The U.P. Beta Sigma: Facing the New Challenges of the 21st Century
By TEODULO M. TOPACIO, JR. DVM, PhD., Batch ‘49

Delivered during the formal organization of the UP Beta Sigma USA May 27, 2001, Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, USA

Our venerable founder Jesus Jayme, most respected UP Beta Sigma Alumni Association President Romy Lumauig, my beloved fraternity brothers, my former students who are also brods at the UP College of Veterinary Medicine, sis (wives of brods), ladies and gentlemen and friends. A pleasant good evening to all of you.

It is an honor and a privilege for me to be invited and to address you on this milestone in the history of our beloved fraternity: founding of the UP Beta Sigma USA and the 18th year of the UP Northern California Chapter. It is also a time for the reunion of brods in this part of the world. At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude and that of Mrs. Topacio to the vet med brods, particularly Brods Narcing Lapuz and Fred Aquino, who exerted a lot of effort in making possible our trip to attend this grand reunion of USA Brods. I can only credit the UP Betan spirit that made our VetMed Brods in California finance our visit in this famous city of San Francisco. Mrs. Topacio and I will always cherish your generosity.

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, Beta Sigma was clearly the most prestigious fraternity in campus. It was this prestige which lured the bright students to join. In my case, I joined because Brod Teddy Padilla who recruited me was a University Scholar, the highest student scholastic achievement in UP with an average of 1.25 or better. Since there were so few of them, they were the “elite” on campus. I was only a College Scholar with an average of only 1.75. It was Brod Teddy who inspired me to join, and with the exhortations of Brod Narcing I finally did. I have not regretted it since. I will always consider Beta Sigma the best Fraternity in UP. If it were not so, I would not have allowed my son Yay to join Beta Sigma and passed the physical rites of initiation. Again, no regrets. Yay is doing well today. After getting his tourism degree in the UP Asian Institute of Tourism, he went to the States and got his MBA in Minnesota. He then went home and became Director of the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel. The LA brods know him quite well for he worked in one of the Marriott Hotels there. Presently he is Deputy Director of the Philippine International Convention Center. I am very proud of my son and brod Yay, a die-hard Betan. His wife Jinn is also an active member of the UP Beta Sigma Ladies Corps… I understand that some of the ladies here were former members of the Ladies Corps. Incidentally how many alumni have sons who joined the Fraternity? You can be the best recruiter for your son, isn’t it?

On this occasion, I chose the topic, the new challenges to our fraternity because I believe we are in the period whereby the existence of our fraternity in the 21st century is at stake. More than anybody else, we the elders are very much concerned since this millenium is replete with uncertainties. To set the tone for this topic, let me briefly recall the history of our fraternity. We have a popular Filipino proverb that says: “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa pupuntahan.” So let us briefly look back at how our UP Beta Sigma came into being, its organizers and founders and its accomplishments. In this way we can deduce as to how it will fare in the 21st century.

Many of you can still remember the history of the UP Beta Sigma. Our fraternity was formed by the fusion of two groups of high school graduates, all scholars. They were from UP High headed by Brod Jesus Jaime, better known as Jesse James, who is present tonight, Brod Tom Fernandez and Brod Tuyo Fernandez, now deceased. The Ateneo and La Salle group was headed by Brods Nick Jacinto, Rico Arranz and Teddy Padilla. They agreed that there was an urgent need to form a fraternity composed of scholars. Under the guidance of Professor David Wico, also very well known among brods as Tio David, the fraternity was formed on July 14, 1946, by 34 founders in all.

Within a short period after the founding, Beta Sigma made an indelible imprint in all University campus activities. Although relatively few in number compared to the older fraternities, the resident brods assumed the leadership in intellectual jousts, for example winning the gold medal in the Inter-fraternity Sorority Oratorical Contest. Brod Rico Arranz won that prestigious Gold Medal. In campus politics, Brod Teddy Padilla won the presidency of the Junior and Student Councils, a feat that surprised the studentry since these have been the monopoly of the older fraternities. In the social and cultural activities, our resident brods made their mark particularly among the fine arts brods. We had the annual Folkways, a big hit in UP, where the performing and non-performing artists of the Fraternity were at center stage. It was during this period that the Betan Credo came into being through the inspired pen of Brod Pros Crescini. Brod Johnny Moreno composed the Betan Hymn, Betan Marching song and the well liked drinking song and many others. I understand that the brods in the USA still sing the Betan drinking song a lot, but without the alcohol anymore. In sports, Beta Sigma was synonymous to karate. The downside of it is that brods earned the title “war freaks”, although many of the attractive ladies in UP have always been attracted to the Betan machismo. I gather that even one of our guests tonight, journalist Gemma Nemenzo and a sister of now UP President Dodong Nemenzo, recently wrote about the dreaded Betan karatistas in one of her articles.

It was also during these times that the symbol of our fraternity was born: Malmon a creation of Brod Banz -- an excellent painter and a karate expert. All of us know Brod Banz is now fighting the dreaded Big C. He needs your help. I am distributing copies of a letter written by Brod Joe Diaz, Batch ’78, from Vet Med, detailing a fund raising project through the sale of the Malmon Folio—a compilation of all Malmon creations crafted by Brod Banz. Proceeds will support medical care of Banz. The ROTC was the monopoly of the Fraternity with leaders like Brods Boy Morales, Ding Navarro, Ed Soliman, Teddy Rey, Rolly Santos, Rene Lirio, Oliver Amorin, to name a few, and were leading officers of the the UP Vanguard.

The founding of the UPLB Beta Sigma in August 13, 1950 under the initiative of Brod Manny Aliño of Diliman and the leadership of Brod Rudy Ylarde of UPLB, is what I consider one of the more important accomplishments of the UP Beta Sigma residents in UP Diliman. There were 62 founding Beta Sigmans from the Colleges of Agriculture and Forestry. Like their Diliman counterparts, the UPLB Betans took hold of the leadership in all campus activities. They even improved on the accomplishments of their Diliman brods! During those days, UPLB brods excelled in theatrical arts. They produced a total of 26 presentations among which, to mention a few: South Pacific, A Man for All Seasons, Becket, East of Eden, Our Town, to name a few. All were acclaimed as brilliant performances. All these accomplishments were made by the resident brods. What about the alumni? What did they accomplish? Because of their exposure to the challenges faced during their resident days, which they were able to overcome with flying colors, the same brods made notable successes in their chosen fields. In the field of law, Brod Teddy Padilla became Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, so did Brod Vic Mendoza. Brod Raul Victorino is also a justice in the Sandiganbayan. In the academe, Brod Pepe Abueva became UP President, the highest position in the university and he has left his mark in the affairs of the university. Just recently he founded the Kalayaan College, a private tertiary educational institution located in Marikina City. During the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of our Fraternity, where he addressed the brods, he recited the Commitment of the UP Beta Sigma composed by him. Brod “Fort” Battad of UPLB became president of 4 state universities in succession before finally becoming the president of Central Luzon State University (CLSU). Brod Pio de Roda became Undersecretary in the Department of Finance while Forestry graduate, Brod Mon Paje is now Acting Secretary in the DENR. A lot of Brods also excelled in this Department, that is to include Brods Del Ganapin and Pogs Gaspay. I know you’re here Pogs … the Makati Brods are missing you, but as we say during our indoctrination, family comes first before the fraternity. Going back, Brod Vic Ramos was Secretary of the DENR and was boss among all these great brods who served the Department. Brod Orly Sacay became Undersecretary of Cooperative Development and Brod Joe Madamba founded the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research of the Department of Agriculture. Brod Boy Morales became Secretary for Agrarian Reform with Brod Ding Navarro as his Undersecretary for Operations. Several brods have been elected governors and mayors.

How about the vet med brods? Here is an area where I am more familiar since I was their mentor in the college and their adviser in the fraternity. I am proud to say that they have made their mark in the government and private sectors in the Philippines and the USA, as well. Several of them have established thriving practices here after passing the tough State board exams in many States. Successful practitioners to mention those who are here tonight are: Brods Ed Cornelia and Louie Cabaluna, both founding Grand Princeps of the two California Chapters, Narcing Lapuz, Carling Taguinod, Art Martin and Winston Acevedo. Brod Pepe Abueva, then UP President, told me that he was very much impressed with the vetmed brods who showed him around when he visited California. Many vetmed brods made good in the Federal Meat Inspection Service of the USDA. With us tonight are: Brods Fred Aquino, Billy Gurango, Cecilio Felix, Ding de Guzman, Belisario “ Monty” Monteagudo and Emy Fajardo. If I remember right, Brod Lapuz worked for sometime in the USDA too. I gather that other VetMed brods here have made very good in their respective fields – Brod Flor Pagador, Alan Torneros, Cesar Antonio, Brandy Ancheta. To those I have missed please forgive me. After all these years I cannot remember all of you. But I was definitely not absent-minded when I was teaching you in my Pathology and Microbiology classes. You must remember, were it not for these subjects that you studied, sweated and passed under me you would not have qualified as Federal Meat Inspectors, Agreed? Okay! In the Philippine government service several brods have also made their marks – many of them as Directors and even successful politicians. Of course yours truly became Dean of the UP College of Veterinary Medicine, Chairman of the Board of Veterinary Medicine Examiners and the Chairman of the Department of Agriculture National Committee for the Animal Disease Control and Emergencies.

There are so many successful VetMed students in the Philippines, and the list is long but the time is short.

In the business circles, Brods are also excelling as top executives – whether it be in the softdrinks industry, livestock and poultry, construction industry, military, politics – you name it, we have it. You will see a list of specific names at our UP Beta Sigma website.

While looking back on these accomplishments gives us a sense of pride as members of this venerable fraternity, we should not allow ourselves to sit back and rest on our laurels. We must realize that there are challenges that face our Fraternity as we enter the new millennium. I have been informed that there are now only relatively few resident brods in both the Diliman and Los Baños Campuses compared to 50’s, 60’s and the 70’s. Their numbers have diminished in recent years and if this trend continues, I am afraid the day will come when we will no longer have alumni brods. This will be a sad day should it come to this. That is why I consider RECRUITMENT as our top priority. Sadly, among students today, the prestige of the Fraternity as the main reason for joining it is gone. They look for much more beyond this and the other reasons you and I joined this Fraternity. Which is why I believe the issue of recruitment must be of utmost concern to all of us for the life of Beta Sigma depends on how we resolve this issue.

One strategy is to allow active recruitment in the collegiate and post collegiate levels to be done simultaneously. Another is to give scholarships to academically superior but financially strapped high school graduates especially from the provinces. These scholarships will acquaint them with the noble ideals of the Beta Sigma and perhaps this will encourage them to join. But this will need funds. Plenty of it. You can help provide these.

One immediate feasible strategy of recruitment, which is achievable, is to make it a requirement for all officers of the Frat to have a quota in the number of qualified neophytes they must recruit. The biggest quota will be required from the GP. If he cannot fulfill his quota then he has no right to be a GP. This will hold true for the other officers. They must exert their best efforts to recruit and convince especially the bright students to join. Perhaps our brods in the marketing field can help come up with a viable strategy which will project our fraternity in the best light among these students.

The alumni especially those who are highly successful in their chosen careers should help in the recruitment by sponsoring prospective candidates to join. An intelligent student fresh from high school will be very much impressed if a successful alumnus brod will talk to him personally and exhort him to join. Brod Pepe Abueva suggested that alumni Beta Sigmans who have become prominent names in their fields of endeavors should band themselves together and act as think tanks and advocates of policy and institutional changes. There could be such think tanks for judiciary reforms, military modernization, innovations in the academe, science and technology, business, sports and culture as well as politics. I am confident that we have alumni brods who are more than qualified to be members of these think tanks. If they can be organized and they make their presence felt through their outputs, the younger generation of students will be impressed and, consequently, will be inspired to join the Beta Sigma. These think tanks should also come up with ways and means in the recruitment of bright students to join the Fraternity.

To keep up with the times, there is a need to apply innovative technologies in our recruitment processes. The use of computers, cell phones and the Internet should be availed of. We now have our own website where we can attract prospective applicants since many bright students already have their own PC’s.

On the post collegiate level, young professionals can be lured to join. I think there are a number of professionals out there who would like to be identified with Beta Sigma especially if they will become brods of colleagues who are successful and well known in their fields. This strategy has been tried on a limited scale by the VetMed brods notably by the late Brod Alex Aquino and Brod Ed Niones. There was no hazing, physically, but there was a lot of mental hazing. The products have fared well in supporting the fraternity and other brods. In fact many of them are more active in the affairs of the frat than those who have been physically initiated. I realize that this strategy is controversial, but are there other ways by which we can recruit good materials in the light of these recent developments? Your suggestions will be welcomed by our alumni association.

But in all these endeavors, logistical and moral support are needed. For example, up to now our fraternity, both the resident and alumni, are not yet financially stable. We must find a way whereby UP Beta Sigma will have a bountiful war chest in order to meet and overcome the challenges of the 21st century. Any organization, in order to be effective and strong must have an adequate and continuous financial support. Therefore, another priority of the UP Beta Sigma Alumni Association is FINANCIAL CAPABILITY. We must find ways and means to raise the needed funds. Only by being financially stable can our fraternity stay strong. The residents and your alumni association have been doing this on short-term basis. We should now do this on a long-term program. I am pleased to inform you that your alumni association has come up with a long range program that if strictly implemented, will result in the financial strength of our fraternity: The UP Beta Sigma Endowment Fund.

Brods, these are the two priorities that we must resolve: RECRUITMENT and FINANCIAL CAPABILITY. Once we do, then we can meet the challenges of the 21st century. I am confident that if we pool our talents and resources in resolving these two issues, we will persevere and continue to make our mark in the next 50 years and beyond. We, the older members are passing the torch to you—the younger but ever enthusiastic alumni and residents. The continued existence of our beloved UP Beta Sigma which we the elders have nurtured to reach its glorious heights during its early years, is now in your hands. Do not fail us.

Thank you.