WITHIN the confines of the Beta Epsilon tambayan, a changing of the guard, more than anything else, heralds the upcoming 75th year of our beloved Beta Epsilon. A new generation of residents now controls the destiny of our fraternity on campus. As we, the outgoing resident era, pass the Betan torch to this young but eager group of residents, it is also fitting to pause and look back at the achievements and milestones made by the most recent generation of residents. Each new set of officers and the residents they led had their own priorities and goals, worked with different counterparts in BEAI, and did their part in keeping our fraternity a cut well above the rest.

In 1998, Rogelio Banta Jr. ‘95A was elected Most Exalted Brother. As early as one month into his tenure as MEB, it was evident that all plans and priorities were geared towards doing the residents’ part to ensure the success of the upcoming 70th year anniversary. Our fraternity sweetheart was Julia Uy, now a BS Architecture graduate. Rogelio’s counterpart as president of BEAI was our beloved Doming Toledo ’64. Among the BEAI events of 1998 was an Initiation Seminar for Residents held at Loreland Resort in Antipolo. A notable milestone for the year was the 25th annual staging of Blockbooster, where a total of P25,000 in cash was given away. The year also saw the entry of 9 new brods, including 4 second-generation Betans. The Purple Tower was also revived in 1998, with the guidance and blessing of our beloved Prof Ilio.

The year 1999 was our 70th anniversary, and fittingly, the residents were led by third-generation Betan Scotch Consunji ‘96A. Among the resident-sponsored events marking the occasion was a 70-car motorcade around campus, a grand exhibit at the College of Engineering, and a festive pakain that included roast calf. These, of course, would not have been possible without the reliable support of the BEAI, spearheaded at the time by Rey Salazar ‘67. The year also belonged to Elaine Chua, now a graduate of BS Interior Design, who was arguably the most visible sweetheart in recent times. Norman Manguinao ‘95C was also elected to the University Student Council, serving consecutive terms as Engineering Representative and then as Councilor of the USC. Maskipaps was unfortunately cut short in December due to a brownout, which prompted the residents to stage a mini-Maskipaps a month later at the Engineering Theater.

Brod Manny Baldeo ‘96A was elected to guide the fraternity in the year 2000. His sweetheart was Marge Mercado, a recent BS HRM graduate. Manny’s crowning achievement was the fraternity-sponsored night at the UP Fair, which grossed over P300,000. The launching of the E-Beta Way also took place that year, which served as the alumni’s main project. Pete Maniego ‘68 was BEAI president, and also a freshman in the College of Law (so arguably, a resident was BEAI head at the time). Resident involvement in the Barkada ng mga UP Fratmen was also on a rise, including a summit with other fraternity leaders held in Baguio City. The alumni arm of the Barkada also organized two inter-fraternity retreats during the year, which were actively participated in by our fraternity officers.

In 2001, Joel Bo-ot ‘98A was elected to lead the residents. In April of that year, the residents staged BE Mexed, which included a premiere of “The Mexican” and a tequila party at Nth degree in Malate. Another milestone event was the staging of the “Purple Tee,” an invitational golf tournament designed to raise funds for resident activities. A reprise of the fraternity-sponsored night at the UP Fair was also successfully held in 2001, and a re-screening of “Shrek” at the UP Film Center capped the year. The fraternity also served a very active role in the Barkada ng mga UP Fratmen, mediating several conflicts between various fraternities in the process and helping to build meaningful ties with other members of UP’s Greek-lettered society. With Rollo Mauricio ‘69 at the helm of BEAI, monthly Whistlestop drinking sessions gave the residents more opportunities to get to know their alumni counterparts. These monthly gatherings remain memorable, also because it was during one such session that the tragedy of 9/11 occurred. The year’s sweetheart was Jill Sabalo, a graduate of BS Chemistry and currently teaching at UP Diliman.

The following year, Caloy Morales ‘99B was elected MEB. Our fraternity sweetheart was Jean Estrada, a member of the UP Pep Squad taking up BS Mass Communications. Ojie Alzona ‘74B was BEAI President, which fitted nicely as Ojie’s eldest son is Caloy’s ka-batch. Resident-alumni interaction reached its peak in recent times, with frequent get-togethers and very interactive discussions on fraternity projects and developments. The year’s focus was on recruitment, and the hard work resulted in a total of 13 new resident Betans. The launching of the Most Promising Engineering Student Awards (MPESA) also took place in 2001, a project that helped boost the image of Beta Epsilon within the engineering community. The E-Betaway project also reached its completion, with the donation of more state-of-the-art computers and the installation of a permanent marker.

In closing, let us wish the younger Betans the best in 2003 and for many years to come. A youthful and dedicated generation will now take their turn and lead the fraternity into our 75th year of brotherhood and excellence. May the accomplishments made and obstacles overcome in the previous years guide them to bring more glory and pride to our beloved Beta Epsilon.