WEBSITE UPKEEP DONATIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

DONORS:

R. Dasalia - US$5.00

C. Abesamis - US$5.00

T. Santos-Alatiit - CDN$5.00

T. Butac - CDN$10.00

V. Mendoza-Briones (Mendoza Family) US$10.00

Teresita and Isabelo dela Cruz - US$20.00

from (4) SMU alumni - US$10

Judy TiamKegg - US$25.00

Jean Morales - $20.00

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SMHS DIAMOND JUBILEE (Testimonials)

 

 

 

TESTIMONY OF THE MENIADO FAMILY
(5- minute sharing delivered by Beatriz Meniado-Buiser, SMCHS 72), Most Outstanding Alumni Awardee, SMHS Diamond Jubilee 2009

REV. FR. MANNY, REV. FR. GERRY, MY FELLOW MARIANS, FRIENDS…. GOOD MORNING

It has been thirty seven years since my high school days and here I am representing the Meniado to share how our school experiences have greatly affected our lives ---thank you Sir Sammy for this opportunity.
By the way, I am Beatriz, the youngest of the Meniado Family, and a member of Saint Mary’s Batch 72.
High school is a rite of passage and many say that it is a microcosm of real life. You learn varied subjects – Physics, Science, History, Chemistry, Geometry, English, Literature, and other subjects. You have your exams which have specific answers. You make friends, you lose some. You do sports, some do theater, some dance, some sing, play a musical instrument, join the choir. It is an experiment of who you’ll one day become. You study hard, some don’t. You believe in God, some entertain doubts. You are shy, some are by their very nature already very assertive. It is an exploration of identity, of trying to find your place in the sun.

As an adult, you begin to look back and see that the choices you made in high school determine who you’re going to be. In high school, I began to get to know myself better and start to envision what I want from life. It is a long road, a distant and bumpy journey, so to speak.

But hurdling all these trials and having the right attitude toward these difficult times have made me a better person. They say that we learn more from the most trying times in our lives.

Now, I have a good job, a loving husband, and three beautiful kids, AND A STABLE FAITH – certainly, the joys of my life. And I can say that most of my skills in life, I learned from high school –doing tasks on time, loving people and accepting them for who they are, and most of all drawing on my strengths to help others.
What I am now I owe foremost to our Creator who has blessed me with a family who has been supportive through all these years … my late father Eusebio and my doting mother Leonora Fabroa who went through difficult times in making both ends meet just to send us 7 siblings to school. I take pride and honor in saying that all of us including my Mom (Batch 38) are products of our prestigious alma mater, Saint Mary’s University High School. Thank you our dear alma mater and teachers for imparting your knowledge and teaching us the core values of life, and to my Batch ’72 classmates for always being there especially when the waters get rough.

I am proud to mention the members of the Meniado Family --
1. Angelina Meniado-Burgos - SMHS’56
2. Ermelinda Meniado-Belarmino - SMHS’60
3. Fe Meniado-Tiango - SMHS ‘62
4. Honorino F. Meniado - SMHS ‘65
5. Carlito F. Meniado - SMHS ‘67
6. Dolores Meniado-Redoloso - SMHS ‘70
7. Beatriz Meniado-Buiser - SMHS ‘72

I want to share with you some lines from an article written by Emma Brombech who was one of the funniest writers, if not the funniest, who ever grazed modern literature – entitled IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER – written after she found out she was dying from cancer.

… But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.. look at it and really see it.. live it.. and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff. Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what. Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let’s think about what GOD HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by.”

As we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent, let me share with you these inspiring words …

God is always true to His promise that whatever He started in you, He will take it to completion because He perfectly loves you.

Nothing is hard if the heart has love, nothing is impossible when the heart understands, and nothing is heavy when God is in your heart.

My dear friends, it is true that being born is a gift, but what you make of that life is your gift to God.

Thank you and Good Morning.

 

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IN GRATITUDE, COMING FULL CIRCLE AT SMUHS
A Testimonial Speech delivered by Ma. Teresa Nuestro-Domingo (Most Outstanding Alumni Awardee, SMHS Diamond Jubilee)
at the St. Dominic Cathedral after the SMUHS-sponsored Mass of the SMHS Diamond Jubilee
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, December 19, 2009

It has been 41 years since I entered the portals of SMCHS, now SMUHS. The great transformations in SMC happened in the years I was in high school. From an all-girl high school at the Lunduyan campus in my freshman year, we were merged with the boys in our sophomore year, and then transferred to the present campus in our junior year.  Behind all the SMC-wide developments then was Fr. John van Bauuel. He was busy with the new college campus but still had time to visit other campuses. My sister Chato of Class ’78 has a lasting account of Fr. John’s good memory and social grace. In her senior year, there was an unannounced program where she and two other classmates were recognized for having scored 99+ in the then NCEE exams. Fr. John, present to hand the certificates, congratulated Chato and told her she was the second Nuestro to have gotten for the school a 99+ in the NCEE. Fr. John was referring to our sister Fe of Class ‘74, who four years earlier, gave pride to the school in the first NCEE held nationwide. To this day, Chato remembers Fr. John for that single simple gesture. I believe everyone knows that a formal recognition or an informal praise given by school authorities to students, or parents to child for that matter, brings immeasurable impact on a child’s feeling of self-worth and confidence.

While we all owe a debt of gratitude to our teachers, there are two that I’d like to make special mention of: Ms. Evelyn Navarrete and the late Mr. Fernando Andrada.  Ms. Navarette was my Biology teacher who coached me for the Regional Science Quiz sponsored by the Science Foundation of the Philippines .  She set aside time for me at the library providing me advanced pointers on topics the class had not yet taken then but may likely be covered in the competition. The school sent a contingent of five students to compete in various fields at St. Ferdinand College in Ilagan, Isabela. I was happy to bring pride and honor to the school when I bagged the lone gold medal in the Science Quiz that year. I also acknowledge the interest in Economics drawn out from me by our teacher, Mr. Andrada. Graduating as valedictorian of Class ’72, I decided to pursue a degree in Business Economics at UP on that basis. My parents were very concerned about the environment that prevailed at that time but were confident that with my upbringing at home and the Christian values inculcated by the school, I would not go astray and would get the best that UP could offer. I breezed through UP, an MBA from the Ateneo and a 30-year career in research and management consultancy capped by being a Director for Corporate Finance in one of the leading audit firms in the country. 

Having reached the height of my career in 1997, I remembered to look back as that year also marked the silver anniversary of my class, SMCHS Class ‘72.  As founding President of our class alumni association, I spearheaded the staging of the first grand homecoming in SMC memory that paid tribute to our former teachers. Launched during the homecoming was a scholarship program for the deserving children of our batch mates as well as financial assistance to children orphaned by them. The program was implemented religiously through the four-year study term of the beneficiaries as funds raised under my term had been set aside for them. During the Pearl anniversary of our class in 2002, the scholars, already graduates then, were duly recognized.

Our former teachers were invited in both our class’ Silver and Pearl anniversary celebrations. They were particularly happy that their efforts were formally acknowledged by a group of alumni. I even received a very touching letter from Ms. Febe Zamora-Bacena, our former History and Home Economics teacher, who said that she was so overcome with happiness and pride to have known what had become of us and to have been given gratitude the way we did. This appreciation was very heartwarming for me but I share this with my classmates, more especially to those who supported me through the difficulties homecomings bring. These classmates were Marisol Costales–Garcia and Esperanza Salazar–Mendoza.

For the past three years, I have been a housewife, attending to the needs of my husband, Col. Diosdado Domingo (Ret.), and our grown-up kids, Marco and Celine.  Dads continues to work as Vice President for Commercial Operations of Digitel. I believe Dads and I raised our kids well. Marco graduated with a Management degree from the Ateneo and has been working for the past two years as Management Trainee at Filinvest. Celine is in her senior year taking up Industrial Engineering at the UP under DOST scholarship and will be graduating in a year. I occupy my time going on a regular basis to the gym, playing badminton and attending bible studies. I am now at the stage where I want to pay back society for the blessings I received in the past so I turned to farming in Cavite and Nueva Vizcaya and voluntary tutoring of street children at the Tuloy sa Don Bosco in Alabang. Tutoring is challenging as it requires discussing topics from the top of my head.  I am amused that most of the time, I draw my answers from stock knowledge I gained way back in elementary and high school. I have been tutoring street children for the past two years and this has given me untold fulfillment. I feel great when Tuloy sa Don Bosco’s staff tells me that the child I tutor has improved and has honor in class. Last year, there were kids I tutored who were featured in the Inquirer for making it to the international football competition among homeless boys to be held in Melbourne, Australia. Other than the skills they showed, they were selected for having presented well-written essays about themselves and their aspirations. I felt like I had a part in the essays they made.  Perhaps, I was experiencing exactly how our teachers feel about us.

A current pupil reported that he made good in the subjects we reviewed but flunked Religion. I suddenly realized that I was covering only his academic subjects and had not even asked if he had problems in Religion class. I asked what their present topic was. He said, it was the Apostles’ Creed. We went through the Creed line by line. I found myself discussing our faith with a child by telling stories about Jesus and His having saved us by His death on the cross. I also was so dumbfounded that he did not know why we pray. He said he just stared at the altar when they visit their chapel. I again found myself explaining to him what was taught us in our SMC Religion classes.  I told him that we pray to ask forgiveness for what we did wrong, to say thanks for what we enjoy, to ask for blessings as we go through life, and to give glory to the Lord for all His goodness. That moment was so powerful for me. I thought I had completed my purpose in life.

At this point, I find myself coming full circle. I am back in town, privileged and honored to be given the rare opportunity to speak before you of my fond memories of and gratitude to this school that now celebrates its Diamond Jubilee. It has been a meaningful life I have been living and continue to enjoy.  And a very significant part of my life will always include my alma mater, St. Mary’s High School.

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RESPONSE IN BEHALF OF THE OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARDEES
(Delivered extemporaneously)
BY: ERMELINDA MENIADO-BELARMINO Ed.D. CESO VI
(In lieu of Dr. Cris Guerrero who could not make it to the affair)

Rev. Fr. Manny Valencia, Dr. Evangeline Escobar, Dr. John Palina, Dr. Nena Valdez, other key officials of the University, Fr. Gerry Bouckart, faculty members, parents, grandparents, my family, my mother over there who patiently stood the rigors of this ceremony in spite of her being 94 come February 28,, my husband, Jun and my brother and sisters, fellow alumni, students (though they are not here anymore) guests, the emcees, Erwin and Irene, the SMUHS principal, Dr. Samuel Soliven and everyone present, good evening.

The program says the one to give the response is Dr. Cris Guerrero. Tonight, I am tasked to do this in behalf of the outstanding alumni awardees. It is a privilege to do so, for a Marian must always be prepared and I believe that it is when the sailing gets rough that one can gauge how good the ship captain is as he steers the ship into safety not when he is sails on smooth waters. For it is easy to be brave at a safe distance.

First, in behalf of the alumni, I would like thank St. Mary’s University High School for this alumni homecoming at a time when people come home to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. This SMUHS homecoming could not have been more timely than this season, since it is now that families come together to renew relationships, foster new ones or enrich existing ones. It is in the same way that the SMU alumni come home to their Alma Mater, to renew relationships and to draw inspiration once again. For, we graduate as batches like Batch 1938, batch 1967, batch 2004 and the like, but we go out into the world as individuals. After our high school graduation, we went out in our own ways, chose our courses, our own workplaces and tried to find our own niche in society. We are thankful for the strong foundation we got from St. Mary’s HS for out there in the world, it was never easy. The struggles we had, the choices we had to make, the decisions we made in our workplaces, in our family lives, were made very difficult because we had to contend with existing realities that often tested the values and principles we learned. Those of you who worked or are working in the government service or in the private sector know what I am talking about and you will agree with me that it is never easy out there. However, the influence of the strong Marian Catholic education plus of course, the influence of the family served as a beacon light amidst the darkness of these choices. I am thankful too that our family brought us up to be upright and obedient in spite of being hard up – the seven of us finished schooling and had stable jobs.

Today, we received awards for being the Outstanding Alumni of St. Mary’s University High School Department. In behalf of the awardees, I say “Thank You” to St. Mary’s University for the Catholic education we received that helped us to be competent and excellent. For the Marian could be found worldwide and they are all doing well in whatever endeavor they choose. In any place in the world, you can see a Marian and the Marian trademark is always present. However, I believe that we, the awardees tonight, are not the only ones who are to be recognized. We are only symbolic of the batches we represent. Out there, are many other Marian alumni who exhibit the same degree of excellence and commitment but are unnamed, unmentioned. They too, deserve to be recognized. They, too, deserve an award. I therefore, speak in their behalf.

As outstanding alumni of this institution, we have the duty to continue paying allegiance to the values our Alma Mater has taught us. We pray that she will continue its good work of inspiring and guiding its graduates. (The students are no longer here.) I wish they were still here so they can learn from us alumni some bits of the wisdom of experience for when it will be their turn to go out into the world, the challenges will be more complex, more demanding especially that the world is now a seamless society.

May St. Mary’s University High School continue its mission of service, commitment and excellence.

Therefore, in behalf of the outstanding alumni awardees, thank you so much and may God continue to bless us all.

Delivered at the Tonus Gymnasium Saint Mary’s University
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
December 20, 2009 6:30 p.m.

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Note: This page link will be where our reunion program schedule and activities will be posted. In the meantime, we request all reunion alumni attendees (whether in group or solo) to submit their presentation