Vol 41 Issue 1
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALPHA PHI OMEGA GREATER LOS ANGELES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
January 2021
Virtual Induction of 2021 Executive Officers & Board of Director officiated by Bro./Datu Amerhassan Lucman, National VP-Alumni Affairs, APO Philippines
WE WEL COME 2021 WELCOME AND ALL THA T IS HAS TO OFFER THAT By Brother Toti Ayo This year 2021, we all hope to somehow get our lives back to ‘normal’. Our new normal will certainly be different. But we welcome that new sense of normalcy and will live with it the best we can. Hopefully, we’ll all be vaccinated soon if not very soon. What a year 2020 was indeed. A year we shall long remember. A lost year in many ways. We lived through all of its discomfort, realizing however, that life well-lived is not to be lived in comfort. We made sacrifices. Yes, we did. We had to. But “let us not waste the sacrifices we made during this pandemic,” Pope Francis said. The fears of uncertainty has lessons to give us. Let us learn from them. Always, opportunities present itself amidst these ordeal. We try to seek and save what was lost. We try to make sense of this all. But we trust. We believe. Always there are and will be that ‘silver lining’. Continued on page 3
2
PRESIDENT’S MESSA MESSAGE GE Our first days of 2021 started very sad and heavy; our dear Bro Raul David and Bro Elgar Ramirez passed away due to COVID-19. We pray that their souls rest in peace. Hanggang sa muli, Bro Raul and Bro Elgar. We are very thankful to Sis Irma Almazan and Bro Paul Languisan/Sis Marisol Roberto for their initiative in raising funds to help the families of Bro Raul and Bro Elgar, respectively. Thank you to all who donated, took the time to say prayers and expressed their condolences to their families. Let us continue to practice safety precautions to prevent/minimize the risk of COVID-19. I would like to add that we should continue these precautions even if we have received the COVID-19 vaccination. And with all the precautions and mineral supplements that we are taking, let us not forget what the Bible advised – “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bone”. As part of our looking back at our beloved APO-GLA Alumni Association’s history, I have asked and will be asking our Past Presidents to share their story and message to the Alumni Association. We will also be asking our members to share their APO story so we get to know each other better. We hope to feature these stories and messages in our monthly Tribo ni Bado publication. I have admired the themes/slogans of our Past Presidents. These three slogans and themes are very applicable to start the new year and I am hoping that we can apply them to this year’s programs: GET INVOLVED - Bro Christian David, 1987 SUSTAINED COMMITMENT, SUSTAINED GROWTH – Bro Edgar Ninofranco, 1988 HAND IN HAND . . . ON TO GREATER HEIGHTS – Bro Gil Magno, 1989 In leadership, friendship, and service I remain, BroDomel
Tribo ni Bado Newsletter is a monthly publication of the Alpha Phi Omega Greater Los Angeles Alumni Association exclusively for its members, families and friends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers, and are not intended to represent APOGLAAA. Publisher Sancho Sy Photos/Graphics by Sancho Sy • Krisha David Simonette David Jackson
“Looking Back, Moving Forward: Building A Future Worthy of Our Past”
Contributors Fely Montecillo • Tony Amon • Dan Nino Toti Ayo • Domel Evangelista • Betta David Kriselda David
3
We w elcome 2021 and all tha welcome thatt it has to of offfer . . . Continued from page 1 As I write this, my heart breaks as I think of all those we lost, in our families and among our friends, especially members of APOGLA. But we have our happy memories to last us for a lifetime. These memories won’t wear out. As I’ve mentioned in the past, a somehow ‘lost year’ that 2020 was, may we have considered it a transformative year, I hope. As our President Domel wants to be emphatic about it, may we learn from history, from APOGLA’s historic past. Obviously, there’s quite a lot to learn from our failures and our misgivings as an organization. But those have made us strong. And certainly, we have much to emulate from. We continue to look forward. Let us heed to our President Domel’s call for ‘conversion, change and transformation’. While I personally believe that we won’t be physically able to gather together for our monthly meetings and fellowships for maybe the first half of 2021, there is indeed much we can do and plan for. For one thing, we can consider how we can attract more contributors and staff our TNB. Brother Sancho knows how difficult it is to find monthly contributors. So he suggests we tap our younger APOkids to join the TNB staff in whatever capacity. It’s a learning experience for them. I’m sure some of us may already be planning for a trip to Florida for ACNA’s Biennial Convention on the Labor Day Weekend this Year. And, when we’re ‘all’ vaccinated, hopefully, our December Affair is a sure thing to happen and plan for once again. There are a lot more we can plan for. But as we have learned and still fresh in our memories, as capable as we are, we’re still afraid. With all the promise that we in APOGLA share, May we be ready, as ever I hope, and worthy to live a life welllived, able to inspire others. Everyone needs an inspiration. And just as everyone looks for an inspiration, may we continue to become a source of strength and courage as we’ve been so many times in the past. May we be a reason for others to live well and aspire to be a better person, a better member of APOGLA family, today than yesterday. In this hopefully remaining months of this pandemic, may we be spiritually close even if we are physically distant from each other. Yes, we remember, we celebrate. We believe. To all our 2021 APOGLA Officers, congratulations and thank you for your willingness to serve!
OBITU AR Y OBITUAR ARY
We offer condolences, our thoughts and prayers to the family of • Bro. JOSE ELGAR RAMIREZ, Epsilon Chapter 1954 - 2020 • JOSEPHINE REYES-RIVERA (Sister-in-law of Bro. Art Rivera) May 6, 1954 - January 4, 2021 • ZACHARY JOVELLANOS (nephew of Bro. Jobee Jovellanos) August 12, 1995 - January 12, 2021 And to all APOGLA Kapamilya who lost a loved one. We pray for the repose of their souls and may they rest in peace.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
4
FR OM MY POINT OF VIEW FROM BY BRO. DAN E. NINO CEO/COB, APOPGLA 501 C-3
Thank You For Your Service To APOGLA Bro. Raul When Bro. Raul Farrales David texted me on Dec. 18, 2020, a day before our last APOPGLA 501 C-3 Board meeting, I just took it with a grain of salt. His text was straight to the point, “COB Bro Dan & Board Members, please be informed that as of today, I’m filing my indefinite leave of absence due to my health issues. Thank you COB.” I took it lightly because Brother Raul was made of sterner stuff. In that he will get over the hump and will survive whatever he was going through. I surmised that it was not that serious. He was just under the weather. He will recover swiftly. And in due time, he’ll be back. I told myself, Ikaw pa? Why? Because he was so active in all our discussions in our 501 C-3 Board as our auditor — planning, creating a budget, implementing, etc. for our various humanitarian service projects in Metro Manila. But when I read in our Viber message at 11 p.m. on January 3 - after watching “Green River” on Netflex that he passed away, I was shocked, dismayed and devastated. It filled me with sorrows. Myriad visions came to mind. What could have I done to shield him from this ravaging Covid-19. My immediate reaction was, is there a way we could do a contact tracing? I was deeply affected by Bro. Raul’s untimely demise. He was my client in my tax practice. A former U.S. Navy veteran, he regaled me with his experiences in the service especially when his ship was assigned in Olongapo City. His roots from his mother’s side are traced in San Narciso, Zambales. His parents are both physicians who practiced in Manila. His uncle is the famous couturier Ben Farrales. I like that sound of the last name, Farrales. Very classy. I’ve known Bro. Raul, 68, way back in Manila in the mid 70s when I accidentally met him at the house of Marinette’s parents in Quezon City. They were in the courtship stage I imagined. Then we found out that we were APO brothers. To authenticate ourselves, we even invoked our APO passwords. He..he.. Marinette’s brother Eric Aveo was my friend and associate for Car & Truck, a magazine published by the National Bookstore where his father-in-law was an executive in the printing division. Bro. Raul was hardworking, always aspiring and looking for ways to provide for his family in any capacity. Last year, he intimated to me that he was with a group of enterprising business buddies — dealing and wheeling with raw diamonds and face masks in the U.S. In 2015 when I was the incoming APOGLA president, I appointed him as the floor director during our December Affair at Marriott Hotel, Long Beach. He was tasked with coordinating with those who had roles in the program for smooth and quick transitions without hitches. He performed his role diligently. I knew it. He called my attention and our then guest speaker former Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido to get ready. He also reminded us to put on our costumes for our “Hagibis’ Katawan” lip sync performance. And for several years, Bro. Raul was in charge of solicitating ads for our souvenir program. He performed his job diligently too – reminding our APOGLA members, their family and business ads layouts, collecting payments, etc. He knew who already paid or who still had balances. He brought his records all the time. Medyo makulit pero sa magandang paraan. Goodbye brother Raul. You may not be around us anymore but your memories will linger. You did not leave us. You are just coming home in the bosom of our Creator. Our profound sympathy to Marinette, children Oliver, John, Mara, Kriselda, Bro. Christian, Sis Betta and to all the surviving kin of Bro. Raul. Let me cite a brief portion of the scriptures in Ecclesiastes. 3:1-8. This might lessen our sadness: “There’s an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” – denino1951@gmail.com
Continued on page 5
5
FAREWELL BRO. RAUL. YOU WIL BE MISSED May 6, 1952 - January 3, 2021 This rampaging Covid-19 hit close to home. APO Bro. Raul F. David succumbed to this dreaded pandemic on January 3, 2021 after only two weeks at the hospital. Bro. Raul F. David was born on May 6, 1952 to his beloved parents Dr. Romeo David and Dra. Linda Farrales David. He was the 5th child of eight siblings. He grew up in Sta. Cruz, Manila and studied at Lourdes Catholic High School, Quezon City from elementary to High School. In College, he enrolled at Adamson University and took up Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Accounting. He joined Alpha Phi Omega Sigma Chapter and became a full pledge APO in 1972. A year later, he became Grand Chancellor of his chapter. Bro. Raul is survived by his wife, his four children, and eight grandchildren. He was a hardworking family man who devoted his life to ensuring that his family was taken care of and in good hands. Bro. Raul was an amazing husband for 41 years with his wife, Marinette David. He was very supportive, understanding, gentle, and a loving father to his children Oliver, John, Mara, and Krisha. Bro. Raul was full of life and had such a big heart. His words of wisdom to his family will eternally remain in their hearts. He is so much loved and will forever be missed by his loved ones. – Sis Betta M. David
January 11, 2021
Thank You!
Dearest Brothers and Sisters of APO-GLA and APO-Sigma Greetings! My name is Kriselda David. I am the youngest child of Raul F. David. On January 3, 2021, my mother lost her husband, my siblings and I lost our father, and the grandchildren lost their “Lolo Bid.” On behalf of my mom, Marinette David, and his children, Oliver, John, Mara and Kriselda, we want to say Thank You! from the bottom of our hearts for all the sympathy, support, prayers and kindness during this difficult time. Your thoughfulness and generosity are much appreciated by our entire family. We are touched by the outpouring of love we’ve received from his APO family. Dad frequently talked about his time in APO and how much his brotherhood and sisterhood meant to him. Dad was cremated today on January 11, 2021. Services his memorial will be held at a later date due to Covid-19 restrictions. Once we are able to have a “Celebration of Life” for my dad, we would love to see and meet all of you. Thank you again and God bless. Warmest regards to all, The David Family
6
GOINGS ON by Sis. Fely Montecillo Happy New Year to all of your dear Brothers and Sisters and though I know you’re just too happy to see 2020 go, let us remember what the Bible says about hope. Romans 15: 13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” So let us hope that 2021 will bring us more joy, more health, more love and more blessings! ******************************* To all of you celebrating your birthdays this month, have a fantastic birthday and have a great year ahead! ******************************* The two Zodiac signs associated with January are Capricorn and Aquarius. Capricorn, who are born from January 1 to 19, are one of signs’ most energetic and hardworking signs. They are sure to always reach towards great achievement. Those born under the sign of Aquarius on the other hand, are progressive, independent, intelligent, unique, and idealistic. They are known for both being friendly and detached, independent and original, yet aloof. ******************************* The Chinese Zodiac sign for 2021 is the Ox. It starts from February 12, 2021 to January 30, 2022. It will be a metal ox year. Oxen are strong. They can enjoy a fully healthy and strong life, fulfilled, healthy with little illness. Because of hard work and strong personality, they often spend too much time in their work, rarely allowing themselves pleasure. ******************************* The Ox as an animal is grounded, loyal, gentle, and trustworthy. It’s element, is to unite, representing “stability and nourishment”: It is believed that these additional associations and characteristics of the ox, have great synergy and are mostly favorable. ******************************* Let us continue to be vigilant in these trying times. We should all try to get out and have our vaccines. This should be mandatory on our part. Of course, we should do what is good for our health. Take care and see you next issue dear Brothers and Sisters!
7
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR 2021
HAPPY BIR THD AR BIRTHD THDA ANUAR ARY AY JANU Y CELEBRANTS MEMBER: 02 - Domel Evangelista Glenda Tavera 03 - Ellen Apura 07 - Mike Chua 08 - Jun Madrigal 13 - Oscar Angeles, - Ernie Garrovillas 14 - Wilson Lautchang 20 - Bobet Lara 21 - Wilson Arucan 24 - Gil Magno 25 - Lino Chatto, - Albert Peralta, - Leonardo Caldoza, - Sammy Clarete
28 - Vinz Argonza 30 - Rico Lainez SPOUSE: 11 - Andrew Millano 13 - Ella Gomez 20 - Minda Chin 24 - Myrna Nino 26 - May Sy, - Alma Delmolin 27 - Nel Lautchang APO KIDS: 01 - Michale Arevalo - Matt Emperado 04 - Celeste Medina
Please send your $50.00 Membership Dues to: TROY AGAGON 27447 Elder View Dr., Valencia, CA 91354 All checks must be made payable to: APOGLA
05 - Don Adriano 07 - Lindsey Mejia 09 - Alexa Reyes - Aileen Talabis 10 - Andrew Evangelista - Jan Arciga 12 - Grant Gomez 22 - Chinggoy Serrano 24 - Clarissa Tecson 27 - Maria Rica Serrano - Hazell Arucan
Get Well Soon
Scarlett
(Grand daughter of Bro. Lester Arevalo) We are asking everyone to pray for her successful heart surgery.
VIR TU AL JANU AR Y GMM VIRTU TUAL JANUAR ARY Join us this Saturday, January 16, 2021 starting @ 4PM via ZOOM TELECONFERENCE
MEETING ID# 321 950 1216 passcode will be posted on our EGROUP, FB page & Viber group INSTANT messaging CONTACT PERSONS: Bro. Domel Evangelista CP# 323-302-3871
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK: https://www .f ace book.com/tribonibado https://www.f .face acebook.com/tribonibado