Lasallian Roots Run Deep: Celebrating the Timeless Power of Community

Reflections on unbreakable bonds, as a prelude to homecoming.
by Anne Kristine Legaspi Nilooban

There is something extraordinary about returning to a place where our shared stories began and helped shape the persons we have become. The one where life-long friendships were born, values were nurtured, and dreams first took shape. That even if life, since, may have pulled each of us in different directions, the sense of youthful nostalgia and belonging pulls from within and towards the path back to the place that “feels like home.” For the alumni of De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ), such may well be the case– as all roads lead back to our alma mater for this year’s annual homecoming, aptly dubbed “Homegrown: The 2024 DLSZ Grand Alumni Homecoming.”

For the class of 1999, this year’s Silver Jubilarians and main host, we’re all set to come home and reminisce the good ol’ times, reconnect with friends and mentors, and at the same time honor the growth within each of us. There’s clarity in our purpose, as emphasized through our central theme ‘homegrown’ and its tagline – that we are, in fact, ‘coming back to give back.’ It is fueled by a sense of gratitude for a past that is rich in great memories, a foundation that has set us up for our own stories of success, and a motivation to pay things forward for future Lasallian generations.

Even better, we’re not going at it alone. As seven other batches celebrate their respective milestones and join us as co-hosts– 1984, 1989, 1994, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019– most noteworthy being the class of 1984, who happens to be DLSZ’s pioneer batch and thereby the 

first to ever celebrate a Ruby Jubilee. This year also marks welcoming newly minted DLSZ graduates to the DLSZ Alumni community– the class of 2024.

Whether it’s been five, twenty-five, or forty years, every DLSZ homecoming brings familiar faces, unforgettable laughs, and new moments added to many already cherished ones. This year, we also step things up a notch by placing the spotlight on homegrown talents to headline the programme. After all, we take pride in the fact that they are #DLSZHomegrown.

Of equal significance for us is having the right partners onboard to support this year’s homecoming. Individuals and organizations that share the same values and foundations that matter most. Hence, joining Batch 1999 as the Diamond Sponsor and Event Co-Presenter is RLC Residences. Together, we are committed to raising the bar on what it means to live well and reconnect– both recognizing the importance of building and nurturing strong foundations and opening doors of opportunity to connect and thrive.     

DLSZ has been more than just a school to us; it’s our roots, our stories, and our home. On Saturday of December 14th 2024, we’re going back– to rekindle the bonds that time and distance have only but deepened, and foster even more timeless connections. ANIMO LA SALLE!

We invite all our fellow DLSZ Alumni to save the date and join us for Homegrown: The 2024 DLSZ Grand Alumni Homecoming, to be held at the Sports Pavilion of the DLSZ campus in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City. Tickets are now available via www.dlszhomegrown.com. For table reservations, you may contact us at [email protected], or via any of our official #DLSZHomegrown social media and messaging platforms.

This event is co-presented by DLSZ Batch 1999 and RLC Residences, our Diamond Sponsor. 

We also wish to thank the following sponsors and partners for their support– Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Converge, Pru Life UK, Figaro Coffee, Singlife Philippines, SMART, Sandari Calatagan, and Business Mirror.