Colleagues,

Here is JP’s Who’s Who List on APO, particularly Eta, recognized last reunion.
Pa-thank you naman ang mga nasa List. Perahin na lang daw, sabi ko.

Comment ni Menggie, mabuti na lang daw hindi nakuha ni JP yung mga Barangay Captains na mga Eta na nasa audience din. Otherwise, hanggang Lunes ang Reunion.

Here is JP’s piece with the Who’s Who List (of those in the audience pala that evening)…
–

Speech Delivered by APO-ETAANA Foundation
President JP Paredes during the Anaheim Reunion, August 25, 2008

To all APO members of ETA and other chapters, your spouses and significant others, families and guests.
I had a very short time to prepare so I scribbled this short 8-page speech.

It is good to meet you all again, as well as see new faces during these biennial events. As an activity of the APO ETAANA Foundation, this event is officially our Biennial and Donors Fundraising Banquet and Ball according to the protocols and organizational hierarchy of our tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization.

I must confess that I am a bit nervous speaking before a very illustrious crowd of bigwigs – OK some of you may need wigs – but you know what I mean.

I am proud to say that if I closed my eyes and pointed anywhere in this room, the person I randomly point is eminently capable of leading our Foundation into the future.

It is therefore with humility that I am in the presence of leaders; leaders in the true sense of the word and not merely as a slogan that we always hear when we speak about APO principles. As products of the University of the Philippines, all of us bear the marks of leadership even before we joined APO.

Let me acknowledge the presence of the delegation from the Greater Los Angeles AA led by President Sancho Sy and Chair of the Board Jun Linsangan, my good friend past GLA President Doms Tunque as well as ETA-initiated past GLA President Baby Rivera. Also, Sis (or Brother) Christine Topacio who is the President of Theta Alpha Chapter at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, daughter of our Brod Ted Topacio.

If I miss anybody, my advance apologies. That said, it is actually the silent ones who delivered so much to establish the stellar reputation of our chapter.

Let me acknowledge our ETA leaders.
Charter Member Albert Suguitan
UP APO Alumni Association President for Life Manny Clarino who heads our Philippine delegation
Past UP APO Alumni Association President Tony Luciano
Bro. ETAANA Alumni Grand Chancellor Ben Tuason
First Alumni Grand Chancellor Lito Quiray
Past Alumni Grand Chancellor Ding Viray, 4th place in the civil engineering board exam
Past Alumni Grand Chancellor Ojie Laurente
Past Alumni Grand Chancellor and First ETAANA Foundation President Ruffy Ignacio, 3rd place in electrical engineering board exam
Past Grand Chancellor and current Foundation Treasurer Claro Rabago
My Grand Chancellor Gene San Juan
Past Grand Chancellor Boy Ilaga
Past Grand Chancellor JB Lim, 5th place 1977 geology board exam
Past Grand Chancellor Butch Alo
Past Grand Chancellor Jepoy Guevarra
My long-lost ka-batch and Past Grand Chancellor of Alpha Phi – Dr. Jerry Salvador
Past Grand Chancellor of Alpha Eta – Edmon Zamora
Past Grand Chancellor of Alpha Delta – Gary Hernal
First student member, youngest member and one of the longest serving members of the NEB of APO Philippines, Jose Vargas Eco, the name that leads
Past Alumni Council of North America President Gene Licauco
Past Alumni Council of North America President Mel Gonzales and Librado Ureta Foundation President for Life. Brod Mel is a very generous person. He shared his generosity to his chapter’s foundation as he is generous with LIUF.
Current Alumni Council of North America President and Regional Administrative Director of the Alumni Region of North America Lester Arevalo
Past Prime Chancellor Menggie Cobbarubias, who sacrificed much during one of the darkest days in our chapter’s history – the humble superstar, actor and bomba-star look-alike.
First Grand Lady Chancellor Desi Quiray.
Past Grand Lady Chancellor Joy Carlos-Smith (who is not here tonight)
Past Grand Lady Chancellor Chill Poblete
Past Grand Lady Chancellor Ellen Corpuz-Vios
Past Grand Lady Chancellor Melody Ang-Gayon

Pioneers who established or were instrumental in the strengthening of other chapters:

Bobbitte Picazo who co-established Gamma Pi Chapter
Rene Amon, a product of ETA but pioneer of Beta Sigma Chapter
Art Rivera, former faculty adviser and stalwart of both Gamma Pi Chapter and later as Past President of the Alumni Association of GLA
Past President of the Alumni Association of GLA Melvin Villaver
Past President of the Alumni Association of Midwest Bernie Castillo

We have:

Bro. Bobby Gochangco who was Executive Vice President of Allied Bank
Bro.Oscar Tabtab – No. 1 in the 1964 chemical engineering exam in 1964.
Bro. Mike de Guzman, 1st place in the 1963 civil engineering Board exam
Bro. Loy Espino – Mechanical engineer – one of top executives at Goodyear Philippines till his retirement

Bro. Frony Balderama, Director for Membership and Donor Database, may not hear us very well but he did hear loud and clear our appeal for donations and will grant us endowments as a part of his will. We will receive his donation sometime in the future.

Bro Leland Ronquillo, favorite son of the late Dr. Ronquillo, the eminent fisheries scientist. Bro. Leland is the entertainer’s entertainer. He has gifted us with several stand-up comedies.

Bro. Bojji Martinez, the first neophyte during my term as Grand Chancellor. As President of Honda of Pasadena, he is a tireless advocate for the needy.

Bro. Joel Carbon, who, as now, was always the industrious Brod, who delivered whatever job had to be done, a charismatic no-nonsense leader with a wry sense of humor.

Bro. Ellery “Elot” Ateinza, another musician of international status, member of the UP Concert Chorus (as was of course past GLC Sis Melody Ang-Gayon).

Sis Wilma delos Angeles-Winkler, ROTC sponsor. Nobody becomes an ROTC sponsor who is not attractive and intelligent. Need I say more?

The Tamayo brothers, Brods Alex and Nap, tireless workers, good soldiers, so to speak, reliable and true through the good and hard times during my term as GC.

Mon Clemente, silent then as now but served without question. Another good soldier, as well as Brods Bodgie Gapido and Mike Quiray.

Titus de Guzman, a top executive of PNB who audited the financial affairs of Pantranco. Had we been together there during the years I was involved in the investigation of syndicates in Pantranco, that company might still be existent today. We will need your financial help in the Foundation.

Sis Rosie de Ocampo, a charter member of the sorority who, together with Sallie Licauco, kept the APO joggers well-fed.

Boy Clamor, Eric Evidente and Ompong Panizares have molded me to a great extent through their profound indoctrination. Marlon Veloso’s indoctrination stuck to me in the environs of Rm. 228. Dr. Fred Cabling did not demand much but he asked hard questions. What is a neophyte to do? Iking Azores, scary guy to the neophytes but he was really a very kind person to scared young men who did not know anything about his sterling character. The ever gentle Cesar Almazan who was always kind to neophytes —NOT!.

Many more of you, my older Brods, I met in past reunions, thank God not when I was a neophyte. Many of you younger Brods, I have had the honor to indoctrinate.

We have stalwarts of the Foundation whose service and leadership have not only been excellent but indispensable as well to the eventual success of the Foundation’s endeavors:

Foundation Vice-President Bro. Chito “Bigtime” Dakis, whose dictionary does not include the word “pessimism.” Any project worth pursuing is, to him, always achievable. While everybody around him is discouraged by the challenges, he will ask: Is there a problem?

Our Secretary Ray Nocon who has been with me through good and bad times since college, a guy who is never at a loss for good ideas, fundraisers and the like.

Our Auditor Brod Joe Daroya who is there to keep us honest. Believe me, he will audit our Foundation to see if we have really been honest.

Director for Internet Communications Bro. Pidge Quiray who not only designed the logo of the Foundation, but also our webpage with PayPal capabilities to make donating to the Foundation easy.

Director for Cultural and Civic Activities Aris Corpuz is an untiring implementor of projects, raising money through golf tourneys that he headed as well as donating the money he received for his and Marivic’s wedding anniversary.

Director for Publications Lito Quiray who, aside from being the first ETAANA AGC, was our Greentimes guru, superior in layout and substantial in content. He is busy making his real estate millions. The Foundation will settle for a few thousands of your millions.

Co-Directors for Social and Fellowship Programs: Joe Servanda and Joy Carlos-Smith, always available to help and quick to understand issues.

We have our Directors for Planning and Development who oversee our activities and operations in their respective areas of jurisdiction:

Ruffy Ignacio – Northwest
Nap Tamayo – Northern California
Alfred Salamanca – Southern California
Alex Tamayo – East Coast
Gary Hernal – Midwest
Pidge Quiray – Southeast
Jerry Arnaldo – Canada

I mentioned Ruffy Ignacio several times and as you may have noticed, I seem to always mention his name. And with good reason. Ruffy has been a solid support for me, for the use of his government connections, and most of all for his knowledge. Imagine how fortunate I am to be his student, teaching me things exclusively as a mentor and as a friend. Sometimes he is humble enough to even be my assistant. Can you imagine a very senior Brod in both years and stature being my assistant? But he does give me that support whenever I need stuff to be done in behalf of the Foundation from his connections in Washington’s state capital. He is my professor, my friend and my confidant who has given me more knowledge than I learned in school, although som etimes he might as well talk to a wall. His student is dumb when it comes to discussing the “m” theory of quantum physics, especially after a sumptuous brunch when his student is more interested in a good nap. Ruffy has been instrumental in getting our tax-exempt status.

Reserving the best for last, unbeknownst to many, the person who is the bedrock that supports my work in the Foundation and in other organizations is my wife, Melanie, our sorority Sister from Alpha Chapter. I’ll tell you a secret. Although her chapter is Alpha, Melanie has been extensively indoctrinated by ETA brothers. Amongst her batch, she has been adjudged a superior neophyte because of her profound understanding of the principles of APO.

Because she was my girlfriend at the time she joined APO, she also received some of the harshest forms of hazing. I know, I was at her finals and witnessed everything. Among her batchmates, she was the only graduate student taking up her masteral course. Many of you have had the chance to “indoctrinate” Melanie before she even became a neophyte.

Melanie is a product of both Alpha and ETA (informally). And so, whenever I lose focus because of my commitments as a community activist, Melanie provides me with a fresh look at the issues. In our ETAANA 1997 reunion and in the 1998 ACNA convention, both held in Seattle, Melanie helped me navigate through the big picture. Do not underestimate her intellect.

If I missed acknowledging some of you, the reason is that we have a truly big event and I am overwhelmed by the star power that is present tonight. All of you will show your leadership as we do the Foundation’s work.

Since we all know that this is a gathering of ETA stars, it is perhaps redundant to state the obvious that ETA is a chapter composed of men and women of superior intellect, a characteristic of ETA that is but a reflection of the policy of the University of the Philippines in Diliman to accept only the best and the brightest. Hence, any gathering of ETA is, of necessity, a gathering of stars.

Now that we all feel so proud of ourselves, it is time to knock down that pride. I remember in college that we all lived by the motto that one APO ETA member is worth more than 25 members in any other UP organization, be it fraternal, academic or social. Yet, much as I hate to pierce our collective egos, we seem to bask in past glory, to rest on our laurels – so we do nothing to continue earning that glory.

Well, I have news for you.

The price of excellence is eternal vigilance. We cannot claim superiority without earning our keep. We serve as the model for other chapters and organizations, and we have proven true to the task. We blazed trails in ever creative ideas and ways to engage in projects. Yet we seem to think that our intellect alone will carry the day.

The smart student is surpassed by the industrious one. If we want to maintain our excellence, we should be industrious and committed. The work we do will never be complete, so we must continue working. That is the price we pay for being excellent because we have been given much blessings. To whom much is given, much is expected. We must never forget that.

I have given you earlier today a copy of the relevant documents about the Foundation as well as presented to you one week ago the State of the Foundation Address, which is also part of the documents I gave out today. They are roadmaps to our policies and directions.

You have procedural questions? We have the manual of operations. Corporations ask you for proof of incorporation and of our tax-exempt status? We have the certificate of incorporation and the IRS determination letter. You want ideas on how to raise funds? There are suggestions in two letters outlining my vision for the biennium 2005-2007, as well as the development potentials for 2007. We spent money to produce these documents. They must be within easy reach at any time of the day or night.

Now that we decided to be one collective entity, we can focus our intellect, our energies and our creativeness as a forward step to move our organization toward greater professionalism while pursuing our APO principles.

Imagine the enormous potential. Present day communication is instant. In the ETA egroups alone, we have something like 325 email addresses representing about 250 members, and we are increasing in numbers by the day. In our chapter, we have about 1,500 members. What we do with that enormous resource is limited only by our imagination. Harness that resource and we have a powerhouse.

In the past two years, we disbursed probably more than thirty thousand dollars for our activities and yet we barely scratched the surface of our potential. We need more funds and we need lots of it.

Please be generous. Fill up your pledge forms, donate via PayPal at our website, send checks, include the Foundation in your wills, tap government and private grant sources, work for the registration of our Foundation in State Combined Fund Drives just as we have done in Washington, get your friends to donate and grant endowments. No amount is too small or too large, and no source is unapproachable.

Thank you and may our Creator bless you all for your generosity towards the needy though YOUR Foundation.

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