[At left photo is the tarpaulin used as backdrop at the stage put up at the UP Bahay ng Alumni during the March 11, 2017 72nd birthday celebration of my Kumpadreng MON MARONILLA which cockily proclaimed: “THE COCK IS MORE ALIVE THAN EVER!”. Top right photo is a group photo with WILLIENEP and Kumpadreng MON.  Bottom right photo is WILLIENEP, the master impersonator.] 

 

 

At the newly renovated U.P. BAHAY ng ALUMNI¹,

We trekked on to it last Saturday, though traffic² was  HIGH;

It was Kumpadreng MON’s³  birthday CELEBRATION,

It was  a night of FUN & JUBILATION!

 

 

The tarpaulin as backdrop to the stage was TITILLATING,

It talked about a COCK in white silhouette as though ROOSTING⁴;

As the caption on the tarp as written AVERRED,

It read: “The cock is alive more than EVER!”

 

 

 

I was a bit doubtful which COCK — MON was referring TO,

Though I know that MON is a cockfight AFICIONADO;

But as he neither have nor rent a COCK FARM,

He could be referring to a COCK of a friend in SAN JUAN⁵!

 

But alas as I remembered, MON’s birth was in ’45⁶,

In a month when the Japs in Manila have finally FORTIFIED⁷;

For which reason the GIs bombed and the Japs then got GIRTHED⁸,

The shelling & bombing, like fireworks, seemed to herald MON’s BIRTH!

 

 

 

 

Indeed MON was born in the Year of the COCK,

Though the usual name is ROOSTER,  COCK is lingo for the CROCK⁹;

But COCK or ROOSTER or could be FOWL,

The use of the word COCK ought not to bring any HOWL…

 

 

 

Thus, Mon Junior¹⁰ started the FESTIVITY,

As he recited out a prayer with much FORMALITY;

Thereafter some singing wafted in the AIR,

As the feasting begun with so much FLAIR!

 

 

And the hall thereafter was FILLED,

With angelic voices of singers who really are SKILLED!

As to the feast– I loved the LECHON¹¹ with its SAUCE,

As the skin was crispy and shiny with GLOSS…

 

But the exciting thing that HAPPENED,

Is that we got seated with MON’s comic FRIEND;

It was WILLIE NEP¹², the grand comedian and  the best in IMPERSONATING,

With  hearty laughs, my belly turned out  OSCILLATING¹³!

 

 

 

 

ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KUMPADRENG MON!

====================================================

[Legend: 1 – The University of the Philippines-Bahay ng Alumni is a commodious events place which is located along R. Magsaysay Street in U.P.’s Diliman campus. It was actually put up on June 19, 1992. It is also home to several business establishments such as 3 restaurants, travel agent, a bank, law firms, a review center, and an art gallery.

2 – Traffic was heavy along the Katipunan Avenue as reportedly, there was an affair too at the ATENEO.

 3 – Mon is my kumpadre and friend, Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, the incumbent President of the UP Alumni Association, Inc.

4 – Roosting means resting, the usual term for a rooster or a cock on perch while resting.

5 – One time, I was brought by my Kumpadreng Mon to a place in San Juan City in Metro-Manila, know as the Barasoain area where the former stately residence of the family of my Kumpadreng Mon was  located. We went to a seemingly slum area where we visited a host of his friends among the hoi polloi such as the lowly bystander, a street hawker, a barangay tanod, a cockfight owner, etc.

6 – In March 1945, the City of Manila was heavily bombed and strafed by the US fighter planes as those Japs who were holding out in the city then. 1945 was Year of the Rooster.

7- The Japs  considered Manila as their  last  fortified stronghold and it was then at the verge of being overtaken and re-conquered by the US-Allied forces which eventually materialized.

8 – Girth has that archaic meaning of being encircled.

9-  Crock is slang term which means a drunkard.

10 – Mon Maronilla, Jr. is Kumpadreng Mon’s eldest son, RAMON F. MARONILLA, Jr.,  who is a top officer of the J. P. Morgan Bank based in Hongkong.

11-  LECHON is the Filipinos’ popular feast food, a roasted pig with an attendant sauce with ingredients consistin of ground liver, etc.

12 –  WILLIE NEP is Willie Nepomuceno who is a comedian-actor, known for Ispup (2000), The Guerilla Is a Poet (2013) and Black Mamba (1974). He is a comic impersonator whose skill as such impersonator was recognized during the anti-Marcos rallies. WILLIENEP is now considered as the country’s master impersonator as among the Filipino personalities he impersonates include the following:  the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, Joseph Estrada, Fidel V. Ramos, Dolphy, Gringo Honasan, Ping Lacson, German Moreno, Nur Misuari, and Fernando Poe Jr. In the international front, he usually copies Stevie Wonder, Paul Anka, Tony Bennett, ‘Nat ‘King’ Cole’ , Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee, and even Superman.]

 [CONDER is shown at left photo with his usual mischievous smile, quite puzzling and titillating. Right photo shows the whole PAGUNURAN family posing for a group picture during the twin-celebrations of a birthday party for their kin. At front row for the photo at RIGHT: L-R – Karlo, Kyle, Natasha, and Mico; at back row (standing): Evelyn, Conder’s beauteous wife and the BIRTHDAY BOY, CONDER.]

 

 

He is an ALLEGIANT and a LOYAL CAGAYANO¹,

As in fact CONDER still speaks  the ITAWES² LINGO;

For love of his town in CAGAYAN at PIAT³,

He fervently swayed his son to run as a KAGAWAD ⁴!

 

 

I rubbed elbows with him in the UNIVERSITY⁵,

He was a student assistant at the LIBRARY⁶;

He’s a member of the ALPHA PHI BETA FRATERNITY⁷,

He’s a true paragon of pure HUMILITY!

 

 

At the UP College of Law in DILIMAN,

He became a personality, sort of a mimic-MAN;

He earned the sobriquet of CARALE JUNIOR,⁸

It’s not because Prof. CARALE is SUAVE, it’s because of the COLOR⁹!

 

 

 

His co-tandem and chum then, is his frat brod LUDGI¹⁰,

They’re both upright and diligent assistants at the Law LIBRARY;

Those who wanted to have law books reserved for PERUSAL,

They need to  talk to them right after the class’ DISMISSAL¹¹…

 

 

 

 

Despite having some control in the BOOKs’ DISPOSITION ¹²,

They never misused their clout, a sign of sincere VOCATION;

Indeed, a lot of us commended their SINCERITY,

Their help aided us all, to graduate in LAW  with  such  FACILITY¹³!

 

 

CONDER is a brilliant writer and of course, a convincing PLEADER —

He imparts the message with not much

 of an EMBELLISHER;

His style is plain, terse and truly LACONIC,

I am sure, with his prose — he convinces

 in a way, that’s truly MAJESTIC!!!

 

 

 

 

And now after years of his lawyering PRACTICE¹⁴,

CONDER seems to look unto the future  with  quietude and PEACE;

He has put up a farm in his province with poultry and LIVESTOCK¹⁵,

It’s a dream,  an aspiration with a noble mission which is to feed his own FLOCK¹⁶!

 

[This SELFIE with his fraternity brothers in the ALPHA PHI BETA Fraternity, was taken by his Brod Joel Erestain (at extreme left). His Brod Ludgi is shown second from LEFT; while CONDER is at extreme RIGHT. The other fraternity brother shown in the photo above is his Brod Simeon Dumandan, second from RIGHT. The photo was taken at the facade of the SENATE building in Pasay City, Metro-Manila.] 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONDER!!!!

 

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – CONDER hails from the north, in the Cagayan Valley of the NORTH.

2 – ITAWIS is the dialect spoken in that part of the Cagayan Valley in the northern part of Luzon particularly in Conder’s hometown in PIAT, CAGAYAN.

3 – PIAT is a town is located in the south-west part of Cagayan Province and is popularly known as the Itawis Region, along which town, the Rio Chico runs west, south, and north-west of the town until it debouches into the Rio Ibanag somewhere near Nasiping town. The town of Piat is dubbed as the “Pilgrimage Center of Cagayan Valley” because of the thousands of devotees and tourists who come there to pay homage. It is the home of the Our Lady of Piat which continues to be the source of inspiration and object of devotion of many Catholics in the region.

4 – KAGAWAD is a Tagalog term which means COUNCILMAN. Conder’s  2^nd son, KARLO MIKHAEL PAGUNURAN, ran in the local elections in PIAT, CAGAYAN for a slot in the Municipality’s council.

5 – The UNIVERSITY referred to is the UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES particularly its COLLEGE OF LAW.

6 – The LIBRARY referred to is the UP COLLEGE OF LAW LIBRARY.  

7 – The ALPHA PHI BETA Fraternity is actually some kind of an acronym for the first letters of the title: A, P & B, as ASSOCIATION OF PHILIPPINE BARRISTERS. The Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity maintains its singular existence as a UP College of Law-based fraternity, with no recognized chapters outside the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Its present roster of Lords hails from the UP College of Law and from pre-law colleges in the University. The ALPHA PHI BETA fraternity is one of THREE (3) COLLEGE OF LAW Greek-lettered fraternities in UP; the other TWO (2) are  the SIGMA RHO Fraternity and the SCINTILLA JURIS Fraternity. However, there are students at the UP College of Law who are members of UNIVERSITY FRATERNITIES such as the UPSILON SIGMA PHI, BET SIGMA, PI OMICRON, ALPHA SIGMA, etc.

8 – CARALE is the surname of former UP College of Law Dean and professor, BARTOLOME CARALE. Prof. CARALE is somewhat TALL, somewhat HANDSOME and DARK.

9 – COLOR – It was actually the HUE and COLOR, as both Prof. CARALE and CONDER are DARK in complexion, CONDER got eventually referred to during our UP Law days as CARALE Junior.

10 – LUDGI is the nickname of incumbent Assistant Director of the NATIONAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, Asst. Director MEDARDO DE LEMOS. LUDGI and CONDER are fraternity brothers and both worked as student assistants with assignment at the UP Law Library.

11 – Immediately at DISMISSAL time, students then at the UP College of Law (because of the sheer limited number of law books particularly the SCRA and the PHILIPPINE REPORTS; both of which are compendiums of Supreme Court decision) would race up the Library to grab a book particularly those of limited number of stocks. If not lucky, the very next thing to do is to ask the student assistants for help to reserve the book for some future time, usually on the following class day.

12 – As student assistants, both LUDGI and CONDER have the power to reserve a book for a FRIEND or a BROD or a CLASSMATE especially during the period prior to the grueling examination days.

13 –     The BOOKS at the UP Law Library truly accord tremendously help (which could spell a PASSING grade) among those diligent students who really took time then, even on Sundays, to be there at the UP Law library doing either reading and/or copying court decision from the SCRA or jotting down notes from the readings.

14 – CONDER has been into active law practice since May 1983 after taking his oath on May 2, 1983.

15 – CONDER in his modest farm located in PIAT, CAGAYAN, has been raising some chickens, and hogs.

16 – One of the other principal objectives of CONDER in putting up the FARM is to create job opportunities for his kin as well as to have some source of food to feed his kin and kith alike.]

[JOVY aka JOVITO B. GAMBOL is shown here together with a guest, Ms. WENG DEGLISON, during the Law Office’s CHRISTMAS party in December 2010. HAPPY 57th BIRTHDAY JOVY!!!! It would appear somewhat serendipitous that this is my 75th FUN-RHYME blog while Jovy will celebrate his 57th birthday on March 14, 2017.]

 

He is a TRUE-BLUE BATANGUEÑO¹,

And is not a supporter of MIKE SUEÑO²;

Neither is he in favor of DIGONG³,

For he’s for MAR ROXAS⁴ all along!

 

 

And never ever speak of that DENOMINATION,

Which just got involved in some ALTERCATION;

For he truly feels that it’s just a CULT,

Which is amassing CASH into its VAULT!

 

 

 

But he has shown his true SINCERITY,

His clients have admired his nice INTEGRITY;

Instead of creating dispute between warring SPOUSES⁵,

He even counseled them to bury the AXES⁶!

 

 

 

He has shown his true job DEDICATION,

Even working on Sundays with much VOCATION;

And he has helped his siblings’ RELATIONS,

Gifting them even with costly COMMUNICATIONS⁷!

 

 

 

He has remained as though a man of the CLOTH⁸,

As he has ignored and cast out his desire to be BETROTHED⁹;

Perhaps, he wanted to help as many KIN;

Instead of just a wife and his own CHILDREN!

 

 

 

 

The life of JOVY is truly COLORFUL,

It has its UPS — and DOWNS just like a FALL;

But even though he has once FALLEN,

He’s RISEN up and he never felt so CREST-FALLEN!

 

 

 

And his lawyering has carved a NICHE,

He has drawn swords even against the RICH¹⁰;

For his advocacy is to truly help the OPPRESSED,

Just like those tenants whose lands got DISPOSSESED!

 

 

And as JOVY is almost reaching his SENIOR year,

It’s fine for him to grab a BEER¹¹;

Though it’s not some kind of starting a VICE,

It’s just to salute a YEAR that truly was NICE!

 

 

[Photo of the the BIRTHDAY BOY, ATTORNEY JOVITO BAUTRO GAMBOL, taken at his work station.] 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOVY!!!

 

====================================================================

[Legend: 1 – JOVY is a native of Batangas City and is a resident of SIMLONG.

2 – Just to have some RHYME, Mike Sueño’s name was used in this FUN-RHYME blog. Mike Sueño  is actually the Secretary of the DILG. Mike Sueño’s inclusion seemed relevant in relation to Jovy’s being a provinciano as the thought of local government usually evokes those local government units in the provinces.

 3 – DIGONG is President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

4 – MAR ROXAS was the standard-bearer of the LIBERAL PARTY during the 2016 Presidential elections; and Jovy drew his lot in favor of MAR ROXAS winning the polls.

5 – Jovy was engaged by a wife who has caught her hubby doing some hanky-panky. Well, instead of firing up the enmity in the wife’s broken-heart, Jovy patched up the quarrel and the spouses were so grateful to Jovy for his peace-making spiel.

6 –  The idiomatic expression actually is “TO BURY THE HATCHET” when one does a peacekeeping chore. The phrase “BURY THE AXES” was used for the purpose of achieving RHYME considering that a HATCHET is actually an AXE. 

7 – Jovy reportedly gifted one of his nephews with a Php 14,000.00 peso-worth cellphone and is paying for the matriculation even of a score of his grandnephews, actually the grandchildren of his siblings.

8 – A man of the cloth is idiom for a PRIEST.

9 – BETROTHED is to be engaged or to be pledged in MARRIAGE.

10 – Jovy’s string of cases where he would customarily serve on a PRO BONO basis  consists of cases of LAND DISPOSSESSION between rich landowners versus the tenants. And JOVY will almost always be CHAMPIONING the cause of the lowly tenants.

11 – Though Jovy is a TEETOTALER, as he seldom drinks alcoholic beverage; a sip of BEER perhaps would be worth it to celebrate the wonderful year that has passed.]

[The above photo is a reproduction from UNILAB’s publication of the excerpts of BIRTHDAY BOY’s (i.e. WINSTON TOBIAS YOUNG) interview conducted by a UNILAB staff. UNILAB is acronym for United Laboratories, Inc. while UNAHCO is Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company. WINSTON was among the employees-officers of the UNILAB group of companies who were feted by reason of their 40 years of dedicated service in December 2014. On August 30, 1974 WINSTON was initially hired to work as a clerk at UNILAB.  Years thereafter WINSTON was seconded/cross-posted to UNAHCO and from then on, WINSTON rose THROUGH the organizational ladder as he is now UNAHCO’s Vice-President for SUPPLY CHAIN, ADMINISTRATIVE & MARKETING SERVICES. WINSTON whom we endearingly call as JING, is celebrating his 63rd birthday today, April 1, 2017. I earlier posted this but I am now reposting it with this different CAPTIONED INTRO-PHOTO.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY JING!]

 

 

He is the THIRD CHILD¹ in a brood of EIGHT…

In CHINESE lore, it is said that the number 3 is FORTUNATE;

‘Tis said that the 3^rd possesses mystical ability and powerful CREATIVITY- –

That’s what GOOGLE says in my research and INQUIRY,

And I do confirm its SERENDIPITOUS  VALIDITY!

 

 

But what I truly know is that when JING was BORN…

That was in April 1, 1954² in one early MORN;

He quickly received in his tiny hands, IN MITTENS ADORNED – –

  Those money bills from the ENTERTAINING MAHJONG TABLE,

From then on, JING seemed so really BANKABLE³ AND MERCHANTABLE!

 

 

As a child he had a special and muscled NURSEMAN⁴…

Named CHAVEZ who was a former ARMY MAN;

JING would cling to him and would trust NO ONE – –

Except his NURSEMAN, who would have all things for him quickly DONE,

And JING would even sleep atop CHAVEZ’ chest like TARZAN’s SON!

 

 

 

When JING was just a PLAYFUL TODDLER…

He wanted always to be Mommy NORMA’s bag-TOTER⁵;

He would always want to join Mommy NORMA to DIVISORIA⁶ – –

As he would be happy strolling in those   festive ACCESSORIA⁷,

And he’d love to drink a glass of side-walk GULAMAN with much EUPHORIA!

 

 

JING graduated at the innovative University of the EAST⁸…

With a degree in Management, which he passed with much EASE;

And after his stint in his studies in COLLEGE – –

He got the chance to work with such sufficient KNOWLEDGE,

As he studied relentlessly well and with no STOPPAGE!

 

 

And then he took the EMPLOYMENT TEST…

Which then consists of TYPING long PHRASES;

But because perhaps the STAFF-IN-CHARGE wants to see JING a LOT – –

It took him awhile to bag the available SLOT⁹,

And eventually he PASSED, almost like winning a JACKPOT!

 

  

 

But with his LOYAL & FAITHFUL FLAIR…

He has stayed LONG ENOUGH in the company, so FAIR;

He has learned a lot and has indeed struck JACKPOT for his company and BOSS – –

And their COMPANY has never sustained any LOSS,

As lots of income went in, while they even diminished the OPERATING COST!

 

 

Indeed the COMPANY¹⁰ which JING has served with PRIDE…

Has reaped lots of laurels and lauds on the SIDE;

His tandem indeed with his ABLE BOSS RIC¹¹– –

Has brought much success and a truly FRUITFUL EPIC,

That’s why they’ve been retained for long, unto their COMPANY, and still they’re so CLOSELY-KNIT!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JING!

[Shown above is a photo of WINSTON’s family in a JOVIAL mode taken within the premises of Daddy Max’s 19th Avenue, Murphy home. From LEFT to RIGHT: MIKE, WINKLE, RALLY, WINSTON, BAMBI and WILBUR.]  

=====================================================================

[Legend: 1 – JING is the 3^rd child of Mommy NORMA and Dad MAX. I am FIRST and WILLIAM is SECOND. In his birth certificate, JING is named WINIFREDO WINSTON TOBIAS YOUNG.

2 – JING was born on April 1, 1954 (the same birth date of WILLIAM) at our CEMBO home (CEMBO is acronym for CENTRAL ENLISTED MENS’ BARRIO) at the Fort Mckinley (now, Fort BONIFACIO) in Makati City.

3 – BANKABLE is used in this BLOG to mean as certain to bring PROFIT and SUCCESS.

4 – This NURSEMAN sort of served as JING’s babysitter and YAYO.

6 –  Our late Mommy NORMA was a frequent shopper at the DIVISORIA, a bargain haven for shoppers then until now.MOMMY NORMA was wont to doing BUY-AND-SELL trade such as buying yarns of cloth as well as pieces of cloth. THEREAFTER, MOMMY NORMA would REsell either THOSE mere pieces of cloth or TURN THEM UP AS sewn-up skirts or dresses done by her friend ALING POSANG. And any among us her kids would be joining him as though her bag-toter, as we would be clinging to her all the way unto DIVISORIA.  

7 – Upon reaching DIVISORIA, Mommy NORMA will be haggling and conversing with her loyal suppliers and we will be prancing about in nearby stalls called by those DIVISORIA traders then as ACCESSORIA.

8 – JING graduated at the UNIVERSITY of the EAST in 1974 with a degree in BSBA Major in Management.

9 – JING finally bagged the employment SLOT at UNILAB, so to speak,  and was employed as GENERAL CLERK at UNILAB after many tries at the TYPING TEST. JING got employed at UNILAB through the help of Daddy MAX’s  friend, PETE DIAZ, who was then UNILAB’s SVP. In 1981, JING got seconded to the UNIVET AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, INC. (NOW, UNAHCO) which was UNILAB’s Animal Health Division as Credit Supervisor. Presently, JING occupies the VP post at UNAHCO for SUPPLY CHAIN, ADMINISTRATIVE & MARKETING SERVICES.

10 – The COMPANY where JING is now employed is UNILAB’s sister company, renamed as UNAHCO which is acronym for UNIVET NUTRITION AND ANIMAL HEALTHCARE COMPANY. 

11 – Mr. RICARDO ALBA is JING’s IMMEDIATE BOSS, being the able, competent, dedicated and upright President of UNAHCO. Mr. ALBA is endearingly called by his colleagues at UNILAB and UNAHCO as BOSS RIC.]

 

 [At right photo is the HIRSUTE WILLIAM, with much hair and so truly enticing and attractive from the perception of those DAMSELS in his midst and  ken of yesteryears. Left photo is a recent  version of WILLIAM with less of the HAIR…correction,  no HAIR on top at all…] 

He is the acknowledged CASANOVA¹ in our CASA²…

That’s why perhaps his CABEZA  is sort of CALVA³;

And I’m reminded of the ribald talk on being BALD⁴– –

But I’ll keep it to myself as YAM might get MAD!

 

 

As of now his score on the broad BOARD…

He has tallied THREE (3) sons in his FIRST CAVORT;

On the SECOND of his wily CONQUEST – –

He has sired a pretty child named WHUILETTE!

 

 

Well, as regards this next TRYSTING…

He has produced his DOUBLE as though MIMICKING;

And the name that he used is actually the SAME – –

He has named him WILLIAM to breed his FAME!

 

 

 

YAM is the second son of Mom NORMA and Dad MAX…

During his teens, he wants his khaki pants starched to the MAX;

That’s why our laundress then who was named KLARING – –

Saved on HANGERS, as YAM’s pants were piled on their own… STANDING⁵!

 

 

YAM graduated with a degree in MARINE ENGINEERING⁶…

That’s sort of apt, as MARINES are fond of DIVING;

And DIVERS are considered truly  GRACEFUL – –

That’s perhaps a lot of women found YAM as DELIGHTFUL!

 

 

He has gone around the world as a SEAMAN…

But one time he got irked and punched his ship-CHUM⁷;

Well, Dad MAX thus decided to stop YAM’s sea-TRIP- –

For his CHUM might conduct a gorier REPEAT!

 

 

 

He has turned into POLITICS, some kind of EPIC…

He has been elected as KAGAWAD⁸ in our DISTRICT;

And he has been tapped to help in the TOKHANG⁹ – –

That’s a revived practice, and now with  the aid of a CLERGYMAN¹⁰!

 

 

  

He’s being PUSHED to become Barangay Chairman¹¹…

And I supposed if he’s elected I’ll be his LAW MAN¹²;

That’s another burden on my part, another PRO BONO¹³ ROLE – –

For I’m sure I won’t be part of the Barangay PAYROLL, AS IT COULD BE QUESTIONED!

 

 

OKEY STILL…AS LONG AS HIS CAMPAIGN TARPS ARE DONE FOR A REASONABLE FEE, AT A PRINTING HOUSE ALONG TUAZON!

 

[Family photo of WILLIAM during the nuptial of our nephew WOODROW with PAM UNITE. Shown standing from left to right: WILLIAM Jr., WHUILETTE, WILLIAM Sr., and TERRY, WILLIAM’s wife.] 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YAM!

 

 

=================================================================

[Legend: 1 – CASANOVA is described as a man who is amorously and gallantly attentive to women. Well, another apt definition goes — a smooth-talking charmer who has mastered the art of finding, meeting, attracting and seducing women into his world.

2 – CASA is Spanish term for HOUSE; but is used in this BLOG to mean CLAN.

3 – CALVA is BALD; but is actually the feminine form. For poetic license, I used the feminine form not only to insure the RHYME but also because YAM loves WOMEN.

4 – There is that RIBALD talk about being BALD which goes as follows: “If you are BALD at the front part of your head, you are a THINKER; while if BALD at the back of one’s head, you are a LOVER. But, if one is both BALD up front and at the back…that guy THINKS he is a LOVER”…

5 – STANDING – Yam’s khaki pants were all HEAVILY STARCHED and you can actually leave it standing leaning on a corner on its own as though a very STIFF BRANCH of a tree.

6 –  Yam graduated with a degree in Marine Engineering at the then Philippine College of Arts and Trades, now the TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY of the PHILIPPINES located at the corner of san marcelino street and  Ayala Boulevard in Ermita, Manila.

7 – Yam got involved in a quarrel with a fellow seaman and in the altercation, YAM had to defend himself and punched his co-seaman resulting in a bloodied nose.

8 – KAGAWAD is actually a councilman in the Barangay, which is the Philippines’ smallest political unit.

9 – TOKHANG is actually a compound word, sort of a PORTMANTEAU, which is a combination of TWO (2) Filipino words which are the Tagalog word “TOKTOK” meaning to KNOCK ON THE DOOR and “HANGYO”, which is a Visayan word (actually CEBUANO) meaning to make a fervent request. Thus, TOKHANG as a police practice to eradicate the DRUG menace is done by visiting a supposed drug-user at his home, to knock on the door and to fervently request the drug-user to do away with DRUGS.

10 – CLERGYMAN is a PRIEST. The JOKE going around is that the PRIEST is needed to deliver the final rites of EXTREME UNCTION unto the drug personality involved.

11 – Barangay Chairman is the head of the Barangay, the smallest political unit in the country today. YAM is being pushed to run as Barangay Chairman in our domicile’s Barangay, our domicile of origin, Barangay San Roque which is within the 3rd District of Quezon City, Metro-Manila. Presently, aside from being a Barangay KAGAWAD of Barangay San Roque, Yam is employed as WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR of the DIMAX DISTRIBUTION ENTERPRISE (DIMAX). DIMAX IS a business outfit named after DADDY MAX and is engaged in commodities/condiments marketing and distribution in the whole of the metropolis. 

12 – LAW MAN as used in this BLOG means Legal Adviser or Legal Counselor.

13 – PRO BONO means rendition of legal services for FREE; GRATIS et AMORE.]

 

 

 [Photo above is that of my KUMPADRENG RAMON “MON” MARONILLA, the handsomest UPSILONIAN without QUESTION. MON is the incumbent President of the UP Alumni Association, Inc. whose term would end next year, 2018 – the CENTENNIAL of the UPSILON SIGMA PHI Fraternity. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KUMPADRENG MON!!!!]

 

Been seeing him since the 70s   at the BASEMENT¹ Cafeteria, sometimes at NOON;

It’s a snack house at the PALMA Hall, the hang-out of the UPSILON² —

UPSILONIANS indeed are HANDSOMER

  than my brods at PI OMICRON³,

And Kumpadreng MON seems to top them all, the HANDSOMEST without QUESTION!

 

 

 

His sister MARY⁴ was my faithful client

  since 1998⁵,

And all the while there were instances

   when MARY’s OBDURATE;

And meetings with her brother MON

    would at times, be simply CALLED;

Well, MON’s wise counsel would be the coup, and all will then be SOLVED!

 

 

 

He has been HONED by Dakila Castro⁶,

That’s actually R.P.’s Clarence Darrow⁷;

But his NEGOTIATION skills seem too INNATE,

As it looks as though NEGOTIATING to him, is just some piece of CAKE!

 

 

The badminton court we’ve had in 2002⁸,

Has brought us friends and at times some FOE;

But when I invited MON to PLAY,

He seems to have LOVED the game as though some REPLAY⁹!

 

 

 

 

And now with his second leash on LIFE,

For having grown his PROSTATE so RIFE¹⁰;

MON has been so THANKFUL and PERCEIVING,

Thanking even the OXYGEN that he’s been INHALING!

 

 

 

He’s  been reckless — MON said during his TEENS,

But now MON feels that all those CHARIVARI¹¹ and DINS;

Must now yield to MEDITATION and PRAYER,

…He talks straight to GOD in constant thanks with self-effacing FLAIR…

 

 

 

But as has always been told and SAID,

The SUCCESS of a man is due to some kind of EVE;

Indeed, the EVE in Kumpadreng MON’s LIFE,

Is BECKY FONG¹² — unmistakably MON’s GUIDE and LIGHT!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KUMPADRENG MON!

===================================================================

[Legend: 1 – The BASEMENT during my college years is the cafeteria situated at the BASEMENT FLOOR of the PALMA Hall. It was then the hang-out of the members of the UPSILON SIGMA PHI, the oldest fraternity in the University of the Philippines having been founded in 1918.

2 – UPSILON is the UPSILON SIGMA PHI Fraternity.

3 – PI OMICRON is the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY where I am a member. It is relatively a young fraternity having been Far-flung – Though we were then residing in K-Ville, in compliance with the wishes of my father-in-law, Antonio S. Evangelista, TON, being his namesake too—the baptismal rites and the reception were both held in Bulacan, Bulacan. 4 – MARY is MARY MARONILLA CLARAVALL. MARY is the youngest sister of Kumpadreng MON and she is the wife of Louie Claravall who is a close friend of my late law partner, Atty. Jaime G. Nagrampa (“Jim”). It was Jim originally who acted as MARY’s lawyer but eventually I partnered with Jim and since then, MARY became our law office client.

5 – In April 1998 I resigned as Legal Officer of the Legal & Collection Department of ALLIED BANK, now merged with PNB. Thus in May 1998, I organized with Atty. Jaime G. Nagrampa the NAGRAMPA YOUNG Law Office.

6 – Atty. Dakila Castro was for a time then was considered as the topnotch criminal lawyer of the country.

7 – Clarence S. Darrow was an American lawyer, leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and prominent advocate for Georgist economic reform. He defended teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert “Bobby” Franks (1924). Some of his other cases included defending Ossian Sweet, and John T. Scopes in the Scopes “Monkey” Trial (1925), in which he opposed William Jennings Bryan (statesman, orator, and three-time presidential candidate). Called a “sophisticated country lawyer”, his wit made him one of the most famous American lawyers and civil libertarians.

8 –  In 2002, my brother WILSON put up a twin-courts badminton hall at No. 6 20^th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro-Manila.

9- It seemed that BADMINTON was a REPLAY for Kumpadreng Mon as he was for some time been much engrossed in the game. However, perhaps due to the pressures of work, Mon for a time was sort of weaned away from the game.

10 – Early this year, Kumpadreng MON was diagnosed with PROSTATE CANCER. It was good that he underwent a medical procedure which is known in the medical parlance as ROBOTICS SURGERY. With the ROBOTICS SURGERY done, it would seem that Mon is now CANCER-free.

11- CHARIVARI is some kind of custom which originated in the West in which the community gives a noisy, discordant mock serenade, frequently with pounding on pots and pans, also known as rough music. The loud, public ritual evolved to a form of social coercion, for instance, to force an as-yet-unmarried couple to wed. This type of social custom arose independently in many rural village societies, for instance in France, England, Italy, Wales and Germany, where it was part of the web of social practices by which the small communities enforced their standards.

12 –  BECKY FUNG is Kumpadreng Mon’s better half, a SIGMA DELTA PHI sorority member and whose full name is REBECCA FONG.]

 

 

 [MMDA General Manager Thomas M. Orbos (“TIM”) is shown here with his signature smile which ought to bring us all of his friends, KIN and KITH alike; to exert an extra mile into helping TIM and to put in some degree of extra patience as all efforts are being waged into solving the monstrous traffic problem in the metropolis’ midst.]  

 

 

I first met him in the late 80s  in K-VILLE¹

After my son TON² was born in 1988 APRIL,

He willingly agreed to become a NINONG;

Though the venue’s reception  was remotely far-FLUNG³…

 

 

 

We  were in fact next-door NEIGHBORS,

But my Dad-in-law wanted the event at his DOORS⁴ ;

For which reason the baptismal was had at the Assumption Church⁵ ZONE,

A 19th-century Neo-Byzantine-Romanesque church made of STONE!

 

 

 

I remember having co-served with TIM at the KVTHA⁶,

Though it was just so brief as they had a quick STAY;

Having just rented the K-VILLE HOME;

Am sure, the couple⁷ wanted a home of their OWN…

 

 

And then I learned Tim became Prexy of O.R.C.A.⁸,

It’s an advisory group with strengths,   in full BONANZA⁹;

And now he is fully focused into TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT¹⁰,

That’s his main thrust at the MMDA¹¹; it’s his TOP COMMITMENT!

 

 

The vehicular volume has indeed reached its PEAK,

So let’s not expect too much of an EPIC;

The sight of TIM doing the rounds at EDSA’s^{12  ROW},

As for me… it’s indicative of a passionate doer– working VERDADISIMO BUENO¹³!

 

 

 

 

To those who love and respect TIM MUCH,

Let’s do our share and help TIM as SUCH;

Let’s all religiously observe those traffic RULES,

Let’s not violate the traffic lights as though we’re bound by FERRULES¹⁴!

 

 

What is even more exacting to FOLLOW,

As we want all our streets to be quite SHALLOW¹⁵;

Let’s not all drive around when our number¹⁶ is BANNED,

Even if the distance  is just truly SHORT-SPANNED!

 

 

And the best gift that we could give to TIM,

Is not to brag about and drop his NAME;

For those MMDA constables could be so POLITE,

Hearing TIM’s name might make them

 quite blind and UNBRIGHT!

 

 

 

JUST BEING JOCULAR… unto MY SON’S GODFATHER, WHO’S GROWN SO POPULAR!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSS TIM!

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – K-Ville Townhomes is that small community within Sanville Subdivision in Tandang Sora, Quezon City where I and my Kumpadre Tim Orbos became next-door neighbors.

2 – TON, is my only son, and is fully named as WALTER ANTHONY E. YOUNG.

3 – Far-flung – Though we were then residing in K-Ville, in compliance with the wishes of my father-in-law, Antonio S. Evangelista, TON, being his namesake too—the baptismal rites and the reception were both held in Bulacan, Bulacan.

4 – My father-in-law then owned a private resort named VILLA EVANGELISTA in Bulacan, Province of Bulacan which is just almost across the Roman Catholic church thereat.

5 – The Our Lady of Assumption Parish Church, commonly known as the Bulakan Church, is a 19th-century Neo-Byzantine-Romanesque stone church located at Barangay San Jose, in the Municipality of Bulakan (formerly spelled as Bulacan), Bulacan Province, Philippines. It is one of the parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos under the Vicariate of the Immaculate Conception. The church was declared Marked Historical Structure of the Philippines in 2007 by the National Historical Institute, the precursor of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. A historical marker bearing a brief history of the church was therein installed by the commission.

6 – KVTHA is the K-Ville Townhomes Homeowners’ Association.

7 – The couple refers to Kumpadreng Tim Orbos and his pretty wife, Kumadreng Ditas Colet Orbos.

8 –  O.R.C.A. is acronym for Orbos Research Consultancy and Advisory Corporation. It is an advisory group that specializes in providing the proper business, legal and government relations roadmap for companies doing business or intends to do business in the Philippines. Among  its clients are: a European conglomerate with strengths in information technology, defense and transport; a Korean group that is into telecoms and energy; a European aviation company and a Philippine top 100 corporation engaged in various industries.

10- TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT has now become the top concern of the MMDA considering the appalling report that the traffic problem is costing the Philippine economy almost Php 3 billions daily.

11- MMDA is acronym for the METRO-MANILA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. The MMDA is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines created embracing the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the municipality of Pateros. Metropolitan Manila or the National Capital Region is constituted into a special development and administrative region subject to direct supervision of the President of the Philippines. The MMDA performs planning, monitoring and coordinative functions, and in the process exercises regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro-Manila without diminution of the autonomy of the local government units concerning purely local matters.

12 – EDSA which is acronym for Epifanio de los Santos Avenue , is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is the main thoroughfare in Metro-Manila passing through 6 of the capital region’s 17 local government units, namely, from north to south, Caloocan, Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasay City.

13 – VERDADISIMO BUENO is a Spanish phrase meaning TRULY GREAT or TRULY GOOD.

14 – FERRULE is a metal band strengthening or forming a joint. Thus, by way of POETIC LICENSE, the term implies a very strict rule that binds us to compliance.

15 – SHALLOW is synonymous to SLIGHT. Thus, again, by way of POETIC LICENSE, a SHALLOW STREET is one with very SLIGHT TRAFFIC.

16 – Number is the car’s plate number particularly the ENDING NUMBER which on a ONCE-A-WEEK sked, is banned from the metropolis’ streets from 7 am to 8 pm everyday.]

[Top left photo shows ALLISON together with her male playmates during a Christmas party held at her Aunt Alma Esconde’s home in 2016. Bottom left photo shows ALLISON with her Dad Archie and Mom Kitz in their respective WACKY poses. Right photo shows the MOM and CHILD duo: Mom Kitz and the pretty birthday girl and future Miss UNIVERSE, ALLISON COURTNEY. This 8-year old grand-niece of mine is truly SMART. While on board with my Daddy Max, in their Nissan Altima Car in August 2015 which Car was being driven by her Dad, Archie; the father and daughter got into some kind of petty wrangling as Allison was trying to convince her Dad to buy her some kind of an expensive trinket. Casually and perhaps to stop ALLISON from distracting him from his driving, Archie declared with some air of authority: “WE ARE POOR  ALLISON AND WE CANNOT AFFORD THAT.” To this, ALLISON (then about 6 years old) made this quick repartee while ending it with a pout: “HOW   CAN YOU SAY THAT WE ARE POOR, WHEN WE CAN AFFORD TO EAT AT MACDONALDS ALMOST EVERYDAY!”]

 

 

You’re the first kid to be subject of my BLOG,

I hope that I would not turn into some kind of a CROG ¹;

But as you’re the child of AMAZING ARCHIE ²,

You’re SMART and you too are a REAL TECHIE!

 

 

 

I know that ALEE ³ is your IDOL,

She’s TECHIE too since playing with a DOLL;

That’s the problem with us SENIORS ⁴,

We knew no gadgets during our PRIORS ⁵ !

 

 

 

I first learned your name from my daughter SHAYNA ⁶,

Since SHAYNA’s been a frequent guest of your PAPA;

SHAYNA has been competing in WORLD  HIPHOP ⁷,

And your home at San Diego was her usual STOP ⁸.

 

 

 

I’ve learned too that you love DANCING,

And in school you did some kind of PRANCING;

But what I look forward into the FUTURE,

To see you on stage in HAUTE COUTURE ⁹!

 

 

 

Not just a HIPHOP Queen — you know,

I’d love to see you as a FASHION QUEEN—that’s TRUE!

I could see that you either will be a RAMP MODEL,

Or perhaps a TOPNOTCH/HIGH CALIBER COUTURIER!

 

 

 

 

 

When we were at your family’s home in 2015,

That was in August and the contest was KEEN ¹⁰   —

You went with your DAD to visit the teens ¹¹  —

Your DAD brought the juicy STEAKS ¹¹,

And you generated the laughter SHRIEKS ¹² !

 

 

Those positive traits with your SMARTNESS on top,

Will surely bring you to the summit atop;

And my prognostication could prove to be TRUE,

You could truly even be a UNIVERSE QUEEN on CUE ¹³!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON COURTNEY!!!!

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – To turn into a CROG is to be not attuned with the language of the youth or to be illogical in language.

2 – ARCHIE LLORCA is a nephew of mine. I wrote an earlier BLOG where I referred to ARCHIE as AMAZING ARCHIE.

3 – ALEE is my youngest daughter and when they (i.e. ALEE and ALLISON) are together they would BOND and PLAY along so seamlessly.

4 – SENIORS means SENIOR CITIZENS who have matured and aged like WINE.

5 – PRIORS means PRIOR YEARS or those yesteryears.

6 – My eldest daughter SHAYNA has started competing in the World Hiphop International contest in 2006 and thereafter.

7-  SHAYNA is still at it as she and her boyfriend VIMI RIVERA are the moving personalities in the quest of the LEGIT STATUS Hiphop Dance Team to bag  the Championship title of the WHHI. They will endeavor to compete anew this August 2017 at the Phoenix, Arizona WHHI contest.

8 – After every competition at the WHHI usually at Las Vegas, SHAYNA with her team mates (i.e. the UP STREET DANCE TEAM and the CREW, then) would usually visit the San Diego home of my nephew ARCHIE.

9 – HAUTE COUTURE means expensive, fashionable clothes produced by leading fashion houses.

10 – The 2015 WHHI contest which was held at the HARRAH’s Resort in San Diego was truly KEEN then as the LEGIT STATUS fielded compete teams for both the MEGACREW and the VARSITY divisions. The hard work proved truly rewarding as the LEGIT STATUS Varsity Team bagged the SILVER Medal while the LEGIT STATUS MEGACREW Team landed 4th Runner-Up in a field of hiphop teams from 57 competing countries.

11 – The term “TEENS” refers  to the more than 45 teen-aged participants to the 2015 WHHI of the LEGIT STATUS Team. They rented a big house in San Diego and on their first night upon their arrival, ARCHIE brought them lots of STEAK to nourish and energize them all.

12 – The SHRIEKS were the SHRIEKS of laughter which Allison generated while playing and horsing around with the female teen-aged participants and members of the LEGIT STATUS Dance Team on that first night of their arrival in San Diego in August 2015.

13 – The term “ON CUE” means at the right and correct time.]

 

 

 

 [Mommy BETTY aka BETTINA LEVER is shown celebrating her 80th birthday at their SYDNEY Home with her son the suave and debonair STEVE and his beauteous wife, ARLENE aka BETH (my BONGACIOUS first cousin) and the whole of the Llorca-Venal clan. Mommy BETTY is shown sandwiched by her step-grandaughter ADRIE and ADRIE’s son,  JEREMY.]

 

Though our meeting was quite BRIEF,

When we went to SYDNEY for a TRIP;

The experience with you was a bit MYSTICAL¹,

As our safe journey to SYDNEY’s Harbor  got truly so SPECTACULAR!

 

 

You’re the MOM of  such a SPORTIVE STEVE LEVER,

The suave hubby of my cousin ARLENE LLORCA LEVER;

It was the couple who swayed us to leave our comfy home last September,

For a cozier home in SYDNEY’s OXLEY PARK as we dealt with dying ember²!

 

 

 

If not for you, STEVE would have not met BETH³,

And STEVE wooed BETH as though they’re in a movie SET;

Their LOVE STORY is truly UNPARALLELED;

STEVE was sending FRESH ROSES daily, ‘twas ALLEGED⁴!

 

 

And we the KIN and KITH of BETH,

Has much admired and praised your SEED⁵;

For your selfless and forgiving nature,

Has rubbed off to your SON who has well matured!

 

 

 

Being of the PISCES⁶ Zodiac SIGN,

You truly are kind and so BENIGN;

PISCEANs are truly ROMANTIC and ALTRUISTIC,

That’s the same mark of STEVE — Oh so AUTHENTIC⁷!

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY BETTY LEVER!!!!

– The Youngs’ of the PHILIPPINES –

 

[Here — MOMMY BETTY is shown sandwiched by her SEED, the SUAVE STEVE and her daughter-in-law, the ALLURING ARLENE aka the BONGACIOUS BETH!] 

 

  

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – My family met Mommy Betty at at Sunday Church Holy Mass on September 10, 2016 in SYDNEY and I am sure through Mommy Betty’s prayers, our SYDNEY trip on those days in September remained JOYFUL, SAFE, EXCITING and MISHAP-FREE. We also had the opportunity to watch the spectacle of a seemingly never-ending FIREWORKS display at the SYDNEY Harbor.

2 – I actually celebrated my 67^th birthday at the OXLEY PARK home of Steve and Beth aka Arlene. And as Steve and Beth bought hefty-sized rump steaks, we got so busy roasting the steaks until the fiery-red charcoals turned into DYING EMBERS. 

3 – BETH is the nickname of my first cousin ARLENE LLORCA LEVER.

4 – It was told that STEVE kept on sending FRESH ROSES to Beth even when Beth stayed for a little vacation here in the Philippines following those incessant and relentless  wooing of the truly romantic STEVE. After some pondering,  Beth eventually yielded and surrendered unto STEVE’s amorous forays.

5 – SEED is STEVE being the son and heir of Mommy Betty.

6 –  Mommy Betty having been born in March 1937 is under the PISCES Zodiac sign.

7 – The ROMANTIC and ALTRUISTIC spirit of STEVE was perhaps inherited by him from his Mommy Betty. It truly therefore speaks of an AUTHENTIC trait as it is in the LEVERs’ genes, as they would say.]

 

 

 

 [Left photo shows the ALPHA PHI  OMEGA logo circumscribed by the phrases: “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY” on top and “67 YEARS OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE – ALPHA PHI OMEGA – PHILIPPINES” at the bottom. Right photo was snapped during the 67th FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY celebration of the ALPHA PHI OMEGA FRATERNITY – ALPHA CHAPTER which is based at the Far Eastern University in Manila. The celebration was on the night of March 2, 2017 at the BADMINTON HALL located at No. 6 20th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro-Manila. At the request of my youngest brother, WARREN T. YOUNG who hosted the affair and who was a former Grand Chancellor of the APO-Alpha Chapter during his college years, I wrote this English version of the earlier FUN-RHYME BLOG in Tagalog…Happy Anniversary APO-Alpha Chapter!] 

 

The ALPHA PHI OMEGA Fraternity was organized in March in R.P.,

That was on March 2, in the year NINETEEN FIFTY;

R.P. is acronym for the Philippine country,

Thus — this year it’s their 67^th year ANNIVERSARY!

 

 

 

 

My brother  WARREN¹ hosted a truly

joyous party,

For he was Grand Chancellor² sometime in Year 1983;

That was at the F.E.U.³, a prestigious university…

His BRODS and SISSES started coming  in the afternoon at around 6:30!

 

 

 

 

As they reminisced and recalled the past,

Their memory about SOL GEORGE LEVY³ would surely last;

For it was this American LEVY who touched base with LIBRADO,

The latter’s one of the FOUNDING FATHERS of APO!

 

 

And it got documented at Room 214 at  Nicanor Reyes Hall,

That was the  first meeting which ushered the APO protocol;

‘Twas good that LIBRADO I. URETA though taking up a MASTERAL⁴,

Still, he clearly felt that the matter was so SPECIAL!

 

 

Thence, interest in the APO Frat spread like wild fire,

For on its 3^rd year the Frat seemed like ascending on a SPIRE⁵;

It then became a FULLY national organization,

With various chapters chartered in almost   the whole nation!

 

 

 

And the cynosure of the occasion,

Were not the pretty SISSES who looked so Caucasian;

But it was the large and yummy roasted pig,

It really turned out as the CROWD’s favorite DIG!

 

 

The list of NOTABLE members of APO ‘tis like a WHO’s WHO!

For it has produced a V.P.⁶, that’s their Brod Jojo⁷, whom they truly know;

And a fiercely independent JURIST,

That’s Justice ALICIA AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ⁸!

 

 

In the legislature, the APO also scored;

With a bunch of truly daring deputies on board,

There’s that funny Manuel Zamora⁹ of Compostela,

And Cong. Antonio Cerilles¹⁰ of ZAMBOANGA!

 

 

Well — at the ANNIVERSARY party, there were NOTABLES too,

One is FROILAN BONIFACIO¹¹,  a general at the PNP but he’s now through;

He even tried some YOGA postures at the Hall¹²,

As there was a YOGA session, and it seems he liked the call¹³…

 

 

But the real main attraction were the PRETTY sisses of YORE,

Even though they have aged, still they’re filled with much ARDOR;

And INGRID LEE RODRIGO seemed the SEXIEST,

As she still truly carried that ZEST!

 

 

But MADEL KHO who was Past President of the association,

Sashayed and swung in her locomotion;

She truly displayed much elegance and verve,

She was pretty and cool, and seemed so never unnerved!

 

 

 

In the medical profession, APO is TOPS too,

For it has been their advocacy to hold medical missions, so true;

And ONE among those doctors arrived to bond with his BRODS,

‘Tis BROD JOSEPH ASILO, whose face would truly be loved by BROADS¹⁴!

 

And the feasting was done via CONTRIBUTING,

There were those who just gave — sort of FARTHING;

But atop of the list is a proud APO and PAST PREXY,

That’s Brod DANTON PAJARILLAGA; he’s some kind of a TECHIE!

 

But the V.I.P. of that starry  night,

Is none other but a true APO KNIGHT;

He’s ANDRE PORLAS¹⁵ of ALPHA Batch 64,

A bright engineer who’s an APO up to his very CORE!

 

 

HAPPY 67th  ANNIVERSARY BRODS!!!!

– Brod Warren T. Young –

=====================================================================

[Legend: 1 – Warren Young, my youngest brother actually was an APO-Alpha chapter member when he matriculated at the F.E.U pursuing a course in Business Administration in  1981.

2 – Warren got elected as Grand Chancellor (equivalent to the President of an organization) of the APO-Alpha Chapter in 1983. 

3 – SOL GEORGE LEVY is an Alpha Phi Omega-Gamma Alpha chapter member in the United States of America. In January 1950, being a professional Scouter, he went to the Philippines to generate interest among Scouts here in the Philippines.

4 – LIBRADO INOCENCIO URETA was then pursuing a course in Masters of Arts in Education at the Far Eastern University (“FEU”)  when he met SOL GEORGE LEVY in early 1950s. Thereafter, on March 2, 1950 at Room 214 at the Nicanor Reyes Hall at the Far Eastern University in Manila; they together with a group of former Scouts founded the Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines.

5 – SPIRE means the SUMMIT or a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on top of a building.

6 –  V.P. is acronym for Vice-President.

7 – JOJO BINAY is APO-Eta Chapter member and was the past Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines

8 –Justice Alicia Austria-Martinez is a former Supreme Court justice. She served as such magistrate from 2002 up to 2009.

9 – MANUEL ZAMORA is Congressman Manuel Zamora of the APO-PHI BETA Chapter who served as Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing the 1^st District of Compostela Valley. He was a FUNNY legislator and sports the name WAY KURAT as his sobriquet/nick name.  

10 – Congressman ANTONIO H. CERILLES is an Honorary member of the APO and he served as member of the House of Representatives of Zamboanga del Sur of its 2^nd district.

11 – Gen. FROILAN BONIFACIO served as Police Director in Makati City. He has retired from the service in 2012.

12 – The BADMINTON HALL which is located at No. 6 20^th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City has invariably been the venue of parties and celebrations. Recently, in the evening of March 2, 2017; the APO-Alpha Chapter held their 67^th Founding Anniversary thereat.

13 – The CALL refers to the usual commands barked out by an instructor in a YOGA session which happened to be ongoing at the inner side of the Badminton Hall when the APO-Alpha Chapter held their 67^th Founding Anniversary celebration.

14 – BROADS is slang term for WOMEN.

15 – ANDRE PORLAS was the oldest among those APO Fraternity brods who attended the 67^th Anniversary celebration at the Badminton Hall. Andre is APO-Alpha Chapter member circa 1964.]

 

 [Photos shown above were snapped during the 67th FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY celebration of the ALPHA PHI OMEGA FRATERNITY – ALPHA CHAPTER which is based at the Far Eastern University in Manila. The celebration was held last night (March 2, 2017) at the BADMINTON HALL located at No. 6 20th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro-Manila. At the request of my youngest brother, WARREN T. YOUNG who hosted the affair and who was a former Grand Chancellor of the APO-Alpha Chapter during his college years, I wrote this FUN-RHYME BLOG…Happy Anniversary APO-Alpha Chapter…TRUE ENOUGH, as this is my 68th FUN-RHYME BLOG, the APO-Alpha Chapter is on to its 68th year!] 

Inorganiza ang ALPHA PHI OMEGA sa PINAS  noon pong Marso,

Noon ay ika-dalawa ng Marso ONE NINE FIVE ZERO;

Kaya’t ngayon nama’y 67^th year na ang FOUNDING —

ANNIVERSARY ng APO, kaya’t nagkaroon  tuloy ng BONDING!

 

 

 

Sa BADMINTON HALL¹ naging HOST si WARREN²,

Dumating ang kanyang mga BRODS, pati SISSES na rin;

Syempre may kainan, at may konting INUMAN —

Naku, yaong LECHON talagang NILANTAKAN!

 

 

 

Dumating ang APO sa PINAS noong 1950,

Isang Kanong APO brod, na si SOL GEORGE LEVY³;

Sa isang kuarto sa F.E.U. sa Nicanor Reyes Hall,

Pinulong nyang mga PINOY dagli’y naging mga UTOL…

 

 

Nangunang PINOY sa pulong ay si Librado Ureta y INOCENCIO⁴,

Kaya’t sa HISTORYA ng APO sya

ang naturang FOUNDING BOSYO^5;

Lumaganap ng daglian ito ngang APO FRAT,

Maraming naging kasapi pati si WAY KURAT!⁶

 

 

Sa tala ng mga NOTABLE na miyembro,

Halos lahat ay totoong VALOROSO⁷;

Nandyan si JOJO BINAY⁸ binansagan ngang RAMBOTITO⁹,

Nandyan din si BEBOT BELLO¹⁰ na sa PEACE PROCESS¹¹ ay PABORITO¹²!

 

 

 

 

Sa HUDIKATURA naman ay talaga rin namang LIPOS,

May mga HUKOM at JUSTICES na tunay na MAKADIYOS;

Nandyan si S.C. Ex-Justice ALICIA AUSTRIA MARTINEZ¹³,

At sa SANDIGANBAYAN naman, si Justice JOSE R. HERNANDEZ¹⁴!

 

 

 

Sa ANNIVERSARY celebration na dinaos

  sa BADMINTON HALL,

Marami din namang dumalong mga UTOL;

Dumating si General FROILAN BONIFACIO,

Nagsilbing POLICE DIRECTOR sa Makati nang TAAS-NOO!

 

 

Aba ang mga seksi nilang mga SISSES,

Nanguna naman si INGRID LEE RODRIGO,  na siyang SEXIEST;

Sa mga MEDICAL DOCTOR naman na APO,

SWAK ang poging Doctor na si Brod Joseph ASILO!

 

 

Si PAST PRESIDENT MADEL KHO, ay di rin nagpatalo,

Di nga ba’t siya ang PAST PRESIDENT ng ALPHA-ALUMNI ASSO.;

Kaya’t nang dumating, mistulang di mag-kamayaw —

Halos lahat ng BRODS and SISSES,   sila’y puro kumakaway!

Aba itong si Brod DANILO — DE LA CRUZ po ang APELYIDO,

MANAGER na nga po siya ng PNB-Vigan; dyan sa parteng ILOKO;

Kaya kung mga BRODS at SISSES kailangan ng FINANCIAL…

Pumila na lang po kayo at wag nang mag-pa-SOSYAL!

Isa pang PAST PREXY ang nag-ambag,

DANTON PAJARILLAGA ang syang bansag;

Lubos na nagparating at nagpahabol,

Apaw ang pagkain, halos DOBOL-TREBOL!

 

Pero ang syang tunay na pangunahing PANDANGAL,

Na mistulang ANTIGO at tunay na MARANGAL;

Walang iba kundi si BROD ANDRE PORLAS¹⁵,

Enhinyerong TANYAG at sa U.S. ay naging BUENAS!!!!

 

HAPPY 67th ANNIVERSARY SA ATING LAHAT BRODS!!!! –Brod Warren T. Young-

  

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[Legend: 1 – The BADMINTON HALL which is located at No. 6 20^th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City has invariably been the venue of parties and celebrations. Recently, in the evening of March 2, 2017; the APO-Alpha Chapter held their 67^th Founding Anniversary thereat.

2 – Warren Young, my youngest brother actually was an APO-Alpha chapter member when he matriculated at the F.E.U pursuing a course in Business Administration in  1981. Warren even got elected as Grand Chancellor of the APO-Alpha Chapter in 1983. 

3 – SOL GEORGE LEVY is an Alpha Phi Omega-Gamma Alpha chapter member in the United States of America. In January 1950, being a professional Scouter, he went to the Philippines to generate interest among Scouts here in the Philippines.

4 – LIBRADO INOCENCIO URETA was then pursuing a course in MA in Education at the Far Eastern University (“FEU”)  when he met SOL GEORGE LEVY in the early 1950s. Thereafter, on March 2, 1950 at Room 214 of the Nicanor Reyes Hall at the Far Eastern University in Manila; they together with a group of former Scouts founded the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity in the Philippines.

5 – BOSYO is Tagalog slang for BIG BOSS or TOP HONCHO.

6 –  WAY KURAT is the nickname/sobriquet of former Congressman Manuel Zamora of the APO-PHI BETA Chapter who served as Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing the 1^st District of Compostela Valley.  

7 – VALOROSO is a Spanish term which means courageous, daring and heroic.

8 – JOJO BINAY is APO-Eta Chapter member and was the former Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines.

9 – RAMBOTITO was the moniker given former Vice-President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay when he attired himself for combat complete with bandoleer and high-powered firearms, as he joined pro-democracy forces during one of the mutinies against the administration of former President Corazon Aquino in the late 1980s.

10 – BEBOT BELLO is SILVESTRE H. BELLO III who is the incumbent Secretary of Labor and Employment. He also serves as CONSULTANT in the PEACE PROCESS as he together with Sec. Jesus Dureza calls the shots in the peace-process initiatives both for the REDS and the MORO rebs.

11 – One of the recent peace initiatives of Secretary SILVESTRE H. BELLO III  is the aborted peace talks with the CPP-NDF which was held in Oslo, Norway and in Rome, Italy.

12 – Secretary SILVESTRE H. BELLO III  appears to be one among Pres. Duterte’s favorites with respect to the peace initiatives being pursued by the Philippine government.

13 – Justice Alicia Austria-Martinez is a former Supreme Court justice. She served as such magistrate from 2002 up to 2009.

14 – Justice Jose R. Hernandez was Sandiganbayan Justice from March 2004 up to November 2016.

15 – ANDRE PORLAS was the oldest among those APO Fraternity brods who attended the 67^th Anniversary celebration at the Badminton Hall. Andre is APO-Alpha Chapter member circa 1964.]

[Some of the photos taken during the SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY for Doc Andy on February 27, 2017 at the BADMINTON HALL located at No. 6 20th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro-Manila.Doc Andy is Dr. ALEJANDRO TAN who is the incumbent President of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL, more popularly known by its acronym – ASPAC. Well, going back to Doc Andy’s SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY…IT WAS FUN!]

 

Ang naunang nag-plano ay si RAUL,¹

Minungkahi niyang idaos sa BADMINTON HALL;2

Masayang sumegunda ang LAHAT,

Syempre– kainan na naman itong walang PUKNAT!

 

 

 

Kunwari daw ay may mag-papa-FENGSHUI,

At hihikayatin siya ni ANDOY;

Yan ang bansag ko kay ANDREW PUEN,

Pero, baka daw si Doc Andy mag-pa-POSTPONE!

 

 

Kasi nga naman ang FENGSHUI CHART,

Merong sinusunod at dapat ay TUMPAK;

Ang araw at oras ay dapat na SWAK,

Kaya’t FIRST PLAN baka maging PALPAK!

 

 

Kaya’t ang naging SECOND PLAN NAMAN,

Kunwa’y si Doc Andy ay IIMBITAHAN;

Magiging tampok na GUEST SPEAKER  SIYA,

Mag-si-share siya ng mga EKSPERIENSYA…

 

 

 

Experience  nya bilang ASPAC  PREXY,

Siguradong hindi siya magpapa-PROXY;

Ukol sa SCHOLARSHIP program kasi kuno,

Siyempre si DOC ANDY ang IN THE KNOW DITO…

 

 

 

Aba, nung akin siyang IMBITAHAN,

Syempre kuntodo with letterhead na LIHAM;

Sagot ni DOC ANDY po NAMAN,

“Wholeheartedly”…and “I WILL COME!”…

 

 

Kunwa’y pupulongin ni DOC ANDY,

Mga magulang ng mga scholars ng Foundation ni MOMMY³;

Aba si DOC ANDY ay nag-request pa,

Gusto nya’y may LCD projector pa!

 

 

 

At dumating na nga ang D-DAY,

Nagdatingan na ang mga MOMMY at DADDY;

Pagkain at drinks nga ay umapaw,

Meron pang pancit MOLONG pang-sabaw!

 

 

 

Naku ang CALLOS⁴ ni RAUL,

Sa amoy palang ay WONDERFUL;

Kaya nga at sinipat ko ng husto,

Malamang maubos agad dahil ito’y PABORITO!

 

 

 

Noong dumating na si Doc Andy,

May kutob na siyang tunay daw na matindi;

Bakit nga naman ipinasama pa si NETTE,

Inabutan pa nyang sa INNER GATE⁵

   madaling pumasok si JULIET!

 

 

Kahit na nga nalaman nya’t nagka-bukuhan,

Syempre THOUGHTFULNESS ang syang may kabuluhan;

Mahal talaga si DOC ANDY ng mga COLLEAGUES niya sa ASPAC,

Nagbigay ng oras, nag-saing, nag-luto, atbp… at nagpasayang tunay sa kaniya…WEN NARAGSAK⁶!!!!

  

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[Legend: 1 – RAUL refers to Atty. RAUL PANLASIQUI who is the incumbent Immediate Past President of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL.

2 – When the matter of having an alternative venue for ASPAC’s Christmas Party in December 2016 was discussed, I privately suggested to Doc Andy and Atty. Raul Panlasiqui about the Badminton Hall which I said could be an alternative site. Well, the Christmas Party was held at the originally-planned venue at the Penthouse of ATENEO’s Leong Hall.

3 – I sent a letter-invitation to Doc Andy requesting him to share his experiences as ASPAC Prexy with respect to ASPAC’s scholarship program and to speak before the parents of the scholars of the Norma Tobias Young Foundation, Inc., a charitable foundation named after my late Mommy Norma. 

4 – Callos is a hearty stew made of beef tripe, ox feet, chorizo de bilbao, garbanzo beans, green peas and bell peppers slow-cooked in a paprika-infused tomato sauce. The backbone of the dish is the full-flavored broth and nothing will ruin it more than the malodor of beef tripe. And Atty. Raul Panlasiqui would usually bring this dish to almost all of ASPAC’s meetings and feasts. And Atty. Raul makes it a point to source the beef tripe from the best meat shops to avoid the unwanted beef tripe malodor.

5 – When Doc Andy arrived and as he was entering the OUTER GATE, following me in tow, I was surprised to see Ms. Juliet Remorque darting out from the comfort room and trying to sneak in fast through the INNER GATE into the Badminton Hall. Mukhang hindi naman nakita, dahil nilansi ng kaunti ni Nette si Doc Andy.

6 – WEN NARAGSAK is an Ilocano phrase which means: “YES, IT WAS JOYFUL!”]