We have Ambassador Kok Swee Foo, a former colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces and ex-CEO of Export Credit Insurance Corporation, who continues to outplay us at golf despite being the oldest of our class at 85 years young.
Then there is Jesli Lapus, a former 3-term Congressman from Tarlac, a former Secretary of Education, and ex-LandBank President. Jing counts as one of MBM 73’s leading lights responsible for bringing to AIM’s coffers well over P100 million in corporate donated funding.
A royalty of Philippine business, Manoling Cojuangco, founder of specialty south seas pearl jeweler, Jewelmer, is a Legion of Honor recipient — a prestigious award from the French government in recognition of the sustainable community programs he undertook in Palawan.
From South Korea, we have Euh Yoon Dae, an Advisor to the Korean Government, former Chairman of KB Financial Group, and ex-President of Korea University, who memorably broke his arm in an intense arm wrestling match with another classmate, the late Ric Gutierrez.
Then we have Philip Ella Juico, a sports good governance advocate, currently Chairman Emeritus and former President of PATAFA, and former Secretary of Agrarian Reform who despite pressing health issues bravely attended our sharing session on the “then and now after 50 years” presided by Professor Jess Gallegos, the first alumnus to become Dean of AIM who was voted by the entire alumni community as one of AIM’s most favorite Professors.
A very much under-the-radar uber-serial entrepreneur is Alex Tanwangco who parlayed his pioneering export business to Russia into one of the country’s largest manpower placement agencies employing well over 20,000 Filipinos who otherwise would be toiling overseas. He is so passionate about his singing that he maintains his own singing lounge and personal band.
There is the late Ramoncito Abad who was DBP Chairman and Honorary Consul of Ghana. Mon was an irrepressible impresario who was adroit at organizing class reunion extravaganzas and was never short of delivering his witty reminders during our get-togethers of the human frailties of our esteemed classmates.
Other MBM 73 luminaries are investment banker non-pareil Roberto Atendido, marketing whiz and philanthropist Perpetuo de Claro, the late educator Hilda Lopez, businessman Ed Elegado, stockbroker Ramona Ang, entrepreneurs and golf standouts Francis Gaston and Teddy Villanueva, turn-around specialist Benny Araw and finally the late Bong David, former IFC’s Country Head for Turkey who passed away so early in life but whose kind demeanor will always be remembered. We have of course a host of other classmates worth honoring that given my space limitations (and poor memory) are unfortunately too numerous to enumerate so I humbly ask for their forgiveness.
For the past week, classmates from faraway places such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Australia, Las Vegas, California, Connecticut and New Jersey gathered together in person and spirit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our graduation from AIM and to rekindle the warmth of each other’s company. We kicked off our fellowship by bagging the most number of attendees award in the AIM Alumni Association’s golf tournament in Canlubang and grabbing the championship and runner-up places in the super seniors’ category. Not an easy feat for hobbling seniors with busted knees.
After a weekend’s rest, we headed off to Baguio for more golf, tennis, and fellowship highlighted by an inspirational speech of Mayor Benjie Magalong who shared with us his glowing governance scorecard that left the class convinced that he could very well be the dark horse for the next national elections. We topped off the week back in Makati with a lot of dancing and singing top-billed by The Deplorables, MBM 73’s version of the “young once” troubadours. Our reunion culminated in the presentation of our class to the hundreds of AIM alumni who gathered at the Manila Polo Club after almost three years of Covid-induced hibernation.
I end this tribute to MBM 1973 with pride, amazement, and gratitude to Our Creator for how a disparate band of young men and women who graduated 50 years ago from AIM have been able to accomplish so much in so short lifetimes.
Until next week… OBF!
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