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Dr. Teodoro “Teddy” J. Herbosa ’78 (left in photo) recently took his Oath as Undersecretary of Health before DOH Secretary Enrique T. Ona last Thursday, November 4, 2010. According to the DOH, Brod Teddy will handle “hospital operations aimed at strengthening existing referral and networking system of DOH hospitals, including private facilities. Also included in their order of battle is the upgrading of local government hospitals in order to make tertiary hospitals more efficient.”

Congratulations, Brod!

Quezon City, Philippines In celebration of the 100th birthday anniversary of World War II martyr Wenceslao Bintao” Q. Vinzons, the Upsilon Sigma Phi (Upsilon) has launched an information campaign that will illustrate Vinzonss heroic achievements and legacy to the general public.

As an Upsilonian and as a responsible young Filipino, Brod Vinzonss long list of noble accomplishments and his unimpeachable integrity are truly inspiring,” said Gregorio Angelo Villar, the Illustrious Fellow (Fraternity President) of the Upsilon Sigma Phi.

Upsilon is working to revive the legacy of Vinzons the Father of Student Activism in the Philippines; the youngest delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Convention; a statesman that served Camarines Norte as its governor and congressman; a leader of the armed rebellion against Japanese occupation and to make the legacy relevant to todays generation.

Few people today even remember who Vinzons was or what he stood for. Its time to show that his name stands for more than just the name of a building at UP,” said Villar.

One of the biggest supporters of this project is former senator and current Philippine National Red Cross Chairman Richard Dick” Gordon, who donated the Vinzons bust found at the entrance of Vinzons Hall, the building at the University of the Philippines Diliman that is the home of the University Student Council and Philippine Collegian.

Gordon joined Upsilon in 1968 (while studying Law at the University of the Philippines) after learning that Vinzons had also joined the same fraternity 38 years before.

Others were only too willing to make friends with the enemy if only to secure their wealth or to gain wealth. Vinzons gave up his life, the only thing he truly owned, in the fight to keep his mother Philippines free,” said Gordon. (In 1942, Vinzons was captured and executed by the Japanese after refusing to cooperate with their regime.)

The Upsilon is planning to hold a forum on Vinzons as a part of their campaign, with Gordon as the main speaker of the event.

Also, Upsilon will join the municipality of Vinzons, Camarines Norte for its annual celebration of Vinzons birthday. The culminating event that will define the towns month-long festivities will be a solemn ceremony commemorating of the life and achievements of Vinzons on September 28, Vinzons birthday. The newly-elected Congressman of the district, Atty. Elmer Panotes, will be the keynote speaker. Members of the Upsilon will attend the ceremony as the municipalitys guests of honor.

This years festivities, which are longer and livelier than usual, are also aimed to promote Vinzons as a tourist attraction for domestic and international tourists.

Our town has natural wonders which may be promoted as tourist destinations, sadly however, the past administrations neglected to do so,” said Carminda Cereno, a Tourism Affairs Officer in the municipality.

Vinzons joined Upsilon in 1930 while studying law at the University of the Philippines.

Reposted from the original at GMANews.tv

The UPSILON SIGMA PHI condemns the IED (improvised explosive device) explosion on September 26, 2010, Sunday before dark in front of La Salle at Taft Avenue, Manila that badly hurt a number of innocent university students. We likewise revile the alleged gang/s that stupidly caused the terrorist-like violent act and turned the culmination of the bar exams, traditionally full of cheer and pomp, into an avenue of violence and excessive show of idiotic machismo.

The incident was patently an act of gangs, and not of fraternities.

The unassailable history of genuine fraternities as opposed to gangs should spell out the difference: Fraternities were established as honorable societies for young men to come together and pool their interests and resources towards the achievement of desirable social norms. Gangs, on the other hand, are nothing but aggregates of criminal minds seeking the right (in their twisted minds) outlet for their evil intent.

Fraternities like the UPSILON have common beliefs, focused principles, and rules consistent with the laws of the land. In their glorious traditions, they have produced national heroes who, in some cases like Wenceslao Vinzons and Ninoy Aquino, gave up their lives in the spirit of self-negation for the greater good of the Filipino people.

Gangs are there for purposes other than noble: violence, crime, carnage, and inhumanity. Wrongfully, these gangs profess themselves as fraternities espousing the brotherhood of lawful men! Time and again, weve seen or even have experienced the work of these gangs: from robbery of valuables to unnecessary and stupid street fights, to acts like what happened last Sunday. These are their works, not those of fraternities. In their desire to escape the rule of law, they cover up for the mistakes of their own kind, no matter how small or how big like hazing to death those seeking membership.

Whats worse is that the authorities and society as a whole have been trapped in the helpless cycle of swift and noisy condemnation after an incident of violence, followed by backdoor negotiations from prominent members of these gangs – which ultimately results in inaction and institutional amnesia. And then, violence erupts anew. When will this cycle end? Is there an authoritative figure out there brave and empowered enough to not just condemn but definitely act on the matter?

We extend our deepest sympathy to all who were hurt in the incident and to their families. Let us work hand in hand in bringing justice to what has happened.

The UPSILON gives its commitment that internally, we seek to distance ourselves from the unfortunate misconception that all fraternities are gangs. We have instituted measures to translate youthful energy into useful activities on campus and in society, instead of pursuing violence like what these gangs have done yesterday. We call on other like-minded and genuine fraternities to join in a concrete movement towards peace and order by self-regulation, policing of our own ranks, and assisting the authorities in bringing the Bar Exam explosions perpetrators to justice. Let us band together and show the Filipino society at-large that there is a difference between fraternities and gangs.

Gregorio Angelo C. Villar
Illustrious Fellow
Upsilon Sigma Phi – Diliman

Former Quezon City Mayor Ismael A. Mathay, Jr. ’50, former Isabela Province Governor Grace Padaca, and Atty. Adel Tamano discussed today at the UP College of Law the true meaning of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. ’50‘s legacy of heroism and service, drawing from their experiences as exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions to nation-building and social service.

Mayor Mathay, who along with Sen. Aquino joined the Upsilon in the same year, recalled how Ninoy was a “fireball” of activity, being “always three steps ahead”. Gov. Padaca shared how Ninoy’s example served as inspiration for her crusade to reform her home province, while Atty. Tamano pointed out the relevance of Ninoy’s qualities to today’s youth.

Hosted by Bow Cua and Zoe Sandejas, Continue the Legacy: Be a Hero has been an Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) organized by the Upsilon in its continuing commemoration of Brod Ninoy ’50’s life and martyrdom for democracy in the Philippines.

We remember, Brod Ninoy.

The Upsilon Sigma Phi joins the nation in remembering Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. ’50‘s ultimate act of self-negation for the greater good of the Filipino when, 27 years ago from this day, he was martyred at the former Manila International Airport upon his return to the country.

A simple yet solemn and significant Memorial Mass in his honor was sponsored by the Upsilon at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman.

His legacy continues as on Wednesday, August 25, the Fraternity will sponsor a Leadership Conference open to all, from 1-4pm at the Malcolm Theater of the UP College of Law. Confirmed resource speakers are former QC Mayor Ismael Mathay ’50, former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, and Atty. Adel Tamano. The three will work with participants to dissect the true meaning of Ninoy’s legacy of heroism and service, drawing from their experiences as exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions to nation-building and social service.

The Leadership Conference is creditable for UP Diliman students as an Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) activity for that day. For more information, please RSVP on the Facebook event page.

“THE FILIPINO is worth dying for.”

This simple yet powerful statement, attributed to Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr., is one of the most popular quotes in Philippine society. It is quoted by great statesmen in their speeches, it is reprinted on thousands of T-shirts. But in truth, Ninoy never said this, at least not verbatim.

The full text of this statement, which Ninoy delivered before the Asia Society on Aug. 4, 1980 in New York City, goes deeper than the oft-quoted truncated version implies.

The following is the full statement: “I have asked myself many times: Is the Filipino worth suffering, or even dying, for? Is he not a coward who would readily yield to any colonizer, be he foreign or homegrown? Is a Filipino more comfortable under an authoritarian leader because he does not want to be burdened with the freedom of choice? Is he unprepared, or worse, ill-suited for presidential or parliamentary democracy?

“I have carefully weighed the virtues and the faults of the Filipino and I have come to the conclusion that he is worth dying for because he is the nation’s greatest untapped resource.”

In its full form, Ninoy’s statement gains eloquence and a deeper meaning lacking from the six-word truncated versionit is no longer a mere one-liner espousing blind nationalism and sacrifice for heroism’s sake. In the full passage, Ninoy honestly considers the sobering doubts and limitations of the Filipino people, yet despite this his resolve wavers not; for Ninoy, despite all of the Filipino’s faults, the Filipino is worth dying for because he is the future of this nation.

As we again celebrate Ninoy’s legacy this Aug. 21, 2010, let us remember the wisdom of what he was really trying to say when he said “The Filipino is worth dying for.”

AURELI C. SINSUAT,
Upsilon Sigma Phi,
University of the Philippines Diliman,
Quezon City

Inquirer Opinion/Letters to the Editor
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:11:00 08/19/2010

by Jose A.P. Ampeso*

To many Filipinos, Ninoy Aquinos assassination in August of 1983 was a very tragic incident. The dreadful loss of his life was a supreme sacrifice that spelled the beginning of the end of Ferdinand Marcos hedonistic rule, indeed well beyond the bounds of democratic processes.

My personal view of Ninoy was that of an elderly though youthful, vibrant but well-grounded journalist-turned politician of post World War I vintage, among the several brilliant colleagues of his time. For sure, he was a new player on the bloc, one sort of in- a-hurry. From Governor of Tarlac in 1965, he was in 1967 elected as senator, the lone one from the opposition Liberal Party to survive the senatorial rout (7 pro-administration Nacionalista Party winners) in the Marcos administration part I. Indeed, he was making a catch-up with or against a shrewd and veteran political leader (then Pres. F. E. Marcos who was a proven scholar and bar topnotcher who suffered the rigors of World War II, and fought himself to the top of Philippine politics, having won the Philippine presidency twice)!

I belong to the Diliman batch 1968 of the Upsilon Sigma Phi Asias oldest born and greatest known greek-lettered Fraternity, having been established in 1918 (just a decade after U.P.s foundation). Fellows Ferdinand E. Marcos and Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. were among the more well-known Brods, having undergone initiations in 1937 and 1950, respectively.

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*Editors Note: The author is an member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi, UPs University Students Fraternity. He joined the Upsilon in 1968, with Ninoy Aquino having joined earlier in 1950. This is an excerpt from his personal account of the authors fraternal and personal association with Ninoy, especially up to his last days. It was originally written on July 20, 2002, and subsequently published in the book We Gather Light to Scatter: Ninety Years of Upsilon Sigma Phi.

Former UP Diliman USC Chairperson Herminio C. Bagro III ’02 placed 8th in the 2009 Bar Exams with a score of 83.40 percent. Other Upsilonians who passed the Bar include Diliman Illustrious Fellow Paolo Marco R. Mapula, Anthony Raphael V. Jacoba ’96, Michael Arthur C. Sagcal ’98, Kristian G. Barzaga ’99, Philippe Lauren M. Infante ’99 and Marco Gregorio L. Lainez ’05. Passing rate for the Upsilon Sigma Phi is 100 percent! Congratulations to our new lawyers!

Congratulations also to Herbert Calvin P. Abugan ’99 for doing a great job as over-all chair of the 2009 Bar Operations of San Beda College! San Beda finished no. 1 and 2 in the 2009 Bar Exams.

The results are out in UP Manila! Our new student leaders are USC Councilor Patrick Evandel O. Manlapaz 09 and CAMP Student Council Chairperson Kim Patrick A. Tort 09. Congratulations brods!