The Charter Members: 50 Years Later

Some of the Charter Members receiving medals of recognition from Teddy Villanueva (UPVAA president, left) and Abe Mandac (VFI president, 2nd from left) during the golden anniversary celebration. From right: Manny, Jose, Pek, Nelson, Rey, Eric Yayen on behalf of Cecilio, Buena Angeles and daughter Aisa on behalf of Armand, Cion, and Elvie.

With 50 years gone by, wouldn’t anyone wonder as to what happened to the original group? Motivations were high among the Varrons to succeed in their pursuits in life. Where could they be at this time? One can bet that the majority are retired, consultants, or “babysitters” of lovely apos. How about achievements? The UPVL members’ accomplishments are so numerous that it will require a whole book by itself – therefore, we are not including them here (please explore other posts/pages of TUDLA for more information).

Manny

MANUEL C. APACIBLE of Tuy, Batangas. After years of sleuthing by able vrods and sisses, Manny was “discovered” again. He currently resides in Baguio City but also has a Metro Manila address in Quezon City. He has five children. At present, he is a proprietor working and developing a 3-hectare farm in Baguio and La Trinidad. He is engaged in organic farming, soil conservation and production of perennial crops.

Noli

FELICISIMO E. BERNAL of Cavite City. Noli gave up his managerial post at Menzi and migrated to the US with his family in 1986. He is currently residing in Antelope, California He works as an auditor in a casino in CA. Noli and his wife Myrla have plans to retire by the end of this year. Their children, Arnold and Anna Christina, are both married and working for Intel Corp. They are blessed with an adorable 30-month old granddaughter named Isabella.

Jose

JOSE R. CORDERO of Pagsanjan, Laguna. Jimmy aka Kamote, the Grand Varron who devoted ample time for the recognition of the organization, continues to tackle agricultural production in his wife’s town of origin – Tigaon, Camarines Sur. He meets with the Varrons once in a while when he goes to Los Baños.

Romy

ROMEO R. HUELGAS of Bihis, Sta. Teresita, Batangas. Romy, the brainchild of the UPVL, established residence in Jubileeville, Masaya, Bay, Laguna. He has retired from UPLB after serving as professor and as Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs for 2 ½ years. He is currently the Program Coordinator of the UPLBFI-Kyungnam University Socio-Cultural and Language Training Program. He is a doting lolo to his granddaughters Ryza and Shara and grandson Rhussel. And yes, he has “cut down on drinking sessions” with his buddies.

Pek

PERFECTO V. MAPUSAO of Calauag, Quezon. Pekto is the “small but terrible” guy as we called him. He gave up a lucrative post with a meat processing company to develop his own integrated farm, PVM Livestock Farm, in Buhol na Mangga, San Ildefonso, Bulacan. He is also a very active pastor in a religious organization.

Nelson

NELSON MERCADO of Batong Malake, Los Banos, Laguna. Nelson is the only forester among the charter members. He resides in Parañaque with his family. He married Luri Vidal and had three children, Neri James, John Adams, and Joseph Nelson. He was into consultancy services in forestry, mining, real estate properties (buy and sell), garments, optical products and lending activities. At present, Nelson concentrates on consultancy service dealing with imported seals from Austria.

Rey

REYNALDO DE SAGUN of San Nicolas, Batangas. Also known as Rey de Sabog, he currently lives in North View 2, Batasan Hills, Quezon City. Rey retired from a managerial post in Land Bank of the Philippines in 1997. After his retirement, he had various consultancy engagements with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations assigned in Papua New Guinea, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. He was also involved in various Philippine projects funded by WB, ADB and IFAD.

Rey is currently serving as chairman of the Board of Directors of a cooperative engaged in the implementation of organic agriculture projects. The coop manages an organic farm in Malvar, Batangas which is involved in the production of organic vegetables, free range meat and egg chicken.

As for the lady charter members, called the “Varronettes Orig 63,” most have kept in contact with each other through the years. An invitation letter by Jovenita Arada, co-signed by Cherry Villegas and Noemi Yapit, that was sent to 11 other students resulted to nine participants who eventually became UPVL charter members.

Joven

JOVENITA ARADA-SANTOS-GOEPPERT of San Pablo City, Laguna was widowed after a few years of marriage to David Santos. She later married a German visiting scientist, Karl Goeppert. They left the Philippines in 1981. Jovi, as she is fondly called these days, currently resides in Kyrgystan in Central Asia with her husband. Her son David resides in Germany and her daughter Barbara lives in Lyons, France. Her husband’s job in foreign aid programs kept them hopping around the globe: 11 years in Africa (Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia and Sierra Leone where she met with the late Vrod Mimo Baradas); 10 years in Asia (India,Thailand and Laos where she met with Vrod Manny Bonita); 2 years in USA (Baltimore); 2 years in Canada (British Columbia and Alberta) and, so far, 3 years in Central Asia. Jovi has been active in international women’s group in every country they have resided in.

Lilian

LILIAN BRIOSO-MACAM of Naga City migrated to US in 1971 after a five-year term as researcher at UPLB. She has a daughter, Bernadette, and is presently residing in Los Angeles, California. Lil worked in corporate Human Resources for 20 years – the later portion of which was involved with Pension and Benefits Administration as her specialty. After a 2-year residence in Los Baños, she went back to Los Angeles and worked as Development Manager at a credit union. She retired in 2009 after her husband Bernardo passed away. She keeps herself busy caring for her only granddaughter Angel and an older sister. She believes that distance cannot deter her from keeping up with the UPVL activities – specially with the convenience of the internet.

Pacita

PACITA JUCAR-VILLARINO of San Fernando, La Union currently resides in New Frontier Subdivision, Baliuag, Bulacan and was married to a Batangueño.

She has retired as an agriculturist at the Department of Agriculture Region III and now manages her own farm in Candaba, Pampanga. She has four children and was widowed a few years ago. These days, she is also preoccupied with taking care of her one and only precious apo.

Cion

ASUNCION KARGANILLA-RAYMUNDO of San Fernando, La Union. Cion, a professor, has just completed her term as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UPLB. Now retired, she keeps herself from being “retarded” by accepting an Adjunct Professor appointment at the Institute of Biological Sciences where she continues to advise graduate students in microbiology. She is also occupied with her duties as an academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology. She has more time nowadays to keep the Varron spirit alive through constant involvement with UPVL activities.

Her husband Billy, also a professor, still works at UPLB. Her daughter Liya used to work in Manila but has gone back to Los Baños to finish her MS degree. Her son Marvin, director of Business Analytics of Pacific Life Insurance, currently resides in Southern California with his wife Christine and daughter Bianca. Cion has been going to the US almost yearly to visit her one and only grandchild. She meets with vrods and sisses in Southern California whenever she can. With her globe-trotting activities from Europe to North America, Cion was able to get in touch with Nylda and Annie and the trio have very much kept alive the spirit of Cionyldannie or the Three Musketeers.

Annie

ANNIE MISA-HEFTI of Cebu City. Annie spent a year at Los Baños, and completed AB in Psychology at Diliman. After she finished her MA in California, Annie married Walter, a Swiss math teacher. She lives in a small town in Switzerland with her husband. Her two sons have left the “nest” and now live on their own somewhere in Switzerland. Annie is active in women migrant issues.

Contacts with Annie have been maintained across the ocean through the years. Annie and Cion often find time to visit each other during their travels between the Philippines and Switzerland. Fittingly, their children have also become good friends. Annie had a house built in Cebu for her mother whom she visits regularly. Cion and Elvie spent some days with Annie in Cebu sometime in 2010.

Elvie

ELVIRA TALATAYOD of Baybay, Leyte. Elvie or Inday opted for early retirement from her professorship at the UPLB College of Public Affairs. She is a member of the “Friday Eat-Out Club ”along with Cion, Mitz Panol-Cortes, and Au Baltazar. Shortly after her retirement, she was invited as member of the Board of Trustees of a non-governmental organization, SIKAP-BIDANI Foundation, based in Los Banos where she is the current president. The elusive lady spends most of her time serving the Lord as a member of the Mother Butlers Guild, Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Servants of the Holy Spirit Auxillary Adoration at St. Therese. One of the mainstays of the Varrons, she remains the “center” of jokes of vrods of the older generation – and she still takes those endearing jests with her usual gracious smile. She plans to finally go home to Leyte in the near future and live with her sisters and relatives.

Cherry

CHERRY VILLEGAS-PADILLA of Calamba, Laguna. Cherry obtained her MS in Nutritional Chemistry and Biochemistry and later married Willie Padilla of the US Coast Guard. After several residential relocations, Cherry’s family finally settled in Fairfield, California. She has been working for the California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control for 27 years as an environmental scientist. Cherry is seriously contemplating on retiring in a few months. She has two sons, Ryan and Ian. Ryan, a mechanical engineer and married, has two children. Ian has been confined in Sutter Roseville Medical Center for a while now because of a traumatic brain injury resulting from an automobile accident.

Last June 29, 2012, Cherry and Willie joined with Noli Bernal, Nina De La Cruz-Halos, Nati Ramos-Lapurga and husband Rudy in a mini-reunion at Roseville, CA. They visited and prayed over Ian.

Ma Nylda

MA. NYLDA VILLENA-CARAMANCION of Camiling, Tarlac. Nylda settled in Toronto, Canada where she and hubby, vrod Manny, migrated in the early 1970s. She obtained her PhD in Soil Science at the University of Guelph, and later switched to nursing after realizing that it was a more lucrative job. She is retired, recently had a kidney transplant and is doing well. Nylda keeps home for vrod Manny who works as an economist, and their only child Christine-Marie who is a pharmacist. As with Annie, we never lost touch with Nylda. Cion visited them in May, 2007.

Noemi

NOEMI YAPIT of San Fernando, La Union was employed at IRRI for about 18 years. At present, Noemi manages a daycare center in her hometown. Elvie and Cion visit her once in a while.

IN MEMORIAM

Bert

ERIBERTO R. ACUNA of Alfonso, Cavite. Bert and his family settled at San Sebastian Village, Tarlac City and established his dream ranch. Bert is survived by his wife and children.

Armand

ARMANDO J. ATIENZA of Darasa, Tanauan, Batangas. Arman, who had co-chronicled the beginnings of UPVL and the originals, suffered from a stroke in 2009 and had hoped to see the 50th year celebration of the UPVL. His wish was that something big may happen by the 50th anniversary. Arman is survived by his wife Buena, daughter Aisa (also a Varron), and married son and two grandchildren.

Mimo

MAXIMO W. BARADAS of Santor, Tanauan, Batangas. After his retirement from various international agencies, Mimo and his wife settled in his hometown and built a commercial hydroponic green house where he grew various salad greens. He is survived by his two children who live in California, USA.

Willy

WILFREDO A. CARATAY of Pamplona, Camarines Sur. Willie settled in his hometown where he devoted his time as an agriculturist after a near-death incident in Basilan while working with Cecil Yayen for BF Goodrich. Willie is survived by his wife.

Patricio

PATRICIO P. RAMIREZ of Mayondon, Los Banos, Laguna. Pat, the blushing vrod with a lilting Mayondon accent, is survived by his wife and children.

Cecilio

CECILIO P. YAYEN of Puerto Princesa. While in Basilan working for BF Goodrich Rubber Estate, Cecil lost his life in a senseless ambush by bandits in 1968. After his death, Cecil’s widow, Teody Gaite-Yayen, settled in Puerto Princesa with their sons Eric and Cecilio Yayen Jr. Teody remarried after 12 years to Lewis Schipper with whom she has a son, Marcel Haim. Lewis passed away a few years ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA where Teody and Marcel still reside. The family owns Balay Inato Pension and Haim Chicken Inato and KA Inato Restaurants in Puerto Princesa City.

This is our latest update. Isn’t it amazing that after all these years, we have managed to maintain our ties and remain one, if not physically, then in spirit? That, we believe, is an enduring quality of our organization. Will we be around for the Diamond Celebration? Regardless, the succeeding UPVL members have received the torch, which hopefully equipped and inspired them to go forward as honorable Varrons, wherever they may be. Vrods and sisses, remembers . . . New stars are being born . . . there is more to shoot for . . . live on Varrons! Ad astra per aspera!