[20207] in APO-L
Updates on APO Philippines
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (John Grossi)
Tue Feb 16 13:54:10 1999
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 18:39:44 -0500
Reply-To: jgrossi@bbnplanet.com
From: John Grossi <jgrossi@BBNPLANET.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Brothers--
Here are some updates on what's happening in the Philippines...
this stuff is VERY current not months and months old. This material is
a result of the work of Brother Mel Gonzales, a member of chapters on
both sides of the pacific, and I'm posting it with his blessing. My
intention is hopefully to better inform people here in North America
about what's happening in the Philippines, information that they
generally
don't hear, and if they do it's only little snippits...
If people would like and the information keeps flowing, I'll be more
than happy to pass on APO Philippines information to APO-L. I believe in
a lot of ways something like this was exactly what the members of the
international relations committee at MSP were intending...
if you've got any questions about APO in the Philippines, please feel
free to ask, I'll respond with what I know, or if not find you a
definitive source to find out from.
Also, get thinking about it folks! The ultimate roadtrip, the
Philippine National Convention! It's in May, whose joining me?
Yours in Service--
John Grossi
Section 94 Chairman - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Quibec
Member - International Relations Committee
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warning: this is a long post as it's about two weeks worth of stuff..
future stuff will not be so long. But 241 chapters in the Philippines
generate a lot especially when they are coming up on convention.
Also please note, that "correct" parliance for male members of the
fraternity in the Philippines is "brods", and women members of the
fraternity is "sis". This is a function of how they went co-ed. (which I
might add ocurred ten years before we even began to contemplate the
concept.)
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----------------------------02/05/1999 1640 GMT-----
Subject: Philippine National Office
----------------------------------------------------
A late breaking news: According to Sis Tata Humoc, national executive
secretary, the Alpha Phi Omega of the Philippines has signed the dotted
lines and now owns the condominium unit that will become our new
national office. The address is:
Alpha Phi Omega International (Philippines), Incorporated
Service Fraternity and Sorority
Residencia Braganza Suite 3-A
Ermin St., Cubao, Quezon City
Metropolitan Manila, Philippines
The move will be announced later. For now, please correspond with the
national
office using the old address of V.V. Soliven Complex, Second Floor,
EDSA, San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines (Tel. No. 632 724-0808).
[ed note: that's country code 63, city code 2, and a very expensive
phone call]
Tata reports she's looking for brods and sis in architecture and
interior
design to help put the finishing touches. The national executive board
opted
for a one-room suite because the bottom-line mortgage figure is smaller,
and
resourceful APO can put up the wall, etc., on our own.
----------------------------02/05/1999 1640 GMT-----
Subject: Philippine National Convention (Details)
----------------------------------------------------
The 20th biennial convention of APO-Philippines will be held
Friday-Sunday,
May 7-9, 1999, in Davao City, Mindanao. New information (Please note:
Currencies are based on today's conversion rate of US$1.00 equals
PhP38.53):
1. The national executive board has a short list of four names for the
position of convention chair. The NEB choice will be announced as soon
as this
weekend. Brod Marnie Alquiza, national president, is heading back home
in
Davao City and is meeting with the local coordination team. We hope to
talk
with him again on Sunday.
2. The regional convention chairman is Brod Leo Rosas, who is based in
Davao
City. Leo is busy making the arrangements with local facilities.
Prospective
accommodations are the famous Davao Insular Hotel and Camp Alano, a Girl
Scouts camp and the venue of the 1989 convention. Leo is supported by
the
Region XI directorate, collegiate chapters, and alumni associations.
3. Convention fees (tentative) will be in two tiers -- one for student
members
(up to PhP1500 -- US$39) and another for professional members (up to
PhP2500
-- US$65). These fees would be for the entire three-day event.
4. Getting into and out of Davao City is a combination of air, water,
and land
transportation. A round-trip airplane ticket for Manila-Davao
City-Manila is
approximately $80 -- PhP3075). Three domestic airlines service the
Manila-
Davao City route, offering at least 10 flights each way daily. They are
Air
Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines. The APO national
office
will provide travel information by boat to Mindanao and bus on the
island
later.
5. Helpful brods and sis are looking into hotel accommodations for
delegates
and visitors while they are in transit in Metropolitan Manila. Some of
the
hotels mentioned were: Aloha Hotel, Hotel Nikko, Manila Midtown Hotel,
and
Silahis Hotel. Nightly rates of quality three-star hotels start at $35
(PhP1350).
6. The national president liked Brod Allen Wong's suggestion of
conducting
workshops during the convention. Because there will be a constitution to
be
ratified, and legislative business will be quite busy, Marnie plans to
block
time for simultaneous workshops. Some presenters will be delegates
coming from
abroad, particularly members of APO-USA. American Brothers, if you're
interested in leading a workshop, please send to Allen your topic,
amount of
time needed (preferably half-hour or one hour), and visual aid equipment
needed. You may need to provide copies of handouts, if any. Allen's
e-mail
addresses are awdds@aol.com and awong@uop.edu. All others, please send
them to
me (my e-mail addresses are below). Allen and I will forward the
information
to whoever is selected convention chair.
7. The medical/dental service project will be conducted after the
convention.
The mission will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 1999, in San Mateo,
Rizal. Brod
Teddie Rivera, national executive vice president, was appointed as
overall
coordinator. I have another post specifically on this shortly.
8. Brod Ben Castro is chairing the "Tulong sa Pilipinas" relief
operation of
the Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Alumni Council of North America
(APO-ACNA).
The objective is to collect nonperishable food; used but serviceable
clothes,
shoes, blankets, and toys; medicine, medical and dental supplies, etc.
Ben
will underwrite the shipment cost of up to five balikbayan boxes. The
relief
goods will be distributed in conjunction with the medical/dental mission
in
San Mateo. Please send your goodwill stuff to Ben very soon. We need to
ship
well ahead of the convention schedule. April 1, 1999, seems to be a good
working deadline. Ben's e-mail is BJC3@pge.com, his address is 3269
Lopes Ct.,
Hayward CA 94541, and his telephone numbers are 800 582-6543 (Home) and
925
866-5428 (Work).
9. The past national presidents of APO-Philippines will host a reception
in
Davao City in honor of delegates from abroad. This is chaired by Brod
Dr.
Frank Brosas, who's based in Indonesia, and who'll go to the Philippines
northward from just below the southern Philippines.
10. If you're based in the United States and interested in attending the
convention, please send your name to my e-mail address of
maximilio@aol.com or
mel@maximilio.com on or before Monday, February 8. We're in negotiations
to
book tickets with the same travel agency. Round-trip tickets are very
competitive ($550 or less for San Francisco-Manila-Davao City-Manila-San
Francisco), and we might be able to get the 15th seat free which, in
turn,
will be donated to the medical/dental mission.
11. There's a wealth of convention site-related information on the
Internet.
Please do a search with key words "Philippines," "Manila," and "Davao."
12. Is it May yet? Aren't you excited already?
----------------------------02/12/1999 1245 GMT-----
Subject: Philippine Convention/49th Anniv./Philippine Legislation
----------------------------------------------------
I am pleased to inform you that I already retrieved your e-mail
messages, and
I am glad to read everything. I'm overwhelmed, I should say.
As an update, I talked with Brod Jojo Labrador a few minutes ago. He
informed
me that he received your message requesting for a return call. He will
be out
of Manila tomorrow [Thursday, 02/11/1999, in Manila]. However, he will
be
calling you soon when all the plans and programs of the convention are
finalized. [Note: I did talk, too, with our immediate past national
president
and 1999 convention chair last night, Friday in Manila.]
On Sunday [02/14/1999], a caucus will be held to discuss the details of
the
convention. This will be limited to the core group muna [for now].
Likewise,
this Sunday, I also have an appointment with Brod Omie Rivera in San
Mateo
regarding the Medical Outreach Program. You will immediately know what
transpires in the said meeting. Moreover, I would suggest that you also
formally write Sis. Nana C. Morales, APO-MAS president, so that she can
officially discuss this with the members of the APO-MAS. I understand
they are
the lead group -- Philippine counterpart. You can send advance copy via
my
temporary e-mail address, and I will have it delivered to Sis. Nana.
[Note: I
spoke with Nana at length a couple of weeks ago; I called her home twice
since, but had no luck, although I did leave her a message indicating
the
medical/dental project will definitely be held on Wednesday, May 5,
1999, and
not on May 12 as discussed earlier. I will write Nana a formal letter.]
Regarding your request, the documents or information will be mailed to
you.
Meanwhile, please take note of the following schedule of activities (and
if
not asking too much from your end, please share these with our brothers
and
sisters):
MARCH 2, 1999
=============
The 49th National Founding Anniversary at Camp Crame Multi-Purpose Hall,
EDSA,
Quezon City, 7 p.m. The theme for this year's celebration is: ". . .
Toward
the Golden Years of APO-Philippines." Program components are the
following:
1. Documentary Presentation -- a 30-minute documentary video showing the
growth of the organization from 1925-1950 to the present. It is like a
baliktanaw [retrospective] of APO. Actually, this is already the Second
Part.
We released the First Part last December 15, 1997, at the Hyatt Hotel.
2. Presentation of the Development Program of the National Organization:
Leadership, Membership, Program, and Finance (Quadruple). Output of the
constitutional convention will also be presented.
3. President's Time -- Message of the National President with emphasis
on the
assessment of the Quadruple Program. Nominees for awards will be
presented at
this particular phase.
4. Fellowship -- fun and laughter for all
Brod Teddie Elson E. Rivera, national executive vice president, is
chair, and
Brod Mar Barrios, regional development director of the National Capital
Region
(NCR), is co-chair of the event.
MARCH 26, 1999
==============
Tentative schedule for the blessing/inauguration of our new office. Brod
Tony
Dimaano, past national president and an architect, is commissioned (of
course,
upon request) by the Brod Marnie Alquiza, national president, to handle
the
interior design of the office.
MARCH 27, 1999
==============
The national executive board meeting will be held at our new office.
CONCON PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE
=================================
Date: February 27, 1999
Area: Region 5
Conveyor/Contact Person: Brod Gerry Ebrada
Tentative Venue: Sorsogon, Sorsogon
Date: March 6, 1999
Area: Western Visayas
Conveyor/Contact Person: Brod Jerome Padius
Tentative Venue: Iloilo City
Date: March 13, 1999
Areas: NCR & Region 4
Conveyors/Contact Persons: Brods Mar Barrios and Jefferson Villamor
Tentative Venue: Within NCR
Date: March 20, 1999
Areas: Regions 1, 2, and 3
Conveyors/Contact Persons: Brods Renato Sanedrin and Manuel Articulo
Tentative Venue: Malolos, Bulacan, and San Fernando, La Union
Date: March 20, 1999
Area: Southern Mindanao
Conveyors/Contact Persons: Brods Jomie Sotto and Bong Tomen
Tentative Venue: Davao City
Date: April 10, 1999
Areas: Regions 7 and 8
Conveyor/Contact Person: Brod Edmar Par
Tentative Venue: Ormoc City
Date: April 10, 1999
Area: Northern Mindanao
Conveyor/Contact Person: Brod Dodong Bana
Tentative Venue: Cagayan de Oro City
Our schedule is booked to death. Personally, I appreciate your efforts
in
coordinating with us. I feel I have someone to lean on. Information
campaign
is quite a burden from our end. Thanks for being there, ready to help.
Lastly, can you provide me the addresses of Brod Bert Felina and Sis
Bebot
Mercado. National President Brod Marnie Alquiza instructed me to contact
them.
Thanks again for this.
So long for now.
APOlly,
Sis Tata N. Humoc
National Executive Secretary
----------------------------------02/13/1999 0122GMT---------
Subject: Philippine Legislation/Convention/Upcoming Events
-------------------------------------------------------------
It's 9:45 a.m., Saturday, February 13, 1999, here.
By 4:00 p.m. today, alumni members in the National Capital Region (NCR)
will
meet at Sulu Hotel, Quezon City, to form a federation. This move is in
anticipation of the formal creation of the Alpha Phi Omega Foundation
and the
proposed organizational structure in which APO would be regarded as a
corporation with two subsidiaries -- collegiate and alumni -- operating
their
own affairs under the National Council. This is a giant achievement from
our
end. Thanks to Brod Chato Mariqas, past national president, who first
introduced the federation concept in Rizal. Let us also appreciate the
efforts
of Brod Mar Barrios, NCR regional development director, and old-time
active
members like Brod Atty. Marvin Gonong, Sis Luvie Lumang, and Brod Atty.
Ed
Gayos for taking the lead.
I will have so many more to send you on Monday: the first draft of the
proposed constitution and by-laws, updates from different committee
meetings,
etc.
So long for today.
YIS,
Sis Tata N. Humoc
National Executive Secretary
----------------------------------------02/16/1999 0413GMT------
Subject: ICAPO Meeting at Davao City
----------------------------------------------------------------
In Davao City, on May 7-9, 1999, get ready for highlights, sidelights,
and,
hopefully, no lowlights during the 20th biennial convention of the Alpha
Phi
Omega of the Philippines.
This time, our spotlight is on the International Council of Alpha Phi
Omega,
or ICAPO for short. Pronounced as eye-CAPO by American brothers and
ee-CAPO by
Filipino brods and sis, the United Nations-like organization has two
members,
APO-Philippines and APO-USA.
* Highlight -- QUORUM! In the last ICAPO meeting at the convention in
December
1998 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, only APO-USA was represented. To be
sure,
there will be a quorum the next time ICAPO meets -- in the Philippines.
At
least a dozen American brothers are scheduled to attend the Davao City
convention. Attendance by the host country is guaranteed. So, no
lowlights
here.
* Highlight -- ELECTION! Because there was no quorum in Minneapolis, the
election of officers was postponed. Therefore, the current officers are
carrying out the duties and responsibilities for a few more months. They
are:
Brod Dave Emery, ICAPO chair; Brod Joe Policarpio, ICAPO vice-chair; and
Brod
Dr. Allen Wong, ICAPO secretary. The office of ICAPO historian,
currently held
by Brod Tony Ploughe, is an appointed position. Dave, Allen, and Tony
are all
coming to the Philippines in May. Of course, we expect Joey to be in the
reception line. Elections are always a convention highlight. And they
provide
lots of sidelights as well. So, no lowlights here.
* Highlight -- AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN! Here, we're lining up
prospective
members of ICAPO in the first few years of the next millennium. The
Davao City
convention can only provide momentum to the APO international movement.
There's only upside -- no downside -- in the globalization of Alpha Phi
Omega.
So, sidelights a-plenty in different English accents, French, Nihonggo,
and
Filipino languages, but no lowlights here.
Now, Brod and Sis, you're on the spotlight: Will you give us the highest
of
heights ever -- higher than the APO mountain peak in Mindanao? And
that's your
attendance toward active participation in the Davao City convention. Let
me
pull you inside right now, less than three months before May 7-9. When
you're
part of the APO fellowship circle, there's never a low spot there.
Eye-CAPO, ee-CAPO, Phi (long i) or Phi (short i), we're brothers, and
you're
with your brods and sis here.
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