“BLAST” in Vegas
by Manny del Rosario, UPD '66
Last Sunday, Sept. 2nd, Brods’ Night in
Vegas was so eventful it’s hard to keep it unnoticed.
An
otherwise cramped room instantaneously morphed to a concert hall,
karaoke bar, disco pub…name it, when Master saxophonist Kiko & the Band
of Brothers sparked the enthusiasm - almost “manic”- with a bang.
This was jubilation at its core that reached fever pitch as the
night wore on. The fun was so spontaneous, intense and viral the girls
couldn’t resist jumping in. The floor rolled and roared on to the sounds
of the ‘60s, ‘70s. Just couldn’t get enough.
Brods, this is how
we savor the renewed fervor in Betan camaraderie….bonding that takes a
whole new meaning at a different place and time.
Then,
reconnecting with brods we lost touch for decades? That chance meeting
with ka-batch self-made Rolly Reyes among others couldn’t have come at a
better time. What a welcome treat!
By the way, congrats to the
UPBSF SoCal new GP Dan Galoso and elected officers for 2018-2020.
Well-deserved!
So, my dear brods, join back in & relive that
“tambayan” vibe once again. This is hard to come by.
*****************************************************************************************
Addendum, 9/24/18:
"He ain't heavy, he's my brother"
by Dan Galoso
[Photo from Dinah Antonio]
I can't wait for silence to suck out the truth.
I just felt the need to speak out my thoughts and feelings because what
has happened to me was a real humbling experience. Not only did I really
felt humbled, but I also felt grateful. This is about brods who showed
me the essence of what real brotherhood means.
But first a
disclaimer. Again, I reiterate, this is about my thoughts and feelings.
This is not about some sad, random, nonsensical Celine Dion fan wearing
an oversized tinfoil hat who has been relegated to being background
noise. Nor is this about some guy clawing at the side of a cliff
flailing, sad and anguished hoping he can get recognition.
No,
this is about real brods and real brotherhood. For it is not so much our
brods' help that helps us but the confident knowledge that they will
help us. All these brods just did what they felt needed to be done. They
did it quietly never crowing about how they helped or how much they have
helped. These are real brothers, with real passion and commitment. I
truly am humbled.
And I am reminded of the Hollies song which
goes this way:
"The road is long
with many a winding turn
that leads us to who knows where
who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there, For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another"
It's a long, long road and I am forever
grateful to all you brods and the Ladies of SoCal. A big THANK YOU to
Mayette Arceo and Nancy Bacosa for their help. A bigger THANK YOU TO
Dinah Antonio and Iou Valenzuela for their exquisite handling of the
affairs at the Hospitality rooms. Their work actually started weeks
earlier and continued until the agreement was done, finalized, signed
and paid for 2 weeks before the actual event. The details included the
date and time of what specific items to pick up from the caterers and
their quantities in terms of number and sizes of trays, including the
necessary condiments. Both Dinah and Iou made everything look so easy,
that what they have done could easily be overlooked. And let's not
forget Mrs. Fields for her brownies too. They made a lot of impression
on all who partook of the magic brownies, an impression they will
remember for years to come.
Thank you to VGP Tony Martin, MOTR
John Antig, Asst. GOTC Mon Lee and the "Balik Sa Dati" Posters. Thank
you Heralds Aman Carolino and Bernie Bacosa for spreading the info on
the event and also the poster designs. Bernie will be coming out soon
with the Souvenir Pictorial. A big thank you to Edsel Arceo for all your
help, especially working the phones soliciting for financial
participation. Thank you, Chamberlain Renzi del Rosario, my trip mate to
and from Vegas. His Landcruiser was declared "on official business" and
was used to shuttle boxes of beer, alcoholic drinks, bottles of water,
kitchen supplies from Costco to Westgate. We used it to pick up the food
at the caterers for most of the 4 days. Renzi also earned the nickname
"taga laspag ng ice machines". His odometer logged 300,000 miles on our
way back to Los Angeles on September 4.
Thank you also to Vale
for opening your house as you have promised for all the preparatory
meetings of the Officers and also the working group lovingly called "The
Squanderers". Thank you to Tatang for all the support, encouragement,
ideas and strategies.
About two months before the Vegas event, I
got into a financial bind and I asked brod Norman for help. He told me
to meet him the next day, he treated me to lunch and handed me a $1500
cashier's check. As St. Thomas Aquinas said "there is nothing on this
earth more to be prized than true friendship".
Maraming salamat
to the "Band of Brothers"-- Babes Ignacio, Gerry Abenes and Lleva, Kiko
Delmendo, Franklin Morales and Tess for providing the music. It really
made for a fun evening. Thank you to Joe and Linda Lalas too.
I
would also like to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to our
Double Diamond Sponsors Tony Martin and Roy Antonio. Roy even paid for
my room for the four days of the event. He actually did a lot more than
what I can write here. Even Tatang remarked that Roy was busier this
time than during his induction in 2016. And Roy's out of pocket expenses
are not done yet. He's taking care of the production of Bernie's
Souvenir Pictorial too.
Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors Ike
Araneta and Tanya, Tatang Vergara and Tess and Art Martin and Tina.
Throughout all these years, Ike and Tatang have always been there for
me. Art again donated several hundred balut and everyone enjoyed the
balut sa puti.
Thank you to our Gold Sponsors Edsel Arceo, Edwin
Encomienda of the Texas Chapter, Aman Carolino, Edwin Fernandez, Jun
Valenzuela, Lem Michelena, Jose Jaurigue, Manny Gatmaitan, Norman
Bituin, Rey Carandang, Bill Woodhouse, Ernie Pantig and Kata Ocampo.
Thank you to our Silver Sponsors Agis Landrito and Willie Ramos.
Maraming salamat din to our Bronze Sponsors Luigi Topacio, Patchoy
Veloso, Amang Rivera, Chee Pelaez, Joe Lalas, John Antig, Jojo Alejar,
Fred Young, Hernan Tabamo, Manny Boado, Mon Lee, Orlino Ancheta, Brandy
Ancheta, Orly Manimtim and Carling Taguinod. Carling and Chit have
always been there supporting the fraternity ever since I can remember
when I first came to the Southern California area almost 30 years ago.
They have never changed. You can always count on them.
Thank you
to Tony and Grace, Bogs and Agnes, Norm and Cherry, and Ding and Julie
for all your support and love.
I am overwhelmed by the tremendous
support as we try to restore friendships, strengthen the bonds of
brotherhood and once again establish a vibrant fraternity.
Today,
we recognize that we are all in the same boat together. And together, we
need to plug the holes so that when the waters rise, we all rise with
the boat together. All these brods carried me on their backs-- ipinasan
nila ako. As the Hollies song goes-- "he ain't heavy, he's my brother".
IT REALLY FEELS GOOD TO BE LOVED!
The choices we make are not
inconsequential. We all rise by lifting each other. Walang iwanan,
walang maiiwan. Balik sa Dati, for all the good times.
*****************************************************************************************
[Photos by Rolly Reyes and Norm Bituin]
Welcome Night, Sep. 1, 2018
Super thanks to UP North's "Band of Brothers" and Joe Lalas for two nights of music!!
Induction Night, Sep. 2, 2018
Rolly Reyes is the guest speaker.
RGR starts the dance parade with the ladies, and the brods follow.
Mayette belts one ala Celine/Mariah/Ariana.
Willie obliges with their Batch67A song "Summertime".
l-r: Rolly Reyes, Bobby Pascual, Willie Vergara, Ike Araneta, Dan Galoso, Edsel Arceo, Buddy Pongos, Hec San Juan and Gerry Abenes.
Seated: Willie Vergara, Rolly Reyes, Bobby Pascual, Dan Galoso and Manny del Rosario.
Standing: Luigi Topacio, Jun Valenzuela, Yay Topacio, Roy Antonio, Aman Carolino, Noli Nolasco, Hec San Juan, Edsel Arceo, Boy Pantig, Renzi del Rosario and Bubut Morata.
Till next!!
"Forever true thy sons we will be"
(Back---> Southern California Menu)