APOSETAAA Newsletter No. 1

METAMORPHOSIS NEWSLETTER

Official Publication of the APOSETAAA

Issue Number 1 | January - April 2023

APOSETAAA ALUMNAE ACHIEVERS 2022 HONORED Seven distinguished alumnae achievers of the APOSETAAA were honored during the annual Christmas Party held on December 18, 2022 at Mariana Hall of Barangay Mariana in New Manila, Quezon City.

Charter Member and founder of A-Best Express Courier Service, Teresa Isada Gutierrez; current and first female APO National President Atty. Norma Singson-De Leon; PETA Performance Artist Extraordinaire Maria Ofelia Galang-Fernandez; Adamson College of Law Dean Anna Maria D. Abad; UP System AVP for Public Affairs and Director of the Office of Alumni Relations Prof. Maria Angelica D. Abad; former PSALM Corporation Director, President and CEO Atty. Irene Joy Besido-Garcia; and Candon, Ilocos Sur Councillor Joanne ValdezDiaz were recognized for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields, and for serving as an inspiration and role model in the continuous pursuit of Excellence in all of APOSETAAA's Vision, Mission and Goals.

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A CALL TO SERVICE APOSETAAA President 2022-2024 APOSETAAA President and Dean of the Lyceum College of Law, Atty. Ma. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis, spoke from the heart when she addressed the brothers and sisters in attendance during the APOSETAAA Christmas Party Event held recently.

She enjoined everyone to come together and actively engage with the Sorority.

"When a sister calls on you to serve, please let the answer be YES!" Join one (or several) Committees that may be of interest to you! Participate in the many Services and Events lined up. Check the APOSETAAA Calendar for more details.

APOSETAAA

Calendar of Activities

May 2023 APO PH 2023 General Assembly- Tacloban City May 19-21, 2023

June 2023 APOSETAAA Ipo Dam Fundraiser

July 2023 APOSETAAA Ipo Dam Service Project

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Not in photo: Dr. Lourdes Quiray

APOSETAAA BOARD 2022-2024

Know your Officers and Committees!

President: Atty. Ma. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis VP for External Affairs: Dr. Lourdes Quiray VP for Internal Affairs: Judy Rosario A. Diño Secretary: Atty. Carina Sumilong-Bayon Treasurer: Janice Acosta-Dadap PRO: Noemi Rachelle Salamanca Auditor: Dr. Edna Corpuz Navallo

SERVICE COMMITTEE Chair: Atty. Ma. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis Members: Atty. Irene Besido-Garcia Frances Duque Merge Llamoso Nikki Mones Cham Odan Fitz Patelo Michelle Paunlagui

ETHICS, GRIEVANCE, AND DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE Chair: Judy Rosario A. Diño Members: Bubut Canto Celia S. Elumba

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Chair: Atty. Carina Sumilong-Bayon Members: Janice Acosta-Dadap Chary Diño Fitz Patelo

EVENTS AND SOCIALS COMMITTEE Chair: Noemi Rachelle Salamanca Members: Rica D. Abad Merge Llamoso Cecille Maramba

WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE Chair: Janice Acosta-Dadap Members: Noemi Bayoneta-Leis Hattie Hidalgo-Pili Merge Llamoso

AWARDS COMMITTEE Chair: Dr. Edna Corpuz-Navallo Members: Joy Gonzaga Atty. Diane Reyes

aposetaaa@gmail.com

facebook.com/aposororityetaaa

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APO HEALTH ON WHEELS: SERVICE WITH ALL SMILES! The Alpha Phi Omega in cooperation with the Committee on National Service for Health and Alpha Phi Omega Sorority Eta Alumnae Association (APOSETAAA) came together to give the Gift of Health as their love offering to the UP Community this Month of Hearts.

APO Doctors and volunteers made their way to UP Diliman at the break of dawn to fulfil their commitment to Service.

"Sana quarterly po, dumalaw ang APO Health on Wheels dito sa UP Diliman!" - Engr. Oliver "Ambabait and very caring doctors and medical staff.

Salamat po sa alaga." - Ms. Wing "Laking tipid po! Maraming salamat sa APO!" -Ms. Irene Over 100 members of the UP Community took advantage of this unique opportunity for discounted medical services that would have cost at least P4,000 in other laboratories.

At the end of the day, APOSETAAA President and Service Committee Chair, Ma. Soledad DeriquitoMawis reflects, "Salamat sa lahat ng APO Doctors and Volunteers. Sobrang saya ko kanina kasi pure joy of Selfless Service talaga!"

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HOPE FOR THE HEARTS: THE MARILLAC HILLS SERVICE PROJECT

By Sis Chary A. Diño

What is the image of pain and despair and how can this be painted before your eyes? Is it always seen as tears flowing or traces of sadness looming in one’s face? Sometimes suffering comes in the guise of smiles and laughter, a voice that longs to sing and a heart that expresses in dance. Pain can, at times, be far from what your eyes have seen and what your mind can even think of. This we learned when the Alpha Phi Omega Sorority ETA Alumnae Association, Inc. (APOSETAAA) visited the Marillac Hills National Training School for Girls in Alabang last March 25 for the “KKK: Kapit-Kamay Para sa Kababaihan” service project.

The gates opened right away for us here in the center of the Filinvest Corporate City, a rather obscure location for a government-run institution. I surmised that this may have come first before some of the high-rise buildings and shopping centers were built around it. One can sense the tight security in Marillac as the guards made sure we were part of a group that was sponsoring an activity.

The gates were shut immediately behind us after our car entered the premises.

As I wandered around Marillac Hills for the first time, it is, in fact, a beautiful and serene place that shrouds the heart with calmness the minute you step in. There are many trees and other foliage that sprawled across the compound giving shade to the people that walked around it and provided a cool cover to the many houses that were dormitories for the girls. At the center of it, a multipurpose covered court, where the silence was broken by the crowd who was eagerly waiting for the activity to begin. These were the girls of Marillac Hills National Training School. According to the description in their website, it is a center that provides residential care and rehabilitation to minor girls ages 7 to 17 years old, survivors of sexual abuse, human trafficking (commercial sexual exploitation of children and online sexual exploitation of children), and children in conflict with the law.

Their needs are assessed as they are provided with necessary interventions through temporary shelter and protective custody.

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The APOSETAAA chose Marillac Hills to be the partner beneficiary of their Women’s Month service project. Many weeks of planning and preparation, led by the Service Committee with full support from the APOSETAA board, were devoted to reaching out to the alumni, both sis and brods, and even to friends, who continue to extend generous support for this undertaking.

There was also strong volunteerism from the alumni and even the resident sorority sisters who came to help in their own special way to prepare for the service- inviting of guest speakers, buying and repacking toiletries for the 110 kits that were given away, arranging for the meals to be shared that afternoon, promotion of the activity through social media channels of the ETA Chapter, and many more.

Truly, beyond the material contribution, it was also the selfless giving of one’s time and talent that made even more special and unforgettable this project with the girls of Marillac Hills.

Our very own Eta alumni sisters heeded to the call of service by being the guest speakers for the seminar. As the discussions were ongoing, our APOSETAAA in-house doctor and Chair of the APO Committee on National Service for Health, Sis Dr. Nana Corpuz-Navallo provided free physical check-up and medical consultation for each of the residents in the institution.

All the alumni sisters gave best from their hearts to bring hope to the girls who have been through so much trauma in their young lives… leaving them with indescribable scars and wounds in their hearts and minds than we can ever imagine.

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Sis Dr. Richie Rosales-Parr, a very respected psychologist in her field who has been supporting APOSETAAA’s past self-care and mental wellness seminars, gave an enlightening talk entitled, "Ang Aking Sarili, Kakayanan at Ugnayan". In her discussion, Sis Richie makes it clear that as we often equate love with loving others. It is now time to step out of that way of thinking and feeling and finally learn to love and respect ourselves, who we really are. Until then can we love others and connect fully with those we love.

The third speaker, Sis Atty. Dahlia Salamat, presents the “Legal Rights of Single Mothers” and opens her talk by saying that now with the Magna Carta for Women, we enjoy equal rights with the men. She explained in simple language the laws that protect the girls from discrimination, violence, abuses, and many more.

It is in knowing these rights, Sis Dahlia says, that they can protect themselves. She goes on to explain the Solo Parent Act and several others that they can benefit from given their current situation. Truly, it was edifying for the girls to be aware, to learn and be assured that these laws A registered nurse by profession and now a will be there to protect them.

Reiki master, Sis Janice Acosta opens her session “Love, Forgiveness and Gratitude” by The fourth and final talk was given by the telling the girls to be grateful for all the simple APOSETAAA president and dean of the College things they take for granted and to be mindful of Law of the Lyceum University, Sis Atty. Sol of all that they think of. She emphasizes on the Deriquito-Mawis. She made it clear from the very value of having a positive mental attitude and start na “Babae ka, hindi babae ka lang.” She to be always responsible of what they think, was staunch to define that women have rights how they act and decisions that they make as and if these are violated, anyone can file a case these will all reflect on them. When one against the offender through the Public decides to be a good person, she says, you Attorney’s Office (PAO) and the Clinical Legal must think about being good always. The girls Office of various law schools in the country. in the covered court perhaps knew all too well These offices give free legal services to the that life’s challenges make it difficult for them disadvantaged; thus, she urges them not to feel to forgive themselves but Sis Janice tells them that they are alone with no one to defend them. not to punish themselves and be gentle. With grit and all, she sends the message across “Forgive yourself and just focus on trying your that violence against women (VAWC) is best to change,” she asserts. punishable by law.

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As Sis Sol closes her talk on the women’s rights, she sums up with a formidable spirit the objective of her discussion- to remind the girls that wherever they are now, it is not to their liking and it is not their ultimate destiny. She tells them to let their situation be a reason for them to stand up and fight because the law is there and it gives them hope.

Toiletry kits and school supplies were given to them after the seminar, and food was shared with everyone. Hand made bags, pot holders and mats made by the girls were sold by the side of the covered court and whatever was earned would contribute to their living expenses. Many sisters patronized these handmade products, a constant reminder of the hands and hearts that made each of them.

As the afternoon discussions ended, the girls offered their guests with the gift of song and dance presentations that lifted our emotions, but still left many of us thinking: What is next for them? Where does this corridor of hope and anticipation lead to? And will every prayer from the deepest desires of their heart ever be heard and answered?

The girls, their teachers, the social workers and assistants were all thankful for the afternoon of giving and sharing.

And in the end, we were most thankful to them for all the lessons learned about life that were both pain-filled and priceless, all that we can only learn from them.

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SHARING EASTER BLESSINGS: THE COTTOLENGO FILIPINO SERVICE PROJECT The APOSETAAA shared their Easter Blessings with the residents of the Cottolengo Filipino, the home for abandoned individuals with challenging disabilities located at Montalban, Rizal.

The Service Sorority has been supporting the special children of Cottolengo since 2018 by giving food and much-needed daily supplies.

"The Cottolengo children are almost all grown-ups already! It's our fourth year visiting, and we've seen them grow," exclaimed Service Project Leader Sis Carina Sumilong-Bayon.

The Service Projects were made possible by the generous hearts of APO Sisters and Brothers. There was such an overflow of donations to the Marillac Service Project that the excess was funneled towards the Cottolengo Service Project.

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From the Cottolengo Service Project, the APOSETAAA Board decided to take the Service closer to home by visiting Sis Evita Salongalos to bring food, toiletries and also to thank the barangay staff for taking such good care of her.

There was an outpouring of financial support from APO Brothers and Sisters in Eta Chapter from here and abroad for her new treatment plan and after-hospitaldischarge. Truly, once an APO, always an APO in thoughts, words, and deeds.

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CHARTER MEMBERS

ROLL CALL! ROLL CALL! ROLL CALL!

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