The party

Nora Soriño .

IT might not have been the party to end all parties but it was a party to remember nonetheless.

For one, it was the 30th anniversary of this paper, Mindanao Gold Star Daily which was born on July 1, l989. So, the party was in the evening of July 1 at Pearlmont, Cagayan de Oro.

From Iligan City, Frank, Sita, Nene and myself “attacked”… no, excuse me, came over.

I had then asked Nene earlier that in case there were presentations from the bureaus, she would be ready with her “Aray” song with Frank, Sita and myself the “back-up dancers.” Hahaha.

The party was about to start when we reached the venue. Everybody was there already. Ernesto “Toto” Chu was in his smiling self. Well, who couldn’t be more than very happy for this baby called Mindanao Gold Star Daily, becoming a phenomenon and reaching 30 years?

The ambience was that of a birthday party. And there was a happy birthday cake. Of which Ma’am Bebotte Chu sliced for who else, but Toto after some welcoming the guests. We were thrilled no end. It could have been their wedding!

Boss Toto himself was game. During the photo ops, he said to me: “Nor, before, when I stood up, everybody else came to pose with me. Now, nobody comes to pose with me anymore.”

He was joking, of course. My companions Nene and Sita had long wanted to pose with him but “maulaw daw sila.” And the others, I saw, kadtong wala maulaw, raced to have some photo ops with him!

But he was “barricaded” by admirers, supporters and simply those who just wanted to make pasipsip. After all, who would not want to pose and have selfies or groupies with someone who had made all these possible? He, who had guided this paper successfully to come to this point of celebrating its 30th year? With emphasis on “successfully,” that is.

Most of those connected with the paper were there. Joey Nacalaban, in his speech, talked about the different editors MGSD had. He singled out the current one, Herbie Gomez. He said, he (Herbie) is the most “terror.”

I couldn’t help but agree. I remember once, Herbie calling me, commenting on the report the Iligan bureau has submitted. He said we were “speaking in tongues.”

I froze then. I had become biblical without my even getting aware of it? Since when did this happen? I remember  a time then of my getting biblical early on during those typewriter days. I mean, my style of typing was “seek and thou shalt find.”

And this time, “speaking in tongues?” Maybe I have lost some focus somewhat? That was when this bureau resolved to be less careless and be more careful.

Cong Corrales is just as good. He’s just, ah, careful and meticulous, truly his father’s son. And he has a way of writing that touches on the “conscience,” if you know what I mean.

And did I spot, Orwin? Orwin Austria. A good editor, too. We heard he had “vacationed” in Luzon because of some physical concerns. And now, on this 30th anniversary, he has come over. How sweet of him. So, I went over to him and exchanged pleasantries.

Was Ben Balce, the desk editor, there? Maybe he was there but we didn’t get to talk. “Ben, the two of us need look no more,” I will just remember that song.

There was Basir Alipolo who had informed this writer that Teng Datu couldn’t make it for some reason. Datu is one of the most productive, businesswise, as with Bing Tenorio. I didn’t spot the latter, too, of  Bukidnon. But maybe she was there even if the two of us couldn’t physically get close enough. Rose Muneza of Sultan Kudarat couldn’t make it. And to think that she was one among the most eager of the bureau chiefs to have an affair like this 30th anniversary.

My phone was busy from her texts and calls even when there was the grace before meals led by who else, but Edgar Catane, of Oroquieta.

Dave Achondo was the emcee and in my speech, as some bureaus were made to do so, I forgot to mention that this city of Iligan, being “strategic” as it’s near Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, even as it is in the middle of this “city of waterfalls” we’ve got to do some “balancing acts.” As in when we submit our publications, Ruchelle or Flor would say, “Ma’am, ang imong balance!”

And we would pay attention to “the balance.” Focus, focus, focus really on the balance.

Where was Adrian Lee of Cebu City? He was good in getting business, we were made to understand then. And Amor, he’s good, too, in the matter of business, even getting some business in Lanao del Norte. Well, with MGSD, I gotta think there’s enough business for everybody. No envy there. After all, did not boss Toto say, it’s an open market.

We could even get business from Makati, from Zamboanga or elsewhere. Ah, with MGSD’s capturing the whole of Mindanao, and with this modern technology, there is enough business to go around, I suppose.

And then Efren Celocia of Libona, Bukidnon told me that Tony Campos of Sultan Kudarat, too, had moved over to the great beyond. I felt a little sad. For  I missed his singing of “My love will see you through,” in times like that.

By the way, as to songs, too, Herbie, our editor is good in singing rock and other songs, I remember. But I did not hear him sing one that night. But I saw him breaking into a smile when the word “terror” was ascribed to him. Ruben M. Dongzal of Davao City was game, too, as he made some happy speech.

Uriel Quilinging, who was the editor-in-chief when I first got engaged with this paper, was just as good. It’s good that he has returned, as a columnist and a contributing editor. He was with someone dear to him. There was Froilan Gallardo, too, he who was among the first reporters whom I met.

I met or only saw at a distance, some of this paper’s columnists–Netnet Camomot whom I got some talking moments. She’s glamorous in person, and not overweight, as she would like us to believe in her column. There was Rhona Canoy, Egay Uy and the other columnists whom I was able to see from a distance. They’re all good, too, in the matter of articulating their take on some matters. It would have been stimulating to talk with, maybe Egay Uy, who I understand is a lawyer, and pick his brains on “how a bill becomes a law.” Now, now I think it’s not that, it’s too elementary, my dear Watson!

I did not see the two kids of Toto, Lisa and Gladys, but I got to talk with Caicai who herself had grown into a beauty like her mom Bebotte and the other two kids. She has a keen business sense, too, like her parents. Talking of Bebotte, she was indeed glamorous that night, just what you expect from a “First Lady.”

There was Rudy Goloso who had taken care of the paper’s circulation all these years. Good job, Rud!

Like all anniversaries, there was food and drinks and singing and dancing for the “danceables.” To all those I haven’t mentioned, just pardon this young lady trapped in an old woman’s body!

It was indeed a party to remember.