An Affair to Remember: 100 Years of Mary Chiles College

Trying to remember how I ever got myself enrolled in Mary Chiles College brings back funny and warm memories of myself as a newbie in the Manila area and of my grandfather who chaperoned me as I took entrance tests in different colleges and universities in the U-belt area.  Walking back to where the Roxas-Gastambide jeeps would wait for their fares at the corner of Gastambide (now Dalupan) and Tortuosa Streets, Papa would spot Mary Chiles and quip that he hadn't realized that the hospital was still there. He remembers it as a pre-war hospital; and I would just go uh-huh and nod, because I took pre-war to simply mean really old.  He was even more surprised to discover that it ran a nursing school too. And that very same day, I took the entrance test, passed the test, and that was the beginning of a new life, a new school, and a second home.

Papa was quite right, it was a pre-war hospital and its foundation is stronger than any wartime artillery and braved even the test of time, Mary Chiles has been around since 1913.  Over the years, it has produced thousands of nursing, midwifery, and respiratory therapy graduates. And what great occasion to bring together all these graduates in honor of the school that nurtured them but on the evening of its centennial year. 

October 05, 2013, I had the privilege of being part of another MCC history in the making. Mary Chiles College held its Centennial Anniversary and Grand Alumni Homecoming celebration at the Quezon Hall of the Quezon City Sports Club.  It gathered hundreds of attendees, including guests and alumni who came from various parts of the world to get reacquainted with their alma mater and reconnect with old friends and classmates.

I had the pleasure of serving as master of ceremony for the night, and it was both an honor and a privilege that gave me sleepless nights and on-the-day stage-fright. I also had the opportunity of working with the different members of the Centennial Committee who saw to the essentials of making sure the night went smoothly and according to plan. I have to admit that I had a jittery start. With literally hundreds of eyeballs pinned at me at the beginning of the program, I got tongue-tied and spaced-out.  I focused on the people I knew and got comfortable soon enough.

I saw a lot of familiar faces who were my former students, my teaching colleagues, my friends, my classmates, MCGH doctors, the school and hospital administrators, and most especially my mentors. I had the best vantage point of all. From where I stood, I saw all the cheer, the warmth, and the elation in every table as batch mates glowed in each other’s presence. It was as if no space in time had kept them apart. That scene was priceless.

The night’s theme was mainly to honor all the MCC graduates and to give some special acknowledgment to those who brought honor and recognition to the school, the profession, and the country. The nominees and the major awardee all deserved to be honored. The Most Outstanding Chilean award was given to Menchu De Luna-Sanchez, Graduate Nurse of the Class of 1979.  Her heroic efforts during hurricane Sandy in 2012 was recognized by US President Obama during his State of the Union Address. Up close and personal, I was even more inspired by Ms. Menchu for she was kind, accommodating, and cheerful. It was a very humbling encounter.

And even before the program ended there were non-stop taking of photographs in almost all section of the hall.  If only all the memories of the night could be packed in every click or snap of the camera or cam-phone. Handsome ladies who  seemed to have aged gracefully could be heard giggling and laughing among their long unseen friends and classmates.  I saw very few people from my class, though I had a memorable time seeing my teachers, my mentors.  They still exude the same respectability, grace, and pride; though, I must admit that as a student, I did not see it as that except that they were plain strict and stern.  They are but a handful of the true-blooded Chileans who managed to pass on the values and virtues of professionalism with a heart.

Several fun prizes were given out to the amusement of everyone.  A Most Senior Chilean Attendee prize was awarded to Ms. Pastora Noblezada-Tan from the Class of 1953, while the Batch with the Most Number of Attendees was won by the Classes of 1976 and 1978.  Another set of fun prize that I enjoyed giving out was the Chilean Colors Award. Two lovely ladies wearing the MCC school colors of green and yellow were chosen; the winners were Ms. Arellano and Ms. Abobo from batches 1978 and 1997, respectively.  The evening felt too short for there were many people who everyone seemed to want to reconnect with. A toast led by Mrs. Palmos, the MCC Alumni Association President, signaled the end of the program and the beginning of the evening’s music and dancing. But before the dancing, the group was led to the singing of the Alma Mater song.  I had never felt so much pride in being an MCC graduate and I am sure my sentiment echoed silently through the hall.  It was indeed an affair to remember. 

PS. To Papa Vic, with love. Happy Birthday! 101519