Alice Romero Laga: BFF from Bohol and Beyond

Your Roving Eye has been asked a million times if he has a BFF. Yes, of course, there are two. You will meet them in two separate features. One is based in Illinois and the other is based in Toronto, Canada.

Let’s begin with the Canadian- based friend. Our friendship actually started when we were in Grade One. Yes, we were classmates from Grade One to Grade Six then high school and all the way to senior high.

 

Her name? She is Alice Romero Laga and why am I writing about her now? Well, she just came home for a wedding that also served as their family reunion.

She is the real definition of a survivor. A beautiful survivor at that. Inside and out. If there’s someone who is very happy for what is at present, that would have to be me for I have been privy to her heartaches and disappointments in life.

Alice during grade school & high school graduation

After those carefree and innocent years of high school where we became groupmates in science projects to being cheatmates uhm seatmates rather, it was time for high school graduation  and the obligatory goodbyes and the promise to keep in touch.

becoming a a nurse was the realization of her dream

Those years after high school were such a blur and the next time we met again during those instant class reunions, we have become older but definitely wiser.

 Her Precious Gems: Aga.Al.Aljin.Aljun

We went  back to our separate ways but there were the occasional hi’s and hellos. And yes, just like any friends, we also had our share of misunderstanding and petty spats as well and we always swear never to see each other again and we even unfriend each other in Facebook but the moment we see each other, everything flies out the window and it's back to usual. 

Friends after all these years

Anda, Bohol, Jan 2016 

I then found out that she was in already in Canada and starting to live her life again.

I am so delighted to know that she is doing good and getting a second chance at life and very happy that she is with her three sons and a daughter with her in Toronto. 

A high- paying job, a successful career, a serene & peaceful life are what she has right now

After meeting and catching up with Alice the last time she was here last January, it is with much relief that she hasn't changed at all. 

If there is a change, it's a change for the better.

Thank you Alice for the gift of friendship.

Not Just Another Bohol Wedding

Bohol weddings are not only social occasions that unite two lovers and their respective families but also perfect opportunities for family reunions. When Geoffrey J. Laga & Melissa Remolador exchanged “I Do’s” at the St. Joseph Cathedral last Jan 9, the whole Laga Clan was there to witness the joyous occasion.

The groom is the son of Engr. Godofredo “Jun” Laga, Cebu District Engr & Mrs. Loila J. Laga, CPA. Engr. Jun Laga is the fourth of nine siblings of the late Godofredo Laga Sr. &  Mrs. Geronima Romero Laga who trace their roots in Guindulman.

 Newlyweds & the groom's family 

The other Laga siblings who flew in from Toronto, Canada were Sister Esther Laga, Sisinia Laga, Alice Laga & Ana Brechyl Laga- Pamugas. Cebu- based Zenaida Laga- Bantilan & Marilou Laga- Lim also came home to join them and their Tagbilaran- based brothers Gil and Hardy. 

 Lovely Laga Ladies: Sinia, Mameng, Alice & Zen

L-R: Sister Esther, Malou, Zen, Alice, Loila, newlyweds, 
Engr. Jun, Laga Matriarch Geronima, Sinia, Brechyl & Gil

The newlyweds entertained their guests at the Bohol Tropics Resort

Pageant Emcee & Miss DWCT 1991 Reunites 25 Years After the Pageant

Guess who I would bump into last Monday at the Bohol Tropics Resort? Ana Brechyl Romero Laga , the 1991 Miss DWCT Personality titleholder that’s who.

The former Ms. Laga who is married to Roger Pamugas and the mother of three made pageant history in our Alma Mater when she became the first Engineering student to be crowned Miss DWCT. 

 Miss DWCT 1991 & Pageant Emcee Reunite after 25 Years

Brechyl is the younger sister of Alice Romero Laga, my very close friend and classmate from Grade 1 to high school. They jetted in from Toronto, Canada where they have been based for years to attend the wedding of a nephew and to enjoy a two week- long vacation in Bohol , Cebu and Boracay.

  Your Roving Eye is flanked by Brechyl & Alice

The 1991 edition of Miss DWCT would always be unforgettable for aside from being Your Roving Eye’s first Miss DWCT emceeing stint (co- hosting was good friend & classmate Ma. Nathalie “Myna” Ramo) It ended up as the Miss DWCT pageant that had the longest wait before a winner would be crowned because of a natural disaster that struck the province.  

 

L-R: Alice, Brechyl, Sinia & Malou with Brianna Rose  

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It was supposed to be staged in February 1990 as highlight of DWCT’s College Days celebration but had to be shelved when an earthquake struck the eastern coast of Bohol. 

The original candidates were Florida Acuna Miss College of Arts & Sciences, Ma. Fe Evangelista Miss Commerce, Ana Brechyl Laga Miss Engineering, Rachel Penales Miss High School, Beverly Largo Miss Nursing, Liza Martinez Miss Secretarial & Genevieve Jamisola Miss Teacher’s College. 

Everyone was so excited as the line- up was topnotch but tragedy struck. Just two days before the pageant, a devastating earthquake struck Bohol and thus forced the school to cancel the campus celebrations.

Brechyl's publicity photo taken at
Mag- aso Falls, Antequera 

The aborted pageant pushed through after a year of waiting and that makes the pageant the longest pageant ever. Since some of the original candidates were graduating students or cited personal reasons for withdrawing from the contest, the affected colleges had to select replacements. 

Recelle Adlaon was fielded by the College of Nursing, Ma. Jennifer Mejorada replaced Ma. Florida “Pol” Acuna and legendary beauty Geneva Baja earned the right to represent the Teacher’s College after winning the Miss CoEd search.

 Miss DWCT 1991 candidates in their cocktail wear
during the Opening Number & Intro of Candidates

Ana Brechyl earned the nod of the judging panel with her natural grace and elegance, stage presence, charm and her very smart & eloquent response to the final question. Majen Mejorada emerged as 1^st RU and Miss High School Rachel Penales clinched 2^nd RU and the Miss Talent title.

 All the Miss DWCT 1991 queens wore identical gowns
during the pageant finals

L-R: 1st RU Ms CAS, Miss DWCT 1991 Ms Engg & 2nd RU Ms HS 

Meet the 1990 & 1991 Miss DWCT Candidates

  Brechyl crowns Talie Inting as Miss DWCT 1995. With them
 is Fr. Pres. Florante Camacho, SVD

It has been 25 years since Brechyl was crowned Miss DWCT and yet she is still the same Brechyl that I first knew. Level- headed, grounded and still a headturner.