AHS ‘78 commemorates Ruby Jubilee with a PhP 5M donation

November 28, 2018
By: 
Office of University Development
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It was only on 14 September 2018 that High School 1978 signed a memorandum of agreement with University President Jose Ramon “Jett” Villarin SJ pledging to raise Php 3.5 Mn and hand it over as a donation from the Ateneo de Manila High School Class '78 Foundation Inc to commemorate HS 1978’s ruby jubilee year, or 40th anniversary, in 2018. The target date for the donation was hopefully during the Ateneo Alumni Homecoming on 8 December 2018. The amount is earmarked for the new chapel in the Ateneo for use primarily by Senior High School (SHS) students, numbering 1,711. The construction of the chapel is scheduled to start in 2019.
 
Sooner than 8 December 2018, on 26 November 2018, High School 1978 gave Fr Jett not Php 3.5 Mn, but Php 4 Mn. The handing over was attended by 16 members of HS 1978, namely: Raffy Balmaceda, Rene Banzon, Fr Kit Bautista SJ, Noel Bautista, Fred Diaz, John Dioquino, Eric Duldulao, Du Guison, Tonino Habana, Tammy Julian, Loy Labayen, Banji Ramos, Romy Mercado, Tonki Ramos, Al Tengco, and Tony Veloso.
 
Also in attendance were Fr Roseller "Fr Ro" L Atilano SJ, Head of the Ateneo de Manila High School Campus Ministry Office; Ms Maria Victoria "Bitchik" Panlilio Dimalanta, Principal of the Senior High School (Grades 11 and 12); Mr Jose "Jonny" P Salvador,  Principal of the Junior High School (Grades 7 to 10); Ms Karen Patricia N Ong, Coordinator of the JHS Office of Admission and Scholarships; and Mr Arnaldo “Arnie” D del Rosario, Director of the Office of University Development.

2018 HS Ruby Jubilarian class, AHS 1978, with University President Fr. Jett Villarin SJ and administrators of the Ateneo de Manila High School in the Xavier Hall Boardroom during a visit on 26 November 2018 to hand over Php 4M for the SHS chapel, to be constructed in 2019. L to R, seated: Junior High School Principal Jonny Salvador, HS 78 Homecoming Chairman Tonino Habana, University President Fr. Jett Villarin SJ, AHS Campus Ministry Office Head Fr Ro Atilano SJ, SHS Principal Bitchik Panlilio Dimalanta, University Chaplain, Director for the Office of Alumni Relations, and HS '78 member Fr Kit Bautista SJ. Second row, standing: all HS 78 alumni Al Tengco, Tonki Ramos, Romy Mercado, Noel Bautista, Rene Banzon, Raffy Balmaceda, Du Guison, Loy Labayen, John Dioquino, Tony Veloso, Banji Ramos, Fred Diaz, Tammy Julian, and Eric Duldulao.
 
Ateneo HS 78 Homecoming Chairman Tonino Habana hands over to University President Jett Villarin SJ a check for Php 4 M from Ateneo de Manila High School Class ’78 Foundation Inc.

 Also donated to the University on 26 November 2018 was a Corpus wire art piece by classmate, Tammy Julian, for the altar of the SHS chapel.

  
Fr Jett Villarin SJ as he blesses the art piece for the SHS chapel by HS' 78 member, Tammy Julian, shown carrying the Corpus wire art piece, in the Xavier Hall Boardroom on 26 November 2018.
 
Tammy Julian soon after completing the Corpus wire art piece.

The construction of the SHS chapel is scheduled to start in 2019. The donation from HS 78 will be for pews for from 120 to 150 students, or for 3 to 4 classes, and other basic fixtures in the interior of the chapel.  The fund raised over the target will go to meeting the other needs of the chapel. 

Ateneo High School 1978 will also augment the Ateneo High School 1978 Scholarship Fund for the High School, established by the Ateneo de Manila High School Class '78 Foundation Inc, on the occasion of the silver jubilee year, or 25th anniversary, of ASH ’78 in 2003. One million pesos will be donated for this purpose before the 8 December 2018 Alumni Homecoming. The scholarship fund is intended to support the full tuition and fees of one or more Ateneo High School students, favoring Tulong Dunong scholars, starting in Grade 7 all the way to Grade 12.
 
This brings the total donation of AHS ‘78 to five million pesos on their ruby jubilee in 2018.