GIVE BLOOD, GIVE LIFE

The Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. launched the Give Blood, Give Life project. It is the organization’s first ever campaign to promote blood donation. The campaign comes as a collateral activity to the Batch 77’s first anniversary celebration last 8 September 2012 held at The Kalapaw77.    

The campaign is line with the continuing program of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) to create wider awareness of the need for safe blood transfusion and the importance of blood donation.

On hand to oversee the activity are volunteers from the Philippine National Red Cross Ilocos Sur Chapter led by attending medical practitioner Dr. Pablo R. Quedado. The PNRC team made strict compliance to the qualifications for donors, namely: age: 16 to 65 years old, weight: 50 kilos or 110 pounds, blood pressure: 110/70-130/90m, must have a minimum of six hours sleep, and healthy.

Also on the same activity, members of the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. were given free blood screening which also included blood typing, blood sugar/hemoglobin check-up and blood pressure analysis.

On a confirmation letter dated 11 September 2012 addressed to the association president Ramon C. Balallo, the Philippine National Red Cross Ilocos Sur Chapter Officer-in-Charge Raymund Mario T. Chan acknowledged the receipt of six thousand three hundred milliliters (6,300 ml) of blood collected from fourteen (14) donors.

The fourteen (14) donors are Adonis Bilgera, Joseph Baltero, Melissa Dela Cueva, Benjamin Baterina, Stephen Galen Racca, Benedick Baltero, Ruben Racca, Leonard Guerzon, Peter Andy Racca, Godofredo Borje, Abraham Balderama, Miguel Dumlao, Neil Mapp and Joseph Crisanto Martinez. Eight (8) donors are from Labut Sur, two (2) from Mabilbila, one (1) each from Magsaysay District and Calungbuyan in Santa, and one (1) each from San Julian Sur in Vigan and Sta. Mesa, Manila. Five (5) of the donors are members of the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc.

Images: Joseph Crisanto Martinez

Text: Joseph Crisanto Martinez

UNANG ANNI

September 8, 2012 is an important date in the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. calendar as the organization marks its first anniversary. Dubbed as Unang Anni, the organization gathered its members from Metro Manila and those from Santa, Ilocos Sur to participate in a day of activities and socialization.

Foremost in the morning celebration activities are the blessing of the Kalapaw77 and the socio-civic project Give Blood, Give Life, a blood-donation campaign to create wider awareness of the need for safe blood transfusion and the importance of blood donation conducted in partnership with the Philippine National Red Cross Ilocos Sur Chapter.

The association members partake in a lunch consisting of a sumptuous spread of homemade specialties together with guests, Mrs. Marilou Bello-De Castro and Mr. Roland De Castro, former teachers at the Santa High School. A short thanksgiving prayer was given by the Reverend Fr. Arthur Amian, Parish Priest of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church in Santa, Ilocos Sur.  

A general membership meeting was conducted in the afternoon. This was presided by Mon Balallo, the association president and Cres Velasco, the association secretary. Vangie Burgos-Corpuz, the association treasurer presented the association’s financial status as of 31 August 2012. Mon Balallo made a recap of the past association activities and projects. He then solicited suggestions for the association’s December activities which included fund-raising projects and the Batch ’77 Christmas celebration. Projects directed for the Santa High School were also discussed. The general membership meeting ended with, among others, the Christmas caroling activity to help raise funds to further the association’s socio-civic projects for 2013. The association members voted unanimously.

 

During the rest of the day, the association members partook with more food. Some enjoyed playing card games. Others enjoyed themselves taking part in the traditional exercise of vocal histrionics glued to Jessie Bello’s videoke and sound system. These were punctuated with the never-to-be-missed picture-taking, the chit-chat, the jokes and laughter, the reminiscing of past experiences, and The Bottle.

 

The banter and the celebration proceeded until before midnight where members went home eager to partake in the next association activity particularly the December reunion events.

Images: Joseph Crisanto Martinez

Text: Joseph Crisanto Martinez

KALAPAW77

It started out as a vacant lot across the public cemetery along the national road at Barangay Magsaysay. To say the least, it was an eyesore. It was an unwilling open dumpsite for garbage. It was however bounded by a breathtaking view of sea and sand on the west and, and despite the presence of the public cemetery, the imposing parade of the captivating range and rolling hills of Mount Tetris de Santa on the East. It was a challenge not to be missed. It would be a shame not to accept the challenge.

 

Events began to unfold when the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. president Mon C. Balallo and Manding G. Toloentino, SHS’77AAI auditor and Barangay Captain of Magsaysay District inquired about the ownership of the lot. Soon thereafter, researches and communications with the property owner and/or the authorized caretaker ensued and the results were satisfactory. With the assurance given by the lot owner through her duly-appointed caretaker, a clean-up drive was conducted in the first week of July 2012 and a tree-planting activity followed in 15 July 2012.

Then a greater task presents itself:  to construct a “bahay-kubo” at the cleared site to serve as home-base of the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. With funds sourced out from donations from members, association president Mon C. Balallo initially allotted Php30,000.00 for the project.

Construction began in the first days of August amidst the seasonal monsoon rains. Manpower was provided by member-volunteers Godofredo Aquino, Benito Cabosura, Jessie Bello, Antonio Tejada, Charles Cabe, Abe Balderama, Antonio Vergara and Manding Tolentino. At times, other association members were on-hand to either prepare snacks or cook hot meals for the volunteers. The association also secured the services of Raymund Vergara to be the caretaker of the property.

After two months since the clean-up drive in July and approximately Php80,000.00 worth of expenditures, the month of August ended with the completion of a “bahay-kubo” with an approximate area of six (6) by Seven (7) square meters to serve as the home-base of the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. We have given birth to the KALAPAW77. It was time to prepare for its blessing.

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In the recent Unang Anni festivity which was the first anniversary celebration of the Santa High School Batch 1977 Alumni Association (SHS’77AA) Inc. last 8 September 2012, the first-in-line activity in the celebration is the blessing of the Kalapaw77. This was led by Association president Mon. C. Balallo and Association vice-president Zeny L. Buenavista together with members who came in from Manila and those who are permanently-based in Santa. His Reverence Fr. Arthur Amian, parish priest of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church in Santa, Ilocos Sur officiated the ceremonies.

 

Time to chill for a while.    

Images: Precy Quitasol, Neil Mapp, Erlina Aragon-Nerida and Joseph Crisanto Martinez

Text: Joseph Crisanto Martinez