Dear Batchmates,
Everyone is quiet, trying to recover from Saturday's get together..Maraming salamat sa mga umattend ng potluck, it was a pleasurable evening and it's really good to see everyone again, it's been a while since our last gathering.
I especially want to thank Jen for spending time with us, hindi ka pa rin nagbabago, mabeauty pa rin and still kalog just like I remember you way back when..
Alex thank you for bringing your high tech gadgets to capture the moments, your officially the Director of video and photography, thanks again.
Also, besides a lot of catching up, eating, singing and watching the fight, we talked about the upcoming SJS (U.S.) annual reunion in 2010, batch 80 is going to be one of the sponsors for that year. We elected a group of people that will lead us for that event,
namely:
For President - Abdon Pugal + Co Chair
We have 3 Vice Presidents
For San Diego - Susan Caluza
For L.A. - Alex Pineda
For the North - Vic Tisuela
For Secretary - Cecilyn
For Treasurer - Shirley
Ambassador to Batch 80 PI - Jen
Also in attendance:
Elmer
Noel
Michael
Bennette
Amber with wife Ofie
Jun Caluza and Susan, Ron with Irma and Jaron
Butch with Rose, Sean and Stephanie
Each region has a point of contact, for better communication.
Kung meron kayong question, please e-mail and stay tune.
Happy Holidays!
Butch
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Misa de Gallo
Traditionally, Christmas Day in the Philippines is ushered in by the nine-day dawn masses that start on December 16. Known as the Misa de Gallo (Rooster's Mass) in the traditional Spanish and in Filipino as Simbang Gabi, or "Night Mass", this novena of Masses is the most important Filipino Christmas tradition.
These nine dawn Masses are also considered as a Novena by the Catholic and Aglipayan faithfuls. This refers to the Roman Catholic and Aglipayan practice of performing nine days of private or public devotion to obtain special graces.
In some parishes, the Simbang Gabi begins as early as four o'clock in the morning. Going to mass this early for nine consecutive days is meant to show the churchgoer's devotion and faith as well as to heighten anticipation for the Nativity of Jesus. In traditional Filipino belief, however, completing the novena is also supposed to mean that God would grant the devotee's special wish or favour.
After hearing Mass, Filipino families partake of traditional Philippine Christmastime delicacies, either during breakfast at home or immediately outside the church, where they are sold. Vendors offer a wealth of native delicacies, including bibingka (rice flour and egg based cake, cooked using coals on top of and under the pastry), puto bumbong (a purple sticky rice delicacy which is steamed in bamboo tubes, with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat served as condiments), salabat (hot ginger tea) and tsokolate (thick Spanish cocoa).
These nine dawn Masses are also considered as a Novena by the Catholic and Aglipayan faithfuls. This refers to the Roman Catholic and Aglipayan practice of performing nine days of private or public devotion to obtain special graces.
In some parishes, the Simbang Gabi begins as early as four o'clock in the morning. Going to mass this early for nine consecutive days is meant to show the churchgoer's devotion and faith as well as to heighten anticipation for the Nativity of Jesus. In traditional Filipino belief, however, completing the novena is also supposed to mean that God would grant the devotee's special wish or favour.
After hearing Mass, Filipino families partake of traditional Philippine Christmastime delicacies, either during breakfast at home or immediately outside the church, where they are sold. Vendors offer a wealth of native delicacies, including bibingka (rice flour and egg based cake, cooked using coals on top of and under the pastry), puto bumbong (a purple sticky rice delicacy which is steamed in bamboo tubes, with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat served as condiments), salabat (hot ginger tea) and tsokolate (thick Spanish cocoa).
Monday, December 1, 2008
Christmas
Christmas, also referred to as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday, celebrated on December 25 that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. His birth, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, has been determined by modern historians as having occurred between 7 and 2 BC. The date of celebration is not thought to be Jesus' actual date of birth. It may have been chosen to coincide with the winter solstice, which the ancient Romans,celebrated on December 25.
For many centuries, Christian writers accepted that Christmas was the actual date on which Jesus was born. In the early eighteenth century, scholars began proposing alternative explanations. Isaac Newton argued that the date of Christmas was selected to correspond with the winter solstice, which in ancient times was marked on December 25. In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was placed on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and was therefore a "paganization" that debased the true church. In 1889, Louis Duchesne suggested that the date of Christmas was calculated as nine months after March 25, the traditional date of the conception of Jesus. On the Roman calendar, March 25 was the date of the spring equinox. In modern times, it is celebrated as Annunciation.
Christmas in the Philippines, is one of the biggest holidays on the calendar. The country has earned the distinction of celebrating the world's longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols are heard as early as September and the season lasting up until Epiphany.
For many centuries, Christian writers accepted that Christmas was the actual date on which Jesus was born. In the early eighteenth century, scholars began proposing alternative explanations. Isaac Newton argued that the date of Christmas was selected to correspond with the winter solstice, which in ancient times was marked on December 25. In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was placed on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and was therefore a "paganization" that debased the true church. In 1889, Louis Duchesne suggested that the date of Christmas was calculated as nine months after March 25, the traditional date of the conception of Jesus. On the Roman calendar, March 25 was the date of the spring equinox. In modern times, it is celebrated as Annunciation.
Christmas in the Philippines, is one of the biggest holidays on the calendar. The country has earned the distinction of celebrating the world's longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols are heard as early as September and the season lasting up until Epiphany.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Discovery of Sunken US spyship highlights
Monday, April 26, 2004
Discovery of sunken US spy ship highlights Pinoy heroism in WW II (10:30 a.m.)
SUBIC BAY -- A 90-year-old wooden schooner has been dug from its watery grave near this former US naval base, bringing to light the heroism of its Filipino and American crew in World War II. “It brings a lot of memories about my father,” says Jaime Velarmino, 65, as he inspects the barnacle-encrusted wheel of the 76-foot (23-meter) Lanikai, which was sunk by a storm in 1947 shortly after the war.
Velarmino’s father, Hilario Velarmino, was among the 12 Filipinos in the 18-man crew of the vessel, which US and Filipino naval historians say played a crucial role in the allied effort against Japan. Built in 1914, the Lanikai once fished Alaskan salmon in Seattle and was chartered out as a yacht from Hawaii, briefly sailing in Hollywood when it was used for the pre-war movie "Hurricane" before it was commissioned into the US Navy at the start of the war in 1941.
According to Filipino historians, US President Franklin Roosevelt ordered it to be fitted with guns and sent it on secret missions. The Lanikai gathered intelligence for the US Navy and had patrolled the shores of Indonesia and Australia to monitor the southward push of the Japanese Imperial Army. But the auxiliary schooner skippered by Lieutenant Kemp Tolley during the war, may have had an even bigger mission. "There were some accounts that Roosevelt may have used it to bait the Japanese to start World War II," says Felicito Payumo, who heads the port authority that runs Subic, which was the Americans' premier naval base in Asia until 1992. Payumo says the Americans have not confirmed such accounts and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor drew the US into the war, before the Lanikai was able to play a pivotal role.
In his book "Cruise of the Lanikai: Incitement to War," Tolley says it was clear to him that his mission was to create an incident that would incite war with Japan but events overtook his mission. The crew survived the war but the Filipinos' contributions, along with those of the ship, were all but forgotten before an Australian diver found the wreck and sought permission from the Philippine government to salvage it. The schooner's remains, which now sit at a restaurant by the wharf here, have also come to symbolize the Filipino crew's quest for recognition, pensions and other benefits. "Very little has been previously known about Lanikai," until recently, concedes Payumo.
Velarmino said his mother recounted his father would often slip out of their home to board the Lanikai, but had kept its mission a secret even after he retired after the war. "He only told us he was a fisherman," he said, but said the family would often wonder why the family received payments from the US Navy entitling them to war rations and provisions. The family learned about Lanikai's importance when its American skipper, Tolley, resumed correspondence with his father in the 1970s. Velarmino said, his father named one of his brothers after Tolley -- the US captain who rose to become an admiral at the time of his retirement. Both the elder Velarmino and Tooley are now dead.
In his book, Tolley paid tribute to the Filipino crew's unflagging dedication to the war and recalled many "funny and heroic things" about Lanikai. Payumo said the Lanikai artifacts would become the centerpiece of a planned naval museum in Subic, now a freeport and major tourist destination in the region. The US Navy had also been in touch and was working on a documentary about Lanikai, officials in Subic said. "The boat itself is not very big, but this is a significant historical find, considering the mission given to Lanikai and that majority of its crew were Filipinos," Payumo said. It also underscores the importance of Subic in US naval history, and by extension the former US colony the Philippines, which remains a staunch American military ally in the region, Payumo said.
The Filipino sailor's granddaughter, Noraida Jen Velarmino, a journalist, said Lanikai was "an amazing discovery." "Suddenly, we found ourselves retracing our rich family history," she said. "There are a lot of questions that are now just beginning to be answered." She recalled that her grandfather, whom Tolley fondly called Cookie, used to tell her war stories, including how they would outsmart Japanese forces by pretending to be fishermen while American crew members hid under heavy fishing nets. "What we are asking now is at least for the US government to give recognition to these 12 brave Filipinos," her father Jaime Velarmino said. "These people were heroes," he said. "At least now, we can let the world know about their mission."
Master Divers, a private consortium based in Subic, headed by Australian Brian Homan discovered Lanikai's remains lying at a depth of 130 feet (40 meters) in Subic's Nabasan bay. Homan has an extensive track record in recovering underwater treasures. The National Museum authorized its refloating in an operation that used robotic machinery and underwater video cameras last year. AFP
Discovery of sunken US spy ship highlights Pinoy heroism in WW II (10:30 a.m.)
SUBIC BAY -- A 90-year-old wooden schooner has been dug from its watery grave near this former US naval base, bringing to light the heroism of its Filipino and American crew in World War II. “It brings a lot of memories about my father,” says Jaime Velarmino, 65, as he inspects the barnacle-encrusted wheel of the 76-foot (23-meter) Lanikai, which was sunk by a storm in 1947 shortly after the war.
Velarmino’s father, Hilario Velarmino, was among the 12 Filipinos in the 18-man crew of the vessel, which US and Filipino naval historians say played a crucial role in the allied effort against Japan. Built in 1914, the Lanikai once fished Alaskan salmon in Seattle and was chartered out as a yacht from Hawaii, briefly sailing in Hollywood when it was used for the pre-war movie "Hurricane" before it was commissioned into the US Navy at the start of the war in 1941.
According to Filipino historians, US President Franklin Roosevelt ordered it to be fitted with guns and sent it on secret missions. The Lanikai gathered intelligence for the US Navy and had patrolled the shores of Indonesia and Australia to monitor the southward push of the Japanese Imperial Army. But the auxiliary schooner skippered by Lieutenant Kemp Tolley during the war, may have had an even bigger mission. "There were some accounts that Roosevelt may have used it to bait the Japanese to start World War II," says Felicito Payumo, who heads the port authority that runs Subic, which was the Americans' premier naval base in Asia until 1992. Payumo says the Americans have not confirmed such accounts and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor drew the US into the war, before the Lanikai was able to play a pivotal role.
In his book "Cruise of the Lanikai: Incitement to War," Tolley says it was clear to him that his mission was to create an incident that would incite war with Japan but events overtook his mission. The crew survived the war but the Filipinos' contributions, along with those of the ship, were all but forgotten before an Australian diver found the wreck and sought permission from the Philippine government to salvage it. The schooner's remains, which now sit at a restaurant by the wharf here, have also come to symbolize the Filipino crew's quest for recognition, pensions and other benefits. "Very little has been previously known about Lanikai," until recently, concedes Payumo.
Velarmino said his mother recounted his father would often slip out of their home to board the Lanikai, but had kept its mission a secret even after he retired after the war. "He only told us he was a fisherman," he said, but said the family would often wonder why the family received payments from the US Navy entitling them to war rations and provisions. The family learned about Lanikai's importance when its American skipper, Tolley, resumed correspondence with his father in the 1970s. Velarmino said, his father named one of his brothers after Tolley -- the US captain who rose to become an admiral at the time of his retirement. Both the elder Velarmino and Tooley are now dead.
In his book, Tolley paid tribute to the Filipino crew's unflagging dedication to the war and recalled many "funny and heroic things" about Lanikai. Payumo said the Lanikai artifacts would become the centerpiece of a planned naval museum in Subic, now a freeport and major tourist destination in the region. The US Navy had also been in touch and was working on a documentary about Lanikai, officials in Subic said. "The boat itself is not very big, but this is a significant historical find, considering the mission given to Lanikai and that majority of its crew were Filipinos," Payumo said. It also underscores the importance of Subic in US naval history, and by extension the former US colony the Philippines, which remains a staunch American military ally in the region, Payumo said.
The Filipino sailor's granddaughter, Noraida Jen Velarmino, a journalist, said Lanikai was "an amazing discovery." "Suddenly, we found ourselves retracing our rich family history," she said. "There are a lot of questions that are now just beginning to be answered." She recalled that her grandfather, whom Tolley fondly called Cookie, used to tell her war stories, including how they would outsmart Japanese forces by pretending to be fishermen while American crew members hid under heavy fishing nets. "What we are asking now is at least for the US government to give recognition to these 12 brave Filipinos," her father Jaime Velarmino said. "These people were heroes," he said. "At least now, we can let the world know about their mission."
Master Divers, a private consortium based in Subic, headed by Australian Brian Homan discovered Lanikai's remains lying at a depth of 130 feet (40 meters) in Subic's Nabasan bay. Homan has an extensive track record in recovering underwater treasures. The National Museum authorized its refloating in an operation that used robotic machinery and underwater video cameras last year. AFP
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