Morong High School Alumni Association Atlantic Chapter

3 YouTube links!

2009-08-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHb6EAhy8M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Vq1qW2q2U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFnm-ZaAZo

MHSAA Atlantic Officers and Members

2009-08-10T08:14:00.001-07:00

L-R (front row): Noel Santiago and son Mitchell, Erna Soriano, Agnes Pascual, Shirlie Alejandro,
Leni Sto. Domingo, Zena Santa Catalina, Vivienne Angeles, Amor Tantiongco Castro
L-R (back row): Marites Mateo, Marilou Santiago, Susarah Leonor, Edmond Leonor, Adelio Alejandro,
Bobby Soriano, Raymond Pascual, Mario Sto. Domingo. Mario Garrovillas, Juliet Reyes

Reunion Photos (please click link below)

2009-08-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/mariorsto/Reunionphotosfenn?authkey=Gv1sRgCJT4zIG-urix5wE#

SURPRISE NUMBER YouTube Link!!!

2009-07-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFnm-ZaAZo

2009-07-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

2009-07-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

REUNION PHOTOS!!

2009-07-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

For reunion photos, please go to http://www.mhsaainc.org/

Click the link to 2009 Reunion Photos on the left.
For additional pictures, click on Meeting-0709-Photos

Enjoy!

MHSAA Advisory Council

2009-07-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

MARAMI PONG SALAMAT!!!

2009-07-13T08:56:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who attended and supported our reunion weekend activities!

We'll see you all again in Southern California in July 2011!

MHS Atlantic Chapter Officers and Members

P.S. We will post reunion photos here soon. Please come back.

2009-07-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK TOURS

2009-07-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

NYC and Statue of Liberty Tour Updates as of June 29

For those who are planning to visit New York and want to join the trips we are organizing, please let us know which of the following dates you prefer.

July 3 (Fri) -- New York City Tour RESERVED: 50; PAID: 33
$26 per head; Bus will leave hotel at 9:00 a.m.

Places to visit:
Lower Manhattan--
Soho, Tribeca, Chinatown/ Little Italy, Wall Street area, South Street Seaport, Battery Park, Ground Zero, lower East Side / Bowery area, Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall

Midtown--
5th Ave, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Theater District, the New 42nd St, the Empire State Building, Macy’s, Madison Square Garden, the Flat Iron building, Greenwich Village.

This is a 3 hour tour of the sights above (plus travel time from hotel and back; total is approx 4 hrs). Tour includes 4 stops for photo opp.

July 3 (Fri) -- Statue of Liberty Tour RESERVED: 33; PAID: 17
Bus from hotel to Liberty State Park will leave at 8:30 a.m.
Cost: $18 pp round-trip PLUS ferry ride ticket (can be purchased before riding the ferry: $12 adult, $10 seniors, and $5 kids 2-12. )

July 4 (Sat) -- New York City Tour RESERVED: 42; PAID: 19
Details same as above

July 4 (Sat) -- Statue of Liberty Tour RESERVED: 33; PAID: 25
Details same as above

A priority list is being created based on a first-come, first-served sign up system. Please e-mail us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com to sign up, give us your full name/s, telephone number, and the dates that you (and your company) are joining the sightseeing tours. Let us also know if you have any questions and we will answer them the best way we can.

Additional information:
1. To make sure of your seat reservation, we encourage that you send your payment as soon as possible to MHSAA Atlantic c/o 120 Mission Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
2. The New York City tour for July 3rd is almost filled but there are slots left for NYC tour for July 4th and the Statue of Liberty Tours for both dates. We will update this posting of the numbers as soon as we can.
2. For MHSAA SoCal chapters who would like to sign up, please contact Pres. Lucilene Francisco Tolentino or Treas. Prescy Austria Aralar. They are also collecting the payments from SoCal Chapter members who have signed up.

MHSAA Reunion '09 Invitation

2009-06-18T05:19:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2009

Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends,

Greetings! The Officers and Members of the Morong High School Alumni Association – Atlantic Chapter, Inc. cordially invite you and your family to the 6th Grand Alumni Reunion on Friday, July 3, 2009 at the Grand Ballroom of Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe in Teaneck, New Jersey. The theme of this year's festivities is "Toward a Stronger Global Alumni Community: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Embracing the Future."

As the reunion location is just across the Hudson River from New York City, we will be in close proximity to tourism sites, historical places, and grand events such as the July 4th fireworks celebration. On July 5th, attend a picnic at a beautiful park in New Jersey where once again, old classmates and friends will have the chance to relive memorable days in high school.

We acknowledge the present economic situation in the country and around the world, and understand that this is a difficult time for everyone. In spite of this, our preparations are ongoing to continue this special tradition and make the event memorable for everyone.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com. Below are more details about the 3-day affair, and elsewhere on this site are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs). We look forward to your visit to the East Coast with your friends and family next year. Thank you very much. MABUHAY!

Yours truly,

VENERABLE ‘BOBBY’ SORIANO
President

Grand Reunion 2009 Schedule of Activities

2009-06-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2009: Grand Reunion Dinner Dance

Place: Grand Ballroom of Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
Teaneck, New Jersey
Tel: (201) 836-0600
Website: http://www.teaneckmarriott.com/

Attire: Formal Wear or Barong Tagalog/Filipiniana

Ticket: $90.00 per head

Schedule:

5:00 p.m. -- Registration

6:00 p.m. -- Reception/No-host cocktails

6:30 p.m. -- Dinner-dance and Program

11:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. -- POST-PARTY at the Manhattan Room (where we may continue dancing, chikahan, karaoke singing, etc.)

July 3rd OPTIONAL TOUR SCHEDULE*:

New York City Tour: Bus will leave at 9 a.m. from the hotel (expected return is 1:30 p.m.)

Statue of Liberty Tour: Bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. from the hotel (expected return is 2:00 p.m.)

SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2009: Free Day/Bowling Day

July 4th OPTIONAL TOUR SCHEDULE*:

New York City Tour: Bus will leave at 9 a.m. from the hotel (expected return is 1:30 p.m.)

Statue of Liberty Tour: Bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. from the hotel (expected return is 2:00 p.m.)

Inter-chapter Bowling Tournament Bowler City, Hackensack, New Jersey (about 2.5 miles from the hotel), July 4, 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 5, 2009: Picnic Day, 9:00 a.m.
Picnic at the Park—outdoor fun, food and games with classmates, friends and families (including children). Venue: Van Saun County Park in Paramus, NJ

Address: Forest Ave., Paramus, NJ 07652

Sign up sheets for transportation to and from the bowling alley will be available during registration on July 3rd. For those driving to the place, you may also ask for copy of directions to the park.

*For information about the tours, please see posting below or email us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com.

Inter-chapter Bowling Tournament on July 4th

2009-06-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

The inter-chapter bowling tournament will be held on July 4th as part of the weekend events. We would like to request names of 4 members from each chapter who will comprise each team. If there are more than 4 players from any chapter who are interested, you may want to organize a second team.

Following are the rules of the bowling tournament:
1. The interchapter bowling tournament will be a group competition.
2. There will be awards for winning teams as well as individual highest scorers.
3. Each chapter can have at least one team composed of 4 members.
4. A chapter may organize and enter more than one team; not more than 2 teams per chapter.
5. Only the 3 top scores of EACH team will be considered for the team score.
6. Each team needs to pay an entry fee of $50 (this will be used for paying the bowling alley fees).
7. Each team is assigned a color (if you have more than one team, please choose another color for your second team that is not the same as any color below).
8. The event is scheduled to begin at 2:30. We understand that some participants will be joining the tours in the morning. Those who might come late (hopefully, none) may have to start their game a bit later.

a. Southern California: RED
b. Northern California: YELLOW
c. Florida: BLUE
d. Western Canada: ORANGE
e. Atlantic: GREEN
f. Philippines: WHITE

Please send the names of your bowling team members to Raymund Pascual at reinani.pascual@gmail.com (201-797-9362) or Jay Mateo at miggy_cm@yahoo.com (646-275-9105).

UPDATE 5/18/09

2009-05-19T03:48:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2009

Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends,

Please share the following updates with your classmates, fellow alumni, relatives and those who may not have regular access to internet:

1) MHSAA Atlantic is no longer accepting souvenir ads. Our deadline has passed and we are finalizing the submitted ad layouts. We request those who have emailed us their ad layouts or photos by the final deadline last May 17th to send us their payment within the week.

2) Our deadline for dinner ticket payment has been extended to June 5. If you need tickets, please contact your chapter president as soon as possible or email us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com. Send in your check with completed ticket payment form before the deadline. If you are paying through other means (e.g., wire transfer), please notify us in advance. Prepayment of tickets applies to everyone including those coming from outside the United States .

3) Last day to book/reserve rooms at discounted 'block room rate' at Teaneck Marriott is June 11, per our contract with the hotel. The link to Marriott's room reservations system is below this post.

4) Hotel does not provide free shuttle rides to/from any airport. Please make sure to arrange your own airport-to-hotel transportation (and back). During the registration hour on July 3rd, we will provide sign-up sheets for 'picnic day -- July 5th' transportation needs.

5) We are providing childcare services for families with children at a minimal cost to parents. The childcare room will just be across the ballroom so parents can check on them anytime during the dinner event. Please remember that during the dinner/dance, children will NOT be allowed inside the ballroom because state laws prohibit children in premises where alcoholic beverages are served. Please make sure to indicate on the ticket payment form if you intend to use the childcare service.

Contact us for any questions, or check the rest of this website for updated information.

Sincerely,

Bobby Soriano
President
MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter, Inc.

Hotel Room Reservation at Teaneck Marriott (Please reserve not later than June 11)

2009-05-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

Greetings! The Marriott Hotel wants you to know that online room reservations are now just a click away! Simply click the link below to facilitate the reservation process. You will be directed to the hotel's home page with the code already entered in the appropriate field. All you need to do is enter your arrival date to begin the reservation process. Note that there may be check-in and check-out dates already entered (e.g. July 2; July 5). If you wish to check in on July 1 and check out on July 6, you may do so as there are few rooms the hotel has also made available for these dates using the discounted rate. Please remember that all reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis so please make your reservations as soon as possible.

Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe >>

Hotel Rooms in Metro Washington, DC Area

2009-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

For those who are visiting the Metro Washington, DC area before or after the grand reunion and need a place to stay, we have also requested block room rates from Courtyard Marriott Hotel.

Block room rates ($79 per room per night plus tax) are available for the following dates:

BEFORE THE REUNION: June 26 - July 1, 2009

Hotel Name: Courtyard Gaithersburg Washington Center
Address: 204 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, MD
To make reservation, call: 1-800-321-2211 or (301) 527-9000
Give name of event: MHSAA room block
Reserve by: June 5, 2009

AFTER THE REUNION: July 6-8, 2009

Hotel Name: Courtyard Rockville
Address: 2500 Research Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850
To make reservation, call: 1-800-321-2211 or (301) 670-6700
Give name of event: MHSAA room block
Reserve by: June 15, 2009

For questions, email us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com

UPDATES!!

2009-04-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

1. The deadline for submission of ads is May 17th (Sunday). Please send your ad layout, contract and payment to MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter, Inc., 120 Mission Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

2. Prepayment of dinner tickets is due on June 5th. You may get your tickets from your chapter presidents/coordinators or by emailing us at mhsatlantic@yahoo.com.

3. Please reserve your room at the Teaneck Marriott Hotel at Glenpointe by clicking the link at the Room Reservation post below (after the posting about Tours). To avail of the block room rate, you should reserve your room by June 11th.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

2008-12-28T12:02:00.000-08:00

1. When is the reunion going to be held?

The reunion dinner and program will be held on Friday, July 3, 2009 from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. Registration starts at 5 p.m. Cocktail will start at 6 p.m., and dinner-dance and program will begin at 6:30 p.m.

2. Where is the venue of the reunion?

The venue is the grand ballroom of the Marriott Hotel Teaneck at Glenpointe in New Jersey. It is located just across the Hudson River from New York City. It is accessible from a number of airports: Newark International Airport, JFK Airport, and La Guardia Airport. The closest airport to the reunion venue is the Newark International Airport.

3. Why do you advertise the reunion as a three-day affair from July 3 to 5, 2009?

While the reunion dinner and program will be held on FRIDAY, July 3rd, there will be additional activities organized on July 4th and 5th. On July 4th, there will be an interchapter bowling tournament. This is also the day to visit downtown Manhattan, go shopping, watch Broadway shows, or visit friends, relatives, and classmates (remember that you can also watch fireworks in this July 4th evening).

July 5th is picnic day at Van Saun Park in Paramus, New Jersey. There will be games and entertainment, plus a lot of food! Everyone is welcome (including young children).

4. How much is the reunion ticket?

The ticket costs $90. This is inclusive of the attendance at dinner on July 3rd and the picnic on July 5th. Tickets must be prepaid by May 15, 2009. You may write mhsatlantic@yahoo.com for your tickets or for those in the Philippines, contact Dr. Demetria San Juan at 653-2831 (work) or 653-0660 (home). All other expenses--transportation, sightseeing tours, accommodation, childcare, and incidentals--are not covered by this fee and are expected to be shouldered by the attendees.

5. What is the attire for the reunion dinner on July 3rd?

Men are expected to wear coat and tie or barong tagalog while women are expected to don formal wear or Filipiniana.

6. What will happen on the night of July 3rd?

Registration starts at 5 p.m. at the lobby in front of the ballroom, to be followed by a no-host cocktail at 6 p.m. Dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. The program is scheduled from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 (approximately), afterwards the floor will be open for dancing until 11 p.m.

7. What happens after 11 p.m.--what if we still want to stay and extend our reunion with friends and classmates?

A smaller ballroom (Manhattan Room) is reserved for this purpose from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. Friends and former classmates may continue dancing or chatting. You may also sing karaoke.

8. Can I bring guests and family to the reunion events?

Everyone is welcome. For reunion dinner on July 3rd, however, you may only bring adult guests and family members (only 18 years old and above) who have prepaid for the event. This is because children cannot be in the same place where alcoholic beverages are served. Childcare services at parents' expense will be provided for those who need them.

For the rest of the reunion activities on July 4th and 5th, guests and family members including children are welcome to join.

9. Can I stay in the hotel where the reunion is going to be held?

Of course. We have reserved rooms at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe (201-836-0600; website: http://www.teaneckmarriott.com/) for reunion attendees at $109 per room per night plus taxes. The rooms can accommodate up to 4 guests. You can start making reservations from January but not later than June 11, 2009. Let the hotel know that you are attending the MHSAA reunion when making your reservation to get the discounted rate. You may also reserve online by clicking the following link: Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe >>

10. How far is the hotel from New York City?

It's about 20 minutes away from Manhattan and other tourist and scenic spots in the New Jersey and New York area (i.e., Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Broadway Street, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick Cathedral, etc.).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) II

2008-11-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

1. Can I stay in other hotels in the area?

Yes, you can. Try to search online for nearby hotels or places of accommodation. Please remember that we have secured block room rates only from Teaneck Marriott which is the venue of the reunion. Also, if you are staying in other hotels, make sure that the reunion locations (dinner, picnic) are easily accessible and that there is available transportation to and from your place of accommodation.

2. How early or late can we stay in Teaneck Marriott Hotel at the block room rate ($109 per night)?

The discounted rate is available for those who will stay within the following dates: July 1 to July 6. You may, of course, stay for less number of nights (say July 2 until 5).

3. We want to visit New York City, how do we get there?

Buses (New Jersey Transit Bus #167) that run to and from New York City stop at the hotel. You may plan for a day of sightseeing in Manhattan or nearby places. Please plan ahead and take note of some suggestions about touring New York City elsewhere on this website. We will also provide information about local tours and transportation at the registration area.

Two websites that you may use for searching transportation options for your trips are www.hopstop.com and maps.google.com.

4. What if we want to visit Washington DC and other East Coast cities?

You might need to allot extra days before or after the reunion weekend for extra sightseeing tours. If you want to visit Washington DC, please take note that it is about 5 hours away from the reunion site. Atlantic City and Philadelphia are about 2.5 hours away. If you are visiting DC before the reunion, you might want to consider arriving via an airport closer to DC (Reagan National, Baltimore-Washington Int'l, or Dulles Int'l) and leaving via an airport closer to the reunion site (Newark, JFK, or LaGuardia), or VICE-VERSA.

5. How do we get to the hotel from the airport?

You may take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Taxi fare from Newark is about $40. Depending on your plans, you may also get a rental car.

6. What is the weather like in July in New York/New Jersey?

It is warm to hot in July. Bring summer clothes.

Sidetrip to the Birhen ng Antipolo Pilgrimage '09

2008-10-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

As you prepare for your attendance to the reunion, you may want to consider including in your itinerary a sidetrip to Washington, DC to join the 12th Annual National Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Philippine Virgin of Antipolo). The pilgrimage will be held on June 27, 2009 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Click on the flyer on the right for more information or visit http://www.antipolo.us/. To take a virtual tour of the basilica, visit http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/pp.asp?c=etITK6OTG&b=107986. For more information about this event, e-mail mhsatlantic@yahoo.com.

Planning for a sightseeing tour in New York?

2008-10-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Are you planning to experience the sights and sounds of New York or other adjoining cities on the East Coast before, during, or after the reunion weekend? There are a number of websites that can help you map out the details of your tour. Two such websites are http://www.iloveny.com/ and www.bigapplevisitorscenter.com/gt.htm. The sites give you a wide array of choices of places to visit depending on your interests. Another website specific to transportation needs is http://www.hopstop.com/. You just have to punch in the city (NYC or DC area) and then punch in the address of where you are coming from and the destination. It will do a search for the most convenient transportation. You can actually pick and choose transportation by bus, by train or also by taxi. For those who are not sure about taking the taxi, it actually gives you an estimate of how much it will cost, as well as the travel directions.

For those planning to take a trip from/to NYC/DC or other East Coast areas, a useful site is http://www.paradiseusa.com/. There is a 3-day tour which includes bus transportation from Chinatown area to Philadelphia, Baltimore, to Washington DC, plus hotel accommodations for 2 days while touring DC area. They do all the tours of the cities it passes and then back to NYC.

MHS CLASS 1958: An Ode to a Generation of War Babies

2008-07-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

Amor Tantiongco Castro*

An essay about MHS Class 1958 could be best written using the lyrics of a song that goes “Memories, light the corners of my mind. Misty-water colored memories of the way we were”------------

The Way We Were
The members of our batch were either conceived, born or were toddlers during World War II. As such, we grew up with minimal conveniences in life. There was no running water or electricity at that time. Most of us have the responsibility of fetching water from a ground well or from the very few artisan well in town. We did the chores before or after school. We did our homework using kerosene lamps or candles. The laundry and bathing were done in the flowing clear water of the Morong River or using the rain water collected in drums.

We attended the first four years of elementary school in classrooms located at the first floor of the biggest houses in the neighborhood. During the fifth and sixth grade, the pupils from all the barrios/district/barangays attended the classes at the Morong Elementary School in Namay. Walking is the only way to get there and we brave the heat of the sun and the rain during rainy season. The two years gave us the opportunity to meet other pupils from all parts of the town, thus, expanded our interaction and socialization skills. During those years electricity was then provided by generators operated by the Morong Electric Company but only during night time. We were able to listen to a radio, thus kept us informed about what is happening outside Morong.

We did not have the luxury of toys except the paper Mache dolls for girls bought in Paete, Laguna during the yearly trip to attend the “Trumba”. The boys made their own toys trucks using the sardine cans and the Pepsi or Coca Cola tops for wheels. The boy’s games and entertainment were the spider fights, rubber band “sungkit” and “sipa”. Our group games are “patentero”, hide and seek and “bakya” to name a few. We used to play until sunset but obliged to be home when the church bell rings for the “Albi”. We used to get in trouble if we get in later.

Our batch was lucky that the high school buildings were already at the current location that we used to call “site”. Students from the neighboring towns of Baras, Tanay, Pililia, Quisao, Cardona, Talim Islands, Antipolo, and Binangonan joined us. We were a diversified group coming from all socio-economic level and with varied intonation when speaking. We were introduced to the use of uniforms, white blouse and blue skirt for girls and white shirt and khaki pants for boys. For footwear, we often used wooden shoes and leather shoes on special occasions.

The classrooms have minimal furniture, galvanized iron roofing that leaks when it rains and extremely hot on sunny days. The dirt floors are muddy during rainy season and dusty during dry season. The furniture is not always in good condition either. To describe the condition of the furniture we used, I recall that in our Spanish class, Mr. Aranda was teaching us the use of “la” and “el”. When the late Rudy Fradillada was asked to give an example, his answer was “ la silya, la sira”. We all laughed and of course, it made our learning fun.

We had great teachers; some of them were the first graduates of MHS Class 1945 like our class adviser Mrs, Virginia Aralar San Jose and Mrs, Araceli Napiza Romero as well as Mr. Bienvenido Nuque (Class 1948) and Mrs. Avelina Teston Llagas. We still remember Miss Masikip, Mr. San Diego, Miss Uta Francisco, Mrs. Martin, Mr. San Juan, Mr. Aranda, Mr. Pagalunan, and Mr. Balajadia as well as our principals Mr. Paterno and Mr. Bernardo. They influenced our lives, learning and are instrumental in our ability to cope and interact in the competitive world.

We were first year students when a soldier ran amuck while we were doing our final rehearsal for our annual field day. That was a time when the spirit of camaraderie was tested among our group. Teamwork, collaboration and creativity helped us always garnered the first place in drama contests. The folk dancers among us were regularly selected to perform during the school’s weekly program as well as in the town plaza during special celebrations. Our class is always represented during athletic competitions, girls and boy scouting, and as contributors in the school publication, the Chronicle. Incidentally most of the original “Flat Top Boys”, a well known group in town are also our classmates.

Teenage crush and courtship started during those years. Though only a few lasted and ended in marriage, it is a good conversation topic during reunions. Every time our class meets, the source of fun and laughter was when each one present was asked “ Sino and nagustuhan mo o naka gusto sa iyo noong high school tayo?”

To continue, I will again quote the lyrics of the same song that is “Oh, can it be that life was all so simple then? Or has time re-written every line? If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me would we-----could we?

What We Have Become

One hundred seventy two of us (102 male and 70 female) graduated as MHS Class 1958. Our class valedictorian is Benildo Bautista and salutatorian is Anita Angeles Alcasabas. We pursued several paths in our careers and became teachers, engineers, businessman/businesswoman, Real Estate Brokers, security officers, painter, government employees, dressmakers, food caterers, secretary, and hospital aide. A few became doctors, nurses, lawyers, chemist, optometrist, journalist, accountants, medical technologist, and school principal and superintendent. All of us have come to our retirement age and are enjoying the “bonus/golden” years of our lives with our children and grandchildren. Five among our classmates remained single and never got married.

After five decades, we settled in various parts of the world. Forty two stayed in Morong, fifteen in Cardona, fourteen in Teresa, ten in Pililia, three in Quezon City, two in Antipolo, one in each town/city of Binangonan, Malabon, Manila, Pasig, Taytay, Cainta, Tanay, Paranaque, Marikina, Batangas, and Cavite. Those who looked for a greener pasture settled in North America; twenty in California, three in Illinois, two in Florida, two in New Jersey, four in Canada, and one each in New York, Missouri, Michigan and Oregon. We will always remember the forty four classmates who passed away before we celebrated our 50th years (golden) jubilee. May their soul rest in peace.

When we celebrate the grand reunion on July 2009, hopefully a good number of our batch will be healthy and try to join us in New Jersey.

I will end this ode to a generation of war babies with the lyrics of the same song that is: “Memories, may be beautiful and yet, what’s too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget. So it’s the laughter, we will remember, whenever we remember, the way we were-----The way we were.”

References:
40th ( Ruby) Anniversary Souvenir Journal; April 4,1998
50th ( Golden) Anniversary Souvenir Journal; March 29 2008
“The Way We Were”; Allan and Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch
__________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mrs. Amor Tantiongco Castro, ’58 is a multi-awarded retired registered nurse board certified in Gerontology who had more than four decades of professional and executive experience in her field. She has had extensive training in oncology nursing and other areas of nursing management since the time she graduated on top of her class from the University of the East RamonMagsaysayMemorial Medical Center in 1963. She moved to the US in mid-6o’s, obtained her Masters Degree at New York University and has been a very active leader and adviser of local and international nursing societies including the Philippine American Medical Society of New Jersey and The Foundation of the UERMMMC Nursing Alumni Association, USA, Inc. Among her many awards are the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing and the Who’s Who in American Nursing. She was recently featured in the magazines American Nurse Today and Nursing 2007 being the model nurse leader that she is. She often travels with Dr. El Castro, her husband of 42 years. They reside in Piscataway, NJ and are blessed with three sons: Cesar, El, Jr., and Christopher.

MusicFest at Demarest a Big Success!!

2008-07-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

The fundraising concert dubbed MusicFest at Demarest held on July 19 in Demarest, New Jersey was attended by alumni from as far as Toronto, Canada. The musical artists, who so generously donated their talent and time to raise money for MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter projects, were well received by the audience. Their musical repertoire included contemporary Pinoy pop and rock songs as well as music from the 70s and 80s.

Pres. Bobby Soriano, Treasurer Zena Santa Catalina, plus some children of alumni with guest artists Kats Alvir, Ellen San Miguel, and Jan Paraiso.

MHS Alumni and Friends in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada)

2008-07-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Among the MHS alumni residing in Edmonton are Efren Pascual, Gary Perpetua, Dionisio Berdon, Arnel Pascual, Mario Pascual, Sherill Rivera Cruz, Corazon Pascual, Emmie Trinidad Pena, Priscila Pascual, Concepcion Cadag Berdon, Collette Garrovillas Concepcion, Raquel Viray, Feliciano de Castro, and Perla Pascual de Castro (Please click photos to enlarge).

Along memory lane... (part 1)

2008-07-04T15:29:00.001-07:00

Along memory lane (part 2)

2008-07-02T04:59:00.000-07:00

MHS Class 1948

Old Home Economics Building

MHS Faculty 1948

Morong High School Admin Bldg Circa 1950-80

Reunion '09 Advertisement Form

2008-06-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

SOUVENIR PROGRAM ADVERTISEMENT CONTRACT

PRINTED NAME OF ADVERTISER __________________________
Class/Batch ____________

Address:
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________

Email Address:
_______________________________

Home Phone No. ___________________
Cell No./Fax No. ___________________

Rates: Please check appropriate space

Taken Back Outside Cover US$275 ____ Full Page US$100
_____ Inside Front Cover US$225 ____ Half Page US$ 60
Taken Inside Back Cover US$175 ____ One Fourth Page US$35

*Brief description of what you want to publish in the souvenir book, your accomplishments in life, your business, your inspirational articles, etc.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

__________________________
Name/Signature of Advertiser

__________________________
Solicitor

*Advertising materials may include cards, letters, artworks, digital data, printed photos and any camera ready materials.
*Advertising contract pictures, articles and payment should be received on or before March 31, 2009. Please pay by check or money order payable to MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter in US Dollars.

Mailing address:

MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter, Inc.
120 Mission Dr
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Contact Persons:

Mario Sto. Domingo
Tel.: 410-944-2055
mhsatlantic@yahoo.com

Patrick Bautista
Tel.: 516-796-1671
patrck_1983@yahoo.com

Cesar Reyes
Tel.: 201-433-5222
seyerasec@aol.com

MHSAA-Atlantic Yard Sale

2008-06-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

MHSAA-Atlantic members in Maryland organized a multifamily yardsale on May 17, 2008 to raise funds for the grand reunion in 2009 and the chapter's other projects. Among those who donated items for sale were Shirlie and Ading Alejandro, Wawah and Edmon Leonor, Mario and Leni Sto. Domingo, Nancy and Nickson Gonzales, Pat and Eva Peret, Leth and Javier, and Bobby and Erna Soriano. Pictured on the right are the MHSAA-Atlantic saleskids: Andrei Leonor, Aldrich Leonor, Nemo Sto. Domingo, Adrienne Leonor, and Iya Sto. Domingo.

ERA-MHSAA Atlantic Affair

2008-06-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

In The News!! (Part 1)

2008-06-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

MHSAA-Atlantic Chapter Organized; Alumni Homecoming in 2009 Being Planned

Front row, seated from left: Cesar Reyes, Bobby Soriano, Dan Torres, Zena Santa Catalina, Raymund Pascual, Agnes Pascual, Bimo Fernando, Offie Bautista, and Abby Monteverde; Back row, standing from left: El Castro, Amor Tantiongco Castro, Ben Bautista, and Mario Sto. Domingo

The Morong High School Alumni Association-Atlantic Chapter held its first organizational meeting in New Jersey at the Norwood house of Drs. Nap and Marina Aralar on August 26, 2006. The chapter is composed of residents in the U.S. states covered by the Atlantic or Eastern Time (with the exception of Florida). The founding officers of the chapter are: President – Bobby Soriano, ’69, Vice-President – Vivienne Angeles, ’60, Secretary -- Mario Sto. Domingo, ’80, Asst. Secretary – Agnes Pascual, ’71, Treasurer – Zena Santa Catalina, ’63, Asst. Treasurer – Cesar Reyes, ‘74; Auditor – Amor Tantiongco Castro, ’58. Directors are Nap Aralar, ’51, Ben Bautista, ’58, Edwin Pascual, ’58, Raymund Pascual, ’71, Pat Peret, ’69, Alex Reyes, ’55, and Dan Torres, ’55.

Front row: Raymund Pascual, Mario Sto. Domingo, Dan Torres, Nap Aralar, Vivienne Angeles, Alex Reyes (standing); second row: Bobby Soriano, Erna Soriano, Nena Torres, Zena Sta. Catalina, Agnes Pascual, Tessie Reyes, Offie Bautista, Bimo Fernando, Ben Bautista, and Abby Monteverde

The second meeting was held in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania in the residence of Dr. Vivienne Angeles on October 21, 2006. The officers and members present also discussed the planned MHSAA general alumni homecoming to be held in New York/New Jersey area in the summer of 2009. Both meetings were very fruitful in terms of planning and organizational building and were filled with humor, delectable food, and camaraderie.