I remember the time when I first saw this 1963 Volkswagen Beetle in white with the iconic red and blue stripes and the big number fifty-three on its hood and doors which was parked in front of my new school(or rather the back of the school). As a young car enthusiast, I quickly recognized that said car and was amaze at the detail of work and effort put into that car. At that time I had no idea who that car belonged to, but I knew right there and then that the owner of that car had dedication, I thought that its owner was just simply amazing to be able to produce such replica of something so iconic.
For how that car was an icon to a lot of people, its owner was also an icon to a lot of students in my school. He had a smile like no other, you can;t really tell if it was sarcasm or just pure happiness. He will smile all the up to the end of the class. Even when his angry, you can still definitely see a hint of that grin of his. An expression know throughout the school, Dennis the menace? No, It's Dennis Reyes which coincidentally rhymes which each other. SoCSIT would never be spelled right without that name nor will APC. For only a student, I was not really close to the, may I say foundation of APC-SoCSIT? The father of CSIT to us? or just plain and simple, professor and program director, but like I said he was an icon to the school. Who can ever forget that dreaded initiation of all the freshmen in the SoCSIT department. The 30 seconds of fame(or shame to most of us). It was really every freshmen had to join that event since your grade was on the line but at the end of each shame was a sense of accomplishment, a lesson that would have never been thought in a better way. Maybe for others, that particular initiation was just a plot to make sure there are contestants in that way. But when you really think about it, it is nothing more but to boost your morale as a person and build up your character starting with confidence, a great way to build you up as a future leader. A tradition that must be carried out through the history of the department that he has raised like a child.
He was the first to greet the future computer science and information technology graduates of the school and the last to call their names as they embark on the journey to success. It's just sad that it would never happen again. He encourages students to take what they really want in life that there is nothing wrong in admitting defeat, like what he always says to us, "If you don't like the course, Shift", "If you can't handle the course, Shift" (btw it is pronounced like "Sheeeeffff", haha, although I'm not sure of the exact words but it is something like that). He greet students with a smile every time you she him in the hall or at the parking lot. Who can forget him at the parking lot finishing up a stick of Marlboro. Who didn't see the photo of his younger years on every RAMblings publication or just the one in the lobby of APC. But ultimately, who can really forget him?
The world may have demised Steve Jobs who is arguably the person who had the most impact in technology this last couple of years, also the dead of Dennis Ritchie, the man who may have started it all. But none of them brought me more shocked than the lost of our esteemed program director, Mr. Dennis Reyes. Jobs and Ritchie may have influenced me a lot in terms of their contribution to innovation and technology but Mr. Dennis Reyes influenced my life. He taught me the basics of my career, which path to take on to my career, made my college life difficult through all that defenses we had to go through and some of which he was the panel which proved to be very useful to my career now. He made sure that we were proper and equipped with the right knowledge as we embark to the life in the industry. He gave us hardships that we thought we couldn't overcome. He believed in us that we would succeed. He made us surpass our limitations as a student and go in par with more experience people. He was the influence in all of it. He is one of the four, he is one of the reason why APC is one of the four, He will be always remembered.
Manilaghia will continue to be part of each "Bug" and "Karmann" we see
Godbless and Prosper in Heaven our esteemed Sir Dennis Reyes
ainzley
2011
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