[All other photos by Randy Malayao]

Brod Cirilo Serna, UPLB Founding Brother - RIP
(Eulogy by Brod Vic Ramos, ‘62UPD)
 

     At my advancing age, I find myself often a sad witness to a procession of old brods, colleagues and friends pass away into eternity. One by one they move on leaving me bereft.

     Tonight we honor another brother who has left us. A pillar of our fraternity, Former DENR Assistant Secretary and Director Cirilo Serna was one of the charter members of the UPLB Beta Sigma Fraternity. That he belonged to that select group of illustrious founders was testament to his character and promise as a young forestry student in Los Banos in 1950 when Founding Brothers Rudy Ylarde and Ed Mabesa selected the best and brightest students to start off a new campus institution. We have honored that great promise. The fraternity now stands tall, strong and vibrant with a solid record of achievements.

     I first met Brod Ciloy in 1987 when I joined the DENR as a newly appointed Undersecretary for Field Operations. As Director of Forestry at that time, he was one of the most powerful bureaucrats in government. His signature alone could make a lucky grantee of a Timber License Agreement earn in today’s money at least P150 million a year. Under a new reorganization approved by then President Cory, directors like him would lose much of that authority. Their new role was to remain as advisers or staff to the DENR Secretary.

     I had expected the directors to resist the new organizational plan. So, I made personal calls on all of them. My first meeting was with Director Serna. Surprisingly, he calmly accepted the new set-up. In fact, he was most cooperative. He helped me with insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the key people in his bureau. From this briefing, I was able to choose the best people under my wing and the reasons why I selected Brods Rene de Rueda and Bernie Agaloos as my deputies (Assistant Secretaries). I chose many of the people that he recommended to man the regions which became the new centers of authority.

     I could surmise that the reason Brod Ciloy did not feel any loss in giving up so much discretion and authority was that he did not take advantage of his vast powers to make money for himself. That’s why when I announced the sad news about his demise, I remembered him as an honest and righteous public servant. By his personal example of dignity and probity in public service, he gave a full measure of the fraternity’s greatness as a brotherhood of noble men. In his honor, I quote below a poem by Robert Burns:

              “An honest man here lies at rest,
               The friend of man, the friend of truth,
               The friend of age, and guide of youth:
               Few hearts like his, with virtue warm'd,
               Few heads with knowledge so inform'd;
               If there's another world, he lives in bliss;
               If there is none, he made the best of this.”

     History and the frailty of human memories can be harsh. We are lucky if we are remembered at all after we die. Then at the end of our days on Earth, we earn at most a line in an epitaph that sums up our whole life. But for Brod Cirilo Serna “An honest man” is a great one to be remembered with. But more than that, as a founding and charter brother he will forever live in the memories of Betans long into the future -- a loving gratitude that will not die.

     I am personally honored as a Betan to remember him tonight. Now he takes his rightful place in the pantheon of our fraternity heroes.
 

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MESSAGES

Brods,

I just received the sad news that Brod Cirilo Serna, one of the founding members of our UPLB chapter, passed away at 3pm today. He retired as Director of the Forest Management Bureau, DENR. Like his batch mate Brod Doroteo Antonio who died earlier, Brod Siloy remained righteous and honest as a public servant even in the face of so much temptations to get rich during the heyday of logging in the country.

May he rest in peace with our Lord.

VicR'62UPD
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Dear Sir/ Brod VOR:

Thank you for informing the brotherhood on the recent death of our former colleague and a brod from DENR- FMB Director Cirilo "Siloy" Serna. The last time I saw him was at his residence in Sampaloc Manila prior our fraternity's 60th anniversary celebration. We invited him to attend the said celebration but declined because of his arthritis-related medical condition.

Indeed Brod Ka Siloy is an epitome of a silent but very dedicated and committed public servant during his days in the Philippine bureaucracy. I just hope that there will be more Brod/Ka Siloy among our incumbent public officials.

May I enjoin all the members of our brotherhood to offer a special prayer for the eternal repose of Brod/Ka Siloy's soul, including those of other brods who have gone ahead of us.

Rene, UPLB '64
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A special prayer for a honest man who made an honest living.
Our pride and pleasure to know he is our Beta Sigma brother.
May his good soul roam the Philippine forests he dearly loved
and protected.

Veedevera'67 UPLB
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CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY OF BROD CIRILO SERNA UPLB '50.
LETS PRAY FOR THE ETERNAL REPOSE OF SOUL OF BROD CIRILO.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE!

Maeng Ramirez UPLB'68
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My Dear Brods,

It is with regret informing you on the death of brod and former Forest Management Bureau (FMB) Director Cirilo "Ciloy" Serna, UPLB '50. Brod Ciloy is one of the Founding/Charter Members of the UPLB Beta Sigma Fraternity in 1950. He was acknowledged to be an honest, righteous and hard working government official during his time.

Our fraternity's final rites for Brod Ciloy is scheduled on November 25, 2013, Monday at 7pm at the Superior Chapel of the La Funeraria Paz, Araneta Avenue, Quezon City. The same will be led by our resident brothers from the UPLB.

All alumni and resident brothers, especially those from Metro Manila and LB, are enjoined to attend that last fitting moment of honoring a dear fraternity brother.

Let us continue praying for the eternal repose of the soul of Brod Ciloy Serna and those of other brothers who had earlier joined our Creator. God bless our dear brotherhood!

Rene, UPLB '64
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