Absence makes the heart fonder as the saying goes as hundreds of alumni from the biggest public high school troop Friday, May 5 for the two-day MPHS-BCHS-BCNHS (Mountain Province High School – Baguio City High School – Baguio City National High School) Alumni Association, Inc. Alumni Homecoming at the school’s campus along Gov. Pack Road.
The school that produced a senator, Baguio mayors, Benguet and Mountain Province governors and congressmen, and war heroes welcome back its alumni who were literally barred from entering the campus expectedly in droves after three years of absence due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
“We expect a big number of participants,” said a hopeful, and even relieved, Sonia Daoas of BCHS class of 1970 and this year’s alumni homecoming coordinator.
Her class was supposed to be honorees of the 50th Jubillarians in 2020 when the lockdown was first imposed to avoid the spread of the virus that killed thousands of Filipinos.
“We have four hosts, the silver jubilarians of classes 1995 to 1998, and gold from 1970 to 1973 as we resume the annual homecoming,” said the former vice president for administration at the neighboring Baguio Colleges Foundation, now the University of the Cordilleras, which will have its own alumni homecoming on May 13 which she also helped organize.
The Baguio Water District director representing the women’s sector said during the groundbreaking rites of the BCNHS art gallery last April 25 that activities include the usual honoring of mentors on May 5, the grand parade on May 6 followed by the reports of the president and treasurer as well as the election of new members of the alumni board.
The homecoming actually started last May 4 with the first-ever MBBAAI Golf Tournament organized by the BCHS Class of 70 led by Willie Gadiano. The school was home to the sons of Baguio pioneers and settlers including the Hamadas, owners of the longest-running community newspaper, the Baguio Midland Courier including Sinai who wrote the BCHS hymn.
It was also a school to the Bugnosens, Andres, and Jaime who became governor of Benguet and Baguio mayor; the Paraans that include former Baguio mayor Francisco; the Buenos with Ernesto as a former city mayor; and the Flaviers that include former senator Juan.
The school was founded in 1916 and called home to the former Government Center (now the Baguio Convention Center), the Casa Vallejo, and the Baguio Teachers Camp.
In 1952, its present campus at Gov. Pack Road has inaugurated thanks to the efforts of then-school officials and the Parents Teachers Association led by the late Rufino Bueno, father of Mayor Ernesto. Pigeon Lobien.
I HEART CITY HIGH Like the one placed at the front of the eastern wing of the main campus building and one of the possibly most photographed areas of the school when hundreds of alumni make a return for the annual homecoming which returns after three years of absence on May 5 and 6. PML
