SAMUEL B. COSTA

"Sam" to family and friends, he was born and raised in Malagasang 2nd, Imus, Cavite. In high school he was well known as a very kind, friendly and cheerful person. After graduating from college, he went on to work in Dhahran and Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia for 3-1/2 years. Coming home in 1987, he tried his hand in sales and the construction business before finally deciding to immigrate to the United States in 1989. He is married to the former Fe Reynado of Lambunao, Iloilo with whom he is blessed with three children - sons Kevin Jason, 14 and Aaron John, 9; and daughter Bethany Jasmine, 5. But while busy with his job and raising a family, he still finds time to join his brothers in the Freemasonry movement and heads a ham radio club he helped establish in his community. He named the club "RIZAL", acronym for "Radio InterZone Amateur League", a testimony to his love of his cultural heritage. He and his family reside in Corona, California, 40 miles east of Los Angeles. (051899)

MARY GRACE SAMANIEGO

Born in Tondo, Manila, Marie grew up in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite. She was one of those Kawit residents who decided to attend Imus Institute. While in high school, she was good friends with Lourdes Ordoñez, Daisy Camaña and Isabelita Samala. She couldn't think of any memorable moment when she was in high school but she does remember an embarassing one! Staring at her crush while walking, she didn't see a glass window was on her way and she bumped into it, luckily it didn't knock her down! Who's the guy? Well, it is a secret but you can always use your imagination. She finished her college education at St. Paul's Manila in 1981. In the early '90s, she got re-acquainted and became good friends with fellow alumni Angelina Hayag, Eva Santarin, Amelou Sañez, Lilia Sanchez, Melito Darvin, Evaristo Bautista, Edgardo Sarroca and Elmer Crisostomo - they became "barkadas". She was just one of the attendees during the big 1984 Reunion in Covelandia Island Resort but became very active in the many get-togethers that followed. Before immigrating to Canada in 1997, she was with an Ayala Group of Companies subsidiary for seventeen years. She now lives in North York, Ontario, Canada, near Toronto. It was here that she bumped into one of her high school classmates. During a walk in the park, she met Ferdinand Sardido (from Anabu) and his family, who are also recent immigrants in Canada. They live close to one another. (051999)

(Background is Juan Luna's "Study for Rice Harvesting", 1895)