Putting together a reunion to depict “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”

THIS 2013, there are many family reunions scheduled. Planning should be around a year before or, at the very latest, six months. That is, if you have a very high stress degree factor. But nonetheless, depending on the magnitude of the endeavor, much conceptualization, preparation and doing is involved. What is important is that an active steering committee is formed and all subsidiary functioning committees are equally important.

Since it is a family reunion, family members are tapped and the camaraderie and bonding starts with the planning. With every meeting, the group enlarges and, as the date comes nearer, the practices draw the family closer together. It is really great to meet new faces who become friends and the fact that we are part of this one big clan makes it even more joyous.

As traditionally done, Day 1 is for social interaction and getting to know you. The games always serve as the ice breaker that unifies all our three colors. But Day 2 is the highlight and we start it always a blessing with a Mass. Fr. Bernard Ybiernas–Mapa has been most generous with his time to be a part of this highlight in all four reunions.

We wanted the celebration to be early so after the 3:00 p.m. Mass came the heavy merienda/dinner. The program started a few minutes latish than the scheduled 6:00 p.m. Lizareses are sticklers for punctuality and a few excited Lizards were already restless. Finally, the most awaited moment opens its curtains…

A presentation can never gel, unless you have a maestro to piece the program together. We were blessed to have Jun Poblador (Manuel L. Poblador Jr.) do that. Jun is in essence a creative director and seats in two of acclaimed advertising agencies in Manila, namely ALV Consultus and Sequel Advertising who handle advertising and marketing services, PR and promotions media and events of celebrities, diverse entertainment, cinema and media personalities. Recently, he sat in the board of the largest PR corporation in the Philippines, EON The Stakeholders Relations Firm, as a creative director at large and they handle Malacañang Palace, Nestle Philippines, Shell, Blackberry and many more.

With Jun, we were in great hands. With much mastery of the stage, he opens the show welcoming all abuelitos, abuelitos, titos and titas, primos and primos. Joining him shortly was Talisay Councilor, Marissa Lizares.

The show’s concept was to go down history lane of our roots. The GMA team of Maricris (Tina) P. Mabojos, the local GMA boss, assisted us in research, and the audio-visual storyline. For set design, my son, Luigi, did quite a fine job of making the stage look like a giant antique picture frame. For the lights and sounds, my eldest, Spitzie, arranged with DJ Kid for the amazing effects. How’s that for family working together?

There were no dress rehearsals for this show nor a major run through. This was Christmas time and we had to contend with crumbs of time availability but, nonetheless, we did pull it through, as the script of the decades seemed to flow with impromptu participants.

From the 1800’s to the present, descendants Celine Faeldonea, Glenn lizares, Maricar de Ocampo, Grace T. Lim, Vicky V. Antiporda and Mary Elizabeth Mosquera introduced what transpired in the different eras and the active part of the family in these decades.

The ternos and the sayas of the great grandlolas were an instant hit, just as much as the vintage clothes of the titas were very much applauded.

Carmen H. Lizares decided on D-Day to represent Hollywood in its glory days with a fox trot ala Ginger Rogers with dips and twirls which merited catcalls. The Rock n’Roll era did fill the stage with Tita Edie and Tito Arnold, Tita Evelyn with George, Tita Charito and Tito Bernie, Melinda and Kenneth and Miguelito and Diod doing a mean boogie.

For the Disco Dancing in the Street, there’s Ami L. Lizares, Angie Lizares, Mae L. Villanueva, Susie L. Mambaquio, Leda Dionson, Helen Repe, Bea Mosqera, Ramona Mosquera Burgess and myself.

And the now generation to the tune of 2012 had the Mambaquio boys, Niall and Andre, doing fantastic moves with Martha Gonzaga, Isabel Sarrosa, Julian and Claudia Salas.

After presenting the historical and cultural past to the present generation, the family looked forward to the future as epitomized by our little children with a music video of “Call Me Maybe” shot in Plantazionne Verdana.

Past, present and the future… all were represented in this family reunion.

But the fun did not end there. After parties are always the added treat with the famed Jimmy Gustilo manning the DJ booth. Definitely blood sugar and pressure levels were at its lowest, with everyone dancing the night away in pure merriment.

What a party! That is what reunions are about. And despite all the faux pas, imperfections and unfulfilled plans, it was a memorable reunion of a family who opts to bond, rekindle old familial ties, meet new friends and most of all, be proud of a legacy endorsed and entrusted to each member of the clan!