Rewind: Blast from the Past goes to Las Vegas!
Nov 17 2007
Las Vegas, NV USA
(Photos by Sue Villarba-Delossantos, Manny Salonga & Mike Nietes)
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Fellow Batchmates,
What a blast in Las Vegas last November 17!!! Seeing old friends after 25 years brought back lots of memories and undending stories. It was an event worth the trip.
Batchmates coming all the way from North California to join the batch for the first time: Ray Magsalin (shaggy ka na pala), Mike Carluen (humahabol ka na kay Ray), Jorge Riotoc (tukayong kwela at mahilig din sa....pagpapatawa), Kookie Cayton (from Chicago at mukhang high school pa rin...galing mag-alaga nung esmi niya) and Mike Nietes (nagbalikan from Denver).
Special thanks to the following: Wency Raymundo (nagpapakita nang muli...mabuhay!), Tito Salvador (dumating kahit maysakit at dinala ang maybahay), Giovi Zamora (ang ma-showbiz at mahilig mang-intirga), Toni Sese (dala ang buong pamilya at ang iniintriga), Jun Martinez (humabol at kasama rin ang buong pamilya), Eric de Mesa (naka, huwag na lang at censored sigurado ang masasabi ko), Bing Tabalon (our brother is not a pig!) and Miel Magana (hari pa rin ng ba-----).
To our hosts who took care of us: Jojo Caimol (parang tumangkad ka ah!) and beyonder Noel Carino (lumaki ang kaha sa kakabuhat ng karton). Let's do this again next year.
Most were surprised and glad to see Ben Racela (sarap mo raw kumain).
To the organizers who relentlessly gave their time and treasure for making this event possible: Susan Villarba-de los Santos (sabi nila may asim ka pa) and Manny Salonga (maaasahan sa lahat ng oras.....dapat ayos ang sabihin ko at nakatira ako sa kanya ngayon).
This event however, not only rekindled the good high school years but showed the Christian values that we learned from our beloved alma mater. I am proud to say that this gathering was able to produce US$1,070.00 (palit agad paguwi at mabilis bumaba ang dollar) and Php520.00 (sandali...mukhang natira ito nung umuwi ng pinas) as part of its support to the Scholarship Program of our batch. It will be immediately turned-over during our Thursday gathering.
It took me several days to post this article as I am still in Euphoria (hmmm...baka jetlag pa) and can't believe that this event will push through despite the hectic schedules. Well, what a way to celebrate Thanksgiving (in advance) and made this event more meaningful.
See you all until the next event.....
Pax,
George P. Escarraga '82
LSQCAA President AY 2007-2008
Hello everyone!! First off, I would like to say a million thanks for the effort you have all given to make this event a success. Not to mention the generosity you have shown, my hats off to you, to your lovely and charming wives who supported you all the way, ganun daw ang hinahanap ni Manny. In my book, you are all number one!
Sa mga hindi nakarating, meron pa naman na pagkakataon. Expect my calls everyday again..... o,sige na nga lang, every other day, alam ni Bobby F. & Eric D. yan pati na rin si Gab G., Rommel S., Jun Villanueva, John Baltazar & Carlo Decastro. We all missed you guys, sana next time pilitin ninyong makasama, ha?!
Manny, Jun Martinez and I are already in the process of organizing a second homecoming in Vegas, where else... what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! Gusto ng lahat ay another homecoming sa summer of 2008. We`ll book for just one hotel and we`ll try to get rooms on the same floor. You can bring the family...pwede ba magdala ng aso uli?? Hindi na raw sabi ni Giovi. Details will be posted soon via yahoogroups, not to mention my individual calls to all of you, sms, text messages, voicemails, offline chat, emails, smoke signals... meron pa ba ako na-miss? For those who are in the Philippines, you are welcome to join us, we`ll take care of you.
Just like what our beloved alumni president said, it was worth the trip and effort. Mike N., bilib talaga ako sa yo, imagine you came all the way from Denver pero balikan ka rin lang the same day of the event. You`re awesome!
Ben, sinorpresa mo kami. Cute ka pa rin! Noel C., puro six-pack ka na ha, sa dami ng binubuhat mo, pwede ba next time, libre ang balikbayan box ko? Jojo, you look so young, parang medical student ka lang. Can you mend a broken heart as well? Pagkakataon na ni Manny yan...
Eric D., very gentleman ka talaga, aside sa baby face pa rin ang dating mo, pwede ka mag-moonlight as a tour guide... next time, magpa-paa na lang ako sa mga pahirap ninyo ni George sa kin. Tell mo na lang sa Mom mo na pwede ako uli para sa second interview niya sa kin... mainit-init pa.... Okay ba ang ice cream natin? Wency, ang version mo, dagdagan mo lang ng 10 yrs. ang age mo mula ng high school, di ka lang nagbago! Nauna lang ng tatlong paligo si Jun Martinez sa yo... and speaking of Jun, ang pinaka-uliran na asawa sa lahat. You`re the last of your kind, husband of the year, favorite son-in-law, the most timid and subdued.... hhmmmm...teka, mali yata ako dun ah, pero bakit pag kausap kita sa phone iba ang sinasabi mo sa kin? Ikaw nga ba yon or si Tony S.? Tony, matinding gayuma talaga ang ginamit mo kay Honey, saludo ako sa yo. Dinadaan mo na lang ako sa mga makahulugan mong mga ngiti...
Jorge, ano ba ang tawag sa hunk na may asim pa? Di ko alam tawag dun. Pero kung meron man, nakalinya ka kay Kookie kahit alaskado ako sa kanya. Kung baga, suave ang dating mo Jorge, tahimik pero matinik pagdating sa chikababes... kaya laging nakadikit sa yo si Michael Carluen dahil alam niyang maambunan din siya...
Kookie, asan ang autograph ko? Wala ka lang ipinagbago, siguradong maraming luhaan na mga babes sa Manila nang naisipan mong mangibang-bayan dito... di mo na makayanan ang kahahabol sa yo. Ray M., konting panahon pa at mahahawa ka na sa kalokohan ng mga boys. Tito S., sino nga ba ang crush mo nung high school tayo? Nakalinya ka rin kay Kookie, you know... mahirap na, baka di mo sagutin mga tawag ko sa yo. Baka pwede mo na ring pag-aralin ang anak ko?!
Humabol din si Miel and Bing, kahit huli na, too late pa rin! Kahit na sinabi ni Miel na hindi siya makakapunta ay pinilit pa rin niya kaya hindi nasayang ang mga pagtawag ko sa yo kahit na hatinggabi pa, kase ayokong matalo sa pustahan! Ikaw ang talagang sumorpresa sa kin, hindi si Ben! Giovi, mabuti na lang at puro suitcase ang dala kong pasensiya sa yo, galing mo talaga mang-intriga, showbiz na showbiz ang dating.
To the lovely wives of Tony, Jun M., Giovi, Tito S. & Kookie, thank you all very much for your full support to the class of `82. Whatever blackmagic they have used, sorry, you`re all stuck with them! More power to you, I hope to see you all again next time.
George, a million thanks for joining us in Vegas. Wag ka sanang magsawa sa amin, pagtiyagaan mo na lang si Manny. Manny, what can I say? Lahat na yata ng good adjectives kinuha mo, parang The Godfather ang dating mo sa kin. Salamat sa lahat ng effort mo, pati na rin pasensiya... let`s make it happen again! Pero next time naman, wag mong kalimutan ipag-shopping ako sa Vegas..
Pictures from the event will be posted soon... Raul and I are working on it...
Thank you all! Cheers..
Sue
p.s. - George & Manny were Sleepless in Seattle(pronounced: SEE-YAT-L)... two days after Leaving Las Vegas...pix will be posted soon..hirap pala maging photographer..
Hi Sue,
First of all congratulations sa inyong tatlo ni Mr Manny Salongga, Mr George E. and especially to you na napakasipag tumawag sa amin para maka attend that special day. But sad to say I didn't make it .... sayang nandun pa naman yung mga ibang tambay nang Judith's at baka mag-request ng inihaw na B-bque or spaghetti. But anyway babawe na lang siguro kaming hindi nakapunta.
Mr Gerorge E. and Mr Manny S. pasensya na at hindi ako nakarating....at sayo ulit Susan bilib ako sa sipag mo, pero as I've said before nung tumawag ka sa cellphone ko laking gulat ko dahil kung anong ilap mo nuon (high school time) ngayon naman ay kabaligtaran sabi nga natin iba talaga ang nagagawa nang panahon lalo na pag tayo ay nag-kakaidad na rin but still masarap pa ring balikan .... again mabuhay kayong lahat ...
Conrado ( JUN ) Villanueva
Hi Jun,
Naiintindihan naman namin kung bakit hindi ka nakarating, di bale, nag-enjoy ka naman nung Thanksgiving di ba?! Besides, sa next time na lang kami babawi sa yo, ikaw ang iintrigahin ng mga mahilig mang-intriga... teka....lahat naman kami e nang-intriga nun ah! Kinumkumpleto pa namin ni Manny ang directories ng mga US. & Canada based na Lourdesians. Any developments abangan na lang sa yahoogroups natin. Nang tumawag ako sa yo nung Friday e kausap ko ang voicemail mo, pero sanay naman akong makipag-usap sa voicemail ninyo.
Keep in touch...and take care..more power to LSQC`82 and to all Lourdesians...
Sue
p.s. - walang isnaban ngayon, ang magsuplada, doble singil ko kahit itanong mo kay Giovi...hehehe...
Hi Sue,
Got your voicemail just now. Sowie, waxn't able to get your call last Friday dahil I was out. Cooktulong sa uncle who was having a prayer gathering at his house sa East Bay. Ngayon ko lang nareplay. Nywayz, magaling na ba paa mo? Hopefully no more eye bags sa sobrang LV laquatcha. Let me know if you happen to be in SF, we'll round the guys up here for a small get together - LV minipart 2.
BTW, hats off to you and Manny S. for spearheading the very successful event. Without you and your many sacrifices in personal time, money and effort, we could have not seen each other after all these 25 years. T.Y. also to your hubby who is very understanding and a good sport. You guys truly complement each other.
Look forward to seeing the pictures. Regards to your man and the boys!
ERIC
Hi Eric,
Okay naman mga paa ko, napagod lang pero gusto ko ulit gawin, kase di natin nakumpleto yun di ba? This time, si George magbitbit ng shoes ko pag napagod ako para mas masarap ang kain ng ice cream! Sure, tatawagan ko kayo uli pag napadpad ako sa San Francisco, darating daw si Tony S., nanginginig pa!
Hindi naman magiging successful yon kung hindi kayo nagdatingan, kaya nga ayoko pang umalis nun sa Vegas. Hindi na pala sa summer gagawin ang next reunion natin at matagal pa raw yon, will do it either by March or April as requested by the tropa. So expect my calls again.... siguraduhin mo lang na hindi full ang voicemail mo, di ba Tony S.? Sa hi to your mama & papa pati na rin sa baby mo, kiss mo na lang ako. Alam kong makakausap ko na naman sila, `noh?!
I`ll see you soon...
Sue
Hear ye! Hear ye!
A million thanks to one of the good-looking batchmate of ours, Demet Mallari, for his time and his generous contribution by providing us the Blast From The Past goes to Vegas banner and poster, free of charge. Hope hindi ka magsawa, I expect to see you next time, alright?!
More power to you, keep in touch...
Sue
p.s - left a message to your voicemail box last Thursday, nagpasalamat ako sa yo and to let you know na hindi ko nakakalimutan ang bawat isa sa inyo. I assumed busy ka, as always.. so se ya next time..
We are pleased to announce that the Blast from the Past Las Vegas Reunion attendees were able to handover a total $ 1,070 and P 520 or a total of P 45,620 through George Escarraga. This has been deposited to our Landbank account last December 6, 2007. The Blast from the Past Las Vegas version was attended by the following : Susan Villarba-de los Santos, Manny Salonga, Kookie Cayton, Tito Salvador, Noel Carino, Michael Nietes, George Riotoc, Jun Martinez, Wency Raymundo, Ben Racela, Mike Carluen, Jojo Caimol, Giovi Zamora, Raymund Magsalin, Eric de Mesa, Miel Magana, Tony Sese and Bing Tabalon. Thank you very much to you all.
On top of this, additional P 18 K was raised last December 20, Batch 82's Christmas Celebration (see separate story).
Total funds of LSQC Batch 82 Foundation Inc.'s now stands at P 121,720, exclusive of pledges. This ensures our beneficiary's high school education up to half semester of her 4th year (2011). P 30 k more will seal her high school education.
Our batch's unselfish attitude has borne an achievement which was visualized boldly during the planning stages of our homecoming project. Now, we are only a few steps in fulfilling our dream collectively as we approach the 26th anniversary of our batch.
This vision is now the foundation of other batches to emulate our move through the LSQC Alumni Association.
I am most grateful to all that we continue to work on this endeavor together rather than being dominated by a single donor because with this, it displays the strong foundation of our brotherhood through franciscan values.
Congratulations to all members and supporters of LSQC Batch 82.
May St. Francis of Assisi make as an instrument of peace and may Jesus remain in our hearts forever.
Events / Nov 17 2007 
