Ship Shops: Still Floating After 25 Years

Ship Shops

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Still Floating After 25 Years: Ship Shops Reunion, Rain, Floods, and All

Some reunions are planned carefully.
Others simply happen—and leave you with stories you didn’t expect to tell.

Ours fell into the middle of the first and second categories.

Recently, we gathered for a Ship Shops Group of Companies Reunion at Portiko, a popular party place along 23rd Street in Bacolod. It was meant to be a relaxed evening of catching up, laughing over old memories, and reconnecting after decades apart.

None of us anticipated indoor waterfalls, street flooding, and a reminder that Bacolod will always be Bacolod, Lol.

And yet, it somehow turned out just right.

A Quick Look Back: What Ship Shops Was All About

For those who may not know—or may need a memory refresh—Ship Shops was a subsidiary of the Negros Navigation Company, back when sea travel still felt like an adventure.

The Ship Shops Group of Companies was composed of:

Ship Shops Inc
Negros Galleon
Anchor Food Ventures

All three operated onboard Negros Navigation vessels, handling canteen operations, restaurant services, and manpower deployment. At its peak, the group employed more than 800 people—mostly young, energetic souls filled with ambition, big dreams, and the confidence that the future was wide open.

I was the HR Manager at the time, which meant I knew everyone (well, mostly…), chased everyone, and worried about everyone( I was trying…). That was literally my job.

It was a vibrant company—until it wasn’t.

The company eventually closed in 2001, following the acquisition of the mother company by other entities. That story deserves its own article, preferably with coffee and emotional preparation.

Fast forward to today: 25 years later, this reunion was only our second.

The People Who Showed Up (and Those Who Supported from Afar)

Around 40 people committed to attend and sent their contributions. How many actually showed up? I honestly didn’t count.

For the record, I am no longer their HR, Lol!

Many former colleagues are now abroad. Others, we’ve lost track of over the years—again, please don’t ask me where they are. Retirement from HR duties includes retirement from tracking people.

Still, seeing familiar faces was a highlight:

Our former President, Sir Rey Garcia
Ms. Beth Aloni, our former Admin and Accounting Manager
JB Mapa, who actually started his career with us right after graduating Marketing from La Salle
Ms. Ging Noble, from Negros Galleon

Before I accidentally omit someone and create unnecessary drama, let me stop the roll call there. Take note i added a prefix to some people…of course, seniority ( age, I mean hahaha.)

The event was organized by a reliable trio:

Teena Gacho, former Marketing Manager
Femmy Lee, now Marketing Manager of Merzci
Ian Villa ( now a title holder, Lol…)

Our former President Sir Tonton Mapa and Ms. Belende Gonzaga couldn’t attend due to prior commitments—but they generously sent their contributions, proving that support can be felt even in absence… especially when bills arrive. Thank you. Truly. 😄

Dinner, Ambiance, and a Very Unexpected Indoor Rain [ Ship Shops Reunion ]

The venue was beautifully set.
The ambiance felt perfect for a reunion—warm, festive, and relaxed.

We had dinner and were just about to move into the “fun” part of the evening when the rain started pouring.

At first, it was just outside.

Then it wasn’t.

Corners of the ceiling began to leak. Slowly. Then confidently. What started as droplets turned into something resembling indoor waterfalls. The staff reacted quickly—pails, buckets, and well-practiced coordination suggested this was not their first encounter with rain indoors.

Watching it all unfold, I calmly announced:

“Oh, this looks like our house.”

It was horrifying and funny at the same time.

The carefully planned activities were officially cancelled—courtesy of Mother Nature. We transferred to the inner part of the venue, only to discover that no area of Portiko was completely spared.

The redeeming factor?
Portiko waived the corkage fee for our lechon. At that point, that single gesture deserved a standing ovation.

Because Bacolod Never Misses a Chance to Flood

By around 10:00 PM, the rain still showed no signs of stopping.

Then came the bonus round.

Flooding.

Because yes, Bacolod is a flood city—and we remain loyal to that reputation. (Said with sarcasm, affection, and lived experience.)

Water from the street started creeping into the venue. Panic followed—not for ourselves, but for some of our cars. Especially those with lowered suspensions and fragile confidence (lol).

There were anxious glances outside, silent calculations, and a few whispered prayers. Thankfully, the water eventually subsided, and everyone made it home safely.

Wet, tired—but intact.

Why the Reunion Still Mattered

Looking back, what made the reunion meaningful wasn’t the program, the venue, or even the lechon.

It was seeing old friends again.

Some of us still bump into each other in Bacolod. Others have been busy building lives elsewhere. That night—short, rain-soaked, and chaotic—was the rare moment we were all in one place again.

As a college professor now, I couldn’t help but laugh at the realization that some of their children are already my students.

Time moves quietly. Then suddenly.

Cathy was there, now working with Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand.

From my former HR team: