WHY A PISAY EDUCATION IS SPECIAL

Forty years have elapsed since Batch 70 (or PISAY Dos) graduated from the Philippine Science High School (or PISAY). With the passage of time, many changes in the lives of PISAY students are very evident. But no matter how ‘successful’ (material, spiritual, or whatever) we are now, we always look back to our PISAY days...

My impression, then, as now, of our batch, was the zeal of students in all subjects.

We were expected to excel in Math and in the sciences, but the passion for the other subjects in then 5-year high school curriculum was as also as intense, if not given priority. We were always striving for excellence even under the difficult circumstances. In PE, we were expected to excel in football and basketball as though the school was specializing in physical education. In joining inter-school chess competitions, the passion was as if we were fighting for a world chess title. In competing for the PMT inter-school Model Platoon, as if the school was the PMA. In art subject, under Miss Myrna Pasao, as if the school existed solely for the arts. In martial arts class, as if we were the best kung fu masters and judo blackbelters. In music under Rey Paguio, as if we were students of the UP Conservatory of Music. In our French and German classes, as if we were in a school solely for foreign languages.

A PISAY student then ( I don’t know about now) was certainly over- extended but it was the only way to find out one’s talent and special gift. Thus, in high school, we already had an inkling of what we wanted to do with our life, or where we really fit in the scheme of things in our impressionistic minds.

Outsiders would have the notion that PISAY students are nerds and they have no fun. At least for Batch 70, it was bursting also with ‘non-academic’ talents, aside of course from our ‘geniuses’ in Math and the sciences. We had plenty of stand-up comics who would deliver punch lines even in the most serious class discussion and elicit laughter from the whole class.

I especially remember our 0-2 class with Mr. ‘Sonny’ Fernando as our adviser.

For a start, we had the most lovely muse, then (as now), Nadj. The cutest PISAY student then (as now), the one and only Carmen ‘Love’ (Amores is love). There was Sol who always carried a lunchbox and a chess set, in addition to his books and notebooks. (Sol was driven to PISAY and fetched by his mother using a red ‘Beetle’ so he could afford to bring everything he wanted to school. “Ringo’ was the tallest boy in our class then (but not now. His brother, Dave, a six-footer, did not give an inch to Joey). Meynardo’s (Jose) favorite expression then was “That was a wrong mistake!” whenever his opponent (usually Sol, during break time) in chess made a wrong move, or he was just a kibitzer in a chess game. When Mr. Fernando would announce the results of our Math exams (quizzes, or long tests) we would all look at the back where our Math genius, Angelus, was seated. The guy always got perfects scores in Math. How I envied him! Then there was Steve who was always a jolly fellow and kept on smiling!

The first thing I studied in the evening was Math, which I found difficulty comprehending, but the concepts and theories would not just register in my mind. I had to study also my other subjects and whenever I got bogged down in Math, my other subjects also suffered. So, instead of failing also in other subjects, I studied and accomplished first my assignment in other subjects and left Math last. By that time, I was so sleepy, so I said goodbye to Math, starting in 0-Year. I don’t know how I survived and stayed at PISAY for four years!

Which brings us to the ‘hottest’ topic of the PISAY Dos discussion today, the PISAY diploma. When I left PISAY, I had my transcript of PISAY record evaluated and I was told that even with the failing grade in ‘Elementary Analysis’, most of the subjects in the transcript were advance but I lacked two ‘minor’ subjects (one was Pilipino, I could not remember the other one) which I had to enroll to graduate from high school.

I have long accepted the fact that it was not the fault of the school that I was ‘kicked out’ (to use the right term) and I bear no grudges against PISAY, nor the administrators, nor my instructor in Math then who gave me a ‘5’, but in my subconscious mind, it is different. After 40 years, I still have recurring dreams of studying at PISAY with younger batches, just to get a PISAY diploma!

Certainly, it is an achievement to have a PISAY diploma, but after 40 years, I have learned that the real battles in life are not confined in the classrooms but they are waged in our day-to-day activities. Theories learned in the classrooms must be reconciled with the realities in life.

But I am grateful to PISAY and the faculty then, especially Mrs. Agnes Vea, for being a PISAY scholar, and most especially for the subjects in humanities, especially Literature, which opened my eyes to be a better person, despite the setbacks. The inquisitive mind, the continuing thirst for knowledge, and the drive for the greater good of humanity, are the staple of a PISAY education.

With or without PISAY diploma, it does not diminish the fact that one had the opportunity to rub elbows with the best and brightest students of his generation, and sometimes, one cannot prevent their ‘genius” from rubbing off on you.

With or without a PISAY diploma, it does not diminish the fact that I have known Nadj, Carmen, Sol, Ringo, Angelus, Steve, and many others who have made my high school life memorable and enjoyable.

Even if one had studied at PISAY for only one, two, three or four years, the ‘katas’ of PISAY will always be with us for the rest of our life. Ganoon katindi ang PISAY education.

Cris Servano
9 August 2010