It was more than 20 years ago, 22 to be exact, I got my diploma from AdU (BSCE) took the board exam the following year and passed, the rest was history. Early 1980s, “my time,” those were some of the most glorious years in AdU, as if we can conquer everything. I was a member of the volleyball varsity team (not a star though, taga pulot lang ng bola, thanks but no thanks to coach Aboyme and other primadonna players). AdU pulled off two consecutive UAAP championships and one UAAP national championship (heavygat). On the other hand (academics), my good buddy and classmate Elmer Balisacan brought home the bacon by topping the Civil Engineering board exam (first place), wished I was second.
Glorious years, glorious moments. Those were our days, how’s Adamson now? Never been there for more than 20 years. i think it’s now time for me to pay a visit and bring home some glory to my alma mater. My life now is here in New York City. I finished post-graduate studies (project management) in New York University. I witnessed the 9/11 inferno, saw the building collapsed from the window of my office. I was working then with HRH Construction Corp in midtown Manhattan as Director of Planning and Scheduling (first for a Fil-Am). I have two projects inside the twin towers and one of our secretaries died on that day.
9/11 changed my life and my whole family for the better. I have four kids, all born here in Manhattan New York. Right after 9/11, we decided to leave Manhattan and moved to New Jersey (an hour away). I bought a brand new kid-friendly six-bedroom house in Jackson, New Jersey (a brand new development/subdivision, 86 houses seating in an acre - 2 acres, my house seats in 1.5 acres/ 6,000 square meters). All adamsonians are welcome to visit me specially Father Greg. My kids love it so much especially the big inground swimming pool I built and a bentgrass putting green with sand bunker and 75 yards fairway (I’m crazy about golf as well as skeet and trap shooting/shotgun). I’m now currently connected with Bovis (one of the biggest engineering and CM in the world) located here in midtown Manhattan NY (world headquarters). We’re now rebuilding the World Trade Center Memorial ($500 million). My other projects include two buildings of Donald Trump in Manhattan (building H & bldg I), the new ($800 million) New York Mets Stadium in Queens NY and the renovation of Madison Square Garden NY to name a few.
I’m the only Filipino in our group and guess what, I graduated from ADAMSON UNIVERSITY, PHILIPPINES. Also I’m the current President and Chairman of the Board of FAAE, Inc. (Filipino-American Association of Engineers, Inc. - New York, New Jersey, Connecticut). I’m not saying all of these to brag. I just want you all to know that any regular guy like me or you, can accomplish anything if you will take the right path and never stop no matter what. I still remember when I was in Adamson chasing/riding buses and jeepneys, I promised myself that someday, I’ll have my own car even a second-hand one, even a “bulokswagen” (volkswagen). Now I’m driving a 7-seater SUV Mercedes Benz ML 430 and a 3-series BMW, I even have a golf car in my house. Not even in my wildest dreams I thought of having these stuff. But again I’ll keep on saying to all of you, keep on dreamin’, walk the walk and talk the talk and most of all “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all you ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” - Prov. 3:5-6
Hope to see you all in February 2007 (diamond jubilee, I’ll be there to celebrate with you).
Mar Garcia (BSCE Batch ‘84)
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