This was my Opening Remarks for the Golden Jubilee Reunion:

Thank you Father Francis for welcoming us in this 320-year old beautiful casa de clerigos, or house of clerics!

Dear guests, classmates, mga sano: marhay na banggi tabi saindo gabus! For those who do not know me, I am General Rey Lomeda, Army, Retired, a graduate of PMA Class of 1980.

Others call me Jess but I remember, as a young boy here in the seminary, classmates call me: Lomé or “The Brain”.

Today, my classmates from high school are gathering to celebrate our Golden anniversary – as we graduated on the 14th day of April 1973, a year after the Colgante Bridge Tragedy and the declaration of Martial Law – exactly half a century ago. For Class ’73, “Many are called but more than half were chosen!” From out of the 23 graduates, 12 were chosen to be priests and eventually one becoming a Bishop; there is an unsung composer who wrote the popular song: “Sino Ako” (which is highly plagiarized and pirated); and other songs: “Kung May Bukas”, “Isang Landas” (we will request him to sing his compositions later); there are three priests ministering at Stateside Dioceses: Houston, Austin and Wisconsin; one classmate is based in Australia, but five remained with Caceres and another one at Sorsogon who is blessed to be a gifted miracle healer, the founder of the Divine Healer Academy where children of poor families can study for free. Two priest classmates already left ahead of us – as we remember them: Fathers Louie Macandog and Buboy San Andres.

The others became laymen of good standing. Latin is a good foundation for lawyers. One becoming top 6 in the bar exam, another one, a high ranking prosecutor at DOJ and two are Aquila Legis of Ateneo. Later, one of them will be awarded with the Jose Panganiban Award by the alumni association. There are two Generals in the class: one is a real one and the other is a real name; two Captains: one retired from a Norwegian ship and the other one is still active in a Barangay; two are experts on money: one is a retired BIR revenue accountant and the other one used to be the manager of Maybank in Naga but gone now, after the first death in the class (we always remember you: Tisoy Mariano and Nonito Bornas); two are opposites in business: one is for profit and another one is with a non-profit, the Habitat for Humanity, serving as an active lay minister. Up to now, there are still among us, laymen, aspiring to become permanent deacons.

From all that I said, you will discover later who they are, when individual profiles are revealed.

In behalf of my classmates, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you who took their time and effort in joining this milestone: His Grace, Archbishop Tirona of Caceres; Bishop Rex Alarcon of Daet; Major General Don Bajao, the Army Commander in the entire Bicolandia, sends his regrets but gracious enough for letting his musical band to come over to liven up this party; and in his place, he sent his deputy, Brigadier General Jimmy Abawag; and Assistant Division Commander for Reservists, Col Ricky Laniog. Thanks to Father Francis Tordilla, the Rector of the Seminary, who is kind enough for adopting us for three days and letting us relive our high school life here; with him are seminary fathers: Fathers Dalanon, Peña, Guran, Baracena, Beria & Dorosan – Dios mabalos tabi saindo! I thank the President of the alumni association: Judge Leo Intia. I thank Fr. Yoyo Gaite, the former rector. It was during his time as Rector when we conceptualized this reunion.

Those not here, but we always remember them: especially, Bishop Manlapaz,our Rector, whom we have the best memories. Fathers Aguilar, Villamora, Obias; Sister Maria Luz Revilla, Sor Avilina, Mrs. Arcilla, Ma’am Cañaveral, Tsang Sion (the cook) and Ka Pilo (the carpenter).

To our contemporaries present tonight: Eddie Boy Moll, Ote Barrameda and Gil Imperial. Did I miss anybody?

Jubilarian wives present: Luz Alparan, Babysol Casteñeda and Blue.

The seminary is the only school where all its students are members of the choir, maski desintunado. I remember Fr. Villamora and Mr. Caloy Regalario as musical directors and arrangers. Bicolano songs, such as “Si Nanay Si Tatay” “Sarong Banggi” and songs, excerpts from Jesus Christ Superstar album; Jabs Sabas on drums, Nonito Bornas on the big bajo strings and Boots Pardo on piano. Every time we held a concert at Santa Isabel, everyone sang in hair-raising way! Kilig ang mga colehalas…my wife was only in kindergarten during those time.

There are so many memories. We were afraid of headless ghosts at the infirmary. Then, there was Typhoon Sening and relief goods were kept here in the seminary. Together with classmates, off-limits, we experienced “ukay-ukay”. 

On the other hand, there were so many mischiefs. I witnessed bare-knuckle fighting between seminarians from CamSur versus Norte. For bullies, there was payback time; waking up early in the morning on the day semestral breaks are in effect – most hated ones open their eyes with their mosquito nets slashed by Gillette blades. One classmate padlocked the room of our Prefect-of-Discipline, to make the priest a prisoner of his own room, before running out of the seminary for vacation; and me, as the look-out, I never saw my classmate again after that incident – up to now!

Then Fr. Arellano, who became the Bishop of Libmanan, taught us algebra and calculus, he awakened us every after siesta time by pulling our banigs while we were still on bed or whipping us with a “yantok”, a whip use for horses in karetelas. Then after, all of us rushing to attend Mrs. Arcilla chemistry class – still sleepy; her daughter is now married to our classmate. 

In 50 years, the young boys are now senior citizens and retired. In 50 years gave us enough reason to meet together, “classmates for a lifetime”. I saw these familiar faces again today and the past years have clearly emerged. I cannot forget climbing the front bricked-pillars of the seminary at nighttime with Fr. Gerard, my BFF. We would not dare redoing that escapade anymore. We, classmates, would just be contented, in what we did, scrubbing the floors with coconut husks, at the hallway upstairs – travelling in time. As brothers, Alzheimer could not erase the passion of the years, such as many songs that we sang as a choir members, practicing at the wee hours of the day, and night; I cannot forget the young and frivolous, pursuing reverence and excellence; many still cannot forget the beginning of their priestly vocation! Here, leaving us too many memories!

Unforgettable, alma mater! Unforgettable, teachers! Here, in the homecoming, let us remember our first night, dark and traumatized, crying out loud, as we were left alone by our mothers, for the first time, still infants, at the age of twelve.

On behalf of all my classmates: I wish all past and present teachers of this seminary a long and healthy life! I wish the education of the seminary and the future of my alma mater will be even better!

The years are a long river, and it has been 50 years! In the past, all classmates showed their vigour. The journey in life was unpredictable; some were calm seas but others were menacing tides, and there are sudden miseries; but through prayers, we all survived! Our foundation of faith, we built in this seminary, can never be shaken down! I was praying the Rosary, while armalite in hand, when I was ambushed in a vehicle, with my Battalion Commander at another vehicle, in the outskirt of Jolo town at nighttime, exchanging fire while onboard, getting hit, thrown away from the jeep, bleeding, running out of ammo, hiding, the Rosary was then my only refuge – clinging to it, praying, I survived together with my six companions, while the jeep of my battalion commander escaped from the killing zone – truly, it was a miracle that no one was killed, the Lady of the Most Holy Rosary protected not only me but also my companions that night!

The years have passed and youth is no longer there – Gurang na kita! Therefore, I wonder if you have thought about how to make the last quarter of our lives more meaningful. I don’t know if you have looked forward in how to make your career continue to be brilliant in the new years to come? There are now many many ailments coming out from our bodies, which we never expect; for me: four heart arteries got clogged that underwent a quadruple bypassed surgery four years ago. Based on this, classmates are inclined to provide a platform for all the classmates who are less fortunate, to let everyone’s love and dedication be felt, so that yesterday’s sentiment, today’s persistence, and tomorrow’s pursuit can be realized. Thank you to all, who came to the rescue of Fr. Sabas, financially and spiritually, when Jabs was operated for tumour recently at the Kidney Institute. Especially to Jun Lipnica, our classmate in our early years, who openly gave his unselfish assistance; and intimating, “That’s what classmates are for!”

The road is long and we are nearing to our destinations. Isn’t this worth cherishing? Remember, let us stick to this friendship!

Friendship is a drop of water that nourishes the thirst of the heart, and making our whole body warm, always.

Dear classmates, for our deep friendship developed here in this hallowed grounds; for our healthy and beautiful life, let us thank God and thank our alma mater! Let us wish together, friendship will last forever…

The lines from our graduation song, Brian Song, clearly state:

“If the hand of time, Were hand that I could hold, I’d keep them warm; And in my hand, They ‘d not turn cold.”

Finally, I hope that today’s gathering will be a wonderful continuation for our future life, not only for us but also to our guests, everybody present with us, today, cheering for Class of 1973!

At this juncture, please all stand up and join me in a toast, [Please get your glasses]. 

“Deus bonus est et mundus quidem mirabilis est!”

“God is Good and and it is indeed a wonderful world!” 

CHEERS!

SALUD! and

MABUHAY!