Christmas PArty 2010

Images by dee bee

UPAA of Hawaii at Koko Crater Botanical Garden

Volcano, Plants, Friendship and Food

2010 UPAA Biennial Banquet and Induction of New Officers

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July BOD Luncheon Meeting at Alma's

It was a fun meeting with lots of Greek-inspired food, thanks to Alma's husband, George's, help. It was ono-licious, plus the pupus were out-of-this-world. Maybe, out of Alma's beautiful yard full of colorful flora!

We got things done: banquet details detailed and ono grinds consumed. The bay view was spectacular. The windward breezes soft and caressing. It was a kinda warm sunday. But, hey, we live Hawaii!

To the Phocas family: Muchas gracias. WE will be back!

May 2010: Tara Na Sa Piyesta at Bumoto!!!

During its March meeting, the Board decided to coincide the election of the 2010-12 Board of Directors with the holding of the Filcom's Fiesta at Kapiolani Park. Mas masaya, sabi ng Board members sa kanilang pakana. And so it was.

Witness the dedication, folks: Lilia Santiago, Board Secretary with Debs Robillard (behind the scenes) earlier concocted the UPAA display at the booth. Delmar and honorary alum hubby, Joe Magno, snuck into Kapiolani way too early in the morning to assure a parking spot. Prexy Alma and board members Jane Misola and Jun Rivera with their spouses Ben and Cora, came to help, make tsika and siyempre, to stay, enjoy the festivities and eat!! Other UPAA members dropped by to cast their ballots. Siyempre, because it is also a state election year, many politicos came, shook hands with our able cast and took pictures.

At the end of the day, the following Board of Directors, officers and members, were elected.

President: Debs Telan Robillard
President-elect: Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand
Secretary: Norma Domingo
Treasurer: Jun Rivera
Auditor: Dennis Bondocoy
PRO: Lilia Santiago
Neighbor Island Reps: CJ Ancheta (Maui) and Oscar Portugal (Kauai)
Members: Delmar Magno, Jane Misola, Melody Calisay, Ariel Agcaoili,and Unc Homer Rabara

Congratulations, New Board, and may your term be full of joy, energy and accomplishments!

To the booth-niks: Good job! 'Yan ang UP!

UPAA Of Hawaii 2009 Christmas Party

If you weren’t there, you missed a lot. You missed
• Lena’s jubilant victory pose when she won a prize.
• And her yellow pampalamig (patent still pending.)
• The many times, Auring tried to (delicately) “fart” – with the balloon.
• The off-key, off-beat but “who cares?” attitude Christmas carol sing-alongs.
• The kids’ pabitin which did not remain solely the kids’s for long. Even the wrinkled and weather-beaten (read: Jun Obaldo) couldn’t resist. Who said old men can’t jump?
• At marami pang iba.

View na lang the accompanying magnificent photo compositions of our friend, Densio. They are worth a thousand of my words.

Next time, you attend, okey?

Pasko Na Naman! 2009

So, on December 6, at the lanai of the Philippine Consulate on Pali Highway, our UPAA family will meet again for our annual UPAA Family Christmas Party! If you missed last year's, try not to miss this one! There were will be time to meet the newbies as well as the not-so-newbies. Think of all the balita you will hear from and share with old friends and new! Bring your young ones and watch them enjoy putting together Christmas crafts at our Keiki Kraft Korner. You might even want to join them!

Hrmphh, hrmph....want to exercise those vocal chords? Try singalong Christmas carols! Op kors, you like to win! You go to Vegas yearly, di ba? So win some door prizes! Then, the highlight of the evening...ah, no!...second-to-the-highlight of the evening: the yearly "Battle of the Batches"! We have some really cool games and quizzes! Bring home the trophy: bone up on geography, UP facts, spelling, current events!

Then the highlight of the evening. Drum roll, please...... LECHON! Plus, siyempre, the yum-yum dishes you have craved for for a loooooong time. Please bring naman a dish to share: remember, POTLUCK ITO! You will be reminded by your team leader what dish you need to bring, so here it is, for starters:

Group 1- Debs: Heavy pupus
Group 2- Alma: Poultry Main dish
Group 3 - Rose: Seafood Main dish
Group 4- Bea: Dessert
Group 5- Lilia: Veggie Main dish
Group 6- Ime: Starch
Group 7- Carolyn: Veggie Main dish
Group 8-Jun R: Meat Main dish
Group 9- Don: Veggie salads
Group 10- Jon: Pupus
Group 11- Jane: Starch
Group 12- Dennis: Drinks
Group 13- Delmar: Dessert
Group 14- Homer: Drinks

O sige, ha! We'll see you at the pahhhhty!

by: Debs Telan Robillard

Maui Tree Planting (June 2009)

click "play" once to run slideshow

Piknik sa Koolaus

(click play once to run slideshow)

August 29, 2009

Sabado na! It was time to get up and hike off to the Koolaus, to the stream where the little minnows frolic and wait for the first bait to hit the still water... to the pavilion where Gng. Alma Phocas has already started to move the picnic tables. She has several big stalks of tropicals to arrange in a pareau'ed can, which today will double as vase (pronounce it vas, please, with the upper lip curled and upper teeth lightly resting on the lower lip, thank you.) The Kaaihues find their way to the Niu Pavilion, where the kids help unload the truckload of stuff needed to be set today: card tables for the entrance with the maroon tablecloth, proclaiming to the knowledgeable, that this is, for today, Maroon Territory; rose-tipped BIC pens for the newbies to fill in their membership forms and their firts annual dues; the accoutrements required for the most engrossing part of the day: lunch; atbp...

Soon the UP masa swells as the hour for repast drwas near. Lena sets up her pampalamig, (patent pending) on top of the counter. Densio arrives with his girls and cooler of drinks. Bea with the birthday cake for the birthday girl, este, lady (debski)and an assortment of goodies for lunch! and dagsa-dagsang others piled on the center table!

Before the kainan, siyempre, we had an appetizer, reminiscent of UP days. Alma brings out blue-book look-alikes and pops a quiz on ten very eager alums. The quiz? Name your fruits! Dr. Bertie Santos-Ocampo was the majordomo "serving" the fruits for the alums to identify. Instructions? Pwedeng amuyin, hawakan, pisilin.


YUMMMMM! After an irreverent "grace" by Bea, a truly dibdiban one followed. Thank you, Father, for what we are about to devour! Kainan na! !



Of course, our potluck buffet has always been a gastronomic phenomenon! We, UP'ians of Hawaii are known to be gourmets and gourmands... We feasted on phantasmagorical paksiw na lechon, sensational kari-kari with bagoong alamang, crispiest lumpia, inihaw na isda extraordinaire, ube- bersdey cake (!!) to name a few... there was sooo much more:

There were newbies in the crowd of kari-kari-stained lips: Troy and Aurora Bumagat, ConGen Jun Cardenas, soon-to-be-alum Consul Paul (who wowed the audience with his makabagbag-damdamin rendition of Climb Ev'ry Mountain),and Atty. Emmanuel Tipon,and not-too-newbies Docs Millette Oliveros and Bertie Santos-Ocampo. There were discussions of state furloughs, pre-mature Alzheimer's and other worries. And of course, there was stunned silence as we worked our way through the table fare armed with forks, napkins to the lips and paper plates, to lip-smacking satisfaction!



After much belly massaging and happy grins on our faces, we were ready to win prizes at BINGO!!!! With Bea Ramos-Razon as Bingo Master and assistants Lilia Santiago, Alma Phocas and yours truly, the happy crowd meditated on their bingo cards, anxious to make "puro" in game after game, ready to jump in the air with a shout of "BINGO!!" Those were the lucky ones, especially the Rivera clan as one after another claimed a prize. This must be the reward for being the patient Fundraising chair, ha, Jun? Finally, the cash prizes for the Block-out games were awarded. The kids were pooped and the sun was half-way on the face of the mountain. It was time to wrap-up and clean.



It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon with friends and family. Although the fishing derby was called off, the kids did not seem to mind. Those old enough to know their alphabet (at least five letters) and their numbers (1-75) played with the old farts. The young ones strolled the perimeter of the grounds.

We look forward to another summer, as we pack this one along with summers past, but hang on the delights brought on by friendships across the years and the common bond provided by the Maroon spirit...malayo man marating, di rin magbabago...

by Debs Telan Robillard

The Colonel's $5 Quick-Bite: The Quest for the Ideal Fundraiser

There is one rule in being a member of associations that never fails: If you do not want the tough assignments, do not miss meetings. Having forgotten due to a senior moment, I missed one critical board meeting. At that meeting I was chosen the fundraising committee chair for beloved UPAAH. There was no escape from this position.

Not having learned my lesson, I again missed another meeting (This time I had a real excuse: My email lost the messages from the President) and soon discovered the board had toyed with the idea of a “Huli-Huli” fundraiser. This spurred me to action.

Considering the economic climate and all the hard work associated with doing a Huli-Huli fundraiser, I searched for the “Ideal Fundraising Program” with two things in mind: simplicity and low cost. First came the Chili Fundraiser which is highly advertised and apparently very popular. Then came the not-too-well-known Napoleon Bakery fundraiser, followed by the Taco/Bell Pizza coupons. Upon searching the web, I found there were literally zillions of fundraising opportunities. There were a lot more than the trillions spent on the economic recovery plan (Don’t you love how I can easily make the issues political?). They were too mind-boggling to even pursue.

One board member told me she had tons of un-eaten chili tubs in her refrigerator, so we scratched the chili deal. I tried to tie it in with the Napoleon Bakery fundraiser but found out that, at Costco, you could get 5 more of those cakes for the same price. And then came the pizza deals. Those were fairly reasonable but all you got was a coupon. Perhaps on another fundraiser, we could try them.

Then out of nowhere (drum-roll please…) came the Kentucky Fried Chicken Deal. It was so simple and yet easily manageable that the Board did not hesitate to approve it. Ah, unanimously.

Here is how it works:

KFC will print any amount of Quick-Bite tickets we order. Unused tickets are considered sold so make sure you redeem your tickets, which are good for 12 weeks from issue date. This means you do not have to redeem your tickets and fill your refrigerator with buckets of food all at once! And it is convenient: tickets are redeemable at every Kentucky shop all over the state except Makaloa (near Ala Moana) and Don Quijote (near Pagoda Hotel).

The $5 Quick-Bite package includes: two-piece regular or extra crispy chicken leg & thigh, a biscuit and a small mash potato with gravy. This is a complete (sort of) meal by itself. KFC also includes a coupon good for 6 months that provides a discount up to $10.00 on other purchases as follows: $1.00 off the 3 pc. meal, $2.00 off the 10 pc. meal and $3.00 off the 16 pc. meal and a free kids lap top popcorn popper with any purchase of a 3 pc. meal or larger item.

Because of the mailing and processing cost, we request that sales be made in 10-ticket batches. To reduce our mailing costs, would you please come to the picnic on August 29, and pick up your batch of tickets?

It’s a good deal. Take the family and kids out a couple of times and you would have already used up your tickets. The discounts alone pay for the cost. And most of all, you are helping UPAAH fund our community service projects.

Why not buy a ticket or two yourself? Make it 10 and you’ve got yourself an ideal KFC deal!

by Jun Rivera, Fundraising Committee Chair

August 29 Summer Get-together in Hoomaluhia

There is soooo much to look forward to at our annual summer get-together!

First of all, visiting the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden is always a visual and emotional treat. Its calm environs is sparked alive by the presence of our UPAA-H crowd – our laughing keikis and happily reminiscing alums! President Alma Phocas, who works as supervisor in this beautiful nature retreat, made possible our come-back to this site.

Once again, our keikis will be treated to a fishing derby at the nearby stream. Do you remember our clumsy attempts at hooking fish baits (read: pieces of pan de sal) for the keikis while they were eagerly anticipating their catch? Do you still have the pictures of the “biggest,” “most colorful,” “smallest” catch? These are where the fishing tales begin!

Meanwhile, the adults will be back in the pavilion. There will much laughter as we all try to catch up with goings on in our families. There will be games as groups outsmart, outplay, outguess each other trying to win prizes as well. There will also be BINGO! where winning will be fun but losing can be fun, too, if you are in the company of friends, munching goodies from what we always anticipate to be a fantastic potluck spread.

To better coordinate our activities, your friendly Board of Directors and Board of Advisers divvied up the alumni list into 14 groups. Each group was assigned a coordinator, either a current BOD member or a past president. Each group, herein identified with its coordinator, was assigned to contribute the following to the potluck:

Group 1- Debs: Heavy pupus

Group 2- Alma: Poultry Main dish

Group 3 - Rose: Seafood Main dish

Group 4- Bea: Dessert

Group 5- Lilia: Veggie Main dish

Group 6- Ime: Starch

Group 7- Carolyn: Veggie Main dish

Group 8-Jun R: Meat Main dish

Group 9- Don: Veggie salads

Group 10- Jon: Pupus

Group 11- Jane: Starch

Group 12- Dennis: Drinks

Group 13- Delmar: Dessert

Group 14- Homer: Drinks

Just looking at the list and dreaming of the potluck leaves me hungry! We have always been famous for our potlucks, ladies and gentlemen; we have only ourselves to top, so let’s show us what wonderful gastronomic delights we can dazzle ourselves with again this time!

So, once again:

WHAT: UPAA-H Annual Summer Get-together

WHEN: August 29, 2009, 10 AM to 3 PM

WHERE: Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Luluku Road,

Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744

Check out this Hoomaluhia website for directions and info:

: Http://www.honolulu.gov/parks/hbg/hmbg.htm

Hasta la vista!

By Debs Telan Robillard, Programs Committee Chair

Solita "Mareng Winnie" Monsod in Hawaii

-Hazel Parcon

Who doesn’t know the feisty, smart, and talented Solita “Mareng Winnie” Monsod?

Professor Monsod is the 2009 Distinguished Macaulay Lecture Speaker of the School of Pacific and Asian Studies (SPAS) in the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). Last April 20, Filipino students, professors, and enthusiasts came out to hear her lecture entitiled “Poverty in the Philippines: It’s Not the Economy Stupid!” It was held at the UHM Center for Korean Studies Auditorium.

Present to welcome Professor Monsod were Senator Will Espero of the Hawaii State Legislature; Dr. Ricardo D. Trimillos, Professor and Chair of the UHM Asian Studies Program; Dr. Belinda A. Aquino, Professor and Director of the UHM Center for Philippines Studies; Dr. Edward J. Shultz, Interim Dean of the UHM School of Pacific and Asian Studies; and Dr. Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Professor in the UHM Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures.

An update of the state of Philippine poverty, where the government has been amiss, and what has to be done to address it were among the topics discussed. The presentation was not only informative and insightful, but was energetic as well. During the open forum, Professor Monsod could not be happier when concerns were raised on what can be done by Filipinos in Hawaii to help alleviate the poverty in the Philippines. Professor Monsod has definitely ignited the fire in the hearts of Filipinos in Hawaii.

Mahalo Mareng Winnie!


Professor Monsod at the UHM Center for Korean Studies Auditorium with Filipino UHM students,
faculty, and staff.





Professor Monsod enjoying a cup of coffee with some UHM professors and students at Paradise
Palms after her talk.

*Ms.Parcon will be earning her PhD in Economics on May 16, 2009 at University of Hawaii at Manoa.

UPAA to Host Social Events for Visiting UPCN Faculty

Dean Josefina Angeles Tuazon and seven members of the UP College of Nursing faculty will be arriving on March 17, 2009 to attend the Pacific Institute in Nursing (PIN) Conference organized by the University of Hawaii School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene. The PIN Conference will be held at the Waikiki Marriott on March 18-20. This conference is an offshoot of the linkage between UPCN and UH which resulted in the UPCN’s 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Nursing Research last September 3-5, 2008 held in Manila. Dean Tuazon will be one of the speakers in the PIN conference. It is sponsored by the Herbert M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. Its co-sponsors are the Filipino Nurses Organization of Hawaii and the UH School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene.


Accompanying Dean Tuazon are faculty members, Cora Anonuevo, Araceli Balabagno, Luz Barbara Dones, Efrelyn Iellamo, Lydia Manahan, Bethel Villarta and Sheila Bonito; and PhD student, Pearl Cuevas.


The nursing alums of UPAA-H have been coordinating with the sponsors of the conference to ensure that the UPCN faculty trip objectives are met, including an introduction to Oahu. While Dean Tuazon is a repeat visitor to the island, the other faculty members are makahikis. Honorable Lillian Ramirez-Uy, retired Family Court Judge and UPCN alumna, will host a dinner for the group at the Waialae Country Club. It will be also be attended by nursing alums on island and Dr. Lyndy Aquino, Director of the UH Philippine Studies Center. Lyndy recently donated funds for a professorial chair to UPCN in honor of her mother who was a UP-PGH School of Nursing pioneer.


UPAA BOD and advisers are planning a potluck picnic with the UPCN faculty on Sunday, March 22 @ Picnic Area #29, 4-8 pm, at Ala Moana Beach Park. The site is across from the concession stand located towards the Diamond Head end of the park. Look for the UPAA banner. For food assignments, unless given specific assignment by Debs, please bring food according to the first letter of your last name: A-F: Starch; G-L: Main dish; M-R: Side dish; and S-Z: Dessert. Please email divina@hawaii.edu for more information.

Our Hats Off to Lilia

 

Dr. Emerlinda Roman recognized authors of 100 UP Centennial Titles last December 12.   These 100 titles showcase the university’s rich contribution to Philippine literature and scholarship in the humanities and the sciences.  Among those selected are two books by Dr. Lilia Quindoza Santiago namely "Asintada:Mga Tula" and "Sa Ngalan ng Ina: 100 Taon ng Tulang Feminista sa Pilipinas 1889-1989".    For the complete list of UP Centennial Titles, go to

http://www.ovcrd.upd.edu.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=511&Itemid=81

 

The two books were published in 1997.  Lilia's latest published work is entitled "Sexuality and the Filipina" which was published in 2007 by the UP Press. The UP Press describes the books it publishes as "important, often groundbreaking, works by home scholars that represent distinct contributions to knowledge".

Congratulations, Jovel!

COPYRIGHT UNESCO

Ford Foundation scholar, Jovel Ananayo, graduated last December and earned his Master’s degree in Travel Industry Management from the UH at Manoa.  Jovel leaves us with memories of a young Filipino scholar who balanced academics with community engagement. A UNESCO publication that he co-authored was also released last month.  Check out www.unescobkk.org for an e-copy of  “ The Effects of Tourism on Culture and the Environment in Asia and the Pacific: Sustainable Tourism and the Preservation of the World Heritage Site of the Ifugao Rice Terraces Philippines”.

More Accolades for Amy and Tita Terry

“Pamana ng Pilipino”? “Living Treasures”? Wow! Bigat!  Congratulations again to

Dr. Teresita Ramos and Dr. Amefil Agbayani for two awards that honor their lifetime of work.  “Pamana” means bequest or legacy in Tagalog while “Living Treasures” denotes one who is very precious to the community.

 

Last December 10, Tita Terry flew to Manila for the 2008 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas Ceremonies and personally received a “Pamana ng Pilipino” award from the President of the Philippines. “Pamana” award is given to “Filipino overseas for “exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, bringing the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession”.   The ceremony recognized 30 other individuals or organizations including the United Filipino Council of Hawaii which received the “Kaanib ng Bayan” award.  If you missed the TV coverage of the event, you can at least get a glimpse of the ceremony and Tita Terry in youtube.  Check out:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2WixJNVE9k

 

UPAAH learned that next month, Dr. Amefil Agbayani will be honored as one of  2009 Honpa Hongwanji Mission Living Treasures. Each year since 1970, the 110-year old Mission honors individuals who have “demonstrated excellence and high standards of achievement in their particular fields if endeavor, and through their continuous growth and learning, have made significant contributions to humanity toward a more fraternal society”. The Mission honors between five to seven individuals annually. Amy will be honored for lifetime commitment and accomplishments in advancing a just and equitable society for people of all backgrounds.  

President's Message

Mabuhay at Manigong Bagong Taon sa Lahat!

 2008, the Centennial year of our beloved University of the Philippines, gave us a great pride & joy in honoring the Institution that has made a difference in so many lives, and ours not the least. Let me take the opportunity to thank everyone for their support during the various programs & activities UPAAH undertook in celebration of UP’s first 100 years.

Our Biennial Banquet, held in August at the Hale Koa Hotel, was another successful event for our organization. We honored four of the UP Centennial’s Distinguished Alumni: Dr. Lyndy Aquino, Dr. Terry Ramos, Dr. Amy Agbayani and Dr. George Camara. We also installed a new set of officers committed to continue the momentum of growth and success of our alumni organization. Our Boards of Directors and Advisors are working hard to envision and enhance yet more opportunities for all of us alumni to stay connected and involved.

 Our UPAA Christmas Party was held at the Philippine Consulate. The enjoyable evening of food, raffles, song and dance brought together alumni and their families to celebrate the holiday season, renew friendships, and welcome our new members. To date, we have 221 members in our alumni directory; we encourage everyone to renew their membership for the year and perhaps find a new recruit.

Bright prospects lie ahead in 2009 for UPAAH.  Let us strengthen our commitment and UP Spirit as we encounter new opportunities in the next two years, and let us rely on two core activities: participation and contribution.  As UP alumni, we must all strive to build on our ties as sons and daughters of our beloved Alma Mater, by actively participating in UPAAH projects, and contributing to the success of our organization .

Maraming salamat!      

Alma B. Phocas

President, UPAA Hawaii

Imelda Gasmen's Latest Project

TAGALOG FOR KIDS FLASHCARDS!!!

Imelda Gasmen [BSDC ‘84] shares her new project “Tagalog for Kids” at the Authors’ Festival at UH Manoa in Fall 2008.  Published by Tuttle Publishing, Tagalog for Kids contains 64 flashcards, an audio CD, color wall chart, and a learning guide for parents and teachers.  Gasmen is currently an instructor in Filipino at UH Manoa and coordinator of the annual Filipino for Kids Summer Program at the Filipino Community Center.

 

"Games Pinoys Play" at Pasko! 2008

It was saksakan ng saya! Never mind the off and on downpour; it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd that flocked to celebrate Pasko! last December 14 once again.

Siyempre, UP’ians were all over the map: from planning the annual Filcom Center Production to organizing and (wo)manning booths!Toy Arre, as President-CEO of Filcom Center, worked with the oversight committee to make sure this year’s celebration was no less successful than the one before. Two other members of this committee were Ka Ray Liongson and UPAA President Alma Phocas. Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand coordinated …. Ime Gasmen led Katipunan Club’s perennially popular parol-making booth. Ka Ray’s Philippine Studies young students…

This year, UPAA was responsible for showcasing Filipino games. UP? Fun? "Nahihibang na ba kayo? Di ba oxymoron yun?" some would be tempted to say. But those who were there that day would have agreed that UP alums are good at anything, including fun and games!

At the booth we labeled “Games Pinoys Play,” six sungkaans surrounding a dama board were arrayed around the edge of the table. The dama was complete with Budweiser tansan properly positioned on the squares at opposite sides of the board. Red sipa tassles sat on their bottoms like tired octopuses. Typed rules of the games were taped onto the table. Bags of goodies which would be given to winners of challenges were arrayed at the ledge at the back of booth. After getting the booth ready, Serge Domondon, Alma Phocas, Jon Ellis Pangilinan, Debs Robillard and Bea Ramos Razon took turns (wo)manning the booth.

People, young and old, swarmed the booth. Not one sungkaan, sipa and dama board was left unused for long. Onlookers would take over the games as soon as one is free. Debs introduced sungkaan, Chinese style and soon, partners were playing it with gusto. Niko Phocas, UPAA First Child, played with somebody at the dama board almost non-stop. Even when the prizes were gone, people still came to play. Young people from Leeward Community College Philippine Studies (c/o Ray Liongson), soon overflowed into ours, totally engaged in the fun of the games!

Promptly at 5pm, Alma rang the bell announcing the start of the pabitin.

High fives to UP alums involved in making Pasko! the cultural highlight of the 2008 Christmas season in the Filipino community!

"Da Bes' Christmas Party Evah!" Revisited

Our party at the Philippine Consulate, billed as “Da Bes’ Christmas Party Evah!” sure lived up to the hype - from Serge Domondon’s moving invocation to the crackly lechon at the buffet. The raffle fundraiser cooked up by Jun Rivera, our able finance chair, was a success! From ticket sales alone, we made almost $250 from party animals serious about winning the grand prize, an iPod Touch, which went to “Lucky Aleli” Starosta. A big mahalo to everyone who contributed items as well as cash for the fundraiser.

We got to meet alums new to UPAA: Dr. Bernie Santos-Ocampo, Jun Rivera, Cora Mabazza-Rivera, Serge Domondon, Nora Quebral, Jane Misola (our membership committee chair), Dr. Milette Oliveros and Majah Rabaga. Serge, Jun, and Jane are already members of our current Board of Directors. E komo mai, everybody!

After inspiring the UP family crowd with his words, Consul Paul Cortes wowed everyone with his kabigha-bighaning interpretation of not just one but two (!!) Christmas songs. The crowd begged for more but backed down when he (good-naturedly) threatened “fee for service.” Thank you, Consul Paul, for being game na game!

Strategically locating their table near the buffet table, Ime Gasmen and Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand thoroughly enjoyed mentoring the young and the “young kuno” who cut, glued and put together colorful mini-parols. This activity was a smash hit with everyone!

To set the stage for the “Battle of the Alums” at Christmas caroling, a caroling group made up of alums and MDA HI ALS Support group members, sang with animated audience participation. Put together this year by Jon Ellis Pangilinan and Debs Robillard to serenade homebound patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), this caroling project, started in 2007 under BFF Rose Zabanal’s leadership, garnered overwhelmingly grateful response from the client families.

The battle of the caroling alums, grouped by batch, provided the climax of the evening. With the karaoke video providing the lyrics to a carol which no one (including Toy Arre) seems to remember the title of, the “forgettes” (1950-60’s) bravely lifted their voices. Truly representing the flashy (thanks to Lena Duck’s red shoulder capes) flower generation, the 70’s-80’s group, sashayed to the swinging rhythm of “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit.” Finally, the 90’s-00’s entrepreneurial “bagettes” mimicked street urchins soliciting money with their rendition of “Sa Aming Bahay,” complete with a tin cup on the floor into which amused alums dropped coins.

In the end, only the lonely lechon carcass was left on the table as leftovers found their way into take-home containers. We hope leftovers weren’t the only things brought home from the party that night but also memories of the kind of fun the UPAA family can have together. Let’s promise to make more of the same next Christmas!