The Pan Xenia Fraternity
in the 1960's
In 1960, during
the term of Bro. Peter Limqueco, the Philippine Alpha Chapter
gained another recognizition from the Mother Chapter in Seattle,
Washington. In a letter send to Governor Limqueco, International
President N.H. Engle expressed his opinion that "no chapter
of Pan Xenia can exceed the Philippine Alpha in the loyalty to
the cause of the Fraternity." This letter was first published
in the maiden issue of the newsletter of the Fraternity.
As in previous years, the Fraternity took active part in the promotion
of the highest ideal of business ethics and goodwill. It sponsored
symposia, convocation, seminars.
As in previous years, the Fraternity took active part in the promotion
of the highest ideals of business ethics and goodwill. It sponsored
symposia, convocation, and seminars.
The year 1965 was another achievement year for the Fraternity.
That year, six Pan Xenians were appointed to the Cabinet of the
President of the Philippines. Named to the Cabinet were Bros.
Carlos P. Romulo, Eduardo Z. Romualdez, Marcelo S. Balatbat, Rafael
M. Salas, Gregorio S. Licaros and Onefre D. Corpuz. Under the
governorship of Gov. Lope Yuvienco, a reunion and dinner were
held in honor of the Pan Xenian Cabinet members on April 3, 1966
at the Sulo Restaurant. It was also in this year that Bro. Fermin
Tecson Francisco, the Grand Old Man, and Bro. Anselmo Trinidad
were elevated to the Honorary level of membership.
In 1967, another three outstanding Pan Xenian were appointed to
the Cabinet. Bro. Alfonso Calalang was appointed Chairman of the
NEC and later Central Bank Governor, Bro. Cesar Virata was named
Deputy Director of the Presidential Economic Staff, Undersecretary
of Industry and Director of PNB, and Bro. Gregorio Feliciano was
appointed the Social Welfare Administrator. A Testimonial dinner
was held at the Plaza Restaurant under the leadership of Gov.
Almarim C. Tillah, as governor, to honor them.
In the latter part of December, in the 1967 search for Ten Oustanding
Young Men launched by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, two Pan
Xenians, Bros. Jaime C. Laya and Gerardo P. Sicat, were awardees
in business education and economics, respectively. In recognition
of their outstanding achivements, they were honored at a dinner
along with their elevation to associate membership at Bro. Emerson
Coseteng's La Vista residence in February of the following year,
1968. It was also in 1968 that the directory of the Fraternity
was updated and printed through the sponsorship of Bro. Puyat.
The publication of the directory was a project of the Membership
Committee, then headed by Bro. Eryl Gil Buan, Vice Governor 1968-69.
With the near expiration of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, while
explanatory talks were beng held with the American panel by the
Philippines panel headed by Bro. Cesar Virata in 1968, the Fraternity
sponsored a University Convocation in an attempt to focus the
significant issue to the UP studentry with Bro. Virata himself
as the speaker. Along this line of activity, the Fraternity also
held several round-table discussions of business and economic
issues with the Bros. Conrado Benitez, Antonio Gatmaitan, Ernesto
Salas, and Edgardo Yap as speakers. In March of the same year,
the Fraternity honored Bro. Alfonso Calalang in recognition of
his outstanding achievements in the field of business and economics
of his appointment as Governor of Central Bank. In further recognition
of his achievements, he was sponsored by Bro. Carlos P. Romulo,
Premier Honorary Member of the Fraternity, for elevation to honorary
membership. It was in the said affair, called "red-letter
day" by Bro. Romulo, where an illustrious a man as Bro. Calalang,
acknowledged that Pan Xenia I the best fraternity and vowed therefore
to remain a Pan Xenia until he is fossilized and petrified.
The Fraternity sponsored a series of convocation and open for
a featuring events and issues having major business and economic
importance in 1969. Foremost of these were the Business Orientation
Program, UP mock election of 1969, the University Convocation
where Speaker Jose B. Laurerl spoke on the Magna Carta of Social
Justice and Economic Freedom, and the convocation with Sen. Jose
W. Diokno as speaker of the topic "Profit -Sharing Bill".
These activities were well attended by the UP academic community.
At the middle of the year, Bro. Edward Dy, then the Governor,
presented to the resident members the amendment.
The to the Charter of the Philippine Alpha Chapter. These amendments
brought major changes in the original constitution of 1923. The
same year, the maiden issues of INSIGHT, the Fraternity's newsmagazine
edited by Bro. Eryl Buan came off the press.
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