Philouise’s Weblog

Emmett, you pass on but you will be fondly remembered

(as printed by Cordillera Today Sept 6, 2009)

For this edition, I take the chance to give a small space to Emmett Brown Asuncion, a talented man who touched many lives in his teaching and mentoring. Science High Class 1974 has been a love hate relationship in those four years we spent in the G-rooms as we passed on from being Scientist and graduate as Chemist. There were 35 of us who graduated now scattered but always find time to come together to reminisce those four years as those kept us connected and close even after 35 years. Our batch will be coordinating the grand Alumni homecoming this December 19, 2009. This will definitely be a tribute to Emmett and the memorabilia of the past years will surely be a must in the celebration of what connected us as a class, and the whole alumni body.

As the city celebrates its Centennial, the Science high family together with others will pay their respects to a man who have changed them with his principles and his mentoring – Emmett Brown Asuncion. He walked the corridors of UB and taught in the classrooms, conducted practices, and performances in the gym and the theatre. He was a talented man unselfishly training and mentoring people who are willing or resisting. Not many of us knew his family background; it seems insignificant for he treated the Science High and later the other organizations he got involved in as his family. We have became part of his life as he molded us into something we never expected – after four years in high school , the change was permanent for most of us.

He was a man who may have not received many awards or appreciation, but it did not matter to him. What mattered was that the young mind was taught and the body matured, the spirit nurtured. Cheering and Christmas Cantata were instances where the whole school was involved under his baton and coordination. After graduation, many left UB and went to other schools and later on to other countries but still the Science high spirit remains and fond memories can bring varying emotions – tears and pain, laughter and happiness, bitterness and forgiveness.

Many of those alumni are now in a position to giving back to Emmett a little of respect and assistance especially when he got sick was in the hospital and now in his wake. People like Beulah (Zeny) Badua and the Fernandez family became his immediate care givers and people who made decisions of many things. When an account was managed for his medical care, people from all over gave generously to sustain him for more than seven months of hospital care. City Mayor Peter Rey Bautista and other government employees assisted in so many ways. Ramon Dacawi has personally assisted specially in securing blood for his transfusion. Many names join the list and yet it is  because of his own generosity, love and care for people that people give back to him in time of his need.

Much will be said, tears and laughter will be shared as reunion of all sorts happen during the wake. His body will be laid down to the earth on Monday September 7, 2009 after a memorial service Sunday afternoon. So let me replay this  poem I wrote last February 7, 2009:

God, we thank you for Emmett

Today we visited Emmett at the hospital

He looked at us and smiled

Though he said his leg pains

He said  he wants to go home today

But it could not be and so maybe tomorrow.

Benilda and I shared to him

Bits and pieces about the class

Of the then and of the now

He would nod to confirm

And smile as he too remembers.

And so God, we thank you

For sharing Emmett to us

Before, in our youthfulness unbounded

Now, in our matured undertakings

He unselfishly gave himself to us.

With him we became more than our wildest dreams

Performing in Music Barn, cantatas and cheering

or competing in experimental researches

or declamations and extemporaneous speeches

or tumbling in gymnastics and excelling in academics

He made us never doubting we were the cream of the crop.

Those times, it was a love hate relationship

We love him because he cared and defended us

We loved him because he made us believe in ourselves

We loved him because he brought out the best things in us

We loved him because he was giving.

We hated him because he throws tantrums

We hated him because he gets upset when we are out of key

We hated him because we were jealous of FIT

We hated him because he will finds out we cut classes

We hated him because he was always right.

Years after, we look back and realize

His enormous investment in our young lives

We changed because he wanted excellence and victory

We were molded because he gave his best

We owe him much of what we are today.

So as the day ends, Thank you God – for Emmett.