Alpha Phi Omega

Greater Los Angeles Alumni Association

(APO GLA)

History

By the summer’s end of 1980, Jess L. Castillo, Epsilon ’68, and Rey Manikad, Alpha ’61, met in Los Angeles and published a news article in local papers that attracted the attention of Edgar “Egay” Ninofranco, Beta, Isauro “Bonjie” Ingco, Alpha Eta, and Nelson Silao, Zeta Gamma.

Fraternity Life member Castillo, Ninofranco, Ingco, and Silao met for the first time at the Barrio Fiesta Restaurant on Temple Street, Los Angeles renewing a strong bond of brotherhood in Alpha Phi Omega. This historic meeting was followed by a series of fellowship meetings as an increasing number of Philippine alums heard of the exciting movement that was brewing in Los Angeles, Alex O. Aquino and Teddy Ramos, both from Gamma Epsilon phoned Castillo of their interest in the new group.

So did Beta Kappa alumnus Thomas “Toti” Ayo, Doms Tunque, Theta alum, Joey Algoso, Christian and Betta David from Sigma, Myrna Tangco from Alpha, Epsilonians Jose “Jhun” Chin, Patrick Afan and wife Marietta “Mayette” Afan, a Pi Omega Pi member at the University of the East, Paul Languisan, Beta Tau; Fidel “Pungay” Aquino, Beta Epsilon; Dominador “Bong”Estrada, Upsilon; blood brothers Nelson and Alex Ipapo of Delta, Jasmin Ipapo from Alpha and Arlene Ipapo from Pi, Junn O. Aquino from Gamma Epsilon and later on Gil Magno, Alpha Pi; and soon, more were added to the list.

Meanwhile, in San Diego quite a few APO alumni serving in the United States Navy also learned about the brand new group—they were Carlos B. Pampolina, Sigma; Abraham S. Tan, Eta; Angel Pangilinan, Delta Zeta; Leo Lantican, Alpha Sigma; Rolando R. Hernandez, Delta; Virgilio R. Gadiano, Alpha Psi; Ruben and Evelyn Barcelona, Beta Eta; Amelita F. Cornista, Alpha Sigma.

On February 7, 1981, election was held at the National Life and Accident Insurance Branch Office on  Temple Street entrusting the management of APOAAC to a set of Charter Officers. On this election, though in attendance, our Northern California brothers chose not to be a part of what soon was to become the APO AA of Southern California.

On September 12, 1981, APOIAAC celebrated its first year anniversary at, then, the Bayanihan  restaurant on 2300 Beverly Blvd in Los Angeles. The Association was honored by then, the APO USA  National vice President Earle M. Herbert as its Guest of Honor and Speaker.

The Charter Members:When a campaign in 1981 for Charter application was conducted by Castillo the following responded by paying the required dues, thus their name will forever be etched in history as APOIAAC Charter Members:
J.Jessie L. Castillo, Life Member/Charter Pres.–Epsilon ‘68
Domingo B. Tunque, Vice President – Theta ‘69
F. Thomas A. Ayo, Vice President - Beta Kappa ‘72
Lelisa R. Santos, Vice President - Delta Kappa
Alex O. Aquino, Secretary - Gamma Epsilon
Isauro Y. Ingco, Treasurer - Alpha Eta
TeddyleonD.Ramos,StateCoordinator-Gamma Epsilon
Christian David, Chaplain - Sigma
Edgar P. Ninofranco, Media Relations Director - Beta
Fidel R. Aquino, Sergeant-at-Arms - Beta Epsilon
Patrick Afan,Chairman,Past GrandChancellorsCouncil - Epsilon
Dr. Librado I. Ureta, Charter Life Member/APO R.P.
President Emeritus – Advisor (deceased)
Myrna S. Tangco, Life Member/Past National Secretary - Alpha
Jose S. Algoso, Charter Member - Sigma
Jose D. Chin, Jr., Charter Member - Epsilon
Rolando R. Hernandez, Charter Member - Delta
Carlos B. Pampolina, Charter Member - Sigma
Angel Pangilinan, Charter Member - Delta Zeta
Evelyn Barcelona, Charter Member - Beta Eta
Virgilio R. Gadiano, Charter Member - Alpha Psi
Nelson D. Ipapo, Charter Member - Delta
Paul R. Languisan, Charter Member - Beta Tau
Betta M. David, Charter Member - Sigma
Abraham S. Tan, Charter Member - Eta
Ruben C. Barcelona, Charter Member - Beta Eta
Amelita F. Cornista, Charter Member - Alpha Sigma
Leo D. Lantican, Charter Member - Alpha Sigma
Dominador D. Estrada, Charter Member – Upsilon

With all these names submitted in the application, only fifteen (15) Life IDs were issued and were accounted for by the APO Phil National Council. After a number of follow ups, the association never received a straightforward response as to what happened with the rest. Regardless, however, a good number of these names didn’t mean much, as inconspicuous they were who chose not to take part in shaping the future of the organization.

The Legacy with APO-USA: The APO-USA National Convention on December 1980 which was attended by a handful of APO Phil Delegation has led to perhaps the greatest legacy from the friendship forged with the late Earle M. Herbert, Chi’59 (UCLA) and the APOIAAC members starting with Earle’s 1981 APO-Philippines National Convention trip to Cagayan de Oro City, and two more subsequent APO-R.P conventions he attended while he was APO-USA National President from 1982 to 1986. Inspired by the knowledge from his overseas trips, he proposed the creation of a National Director for  nternationalism. This act paved the way for the eventual realization of the International Council of Alpha Phi Omega (ICAPO) in 1994, a dream he never witnessed due to his untimely demise during the same year.

The Early Service Projects:Several service projects were made during the formative years. A Book Drive was held in 1980, Service with the Tree People in consonance with APOUSA National Service Week,  upport group in a Los Angeles Filipino American Jaycees program, hosting of APOPhilippines Delegates-Observers to the 1980 APO-USA National Convention, Philippine Independence Day participation and other community-oriented projects.

The Transformation:In 1982 however, without the distraction of maintaining an organization, the focus shifted on relationship building efforts. The social interactions has resulted in a more solid and a more meaningful foundation.

The core members got to know more about each other without the political pressure and the need to worry about organizational functions. 123 N Hobart Blvd in Los Angeles was the place to be. To these members of the core group [one of them was the late Bro Henry Chua and beautiful wife Betty], it was a period of acculturation and a critical time to focus on family and personal direction. It was a time-off necessary to define the eventual character and nature of the group. After all, it’s in the nature of a  cocoon to squirm before bursting into life and the open space; a cocoon, taking its time to  metamorphose as it awaits the light of another dawn with its endless possibilities.

”THE RENAISSANCE” Renewed Commitment: With the persistent efforts of brothers like Christian David, Dan Nino and a few others, came ‘The Renaissance’ on August 25, 1984 when some twenty or so brothers and sisters attended the meeting and election of a new set of officers at the Cerritos Park, the City of Cerritos, California. With noble objectives and a renewed vigor, enthusiasm and commitment from the membership; with our Spouses and our family by our side; there was only the promise of a  great future for the Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association of Southern California, which along the way has changed its name to The Alpha Phi Omega AA of Greater Los Angeles.On December 15, 1984, graced by our very own Philippine Organizer and President Emeritus Brother Librado I Ureta and the late brother Earle Herbert, APO-USA President from 1982 to 1986, we celebrated our first formal December Anniversary Dinner-Dance at the Skylinks Golf & Country Club in Long Beach,California.

The Soul Searching:From Brother Gil Magno’s personalaccount of history he expressed the following: “The first year of Toti Ayo’s presidency was a difficult period. It was a time for soul-searching, of finding the one thread that could bind our different and various ideas about our AA into one single purpose. Toti’s low-key approach to problems and his willingness to listen to everyone’s point of view made  everyone believe that he/she was an important part of the organization. Toti promised to consolidate the membership, and he achieved this mostly by making sure that all decisions were reflective of the wishes of the general assembly.” Further, Gil Magno notes: “By consensus of the general assembly, no elections were held for the 1986 term of office. The group felt that it was too soon for a change of leadership at a time when everyone felt that the organization was being managed properly and pointed to the right direction.”

Moving Forward:”One significant act by Toti Ayo and his elected officers was to call for a revision of the association’s constitution and by-laws that was truly responsive to the felt needs of the association, reflective of the association’s ideals and purposes. This constitution and by-laws recognized the need and value of family relationship in the organization’s over-all scheme. This constitution and by-laws was ratified by the general assembly on July 26, 1986.

It was also during Toti Ayo’s presidency that the traditional annual camping started in 1985.
On October 18, 1986, the general assembly gathered at the Maynila Restaurant in Los Angeles and elected Christian David as the President for the subsequent year. The new set of officers was inducted at the ballroom of the Golden Sail Hotel in Long Beach on Dec 5, 1986. So has it been, every year thereafter, endless are the possibilities, indeed!

CREDIT: APOIAAC - The Beginning, is made possible by the personal accounts of Brothers Jess Castillo, Toti Ayo, Christian David, Egay Ninofranco, Bonjie Ingco, Doms Tunque, Fidel ‘Pungay’ Aquino Jr, Alex
Aquino and Teddy Ramos on events of the early years that led to the establishment of APOGLA, one of the premier APO Alumni organizations in the world. Brother Dony Rondilla is instrumental in gathering and re-writing all the pertinent facts.