(History of San Beda Alumni Association of Southern California)
"Recollections of Times Past... started in 1982"
by True Bedans at Heart (CaliforniaBedan  - May 21, 2007)
 

The Pioneers
In 1982, a group of Bedans, including Willy Grant, Louie Onrubia, Ferdie Bagsic, the Lota brothers, Frank and Art+, Mon Ocampo, Dan Perico, Pepe Patiño, Joe Lising, Nonoy Mendoza, Vic Magallanes+ and Vic Ledesma started the San Beda Alumni Association of Southern California. They answered an ad placed by Louie Onrubia in a local Filipino newspaper asking local Bedans to start an alumni association. The first person to actually respond, Remy Bernardo, was not a student alumni of San Beda but was a dedicated employee of San Beda and as such felt that she is a “true Bedan at heart.”

It has been 25 years since they gathered in a long-gone Filipino restaurant at Vermont and Fountain in Los Angeles but those years have been filled with wonderful memories. Most of the founders did not know each other but they bonded immediately because they shared a common heritage and, most importantly, a unique Bedan education. Many never foresaw that their pioneering courage will result in today's wonderful Silver Jubilee celebration.

In that meeting, Louie Onrubia was elected as the first president with Joe Lising as vice-president. They and other officers were inducted in the first dinner/dance on February 13, 1983, a Valentine's Ball at the Hilton Hotel at Figueroa and Sixth in Downtown LA. The first guest speaker was Mel Recana, the first Filipino Municipal Court judge. In no time, through networking and hard phone contacting work of Remy Bernardo, now an accepted member of the Bedan gang, SBCAASC gathered a list of no fewer than 80 Bedans in two years.

The Early Years
The next three presidents, Vic Zamora, 1984, Dan Perico, 1985 and the late Art Lota+, 1986, spent most of their time building the base of the organization by creating activities to attract more members. Vic Zamora started the first camping trip at a treeless and hot Lake Perris. Many did not know how to put up their new tents which they bought a day or two before. Oil smudge-free stoves, shiny kerosene lanterns and stain free water coolers or jugs dotted the park's new tables. Young children of Bedans became quick friends and played late into the night. Most are now life long friends. Valentine's Ball, summer picnic, Memorial or Labor Day weekend camping, and end-of-year Christmas party became yearly traditions. Lake Isabella, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Sequoia and Yosemite were not too far for many camping trips.

In 1987, they elected the youngest president, Rene Echiverri, BSC'82, in an effort to reach out to young Bedan alumni. Then came the historic first two-term presidency of Rico Lagman, 1988 and 1989, when SBCAASC would have Valentine's Balls with over 300 guests. On Rico's second term, SBCAASC started an NCAA basketball tournament with teams from Letran, Ateneo, La Salle and San Beda. Vic Taroc being an avid golfer started an annual golf tournament during his 1990 presidency. Nito Ongcapin, during his term in 1991, worked hard to come up with the innovative Frolics, an informal dance party around October, which also became an annual tradition.

The Next Ten Years
Addie Dalton was the president in 1992 when the organization celebrated its10th anniversary. From 1993 to 1999, Rey Santos, Jun Castillo, Ed Abad, Jun Calica, Willie Navarro, Ramon Constantino and Pert Miraflor, took turns at the presidency. Each one carried on the traditions that were built through the many years of unsung hard work and sometimes unappreciated dedication. Jun Calica produced the only printed Bedan Directory. Until the mid-90's, Rey Santos, Eric Duterte, and Carlos Mariano+ managed and expanded the NCAA Basketball tournaments to include teams from San Sebastian and Mapua. San Beda won two championships. Addie Dalton and Carlos Mariano started a San Beda Golf Club in the mid-90's for monthly golf meets and managed the annual SBCAASC Open Golf tournaments.

The annual Valentine's Ball became the anticipated induction celebration because it featured the current officers and members of the Board of Directors doing crazy antics like dressing as Hula Girls dancing and singing "Tiny Bubbles" or dressing and singing like "Diana Ross and the Supremes."  Ed Querubin, after being booted out of a dance routine for an earlier Valentine's Ball, secretly practiced for many years to become the new dancing king and took the Valentine's Ball to new attendance records during his first term in 2000. SBCAASC's Induction Ball became one of the hottest annual parties and the organization decided to reelect Ed for a second term in 2001. SBCAASC members volunteered during the 2000-2001 exhibits of the Liturgical Vestments created by Dom Martin Gomez, OSB for the Philippine Centennial in 1998.

The International Grand Reunions
To revitalize the organization and to celebrate its 20th anniversary, Joey Sideco took a gamble during his 2002 presidency and called for the San Beda College First North American Grand Reunion in Las Vegas. A committee of three, Joey Sideco, Vic Zamora, and Adrian Gomez, committee chairman, planned and implemented this momentous event with the theme "Reunite! Remember! Renew!" Abbot Tarcisio Narciso, OSB, awarded the Gold and Silver Jubilarian Medals while the not-yet-declared presidential candidate,  Raul S. Roco+, one of the brightest Bedans ever, was the event's guest speaker. Mac Cariño was awarded the first Bedan Lifetime Achievement Award. Over 360 people attended the formal dinner/dance, which was also a joint event with St. Scholastica College Alumni Association. Around $14,000 was solicited to form the SBCAASC Scholarship fund for San Beda College in Manila. It was the most successful event in the history of the organization but it would have not been possible without the help of the various Bedan organizations like the Bedans of BC (British Columbia, Canada), Washington Bedans, SBCAA of Eastern USA, and various batches like HS'55, HS'60, HS'66, HS'67, HS'68, HS'74, HS'75, and HS'77.

After serving as vice-president to many presidents, Adrian Gomez finally took the reins in 2003 and started the PORT (Pulling Our Resources Together) program to provide Bedans connections for employment and other information. In another move to entice the younger alumni, SBCAASC elected Teddy Relatos, GS' 82, in 2004. Ramon Constantino, was elected president in 2005 for his second term, seven years after his first, to lend some stability. In 2006, Adrian Gomez decided to hold the presidency again with the promise that he will call on a second grand reunion on SBCAASC's silver jubilee year in 2007. A committee of three, Arthur de la Rosa, Vic Zamora, and Adrian Gomez, again as committee chairman, has planned and implemented this San Beda International Grand Reunion II - Anaheim to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this once again vibrant SBCAASC, perhaps the longest enduring Bedan alumni group outside of the Philippines. The guest list includes two Abbots, Rt. Rev. Tarcisio Narciso, Abbot Chancellor of San Beda Colleges, and Rt. Rev. Eduardo Africa, currently the chaplain of the San Beda Red Lions, the coaching staff, headed by head coach Frankie Lim, and the entire San Beda Red Lions Basketball team.

The Support System
The successes of these 25 years would have been impossible without the strong support of the wives and families of these Bedans, like Alma Onrubia, Tita Lagman, Celia Taroc, Julie Ongcapin, Elisa Dalton, Liz Bagsic, Teng Santos, JengJeng Castillo, Chato Abad, Norma Calica, Jenny Navarro, Rose Constantino, Gina Echiverri, Antoinette Miraflor, Connie Zamora, Ellen Gomez, Orchid Sideco, Eli de la Rosa and Beng Constantino Field.

Several Bedans were key officers but never presidents and yet their contributions spanned many years like Ramon Du +, Sonny Vergel de Dios, Joseph Yu, Chato Cacho, Raj Dialani, Rey Castillo, Tonton Castillo, Erwin Felipe+, Butch Guitarte, Vic Martires, Vic Salazar, Carlos Punzalan, Roy Doronilla, Leo Valbuena, Phil Cruz, Sonny Alejandre, Al Alcantara, and Totoy Gagan. There are many officers and members who played key roles at various times and different levels but their contributions of time, effort and money made SBCAASC what it is today, like Jun Santos, Pete Cruz, Manny Ilagan, Mac Cariño+, Mandy Casasola, Caesar Anonas, Tony Vergel de Dios, Ed Laconico, Tony Rubio, Greg Tan, Odie Sayo, Ben Natividad, Cesar de la Fuente, Chris Carreon, Carlo Carreon, Redy Belmonte, Relly del Rosario, Jun Dalton, Rolly Adeva, Ray de Leon, Romy Reyes, Dion Santos, Edwin Natividad, Ging Reyes, Sonny Sisante, Joey Dimen, Jun Aspillera, Tony Dizon, Joe Gozum, Nito Abad, Danny Tejada, Jojo Lucero, Jojo Padua, Joel Buenviaje, Kit Camacho, Emy Castillo, Darius de la Rosa, Andrew de la Rosa, Arpie Fernandez, Sam Ilagan, Tony Ilagan, George Sityar, and Efren Cleofe.

The Next Generation
In 2007, a group of young alumni took over as officers of the Board of Directors, led by Arthur de la Rosa, GS'89, as president, with a pledge to carry the torch from now on. To attract the very young in body and heart, Arthur de la Rosa, Teddy Relatos, Francis Sales, all current SBCAASC officers, plus Francis Cabal, James Henson, and Titoy Castro organized the San Beda Basketball League of California in 2005 and conducted 2 successful annual basketball tournaments featuring over a dozen teams and more than a hundred players - ALL Bedans from San Beda Manila and San Beda Alabang.

The next generation of leaders is in place. New challenges will be faced by SBCAASC but with the guidance of the old guards and the fervor and imagination of the young Turks, the future for its 50th Anniversary in 2032 is promising.

All True Bedans at Heart
This recollection, compiled from the not-so-perfect memories of Louie Onrubia, Pepe Patiño, Vic Taroc, Rey Santos, Adrian Gomez, and Vic Zamora, does not mention many Bedans but it does not mean that their contributions were not significant to SBCAASC's growth and endurance. We apologize for our failing memories but we sincerely thank everyone, remembered or forgotten, because each one is always a "true Bedan at heart."

Note: + indicates a departed Bedan.