Accents
By Julia Carreon-Lagoc  

Idealism plus activism

What's our QUIDDITY? UPV (University of the Philippines in the Visayas) alumni who saw the maroon and green streamer announcing the theme of the UPV weeklong homecoming, July 18-23, were asking what our quiddity is. What is quiddity in the first place? In his response speech, Dr. Manuel S. Alba, 2005 Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Awardee, said not even his doctorate degree suffices to give meaning to it all..

Well, inspired by the wonders of Harry Potter, UPV asked its alumni the essential question about their quiddity, that is asking them their essence of being. Thus the reunion theme: “…being @ UPV is the essence of being.” How to strip this to the core? to its barest essential? to its very heart if you wish to be redundant about it? What is it that makes something to be the type of thing that it is?

My own take is that being at UP/UPV (let me speak of the whole UP system) can be encapsulized in just one word: idealism. But wait! In the process of fruition, there has to be activism. Idealism and activism. What a merger! For unto the bow, the cord is… useless one without the other, so the poet says. Thus, for one to be truly UP/UPV's own, one must translate ideals into action.

The burden of proof, to be legalese about it, lies heavily on the shoulder of Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman, the first woman UP president. She spoke for her audience to answer the call of the heights: the ideal of UP as “a world-class university,” at the same time resolutely maintaining its nationalist identity. Alumni to share the burden from wherever is their corner of the world. For we did pledge anew, our eyes misty, hearts throbbing as we sang U.P. Beloved once more: “…For thee united, our joyful voices hear/Far though we wander, o'er islands yonder/Loyal thy sons we will ever be…”

Reunion night of July 23 at the UPV auditorium was short but the faces we met brought a long string of memories of past reunions held in our beloved alma mater, and the happy and the sad, and the not-so-happy and the not-so-sad UP days interlinked in.the windmills of our mind.

Before I go to the details of my classmates, i.e., my fellow Golden Jubilarians, there were other folks to shake hands with, to throw a smile in a flash of recognition , to hug, to kiss, or to give a pat at the back of a long lost brother and a fond embrace for a sister last seen ages ago: Job Altea who registered at the same time with me, Dr. Roseller Cabado then my co-visitor at the Marcos stockade (Roseller to visit his brother Boy and I to my husband Rudy), Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez minus her model stance, Kagawad Perla Zulueta who was as “pearly” as ever, Dr. Mimi Gedang who shone at UPIC thence at UST and finally during her internship at the renown Johns Hopkins University, the ever loyal Fe and Rudy Dureza, Profs. Dea Doromal and Celia Fuentes who later displayed their dancing prowess, the regal matron Ellen Roldan, theater lover Dawn Jamandre whom I met in the Les Miserables show in New York's Broadway, Prof. Minda Formacion who was a regular in our SEAFDEC book launchings, Director Sonia Seville who was 2005 Outstanding Professional Jubilarian for Fisheries looking so stunning I almost failed to recognize her, and the then Lower Divison (high school) kiddies who were once the young ones: Raul Muyco, Victor Mamon, Violeta and Estela Aplasca. There, too, were the teachers of my children: Profs.Marivic Gacutan and peripatetic Della Ibabao literally walking the extra mile to make the reunion a whopping success.

I just couldn't pin a name to the many oh-so-familiar faces. Now for the four stand-outs of the evening from UPIC '53-55 or Upper Division who graced the Golden Jubilee: First among equals is my dear friend, Ma. Zenaida Bernabe-French, AA'55, AB'57, MA'70, PhD'90, ninang of my eldest Rose. Zeni was 2005 Outstanding Professional Jubilarian for Arts and Letters. This I chose among the list of justifications for the award: “For her achievements and contributions to Philippine Arts and Letters as published and muti-awarded poet, theater enthusiast, and cultural researcher of note.” But more than this, Zeni was the best Ophelia on the UPIC stage, nor any stage for that matter, I dare say. (How about a retro, eh, Zeni? Say mo, Director Kevin Piamonte?)

Our classmate, Atty. Leopoldo “Pol” Causing, AA'55, was 2005 Outstanding Professional Jubilarian in Political Science for his “militant concern for the improvement of the country's political climate through the practice of his profession as lawyer and as a professor of law and political science.” Pol came with his wife, retired UPV Prof. Virgie.

The face that did not show signs of the intervening years was that of fellow Golden Jubilarian Manuel S. Alba, AA'55, BSBA '57, who had been “Secretary of Budget and Management (1980-86); Assemblyman, Batasan Pambansa; and Chair, Appropriations and Reorganization Committees (1980-86); and officer of various government agencies and corporations” hence his getting the highest award of the evening (back to first paragraph of this column, if you please). Dr. Alba will always be “Manny” to us, his classmates.

Me? A college instructor for years, then editor of some of the SEAFDEC newsletters also for years. And now doing the write thing, more leisurely and more fun because writing is no longer .primarily earning a living for this retiree. Nevertheless, ever ready to hit it hard with words when events demand action even now as it was then during the years of living dangerously that was Marcos' time. We were in hot pursuit for the ideal, answering the call for action bannered by the Philippine Collegian (UP's official organ): Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? (If we will not move into action, who will? If not now, when?) Idealism plus activism—thus was the dictatorship toppled. And very soon, because tayo ay kumikilos , it would be sic transit gloria mundi for the questionable occupant in Malacanang.

Zeni, Pol, Manny, and yours truly—we four from UPIC's Upper Division (first two years of college) made it to the Golden Jubilee celebrations. All four of us and some of the Upper Division '55 graduates proceeded to Diliman for further studies. And for each of our separate lives, the rest is history. (Comments to lagoc@hargray.com )