NEWS
February 16, 2004

Romblon High School Class 1959 Holds 45th Year Reunion
By Lily Fonte Silverio

Like straying salmon returning back to the land of their childhood, the 59ers of Romblon High School class 1959 answered the irresistible primeval call of their nostalgic soul and retraced their steps back to Romblon, Romblon, P.I. and congregated with like-minded spirits. About 20 plus classmates, defying domestic and international terror alerts, turbulent air, and stormy seas, and barriers of time and space, and conflicting family and work schedules, returned back to Romblon, to babble, giggle, google, and return into giddy, bubbly, second adolescent childhood with their co-RHS 59ers.

Between January 5 and January 12, 2004, the 59ers in perfect harmony forgot their losses, arthritic knees, and their Alzheimer conditions, and turned back the clock of time back to their care free years before marriages, kids, grandkids, mortgages, and responsibilities, and became 13-18 years old teenagers again. They danced in the teacher's night after the "ton-ton" of Sto. Niño on 01-09-04 and sashayed in perfect unison to the hypnotic sounds of drum beating to a one, two swing dance steps during the Mardi gras Biniray of Sto. Niño of 01-10-04.

They hiked and climbed Melba Vista (Yap Fabellon's mountain resort) where they planted a 1959 living tree and sung songs in the campfire, made wishes and prayers under starlit skies. They partied at Mimi's (Cordova residence), and lounged and waded in the beautiful white sands and beaches at Teresa de la Cruz-Nicolas Bonbon beach resort. They prayed and offered spiritual and money gifts for the eternal repose of the souls of 23 dead comrades (out of 92 classmates) at the Romblon Cathedral church and mourned and offered bereavement services to the orphaned family of Mrs. Esperanza Villanueva (widow of Alfredo Villanueva ).

January 17, 2004 was the final adieu and until we meet again at Mimi Cordova vda. de Uy's new residence. Agenda were advanced and plans for upcoming yearly reunions, especially for the golden (50th) grand reunion in January 2009.

In between discussions of ideas for donations and scholarships, the 59ers recollected and shared past experiences and jokes. (Why do groups of 13-16 years old pubertal male high school classmates disappear at the back of RHS campus for a milestone coming-of-age traditional ceremony performed by a wizened bolo-wielding and guava-chewing man during one period in the afternoon, and came back pale, relieved, but unsteady-gaited? Where was Mr. M. standing to impress to the unruly class how tall and mighty was Mt. Everest? Who was the meanest teacher? Who was shy? Who is the innocent Mark Twain who is now running for governor? Who were the mischievous students who would not get any gift from Santa Claus and are afraid that their children and grandchildren will find out how naughty they were in the past.)

Classmates who were elected are the following: Teodulo Montojo, Jr. (President), Nila Madrona Geronimo (1st Vice President), Susan Fadri Malihan (2nd Vice President), Teresa Nicolas (Secretary), Telly Mazo Lim (Treasurer), Pro: Lily Fonte Silverio, Noli Fondevilla Reyes, Butch Reyes, AmandoMolino, Mimi Uy, Laddy Mabasa Cruz, Vicente Rapal, Pacita Marin Morgado.

Other attendees were: Romeo Malacapo, Rolando Mendes, Ely Ramos, Pacifico (Paping) Mayor, Dodoy Lim, Lopita Molo, Fe Mora, Salvacion Mallorca Madrona, Josefina Mallorca Magada, Melba Yap Fabellon, Carmencita Mingoa, Edita Moral, Olivia Mingoa Montiel, and Elma Silverio Montana.

RHS 59ers next reunion will be January 2005. Mimi Uy will again donate the costumes for next year's Biniray reunion. For RHS 59ers please contact any of  the above classmates for further informations about future reunions with the address Romblon, Romblon, or direct your e-mail inquiries to: LilyPeping@cs.com