UPHS Cebu ‘93: A reunion of enduring bonds and giving back

On July 22, the UP Cebu High School Batch of 1993 reunited to mark our 30th anniversary. I wrote about our 25th anniversary in this column five years ago, emphasizing our commitment to solidarity and giving back to our alma mater. This year, while those ideals still held, there was a heart-warming layer of nostalgia --an unspoken understanding that we're on the cusp of our golden years.

Since our teenage years after high school through our early forties, we gathered around from time to time. This year, we returned to UP a seasoned touch. Among the 90+ students in our batch, 53 graced us with their presence in person, while four joined us online. Some attendees traveled from different parts of the world where they have since settled and built their careers.

Last Saturday’s event started with the familiar nostalgia at the UP Cebu campus in the morning, before transitioning to the uninhibited celebration at The Island Reef Resort in Mactan in the afternoon to evening. At the familiar UP Cebu campus grounds and its iconic Oblation Square, we gathered to hug and take photos. At the school’s Performing Arts Hall, lunch was coupled with lively conversations with our revered former teachers. In the words of our former principal, retired professor Dr. Primitivo Ereno, memories danced through the air, accompanied by the notable squeals of greetings from people seeing each other after a long time.

As daylight waned, the mood shifted. The evening featured a lively affair at The Island Reef Resort in Mactan. We saw ourselves transform into a party crowd, with our spirits running as high as our youthful days. The party persisted past midnight, with some of us capping off the reunion the next day with impromptu gatherings at breakfast and upon checking out at the hotel lobby.

Age might just be a number, but it brings along wisdom and a different kind of perspective. While the subtle signs of time are on us --deeper laugh lines, hints of grey hair, subtle appearance of cellulites and slightly more pronounced bellies (to put it mildly)-- the joy and positive energy of our youth remains unyielding.

The frequency of our grand reunions, every five years, makes each gathering all the more precious. In the blink of an eye, the next one will see us stepping into our 50s. This compels us to savor these moments and to deepen our appreciation for one another. Age may have instilled in us a profound sense of responsibility but I'm still amazed at how our playful banter, reminiscent of our school days, is juxtaposed with our poignant moments of mutual support and having each other’s backs.

Such bond has resulted to moments of not just about reminiscing. Our batch has always believed in giving back. Since our 25th anniversary in 2018, we've generously donated over half a million pesos to our cherished alma mater and plan to continue this support in the future. Among our contributions, we've backed our high school's award-winning Robotics program and contributed ?50,000 to the recently instituted UP Cebu Varsity Program.

There's an urgency in growing older, a sweet desperation --to make the most of our time, to give back, and to leave a legacy. The next reunion might see a much milder version of us, or perhaps not, given our batch's penchant for youthful play. But by then, our joviality might be assisted by simvastatin, anti-hypertensive, and anti-arthritis medications.

Reunions have this gift. They help us step back, see how far we've come, and look ahead with a fresh view of life.