Volume 35 Issue 6
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALPHA PHI OMEGA GREATER LOS ANGELES
June 2015
Happy Fathers Day!!! ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
The Newly Elected National Officers DY 2016-2017 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
NP–Luis Paredes
EVP–Daboy Fernandez VP Alumni–Takyo Garcia VP Fraternity–Cris Bautista VP Sorority–Toni Solleza
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Directors-at-large: Rowi Bautista & Jimmy Patino
Alumni–Wene Abordo Fraternity–Joseph Parungao Sorority-Therese Lizada
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
My Philippine Trek Diary By Sis. Irma Almazan It’s true that the weather is hot and humid, and the traffic hotel inside the campus of UPLB for visiting professors and is at a standstill. Everywhere you go there are lots of people exchange students. Our room was comfortable and it had all but it is always nice to be back in the Philippines, the place the basic needs that we expected. That night, we attended where we were born. It always gives you that nostalgic the fellowship at Lina’s Orchard. It was always fun to meet feeling. With the company of fellow APOGLAians, you double fellow APO brethren. The only downside was that Alex was suffering from laryngitis and was constantly coughing. His the fun. We arrived May 13 on a scorching day at around 9:30 fun was a little bit subdued. Otherwise, he could have a.m. The supposedly short ride from the airport to our condo monopolized the storytelling with his alumni brothers whom in Rockwell Makati became unbearable. Apparently, because he hadn’t seen for a long time. Saturday was a another fun day for this three-day event. it was a Wednesday, most of the devotees go to Baclaran church for the weekly devotion or novena, and that this has They scheduled a sports festival where alumni were divided caused the traffic jam. After one and a half hours, we into four teams. We belonged to the blue team with Brother traversed the distance of about 5 miles and finally arrived Mar and the rest of the gang. We garnered 2nd place overall and rested in our condo. Food was prepared and waiting for which was amazing considering the fact that we were less us. The fruits that we missed were in abundance: Mangoes, prepared. The bowling was great. Sunday, we decided not to attend the medical service in Chicos, Lanzones and Duhats. I avoided the Siniguelas because it’s already too much. After a day of much-needed downtown Los Banos. We had to get back home early to rest, we were bound for UP Los Banos to attend Theta’s prepare for the celebration of Alex’s mom’s birthday. Relatives and friends were present. It was held at the First Global reunion. Bro. Mar Gatchitorena picked us up Friday morning and Rockwell Clubhouse overlooking the lush garden and a big motored to Los Banos. The drive was so fun and leisurely pool surrounded with cabanas. One table was exclusively that we missed our exit in Calamba and didn’t realize it till for APO. Bro. Gabby Paulino and his wife Sis. Belle were we were almost in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. We had to go back among the few who arrived first. The rest arrived later in and finally found our way. We checked in at SEARCA, a stages like Bro. Beeboy Mansilla, Bro. Jerome Paggao, Bro. [See diary pg 4]
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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
Welcome Back Dumaguete City Convention Delegates By Bro. Dan E. Nino
We would like to welcome back our volunteers, voting and non-voting delegates to the APO Philippine Biennial Convention. I’m sure they have plenty of stories to tell and first hand account to relate to us of what transpired. We call this debriefing in military parlance. Ask Sis. Irma Almazan and Bro. Jerome Paggao. Somewhere in these pages, Sis Irma’s blow by blow account is printed. Congratulations to the so-called Performance Team led by Bro. Luis Paredes who won the presidency. He will preside over the fate of our APO Philippines over the next two years. I was also amazed that Bro. Jun Kintanar ran for the presidency. Is this the same Jun Kintanar from Betta Sigma chapter? If my memory serves me right, he was the batchmate of Bro. Manny Ilagan and the late Bro. Art Pacheco of Gamma Epsilon who had their final initiation in Calauan, Laguna together with other neophytes (three each) from Gamma Kappa and Gamma Epsilon in the early 1970s. Their batchname was Calauan Nine. It was the first time that three chapters held a final initiation christened, The Triumvirate. How do I know this one? I was there as a witness and senior brother to this little known history of our great fraternity. The other candidate was Bro. Raul Lambino, a cumprovinciano from Alpha Gamma (University of Pangasinan). —o— There was an issue raised during our last May GMM in that our delegates did not convene first in Los Angeles before embarking on their journey to Dumaguete City for the convention. This is not unusual. One member opined that the delegates should have met first so they could determine what agenda to advance in the plenary session or whom to vote by block voting or as individuals. It’s understandable. Some left ahead and a few left several days later. Providential or not, I bet the delegates heeded my instructions via e-mail. They met at Rockwell, Makati a day before proceeding to Dumaguete City. Besides, our delegates can only discern or decipher what’s best for our alumni association by being on the ground — listening, observing, hobnobbing and rubbing elbows with candidates and fellow delegates. —o— How time really flies fast. We are now in middle part of our tenure as president of APOGLA. I’ll soon write my swan song. For the headstart, here are our schedule for the next six months: June 20: GMM at Bro. Rey Manikad’s home in Sun Valley at 5 p.m., one-hour before the regular GMM to discuss the divergent views on what route to take for APOGLA’s future. Do we want to retain the 501-C3 tax-exempt charitable status of APOGLA or the other directions as a non-profit social club but with no tax exemption for donors.
June 27: Pechanga Buscapades. Pick up locations Panorama Post Office (8 a.m.); Amar Rd. and Asuza Ave., West Covina (9 a.m.) July 4: Independence Day celebration at Bro. Lito and Sis Josie Tarculas home in Moreno Valley (whole day affair) July 18: GMM at Bro. Bodjie Gapido’s home in West Covina at 5 p.m. Aug. 15: Family Picnic at 11 a.m. at a park in La Puente and GMM at 5 p.m. at the home of Bro. Jovee and Sis Hazel Jovellanos in La Puente. Aug. 29: Feeding America from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at 41st Street, Los Angeles, CA. Sept. 4, 5, 6 & 7: Annual Camping at Lake Cachuma, Santa Barbara, CA. Sept. 4, 5, 6 & 7: ACNA Fall Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sept. 19: Heal The Bay service project at Lake Balboa, CA from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Sept. 19: GMM, Nomination and Presentation of candidates at 5 p.m. at the home of Bro. Tony Gomez in North Hills, CA. Oct. 17: GMM at Bro. Rey Posadas’ home in Sun Valley. Oct. 24: Election and Halloween Party, Cerritos Clubhouse, 1 p.m. till evening. Nov. 21: GMM and awarding (venue to be determined) Dec. 12: December Affair at 6 p.m. at Embassy Suite, Anaheim/Garden Grove near Disneyland. Dec. 31: (New Year’s Eve Party at a venue to be determined in Santa Clarita. If there are some changes or addendum, we’ll update you from time to time. You might be wondering why from now on till November, we will start our meeting at 5 p.m. This will give us a chance for at least one-hour before our regular meeting to discuss the burning issue of the day: The 501-C3, What’s In Store For Us. This is chaired by Bro. Eric Serrano. —o— I appointed Bro. Kusay Bundalian to chair this year’s Sportsfest. He is still looking around for a possible venue and date. If you have recommendations, please let me know. Our life’s journey has lots of challenges and hurdles, twists and turns, peaks and valleys, ups and downs. It is with God’s grace that I had reached this milestone in the service of our community. By constant motion and balance of activities, it makes our adrenaline energized. Of course, we also need some rest and recreation to recharge our worn out batteries to rejuvenate our body and soul. As our theme for this year, “Let’s Elevate Our Enthusiasm; Let’s Mobilize Relentlessly “ still in motion, allow me to quote poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might…. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your objective.” See you all and God bless.
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BOD MESSAGE We are in the half way mark of the 2015 term and we still have a lot more to do specially in defining the structure of our organization. From what we have learned from the symposium, we have yet to decide what direction we are going to take. The membership and the 501 c3 committee believe there are different options we can take: A 501 c3 organization as it is. There will be no change at this time but run the risk of being audited, or we can revert to fraternal/ social organization (501 c6 or C7), tax exempt but not tax deduction. We can, however, keep the 501 c3 and create a new fraternal/social organization. It is only the General Membership who can ultimately decide the future of our organization. The Board of Directors will hold multiple special meetings to discuss the best option for GLA. The first of special meetings will be held an hour before this month’s GMM. Please participate in the meetings and help decide our organization’s structure. We would like to inform you too, that the Board is now requesting the assistance of all the past presidents for a record and inventory of the organization’s properties. As per our Policies and Procedure Article VII Section B, properties of the association like plaques, trophies, videos, photo album, electronic equipment and project reports should be recorded and properly noted. This inventory list will be consolidated and submitted to the Executive Director Bro. Sancho Sy. Still to be reviewed and to be discussed are resolutions from previous administrations, procedure for check disbursements and the membership application form flow. Bro. Roehl Reyes Chairman, Board of Directors
Tribo ni Bado Newsletter is a monthly publication of the Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Greater Los Angeles exclusively for its members, families and friends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers, and are not intended to represent APOPGLA. Publisher/Editor Mike “Boy” Medina Editorial Staff Ferdie Yambot • Fely Montecillo • Eric Serrano Photos/Graphics by Irma Almazan • Melody Ang-Gayon• Rocky Marte Sancho Sy •Dan Nino•Excerpt from FB Contributors Fely Montecillo • Roehl Reyes • Dan Nino Melody Ang-Gayon• Rocky Marte• Irma Almazan
GOINGS ON by Sis. Fely Montecillo Whew ! We’re going on half of the year already and we even hardly noticed it! But first, let me greet the June birthday celebrants - May you all have a wonderful birthday and more blessings from the Lord! From Sis. Dit Dit L. Maynard, Sigma, I learned that her son, also an APO, Bro. Edward Lago is celebrating his birthday on Saturday, June 20, with a birthday party by the pool. Have fun time you guys! June indeed, is an interesting month. First, for ladies, it is a wonderful month for weddings. Every bachelorette would usually aspire to become a June bride (if time allows it!). It would be nice to know that June is the month with the longest daylight hours of the year and the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological summer is June 21. In the Southern Hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological winter is June 21. So, that makes it interesting right? # # # And speaking of June and June brides, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the newly married couple Mr. and Mrs. James Grude. Tara, the bride, is the daughter of Bro. BOD Chair Roehl Reyes. One interesting thing about them is they got married twice! They had their church wedding last June 9 Francis de Sales wedding last June 12, at the Porter Valley County Club in Northridge. # # # Bro. Tony Amon invites all APOGLA members, friends and relatives to send money to the Philippines via PNB , RCI with promo code 2APO6 will be a help to our 501c3 state. # # # A big warm welcome to the APOGLA team that left for Dumaguete City to attend the APO 28th National Biennial Assembly held in there recently. Those who attended were the ff.: Sis Irma Almazan, Brods Alex Almazan, Mar Garchitorena, Hadrian Lara, Beeboy Mansilla,Lito Tarculas, Chito Atangan, Doms Tunque, Jerome Paggao, Ferdie Mamaril, Egay Ninofranco, Rocky Marte, Alex Pastores, Lester Arevalo , and JR Bayani. Let’s give them a group hug! # # # Congratulations to the newly elected officers of APO DY 2016 -17:EXECUTIVE COUNCIL- Luis Paredes -NP; Daboy Fernandez, EVP; Takyo Garcia, VP Alumni; Cris Bautista, VP Fraternity; Toni Solleza, VP Sorority. For the BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Rowi Bautista and Jimmy Patino, Directors at-Large; Directors -Wene Abordo for Alumni; Joseph Parungao for Fraternity; and Therese Lizada for Sorority. # # # Sis. Irma Almazan who led APOGLA’s team to the 28th National Biennial Gen. Assembly in Dumaguete City recently gave some of her insights on her recent trip there. She lamented the fact that nothing, virtually nothing has been done to improve the traffic situation in Manila. As far as transportation is concerned, en flights are almost always LATE! And we , of course, know that connections with who is who there can really make things happen! On the positive side, the presence of Phil.VP Bro. Jejomar Binay who was guest speaker during the occasion, brightened up the atmosphere in the assembly place. Everybody was cheering him and some were yelling, “Mr. President!” In that particular time, everybody was rooting for Bro. VP. It may be ironic to say that honoring the Fallen 44 policemen who perished in an encounter with Muslim insurgents in Mindanao to be on the positive side considering we are talking about their passing. What is positive here is the fact that the people in general, and specifically APO recognize the sacrifice of the Fallen 44. The APO brothers who perished in Maguindanao were extended posthumous awards and cash donations were given to their families. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
4 [Diary, cont. fr pg 1 ]
Bobet Lara, Bro. Rocky Marte, Bro. Mar, Bro. Chito Atangan, Bro. Jun de Castro, Bro. Lester Arevalo and Bro. Derrick Lichauco. Although the buffet table was closed already, we were able to let the kitchen staff prepare more food because of Bro. Gabby’s influence. He used to be the executive VP of Rockwell till he transferred to another company.
The entertainment for the night was provided by a guy who crooned ala Michael Bubble’ and Frank Sinatra. Ramon Almazan (cousin of Alex) was on vacation from Shanghai Sheraton performing with a band. The party was fun. Food was great and entertainment was superb. The fellowship among relatives, friends and APO brothers and sisters is priceless. A few more days in the city with shopping at Greenhills in between, then off we went to Dumaguete City to attend the biennial convention. On May 19, we went to Airport Terminal 3 to board Cebu Pacific. There, we met Bro. Mar, Bro. Paul Villafuerte and Bro. Aleks Garcia. Our flight was delayed as expected. This is the norm when you are in the Philippines. It’s as if it’s on a different time clock from the rest of the world. Whenever APO brethren get together, cameras are always flashing. Before boarding we had our picture taking as usual. We got priority boarding, compliments of Bro. Mar as he flashed his senior citizen badge. I found out that having a senior citizen card comes with a lot of perks. Priority boarding, free parking, free movies, discounted fares and most of all, 20% less on the price of food and beverages. Alex got one too and I’ll soon have my own courtesy of Bro. Pete Ramos who personally knows the mayor of the town where he lives. Connections, connections, connections – that’s the name of the game in the Philippines. We arrived around 6 p.m. in Dumaguete. As promised by Bro. Egay Ninofranco, the hotel’s limo was waiting for us. Thank you Bro. Egay for arranging our first rate accommodation at Nicanor Hotel. We checked in, unpacked, rested a bit then it was time to explore the city. I texted Bro. Mar and he and Bro Paul Villafuerte were already at the seaside devouring street food catered by local vendors. This was just near our hotel and Alex and I did a leisurely walk and joined them for more street food. The cuttlefish balls were so delicious as they cooked it in front of you. You had to dip it in three different kinds of sauces. The fertilized boiled egg was the best I ever tasted. I was able to consume two. I was forewarned that these were only appetizers before proceeding to Hayahay Restaurant, which is famous for its grilled seafood. From the seaside to the restaurant is quite a long walk. The place was full of APO and everywhere you turn to, there was always an APO. Rows and rows of outdoor [cont.next column]
tables were being served with seafood. My favorite was called “Suglaw,” a coined word for sugba which means grilled and kinilaw which is a raw marinated fish. This is a combination of pork belly grilled and tuna. Bro. Dan Maines, Sis. Baby Jacinto and Sis. Alvin Juanitez joined our group together with Bro. Mar and Bro. Paul Villafuerte, Alex and myself. After feasting on a heavy dinner we still had room for desserts but we needed a place indoors so as to relieve us from the excessive heat and humidity outside. In one of the air-conditioned restaurants, we found a bunch of APO again from Norcal. Bro. Larry Valera took over playing the piano as we sang, laughed and drank buko juice all the way till midnight. I and Alex decided to call it a day for a much-needed rest — to prepare for the ACNA medical
mission the following day. May 20: At the Don Bosco School gym, we opened business for the ACNA medical mission which I chaired. It was the 10th Humanitarian, Medical, Dental, and Optical mission that ACNA sponsors every Biennial Convention. As early as 8 a.m., crowds were slowly trekking in till it overflowed. There were around 50 volunteers alone from abroad. The rest were locals. I applauded Bro. Dr. Paul Villafuerte, who performed a lot of circumcisions. He was the favorite among the doctors performing the procedure because words had spread that he was doing it pain free with minimal blood lost. The blue-shirted volunteers did a superb job. That is what we call SERVICE - provided by APO
- and is second to none. We were all proud in what we did because we were able to practice one of the cardinal principles of our fraternity. Friendship and leadership came in handy. [cont.next column]
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After a hard day’s work came the recognition and awards night. Tablecloths were spread, and the chairs were also covered with white linens. Food was catered. Servers were neatly dressed. After the sumptuous dinner consisting of three roasted pigs, an array of dishes and desserts, we started the program. I was the designated as the emcee. The city mayor was on hand to welcome us. The highlight of the night was the awarding of monetary donation to the families of our six fraternity brothers who lost their lives serving the country. Each of them got 50 K pesos plus transportation cost and accommodations. Those fallen brothers were considered heroes for the sacrifices they made. All of the family members spoke. A mother, a brother and wives of our fallen brother soldiers. Each of them recalled their lives and fun memories with their departed. Sharing their joys, sorrows and stories,
we couldn’t help but be teary eyed. My biggest dilemma as an emcee was how to shorten the program because it went overtime due to the long sharing. But this night was not about us but it was for them. The monetary donations that we handed them came from all the generous hearts of men and women of Alpha Phi Omega and all the people like you. I thank each and everyone who donated their time and energy. Financially, long live the ACNA members! We have a big heart and it was all displayed in
the hearts and minds of all the people we served. There’s a saying that all work and no play is no fun. The next day we decided to reward ourselves with a well deserved R & R on APO Island. It’s an hour and a half boat ride to the island where corrals and sea turtles abound in theira pristine and natural habitat. Local folks call this an Apo Island meaning grandchild island. But for us we call it APO Island [cont.next column]
claiming like it’s ours. The shoreline is rigid as you can see the corrals in the shallow waters. We chartered two boats with 8 passengers per boat. As expected, this was fun. We all acted as if we were college kids all over again. Fun, fun, fun, is the name of the game. Back to the mainland, we had dinner again at the usual place: “Hayahay.” APO brethren and sisters were everywhere. Locals, from abroad, and from all corners of the Philippines. This makes us all proud to be members of APO where we all belong. Friendship and good vibes surround
us even if we come from different walks of life. The next day was the official start of the convention. APOGLA wearing our hats and shirts were prominently displayed during the parade of colors. The highlight of the day was the presence of our very own fraternity Brother Jejomar Binay, the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. The crowd got all crazy when he addressed the assembly. You can hear voices roaring, claiming him to be the next President of the Philippines. No one disagreed with this clamor. We are all APO and we must be united in supporting a fellow brother. This chance is only once in a lifetime so we might as well give our best shot. After the cheering and speeches came the photo ops time. ACNA had their moment. We had our picture taken with Bro. Jejomar Binay. Finally came the day of the convention that we were all waiting for, May 23, the election of the new set of officers that will guide APO Philippines for the next two years. It was hot and humid day again inside the convention center, which had no air conditioning. Only a few electric fans were working and it was not enough to beat the heat. But we were there to exercise our civic duty and not to complain. Candidates presented themselves along with their ideas and visions. The usual promises for this and that if ever elected. After everything was said and done, came the question and answer portion. I stood up, waiting for my turn to ask a question. I was second in line. When my chance came, I addressed the assembly and directed my question to the three candidates running for President: Jun Kintanar, Raul Lambino, and Luis Paredes. I asked, “Why is it that the ACNA banner is not properly displayed at every convention? With all the work that ACNA has done, they deserved to be recognized.” The issue was that officially they acknowledge ARNA as embodied in their CBL as their administrator in North America. All the three candidates replied positively to do something about it in the future and recognize the noble work of ACNA. Let us see if that will be true. After a series of questions and answers, the Commission [cont. pg 6]
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on Election adjourned in order to prepare more time for the election. It was 12 noon already and we went to lunch. Aware that the schedule of the voting was from 3 to 7 p.m., we decided to go back to our hotel after lunch to rest and plan to go back around 5 p.m. to vote. Little did we know that the COMELEC altered the schedule of voting from 1 to 3 p.m. So when we arrived at the convention center, they were already tallying the votes. I voiced out my complaint to the election officials but they said they could not do anything. A lot of people were not able to vote because of this confusion. Mostly voters from overseas. Democracy Philippine-style was prominently on display again. I guess we should never compare our system in the U.S. to theirs. They have their own set of rules. The only silver lining that came up was that the candidates that we were supposed to vote for had won. So no complaints on our part. All was well and ended up very well. On Sunday the convention was over. Some went home already to their respective places of origin but we decided to stay one more day to further explore what the city of Dumaguete had to offer. I organized a group to tour to the island of Siquijor. We needed 12 at least to avail for a group discount. We were 14 so the cost went down to just 1,800 pesos per passenger. That included the pick-up from the hotel to the seaport, boat ride and guided tour to the island plus lunch. Not a bad price considering that everything was inclusive. Siquijor is an island comprised of seven towns that you can traverse in half a day with stops at all the tourist spots. Our tour guide told us that this island was discovered by Spanish explorers during the 15th century. They named the island Isla del Fuego because when they first saw it they thought the island was on fire. They didn’t realize till they were near it that it was the fireflies that caused the island to glow. I don’t know if this story is true or just a legend propagated by those old folks that inhabited the island. As we boarded a small ship or a large boat –- whatever you want to call it — the sun was up already, but the sea breeze made it comfortable for us. The boat carried also two vehicles and a big truck. We were about 200 passengers on the boat and we sailed for 1 and 1/2 hours till we reached our destination. As we disembarked we were met by the driver of the van who was going to transport us around the island. We were divided into two groups, seven passengers per van. The tour guide was riding with us. The first stop was the old church built during the Spanish colonization. It was a typical site that you see all over the country, and was made out of bricks with imposing bell tower. At every stop we were given 15 minutes to explore the place and have our pictures taken. The next stop was an old convent and another church that is [cont.next column]
still being used today. Nearby the convent was a pond where the water was coming from a nearby spring on top of the mountain. It was almost lunchtime and we stopped at a house located on top of a hill. I guess this was the tour company’s contact to provide lunch for their customers. The food was decent enough and they also had a karaoke machine and we sang some songs after lunch. We resumed our tour and next was the century-old Balete tree. Some claim that if you take pictures with the tree as background you can see other faces on the picture. They said that the tree is haunted. I don’t know if this legend is true because I haven’t downloaded yet the pictures I took with my SLR camera. What I found interesting here is the pool of water on the foot of the tree. People removed their shoes and submerged their feet under the flowing water and small fishes were attracted to their feet and tickle you with their small teeth. I don’t know whether the attraction was from the smell of the feet or the color of the skin. But I didn’t try this. Most of the people did, but I was busy refreshing myself with fresh buko.
Next stop was a waterfall. In order to access the waterfall you have to go down the steps that are very steep (around a 60 degree angle). I counted the steps and it was a total of 120. Going down was easy but on the way up was challenging. This is not the activity of a weak heart. At the waterfalls some went underneath to get reprieved from the heat. There were 3 waterfalls here where they flow and become a roaring rapid with all the big boulder stones. This would be for daring people who want an adventure but this is not my cup of tea. After some picture taking, Alex and I decided to go back to our air conditioned van to rest. I felt that sometimes the heat and humidity was intolerable. Coming back was a challenge. We did 10 steps at a time then rested till we reached the top. We continued our tour on the island passing by a small town celebrating its fiesta. I heard from our tour guide that the night before, movie stars and singers from Manila graced the occasion. Next stop was the public beach. There were plenty of people there as expected. There was also a cafeteria selling some snacks. I avoided it because I found the food less appealing. The restroom was a disgrace. Why can’t they not just assign an attendant to maintain and keep the restroom clean, then charge visitors 10 pesos to use it to cover the cost for a decent restroom? We went back to the seaport using another route with several more stops along the way that I found not too exciting. We circumnavigated the whole island and boarded the boat on our way back. We sat on a cabin that was air-conditioned but still, the smell of the diesel fuel was intoxicating. Good thing, we brought facemasks. At [cont.next column]
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least it decreased the smell. The boat was jam packed. Double the capacity. Passengers were standing in any place they could avail of. Seats were all taken. There was even a sick person on a bed placed beside the parked truck. He was even on IV fluids. Looking at the condition of the boat you wonder if this is the norm. They should be cited for extreme unsafe operation. Where were the coast guards or are there any? Thank God we got back to our hotel in one piece without any untoward incident. It was late already and Alex just got some burgers at Mc Donald’s to go. After overindulging on local food I missed my burger. What a relief. Monday, May 25 was time to go home to our condo in Makati. Our flight was not till 5 p.m. We checked out at 12 noon and had lunch at a nice restaurant beside the hotel. Alex went and bought sans rival to bring home. This is the specialty of Dumaguete City, so we got to taste it. We landed at NAIA terminal 3 at around 7 p.m. We rode the airport limo costing us with a flat rate. Makati area costs you 500 pesos. The limo ride from the airport to our condo in Makati was twice longer than the plane ride from Dumaguete to Manila. Patience, patience and a lot of patience — you need that here in the Philippines. It’s nice to be back to our condo where we can enjoy all the comforts of life. Alex was able to have a much-needed rest as he had been coughing. He started with the Z pack a day back in Dumaguete. That helped him and with more rest he would be fine. After a few days of rest we were fully recharged again. Thursday night, Bro. Gabby and Sis. Belle wanted us to have dinner but there was a previous plan already. Sis. Estrella and hubby Bro. Mike from Chicago invited us also. They were going to get the artwork that they won in the bidding during the convention. This bidding was to raise funds to pay for the treatment of a Makati brother suffering from a debilitating disease. So the artwork went to the highest bidder. It went up to 95,000 pesos. The metal artwork with the APO seal was crafted by Brother Fred Ramirez, an artist well known in Asia and Europe. He also owns a Bistro in Makati where he was hosting the dinner. Bro. Gabby and Sis. Belle, Bro Pete Ramos and wife Mariel, Sis. Estrell and husband Bro. Mike, Sis. Juliet Ramos, Alex and myself had dinner in a private room at the Bistro. The house special was balut ala pobre. Fertilized duck egg unshelled and cooked in a secret sauce. I thought I over indulged, which is why I had a stomach upset as a result. One medical mission done, one more to go. This time it was a joint project of ACAI and ACAA, the alumni group of Alpha Chapter.
on EDSA. We came late and it was almost lunchtime when we arrived. My batch mate Bro. Mon Villa picked us up at Rockwell. Along the way we picked up another batch mate Bro. Manny Garcia aka “Waikiki.” We had so much fun along the way and we lost track of the time. We finally arrived at the medical mission site inside a small gymnasium. Brother Dr. Mac Lichauco spearheaded the event together with ACAI President Bro. Jun Domingo and ACAA President Bro. Froilan Bonifacio. Right away I assumed my assignment giving Pneumonia vaccines together with Sis. Estrell and Mariel the wife of Bro. Pete Ramos. Having done so many medical missions, we all became experts already. The people of Papaya were all very grateful. It’s 4 p.m. and everything was done. The fellowship was at a local resort. Before proceeding there, we passed by Brother Danton Pajarillaga’s farm. It was huge about 50 hectares and contained a dairy farm, fish pond and organic vegetable garden. We had some snacks there, then went to the resort. Upon arriving, we noticed that they were roasting a calf (baby cow). Most of the brothers and sisters in attendance were from Alpha chapter where I was a pledgee in 1971. It was so nice to share stories with all of them. We spent the night in a hotel in Cabanatuan City then went back to Manila the next day. Three more days and it’s time to say goodbye. We flew back to L.A. on June 3rd. All good things must come to an end and it’s time to go back to our normal lives. Goodbye Philippines! Quoting Gen. Douglas McArthur, “I shall return” or to give it a more modern twist, here is the quote from actor Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Hasta la Vista Baby…I’ll be back!” ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Saturday, June 27, 2015
BUSCAPADE On May 30, we all went to Papaya, a small town in the province of Nueva Ecija. Some arrived by private cars. Some came in by bus. The meeting place was in Robinson’s Mall [cont.next column]
For more info please contact Bro. Ferdy Yambot Mobile No. 909 904-4372
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PAGDIRIWANG 2015 Celebrating the 117th Anniversary of Philippine Independence with a bang is what the 2015 PAGDIRIWANG Philippine Festival is all about. Now on its 29th year, this annual event, held last June 6-7 at the heart of Seattle Center highlights Filipino arts and culture. The festival commemorates the end of Spanish rule in 1898 with pageantry, music, dance, photo, art and artifacts exhibits, fashion show, food, children’s activities, drill team presentation, live bands and martial arts. The event has grown into the biggest festival of Filipino arts and culture in the Pacific Northwest. This year’s theme is: MINDANAO Island of Varied Hues. Pagdiriwang is one of the 23 ethnic art and cultural festivals under Seattle’s Festal Program. The Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington partnered with the Seattle Center, the City, notable sponsors and various community groups to successfully create this focal point. Need I even mention that our APO counterpart in Greater Washington, fondly referred to as “GWAPO”, is the logistics team behind this huge festivity. It is headed by our very own APO brother from ETA Chapter, Juan Pablo ‘JP’ Paredes, who has been the overall chairperson for 3 consecutive years and co-chaired by our APO sister from Alpha Chapter Melanie Paredes. Among the many activities featured and dispersed within the colossal Seattle Center’s Armory Court, Main Stage, Loft, Lobby, Balcony, Roadway and the Mural Amphitheater are: Art exhibits by Anthony Palomo, Photography exhibit by Leia Maminta Smith, Philippine Artifacts Collection proudly displayed by U.S. Navy, Burton Holt, DIWA Film Showcase, Ethnic, tribal and traditional dances performed by different dance companies/groups with its very colorful costumes,
Ethnic Fashion Show, Filipino Martial Arts Demonstration like Arnis or Eskrima, Historical exhibits in and around the Armory Court, food booths and truck for health fair and blood drive at the Roadway, GMA Pinoy TV star, Alden Richards’ guest appearance at the Main Stage, The Mural Amphitheater spotlighting several bands and musical groups, all lined up to play for 2 days under the warm sun with the visual of the Space Needle, which is a Seattle landmark, Ron Quesada of Kulintronica, who provided a modern take of the kulintang, an antiquated tribal musical instrument, and its musical fusion to music of today; Yes! Even danceable clubbing type of music. Lastly, as the festival finale, we were treated to the Filipino Youth Activities (FYA) Drill Team’s 30 minutes performance. The FYA Drill Team illustrated discipline in their different executions of their formations and displayed how multitalented we are as a people. No wonder they were given remarkable citations as a drill team and has been the show ender for so many years! Pagdiriwang should be experienced, at least once, not just by people foreign to our ways, but by fellow Filipinos who want to be in touch and to regain exposure to our rich culture. It comes highly recommended. All in all, the past weekend was time well spent. It was quite an unforgettable involvement which accentuated OUR people, OUR history, OUR traditions and practices, and OUR arts and culture. It highlighted the uniqueness of being Filipino. Having been immersed and captivated in this cultural experience made me reminisce and treasure our ever so priceless and diverse heritage…….PROUD TO BE PINOY!!! by Sis. Melody Ang-Gayon
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TREASURER’S REPOR T REPORT Paid members as of June 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
Agagon, Troy Almazan, Alex Almazan, Irma Amon, Ophel Amon, Tony Ang-Gayon, Melody Ansula, Bong Aquino, Fidel Arciga, Hanigrace Arnaldo, Manolo Arroyo, Geofrey Asuncion, Ann Atienza, Oscar Ayo, Toti Banayos, Philip Barcelona, Marc Bayani, JR Bautista, Jimmy Cabacungan, McGuill Calvario, Rene Carrasco, Danny Clarete, Sam David, Betta David, Christian David, Raul del Casal, Rafael (NEW) Delmolin, Froilan Evangelista, Domel Evangelista, Jen Fajota, Honeyboy Fisico, Teddy Flores, Rudy Franco, Francis Franco, Rolly Galang, Emma Garchitorenas, Mar Gomez, Tony Grey, Andrew (NEW) Hernandez, Bong Imperial, Gloria Ingco, Bonjie Jamero, Jham Jamero, Lenet Javierto, Mandy Jovellanos, Hazel Jovellanos, Jobee
47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93
Lautchang, Wilson Linsangan, Jun Madela, Rene Mamaril,Ferdie Manalastas, Ruth Mansilla, Casey Marte, Rocky Martinez, Romulo Maruquin, Ruben Mejia, Franics Mendoza, Armand Mendoza, Gil Miranda, Shane Montecillo, Fely Monasterio, Mitz Nino, Dan Ninofranco, Egay Noche, Cesar Nonato, Alvin Paggao, Jerome Pangilinan, Angel Paras, Roland Paredes, Vic Pascua, Dom Pascual, Winston Pastores, Alex Patelo, Angelo Peneza, Bobet Petrasanta, Rene Posadas, Rey Reyes, Roehl Romero, Ed Rondilla, Dony Somera, Herman Serrano, Eric Sy, Sancho Tarculas, Josie Tarculas, Lito Tecson, Ed (NEW) Uy, Celso Valdecantos, Henry Ventura, Beth Villanueva, Erna Vinluan, Jehiel Yambot, Ferdy Yazon, Daemma Mendez Yenko, Rene
Please send your $50.00 Membership Dues to: OPHEL VITA AMON 22761 Eccles St., West Hills, CA 91304 All checks must be made payable to: APOGLA
June MEMBERS: 01- Jimmy Magsino 02- Erna Villanueva 03- Henry Valdecantos 04- Francis Mejia 08- Tony Alejan 09- Jesus Castro - George Ludovico 10- Jun Sacro - JJ Castro 11- Tony Mendoza 13- Toots Pagdanganan 14- Rocky Marte 15- Roehl Reyes 16- Marylou Almadrones - Sancho Sy - Boy Valdecantos - Nelson Jusay 25- Abe Pangilinan - Melvin Villaver 28- Jerome Paggao 30- Shirley Jove SPOUSE: 02- Dyan Bundalian 06- Rosanne Bacalia 09- Norma Castro 14- Meg Ilagan 19- Evelyn Noche 20- Jeannie Garcia 21- Jocelyn Ludovico 24- Marinette David APO Kids: 02- Louie King Caldoza 05- Leonardo Caldoza Jr. 06- Lesley Rosales 09- Zenith Villanueva - Josef Madrigal 12- Katrina Lichauco 18- Pamela Amon - Blake Atienza 20- Harris Chicano 24- Lea Barcelona 25- Dr.Timothy Almazan 26- Kristel Aquino 28- Christoff Yenko - Emily Ayo - Brandon Atienza
6TH GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING WHEN:Saturday, June 20, 2015 WHERE:
Bro. REY MANIKAD Residence
8712 Herrick Ave., Sun Valley, CA 91352
WHAT: General
Membership Meeting Directions:
(5:00 PM to 7:00 PM)
- Meeting will start promptly at 6 PM - Fellowship Afterwards
CONTACT PERSONS: Bro. Dan Nino - (562) 921-5116
From East: Fwy 210 West, Fwy 134 West, Fwy 5 North, Exit Sunland Blvd Right, Left Vinedale St. Vinedale St. turning right becomes Herrick Ave. From North: Fwy 5 South, Exit Penrose St. Right,, Right Norris Ave. Left Dora St. Right Herrick Ave. Please check Yahoo or Google maps for details...
Dan Nino 12450 East Oakcreek St., Cerritos, CA 90703
Stamps Here
http://alphaphiomega.org/ THETA Chapter Global Reunion Thetans from all over the world converged at U. P. Los Banos, Laguna for their first Global reunion. The three day affair was held at Lina’s Orchard on May 15-17, 2015. Major highlights of the event was a holy mass officiated by our very own Theta Alumni father Tuzzi Flores , sports festival and medical and dental service project on May 17 at the old municipal hall of Los Banos . The homecoming was conceived more than three years ago drew a large participation from members from all walks of life from Luzon , Visayas, and Mindanao as well as members from the U.S., France, Canada, Australia , New Zealand and Saudi Arabia. Brothers Mar Garchitorena, Alex and Sis Irma Almazan, Ernie Mandapat, Doms Tunque, Chito Atangan, Sony Daof and Rocky Marte represented Thetans from APOGLA. Brethrens from APONORCAL namely Brothers Serge Aragones, Bert Felina , Henry and Nilda Benigno, Chang Azarias, Phel Salud, Pons Gordovez, Leo Plurad and Ronald Yu were also present. Theta Alumni Association of North America President Brother Mody Olympia and Chicago based Brothers Tony Castillo, Edwin and Joyce Marquez and my Ka batch Brother Philip Lacbawan from Metro DC graced the occasion as well. The fun did not stop after the global reunion as we continue our gathering to celebrate the 93rd birthday of Brother Alex
Almazan’s Mother at the Rockwell Center in Makati. Even more fun awaits everyone as a large number of Thetans headed for Dumaguete City for the 28th National Biennial General Assembly . We would like to express our special thanks to each and every person who made this homecoming a reality most specially to our Global Reunion Chairperson Brother Steve Baltazar, our APO Theta Phlippines Alumni association counterpart Fidencio “Juni” Tani , Brando Bautista, Antonio Mira , Cora Cabrido-Davis, Joey Lugod, Marlea Munez, the resident members our sponsors and loyal followers. Hoping to see everyone again to celebrate our 60th year on our second global reunion in 2017