A much needed respite was beneficial to Trini and me both after all the traveling we did in the last month. After coming back from Cebu, we stayed a total of nine days in an AirBNB condominium in Legazpi Village – close to Greenbelt, Glorietta and Landmark and three days at Ascott Hotel located in Glorietta 4. We didn’t do much except have lunch with friends and relatives, visit salons, shop at Greenhills, and dining out. It was a welcome break from the stressful airport environment.
We were on the verge of boredom when the date of my fraternity’s 75th Anniversary finally arrived! Our friends in the U.S., Dwayne and Lani McDavid who work with the State Department offered us their vehicle (a Toyota Fortuner) along with the driver to take us to Morocco Resort and Country Club outside of Subic, Zambales about 3 hours drive from Makati. Subic Bay is where the U.S. Naval Base was located before the Philippine-U.S. treaty expired forcing the base to close and revert to the Philippine government.
We went to the resort one day early since I screwed up our hotel schedule in Makati. Our driver picked us up in Ascott Hotel on Friday and arrived in the resort around 4:00 pm which allowed us to explore the resort grounds and facility. I noticed immediately that the 20+ year old hotel lacked maintenance and upgrades. At least the air conditioning system is in good working condition.
The following day, Saturday, February 22 my fraternity brothers started to arrive – some in their private vehicles but most arrived in a Victory Liner bus. Like me, some brought their spouses along. Right away, there was organized chaos. The Sigma Beta members signed rosters and picked up their souvenir items and name tags. The lobby became a waiting area since most of the rooms and villas were not ready yet! Brods saying hello to each other slapping backs and hugging glad to see each other again. Introductions were made (I’d be lucky to remember those names) and genuine display of brotherhood could be felt in the air.
Some of the brods went inside the restaurant and ordered cold beer while waiting for their rooms. I didn’t recognize many of them since the last time I saw them was more than 14 years ago – during our fraternity’s 60th Anniversary held in Punta Fuego, Batangas.
After the mass, an election for new Board of Trustees was held and future recruitment discussed due to the status of our fraternity. Sigma Beta stands for Society of Builders since its members are all civil engineers. Our beloved fraternity was founded in 1950 by Brother Napoleon Roque along with 16 charter members and have since survived despite the tumultuous years banning fraternities due to their “hazing” initiation rites. Today, there are still a couple of hundred brothers but infusing new “blood” is crucial if we want to survive.
At around 6:00 pm, the brothers assembled for a group photo wearing our Barong Tagalog (the embroidered long-sleeved formal wear for men).
The affair was unforgettable – whole cow slowly being roasted while we nibbled at appetizers! San Miguel beers chilling in coolers filled with ice; assorted juices extracted from local fruits in glasswares “sweating” from the warm weather. Tables decorated with different colorful faux flowers. The pool nearby dotted with floating lighted bouquets. There was even a “sorbetero” (ice cream vendor) with his authentic ice cream cart.
To ensure that people danced all night, the event major coordinator Brod Enrico Ballesteros hired DI’s (dance instructors). This is common in the Philippines. A male or female DI goes around the tables encouraging guests to dance with them, and dance we did!
Part of the program was to recognize the newly elected Board of Trustees. There was also a somber moment when the list of our “fallen brothers” slowly scrolled down the screen. The brothers were recognized individually by batch and walked under an arch. Individuals were also awarded plaques for their unwavering support, guidance and dedication to the fraternity. The Beta Hymn was also sang by all the brothers.
Dancing the “night away” would not have been possible without the awesome REO Brothers with their wide repertoire of Oldies music- The Beatles, Eagles, and many others.
Another awesome band took over after the REO Brothers played non-stop for almost two hours! This time they played contemporary music I felt was more for the younger generation but what was important were they were “danceable“.
The event organizers really put in a lot of effort to make the evening very memorable – FIREWORKS!
Despite a brief shower, the party continued on. During a break by the band several of the brothers showed off their vocal skills onstage belting out a modern hip hop to popular ballads. Brother Booker Decena even surprised us with his combination of guitar and vocal skills!
As it was getting late and the “youngsters” were still enjoying the fraternity bash, Trini and I decided that it was past our bedtime. After saying “good night” to some of the guests we went to our room for a much-needed sleep.
The following morning was scheduled for a “yacht cruise“, another generous contribution by our twin fraternity brothers – Peter and Paul Angeles. There were a lot who opted to join this cruise but some stayed behind and continued with what was a more enjoyable activity than the water – imbibing more San Miguel beer.
The cruise took three hours and by the time everyone got back it was also lunch time! More beer, more fun, equals camaraderie.
All things must come to an end! The departure time finally came. Those with their own vehicles left around noon while the ones who took the bus stayed until 2:00 pm. The 75th Anniversary celebration lasted a little more than 24 hours but to most the memories will last a lifetime! Never have I been to any Sigma Beta reunion that was as grand and impressive as this one! But to me all these are secondary, what is more important was that I got to spend time, bond, and re-connect with many of my fraternity brothers. Many of them are decades younger and some older than me but we all share a common ground – our love and dedication to Sigma Beta Fraternity. We have parted ways and hope that our paths cross again. In the meantime, social media is just a click away!
“A BETAN’S LOVE WILL ONLY PERISH WITH HIS LIFE“
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