Widely recognized as a
premier exclusive school for girls, there is one little-known fact about the
history of St. Scholastica's College: there used to be boys on the campus!
As brothers of Scholasticans
or sons of diehard alumnae who felt that they should at least give their sons
one or two years of German Benedictine education, these boys spent their
formative years under the care of a jewel of a nun named Sister Gratia, OSB.
To many Scholasticans, Sister
Gratia was a legend. For fifty years, she was the Mother Hen to
generations of kindergarten boys, legendary for being the most well-bred lads in
the community.
Through the solemn
processions to the chapel and lines to the school clinic where the school nurse
waited to give them cholera shots, Sister Gratia was always there for her boys.
And no matter what they did later in life, the boys carried with them the
Scholastican virtues they learned in their two years under Sister Gratia's care.
These are some of the boys
who keep the memory of their beloved Sister Gratia in their hearts.
Sr. Gratia Aigner, OSB
JUN
MAGSAYSAY (Kindergarten 1942)
Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay, Jr.
has been senator for several terms. Even as the son of a former
President of the Philippines, he remains humble, but passionate about
his responsibilities as a senator.
EDWARD S.
DIAMONON
Edward "Eddie" Diamonon is Vice-President of
Worldbex Services, Inc., a leading event organizer in the country.
EVARISTO T.
FRANCISCO (Kindergarten 1932)
Evaristo "Aris"
Francisco is a mechanical engineer and worked for Shell, Philippines.
He is married to a Scholastican, Alegria Sanchez-Francisco (HS '47).
His sisters are also Scholasticans.
JAMES S.
DIAMONON (Kindergarten 1938)
Dr. James "Jimmy" Diamonon resides in Houston, Texas. He specializes in cancer
surgery.
JESUS
ZULUETA
Jesus Zulueta and Jeanette Bautista first met
in Sister Gratia's Kindergarten class. Years later, as if by fate,
they would spend their lives together as husband and wife.
FERNANDO DE
LARRAZABAL (Kindergarten 1931)
Fernando was a
broadcaster for Radio Mindanao Network. Even at his ripe old age,
he still writes spiritual minute meditations for magazines.
PROSPERO M.
HERNANDEZ (Kindergarten 1949)
Prospy Hernandez is
married to a Scholastican, Marita "Amy" Gamboa. He resides with
his family in Virginia, USA.
OSCAR DE GUIA
(Kindergarten 1953)
Four sisters of Oscar de Guia studied in St. Scholastica. Today,
Oscar is a businessman with his own water-filling station.
TEODORICO
BAUTISTA (Kindergarten 1941)
Until his retirement, Teodorico "Teddy" Bautista worked for Philippine National Bank and was
assigned to different branches in the USA.
MARC PRATS
Ramon O. Alava (Kindergarten 1964-1965). Ramon Alava is a
corporate consultant who conducts training programs to help companies achieve
high-performance levels in their business ventures. Ramon is married to
Hilda S. Aquino, a Scholastican. Their two daughters are also
Scholasticans, Monica and Diana.
Anthony R. Lozada (Kindergarten 1973). Anthony is Managing
Director in their family-owned business, Bert Lozada Swim School. He is
the son of Scholastican Zenas Reyes-Lozada.
Manolo del Rosario, Santiago Alvarez and Jaime Barredo (Kindergarten 1952-1953).
Manolo del Rosario, Santiago "Sonny" Alvarez and Jaime "Jimmy" Barredo were
classmates in kindergarten. Each one fondly recalls something different
about Sister Gratia and their kindergarten days.
Percival
S. Oca, Jose Wilfredo S. Oca and Bernardo S. Oca
(Kindergarten 1957-1958). Percy, Willie and Bernie Oca are the sons
of Dalila Solis Oca (HS '37). They have five sisters who are all
Scholasticans. They have chosen different careers: Percy is in
advertising, Willie is a lawyer and Bernie is a La Salle Brother.
Jonas Karl Perez (Kindergarten 1970). Chuck is a lawyer, just
like his father and grandfather.
Ricardo Berenguer (Kindergarten 1964). Ricky belongs to a
family of Scholasticans: his mother, Conchita, sister Cecile, older brother
Jerry (who is also a Sister Gratia Boy), and his two daughters, Maiky and Mawie.
He has two younger daughters, not yet of school age - they are future
Scholasticans. He is currently working for D.M. Consunji, Inc., a
construction company.
Gabriel Esquivel (Kindergarten 1950). Robbie now practices
Interior Design in New York where he lives with his family. Sister
Gratia's crayolas and rice paste set him on his career path.
Manolo Aquino (Kindergarten 1941). Manolo Aquino was an
executive in Philippine Airlines in the mid 1990s. Currently, he is the
president of a company that outsources services to companies abroad.
Jose
Vito B. Borromeo (Kindergarten 1949). Jose Vito "Pocholo"
Borromeo is Chairman and CEO of Healthy You, Inc. He belongs to a true
Scholastican family: his mother Carmen Barredo Borromeo and five sisters and
brother.
Benjamin Gerardo Perez (Kindergarten 1971). Benjamin Gerardo
"Ben-G" Perez is a doctor specializing in internal medicine and
gastroenterology. He practices in St. Luke's Hospital and other leading
hospitals in Metro Manila.
Gregorio P. Jarencio (Kindergarten 1953-1954). Greg is a
true-blue Scholastican - from his mother, Sergia Pimentel Jarencio (HS '31) to
his two sisters Cecilia (HS '59) and Yvette (HS '63).
