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As a sequel to the Hundreth, OTWOMD brings you “Too Hundreth“, the 200th post special. This is long overdue since the recent Holy Week prevented me from posting this. It took me forever to publish this post because of recent events that transpired in my circle of friends. In the “Hundreth”, you have known the “Man behind the blog”, his actual look and appearance, his life as an individual and as a nurse. Here in “Too Hundreth”, you will know the “Friends behind the Man”, their identities, their part in the author’s life and how they were able to influence him and shape him into what he is now. I have a lot of circle of friends as you will soon read in this blog as I go along in my journey here at OTWOMD, but I chose to feature my High School friends for they were my seedbed of inspiration in High School. The Camaraderie that we had back then was so amazingly solid that it brings to one’s mind if that closeness still persists up to this day. These people are just part of the greater whole of the batch we baptized as the “Neons Revival of 1994″, just like you our story is typical High school clicks were friends come, go and stay. Join me as I reminisce the “friends behind the man of OTWOMD”.

Who would have known that my dear batchmates in kindergarten would be my life time friends through thick and thin, closeness or looseness, or through hell and high of life? As life goes through in our academic tutelage, we were molded and have discovered our common grounds in high school. Thus we were able to form bonds of friendships and steels of thundering mischiefs. We were the centennial batch they say, entering our dear Alma Mater in our first step towards our scholastic pursuance, and ending our basic education with a bang. But the friendship did not end on the four corners of Sacred Heart College, because along the way, we found ourselves still hanging out with the very same faces that we see everyday in school. And as teachers became our worst enemies during High School, we found ourselves being comforted by our own uniqueness and differences

In my early years in High School I was different. Different in a sense that I was not only a troublemaker, tattler, fire blower and mischievous, but also a loser in my own right. Notorious as the batch calls me, I never knew where I really was standing. Remember when I told you that I always make girls cry until they bleed their eyes to death? That’s me alright. But in the latter years of my secondary education, my life turned upside down when I befriended these guys. Even I myself could not understand why I have been included in their friendship since I am well known to break it myself or break it for them. But upon hindsight, I realized that these people saw something good in me despite and in spite my flaws as a human being, which at that time, I only saw in myself the pieces of a broken past of a severely wounded man…

This is me in High school… couldn’t believe your eyes huh? Don’t ask how many pounds I gained today…

My Circle of friends then were no different from your typical HS cliques wherein love life is the most talked about, friendships are the most cherished, gimmicks are the most prioritized over studies, yet without compromising our academic life. We live for 10 years in that secluded part of the city, Barangay Dos as I may add, which we proudly claim as our alma mater and the oldest and most prestigious Catholic School in Southern Tagalog. And yeah, we had a really good time painting the school red every day of our High School life that some of us even became popular, as well as notorious (I belong to the latter).

This is my Barkada (clique) which started as a ragtag Volleyball team in a City Wide sports fest that branched out and became as what we call now as Visionaries (bisyo-naries). Originaly we were 16 but as time passed, friends go and others joined in. See me pointing on my face doing the Mr. Pogi? haha iba talaga pag highschool. baduy! lol (1st Row L to R - Leo, Armibus, Rodchel, Angel, Vlady, Tolits, 2nd Row L to R - Cedie, jash, Tasyo, Dex, Jerry, Donald , Alex, Brian and Eric. Peter was the one who took the picture.)

Every Friday night, after our CAT, we leave the corridors of our school with boisterous laughter, masculine show of camaraderie and endless sharing of life’s hardships and struggles through bottles of infinite alcohol.

This very same gate was one of our “tambayan”. We used to wait for the others while they ditch some of their girlfriends with thousands of lies and saying they will go home (haha gawain!), while the truth is, we are just looking for the right time to gather ourselves and hurried to “Aling Diling” or “Don Juan” to quench our thirst for liquor. See the no smoking sign of our school? we had our picture taken in front of it puffing cigarettes. I just don’t want topost it here because my Alma Mater might disown me for desecrating their oath to “no-smoking” hehe…

If we’re not drinking, we were with our female counterparts, the Mignnones, spending endless hours of talking, teasing and and never ending talking… That’s how High School life was… no worries, no big problems, just plain ol’ fun. BTW, the caucasian girl is Amber, one of our exchange students who was so annoyed with me whenever I tease her “Amber, I’ll eat you!” haha.

We are not worthless actually, there are times that we are forced to do the eerie and the unusual just to please our teachers. So as you can see, we rob our own houses’ with the drapes hanging on our respective windows just so we can dress up as our own Mythological alter ego. And the others, because of identity confusion, has resorted to exhibitionism (seksi ni ricky! haha)

Looking back on my High School days, I never realized how strange we dress up, trying to look as matured as we can (it’s a plus factor among girls). But no matter how hard we try to become our own self proclaimed man, the kid in us still peeks out and when it does, goodbye to pogi points!

Haha don’t get me started on how our dear female counterparts dress up 14 years ago LOL. If only Ministro Manalo could see them, he would readily indoctrinate them to his Iglesia. These are the Mignonne, the female barkada of the Visionaries. And as you can see, I always try my best to run towards the camera even though I am not invited to pose for it. Ganun ako ka KSP nun haha. May the shortest height win! haha

There are times when homeroom is up and cleaning the room is one of the rules before we go home, we tend to escape the slavery and just hang out on a friend’s house.

Sometimes they wanted to kick me out of the picture because i am annoyingly narcissistic with myself in front of the camera. But they can never beat my sense of smell even if they hide and pose inside the school incinerator for a photo shoot. My nose is made up of pixelized radar. I think I was going to throw the garbage can in the incinerator when I saw them posing around the gym. And yes, leaving a fellow classmate in mid stride, I ran 300 mph just so I can catch up with the flash haha

And Yes, even in High School I am an art slave. See those hideous monsters and backdrops of Mythological Greece? I drew that. Yet with all these endeavors and effort to make our class presentation look good, none of the art awards fell on my hands. Ayus lang my blog naman ako ngayon at kumikita pa haha. Eat your heart out Basket Girls, Weaving maidens and poster making fanatics!

Hmmm pruweba. My only comfort from the demanding burden of being a prop master are my Barkada who force themselves to help me even if they are masters in painting stickman, drawing geometrical figures and drafting a perfect isosceles triangle. Thank God for Catwoman and her eczema soaked stockings .

And yes, when time comes that hard labor becomes a routine, I let the girls dig the trash for our “pera sa basura” drive, while I relax and read an old tattered magazine. Wala pang FHM non kaya magtyatyaga ka sa komiks na nabibili sa palengke sa halagang 50 pesos haha. See that stooping Marshmallow man (haha sensya na ricky!), he is the richest guy in our batch owning dozens of ferry and passenger ships. Style lang yan kunwari gumagawa para di masuntok ni Rocky Marciana.

We’re not just beasts of burden and angelic candidates I tell you, Catholic School life sometimes brings us closer to hell rather than heaven. This was supposed to be our retreat but the retreat masters canceled our slot during the last minute. so anong gagawin namin, umuwi? e di mag swimming! When the true schedule for the retreat was up. we told our parents that the retreat has a part two.. haha Liar liar, briefs on fire!

And even if we are soaking wet and just got out of the pool, still girls wanted to pose with us hahaha (kapal!). Seriously, we just crashed in the photo session and threatened the owner of the camera that we will throw her in the pool if she would not take our picture. Naniwala naman.

But outings wouldn’t be fun if there are no funny people around. These two, Mahalia and tolits are my favorite seatmates in High School. Mahalia is the one I mentioned earlier in my post who was so darn good in english that when tolits and I ran out of nosebleeding lingustics to say, we just tease her “F*** You”. She will readily reply as quick as an automatic robot “I cannot F*** myself, I need a man!”. Haha. sometimes I wonder if I am the buffer of Mahalia and tolit’s sexual tension and the preventive isolator of the fusion of their sexual desires haha Peace tolits!

And of course, who would forget how lousy and abnoy we were back then in Highschool, going to a river for a swim where in fact it’s only knee deep and can’t even whisk water on your crotch? Yet what matters most is that we get to grill pork, beef and fish that ended up as steaks (satirical term for burnt meat).

And when the Mignonnes and Lynx are not around, we climb the slopes of Banahaw to add some more burden on our pampered bodies and boring life and was somehow hoping that the 12 hour hike would lead us to salvation. As if trimming the verge of gorilla park was not enough!

Viginal Hunks, but looks can be deceiving really!

So when we get tired of climbing the seemingly endless heights of the Banahaw mountains, we just laze around on the first tree that we see and unpack our heavy built habagats. See my shoulders? It was patched with a dozen salonpas because a jerk placed rocks inside my backpack. Till now I still don’t know who did it grrrr.

No more meat to grill, only Ligo and Century Tuna to heat haha (Armibus, Lawrence, Paul, Vlady, Eric, Brian and Jerry).

But you know, sometimes we are too excited to climb the heights that we lose our way towards the peak. This camping site is not a “camping site” per se, but is actually a dried-out river bank coming from Mt. Makulot. I was thankful that during our stay that night, it did not rain or else we would all end up as salmons rolling down the slopes. Some finally called it quits. But the four of us continued our journey.

But Patience is a virtue. The four of us who pursued the right path towards the top got there on time and saw the marvelous peak of the Tagaytay Higlands and the breath taking beauty of Taal lake. (Jeff (+), Jash and Armibus)

We ran out of briefs and because our teachers taught us to be resourceful, we used the side B. Makati na masyado sa singit ang Side A. (Tasyo, Armibus and Jash)

We are not that good in Christian Living. We are not experts in Tangents and Co-tangents. Nor are we masters of the Little Prince and the World is an apple. But we are definitely the demigods of party! (Jash, Dex, Peter, Balot, Brian, Vlady, Yours trully and Donald )

We storm houses once we hear that F-O-O-D would be around, kahit gano pa yan kalayo!

Kahit sa linang (bukid) pa yan. Basta me alak at chibog… swak!

And of course who would forget the annual senior’s prom where everyone are dressed up as if they are attending awards night. Just don’t mind the girls’ hair or else birds will fly out of it haha. The Visionaries arrived on time but I don’t know why they kept themselves at the back where in fact the camera is in front haha. Seriously, I got bored at the back because the rest of the guys are to awkward to show their tuxs. (Singing.. bakit ako mahihiya?…) (Armibus, Sushi, Shane, April, Bebang, Lorraine, Ria and with the shining locks of hair, Robin).

Most of the time, we just invent occassions so that we could escape the bondage of house chores. I remember my Pudra and Mudra once exlaimed: “Ilan ba ang estudyante sa inyo at araw araw ata ay may bertdeyan (How many students does your school have since everyday there is always a birthday celebration?). I proudly answered with chest out, stomach in and chin up: 365 po! and yes, I was slapped by my mother and punched by my father (you do realize that I was just exaggerating?). (Brian, Vlady, Euyin, Robin, Shane, Mariz, Shila, Armibus, Donald)

But not all parties are graced by my presence like this one. I do not know why I was not in this pic since I can smell a Kodak film within a 100 mile radius. I don’t remember attending this party. I just posted this to put guilt on my friends for not inviting me to this one, Either they never wanted me to steal the limelight of the picture taking or Aprilyn (the bday celebrant) was just worried that I would eat all of her food.

Hmmm at last I was here. I think this is Donna’s Birthday (Brian, Sushi, Ria, Jerry, Vlady, Jash, Donna, Diane - she was still a baby then… and Armibus)

Yet there are times that I’m too drunk to pose with decency on cameras. I was so drunk here that looking at the flash made my eyes all watery. (Ciscy, Robin, Lorraine, Irene, Kathleen, Cedie, Jonathan and Armibus)

But of course in every Party there is always a yosi.

I have to behave myself because at this time I was really in love with that girl wearing stripes. She’s my best friend since Grade 7. I never realized that the girl I was lookingfor was just in front of me. I never told her how I felt about her until 11 years after. I know, napaka torpe ko. I was so afraid to ruin the friendship that we had then. I was so afraid of hurting her because I know how fragile she is just like a tulip at the palm of your hands. It’s a long story. If you are my loyal reader, you will find very bit of her in most of my post.

The girls of my high school life. I was one of their protectors and body guards back then. I was ready to kill just for these girls that sometimes I over react. It’s like having ten sisters in one family who constantly bombard you everyday with all sorts of requests that you can’t seem to turn down. I was like a mail box (there was no email then) because everyday I receive dozens of thoughtful notes and letters which I still keep up to this day. Their letters to me are the source of one of my OTWOMD series here called “Post Scripts”.

As we grew in maturity, we learn how to deal with our behaviors and manners whenever there are parties. Gradually we realize the importance of public perception, and parties such as this helped us to clip our very restless wings.

haha. No It’s not holloween. they just happen to be the first ever batch of mail-order-brides haha. Seriously, they are about to throw their left feet on the stage for the Cotillion and Regodon Grande haha. Raise your finger laleth hahaha.

See how behave we were! (Armibus, Brian, The nutritionally-challenged Jash, Jerry, Jeff (+), Vlady and Cedie with debutant Toni).

Visionaries and Mignonnes with CLARETTE!!!

This was the last time I saw Jeehan (second from right). After this gig, I never saw her again. Last time I heard about her was that she’s already in Switzerland. Again with CLARETTE!

Right before we left the party with CLARETTE again for the Nth time!.

And as we finish our Master’s Degree in Drinking and Social Climbing, we had the chance to have our thesis reviewed by a panel of public socialites during Mariz’ debut in Westin Philippine Plaza. Most of the guys in this photo have stayed in the Barkada and still have contacts with each other. As usual Peter is late again.

Right after the much dreaded Cotillion de Honor and 18 Roses. (Cedie, Armibus, Ria, Vlady, Robin, Recelyn, the debutant Mariz, Donna, Alex and Tasyo. Peter is still missing in action).

At last Peter came with his Barong Tagalog. Akala talaga namin galing pa ng kasalan si peter hahaha. (Ria, Vlady, Brian, Carol, Dennis, Lorraine, Armibus, Donna, Shane and the Ultimate Barong Tagalog Hanger, PETER! haha. Joke lang pare).

I think this was the last time that our Barkada was complete. I never thought that our college life will take us to different roads, different people and different dreams to pursue…

The rest of the gang went to the suite already.

And when we arrive in our Hotel Suite, this is the scene that we witnessed: Truth or consequence with lipstick markings. And because I still believe in the lies of my sister that Chin-Chan-zu can eradicate pimples, I didn’t join the fun for fear of irritating my already damaged skin. I think this was the time that Robin, Donna and myself hid inside the large cabinet and was laughing all night long. And you thought we slept? No! We laughed till dawn haha. I think someone ate all the food in the mini bar thinking it was free. Upon check out, the bill was shouting for immediate payment haha. Idiottttt! haha Kanya kanyang eskapo!

We all thought that we’ve all grown, but realizing the last good days of being together were alsmost over, Isip-bata mode uli and was posing non stop for the camera. Brian and Vlady was so up-beat with the cam that their mouths almost teared halfway through their ears just so they can say cheese haha

The last ever photo of the Mignnones with Mariz, Ria and Lorraine. Donna was studying at UPLB at that time, Mariz at De La Salle Dasma, Shane at UP Baguio, Sushi at St. Scho, Robin at FEU, Ria at UP Manila and Lorraine at MSEUF.

Yet with all the fun that we had in High School, there was still space for spiritual reflection and recollection. This was the “True” retreat that we had that was canceled before. The Lynx with Alex, Armibus, Parish and some random guy hahaha.

On our retreat with the 10-Endurance boys. Vans was the hippest shoes back then so I was bragging my overused and abused pair of Vans in front of the Camera. The weather that week was hot and yet Peter wore his favorite Chaleco, at may mga nametag pa haha. Wonder why tolits was sitting here? His legs and calf won’t fit in the camera lens haha

The High School experience was already near its end…

And Graduation came… See the woman in a black and white dress? don’t be fooled by her looks, she wears boxing gloves when everybody is not looking and raises her hands when the bell rings haha. Actually she almost made one of our effeminate classmate the round girl for our classroom haha. Pero sina Rex lang takot dyan, sa akin pag exam? brick game lang katapat nyan hahahahaha

This was my last chance to annoy our Sor Principal so I murmured to her gently and asked an idiotic question while she puts the medal around my neck. I asked her if I could pawn the medal at the pawnshop. She smirked and told me “Baka gusto mong bawiin ko yan!” hahaha

Even on the last day of my High School life I was teasing one of my friends in our Class. I think it was Judith Aldovino whom I was talking too here in this pic. She was telling me something and teasing me “wow parang tunay!” (Its like for real) and I told her, “Yari ka pag ikaw naman tinawag mamaya, sisigaw ako ng Bravo Judith!, Ang Seksi mo!” (If it’s your turn already I will yell Bravo and you are so sexy). And yes I did, to the humiliation of my friend who was coming down from the stage laughing to death. haha. Ako pa laitin? haha

The toga is stapled on my scalp.

Who would have thought that time would fly so fast that it was 14 years ago on that 10th day of March that we walked the fields of our Alma Matter for the last time…

The proudest moment of the Visionaries, all 14 of us graduated with or without honors, encompassing all those suspensions, threats of expulsion, cutting of classes, piles of tardy slips from Bonesa, Verbal abuses from Yokaba-Henete, Physical battering from Rocky Marciana, Yosi Breaks at The Gorilla Park, bottles of Redhorse in Aling Diling’s, and all those going to class tipsy and groggy… (Mais con Yelo este Donald pala, haha - sensya na pare- joke lang, Armibus, Eric, Tolits, Vlady, Jash, Cedie, Dex, jerry, Brian, Anghel and Peter!)

MAGKAKABARKADA PA RIN PAGKALIPAS NG LABING APAT NA TAON!

Alex is now one of highest paid (naks) Medical Representative and is now planning to get married hopefully this year…

Aprilyn now works at People Support and still the trendiest Cindy Crawford of our gang… and at last she added me to her friendster haha

Bebang is still single like me. We bumped into each other in a DVD shop buying pirated copies haha (wag tatangi, pareho tayong ma-O-OMB). Last time I heard from her she was working in the Bishop’s palace under Fr. Serg. Bebang tayo na lang, pareho naman tayong sing-gol haha.

Brian is now based and in Quezon City and just recently, showed himself to us on friendster…

Carol is now based in Indiana USA with his hubby. His son will soon join them in the US

Cedie (Jeffrey) is still single but has the most number of chickababes. Getting Married is not yet his priority because he is still enjoying with his bachelor-life and the fact that Cedie wanted to be stable before marrying someone…

Ciscy now has four children, two of which are identical twins… soaks herself in the computer shop… LOL

Tasyo (Dennis) is now happily married to Vlady’s first cousin Apple and have their own Unico Iho - Dylan, My God Child…

Peter (Derick) married our classmate Chrisel and they now have a baby boy whom I Godfathered (Peter is the brother of Eto ang Sayo blog author, Mix Glorioso). Opo di na sya nagsusuot ng Chaleco at Barong Tagalog haha..

Dex has two sons with Arlene and is happily married with her. He now works at a Real Estate Company…

Donna is now happily married and has two very beautiful kids. She’s now based in Paranaque…

Eric is now happily married to our Batchmate Irene and produced three lovely children, two of which are twins. Up to now, he still turns red after two bottles of beer… i-aapply na nga namin ito bilang traffic light eh haha. Sensya na pare sa pic kahit sa friendster wala ako makita photo mo…

Heddie is now based in Manila Pursuing law with his boyfriend… Miggy, her only son is my Godchild and yep we are still best of friends up to this day, promising ourselves that no teacher would ever again send us out of the classroom haha

Jash just came from Dubai last year and now have his very own son… He gained weight at last!

Jerry of the Visionaries tied the knot with Sushila of the Mignonnes and produced three beautiful and handsome kids. Their youngest, Jett is my Godson… Jerry is the one I wrote about in my “Probus Manum / Thank you page”

Joy is now based in New York with his Austrian Descent husband and is touring the world every year…

Leo is now based in UAE. We lost contact with him after Graduation. And thanks to friendster, we have seen him again.

Lorena is now based in New York with her Family…

Lorraine is now a full time mom based on Canada with a family of her own… She never grew tall, but her hair did.

Ria is now a Nurse in Vallejo California and happily married with his hubby. She was the one who taught me the meaning of the word “Utong”. Kasi during sophomore year (i think) I complained to her about my swollen nipples. Akala ko noon kasi basta suso, sakop lahat ng dibdib. Malay ko ba na may parts pala yun. And true enough when I studied Physical therapy, my professor told me that “utong”, ‘nipples” and “ariola” are one and the same.

Robin is now Married to Pareng Joseph who works in Carnival (a Luxury Liner) and have their own son Miggy, She will soon join him on the ship… and Yes we do not hide in the cabinet anymore haha.. Di na kami kasya… Robin is one of those people who I wrote about in my “Probus Manum / Thank you page”

Shane just graduated from her second course Nursing and is happily Married to Doc Jowelson MD. They now run a family hospital in Caloocan… Shane also is now one of the Country’s leading Tagalog Erotic Novelist. I have signed copies of her books hehe… and yes, I am also the Godfather of their eldest son…

Dra. Sunshine is now an M.D. and is happily married to Dr. Dayalo. Funny thing was, after so many years of not seeing each other, we bumped elbows in a very unexpected place. Sa dinami dami ng lugar na pwede kami magkita sa OR pa. In the operating room of Quezon Medical Center, I was assisting an explorelap as a student nurse until I noticed that the assistant surgeon glanced at me. And because we were not allowed to roam our eyes elsewhere during an operation (lest the patient would bleed to death), I did not bother asking who she was. But her eyes were very familiar. Until after the operation was over (with our surgical mask still on) I courageously asked her if her name was Sunshine. And to my surprise she said yes. After that brief re-introduction of ourselves, I thought I would never had the chance to talk to her again because I was assigned in cleaning the paraphernalias post-op. But to my shock (again), she sought me in the lavatory and we exchanged chat. See how down to earth she was? Sa dami ng mga kurimao na doktor doon sa QMC sya lang ang namumukod tangi na kumausap sa akin haha. Of all the the Mignonnes, I was particularly shy with Sunshine because of her status (you don’t know how popular and rich she is in our hometown). If ABS_CBN has KC, si Sunshine ang pambato ng Barkada.

Tolits is now Married to Mareng Minny and are blessed with a beautiful daughter… He is still my favorite seatmate… during liquor time…

Toni is now Pfizer’s most “Quotable” Medical Representative and Is Happily Married to Benediuct who is now based in Florida… soon Bea, their daughter and Toni will join Benedict in the US… Toni is the other girl who I wrote about in my “Probus Manum / Thank you page”

Vlady is Married to her High School Sweetheart Mareng Euyin and are blessed with four handsome barakos… Vlady is the guy who I wrote about in my “Probus Manum / Thank you page”

Weng (now Mrs. Velasco) is now based in the US and is happily Married with two kids…

Milou is now getting married this August… we’re still best of friends and is communicating with each other from time to time. She is now based in Bacoor Cavite and last time I saw her was 2006 when I searched for her house in Cavite just to tell her everything I felt for her. And yes, after eleven years I had the guts to tell her everything only to find out that she already have a boyfriend…

ako? Still journeying with them… pasasaan ba’t sila naman ang aabay sa akin at magnininong sa anak ko hehe, but for now, I still have something to pursue… Read my blog as often as you can and you’ll know the latest about me…

My friends always tease me as the “Picture Obssessed Guy”. Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t kept, stole (haha) and documented all our photos, would I still remember everything and put it here on the internet for all the world to see? True enough that patience is a Virtue, maintaining all those pictures and preserving most of the negatives. Wala pa kasi noon na Digicam… and now thank God, we have something to look back for us to cherish and for allof our children and grandchildren to witness how we lived our lives in the early nineties. May this “Too Hundreth” Bring smiles and tears to each and everyone who have experienced the wonders of HS life and the magic of lasting friendships.

Times have changed, people change… that is what life is all about. I almost quit the Barkada so many times because when I came back to the group from my seminary formation, it seems everybody changed. It didn’t take long before I finally realized that the Barkada that I cherished so much has evolved and matured… sa dinami dami ng mga unos na dumaan, sa dami dami ng tampuhan na pinagdaanan, eto’t buhay pa rin kami. Sana lang, magkasama-sama uli kami ng buo, kahit isang sandali, yun bang walang naiipit sa gitna, yun bang walang nagsisisihan, yun bang walang nagsusumbatan, yun bang kakalimutan muna ang mga tampuhan kahit isang sandali man lang, magkasama-sma lang ulit…

Mukhang imposible na, pero ako’y umaasa na sa banda roon ng buhay… magkikita kita ulit kami tulad ng dati…

Panahon lang… panahon…

Mga pare, san na nga bang barkada ngayon?

Nagiisa lang ang Mignonne, Lynx at Visionaries… Kahit kelan di na ito muli mauulit…

Para sa mga kabarkada namin na di na namin nakikita, nakakausap o Nakakasama, andito lang kami…

It is my august privilege journeying with you guys. I wouldn’t be what I am now if not for all of you.

Jefferson Desembrana a.k.a. Jeff, Epoy. Ipoy, (1977-2001) is now with our Lord who entered the gates of Heaven on July 2001. He died of Brain Cancer at a young age of 24. I haven’t had the chance to comfort him with the Visionaries and Mignonnes during his sufferings because I was in the seminary at that time. In 1998, Before he died, I still went to his house and had a few drinks with him and his cousins. He was still okay back then. When I came out of the Seminary on May 22, 2001, I had no contact with the barkada because of fear of being asked for the reason of my permanent leave. I was not yet ready to break them my news. Little did I know that at that time, Jeff was already suffering terribly from his brain tumor. After barely two months of being outside the formation, Milou called me up and told me the sad news that Jeff already passed away. To this day I regret the fact of not showing myself early on with the tropa. If only I contacted them immediately after I came home, I could have talked to Jeff alive. When I went to his house that fateful day of July, I saw him already encased between the stifling casket, the glass frame being the only one that was laid between us. You know why I love this guy? (This is a confession that I will make that few of my Barkada knew). It’s because Milou had a major crush on Jeff that every time I was with her, we talked for hours about Jeff. I was hurting at that time but because Jeff is my Barkada, I had no bad blood with him. Jeff was also the reason why I failed to tell Milou how I felt because at that time, he placed Jeff in the pedestal, on my part however, I feared so much that I’ll suffer comparison and become a rebound of Mi’s affection for this guy. During that time, Jeff was already with his girlfriend. On the day of the funeral, I went to see Jeff for the last time, with Milou on my side. Jeff was the last one to join us in the group. Yet in hindsight, he was more a VISIONARIES than the rest of us all. If he was alive today, I will bet my birdie, that he will be the primary peacemaker of the group, for he is really what he really is. Jeff is also the one whom I dedicated my “Malayang Isipan” post.

Pareng Jeff (+) para sayo ‘to

Magkita-kita ulit tayo sa aking ika-3 daang artikulo!

SEE YOU ON THE 300TH!

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*Photos courtesy of the following: (Friendster “Nenok Mode”) Alex, Aprilyn, Brian, Carol, Cassandra, Apple, Dex, Donna, Heddie, Leo, Bebang, Sunshine, Jash, Jerry and Sushi, Joy, Lorraine, Ria, Lorena, Shane, Robin, Tolits, Toni, Vlady, Weng and Milou. Kala nyo binibisita ko friendster nyo ano? Nagnenok ako haha…

*Photos used in the documentary: (Photo Album “Dekwat Mode”) Army, Shila, Heddie, Peter, Vladimir, Toni, Robin, Donna, the “Graduate of the Century Yearbook” and “The Heartbeat 94″ Neons’ Yearbook. P.S. Pareng Jasper at Pareng Vlady isauli nyo na ang mga picture na dinekwat nyo sa akin nung High School haha…