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| The Brats as Candids |
It was raining this same day in 1992 when me and seven other girls were called to the office of our school paper adviser to talk about an issue that has been going for weeks. It had been a very emotional day and the start of a friendship that is as precious as diamond and as strong as titanium. July 24, 1992 was the birth of THE CANDIDS.
It was initially composed by Joyce P. Adlao, Joann O. Arellano, Heidi J. Bondad, Lori Karen D. Fonite, Suzanne P. Francisco, Cherry C. Ilarde, Lenny D. Onangey, and Roma Lizza S. Romero. A month after, Elicar M. Abreu became the 9th member.
The Candids were the "IT girls" of our batch... loved by many, detested by some.
We are unique individually but collective we are crazy, a bit bratty, and definitely beautiful.
Candids #1: The Princess
Elicar or Kakai to us is her family's princess. Mainly because she is the only girl in their family and her papa's favorite. She is so regal in all aspects, in the way she talks, walks and dance! People might think she is as fragile as crystal but I think she is a toughie. Like any fairy tale princess, she is a fighter especially if it involves her two gorgeous sons Jamil and Miggy. She'd immediately change her ball gown into an armor to protect them.
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| (L): Kakai as a 14 year old. (L): With her sons Jamil (left) and Miggy (right) |
Candids #2: Miss Bubbles
Joyce has a very bubbly personality. She laughs heartily and it is often very contagious. This is true to her whole family. If you see their FB pages, they are always grinning and smiling. Among us, I think she has the strongest personality. A trait that makes her one of the best lady lawyers in Cebu City. I am glad that her unica ija, the very pretty Andrea, inherited the same happy and bubbly nature.
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| (L): Joyce during the J-S Prom, 1994 (R): With Andrea during their recent trip to Singapore |
Candids #3: The Queen of Talk
If you had been following my blog, you probably know that talk is my passion. My daughters Loraine and Karina are now following my footsteps and I am glad that Raphael is taking more of Ryan's personality. As much as I want to use a lot of superlatives to describe myself, I'll leave that to my friends. :-)
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| (L): Me at the LNHS slope, I think this was in 1993 (L): With my bears, New Year's eve 2016 |
Candids #4: The Brains
Heidi was our class valedictorian, and she also graduated Cum Laude in college. She's not all brains but also a beauty. She holds the most number of beauty titles. Next to my Ryan, Rommel Jucutan (her husband) is my favorite among the Candids spouses (MJ once said they can be called Cantots! Ay apo!) Why? Because we both love to talk! EJ, the first born among the Candids children is also a brainy like Heidz.
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| (L): Heidz as Miss Science during the Division Science Fair in 1993 (R): With her knights Rommel (left) and EJ (right) |
Candids #5: Miss Forget-Me-Not
Even in our teens, Karen or Boogs had the tendency to be forgetful. The most striking incident was when she forgot her birthday. Even to this day, we always laugh about it. Boogs is very artistic, she made a small business out of the crafts she created. Keian and Zyla would often help her with her projects. And she is the envy of many girls and gays here in Mankayan because she carries the name as Mrs. Marvin Salupen.
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| (L): Boogs, 1994 (L): Boogs, Zyla, Keian, and Marvin at a family outing, 2015 |
Candids #6: The Shy Girl
I think Suzanne or Toots is the most shy among us. She would sometimes have reservations when we would do outrageous things. She balances our craziness, often times keeping us grounded. She is also the most passionate among us. This can be seen in the loving relationship she has with her husband Cavin Lejarde and their son Steven. (Probably because they live in Paris, the city of love and passion!)
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| (L): Toots during my 18th birthday (L): Her holiday photo wit Cavin (middle) and Steven (right) |
Candids # 7: The Comedienne
Cherry is the ultimate performer... she can sing, dance and act. But most of all, she makes us laugh the loudest. The punchlines she throws are well thought and very natural. She is the 1st runner-up in the Miss Bubbles title. Her kids, Seth and Jeci have the most beautiful eyes I've seen. She and her husband have the longest romantic relationship among us girls. They were together before our debut, so Juanito "Jun" Estepa, Jr. knows a lot of our crazy adventures.
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| (L): Cherry at 17 years old (R): Sharing a meal with Jeci, Jun and Seth |
Candids #8: The Baker
It was only last year when Lenny pursued her passion for baking. This was not a surprise because their family owns the oldest bakeshop in Mankayan. She channels her creative juices through her cakes. Her creations are exquisite and now you have to line for at least a week to confirm an order. She was the last bride so we all insisted to be her maids when she exchanged I do's with George Mendoza. Len told us last week that Leela will soon be an ate.
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| (L): Lenny during the J-S Prom in 1995 (L): During an excursion with Leela and Geotge |
Candids #9: Miss Halloween
Roma perpetually holds the crown as Miss Halloween. Not because she has the scariest face but because Halloween night falls on her birthday. When she talks, we all listen. She is our voice of reason, and often gives the best advise. The love of her life, McJohn "MJ" Chua is her exact opposite. He is very philosophical, as in pilosopo. He is Cherry's counterpart. I do know that she makes Roma and Biel happy because the mother and son would always radiate when he is around.
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| (L): Roma in 1993 (R): Twinning with Biel (left) and McJohn (right) |
Our friendship is not perfect. Like any relationships, it has its flaws. But I think what made us into the women that we are today was greatly influenced by what we went through as girls. Although we are now living our own dreams and aspirations, we are connected as though we never separated. We had always been there for each other... together we celebrated every marriage and childbirth, cried every heartbreak and separation, mourned a parent's death, and laughed at life's ironies. We've known each other for three-quarters of our lives. We are not just friends, we are sisters... WE ARE A FAMILY.
"High school changes people. Some for the better, some for the worst. But if one thing is true; you find out who your real friends are."
- Anonymous
