The 75th founding anniversary of the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion in Roxas City brought together souls that had been far apart from each other for almost three decades.
When my name was called to receive the award, my wife Monette gave way to my daughter Carina, saying that we had always been together anyway. Let her have the honor of accompanying you to the stage while you receive the award, a replica of the Immaculate Concepcion with the text printed in golden wood carve.
Carina was ecstatic and grateful. She is now a permanent resident of Tokyo, Japan. She is my daughter by my first wife, Luz, an Assumption and UP coed, whom I married in April 1961. Father James B. Reuter, S.J. solemnized our wedding at Camp Murphy, now Camp Aguinaldo, with Atty. Ismael Mathay Sr. and Dr. Soledad Ayuyao as principal sponsors.
Carina finished her elementary and high school at the Immaculate Conception Academy in Greenhills, San Juan City, and her college at Ateneo de Manila University. She finished her B.S. in Computer Engineering and B.S. in Chemistry at Ateneo in 1990 and 1991, respectively. She has one daughter and two sons. Her daughter finished fine arts at Miriam College, formerly Maryknoll College; one son finished Medical Technology at Fatima University and recently passed the board for the discipline, while the other son finished B.S. in Biology at the University of Santo Tomas and is presently preparing for the board exam.
In 1993, sorrow struck the family when I lost Luz to leukemia two years after our Silver Wedding Anniversary, solemnized by then His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal Sin, who concelebrated with Father James B. Reuter, S.J., at the Archbishop’s Palace in Mandaluyong City. During her wake, I swore that I would never get married again. But in 1995, I met Monette, and instantly I asked for forgiveness for breaking my vow.
Monette is a medical worker. She finished her B.S. Midwife at St. Anthony Hospital in Roxas City, computer programming at AMA, and Hotel and Restaurant Management at La Consolacion College. She is presently taking her Master’s in National Security. Our eldest daughter finished her B.S. in Mass Communication. Our youngest is a dean’s lister taking up IT at a college just in front of our home.
From 1950 to 1954, I served at mass every day at dawn, with my tandem, Jesus Aldea. I never saw him again after our high school graduation. I went to Manila to pursue my studies in 1954 but returned to Roxas City to take up A.B. English at the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion, graduating in 1958. After this graduation, the committee for the construction of the St. Pius the Tenth Seminary took me in as its executive secretary.
Every day, with either Dr. Vicente Alvarez or Dr. Arturo Villaneva we went around selling raffle tickets, until we had covered Romblon, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Negros, and Capiz.
After the start of the construction of the seminary, I went back to Manila, took and finished a Master in Public Administration course at the University of the Philippines, took additional graduate studies at the Ateneo in English literature, and finished my accounting degree, and gained all the necessary civil service eligibilities. From there on, I started my career as a state auditor.
It was all worth it. Serving God when I was young has brought me countless blessings. My being a Jubilarian Awardee with His Eminence, Jose Cardinal Advincula, saying the Holy Mass to open the celebration, and with the complete attendance of my family, including my grandchildren, who have all finished their schooling, is a miracle, and all together, a magnificent obsession.
I wish to thank Rev. Fr. Michael Vasquez, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies, and Head of Marketing.
Let us help build the P35 million library of our Alma Mater, the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion.