Gathering of legal eagles

These are times indeed that most of us long for the days of yore especially the early 60’s when our country was on the verge of economic take-off and our politics was relatively clean. During those times most of our elected leaders in the executive and legislative departments were qualified and dedicated statesmen of high caliber rendering genuine public service while the members of the judiciary from the lowest to the highest level were highly respected because of their integrity, probity, competence and independence. Corruption in government was not as rampant as it is during these times as most public servants still had a keen sense of honesty and delicadeza.

It was also during those times, 50 years ago when we left the portals of the Ateneo Law School in Padre Faura and started a new life in the outside world after four arduous and memorable years inside the classrooms. It was indeed an era when the future looked so bright and rosy as we parted ways in pursuit of different careers armed with our newly acquired, excellent legal education.

Hence it is so timely that the Ateneo Law School is holding its grand alumni homecoming on October 21, 2011 at the Isla Ballroom of Edsa Shangri-la Hotel Mandaluyong City to coincide with its 75th founding anniversary. The affair will be a re-assembling of all the legal eagles specially the golden jubilarians of class 1961, the ruby jubilarians of class 1971 and the silver jubilarians of class 1986 who will be honored during the affair.

This occasion will really be more meaningful for us golden jubilarians of class of 1961as we look back to that era in our country’s history when the future seemed so full of hope. It will be a golden opportunity for us to renew and “re-view” even at this late stage in our life the vision and mission we set out to do 50 years ago; to reconnect with our classmates and friends we have not seen for so long and may not see again; to relive Ateneo Law spirit; to reminisce about the good old days full of harmless pranks, youthful escapades and romantic misadventures; to recount the harrowing and humorous encounters with our esteemed professors; and to recall the thrilling experiences inside and outside the classroom when the realities of life started to unfold before our eyes still covered with rose colored lenses.

Members of class ’61 are indeed eagerly looking forward to this affair because they will be reunited with classmates who are all septuagenarians willingly taking risk and pains of travelling thousands of miles coming from other countries and from far flung provinces like Art Alafriz, Jr., Bobby Honrado, Nes de Leon, Willy Panotes, Rudy Ato, Dave Alfeche, Ruffy Tan, Voltaire Balitaan, Art Carpio, Cesar Dizon, Cesar Orias, and Isacio Pelaez. To make the affair really memorable and enjoyable for them and for the alumni-attendees, some of batch 61’ members living around Metro Manila have prepared a song and dance presentation for the occasion. For three months now, Ruben Fruto, Don Alviar, Percy Salazar, Levy Mendoza, Greg Cardino, Aster Rea, Pastor Bacani, Gil Abejo, Jimmy Bautista, Ping Sison and their wives, have been trying so hard to recover their terpsichorean skills as they rock and roll with aching joints and creaking bones.

Of course, even as we enjoy the camaraderie of our classmates and friends in a night of fun and laughter, drinking, dining and dancing, there will also be a moment for us to remember and say a prayer for our classmates who have gone ahead of us into the next life specifically, Dodong Maambong, Oca Africa, Rolly Zabalerio, Manding Fernandez, Ben Jurado, Jun Maliwanag, Archie Idea, Jess Salazar, Jr., Loy Reyes, Bert Ortiz, Teddy Martija, Mon Medina, Fidel Cruz, Coroque Mayor, Ben Hur Mobo, Lito de la Rosa, Gene Ealdama, Nestor Batungbacal, Babes Castillo, Mon Tagle. Jr. Abe Termulo, Lito Tiaoqui, Susing Concepcion, Franchot Relova, Tony Paner, Jun Endriga, Tony Arboleda, Tony Dakay, Johnny Cagampang, Octavio Katigbak, Mars Lectura, Rolly Montoya, Manny Gumban, Pert Eltanal, Pert Saw, and Serafin Osabel.

Indeed for the past 75 years, the Ateneo Law School has produced highly esteemed servant-leader-lawyers doing ordinary things extraordinarily well in their unselfish efforts to preserve humanity during these unsettling times. Many of them have illumined the country’s legal firmament brighter as they carry the light of truth, justice and integrity in their respective fields of endeavor. During the same period, so many eagles of the law have perched on different areas of public service particularly the Supreme Court and other levels of the judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive Department bearing the Ateneo tradition of Magis-giving more of themselves in the service of others, challenging the status quo, going out of their comfort zone to seek social justice.

The Ateneo Law grand alumni homecoming coinciding with the 75th founding anniversary of the Law School will be hosted by the Ateneo Law School Class of 1987 whose enthusiasm and energy are so infectious as they leave no stones unturned in ensuring that all alumni attending the affair will “feel good and feel proud the Ateneo way”. The event will start at 5 pm with a thanksgiving Mass at the Boracay room of the hotel. The general assembly of all members of the Ateneo Alumni Association follows at 6 pm while dinner will be at 7:30 pm with entertainment provided by home grown Ateneans from law school and Loyola campuses. The program proper honoring the jubilarians starts at 8pm, and party time with raffle starts at 830 pm. So, all Ateneo law alumni mark this date and see you all there.

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