National Scientist Dr. Teodulo Topacio Jr. and former University of the Philippines president Jose Abueva will lead outstanding alumni who will be honored as the UP Beta Sigma Fraternity celebrates its 70th founding anniversary with a Grand Fraternity Ball on Saturday, July 16, 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Ortigas Center, Quezon City.
Dr. Topacio will be given the “Order of the Supreme Grand Princep” Award while Abueva will receive the “Distinguished Service” awards, along with former UnionBank president Vic Valdepeñas, performing artist Wilfredo “Willie” Nepomuceno and agriculturists Onofre “Grine” Grino and Jose Cruz.
To be given posthumous awards are the late Agrarian Reform secretary Horacio “Boy” Morales and Air Force Col. Antonio Bautista, the legendary squadron leader who was killed while providing support to beleaguered troops in Parang, Jolo in 1974.
Martial artists Jose “Jopet” Laraya and Noli Nolasco will receive the Johnny Chiuten Memorial Award.
Former Environment and Natural Resources secretary Victor O. Ramos will be the keynote speaker during the event.
The UP Beta Sigma Fraternity is considered as the first post-war university fraternity in the Philippines and one of the largest fraternities in the country in terms of the number of established university based and alumni chapters. Its name represents their core ideals of scholastic excellence, taken from the Greek letters Beta and Sigma, which stands for “Brotherhood of Scholars.”