The bedside clock revealed a flashing 4:00 AM on its display then came the ear-piercing cry of the alarm as I quickly sat up from bed from a very beautiful dream of home. Yes, home. And I’m going home today. My reverie was cut short by another warning cry of the alarm. I turned to look at the time once more and winced. I’m not used to getting up this early. I’m an operating room (OR) Nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Being a nurse, shifts are scheduled at different times of the day, not to mention being on-call at certain times and it’s either I would still be awake, taking care of patients at this time or I would just be fast asleep right now. The hospital where I work is also just a few blocks from where I’m staying so I don’t usually get up this early for my morning shift. I would be at the hospital usually from afternoon till the crack of dawn so I get to sleep only by the time I reach home. Home. Here I am thinking again of home. Not this home but my hometown, my home country. The alarm rang again, more loudly this time so I grudgingly rolled out of bed as I turned it off. I had to prepare myself or I would miss my flight.
I was about to board the plane bound for the Philippines when my cellphone rang. The caller ID registered my bestfriend’s name, so I took the call.
“Hello there, sis. Are you really not able to make the flight today?,” I asked Rose. ROSALINDA OBFAN had been my friend since the 3rd grade and when we graduated and enrolled at the same high school, we became bestfriends until time bound us together and we eventually became sisters and got stuck with each other, helping each other ever since.
“Hi, sis. I’m really sorry. Are you at the airport now? I just called to bid you a happy and safe flight. I rescheduled my flight for next week,” Rose informed me.
“Thanks, sis. Well, then I’ll see you next week in Sagada?,” I countered.
“I’m so excited to see how Sagada is today. We’ve been away for sometime now and it seems too long. And yes, I’ll be seeing you in Sagada next week. I’ll have to take a connecting flight to Paris on my way to the Philippines for a brief meeting with our agency over there.”
“Oh, hey, wow. You’ve really got to take me there sometime when we get back. I’d love to see a place like that. But I’ve got to go. My plane’s about to board. See yah! Have a safe flight next week. I’ll be waiting for you,” I said as I heard the stewardess announcing the last call for our flight.
“Okay. Thanks. Keep safe sis. See yah. Bye,” Rose said.
“Bye.”
Rose and I were supposed to take this flight home together if not for her hectic schedule in her company and designs. Rose is a successful, world-renown fashion designer and founder of JTrose Fashion Gallery and The Bratz Modeling Agency for 5 years now. At age 27, she is the youngest among all the fashion designers in the world at present, based here in Beverly Hills, California. As a fashion designer, she had been travelling to different countries from time to time meeting models who were to use her designs during some of her famous shows. She started out as an interior designer at FS Homes, Inc. in Manila and then made her way up society’s economic ladder until she was offered a job in the States after two years of struggling. At that time, I was also processing my papers for my application at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, California and so we both flew out of the Philippines 5 years ago. Long Beach is just a 30-minute drive or less to Beverly Hills so we go out all the time when I go off-duty.
I tucked my hand carried bag on the overhead compartment of the plane and took my seat at 12B, near the aisle. I haven’t yet settled down when a beautiful stewardess, with raven-black hair and a great physique came towards where I was seated, with a graceful stride. I looked up to see her face and it dawned on me that I have seen that beautiful, ‘mestiza’ face before. How could I forget Ms. Teen Sagada 2005 IRYLLE UNOS, and now a flight attendant, going places, keeping the passengers safe and helping them with their needs?
I smiled and stood as she came to pause at where I was seated. We have just given each other a warm hug and exchanged our ‘hellos’ when another attendant at the front announced for us to fasten our seatbelts and turn our phones off. Before take-off, flight attendants give a standard preflight briefing, which mainly concerns safety (seat belts, life jackets, exits, that sort of thing). Irylle then pushed through the rear to assist other passengers with their belongings.
We reached Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah in about 1 and ½ hours. And we had an hour free to roam anywhere. There was someone who ushered us to our hotel to refresh and change if needed. It was my first time in Salt Lake City and I would have loved to see the sights but then we were instructed to stay put in our hotels just in case our flight leaves early. The airport hotels were full so we were ushered to the hotel just a block from the airport. I gazed up as I saw something shining atop the hotel as we approached it. It was a big hotel with a huge-lettered Blitz Ridge Hotel flashing in front of us. I couldn’t express my awe for though I’ve seen hotels and buildings during my visits at Beverly Hills, I haven’t yet seen quite a hotel with this kind of view. To the right was a river, refreshing in its sight. At the back was a park designed for tourists to stroll in whenever their flights get delayed or if they decide to stay in the hotels. To the left was this glass-made building wherein you can enter and it was like a jungle, refreshing and cool compared to the scorching heat of the Utah sun. Our guide was leading us in and briefing us information about the hotel and its beautiful surroundings when I heard the name, Mr. MARION BALDO mentioned. Marion Baldo? That name brought me way back to high school. I remember a quiet, benevolent boy of average height, a typical example of a gentleman. One you could say had been one of the most behaved in class.
“Welcome to the Blitz Ridge Hotel!,” the receptionist was saying. I hadn’t realized we were in the lobby already. If you already saw the lobby of what you thought was the most amazing and awe-inspiring hotel in the world such as the Plaza Hotel in New York, I assure you that would be nothing compared to this. I was still scrutinizing the beauty of the hotel when someone called my name. I turned to the voice and was a bit taken aback when it was the receptionist.
“Oh, my gosh! RECHYL BOSAING?” I shrieked. We hugged each other, with each a kiss on the cheek.
“Yes, I am. Oh, wait till you get to know the company president.”
“Marion?”
Rechyl looked at me, confused.
“Yes. How’d you know?”
“The guide was briefing us just a while ago before we came in.” I countered.
“Well, then. Did you know that Kimberly designed the hotel lobby as well as everything else here?”
“KIMBERLY LIKIGAN? Oh, wow. The lobby is really fascinating. Spellbinding, if you may ask.”
“That’s right. And Wilfredo is responsible for the structural design of the hotel.”
I was not surprised. WILFREDO DAOAS is very well-known in the world of engineering as the Royal Prince of Architectural Design. I have heard he also designed the Little Miracles Hospital back home, now governed through a partnership by one of the Philippines’ Top Ten Outstanding Doctors, Doctor DIANA UNOS, Ohio State University’s Accounting Hall of Fame Nominee, Certified Public Accountant Gayzle Toyoken, and the Philippines’ most brilliant and feared criminal defense lawyer, Attorney DEBORRAH TINACBA. Little Miracles Hospital is a 1,076-bed; full-service community and tertiary care hospital serving Cordillera’s Mountain Province, Baguio City, Benguet and parts of Kalinga, Abra and Ifugao.
I turned to look as Rechyl gestured to the approaching couple. Wow! Marion really turned up great in a business suit, with that awesome build and looking handsome as always. And Kimberly, looking like an angel as ebony hair tumbled in loose curls down her back, set off by the glittering gold of her dress. She still had that sweet charming smile she always had worn on her face back in high school. I was looking for one other missing face—that of Wilfredo’s but I believe he may be out there somewhere frolicking in the midst of a thousand infrastructural projects and a mountain of architectural designs.
Sadly, our hour was up and we had to return to the plane or rather yet change planes. We said our goodbyes and Marion and Kim together with Rechyl would soon be taking a vacation in the Philippines for our upcoming alumni homecoming. Well, that was good news to me. We would have more time to talk about everything.
I barely had my seatbelt on when the intercom crackled to life.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Ricky Bagni speaking. We would like to welcome you onboard this Jetstar Airways, non-stop flight to Japan. Flight duration is around 12 hours and we are expecting a fairly smooth flight today. Once again we thank you for choosing to fly with us today and we hope you enjoy your flight.
Captain RICKY BAGNI? Did I hear it right? This trip home is turning out to be more interesting by the minute. I wonder if he knows I’m in this flight. Do pilots have access to the flight manifests? I don’t know. Let’s see when we get to Narita. Until then, I have to take a nap. It’s gonna be a very long flight.
Wow, Narita airport was way beyond what I imagined. I knew Japan is way more advanced than the other first world countries but I hadn’t expected a beauty salon, a barber shop, a children’s playroom, a kid’s park, a nursery and even a pet hotel which caters to animals when passengers are overseas, inside the airport. What caught my attention the most was that the airport provided dayrooms and showers, massage chairs, reflexology and body care sections, and lounges for the passengers to relax. You can even have access to the internet from the internet kiosks and via wireless or Cable LAN. Whew! Fascinating.
I was so delighted that I had witnessed how great Narita airport was. I went looking for someplace to rest aside from the lounge so I went lingering around. I was about to enter the reflexology section when I spotted a familiar looking guy approaching me. I could not believe that it was GRINGO CAYANG—O. He told me that he works as the manager and coach of the Philippine Basketball Team. Apparently, Gringo and his team are in Japan for the Asian Intercontinental Games.
My scheduled flight was ten minutes behind schedule, so after I went for a massage, I bought the latest issue of the Architectural Digest, wanting to read the article of my favorite editor-slash-publisher and web designer, LESTER BAL-ISEN. I scanned the pages and right beside the page where Wilfredo’s and Kimberly’s images appeared, a beautiful picture of a woman with the Birmingham Palace in the background caught my eye; underneath it in a bold and glaring caption, JONALYNNE CADAWENG: Royal Princess of Architectural Design? She looked as beautiful and petite as she was 10 years ago. The article revealed that Jonalynne was quite noted as another brilliant designer after her debut on remodeling and landscaping London’s Birmingham Palace.
After several inquiries from the management, the plane was now ready to take off. When the plane flew, I got the paperback that Ellis and Estephanie, two of my trusted friends in college, sent me on my birthday. CINDY BANGCAWAYAN was the author, an International Best-Seller and Nobel-Prize winner. The Sidney Sheldon fan and Tom Clancy enthusiast turned out to be a world-class writer of classical, sci-fi, drama, suspense genre. You name it. A very versatile writer. I spent the next few hours reading her book entitled, Midnight Rain, an award-winning thriller published at Happy Tears Publishing, Inc. Rumor has it that JOY PATONG and TERRY MASLIYAN pooled all their resources in order to come up with this first-rate publishing house in Asia at this point in time.
Suddenly, I heard the captain speaking. Because of some engine trouble, we had to take an emergency landing in Taiwan. Despite the situation I was in, I still had the guts to jump up my seat and nearly knock my seatmate over to the aisle as I whooped in delight. The embarrassment afterwards was worth it all. I had just a very slim chance of meeting the famous F4 of Meteor Garden but I just hung on to that slim chance and run off the plane’s platform regardless of protocols and regulations. Much to my surprise, it wasn’t the famous F4 I was dying to meet whom I saw at CTS (Chinese Television System) but a group of 4 other prepossessing gentlemen. It was more of a surprise to embrace the thought that they looked so familiar. And yes, just right beside the wall portrait of my precious F4 babies, Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu was the wall portrait of Taiwan’s new esteemed favorites, Junior F4, MARIO MANGIGA, ALLAN AG-A, JACOB BATNAG, and JUN DECALENG, Jr. looking just as attractive as they could be. Hmmm… I wonder who the new Xian Cai is. The sound of footsteps drawing near brought me back from my reverie. Whew! A smile crept to my face as I looked up and waited for them to approach. Then I saw her. ZYRALYN BORBON, all elegant and looking stunning as ever. It was not surprising that she would be chosen as the new Xian Cai.
Whew! This vacation is really, really interesting and it gets me curious every minute. Well, we spoke for just mere minutes for they were rushing for a shoot in Hongkong. I learned from them that Jerry Yan and the others were also in Hongkong shooting another sequel of ‘Flower Blossoms’, a Golden Bell Film awardee wherein the Junior F4 debuted from its first film. Though I haven’t had the chance to see the F4 I was dying to meet, I was still thrilled and proud that I met such distinguished and award-winning Filipino actors and actress, much more being my high school classmates.
I rushed back to the plane after the unexpected meeting with former classmates. However, the plane was not yet fit to fly and we had to stay for another hour in Taiwan. I had nothing to do then so I gave Rose a call. I just really really hoped she was with me during the trip so she could meet all the classmates I had met. Anyway, I called her and I filled her in about the adventures I had since leaving California and of course, my latest unexpected discovery, the rising Junior F4.
Rose on the otherhand had her share of unexpected discoveries as she traversed Europe. At the time I called, she was already in Paris, France taking care of one of her businesses there. It was a great thing that she was able to witness the Pista sa Paris, a festival embracing the Filipino culture sponsored by the Filipino embassy in Paris, and features singers, dancers, and Filipino cuisine. She was relaying how she met Paris’ finest patissiere, LYNLYN ESILEN who had once designed and decorated Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe’s wedding cake. Yes, the two Harry Potter stars have taken their love story to the next level—a real romance and not just that of a movie romance. Rosalinda was still filling me in with her experiences. It was from her that I learned that MARY ANN FABAG is CEO for a French-Filipino restaurant, Félicité located in proximity of the Eiffel tower. With Mary Ann is HEIDI FALYAO, Félicité’s head chef or what the French call Chef de-cuisine. The three, Rosalinda met at the Pista sa Paris.
Over the phone, we talked about how she met EDITH GALGALLA, AYRA GANGA, and ANGIE LAY-OS during her stop-over in the UK. They were working as nurses and already have their families come over to stay with them. Accordingly, they bumped into each other when Angie then changed jobs from Atkinson Morley Hospital, London to Ashworth Hospital in Liverpool, where Ayra and Edith were working. Just as Rose and I had been, Ayra and Edith also had been together ever since graduating from high school. From the three, she happened to know that Admiral of the Fleet VALENTINE PESPES was the current First Sea Lord of the Naval Service under Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Admiral KAREN LICLICAN, who was directly under Admiral Pespes in the Royal Navy was promoted as the next Admiral of the Fleet. Wow. And here I am stuck as a staff nurse in California with still a lot to go through and save for.
As Rosalinda had some business to tend to and I about to board the plane, our conversation was interrupted. We agreed we’d be exchanging stories back in the Philippines again.
I arrived in the Philippines just in time to witness Manila’s stand to the anomaly involving some cover-up on the issue of the leak of some diplomat informants’ information. MARGIE MENDOZA, one of the editors of the most-relied on national newspaper, The Next Generation, was responsible for almost a year of researching for the truth about the anomaly and has now come down to this. Not only the Philippine people but also the international community was enraged, but I somehow have faith on JENELYN APAGNA, the new secretary-general of the United Nations to stop a world war from happening. At least not today, not when Asia’s singing sensation and world-class guitarist ARMANDO BAGNI as well as renowned conductor and musical director MARICEL MANGANIP are in World Tour, and JANETTE SAYA-AN’s blockbuster movie is showing in theatres!
I finally arrived in Sagada. I was awe-struck as to how the buildings grew into skyscrapers. The Sagada I used to know has become the Sagada of my past. The town has become a city and I couldn’t get a glimpse of a mountain or even smell the scent of pine—a supposed breath of fresh air. It was raining very hard and before I could even cross the street, my new hat was completely ruined and my hair out of curl. This had to be dealt with at once. I inquired for the best beauty parlor and was told to go to Cuts and Curls. I walked in quite unsuspectingly and what greeted me but the international beauty queen herself, WALTER MAYOCYOC. He-slash-she, with ROMANA ADCHAKANG and CHRISTINA ANNAWAY, was conducting the beauty shop. Walter had been one to join a lot of beauty and gay contests and with his astute and experienced approach in the field had also been one to win any contest, local or international. He was crowned as the reigning Ms. Gay Universe, receiving the title from Ms. Gay USA, the outgoing Ms. Gay Universe. Romana and Christina, the best beauticians in the land on the otherhand had been known for helping Walter with all his make-up and costumes during the said contests. Not only have they helped Walter, but have once rubbed elbows with international hairstylist Jose Eber and his rich and famous customers.
After my hair had been nicely curled, the next question was a hat. I walked into a milliner’s shop and found out that JEAN ARON-NEY and ELSA AWILAN were the proprietresses. They however only come to the shop monthly for scheduled meetings. They are usually at the main branch located in Sadanga or away at business trips in one of their branches in Asia and Europe. They supplied the elite with hats of the latest fashion.
For the first time after 10 years, I decided to go to Sagada National High School. Wow, just as the buildings grew to be skyscrapers, Sagada National became one of the most-distinguished schools not only in the province but also the region. I was terribly happy to see the pregnant Ma’am Sumedca, Ma’am Baniaga, Ma’am Umaming and Ma’am Tauli, to my surprise, looking young as ever. My God, these teachers never grow old. And there was Sir Caligtan with his ever so cool look, strumming his guitar like there was no tomorrow. Beside him was Sir Daluyen, singing at the top of his voice, with Ma’am Balisong as acapella. Sir Makellay was on drums. From them I learned that I was in time for our alumni homecoming at the plush BP&E Intercontinental Hotel and thus their singing and having fun. I later learned that PLACIDA BASING-AT and EVA BATANG-AY joined forces to put up the main hotel branch of BP&E in Kalinga and then recently, in Sagada.
On my way to the Hotel to help with the preparations, I spotted a billboard sign: S-MOL MOTORS: “Always on the Go”. Then I remembered MICHAEL WASSIT, my schoolmate and just as I thought he might be the owner, I learned later that he truly was.
Suddenly a speeding car caught my attention. A distinct kind of van had the label “Myra’s Catering Services: For All Walks of Life” imprinted on its side. That must be from our caterer MYRA BAWING. Food really moves people from all walks of life.
As we drove through Manodon Street, a three-story building loomed into view. It was a museum. I was one to appreciate culture and art so I couldn’t resist dropping by. I was about to enter when I was stopped by the beauty and uniqueness of one of the statues or rather spirit idols guarding the door. I paused to glance at the label and from there, it came to my knowledge that DARWIN CHALACAN was already a world famous million-dollar sculptor. Whew! The statue alone was appraised as worth PHP1,000,000.
I proceeded inside and who was to greet me but BRENT GEORGE MANUIT, the director of Curatorial Services. Rumor has it that Brent, whom we fondly call “Tambi” or his tight-knit friends fondly call, “George” (strictly pronounced as ‘Hor-hae’) has worked as a tourist guide in high school and now has been all-over the world taking tourists to see the sights not only of the Philippines but also of Asia and Europe’s finest tourist destinations, at the same time conducting off-site and on-site historic interpretation as well as looking over artifact care and cleaning, restoration, storage and exhibit development. Whew! I wonder how busy Brent gets with all those responsibilities.
He walked me around the museum and brought me to a wall covered with beautiful paintings that with each stroke of hue and curve of the brush, I could feel how the artist was feeling as he painted the masterpiece. Brent told me the paintings on this side of the wall were all done by NATHANIEL MAGSINO. From him, I learned that Nathaniel took to his father’s footsteps and has just recently received the “National Artist” award for a painting depicting a mother’s love to her unborn child, which won an international award in Italy. I thanked Brent for his help and for the things I learned from him and then bade him goodbye as I was supposed to go and help with the alumni homecoming details.
At last I reached the hotel. As I entered, I saw some friends grouped together in the parking lot – US Army 4-star General DANIEL BELEO, JR., business tycoon and CEO of Baniaga Computer Works, JOSEPH BANIAGA, JR., and international billiards champion who once challenged and won over Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, DAVID TAMBIAC, JR. talking about their recent trips from the United States. About to join them were MILBA MANAPENG, the just appointed Secretary of Education and VIDA BADAY, a virtuoso computer technician and general manager of Baniaga Computer Works.
Inside, ELIZABETH ALISWAG, a national awardee in interior designing was busy checking the decorations. Gayzle Toyoken and Diana Unos were arranging the schedule. Sought-after defense lawyer Deborrah Tinacba was browsing through the program prepared by BP&E co-owner Eva Batang-ay.
Computer engineer MELDOR MALABONG, recently from Japan to introduce his computer innovations was in-charge of accepting donations in cash and kind from the different batches and some individuals who pledged to give a percentage of their income to the alumni homecoming party. I chose to help Meldor with the donations after seeing to it that the other details and decorations of the party were finalized. It was midnight when everyone decided to call it a day.
I went back to the hotel to take a much-needed rest. While in the confines of my hotel room, the telephone rang. It was Rosalinda. She was informing me she had booked a flight to the Philippines for the next day. We chatted for just a while as she needed to rest for an early flight tomorrow. I saved all my other encounters for when she would be back home.
At this revelation, everything became crystal clear. All those people I saw, thought, and encountered belonged to the same circle, an echelon above par. They have believed and now they are soaring high just like an eagle above the clouds. They had believed and now they could spread their own wings and fly away. My travel back home showed me excellence in its ultimate form, embodied by these famous personalities who were once my classmates and friends. The plane emergencies and delays in travel served their purpose of convincing me to change my view, and ultimately my future, more than years of persuasion, or in that sense being a nurse in Hollywood, would ever do. Now, it is my time to start a legacy of my own—a heritage I could bequeath to the future youth of the world, to my own children, my own friends, and most of all to my own alma mater, SAGADA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
Fly high, Sagada National High, like an eagle way up in the sky… Keep soaring…