A month from now, will all attendees of the BUHS ’86 “50@33: Gold, Glam & Glitz” gladly join me in reminiscing about this grand occasion? 🤔
I hope so. Really I do.
Touted as a first of its kind in the history of our alma mater BUHS (Bicol University High School), the special edition of our reunion was conceptualized to celebrate the golden years of most of our katribu (tribemate, our batch’s form of endearment). Labeled as ambitious in staging this large-scale event, we took the challenge of pulling it off.
Unknown to many, this Grand Ball began as a joke (or a hallucination..hahaha) between Rafael “Paeng” Morada Jr. and me. In one of our dates in 2014, we shared our hankering for a Hollywood-inspired reunion or its local version in our country which is the ABS-CBN Grand Ball. Donning gowns and male formal suits in a high school event would surely be a far cry from what we were used to wearing. For us, it’s about time that we try giving this theme a shot at 50.
So when I ran a marathon in Dubai on January 21, 2017, I presented this idea to our UAE-based batchmates — Nova Sabino-Giebson, Narcisa Lotivio, Edwin Manjares, and Peter Paul Peliño — to get their initial feedback.
With the Vice President for UAE Chapter Edwin, who had already given a positive reception, we were able to get the first set of official nods to this proposal the night of January 21 in Nova’s residence.
This overwhelming support set the fire for this historical journey which took more than two years in the making, brought a roller-coaster of emotions but found its niche in the anals of BUHS on July 27, 2019.
June 24, 2018: The first official meeting — creation of the different committees and programme (Goshen Hotel and Resort, Bamban, Tarlac City)
August 28, 2018: Prelude-cum-meeting (Chill KTV Bar, Cubao, Quezon City)
October 4, 2018: Organizing Committee first meeting (Onsen Spa, Makati City)
December 1, 2018: Christmas party-cum-meeting (Camp Crame, Quezon City)
June 1, 2019: Organizing Committee meeting, all members complete ; IV-Courtesy brainstorming for the class production number (Discovery Suites, Ortigas City)
Nota Bene: Bicol-based members of the Organizing Committee also held meetings with the event coordinator, Jane Gee Mape-Manalo. We regularly communicated in our group chat before finalizing anything.
June 30, 2019: Start of the delivery and distribution of invites here and abroad
July 23, 2019: OC meeting-cum-unwinding; updating of pledges and donations received (Puning Resort and Restaurant, Angeles City, Pampanga)
July 25, 2019 (Thursday, am): The Organizing Committee’s general meeting with event suppliers, coordinator, and host, Bert Nuñez (Tyche Hotel, Legazpi City)
July 25 (Thursday, pm): Section rehearsals in preparation for the “BUHS Got Talent,” scheduled in the morning of July 27
July 26, 2019 (Friday, am) : Attendees’ arrival
July 26 (Friday, pm): Final rehearsal of each section
July 27, 2019 (Saturday, am) : Eucharistic celebration; photo bingeing on school grounds; motorcade; BUHS ’86 Got Talent
Let the showdown begin…
… and be lovingly “challenged” by our former teachers,
who gamely joined us afterwards in a dance mob, beginning with Spandau Ballet’s “Gold” !
July 27 (Saturday, 6:30 pm): The main event (Concourse Convention Center, Legazpi City)
Amidst the glam and glitz we made sure to pay tribute to our departed katribus before concluding the programme.
If my batchmates were to guess who the happiest were that day, it would be a no-brainer. These pictures had loudly spoken.
Indeed, our 33rd reunion gave us another leeway to look back where we started from and assess whether we had moved forward and had created a better future as a BUHS katribu.
Personally, homecomings like this is a time to reaffirm my relationships with people, may they be my bloodline or not. If a new relationship is established, it may be a signal for me to look forward to the next get-together.
Whatever the overall turn-out of this undertaking was, I had no regrets. As long as there were tribumates, who share the same goal of keeping BUHS ’86 a loving united tribe and wholeheartedly appreciate the collaborative effort, I would be willing to go through the same venture again.
When all is said and done, we remain a family.
Baklaaaa naiyak ako. Nakakainis ka. Hahahaha
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Twin sisters nga tayo! Kasi naiiyak din ako habang ginagawa ko yan pero biglang natatawa. Hahahaha.
Maraming salamat, baklaaaa. Nakigkig ako bigla sa notification na may comment mula sa anonymous. Chineck ko baka kako unanimous ka talaga. Hahahaha.
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