[Our UP College of Law ’79 classmate, Ambassador Victoria Sisante Bataclan, attained the rank of an AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY. And it is the highest rank/title that could be bestowed upon a diplomat particularly unto those of topnotch caliber like Amba VICKY. Indeed, Amba VICKY feels plainly at home being on TOP; because, as always… she is TOPS. To our esteemed, excellent and endeared classmate and friend, I most endearingly offer this ODE.]
A native of Magallanes, Cavite who’s consistently TOPS at SCHOOL…
Her DAD developed her vocabulary as some convenient TOOL;
Perhaps looking forward that she’ll be a DECLAIMER,
Even perhaps a future LAWMAKER, or at least some FUN RHYME BLOGGER !
My first impression about you, my dear AMIGA…
Is that you’re astute, clever and brilliantly BRIGHT;
You’re feisty, lively and high-spirited like LADY GAGA,
As UNIVERSITY COUNCILOR then, you were spry, akin to a seeming magical SPRITE!
But now you’ve truly developed an intellectual sense of JUSTICE…
As a VIRGO person that seems to be the TEST;
To determine indeed if you’ve imbibed such noble VIRGO TRAIT,
With your industriousness, you’re fully VIRGO, ‘tis complete…’tis PARFAITE!
You are AMUSING and LITERARY TOO…
So pluckily BRAVE, a unique trait from your DAD, an INTREPID CAVITEÑO;
You’re deemed VERSATILE, that’s what your HOROSCOPE SAYS,
You’re quite SENTIMENTAL, remembering those HALYCON DAYS!
In your younger years, I distinctly REMEMBER…
As you narrated the story of a seeming DYING EMBER;
You even pictured the scene as your MOM’s PIETA,
Cradled in her arms, your mortal DAD… shot by a GANGSTA!
And I too distinctly remember, your route to rural SCHOOL…
As though you, with much difficulty, were untangling a knotty SPOOL;
Meandering your way through the woods, so KILOMETRIC…
Tired by much walking, your lunch box, would get prematurely FLICKED!
During our rally-filled and raucous UP UNDERGRAD YEARS…
You were then already a student leader garbed in BLUE JEANS;
As though one of the JOANS OF ARC of the DILIMAN COMMUNE EPOCH,
You showed much NATIONALISTIC FERVOR, as you truly walked your TALK!
You’re co-founder too of an excellent SORORITY…
Though it’s relatively young, it has attained POPULARITY;
Its membership looked as though a roster of EXCELLENCE,
‘Tis ARETE indeed, bonded together with unity in DIVERGENCE!
The TAU GAMMA SIGMA with the TRISKELE as “SIMBOLO”…
An ornate motif of spirals with rotational symmetry as LOGO;
A sorority sis and co-founder has ascended unto the HIGHEST COURT,
Much honor you bestowed as ENVOY for RP, in EU you boldly held the FORT!
During our UP Law DAYS, in my vivid RECOLLECTION…
You were deemed as our LEADER in the school’s EVENING SECTION;
Though you were already indeed a married lass THEN,
You managed your time well and joined us even in our inebriating BENDER!
What I remember most is our casual chance MEETINGS…
You were working at SOUTH HARBOR while at the ANDA CIRCLE, unending WAITINGS;
I’d come from those row of NORTH PIERS in TONDO,
We’ll ride a public bus not far from BINONDO!
The ride to UP DILIMAN though exhilarating, standing EVEN…
As a lady, thence you’d be offered seats by most GALLANT MEN;
Poring over your law book, I’d be so truly TEMPTED—
With hand on the stanchion, I’ll also do my READ!
After TOPPING the FSO exam, and joining the FOREIGN AFFAIRS in SEVENTY-NINE…
The Philippine-DFA indeed discovered in you a GOLD MINE;
Your colleagues at the DFA are one in saying… you’re TOP, BRIGHTEST and BEST,
In a tiff with your chief, your post got WRESTED, as you were sort of put to REST!
And as PREXY of the UNION OF FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS…
You showed your sedulous concern for country and your MEMBERS;
And your adverse position was ultimately HEEDED and SUSTAINED,
Prexy GMA withdrew the appointment and STATUS QUO was MAINTAINED!
But as an elegant, eloquent and a most distinguished ENVOY…
In an international conference you served as our nation’s BOUY;
In BRUSSELS, at the EUROPEAN POLICY CENTER TALKS,
You spoke to boost our country, amidst all of the RUCKUS!
Indeed, on that September 15, 2015 POLICY DIALOGUES…
You proudly heralded our country’s high GNP and GDP LOGS;
Intimated the indications of some kind of a FORECAST,
Espying that RP in 2050 will become 20th LARGEST ECONOMY at LAST!
You’re honest, upright and even most SINCERE…
You showed your love of country with not a tinge of FEAR;
Though it was indeed MARCOS who gave you a diplomat’s PASSPORT,
When our country’s welfare was at stake, you withdrew from him POLITICAL SUPPORT!
Your CHINESE ZODIAC SIGN, is that of a RABBIT…
You are typed as RESPONSIBLE, PATIENT, and true KINDNESS — you’ve GOT IT;
Decent dressing is most important for YOU,
That fitting trait might have caused your POPULARITY as though in a CUE!
With your kids CHRISTIAN, MURIEL and VERONICA as SWELL…
The fruit of your LOVE with OSCAR, a doting HONEY, a first-rate “MIEL”;
You have shown and proven your LOVE to our dear MOTHERLAND,
Such promising kids, giving them intellect and FORTUNE, as though from your magic WAND!
On your BIRTHDATE and NATAL DAY, my fair and just AMIGA…
So blest, as you’ve become to your kin a favor, a grace, a HANNAH;
Your clan is indeed proud of you and is truly ORGULOUS,
Hope that I’ll be invited once again to the MAGALLANES FIESTA, as the ambience therein is JOYOUS!
AND WE’LL SWILL WITH RORY MUCH BRANDY AND SO UNLIMITED PETRUS!
