The UP Beta Sigma Grand Reunion of May 23-25, 2009

by Gabby Moraleda'68b and Willie Vergara'67a

The Great San Francisco Reunion: Days 3+

[Photos by Cosme Santiago, Willie Vergara, Angie Garbes, Gabby Moraleda and Norman Bituin]

Send-Off Picnic  (May 25, San Francisco)

Showing no indications of tiredness, stress and exhaustion, the Transportation Committee was again on the go very early morning of Monday, May 25. The  vans of Alan Torneros. Ding Cavestany, Mar Lagua, Rick Velasco, Johnny Regadio and Tatang lined up in front of the Sheraton Hotel, ready to transport the guests to Booth Bay Park in Foster City. The hosts of the day -- Mercy Villegas, Cy Abiog, Geny Cademas, Cheng Valdez and Nong Fred -- were at the site ahead of the others to prepare the place – ready to face another challenging task of giving the whole Grand Reunion weekend a proper ending.

RollyR, BobbyM, RayB, AgoR & GeneS waiting at Sheraton Hotel for the vans

At the site, there was no end to the merriment and fellowship. There were simply too many common campus experiences to RELIVE, too many passionate and humorous stories to recall, too many frat legendary tales and old jokes to relate.

We missed the large contingent of Founder Rico Arranz, but most of those who attended the activities during the past two days were there up to the “last day”. Either the attendance was unexpectedly high or the food was simply too good that once again, Geny and Cheng went running back to the caterer for additional servings.

It was also Johnny Regadio's 60th Birthday. The groups had fun singing 'Happy Birthday" about 20 times over as each group posed for photographs.  He confessed later that this was his happiest, fantasizing that all those songs were truly for him to relish, and not for the subjects to make themselves look good while their pictures were taken. With all the abundance of digital camera owners and wannabe photographers, there must have been hundreds of pictures taken of the occasion. Be that as it may, the sun was cooperating to the attendees (it was unseasonably cold the past two days) but not so kind to the paparazzi’s. Most photos showed a lot of harsh shadows, but Whadda Heck, this event was for RELIVING and RECONNECTING… until it was time to say "g’bye, so long, farewell". It was kinda uneasy feeling for those who had loose tear glands. But all good things must come to an end. Till Next Time, Brutha!  

UPD'67a batchmates WillyV & bearded DaveD (actor Pat Morita look-alike) with the Jaymes

    Dr. Angie Garbes'62 of Seattle & Bal Villanueva'60 of Sydney                       Jo Garbes, Gene Samson & Johnny Regadio

UPD'65 Black Saints (DanG, TitoG, NormB & DingC) show off their 40th anvsy. personalized-name Betan caps

Kitakits sa UP SoCal Reunion sa 2010!!

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 At the Palazzo di Salud (May 25, San Francisco)

A group of UPBSF NorCal brods headed to Sunnyvale, CA after the picnic on May 25, Monday, at the mansion of Brod Johnny and Sis Gloria Salud to continue the post fratball celebration and extend the hospitality/reception for Brods Rolly Reyes and Ed Cheng from the Philippines, Art de Vera from Canada, Johnny Singh from Tijuana, Orlino Ancheta from Hawaii, and Wally Rodriguez from New York. We were served venison stew, a very rare delicacy in the U.S., kilawing kambing, lumpia, and chicken barbecue. Of course, the reception would not be complete without beer and vodka, plus live karaoke as entertainment. Among those NorCal brods present were GP Manolo Banzon, Ernie Tremor, Gene Samson, Johnny Regadio (JR), Ric Velasco. Brod Johnny and Sis Gloria were not able to attend the hospitality night and the fratball because one of their sons got married on that weekend in Lake Tahoe.

UP Los Banos & Diliman chug-a-lugging

                                 Kneeling: Gene Samson, Ric Velasco, Ed Cheng

                                 Standing: John Salud, Johnny Regadio, Orlino Ancheta, Wally Rodriguez, Rolly Reyes,

                                               Manolo Banzon, Art de Vera, Johnny Singh, Ernie Tremor

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A Taste of Venice with Bicol Cooking (May 26, San Francisco)

As if 3 days of fun was not enough. The day after, Tuesday May 26, a mini reunion took place at Cy Abiog’s place in Foster City. Her home sits by the Foster City lagoon -- a mini Venice. The impromptu gathering was in honor of RP Usec Rolly Reyes and businessman Ed Cheng. Those who came were Eric & Lita Punzalan, Gene & Geny Samson, Dave & Mercy Villegas, Ike & Tanya Araneta, Gerry & Lleva Abenes, GP Manolo Banzon, Babes Ignacio, Johnny Singh, Winston Acevedo, May Gaspay (Pogs was with the Yosemite group) and host Gabby & Cy. More food, fun and frolic.

The pot luck dinner was a gourmet of Filipino and Japanese food with Eric bringing his “paksiw na lechon”, Cy treating the group to Salmon and Saba mackerel, adobo and Bicol style cooking of “laing” and “Bicol express”. Gerry & Lleva’s sashimi plate was very skillfully done, Johnny came with his special “pulutan” of seaweed and tuna, Gene & Geny with their signature “palitaw”, Tanya/Julie/May bringing in mouth-watering desserts, and Dave & Mercy and the rest accounting for fine wines and spirits.  As Illustrissimo Winston said, the food was “muy sabroso”. All added inches to their waistline. Manolo also awarded the High Series bowling trophy to Sam Moraleda.  More memories to relive.

Cy's home backyard with "Venetian" canal view

 IkeA with RP Usec Rolly Reyes & RP businessman Ed Cheng                  Sam Moraleda gets Bowling High Series trophy

The Venetian-Bicol Express Experience

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Dinner in LA with Rico (May 26, Los Angeles)

On May 26, Tuesday, after Brod Rico Arranz' party had returned to Los Angeles where his children live, the LA Brods & Wives hurriedly set up a dinner get-together at Panda Inn Restaurant with Rico & Sol.  Vice GP Edsel presented Founder Brod Rico with the newly commissioned Betan gold-plated blazer buttons, plus the accompanying blazer coat on its way.

Later during the week, Rolly Balingit took Rico to a round of golf at Birch Hills GC.  Brod Rico told Rolly that in his younger days at an amateur competition he had officially represented the Philippine team at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, one of USA's top 100. "Okay pa pumalo si Brod Rico, pati putting", Rolly told NormanB.  To which the latter mused, "I wish I can have that swing now, not when I get to be in my 80's like Rico."

L-R: Nonoy Bautista (Rico's "aide-de-camp" in USA), Founder Rico Arranz, Rolly Balingit, Edsel Arceo

UP SoCal Ladies with Mrs. Sol Arranz

UP SoCal Brods with Founder Atty. Rico Arranz

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