July 11, 2025 l Manila Times
The Don Bosco Mandaluyong High School (DBHS) Class of 1972 had looked forward to celebrating its 50th golden jubilee in 2022. It was a milestone anticipated with excitement — a chance to reconnect, reminisce and honor half a century of shared memories.
But the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted everything, putting reunion plans on indefinite hold.
Yet rather than yielding to disappointment, the class chose a more meaningful path. Led by batch officers Gerry Garcia, former Finance secretary Lito Camacho and legendary one-week Rep. Toti Cariño, DBHS ‘72 responded to the urgent needs of the time — drawing strength from their shared values and the Don Bosco spirit of service.
At the time, Don Bosco Technical College was developing a prototype for a hospital-grade ventilator to help ease the severe shortage of life-saving equipment. Though still in the experimental phase, the ventilator project represented an innovative, homegrown response to the health crisis.
To support the initiative, the batch launched the Bosconian Reach Out Against Covid-19 Program, a fundraiser to provide seed money for the production of ventilators once regulatory approvals were secured.
Contributions came from batchmates, family and friends, ultimately raising P1.07 million.
Even before the ventilators could be produced, the batch released P81,000 to help Don Bosco employees and staff affected by the pandemic.
However, as time passed, the situation changed. Treatments improved, the immediate demand for ventilators subsided and the rollout of vaccines began to turn the tide. The project faced regulatory approval delays and its urgency began to wane.
Recognizing the shift, the batch made a pivotal and thoughtful decision: rechannel the remaining funds toward education — a legacy that aligned not only with Don Bosco’s mission but also with HS Batch 72’s own transformative experiences as students.
Under the leadership of batch president Bong Bernardo, and with deep regret over the passing of Gerry Garcia due to Covid-19, the group formed a scholarship and screening committee composed of Henry Ong, Tony Cabarles, Chin Fernandez and Lito Oliveros.
Their goal was to assist gifted but financially challenged students of Don Bosco.
In their coordination with school administrators, the committee discovered three graduating students — Bench Lim, Leonard Arano and John Alexis Santos — who could not obtain their diplomas because of modest but critical tuition balances.
DBHS ‘72 covered the needed P60,000, ensuring the students’ graduation in 2023. That moment marked the quiet beginning of the DBHS ‘72 Scholarship Grant.
From there, three new scholars were selected and supported through their final two years of college at Don Bosco.
On June 28, the fruits of this mission came to light. All three scholars graduated with honors: Ryan Matthew Olvida Fortunado, BSIT, magna cum laude, class valedictorian; Donalyn Odo Bengalan, BSME, cum laude; and Kyla Ruzol, BSME, cum laude.
DBHS ‘72 extends its heartfelt congratulations to the graduates. Their success is not only a testament to their determination, but also to the power of support at the right time.
In their conversations with the DBHS ‘72 officers, the scholars recalled how being freed from the anxiety of finding their next tuition payment allowed them to concentrate fully on their studies. The impact was direct and measurable — proof that small interventions can lead to life-changing results.
Paying it forward
The story of DBHS ‘72 is a story of paying it forward. What began as a celebration turned into a response to the crisis, and then into a long-term investment in the future.
The class transformed its collective gratitude for the education they had received into a legacy of opportunity for others.
More importantly, this initiative underscores a vital truth: the need for social support must evolve with the times. When ventilators were critical, the batch responded. When education became the greater need, they pivoted.
Relevance and flexibility in helping others are not just practical values — they are essential to making support truly meaningful.
In choosing to fund education, DBHS ’72 affirms its belief in the transformative power of learning. Helping talented students who simply lacked the means honors both the values instilled by its alma mater and the shared spirit of their brotherhood.
It’s a legacy that will outlast celebrations and reunions — a legacy of lifting others so they, too, can one day lift others in return.
As the batch marks over 50 years since graduating, its greatest reunion may well be the one they’ve created through its scholars — young men and women who now step into the world, not just as graduates, but as living proof of compassion, foresight and solidarity across generations.
***The views expressed herein are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of his office as well as FINEX. For comments, email benel_dba@yahoo.com. Photo is from Pinterest.