Pergola E-dyaryo, February 2009

February 2009

HERE’S A TOAST TO FEBRUARY! Steering Committee Daisy Barawidan Lala David Sherry David Marita Legaspi Cecile Lowlicht Sol Oca Mike Palileo Emma Villa-Real

Communications Committee Rose Constantino Gilda Fule-Prael Sylvia C.Leonard Salve Neelankavil Ronie Nieva Giocky Oca Lulut Valte

Editors Mike Palileo Yvette Jarencio

In this issue

Alumna Profile Bessie Badilla

Is it just our imagination or did it seem especially cold to you this January? Well, if perchance you were wondering whatever happened to the December-January PERGOLA, the answer certainly is that it’s been too plain cold for your Pergola editors—too cold to meet, too cold to think, too cold to venture outside! At last count the snowfall in Central Park averaged 20 inches, yet impossibly the forecast for this week’s temperature is the toasty mid-50s, reason enough, according to the CBS anchorman, to hug the weatherman! To make up for lost time, we are including in this issue two belated articles from last December: a Christmas concert in Toronto, sponsored by alumni from San Beda and St Scholastica to benefit the Marilyn Bengzon-St. Pierre Commemorative Scholarship, and a Marian Day of Recollection, sponsored by SSAANA’s Spirituality Committee, and held on the eve of the Immaculate Conception in Manhattan. Of course, we could not let February slip by without mentioning the Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C., as witnessed by HS ‘65 alumnae Veronica Nieva Ettinger and Eleanor Topacio Long. Both contribute essays and photos to this issue. “Historic” and “memorable” are much overused terms to describe the Obama inaguration so we shall allow the photos to speak for themselves. In the Cooking and Food section, Yvette Jarencio outdoes herself with a recipe for Americanized Philippine ham, obviously written with Christmas in mind. For the necessary “red and green” Christmas touch, Mike Palileo includes a recipe for Russian salad provided by her Russian friend Alla Kerzhner (not a Scholastican). Alla in fact provides two recipes: one for true Russian salad (not red), and one for fake Russian salad (red). So be advised: RUSSIAN SALAD IS NOT RED! Pergola contributor Leo Legaspi shares his article, “Fusion Cuisine from Ilocos Sur,” a photo essay containing recent culinary discoveries he and Scholastican wife Marita Legaspi made during their travels to northern Philippines. “Tantalizing” is an understatement for those Ilokano concoctions that include bagnet and pinakbet pizza dipped in bagoong! Finally, Pergola features a photo spread of Scholastican Bessie Badilla, Alumna Profile for February. In 2008 Bessie won a beauty contest as QUEEN of the Sao Paolo Carnaval in Brazil and was the featured cover of several international magazines. Pergola, too, takes pride in Scholastican pulchritude.

BESSIE BADILLA is a quirky character whose upbeat humor has taken her from the working class district of Tondo in Manila to the haute couture world of Paris where she was a Balenciaga model in the 1980s, to showbiz celebrity in the Philippines, to the suburbs of Connecticut, where she has lived for the past 16 years as a housewife and mother. In February 2008 Bessie Badilla, an international model and TV personality, triumphed as the First Filipina ever to become Queen at the 2008 Sao Paulo Carnaval. Bessie represented Escola Vai Vai, which emerged as 2008 Champions in the two-day competition. She burst onto the world-renowned Sao Paulo Carnaval in Brazil, dancing for three different escolas de samba as its Destaque or brightest star. She danced for the moment. She danced in memory of times past and in glorious anticipation of those yet to come. She danced the dance of her life in celebration of the triumph of the human spirit. Bessie's journey has been in turns exciting, colorful, fun-filled, and heartbreaking. Her story moves from Manila to Paris to Singapore to the US and finally to Brazil.

February 2009

INAUGURATION PHOTOS

RONIE NIEVA (left, in red) AT OBAMA INAUGURATION

HAPPY OBAMA INAUGURATION SPECTATORS

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February 2009

Renewing the Dream By Eleanor Topacio Long We were among the 2 million who came from all over the country and the world to witness the historic inauguration of President Obama. The Topacio sisters—Gloria, Eleanor, Cayan, Kathleen with their husbands and children—all made it to Washington, D.C. to celebrate, party, and witness history. On January 18, we attended the opening ceremony to the inauguration festivities called We Are One. It was the precise emotion felt by the sea of humanity already stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. What a memorable and fabulous concert it was to hear Bono, Beyonce and many other artists perform. When Obama came on stage, he was the super rock star and he drove the crowds wild! On January 19, we attended the Pearl Presidential Inaugural Gala cochaired by my sister Gloria. I am really proud of Gloria who had the idea to plan this event. It was a huge success and everyone had a great time. It was a beautiful event honoring Asian Americans who are serving their country at the highest level of office. In attendance were General Shinseki, the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, and Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy. Other notables were Senator Inouye, Congressman Honda, Secretary Mineta and Maya Soetero Ng, President Obama’s sister, who is Indonesian American. th January 20 was both Inauguration Day and my mom’s 85 birthday. She chose not to travel to D.C. We started the day really early, leaving my sister Gloria’s home in Springfield, Virginia at 6:30 a.m. Our family was divided into 3 teams. Cayan and I and our husbands left from Virginia, while Gloria with her daughter and my daughters from a hotel in D.C., and Kathleen with her sons and Cayan’s son left from her home in Maryland. We felt lucky that the metro stop in Springfield was the first stop, which meant we would find a seat and be sitting all the way to D.C. At 6:30 a.m. the metro station had already swelled to capacity. We literally inched our way to get to the train and to our seats. By the time we got to the Pentagon stop, we were told to get off as the train had broken down. What a disaster for us because we could not get back on the next few trains as they were all crowded. Our best alternative was to take the empty trains back to Virginia to the end of the line and start again. We did that and it worked well until we got off the train to transfer to the Red line and learned it was closed because a woman had fallen onto the tracks. We later found out that she was all right. This meant a longer walk. As it was, Dick was walking with crutches and we didn’t want to walk any longer than we had to. Fortunately, a pedicab came by and we rode the pedicab as close as we could get to the Capitol. We found the Purple Ticket entrance! The line was as wide as a city block and several blocks long but the crowd was very calm, patient and friendly. It was a long wait but luckily we got through security check just as the ceremonies started. The Capitol building looked far away but I remembered Kathleen saying, “if you look behind you, there will be millions more so your place is good”. We were able to get closer by climbing a gate and then we were at the section directly behind the seating section.

I was at President Clinton’s second inauguration, but this was nothing like it. This inauguration was monumental; we were drawn to attend to bear witness to history. It was an emotional moment for everyone and a time for celebration. People were cheering, crying, dancing and hugging strangers. Everyone was so nice. Two million people and not one arrest that day! There were 10 official balls on Inauguration evening. Our children went to the Youth Ball, Gloria and Kathleen to the Obama Home State Ball, and Cayan and I went to the Western Ball. We braved the frigid cold weather, walking many blocks because the streets were closed, we were in heels with no stockings to show off pedicures and not wearing a hat so as not to ruin our hairdo. At the official balls there were no chairs to sit on or tables to set the bland appetizers on. We lined up in long lines to buy drinks. Marc Anthony performed at the Western Ball and J. Lo sang one song with him. The music was very good. The President made a short appearance with the First Lady, he gave a short speech, they had a short dance, and they were off to the next ball. But it was enough to get everyone excited and to crowd to the stage to get a closer look. Oh, what a night!

Photo below: The writer Eleanor Topacio-Long (SSC HS 65) with her husband Dick Long at the Asian Pacific Pearl Inaugural Gala, co-chaired by her sister Gloria Topacio-Caoile and Francy Lim Youngeberg and held on January 19, 2009, the eve of President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

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February 2009

BARACK TAKES WASHINGTON By Ronie Nieva Ettinger It is Sunday morning, Day 5 of the Obama administration. The Washington Post is still full of images of the millions on the Mall, and of the first couple dancing away from life as it was. Our Inauguration week began when our friends Nita and Jim arrived shortly before midnight on Friday, January 16 having driven from their home in the South Side of Chicago to see their Senator become our President. Nita and Jim had campaigned in Iowa, early in Barack’s improbable journey to the White House. Our family had similar bit parts in this campaign. We like to think that Steve’s door to door efforts helped to turn Virginia blue. Last summer, at a noontime fundraiser by the Asians for Obama in the DC area, Barack spoke to our largely immigrant crowd about how exciting it would be to see the child of his half Indonesian sister, married to a Chinese man from Canada, run across the White House lawn. I recognized, for the first time, what has connected Obama to many of us in this truly diverse nation. I felt a personal link to this man whose multiple roots made him, in some fundamental way, like me. On Saturday, we went to our first inaugural event – a party given by Will and Natalie, who had Hawaii/Punahou and Harvard Law links to the President-elect. Complying with the invitation’s instructions for appropriate costumes, Steve wore an Indonesian shirt, I wore a Hawaiian Da Hui surf shirt, Jim wore Aloha gear, and Nita wore her Filipinos for Obama shirt along with her well worn Obama campaign hat. Many of us in the party were “hapa” couples with one Asian and one Caucasian member, just like our hosts. In Washington, “hapa” families are almost as commonplace as they are in Hawaii. Monday was a work day for me, so I rushed home early to get ready for the Asian Pacific Pearl Inaugural Gala, co-chaired by Gloria Caoile and Francy Lim Youngeberg. Held at the Mandarin Oriental – how appropriate! – the gala spilled over two ballrooms, one for food (sushi and teriyaki, pancit, siomai, lumpia, puris, and curries), one for dancing and Charisse Pempengco’s surprise rendition of America the Beautiful. I have to thank our classmate Eleanor Topacio (Glora’s sis) again for getting us tickets. It was fun to celebrate with Eleanor and her husband Dick, and their three daughters, and Cayan Topacio who was my sister’s (Lolet’s) classmate. We had the good fortune to meet Army General Taguba, of the Abu Graib report fame. We told him we were so proud of him. New Cabinet appointees Shinseki (Veterans Affairs) and Chu (Energy) graced the gala, as did other Asian political stars Inouye, Akaka, Hirono, and Mineta. Up early the next day for the main event! Early for us meant getting out of the house by 8 – too old for the crack of dawn start of hardier souls who got to the National Mall before sunrise. Two more friends, Deanna and Andra, joined our party of four. We bundled up for the frigid expedition, agreed to a counting off procedure to ensure that our party of six kept intact in the anticipated mob, and rode off in two cars to the bus stop on Connecticut Ave. a mile down from our house.

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First pleasant surprise: We expected to wait a while for an available bus, but there were two L4 buses sitting there – EMPTY! Nita and I bought commemorative $5 bus passes, with the presidential photo, good for the whole day. Along the way, we picked up two women from Raleigh, North Carolina, who had come up for the Inauguration. One had a button that said “Old White Women for Obama”. Many families boarded with their children, poised to take them to the ultimate history lesson. Disembarking at M St., we joined the throngs walking joyfully th down 18 St. to the National Mall. Bikers threaded their way among the pedestrians. We could not resist a purchasing opportunity at the first Barack button vendor we saw, but passed up the numerous stands hawking T-shirts. We posed with the young National Guardsmen blocking the east-west letter streets that were reserved for bus parking, police cars and emergency vehicles. I was glad that I had changed from a pale down coat to fire engine red matching Steve’s red and gray ski jacket. Our troop agreed that they would follow the Red Coats. We hit the Mall shortly after 9. The sun was out; the wind chill made it feel colder than the actual 15 degrees. Important questions: Which Jumbotron? (The one west of the Washington monument, about the third one we encountered.) How ambitious should we be in pushing our way through the millions who had gathered before us? (Not very. We had already walked 2 miles, scooting over and under chains, climbing over hurdles.) Should we keep walking to keep warm, or stake out a place which had access to some of the 7000 rented PortaPotties that lined the sides of the Mall? (The PortaPotties won). Should we try to stay for the parade? (Eventually we decided not to.) So, when you see the shots of crowds of nearly 2 million who had come to celebrate the new day, look for us in the neighborhood of the Washington monument. In front of the man who had flown in from Seattle, entertaining all around him with a blow by blow comic annotation of the characters as they appeared on the jumbotron. In front of the lady with large dangling Obama earrings who who loudly responded “Amen” to each call to action in the Inaugural address. Behind the woman from Versailles, who had brought her two daughters to Washington so they could be part of the moment. Black, brown, white, millions amazingly ready to shift from Obamaeuphoria to respond to his sober call for responsibility and the end of childish things. Amen!!! To cheer for a restoration of America’s outreach to all nations and all villages in the world, especially if they “unclench their fists”. Amen!!! To clap for the American patchwork of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and nonbelievers. Amen!!! To buckle down to the daunting challenges that face this serious and deeply intelligent young President. In his own words: “Our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.” It is a new day indeed. God bless America!!!

February 2009

Cooking in America by Yvette Jarencio Glaze: Use around 1 cup brown sugar and 1 Tbsp pepper with 2 Do you remember the Chinese ham from Cuisia’s, Majestic, tablespoons of the ham liquor (or juice) and cover the fatty surface. Broil at 425 or higher until the sugar caramelizes (around Adelina’s, or the home-cooked ham in a sack? 10-15 minutes). Watch it well. Let cool. This is now ready to slice The recipe below definitely will not taste like glorious Honey-Baked and serve. Filipino ham, but I have heard welcoming HALLELUJAHs from homesick Pinoys when served this ham. Indulging in the premium sides of mushrooms, olives, bell peppers SUGGESTED SIDES SMITHFIELD HAM, PHILIPPINE STYLE

… here goes:

Enhance your spread with flower-shaped red bell pepper, steamed asparagus, Russian-style potato salad or Russian vinaigrette (beet) salad. Hot soups like sotanghon or pancit molo can be served in a slow cooker. (The Philippine Embassy serves hot entrees in 5 beautiful crockpots, ensuring warm dinuguan, kalderetta, even pancit). These Pinoy recipes can be googled for regional variations.

Simply put - you boil the ham, drain it, and remove the skin (airdried skin is great for chicharon later). Glaze with brown sugar and broil to caramelize the sugar. Ingredients: 1 salt-cured leg of ham (Smithfield, Luter, or any brand cured ham in a sack found in your grocery) Lots of Water for soaking 24-36 hours 3 large cans of pineapple juice OR 4 cans of beer OR a quart of apple cider ¼ c brown sugar Seasonings - salt and 30 peppercorn, 10 cloves, 6 laurel, 2-3 flowers star anise

RUSSIAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD 1/3 lb of bologna sausage, or either chicken or turkey white meat, cooked and cut into small cubes 4 hard boiled eggs, also cut in small pieces 2 -3 potatoes, cooked with the skin. After they are cooked, peel the skin and cut them into small cubes 2 pickles and 1 fresh cucumber, sliced into small pieces small bunch of scallion, cut 1 carrot, cooked and sliced in small cubes (you can cook it together with potato) Add mayonnaise to your taste and mix everything together. I usually don't add salt but it's up to you.

Preparation technique: 36 hours before cooking time, remove the wrapping and soak the whole ham leg in cold water. Scrub off the mold, if need be. Place this next to the sink so you can replace the water every 12 hours or so. This will dilute the salt in the ham. Cook the ham the day before serving. It takes 2-4 hours to boil depending on weight (20 minutes per pound if working on a whole ham leg). Usually whole ham is around 12 lbs (4 hours). If 6 pounds (half a ham, the butcher can cut it for you) 2 hours. A big pot can accommodate your ham. Place the pot on the stovetop. Lay a trivet in the pan and place the ham. Add the liquid of choice (juice or beer). The lady at Apple House where I get Smithfield ham tells me the ham is less salty if cooked in beer. (I remember my mom doing that too). Add water to almost cover the ham. Add spices: cloves, star anise, peppercorn, bay leaves. Bring to a boil and remove the scum that surfaces. Then lower the heat to simmer. Allow to boil covered for 2-4 hours, depending on the original weight. In the last quarter (estimate, not exact) of cooking time, add ¼ c brown sugar. Cover and continue to simmer until done. Internal temperature is 150 degrees. Let cool for an hour in the liquid. Then drain the liquid off the ham. Slice off the skin while it is still warm, exposing a thin fatty part (around ¼ inch depending on the ham). Let it sit until totally cool. Note that if the hock portion that sticks out comes out with a wobbly bone, you can cut out the hock part.

RUSSIAN VINAIGRETTE (BEET) SALAD Cook 2-3 potatoes, 2 beets, 2 carrots. Cool them and cut them into small cubes. Add a cup (maybe ¾ cup) of sauerkraut, 2 or 3 pickles cut, one onion sliced, 3-4 tbsp vegetable or olive oil and mix together. Salt and pepper to taste. [The above are authentic Russian recipes provided by Alla Kerzhner, Mike Palileo’s friend at work who really hails from Russia (where else). Alla Kerzhner says that what we call Russian salad is called VINAIGRETTE in Russia. What Russians call Russian salad is white potato salad with some kind of meat – sausage, chicken, or turkey. So don’t call it Russian just because it’s red! Da? Da da da!!!]

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February 2009

Fusion Cuisine from Ilocos Sur By Leo Legaspi Marita and I are always on the lookout for new and unusual dishes Then there was tinubong, which is sticky rice and coconut strips so during a recent trip to Ilocos, we kept an eye out for out-of-the- baked in bamboo tubes, ordinary Ilokano fare. We were lucky to have a tour guide named somewhat like bico or Lizette, a transplant from Davao, who showed enormous pride in sinukmani. To serve, you the sights and tastes of her adopted province. Early on she had heat the tubes, then whack recommended that we try bagnet and pinakbet pizza. Now I’ve them on a hard surface to tried both these Ilocano classics before but not on pizzas. break the bamboo and expose the tinubong. You We were driven to Cafe Herencia, a small establishment with a can eat it right out of the great view of Paoay Church. We were served two 12-inch pizzas, tube. It would have been nice one was topped with bagnet, which is basically the Ilocano version accompanied with some latik of lechon kawali, and the other with pinakbet. We dipped the and a good duhat wine which bagnet pizza in bagoong, another first for us. The pinakbet pizza we tried earlier, which looked did not have ampalaya, which is an essential part of classic and tasted like a light port. pinakbet but it was still very good and marginally healthier than the Filipino desserts can be bagnet pizza. Next to the truffle oil and mushroom pizza at overly sweet and I’ve often Gnocco, our favorite Italian in New York City, these Ilocano pizzas wished for a good dessert wine to balance the sweetness. The are the best and certainly the most unusual we’ve ever had. They duhat wine would have fit the bill. could call it pizza avec poitrine de porc bagnet, making sure to pronounce it bawhn-yay, and sell it for a lot more in Makati.

I’ve tried a couple of variations on sinangag; the Ilocano version which is cooked with bagoong and topped with slices of itlog na maalat is now one of my favorites. We had this fried rice version at lunch in Cafe Uno in Vigan. We had dinengdeng, which is somewhat similar to pinakbet but a little lighter. Recipes for dinengdeng include ingredients like jute leaves, horseradish, bitter melon, calabaza squash, sweet potato, string beans, chayote, chili peppers, okra, cassava, yams, and wild potatoes. Of course we had Vigan longaniza dipped in sukang Iloko, my favorite next to Lucban longaniza.

But the most unusual dish, not necessarily from a culinary sense, was pokey-pokey, a simple dish of sauteed eggplant with onions and tomatoes. We also tried KBL (kamatis, bagoong and lasona) which is one of the more popular dipping sauces. Lasona is the famous garlic of the Ilocos region, a lot smaller than garlic in the USA, but much more flavorful.

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February 2009

DECEMBER HAPPENINGS SCHOLASTICAN AND BEDAN CAROLERS HOST

MARIAN RECOLLECTION ON THE EVE OF THE FEAST OF

CONCERT IN TORONTO

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

“PASKO SA TORONTO” was the highlight of the Scholastican/Bedan Christmas caroling series that took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 23, 2008. Proceeds went to the Marilyn Bengzon-St. Pierre Commemorative Scholarship Fund that is administered by SSAFI at St. Scholastica’s College Manila. The Canadian caroling series included a San Beda College alumni Christmas Party and visits to the home of Noel and Agnes Cruz and Friends, and Pearlie Crisologo-Allison and Friends.

On the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Scholastican alumnae attended a MARIAN DAY OF RECOLLECTION in Manhattan sponsored by SSAANA’s Spirituality Committee, along with members of the St. Agnes Legion of Mary, Praesidium of Divine Providence. Retreat master was Father Dempsey Acosta, one of the pastors at the Church of St. Agnes.

“We had a good group and an excellent conductor,” Mila Alvarez-Magno said.

Alumnae Sol Oca (Spirituality Committee chair), Daisy Barawidan, Ruby Topacio, Anna Cruz Villacorta, Charisse Oca, Blanca Oca Pertierra, Rose Constantino, Lillian Gatchalian, Remy Luciano Leal, Magdalena Love, Tips Busmente Jackler, and Mike Palileo were among the 35 participants who attended.

Caroling participants included Alex Catangui, Arthur Telesforo, Bert Cruz, Cecile Cruz, Cherry Quiroz, Elsie Arao, Emy Telesforo, Guy Camacho, Laverne Riley, Liling Fiel, Marimon Periquet, Mila Magno, Myrna Riley, Olivia Camacho, Oswald Magno, Patti Candido, Rolly Cunanan, Romi Candido, Rose Dioso, Rose Flor, Tessie Haab, Toni Velez, Vivo Dioso, and Zenaida Bernardo.

Due to a bomb threat at the U.N., the venue had to be changed a few times, but the inconvenience turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Order of Malta to the U.N. Ambassador Ralph Shafer offered the Embassy of Malta as an alternative setting, providing a gathering place that was at once warm, intimate, and deeply spiritual.

Practice sessions were laden with sumptuous Pinoy fare, in a festive atmosphere of camaraderie among the Benedictine carolers. One got the feeling they were practicing as an excuse to get together, evidenced by plans to continue the “practices” after the season!

Father Dempsey led the study of the Blessed Mother in the Old and New Testaments. He compared the allusions to Mary in the original Latin and Greek with English and Hebrew translations. The attendees were unanimous in praising Father Dempsey’s conferences on Mary, Mother of all Disciples as “awesome.”

The repertoire of the caroling group included Kumukutikutitap, Noche Buena, O Come All Ye Faithful, Pasko Na Naman, and Winter Wonderland. Audiotapes of the various voices were made available online with the following advice to singers: “Play them in your cars on your way to work! Immersion is the key when there is so little time.”

“Didn’t we feel our hearts burning within us?” queried one participant, echoing the two disciples who recognized the risen Christ after their walk to Emmaus. The Scholasticans were especially grateful that they learned so much about the Blessed Mother from the word-by-word interpretations of the Old and New Testaments by the Church Fathers.

Mila Magno provided MP3 files of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass with the libretto on http://www.milamagno.com/~carol/audio/ By Gwendolyn Flor

Another retreat in March, titled “Women, God and Prayer,” will be led by Sr. Barbara of the Cenacle Sisters. This weekend retreat given FOR WOMEN ONLY will be held at Mt. Carmel Retreat Center in Mahwah, New Jersey from March 13 to March 15, 2009. For further information, please email Sol Oca at [email protected] before March 7, 2009.

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February 2009

Scholastican (HS ’65) Alumna Rosario May Mayor, PNAA president (2006-2008), receives 2008 Presidential Award on Behalf of Philippine Nurses in America The Philippine Consulate General in New York congratulated all 31 recipients of the 2008 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. Eleven of the recipients originated from the northeastern United States. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas received 122 nominations from 29 countries. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo conferred the awards on December 10, 2008 in Malacanang Palace. The Presidential Awards are given every two years in separate categories. The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) received an award for its work to help Philippine nurses, most notably in the elimination of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools in New Jersey and Michigan, as well as for its hard-earned work to have the city of Manila approved as an international test site for the (Nurses’) National Council of Licensing exams. Scholastican alumna Rosario May Mayor received the award on behalf of PNAA. [from FILIPINO REPORTER, January 9-15, 2009] &&&&&&&& Didi Villegas of the SSAFI Committee December Update on Ms Medy Salazar

Sends

There has been a lot of improvement on Ms. Medy. Her aura looks different from the last time I was there in November. The whole atmosphere in the room looks pleasant. She looks more comfortable on her hospital bed, a brand new mattress given her by some Scholasticans. The physical rehab sessions for the past month have shown significant results. She can now move her fingers and lower arms. Her physical therapist asked the caregivers to continue with some of the exercises during Christmas break. He will resume PT sessions in January on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ms. Medy is awake for longer periods of time during the day due to the overall care and rehabilitation sessions. I noticed that she listened to my stories for more than two hours during the three hours that I was there. She did not doze off and looked at me intently the whole time.

A lay minister from the parish [the husband of Tett’s second cousin] now gives her Holy Communion regularly. I brought religious songs (Fr. Hontiveros’s compositions and “Himig Jesuita”) that she can listen to and pray with when she is awake. Tett Salazar is overwhelmed by the love you have all shown. Truly the Scholastican spirit has been manifested in all your prayers, love, support and service. &&&&&&&&&& Belated Message of Sympathy to Family of Betsy Matute Becker (SSC HS ’64) In an e-mail sent on January 31, 2009, members of HS ‘64 shared the following: Our SSC HS ’64 classmate Betsy Matute-Becker died Thursday (January 29, 2009) at 9:00 am from colon cancer. I got to visit Betsy last January 9 and was able to cheer her up with a meal of arroz caldo. I shared my DVD of David Foster & Friends Concert which she enjoyed watching. Needless to say I was shocked to hear Betsy had passed away. Betsy, a generous friend and our dear classmate, was a fine soul who will be lovingly remembered by her HS ‘64 class always. Betsy lives forever in cyberspace and in our living memory. &&&&&&&&&& Scholasticans Invited to Special New York Screening of the Filipino Film “Boses” on May 1, 2009 An invitation to all Scholastican alumnae to view the Filipino movie BOSES has been extended by Linden Martinez, President of Assumption College Alumnae Association Abroad. The movie premier will take place at the Church of St Paul th the Apostle on 59 Street and Columbus Avenue in Manhattan. Tickets are $25, which includes the film screening and a reception. For information about tickets, please send an email to [email protected].

Pergola e-Dyaryo is a publication of St. Scholastica’s Alumnae Association – East Coast

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