MABINI, Manila (21 April 2001) - Mark Llenado, official president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga High School Class of 1977 and an officer of the interim homecoming committee,
arrived in this capital city Friday, April 20, to meet with Metro Manila-based class members for an update on the 2002 Silver Jubilee homecoming preparations. 
     In what was described as a highly-successful meeting held at the posh Remember When Bar in Mabini, Manila, Llenado briefed a contingent of ADZ Class 77 members on the progress of the various activities of the Zamboanga City-based committee to ensure the success of the 2002 ADZ Alumni Homecoming and the participation of the class in the forthcoming 2001 homecoming this December. 
     The meeting was briefly interrupted by the surprise appearances of a number of ranking government officials such as newly installed Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto "Bobi" Tiglao,
Tourism Secretary Richard "Dick" Gordon and former Press Secretary now senatorial candidate Ricardo "Dong" Puno. 
     Also present were a host of Manila newspaper editors, TV personalities and radio reporters who happen to make the Remember When Bar their favorite Friday night watering hole.
     Sources said Tiglao, a former Manila bureau chief of the Far Eastern Economic Review magazine, was throwing a despedida party for his colleagues in media before formally joining the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Cabinet. 
     During a brief tete-a-tete, Puno, an alumnus of the Ateneo de Manila University, apologized to Llenado and his batch mates for making green (instead of Ateneo blue) the symbolic color of his senatorial campaign, explaining that he intended green to represent "growth" and not the Zamboanga A. E. Colleges Wildcats (or the De La Salle Green Archers). 
     Gordon, for his part, informed the ADZ Class 77 members that he is a personal friend of incumbent ADZ President Fr. William "Bill" Kreutz. He also appealed to class members,
particularly those living outside the Philippines, to help promote local tourism. Gordon also finished his college studies at the Ateneo de Manila. 
     Tiglao, the presidential spokesman who is a non-Atenean (he graduated from the University of the Philippines), did not have anything significant to say to the Class 77 members, except the words "cheers" whenever he quaffed his ice-cold beer. He was seated two tables away. 

     During the meeting, the following items were discussed and deliberated on: 

     1) That the monthly (every second Saturday) meeting of the Class 1977 homecoming committee is going on smoothly and has become a regular social gathering that class members always look forward to, thanks to the determined efforts of Ily Lopez, Bobby Garcia, Idris Ramshy, Dan Miranda, Paul Pilanga and the rest of the guys. Overseas classmates who will visit Zamboanga City were advised to get in touch with Idris and Bobby through e-mail so that they can time their visits with the monthly meetings. 

     2) Llenado projects that by December 2001, the Zamboanga City-based members of the class would be able to raise the sum of PhP 50,000 (US$ 1,000). as part of the over-all fund raising activity. The treasurer is Paul Pilanga. To date, the class fund is somewhere between PhP 36,000 (US$720), including the contribution made by Kenny Shinn from Los Angeles and the donation made by Rolly Macasaet in Zamboanga City last December. 

     3) On the motion of Alvin Cabato, it was proposed that Class 77 members currently based in Metro Manila and those in the United States and Europe could pool their resources
together to raise a sum of PhP 200,000 (US$4,000) before December 2001. 
     Already, the Metro Stone Rich Construction company of Bong Nuno, Sammy Santos and Florida-based Chito Ignacio in coordination with high-successful business executive Michael Regino committed to contribute the sum of PhP50,000 (US$1,000). 
     Initially, it was also suggested that class members abroad be requested to contribute a sum of US$200 (PhP 10,000) each before December 2001 for the overall fund-raising effort. Cabato and Nuno promised to open a corporate account in a Metro Manila bank where class members, here and abroad, can forward their contributions. 

     4) Llenado announced that he is slated to meet soon with the members of the ADZ Class 77 Visayas homecoming committee headed by Iloilo-based Joel de Castro to monitor their
activities. 

     5) It was also proposed that the bulk of the funds raised by the class will be used to create a scholarship foundation for the Ateneo de Zamboanga to help in the education of family members and dependents of not-so-well-off Class 77 members. 
     It was also proposed that the class can extend scholarship grants to current ADZ teachers to uplift the quality of education in the school. Also, Bong Nuno revealed that he may coincide the launching of the Nuno family-sponsored Jainudin Nuno Scholarship Foundation (initial funding of PhP 2,000,000 or US$40,000) with the ADZ Class 77 scholarship project. 

     6) It was also proposed that English teacher Emir Espano, elder brother of class member Gino Espano, be declared an adopted member of the Class (ala-Philippine Military Academy)
on the grounds that he represents the virtues and ideals that class members have always aspired for. 

     7) By the way, Mark Llenado also promised that he will finally get himself an e-mail address. 

     8) Lastly, all class members currently based in Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines are enjoined to attend the ADZ 2001 December homecoming in Zamboanga City where plans for the 2002 homecoming will be finalized. Those living outside the country are also urged to attend the 2001 homecoming if they can, but must make sure that they attend the Class 77 Silver Jubilee Homecoming in December 2002. 
     Among those present during the meeting with Llenado were Nuno, Santos and Cabato. The others who were not able to make it to the Remember When Bar meeting sent their regrets and were represented by the spirits of San Miguel Beer Light, Cuervo Tequila Gold and Johnny Walker Black. 

     ZAMBOANGA CITY --- Some 15 members of the Ateneo de Zamboanga High School Class of '77 met in Zamboanga City last Dec. 9 to formally organize committees in preparation for their silver jubilee (25 years) class reunion on December 2002.
    Chosen as interim executive officers are Bobby Garcia (interim president), Mark Llenado (interim vice president), Paul Pilanga (treasurer), Ramshy Idris (secretary), Danny Miranda and Ily Lopez (ways and means committee).
    Ramshy and I have been tasked to collect e-mail addresses of our
classmates in the Philippines and abroad with the end objective of coming with an updated directory soon. So can you guys please furnish me with e-mail addresses of our classmates in your address books so we can set up a central list?
   Details of the December 9 meeting:
     1) The group decided to meet every first Saturday of the month at Ily Lopez' place (Eat's a Treat restaurant located at the Shopping Center on Pilar Street, Zambo. City) to map out plans on tracing the whereabouts of each batchmate. So if any of you guys find yourselves in Zambo City on a first Saturday of the month, you can drop by and attend: Ily's tel. nos. are 9915486 or 9931077.
    2) The group decided to open a bank account for our initial operational fund. A total of PhP18,000 (tama ba ang figure, Bobby Garcia?) was raised during the meeting. (who said Class '77 members are cheapskates??!!!).
     3) The objective of the interim excutive committee for the coming year is to implement a "reaching out" program to trace the whereabout of class members and to make initial plans for the ADZ homecoming 2001 and 2002.
    Plans are afoot to establish a scholarship fund to help dependents of not-so-well-to-do class members (just like what HS Class '74 did). There is also an ambitious plan for the class members to raze the ancient Ateneo Gym and build a new one but that seems to be a tall order (joke only).
     4) Class members based in Zambo. City and the rest of the Philippines are enjoined to attend the 2001 ADZ homecoming in December while those outside the Philippines are urged to prepare for homecoming 2002 when we will be the silver jubilarians.
     5) By the way, Rolly Macasaet, who is currently president of the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC), was honored Atenean of the Year during the 2000 ADZ homecoming. Congrats, Maxie.
     6)  For those not in the know: The ADZ homecoming has become a very popular annual event in Zamboanga City, usually in the first week of December, where ADZ alumni from as early as classes 60s (you can ask your fathers) to as late as class 90s (you can ask your nephews) converge at the ADZ campus for a weekend of beer guzzling, remembering the good ol' days, ball room dancing and sports events like golf, tennis and basketball (last Dec. 9 saw a basketball exhibition game between members of Class 1974 and 1975 at the Ateneo gym with the Ateneo band playing "Fly High" and "Hail Ateneo
Hail."
   It was indeed nostalgic seeing now beer-bellied players like Bong  "Ride On" Natividad, Chito Concepcion, Ernesto Zapanta, that tall former Crispa player Gulfin, the Camaongay brothers (remember them?) Erbie Fabian, Chito Vasquez, Bong Casimiro, Greg San Juan and several other has-beens---back in the hardcourt. 
    But what really made my hair stand on end was listening to the Ateneo band play while the former Atenean cagers made their way to the hardcourt. Indeed, gone are the days when the alumni homecoming meant only Ping Saavedra and a couple of his cronies ballroom dancing. 
     7) Among those present during the meeting (and at the homecoming tomahan) were Mark Llenado, Sammy Santos, Bobby Garcia, Ramshy Idris, Leo Wee Sit, Dan Miranda, Ily Lopez, Paul Pilanga, Diding Casimiro, Rolly Macasaet, Edmundo Uy, Tung Ramos, Al Gonzales, Boy Paclibar, Evelio Bernardo, Rosester Martinez, Noli Garcia, Ricky Lopezvito, Jake Clemente, Roseller Flores, Rolly Sibug, Ruben Cabato, Cardozo and Toribio.
     Members of Class of '77 in the United States can get in touch with Gino Españo, Phil Baños, Ramoncito Ignacio or Boboy Shinn for more details about the December 2002 homecoming. 

Abisana, Manuel
Agno, Antonio
Ahmad, Mohammad Nur
Ahsa, Alonso
Aizon, Manuelito 
Aldema, Saturnino 
Alim, Najar 
Alvarez, Antonio
Aquino, Alfredo 
Araneta, Nicky 
Araneta, Rizaldy 
Araojo, Edgar 
Argana, Carlo 
Arquiza, Epifanio Jr. 
Ascaño, Estanislao 
Atoc, Jose Joaquin 
Azcarraga, Ramon Jr. 
Baños, Philippe 
Barrios, Arthur (Deceased)
Basconcillo, Banilo 
Beira, Noel 
Bernardo, Evelio 
Bongcaron, Jeffrey 
Bonggay, Jo-Audie 
Cabatingan, Eller 
Cabato, Alvin
Cabato, Ruben 
Cainlet, Arnel 
Candanido, Prospero 
Canlas, Teodoro 
Caoile, Philip 
Cardozo, Rudito 
Carreon, Rodolfo Jr. 
Casimiro, Ernesto 
Castillo, Ruben 
Cawley, Arthur 
Chiong, Eleazar 
Chiong, Willie 
Clemente, Dennis 
Climaco, Rolando 
Corteza, Danilo
Cuadra, Michael 
Cudia, Norberto 
Dain, Derwin 
Dangilan, Dexter 
de Castro, Joel 
de Guzman, Fernando 
Dimaguya, Joselito 
Duterte, Gabriel
Eisma, Armando
Enriquez, Arthur Louis 
Escobar, Farouk 
Esmeria, Elpidio 
Españo, Gino 
Espiritu, Manolo (Deceased)
Fabian, Jose Manuel 
Fabian, Joselito 
Felicen, Carlito 
Fernando, Alejandro 
Flores, Roseller 
Garcia, Jose Cecilio Jr. 
Garcia, Manuel 
Garcia, Romeo
General, Anthony 
Go, Richard
Gonzales, Al 
Gonzales, Orville
Gonzales, Sanz 
Hayudini, Hatta 
Hernandez, Erlito 
Hoson, Gilbert 
Idris, Ramshy 
Ignacio, Ramoncito 
Iringan, Efren 
Ismael, Al-Rashid 
Jamiro, Ronald 
Javier, Noel 
Jiao, Edilberto 
Joson, Oscar 
Lao, Delfin 
Laxamana, Greg 
Ledesma, Gary Joe
Lee, Victor 
Leyson, Danilo 
Leyson, Redelio 
Lim, Aisen 
Lim, Amin 
Lim, Reckson 
Llenado, Mark Alejandro 
Lopez, Roseller
Lopezvito, Ricky
Lopezvito, Vicente 
Loseo, Danilo 
Macasaet, Rolando
Macatangay, Joseph 
Mangumma, Nelson 
Maraya, Marlon Anthony 
Martinez, Rosester 
Matlih, Nickson 
Mendoza, Bernardo Jr. 
Mian, Thomas Jr. (Deceased) 
Mijares, Jorge 
Millamena, Lory L. (Deceased)
Miranda, Daniel 
Navarro, Rolando 
Nuño, Ibrahim 
Omar, Maulana 
Paclibar, Benedicto 
Paclibar, Emmanuel 
Paraguya, Gine Bobby 
Perez, Enrique 
Pichel, Ramon (Deceased)
Pilanga, Paulino Jr. 
Pineda, Rolando 
Pioquinto, Winifredo 
Ramiro, Jose Felipe
Ramos, Charlie 
Ramos, Raul 
Regino, Michael 
Rivera, Eric V. (Deceased)
Rojas, David Jr. 
Rugayan, Gabriel 
Saavedra, Eduardo 
Saile, Maxito 
Samla, Alameen 
San Luis, Ricardo 
Sana, Ramir 
Sanchez, Raul 
Santos, Romeo 
Santos, Sammy
Sarau, Albert 
Shinn, John III 
Shinn, Kennedy
Sibug, Rolando 
Solivio, Nomie 
Superable, Felix 
Tan, Reynaldo 
Tan, Roderico 
Tanagon, Roy 
Tenchavez, Allan 
Toribio, Armando 
Torres, Jose Mario 
Torres, Roosevelt
Wee Sit, Leo 
Yu, Benjamin