The Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity, with its significant contribution to the rich history of the country’s premier law school, is one with the UP Law community in celebration of the UP College of Law’s Centennial. The Fraternity, which was established in 1939 at the UP College of Law and which has since then counted among its members several former deans of the College and countless of its most distinguished alumni, joined the UP Law community last January 11 in kicking off the esteemed institution’s centennial year.

After a fellowship lunch, resident members and alumni of the Fraternity troop to Malcolm Theater to witness the University’s conferment of the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa upon one of the Fraternity’s most outstanding exemplars, former Chief Justice and current member of the UP Board of Regents Reynato Puno.

Brod Reynato Puno, who joined the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity in 1959, delivered the first of the UP College of Law Centennial Lectures after the conferment rites. In his speech, the former Chief Justice underscored the need for constitutional reform reigniting the long-standing national debate on the need for charter change.

To cap the historic day off, the Alphans celebrated another achievement of one their brothers, Brod Roan Libarios at a restaurant in Quezon City. Himself an alumni of the UP College of Law, former Agusan del Norte Congressman and Vice Governor Roan Libarios was recently elected as President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. His election to the leadership position of the country’s foremost bar association signaled the end of the leadership vacuum resulting from the 2009’s hotly contested IBP elections.

written by: Aeron Halos

The Free UPCAT Review, which was held from April 11 to May 9, 2010, was initiated by Father Allan Samonte and Francis Immanuel Panganiban (2009c) of the APB Fraternity. According to Panganiban, the objective of the project was to help the public high school students of Camarin, Caloocan city to pass the UPCAT.  

The review sessions were held at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Camarin and were attended by 60 high school students

With the UP College Admission Test just several months away, the Alpha Phi Beta (APB) Fraternity co-sponsored a review program aimed at helping students to prepare for the upcoming examinations.

The Free UPCAT Review, which was held from April 11 to May 9, 2010, was initiated by Father Allan Samonte and Francis Immanuel Panganiban (2009c) of the APB Fraternity. According to Panganiban, the objective of the project was to help the poor high school students of Camarin, Caloocan city to pass the UPCAT. Camarin is a depressed area and is considered as the new Tondo, in terms of crime rate and poverty.

The review sessions were held at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Camarin and were attended by 60 high school students from various public schools like Camarin High School and Our Lady of Lourdes Parochial School. Review sessions were conducted Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Each session consisted of lectures on different subject matters – Math, Science, English, Reading Comprehension, from various public schools like Camarin High School and Our Lady of Lourdes Parochial School. Review sessions were conducted Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

and Abstract Reasoning – which approximate the content of the UPCAT. A number of mock exams and homework were also given to the participants to test their skills and also to allow them to apply what they have learned from the lectures.

The lecturers for the Free UPCAT Review were all accomplished students from UP Diliman and a number of them were also Brothers from the APB Fraternity like Lord Chancellor Melvin Banzon (2004) and Ras Sabornay (2008f).

 Once again, through this project, the APB did not only show the unyielding bond that unite its members but also the fraternity’s vigorous pursuit of its principles and ideals.

The project highlights the importance of academics, which has always been one of the most important pillars of the fraternity. Also, by targeting students from public high schools, the project embodies the Alphan belief that persons of quality and excellence can be found even among those who are not financially endowed.

More pictures available at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/freeupcatreview?ref=ts

-αφβ-

Diliman, Quezon City — The resident brothers of the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity joined together last April 30 to welcome the 2010 UP Law Freshmen and to celebrate the success of 9 new Alphan lawyers at the Balay Kalinaw, UP Diliman.

The event was graced by distinguished Alphan alumni, former Lord Chancellor and incumbent Deputy Court Administrator, Justice Raul Villanueva, esteemed Obligations and Contracts expert and faculty of the UP College of

Law Professor Eduardo Labitag, Atty. Ramon Esguerra, former professor at the UP College of Law and partner of Blanco Esguerra Law Office and the renowned economist, former Budget Secretary Ben Diokno. Present also to support the activity were Mike Galarosa (99h), Joel Erestain and new Alphan lawyer Fernan Zafranco, and the sisses, Phi Delta Alpha Sorority.

The program featured an overview of the College’s history, academic policies, and student organizations and activities giving the freshmen a glimpse of what’s in store for them for the next four to five years.

A solemn invocation was led by Atty. Esguerra followed by a warm welcome from the resident Lord Chancellor (LC) Melvin Banzon who congratulated the guests for having passed what is considered to be one of the most competitive admissions examination in the country – the UP Law Aptitude Examination.

In his brief welcome remark, LC Melvin Banzon explained that the orientation was meant to ease the transition of the freshmen into UP law. “Being a freshman in the UP College of Law is tough. As student leaders, we, in the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity would like to be there for the freshmen to guide them in this transition stage so that they don’t commit the same mistakes we had.”

Prof. Eduardo Labitag, who served as College Secretary under four deans, introduced the freshmen to the history and academic policies of the College. He emphasized the importance of knowing the academic rules.

The presentation raised several questions from the students which were adequately addressed by Prof. Labitag.

After the introduction to academic policies, Ras Sabornay (08f) showed the freshmen a video presentation about the life of a law student. He then shared tips and strategies on how to survive and excel in law school.

Sabornay summed up his tips into four things: 1) Know the rules, 2) Know the professor, 3) Know your subject and 4) Know your classmates. “Ironic as it may sound, the more you get yourself involved in College activities, the more you will find yourself excelling in law school,” said Sabornay, who is a working student.

Following Sabornay’s presentation, former Lord Chancellor Ryan Oliva delivered a short introduction to student organizations and student activities. He encouraged the freshmen to make friends and to participate in College activities such as moot court and writing competitions, advocacy campaigns and others.

Meanwhile, Prof. Ben Diokno shared his experiences as an Alphan and how his membership in the fraternity helped him both in his academic and professional life.

As the program drew near, Master of Ceremonies Jerick Cruz (07c) led the freshmen to an ice-breaker activity giving them an opportunity to get to know each other, the resident brothers, and the sisses.

LC Banzon closed the program with a toast to the new alphan lawyers and to the new UP Law freshmen. In high spirit, Atty. Fernan Zafranco, one of the recent Alphan bar passers, took the wine and chug-a-lug.

-αφβ-

Alpha Phi Beta Of Univ Of The Philippines Reunion
	Diamond Bar, CA – PHILIPPINES Submitted by : Orly Paray
Show Gallery
Click here for more pictures . . .
Attraction Description
Alpha Phi Beta of Univ of the Philippines Reunion Saturday, may 26th 2007 Diamond Bar, CA By Orly Paray A Night of Celebration for Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity Members in the West Coast So much Alphan collaborative spirit and energy poured into the event that everyone anticipated it to be a success. And so it was. At the Holiday Inn Select Hotel in Diamond Bar, California on that pleasant spring evening of May 26, 2007 some thirty three (33) Alphans all over the West Coast, their families and friends met in warm fellowship for two reasons: to bear witness to the induction of the new Board of Directors and officers who will serve for the next two years and as a celebratory fraternity reunion, the last one having been held some 15 years ago. Bringing the Alphans together in one affair is not a problem. They will come and be counted. And they did. A Souvenir Program superbly prepared for the occasion added more historical perspective and personal impact to the affair, highlighted by the induction ceremonies, the acceptance speech by the new Lord Chancellor Jun Magpali, the giving of three awards: the Alphan For All Seasons Award to Tony Doles; the Outstanding Alphan Award to Eric Aguiluz and a Certificate of Appreciation to Sis Becky Doles, amidst jubilant Alphans standing en masse, culminating in the giving out of a score of door prizes in between rythmic ballroom dancing and vocal renditions. Indeed, it was an enjoyable and memorable family affair. The Directors so inducted were Board Chairman Eric Aguiluz, Directors Tony Doles, Manny Alvarez, and Bobsie Llacar. Director Butch Olivar was not able to attend. The officers who were inducted were Lord Chancellor Jun Magpali, Vice Chancellor Sonny Siazon, Treasurer Rudy Baliton and Chronicler Orly Paray. The Lord Chancellor, Jun Magpali, in his short but direct to the point acceptance speech, outlined his programs during his term and then thanked all Alphans for their all-out support for him and his leadership and at the same time profusely credited the Alphans Ladies Circle for the success of the event, headed by the Over-all Chairperson, Lydia Magpali, Becky Doles, Elenita Baliton, Gilda Alvarez, Annette Siazon, Ella Llacar, Araceli Dumlao, Sonia Pacis, Nila Flores and a score of others. Noteworthy also was the number of out of town Alphans who attended the affair, namely: frequent miler Narciso Tadeo; Ben Noble from San Diego; Archie Monserate (Batch 97) from Salinas, Northern California and Dante Valera from Bellingham, WA. Here is a video clip of the reunion:

Induction of the New Chancery
with New Supreme Court Justice Reynato Puno

“Honoring he Past,
Strengthening the Present,
Shaping the Future.”

October 20-22, 2006
Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City

Brod Salvador Carlota was sworn in as Dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law last October 1, 2005, a “fitting achievement,” says Supreme Court Public Information Chief Ismael G. Khan, Jr., “for one who has dedicated his life to shaping the hearts and minds of generations of this country’s finest lawyers.”

Prof. Carlota is one of the longest-serving members of the faculty of the UP College of Law. Fellow faculty members and former students have described UP Law’s new Dean as a man of integrity – “conscientious, diligent, dedicated, and very honest.”