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62
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UP NorCal Brods Celebrate Frat’s 62nd by Pogs Gaspay [Photos by WillieV, TitingV, DutchA]
The UP Northern California brods celebrated the fraternity’s 62nd founding anniversary last Saturday, July 12, at the home of Gerry and Lleva Abenes in Richmond by electing a new GP, honoring its oldest member who has been a Beta Sigman for 60 years and recognizing the brods celebrating their 50, 40 and 30 years in the fraternity. It was the biggest gathering of brods ever in the Chapter (excluding fraternity balls and Grand Reunions) as 34 brods, with their beloved spouses, came and went from 12:00 Noon to 12:00 Midnight.
The day started for Gerry and Lleva with brods Cyrus Fagar and Pogs Gaspay showing up at their home for lunch at 12:30 noon. Then David and Mercy Villegas came with a huge chunk of prime beef which they promptly marinated and grilled. Other brods and spouses soon followed so that outgoing GP Bong Beredo was able to call a meeting by 4:00 PM and confirm the election of lone candidate Manolo Banzon to be the new GP. By then most brods were sated and inebriated with good food and fine alcohol and also tickled pink to their hackles with the usual jokes and ribbing that confuses Winston as to whether brods are roasting or toasting its officers. Manolo promptly appointed Ding Cavestany as his First Vice GP and announced a process of consultation with the chapter’s elders to complete the naming of his full set of officers.
Amid the pounding music of brods Ike Araneta, Babes Ignacio and Franklin Morales on strings, Gerry on percussions. Cheng Valdez on the keyboards and Vee de Vera and Rotsen Lawas on vocals, the brods continued celebrating the day with impromptu dancing and singing of tunes from the 60’s and 70’s. Brod Kiko Delmendo briefly tooted his horns before leaving early for a gig at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame. Mercy Villegas also provided a sample of her wonderful recent performance in San Francisco.
Brods cheered when brod Cesar Antonio appeared with wife Nina in wheelchair. Nina had been ailing for some months now following her radiation treatments. Brods cheered also for Marcy Tremor whom they have not seen for sometime now on account of her medical condition, as she arrived earlier with her oxygen supply and Ernie. Johnny Salud with wife Gloria left their "governor’s palace" in Sunnyvale to likewise grace the occasion. The Sacramento brods came in (near) full force with Emy Fajardo, Yay Topacio, Rotsen Lawas, Tats Vergara, Cecilio Felix and wife Anita, Bong and Aileen Beredo, Narcing and Tuding Lapuz, and Johnny Regadio in attendance.
As nightfall approached, blindfolded Narcing was led by Bong through a gauntlet of brods wishing him their best salutations for his 60th year as a UP Beta Sigman in a simulation of the candle ceremony of our final initiation rites. Brods celebrating their decade anniversaries with the frat are Golden Boy Ernie Tremor, fortynarians Manolo, Gabby and Pogs, and thritynarians Dutch Arganones and Stephen Tay who is visiting from Tandag, Surigao Sur. Earlier, brods watched a video documentary prepared by Dutch Aragones and Tats Vergara of Narcing’s 60 years journey through the fraternity.
Evening visitors from LA were its GP Frank Mamaril and Ago Romero accompanied by their beloved spouses Rory and Eva. Frank briefly made a pitch for the UP Nor Cal brods to come to their fratball on Aug. 31 and to subscribe ad pages in their souvenir program. Brods responded by asking Frank to sing for their checks. The quality of his singing will be ultimately judged by the amount of checks South Cal will receive.
Gabby Moraleda arrived, not with new-found love Cy, but with old-time partner Ric Velasco. He got a lot of ribbing from a false rumor that he had started a house-cleaning and house-sitting business. Brods were also very happy to see Louie Ruiz who came with wife Marissa. Louie has not been able to drive at nighttime due to a cataract problem.
Our usual fun couples, Titing and Cheng Valdez, Ike and Tanya Araneta, Eric and Lita Punzalan, Gene Samson and Jenny came to provide lots of fun. Brod Johnny Salud and wife Gloria also arrived. Eileen Basbas also came but had to leave early with son Migo allowing Gilbert to drink (and tell) more freely. Vic Gacusan and Val Palattao joined the merriment as stags. Vic was continually ribbed about his extra-security-conscious checking of tickets (and alleged frisking?) of UPMASA beauties.
Alas, the brods had to call it a day and started leaving at 11:00 PM. Some stragglers stayed on helping Gerry and Lleva clean up, as Cyrus and I left at almost 11:30 PM. We salute Gerry and Lleva for their unswerving hospitality and daringness in inviting us again when Togi (the Basilan King) and company arrives on August 16. Word is around that the “company” now includes Rudy Oviedo and Dopoy Garcia from the Philippines, Joe Lalas of Los Angeles, and Rey Carandang from the East.
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