Luab: Leaders of men

BOYS they were when they left us. Men they are now and leaders of today. Homecoming 2009 of the Sacred Heart School Jesuits (SHS-J), last Dec. 26 at Shangri-La was a huge success! Silver jubilarians, batch ’84, led by Wilky Lim and his dedicated and committed Ignacian soldiers of work, did everything possible to bring four hundred men to the fold that night.

Wilky’s humble response to our praise was: “All I did was work with such service oriented people from batch ’84 like Hubert Lim, Ronnie Mangubat, Eric Casas, Nathaniel Fernando, Bobby Ong, Manuel Trinidad Jr., Patrick Young, Steve Benitez, Michael Fernan, Michael Uysiuseng, Sammy Tiu, Christopher Sy, Sydney Carcel, Charles Su, Peter Sy Jr., Jesus Co and everything fell into place.

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These guys helped in heading the planning and implementing of the project for our batch. Help also came from the rest of the SHS-J alumni board like Kenneth Lim, Everet Paul Rivera, Oliver Po, Fredy Tan, Marcelino Po, Lawrence Dino, Dexter Go, Erickson Ong, Reagan Rex King, Allen Arvin Tan and lawyer Michael Yu.”

From the choir singing during the mass (concelebrated by Fr. Manuel Uy and Fr. Arsenio Nunez), to the singing of the national anthem, handled by batch’ 84, we saw the results of unity, harmony and a lot of practice. Actually, homecoming was not just one night. Batch ’84, together with the alumni board, spearheaded new projects and continued ongoing projects in 2009. Free medical, dental and legal aid missions benefited not only families of the faculty but Canduman residents as well.

The “Alumni Board Christmas” party with the children of the Missionaries of Charity was a pure outburst of the heart. Imagine a truckload of goodies and presents for the kids! Attending one of their bi-monthly masses at the SHS-J’s chapel, I got a glimpse of their prayer life. Their loud responses minus a whiteboard guide, plus their singing spoke highly of the SHS-J’s influence in their spirituality. One of their projects, too, was the showing of the film The last Journey of Ninoy Aquino to the students of their alma mater. Another project was the summer of service for no less than 50 students who worked in the alumni sponsoring companies.

Not only did these students learn the value of work but also the value of generosity. Half of their pay went to school supplies for the marginalized in our community.

Alumni experts in their own field took the task of enlightening the students during the career symposium week in their possible choices of a college education. The apex of the evening was the symbolic turning over of the key to a school bus, which the alumni board, the PTA and the silver jubilarians donated to the school. The proceeds of the successful “Rock with Jesus” concert plus whatever Wilky and his group gathered helped in the acquiring of the bus. Take a bow, men of Christ.

However, we your mentors, while praising you as leaders, look up to the institution and the Jesuits: Fr. Heras, Fr. Reed, Fr. Ricart, Fr. Nunez, Fr. Javier, Fr. Manuel Uy, Fr. Hernando (to mention a few) who molded your inner strength and enhanced your souls.

Homecoming night told us by word of mouth how you live on a day-to-day basis. Alumni physicians still charge the lowest fees. Our eye doctors have been heard to say to a poor patient after a cataract operation, “Okay lang, Phil. Health ray ako (It’s okay. I’ll take Phil. Health).” Our alumni employees pay correct minimum wage plus the fringe benefits. They tried not to retrench or rotate at the height of the global crises.

A good number of our alumni are sending scholars to public schools. They also train would-be entrepreneurs in starting and sustaining a business. A dance troupe propelled by our alumni has kept no less than 20,000 youngsters off the streets by giving dance lessons.

The biggest thing I heard that night was that someone from batch ’60 and a few others started a cooperative in Mindanao for the ordinary military men. The coop had an initial capital of P2 million and it now has now P4 billion!

We applaud Wilky, president of our alumni association, and the rest who made homecoming 2009 a great bonding. We keep on a pedestal all the Jesuits, from the start to the present, and look up to the present director, Fr. Manuel Uy, with respect for opening his heart and soul to the present students in his care, and inspiring the alumni as well.