Centennial Awards Wstern Visayas State University: Award of Citations for the 100 Outstanding Alumni of Western Visayas State University in Iloilo City on June 11, 2008

AWARDING CEREMONIES FOR OUTSTANDING ALUMNI OF THE CENTURY OF WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY, ILOILO CITY
11 July 2008

Awarding of 100 Outstanding Alumni of Western Visayas State University on June 11, 2008 at the hallowed grounds of the institution in Lapaz, Iloilo City. Two others of my batch mates in Grade School, Major General Gabriel Ledesma and Judge Alexis Zerrudo were also given the award. I am happy to receive the award thinking that Dad should have been the rightful recepient had he been alive today. Yet there were two posthomous awardees who were given the same award. Mommy was also very happy to go with us. She was the one who asked us to bring her with us. Her purpose was to meet Mrs. Adelina Zerrudo who was also an awardee, a colleague of Dad in the Arts during their productions of zarzuelas and dramas in the old Iloilo Normal College back in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s. Dad would be very happy with us to be there. Awarding was postponed to July 11, 2008 instead of the former June 30, 2008 because of the devastation of the Super Typhoon Frank in Western Visayas that rendered the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique flooded of 10 feet of water for 12 hours.

The marker that was installed to commerate the elevation of the Iloilo Normal School into a College and finally into a University. Indeed, time had passed so fast and many things have changed. I hope that in the next 100 years the institution will still be there to make another awarding of citations for the next batch of 100 outstanding graduates from the elementary up to college.

I am standing number 8 at the last row at the back from the right. Next to me is Major General Gabriel Ledesma, a classmate in the defunct Iloilo Normal Laboratory School, Iloilo City.

My proud mother, Mrs. Consuelo Hubero Siscar (left) with Mrs. Adelina Zerrudo and myself on the stage of the theater of the University where the awarding was solemnly held.

A blurred picture taken by a gracious awardee. However it is blurred because the gracious photogrpher has an unstable nerve. He moved the cellphone camera while taking the shot.

The same blurred picture. Leftmost is Judge Alexis Zerrudo my classmate in Grade School. He is also an awardee.

Leftmost is Brig General Ariel Zerrudo, Judge Alexis, Mrs. Zerrudo, my mother Mrs. Consuelo Hubero Siscar, Mrs. Josefa Ley Siscar "Diday" (my wife), and me.

Major General Gabriel Ledesma, Me, Mommy and Mrs. Zerrudo.

Mommy and Mrs. Zerrudo in a huddle before the awarding.

The Band of WVSU rendering a local native song "Ilonggo Kami nga Tunay".

The 6 awardee for the military group. I stand second from left. The most senior in the group is Lt General Benjamin Defensor who was also an wardee of the Iloilo Provincial High School. And me who was also an awardee of the Iloilo School of Arts and Trades High School during their centennial celebrations 2 years earlier.

A group picture of the 100 outstanding alumni awardee.

Brig Gen and Dr. Ariel Zerrudo, Maj Gen Gabriel Ledesma and
Judge Alexis Zerrudo

Maj General Gabriel Ledesma, Judge Alexis Zerrudo and
Brig General Michael Siscar

Mrs. Consuelo H. Siscar emphasizing a point to Mrs. Adelina Zerrudo (a colleague of dad in Iloilo Normal School).

Mommy is taking a snack we bought in Jollibee. She said she was very hungry after all the cleaning of mud in the house for the past 2 weeks. I guess she only had the chance to relax and feel she was famished by the devastating flood. Mom looks beautiful although she is already 85. She will celebrate her 86th birthday come October 3, 2008.