An Impromptu meeting and belated birthday celebration

Lella and I had a scheduled meeting with a potential strategic partner in a business we are concocting when we suddenly remembered to call our schoolmate boyet who we were supposed to meet the past week.

Little did we know that he was free that time and we all decided to meet for a late dinner at the shang mall. Boyet chose Congo Grill as I told him I didnt want to eat in the chinese fast food at the basement as I can't tolerate vetsin. Our earlier meeting was held in that area.

Upon reaching the restaurant, boyet called Alex, who was then in the gym down south and in about half an hour he arrived to join us for that belated birthday treat.

Just felt like posting this as I know God indeed works in wondrous ways. Lella and I had been praying hard for this endeavour we started discussing barely less than a month ago. We plan, we research and brainstorm but most of all pray a lot. He seems to be pointing to us the right people to talk to.

I had tried touching base with many who I thught can join us but our skeds dont seem to match. I think God is saying they are not the right people, I will tell you who you must meet with. Alleluia! and this he did!

Zalazar Annual Family Reunion (Dec. 30, 2006)

The annual reunion of the zalazar clan, relatives from my Mom's side was held last Dec. 30, 2006 at Hap Chan Resto veranda, Brittany Bay.

Zalazar originally included the Dadia, Ollada, and Tolentino families but now due to marriages included Ona, Lacson, Gonzales, Custodio, and many more.

Early this week, I accompanied Joy to various restos inside BF Homes but we ended up at Brittany Bay which overlooks the Laguna de Bay. It was our first time in that complex which includes other famous restos as Pancake, Dencios, Figaro, Grappas and even the newly opened In the Mood (which appparently was franchised by Larry Cruz to Villar).

We informed everyone that lunch starts 1pm so that it will not be too sunny and warm. Since I went home very late the previous day (around 2am and slept around 4am), I arrived almost 2pm.

Lo and behold, I was the first visitor after Joy of course who hosted the get together. Everyone arrived much later as what usually happens each year.



The food in HapChan was sumptuous and includes the all time favorite garlic fish fillet.

Timmy, Jon, Trixine, Emily and little marcus line up to take the very late lunch.

Joy checking on each of the dishes as she fears it might not be enough. Actually the waiters did well serving so we were able to take home the left over and had it for dinner :)

Enjoying the late lunch on center table Boy, Tito Jun, Ampy, Earl, me, Lulu, Tita Tessie

Patricia taking her turn.

Tita Maan's gifts for the clan. Took the photo before I gave them away :))

Ampy with Martin Miguel. This reunion I think has the most number of kids and babies.
A few years ago, in my first website (which yahoo geocities already deleted boohoo), Marcus, the son of Cath was the youngest member of the clan.

This time we have two! Besides martin we have the new baby of Cath. Photo shows the new baby with parents Cath and husband.

This is the gadgets corner during the party. Tita Marlo on her mobile phone with Teetap and Timmy busy with their new Mac and HP notebook.



Patricia joins the gadget freaks including the Tita's (Trix with her new DELL, Maan with the reliable mini fujitsu lifebook bundled with Visibility so we can all be connected, and Ampy- all with their respective nanos, video Ipods, portable speakers, externals filled with photos and mp3s!

Now its time for the traditional group photo!!!

Last year's reunion was really sad. Many not available. Some came very early and left. I arrived late so group phot was just a handful. This time it was fun.



We chose the bay as the backdrop instead of the restaurant bldg.



This last was the best and brightest since the waiter taking the shot stood on a chair and we were all asked to wave!!!

Hoping for a better, healthy, and successful New Yar for everyone!

Impromptu Get Together at Mendy's (Dec. 29, 2006)

Well that's how mendy termed the so called "after dinner"invitation....impromptu, but he informed us a few days earlier :) so paanong impromptu? :)

Naku kung hindi ka lang mendy, I don't think Lella and I will really go that far north on a late friday evening of december!

Lella and I took dinner at Zen resto in glorietta before we proceeded to Mendy's place at Retiro. When we arrived in his house, the table was overflowing with food! And I thought it was after dinner :)

Joel Limjap left earlier so he wasnt included in the photos. He had to go to another party. Gina said she arrived sevenish. Had we known some will be coming early we would have done the same so we can go home before midnight.

Had fun reminiscing the good old days as in past reunions. Mendy was so kind to give each of us CD copies of music during our era. Boi Rotea arrived late. The girls made baon some of the sweet mangoes and goldilocks mamon. As you can see from the photos, walang ginawa si mendy kundi mag tinker sa cellphone - texting and calling.

Nice shot from up the staircase! Actually it hides all the flaws since we had to look up :)

from left: joseph taking some shots, his wife, mendy perenially on the phone, and was that jimmy? or tony?

lella, sally, gina, moi and joseph co's wife

Gina and some of the chinese guys led by Joseph, went home around a bit past midnight. Mendy requested us to stay half an hour more which meant Lella and I bid our adieu shortly before 1am.

Ateneo College Reunion (Dec 7, 2006)

Last Dec 7, 2006, thursday, the annual reunion of college batch 1978 was held at the Blue Room of the Ateneo Professional Schools in Rockwell Center, Makati, MM. The ocassion was started with the traditional mass said by one of our batchmates, Fr. Rene Mangahas. Our batch has a couple of priest graduates including Bishop Ambo David.



Philip Araneta flew from Bacolod, Marissa Segovia and Mayor Jerry Trenas from Iloilo, Cynthia Teodoro Totanes from Djakarta, Nick Celino from Sydney and Larry Gochioco straight from Texas, USA. Mandy Pascual who regularly commutes to Vietnam and India also made sure he would be in manila for this reunion.


A program was prepared by Benjie Laza with Corie Magsino Luz. A video which reminisces our past including our silver jubilee was shown. Cynthia Teodoro Totanes, brought the scholar who the batch has been supporting since 2003. She gave a short message to the group. The program was capped with a tribute to our batchmate Achoot Cuyegkeng who is the new Vice-President of the Loyola School


After the program some more batchmates arrived such as Joel Limjap, Dr. Renee Balago t and Clarisse Gener (who had to attend a party in her Innove office). Elma's husband CB Governor Say Tetangco joined us during the party as well as Bill Luz, Corie's better half.
Nini Santos Borja's son visited her mom's party. Nini hasnt aged since college so when she introduced him, at first I thought he was the husband? :) Took their photo but I cant upload more photos here so you can check out my Multiply site.


I dont have the list of attendees but from the photos you can see the bankers Lily Reyes-Lao (China Bank), Gina Rialp Tan (Metrobank), Joel (citibank), Jun Naranjilla (EBC), as well as call center stalwart Jovie Sison, our yahoogroup list owner, Yoyo Bongco-See who also works in a call center in Ortigas, Invesment bankers Norbie Ong and Benjie Laza as well as the guru Gener Mendoza. Others who attended are the famous lawyers Atty Pam lazatin, Atty Gerry Paras legal counsel of the expat community and the current counsel of Amy Perez and One Voice (yes told him I see him on tv) Atty Mel Sta Maria (without Ampy), Boyet Palma raking it in with his chain of Max restos and Via Mare franchises, his buddy Alex Cayaba going strong with his many businesses including an IT related one,




Tina Ribas, Carla Sison Siojo, Sonny Clutario, Johnny Co, Singapore airline executive Ella Salita and Nona Luisa Santos Aquino, Achoot and Joey Cuyegkeng, another IT guro Denny Natividad, the pawnshop magnate Tina Legazpi, Paeng Javellana, Mike Tan, Winnie Jimenez (whose mom just passed away that week), our treasurer Mon Jarencio, AIM marketing executive Ronnie Rivera who painstakingly invited everyone, shipping exec Mon Caballero, Mon Villarama, from the medical field Dr Sally King, Dr. Renee Balagot, Monarch's Boy Ramos, Chito Narvasa, our favorite, Conrad Favorito who almost became a priest, and the pride of the underground economy the finance wiz Rene Estandarte. I might have missed some other people since I just based the names from the photos. Will just update this blog when I can.

The impromptu EB at the Loop

A Geek, a private banker, a newscaster, an ex-banker turned struggling entrepreneur, a housewilfe, what do they have in common? Ph-humanities! An offshoot of an IT mailing list or rather discussion group, its supposed to discuss anything else under the sun but bonkers of bonkers it always ends up discussing politics or religion.

Finally after more than five years ( I think since its been ages since the first EB somewhere in Libis) we had another Eye Ball (EB) and this time at Starbucks at the ABS CBN loop. I didnt really plan to go in this last minute get together but I received succeeding text invites and thought, why not? its a friday and finally I will be able to see Pinoy Big Brother house :)

Oh and I was wearing black and the venue was starbucks - black and starbucks? Oops I said they might mistake me for .........esp that one of our famous member is part of the group, who else but the organizer of the black and white movement :)

The get together was an ungodly hour supposedly 11pm but the people came a bit later. Our favorite newscaster (not not Angelo Castro) ends his stint shortly before 11pm so that time had to be it! We stayed on till the coffee shop closed ast past 1am but yvonne and Orion who arrived from Singapore still proceeded to another joint and I think ended their 'day' at 4am.

Post Christmas with Diane, New Year with Leni

More batchmates miss the family back home so just before christmas day, Dianne Feliciano Morato jetted in from Moscow where her husband is now assigned after their Madrid stint.

We had a post christmas lunch last Dec. 27 at Italiannis with Dianne, Nona Santos Aquino, Ella Salita and another friend of Dianne.

That evening Leni together with her family arrived from California but she only called yesterday Dec 31 and since she was staying only a week, we all decided to meet evening of New Year.
Lella arranged for the venue and guess where? Italiannis again but this time at the Alabang Town Center. Lella and I were joined by Rainier and Nick who were blockmates from college. As usual topics ranged from recollection of the past, health discussions, age, family and more reunions :)

'Tis a Reunion Season - now for Andy

Yes my blog has so far been about homecomings and reunions. Christmas brings this spirit for it means being with family, relations and old friends. Its a mad week hopping from one commitment and party to the other.

The get together planned by marijo coincided with the combined BPAP/PSIA christmas party so I just had to show my face for a couple of minutes at the Crown Plaza ballroom and off I rushed to Casa Armas at the podium just in time for dessert. Actually food was gone when I arrived at the Crown Plaza earlier. When I reached podium I was in time to scrape off some leftovers :)

Andy and Rio Denoga just arrived from Union City and we were supposed to have dinner on the 21st as previously arranged. All of a sudden I get a call from marijo regarding this reunion then nick wanted us to meet again with a smaller group on the 23rd which later became 21st due to Gerry's sked. Now our pre-arranged date with Andy will now be combined with Nick's treat at Shang tomorrow night (oops its morning so it must be tonight).

I guess all my batchmates and friends from abroad do miss all of us and would like to make the most by being together at all times. Took some candid shots which I made into a collage below. Some of those present were Cynch, Edwin, Alex, Marina, Boots, Marijo, Egay, Denny, Lucille, Mito - Yoyo and Nanny made habol.

Right after the gathering, andy, rio and I proceeded to the wake of Susan's dad. Andy and Rio are close friends of Susan's sister Lulu. Tony, lulu's husband is andy's high school classmate. Small world huh? What will you expect from a wake besides some sad stories? Reunion of old friends and relatives again!

The ACIL Centennial reunion

After more than a year of preparation of the organizing committee, the 100 year celebration of ACIL's founding has finally taken place last Dec. 10, 2005.

I was never able to attend the other smaller events leading to this main one simply because I never got the email, was informed late or out of the country. I really wanted to see the Bulacan Center once again. Was the best center for me when I was teaching catechism. Besides, our hosts were friends of my parents.

I planned to leave early anticipating traffic being December. Unfortunately it rained really hard and again didnt feel that well. Seems my bp acting up. When I left the house, didnt realize that some of the streets were flooded. This is it, I thought. I may not make it on time for the 5pm mass. True enough I didnt. Portions of the expressway was clogged as well as C5. To think I had an e-pass so I was able to breeze through the left lane fast. If I didnt have that it would have taken me longer to reach ateneo.

I texted enteng, cynch and edwin asking where I should proceed. I was told to go straight to the Escaler Hall. Gosh so many new bldgs in Ateneo that one would get lost easily. I had to ask the guard for directions. Apparently there are three new bldgs in that area - escaler, jg summit and pldt.

Went straight to the registration table arranged per group - 60s, 70s, 80s etc then inside the auditorium for the 'formal program'. Edwin went to the podium to look for Cesar Marin, oops, Fr Cesar na pala siya :) Apparently he is now with Mary the Queen in greenhills.

When Cesar raised his hand, Edwin announced that he has to do the invocation :)

It seems Ito Ramirez made the power point presentation which edwin keeps referring to.

I cant recall the exact program sequence but some plaques of recognition were handed to : regular caroling supporters like the Jayme Family (represented by Jay), Emerito Ramos and family etc plus of course Mang Sid, Fr. Nebres.

There was an AVP done by some young alumni based on some history stuff written I suppose. Ideally, I was hoping they did some interviews of catechists through the years. That would have been more meaningful. Just my opinion. Oh but I saw myself in one of the photos. I guess it was cynch of edwin's copy however, that was not an acil photo but our vacation in Baguio several decades ago :)

The book sold previously was launched and I think the compiler gave a talk. I dont know her. Yes its a girl ergo one of the younger batch. There were no photo copies (at the least) of programs given away.

There was a keynote person, apparently one of the acil students in Bulacan Center who later (I think) studied in ateneo? Well I may be I am mixing up my facts but I was not too interested in the program. In the informal parlance, hindi ako maka relate :)

Boy Aguila (60s batch) and his group (around 4 of them) were called 'holduppers' cause they were tasked to gather sponsorship money. He did some auction stuff asking for bidders for the two mosaic banners. He called out Mon Paterno and another "rich" guy I cant recall the name. One I think was bought for 10k and another 20k? or was it 15k?

As an acil alumni what would have interested me, besides seeing old catechists in my time are:

• knowing what happened to all the other centers I used to teach in
• would be interesting to know whatever happened to some students (pinahan, san antonio, esteban abada) during our time
• photos of the Centers now - eg Bulacan then and now
• How was it in ACIL before our time? I dont care much about the now, since I had been hearing so much about it and I guess the 'fun' side has been gone.
• more photos of before, before and before
• Derps? Didnt see much of his photos nor heard his name?

After the program, we were all famished and lined up for the food. I liked the food. For 300 bucks that was really good! I checked the caterer and it was the 'kambal' something who Irma gets when we have meetings at 'women of ateneo'.

Of course my favorite C2 drinks abounded. The brains behind the beverage C2 is one of the main organizers! Si Edwin sino pa :)

I liked the ACIL lighted decor - had a photo here for posterity. Why? Tell me how many acil catechists in their lifetime will get to celebrate a centennial year?

Dec 30, 2004 Family Reunion

zalazar reunion 2004

I just came from our Zalazar family reunion last night held at the Ona residence in Data St. I think its first time I visited that place again after the uneventful fire a few years ago (mom was still alive then). We were all at the garden just outside the place of Leo and Debbie who occupied the first house.

The second house is Philip's and Ampy's. Philip toured me in their place after dinner.

We were not complete for Dad didnt feel well. Tita Gracing is in the US with Jun and Elo. Jeff was in Boracay. Cath was working at the call center.

When we had the traditional group photo the oldest generation is represented by Tita Tessie and Tito Jun Ona. It should have been Dad and Tita Gracing.

Last year was the first reunion without the two pillars of thed zalazar clan - Mom and Tito Tomas. Our Family reunions used to be complete except Tita Ely and Tito Nitoy who live in the US.

This year's reunion had the most number of babies! We had the new baby of Cris, Earl's Mio and the barely two month old Sophie. Of course we had Rael who just celebrated his 2nd birthday. He was last year's youngest member of the clan.

A memorable College jubilee celebration

Ateneo College 78 on stage

It took us three years at least to prepare for the grand silver held last Dec 2003. Several reunions, get togethers, meetings, trying to track down people all over the philippines and even the world. Many flew all the way from another country where they are based just to join all of us, reminisce the good old college days, mingle with former professors and friends.

After decades in corporate life, it feels great just to be with real and true friends :)

Christmas get together Dec 15

ateneo christmas reunion at figaro

Last Dec 15, our college batch had a get together at Ice Vodka, greenbelt three. The photo shown here is outside Figaro coffee house. We decided to move at around past 11pm since the vodka place got noisy and we could not understand each other.

From the photo you can see most of them are drunk specially the guys. Yes I used 'them' cause I was not :) Am scared to drink a lot and get a headache later.

I guess Jan B Banzon had the worst 'tama' since he started drinking early :) From the photo you can see him laying by the benjie laza's shoulder. Mon Caballero and Aster Sotto left before the photo session. Bobby Tuason was visiting from Singapore. Learned he is now with Agfa. He was not able to join us last Dec 2003 silver jubilee celebration, since he had a new job and was stationed at Malaysia then.

Winnie chose Ice Vodka since its owned by another Atenean and she was able to extend the happy hour price. Our two Bio girls, Sally and Renee mixed vodka and red wine well. They didnt seem as drunk as the guys. At least we had two doctors in case someone got sick due to too much drinking :)

Sonny Clutario, Marcy Rivera, Mon Jarencio, Jovie Sison our Call Center guru and Innove's Clarisse (who arrived last) were also present.