"Those Were the Days... " UPAA in America & NY Chapter
The photo (above) was taken in mid 1990s at the Fulgados' log home ELSIE during a gathering with the UPAAA Founder and first President Arsenio P. Talingdan PhD ( in pink shirt, standing at extreme right, his wife Josefa seated in front of him). Now, this becomes more significant. Standing on the extreme left is current president Nelsie Parrado. Dr. "Arse" as he is fondly called had a book published in 2003,and like a historian, recorded the founding of UPAAA with still names still recognizable today, dates, anecdotes more significant now with years gone by:
"May 25, 1981. The UP Alumni Association in America (UPAAA) was formed by 13 UP alumni meeting at the residence of Arsenio and Josefa B Talingdan in Teaneck, New Jersey. The founding officers elected were: Arsenio P Talingdan, National President; Desiderio Reynoso- National Vice President; Clarita Ramos - Secretary General; Leatrice Tembrevilla- National Treasurer; Nicolas Ga/zez- National PRO; Tomas Rodriguez- Attorney General; Enedina De Guzman- Auditor General. Board of Trustees: Victor R Gacusan, chair; Nelia Gacusan, Maximo Fabel/a, Carlos Garcia, Virginia Olivar-Luz, Arsenio P Talingdan, ex-officio members. June 1, 1981. UPAA-NJ changed its name and became UPAAA-NJ, the first chapter. September 16, 1981 - Arse Talingdan asked Max Fabel/a, brother of Gabriel Fabel/a Jr, Arse's colleague at the U.P. Institute of Public Administration and son of Arse's U.P. History Professor, Gabriel Fabel/a Sr, to call an organizational meeting of UP Alumni in Florida. The group met and elected Max Fabel/a as the founding president of the 2nd chapter, UPAAAÂ Florida. September 28, 1981- UPAAA filed its Articles of Incorporation in the Office of the Clerk in Bergen County, New Jersey with the following Trustees (Incorporators): Arsenio P Talingdan, Victor R Gacusan, Leatrice F Tembrevilla, Phoebe C Andes, and Desiderio R Reynoso. Every year UPAAA was registered as required by law. October 10, 1981 - UPAAA was incorporated as a non-profit, non-partisan, non-political and non-sectarian continental association. December 16, 1981.- Arse contacted his former classmate, Natalia Gamit-Ritter, to call an organizational meeting of UP alumni in New York. Arse and Josie Talingdan attended the meeting which elected Carlos Garcia, LLB graduate, as the founding president of the 3rd chapter, UPAAA-New York."
The NY Chapter had its hiatus, and as the 21st century evolved so was the organization's rebirth as UPAA-NY, incorporated with ID number and 501C3 charity status. Thus began its successful fundraising towards a specific goal, Scholarship Fund, one that "continues to give" as it's signature project along with Balikbayan Boxes after typhoon devastations, conducting Orientation 101 in the Consulate, collecting and donating history books for its library, pa1ticipation in Simbang Gabi, Homecoming, etc. It's no wonder that when UPAA-NY received the 2016 UPAA Distinguished Service Award for a Chapter, ConGen Tess de Vega came. A reminiscence ...
Dr Carmencita C. Quesada Fulgado, AA' 60. AB'61 Psych cl
* UPAAA National President 1995-97, 1997-99 * Most Distinguished Alumna UPAAA 1989 * UPAA Outstanding Service Award for an Alumna 1998 * Centennial Commissioner Abroad 2008 * UPAAA Historian 2007-09, 2011-13 * UPAAA Liaison East 2015-2017 * UPAA-NY President 2004-2008, 2012-present
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