28 years ago

…. Mountain Dew was first introduced in the Philippines

…. The municipality of Makati had a bank called Bangko Makati and its ad campaign tagline was “Basta Kayo Oo…sa Bangko Makati”

…. “Ibalik ang Swerti” was the buzz word popularized by the houseboy “Estong”

… John Lennon was fatally shot in New York

…. Iran and Iraq were at war

….Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in the US presidential race

… Eat Bulaga was giving top-rating noontime show Student Canteen a run for its money

….Flor de Luna and Annaliza were the rival primetime soaps

…. Our Grade 4 batch performed a Thai dance during the Pista ng Sto Nino sa San Beda (Frolics) field demonstration

…. Bedan scouts took a Philippine Navy troop transport ship (LT-38) and went on a field trip to Corregidor

…. For school year 1980-81, section 32 (my block from Grade 1 to Grade 4) was dissolved and the class members were distributed to different sections. I went to section 21 for Grade 5 under Mr Daniel Dino

… was the last academic year that San Beda had Mr Ricardo Liwanag as principal. He was the last laity headmaster of San Beda Grade School.

…. You’d easily bump into Chito and Joey Loyzaga in campus

… President Marcos ordered the Board of Censors to take the likes of Voltes V, Mazinger Z, UFO Grendizer, Mekanda Robot, Daimos and Danguard Ace off the air for “excessive violence” on TV

… Jollibee was an ice cream parlor in Cubao

…Manila COD Department Store and Rustan’s were the places to be in Cubao.

….Shoemart was a simple shoe store along Aurora Boulevard. They also sell Boy Scouts paraphernalia.

… Our neighbor Itoy Esguerra was the “sparkplug” of the Letran Knights and the national basketball team

…. Papa hosted a general meeting of the Penales clan at Daddy’s house in Dauis, Bohol where plans for a grand clan reunion was hatched

…. Papa and Mama took me on my first trip to Bicol (Legaspi and Sorsogon)

… Papa was admitted to the Philippine Heart Center a few days after we arrived from Bicol. Mama stayed with him in the hospital. Coming to the hospital from school was a daily routine for me from June to August.

And on this very day 28 years ago at 1am (Philippine standard time), Papa breathed his last.