By Cyrus A. Natividad

Members of the group regularly meet to develop a new CPUAAI Chapter in Western Australia.

A new Centralian group shines in Australia. “It will become another CPU Alumni Chapter soon”, May Lynn Bond (also known as Mrs. Bond for a long time) informed the Weekly Centralian Link. “It is not a Chapter yet, but I consider it a group of Centralians bonded by the Central Spirit. Our aim here is for the group to meet regularly and elect a president”, Bond said.
“I thought I was the only Centralian here,” she said. But according to her, they have already started with 13 members (thanks to Mauro Somodio). “I was informed by Mauro that my teacher in High School, Amando Robles lives in Perth. I also met Jonathan Hipe from Pavia Baptist Church. We love to welcome other Centralians around the area in Western Australia to our group.”

Now a retiree, Bond devotes her time as a volunteer with the Activ Foundation, working for people with disabilities. She is a volunteer teacher for computers and digital devices to senior citizens, and as volunteer secretary for the Victoria Park- South Perth and other districts.

Looking back, Mary Lyn Subang (Mrs. Bond’s maiden name) recalls her fond memories of growing up at Central. “I was a member of the Bell Choir of CPU Elementary School and got the best actress award in High School. We had a group called Campus Crusade for Christ and we were moving around witnessing to students. Oh, I took up archery to get out of playing ball games, as I was hopeless with it”, she said.

Mary Lyn graduated with a degree in Commerce, Major in management from CPU in 1981. She got married, and in 1985 she moved to work in Australia in various offices. She became Director and licensee of a Child Care Center which was licensed for 25 kids. Her family owned and operated it while the children were still small.

To update her skills she took up studies in Management and worked at one of the top Universities in Australia – the University of Western Australia in 1999. Later she was offered a job as a personal assistant to the Director of the University’s Graduate School of Management. She also worked for CFM Global, a recruitment firm as a Manager.

“I fly back to our country once in a while to recruit Filipinos and help resettle them in Australia. I found my career fulfilling because I am helping our fellow Filipinos to live better lives.” Mary Lyn is also a qualified Interior Designer, for which she is able to manage an architectural firm in Perth.

She attributes her career advancement to her training in CPU. “I am very grateful for the bountiful blessings and opportunities it has given me. I had a learning journey”, she said.
She added that “We should live and learn, and make God the center of our life. Let our light shine and be kind to one another”. With the COVID19 Pandemic, she said “Western Australia has locked down the borders and travel is difficult at the moment. Getting together had been difficult as restrictions are imposed from time to time. However, helping and coordinating with one another through an online system have been very helpful. We look forward for things to be back to normal.”
A program for the conceived CPUAAI Chapter in Western Australia is now under development.