From

Steadfast and True at 72

July 13-14, 2018

Front cover of the 72nd Anniversary Souvenir Program, designed by Boy Luna '73

(See attachment at bottom of page)

Beta Sigma ‘Steadfast and True at 72’
by Brod Felix Randy P. Malayao

UP Visayas ‘89

It was really a glorious night to remember. Simple, but memorable.

One of our funding brods, Dr. Roberto Macasaet, said he was really surprised on how our Fraternity has grown when he appeared on wheelchair during our 72nd founding anniversary at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati on July 14, 2018.

“I hope my Fraternity brothers of this generation, whether you choose medicine, law or business will not forget the values of being part of Beta Sigma, always to improve the lives of our citizens through hard work, honesty, strong faith and service,” Brod Macasaet later advised the brods, when he led our medical doctors who were honored as a sector during the event.

Our keynote speaker, retired Supreme Court Justice Vicente F. Mendoza, on the other hand, recalled his own beginnings with the Fraternity, the search for belonging and finding one’s identity when he was admitted to the folds of the brotherhood at the University of the Philippines in Padre Faura in 1952.

He said: “The egalitarian principle had not yet gained much foothold in the ex-colony. The landscape was dotted with social classes. Unless one had a pedigree, the only way to gain recognition was to show excellence of mind and body. Here was the U.P. Beta Sigma, Brotherhood of Scholars, in which we could possibly find our identity. Brod Pros Crescini could very well write, not of social climbing, but of “climbing barriers of wealth, region, creed, and prejudice."

The revered magistrate then went on further to rebut the idea of exclusivity of the fraternity. “In seeking to be fraternity members, were we not ourselves guilty of creating barriers of exclusivity? The answer is no. Not any more than those who seek to be members of other groups whether religious, political, or intellectual. Not any more than those who join a church or Freemasonry or the Society of Sages. For even among the members of these exclusive organizations can be found social classes,” he said.

“What we were after was the exclusive company of people who had the same ideals or goals in life regardless of social status or station in life,” he added.

Justice Mendoza expounded the fraternity’s vitality in the current times as he led this year’s honorees as outstanding members for professional excellence, leadership and service, along with the the golden (Batch 68) and silver (Batch 93) jubilarians.

“The vitality of fraternity as an idea is its capacity to stir up feelings of kinship, love, affection, concern for others, loyalty, trust, sharing of goals and aspirations, what is summed up in our credo as “all that is good and noble in Man,” he said.

Brod Vic was recognized for excellence in Law and the Judiciary. He was eloquently introduced by his law classmate Brod Justice Raoul Victorino.

This year’s anniversary bannered the theme “Beta Sigma Fraternity: Steadfast and True at 72.”

The Fraternity Ball capped the series of activities organized by the UP Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc, our alumni organization, that included the holding of a Wellness Medical Outreach held on July 13 in Sta Maria Bulacan, the annual tree planting at the UP Arboretum, a Fun Ride, Marathon-Bikathon and a fellowship golf.

To highlight the virtue of Fraternity, Justice Mendoza urged the fraternity to look into the recent case of Herron, an olive farmer, who became something of a folk hero in 2017 after he was fined E3,000 for providing assistance to dozens of migrants in the Roya Valley, which stretches along the border between France and Italy. France’s constitutional court acquitted him recently.

Brod Justice Mendoza asked fellow brothers: “Now is there any other idea more valuable than that which inculcates in the young the virtue fraternity as part of their education for citizenship?”

This year’s awardees other awardees for professional excellence include Enrique G. Araneta UPD ’71 (global commodity management), Feliciano Calora UPLB ’52 (agriculture), Matias Defensor UPD ’61 (law and legislation), Oscar Guimatico UPLB ’64 (education administration), Orlando Peña UPD ’48 (business consultancy), Benild Pires UPD ‘64 (communications and leadership), Calixto Protacio UPLB ‘74 (agriculture), Conrado Rigor Jr. UPD ‘60 (communications and leadership), Ed Soliman UPD ‘62 (government administration), Vicente Tupaz UPLB ’67 (agriculture) and Ulysses B. Alama UPV ‘89 (fisheries).

Leadership and service awards were conferred on Ryan Jerome Lu UPB ‘96, Douglas Mondoñedo UPLB ’65, Alfonso Rodriguez UPD ‘57 and Cosme Santiago UPLB ‘68.

Medical doctors from various university and college chapters were also honored during the event, with the medical field being one of the fraternity’s major pillars in its commitment of service to the nation.

Dr. Macasaet, who led the honorees, was nostalgic in recalling the foundation days. He also paid homage to his fellow founders.

“Tonight is somewhat bittersweet, because I remember several of my fraternity brothers who became lifelong friends who are no longer with us. Allow me to honor the memory of my friends - Rico Arranz, Manuel Escaler and Nic Jacinto. We will always be brothers.”

He described his journey as a continuation of the “tradition of service to humanity,” that it is “long and fulfilling.”

He humbly declared, “I trust I made a small contribution to improving the lives of my fellow men.”

“More than ever, Filipinos deserve to receive the very best health care no matter their stature in life,” he added.

He struck a chord in urging fellow fraternity brothers in the various profession to help improve the lives of the citizens through core virtues.

“I hope my fraternity brothers of this generation, whether you choose medicine, law or business will not forget the values of being part of Beta Sigma, always to improve the lives of our citizens through hard work, honesty, strong faith and service.”

Beta Sigma is considered the first post-war university fraternity in the Philippines, having been founded 10 days after the founding of the republic at the old University of the Philippines campus on Padre Faura St. in Manila on July 14, 1946.

In behalf of the UPBSFI, Brod Joel Paredes, our 2017-2018 alumni president, thanked “all the brods for your untiring support in all our undertakings from our community service programs to enhancing our resident chapters in all the UP campuses nationwide.”

This year’s Grand Fraternity Ball Committee was chaired by Brod Eduardo Garcia UPB '79. Souvenir Magazine is headed by Brod Peter Danao; Awards by Brod Rene De Rueda; Community Service by Brod Buddy Quililan and Brod Rod Reyes; Fellowship Golf by Brod Lakan Fonacier and Brod Boyet Fernandez; Bike Fun Ride by Brod Michael Villanueva.

Beta Sigma Wellness Outreach, sponsored by UP SoCal Chapter

Brgy. Hall of Mahabang Parang, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, July 13, 2018

[Photos from UPBSF Central viber and Jimboy Tambaoan]