Brod Romy Lumauig's Speech at the Grand Reunion

18th Anniversary, UP Beta Sigma Fraternity of Northern California
Foundation Day of UP Beta Sigma of the United States of America
May 27, 2001


BUILDING A LASTING LEGACY

Brods, friends, and distinguished guests:

First of all, may I thank all of you for traveling from all parts of Northern America to attend today's reunion of the best, the brightest and the most loyal brothers in the continent.

And my congratulations to the organizers of this event. They could not have chosen a more perfect place than San Francisco, which is world famous for its cosmopolitan charm, the Golden Gate Bridge and its talented Filipino community.

The faces I see before me today represent the various generations that make up our fraternity. But while there are different generations, I see no generation gap at all for the spirit of brotherhood unites all of us.

For that marvelous spirit alone, may I propose a standing ovation for all those present here today.

Mabuhay ang Beta Sigma!

Mabuhay kayong lahat!

I myself have traveled from afar although, in the age of the internet, Manila and other parts of the home country are just mouse clicks away thru your computers.

As you know, you home country has just gone through a political exercise last May 14, a midterm election because of events before and during its exercise has proven to be, in terms of numbers killed, the most violent Philippine elections since 1992.

The electoral campaign was preceded by an impeachment trial of a sitting president and was interrupted by what was called People Power II at EDSA by anti-Estrada forces. Just when it was getting to be election business as usual, another massive gathering of people by Estrada supporters called People Power III erupted in the middle of the election campaign. Despite all the violence both physical and verbal, voting took place on May 14, keeping democracy alive until the presidential elections in 2004.

I am relating these events, not so much because I want to report on the state of Philippine democracy, but to give you the assurance that despite political storms in the home country, your fraternity alumni association and its officers are able to continue in their modest ways with the fraternity’s business as usual.

Governments and kingdoms may rise or fall and politicians may have their 15 minutes of fame and then disappear, but may I assure you that the officers of your alumni association will always be there to serve its members and promote the highest ideals of the fraternity.

In fact this year has been a very busy year for the fraternity’s alumni association.

In our board meetings, serious consideration was given to proposals that directly address the welfare of brods. Among those we took up were:

1. Acquisition of a Fraternity Website to facilitate information exchange amongst brods and their publics,
2. The founding of a Leadership Development Institute to educate brods and the Fraternity’s clientele of national and community leaders on many management topics and techniques,
3. The establishment of the Enterprise Center for brods who may require job placements and business assistance,
4. The institutionalization of a Senior Club to serve as an alternative haven for retired brods, and
5. The building of a Betan House to be utilized as the permanent fraternity office and support center.

These carefully planned projects have been made possible by the generosity of a number of alumni.

In particular, I would like to cite Brod Orly Pena, Batch ’49 and Secretary General of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and Pacific or ADFIAP.

The ADFIAP, which is based in Manila, is the world’s largest and most extensive institution for the training of development and investment bankers around the globe.

Included among its supporters are the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and a number of central banks including the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Brod Orly hold the distinction of being the first donor to the Betan Fund. We received his check for 100,000 PhP only last week.

I would also want to cite Brod Rico Arranz for his selfless and untiring efforts to help steer the Betan ship prudently into the new millennium. His prolific ideas and enviable influence speak very well of him as a founder. His active involvement in every Fraternity activity testifies to his continuing and ever youthful stewardship.

Our projects have the characteristic of long-term, sustainable activities. This is made possible by adopting the classic trust fund approach in which monies are invested and only the profits or interest are used to finance the projects. To ensure accountability and sound management, qualified trustees will be appointed to oversee the continued existence and success of the trust fund. A secretariat has been formed and a regular newsletter will be published to keep the alumni informed on these activities on a regular basis.

I would be very grateful for your advice and comments on these projects, for I believe in the unique perspectives one derives from the experience in working and living in North America.

I and the officers of you alumni association would also be very grateful for any financial contributions you may wish to make in order to improve or enlarge these projects. They are meant to promote the interests and reputation of a fraternity alumni whose members have become citizens of the world.

Observers have noted that the great Filipino “diaspora” or mass migration of talents is one of the most unique phenomena in the world. In every corner of the globe there is a Filipino community that has been recruited in the global competition for talent. Members of our fraternity are an active and constructive part of that community.

The best examples of these are in the United States and Canada. The Beta Sigmans of that class – world class, may I emphasize – are in this hall right now.

Thanks in part to the remittances of the Filipino community abroad – including members of our fraternity – the home country’s economy has been able to survive occasional political storms and stresses. But we are in San Francisco where it is a time for celebration and camaraderie. While we look back to the past and acknowledge the present, we look forward to an even brighter future as members of the fraternity.

Once again, may I thank you and the organizers of this event for making this reunion in San Francisco a resounding success and, speaking for myself, an unforgettable experience.
 

...some photos of the event...

Brod Romy Lumauig orates a la Plaza Miranda after receiving

Certificate of Appreciation during the Send-off Picnic

Brod Romy Lumauig delivers Keynote Speech at the Symposium

of the UP Beta Sigma USA

Brod Romy Lumauig inducts incoming officers of the UP Beta Sigma

Fraternity of Northern California

Romy displays award as Danny Pamilar steps in to share the glory

Romy with the Quejadas and the Antonios

-- all of these brods in the Batch 50s

Romy with Manny Cayetano, Liling Padilla, Noli Nolasco,

and Narcing Lapus