Fellowship Night Was A Blast
July 15, Valley Golf, Antipolo
by Dan Galoso '65
[Photos from Willie Vergara]
July 15, 2016 was as eventful as all other days of the Platinum Anniversary
celebrations.
While the residents and some alumni were attending the Residents Summit at Bahay
alumni, Betan golfers had a friendly competition at the Valley Golf and Country
Club, successfully organized by Lakan Fonacier, Boyet Fernandez (Platinum
Anniversary Chairman and “Head Coach) & Makati Chapter brods. It would come to
pass that our own UP Southern California Grand Princep Roy Antonio won Class A
of this fellowship golf tourney.
As evening fell, everyone went to the clubhouse in droves – players,
non-players, and the residents, alumni plus some members of the Ladies Corps
coming from the Bahay Alumni. At that point, the clubhouse atmosphere turned
“red”, with most of the resident brods wearing the red Malmon shirts donated by
UP Beta Sigma International.
It was the most attended fellowship night ever. However, Brod Mayor Lito Tadena
who came on a wheelchair would not last a few minutes as to receive his award as
UPBSI’s awardee. His brother Vice Mayor Butch Tadena represented Brod Lito the
next day at the Crowne Plaza on the occasion of the Grand Fraternity Ball.
Sumptuous dinner and lots of booze were served at the fun-filled clubhouse, where the decibel level was so high one has to raise one’s voice in order to be heard. Dinner was sponsored by UP Beta Sigma-International (courtesy of Brod Ike Araneta and Tatang). It was also here where new UPBSI President Noli Nolasco and his Board of Trustees were inducted by immediately previous Central President Rolly Reyes.
Co-organizer Brod Pete Danao did great as the evening’s emcee as the rest of the
event was a lot of fun. Most notable here are beer-drinking contests pitting one
resident chapter against another. The winner of this event was UP Diliman’s
youngest brod CK Noscal. Even Central challenger Brod Alex Bermas could not beat
this young brod.
It was a night to reminisce and to renew old friendships. Some brods have not
seen each other for as many as seven decades. Congratulations to the organizers,
sponsors, winners, donors and everyone who made this event a night to remember.
Induction of UPBSI Leadership, 2016-2018
OFFICERS:
President - NOLI NOLASCO
Vice President/Over-all Treasurer - ROY ANTONIO
Secretary - TOGI IGOT
Assistant Secretary - ROD LIGGAYU
Treasurer, Philippines - RAFFY HIDALGO
Assistant Treasurer, Northern America - NILO ANTHONY ESPINO (mainly to help
collections in Canada and Eastern USA)
Asst Treasurer, UP Visayas - Same as UPV Alumni Treasurer
Asst Treasurer, UP Mindanao - Same as UP Mindanao Alumni Treasurer
Public Relations Officer - LEM MICHELENA
Over-all Auditor - FRED YOUNG
Local Auditors - BOD Ninongs in their respective campuses
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
BOD Ninong, Diliman – Alexis “Dogs” Dogwe
BOD Ninong, Los Banos – Jojo Alejar
BOD Ninong, Baguio – Dennis Belmonte
BOD Ninong, Visayas – Randy Felix Malayao
BOD Ninong, Mindanao – Mon Carpio
UP Southern California/Hawaii
- Roy Antonio
- Norman Bituin
- Danny Galoso
UP Northern California/Nevada
- Ike Araneta
- Willie “Tatang” Vergara
Pacific Northwest USA
- Vicente Battad
Eastern Canada
- Nilo Espino
- Bart Gacad
Western Canada
- Rod Liggayu
- Noli Nolasco
Australia
- Mario Manzano
- Rolly Zubiri
Midwest USA/Texas
- Edwin Encomienda
- Lem Michelena
Eastern USA
- James Castaneda
- Ernesto “Togi” Igot
- Ted Quijano
Rest of Europe
- Art Atega
BOD Representative for School of Martial Arts
- Jopet Laraya
BOD Representative for OBBF
- Raffy Hidalgo
COUNCIL OF ADVISORS:
FRED AQUINO, UPD '57
BRANDY ANCHETA, UPD '61
FRANK CORNEJO, UPLB '55
ROLLY REYES, UPD '66
VIC RAMOS, UPD '62a
YONG AFABLE, UPD '68a
EDING HIZON, UPD '63
TED TOPACIO, UPD '48
GREG ABREU, UPLB '51
UPBSI PARTNERS:
Operation Big Brother Foundation - RAFFY HIDALGO
Big Brothers Bounty - to be determined
UP Beta Sigma School of Martial Arts (UPBSSOMA) - JOPET LARAYA
COMMITTEE CHAIRS:
Membership Committee Chair - DANNY GALOSO
Ethics Sub-Committee Chair under Membership Committee - JOE LALAS
Finance Committee Chair - ROY ANTONIO
Directory Committee Chair - EDWIN ACUNA
Election Committee Chair - FRED AQUINO
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT NOLI NOLASCO
My dear Brothers, Thank you to each and everyone. Thank you most especially to
President Jojo Alejar, the organizers and donors of our Platinum celebrations,
and the Central Board of Trustees for allowing us this opportunity to sponsor
what I would like to call International fellowship night. I humbly accept this
responsibility given by you upon my shoulders.
We have with us tonight our youngest brothers from five campuses and some of our
Ladies Corps. They have been meeting the whole day on how to survive the crisis
brought about by the changing environment in the university. And because they
are Beta Sigmans, like their older brothers, they will also keep the Betan flame
burning wherever they are.
Eleven months ago, our Brotherhood was tested internationally. It was the
biggest trial we had to face in this age of cyber technology. Our respect for
one another was on the line. A few of us even went around declaring the UP Beta
Sigma International has outlived its usefulness, perhaps forgetting that it was
no other than Founding Father Jesse James who honored the occasion of our
creation in San Francisco 2001, because he learned that our existence as a
Fraternity was being threatened by the changing environment in UP…I'm so
thankful to the Central Board of Trustees and to everyone for having stood with
us at a most difficult time… We have to be careful about the use of the
internet. Whatever we say leaves a permanent imprint on certain individuals and
even on the whole fraternity in general. In some instances, these things have
even gone out of the fraternity boundaries. We know that when we use our
e-group, every reader around the world gets to develop certain individual
impressions based on what is written – rightly or wrongly.
Let us, therefore, use this medium to uplift, motivate and inspire each other
rather than put any of our brothers down.
BUT LOOK AT US TONIGHT - all happy survivors without any fatality. Why is that
so? Because there are no problems so big that cannot be solved by acting
according to what is good and noble. Because we possess unique traits that made
us Beta Sigmans. Because we are so protective and loving to fellow brothers,
especially if those brothers have been unselfishly serving our fraternity for
many, many years, at times sacrificing their time for their families,
businesses, or careers.
We are all different from each other, but respecting and appreciating our
differences, instead of cursing them, have made us stronger than ever. I say
this not to look backwards, but to appreciate our toughness that made us arrive
at this moment…OUR BETAN SPIRIT OF KINSHIP AND BROTHERLY LOVE WILL ALWAYS REIGN
SUPREME!
At this point, please allow me to invite everyone here to be members
of International. This will augment our membership in Central, our partner in
mission. For a small, almost insignificant amount of P500 a year, you will
experience the joy of being part of a global drive to keep our Betan fire
burning in our campuses.
CHEERS!!