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"Sleepless in Siyatol" by Willie Vergara'67
CONGRATULATIONS to our Seattle/NorthWest Brods for having conducted a successful and very well organized First Fraternity Ball.
I missed the Welcome Night but for a very good reason. Tess and I had to take this opportunity to visit the clan of our beloved and ultimate Beta Sigma legend -- JESUS R. JAYME. Mom Leonor Jayme and the rest of her clan -- Perry and Lito, Telly and Rick, and Norie and Doug -- treated us to a bacchalian meal at the classy and exclusive Richmond Country Club.
The Jaymes with Willie & Tess Vergara
Vancouver Betans & Wives with Ike & Tanya Araneta
Seattle, WA
GP Cosme Santiago was the most ubiquitous figure, of course, overseeing every facet and activity of the weekend festivities, and was ably supported by wife Aurora, a photography hobbyist. I saw Brod Anggie Garbes (newly elected BOD of UPBSFI) and wife Josie truly put their hearts out to help in many ways -- until 3 am last Monday and back again at the picnic site after a few hours of sleep.
Welcome Night
Marriott SeaTac was a most suitable place considering its proximity to the airport and the constant shuttle service, plus the covered court where the Monday brunch was held. I know that they had planned to hold this brunch somewhere else, but I assume option B (covered court) was even a better and more convenient place.
It was also nice to see Laila again (wife of Benild) after so many years; British Columbia GP Vic Battad and his wife Vilma; UP Southern California Brods and their wives; and Dabaweno Anggie Angliongto. Plus many others whom many of us have met for the first time -- Cebuano Tony Lu, Regional Director Jun Galinato, Juvenal Serna, etc.
Benild Pires & Ike Araneta Willie Vergara with Laila & Benild Pires
Eva & Ago Romero, Anggie Angliongto, UP SoCal GP Frank Mamaril The Ilocos Sur Betan Hit Squad
Tony Lu, Ike Araneta, Ed Quisumbing, Joe Lalas JohnnyR, IkeA, AnggieA, RenedeR, FrankM
Jun Galinato, Rene de Rueda, Tanya Araneta, Willie & Tess Vergara, Frank Mamaril, Anggie Angliongto
Macky Lamarca, Jun Valenzuela, Willie Vergara, Angie Garbes, Roman RL Frantela, Ike Araneta
I observed the victorious faces of Brods Sluggo Rigor (The Voice) and pretty wife Marivic, Don(ny) and Marie Ganchorre, Nards (The IntroMan) and Angie Taggueg, Ronnie and Marlene Dimaano (former members of UP Northern California Chapter), Ed Cuevas and pretty wife Gigi who I saw working in the kitchen till dawn with her formal attire, and my “apo” Greg Vergara. It was also nice to see Brods Roman RaulLopez Frantela and Macky Llamarca once again, and their new member Brod Ben Manzano, who recently transferred his new family to Seattle from the East.
GP Cosme Santiago
Ago Romero & Eddie Cornelia Pogs Gaspay
Macky & Miriam Lamarca UP NorCal GP Nol Banzon & Cecil Felix
Ago & Eva Romero Eddie & Evelyn Cornelia
Ike & Tanya Araneta Pogs & May Gaspay
Jun & Iou Valenzuela Billy & Bel Gurango
BOD Usec Rene de Rueda, the guest speaker, made an endearing speech that made everyone happy.
The most applauded line was "All Betans are ruggedly
handsome."
Our meeting at the poolside was very well attended and all eight BODs
present with their respective Proxies were in attendance, plus other brods
like Benild Pires, Nards Taggueg and Ernie Tremor. (My apologies to those
I failed to mention.) The meeting went way beyond the intended
30-minutes but it was generally a productive one. One of the meeting
highlights was a resolution by BOD Anggie Angliongto to institutionalize
the policies, rules and procedures in future UPBSFI elections (with
improvements, if necessary) AND to grant an award to Nong Fred and the
rest of his Election Committee for the successful conduct of the Election.
Nong Fred responded with some humour, "It was just because there was no
'Hello, Garci'."
[Photos by Ike Araneta, Willie Vergara and Cosme Santiago]
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BETA SIGMA BELOVED Speech delivered by Brod Rene de Rueda, UPLB'64 GREETINGS… I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU TONITE, AND HUMBLED BY THE HONOR YOU BESTOWED TO AN ORDINARY MORTAL WHOSE ONLY BEST CREDENTIAL IS TO BE A MEMBER OF OUR BELOVED BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY. I HOPE THAT MY TALK WITH YOU TONITE WILL NOT PUT YOU INTO SLEEP AS I AM NOT A GOOD MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER. HOWEVER, BETA SIGMANS ARE TRAINED TO ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TASKED TO GIVE HONOR TO OUR BELOVED FRATERNITY. PERSONALLY, I FOUND OUT THAT THE FRATERNITY’S INITIATION WAS IN FACT A GOOD TRAINING FOR PERSONAL AND MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS A TEST ON HOW YOU COULD DIVIDE YOUR VALUABLE TIME FOR STUDIES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DOING THE ERRANDS FOR YOUR MASTERS, LIKE BRINGING FLOWERS TO THEIR LOVED ONES. WE WERE FORCED TO SHELVE OUR SHYNESS TO BECOME MORE REASSURING AND CONFIDENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE EXPLAINED TO THIR LADIES THE REASON FOR THE FLOWERS AND LOVE NOTES. WE BECAME MORE CREATIVE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE ORDERS GIVEN BY THE MASTERS. SHARING WAS VERY ALIVE IN THE BROTHERHOOD. ONE CIGARETTE FOR EXAMPLE WAS BEING SHARED BY TWO, AND IN SOME CASES, BY THREE BROTHERS. SOME BRODS WERE SO ACCURATE THAT THEY WERE USING A FOOT RULER TO MEASURE THE EXACT LOCATION IN THE CIGARETTE WHERE THE TRANSFER OF PUFFING STARTS. IN SOME CASES, WHEN SOME BRODS HAVE DELAYED RECEIVING THEIR MONTHLY ALLOWANCES, CARING FOR THESE BRODS WAS A WAY OF LIFE. “WE ARE BROTHERS KEEPERS”, AND WE SHOULD BE. AS IN THE CASE OF THE PAPAYA BRODS, WHERE MOST OF THEM WERE COOKING AND SHARING THEIR OWN FOOD WITH CONCERNED BROTHERS. IN SOME INSTANCES, WE HAVE TO SACRIFICE OUR COMFORT BY USING THE BUDGET FOR OUR JEEPNEY FARES IN ORDER TO ENJOY NON- BUDGETED ACTIVITIES, LIKE BILLIARD GAME. HIKING WITH THE BRODS, HOWEVER, FROM GROVE OR CROSSING TO THE TOWN PROPER OF LOS BANOS HAD RESULTED INTO MUCH DEEPER RELATIONSHIP AS FRATERNITY BROTHERS. BROTHERLY COMPETITION WAS ALSO PREVALENT IN THE FRATERNITY. WE HAVE MANY BRODS WHO WERE EXCELLING IN ACADEMICS, TO NAME A FEW, THE LIKES OF BRODS VIC VALDEPENAS, DAVID GUZMAN, CRIS VILAR, OCA GULMATICO. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, MY SCHOLARSHIP CAME FROM THE FUNDS OF MY PARENTS. NEVERTHELESS I ALSO GOT GOOD GRADES THAT IN SOME CASES, I WAS ALSO EXEMPTED FROM TAKING FINAL EXAMS. BY THE WAY, IT IS WORTH TELLING YOU MY DEAR BROTHERS, THAT MY GRADES WAS MUCH BETTER WHEN I WAS ALREADY IN THE FRATERNITY. THANKS TO THE BROTHERHOOD THAT HELPED ME DEVELOP MY FULL POTENTIALS AS A STUDENT. WE HAVE THEN BALANCED PRIORITIES IN THE FRATERNITY. AS THEY SAY “ALL BASES ARE COVERED”. WE HAD MANY SCHOLARS AT THE TIME, WHICH THE FRAT HAD SPECIAL MEANS TO PROTECT ESPECIALLY DURING TURBULENT TIMES. WE WERE ALSO VERY STRONG IN ATHLETICS, IN CAMPUS POLITICS, IN DEBATES, IN LITERARY. WE EVEN HAVE THE SO- CALLED FRONT- LINERS FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES. BROTHERS IN THE FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT SECTOR BRODS, JUST FYI, FORESTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES STARTED AS EARLY IN 1863 UPON ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTION CALLED “INSPECCION DE MONTES”. IT ADOPTED THE REGALIAN DOCTRINE WHICH MANDATED THAT ALL THE NATURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE FORESTS, ARE OWNED BY THE STATE, AND ANY FORM OF ITS UTILIZATION SHOULD BE SUBJECT OF PERMITTING SYSTEM. PRIOR HOWEVER TO THE COMING OF THE SPANIARDS, OUR FORESTS, ACCORDINGLY, WAS MANAGED BY THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OCCUPYING THE DIFFERENT ISLANDS OF THE COUNTRY. THESE TRIBES HAVE THE FORESTS AS THEIR HOME, THEIR PHARMACY, THE SOURCE OF THEIR FOOD, THEIR SACRED GROUND. THE FIRST SCHOOL OF FORESTRY IN THE COUNTRY WAS ESTABLISHED WAY BACK IN 1910. ITS MAIN PURPOSE THEN WAS TO SUPPLY THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENT OF THE FORESTRY SERVICE. HENCE, THE DIRECTOR OF FORESTRY WAS THE CONCURRENT HEAD OF THE SCHOOL. THIS IS ALSO THE SCHOOL WHICH PRODUCED MANY BETA SIGMANS WHO BECAME LEADERS IN THE PHILIPPINE FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT SECTORS. IT WAS IN 1950, WHEN THE BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE UPLB SYSTEM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BROTHER RUDY YLARDE. THERE WERE 62 UPLB STUDENTS WHO WERE INDUCTED AS CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE FRATERNITY, OF WHICH 21 CAME FROM THE UP COLLEGE OF FORESTRY. THIS STARTED THE PRESENCE OF THE FRATERNITY IN THE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY, AND HAD BEEN SUSTAINED THRU THE YEARS. THESE WERE ALSO THE BRODS WHO LATER JOINED THE GOVERNMENT AND PROVIDED SERVICES IN THE AREA OF LAND CLASSIFICATION, FOREST MANAGEMENT, PROTECTED AREA/NATIONAL PARKS, REFORESTATION AND INDUSTRIAL FORESTRY, SOCIAL FORESTRY, AMONG OTHERS. THE BANNER YEAR OF THE BETA SIGMANS THE YEAR 1975 IS A VERY IMPORTANT PERIOD FOR THE FORESTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND TO THE FRATERNITY. THIS WAS THE YEAR WHEN THE PD 705, THE FORESTRY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, WAS APPROVED. ONE OF THE MEN BEHIND ITS APPROVAL IS OUR BROD- ED CORTES. FROM THE YEAR 1975 TO DATE, THERE ARE 9 DIRECTORS OF THE FORESTRY BUREAU, OF WHICH 5 DIRECTORS BELONG TO OUR FRAT, NAMELY, BRODS ED CORTES, IRENEO DOMINGO, CIRILO SERNA, JOE MALVAS, AND ROMY ACOSTA. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE MANY BRODS WHO WERE APPOINTED TO THE POSITIONS OF REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTOR, AND DISTRICT FORESTER. THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS IN THE BUREAUCRACY THAT WERE INITIATED AND/ OR LED, AGAIN, BY OUR BRODS, LIKE THE CTF BY TEMY CALEDA, ISF/ CBFM BY ROMY ACOSTA, JUN SALINAS, FAR BY JOHNNY REGADIO, LC/ NAMRIA BY VIR FABIAN/ JOE CABANAYAN, INDUSTRIAL FORESTRY BY DOROT ANTONIO, FOREST MANAGEMENT BY MANING VALERA, WATERSHED BY BUDY BATCAGAN, REFORESTATION BY ROGER BAGGAYAN, AND MANY MORE. THE FORMULATION OF THE FIRST PHILIPPINE MASTER PLAN FOR FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT IN 1989 BY BROD FLOR TESORO; THE WIDA IN 1986 BY ARNOLD CAOILE/RDR; EO 318 IN 2004- PROMOTING THE SFM BY ROMY ACOSTA/ RDR; ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND EIA BY DEL GANAPIN AND POGS GASPAY; JONAS LEONES, AS HEAD OF THE PAB SECRETARIAT AND EMB ASST DIRECTOR. GLOBALLY SPEAKING, THE FRATERNITY HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE UN SYSTEM THRU BROD DEL GANAPIN AS HEAD OF ITS SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM, AND RODEL LASCO AS PART OF THE IPCC AND NOBEL PRIZE CO- AWARDEE OF AL GORE. BRODS, IT IS REGRETTABLE HOWEVER THAT, DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF THE BRODS IN THE BUREAUCRACY, MUCH OF OUR FORESTS HAD BEEN LOST IN THE LAST 50 YEARS OR SO. THE TWO MAIN REASONS FOR THE LOSS ARE DUE TO GREED AND NEED. GREED WHEN THE FOREST IS SUBJECT OF POLITICAL PATRONAGE, OF ILLEGAL LOGGING. NEED WHEN THE FOREST IS CLEARED BY THE LANDLESS PEOPLE AND UPLAND POOR TO PLANT FOOD CROPS FOR THEIR SURVIVAL, AS DONE BY THE KAINGINEROS. POLICY BECOMES ALSO A CAUSE OF FOREST LOSS WHEN CERTAIN AREAS ARE CLASSIFIED NOT NEEDED FOR FOREST PURPOSES TO GIVE WAY TO AGRICULTURE AND SETTLEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURES, LIKE ROADS AND DAMS. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A POLITICAL WILL THAT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST RESOURCES SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT PRIMARILY WITH THE EXPERTS/ FOREST MANAGERS, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPARED FROM THE POLITICAL MANIPULATION. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THERE ARE MANY BRODS WHO ARE OCCUPYING IMPORTANT POSITIONS IN THE BUREAUCRACY, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT. THESE BRODS WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE YOUNGER BUT PROMISING BRODS TO THE NEW HEIGHTS OF THEIR CAREER BY PROVIDING THE BEST AND APPROPRIATE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT OUR ELDER BROTHERS IN THE THEN BFD, AND NOW THE DENR, HAVE ALWAYS CULTIVATED THE SEEDS OF LOVE AND EXTENDED THEIR HANDS OF ASSISTANCE FOR THE PROMOTION OF OUR BROTHERS. IN MY CASE, BROTHERS, I COULD NOT HAVE REACHED THE PINNACLE OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS DENR UNDERSECRETARY FOR FIELD OPERATIONS IF NOT FOR THE ACTIVE SUPPORT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF BETA SIGMA FORESTERS, TO NAME A FEW, FRED EUGENIO, JUN GALINATO, OCA HAMADA, ROGER BAGGAYAN, MANNY VALERA, DOROT ANTONIO, BERT DE VERA, HONORATO ESTEVES, BUDDY BATCAGAN, BERNIE AGALOOS, THE TWO DOMINGO- IRENEO AND ISAIAS, AND ED CORTES; AND NON-FORESTER BETA SIGMANS LIKE VICTOR RAMOS, ARNOLD CAOILE, JUN GOMEZ. THESE WERE THE BRODS WHO MENTORED AND INFLUENCED ME ON HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE, TO HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS WORK, AND ALSO PROVIDED ME OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB PROMOTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT IN OTHER AGENCIES, WHERE THERE WAS STRONG PRESENCE OF BRODS, LIKE THE DAR, FSDC AND DAP, THE YOUNGER BRODS WERE ALSO GIVEN BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT. THE DENR, VOR AND THE FRATERNITY 1987 IS THE YEAR OF THE FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DENR, PURSUANT TO EO 192. IT WAS AGAIN A BANNER YEAR FOR THE FRATERNITY IN THE DENR. WE WERE VERY HONORED AND HUMBLED BY THE FACT THAT SO MANY BRODS WERE APPOINTED TO THE KEY POSITIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT SUCH AS USEC, ASECS, REDS, RTDS, NOT MENTIONING THE MANY APPOINTED PENROS AND CENROS. I AM SURE THAT OUR DEAR BROD VIC RAMOS, AKA VOR, THEN USEC FOR FIELD OPERATIONS, HAD CONSIDERED THAT ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, HE WOULD PREFER BETA SIGMANS FOR THESE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. BUT VOR DEMANDS A VERY HIGH STANDARD IN DENR FIELD OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. HE INSTITUTIONALIZED THE “KEY RESULT AREA” IN ALL MAJOR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF DENR. IT IS ALSO IN THIS REGARD THAT HE WANTED TO SEE THE STERLING QUALITIES OF BETA SIGMANS, AS LEADERS. IN ONE INSTANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, VOR INSTRUCTED ME TO MEET THE DENR BRODS TO DISCUSS URGENT CONCERNS - LIKE THE ALL OUT SUPPORT TO THE NEW DENR LEADERSHIP AND TO BECOME MODEL FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND, YES, I PERSONALLY APPEALED TO OUR BRODS FOR THEM TO FOCUS ON THE WORK, GIVE THE BEST TO PUBLIC SERVICE, HELP STOP AND AVOID CORRUPTION, AND BRING BACK THE GOOD IMAGE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE. AND YES, THE BETA SIGMA DENR LEADERS DELIVERED. IT IS WORTHY TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES OF VOR, AMONG OTHERS, HE WAS ALSO APPOINTED AS THE DENR SECRETARY DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF FVR. THE SUCCEEDING YEARS OF THE DENR WAS CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING MORE CAPABLE, YOUNGER AND PROMISING BETA SIGMANS, THE LIKES OF USEC DEL GANAPIN, USEC MON PAJE, ROMY ACOSTA AND JONAS LEONES, JOE DIAZ, MAX DICHOSO, JUN LINGAN, JIMMY SAMPULNA, AND JUN GALINATO, AS EMERGING NEW LEADERS IN THE DENR. BTW OUR VERY OWN BROD MON PAJE IS NOW CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL OFFICIALS IN DENR. HE IS PRESENTLY THE SENIOR UNDERSECRETARY OF DENR AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF DENR SECRETARY LITO ATIENZA. HE IS NOW THE RECOGNIZED BIG BROTHER BY THE MANY BRODS IN THE DENR. THE UNIQUENESS OF BETA SIGMAN AS EARLY AS IN OUR FRAT DAYS IN COLLEGE, WE WERE TRAINED TO BE OBEDIENT, TO BE GOOD LISTENERS, TO BE CREATIVE IN PROPOSING SOLUTIONS, TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL IN OUR BROTHERHOOD THAT EVEN THE OLDER GUYS IN THE COLLEGE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF OUR FRATERNITY. TWO CASES I WOULD LIKE TO CITE FOR THIS PURPOSE. BRODS BENY POSTRADO, CANDI AGBISIT AND CATALINO TOSCO, ALL BELO BOYS OR GOVERNMENT PENSIONADO IN THE UPLB - CF, DENIED THE INVITATION OF THE FRAT IN 1965 FOR HONORARY MEMBERSHIP AND INSTEAD, APPLIED FOR AND PASSED THE RIGOROUS PROTOCOLS FOR REGULAR MEMBERSHIP ON THE SAME YEAR. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE CASE OF RED JIMMY SAMPULNA WHO WAS ALREADY A FULL-FLEDGED RED OF DENR IN 2006. HE WAS VERY PASSIONATE IN JOINING THE FRATERNITY. HE ASKED US - I AND ROMY ACOSTA, ON HOW HE WOULD BECOME A REGULAR MEMBER. WHEN ASKED WHY HE NEEDED TO JOIN OUR FRATERNITY CONSIDERING THAT HE WAS ALREADY OCCUPYING HIGH LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THE DENR, HE TOLD US THAT HE LIKED TO BE PART OF OUR FRATERNITY WHERE TRUE BROTHERHOOD IS PRACTICED. HE OBSERVED THAT IT IS IN OUR BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY WHERE THE CARING AND LOVING ATTITUDE IS VERY REAL. HENCE, UPON OUR ADVICE, HE ENROLLED FOR A MASTERAL DEGREE COURSE IN MSU IN 2008 IN ORDER TO BE INITIATED AND BECOME A FULL-FLEDGED MEMBER OF THE FRATERNITY. INDEED IT IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE WHAT IS REALLY IN THE FRATERNITY, BUT AS THEY SAY- ITO AY NAKIKITA, NARARAMDAMAN. BETA SIGMAN USUALLY STANDS OUT IN ANY GATHERING. THE TYPICAL BETA SIGMAN IS RUGGEDLY HANDSOME; MAGANDANG MAGDALA NG DAMIT, MATALINO AT MAUTAK; MAPAGMAHAL, MEDYO MAHILIG SA CHIKS AT UMINOM; OUTGOING AND HAS SELF CONFIDENCE - BORDERING KAYABANGAN; MAGALING MAGDALA NG TAO, AT MAASAHAN SA TRABAHO. HE HAS A BALANCED PERSONALITY. HE MAY HAVE SPENT THE WHOLE NIGHT ENJOYING THE BEER, WINE AND /OR WOMEN, BUT COME NEXT DAY, HE IS THERE IN THE OFFICE FOCUSED AGAIN ON HOW TO ACCOMPLISH BETTER THE WORK GIVEN TO HIM. ONE THING THAT SEPARATES US FROM OTHERS- ORDINARY MAN HAS ONLY AMBITION BUT BETA SIGMANS DO NOT ONLY HAVE AMBITION, BUT WE HAVE VISION, AND OUR LOVE FOR GOD, FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND FOR OUR PEOPLE IS REAL. THIS IS NOT A RESULT OF AN INSTANT TRAINING, HOWEVER. THIS STARTED WHEN YOU AND I HAD VARIOUS TRAINING ON OBEDIENCE, DISCIPLINE, OUTPUT ORIENTATION DURING OUR INITIATION PERIOD UNTIL WE ALL BECAME MEMBERS OF THE FRATERNITY. OUR CREDO IN ITSELF IS AN EXPRESSION OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE. AND THANK GOD WE WERE ABLE TO LIVE IT OUT IN OUR OWN LITTLE WAYS. AND WE DID NOT FAIL THE VERY NOBLE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR FOUNDERS. BROTHERS, I AM PRIVILEGED TO MEET ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF OUR BELOVED FRATERNITY - ATTY RICO ARRANZ AND THE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR FRATERNITY. AND IT IS THRU THEM THAT I AM ALSO GETTING THE INSPIRATION TO BE OF SERVICE TO OUR BROTHERHOOD. IT IS WORTHY TO STATE CATEGORICALLY BEFORE YOU MY DEAR BROTHERS THAT I ALWAYS SEE TO IT THAT MY ACTIONS HAVE NEVER STRAYED IN A DIRECTION THAT WOULD HAVE CAST DISHONOR UPON THE NAME OF OUR FRATERNITY, DEFIED ITS TRADITION NOR LOWERED THE TONE OF ITS DIGNITY. IT IS MY FERVENT PRAYER THAT, AS WE SOAR TO THE NEW HEIGHTS OF OUR SUCCESS, WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET TO REMEMBER THE VERY IDEALS OF OUR FOUNDERS AND THE LOVE AND SERVICE GIVEN BY THE HUNDREDS OF BRODS WHO HAVE GONE AHEAD OF US. IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE GIVE TRIBUTE TO THEM, INCLUDING OUR LIVING BRODS, BY DOING THE BEST FOR OUR BROTHERHOOD AND POSSIBLY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BETA SIGMA HERITAGE PARK. IT IS ALSO MY DREAM THAT ALL BETA SIGMANS WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF SOLUTIONS OF THE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING OUR COUNTRY, OUR PEOPLE, OUR COMMUNITY; AND THAT THE BETA SIGMANS IN THE NORTH AMERICA WILL BE THE MOVING SPIRIT FOR UNITY OF THE FILIPINOS IN THE USA AND CANADA, AND BE THE RECOGNIZED PARTNERS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR NEW FOUND COUNTRIES. BRODS, MAY WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE AND APPRECIATE THE APPLAUSE OF MEN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT, THROUGH OUR WORK HERE ON EARTH, WE HOPE TO ALSO HEAR THE APPLAUSE OF HEAVEN. AS ROBERT SCHULLER SAID, “TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, TOUGH PEOPLE DO”. BETA SIGMANS ARE TOUGH BREED OF PEOPLE… AND AS SUCH, WE EXPECT TO BEAT ALL ODDS. BETA SIGMA BELOVED…HERE THEE THY SONS! FINALLY, ON BEHALF OF THE DENR AND PHILIPPINE-BASED BRODS, CONGRATULATIONS TO GP COSME SANTIAGO, TO THE NEW LEADERS AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY IN THE NORTHWEST REGION OF USA. MABUHAY ANG BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY! MAY GOD BE PRAISED! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello Brods Willie, Cosme,
and All,
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