LOS BANOS, LAGUNA. In a dramatic effort to show unity amid the rumbling noises of mis-understanding, discord and apathy, the Upsilon Sigma Phi Los Banos Alumni Association, Inc (USPLBAA) during its First General Membership Meeting (GMM) for 2006 last June 10 unanimously passed a surprise resolution to bid for the hosting of Upsilon Congress XI.

The Board of Foreign Service Administration of the Department of Foreign Affairs voted last Wednesday to recommend for promotion to the rank of Chief of Mission Class I Ambassador Oscar Valenzuela ‘64 (currently Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs) and Ambasador Jesus Yabes ‘66 (presently Consul General in Shanghai). Also recommended was the promotion of Minister-Counsellor Jose Ampeso ‘68 to Chief of Mission Class II and Consul Julius Torres, second in command at the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto. Congratulations brods!

During the anniversary of the Office of the Solicitor-General last Friday, Eric Panga’86 was cited as the Most Outstanding OSG Lawyer, besting more than 100 other OSG lawyers and getting a 99% rating. Congratulations brod!

The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) on its 73rd Academy Meeting elected Rey L. Vilareal ‘64 as a corresponding member to the Academy for his significant and outstanding scientific accomplishments in Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology. Corresponding membership is conferred to non-resident Filipino scientists who have made exemplary contributions to the advancement of science in the country.

His election to the Academy brought to nine the number of Upsilonians who are members of the Academy. These fellows are: Jose Encarnacion Jr. ‘48, Bienvenido O. Juliano ‘53, Jose O. Juliano ‘49, Faustino T. Orillo ‘41, Ricardo M. Lantican ‘54, Ruben L. Villareal ‘57 Onofre D. Corpuz ‘47, Romulo G. Davide ‘54, and Rey L. Villareal ‘64. Four of them have been conferred the rank and title of National Scientist namely Encarnacion, B. Juliano, Corpuz and Lantican.

Fellow Upsilonian,

From our humble beginnings in the late 40’s, the Upsilon Sigma Phi Los Banos chapter is now celebrating 59 glorious years as Asia’s premier university-based fraternity.

Together with our brods in Diliman and Manila, we count the days to the celebration of our fraternity’s 88 years. Now nearing its ninth decade, our fraternity remains to be a vibrant force in politics, business, the academe and many other major fields of endeavor.

For our part, the USPLBAA is blessed with showers of Upsilon light as we continue to support the 1st term of Chancellor Rey Velasco ’74. We have reason to celebrate as six young Upsilonians join our alumni ranks led by Martin Mayou 2003, who marched magna cum laude (BS Biology) last April. We also successfully celebrated out 87th Fraternity Anniversary last November at the UPCO Social Hall with the presence of over 60 LB Brods and Residents. There we honored UP Regents Romulo Davide and Ed Varona of Batch 1954. We were also the 1st to toast Brod Ric Lantican ’51 on his conferment of the title, National Scientist of the Republic.