Back To The Roots

20 years ago, we were like children at the age of 15 and 16 playing Moro-Moro at the school quadrangle...I can still hear our principal calling on me asking what we were doing and that we should keep quiet.

20 years ago, there was the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and then a killer quake. The school quadrangle was flooded. We were like rats rambling around. The journalism room became our refuge.

20 years ago, we met new friends from Japan. Boy, when they came to the school, it was really flooded! I was in CAT complete uniform then but the principal asked me why I was wearing that and told me to change to my school uniform.

20 years ago, we became the center of attraction in the CAT competition when our platoon was divided into two. Some went to the left, some went to the right. hahaha, but the command says we should be going to one direction only! We were called "Model ng Fatigue".

20 years ago, Ma'am Marlie would call me "Elgina ____________ made in China" even before entering the Science building.

20 years ago, my father died and the day after his death, I needed to speak before the students because of the "Outstanding Daughter" award that I received. The theme of the awarding: "Father's Vision for Filipino Family". A coincidence, really!

20 years ago, my two friends and I were in a Bioquiz competition in Adamson University. We were the only team who's very noisy. I cannot forget one of the questions because we were not able to study that. Question: What do you call the pollination by water? There were choices but they asked us to spell the word. Hydrophily! We were ecstatic because we gave the right answer. We can never forget Mrs. Jovy Castaneda. She was like our mother and a friend to the 3 of us (Ariel, Leonides and I). She was our mentor. Imagine, taking Biology for 3 years (2nd year to 4th year). No, we didn't flank the subject, she just can't let go of the us. Hahaha! We love her dearly.

20 years ago, some of my friends and I were going to school from 6:30 am up to 5:30 pm with only 20 minutes break! Why? Guess what! We took all the elective subjects that we could squeeze into our schedule. During the 20-minute break, we would run to our favorite carinderia to eat lunch. Our favorite viand: lechon paksiw @ PhP7.00 per order only. Then we would run back to school for our Physics. Then, we would feel very sleepy during the class not because the subject is boring (in fact I really liked the subject and we have the best Physics teacher in our class) but because it was really difficult to fight the sleepiness after eating and then running to class! I remembered one time, Ms. Ocampo, told the class "Tingnan nyo si Elgina, pinipigilan ang antok. Kung masampal-sampal ang sarili para lang di makatulog."...Kakahiya di ba?

20 years ago, Mrs. Oliva, formerly Ms. Sta. Cruz, was our H.E. Teacher again. I remember going to Recto on a Sunday just to find the Nutrition Book she told us to take a look at. Nice book!

20 years ago, it was the 3rd time, I think, that we were under the advisorship of our dear Mrs. Freny Hallili.

20 years ago, it was our 4th year with Ms. Claire Abinguna. Reminiscing further, back in first year, I really didn't want to join English Journalism because I consider English as my waterloo. Almost all my classmates went to English journ. I was left outside, in the school aisle beside the quadrangle. The following day, the Filipino Journalism teacher still didn't come so I joined my classmates in English journ because I wouldn't want to be left out again. Then, Mrs. Abinguna gave an exam! Current Events! Whew, good thing, I can still recall all the names of the senators! I passed the test and then more good things happened after that. I didn't think I could write good articles. Our "The Molavette" placed first in the Division Level! First time in the history! Then, when it was our time for "The Molave", it also fared well in the Division.

20 years ago, we would jam inside Journ room (when Ma'am Claire is not around)...Andy strumming his guitar...and we are singing our favorite song...More Than Words!

20 years ago, Mrs. Leah Insigne, our Music Teacher, asked us to write a graduation song. Up until now, it's being sung in every graduation rites, so I was told by some of our teachers....

Yes, we saw them once again yesterday, during our mini get-together...after 20 years. It was really nostalgic seeing old friends, classmates, schoolmates, teachers, mentors and the current school principal, who was very sweet and nice to us (even if the auditorium seemed like a marketplace because our batchmates couldn't contain themselves from picture taking and unending chat).

Last night, we were back to our roots...after 20 years....back to the grounds of the institution where we were molded...back to the arena where we started to journey life.

We will always be thankful to you, our high school Alma Mater...Ignacio Borbon Villamor. We will always be thankful to our teachers.

Till then...

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