THE ALUMNI

The athletic and academic meet was participated in by thirty-one (31) Pampanga Association of Private Schools Principals and Assistant Principals (PAPSPAP) member schools from the Western towns of Pampanga.

Atty. Ricardo V. Puno, Jr., the newly installed GNC President, received the winning team in his office recently. 48 students from the Guagua National Colleges won in the West-Central Zone Athletic and Academic Competition held recently at the Divine Wisdom School in Palmayo, Floridablanca, Pampanga.

“I want GNC to be known as a world-class institution which is also outstanding in academic and athletic inter-school competitions. This is a very good step towards our goal.” commented Atty. Puno.

The awardees were accompanied by principals, Mrs. Josefina L. Laxamana of the Elementary Department and Mr. Roy M. Songco of the High School Department.

GRADE SCHOOL winners: Academic Quiz First Placers - Mary Rose Maninang, Denise Margareth Cruz, Rohm Rizzel Bautista; Singing Contest Second Placer - Art Joseph Mangalindan; Pagsulat ng Sanaysay Second Placer - Jaedi Garcia; Essay Writing in English Third Placer - Jade Angelou Dee; Chess (intermediate) First Placer - Christa Urania Carbungco, Second Placer - Joanna Lois Utulo; Badminton, singles and mixed doubles (boys) First Placer - Carl Kent Villanueva; singles and mixed doubles (girls) First Placer - Hazel Shane Domingo; doubles Second Placers --Jeron Pasion and Jeremy Pasion

Winner from the MONTESSORI PROGRAM: Pagsulat Ng Sanaysay, (High School level) Third Placer - Marifelle L. Isip.

Winners from the HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT (Regular Program): Academic Quiz, First Placers –Francheska Embalsado, Lyanna Jeanelle Isip, Regina Sibug, Enrique Manalang; Spelling Contest First Placers - Rowie Ezekiel Camaya, Jaira Marie Manalili, Wira Mira Paule, Dyan Jill Tapang; Essay Writing in English Second Placer– Kevin Mark Rabida; Pagsulat ng Sanaysay Second Placer – Asle Carey Ciscar; Still Life Drawing Contest Second Placer – Daniel Ramos; Badminton: Girls Doubles First Placers – Dea Mechelle Cuenco, April Joyce Gozun; Boys Doubles First Placers - Joshua Nicolas, Jayson Jun Yapyuco; Girls Singles, First Placer - Fatima Janine Saplala; Mixed Doubles, Second Placers - Dea Mechelle Cuenco, Jayson Jun Yapyuco; Boys Singles Second Placers - Paolo Pineda; Girls Doubles; Table Tennis Third Placers - Theresa Jane Ramirez, Dayana Rose Tupas; Girls Singles Third Placer - Nadine Muriel Alibutod; Boys Singles Third Placer- Jeff Lerry Lopez; Chess Third Placer – Eijeh Marie Chen; Basketball Second Placers– Rolly Alfonso, Jerald Dave David, Jao Dychitan, Kelvin, Espiritu, Gerald Mallari, Justine Peter Marquez, Lorenz Morales, Jose Lorenzo Ocampo, Reineil Ocampo, Michael Angelo Roman, Jerome Serrano and Emmanuel Villegas.

Most of the winners will be moving on to the forthcoming Pampanga Schools Division Athletic Meet slated on December 2-6, 2008. They will compete with the winners from the different zones in the Division of Pampanga.

Two GNC High School Alumni were among the Ten Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardees (MOKA) for 2008 during the Awarding Ceremony last December 5, 2008 as part of the Pampanga Day celebration. The awardees from GNC are Engr. Jesus S. Nicdao, GNC HS Class ’70 and Dr. Rico Y. Sampang, GNC HS Class 1985. Engr. Jess Nicdao received recognition for his involvement in community work in consonance with his success in business while the accomplishments of Dr. Rico Sampang as an academic scholar, scientist, and urologist, plus his charitable work for the poor and the elderly were also commended.

Other awardees are Dr. Leonardo Zapanta, Dr. Bob Aquino, Engr. Linda Gaddi-David, Ma. Luisa Hadjula, Dr. Rodante Pascual, Sr. Teresita Wilkerson-Nepomuceno, Film Director Brillante Mendoza, and Mr. Norman Tiotuico.

The awardees were recognized by Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio as symbols of hope. The MOKA which was instituted in 1978 has always served as the highlight of every Aldo Ning Kapampangan celebration. The theme underlies the persistent need for the leaders and the citizens to work together, for it is only through synergy that we can achieve lasting progress for our beloved province.

The Immaculate Conception Parish, the 2008 Guagua Town Fiesta Committee and the Local Government of Guagua honored last December 6, 2008 the Outstanding Guaguaenos for 2008 at the Rufino Cardinal Santos Catholic Center.

Of the 17 awardees, 8 are GNC High School Alumni. They are: Justice Ricardo C. Puno, HS Class 1940, for Government Service; Justice Jose C. Vitug, GNC HS Class 1951, for Judiciary; Atty. Jose S. Songco, GNC HS Class 1952, for Private Law Practice; Miss Luz L. Carlos, GNC HS Class 1950, former High School Principal, for Education; Prof. Amado T. Juco, GNC HS Class 1951, former Music teacher, for Music; Dr. Pepito U. De Dote, GNC HS Class 1956, for Agriculture; Dr. Rufino S. Nicdao, GNC HS Class 1969, for Medicine; and Mr. Diosdado “Ding” C. Cervantes, Jr., GNC HS Class 1970, for Print Media.

Other awardees included Engr. Eulogio D. del Carmen for Engineering; Ms. Carmelita Dimzon for Government Service; Mr. Francisco Calilung for Banking; Spouses Felino and Estela Gueco for Parenthood; Mr. Francisco M. Lapid for Entrepreneurship; Arch. Jose L. Juco for Architecture; Mr. Jason Castro for Sports; and Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. for Clergy.

Guagua Mayor Ricardo Rivera, Vice Mayor Anthony S. Twano, Parish Priest Msgr. Cenovio M. Lumanog and some Guagua personalities were all in attendance in this very memorable occasion.

Officers and members of the Board of Administration
Officers and members of the Executive Committee
Members of the Faculty and Staff
All GNC Alumni
Students, Fellow Jubilareans
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Almost fifty years ago to the day, we were the high school seniors graduating class. Just as we are honoring today the GNC faculty and loyal employees who have rendered admirable service with dedication, then we stood at attention as you do this morning, likewise to pay our respects and honor them who gave their time upon whom this great tradition had been graciously bestowed.

Looking around me today I—we find the emergence of great progress or of change. In our time, Dr. Jose Rizal’s statue faced the bridge that we named the Bridge of Sigh, the Love Bridge, the Ricketty Bridge. It was not truly the name but rather the fear that someday soon it would collapse under our feet due to neglect inattention. Every time the horse-drawn calesa passed by, you could hear the sighs of the poor driver egging the scrawny horse with his bamboo stick to move on coupled with his prayers to the high heavens he would make it across. Maybe it was a blessing Mt. Pinatubo blew its top that narrowed the bridge and filled the banks with lahar greatly minimizing the chance of breaking up in all places. Sometimes it does happen. Even a disaster has some good in it.

Today, Dr. Jose Rizal is facing the campus that shelters its population. Maybe that is a way of saying Big Brother is watching over you for better or for worse.

In our time, there were huge tamarind trees that would take three or four fellows with arms spread to cover the trunks. Those trees stood guard around the campus that sheltered us from the fierce and scorching sun. Today we see the chapel, the elementary, high school and college buildings. It was under those tamarind trees that we sought refuge and sanctuary and comfort as we approached the Final Examinations and deadlines for sundry projects.

The open-air basketball courts that were the seen of countless hours of free time weekdays and weekends have been replaced by a beautiful and well-defined gymnasium. In our time, we had the Animal Husbandry building, and over and beyond were the rice fields.

The Library, the Dean’s Office, the lavatories that you have today certainly marked vast improvements. Fifty years ago, I would humbly confess, they were structures of antiquity- in dire need of repairs and renovation.

We shall never forget the nurturing presence and guidance and unselfish dedication of our teachers. I will name a few, names you may have never heard before for certainly fifty years ago your parents may have not even met yet. There were Mr. Raymundo Salenga, the mainstay of the English and literary courses, Mr. Eugenio Puno, The Old Man of the high school department, Mrs. Felisa Goseco, Mr. Bruno Yumul, Mr. Pabalan, Mr. Conrado Narciso who single-handedly shaped the PMT and ROTC cadet training of the school. There were many others to whom undoubtedly we owed lifetime gratitude for the wisdom they imparted. These were the teachers who molded our young minds into believing in the future and brighter tomorrow, better than those made available to our parents.

We are here today- we the high school graduates of GNC 1958, having once more come home from far and near, from as far as Mindanao, and the many barangays, towns and cities of our country, as well as foreign shores, the United States, Canada, Australia and the Middle East, to celebrate with you the many educational and professional achievements of GNC graduates in the field of economics, law, engineering, accounting, business and countless other fields of endeavor.

We, this years jubilareans, are indeed happy to come home. Home, says the author, is where the heart is. This is our home. This is where our hearts seek and find comfort. We may be the sentimental fools but this, our Alma Mater is home of our fond memories of youth, memories that will linger on and on.

For us, the graduates of GNC HS Class 1958, the future is now. For you, the future is yet to come. It is therefore fitting that we put our trust and full confidence in your hands to carry on. We acknowledge with deep appreciation and conviction all your efforts and sacrifices will find no boundaries. Keep the dreams alive. Keep your hopes high. Keep the faith burning in your hearts. Be forever loyal to our Alma Mater, the Guagua National College.

Thank you and good day!