Upsilonians establish scholarship foundation

Two hundred Upsilonians, their wives and sister Sigma Deltans trekked last Sep-tember16 to18,2005 to Camp John Hay, Baguio City to celebrate the jubilees of Batch ’55, Batch ’65 and Batch ’80. The Upsilon Sigma Phi, founded in1918, is the oldest fraternity in the University of the Philippines.

The jubilarians highlighted their celebration, billed as "A Cordillera Experience", with the launching of the Upsilon Sigma Phi Jubilee Scholarship Foundation, turning their reunion into a "pambihirang fellowship". A perpetual fund will be created to provide scholarships to deserving Filipino men and women to develop their potential for excellence in leadership in various fields of endeavor. The aim is to strengthen and replenish the dwindling reservoir of top-notch leaders in our country.

Seed money for the fund came from Domingo Santiago, Jr. and Edgardo B. Espiritu, as well as proceeds from the three-day celebration. The main source of funds will be an annual Edgardo B. Espiritu Golf Tournament, the first of which will be held at the Manila Golf Club in Forbes Park, Makati on November 28, 2005. It is projected that the foundation’s funds will grow to P20 million by the time the fraternity celebrates its centennial in 2018.

Fund-raising efforts of Batch ’55 led by Reg Quitoriano resulted in funding for four Gawad Kalinga houses. The Upsilon is the first fraternity partner of Gawad Kalinga, whereby Upsilon neophytes, residents and alumni fellows can help build Gawad Kalinga houses in the Bayanihan spirit.

The celebration also featured the staging of a new production of "Aloyan", a classic Upsilon musical play, by the repertory group of St.Louis University under the direction of Dammy Bangaoet. "Aloyan" is an original musical play created by the Upsilon creative trio of Teddy Yabut (book), Dick Zamora (music) and Mart Martell (lyrics). It was first staged at UP Diliman in 1951 with a cast of Upsilonians and Sigma Deltans. Summer stock performances in 1952 in major cities of the Philippines raised funds to help in the construction of the UP Chapel in Diliman.

Among those in the audience in Baguio were composer Dick Zamora and a few members of the original cast–Cota Deles Yabut (widow of Teddy Yabut), Araceli Dans, Lucy Vergara Fernando, and Cecille Umali Crisostomo. Also present were former Governor and Mrs. Johnny Remulla and their sons Congressman Crispin Remulla and Vice-Governor Jon Vic Remulla. Plans are afoot to bring this new production of "Aloyan" to Manila.

Several Upsilonians were inducted by USPAA chairman Doni Altura and USPAA president Danny Gozo into theUpsilon Golden Fez and Cane Circle: Jose Andrada, Mariano Bayhon, Jose Confessor, Christian Monsod, Antonio Puyat and Enrique Zaldivar, joined by five fellows who flew in from the United States for the ocassion: Florencio Angeles, Adrian Cavestany, Rafael Francia, Michael Montemayor, and Regulo Quitoriano.

The Golden Jubilarians presented to Johnny Remulla, the Illustrious Fellow of Diliman Batch ’55, a plaque in recognition of his exemplary contributions to the socio-economic development of Cavite province, his unselfish legal assistance to his countrymen, and his having sired five Upsilonian sons: Juancho, Crispin, Emer, Gilbert and Jon Vic.

The 2005 Jubilarians represented by Tony Puyat, Michael Montemayor, Benny Fulgencio, Ray Orozco, Jaime Portugal and Juor Buted passed on the jubilee torch to the 2006 Jubilarians represented by Jun Crudo, Stan Escalante, Tony Ocampo, Ramoncito Abad, Jun Aniag,Romero Yu, Sisay Lasa, Jojo Salazar, Nelson Villamor, Augie Mata and Nong Madrid, who will prepare for next year’s jubilee festivities to be chaired by Bert Salanga.

The celebration also included two golf tournaments: the first one held at Camp John Hay Golf Course saw Larry Najera, carding a net 59, winning the Johnny Remulla Trophy. The Fer Bautista Memorial Golf Tournament, held the second day at the Baguio Country Club, was won by Abe Villanueva and boasted of a hole-in-one by Benny Fulgencio on the Par 3 14th hole.

The Upsilon Jubilarians ended their three-day celebration in prayerful thanksgiving for the countless blessings they have received from the Almighty Creator. Inky Reyes made a power-point presentation of the biblical underpinnings of Rudyard Kipling’s "IF". The group then reflected on Jesus’ concept of greatness as consisting of unselfish service to one’s fellowmen especially those most in need.