Remembering A Friend On Christmas

Checking on my Facebook account earlier today, I saw a post about Jay Lorenzo’s last forum comment in a website dedicated to Philippine mountaineering. And I just felt I wanted to reflect on this and share it with you in the light of the coming Holiday Season.

Jay was a classmate of mine back in high school. Aside from the fact that his family name was Lorenzo, and mine was Martinez, which meant that, alphabetically-arranged, we were just a few seats apart in class most of the time, I did not really know him that well. But being classmates with him for a good number of years certainly welded a bond of brotherhood which usually remained unspoken especially for an all-boys class like ours.

Fastforward to our 20th year reunion for our high school batch last year, 2008. After 20 long years, we had planned to make the event a big one as a kick off for our 5-year preparation for our Silver Jubilee which will fatefully coincide with our Alma Mater’s Centennial Celebration on 2013, the grandest of celebrations.

Being part of the core group which organized that particular reunion, we had to make sure that attendance to the said event would be as comprehensive as possible. Anyone we could access to would be contacted – whether it be thru email, cellphone, landline, pasabi sa kamag-anak or kapitbahay, or even a personal visit. It was usually a combination of the above. And it was the only way that we could get in touch with long-lost classmates - those classmates we haven’t really gotten In touch with since we graduated from high school.

And in my case, Jay belonged to that “long-lost” group. I think that the last time I saw Jay was way back in high school. It was not even on Graduation Day as Jay chose to transfer schools in the middle of high school so he didn’t get the chance to graduate with us.

So, on reunion day, I got reconnected with Jay. It was not really that unlikely even if, as I said, Jay and I weren’t really that close back in high school. Jay has remained to be the friendly and amiable person that he was way back then. He was the walang-masamang-tinapay kind of guy. It was quite easy to approach him and exchange stories with him.

I learned quite a few things about his life after high school. Most notable was that he worked with PAL, he loved mountaineering, and he also had a passion for photography as evidenced by the camera he brought to shoot remembrances of that particular reunion. Both Jay and I actually became the unofficial photographers of the said event. We even made a face-off while shooting each other’s photos since photographers like us are the least photographed subjects in events like those. But in such a short amount of time, I came under the impression that Jay lived life to the fullest. The hobbies and activities he pursued were what he really wanted. And we were both happy that we had that common interest in photography – something we had not discovered yet when we were in high school.

So when the news of his tragic death due to a motorcycle accident last June 12, 2009 reached us, it came as an unbelievable shock.

Upon going to his wake, we met his family, friends and colleagues. And right there and then, we knew that this man was well-loved and respected. Friends from his mountaineering club were there with shirts printed with the message bidding Jay farewell on his final climb. And until now, months after he passed away, stories and fond memories of how he touched lives continue to get posted on the internet.

So you may ask, what does this have to do with Christmas?

Everything about Jay’s life and death has something to do about Christmas.

In this season where most of us would be attending parties and reunions, reconnect with the people who have touched your lives. There doesn’t have to be mushy moments when we reunite with people we once built memories with. But a simple update on what has been happening to each other’s lives is a good way to rekindle the bond that might have gotten blurred by time.

It is not only with how you view your relationship with these people. But conversely, it is also how these people around you would view their relationship with you. As with my dear friend Jay, I saw many things in him which somehow made me reflect on the things we value in life.

We always say that we should live life to the fullest. But really, how much to the fullest extent of living are we truly being alive? Pursue your goals and dreams. It is never too late to start on a new dream. You are never too old to take on a new hobby. Take what life offers you. It is never too late to do what you have always dreamed of when you were a kid. It is never too late to realize that making tons of money will not bring you the fulfillment you have always wanted. The mountains that Jay climbed may be metaphors for the goals you want to conquer. Chase your life’s passions. It is with these passions that we feel truly alive. People always say that life is short. But really, how short is short?

This Christmas, let each of our lives be our gift to one another. In the same way that Christ offered His own life for us, let us offer our own lives to one another, even to our very own selves. Let us be inspirations to one another and help each other live our lives to the fullest. Let us not waste the gift of life our Creator gave us. Share what you can share for there is enough for everyone. Material things are just there to be instruments for us to show that humans can care. And when other people seem to have been jaded by the harsh realities of the world, let them know that there are still people who still care. Dare to make a difference.

Jay has already completed his climb in the mountains of this world. Our turn is not yet over. At the end of our journey, all of us would meet there at the top. And when that time comes, it would be a great realization that we have helped each other along the way.

Merry Christmas, everyone! And to my dear friend, Jay, Merry Christmas to you, too. See you at the top. Just not too soon, I hope. =)

K88 Krismas Kampayan

K88 is having its Annual Christmas Party Celebration on December 29, 2009 at Jay Ravalo's place in San Miguel, Pasig.

Everyone's invited to attend.

For details, just email us at kumbento88@gmail.com. We would love to see everyone there. Especially for those classmates who would be coming home from abroad for the holidays, this is the perfect chance for you to re-connect and have fun with us.

So mark the date - December 29, 2009. Festivities start at 7PM. Be there early so you won't miss any of the fun.

Come one! Come all!

Sagip Kalikasan

Kumbento88 joins the rest of the PCC Alumni Association and the Pasig community in calling for more awareness regarding our environment. Alay Lakad sa Kalikasan was held last December 6, 2009.

Kumbento88, Kumakalinga sa Kalikasan

K88 Is Now On Facebook

We know. There has been a very limited number of updates lately on this blog. But that doesn't mean that we have abandoned this website completely. It's just that most of us have transferred our balitaktakan and balitaan to the new "in" medium - Facebook.

Yes, our dear batchmates, Kumbento88 has finally invaded Facebook. Not only have our individual members gotten their own personal account in Facebook and started sharing updates, pictures, videos, links, and whatever they wanted to share, we have also created our own K88 Fanpage.

So if you already have your own Facebook account, search for the Kumbento88 Fanpage and add us up. And in case, you still don't have an account with Facebook until now, what have you been waiting for? Sign up now!

I Survived Ondoy

Hi everyone!

First of all, thanks for all the prayers and support that you have given to all the victims of Ondoy. Although I have been in contact with a few batchmates thru text, this is the first time that I have read all the emails since the flood. Our landline and internet have just been restored today.

As I have told Joey, no need to worry about me. Aside from experiencing my very first flood at home, and the various damages in appliances, furniture and electronic equipment, I am very much alive. And that is what matters most.

If you are interested to read my blow-by-blow account of my personal experience during the Ondoy Floods, I have written quite a lengthy piece here: http://isurvivedondoy.wordpress.com. I reiterate that it is quite a lengthy piece that I wrote during breaks of our clean-up operations. So you may need to allot some time to be able to read the whole of it, hehehe. I also wrote it for myself in case I would want to revisit that fateful experience and remember the lessons and realization it brought to me.

Again, thanks for the concern, prayers and support. I am truly glad that I am a part of this brotherhood.

Long live K88!

K88 Rigmarolers Bow Out

"Nice game, 'Bo!" Rod consoles K88 star player Bimbo Bersalona.

Bimbo just takes a sip from his glass of iced tea, still wincing from the hamstring injury that he may have again aggravated after the hard-fought basketball game.

"Kaya natin sana yun. Kinapos lang talaga. Tapos malas pa dahil di pumapasok mga tira natin nung first quarter kahit tutukan na," I add, still quite drained from the heart-breaking loss.

"Kahit nga nung lumamang sila ng 10 points, di ako kinabahan eh. Tapos nilamangan pa natin sila ng 3 points nung 4th quarter. Crucial lang talaga yung dalawang turnovers natin pagkatapos nung time out. Dun sila umabante," coach Ali quips, a bottle of beer in hand.

"Eh kung ipinasok mo ba naman kami nina Boyet, eh di nabantayan sana namin yung bitaw ng bitaw ng tres sa kanila," Neil Tanada jokingly replies.

"Bakit nga pala nandito yang si Ali? Yari ka mamaya pag dumating yung mga binangko mo kanina. Lalo na sina Dondon. Galing pa raw sya ng Laguna, sabay di mo man lang ipinasok," Caloy adds. Laughter erupts in the group.

"Wala kasing galang itong mga batang 'to eh. Di man lang pinagbigyan yung mga matatanda!" Boyet shouts loud enough for the opposing team, who were also holding their post-game celebrations at the other table, to hear.

"Pinahirapan nyo nga kami eh! Ang sasakit nga ng katawan namin!" exclaims someone from Batch 94.

"Akala kasi ni Chunky URC yata ang laro eh!" rebutts our side.

Laughter erupts again, everyone knowing well that the joke was in reference to the headlock Chunky gave to the opposing team's center in one of the rebound plays.

The Kumbento88 Rigmarolers just lost their Final Four semifinal match against Batch 94. Final score was at 67-65. It was a hard-fought game. The breaks just didn't go our way in the end. We had a few chances to send the game into overtime during the final possession of the dying seconds. But it really wasn't meant to be.

"Di na naman ako makakatulog nyan mamaya," Bimbo tells the group.

"Okay lang yan. Sila na mismo nagsabi, nahirapan sila sa atin. Eh isipin mo, ang babata nyang mga yan. Tapos muntik pa natin silang matalo," Rod comforts Bimbo.

"Yun na nga lang siguro iisipin ko mamaya. Pero sayang talaga eh," the tone of disappointment clearly evident in his voice.

It was going to be a painfully long night for the K88 Rigmarolers.

The Vision Is Kept Alive

by Wawet Faustino

Everybody else wanted to count us out. We weren't going down easily. The first two games of K88 Rigmarolers were heartbreakers. Casualties and foul outs plagued the team. The third game wasn't going to be the same.

The start of the game felt like lady luck wasn't on our side. At the 2nd quarter, we were down by twenty (20) points, 39-19!!! Anybody would have blamed the lack of attendance from some of the key players: Chunky and his barreling offense, Mon with his ever reliable game, Jun Cumpas who would be the other key point guard, playing coach Rod whose leadership kept the team composed, Jay with his reliable treys, Rey and his moral boosting antiques and assistant to the coach, and others. But the team had enough players.

The beginning showed how unlucky the team was, forcing Caloy to ask to be taken after committing several turn-overs. The others also seemed to be in a bind, letting the smaller, yet faster opponents get to the basket play after play. The ball didn't seem to like to fall into K88's ring.

The third quarter was a sign that the game wasn't meant to be won. The referees even seemed opposed to K88 calling foul after foul against the team taking them into penalty at half point of the quarter. It was 7 fouls called against K88 versus just 1, yes just 1, for batch 96 (that's right, they're the youngest team who entered the semis.

The fourth quarter started with the team down by around 15 points (I can't really recall by how much but it was something that would make someone expect the team to get their third straight loss and lose the grip on getting back the title).

With Andaluz directing the team, the team slowly clawed back into the game with suffocating defense forcing turn-overs after turn-overs from the other team. We got the lead down to only 8 points at half-point of the quarter. Caloy's start of the game would have made anyone throw in the towel and let somebody else play for the team but this Caloy had the heart. He started blocking shots, and when he felt it wasn't enough, he started stealing the ball right from the hands of the younger, quicker opponents.

The other four players all made their huge contributions. With Bimbo always leading the traps on the ball handlers, Buffalo and Audie easily caught balls and would always trigger fast breaks. If the play is set, Iric would always take the ball hard inside fishing fouls from almost everyone who stood in his way. We had the upperhand. Soon enough, the other team was in penalty. There was one clear mission, drive the ball hard and get fouls. It worked wonders. The players kept their cool and hit one free throw after another. a few minutes left in the game and we caught them. Yes, we were 20 points down and we caught them. It was a game for the books. In the final two minutes we were up by 4 points. It slowly went up to 6 from free throws. The final few seconds saw a futile comeback from the other team. They got two quick three points but time has ran out.

The game ended in what seemed like a game of professionals. The score stood at 102-100. Yes, both teams reached triple digits, no overtime, just 4 regulation quarters of 10 minutes each.

For Team K88 Rigmarolers, it's time to get back the crown!!!

Rest In Peace: Jay Lorenzo

With the deepest of sorrows, the Kumbento88 family bids goodbye to another brother who passed away last June 12, 2009.

Antonio Jay Lorenzo met a fatal motorcycle accident in Carmona, Cavite.

May his soul rest in peace.

We will miss you Jay.

KBBL Season 3 Opening

lifted form Chunky Ramos' email dated 5/2/09

Rigmarolers!

It's on! At 1pm today, May 2, PCC gym, the 3rd season of KBBL will officially commence, 4 games to follow afterward. This edition may prove to be the most competitive based on the participating batches.

Attached are the rules and our official line-up which our 5 man selection committee came up with. It's unfortunate that we were limited to "just" 25 players so not everyone was accommodated. Also, one of our main men from last season is suffering from a severe injury so he will be sidelined this year. A major addition that will not be realized is Giovanni Pineda whom I was told can not make it home until December.

Anyway, with the commitment that we got from our 25 players (kahit nagsasakitan na mga tuhod), and of course with the limitless support from our batch, we will still contend for the championship. .

Will post schedule once it's finalized. Hope to see you at the games!!!

Rigmarole,

Chunky

6'7" Rigmaroler in Manila?

A 6-foot-7 Rigmaroler has been recently sighted here in Manila.

According to a very reliable source, the 6'7" behemoth has been spotted roaming the tiangge shops of the Philippines' shopping capital, Greenhills. The tallest Rigmaroler is supposedly on vacation here in the Philippines for a short time.

This report, however, cannot be confirmed as recent correspondences with the said Rigmaroler have indicated that he shall not be going home until December later this year.

This rumor has stirred interest, especially in view of the upcoming opening of the 3rd Kumbento Boys' Basketball League. His height, let alone his basketball skills, shall be a tremendous boost to the campaign of this season's solidified effort to bring back the crown to the Centennial Team.

So will the real Giovanni Pineda please stand up?

KBBL Season 3 Opens on May 2

lifted from Chunky Ramos' email dated 4/24/09

Rigmarolers,

There was a meeeting last night at PCC which Teyob attended. It's a go on May 2, we are being asked to submit final line-up and entry fee on Wed, Apr. 29.

There's a change in the participating teams as batch 83 has decided to rest their old, weary legs. However, batch 95 has come forward to take their place. Teams and brackets are as follows:

Bracket A 87, K88, 89, 90, 91, PCC GC
Bracket B 93, 94, 95, 99, 00, PCC GC

We're now the second oldest batch, buti na lang 1 team na lang tayo, making us more competitive. Kaya lang since 25 lang ang allowed sa line-up (we tried haggling for additional but was turned down), not everyone can be accommodated. A 5 man selection committe made up of 2 players each from K88A and K88B and a member of our management / coaching staff has been tasked to come-up with our line-up.

I will post as soon as they have finalized, told them to come up with their decision not later than Sat as we still need to have new uniforms made. Criteria are availability, skill and attitude.

Rigmarole,

Chunky

Happy Easter!

lifted from Jobet Lara's email dated 4/22/09

Happy Easter Rigmarolers!

It's been more than a year since I was diagnosed with cancer and started my battle against the disease. With all your help especially through your prayers I was able to confront the challenges and eventually won the fight. My latest CT Scan result shows complete remission of the cancer cells earlier detected all over my body. I'm healed.

The good news came on Easter Sunday. A brand new life, a brand new start. Prayer works!

Except for some 'interstitial infiltrates' found in the upper lobes of my lungs (which could lead to tuberculosis) and gallstones in my gall bladder, I'll be ok. I developed the 'infiltrates' and gallstones as a side effect of my chemotherapy treatment. But its more manageable and more predictable compared to cancer.

I'm so anxious to share the good news to everybody and somehow share hope to our family, relatives and friends who may be in a similar condition I've just been through.

Thank you very much.

Jobet Z. Lara

Visita Iglesia

Just wanted to share some photos taken during last Holy Week's Visita Iglesia around the Laguna Lake area.

Click on the image to view the entire album.

The Resurrection

Happy Easter everyone!

I feel this is one of the better times to resurrect this website of our batch since it has been put in hibernation mode for quite some time now. I see that the last entry made is still from October of last year - an entry about our failed campaign to defend our KBBL Championship.

So for those of you who have been asking what has been happening with our batch, I shall try to list down the major events in this entry.

Last November, Derrick Macutay held a one-man show at the Big and Small Art Gallery in Megamall. Numerous batchmates supported Derrick in this endeavor. And the exhibit was a resounding success. He is an artist we can be truly proud of.

Last December, the Kumbento88 Rigmarolers also participated in a civic-oriented activity. In cooperation with the Knights of Columbus of Pasig, thru the spearheading of our batchmate Lito Atillo, K88 donated some goods which were distributed to our less-fortunate brothers here in Pasig. As they say, the true spirit of Christmas is in giving.

And of course, our batch's Christmas Party pushed through last December 29, 2008 at the residence of our gracious host Jay Ravalo. Although this time, it was held without the fanfare of the previous year's pre-homecoming celebration, it was fun-filled nontheless.

And February this year, as everyone might expect, we participated in PCC's Grand Alumni Homecoming. As usual, we showed support to the PCC Alumni Association, of which we are integral members, as we joined the whole Kumbento community in anticipating the nearing Centennial Celebrations of our Alma Mater.

Those are the major events of our batch in a nutshell. And for what we can expect in the days to come, I can give you some hints.

The 3rd Season of the Kumbento Boys Basketball League is already being planned. As per Chunky Ramos, the league shall open this summer. Although no definite date has been set yet, members of the K88 Rigmarolers Basketball Teams are already excited. Talks of putting up just one consolidated team are already being discussed, with imports from abroad already planning their vacation to coincide with the league's play-offs.

And for other events to come, let me just say that this is indeed the "Season of Resurrection". And I'm not just talking of one.

Just be on the loop. There is more to come.