October Celebration

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The October 15 Kapihan was once more a lively one. The guys came to celebrate the combined Birthday parties of the October celebrants. The participating celebrants were Lito Domantay, Mari Vargas, Jon Arcenas, Vic Corpuz and Joey Estagle. Vince Misa, Batch63's self-appointed organizer of Birthday Celebrants (by month), registered the count of those who came to Kapihan at twenty one. Apart from the regulars and the celebrants, the rare faces were Tony Estonina and Bert Saenz (from South of Manila), Baby Alvarez (from Negros), and voila - long lost good guy, George Cunanan!

Mari "Frank Sinatra" Vargas made a rare appearance at Willow Root. Mari said he made it this time since 'may kahati sya' in the birthday treat. Joey Ingles had his usual dozen eggs even as he made a pitch for his new herbal elixir (some sort of fruity lactic concoction that he claims has billions of micro-organisms that can cure any ill in the world). He was only offering samples of the elixir though to the celebrants. This selective treatment thus cause the others to claim that Joey's elixir also had melamine and that the celebrants are slated to die!

The economic problems of the world was not ignored by the intellectuals in the group. Joey Ingles said that even development-minded Dubai has started to cancel development contracts due to an expected weak market in the future. Tony Estonina said Dubai has thus changed it's country's name to: Don't Buy! Clearly it's this sort of meaningful insights that makes the reputation of Batch63.

What the heck, another day, another inanity. To the Birthday boys thus, Feliz compleanos, festejados de Octubre! Muchas gracias para el desayuno.

September Bash

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Oye, mis amigos locos! Para tu informacion, Batch63 Kapihan is alive and kicking again - thanks to the effort of Vince Misa to orchestrate shared birthday celebrations by batch month. While the idea is a practical one, not everyone was impressed. Interpreting the idea from a businessman's point of view, Linggoy Araneta said that cost sharing for birthday celebrations must be an indication of the hard times. For this, let's attribute it to our unimaginative national leaders who continue to direct the country's economic plight. (At least for many thinkers in the Batch, lame explanations on the economic impact of global trends on the country is old hat and somehow do not cut it anymore).

There are 7 celebrants sharing the September bash at Polo Club. These are: Dendi Abdon; Bobit Damian; Aderito Yuhuico; Boy Carlos; Francis Horn; Boy Lumba and

Manolo Relova. Of course, Boy L and Manolo R are absentee celebrants being based in the USA. They felt the need to bond with the locals and have tasked their Pareng Vince to cover the damage for their share of the cele b until their next visit soon. (Thanks for going out of your way, Boy and Manolo. We appreciate the breakfast treat.) Ever the devoted organizer for Batch63 events, Vince has already lined up the birthday celebrants for October. For sure, Vince will be sending out his notice on this sometime soon.

The group had much fun especially with the presence of rare birds like Mari Duarte, Manolo Cristobal, Tony Estonina, Ed Oleta, Bert Saenz, Doug Marcaida, etc. who live in the suburban south (Alabang, BF Paranaque, Binan, Las Pinas, etc.). In line with Linggoy's theorem on economic factors today, south-based guys have been complaining about the high cost of gasoline and toll fees. It takes a special event like the September bash for them to come. A Kapihan mainstay from the South but who didn't make it this time is Joey Estagle. The rumor among the Dirty Dozen is that he had a spat with his better half Tessie who withheld gasoline money to Joey for the long trip to Polo Club today.

Talking about the remote South and despite the continuing economic melt down in the country, there are actually Batch63 Manila people who have established bases in the South, particularly Tagaytay. They claim that they like the resort atmosphere there. At least three guys in the party - Jimmie Gonzalez, Gabby Valdez and Butch Cusi (DLSC Commerce 67 and good friend of Dendi) - have second home mansions in Tagaytay. It would have been four guys, but according to Gabby, Jack Arellano had disposed of his house there a long time ago. Gabby said that Jack did not like the idea that there were no Karaoke Bars and massage parlors in Tagaytay at that time. (Vince - maybe when it's their birthdays, one idea is for Batch63 to have the celebrations there in Tagaytay for a change!)

Enough BS for today! You can see those who came in the attached photos. Please watch for other pics in the subsequent sends.