USAHS pioneers reunite 30 years after Sambag graduation

By Rhea B. Peñaflor
Batch ’96, USAHS

Thirty years ago, we graduated as the pioneer batch of University of San Agustin High School’s Sambag, Jaro campus, a place whose halls we first walked in 1995.

Back then, the Sambag campus was not yet easily accessible by public transportation, and I don’t think we were quite ready for the transfer, although the main campus was already getting crowded.

Getting back to the city proper required a bit of a journey, as we had to walk down to Bangga Sambag, pass through the Central Philippine University area and catch another jeepney to continue the trip home.

I occasionally took the school bus, while some students chose to hitch a ride, although hitchhiking was strictly prohibited by the school for obvious safety and security reasons.

Still, I heard plenty of funny stories and anecdotes from those who experienced it.

The surroundings were vastly different from what they are today, with large open fields and so much available land that we could have planted vegetables if we wanted to.

Faith was also an integral part of our daily lives as students, as we gathered on the fifth floor every morning before classes for Mass, beginning each day with prayer and reflection.

Looking back, those experiences remind me of a simpler time when the campus was still developing, the journey to and from school required more effort and the bonds we formed became memories that continue to connect us three decades later.

Our 4A class even placed a time capsule and buried it in the ground.

I wonder where it is now.

On July 18, 2026, I was truly happy to see not only my classmates but also many of my batchmates, the proud pioneers of USAHS Sambag, Jaro.

I had not seen many of them in decades, as life had taken us to different places, careers and, for some, even different continents.

One of my classmates said it best, and the others echoed it: “life happened.”

Yet after all those years, seeing familiar faces somehow made the decades in between feel as if they had not happened, or at least made them seem much shorter.

The University of San Agustin was still carving out its presence in Sambag then, and we, the pioneering batch, were part of that beginning.

Life was simple and sometimes difficult, with scarce water, cows and goats wandering nearby and every bus coupon guarded like treasure.

We even gave names to those cows and goats, as if they were part of our daily lives.

In those humble surroundings, we found friendship, resilience and the courage to dream.

Three decades later, returning for our pearl anniversary felt like stepping back into a chapter that never truly closed.

The laughter, stories and familiar faces reminded me that Sambag was more than a place because it was where we learned discipline, unity and faith.

It was where we became family.

The celebration was made possible by the tireless efforts of our Pioneers Core Group: Maripe Bantegui-Yap, Jon Te, Ropi Rocio, Louriz Sabordo, Trilyn Alojado, Maechelle Trayfalgar, Franzel Molina-Tabanda, Michelle Jerez, Janice Tamudtamud, Asela Labaro, Jethely Eudela, Roger Servidad and Michelle Azucena.

Their dedication brought us together once more, weaving the threads of our past into a vibrant present.

What made the day even more special was the presence of our mentors.

With our principal, Veneranda Fabrigar, leading us again, we were reminded of the traditions that shaped us.

She asked us to sing our hymn, march with pride and recite our prayer, and to her amazement, we still knew them by heart.

We sang our hearts out.

Those words, steps and melodies had never left us.

They were proof that the lessons instilled in us decades ago remain alive today, not simply as knowledge stored in memory but as an instinctive and enduring part of who we are.

After all, we are Augustinians at heart.

Alongside our esteemed principal were our beloved teachers, Ma’am Gubatanga, Tuando, Tiangha, Albelar, Abutas, Cordero and Tolentino, as well as Sir Guatelara and Sir Longno.

Seeing them with us again was a reminder that their guidance helped lay the foundation for who we have become.

Looking back, our pearl anniversary was not simply about nostalgia but also gratitude for the friendships that endured, the mentors who shaped us and the journey that continues.

Thirty years may have passed, but the ties forged in Sambag remain unbreakable.

Like pearls, they shine with resilience, rarity and timeless beauty.

For me, the best part was simply catching up, even for a day, with batchmates and classmates who have always been part of my life.

USA forever!

Happy pearl anniversary to my dear USAHS Pioneer Batch ’96!