Ka-Blog!

The College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines observed its 75th Anniversary last month. Last August 8, the Guild kicked off its celebrations with an exhibit at the National Press Club.

       It was weird. In this country, we rarely become part of something as old. Very few organizations have got the longevity to stand firm against the country’s ever-changing tides. Tumingin ka sa isang bahagi ng kwarto, nandun ang thunders. Lingon ka sa kabila, andun ang mga bata. Everyone called me “sir.” Shet! Matanda na ako sa tingin nila!

        CEGP’s third and first woman national president, former Senator Helena Benitez was there. She must be more than 90 years old! She represents the era when the Guild was more of a social club than anything resembling what the organization has become decades later. Congressman Satur Ocampo was there. (He lost by a mere vote to Senator Benitez’ son Jolly in a 1960s CEGP congress.) Ka Satur represents the era when the Guild metamorphosed into a politically active student organization. Then there were Rowena Carranza Paraan and Victor Rey Fumar representing that time long ago when the Guild was newly reestablished after Martial Law. At yung panahon na namin nina Congressman Teddy Casiño (and gang) and Prestoline Suyat. Younger presidents were there—Ruth Cervantes, Ronalyn Olea, and the incumbent Jose Cosido. Rey Asis was in the country but was convalescing. Vince Borneo must be busy playing would-be dad. Guest and LFS alumnus Xavier Buncan asked whether JV Benedicto and Erelson Cabatbat were coming and I said, di naman kumbensyon ng mga animal yun kaya ako lang yata ang Bedista run.

       (Two nights ago, Vince, Bencyrus Ellorin and I had our picture taken in front of the House of Representatives right after gloria’s paid hacks virtually killed the impeachment complaint. Vince was VP for the Visayas, BenCy was VP for Mindanao while I was VP for Luzon in 1994-1996. BenCy was fishing for some bottle time but it was no go. Vince was expected by Ima and I was bushed!)

       I had to write this. I had a direct hand in tracking down founder Ernesto Rodriguez Jr.’s survivors here in the Philippines. I delivered! I racked my brain trying to remember the old house where we once visited him on the year he died. There were no longer living there. I did some sleuthing and managed to get hold of an answering machine number. I got to talk to Rodriguez III that night and passed him on to the incumbents. (They were sufficiently grateful that night, Pom and I were not asked to pay the registration fee. Hehehehe.)

       This is an interesting twist. Rodriguez’s son-in-law was a former High School Editors’ Guild member who had the good fortune of having been one of my students at a lecture at La Salle-Greenhills. I was the only familiar face in the room, he told me. And while we were talking, my wife recognized him as her instructor in a screenwriting seminar some years back. Tingnan mo nga naman. 

       Siyempre pa, I was among the first to partake of the food—kahit di kami nagbayad. It was prepared by Beng Hernandez’ mom. Beng was, of course, one of the Guild’s latest martyrs. She was murdered by AFP’s goons in Mindanao in 2001. Masarap ang pagkain so second helpings were in order.

       It can’t be helped, but there were lots of reminiscing that night. I saw old copies of The National Guilder issues I helped put to bed. Old posters that used to adorn our office walls were displayed. May mga pictures ako sa exhibit. Ampayat ko pa noon! (I will write about what I remember during our Pepin, Santol, Basilio and Timog days sometime. It should be fun!)

       A grander affair is being planned for December. I am very excited.

       But it will be bittersweet. I’d be missing friends who left and were never heard from again. I’d be missing friends who now are called by different names. Most of all, I’d be missing friends who are names etched on cold graveyards. Wherever they may be and whatever they may have become, we have all been part of Asia’s first, oldest, largest and most prestigious student organization of its kind. At least, once in our lives when we were young, we contributed to the great struggle of the Filipino youth and people.

       Mabuhay ang Guild!