Nep Romero was one of those rare breed of teachers who really took his work seriously. He cared so much for every one of his students, and inculcated in us the notion that P.E. is not just one of those minor subjects (P.E. ra bitaw na), but that it was a very important component of our total development as a person. Those of us who, at this age, are now complaining of some medical problems and are guilty of not giving much thought to physical exercise, can now look back to what Mr. Romero had been emphasizing to us. One could still picture him straining to the top of his voice explaining patiently the very basic calisthenics that we could use for our daily exercise. We were a very big class then, and the fact that our classes were held at the open-air Silliman grandstand proved to be a challenge to anyone who was trying to speak and be heard. It did not discourage Nep Romero that we could hardly hear him, or that some of us were just a little bit too playful while the class was going on. One time when the class was uncontrollably boisterous, he said we were going to play a fun game instead -- kayukok! It’s a game those who grew up in Dumaguete played in elementary, and surely all of you must have played it and called it by some other name if you grew up elsewhere.

Our P.E. lessons did not end at his lectures. He very generously welcomed us to his home where he would inculcate in us the importance of playing sports -- tennis, bowling, boxing. He had a set of boxing gloves ready for anyone who wanted to bust each other’s chops, or just to spar a few good rounds to show off one’s machismo. Hey, that was the age when we thought we were invincible, really lots of cojones to go around.

We probably didn’t realize it during our high school days, but Nep Romero was a well-rounded person. You just have to look around his house to know that he had been into several sports himself when he was younger; his trophies, medals, pictures and other memorabilia undeniably tell of his storied younger years. He was a serious tennis player, and he was also in the track and field events. He was in the varsity baseball team. He was good at bowling, too. To some of us who toured his living room, he would oblige us by playing the piano -- and he was a very good pianist. He would also give us tips in good grooming, something we found necessary and interesting as we were getting more conscious of our looks and demeanor -- with an eye to impress this pretty classmate here or that beautiful girl there in the other section.

Nep Romero remained a mentor and a friend long beyond our high school years. He had the uncanny ability of remembering all our names several decades later. He could very well remember the names of the girls we liked then, as we were comfortable telling him the girls we secretly admired but which we never got the guts to express -- nakatapad pero wala maka-ingon. He always gave a listening ear, and his warm, playful and sometimes teasing way of talking about our adolescent concerns made him the perfect counselor and go-to person when we needed to express ourselves.

Nep Romero will be missed and will long be remembered. Everyone will agree that our lives now are immensely better, richer and fuller because we have been influenced by teachers at Silliman like Mr. Romero. We can only thank God for the life of Mr. Romero, and how we have all been blessed to have known him. May his soul find peace and comfort in the everlasting arms of God.