Our Link to the Past
March 1, 2007Hi Guys,
This is Myrna "Men" Venida-Abot, one of your former DPS classmates, now married to Rene Abot, Jr., since 1977, has 3 kids (2 boys, 1 girl)- IJ III 29, Myrene 27, and JV 20. Presently, residing in the USA since 1991. Worked as Legal Assistant for 4 years in New York, moved to California - worked for Washington Mutual Bank for 10 years and now connected with the Dept. of Justice- working as Tagalog Interpreter. Normally go back to Daet every 2 years until 2003. When my Mom had a stroke in 2005 I make sure to go home twice a year. I met with some of our classmates in 2005/2006, like Mendy, Yoly, Remo, Ramona, Susan, Estrella Asis, Joe Zano, Boying Pajarillo, Fr. Sanchez, Milagros, Echano,Manny Abogado and Boboy( whom I see almost everytime I go home). They've been planning this reunion since then and Mendy had been very busy trying to make this occasion a success - I really appreciate all her efforts. I want to see all of you guys and enjoy everyone's company one more time. I sure hope to get a time off from work to be with all of you. I talk to Joe Sales almost every week, Ed Canela emails me every now and then. I hope to hear from all of you soon.
My address: 5469 Gearny DriveSacramento, CA 95823Home (916) 429-2992Cell (916) 475-3239
Hugss,
Myrna "Men" Venida-Abot
March 2, 2007
Men-sorry to hear about your mother. I saw her a few years back still very active and into ballroom. She is in a better place now just like my mom too. How's Joe Sales? I haven't heard from him for the longest time. Can you share me his phone # or email? And also Ed Canela's?Thanks and best regards to all. Pls. keep these emails coming.
Fechie
March 2, 2007
Dear Fechie,
Thank you for your condolence. Actually, I lost 3 loved ones last year (my Mom's youngest sister who lived with us, brother Adolfo "Puto" and Mama). I am really sad but glad that they are not in pain anymore. You said your brother is very sick - which brother is it? I know 4 of them, the priest, Manuel, Jovencio and Joaquin. Please let me know so I can pray for him. Please take care.
Men
March 21, 2007
Hi Men,
You continue to amaze me! Not only do you have the pictures of yesteryears but you also have the list of our classmates. This is fantastic! I know you were one of the class officers but I did not know that you were designated archives of DPS too. Great job!
You continue to amaze me! Not only do you have the pictures of yesteryears but you also have the list of our classmates. This is fantastic! I know you were one of the class officers but I did not know that you were designated archives of DPS too. Great job!
Fechie
36 comments:
April 4
Hi Guys,
It is with deepest regret to inform you that I won't be able to make it to the reunion and it really breaks my heart because I wanted to see all of you.May not be there physically but will be there in spirit. Offer one subo of pagkain for me, OK?
Toti - will be sending my contribution soonest. Noticed that you posted 2 pictures of the new LLC building but not the old DPS - sent one but it bounced back - said message was too large. Cropped it so many times and sent it to Ed to forward to you. Please let me know if you receive it.
Please send me copy of the CD.
Thank you and regards to all.
Men
Dear men,
why? what happened? your boss didn't allow you to take a leave? Sayang naman, you've been one of the organizers of this big event and you'll not be able to make it. But for sure you have a valid reason because we all know that from the very start you were really eager to come home for the reunion.
i haven't received the picture of the old DPS. What I'm using is one which I cropped from the Grade I or Grade II class picture.
Most of the pictures down memory lane came from you. don't worry, I'll send you a copy of the CD. and i'll surely offer maybe not just one "subo" for you. Di ba when we were about to meet Ed Canela, you said in your email, ikain ka na lang, and that you wanted seafood? All of us (Rudy, Ed, and Rory) remembered that, so we went dining at Crustasia.
Hope we'll still see each other, and all the rest who will not be able to come before a + is added to our name!
Toti
Men,
I felt sad and depressed that you won't make it to the reunion. Ikaw pa naman ang maraming memories about our high school days plus all the memorabilias. Remember ikaw ang archives ng DPS.
I am getting anxious about my planned strategy to get off work in order to attend this reunion. Hopefully, I will not encounter major repercussion in my work. Right now, my boss is working with an arm injury since we are really short of manpower. But, bahala na. I already have a ticket all the way to Naga. All I can concentrate on right now is having fun during the event. However, it would have been more fun if you will be there. Pilitin mo naman o!
Will miss you.
Fechie
Hi Men…
Ohhh, I will be really so disappointed not to have the chance of meeting you in Daet…ahhh. Very sad….
Very sad Men...
Ed Canela
Men,
It is regrettable that you can not join us in the re-union. You`ll surely be missed. As a matter of fact, my wife was looking forward to meeting you.
Take care and Best Regards to your loved ones.
Rudy
Wow, Men! Not only are you the external archives of DPS '67 but internal as well. You are amazing. Pati yong hindi taga Parochial kilala mo rin!
Best regards.
Fechie
Dear Fechie,
Thank you. Like I said I spent one year at Mabini Colleges -when I was in 3rd Year. These guys that I mentioned were clasmates from there. Huwag mo na akong tanungin tungkol sa mga taga Camarines Norte High School and Heroes Memorial - wala akong kilala doon. By the way, when are you leaving for the Philippines? I will try to kulit my boss tomorrow for an answer so I can make plans. My scheduled flight is on the 9th to the 20th. If I can make it, perhaps I can go with Tess, too. Sigurado masaya ang trip pag together tayo nila Toti. Sana, pagdating natin may mga yellow ribbons sa DPS/LCCI - para welcome talaga tayo, after 40 years! Wow! excited talaga ako.
Wish me good luck for tomorrow. Thank you.
Hugs,
Men
Dear Toti,
Guess who just called and join our California reunion? ALLAN MULLIGAN! Hope to convince him to attend the Ruby reunion too. He is coming to Sacramento on 03/21 spend the night, and leave early on 03/22 to see Rudy in SFO. I am really excited.
By the way, did you get the "antique" photos? I think I've sent you class pictures from Grades I to 4th Year. I don't have the 3rd year - wasn't in Parochial during that time - had a disagreement with Sor Victorina. When she left the following year, all the Venidas went back to La Consolacion.
So long - just want to update you on what's going on over here.
Take care,
Men
Mar 18
Dear Men,
Yes, I got the two latest pictures and all the "antique" photos you sent. I also have a picture of third year class. I seem to have forgotten that you weren't with us in third year. tingnan ko ulit iyong picture.
Your reunion must be exciting. Just like our very first meeting in Makati last March 1, I wasn't sure if I'd recognize those I haven't seen in 40 years. I'll sure wait for your pictures. I also want to see how you all look like now.
I'm sure you'll have a great time.
toti
Toti
Tried viewing the 2 latest pictures from Men but I guess you have not posted them yet. Anyway, just eager to see them and see if I can face the challenge of being able to recognize the subjects.
Fechie
Apr 6
Hi Myrna…grabe ang archive mo…Massive. I like to restore some of these one day. Maybe you can issue a contract to me and we can restore these archive for posterity….Even LCCI would have such fotos.
Ed Canela
Apr 5
Hello all (but specially for Men),
Meron ba tayong kaklase na Araceli Banzon? Just a thought? Does anyone know her (or her Brother’s) whereabouts? Hugsssss
Ed Canela
Apr 5, 2007
Dear Ed,
Yes Ed, Araceli was our classmate in First Year. Her brother's name is Alberto, a year ahead of us-classmate of Angel Racoma. They studied at UST. They are from Olongapo. Their father (Antonio) was connected with the Department of Irrigation System (National Irrigation Administration). I also heard that Edmundo Rios is in Olongapo (Per Dorset's brother, Mike).
By the way, I seem to have misplaced the second page of your The Dreamers' World, where you mentioned about working at the United Nations. Sorry.
Men
Apr 5
Wow…great memory Men…pero mukhang no more contacts ha….no problem with Dreamers World…One page is better than none…did not even that such exist till your archive suddenly came along….Great….you are sending us whatever you have, right????
Ed Canela
Apr 5
Dear Ed,
Still trying to look at the bottom of my baul. Baka tumiwarik ako. Malalim kasi. He, he
Men
Apr 6
Thank you. Checked with Toti and he said it was ok to send whatever I have. Tried to send copies of the invitations and programmes, after I scanned them the results were not good, they were unreadable. Wish I could do something about it.
RE: Araceli Banzon, sorry, last time was in 1969 when we went to Olongapo for a picnic with Cynthia, Boying Pajarillo, Tony de Belen, and Jun V. sorry.
Men
Apr 7
Toti, does anybody have a copy of the 4th Year Graduation programme? If not, can send it to you.
Men
Insan,
Happy Easter to you and your loved ones! I want to see the graduation programme too. Please post it. 'talk to you later.
Danny
April 7
Dear Men,
Galing talaga ng Class Archivist natin!
It's only now that I re-discovered that Bert was our Salutatorian and not Rudy (sorry, Bert, in Ed's Trivia questions, I placed Rudy). I thought I was third honorable mention.
May character pala ako, just like Marynat. What does the award mean.... tahimik! yong a-anga-anga!
Why is it "Character" award for the HS graduating students, and "Deportment" for the elem grads? - trivia question.
Salute to Bert and Fechie, cadets of the year pala! Why didn't you get the award Danny? (intriga!)
no question about Ed's award, he deserved it. (intriga, ulit, does it mean others didn't deserve it, hahaha!)
Kawawa naman si Emilia de Jesus, parang after-thought yong pagiging Third Honors, naka-stamp na lang pangalan. (intriga ulit)
Ok, tama na. Baka kung ano pang masabi!
I love this programme, Men!
Toti
Apr 7
Dear Men,
Grabe ang documentation mo. I suppose you did this not only for the elementary and high school chapters of your life, but for many other phases of your life. Ang galing ano?
I started my own documentation only recently. I have a database of the headlines of newspapers that I buy since 2000, as well as interesting news, articles, and columns arranged by topic. I also made a diary of major personal events in Microsoft Works Calendar since 2003, but which I accidentally erased last February while doing a back-up (ironically) of my files prior to re-installation of Windows
in my laptop. So, back to zero ulit.
But photo documentation, meron na. In fact, I gathered all the albums of my brother and his family in calamba (mga 20 albums siguro) and took pictures of them (I don't have a scanner), so I already have a digital file of old pictures, and I made CDs for each of my nephews and niece, and my favorite apo. Yon lang, I wasn't the one who kept our own family albums, so I don't even have my own graduation picture. These were probably misplaced when transferring from one place to another.
I hope we can maintain our class archive, and continue to build on it, with you around. Attached is an excel file of the directory. this can not be completed before the reunion, even if it could, i'm not sure whether it's right to print it for general circulation. Baka yong interested lang. We don't really know much about each other after all the 40 years of not having contact. some may be sensitive and may take this as payabangan. I don't know. I mentioned this much earlier when we were just starting this e-group, that there are some who do not want to attend reunions because they fear that it would be a time for comparing what each other has become. Of course, there are differences in the level of achievement and success. One may end up in self-pity or regret decisions that they have made. I don't know, how we'll approach this. How was it like during the 30th Year Reunion?
Maybe you and the others can take a look and later, we can package this in a nice way. Maybe, we can ask our classmates themselves, what they want to appear in this directory/profile. Baka, pictures lang ng before and after, at ang produktong ginagamit kung ba't ganito na ang hitsura natin ngayon! O joke ito para at least, hindi heavy drama ang ending.
Toti
Apr 7
no problem with the pictures you sent Men. in fact, i'll campaign for more from the others, so we can expand our archive. The directory for general circulation siguro, should contain just the basic information - whereabouts, and name of spouse and number of children and grandchildren (if they volunteered the information). But I'll maintain that excel file and add more information as I get them and share it with those who are interested.
toti
apr 7
Good. That was my concern too. In fact, Ed and I had a long talk about this. Mukha talagang or should I say baka may maapakan tayo. Good decision.
Men
Apr 7
Hi Toti,
Thanks for this file Toti. It should be an evolving file and we should upload on our site and whoever wants to add, update and even change can do so. Mas maganda kung ang file is evolving and we will burn in the CD (if you like) only "as of 13th of April". This should be part of our scrolls eka nga....
My experience on the 30th (or 25th), Allan was there too but we did not meet??? Well that another story. Meron talagang mahihiyain sa atin. Some were really so shy I heard that they just did not come. But the worst case is what I can call betrayal cases...merong nangutang from someone and did not pay...pareho silang nahihiya sa isat isa...merong nag-promise ng ganito in public but did not deliver...merong hindi bumoto, etc. etc. and so on. Even if these were intrigas only, they tend to move from mouth to mouth faster in a small town like Daet. Aren't we (who resides outside Daet) so
fortunate???).
Regarding documentation, I always approach this in scientific ways...if the documentation is archived and hidden, there is no use. They will be lost, erased, burned, wet with coffee, dusted, etc. We need to have them on a CD (for easy movement) or better still on the web. Rudy promised me to look at the situation of internet in Daet (if I could not make it this time)...Hugsssss
Ed Canela
Apr 7
Ed,
you're right. I used the wrong term "archived". i really wanted it to be accessible to anyone who's interested.
Toti
Apr 7
Toti,
Rudy's Wife is Evelyn (Eneng), daughter's name is Catherine(?) he calls her Catcat and his youngest is Ryan. Forgot his eldest name. Both sons are pilots. Loko ka balita ko may baril si Eneng and she knows how to use it!
Men
Apr 7
Toti,
Minarder naman yong last name ko. (It's VENIDA not Vineda). Noticed she did not have some phone/cell nos like Herminia, Fermo, Lyn, Danny, Sending you my updated roster and let's check what else is missing.
Men
Apr 7
mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. sorry, sorry po. i'll correct it. pronto!
toti
apr 7
Hi Toti,
Me correction din ako sa Directory (See Attached). I highlighted my entry and just cut and paste. Men ang shortcut ay: highlight, then "Control C" and then position cursor and then "Control V". He, he, he...baka magkaroon ng libreng ticket....
Ed Canela
Apr 7
Just a thought Men, Wala ka talagang cell number ni Renee…Just wondering? Hugssss
Ed Canela
Apr 7
Ed,
I'll tell when we skype why. OK?
Men
Apr 7
Hi Men,
I called Toti today…via the old way…cellphone…and it was unattended…suddenly, I realize that he told us that he will be: mamalengke at maglalaba…Toti naman! Biro lang…he, he, he…Brutal pa rin hanggang ngayon!
Ed Canela
Ed,
Dagdag mo rin yong pagluto. Biro lang, Toti.
men
Ed and Men,
I really do those chores, except paglalaba. Maraming murang wash and fold laundry shops.
toti
Ed,
Dagdag mo rin yong pagluto. Biro lang, Toti.
men
Men and Ed,
ok lang, I really do those chores, except "paglalaba". there are many wash and fold laundry shops.
toti
Apr 10
Dear Marybeth and Ed,
So glad to share whatever I have. So happy that everybody will enjoy it. This was our Grade I picture and our photographer was Matilde(Tilde). And we are lucky to have Ed and Toti, they are so cool in making all of this possible. Thanks guys. Just cancelled my plane tickets today- was still hoping I could go. So sad I can't make it.
Love,
Men
Toti,
You are incredibly good, what you did is amazing and honestly, once again, saludo ako. When I first saw the title "Our link to the past, I thought it was about Egypt and then I saw my picture! Liked the title though, I've always been fascinated with Egypt. So, some may think na Egyptian era pa ako, Okay lang, I'll make believe na ako si Nefertiti, hahaha. Thank you again for creating this blog.
FYI, my birthday is October 28, 1953. yup turning 54 this year and I can prove it! diba Insan, hehehe.
We,(Danny, Joe, Violeta/myself)are planning to go home in February 2008. I am going back in November 2008 for our family reunion.
So long for now, ingat.
Men
Thanks Men. I was quite apprehensive that you'll get offended with the title. Buti na lang, may Queen Nefertiti pala!
I'll tell the group in Daet that you and several others plan to come home in Feb next year. Maybe we should start planning for this.
Ed says Rudy is here, but he opts to remain silent. Hmmm, bakit kaya?
Regards to Rene and the kids (d na pala kids, malalaki na).
Cheers!
Toti
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