Leader of our Boy Scout troop.

This is where my recollection of our principal—a tall, lean, and stern-looking German named Brother Alphonsus—comes in. Trained as an engineer, Br. Alphonsus liked to oversee every little thing that was going on in his fiefdom, from construction projects to misbehaving boys. From our knee-high point of view, he seemed to be the last person you would expect any favors from.

And yet, kept by my parents among the family’s most treasured papers, is a handwritten note from Br. Alphonsus to the school cashier. I had been due to receive an honor as a Boy Scout, but my parents couldn’t afford to pay the P25.00 that a new uniform would cost. So my father had written the principal to ask if he could sign a promissory note for the uniform, or else we would have to decline the honor. Br. Alphonsus directed that the uniform be given to me, free of charge.

I’m sure my father found a way to thank Br. Alphonsus for that kindness, but I don’t recall that I ever did. So let the book be my token of thanks for what Br. Alphonsus and the good brothers did for boys like me.

Working on this book has led to some fascinating stories and discoveries. Dr. Joey Lapeña, now a professor of otorhinolaryngology at the UP College of Medicine, sent in a story about Br. Francis Cody that I’m not even sure will make it to the final text of the book in these days of political correctness, but which, you might say, packs a narrative wallop, and so deserves to be shared:

“Brother Francis was a ruddy, robust monk whose bite left as strong an impression as his bark. When we were in seventh grade, some fellows had been caught fooling around with maryjane and Br. Francis paraded them from one class to another to teach us all a lesson. He made them stand on the platform facing the board and brace themselves with their buttocks facing the class, then roll up the sleeves of his holy habit, holding the hefty wooden paddle (a.k.a. the ‘hot seat’) like a baseball bat (or so it seemed to me as I contemplated ‘the loss of heaven and the pains of hell’), relating the litany of their transgressions as he took a few practice swings (that seemed like an eternity) before making audible (from the whack as well as the whacked) contact that reverberated through the deathly-quiet room and the lads therein. He definitely left his mark on us all.”

The other stories, I assure you, are much more pleasant than that, and you’ll read them all in the book when it’s done.

On a visit to the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod—the alma mater of such notables as business leader Oscar Hilado and film director Peque Gallaga—I interviewed Br. Ray Suplido. Quite apart from his own remarkable odyssey as a Bacolod boy returning as USLS president, I learned from Br. Ray that one of the rules of the brothers stipulated that ink should be provided to the students, and a brother went around with a very large bottle of Quink (yes, they used to make them in liter sizes) so people could fill up their fountain pens from it. In more olden times, a brother was permitted to bring a knife into the school—for the sole purpose of sharpening quills!

Incidentally, if you’re a La Salle alumnus and have an interesting story to tell, serious or funny, about the brothers who made a difference in your life or left a firm impression on you (not necessarily of the kind described by Dr. Lapeña), I’d be happy to hear it. Please download the questionnaire I posted for this purpose here and email me your responses at jdalisay@mac.com.

Animo, La Salle!


(That's our Grade 1 class with Br. Alphonsus and, if I remember right, Ms. Elena San Juan. I'm the rearmost, rightmost guy.)

My Dinagyang 2011 Experience

My Dinagyang Festival 2011 trip started January 21, 2011 when I took a ferry from Bacolod bound for Iloilo. Though I was supposed to go a day earlier, I decided to just go on the 21st. A few hours after the arrival, the fluvial procession started. The replica image of the Santo Nino from Cebu docked at the Muelle Loney Port. During this time Marc, Don, Fitz and I were all at the Red Cross Office scrambling to claim our Media IDs.

(...)
Read the rest of My Dinagyang 2011 Experience



© Enrico Dee for BYAHILO, 2011. | Permalink | 5 Byahilo readers have made a comment | Add to del.icio.us

Garcia’s letter

Garcia

I don’t know if retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia will confirm this if asked in a Senate hearing but I learned that when he was in detention, he wrote a letter addressed to three persons detailing his version of the multi-million (even billion) mess in the military that he was embroiled in.

The letters, I learned, were placed in the safekeeping of those three persons with the instruction that in case something happens to him, the contents of the letter would be divulged.

This should give sleepless nights to all those involved in grand theft of the money intended for the soldiers, who lay down their lives, for the country’s peace, stability and security and for the upgrading of military equipment, that have become a laughing stock in the region.

The explosive testimony of retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa at the Senate hearing last Thursday pinning down former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes, who held various other various cabinet positions in the nine years of Gloria Arroyo’s administration – defense, interior and local government,energy, as recipient of money filched from the military funds should make those involved realize that no secrets will remain secrets forever.

Rabusa, who was the budget officer then, said he and then military comptroller Lt. Gen Jacinto Ligot handcarried to him the dollar equivalent of at least P50 million as his send -off gift. This was in March 2001 when Reyes retired from the AFP to become the defense secretary as his reward for turning against his commander- in- chief, Joseph Estrada and supporting Gloria Arroyo’s power grab.

Rabusa said aside from the P50 million pabaon, he was still giving Reyes P5 million monthly allowance and P5 million for miscellaneous expenses even if Reyes was already out of the AFP.

Rabusa said in subsequent media interviews that his next testimonies would reach up to Gloria Arroyo.

Rabusa’s turnaround must have been a shock to Reyes, Garcia and Ligot and the “principals” of this grand theft. Until the former budget officer suffered a stroke and more misfortune visited his family, he was also firm on keeping mum about the anomalies.

Rabusa said in a TV interview that he felt a huge burden lifted from his shoulders his Senate testimony. He said he was not worried about the repercussion because at this point in his life, he had nothing more to lose.

This is a reminder to everybody that there is no such thing as a perfect crime.

Come to think of it, who would have thought that in that fateful flight to San Francisco on Dec. 19, 2003, Garcia’s wife Clarita would be asleep leaving the filling up of the arrival cards to her sons, who did not declare the $100,000 they were carrying.

It was easy to imagine that it was not the first time they brought in so much dollars to the U.S. but it was probably divine intervention that they were caught.

In the attempt of Mrs. Garcia to get back the $100,000 she executed an affidavit detailing their illegal sources of funds. A portion of Mrs. Garcia’s affidavit:

“My husband Carlos Garcia (Two star general in the Armed Forces was assigned in the Comptrollers Office until April 4, 2004. He receives a salary declared as income for the tax purposes.

“In addition, Carlos receives travel money and expenses in excess of several thousands of dollars. I often travel with my husband on business and my travel expenses and shopping money in excess of US$410,000 to $20,000 money is provided to me.

“He also receives cash for travel and expenses from the businesses that are awarded contracts for military hardware. These businesses are in Europe and Asia.

He also receives gifts and gratitude money from several military contracts to build roads,bridges and military housing.

“As the comptroller, my husband handles all budgets for the armed forces based on the requests from each branch of the military. The budget is sent to the Secretary of National Defense and it is sent to the Senate for approval. The Armed Forces Committee reviews the each contractor’s bids. Once the bids are approved and the review committee has checked out the companies, my husband is the final signature for the funding of contracts. The expense money, gratitude money and shopping money is not declared as income.”

Mrs. Garcia’s spilling the beans started the investigation which was suppressed during the Arroyo administration but is now being revived because of the onerous to the Filipino people plea bargain agreement between the office of the Ombudsman and Garcia.

And now, Rabusa’s revelations.

Yes, there is no such thing as a perfect crime.

Mukhang may natutunan si Aquino sa mga naunang palpak

Click to view enlarged

Mga alas-dos ng hapon ng sumabog ang bomba sa isang bus ng Newman Goldliner sa EDSA noong Enero 25, alas –singko ng hapon, may statement na si Pangulong Aquino na nakikiramay sa mga nasawi at nasaktan at nangakong hindi titigil hanggang maparusahan ang gumawa ng karumal-dumal na krimen.

Aba, malaking bagay yan. Tatlong oras lang ang nakalipas, nagsalita na siya. Kahit pa sabihin nating “motherhood statement” lang ang sinabi niya, kahit naman papaano nagsalita at bumisita pa ng gabing yun din sa mga dinala sa ospital.

Malayong-malayo sa nangyari noong Agosto 23 nang nanghostage ang isa maykasong pulis ng isang bus na puno ng turista galing Hongkong. Umaga nagsimula ang panghu-hostage, inabot na ng gabi ni isang sentence, walang sinasabi si Aquino. Hindi nga alam ng marami kung nasaan siya ng mga oras nay un at kung alam niya ang nangyayari.

Mga pasado alas- otso natapos ang hostage-taking ngunit wala pa ring narinig hanggang pasado na alas-dose (kaya Agosto 24 na) na. Nang lumabas siya sa TV, hindi malaman kung siya ba ay nalungkot, nabahala or wala lang. Ni hindi man lamang niya kinausap ang mga survivors hanggang naka-alis na pabalik sa Hongkong.

Mabuti naman kung natoto siya sa nakakadismaya niyang aksyon tungkol sa trahedya ng Agosto 23. At sana ay hindi lang sa agaran na pag-isyu ng statement at pang- media na aksyun.

Sinasabi ko ito kasi hanggang ngayun wala pang linaw kung sino ang may kagagawan. Nakakatawa nga ang press briefing ni Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesman tungkol dyan. Puro lang “Pag-aralan” ang sagot.

Sabi nga ni Dennis Garcia sa blog na www.bahalanasibatman.com ay napaka “studious” naman itong gobyerno natin.
May mga pinapalabas ang Philippine National Police na “pinag-aaralan” daw nilang anggulo: kagagawan daw ng radikal na faction ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front na itinanggi naman ng MILF.

“Pinag-aaralan” din daw ang anggulo ng terorista ang may kagagawan nun. Abu Sayyaf daw. Ito raw ay galing sa isang dating police intelligence officer. Ang nakapagtataka sa angulong ito ay bakit hindi inaamin ng terrorist group.
Kapag gumawa ang kasi ang mga terrorist ng pasabog, ina-ako nila dahil yan talaga ang gusto nila na matakot ang pamahalaan sa kanila. Kaya medyo marami ang duda sa kanitong anggulo.

Tinitingnan din daw ang anggulo na kagagawan daw ito ang isang grupo na gusto lang kumita sa kanilang mga consultancy sa mga malalaking kumpanya dito sa Pilipinas.

Sa gitna na mga kaguluhan dito, marami ang nagtatanong, nasaan si Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno na siyang itinalaga ni Pangulong Aquino na in charge sa PNP na ngayon may krisis sa kredibilidad at tiwala ng taumbayan?
Sabi ng Malacañang “out on official business” daw.

Kung natoto na si Aquino sa kanyang mga palpak sa mga unang buwan ng kanyang administrasyon, kasama kaya ang pagpalit ng mga palpak rin na tauhan?

Tingnan natin.

Crumpler unveils limited edition Chinese New Year themed bags!

The Chinese New year is just around the corner and Crumpler, one of the well-loved brands of bags is offering a limited edition Chinese New Year-themed bags: The Crumpler Chinese New Year Limited Edition Rabbit Collection

crumpler

(...)
Read the rest of Crumpler unveils limited edition Chinese New Year themed bags!



© Enrico Dee for BYAHILO, 2011. | Permalink | 9 Byahilo readers have made a comment | Add to del.icio.us