CIM AT 50: THE GOLDEN DIARY
Written by Henry L. Yu, M.D
February 22, 2008
CIM Class 1978
For those of us who came, who saw and conquered CIM for that one moment in time as medical graduates of the Cebu Institute of Medicine, December 2-8, 2007 will be permanently etched in the inner recesses of our hearts and minds, imprinted deeply, and will be remembered for a lifetime.
It has been said that people do change, and so do things, places and events, but not the memories. In the years to come, when we shall be old and gray, I know we shall look back to this event with nostalgic undertones. Let me therefore share with you the highlights of this once-in-a-lifetime event in our lives as alumni of CIM who attended this one celebration of a lifetime: The 50th Anniversary of CIM, the very school that made us what we are today: Physicians With A Heart.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
* Today we are gathered at the Main Social Hall for the Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Fidel. Alumni from different parts of the world came to attend this first activity of the weeklong grand celebration of CIM's 50th anniversary. The Main Social Hall suddenly turned into one heaven of a paradise. Thanks be to Class 1982 for making the venue for the mass befitting of one school that's celebrating "50 Years of Excellence in Medical Education". The mass proper was well organized and solemnly celebrated, although some alumni could not be controlled from their excitement of seeing and being reunited with classmates and fellow alumni while the mass was going on. "Wait ka lang dyan. Unya na ta mag-inusapay", I could hear one alumna telling her classmate. Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.
* After the mass, we had a light snack of doughnuts and juice at Room 210 followed by a motorcade participated in by students, faculty, alumni, fellow doctors from here and abroad.
* A Coordination Meeting is held at the amphitheatre at 2:00 p.m. for those joining the Physician With A Heart Medical-Surgical Mission headed by Dr. Wyben Briones (Cebu) and Dr. Dominador Ong (USA) and some other missioners.
Monday, December 3, 2007
* It is the start of the Surgical-Medical Mission (Day 1) held at CVGH/CMSS. There is a Film Showing held at the amphitheater and is attended by the students.
* The Medical-Surgical team and the CIM Golden Jubilee Working Committee members are treated to a fabulous soiree courtesy of Dr. Dolores Lao (Class 1964) at her manz in Vista Grande in Talisay City.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
* The Medical-Surgical Mission continued on its second day.
* The students and faculty gathered at amphitheater I for the Bioethics Annual Presentation ("The Ashley Treatment: For whose Best Interest?") presented by the 3rd year medical students.
* “Utakay 2007" is held in the afternoon where students pitted talents and knowledge.
* Drs. Lowell & Linda Taclob (Class 1967) hosted a Barrio Fiesta-inspired dinner fellowship at their manz in Maria Luisa in Banilad.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
* The Recognition Ceremonies is held at the Main Social Hall to honor the following awardees: CIM entrance and special scholars, Excellence in the Study of Basic Biomedical Science, Integrated Clinical Science I, college scholars, Most Outstanding CIM Alumnus (Dr. Dennis Villareal of Class 1982), faculty members who have served CIM for 25 years (Dr. Judy Lao-Tan, Dr. Martiniano Zanoria and Dr. Joveno Mata).
* A luncheon symposium is held at the Arctic Room of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, followed by the formal opening ceremonies of the 2nd CIM Medical World Congress that took place at 1:30 p.m. at the Mediterranean Room attended by more than a thousand CIM alumni, students, faculty and guests.
* The Plenary Lecture by Dr. Luel Yukoya on "Medical Probes: Interventional Medicine" is the first lecture among a series of several others, followed by three (3) simultaneous symposia: "Mending A Broken Heart Through Cardiac Carpentry" by Dr. Danilo Kuizon; "Interventional Neuroradiology: Rays That Seek And Heal" by Dr. Francis Santiago; and "Pain, Pain Go Away" by Dr. Francis Jason Villegas and Dr. Louie Senora.
* The CIM Alumni Fellowship Night ("Spectacular! Spectacular!" - "A Touch of Gold") proved to be truly spectacular with CIMers coming in with a touch of gold. After a sumptuous and scrumptious buffet dinner, we settled down on the theater-style-arranged seats below the stage as we were divided into five (5) groups according to decades: Group 1 (1957-1967); Group 2 (1968-1977); Group 3 (1978-1987); Group 4 (1988-1997); and Group 5 (1998-2007).
* An Obra-Faelnar video film presentation, produced and directed by Dr. Doris Obra and Dr. Jude Faelnar, brought us back to that era somewhere in time as our gateway to the present and the future.
* A game show ala Wowowee, hosted by Dr. Ed Cabatingan and Dr. Monina Cabral, had groups of CIM alumni standing on stage as they answered the questions hurled by the hosts on screen.
* The CIM Golden Jubilee Beauties are presented to an overwhelmingly excited audience: Dr. Farina Espina-Sabado (Class 1987 - Ms. CVGH); Dr. Anita Cal-Jackson (Class 1976 - Ms. CIM); Dr. Marilyn Digamon-Beltran (Class 1975 - Golden Jubilee Queen). They are serenaded Dr. Alex Montejo and Dr. Rod Penalosa who came all the way from the U.S. of A. to grace the occasion.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
* It’s Day 4 of the Medical-Surgical Mission and Day 2 of the Medical World Congress. And the excitement and fun of being together again continues endlessly as if theres no tomorrow.
* This particular morning brought in some excitements and fun as alumni came in their CIM school uniform. What a sight to behold! The young ONES and the young ONCE together. Feeling young. Looking young.
* The memorial mass is held at the Mediterranean Room commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. Jacinto Velez, Sr. This was followed by the 18th Dr. Jacinto Velez, Sr. Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr. Ramon Arcadio.
* There are four (4) simultaneous luncheon symposia to choose from, sponsored by four (4) different drug companies, as follows: Astra, Medichem, Otsuka, Hanseo.
* Another plenary lecture is held after the luncheon symposia. Lecturer was Dr. Florencio Lucero who talked on "Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: The Ultimate Anti-Aging Therapy". This is followed by three (3) simultaneous symposia: "Beauty and the Breasts" by Dr. Susan Lim-Verallo; "Reconstructing Burn Injuries: Scarred For Life No More" by Dr. Glenn Angelo Genuino; "Lifts, Nips, and Snips: Winning the Battle Against Aging" by Dr. Jesse Corres and Dr. Alfonso Amores. A Research Paper Contest is also held this afternoon at the artic Room.
* It’s Individual Class Reunion tonight. So on we go our separate ways to be with our classmates of long ago whom we havent seen for ages - singing our songs again, dancing to the disco beats of our time, bringing back our yesteryears, reminiscing our joy, our fun and our seasons in the sun.
Friday, December 7, 2007
* The day opened with a plenary lecture on "Integrative Medicine: Old Meets New, East Meets West" by Dr. Buenaventura Ramos, followed by another plenary lecture on "The Tools of the Trade: Cents or Sense" by Dr. Fidelis Quiza. Three (3) simultaneous symposia followed: "Screening Procedure: Is Forwarned Forearmed?" by Dr. Emma Llanto and Dr. Carlos Duyongco; "Protecting the Young, the Restless and the Rest" by Dr. Concepcion Fuller and Dr. Evelyn Alesna; "CPG: Sound Medical Practice, Or Is It?" by Dr. Albert Santos, Dr. Doris Obra, Dr. Elfleda Hernandez, Dr. Rosario Capeding.
* Three (3) luncheon symposia are held simultaneously, sponsored respectively by Therapharma, GSK and Eli-Lilly.
* The last among a series of plenary lectures is that of "The Entrepreneural Doctor: When Hippocrates Meets Midas" by Dr. Jerry Pacturan, followed by a forum on "Doctor, Doctor YOU Are Sick", one that is looked forward to by everyone as it is about people like us, doctors that we are, who have been treating patients, but now have become the patients themselves. Proof that we, as doctors, are as human as our patients or anybody else, and as such we also get sick, we get old, and we will also say goodbye to this world someday whether we like it or not. Afterall, we are all but passing visitors on a limited tourist visa.
* It’s a Free Night tonight. But most of us chose to continue the fun and to make use of this rarity of being reunited with our classmates, thus the Class Reunion Part II.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
* Today is CIM Alumni Homecoming Day. It’s the day when CIM welcomes back all alumni from all over the world, hosted by the school.
* The day starts with a Thanksgiving Mass at amphitheater 3 celebrated by Rev. Fr. Colm Meaney, followed by the blessing of the front garden (The New UST - "Under the Sambag Tree", a project of Class 1982, the Synergists), the Skills Laboratory (a joint project of Drs. Lowell & Linda Taclob, Class 1978 and Class 1981), the Memorabilia Rooms (a project of Dr. Dominador Ong and ASOCIMAI). Somebody jokingly asked "Hasta diay ang Christmas Tree blessing-ngan pud ni Father?"
* Lunchtime saw us all gathered at the Main Social Hall to fill up our hungry stomach. So everybody feasted on the superb food on the buffet table, chika-here-chika-there, followed by the raffling of minor prizes and the major one which is the four-year CIM scholarship. The lucky winner is Dr. Roland Uy of Class 1983, next years Silver Jubilarian.
* That afternoon saw some of us resting at home or in their hotel room while other alumni continued with their class bonding, making use of the little time left for togetherness.
* The Gala Night was every inch a night of glitz and glam. Everyone came in their formal wear. There was the usual chika-chika/beso-beso galore, photo shoots, speeches, awardings, etc. After the fine dining came Pilita Corrales ("Asias Queen of Songs") as the nights entertainer belting out some old familiar tunes that brought back the feelings of being young, oozing with so much vim, vigor and vitality. At least, maski sa feelings man lang. Then the jam session princes and princesses of the '50s, the disco kings and queens of the '60s or '70s, and the perpetually avid ballroom dancers were resurrected, filling the dancing floor with their dancing shoes, exhibiting their dancing prowess non-pareil. In between dances was the raffling of the two (2) brand new cars which was won, respectively, by Dr. Alan Mejarito (#0094) of Class 1988 (Chevrolet Optra Sedan) and Dr. Fausto Tancongco, Jr. (#0358) of Class 1983 (BMW 316i).
