My father went to this school to get his civil engineering degree. My brother Fred enroll here too. To get to Doroteo Jose I have to take a jeepney ride which cost 10 cents. I hope it is not a big burden for Ma. The first two years are in Doroteo Jose and the third, fourth and fifth year in Intramuros if you are taking chemical engineering which I am. The fiirst two years was a breeze, general engineering. Then in third year I have to take the jeep to Intramuros which cost more. From Manuguit I take the jeep to Plaza Lawton which is ten cents. Then I walk half a mile to Mapua. My daily allowance is one peso. Jeepney ride cost at least 20 cents, more during rush hours. You would think one peso is more than enough. But I have to buy cigarettes and that mostly used up my one peso. I can not buy meals in school or any extra stuff like beer. My mother had four children and they are all in college or getting ready for college. I do have some discounts. I was awarded a NSDB partial scholarship which paid for half of my tuition. My father was an alumni that is 20%, my brother gives me 5%. On a good year I would get good grades which gives me 50% discount on tuition. My mother would shelled out around 500 pesos every semester for my tuition.
College Friends
There were many but not as notable as my high school friends. What do I mean? High school friends and college friends are up there in my book. Ismael Ifurung was with me thruout college and we know each other since high school. Abelardo Lazatin went away after the first few years of college. I later learned that his father asked him to pause because his older brother is attending college and too much burden on their finances. What happen with working on your own and paying for college yourself? There was no grants nor loans in college in the Philippines at that time and I don't think their is any today. Jimmy Sicant went to Mapua, finished with a degree. He later got a job in Isabela and what I heard he married and stayed there. Good for Jimmy making a life for himself. During registration I work in the IBM department and we are called card pickers. Cards are hollerith cards and it represent one student for one class. A student pick his subjects and we collect the cards to that class and all of these are submitted to the computer. I earned a bit of money.
Most of my college friends I see during one of our reunions. Cipriano Buendia, Ismael Ifurung, Tagumpay de Leon, and so many others. Many just fall off and doesn't care about reunions or seeing each other. One is Ric Dimalanta but he did visit me in our house in Texas. He had four children and numerous grandchildre, retired and lived in Florida. Any notable classmates? Well Diosdado Banatao who is an electrical engineer was touted to be the genius of Silicon Valley. He invented several computer chips and made millions out of it. Unfortunately I heard he got bad dementia. Dimayuga disappeared before graduation. I heard he did not want to be a engineer, wanted to be a doctor. He finished his MD and because the director of the provincial hospital in Batangas. He died at an early age. Anybody else?
Mapua Professors
Some like me and some hate me. Ha, ha. I don't care. Mr. Larry Limuaco our assistant dean took a liking to me and helped me in many ways. He gave me advised. Our dean Ignacio Salcedo hated me. I don't know why. When we were close to graduating, there is a tradition that the senior class goes to Baguio for a conference. It was really a junket trip to celebrate the end of our college days. I was coordinating the trip, put an announcement on the board for it. Dean Salcedo did not like it and wrote on a piece of paper that the Baguio trip is not sanction by the school. Somebody (not me) ripped that paper off the board. Salcedo was livid with anger. I together with Al Tiu was summoned to his office. His face red from anger he warn Tiu that he will not get the gold medal. Then he pointed at me and said I will be expelled! I hurriedley went to Mr. Limuaco's office and ask him to help me. Limuaco was just grinning and said, "I will talk to him". So I did not get expelled and Tiu got his gold medal. Salcedo is such a pompous ass. He never realized that I did not ripped his paper. Salcedo belong to the old school of school administrators who they think they are the dictator and can do what they please. I learned later that Mapua, years after we graduated, underwent a student revolt. Yes, students from class to class disrupts the class shouting and protesting, classes were stop, the school made into a mess in protest. Poor Salcedo. He must have died of heart attack. Most professors like me but others dont. Gervasio was our prof in Unit Operations, the main subject of chemical engineering. But we spent so much time in Chapter one of the book which dealt on fluid flow. I think Gervasio does not know much about the next chapters so he stuck to one subject he knows. Beyond fluid flow are areas such as heat transfer, mass flow, etc. Nope Gervasio has no idea.
We have twin professors, the Vicente's, Florentino and Fernando. Both are very good professors if they are present. Later they have their assistant handle the class. the assistant are not that bright and they were so boring. Florentino thinks we can be taught like cattle and not complain. These two came from a poor family. Their father is a barber and I saw him in one of the barbershop along Avenida Rizal. The father cuts hair wearing a white shirt and a bowtie. Very proud of his profession. Florentino regale us with his prowness in school. How he used Black Equation of State in one of the board exam. He was a topnotcher in that exam and a gold medalist at Mapua. I know he play tennis because he comes to class in tennis attire sometimes. I wish I could have played him. I like to whoop him.
Gerry Oconer who is my friend was a professor at Mapua. He got a master's degree there and taught. Gerry is bright. He took the PE in the US and got 96% he told me. He can not figure out what mistake he had in the exam. It is the usual practice to offer professorship to graduating students who have good grades. Mr. Limuaco whispered to me that I will not be one of them because Salcedo does not like me. Ha, ha. The old man holds a grudge.
Epsilon Alpha
There is a fraternity in our chemical engineering class called Rho Chi. You know there is always hazing for the neophytes. And since we are just coming up we will be hazed if you join this fraternity. So I decided to create my own fraternity to get around this hazing bullshit. We call it Epsilon Alpha. We had about 30 or more members. We did not do much, perhaps hazing young members keep us busy. I never participated in hazing anybody. Notable members are Ric Dimalanta, Ismael Ifurung, Greg Nidoy, Rene Riviera, Joe Lladones, Mike Bernardino, and many more.
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| After a Saturday meeting we went out and took this photo in front of Mapua. |
We were not recognize by the school because first I did not bother to apply and ask permission from Salcedo who I know will turn it down. Besides we are satisfied the way it is. I knew when we graduate and left Mapua that the fraternity will eventually die down. Some of these guys I know where they are but most of them I do not. Some passed.
We even had an induction ceremony of new members. Sitting on my left is Fr. Nicolas Bautista a lifelong friend priest. He taught Religion in high school. And he married Nicki and I in Chicago.
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| Thelma, my sister debut |
This must be my sister Thelma's debut party held at our house in Manuguit. I do not remember this party or occasion but recognize most of the guys. Sitting: Rene Rivera, Joe Ladones, Ric Dimalanta, Greg Alcaraz, Thelma Calimbas, Rudy Jose, Pol Calimbas, Ismael Ifurung, George Trinidad (friend from Mapua). Standing: Oliver Masil, Alwyn Carino, Edgar Antonio, ?, Sal Eugenio, Trinidad
