PLEASE READ:   President's New Year Message
 
New UPBSFI President greets all Betans a HAPPY, FULFILLING, PRODUCTIVE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2008! After setting up the 'infrastructures' during the last three months of 2007, UPBSFI has been set to go on full steam in 2008.
 
With the help of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Builders Forum (a composite group of Officers and volunteers who wish to contribute to the development of programs and projects of UPBSFI), our tireless partners in mission and vision -- JC-SOMA, TK/BNT, OBBF, BBB, the UP Beta Sigma Fraternity International, Inc. is on its way to produce what it has promised in its Work Program submitted to the General Membership last October 2007. With the initiative, creativity and energy of a growing number of dedicated and talented brods who wish to take part in building our 'movement', we might even be able to exceed the promise.
 
Allow me to cheer you up with a MAIDEN ISSUE of UPBSFI's publication called ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS. You will find the article to be very useful, friendly and instructive, written by our very own Brod Gerry Abenes, PhD. (Please click on this link: environmental_awareness). Caring for our environment, as I did mention earlier, shall be among our social involvements as responsible global citizens. We intend to sustain this publication on a regular basis, tapping our very own resources and experts in the field.
 
The immediate future is going to be exciting for UPBSFI. A lot of the programs will either be reported/discussed and/or culminated during our PISMO Conference. Allow me to mention some of them:
 
In keeping with tradition, we are again meeting at PISMO BEACH on January 26, 2008. The agenda will be long but the presentors promise to be as brief as possible. Brod Dr. Titing and Cheng Valdez have done a good job in getting many Brod/Sis to reserve at SpyGlass Inn, this time with a conference room good for all of us. Our meeting is expected to last till dinner on January 26. After dinner, BOD Dan Lachica PhD will be taking an hour briefing us on Six Sigma Management Systems - a state-of-the art technology of which Brod Lachica is a 'black-belter', and he is coming over to the US to judge the Six-Sigma winner-companies. The SpyGlass Inn management have been gracious enough to allow us to use the same room for a whole evening of fellowship. The next day will be a busy one for golfers, who will compete in a tournament directed by Brod Roy Antonio. The women will relish in Sis Lleva Abenes' sharing of her Ikebana technology, an art she learned during her six-year stay in Japan.
 
Ratification of the Amended Constitution and ByLaws -- The CBL Committee, composed of Acting Chairman Fred Aquino, Brandy Ancheta, Ed Quisumbing, Gabby Moraleda (on leave as Chair), and Willie "Tatang" Vergara, has been making consultations since last month with the Board of Directors and the General Assembly. At least 8 passes have been made since we started work on the CBL. Final touches are now being made in consideration of the most recent inputs and will be presented to the General Assembly and the Board of Directors during the last week of January 2008. 
 
A New Global UP Beta Sigma Directory -- minus the Brods based in the Philippines. Committee Chairman Brod Ago Romero has set the deadline of January 7 to submit any new information. The President got a lot of help in building and updating this new directory and those who contributed the most are worth mentioning: Brod Dutch Aragones for the Big Brothers Bounty Brods composed of UPLB and VetMed Brods; Grand Princep Lem Michelena for the Brods residing in the MidWest; Brod Art de Vera, who promised to turn the latest Canada Directory within the week; Brod Anthony Subijano of Australia; Brod Johnny Regadio, who shared the UP Forestry Directory; and Brod James Madduma, who promptly submitted their New York Chapter Directory.
 
A New Official Seal for UPBSFI, which Brod Ago started conceptualizing a few days ago. Two drafts have been submitted as of this writing. This Seal will, as much as possible, follow the Constitutional provision and will be submitted to the Board for approval during the PISMO Conference on January 26, 2008.
 
Our Campaign For New Membership -- appears to be very promising. Already we have 17 new members since last month. Four of the 17 voluntarily turned in their new membership fees. The original target of 75 New Members but the target was recently brought down to 'a more realistic number' of 50, considering that there were only 15 new members during the previous two years. So far, six of the Board Members have already done Part One of the Membership Campaign. They are Brods Noli Nolasco (for 3 UPLB Brods from Calgary, Canada), Ike Araneta (for Brod Popoy Castaneda of Australia), Bong Beredo (for Brod Jojo Criador), Ollie Jumao-as (for Brod Freddy Fajardo) and Brandy Ancheta (for Brod Art de Vera of Canada) and myself (with 10 new recruits). Part Two further promises to generate a lot of new members from Aggie and Forestry, from Canada and Australia. Please click on MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN to see how everyone can participate in Part Two, and possibly win attractive prizes.
 
Kudos to the JC-SOMA and TK/BNT -- our amazing partners in mission and vision. Resident brods from Diliman and Los Baños recently went through Phase 2&3 training on the Pronus-Supinus system of martial arts of legendary Brod Johnny Chiuten in Cebu. Alumni brods Freddy Fajardo & Jojo Alejar (LB) and Ollie Jumao-as (Diliman) accompanied the brods, young enough to be their children, pooling resources from brods and alumni groups supporting the revival of the discipline especially among the resident members of the fraternity. In response, current GPs Migs Alo (Diliman) and Jerico Gascon (LB) chose only those best qualified and with best potential to lead the frat, for the training that lasted a good ten (10) days.
 
A fund-raising campaign for the year is in the offing to augment our measly $2,750 balance in our coffers. A lot of discussions have been made about the Jesse James International Golf Challenge to be held in the Philippines sometime during the mid-year. Appropriate communications have been made with regards to our partners in Manila regarding this project -- specifically the Makati Chapter and the Operation Big Brother Foundation. We have agreed that all proceeds of this project will go towards the funding of our recruitment efforts in our campuses.
 
Another project: SURVIVAL KIT FOR THE NEW BETAN US IMMIGRANT is slated to be published by early 2009. The initial Table of Contents have been referred to at least 3 Brods whom I think might be able to help as we write this ever-important guide to fast-track a new Brod who just recently immigrated to the United States.
 
Another Key to our success: A Promising Set of Elders -- They all said YES to the invitation to become our Council of Elders without hesitation. These include Founder Rico Arranz, Dean Mag Albarracin (now Vice Chairman of the UP Centennial and Chairman/Board Director of many large companies), Dean Ted Topacio, Grand Master Johnny Chiuten, Doctors of Veterinary Medicine Ed Cornelia and Fred Aquino, Former UP Northern California Grand Princep Domi Boy Ramos, Forester Dr. Honorio Carino, Agriculturist Juan Quijano, and UPBSFI's Founding President Norman Bituin. The President will propose two more names to complete the 12-man Council of Elders as provided in the Constitution and ByLaws.  
 
I took over this position on October 1, 2007 with some fear and trembling. The very name itself -- International -- is so intimidating, and the challenge that it poses is so colossal and gigantic. At first my self-doubt was so insuperable even as I knew I could honestly keep my promise to dedicate so many hours per day from Day One till the end of my term. It did not take long for me to realize that the legendary Betan spirit is so alive among so many Brods, and that many of you have been there just waiting to be tapped. I could not name everybody, for there are too many. I rest on the belief that I am just your servant in this restoration movement, and that we are in this together to build our very own ancestral home and bring back the glory that were once in the palm of our hands.
 
I WISH ALL OF US A VICTORIOUS NEW YEAR!!!!
 
As ever your servant,
 
Willlie "Tatang" Vergara