WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 9

Every morning when the alarm clock goes on, you have to interrupt your LUGTU. Never mind the pleasant DAMGO. Take a shower, using your preferred CHABON, so nobody can say you are dehin GOLEZ. Don’t forget the morning routine at the BAYNO, CORBITA or the ELIADORA. Before you go to work, you have to do your ANDRES-and-BIHIS act to deal with your JACKY or SARDONCILLO (for men) or ESBRA (for ladies) before putting on your TAYLOR-made shirt and JEANs with a BACUS around the waist. Of course, you have to wear your MEJIAS before putting on your DABATOS, which could be either office shoes or safety shoes. On other days, the girls will opt for the more PASION-able LABASTIDA, especially those with ESLIT on the side for a little extra sex appeal regardless of the CORTES ng katawan. Everyone tries to wear ma-GAGARRA na damit. But if your wardrobe is insufficient, please don’t submit to the temptation of YONG-KET-INN ang labada ng kapitbahay. When it rains, you must bring your CAPORTE and your CALO. If your car plan vehicle got a punctured tire due to LANSANG (or NEIL), and you need SACAYAN, you may have to see Amboy to borrow an O.S.CAR. But since the OPEL is with Sarte, and the Mercedes is BEN’s and the ALFA-ROMEO is jointly owned by Saret and del Rosario, you might as well approach Baby to lend you her Toyota PRADO during this emergency. If no vehicle is AVILA-ble, just heed Mejugue’s advise to commute thru public transport: “mag JEFF ka na lang”. According to Ruales, any-TING will do. Kahit OTTO-matic or MANUEL transmission, okey na rin. BELLEZAn mo dapat. Dili ka na mag-JUAT. Otherwise, you will be tardy and your boss will admonish: “Anak ng PURA, OLIS late, FERMIN huli sa BANDE clock. Hindi mo ba alam na ino-OYASAN tayong lahat dito? Dapat laging MAAGAD, hindi ABRAZADO”. Louie seems to have a ready excuse -- he is always LBM but Titus can’t help him with his LAXA-tive.

Despite the diversity in their geographic origins, cultural orientation, social upbringing, academic training, work experiences and linguistic inclinations, NSC people are pretty good in verbal communication. This can be observed from the following situational examples:

SCENE #1: A typical coffee break conversation would go like this: “JAO are you today? Actually, AIDA know exactly what to tell you. DONIO remember that we are supposed to go somewhere this weekend? You mean MOLINA NANAMAN tayong magkakaroon ng overnight excursion? Hindi problema yun dahil ma-LAPID na lugar lang naman. You mean JOHN lang sa tabi-tabi? Oo nga, especially kung DOMANTAYo sa short-cut route, ENSON we will be there. Kung Cagayan or Marawi, next time na lang ako; pero PAGUILIGAN City, kasama ako. ILANO ang kasali sa lakad natin? CALMERIN lahat sasama sa inyo. Then we will need a bigger budget -- it will all COSIO a little amount of money. ALABA tayong excess funds from previous outings? Ikaw na lang ang mag-COLETO ng additional personal donations. Palagi na lang akong nag-contribute, dapat TOMMY naman ang bayad. VILLENA na kayo sa palengke ng food, including isang DECENA na itlog, and ALDO the cooking. Okay, ikaw ang mag-DALANGPAN para meron tayong tinapay at ako naman ang MAGDALAN ng MULETA for our clothes. Sigue, let’s HARRY up, para dili na ma-DONGGAY kaayo.”

WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 8

FOOTNOTE: This is an unfinished draft by RSN, MQV, JIN, RJR, RGC, JYS, TLM assisted by VMB. It was initially attempted in 1986, redrafted in 1992, updated in 1996, and redrafted again in 2002 and 2003. After several on-and-off attempts, the writers concluded that because of its inherent creative nature, this feature article can never be truly finalized by them. It is therefore expected that every reader from the NSC “alumni association” will have something to add, concoct, embellish, delete or otherwise revise versus what was written into this unfinished draft. After reading properly (in compliance with the warning), the reader is invited to try his own skill in creative writing that has been demonstrated (adequately, we hope) by the writers. This way, we could stimulate your minds into recalling those times when we all worked together so hard and so productively and, thereby, enjoyed every minute of it. In so doing, we hope to reassure each other that ….…. YES, WE REMEMBER.

***
What's In A Name?
(With apologies to Shakespeare and the NSC people)

After 22 years of discussions on organization, people, job evaluations and performance appraisals, so many names still ring in our ears and swim in our heads. Submitting to the propensity for levity even when dealing with the most serious of subject matters, allow us to introduce a bunch of wonderful people with wonder-full names. These gals and guys were in the corporate picture (Iligan, Pasig, Makati, Port Area, Cebu) thru all those years -- the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, whether sober or mad -- as NSC went from STEEL (definitely) to STEAL (allegedly) to STILL (temporarily).

WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 8

NSC people are also animal-lovers. To begin with, everybody is either a CAT or a CHICK (don’t ask about the 3rd sex). Secondly, many Iligan people are always promising “to do their BEAST”. We have ALEFANTE, AGUILA, LEO (when alone), MENELEO (when plenty), LEON (when turned on), PANTALEON (when cross-bred with a panther), LEONE (after acquiring Italian genes), PALOMA, GALAPATI (na hindi mababa ang lipad), BUBOY, CABALLOS, JUNGOY and BUAYA (who may have been excluded from the basketball team). MAGHUYOP takes care of them; palagi niyang ina-ARRIENDA-han sila. CABAHUG feeds them. CAPONES handles population control, especially the dogs whose MADER-AZO keeps producing TUTANES offsprings. Everytime an occasional flea gives MACATOL an itch, kailangan maghanap ng LUNAs. There is no truth to the rumor that they live in PRIMITIVO style in CORRALES and CUEVAS in the BONDOC, or that some even need a LUBGUBAN to escape the heat of summer, CEPRADO from other human beings. We also have the hybrids CAT-HY, CAT-ALINO, CARA-CAT, POSA-DAS, COTING-JO, kam-BING, RINO-ceros, RAM-OS, OSA-BEL, DALOG-DOG, DOUG-LAS, PALA-FOX, HEN-RY, plus the ranch-dwellers BACA-BAC, BACA-NI, BACA-LING, BACA-LLO, BACA-REZA, BACA-RISAS, BACA-RRO, BACA-LSO, LAG-CAO and BULL-ECER. Then we have the linguistically controversial “langgams” (Tagalog or Bisaya, it doesn’t matter): ANT-ONIO, ANT-HONY, ANT-OLIN, DIM-AGUILA, AGUILA-R, BAT-TAD and BAT-ILES. Danny will surely object if listed here as ANC-AJAS. Same case as Rod if treated as GAM-BOA constrictor. We even have the mythical FENIX and, surprisingly, the extinct DINAH-saur. With privatization, we were invaded by a foreign CHONG-go who allegedly attempted some monkey business. Whenever Ulibarri goes to Iligan, he could get into the list of canines as ERU, especially when he is trying to call AU-AU. If he had white body hair and black spots, DALMACIO can join in. If he becomes a shepherd, GERMAN will be included. If BERNARD is a saint, he is also qualified. Moreover, the Ph-D degree holders who work in the office may be described as sitting DOCs. These people keep riding on Toyota TAMARAWs while dreaming of unaffordable luxury-class JAGUARs. The handling-equipment fleet has CATERPILLAR BULLdozers, RAMlifts and mobile/overhead CRANES. The TV sets have RABBIT-ear antennae and the computers have MOUSES. The executive levels also have a special species of rodents: autoc-RATS, aristoc-RATS, technoc-RATS and bureauc-RATS. But, thank God, no pure-breed gutter-level creatures. The maintenance shop has CROCODILE jacks, ALLIGATOR pliers, SPIDER gears, MONKEY wrenches and OCTOPUS connections while the factory buildings have CATwalks for the maintenance crew. The mill croppings are either FISH-tail, KALABAW or PUP coils. And the treasury staff keep the company funds in the KITTY. On holidays, some managers go to the golf course to chase that rare BIRDIE or the even more rare EAGLE. If the weather does not cooperate, then it rains CATS and DOGS on the frustrated golfers. Sometimes, when the bosses are in bad mood (particularly when you happen to “get their GOAT”), erring employees suddenly become mga anak ng TUPA or mga anak ng PATING. On the other hand, when somebody does a TERRY-fic performance, the remarks of adulation will be a resounding “HAYOP, ang galing talaga!”

WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 7

There are IMPERIAL names of kings and queens such as ARTHUR, HENRY, PHILIP, RICHARD, ANNE, ANTOINETTE, ELIZABETH, ISABEL and VICTORIA. We also have emperors -- JULIUS CESAR, ALEXANDER, FREDERICK and NAPOLEON, not to mention the legendary Spanish hero A.L. CID nor the mythical almighty ZEUS. Benito and Santiano refer to this group as the ROY-AL family who live in their CAHARIAN. Other names refer to royal TITULAR as in REY (or the plural REYES and the possessive DE LOS REYES). Then we have REX (not of the Tyranosauros species) and the next-in-rank PRINCIPE, REYNECITA (not just ENIE-body), or BARON. From ancient times, we have an Egyptian FARAO. To represent East Europe, CZARINA will be listed as part of NOBLE-lity. To represent the local ruling crowd, LAKANDULA and PATRIARCA can join. QUIN-CIANO will definitely deny that he is queen of the “promdi”. Difficult to decipher is REYNO, which may denote a male queen (opposite of Reyna) or a negative king (opposite of Rey-yes).

Names also hint of parental expectations, fantasies, mistakes or plain ERROLs. JRS has not become JOSE RIZAL. BAYANI may have the same problem as APOLINARIO, AGUINALDO, DEL PILAR, BONIFACIO and DAGOHOY. ANGELO may also have the same problem as MICHAEL, GABRIEL and RAFAEL. RECTOR and PASTOR are not priests, IGNATIUS is not a Jesuit, BENEDICTO is not a Benedictine, FRANCISCO is not a Franciscan and PIOUX is not a pope. Some fathers even had presidential aspirations for their children: GEORGE, IKE, CONRAD, HAROLD, FERDINAND, MARCOS, ELPIDIO, DIOSDADO and GLORIA. PERFECTO might be impossible to achieve. So far, Ranoco has lived up to his ELVIS name. We hope BALASABAS is just a misnomer. We don’t know what AMADOR or VALENTIN’s dad had in mind when they were baptized. ADONIS is straight from mythology. Aldemita brags that he is an abbreviated version of movie star AGA, as Elmer belongs to the familia ng mga GOPO. Possibly, they all long to become ADORABLE. BABY, BOY and JOVENCIO can’t be forever young, but YANGYANG might be able to do it -- twice pa nga. Quintin may have been a “QT pie” as a baby but, now, no more. Although both of them are five-four, FORTUNATO is above target while SIXTO is below target. NONO and are always supportive with their yes-yes and yes-na, respectively. It seems strange that NONARAFFY, SHAK, BENNY, REGGIE, RICKARD and OCTAVIANO are girls while JILL, NENE, NICKI, FLORY, MICHIEL and AUDREY are boys. In fact, LUZ, LUCILA, and ROSARIO are also CA-MACHO males. The Makati office has a male and a female VENUS. We hope CAYAMAMA is not dependent on his mother. Lilia will confuse you even more -- this mama is a PAPA.


With his built-in echo-chamber, SRF habitually repeats any name three times. When he says JOE-JOE-JOE, suddenly JMA/JSR/JLA all turn their heads. When he calls TON-TON-TON, then ASV/AML/ANS turn their heads too. He also creates the same problem at employee-council meetings when he calls JUN-JUN-JUN because PCB/LTC/IFH (management side) and SHV (union side) react simultaneously. We can make it easier for SRF, and even improve overall corporate performance, by putting together Rodriguez, Soriano and Tobias because, as they say, “two EDs are better than one”, and therefore three is better than two. Getting the idea, Milan, Lopez and Faustino try to create a second set of because four should be better than three, five should be better than four, and so on, ad ED-ED-EDFABULARUM, to carry this EDLES argument (de-BATE na naman) to the extreme. Buti na lang, JIN does not usually work closely with MEMBREVE, LIBUNAO, and REMULLA. Otherwise, we run the risk of confusion: LITOng-LITO na, LITOng-LITO pa.

What's In A Name? - Part 6

When there is singing and the musical beat is alluringly right, the feet begin to move and the body starts to sway. Especially when the sounds of music and noise grow progressively LLAUDER. At this stage, SABAYLE, ADANZA and DENSING lead the way to show everybody that they are very good DANCELs with their fancy footwork. They got a lot of practice at Rico’s DESCO-TIDO. If the energy level is high, they do the La BAMBA before switching to DACOCO-RACHO and eventually to the ZALSOS. However, when the crowd wants more artistic and stylish movements, then TAN-GO will begin. For cultural ascendancy, some of the ladies will dance the BELEY, with classical music from the philharmonic orchestra. During fiesta days, they put on masks and body-paint and gyrate rhythmically to the Ati-atihan drum-like cadence punctuated by yells of “JALA, VERA!”

NSC people are careful about excessive physical exertion (huwag ZOZOBRADO), from various ACTUB-ities, whether at work or at play. This is to avoid illness that could trigger a dangerous chain of events as follows: BAIN (that masakit feeling, usually in-the-neck or in-the-ass), GAMUTAN (as you get medication), PICCIO (as they try to fix you), COMA (if you get worse), MANGINSAY (when you have spasms), PATAYON (if you don’t recover at all), PAZ-QUIOGUE-NACIONAL (where you will thereafter end up on display, with or without your consent), EMETERIO (where you will be taken for your permanent residence), HOCK-HAI (who will take you six-feet under), AGNAS (as your mortal remains get processed by nature) and ASIS (when you are ultimately and physically reunited with nature).

The organization is overflowing with Biblical names as chronicled by the EVANGELISTAs in their EVANGELIOs. Of course, we have the usual heavenly First Family JESUS, MARIA and JOSE, together with the apostles PEDRO, JUAN, TOMAS, JAIME, MATEO, etc. (and their various Western equivalents). But what really MERITs attention are the nomenclature (including exotic labels) such as ABRAHAM, ABEL, MOISES, NOE, SAMUEL, DAVID, ELIAS, ELIEZER, EPHRAIM, EXEQUIEL, LEVI, ENOC, SAMSON, SIMEON, ABSALON, BENJAMIN, VERONICA, ELOI, MAGDALENA, MIRIAM, REBECCA, RUTH at EVA pa. Their very names keep reminding us to be holy and full of ENGRACIA, living a life of VIRTUDAZO and staying in a state of GRACE. Especially during the period of CUARESMA. To be a good CATOLICO, we ought to go VISITACION regularly to the TEMPLO (kaunting kasalanan), SIMBAHON (venial sin only) or CATEDRAL (kung mortal sin already). If you have no sin, you must be INOCIAN. It’s not only the HERMITA living in the ABBEY who should pray their regular DALANGINs (while kneeling down in the naka- LOOD position) and do the many ESTACIONs of ANGWAY of the CRUZ. Kailangan magpa- tayo lahat, para malinis ang BLESSBUDJI, and thereby become SAGRADO and MAGRACIA.

What's In A Name? - Part 5

Fruits seem to be less plentiful. Hindi masyadong ma-RAMIE, according to REM. Meron lang tayong PEÑA, DURAN, SAGUING, PAPAYA, PEACHY, CHERRY at saka Mang-AGUSTIN. Plus APPLE computers that were in great demand for making PIE charts. Pluck the fruits from the SANGA of the PUNO only at the proper time, PAROJINOG, so that they taste MATAMIS. Bihira yung ma-HASHIM na nakaka-NILO ng ngipin. It might be due to the changes in the rainy SISON vs dry SAYSON. If you ask the in-house agriculturists to explain, Aguillon will allege that the LANDO in the vacant LOT is the SANDY-type with plenty of BATU (or, in English, EROK) kaya mahirap mag-aRUARO. It is not of volcanic origin wherein the soil ESLAVA in substance. Maybe, na-TAMBAGAN lang ito ng lupa during the reclamation project period. Hindi kaya kulang sa DELIG because of the WALTER shortage? Baka nakalimutan MAGSALIN ng tubig using ABALDE. For harvesting, we should take the advice of the company doctor to make-ANNIE early, bago ma-RAGAS ang mga dahon as the plants begin to wither and gradually die. The fruits must not be allowed to become LAMUG.

When there is food, there’s got to be the liquid counterpart. “Let’s drink to that!”, as GENE-TONY would proclaim. CLM tries to stay with his SARSI and Doods can offer you different kinds of COLA. On the other hand, the MADLANGBAYAN would prefer higher AL-cohol levels (just ask the BARTE-nder): JOHNNY Walker, JACKY DANIELs, JIM Beam, CARLOS Primero, PEDRO Domecq, CATHY Sark, BUDDY-Weiser, Abso-LUT, Chivas REGALA plus the native favorites GINES-bra San MIGUEL and LAMBINOg. Buitizon and Danny will keep persuading you to try their joint-venture concoction REMY-MARTIN. If you care to listen, Ed will share with you his secret cocktail combination drink: VESTAL beer-gin. We have so many bar-hopping individuals who want to pass the bar exams: BAR-AGA, BAR-BON, BAR-CENAS, BAR-LUADO, BAR-NACHEA, BAR-QUIN, BAR-RIGA, BAR-LISAN, BAR-SUMO, BAR-TOLOME, A-BAR-QUEZ, ACI-BAR and ESCA-BAR-TE. But the bar topnotcher is a lady: BAR-BAR-A because she doubles what the others can do. This intoxicated group however remains unaware that NSC’s official alcohol will always be HENESSEY (if CAPANGPANGAN has not forgotten his supposed original dialect, i.e. huwag TAGALOGON).

At this juncture, after several CASES of beer, the happy people enter the picture: the ladies JOY, LIGAYA and FELICES and the gents ALEGRE, FELICISIMO and MAGSAYO. During special ceremonies (inauguration, house-warming, ribbon-cutting, etc.), then begins to throw the coins all over the place. Pag na-ECHEVARRIAPARAMI ng inom (can I have ENAD-er one?) at SUMAYA na SILAN lahat, it’s time to get ORGAN-ized and bring out the PIANO, si-LENDRO, TRAMPE-ta, LIRIO, VIOLAN-DA and LARRACAS for some music and CANTANO, including FOOKSONgs. An impromptu choir gets hastily assembled to give guidance on the musical notes -- DODO, REY, MIMI, PAZ, SOL, LAT, TIBO (Espenido will surely complain about being assigned the two highest notes). As usual, CHIO-CHUA provide the background supporting sounds together with TIU-CHUACHU. Flores specializes on the vocal ZOILO. Sa kantahan, lumalabas ang talent ni MATURAN, PANOPIO and MANRIQUE. As a matter of fact, Pasig has DANNY JAVIER but without the Apo Hiking Society. In Iligan, you will frequently hear the lonely melodies: “Pobreng ALINDAJAO” and “CAMINGAWAN sa PADAYHAG”. Sad songs can make you cry when Tejada and Yatco go duet -- FIL na FIL talaga ang pagkanta. There are so many good singers at NSC (that’s why we have management practices) that are fit to perform in your favorite noontime show “Eat BALAGA” hosted by Dizon, Sator and Labra acting as TITO, VIC and JOEY. After a well-applauded performance, these guys usually take EBAO. In Makati, especially during YCC’s favorite YOLY-tide SIOSON, kailangan PAQUINGAN the FAMILAR tune: “Ang PASCO ay SUMAPIG, SAYO ay mangagsi-SAWIT……” If ARANDELA is wondering who authorized the singing of the CAROL, she can ask SABALBURO who keeps bragging that – initially speaking -- he is 75% of what X-MAS is all about. DUMLAO reacts naman by saying that your children keep writing “Dear SANTI” letters to him during December and he monitors their behavior CLAUSly throughout the year.

WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 4

Because these guys work hard for long hours, meals became a big concern here. Parang RESTAURO, DAGSAN ang mga pagkaon. Usually, naka BANDOJA-do pa dahil sa dami. Hindi ka MACARANAS ng gutom. You can practically JAVIER cake and eat it too. If you are always ma-GANA, you will become PAT and overweight unless you watch your MENDIETA. CLM frequently starts his day with a heavy al-MOZAR. Others, such as PMT, are contented with just coffee or TE. For health and vitality, MELO endorses a chocolate drink. Tony suggests TINAMPAY as Robert provides the HAM and Monching adds the BACON. FRANK-furters are preferred by Valencia and Dosdos (two pieces for each of them, i.e. BARICUATRO lahat). At the monthly meetings of the Board of Directors, they serve LAPUZ batchoy. For a light lunch or dinner, you can have a CESAR salad or lumpiang ABUD. If you want seafood, there is the canned SADERNAS, the blue MARILYN or the ARELLANOng bangus. Somebody else wants arroz-PACALDO, and this is where you need BUGAS. Jim and Teddy reminded us to be careful of CASTRO-enteritis in our food intake. That’s why we have the cooking gear: PARILLA or GUIHAWAN (for grilled inihaw), CAWALING (for fried and sauteed dishes), CALDERON (for steamed food) and JOVEN (for baked items), in most cases using the heat of the nagba-BAGA na QUINALAYO fueled by GAAS. Anyway, many employees are skilled in the COLINARES art of cooking, kahit marami ang REGADO in the recipe. Don’t overdo the cooking, baka si-NONOG ang mangyari. For your meat requirements, try the naGUILING or TALADTAD na karne. ASB and Monsada insist on FRED chicken na CRISpy ang pagkaka-BRITO, rather than chicken CORY or ANGUS beef. Kung wala kang cholesterol constraint, subukan ang LEE-CHONA (the female has better skin complexion and lesser matigas na muscle). AZURIN is suggested as POLUTAN when drinking beer, particularly Cerveza NEGRE. Then wind up with va-NILA SUNDAE, CHAKA-late cake and banana TORRION for dessert. Or if you want native delicacies, you can go for puto CONCHITA, gi-NATAN or bibingka CACANINDIN. However, if your stomach is full and/or your wallet is empty, hanggang JOSIE Fruit chewing gum ka na lang. During PASCUA evenings, you may want PUTONG BONG-BONG. Just eat it fast, para hindi MAGLASANG PANES. Pag NATINGA, you know what to do after eating. POLITO might be able to help. What you can’t consume, puwede MABALOT. Just be sure to put it in a VASQUEZ na walang BASLOT. Thereafter, you can get your lighter to make CINDY your WINSTON or, if you prefer, PHILIP or SALEM. Just don’t touch the “MARY JANE” stuff.

We have a virtual vegetable and flower garden with a small orchard. Is it because our factories are called “PLANTS”? And our personal absences are called “LEAVES”? And our sub-offices are called “BRANCHES”? And we communicate officially via the “TRUNK” line and informally thru the “GRAPEVINE”? And our analytical approach to choosing preferred alternatives is guided by the decision “TREE”? And our family origins are called “ROOTS”? And the cluster of fuel storage tanks is called a “FARM”? And the females have monthly cycles that culminate in their ‘MELON” days? Perhaps the yes-men in the organization took their “agree-culture” a little bit too far. Growing and blossoming in our midst are CELERIO, PARAGOSO, CONDOR (goes with patora and carabasa), ESPINA (you know, the favorite of POPOY and his girl OLIVA Oyl), GARBANZOS and LOMONGO. If you want a hot dish, just spice it up with CHELY and VAMIENTA. Please BABARAN lang with your favorite patis (RUFINO or LORENZANA) or use Silver SUAN soy sauce para hindi ma-FAITH and lasa ng gulay. Use the PANDAN scent to have a delicious HAMOY. Never mind the IVEY, it may be of the poisonous variety. There are two corn-growers: CORNELIO and CORNELIA whose crops are secured and guarded by KERNEL Belen, KERNEL Santos and KERNEL Tan-Gan. We have a variety of FLORES, providing a welcome sight, sound and smell: ROSE, ROSA, ROSAL, DAISY, LILIA, FLORA, FLORITA and CAMOMOT from the female gender; FLORANTE, FLOREDO and SAM-paguita from the other gender. We also have the new varieties such as LAG-ROSAS, ROSA-LES, hya-CYNTHIA and EN-CARNACION. Quite appropriately, they use the LOTUS software in their computer work. The flowers come in different colors but the clear favorites are ODILAO, PAULA and QUIMSON.

What's In A Name? - Part 3

We have many sports-minded individuals who advertise their skills in their names. MALACAS would do well in weightlifting. LANGGOY for swimming. BARILLO and PESTOLANTE for shooting events (PEGUIT-mata when they aim). HECHA-NOVA for volleyball or shot-put. ECHA-VEZ for discuss throw or javelin throw. LUCZON for high jump. ANTOLIN and VELEZ for sprints. LUMBA for all other kinds of races. JUMAWID, JOMILLA and DIMATULAC will be a solid trio for tug-of-war (BUHION was disqualified). BUNO and BARAZON for arm-wrestling. LAWAS and BADE for body-building. ILAGAN and LICAYAN can’t be hit by their opponents in boxing. PILOTA for racket-ball. TIMONERA for boat-racing. ROWENA for rowing. SOCORRO for soccer football. DAMASO for dama or checkers. DIGAMON for backgammon. DULAY for bridge card games. VILLAR for billiards. ANCHES and SANCHES for chess. GOLFEO keeps beating up his opponents in golf. LASALA for archery (the Green type, for fighting the TANEO Blue Eagles). The basketball team could use the services of ALCESTO, AVILES and ATACADOR for a fastbreaking offense with dunkin’ DONATO providing the exciting points. AGAWIN (ironically a Visayan) and ICAWAT (ironically a Tagalog) could give us a ballhawking defense augmented by BLANCO’s shot-blocking prowess. HATA-AS will be ideal for the center position, supported by LUMOCSO for rebounding strength. ESLAO gets fielded when it is time to freeze the ball. MAHUSAY plays a lot while MAHINAY and LAT-AY stay on the bench. GHAZALI keeps joining all the teams and MABILIN keeps getting left behind. Sanoy should join to bring SUERTE to the team. Winning is very important. That’s why we even have our own sports COMMENDADOR (who is magaring mag-SARITA like a Japanese with NO-EL in his pronunciation) to telecast the games. CAYACO is the self-confident cheerleader and MASICAT brags about the team’s VICTORies. Kailangan MANALO in order to get the gold MEDEL as the SIMBUL of supremacy. But if SEGUNDO lang, or SAYCON place, okay na rin ang MEDALLOng PINLAC. However, if you finish BERCERO or PANGLIMA, better go back to the training sessions to improve your performance. Ayaw gid pag-UNDANG because a quitter never wins. Wanna BETH? No, DINA lang, because we don’t want to LUZ our MANNY. Baka ZAMORA na KAREN-deria in the MERCADO na lang kami ma-CABILI ng pagkain. We practice FRUGALIDAD. We are not a gambling group. Hanggang charity sweepstakes lang tayo, kahit AMBOS lang ang winnings. It is prohibited to go to Pagcor CANSINO. It is also not allowed to play the Chinese game MATIONG. Everytime BALATERO gives you balato, you know he has violated these rules -- but profited from it. CORA can’t work with CRUZ because it could be misunderstood as toss-coin risk taking. Even RGC shouldn’t play any game (e.g. scrabble) with his wife and kids -- it will automatically become a game of CHANs.

Some people will go places (all over the MAPA, from APALE to HULO) with their names. BAGUIO, ANTIPOLO, QUIAPO (with its famous PLAZA-MIRANDA), BIRONDO (in Chinatown), ONGPIN (Chinatown too), BUSTRILLOS (in Sampaloc District), MENDIOLA (near Malacañang), PASAY, SAN JUAN, STA. ANA (where the horses run), NAVOTAS, VALENZUELA, MALOLOT (per history books, this is somewhere in Bulacan), LAS PINAS, LUCENO and CALAMBA are all in the ISLA of LUZON, with BATAC in upper Ilocos and LEGASPI (or REGASPI, if you have a Japanese accent) in lower Bicol. Panyong suggests that they pass thru EDSA instead of a small CALZADO, a crowded AVENIDO or a DAANG malubak. They can also try ROXAS BOLIVAR as an alternative route along Manila Bay. Should you opt for the expressway, please get an IPAZ to avoid delays at the toll gates during rush hours. Four guys can even take over Makati City hall: MAYOR JOJO-JOMAR NAI-VE. Another group can make a new BALUARTE in CUISON City: SONNY BELLE MONTE. Waiting in the sidelines is BASMAYOR who is ready to assume office in any town or city. Pete likes the nearby NAYON, Marlon stays at the urban CIUDAD, while Nilda prefers the bigger NACION. If you want the Visayas area, you can go to BOHOL, MURCIA (Negros), MOLO (Iloilo), TOLEDO (Cebu) or JAKOSALEM (Cebu also). We haven’t figured out whether ESPAÑA is in Manila or in Europe, whether BRANZUELA is in Bulacan or South America, and whether ANGELES is in Pampanga or West Coast America (“maraming KANU dito”, according to Toledanes). Others go LOMOSAD abroad with DAIGDIGAN para makita ang buong EDMUNDO, OSMUNDO or RAYMUNDO even if they have to cross the oceans PACIFICO and ARLANTICO. But please tell JUMALON not to make waves, whether the water is ma-LALAINE or mab-ABAO. For luxurious sea transport, Fil has a very tempting offer, “gamitin niyo na lang ang YATCO”. Sabi ni Cecille at Nitz, tawirin din daw ang mga ilog RIVER-A at RIOS using a boat BANGCA-YA because swimming is risky, baka ka ma-LOMOD, even when you bring along a SALVA-BEDA. Europe is a favorite destination, such as ALEMANIA, AUSTRIA, ELBIÑA, MADRID, ARAGON, MILANO, FLORENCE, SEVILLA, VALENCIA, TORINO and PORTUGALEZA (if you arrive by calesa). This lady, SUSAN PAULO, will guide you to Brazil. To go back in time, PABILONIA can take us all the way to ancient history. On the other hand, if you want futuristic ADVENTOR, we can do interplanetary travel to outer space and meet the ALLENs from MARS, VENUS and JUPITER. One guy has two addresses as DUHAYLUNGSOD due to this confusing GEOGRAFO. If you want to communicate (MACKY-BALITAAN) with others in a CLAR way, you can use the MIKE. For longer distances, use the WILKIE-talkie or the TAWAY-radio with the “over-over” language. “ROGER!”, he will lead you to the nearest PLDT PAYPON booth. When important papers are to be forwarded, MQV suggests sending them via air-MEL. However, if numerous and bulky, Pol will take care of them as LBC.

What's In A Name? - Part 2

We are very careful about people combinations. For example, MALOU-PETE could create some personnel problems; even worse if we put together SABINO-TAN (we will all end up looking like Pasig’s KOJAK). DENNIS-JIMENEZ might become a comic strip childish menace. MALU-BENNY may sound Japanese. More so with YAMUTA-SATO. WASSMER-SUIZO will seem European. PRINCIPE-AMANTE smacks of Tagalog movie fiction. ROQUE-BALBOA may remind people of Sylvester Stallone. SIANGCO-NERI will pertain to the original James Bond. FRANK & ESTAN would be a horror movie about a man-made monster (this gets really bad if DACULA joins them). ILLUT-NES can emulate the crime-buster in the TV series “Untouchables”. GRANADA-NACASABOG will be an explosive tandem. While OMBRA-CRUZABRA could provide the magic ORACION for human hocus-pocus, DIOSO-ESPIRITU-SANTOS can invoke divine intervention when things get really tough. ANDY-LIM will reminisce about the brownouts of the 1990s. LEONG-AGO has become obsolete for today’s challenges. TITA-NICK might sink the unsinkable. ABAN-DON should not give up too soon. BUOT-TAN will be too good to be true. CHING-CO supervised by JESS could imply nickel-and-dime PITOGO operations when we ought to be thinking big -- such as RIBU, EMIL-LEON, BILLONES and TRILLOn. RECIBE-CABIGON can lead the accounts receivable/collection committee. PANDO-NOYNAY sounds like they can produce a lot of bread for the treasury coffers particularly if BILL-DING continues with the construction projects. ERASMO-AGAD can handle urgent matters. ALY-MAGNO must overcome their crab mentality. PAO-SIAO will help when we need some Chinese dirty tricks, or its reverse SIAO-PAO when we get hungry, which is precisely the trouble with a GO-TOM combination that could lead to the opposite over-eating predatory extreme if LINA-MON or GLO-TONY enter the picture. The combination of CONSEJO-MAGPAYO-PAYUMO would be a good choice for advisors. If we pirate back Celso, who went to Singapore, we could create a LEE-MA-HONG trio for low-cost (hindi naman LIBRES) acquisitions. Five guys can even start to compose a nursery rhyme: “BIEN, BEN, the SARAZIN, the CASTILLO, the ALMAZAN……”

APO/NJO/ROL/GTB keep bragging that everyday, somebody somewhere is wishing them a “happy BERT-day”. ASL is ecstatic on TUS-days. VTS insists that nothing could be better than SATOR-day because it is a part of the weekend (actually, SABIDO and DOMINGO can claim the same thing). In an attempt to complete the week, we can count on MANDY or RUNES, WINNIE’s day, HUEVOS and VIERNES. ADLAWAN won’t care much which particular day you prefer. AMR and RJR are vying for attention of the weatherman who constantly declares either a SONNY day or a RENE day or, if undecided, a cloudy day. During a thunderstorm, MAGLINTE and QUIDLAT will dominate the scene. But be careful, baka ka tamaan ng WING-TIEK. At night, ESTRELLA, MUTIA and BITOON MARIQUIT (celestial objects within the ESTARES category) will shine together with BULAN or MOON (as RET is called in Iligan). The following morning, pagdating ng OMEGA, the RAYOS DEL SOL will emerge.

WHAT’S IN A NAME ? - Part 1 of 13

I received a few requests for this article, and fortunately found out I do have an electronic copy ( I don't know why). It will be posted in this blog in several parts due to its length. I however chose to place the original footnote as a prologue.
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FOOTNOTE: This is an unfinished draft by RSN, MQV, JIN, RJR, RGC, JYS, TLM assisted by VMB. It was initially attempted in 1986, redrafted in 1992, updated in 1996, and redrafted again in 2002 and 2003. After several on-and-off attempts, the writers concluded that because of its inherent creative nature, this feature article can never be truly finalized by them. It is therefore expected that every reader from the NSC “alumni association” will have something to add, concoct, embellish, delete or otherwise revise versus what was written into this unfinished draft. After reading properly (in compliance with the warning), the reader is invited to try his own skill in creative writing that has been demonstrated (adequately, we hope) by the writers. This way, we could stimulate your minds into recalling those times when we all worked together so hard and so productively and, thereby, enjoyed every minute of it. In so doing, we hope to reassure each other that ….…. YES, WE REMEMBER.

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What's In A Name?
(With apologies to Shakespeare and the NSC people)

After 22 years of discussions on organization, people, job evaluations and performance appraisals, so many names still ring in our ears and swim in our heads. Submitting to the propensity for levity even when dealing with the most serious of subject matters, allow us to introduce a bunch of wonderful people with wonder-full names. These gals and guys were in the corporate picture (Iligan, Pasig, Makati, Port Area, Cebu) thru all those years -- the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, whether sober or mad -- as NSC went from STEEL (definitely) to STEAL (allegedly) to STILL (temporarily).

WARNING: This is creative writing that does not belong to any particular literary category. Neither is this type of writing taught in any school, college, institute or university. Correspondingly, creative writing requires imaginative reading, i.e. read with your mind rather than with only your eyes. It may even be necessary to read this feature article slowly, with full concentration, amidst peaceful and quiet surroundings, pronouncing and enunciating each name silently, recognizing that NSC people communicated with each other in three basic languages that have their own phonetic uniqueness. If you can’t comply with these conditions, please stop reading at this point and try again some other time. On the other hand, if you are ready to satisfy said conditions, you may proceed and read on. And have some fun.

Anong pang-ALLAN mo? If you ask them this question, you are likely to hear such oddities as HOSPICIO (where he was born), EXPEDITO (hurriedly), SOCRATES (philosophical Greek), DEMOSTHENES (oratorical Greek), ULYSSES (warrior Greek), THESSELONICA (geographic Greek), PERSEUS (mythological origin), FLEUR DE LIZ (cultured French), VOLTAIRE (revolutionary French), CYRIL (probably Roman-Italian), GIOVANNI (stylish Italian), VITO (Sicilian Don’s disapproval), SAMITA (perhaps Hebrew), MILOR (with Slovakian slant), WENDELL (has English-Irish ring to it), NELSON (same comment), SEAN (Scottish Connery), HELDRITH (no comment), LILIUS (don’t know), SYLVIO (don’t know either), ERICSON (makes cellphones?), GLENMOORE (makes shoes?), MAXILINDO (something big), JEZEBEL (sounds fishy), WEBSTER (used the wrong book), etc.

At the Training Center, you will meet guys with the appropriate names MAGLINAO (to shed light) and SILAO (too much light). Also there is GALVAN (expert on GI sheets) who should recruit ACERO (for iron-making technologies), BANGCAL (for steel-making processes), ROLLON (for hot and cold-rolling operations), TINOY (for tinplate production), TINGCANG (for making tin cans), FABRICANTE (for fabrication usages), RUSTY (for anti-corrosion techniques), PRIMACIO (for increasing prime yields) and CAHOY (for promoting the “save the trees, use steel” campaign). ALAMIN (kindly get educated), ISIP (please think always) and BASA (please read a lot) should volunteer to join them, together with AGURO (someone who teaches) and LEYSON (something to teach). If you want something really really basic, SALAS and BATAC can collaborate to take you back to your PEPE AND PILAR primer. ARIZABAL and LILIBETH can also retrain you on your AVA-CADA. Clem will ensure you are always GRAMATICA-ly correct. Courses in arithmetic can be provided by the group of ISAGANI-DOSDOS-ALTRES-MANAPAT-CINCO-CALPITO-QUIOCHO-NINA-
DIEZ-PONCE-FORTINEZ assisted by DIVIDINA for division and REDOBLE for multiplication. Every now and then, PAGKALINAWAN and PAGLINAWAN can do counseling work for confused trainees.