Vol 41 Issue 7
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALPHA PHI OMEGA GREATER LOS ANGELES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
August 2021
Northern and Southern California brethrens before the final match of the APO NorCal vs SoCal Annual Ryder Cup Golf Tournament held at the Arnold Palmer designed Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo, CA last July 24, 2021
SoCal-Golf Club rre egains br agging rights bra to the Ann ual R yder Cup Annual Ry By Bro. Art Rivera The always fun-filled, exciting and thrilling annual Goff competition between Northern California and Southern California brothers and sisters was held on July 23 and 24 at the beautiful settings of the Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa Valley and the Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, California. SoCal delegation from San Diego, Long Beach, Inland Empire and the Los Angeles area traveled on Thursday to Vallejo in preparation for the much anticipated match, have a good night’s rest and are ready for the Friday Best Ball matches. Team Captains Eric Coscolluela of NorCal and Leo Castelo and their teams met to equally match their respective players. The Friday morning fellowship breakfast at Chardonnay was a beautiful exchange of pleasantries and hand shakes having not seen each other for more than a year. The driving range was abuzz with players honing their wood and iron shots. Then, tee time came and the Great Golf Battle began at the Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa Valley. A pair of SoCal players were matched with a pair of NorCal players with a total of 14 pairs battling for position on the first day 2-Man Team Best Ball Play format. The breathtaking vista of the vineyards of Chardonnay added more meaning and difficulty of the fairways and greens to an already difficult game. We all basked in the invigorating air, the hills and magnificent views of this glorious venue course. At the end Continued on page 4
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PRESIDENT’S MESSA MESSAGE GE I would like to start by giving a heartfelt thank you, and asking everyone to take a minute to thank each other for their wonderful work and support for each other, and to our APOGLA Alumni Association. Admittedly, it is a difficult time with the pandemic with its risk and stress. Your personal messages, greetings, warms wishes for safety and good health lifted each other up and brought reassurance, calmness and joy to our APO brothers and Sisters, family members and friends. We will be engaged in several activities in the coming 8 weeks. I am calling everyone to come, volunteer and participate in following projects: 1. We will be having our APOGLA Golf Tournament on August 28, 2021 at the Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills, CA. This fundraising project was made possible thru the initiative of Bro Bobet Lara and project support of Sis Melody and Sis Jen, with the artwork provided by Bro Sancho and the printing by of the posters by Bro Rudy E. Thank you very much also to all donors and sponsors to this project. 2. The 15th ACNA Biennial Convention will go on as scheduled on September 2-5, 2021 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Bro Lakay Art is running for the ACNA Presidency we are full support with his candidacy. The COMELEC hour during 15th ACNA Biennial Convention will be on September 4, 2021. The candidates for the different ACNA positions will be there to present themselves to the body. Let us help Bro Art spread his message and goals for the continued growth of ACNA. 3. We will be forming Scholarship Committee and afterwhich, the nominations and selection of the APOGLA Scholars. 4. We will also be nominating and selecting members for the Commission on Election (COMELEC) who will conduct the election of the APOGLA officers for next year. I am excited for you and APOGLA! 5. The APOGLA blood donation drive is scheduled on October 16, 2021. This will be a joint of APOGLA and Masons of Rosemead. We will need at least 50 blood donors for this service project. The October GMM will be conducted after the service project. 6. The APOGLA Election will be conducted on October 30, 2021, with a Halloween Party after the election. 7. There is a proposal to amend the APOGLA By-Laws to make the selection of Chairman of Board more definitive. We are expecting a thorough discussion and a special meeting relating to this proposal. So let us enjoy and have fun together as APOGLA, with our family and friends, as we continue our alumni association activities. Come and join our monthly GMMs, APOGLA Golf Tournament in August, blood drive, election and Halloween party in October. See you all, mga Kapatid. In leadership, friendship, and service I remain, BroDomel
“Looking Back, Moving Forward: Building A Future Worthy of Our Past”
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In Memoriam
Br o. Geor ge Chua Bro Georg
January 15, 1958 - July 31, 2021 Gamma Omega ‘76B, Sacred Heart College - Lucena City Member - APO Greater Los Angeles Affiliate Chi Chapter, Grand Chancellor 1979-1980 RDD Region 4 - 1987 Co-founder - APO LAANG Our heartfelt condolences to Peter, Vivian, Bro. Michael and the whole Chua family for the sudden passing of Bro. George. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
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 Casey Mansilla • Art Rivera Dan Nino • Mike Melendez • FB page Contributors Fely Montecillo • Dan Nino • Troy Agagon Art Rivera • Domel Evangelista
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NOR TH-SOUTH ANNU AL R YDER CUP HOSTED BY TEAM NO RCAL NORTH-SOUTH ANNUAL RYDER NOR Continued from page 1
of the day, NoCal took a commanding lead, 8.5 points and SoCal with 5.5 points. Team SoCal met in the evening and planned a strategy on how to catch up and win the battle on the final day. Saturday’s Match Play was held at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, an Official LPGA Tour Site. Again, 14 teams were equally paired by Team Captains Eric and Leo then on to Tee No. 1 for the Match Play Format. Each player will score every hole with a win, a tie or a loss until the winner is declared after 18 holes or less. Each team was closely monitoring the progress of the matches with hopes of gaining ground and determining who would take home the coveted Perpetual Cup. When matches were completed, the results came in; 16.5 points vs. NorCal 9.5 points. SoCal won the tournament for a total aggregate of 22 points vs. NorCal’s 18 points! Dinner, awards and fellowship were held at the Bag O Crab Restaurant where the players were treated to Cajun Style Crabs, Shrimps, Clams, Mussels, Sausage, potatoes and corn and house brewed Beer. The Ryder Cup Trophy was officially received by Captain Leo and players took turns in raising the trophy. Once again, bragging rights are in the hands of SoCal Golfers until the next 2022 Ryder Cub to be held in San Diego with Team Captain Francis Franco. Indeed, it was another weekend filled with laughter, passion, joy and fellowship as golf is supposed to bring to those who love the game. Everyone was a winner! Arnold Palmer said: “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the sametime rewarding and maddening-it is without a doubt, the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” Fore!
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NOR TH-SOUTH ANNU AL R YDER CUP HOSTED BY TEAM NO RCAL NORTH-SOUTH ANNUAL RYDER NOR
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Non-Pr of it Fil-Am Or ganiza tions Shipped PPEs Non-Prof ofit Org anizations PPEs,, Car eP ac ks and Mor e to UERMMC More Care Pac acks
Three Los Angeles based non-profit organizations and a shipping forwarder have recently teamed up to ship Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and other items for patients and medical front liners to the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center’s (UERMMC) Charity Ward in Manila. APO GLOBAL FOUNDATION, UNITED SPECIALIST HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION (USHF) AND UERMMMCAAA ALLIANCE AND FRIENDS, recently shipped 840 Rapid Antigen Testing kits, 840 N-95 surgical masks, care packs, sanitizers and non-perishable foods through the benevolence of a forwarding company that prefers to be anonymous. The Covid-19 testing kits and N-95 masks were solicited by APO Global Foundation member Roland Pan Paras from Abbot Laboratories and Kimberly-Clark Corp., both medical and healthcare manufacturers. This comes on the heels of Metro Manila’s population now on alert under the Enhanced Community Quarantine due to Covid-19 Delta variant surge. APO Global Foundation CEO/COB, Dan E. Nino, Dr. Lito Babaran CEO/COB of USHF and UERMMMCAAA Alliance & Friends President Lucy Babaran in a joint statement said that “God uses us to provide assistance to mankind especially the underprivileged and underserved as well as the dedicated medical front liners. We will try to do more projects that will benefit specially those from the Philippines because only a small percentage are vaccinated.” They also heaped praise to the forwarding company for shipping these donated cargo for free which were addressed to Ms. Ida Tabuzo-Amboy, office manager of UERMMMC College of Medicine Alumni Association. – denino1951@gmail.com
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FR OM MY POINT OF VIEW FROM BY BRO. DAN E. NINO, CEO/COB, APOPGLA 501 C-3
I Cannot Be Everything; God Had Plans For Me “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.” – Isaiah, 44:2. This line is one of my prophetic and favorite scriptures in the bible. Why do I say that? Because God has already determined our natural talents, our unique personality, our inclination on what profession or career to pursue. It’s in our DNA or genes and who would be our parents. A typical example is about my upbringing: My mom, an elementary teacher, quite a distance from where she was born in our hometown of Mangatarem, Pangasinan. She was already engaged to my dad, a budding lawyer. However, somebody from that barangay also a lawyer, courted my mom. She rebuffed and told him, I’m already engaged. This other lawyer persisted when he said, “Remember, even when you are eating either with your own hand or spoon, the food still drop accidentally.” With that brief real anecdote about my mom, the point is, she’s really destined to marry a lawyer if she chose her fiancé (my dad) or the other insistent suitor, also a lawyer. As theologian and spiritual leader, Dr. Rick Warren put it, “Long before we were conceived by our parents, we were already conceived in the mind of God. While there are illegitimate parents, there are no illegitimate children. Many children are unplanned by their parents, but they are not unplanned by God.”
I want to be a lawyer like my dad because he was my idol. He was an excellent as a trial and defense lawyer. But my dad said to me, one lawyer is enough in the family. I ended up graduating with a pre-medicine degree. He dreamed that I become a physician someday and practice in the U.S. But I know in my heart that I would be a mediocre doctor. It’s not in my genes. So I ended up as tax collector and tax consultant in California because I know that God had other plans for me. Reminiscing my life’s early journey: I took up post graduate studies in English Literature and Political Science. I became a journalist, my first love like my idols, the late martyr and Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. and former five-time Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. Be that as it may, I still pursued Law in the evening while working in Manila but was offered a job in Naguilian, La Union that I could not refuse. I edited our corporate newsletter and in charge of Public Affairs and Community Relations. In Los Angeles, I worked as a newsman. Thereafter, somebody I didn’t know gave me an application to take a civil service exam for the State of California. I ended up as sales tax collector with the California Department of Taxes & Fees Administration. I just moonlighted as a Journalist as my avocation and first love.
God has plans for us no matter how we try to insist on our own terms. But without His imprimatur, we cannot do anything because God has already charted our destiny like where to live and work the rest of our lives. And whom to marry? There are impediments in pursuing some of our dreams. There are unfathomable conditions that cannot be explained. There are unseen hands. A typical example is me. I want to be a basketball player but I am short. I was a good shooter during my Physical Education class in college but I can never become an amateur or professional player. What I did was to become a sports writer way back in Manila so I can interview basketball players and pick up their minds. That way, I feel like a real basketball player too. I want to be a public servant or politician in my hometown in the Philippines. But after graduation, Martial Law was declared. There were no elections for many years. Instead, destiny brought me to the U.S. Without God’s plan, I wouldn’t be here an active member of our Toastmasters Club or member of our APO Fraternity alumni association.
I also wanted to be a pianist and already about to enroll for my fourth and last semester at Cerritos College as a piano student. But my dad passed away in the Philippines so I had to fly to our ancestral home to bury him. I lost my momentum to become a pianist because when I came back, the class was already full. One of my news beats in the Filipino newspaper was to cover golf tournaments in Los Angeles area. I was encouraged by my neighbor to learn and play golf with him every Saturday morning. He was a good mentor. I was already on the road to improving my game. However, after a couple of years, he moved out of our neighborhood. Thus, I lost my mentor and interest in golf. Instead, I became a farmer or gardener in my own backyard. In conclusion, poet Russel Kelfer sums it up: “You are who you are for a reason. You’re part of an intricate plan. You’re a precious and perfect unique design, Called God’s special woman or man.” – denino1951@gmail.com
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APO Global F ounda tion To Host Founda oundation gats Tribe ‘GOLF FOR A CA USE’ For Duma Dumag CAUSE’ By Bro. Dan Nino
Billed as ‘Golf For A Cause’, the 1st Inaugural Interclub and Open Golf Tourney will be held on November 19 at the 18-hole, par 70 Dos Lagos Golf Course in Corona featuring the sweeping vista of the Cleveland National Forest in the Inland Empire. Hosted by the APO Global Foundation (formerly Alpha Phi Omega Philippines of Greater Los Angeles), golfers from various golf clubs and several APO brethren from both APO C-7 and C-3 had enthusiastically formed a steering committee during a luncheon meeting — to proceed with this one-day golf event that will benefit the Dumagat indigenous tribe who inhabit the Sierra Madre fringes in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. “This is a way of sharing our blessings bestowed upon us by helping the less fortunate and disadvantaged through the game that we all love,” Bro. Mar Garchitorena stated when he made a PowerPoint Presentation on July 18 at the Golden Sky Restaurant in Van Nuys. He said that this event promises to be a fun and friendly but highly competitive golf tournament where every shot counts in “shot gun” fashion. Here are the initial rules governing this invitational golf tournament: There would be a maximum of eight golf clubs with 16 players each club; Aggregate scores of all players of each club less total SCGA handicaps will determine total club score; Each club will be asked to submit their players’ SCGA handicap a week before the tournament; Lowest team net score will be declared the winner. On the Individual prizes, Class A should have 13 handicap and below; Class B, from 14 to 23 handicap while Class C has 24 and above handicap. A prize of mini cooper will be given to a player who shot a hole in one and other prizes
APO Global F ounda tion To Host Founda oundation gats Tribe ‘GOLF FOR A CA USE’ For Duma Dumag CAUSE’
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with closest to the pin in all Par 3s and with the most accurate drive. A trophy will be awarded to individual per class and team champion during the awards banquet. Other giveaways and raffle prizes will be given like golf balls, putter and bag. The park-like Dos Lagos Golf Course playing 6,544 yards with four sets of tees, is an oasis of restored waterways, wetlands and rolling hillside habitat. The APO Global Foundation, has already kicked off its Module 1 beneficiary amounting to $1,000 on July 8 this year christened, “Dumagat Egg Laying Livelihood Program” for one family with 72 egg laying chickens in cages. The recipient is Lovely Nava, a 27-year-old widow with six children with ages ranging from 3 to 12 years old. She sells vegetables in the town’s public market to support her family. Thereafter, she is expected to sell the eggs to the market. Nava’s husband, a Dumagat has recently passed away and didn’t witness this project came to fruition benefiting his family. APO Global has partnered with APO Livestock AgriBusiness Alumni Assn. and APO Papaya Alumni Assn. based in Nueva Ecija headed by business executive/ entrepreneur Bro. Danton Pajarillaga (Alpha). Some of these brothers and sisters are connected with Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and other government entities — to provide the beneficiaries with technical knowhow and the capacity to monitor them so they can attain self-sufficiency. Interested parties may call Bro. Mar Garchitorena @ 661-317-1713 or Bro. Dan E. Nino at 562-508-8099. – denino1951@gmail.com
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GOINGS ON by Sis. Fely Montecillo Warmest greetings to all our Brothers and Sisters born this month! We hope your birthday is full of sunshine and rainbows and love and laughter. Sending many good wishes to you all on your special day! People born this month from July 23 to August 22 are under the Zodiac sign of Leo. The four main characteristics of the Leo personality are compassion and big-heartedness, consciousness, drive and natural leadership. Leos are known mainly for their generosity of time, energy, respect and money. They are also attracted to others. Leos have a natural sense of self-assurance. ************************** Well, it looks this month has a lot in store for us. For the single men, remember Aug.1 is National Girlfriend Day. It is also Sisters’Day and National Friend-ship Day and American Family Day. This month is Admit You’re Happy Month, Family Fun Month, National Catfish Month, National Eye Exam Month, and National Golf Month. So you see? August promises to be another busy month for all of us! ************************** We are mighty proud of our Brod Prince Edward Lago who is the very active current president of APO Arizona. Not only that, he is also the incumbent President of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (PACCA). Both organizations are now making headway in Arizona and why not? With Brod Prince Edward at the helm it is not surprising! ************************** Meetings via zoom have become a popular venue nowadays mostly because of Covid 19. I really hope that soon these virtual meetings will be taken over by face to face meetings to bring back the human touch. I hate to think about a virtual initiation. How would that be? That would really take the fun out of it, right? ************************** The virtue of HUMILITY: - Humility is considered a state of being. It is Freedom from pride or arrogance. It is the quality or state of being humble. It comes from the Latin word “humilis” which literally means low. Someone who has humility is not proud and does not believe they are better than other people. Nice thought, don’t you think so? See you next time!
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TREASURER’S REPOR T By Bro. Troy Agagon REPORT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38.
Agagon, Troy Almazan, Alex Almazan, Irma Ambrosio, Ronald Amon, Ophel Amon, Tony Anadilla Jr., Ariston Ang-Gayon, Melody Ansula, Bong Aralar, Eric Arevalo, Lester Arnaldo, Manuel Arroyo, Geoffrey Asuncion, Ann Atienza, Oca Ayo, Toti Bayani, JR Blaza, Christine Bonete, Maria Cajucom, Willy Calvario, Rene Carrasco, Danny Chin, Jhun Clarete, Sam Cobarrubias, Bob Conferido, Reuben David, Betta David, Christian David, Ramon De Leon, Malou Dime, Emmanuel Dulay, Alex Emperado, Rudy Enguero, Pam Evangelista, Domel Evangelista, Jen Fajardo, Marilou Fernando, Ruby
39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76.
Fisico, Teddy Flores, Glenda Flores, Rudy Ford, Rebecca Franco, Rolly Gapido, Bodjie Gomez, Tony Gopez, Bernardo Guerrero, Jenny Rose Hermoso, Hazel Jaranilla, Ogie Jove, Nestor Jove, Shirley Jovellanos, Jobee Junio, Virgil Lara, Bobet Layno, Mary Ann Linsangan, Jun Madella, Rene Madrigal, Jun Madrigal, Tess Maidin, Yusop Mamaril, Ferdie Mansilla, Beeboy Marte, Rocky Mejia, Francis Mendez, Daemma Mendoza, Armand Miranda, Shane Montecillo, Fely Nguyen , Ruth Nino, Dan Ninofranco, Edgar Noche, Caesar Padua, Rey Pangilinan, Angel Paras, Roland Paredes, Vic
77. Pascual, Winston 78. Peneza, Jo 79. Petreace, Petchie 80. Picazo, Cesar 81. Posadas, Rey 82. Remorozo, Gerald 83. Reyes, Roehl 84. Rivera, Art 85. Roberto, Marisol 86. Romero, Ed 87. Rondilla, Dony 88. Rosal, Justin 89. Rosales, Cesar 90. Rubina-Galang, Emma 91. Sager, Limuel 92. Serrano, Eric 93. Sevilla, Bobby 94. Silva, Chris 95. Sipin, Perry 96. Somera, Herman 97. Sy, Sancho 98. Tarculas, Josie 99. Tarculas, Lito 100. Tecson, Edgardo 101. Turallo, Silver 102. Valentino, Hero 103. Valera, Liza 104. Ventura, Beth 105. Vinluan, Jehiel 106. Yambot, Ferdie 107. Yenko, Rene 108. Zamora, Sammie as of August 18, 2021
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
HAPPY BIR THD AY BIRTHD THDA AUGUST CELEBRANTS 01 - Bobbitte Picazo, Bernard Gopez 03 - Gerry Martinez 06 - Josie Tarculas, Mervyn Gucilatar Jun Linsangan, Gus Sunga 07 - Tony Gomez, Ramon David 10 - Larry Alvarado 11 - Marilou Tayson 12 - Jobee Jovellanos, Reggie Martinez 13 - Davy Potot 15 - Elizar Cabarles 17 - Ruben Querubin, Joar Rayala, Carl Edwin Milano 19 - Eric Serrano, Luis Robles 21 - Noel Rivera 22 - Jesus Reyes 23 - Cathy Cari-Samoy, Jaime Protacio 24 - Antonio Luciano, Au Lainez, Rosemary Schwartz 25 - Rene Maddela 30 - Jun Beltran (+) 31 - Oscar Morallos, Ronan Umali SPOUSES: 01 - Madonna Cabacungan 02 - Lucy Magsino 03 - Jelyn Bundalian 10 - Raychelle Argonza 15 - Shawn Cobarrubias 23 - Aileen Martinez 24 - Florence Chua 25 - Lorna Serrano 30 - Liza Flores APO KIDS: 01 - Alexis Julie Salas, Elaine Villaver 03 - Aris Oris 04 - Michael Rondilla, Jonathan Rayala, Rex Petrasanta 05 - Spencer Ninofranco 06 - Isabella Factoran 08 - Kaylee Argonza, Melissa Villaver 09 - Jophiel Oliver, Joseph Valera 10 - Maricel Blancada 11 - Ami Barcelona, Euen Ambrosio 13 - Betram Amon 14 - Kyle Argonza, Mikhael Madrigal, Gabriel Peneza 15 - Glenn Clarete, Alvin Cabacungan 16 - Angelica Amon, Jason Valentino 17 - Marc Likwong, Joshua Rayala 22 - John David 24 - Kristopher Aure 25 - Rachel Clare Aquino 26 - Robert Sevilla 28 - Apple Adao 29 - Leah Jean Caldoza 30 - Bo Jish Ludovico, Alyssa Gabriel 31 - Atom Fisico
AUGUST GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Join us this Saturday, August 21 | 5:00 pm IN PERSON: at Bro. Bodgie Gapido’s Place 1648 Grenoble Avenue West Covina, CA 91791 CONTACT PERSONS: Bro. Domel Evangelista - (323) 302-3871 Sis. Jen Evangelista - (323) 702-2272 See You At Our the GMM!
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