Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines)

Alpha Phi Omega
ΑΦΩ
Founded March 2, 1950
Far Eastern University, Manila
Type Service
Chapters  Philippines 250
Headquarters , Philippines
Homepage http://www.apo.org.ph/

The founding of Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines in 1950 was preceded by an APO service project conducted just after World War II. Manila, the capital of the former Commonwealth of the Philippines, had been devastated during the war. Many universities, utilised for military purposes, were in ruins. Knowing that the education of young people was a vital necessity for the country to get back on its feet, a number of Alpha Phi Omega members in Texas and the Pacific Northwest, having served as soldiers in the Philippines, organised book drives on their campuses. The successful project gathered hundreds of textbooks, used but usable, from libraries and students and sent to the Philippines to help re-stock the many burnt-out college libraries in Manila.

A few years later, in January 1950, Sol George Levy (Gamma Alpha chapter @ University of Washington 1947), a professional Scouter, an Alpha Phi Omega brother at the University of Washington in Seattle, and a friend of APO National President Dr. H. Roe “The Chief” Bartle who served as president of Alpha Phi Omega from 1931 to 1946, went to the Philippines to generate interest among Scouts there. One evening, Levy spoke to a group of people about APO, Scouting's national service fraternity in the USA, and its service project which donated books to Philippine schools. He also distributed copies of three APO publications: Questions and Answers, National Constitution and By-laws, and Ritual, Rites and Ceremonies. In the audience was Librado Inocencio Ureta, then taking his MA in education at the Far Eastern University in Manila.

Ureta and a group of former Scouts founded Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines on March 2, 1950 at Room 214, Nicanor Reyes Hall, Far Eastern University, Manila.

Alpha Phi Omega grew rapidly in the Philippines. In its third year, it became a national organization with seven chapters chartered in Manila and Visayan campuses. It was registered October 21, 1953 with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-stock, non-profit, non-dividend corporation with a registered name of Alpha Phi Omega International Collegiate Service Fraternity. The registration was renewed on June 8, 1981 with the SEC Registration No. 0099381 under the name of Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated.[1]

Notable Members in the Philippines

Name Original chapter Notability
Gil Acosta Theta Chi Provincial Board Member, Palawan (2007(?)— )
Wahab Akbar Lambda Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Congressman, Basilan, Lone District (2007— ); Governor of Basilan (1998–2007)
Bellaflor Angara-Castillo Eta Governor of the Philippine Province of Aurora 2004— (2008), Former House Majority Floor Leader
Alicia Austria-Martinez Eta Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines 2002— (2008)
Ireneo Bacolod Alpha Mu Police Chief Superintendent Philippine National Police
Petit Baldado Gamma Vice Governor, Negros Oriental (2007—2010 )
Robert Lyndon S. Barbers Epsilon Gamma Governor of Surigao del Norte Province
Silvestre H. Bello III Mu Presidential Adviser for New Government Centers (2007— ), Secretary of Justice of the Philippines (1991–1992, 1998), Solicitor-General of the Philippines, (1996–1998), Party List Representative
Josue Bellosilo Eta Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines 1992–2003
Jejomar Binay Eta Mayor of Makati City (1986—2010 ), President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (In third term as of 2006), Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines
Thomas Louie Gonzaga Zeta Omega Mayor, Danao, Bohol (2005—present)
Jose Catindig, Jr. Sigma Mayor, Santa Rosa City, Laguna (2005–2007)
Antonio H. Cerilles Pi Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Zamboanga del Sur, 2nd District (1987–1998, 2004— (2007)), Environment Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (1998–2001)
Julio F. Desamito Eta COMELEC Commissioner 1995–2001
Antonio Jr. Hatoc Escudero Delta Pi Lieutenant Governor, Sorsogon (1992–1995); 1998— (2007)
Evangeline L. Esperas Alpha Omicron Provincial Board Member, Leyte, 1st District (1) (2007(?)— )
Jose R. Hernandez Eta Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan
Julius Herrera Alpha Mu Vice Governor, Bohol (2001–present), Mayor of Calape, Bohol (1995–2001)
Baby Boy Imam Epsilon Sigma Provincial Board Member, Maguindanao (2007(?)— )
Gilberto F. Layese Theta Director of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards of the Department of Agriculture (Philippines) (2001— )
Bong Lidasan Epsilon Sigma Provincial Board Member, Maguindanao (2007(?)— )
Jojo Limbuna Epsilon Sigma Provincial Board Member, Maguindanao (2007(?)— )
Gilbert Llanto Alpha Mu Brigadier General Philippine Air Force
Casan Maquiling Gamma Chi Provincial Board Member, Lanao del Norte (2007— ) ; Mayor of Munai, Lanao del Norte (2001–2007)
Rey Andre Olegario Zeta Pi Vice Governor, Zamboanga Sibugay (2007— )
David A. Ponce De Leon Theta Chi Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Palawan, 1st District (1987–1995), Lieutenant Governor, Palawan (1986–1987, 2001— )
Fidel V. Ramos Pi (Honorary Member) President of the Republic of the Philippines (1992–1998)
Jesse Robredo Alpha Nu Mayor, Naga City (1988–1998, 2001— ); Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, 2000

DILG Secretary - 2010 - (+)

Leocadio Santiago Pi Director, Special Action Force Philippine National Police
Datu Rusman Sinsuat Epsilon Sigma Provincial Board Member, Maguindanao (2001— )
Augusto L. Syjuco Epsilon Director-General Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Philippines) (TESDA), (2004— (2007)), Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Iloilo, 2nd District (1998–2004)
Jesus Verzosa Eta Police Deputy Director General of Philippine National Police ?–2008. Police Director General of Philippine National Police 2008—
Antonio Villamor Eta Republic of the Philippines Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (2006— )
Anthony D. Wooden Iota Psi Provincial Board member Mountain Province (1998–2001)
Consuelo Ynares-Santiago Eta Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines 1999— (2008)
Haydee Yorac Eta COMELEC Chairman 1989–1991, COMELEC Commissioner 1986–1991, Chairwoman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)
Manuel "Way Kurat" Zamora Beta Phi Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Compostela Valley, 1st District (2001— )
Froilan Nagaño Jr. Nu Chi QC Mayor, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija (2013-present)

See also

References

External links