Even without a call from a jolly Cardinal, many of us came.    We simply had to stand up and be counted—after all, it was our 20th year after high school.

     The date:  June 24, 2006.  The place:  the old grade school chapel (well, not-so-old the way it was turned around, and made-over). 

     For once in our Xavier School lives, many of us were on time.  That early, we were already swapping stories like they were trump cards.  But play had to give way to prayer:  Mass was shortly going to be said with us by no other than our School Director, Rev. Fr. Ismael Zuloaga, S.J.

     It was probably the closest we had been to him, breaking bread the way we did at the Days.  Impressed by our spirit but more by our numbers, Fr. Zuloaga said it was the best attended alumni batch mass he’s celebrated.   And to think we didn’t have to be threatened with greenslips.

     After the Mass, we repaired to one of the rooms of the Fr Cortina Sports Center (the grade school gym now has conference rooms?).   By then, we were 90-alumni strong--registering, getting our loot bags (Look Mom:  I got a free pack of  Modess!), and chomping down in earnest.   After all, there was quite a spread:  Superbowl, Bee Cheng Hiang, and if we needed to be refreshed, there were G Tea, Colt 45, Tanduay Rhum and Starbucks, just to be sure caffeine kept us company on our drive home.  And don’t worry Eric S., Joey P., Cary L. and Mike M., I didn’t forget Cossack Vodka and the girls.  Not that I’m implying anything.

     What was the program?  Well, Sonny Ranada was the program.  Keeping our teachers Mrs. Jane Ching, Ms. Precy Afuang, Ms. Betty Didulo, Mrs. Luisa Relatado, Fr Mena, Mrs Mary Ngo  (‘This is the reunion in which I felt most appreciated’) and Dr. Ablang  (ikaw ang may kasalanan, Sonny….) laughing like they saw our haircut in high school, Sonny was even the star of the audio-visual production that brought us back to 80s, put together by  Ideal Minds.  He was perfect foil to our very own Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines awardee John Ong, who was our conscience reminding us, whether in business or among family, to always choose ‘the more loving option.’

     Packing up and moving over at midnight, the party didn’t end (to the horror of our wives) till 5 AM at Chili’s.

     They also made the night happen:  J & J, K and Company, Adidas, FHM, Rebisco, Excel Glass, Kenny Rogers, Gerry’s Grill, Fortune Tobacco, Cads Marketing, Avilon Zoo and Jam 88.3.

     More importantly, our biggest thanks go to Bernie Cheung, Herbie Ong and Stanley Cheng—the best Student Council President we never had—for gathering nearly a 100 of us 20 years after Xavier.

     That was people power, rallying our spirits, in the school that we most love.

     Heck, we could have all come in yellow…but only if we had matched it with blue.

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