CHAPTER 3: HIGH SCHOOL DAYS
FIRST YEAR HIGH SCHOOL –SY 1980-1981
Late Enrollment
It was enrollment season, but my mother seemed indifferent about sending me to high school. My brothers and sister were already enrolled in the city, and I told Mama that I wanted to study there too. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough money, so she remained undecided.
At the last minute, I was finally enrolled at a nearby school, Gullas High School. It was a two-story building nestled between a church and a cemetery. Because I enrolled late, I was placed in Section H, the last section. Our class had around 50 students, with a mix of bright, average, and struggling learners. I only recognized a few faces from my elementary days, but I could no longer recall their names.
High School on 25 Centavos a Day
Because of financial constraints, my daily pocket money was only 25 centavos, enough to buy piece of bread and a native delicacy in the nearby food store. Nevertheless, I made some very good friends. One of them, whose name I’ve now forgotten, had small eyes, a square jaw, and wavy hair. He wasn’t wealthy, but his parents ran a small business. He often treated me to snacks seeing my pocket money was small enough. He was from Bulacao.
Another friend was Victorino Nacua from Inayawan, Pardo. He considered me his closest friend, he once sang “If I Never Sing Another Song” during our campfire program in school. He was very sociable though. I remember hanging out with him at the Inayawan Sports Complex. He was very good at skating. There was a skating rink there. I gave it a try but couldn’t even move my feet.
I also had a Chinese friend, his name sounds like Christopher or Michael Chua, not quite sure but the family name. Then there was Achilles Lastimosa from Itamda, I. Tabura St., and Eduardo Pacaña, who was quite handsome but often got into arguments with Reynaldo, another student who was clearly gay. Eduardo was a bit effeminate himself. I also had small chats with a classmate, quite mature for a first year high school. His name, if I am not mistaken, sounds like, Danilo Teves, a pelota or jai alai player.
I also remember Reynaldo Balcorza from Villa Tambis, along F. Jaca St. in Pardo. His house was small, made of lawanit, plywood, and bamboo flooring. He was very kind to me.
Among the girls, I remember Ma. Luisa Sumagang. She had a very sexy figure and somewhat pretty, the problem only was her face was filled with acne. During our campfire, she danced to the popular song “Body Language.” There was also Ludivina, with her simple beauty, and Lallaine, who was quite intelligent. She passed by our house on her way home.
Timidity wasn't a hindrance to school performance
In class, I was a bit shy and quiet, but I participated in recitations. Once I got a near perfect score in our English subject during a periodical test. Our English teacher, Mr. Baba, then started calling me, not by my real name, but by the moniker "intelligent guy" whenever he called me for a recitation. I always got perfect scores on his daily quizes, kudos to my very good teacher mentors in English during my grade school days, Mrs. Cagigas and Mrs. Santos.
Activities Inside and Outside School
One day, classes ended early, and a group of classmates and I went to the shores of Cogon. Some of them swam in a nearby pond. It was quite deep, some of my brave classmates dove with only their briefs on. It was fun. But I never jumped into the pond.
Another highlight of the year was the campfire. Each grade level participated in different performances. The talent among the students was impressive, especially in singing. My friend and classmate, Victorino Nacua, sang the song "If I Never Sing Another Song" by Matt Monro.
After the program ended around 11 p.m., we returned to our room to sleep, but most of us didn’t. We joked around, so noisy, and everyone laughed out loud when one of our classmates tried to urinate through the school window. It's dark and just a wall distance from a cemetery, so it's pretty scary to go out to the dark comfort room alone. But not a problem during day time. Funny it may seem, but my classmate and I sometimes jumped off the school fence during recess where the cemetery was. It's our way to get free snacks whenever there was a burial.
At 2 a.m., we started packing our things, and by 4 a.m., we hiked all the way to Cansojong, Talisay, by the sea. We passed through Gabuya St., turned right at F. Jaca St., went through Inayawan, and finally reached our destination.
There were other activities throughout the year. One was the Youth Countryside Action Program (YCAP), where we did tree planting. One Sunday, we even hiked all the way to the Buhisan Dam and Watershed, so far that my whole body ached afterward.
Every Saturday afternoon, we also had YDT (Youth Development Training). Sometimes we marched around the churchyard or just stayed on campus, spending most of the time marching. Other times, we played in the grotto at the center of the churchyard. I was usually with my chinese looking classmate's hideout, just chatting on top of the other grotto, Grotto of Virgin Mary, situated left of the church, letting the time passed, till it's time for attendance.
The Hardship of Being Poor
Despite the fun moments, life was tough. During exam weeks, we were required to settle our tuition fees to receive exam permits. While my classmates were already taking their tests, I was often stuck in line with promissory notes at the registrar’s office, pleading for a permit because I couldn’t pay. It felt with a deep embarrassment and helplessness as well.
One examination day, I felt hopeless because it took me so long in the registrar's office. Thankfully, not everyone was heartless. One woman, after I pleaded several times, finally handed me a permit, allowing me to take the test. The scenario was always like that every periodical exam.
Things got worse during the fourth grading period. I hadn’t paid tuition for two months, including March. We had a newborn baby, Erwin, who needed milk and vitamins. My father had no more income except a small pension, which had become even smaller due to a bank loan. With no other choice, I was not able to take the final exams. Later, I became an out-of-school youth and was not able to go to school for two straight years, which I will try to recall in the next section.
Looking back
That school year was a mix of joy and hardship, new friends, vibrant activities, and painful struggles with scarcity. Even though I didn’t finish the year, the memories and experiences shaped me in ways I didn’t realize at the time. The kindness of strangers, the laughter with friends, and even the ache of missing an exam, all of it was part of a chapter that gave me resilience, something I’d carry with me in years ahead.
(to be continued soon...my two years of idle life during high school days)
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