Photos: Genny Nieva and Judith Lopez
Malolos-Bulacan-February 2008

Living up to the theme of their Golden Jubilee Homecoming, Balik Tanaw, Balik Saya, the members of the Marcelo H. del Pilar High School Class of 1958 came back to Malolos, Bulacan last February. And -- even if for just one, glorious, shining week-end – they relived and enjoyed once again the happy years they spent in their beloved Alma Mater in the 1950s.

Coming from various parts of country and the world, the members of the class started arriving the week before the homecoming activities on February 9 and 10. Most of those coming from abroad arrived in Malolos on Friday, February 8, staying at the Paradise Hotel in Dakila along McArthur Highway, not too far from the reunion venues. A warm welcome party was held for them by their locally-based classmates at the hotel itself.

 

Class 58 Teachers

Dance Troupe

Glee Club

PMT

Staff of Republic

 

The following day, Saturday, February 9, started off with a Thanksgiving Mass held at the historic Barasoain Church. The Mass was made especially meaningful by the fact that it was concelebrated by Father Allan Antonio, son of one of their classmates Benny Antonio, and that several members of the class participated in the Mass as lector, readers and offerors. They were also joined by one of the their three remaining teachers, Mr. Carlos Tanciatco.

After Mass, class members joined a motorcade passing through Malolos City, including the old site of the school at the provincial capitol grounds where only a marker remained and the new, much location at Sta. Isabel with much bigger grounds and many more buildings plus a huge oval stadium.

The motorcade ended up at Eurobake in Guiguinto, where the homecoming program was held and luncheon served to the 92 class members present. As each of the classmates arrived and registered, they were given copies of the golden jubilee yearbook as well as tee-shirts produced especially for the homecoming.

The program, emceed by Benny Antonio and Genny Nieva, featured the invocation by Antonio, the singing of the national anthem led by Rita Molina-Madrid, welcome remarks by former Bulacan Vice-Governor Rely Plamenco and opening remarks by Class President and Valedictorian Nick Valencia. Certificates of recognition were also presented to Danny Punongbayan and Plamenco for serving actively during their respective terms as president of the class alumni association.

After the program, a Bingo session was conducted by Mario Manio, the Class Salutarorian, who brought all the Bingo paraphernalia from Texas in the United States where he manages a bingo hall dedicated to supporting charitable organizations. Cash prizes went to lucky members of the class, many of whom, in an admirable show of generosity, donated their winnings to more needy classmates.

To cap the first day, the balikbayan members of the class boarded a rented bus which brought them to the SM Mall of Asia in Bay City along Manila Bay in Pasay City. There, they were treated to the locally-popular “paluto” style of dinner where they bought fresh seafood and other foodstuff at a market, had these cooked at one of the restaurants (Aling Tonya’s), and ate these in a long table in the open air outside the restaurant. After dinner, they strolled along the park beside the bay and went shopping at the Mall which, at 4.2 million square feet, was the third largest mall in the world.

The following day, Sunday, some 90 alumni this time along with their families went to the Kamalig Restaurant in Sta. Isabel for a barrio fiesta style celebration. They were welcomed as they came in and later entertained by an Ati-Atihan drum and dance troupe and a guitar-playing singing group.

The lunch consisted of of native Bulacan fare complete with lechon being roasted on a spit, as well as bibingkahan and halo-halo stands. Even Balot was also served, courtesy of one of the class members, Juliet Guzman-Gonzales.

Unlike the first day at Eurobake, the event at Kamalig was all fun and games, raffle draws with appliances and chocolates and cash as prizes, dancing and singing, and simply having a good time. Mr. Tanciatco was again there with his former students, dancing his heart out and infecting everyone with his joyous and youthful spirit . Fittingly, he was presented a gift by the class consisting of a big basket of goodies.

Many members of the class sang to the accompaniment of the music trio. They also joined enthusiastically in the games, even to the extent of making fools and funny spectacles of themselves. To provide a fitting climax to the celebration, the colorful balloons floating inside a net above the party area were brought down for the guests to burst. Inside each balloon was a piece of paper in which was written the prizes the holder was entitled to.

At the end of the affair, commemorative photos were taken of the whole group, followed by photos of the members from each section present during the occasion. Finally, the classmates bade each other goodbye, and wished each other the best.

All in all, it was a homecoming the members of the class will long remember, and fondly look back to. Balik tanaw. Balik saya.