WORK PROGRAM STATUS REPORT

From October 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008

By Willie “Tatang” Vergara

 

  

        

 

It has been six months since we set out to undertake certain projects/programs. Below please see status of each item written in our Work Program. With the ever-growing number of “champions” among our ranks, we have done much more than our promise. It is a long account of what has been a dizzying six months, but I’m sure you will realize that as you read through, you will discover that all these are DONE BY ALL OF US.

 

1)     Membership Campaign – 75 New Members by the end of July 2009 (from a current base of 125 Active members)

 

Already, we have gone way beyond our target of 50. With eight more months to go before our campaign ends on November 30, 2008, we now have 80 new International members. 

 

a)     Board of Directors Recruitment Program – Each BOD member to recruit at
        least one New Member; up to end of March 2008

 

Fourteen members of the Board of Directors have participated so far, as follows: Ike Araneta, Norman Bituin, Raffy Hidalgo, Judz Rey, Noli Nolasco, Manolo Banzon, Johnny Regadio, Jopet Laraya, Bong Beredo, Brandy Ancheta, Edsel Arceo, Ollie Jumao-as, Dan Galoso and myself. The deadline was adjusted to November 30, 2008, which means the rest of the Board Directors still have a chance to participate in this Program.

 

b)     New Member Recruitment Contest – Open to everybody; up to end
        of December 2008. Prize: A timeshare weekend in Cancun, Mexico
        (Thank you, Ike Araneta!)

 

Aside from Brod Ike Araneta, Brod Kiko Delmendo also offered a prize for the Second Place – A Weekend At Lake Tahoe, California. Current frontrunners in this contest are Brods Raffy Hidalgo, Bong Beredo, Noli Nolasco and Judz Rey, in that order. Other Brods who have brought in/ or are helping bring in new recruits under Part B include Ding Navarro, Efren Alvarez, Caloy Las Marias, Ari Valdecanas, Willy Quejada, Yay Topacio, Rolly Zubiri, Rey Carandang, Gerry Abenes, Gene Samson, Lem Michelena, Anthony Subijano, Benild Pires, Pogs Gaspay, Willie Quejada, Val Palattao, Freddy Fajardo, Edsel Arceo, Norman Bituin, Jopet Laraya, Brandy Ancheta, Ike Araneta and Dutch Aragones.

 

2)     Constitutional Amendments/Ratification – Timetable below

 

a)     Consultation with the general membership – up to end of November

 

Consultation was extended until mid-January 2008.

 

b)     Ratification of New Constitution – January 26, 2008

 

New Constitution Ratified on January 26, 2008. Main man was Nong Fred Aquino, Acting Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. Support came from his members Brods Brandy Ancheta, Ed Quisumbing and myself. Brod Gabby had to take a leave due to more pressing matters, including a trip to the Philippines at the height of the preparations. Major contributions outside of the Committee to the enrichment of this all-important document came from the following: Johnny Regadio, Sluggo Rigor, Rolly Zubiri, Norman Bituin, Ollie Jumao-as, Ike Araneta, and Dan Lachica. The draft underwent 9 passes/revisions before it was ratified.

 

c)     Registration with US Government – April 30, 2008

 

Will probably meet deadline.

 

3)     Directory of UP Beta Sigmans in North America – Timetable below

 

a)     Research by Brandy Ancheta, Dutch Aragones, and all Area/Country Directors – up to end of December 2007

 

In addition to the above-mentioned, the others who helped are: Sis Vilma Battad (for BC Canada Brods), Brod GP Lem Michelena (for the MidWest), Brod James Madduma (for New York), Noli Nolasco (for Canada), Anthony Subijano (for Australia) and Brod Johnny Regadio (for Forestry Brods).

 

b)     Layouting by Ago Romero – 1st week of Jan 2008

 

Done on time.

 

c)     Printing by Ago Romero – 2nd and 3rd week of Jan 2008

 

Done on time.

 

d)     Distribution of New Directory – January 26, 2008

 

Done on time, in a full-color booklet, with a new twist -- A personalized Compact Disk is also available upon order with Brod Ago Romero. (email: agograffx@adelphia.net)

 

4)     Collection Target – Average of 80% all Members for the period 2008 – 2009 (up from 53% in 2006-2007)

 

Financial Statements of both Treasurers (USA and Philippines) will show we have collected only 37%, still a far cry from our 80% target for 2008.

 

5)     Fund-Raising Campaign – International Golf Tournament jointly sponsored by UPBSFI and Makati Chapter (specific proposal to be submitted in a separate document)

 

Conceived by Brod Yay Topacio (UP NorCal), with the assistance of his batchmate Roy Antonio (UP SoCal) and Brod Ross Fernando (Makati Chapter) as early as September 2007 as a fund-raiser to finance recruitment activities in UP campuses, this tournament was supposed to be via a tripartite agreement/undertaking between UPBSFI, OBBF and the Makati Chapter. When the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was about to be signed, this time with the inclusion of the Jesus Jayme Foundation, UPBSFAA wanted to be “in” this project, too. By an overwhelming vote of 23 to zero (with only two brods not able to vote), the Board approved the proposal of Brod/Project Manager Yay Topacio’s proposal to indefinitely postpone the golf tournament. This was accompanied by a note by the President to give way “in line of solidarity with UPBSFAA” the opportunity to raise their funds for their operational requirements. Options are being studied, including the holding of the same tourney next year in the USA, in time with another Grand Reunion.

 

6)     Sports & Health Programs/Projects

 

a)     JC/SOMA and Tetada Kalimasada – Continuing; and still acknowledged to
                    be the number one attraction among potential recruits

 

b)     Betan Nerve Treatment – Continuing

 

c)     Pismo Golf Tournament – January 27, 2008 – postponed due to heavy
                    rains

 

d)     International Bowling Tournament – Manila  (tentative) – will do it in the    
        USA for 2008

 

7)     Environmentalism (This is UPBSFI’s social involvement)

 

a)     Awareness Programs (2008) – Monthly Advisory on Environmental      
        Concerns, c/o Resource Persons (Manuel Gaspay, Ph.D., Gerry Abenes,
         Ph.D., Victor O. Ramos, former Secretary of Environment & Natural
         Resources)

 

Started in January 2008, this monthly publication is on its 4th month this April. Three of four issues have been written by Environmental Awareness Editor Brod Gerry Abenes, Ph.D. Pool of resource persons now include Brod Popoy Castaneda, who wrote the March issue on aquatic resources, and Brod Rene de Rueda, former Undersecretary of Environment and Natural Resources.

 

b)     Beyond Awareness Environmental Program (2009) – for approval of the
        BOD before the end of 2008.

 

8)     Intellectual/Cultural/Aesthetic Activities

 

a)     Ikebana – scheduled on January 27 a.m., Pismo Beach, c/o Lleva Abenes

 

Wives and Brods participated in the seminar.

 

b)     Seminar on Six Sigma management systems – c/o Danny Lachica, Ph.D., Six
        Sigma Black Belter

 

Brod Dan Lachica traveled all the way to Pismo to conduct the lecture. An after-lecture hootenanny lasted up to 2:00 a.m. – courtesy of Musicians Joe Lalas, Babes Ignacio (who drove alone through bad weather just for the occasion), Dutch Aragones, and Vee de Vera (who composed a “Pismo” song).

 

c)      Photographic Seminars

 

A new discovery, Brod Bernie Bacosa, has some of his photographs published in our website and currently raising funds for UPBSFI through his photos.

 

9)      New Betan Immigrant Handbook (c/o Tatang in consulation with volunteers)

 

a)      Outline and Table of Contents – April 2008 – On time

 

b)      Inside pages, first draft -  September 2008 - Started

 

c)      Final copy and printing – March 2009

 

10)   Meetings/Conferences

 

a)     Pismo Beach – January 26-27, 2008

 

            Including members of the family, an unprecedented total of sixty-four (64)    
            people went to Pismo Beach. Total number of conference attendees: also an
            unprecedented total of thirty two (32) Brods inspite of threats of heavy rain

and a few others backing out.

UPBSFI, Inc. Secretary Ike Araneta competently document the PISMO proceedings, the highlights of which has been summarized in both text and photographs by ex-Prez Norman Bituin in an article published at the website captioned as “Field of Dreams”.

 

b)     Labor Day weekend 2008 (one-two hours only) – Southern California

 

Fratball organizers have allotted one hour on August 31, 2008 for a UPBSFI, Inc. meeting.

 

c)     Veteran’s Day weekend 2009 – (one-two hours only) Northern California

 

            Tentative (for discussion towards end of the year)

 

d)     Pismo Beach – sometime after July 2009 (turnover to new BOD)

 

Tentative venue        

 

11)    Resident Membership Targets (Double our Membership in 2009) – As stated in our statement of vision, the residents will be at the forefront. UPBSFI will serve merely as Secretariat (specifically, records-keeping and orchestrating) efforts of all partners in mission and vision, specifically JC-SOMA, OBBF, BBB, UP Beta Sigma Northern California, UP Beta Sigma Southern California, our concerned Working Committees e.g. Scholarship Committee, and other groups that may be organized/revived e.g. Fine Arts Revival Group (or equivalent); Padre Faura chapter revival program

 

  1. This is an area where we continue to struggle.

  2. However, the recent Philippine trips of BODs Bong Beredo and Judz Rey which allowed them to see the situation first hand are an added boost to the campaign towards increasing our numbers in our campuses.

  3. BOD Bong has been in touch with Brods from UP Baguio (who have increased their numbers from 5 to 11), and from UP Visayas (from 2 to 4, with some good opportunities to grow at a fast rate.)

  4. BOD Judz promised extra financial help to help grow Padre Faura, which number of members remains at two (2) inspite of the creation by UPBSFAA of a UP Manila Chapter. Brod Gerard Alo, who has four (4) sons, all UP Betans, will likewise be helping out. A strategy towards this end is in the offing.

  5. Our best bets are still our partners in Mission and Vision:

    1. The JC-SOMA (c/o Brods Jopet Laraya and Ollie Jumao-as), which has successfully conducted training in Cebu with GrandMaster Johnny Chiuten, involving many UPLB and Diliman brods – to include Alumni Brods.

    2. The contributors of BBB and Brods Freddy Fajardo and Allan "Jojo" Alejar, who are dedicated not only to providing/administering the scholarship but mentoring as well, plus their involvement in SOMA and TK.

    3. The OBBF mentors of Diliman residents, which membership in UPBSFI has recently grown mainly through its Chairman, Brod Raffy Hidalgo.

 

OTHERS NOT MENTIONED IN OUR WORK PROGRAM (most major ones only)

 

  1. Quantum Leap At Our Website. With our two Webmasters Brods Ollie and Norman burning the midnight oil, UPBSFI, Inc. has created a Treasure Chest that is very much in line with UPBSFI, Inc. mission to restore the identity of UP Beta Sigmans through the contribution and publication of old photographs and mementos that remind us of our glorious past.

Our major contributors here are:

·        Prez Norman, who started the ball rolling by contributing the initial materials for the Mementos and Memory Lane portion of our website and has spent countless hours updating the website;

·        Brod Waly Rodriguez, who shared and continues to share his lifetime work/collection which he has, for many years, been marshalling the submission of old photographs, including directing home visits to memorabilia collector Brod Bobby “Ahas” Manansala; as well as Ely Santiago’s works and Jess Abrera’s lampoons of Brods published in the Philippine Inquirer; and innumerable other contributions related to his previous production of “Photographs and Memories”, “4606 – A Slide Show in commemoration of our Diamond Anniversary”, and his “JC Tribute”.

·        Brod Benild Pires, who has lovingly shared precious Ely Santiago caricatures, Malmon Treasures, Waly Rodriguez sketches during their days at the Collegian;

·        Brod Vic Ramos, whose efforts at securing hard documents relative to our past are providing answers to questions relative to our history.

·        Brods Freddy Fajardo and Dutch Aragones, for most of the UP Los Banos Memory Lane photos.

·        Brod Anthony Subijano, with his collection of photographs of Brods in the 70s.

·        Brod Raffy Hidalgo, with his collection of photographs of Brods in the 80s and 90s.

·        Brod Judz, through his contribution of photographs during his recent visits with Brods around the world and among different groups of Brods in the Philippines, including a memorable stop at the Vinzons Tambayan.

 

2.  Brod Bong Beredo’s GOOGLEGROUPS namely:

 

·              UP-Beta-Sigma-Fraternity-International-@googlegroups.com which made it easy for all of us to communicate with each other using a common address. Some form of restraint have to be re-emphasized though in order to avoid clogging the email boxes of Brods who are (1) still technically challenged, (2) sharing their email addresses with their spouses, (3) too busy to read emails everyday.

·              Tambayan-ni-Malmon@googlegroups.com  which allows Brods an almost unlimited latitude for self-expression; a borderless venue where the Tambayan during our salad days could be re-lived, embarrassing stories narrated; a venue where a brod against brod can be pitted against each other in a one-on-one debate where everybody is the audience. There are no rules except for “Ang pikon ay … matanda na”), no holds barred, no moderator (or maybe all of us could moderate each other when things go out of hand). Registration is at one’s risk. To join, please contact Brod Bong Beredo.

·              These googlegroups, which is being participated by countless Brods, have allowed us to know more about each other and about the generations before and after us. Very importantly, these have allowed us to tap the photographic memory of Brod Pogs’ Gaspay and, to some extent, Brod Willy Quejada (although he tends to give too much info), but much of them are very useful to the writing of our history. It is the hope that these snippets of our past will soon find themselves in a single History of UP Beta Sigma as written by everybody.

           

3.   A growing number of writers and contributors to our website –Ollie
      Jumao-as (Tetada Kalimasada); Dr. Philip Chua M. D. (health and
      medicine); Popoy Castaneda (articles and artworks); Bernie Bacosa (article
      and photography); Pet Grajo; Ted Topacio, et caetera.


4.  A new UP Beta Sigma International Logo and Seal – a labor of love of Brod
     Ago Romero who, for the past decade or so, has been sharing his talents
     without adequate compensation, or with nothing at all. 

 

5.  Donations to beef up a Trust Fund started by Brod Narcing Lapus. Just for the
     record, Brod Narcing Lapus gave $2,000 even before the UPBSFI, Inc. was
     founded in 2001. Half of this remains collectible. New Brods came forward to
     add to this fledgling fund, namely: Brod Gene Samson ($1,000) and Brod Ike
    Araneta ($1,000 in the form of a pledge). It is the hope that we will grow this
     fund together. With 100 of us pledging $500, that will translate into a $50,000
     Trust Fund, the earnings of which can be used to fund our recruitment activities
     even after we’re gone.   

6. The voluntary, open-to-all, discussion group called the Builders Forum has
    contributed a lot to the evolution and enrichment of ideas and concepts. This
    Forum adopts a “revolving door” policy in the sense that anybody could
    participate in the “building” of an idea or project and can always get out of the
    loop anytime. Still at its early stage of development, this forum has contributed
    substantively to the development of the Membership Campaign Program and to
    the Jesus Jayme International Golf Challenge. Most active participants in this
    forum were: Brods Johnny Regadio, Boy Ramos, Fred Young, Fred Aquino,
    Ike Araneta, Ollie Jumao-as, Norman Bituin, Yay Topacio and Dan Lachica.

 

    This is also a chance for Brods living in far-away places where face-to-face    
    interactions with other Betans are few and far between, to take part in Fraternity-
    related discussions. Art Atega of Oman, Middle East is among those who
    registered in this Form.

 

7. Although not part of the regular program, UPBSFI, Inc. (through the efforts of
    our Treasurers Edsel Arceo and Raffy Hidalgo) has served as a conduit
    to help the family of deceased Brod Sonny Quedding
by generous contributors:

    Ding Navarro, Mando Enrico; Angie Ouano; Art Martin; Noli Nolasco, Edsel
    Arceo, Norman Bituin, Carlos Las Marias, Waly Rodriguez, Willy Quejada

8. It is also true in the case of Brod Cesar Aparato, who suffered a massive heart  
    attack while in Houston. Several brods came out to express their desire to assist    
    Cesar’s family in both funds and know-how – Brods Rey Carandang, Bogan
    Cabanatan, Bart Gacad, Noli Nolasco, Roy Antonio, Johnny Regadio (on health
    policies in the USA), Victor O. Ramos, Brandy Ancheta, Fred Young, Judz
    Rey and Manny Casaclang.

 

9.  It is also worth mentioning that everybody has cooperated in our call to remain
     focused in our Vision and Mission
, which has been a very important facet that
     made us accomplish all of the above.