No one is prouder than his own Eta Chapter in the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus.

In a testimonial dinner at Metro Club in the financial district of Makati, 17 June 2010, Vice President-elect Jejomar Cabanuatan Binay was honored by no less than the University of the Philippines Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association (UP APOAA) headed by Manny Clarino.

Binay, a graduate of political science and law from UP, belongs to Batch 60 of Eta, also known as Blackjacks. He was also a member of the UP Student Council and prime chancellor of the fraternity during his UP days.

In attendance included Binay’s batchmates and Eta Chapter’s personalities like former San Fabian, Pangasinan mayor and now provincial board member Mojamito R. Libunao ‘59, former Makati City councilor Armando P. Padilla ‘74, Intellectual Property Coalition chairman and famous violinist Philip John J. Lesaca ‘72, former UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG) College Secretary and faculty member Joel V. Mangahas ’81, and members of Kappa Phi Omega.

The Band of Brothers and Sisters in Service campain team were also full force during the event. In the forefront were Atty. Luis Paredes, Atty. Rico Lainez, Atty. Chato Marinas, Ms Sallie Licauco, and members of the BRODSS Office.

Binay’s inauguration is set on June 30, 2010 before Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales.

MANILA, Philippines — How did Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay do it? Against what seemed like formidable odds, he emerged the winner of the vice presidential election?

The man himself invokes preparedness and destiny, plus a number of other factors involving his opponents: The complacency of the consistent survey front-runner Sen. Manuel Roxas II and the diminished ratings of Sen. Loren Legarda. And there were Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s endorsement, the pro-poor brand of his party standard-bearer Joseph Estrada, and the efforts of his fraternity brothers and sisters, his city’s sister cities, towns and provinces, and his fellow senior citizens.

In his initial news conferences after the voting machines started transmitting election results that showed him leading Roxas by hundreds of thousands of votes, Binay said he knew that he would be No. 1 despite the fact that his ratings were in the low single digits when the campaign began.

“Before God and before men, I will tell you that I knew I was going to win,” he told reporters in his 21st floor perch at Makati City Hall.

Read books
Originally a presidential aspirant himself, Binay claimed to have studied and prepared for the task, and to have run one of the most organized, if not the most organized, national campaign from February to May.

“I read six or seven books on the making of the American president,” he said.
In the process of narrating what he had learned, Binay cited former US President Jimmy Carter’s experience in seeking help from Georgia businessmen.

But he stopped short, thinking that he might be giving away too much. “Teka muna (Wait), that’s my trade secret,” he said, laughing.

222 sister LGUs
Binay, 68, began traveling to various points in the country late in 2007, according to his media relations officer Joey Salgado.

The trips were made at a faster clip in 2009 when local government units invited Makati to be a sister LGU and hosted the mayor for ceremonies in cities, towns and provinces.
When Binay attended the ceremonies, he took the occasion to visit other LGUs in the area, Salgado said, adding that Makati had “sister relations” with 222 local governments.
Sister cities share technologies and innovations in governance with one another. In Makati’s case, it shares its know-how in the computerization of government services. (Binay said that with its billion-peso revenues, Makati even shared resources with needy LGUs.)

“I mingled with the local governments,” Binay said. “This is my line of competency. I speak the language of mayors and governors. I can tell them the problems and what I did with the projects, so that we can take pride in saying, ‘These were successful projects.’”
Binay said that even if only half of Makati’s sister LGUs backed his campaign, that already meant millions of votes.

But he claimed that whatever political advantage he gained from the partnerships with LGUs was only incidental: “That was only an offshoot … I hope you would believe me when I tell you that with all the blessings that we received from the Lord, it was only right that we help needy local governments.”

Troubleshooting
Chiz Escudero’s role in Binay’s campaign was not confined to his TV ad endorsing the mayor as his vice presidential candidate, according to an insider who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Escudero camp intensified its involvement in the latter part of the campaign, when it realized that Binay’s ratings were not moving despite his network of local officials.

“The network was not being translated into voter preference,” the insider said. Per the insider’s account, this was how the troubleshooting went:

Taking advantage of the fact that Roxas and his people were not coordinating with local government officials, the Escudero camp began calling these officials as well as members of the House of Representatives to push Binay.

“The governors were the key … They were told, ‘Do you expect Mar to help you? He’s not even talking to you,’” the insider said.

The monetary support that was released in the latter part of the campaign, which appeared to result in Binay’s surge that culminated in a 0.2-percentage-point lead over Roxas in the last week, was not that considerable.

The important thing was the promise made—that help would come in the form of an increased share in the internal revenue allotment, or the LGUs’ share in the taxes they collected from their jurisdictions.

‘True volunteerism’
Binay said he had his brothers and sisters in the Alpha Phi Omega to thank for his victory. “The others have persons who campaign for them. I call those payroll loyalties. In my case, my brods’ loyalty is true volunteerism. We are 120,000 in our frat. And we have from governors down to barangay officials to start with,” he said.

Jokingly, he said it was some kind of “payback” after hurdling the rigors of fraternity initiation.

After his proclamation as Vice President-elect on Wednesday, Binay waived a news conference at the House that was supposed to be held after that of President-elect Benigno Aquino III, and chose to meet with his frat brothers and sisters who gathered at the lobby of the building.

Senior citizens
Binay also credited part of his victory to the support of senior citizens who, he said, had influence on some three persons in their family.

“This one, [my opponents] failed to [tap],” he said. “Senior citizens [number] six to seven million. I am a senior citizen; I can talk in the language of senior citizens.”

He added that Makati—which provides social services, even free movies, to the elderly—was the mecca of senior citizens in the country.

That he was Estrada’s running mate also helped, Binay said, dismissing talk that his camp had junked the ousted President.

“On the issue of helping the poor, our rivals were just talking about how to do it,” he said. “President Erap and I have already done it. President Erap was a mayor of San Juan and he was a model mayor of San Juan during his time.”

‘Caught napping’
Binay agreed with observations that after dominating the pre-election surveys for the most part of the campaign period, the Roxas camp became complacent.

“In the words of Sen. Serge Osmeña, they were caught napping,” he said. “In a way that is true because if you would look at the trend of the elections, [you would see that] they only focused on their own region.”

Legarda’s sudden decline in the surveys also benefited him, Binay said. But he said he had also managed to cut into Roxas’ ratings, which dwindled from the high 50s in the beginnings to just 37 percentage points a week before Election Day.

Binay actually led Roxas by 0.2 points—37.2 to Roxas’ 37—in Pulse Asia’s last survey before the elections. By then Escudero had endorsed “NoyBi” (Aquino and Binay).

Repositioning
A repositioning of forces at the end of a campaign is nothing new, according to Binay.
“Those are the realities of politics,” he said. “It’s not just the Liberal Party that experienced it.”

The Nacionalista Party’s Manuel Villar, the administration’s Gilbert Teodoro—“all of them experienced somersaulting, positioning,” Binay said. “And usually, the somersaulting happens when the supporters of an already losing candidate go with the one who’s winning.”

Looking back, Binay said destiny played a huge part in his political career.
“It just so happened that I was beside Nene (then Interior Secretary Aquilino Pimentel Jr.) and I was appointed mayor [of Makati],” he said.

More than 20 years after that appointment by then President Corazon Aquino, Binay is now the Vice President-elect.

“The one who they said wouldn’t win was the one who won. Destiny … it happens,” Binay said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100611-274985/How-Binay-did-it-Chiz-Mar-seniors-frat-brods

Brods/Sis, The anniversary ball was a success! Seeing brothers and sisters gathered even just for a night, brought chills to me, being the Grand Chancellor. It was fun to see brothers exchange stories, as well as contact numbers. At first, most brothers were hesitant to dance on the floor but a few bottles of beer and wine made almost everyone look for partners or join the line dance.  It really was a night I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Congratulations to everyone especially the committee Chair Brod Q Pastrana and Sis Rosie de Ocampo, Awards Committee Head Brod Chato Mariñas, with the support of our hardworking President Manny Clarino and all other committee members. Congratulations as well to our Order of Lafayette Awardee Brod PNP Chief Gen. Jess Verzosa and the set of Oblation Awardees. You truly made us proud to be APO-ETA!

Allow me also to thank the following for their generosity of sponsoring the resident brods and sis:

1. Jun Rivera $40 – thru Brod Frony  Balderama
2. Bernie Castillo $200 – thru brod Edmund Zamora
3. Frony Balderama $100
4. Freddie Cabling – 2 brothers
5. Boysie Brill – 1 brother (thru brod Freddie Cabling)
6. Dan Vargas $100
7. Alex Tamayo, Lito Quiray, Chito Sarrol, Ted Topacio, Tito Mayor, Ding Viray – 14,000 pesos (thru Brod Tito Mayor– turned over to President Manny Clarino)
8. Willie Vinegas – 4, 000 pesos turned over to Brod Manny Clarino

Our gratitude also goes to Brod Major General Jojie Segovia, Sis Pia, Brod Koreeks, and Mamasal for purchasing some artworks for the benefit of the resident brods. A part of the proceeds will go to the artist and another part will go to the resident fund and be used for Brod Ronald “PAPSI” Baccay’s candidacy for University Student Council Elections on February 24. He is running for Councilor and we are currently campaigning for him.

Finally, our gratitude and appreciation to brothers and sisters from Northern California who donated 24,000 pesos for our projects thru Brod Aris Corpuz. You may not be here with us during the fraternity ball but certainly you were present in spirit and definitely are in our hearts and minds.

ETA for EXCELLENCE!
See you next year!

Fritz G. Sapon
Grand Chancellor

My apologies in advance if I forgot to mention some names especially with the donors and artworks’ buyers. Please feel free to correct me. Thank you as well Brod Danny Basobas for allowing us to ride in your car (`though we got lost) and Brod Frony Balderama for lending us your access database (I hope you had a good time here and wish you a safe trip back to the US)

The ancient Eta Chapter Bulletin Board. Still looking good after 20 years(?)

AS Walk in Blue and Gold

Eta Chapter Alumni Leadership

Eta Alumni and Visiting brethren from other chapters pose with APO National President Mel Adriano

The 90′s

Bro. Ojie Santillan

Calm before the storm

AS Steps

Here it comes…

The banners of Leadership, Friendship and Service

Hubad na mga Bayani

Thanks to the contact information from Sis Maybelle M. Raquel, I was able to talk to the Abad Family by telephone. Over the weekend, I spoke with Papa Abad, who was at Edward’s home in Cubao, Quezon City, The Philippines, and Malou, who lives with her husband and daughter in the suburbs of Spokane, Washington, USA. Thanks, too, to Edward and Eve’s daughters, Lizette and Ninia, for additional information.

Brod Architect Angel “Papa” B. Abad, APO-Delta, celebrated his 90th birthday on March 1 this year. Malou and Brod Dr. Titus (who still lives with his family in West Virginia) came home for the milestone occasion.

I think it’s because my telephone service is bundled with Comcast cable Papa and I had a hard time talking on the telephone. Highlights of our conversation:

“How is Alpha Phi Omega in the U.S.?” was Papa’s main question. He said APO members attended his birthday party. He is in good health, Papa says, although he’s a bit lonely and missing Mama, the former Gloria Tenmatay, who passed on August 17, 2006. In December, Malou plans to come home with her daughter to celebrate Mama’s third death anniversary with the Abad Family in the Philippines.

Rollie’s and Mama’s cremains are now in the same crypt at the Christ the King church in Green Meadows, Quezon City. The church was among those Papa as architect helped build. The crypt is a building by itself. Space costs PhP50,000, Papa says.

Papa now lives in a house close to son Edward’s at Horseshoe Village. There are lots of horses here; thus, the name, Papa jokes. 11 Roseville in White Plains is being rented out.

Edward has worked with Allied Bank all this time. Malou and husband Rocky attend to their their own business. I have Titus’ cell and pager numbers, but have yet to talk with him. Michelle and family live in Fairview, and Gabby and his live-in are in Makati City.

Because of poor telephone connection, I had to request Papa and I continue our communication by e-mail.

I called Malou and updated her about this week’s service program dedicated to the name and memory of Rollie as well as that of Brod Ferdinand “Ferdie” Tabtab. I memntioned the batch effort initiated by Ka-Batch Abe Tan and seconded by Ka-Batch Alex Santos. Zodiac donated US$3,000 to the U.P. Alpha Phi Omega Foundation to fund Rolando T. Abad scholars. On our own, Gracie and I also donated US$3,000 for additional U.P. APO Foundation scholars. These donations were made a few years ago, and the grants are now enjoyed by U.P. students, usually APO-Eta active brods and sis.

I reported to Malou APO-Eta on a yearly basis conducts the Brod Rollie Abad Service Week around the August 30th date. Malou wishes APO to keep the Abads informed, so Papa and other family members may be able to participate.

By way of apology, I said I wished we were more in touch with Papa and the rest of the family all these years. Malou said the family always understood and always had us APO on their minds and in their prayers.

I told both Papa and Malou I could be retired as early as my next birthday in June 2010 or no later than early 2011. Retirement would mean having time to work on historical documentation on the Internet and other media (revival of Kapatiran?, etc.). There is much work to look forward to.

The number 32, in days, is no longer on the calendar; in years, it seems so long ago. Ashes get transferred. Names etched in stone fade. And memory dulls the pain. But they remain.

That is why we are still here to remember.

Thank you to Papa and Mama Abad for assuming the brunt of grief. Thank you to Malou, Edward, Titus, Michelle, and Gabby for sharing their blood brother with us. Thank you for the entire Abad Family for letting go and letting God’s will be.

August 30, 1977: 32 years ago today. A lesson that may seem a lifetime ago, but, lest we forget, has taken a life to learn.

Lest we forget to remember.

After a long weekend (July 2-5, 2009) of fellowships, white water river rafting, hiking and partying with music provided by Seattle’s best Filipino live band (with Bro. Chito Refuerzo on lead guitar and UP alumnus Teza Mendoza on vocals), the main task of carrying on the work of the ETA Alumni Association of North America Foundation has just started under a new administration.

There were suggestions of re-electing me as President of ETAANA and some even suggested a President for Life term ala Bro. Manny Clarino of the UP APO Alumni Association. I am very happy that we were able to squelch such exuberance because the lifeblood of our Foundation lies not in a so-called “stability of leadership” – because the Foundation itself is a bedrock of stability – but in the dynamism that new blood can infuse into our Foundation. Between Bro. Ruffy Ignacio (AGC 1999-2001, President 2001 -2005) and myself, the leadership of our Foundation has been based in Washington for the past 10 years, not to mention that three biennial affairs were held in the beautiful State of Washington. That, to me, should be enough stability as we embarked on building our 501(c)3 foundation stone by precious stone.

I was extremely pleased that there were several new faces from the 50′s and early 60′s batches – with their beautiful families – that graced the occasion of our biennial reunion, as well as braved the risks of the white water river rafting, not to mention the greater risks posed by the Gallery golf course on Whidbey Island. All in all, the affair on Cornet Bay, Whidbey Island, Washington was a resounding success.

Behind any success, however, are the people who provided their indispensable support, starting with our spouses without whose cooperation we would not even have had the time nor the interest in taking over such a huge task of organizing our biennial affair.

Last, but certainly not the least, from the bottom of the hearts of each and every member of ETAANA, I would like to acknowledge and convey our deep appreciation to all the members of the Greater Washington Alpha Phi Omega (GWAPO) without whose constant and tireless support, our ETAANA members could not have possibly found the time to enjoy their stay. We salute the members of GWAPO under the leadership of Bro.GWAPO President Ernie Paragas, and the spouses Bro. Caesar and Sis Cora Mitre who, with the GWAPO members too numerous to mention here at this time, ran the kitchen with efficient hands.

Finally, I would like to announce that we have a new President, Bro. Emmanuel “Bojji” Martinez (’82-D), who was unanimously given carte blanche by the ETAANA electorate to form his own corps of officers to carry on the fine traditions of ETA chapter here in North America.

Congratulations to you, Bro. Bojji, and we will provide you with all of the support that you will need to carry our your mandate.

Sincerely and fraternally,

JP Paredes
M-16, ’73A, ID# 0007-1973-04351 Life
Past President, APO-ETAANA Foundation (2005-2009)

Earth Hour, a project of World Wide Fund (WWF) that began in Sydney, Australia, calls on individuals and businesses around the world to switch off their lights for one hour every last Saturday of March.

As the Flagship City , Makati will endorse the movement and have a citywide participation to symbolize the solidarity of Makati with the rest of the world.

“We are honored by these key roles conferred on us by the World Wide Fund in this year’s observance of Earth Hour.

We thank them for recognizing our efforts to support initiatives aimed to address climate change, including our observance of Earth Hour which is shaping up to be a multi-sectoral, citywide undertaking that involves the barangays and all public and private sectors in Makati,” Binay said.

The WWF has also lauded the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Makati for passing City Resolution No. 2008-056 declaring a daily Earth Hour for the city.

As Earth Hour Ambassador, Binay will lead a ceremonial countdown on March 28, Saturday, at Tower One and Exchange Plaza on Ayala Avenue , which will start with a short program at 7pm.

At exactly 8:30pm, all lights on lampposts in six major roads and public buildings in Makati will be switched off.Businesses in the Makati Central Business District (CBD) are also expected to take part in the event.

The Makati Fire Department and churches in Makati will sound their sirens and bells as the cue for participants to turn off their lights.

Makati’s 33 barangay halls have also been asked to turn of their lights, and all the city’s barangay chairs have committed to encourage residents to switch off at the appointed time all or some of their household lights for one hour.

Likewise, Binay directed the Makati Police, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the barangay Bantay Bayan to maintain high visibility during the one hour lights-off period, which will be duplicated in key cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas .

So far, 83 countries, 2,398 towns, cities, and municipalities, 18,783 businesses, 5,841 organization, and 7,843 schools have pledged their support to this worldwide event.

Earth Hour is the world’s largest mass participation event that aims to heighten awareness on climate change and symbolize that by working together, the people of the world can make a difference in the fight against global warming.

MANILA, Philippines – Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia (APO Eta ’74) received the Distinguished Service Star yesterday for leading his men in dismantling two New People’s Army fronts in Laguna and downsizing three more in Batangas in 2007 and 2008. The former commander of the Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade led awardees during the Army’s 112th anniversary in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig yesterday. Segovia is now assigned to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Command Center.

The Distinguished Service Star was also awarded to Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, former commander of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion in the Visayas, and Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, Army chief of staff.

The Gold Cross Medal was pinned on 1Lt. Albert Ortiz for gallantry in action. He led the Scout Rangers against the Abu Sayyaf and rogue Moro National Liberation Front bands in Indanan, Sulu in February 2007. Nineteen terrorists and 10 others were wounded in that encounter.

The Gold Cross Medal was also awarded to 1Lt. Roberto Bulosan who led his men in a shootout with NPA rebels in Salcedo town in Ilocos Sur. Three rebels were killed in the encounter and the soldiers recovered several high-powered firearms. First Lt. Roberto Bulosan also received the Gold Cross for leading his men in killing 15 NPA rebels during an encounter in Claver, Surigao del Norte on June 29.

The Gold Cross was also pinned on Sgt. Antipas Balolo, who led his platoon in a clash that killed two NPA rebels in Sta. Cruz, Davao City. Lt. Col. Noel Detoito, of the 542nd construction battalion, received the Gawad sa Kaunlaran for spearheading the construction of houses as part of the Kalinga sa Kawal project at Camp Minuyan in Murcia town in Negros Occidental.
He also headed the construction of soldiers’ quarters at the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City. The Bronze Cross for heroism was awarded to Maj. Apollo Jun Lamaton, who was responsible for the capture of NPA leaders in Central Luzon. S/Sgt. Oscar Beltran was also awarded the Bronze Cross for heroism for having rescued 17 people in Panay Island at the height of typhoon “Frank” last year.

The Kagitingan sa Barangay (Maginoo) was given to militiaman Bernardo Aniel who figured in an encounter with heavily armed NPA rebels in Irosin, Sorsogon in September 2006, during which a rebel was killed. The command plaque was awarded to S/Sgt. Allan Rafer for being the “Best Enlisted Personnel of the Year;” active auxiliary Reinier Maquinta for being the “Outstanding Civilian Active Auxiliary of the Year;” Capt. Roy Castronuevo for being the “Reservist Officer of the Year;” M/Sgt. Jovencio Batalla for being adjudged as the “Reservist Enlisted Personnel of the Year.”

April Mark Ventura of the Mariano Marcos State University and Leonelyn Latina were awarded the Best ROTC cadets of the year.
Army chief accountant Editha Santos was awarded the Model Civilian Supervisor of the Year. Santos received the award because the Army believes she is not part of the alleged irregularities in the bidding process on the purchase of combat boots and uniforms, according to Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner. Marilyn Payumo, a psychologist, was awarded as Model Civilian Employee of the Year.

Lito Cuyag received the “Best Boni Aide” of the year, while Ignacio Laroya was given the “Best Grave Digger” award. Silverio Felipe, a mechanic, received the Best Skilled Worker award, while Pakigdait Inc. and Balay Mindanao Foundation were awarded Best Non-Government Organizations. The provincial social welfare and development office of Cagayan province was adjudged the Outstanding Local Government Authority for supporting the Army’s various civil military operations.

The Army also awarded plaques to Porac, Pampanga Mayor Rogelio Santos, Tarlac Rep. Jeci Lapus; Capas, Tarlac Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan and Kiwanis International for supporting the Army’s projects.