From: Angelo Manahan
Date: Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Subject: [be_matters] DANIEL "EGAN" BICOMONG

Nalungkot ako nang malaman ang balita na yumao na ang brod nating si DANNY BICOMONG. Pero hindi ito nakakagulat kasi nang mamatay si BERT MURILLO mga ilang taon na ang nakakaraan, nagkita kami sa buro ni BERT sa Pampanga at doon pa man, ang pakiwari ko any may kahinaan na si DANNY. Paglakad lang ay hirap na siya.

Siyempre una kaming nagtagpo nang pumasok ako sa B.E. noong taong 1958. Wala pang Brotherhood Council noon kaya ang proseso sa mga gustong maging Betan ay parang sige-sige lang. Sa madaling salita, maliban sa "jam sessions" na may takdang araw at oras, ang ibang hakbang sa pagtanggap ay bale todo na. Kaya pangkaraniwan noong panahon na iyon ang pagdukot o pagkidnap ng mga neophytes. Malas mo na lang kung nadukot ka ng "terror" at suwerte mo naman kung na sungkit ka ng "protector". Ako? Naranasan ko pareho.

Minsan, si DANNY ang nakadukot sa akin. May kasama pa akong isa o dalawa pa pero sa tagal ng panahon hindi ko na matandaan kung sino sila. Ang unang bungad ni DANNY sa akin ay kung papaano ko siya tatawagin. Sabi niya, "Mula ngayon, ang itatawag mo sa akin ay EGAN. Sana malusutan mo itong initiation at maging brod tayo. Ganoon pa man, ang itatawag mo sa akin ay EGAN". Hindi ako sigurado pero sa aking kaalaman, ang pagtawag mo sa isang tao ng EGAN, ay nagpapahiwatig na siya a iyong matalik ng kaibigan. Kayat ganoon na ang nangyari. Tuwing magkikita kami, ang tawag ko sa kanya ay EGAN. Nawala na yung DANNY na kung papaano siya binabati ng ibang brods.

Ewan ko sa iba. Pero ng pumapasok ako sa frat at siya ang "amo" kong kasama, hindi niya ako ginalaw. Ni pitikin ang aking tengga o kurutin ang tagiliran ko wala. Panay lang ang kuwento niya sa mga magagandang asal at samahan ng mabuti ng mga Betans. Mahilig siya mag laro ng chess kaya marami ring oras ang pinalipas namin sa larong iyon. Siyenpre talo ako. Ha! Ha! Ha! Pero hindi halata at naghirap din siya. Minsan, nagpasyal kami sa harap ng PGH. May kinatagpo kaming dalaga. Pinakilala sa akin na ang dating ay parang kaibigan niya ako. Hindi isang neophyte. Nagmerienda kami at pagkatapos naghiwalay. Walang pinagawa sa akin kagaya ng pagkanta, o pagbigkas ng tula, o kayay gumawa ng mga hakbangin na katawa-tawa. Wala lahat ito. Ang trato sa akin ay kapantay na kasama na parang barkada. Ang pangalan ng "girl"? Hindi ko natandaan. Pero parng hindi REMY. Ha! Ha! Ha! Baka si JABBY o si AL o si SONNY alam at natatandaan.

Paalam EGAN. Alam ko na sa kabutihan mo bilang isang Betan, nasa mapayapa kang lugar sa kinasapupunan ng ating AMA.

PS - In 1960, during my MEBship, an ad hoc committee was formed to rationalize the Rites Of Passage. Committee was chaired by MANNY AGUSTINES, with DING ABAYA and the late CELSO TINIO as members. This ushered in the Brotherhood Council which is now incorporated in the BE Contitution. MANNY was the first BC CHAIR.

Considering that Ojie posted the announcement only at around 10 AM, a few minutes after he was informed of the passing away of our brod, still a significant number of brods were able to find time to attend the rites. There were 10 Betans, about half the usual average attendance in necro rites.

EMAILS TODAY

January 19, 2012

From: Ojie Alzona

Sent: Wednesday, January 19   9:38 AM

Subject: [be_matters] R.I.P. Daniel Bicomong BE 53

Brods,

As texted by Jabby Jazmines BE 51, brod Danny Bicomong died Jan. 18, 2012. Jabby will coordinate with Danny's familty re wake details and will inform the brotherhood when the fraternity necrological rites have been arranged and scheduled.

The resident leadership (attention MEB Baste Juliand and EB Boss Liwanag) is put on notice to prepare for the necrological rites which may be next week or earlier.

May his soul rest in peace.

Ojie-----

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From: rey dela cruz

Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: [be_matters] R.I.P. Daniel Bicomong BE 53

Ojie,

Please extend my condolences to his family. Met Danny when he was here in SoCAL awhile back. He will truly be missed.

Regards,
Rey Dela Cruz '78

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From: Ojie Alzona

Date  10:56 AM  Jan. 19, 2012

Brods,

The necro rites for Danny Bicomong will be tonight as arranged between Jabby Jazmines and Remy, Danny's widow. The cremated remains are in Loyola Commonweath, Quezon City (right side, after Tandang Sora, going to Fairview). The simple/abbreviated version necro rites will start at 8 PM and supervised by Jabby.

Interment shall be Friday, Jan. 20.

A fraternity necro rites is a dying wish of Danny, so please let us pay our last respects to Danny despite the very short notice.

Ojie

PS. I am unable to participate as my I will fetch my son from the airport tonight.

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From\: Marty Martinez

Date: Jan. 19, 2012  11:49 AM

Hello Ojie,

Please extend our deepest condolences to Remy and family. We last had lunch we them about 3-4 years ago. Kindly give us her address as we would like to send her a personal note.

Danny is a ka-batch of mine(BE 53). He and Remy immigrated to the US in the 1980s and they were very active with BEFAAA (then BENA) activities. They later returned to the Phil. in the 1990s.

Marty and Frida

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From: Abe Amores
Date: Jan. 19   5:40 PM

It saddens me to hear that my fraternity Brod Danny Bicomong'53 had passed away.
I won't forget his kindheartedness and good nature when I was introduced to him as an "amuyong" and he was then a sales engineer at SEA Commercial in the Raon, Quiapo area.

He has inspired and nurtured me on my path to becoming a Betan.
 

Pls. convey, on behalf of our fellow brods Down Under, our deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Remy and family. May his soul rest in peace.

Abe Amores'62
Beta Epsilon sa Australia (BESA)

Upon entering the Loyola Chapels, you see the above directory of the chapels and their current occupants. And  you are quickly reminded of a similar signage at the airport which tells your the ETA and ETD of plane flights. You smile a bit when you look up in the directory the ETD of the occupant you are visiting and there is none. What if there is a publicly posted directory of ETDs of every person: will everybody make the most of one's life?
.