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The day started at 2 pm at the Marilao Sports Complex at Marilao's Constantino subdivision. The class committee saw to it that the venue was prepared regally. Tables were clothed with white and colored clothes for the chairs. Beautiful roses adorned the center of the table with the champagne glasses and napkins neatly folded. There was a big welcome banner at the center stage. A banner announcing the birthday celebrants for June was at the center below the stage. The gifts were neatly arranged at the left side. A big screen was positioned at the right front edge of the stage. Like the big Oscar Award Night, the big screen flashed the live events for everyone to see the program even if they were located at the farthest side of the complex. The long table at the entrance was manned by the reception committee. You would see lots of people staying in the gate.

Registration started at 2 pm. There was a long lull of program activities from 2 to 4 pm to ensure that classmates will be given their own time to socialize with their classmates of forty years ago to relive their high school days. Grouping of classmates by section was becoming prominent. But many preferred to move around to say hello and meet the new faces molded by age. Some could still remember their faces but to many it took sometimes even minutes to figure out who was this. Laughters here, there and everywhere. With this seemingly endless conversation, one could hear background musics of the '60s making it more nostalgic. Oh what a sight it was! Priceless!!

Then there was the mass at 4 pm officiated by Rev Father Edmon Santos. All the participating laymen did come from MI65. We had Rudy Dela Cruz, Melecio dela Pierre, and Max Roxas. In the offering, classmates from abroad formed the entourage. Everybody was laughing at the verly lively sermon given by the parish priest.

Arrivals of our teachers as they came in were being announced. Then the program started as emceed by Max Roxas and Cory Cruz Saquin. These two were good and could rival professional host/hostess in entertainment shows. After introducing the members of the class by section and the teachers, the sumptuous dinner was served buffet style. There were two approaches and priority was by table near the food table then going out. Everybody was already salivating and we were lucky because we were near the table. Food was really specialy delicious and abundant. Most of Evie's food requests before were served. There were lechon and kakanin as dessert. Everybody was served and marami pang sobra for the security, helpers, and drivers.

The main program started. There were the beautiful solo songs by Cora Cruz Saquin and Lamberto Doma as starters. But the audience started shouting and standing up when surprise numbers featuring class members in hot and terrific dances went in the stage. We had the D' Double X Girls(surprisingly Echie was there!), D' Hot Mamas, and LA Walk. The big screen at the right was a savior because people especially those with cameras were all infront recording this historical gathering. It was good nobody succumbed to heart attack with all those laughters and excitement. There was group singing too. "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko" was led by Rita Inot Alcantara. But the emotion was high during the group singing of "If We Hold Together". There was that big chain where eveyone held hands together as we sang the song. This was confirmation of our celebration theme song " MI65 Family Lives Forever".

In between these lively shows, there were messages from our high school teachers. They were all game too. Elma Ambatali Baltazar and Angelina De Guzman joined the D'Double X Girls. Every teacher who attended (except Miss Belza) joined the teachers' dance preparatory to the putting of leis around necks of class awardees. See how graceful were Mrs. Zeny Castro Sumulong, Mrs Bordador, Mrs Fuentes, Mrs Ipapo-Parian, and its dance instructress Mrs. Elma Ambatali Baltazar. Everybody was clapping their hands and awed by these good display of showmanship of our teachers.

There were games too. We enjoyed the chair game. While the ladies were seating, the men had to look for a lady to sit on. Then chairs were removed until the last two pairs were left. Sunny Prodon Graham won this event. Then, we had dancing from cha-cha to anything. It was made livelier with the exchange partners as the mc gave a clue. We were more for fun than thinking of how punishing this would be to our hearts.

The silence was deepening though during the awarding to the recipients of Operation-Help-A-Classmate funds. There were seven awardees. Names were called from the smallest amount to the big ones received. We did not forget them. We awarded the help to our blind classmates. There were three of them. The amount of PhilPeso 33,000 was given to a paralyzed waist down wheel-born classmate. Everyone was silent and tearful when the biggest amount of PhilP 35,000 was awarded to a lady classmate inflicted with terminal cancer. As they were given the chance to talk, they were all appreciative of what we were doing. Truly indeed our ruby anniversary was very memorable and long lasting as it covered almost everything.

Time to appreciate the efforts of classmates who caused this event truly successful and memorable. The goal was to have at least 50% in attendance. We were more than 200 live members of Class '65 who attended. The more important thing was that the event created that nostalgic feeling of a group of classmates forty years ago who displayed their eagerness to meet again and relive the yesteryears of our high-school days. We had fun. We thought, too, of our classmates who died and those who were not able to attend due to pressing matters. We knew you would all be wanting to be with us. You were in our mind.

Apparently, the concept of giving of awards deviated from the ones we have been seing in any reunions. Instead of giving of awards to those who have made outstanding accomplishments academically or material-wise, we gave recognition to people who spent time and effort to create the feelings we experienced in this reunion - which were the feeling of togetherness, the feeling of a family where we share blessings for everyone to include those unlucky classmates, and that feeling of remembering people who gave something for us and feeling of giving back. Lots of gifts were drawn for lucky attendees. Efe Salvador Fajardo, Flora Mendoza Baetion, and Isabelita Espiritue De Guzman saw to it that excitements were build up as the program went to its end.

In the above sense, our MI65 Ruby Anniversary Reunion was more than a big success!. This remark did not only come from us. As one our teachers said - "I have not seen in my entire life as a teacher a truly memorable reunion celebration until this reunion of yours!".

We thank God for giving us a very successful reunion. God, please keep us all alive till our next 45th anniversary reunion.

 

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