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Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013
From: simpolking@yahoo.com
Subject: UP Beta Sigma Melbourne pics
To: tatang_up@hotmail.com
CC: rollyzed@hotmail.com
Hi Brod Tatang,
Hope this email finds you well. Brod Rolly requested me to forward these
pics to you.
In the group pic, taken during a Betan fellowship held at my house last
18th May 2013, you will see me, Brod Rolly Zubiri, Brod Don Galapon, Brod
Efren Rivera, Sis Pat Rivera and Brod Edred Rivera. All of us from UP.
Other brods and sis in the photo are Sis Bern Zerrudo (CMU), Sis Aurora
Galindo (GAUF) and Brod Erwin Hipolito (CLSU) and his lovely wife and kid.
Other photos show me and Brod Rolly Zubiri when we welcomed Brod Don a few
days after he arrived from Phil. (Big thank you to Brod Joel Paredes for
giving us the heads up on Brod Don's contact details prior to his arrival
here). The other photo with Don was taken outside my house during the
fellowship night.
The last photo shows me and Sis Bern when we visited Brod Efren and Sis
Pat at their house in Sunshine, Victoria.
I am also wondering if I can send you old pics of my UP days taken with
brods during the UP Lantern Parade '79.
God Bless and the best of health so you can continue your unwavering and
tireless efforts in serving our beloved Beta Sigma!
Cheers.
Alex 79C
========================================================================================
Meet The Aussie Betans
by Rolly Zubiri 68a
While North America (the United
States and Canada) remains the favourite destination for many Beta Sigmans
seeking better opportunities overseas, Australia is fast catching up. Meet
the Aussie Betans.
But first, why Australia? Here are some of the reasons: a good place to
raise kids, there’s a lot of culture and sports, excellent health care
service, it’s very laid back, proximity to the Philippines, wide and open
space, green environment, quality educational system, robust economy, and
many more. A brod pointed out that there’s no drive-by shooting here but
this is not true anymore. The bikie gangs are now threatening the
tranquility of this paradise.
Sydney and Melbourne are the top two choices for the Betans to live. The
two cities have consistently topped the list of most livable cities in the
world with Melbourne edging out Sydney. At the moment, there are more than
25 brods who call Australia home. They are spread out all over Australia,
including its neighbour New Zealand. Some might not on the list for one
reason or another, but the brods are still diligently looking for them.
From a detailed directory which I got from the Sydney chapter (thanks to
Mario Manzano and sis Myrna Johnson), there are many recognizable entries.
There are names belonging to the early years of the frat, there is even
one from 1947. Now, as how they got into the list, I don’t know. I have
met quite a number and some just ring familiar. You will probably
recognize some names in the list:
Popoy Castaneda. I haven’t met him personally in Australia (remember the
country is big, being an island continent) but have corresponded with him
on several occasions. I was with him publishing The Betan newsletter a
long time ago, Popoy, LB Batch 55, is much respected by the local brods
for his knowledge of Betan history and traditions. He is like also a fish
to a water here because he’s an environmentalist.
Another Sydneysider Betan is Vic Pulmano (Batch D57), who is enjoying his
retirement after many years of teaching at the College of Engineering. He
is very active in the Sydney chapter; he does not miss greeting the Aussie
brods on their birthdays. And so does Brod Pykes Pico 72a of UPLB.
Joey Mendoza, a batchmate of the late Boy Morales (D60 High Noon) , is in
Melbourne. The former Metro Manila bus company boss, keeps himself busy
with his trading company that requires him to travel frequently to Manila.
He is a graduate of PMA. He lives in Nunawading, a leafy suburb east of
Melbourne.
Somehow the names of the following appeared in our Australian directory:
Hugo Agudo (Batch 64, New South Wales state), Rene Evangelista D63 (NSW). I
remember him as a varsity athlete and singer), Manuel Floro, UPD 64, and
even Luisito Guanlao of Batch 47 (he is listed as a retired medical
specialist) .
There is also Nelson Rivera Diliman D62, who I remember as a well-known
photographer whose portfolio includes some of the country’s top
conglomerates. There is also a Tom Matias D61 who lives in Perth. Maybe
some of the brods can help us update the list on the above-mentioned brods
regarding their whereabouts and contact details.
The more familiar ones are:
Tony Senga (Agnes) D65 is up there in sunny Darwin, and despite the
distance, is in constant contact with his tightly-knit Batch D65.
Mario Manzano, LB 85E, has used his
computer skills to create the current directory. He is a member of the
core group that makes the Sydney Beta Sigma chapter vibrant and cohesive.
Rene Padilla, also of D65, lives in Bonnyrigg and is an architect.
Who would not know Bal Villanueva? The debonaire brod keeps the Sydney
chapter parties alive with his exploits during his campus days. He is a
batchmate of Mendoza and Morales.
Boy Ycasiano of Batch 72A is living in Rouse Hill. He is Bobby Manansala's
cousin.
Arturo Soriano, LB64C, is up north, in Queensland ,working as golf
marshal.
Alex Roseus D79C heads the list of brods in Melbourne. He is a
pharmaceutical representative, a job that he puts to good use to locate
Beta Sigmans.
Mike Modesto D72A has been living in Melbourne since the 80s. He is an
analyst/programmer .
Efren Rivera LB 58 with wife/sis Pat migrated to Australia a couple of
years ago to join their son Eldred, DL81A in Melbourne.
Pat is a popular campus figure who was also frat sweetheart . She appeared
in a number of frat-sponsored Broadway productions.
Martin Talento LB 93C works in Melbourne as an analyst. They live in
Sunshine, a 15-minute drive from the city.
Dionisio Battad, LB 74D ex-Melbournian, has moved to Adelaide when he was
promoted to managerial position in a federal environment department. His
wife Yeyet is also a sis.
Two other Melbournians are Wowie Protacio UPD72a and Danny Neri
62, who
used to be with the late Freddie Javier in the globe-trotting Filipiniana
Dance Troupe way back in the 60s.
Another Adelaide resident is Ed Tadiar, 71A, a geophysicist who works with
Santos, a big Australian resource company. He was once interviewed by the
National Geographics for his expertise in mining. At the moment, he is
posted in Jakarta.
Jerome Catbagan D91F is the lone Betan in ACT (Canberra). He is a member
of the famed OBBF.
There are also two brods in New Zealand, Jon Balmores D93D and Dan Solis
LB94A.
Don Galapon D08 is studying business administration at Monash University
and plans to bring his family to Melbourne soon.
I will be happy to be corrected by brods, in case I missed anyone or misspelled
anyone’s name.
========================================================================================
Recent Memories
by Don Galapon D'08
I was taking B.S. Chemistry in the
University of the Philippines before I went to Australia. Things weren’t
going so well and I ended up working in a call center for more than two
years. I knew that there was no future in that industry for undergraduates
so I began to look at other options. I’ve read that there are a lot of
scholarships offered to international students in Australia, especially in
the accounting or the I.T. field. I’ve started applying last December
2011. I have submitted applications for Swinburne, RMIT, Melbourne
University, and Monash University. I submitted my application forms online
for the first three schools but I never got a scholarship. I knew that I
would make it, that I am smart enough to pursue a dream that most would
consider impossible. I was disappointed and my hope of reaching the stars
was reaching its end. Fortunately, I was able to get an interview with the
Southeast Asian Recruitment Manager for Monash University. He told me that
my credentials were not enough for a scholarship. I was devastated. With
nothing to lose, I asked him if I could take an aptitude test to help
prove my competencies and that is how my dreams started to become a
reality.
Melbourne skyline
I arrived in Melbourne last March 2013 and I knew nothing about the new
place except that I would be able to see wild kangaroos and koalas. Brod
Rolly Zubiri and Brod Alex Roseus traveled a long way to give me a warm
welcome. They have introduced me to other brods in the area. It was a
small gathering and I am really grateful to spend time with other members
of our great fraternity. They shared their own experiences and I was able
to acquire essential information about how to survive in Australia. I am a
bit busy looking for a job to help support my family in the Philippines,
but I would be very glad if I could get to know the brods who are based in
Melbourne.
I am taking Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at Monash University and I
am planning to stay in Australia after I graduate. I wasn’t able to give
back to the fraternity when I was in the Philippines but I know that
someday I will get my chance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Web note/Addendum: Pictures
below were sent by the late Anthony Subijano, UPD'72 and are posted in
Picture-an I.
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