It was on December 2003 when the Alumni Association of the
Immaculate Conception Cathedral School - High School Department
initially planned the grand reunion last August 2004. Approximately
a hundread alumni from different batches gathered at the
AVR and discussed their plan for an election of officers,
and the prossible themes and committes for the reunion.
Then
another meeting was conducted last April 2004 to assign
committe members and batch coordinators, and to finialize
the theme of the reunion ("Grand Alumni Homecoming")
and the program (mass, registration, election of officers,
dinner, presentations and raffle). The batch coordinators
and committe members agreed to gather every Tuesday of June
and July to report any development regarding their assignments.
Among the matters discussed were the expenses, the projects
from the proceeds of the reunion (equipments needed by the
High School and Special Education departments), and the
plan for an election of officers.
it
was on the 2nd week of July that the theme "Grand Alumni
Homecoming" was changed, as requested by the Administration
Council and the representatives of the Alumni-Grade School
Department, to "Balik Imma... Ang Saya-Saya".
It was on this month also when the date of the reunion was
set and when the tickets for the reunion were distributed.
Series of advertisments tool place in the newspapers (such
as the Inquirer, People's Journal, Tonite), radio stations
(such as 101.9, Marikina Radio Station), and websites (such
as Yahoo and Friendster).
Last
August 14, 2004, the alumni grand reunion entitiled "Balik
Imma... Ang Saya-Saya" was held at the 10th floor of
the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Multi-purpose Building.
It was attended by ~350 alumni coming from different parts
of Luzon and the United States of America, and ~30 guests
from the faculty and administration.
A
concelebrated mass by Fr. Noli and Msgr. Clem, the organizer
of the alumni, opened the event. Registration started at
6 and lasted until 8 in the evening due to the enormous
number of participants. The program proper followed and
included presentations of the history of the school, the
history and accomplishments of the alumni association. Afterwards,
dinner was served and the raffle draw followed where ~50
prices were given away. Moreover, plaques of appreciation
were awarded to Msgr. Dan Sta. Maria, the school director;
Mr. Ferdinand Garcia, the high school principal; and Ms.
Violeta Ting, the alumni coordinator. Selected alumni members,
like the group of Jeffrey Dimalanta and Allan Cantos, performed.
The election of officers were cancelled though, as instructed
by the Administration Council. The program ended at around
11:30 in the evening.
Overall,
the "Balik Imma... Ang Saya-Saya" alumni grand
reunion was an achievement and a history. It reunited ~350
alumni and relieved their loyalty and commitment to school
as well to the alumni association. Indeed, the "Balik
Imma... Ang Saya-Saya" proved that the Immaculate Spirit
lives on in the hearts of the alumni.