U.P. Vice President for Legal Affairs Danilo L. Concepcion ‘89 was elected today by the Board of Regents as the 14th Dean of the U.P. College of Law.

Professor Concepcion received his B.S. Agricultural Engineering degree summa cum laude at the De la Salle - Araneta University in 1979 and later topped the board exam. While studying engineering, he was elected member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa as representative of the youth sector where he served from 1978 to 1984.

In 1983, he completed his law degree in U.P. graduating cum laude and was a topnotcher in the bar examinations that same year. In U.P. Law, he was a consistent dean’s lister and Lord Chancellor of the Order of the Purple Feather, the honor society of U.P. Law students.

He went to London as a Chevening scholar and received his Master of Laws degree from the Queen Mary College of the University of London in 1986.

In 1996, he was appointed Associate Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Chief of Staff of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel. From 2000 to 2002, he served as University President of the De la Salle - Araneta University. He returned to U.P. in 2002 to become Associate Dean of the UP College of Law, Head of the UP Law Center and Director of the Institute of Judicial Administration until May of 2006.

Congratulations brod!

Photo courtesy of UP System Information Office.

The appointments of Ambassadors Jose Arthur P. Ampeso ‘68 & Julius D. Torres ‘72 as Chief of Mission Class I were confirmed by the Commission on Appointments earlier today.

Ambassador Torres was assigned to Jordan in February 2008 as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. He also oversees Philippine relations with the Palestinian National Authority as non-resident ambassador. While Ambassador Ampeso was Charge d’ Affaires at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Congratulations brods!

Atty. Jeffrey Jefferson Y. Coronel ‘01 was selected by the National Youth Commission to be part of the Philippine Delegation to the 38th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) which will be held later this year. SSEAYP participants serve as young ambassadors of goodwill of the Philippines during the program. He will represent the Davao Region (Region XI). Congratulations brod!

SSEAYP brings together 340 young leaders from Japan and the ten ASEAN countries who will live together on board the M/S Fuji Maru for about 50 days and visit various ports-of-call in participating countries. It was initiated in 1974 and is sponsored by the Government of Japan. Other Upsilonians who have been selected as SSEAYP young ambassadors of goodwill are Feliciano M. Manlulu II ‘85, Robert John Paul A. Calleja ‘88, Jun-Lawrence O. Espinosa ‘91 and Ivan Anthony S. Henares ‘98.

An Upsilonian takes on the leadership of the official student publication in UP Los Baсos for a second time. Samuel Jay C. Pasia ’05, an MS Development Communication student and BS Chemical Engineering graduate, was appointed as Editor-in-Chief of UPLB Perspective, his second term as EIC. He held the same position five years ago during AY 2006-2007.

Pasia got the highest score in the Perspective Editorial Examination with an average score of 91.10 percent, over the closest contender with 85.89 percent. The new Perspective EIC aims “to focus on solving problems on fiscal management and autonomy of UPLB’s official student publication, holding massive student consultation regarding the necessary revisions in the Rules and Regulations Governing the Publication of UPLB Perspective, and using other media to reach the most number of students possible” on top of the usual publication duties. Congratulations brod!

Congratulations to the graduates of 2011! It has been great year with several brods graduating with honors and distinctions.

Former UP Manila CAMP Student council chairperson Kevin A. Arao ’07 (BS Physical Therapy), outgoing ESC councilor Lawrence V. Sumera ’07 (BS Chemical Engineering), former JMA Social and Public Relations chairperson Roy Samuel S. Co ’08 (BS Business Administration), Marc Kaiser G. Sy ’08 (BS Business Economics) and outgoing vice-president for UP AISEC Talent Management Juan Paolo C. Agbayani ‘10 (BA Broadcast Communication) all graduated cum laude. Outgoing CS chairperson, Sean Vincent L. Aquilino ’09 (BS Biology) also graduated cum laude and received the Gawad Chanselor para sa Natatanging Mag-aaral, BPI Science Award, and is part of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) in NCR.

They join last school year’s honor graduates namely Julio Miguel C. Galvez ’05 (BS Business Economics magna cum laude), Cemir O. Gatpo ’06 (BS Business Administration & Accountancy cum laude), Mario C. Cerilles Jr. ’07 (BA Psychology cum laude) and Lester C. Yupingkun ’07 (B Sports Science cum laude).

Other graduates from Diliman and Manila are Mayou Martin T. Tampo ‘03 (Doctor of Medicine & BS Biology magna cum laude in 2002), Francis Alvin V. Asilo ‘04 (Juris Doctor, Irene R. Cortes Prize for Best Paper in Constitutional Law & former UP OBEM president), Eric Emmanuel C. Pasion ‘04 (Juris Doctor & founding president of UP Gawad Kalinga), Matthew Mickael A. Mathay ‘04 (MS Finance), Ramon Miguel E. Abeleda ‘05 (BS Industrial Engineering, former Engineering Student Council Councilor & BPI Outstanding Awardee for Arts and Leadership), Jerwin James C. Lim ‘07 (Juris Doctor), Juan Carlos C. Mendoza ‘07 (Juris Doctor), Jan Carlo Magdalo C. del Rosario ‘06 (BS Architecture & College of Architecture Representative to the University Student Council), Jan Yonhel R. Chan ‘06 (BS Speech Pathology), Alexander Nicolas T. Flores ‘06 (BS Geography & former VP for Externals, UP Junior Marketing Association), Joseph Rainier C. Canono ‘07 (BS Physical Therapy), Laureano Avelino Gregorio III ‘07 (BS Civil Engineering), Gian Carlo B. Velasco ‘07 (BA Comparative Literature), Lindolf F. de Castro ‘07 (BA Public Administration), Brixtonn John T. Busto ‘07 (B Physical Ecuation & UP Taekwondo Team member), Czarlo M. dela Victoria ‘07 (B Sports Science & UP Men’s Basketball Team member), Christopher Alvin P. Galvez ‘08 (BA Philosophy & UP Men’s Football Team member), Ronald Allan P. Habon ‘08 (BA Broadcast Communication & outgoing president of the UP Broadcasting Association), Jose Antonio O. Zuсiga ‘08 (BA Political Science), John Edward Lee F. Dayog ‘09 (BA Political Science), Angelo Jose C. Flores ‘09 (B Physical Education & College of Human Kinetics Representative to the University Student Council), Karlo James G. Gascon ‘09 (BA Broadcast Communication) and Samuel S. Salud ‘09 (BA Philosophy & member of the UP Fencing Team).

In Los Banos, the graduates are Sherwin A. Hermosa ‘01 (BS Agriculture), Reginald C. Montana ‘03 (BS Mathematics), Jupiter P. Nunez ‘03 (BS Economics), Dean Maynard A. Roxas ‘03 (BS Agriculture), Dandie O. de Mesa ‘09 (BS Biology) and John Louie C. Ocampo ‘09 (BA Sociology).

Also graduating this year is Ruben Gerald V. Ricasata ’03 who will be receiving his Juris Doctor from the Ateneo Law School, finishing Second Honors. Ricasata is outgoing president of the Ateneo Law School Student Council and will be receiving the Evelio B. Javier Gold Medal for Leadership. He was a BA Philosophy cum laude graduate of UP Diliman in 2007. Also graduating from the Ateneo Law School is John Patrick F. Ingles ‘97.

Justine Benjamin L. Pajaro ‘06 (former vice chairperson of the College of Medicine Student Council) graduated number 1 at PAL Aviation School and was also named Best in Flying.

Again, congratulations! You make us all very proud as you’ve lived up to the call of excellence!

Jeremias M. Baluyot, Jr. ‘06 (right) won the gold medal for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Medio (Middle Weight) Blue Belt Division at the Philippine International Jiu Jitsu Open last February 19, 2011. The competition was presented by the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation of the Philippines (BJJFP) and recognized by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation. Over 200 competitors from Guam, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Japan came to the Philippines for this event. Congratulations brod!

About the writer: Ricky Rionda ‘83 is a free lance writer based in Washington D.C. He was a corresponding reporter for the Philippine Daily Mirror and has written for Fil-Am publications in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

On a cool Saturday evening in Washington, the ambassador sat at a dinner table in a noisy Persian restaurant in Tysons Corner fidgeting with his camera, a holiday gift from one of his sons. He had taken the bus from New York City to see the cherry blossoms already in full bloom at the tidal basin, perhaps for the last time before he returns home to Manila. He was with his wife, the amiable Mrs. Linda Gaa who I fondly call TL or Tita Linda, and son, Wendell, who now works for the Philippine Consulate in New York. The ambassador was his usual self, quiet and unassuming, sipping hot water which he poured from a teapot as he waited for his order of jujeh, a dish of grilled Cornish chicken served with a heaping of basmati rice, a favorite from his days in the Middle East when he was ambassador to Libya.

Cavite City RTC Judge Melchor Quirino C. Sadang ‘72 took his oath Tuesday before Chief Justice Renato Corona as one of three newly-appointed Court of Appeals justices. Congratulations Brod!

Read more...

Did you know that Angelico “Chito” T. Salud ‘84 is the eighth and current commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)? He officially took over the PBA on August 26, 2010. (Photo courtesy of PBA / Nuki Sabio)

After posting wins in U.P. Diliman, the Upsilon repeated its zero loss record in U.P. Manila. The brods all won their respective races in the U.P. Manila University Student Council and local college council elections held today March 4, 2011.

In the University Student Council, Johanne Joseph O. del Rosario ‘06 of ASAP-Katipunan was elected USC Councilor. While Tristan Jegar P. Catindig ‘06 and Joshua C. Young ‘09 of BIGKIS were elected College Representatives of the College of Medicine and College of Public Health respectively. Both Catindig and Young are former USC Councilors.

In the College of Allied Medical Professions (CAMP), Patrick Evandel O. Manlapaz ‘09 was elected Chairperson. He is the third Upsilonian to serve as CAMP-SC Chairperson after Kevin A. Arao ‘07 (2009-2010) & Kim Patrick A. Tort ‘09 (2010). Richard R. Tiu ‘10 was elected CAMP-SC Public Relations Officer. Congratulations brods!

The Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association, Inc. (USPAA) held elections for its Board of Directors for 2011-2013 yesterday at Congress XIII. The fifteen fellows elected as directors of the board are:

Simon A. Cuyson ‘57
Hospicio S. Timbol ‘59
Reynaldo C. Laserna ‘62
Benedicto L. Tabin ‘64
Fernando B. Malveda ‘69
Edgar M. Sandalo ‘73
Joselito Z. Tapay ‘75
Rodolfo O. Reyes ‘78
Enrico R. Merioles ‘79
Carlos P. Gatmaitan ‘83
Jonathan James C. Duque ‘91
Noel B. Damot ‘93
Rhichie Gerard T. Brown ‘96
Melvin John M. Tan ‘97
Ivan Anthony S. Henares ‘98

The newly-elected directors took their oaths of office before outgoing USPAA chairperson Eliseo M. Ilano ‘57 immediately after they were proclaimed by COMELEC Chairperson Atty. Ramon Quintin C. Allado ‘00.

Laserna and Malveda were elected by the directors to serve as chairman and president respectively. Congratulations brods! (Photos courtesy of Edilberto “Bong” Uichangco, Jr. ‘81)

The Commission on UNO Awards & Recognition formally announced the UNO (Upsilonian Outstanding & Noble) awardees for 2011. The UNO Award is the highest form of recognition conferred on Upsilonians based on the Fraternity’s Five Imperatives namely Brotherhood, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership and Service. The process of selection of the UNO awardees is focused on establishing a continuous body of lifetime work and accomplishments marked with excellence, consistent high quality, concern for the greater good, and integrity and conduct beyond reproach. 

After serious deliberations, the panel of judges were unanimous in approving and endorsing the conferment of the UNO award to Justice Romeo M. Escareal ‘48, lawyer and Sandiganbayan Justice; Dr. Jose D. Drilon, Jr. ‘51 (posthumous), U.P. Regent, multi-awarded public servant and the Father of Agribusiness in the Philippines; Romeo M. Liamzon ‘53 (posthumous), lawyer, banker & president of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines; Engr. Claudio B. Altura ‘54, technocrat, valedictorian and board topnotcher; Ponciano E. Rivera, Jr. ‘61, businessman, U.P. Regent & UP Alumni Association President; Carlos A. Pedrosa ‘62, investment banker, consultant and enterpreneur; and Health Undersecretary Teodoro J. Herbosa ‘78, physician, author and public servant.

The seven UNO awardees for 2011 join the illustrious company of thirty-two other awardees who include Finance Secretary Pio P. Pedrosa ‘22, Father of Philippine Television and Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) founder Antonio Quirino ‘26, student leader and World War II hero Camarines Norte Governor Wenceslao Q. Vinzons ’30, U.P. President Salvador P. Lopez ‘31, Vice President & Senate President Arturo M. Tolentino ‘31, House Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr. ‘32, Dean Armando J. Malay ‘34, Senator Gerardo M. Roxas ‘46, U.P. President Onofre D. Corpuz ’47, Vice President Salvador H. Laurel ‘47 and Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. ‘50.