March 5, 2007
6:00 PM
I had a phone call from Estela Manila. She is a retired Librarian in San Francisco, California. We haven't met but we have been communicating by
email for the last few years.
When I was in San Francisco the other year, Jo pointed to me the library where she was
working but we didn't get to meet. Jo and I were busy touring the streets of San Francisco, minus Karl Marlden & Michael Douglas, of course.
If you have Catherine Zeta-Jones, why would you worry about Belen Tagbo Mendoza.
Hindi kaya dapat na ako ay kilabutan sa comparison? Ha-ha-ha!
She wants us to meet, urgently! She's flying back to San Francisco on Tuesday. Browsing through my
diary, i can't find any available day. But the urgency made me re-schedule a few appointments. I hope they are not reading
this. Appointment was made for 9am Wednesday, Jollibee across the cathedral.
March 7, 2007
It was raining cats and dogs.
I made it just in time. She offered we have Palabok at 9 am. We were busy chatting that I didn't realize it went
down that quick.
She told me her plan for QNHS Library.
There is this three-storey "Eyesore" building in Quezon High. She has asked Cong. Procy
Alcala, a 1972 Quezon High Graduate, to make a plan for this building that will house the library on the second floor, while
the rest will serve as classrooms for the students. It needs P3.1 M to build. I asked, "How much do you have now?" "P1.5 M"
I suggested that we go to Quezon High that day.
She remarked, "But I don't have a car."
I said, "Neither do I. Let's go. We'll take a jeepney or tricycle whatever it takes."
And it was raining heavily. I didn't have an umbrella. She has one. But not big enough
to be shared by two. (Parang gusto kong kumanta ng Barbra Streisand ah!)
I said, "Don't worry. The rain won't kill me."
We got to Quezon High and went straight to the library. It was half-filled with students.
I saw the new tables and chairs Toronto group donated. Quite different from the last time I saw it. Even the librarian remembered
I commented a couple of years ago about the "knife marks' on the tables which she then explained that these tables were used
by the cooks of the different teams from provinces that participated in the provincial meet. These tables were used as chopping
boards and dining tables and more... as modelling ramp for fashion parade!
It was pleasing to the eye to see the new tables and chairs. For a school with 12,000
student population with a library that could only fit a classroom, it is definitely not good enough. I saw the World Book
Set that Milwida donated a few years back, definitely a familiar sight. It looks very new compared to the other books beside
it we even used during our time. Was that 41 years ago?
