Dear Bobby,

When I sent you old mails about Ms. Cruz I couldn't be very precise so I just said  ". . . But that's another beautiful tragic story which is chronicled in Ana's webpage."
you answered  with "    please send your tel. # via e-mail.  i'll relay it to my kids so they can get in touch with you.  i want them to personally see miss cruz and hand over something to show my deepest gratitude to her."

I guess, now I can take this opportunity to remind everybody that on October 7, we should all remember to pray for her.
We should pray in gratitude that she had touched our lives. We should also be grateful that she had passed on to a better state of existence.

Bobby, I'm sending you some old emails (prep 66 version) about Ms.Cruz .    I'll also send  the more universal account written by Perla (Pinky) Aragon of batch '65 as soon as I could find it.

    Manny
 
 
 
 

-------- Original Message --------
From:  "M.F.Canillas" <manicani@easy.net.ph>
Subject:  Re: Message on my machine about Ms.Cruz
To:  Ednaalb@aol.com
CC:  66ers@U.P.Prep

 

Ednaalb@aol.com wrote:
>
> Dear Manny,
>
> Thanks for letting us know. I'm sure that Ms. Cruz is in our hearts and
> prayers. Is there anything we can do from here? Maybe some donations for
> flowers, money, or whatever is needed? Pls. let us know.
>
> Edna
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Edna,
 
I think the family of Ms.Cruz will appreciate any assistance we can extend, to help them recover from the catastrophic illness that ma'am suffered from.  Maybe you (66ers abroad) could get together there to find out how we can help. We, 66ers here, had passed the hat last night at the necrological service for her.
 
You know, the nice part about that service was that Ms.Cruz, even in her death, had once again, given us joy and warmth even at a service that is normally gloomy.
 
The necrological service was programmed by ma'am herself to be without speeches---just poems and songs. This was to be carried out by Ms. de Villa, who also told us that ma'am had requested 66ers to sing at her wake.
 
"No, that's not right." I thought, "It was EQ who was supposed to solo." But EQ said that "Green Leaves of Summer" was the first song that ma'am taught the boy's glee club. Implying that, THAT was THE requested song and it's supposed to be sung as a group. So, we practised as a group.
 
But when a young girl soloed and SHE WAS GOOD. 66ers' feet got even colder and no one dared to ask when we were coming up.
 
Soon, songs from her student were done. Songs from her school friends came up, a choral poem, more songs, community songs, a poem by Ms.Leticia Cortez on their 40-year friendship, more songs---but NO 66ers. Good! "Maybe we don't have to sing, since the songs from her students were done."
 
When all who were to sing had sung, EQ came back and told us it's our turn. We went. The sound system needed to be calibrated so EQ gave the "audience" a short "history" on why this particular song was significant to Ms. Cruz. EQ missed his calling, he should have been a stand-up comedian.
 
After singing, we went back to our seats. We had come thru for ma'am. even if our rendition was below so-so and even if EQ didn't want to solo.
 
Then, as if coming from nowhere, EQ was up "on stage" again. Left hand holding a microphone, right hand and forefinger extended talking to ma'am saying, "Ma'am, isa pa, ha."
A short explanation, and then EQ soloed her requested song--"SOFTLY". Now, 66ers had REALLY come thru for her.
                                                  * * *
 
EQ in his adlib before we sang, said that WE were ma'ams favorite batch. I think the other batches will disagree with that. They probably think that their batch is ma'am's favorite. And they will be right,too..
 
I feel so sad that my teacher, who remembers me as I was then and as I am now, is no longer there to remember me.
 
I know that I will always fondly remember her.
 
 
warmest regards,
 Manny (Canillas)
 
ps.   Below are some of the notes that I got when I broadcasted the  messages  that was on my answering machine.


(message)
" Hello, Manny this is Ana. I just called to tell you that I passed by Miss Cruz before going home.
"Sabi ng sister niya, '... Naghihintay na lamang ng oras'.
"Kaya siguro you can e-mail your classmates na for prayers so she will pass on peacefully. Thank you."

Monday 5:08 pm 

(message)
"Hello, Manny this is Ana. The sad news is Ms.Cruz passed away at about 4:00 o'clock today at St. Lukes.
I will call you for the other arrangements."

Wednesday 4:25 pm
(message)
"Manny si Benjie ito. I'm here at St Lukes. Looks like Ms Cruz passed away about ten minutes before I arrived. When I got into her room the doctors who were trying to revive her were still there. She had just passed away. I don't think they know yet where the arrangements will be so we'll just call up her house later."

Wednesday 4:31 pm 
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