As a student at the Negros Oriental High School several years back, I remember how I skipped first year high school after I passed the Philippine Educational Placement Test — which somehow accelerated me to 2nd year. By my 3rd year, I got so excited because of the opportunity to join the Cadet Officer-Candidate School training, a prerequisite to becoming an officer in the then-called Citizen Army Training under Commandant Edward Jordan.
Everyone knew that COCS life was tough and grueling so I decided to tell only my father about it. Without batting an eyelash, he gave me the go signal to just do it, then added, “But tell your mother [about it]!”
Something must be so truly special about mothers. Although mothers are usually the first to say “no” to their children’s requests, they happen to have the last say in critical decision-making. And when the father is having a hard time deciding what is best for his kid, he ends up saying, “Ask/Tell your mother.”
I would say I am pretty lucky that I get to receive the wisdom from two mothers. The first is my biological mother. The second is my other mom whom I met on yahoomail sometime in 2008. And it was only this month when I got to meet her face-to-face when she came to visit Dumaguete from the US.
This my other mom, Rev. Rosemarie Calderon-Khan, must have felt that same feeling of uneasiness as my biological mom did when I told her I was interested to join the difficult COCS training.
You see, Reverend Rosemarie also had a son whose interest was the same as mine. Her son, George Emmanuel Calderon Mangohig, became corps commander of the CAT Unit of SU High School from 1980 to 1981.
As corps commander, George Emmanuel epitomized the virtues of faith in God, perseverance, self-reliance, and hard work. He must have inherited all these from her mother’s guidance plus the moral support from his grandparents, former Silliman President Dr. and Mrs. Cicero D. Calderon of Calo, San Jose, Negros Oriental.
As a little boy, George Emmanuel persevered as he diligently worked as a shine-shoe boy so he can raise money to buy himself a bicycle. When he was in high school, George Emmanuel demonstrated discipline and hard work when he held the highest rank of a cadet officer of the CAT Unit while at the same time, practicing daily as a soccer player. In both high-profile activities, he made many good friends. He continued to strive to be self-reliant, and supported himself all the way to college by being with the varsity soccer team of the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, then later at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City.
Because of his display of fine sportsmanship in a national soccer competition in Manila, George Emmanuel was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Year. With that reputation, George Emmanuel was made the official coach of the elementary soccer varsity team of the University of St. La Salle. All went well with his life.
But as the Bible says, the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Although God has bestowed upon us with so many blessings to start a good life, no one can fathom His plan on how anyone’s life could end.
George Emmanuel met a motorbike accident on his way to soccer coaching, tragically taking his young life. And to make his life worth-remembering, his mom Reverend Rose’s last tribute is the establishment in 2009 of the George Mangohig Memorial Corps Commander Scholarship to be awarded to the corps commander of the SU High School CAT Unit.
In 2009, Nolven Nichol Noble received a graduation gift of P5,000 from the George Mangohig Memorial Corps Commander Scholarship. In 2010, Mejorah Roz Pangilinan received a full tuition scholarship. This school year, Leila Jean Bucol received the George Mangohig Leadership Medal during the SUHS graduation exercises held March 18, 2011.
On behalf of the SU High School family headed by Prof. Francisco J. Ablong Jr., I thank the family of the late George Emmanuel Calderon-Mangohig through his mother, Rev. Rosemarie Calderon-Khan for their generosity.
McDiery A. Concepcion
CAT Commandant
Silliman University School of Basic Education-High School