NEHS Class 1968

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
March 1, 2012
Do you attend class reunions? Why? Do you go because you’d like to compare notes with the former beauty queen? The former bully? The former student leader? The former class sweetheart? The former sports star?
Do you belong to NEHS Class 1968? NEHS stands for Nueva Ecija High School which is located in Cabanatuan City, Philippines.
I am not fond of reunions, period. Fortunately, I have a friend who is – Leticia Briones. She’d drag me to those reunions every now and then. Last Saturday, she marked her 60th birthday with a family cum class reunion. About 15 of us from NEHS Class 1968 attended her birthday party.
I met for the first time since our high school graduation Evangeline Rivera, Magdalena Cañega, Edna Marbas, and Edna Sagnit. I cannot recall their married names right now. I guess we all remain unmarried 16 year-olds in our collective memory.
The others who were present, I had already met either during our silver jubilee in 1993 or on some other informal occasions.
We could not recognize one another at first. Then we begin to recognize the old voice, the old smile, the old mannerism, the old chuckle. And we break into girlish giggles.
Edna Marbas is a big revelation to me. She was fair, petite, and soft-spoken in high school. Today, she’s still fair and petite, but she has become an articulate and assertive pediatrician. She also exudes an air of attentiveness, empathy, and a readiness to get involved in Philippine issues.
There were only two gentlemen among us – Jose Capulong and Edwin Ruiz. The rest were women. We all sat together at the very back of the reception hall, hardly paying attention to the birthday program and party that was going on. When the party was over, we still lingered over cake and coffee. When the banquet manager told us politely that her staff had an evening engagement, we transferred to a restaurant in a nearby mall.
No, it wasn’t about food. It was a different hunger and thirst that we needed to satisfy. We couldn’t have enough of one another.
Very diligently, Carmencita Magno passed around slips of paper to get everyone’s names and contact details.
Mary Hsia, the incumbent president of Class 1968, patiently explained to us what NEHSAA, the mother alumni association, has been doing all these years. She reminded us that our batch will be celebrating our 45th year in 2013.
Another lady who was a big revelation to me was Milagros dela Cruz. Back in high school, I’ve always liked her, but never had a chance to interact with her closely. We finally did last Saturday.
Mila has just retired from a lifetime banking career and was up-to-date about the latest news and gossip in politics, government, business, and finance. I was impressed when she said that a study had pointed to 68% of corruption emanating from Malacañang. Only 32% comes from local government units.
According to her, corruption in the Philippines is down to 50% today and corruption from Malacañang has been significantly reduced because of the leadership of President Noynoy Aquino.
Don’t worry, it wasn’t a political meeting plotting People Power III which we had. Most of the free-wheeling conversation was really about our past innocence, our past crushes and puppy loves, our past heartbreaks as teen-agers…
Why do we keep re-visiting this past?
I guess it’s because of a common bond which binds us forever like family. I guess it’s because of a sense of belonging akin to that of having a hometown, of having a home. I guess it’s because of a sense of awe and wonder brought about by the sight of a balding, wrinkled 60-year old who used to be chubby and adorable at 16.
What is it that binds high school classmates?
It’s the friendship, isn’t it? It is a friendship which accepts unconditionally, a friendship that has endured. We are best friends forever!