OLPS Alumni

Sige share tayo ng ating first day or first night sa OLPS. Sige ako muna:

Jet:
I was very nervous coming to the seminary. I absolutely didnt know anybody coz i was the only one from Castilla. Most of my classmates had friends who were also incoming freshmen and were classmates during elementary. Everything was bit strange- the people, the smell of the dorm and the CR. the dorm with its rows of bed covered with white bed covers reminded me of a hospital.

I had fun arranging my stuff in the cabinet. i felt like a grown-up. It amused me also that my mother religiously followed the clothing list given by the seminary - so i vividly remember having 12 pairs of briefs --and she insisted that it should be in different colors so it would be easier for me to avoid wearing a pair twice in a row.

My senses of dread though was minimized by noise and activity from the people around ---the noise from seminarians, parents and family members arguing or helping set up the cabinet and beds, the clanging of tbars and beds. somehow i was happy coz it was the first time i felt a sense of independence from my parents.

Anyways, the first night was fun too, especially setting up the mosquito net on the t-bars. and it was good too that the seniors helped us set up the beds. The beadle then was larry manda, he looked like a very huge guy to us during that time, i was actually very afraid of him. So when he said its lights off, i immediately went to bed. i had trouble sleeping but somehow after a while i managed to sleep.

after an hour or so to my deep embarrassment, i promptly rolled off my bed . good thing that being a very thin guy the mosquito net caught me and i didnt hit the floor. and also thanks to Glenn Pato and to Donor who kindly put me right back on my bed and never teased me about it the whole year they were there.

got the news that Mamo Pura passed away yesterday. rest in peace mamo.

details to follow.

o hala ipangadyi naton (mas mayad kun magdonar nin last minute pangkampanya hehe) an mga sano na kandidato niyan na election.

Mike Go (B92) : Vice Mayor Sorosogon
Alwyn Talde (B83) : Vice Mayor Castilla
Wiron Demate (B86) : Municipal Councilor Casiguran
Henri Deri (B86) : Municipal Councilor Gubat
Ding Ramos (B?) : Mayor Gubat (reelectionist)
Nonoy Paras (B92): Municipal Councilor Barcelona

Election Canvassing Update:

Alwyn: looks like he's a sure winner. harayoon an baya niya sa kalaban
Ding: looking like a winner na din
Mike: looking bad. he looks like he's gonna lose the race
Wiron: still hopeful. medyo delikado. last place inlalabanan niya diyot pa alng an lamang
Henri: looks like he lost
Nonoy: sure winner na

hope we all remember and treat to something nice and wonderful our mothers and wives today! :-)

this is a pix of batch 89's generosity. sinda palan an nagpahimo san gate. how about the other batches? hmmm, gotta talk with my batchmates...

pix taken by sano otats (b87)

By Gibbs Cadiz (B87)

"We ask you this through Christ our Lord, amen."

Time for First Reading. The boy, shy and nervous, walks towards the lectern. It's his first time to do the reading, a task he'd avoid at any cost if he could. But there is no way around it. As a junior in this high school seminary, he and his classmates have to take their turn on the altar, before a mass of other boys ready to jeer, heckle and remember any fumble he'd make for years to come. Freshmen and sophomores act as acolytes during daily mass, juniors and seniors serve as readers. None gets a pass, and now it's his turn.

He swallows hard, then opens his mouth. "The first reading is taken from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel." Can that strained, high-pitched voice be his? Did I pronounce it right, Ee-zee-kiel? His throat feels parched, sandy. His white polo shirt and black pants seem terribly hot, and he can feel his armpits steaming up.

He plows on. The lines are a blur. He tries to go faster, but then remembers the priest's admonition. It's the Word of God, give it respect, read it slowly! So he enunciates his words, never looking up from the book, determined not to get distracted by the funny looks on his classmates' faces.

Last two lines, yes!

Finished. The end. Wow, he's done it. Read right up to the last period without a hitch. Success! Must breathe easily now, wrap it up, wrap it up. A pause, then one more thing left to say: "This is the Word of the Lord."

And his mouth says: "This is the end of the world."

A second of shock, then pandemonium in the chapel. Even the priest starts giggling. He looks up, startled, realizes what he has just said, then stares horrified at the laughing mob. Nothing to do now but trudge back to his pew, face all crimson, his future flashing before his eyes. He'll never outlive this, he knows. From this day forward, at least among his peers, he's toast.

Our 25-strong high school seminary batch is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Since our graduation in March 1987, four have become priests, many more have gotten hitched, a few now live abroad, and one has passed away. But we remain extraordinarily close to one another, and have enlarged the friendship to include the wives and kids. All first-borns in the circle automatically get a ninong in the other 24. Getting gifts on Christmas and birthdays is another story. When we hold reunions, which is often and irrespective of a quorum, we always end up killing ourselves with the same old stories. God willing, we'll never stop laughing. The anecdote above is a perennial. Yep, it's a true story.

this kid just floored me. so insanely amazing. he plays really good guitar and he's just 8 yrs. old now and he has his own blues band! --quinn sullivan band. he began playing professionally at around 5 or 6 yrs. grabe. he also had a gig with the great Buddy Guy, who was so impressed with quinn. imagine, jamming with buddy guy and you're just 8 yrs. old?

he just made my day today. wouldn't it be great if you have a son who could play like him?


quinn at 6


quinn at 7


this is my favorite. mature playing na di ba? the real shit man!!!!

Batch 85





















batch 85 had a rockin' reunion last april 10 at rizal beach in gubat. sagot daw ni sano bong sanez. they dont have a blog yet so ronny posted some of the pix - his younger brother, william is from batch 85

visit batch 82's blog for more pix of them.


Batch 92





















Batch 92 had a black sat reunion in bacon. looks a lot of fun!

visit their blog for more pix!!!


Batch 83



















bomick and family had a very enjoyable camping trip in Port Pirie.

pix and stories here...






















while bebot buenaventura makes a guest appearance in batch 83's blog



Batch 87

things always seem to be happening with b87. and they're always nice enough to share them to us.




















here's the latest rock band storming the chicago indie music scene -Basyang and the Funky, Funky Twirlers

go visit their fun blog. and dont forget to check out gibbs' pecs and abs hehehe


Batch 93





















Batch 93 had an awesome reunion last year


Batch 94





















Batch 94 turned out in force for roy's wedding

loads of new pics at their blog...

by ol arcos (b92)

(April 8, 2007 10:16 PM Easter Sunday)

While lying in bed and waiting for sleep to descend upon me, some questions popped into my lazy brain. Why are we here on Earth and why do we have to exist?

Everything around us has respective lengths of lifetimes. We travel in a four dimensional curved space time. So what is the meaning of the events across some points or happenings in between? Everything has opposites from one point or end to end. Like Genesis and Apocalypse, birth and death, ying and yang, matter and antiparticle, quantum physics and relativity, big bang until our expanding universe ends. Can we defy the boundaries of time, travel to the future or go to the past? Can we go forward or backwards? Can we travel through worm holes or black holes to defeat time? Can we remember the future?

Physics says that only if we can travel at frequencies with at least the same with the speed of light can we tweak the so called time. But no matter on Earth can go faster at the speed of light without disintegrating. Our bodies are not designed to travel at that frequency though we are convertible to frequency. Energy is frequency.

One event that comes to our minds in experiencing the past, present and future is the light energy, light frequency or photons emitted by distant stars across our universe. Emitted several years ago before we were born or million of years ago, traveling at some point somewhere in the cosmos, galaxy or universe at the present and will reach Earth maybe tomorrow, next decade or maybe beyond our lifetime. The light energy of the sun takes eight minutes to reach the Earth. Consequently, other stars in the very very vast universe will take longer.

The only frequency that I can think of defying the boundaries of time is the frequency of déjà vu and premonition which some or all of us have had experience. These are the events that we already knew from the moment it happens, and then from thence we remember the future, a pre-designed parallel universe and the inner working frequencies of our own subconscious minds. Some of us rely on tarot or card readings to foresee the future when in fact it is just the frequency of our subconscious channeled to the cards. The subconscious already knows though biblically it is not acceptable. It solely depends upon us on how to tap that frequency when will it occur. Controlling it to go forward to see events in our lifetime, or maybe put the frequency into a device for us to know some events in the future. But how about our mortal bodies? Can we convert our chemical compositions, our molecules, atoms, DNA mappings into a set of frequencies and go from one place or event to another without compromising human structure, life force, will and the human soul? At the present here on Earth we cannot, but in the future who knows? How about terrestrial intelligence outside Earth? We never know here.

Everything will work on a set of frequencies. Even the unseen works on frequencies. Will the devil in Apocalypse or Revelation use frequency? Eventually all business transactions will work on frequencies as telecom and internet protocol will converge. 3G in telecoms which is still in infancy will soon be replaced by 4G in the future. We are wired. Cables, fiber optics, and every communications media are already laid out upon the four corners of the earth. It is just the roll-outs of technologies that are being worked out. Integrated circuits in the future will work embedded into humans - from banking transactions to going to groceries and everything . Chips with sign of the devil? Just a thought. Who knows? It is in the Bible anyway. Can we go back in time to witness the creation of the Bible, witness the evolution of neanderthals, or explore the age of dinosaurs?


Human brain functionality is not yet totally deciphered, behavior varies, events on Earth varies, uncertainty principle always exists. We will eventually degenerate obeying the laws of entrophy as we always go forward in time. The probability that we are going to perish is computed at 100%, unified physics in everything around us can never be decrypted.

Life is a mystery as do falling in love. It is a mystical frequency. We can never know what is in the mind of God. The only possible and probable reason I come to mind why we exist is to follow His footsteps and to serve Him, whatever event is happening around us in our lifetime. This reason I know keeps me on firm hold to the ropes of sanity.

No further questions asked. Life is beautiful, live the most of it.

( 12:04 AM. It’s time to take a rest.I have to pray to God, for my family, for everyone and for my good night’s sleep. Lights off.)

i've heard that a good number of sanos are in the running for this year's election. in my batch, Wiron Demate (B86) is running as independent candidate for the councilorship (?) in Casiguran. While Henri Deri (B86) is also gunning for the same position in Gubat.

I think Mike Go (B92) is a sure winner for the vice mayoralty in Sorsogon.

Ding Ramos (B?) should be a hands down winner in Gubat (congressman ba o mayor?)

sin-o pa an aram nindo na mga sano na kandidato niyan na eleksyon?

Btw, they would appreciate it very much if you can contribute to their campaign funds. If you're interested in helping our Sano win this election, let me know so i can hook you up with them.

My Uncle Boy, also a sano (ka-batach ata niya sina Fr. Douglas at Fr. Chubay) passed away last wednesday from aneurysm brought about by complications from heart attack.

godspeed uncle boy.

nadagdagan na naman an mga sano na de kampanilya hehe. big shout out to sano ronald jalmanzar (b97) for having passed the 2006 bar exams!

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/examresults/20070403_bar_exam2006.pdf

does anybody know if there will still be a Black Sat Reunion?

big congrats to gibbs whose blog was nominated for the pinoy blog awards

hanep talaga ini si fajards (b92).

sano pwede kaya ma-invite siya sa homecoming? hehehe

rest in peace fr. chubay
from the PDI

Priest dies of heart attack in protest rally
Inquirer
Last updated 01:14am (Mla time) 03/10/2007

A priest died of a heart attack in Sorsogon City while attending a rally against extra-judicial killings in Sorsogon province.

Msgr. Francisco Monje said Fr. Josefino Chavenia complained of chest pains as the prayer rally was about to end around 11:45 a.m. at the provincial capitol.

Chavenia was taken to the Sorsogon Doctor’s Hospital where he died about two hours later.

Monje said his brother, Dr. Norberto Monje, tried to revive Chavenia.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, who led the rally, expressed grief over Chavenia’s death, saying it was very unfortunate that it occurred during the “rally for life.”

Chavenia, 58, served in various capacities in the diocese and was the parish priest of Bulan town when he died.

The Sorsogon diocese organized the prayer rally to protest the continued killings of militants in the province.

In a phone interview, Bastes said the continued killings have sown fear among the people of Sorsogon.

=========

Fr. Chubay's remains lie in state at the Balay san Padi at OLPS. Sa mga sano na makabisita, pakipangadyi na lang tabi nan pakikumusta sa mga sano nan kapadian.

Batch 81

has some pix of the olps grand alumni homecoming








Batch 82


sano ronn is kind of in a "crush mode" - do check out their blog and help him choose hehe. i kinda like surfing myself ;-)

an important announcement though --the King has been found!








old graduation pix, check out perry!











Batch 83

the arnedo family, isn't gerry's siwo cute?













Batch 86

lots of birthdays and a poignant writeup ( wounded warrior) from yayes basares
hope we can all help out yayes.



Batch 87


the most regularly updated blog in the sanosphere has lots of nice fun pix again.

family fun day - ian, otats and totep in tatay mode








if looks could kill. tato's pride and joy in fight face mode












the lucero family celebrating a birthday (?)

and lastly, in total agreement with ol, eenals is definitely super cute.









Batch 89

richard must be so busy


Batch 92


has loads of new stuff posted. seems like they're hanging out more often these days

like this get together at the beach










celebrating chinese new year













a fine, fine view













Batch 93

non must be busy also. but do check out non's personal blog


Batch 94

the motorcycle. what's the kwento with this pala?












Batch 2000

chrisly is busy too.

By Charles Maximus, B2000

here's a nice reflective piece from charles maximus of b2000. i retitled pala the post. i can totally relate with charle's experiences- as i also found out after leaving college seminary that life "outside" is hard, confusing and chaotic. its a culture shock that takes a long time getting over with. do visit their blog pala though it hasn't been updated in a while. chrisly must be busy :-)


It is 1:34 in the morning.

Well, what can I say. Living in the seminary for 8 years was like living in an idea. As seminarians, we were succumbed to the knowledge that life is easy and that we will be able to handle every situation with ease and hassle free. We were like a child, a blankslate who was given everything that he needs.

We thought that life in the seminary is hard, difficult because of the pressure imposed especially on studies. And to think that it is the only thing on my mind that is hard to do in the seminary. Yet we complain. It is hard and difficult. Yes it is.

Philosophy is really a hard course. Too much of philosophy is insanity, little of it is ignorance. But you see, aside from studying, whatelse is hard in the seminary? Is it hard to play basketball everyday? How bout cleaning the grounds or dorms? Is it hard to eat especially if you're food is already served? Yes we complain bout the hardships that we face inside the seminary. I doubt if once we leave the seminary, we will not complain... I said that living in the seminary is like living in an idea. Once we leave the seminary, there is the reality...the reality we learned in philosophy.

The true face of life awaits us outside the ideal. Some would hide; others will run; still others would complain. But the big question is; how far will we think we can escape reality? We cant. We have to face it and struggle to face it until we die.

On personal basis, I've been working for 2 years. Though I am able to apply and share the abundant knowledge from the seminary, still I fell short. There is still lacking. And so even if I did my best, my best isnt really good enough to pull things over. Experiences of delayed salaries, memos and shouting of boss are just mere examples of what I encounter and still I find myself hanging for the reason that without work I dont have anything to support my needs.

You see in the province, you maybe able to eat with just P5 at hand while in Manila you cant. You will starve to death. You might ask; why don't i leave manila and return to Bicol? The answer is simple. Challenges and sacrifices will make us a strong person. For a diamond to have a perfect shape it should be handcrafted perfectly. Working is just an example of how hard life would be. Other people experience more hardships than mine.

In Manila, you will see the reality. Starving people. Children sleeping on bridges, overpass, newspapers, etc...holdups, pickpockets. thousands of applicants applying for a few openings lining up for interviews. this is reality. we may stumble and fall. but we cant escape, we cant go back. the only motion is to move on. learn from it and face the hardships that the reality is imposing on us.

This is just a glimpse of what could be the culture shock that a newly grad seminarian will undergo once he leave the seminary. So while inside the seminary, enjoy and value the time you have coz when the time for you to leave the seminary a new life awaits you and there is no turning back.

We came back here (Adelaide) to spend our New Year celeb. with some "Filo" (Aussie slang for Filipino) friends at Glenelg. We watched a live band in the park and amazing fireworks just after the New Year countdown. We head up to our place at around 1AM to continue the "reverie" (tinumba an 1/2 "slab" aka case of beer, a whisky and a bottle of wine into the wee hours of the morning (Jan 1).. er, 9:00 in the morning na pala :-)...)! Well, holiday season is over now yet the good memories still cling on so I look forward to another one at the end of the year! Enjoy mga sano...















Kids inside the holiday unit (Stansbury)


New Year's Eve at Glenelg with some friends
































Miaco kidz... taken at Harbor Town (Adelaide)

The family and I also went for a road trip around the peninsula... visiting places like Edithburgh, Coobowie, Warooka, Marion Bay etc. plus the huge Innes National Park wherein a "ghost town" is located called Inneston. This town was established in the early 1900's but abandoned not long after. Some of the town buildings and other residential homes are still standing (most are in ruins) and a few are restored without the inhabitants though. BTW, we saw a mother and child kangaroo in one of the streets just watching us as we passed them. I said to them, "Merry Xmas... makikiraan lang po kami!!!", but they just ignored me. Hmmmp, mga "snob"! :-)















Taken at the entrance of the Innes National park















Inneston town (a restored post office and the ruins of the town's grocery store circa 1913)















The two "snobbish" kangaroo :-)