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It is with deep sadness and regret that we announce that Ricardo “Dick” Zamora ’49 joined our Creator at 12:55 p.m. today, September 10, 2011. Farewell brod! Your music, those songs within our hearts live on, your legacy will be forever as the sun!

Dick Zamoras name, to many Philippine music connoisseurs, is largely and especially associated with, among others, Aloyan, whose melody he conscientiously composed when he was barely in his 20s. This particular piece marked his discovery if not entry into musics mystifying world where he remains a living icon for over half a century now. For all his low-key personality, Dick has assiduously added to the Philippine musical bank through his numerous and dazzling contributions towards the true appreciation of this art form, classical or Philippine. Playing at first the piano like a virtuoso, he went on to write and arrange loads of novel compositions, cavalcades, and other musical scores. He took time when possible to share his knowledge and skills as a professorial lecturer with college and university students. More so, he was able to teach to and reach out with the masses through the medium of broadcast and television, having been a show director. Not be missed out were his additional efforts at spreading zarzuela appreciation as well as his musical endeavours for the GSP (Girl Scouts of the Philippines).

This is a brief account about the life of this humble but ardent music lover. Presently almost an octogenarian, Dick can look back, with honest glow and pride, at his countless accomplishments in the boundless realm of music, Philippine and others.

Sean Vincent L. Aquilino 09 was named one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) for 2011 at awarding ceremonies in Malacaang Palace last August 4, 2011.

Aquilino was recognized for his exceptional performance in both academics and student leadership. He served as Chairperson of the College of Science Student Council for AY2010-2011 and received his B.S. Biology degree cum laude with the Best Undergraduate Thesis this year.

Earlier in the year, Aquilino was also awarded the Gawad Chanselor para sa Natatanging Mag-aaral for 2011, and the UP Diliman BPI-DOST Science Award. Aquilino is currently a first year student at the UP College of Medicine.

Since 1961, the TOSP program has recognized outstanding youth of the nation for academic excellence, exemplary leadership, community involvement and good moral values. The last Upsilonian to be recognized by TOSP was incumbent Illustrious Fellow Benjo A. Delarmente, M.D. in 2008. Congratulations brod!

Award-winning independent filmmaker Michael Francis E. Sandejas ’91 was selected as one of the nine Asia 21 Philippines Fellows for 2011, representing Culture and the Arts. He was among those chosen by the Asia Society, a New York-based institution that promotes international understanding between leaders of Asia and the United States, to be part of this years batch of young Filipino leaders who will represent our country at the upcoming Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in New Delhi, India.

This year, over 100 nominations were received and nine accomplished leaders were selected. The main criterion is leadership experience, impact of leadership and track record in public service.

Sandejas’ works include Dinig Sana Kita (Best Film Deaf Category at the 2009 Brussels International Independent Film Festival), Tulad ng Dati (Best Film at Cinemalaya 2006) and Wat Floor Maam for which he received several awards both local and foreign. He teaches Advanced Digital Filmmaking at De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde and Audiovisual Production at St. Scholasticas College, Manila.

Upsilonians who were previously selected as Asia 21 Philippines Fellows include former Cavite Representative Gilbert Cesar C. Remulla ’89 (Government) in 2006 and travel blogger and heritage advocate Ivan Anthony S. Henares ’98 (Culture and the Arts) in 2008. Congratulations brod!

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For for his role in Dagim, Martin M. del Rosario ’11 was named New Movie Actor of the Year at the 27th PMPC Star Awards for Movies. He previously won Breakthrough Performance by an Actor for the same role at the 8th Golden Screen Awards presented by the Entertainment Press Society. Del Rosario currently plays Norberto “Berto” Matias in the ABS-CBN drama series Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. Congratulations brod!

Congratulations to Claudio B. Altura ’54 for winning the 2011 Subic-Boracay Race and the 2011 Boracay Cup! Considered to be the premier long distance sailing event in the Philippine, the fleet of 17 local and international yachts sailed off the sailing mecca of Subic Bay last February 18.

The 200 mile course presented various navigational challenges for the sailors. Beginning with the Mindoro Coastline and it’s 2500 meter mountain range creating inconsistent wind patterns and through the Verde Island passage infamous for it’s varying tidal patterns. The finish line was set at world famous Boracay Beach where the racing continued as the 2011 Boracay Cup began on February 22nd.

Finishing in 36 Hours, 49 minutes, 42 seconds, “Vivaldi”, Altura’s J-35 Racer finished first in the IRC Cruiser/Racer Class division. To top it off Altura also won the 2011 Boracay Cup, winning 4 out of 5 inter-island races to complete the route.

Race News and Results via asianyachting.com

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 Baos 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 UPLBs 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 years 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 Mens Football Team member), Ronald Allan P. Habon ’08 (BA Broadcast Communication & outgoing president of the UP Broadcasting Association), Jose Antonio O. Zuiga ’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!