Looking Back

by: Gibo Lumantao

 

In the mid-1990s, many of the pioneers of the association came to Manila for various reasons. Some, like me, came to review and take our board exams.  Others, like Elmar Galacio and Nelson Getigan, were here to take up law. Others were starting their careers in various fields.

I remember Arlyn Bunani, Melissa and Arlene Dupa, John Vistal were working then at SGV. Alan Cajes has just started his work at DAP. Romel Aparicio was a young CPA then working for BPI. Harold Dabalos was at Security Bank. Vangie Cornito was already working at Allied Bank. Manol Labor and Myra Vicente were also starting their careers here.

We used to gather at every chance we get. We gathered in Makati, in Luneta, at Manila Bay behind the Quirino Grandstand, and at Nayong Pilipino. We had fun, sharing experiences, reminiscing our college days, and laughing at old jokes. At one time, we also attended a BAMMI gathering where we got to meet more familiar faces like Maricris Valles.

The idea of forming an organization came to us spontaneously. Around 1997, during one of the many Superferry trips where many familiar faces were on board, Elmar was going around telling all young Boholanos to attend what was to be the founding meeting of the association.

We met in front of the Oblation at UP Diliman. There were as many as 30 of us present. Elmar made us walk across UP Dilimian, from the Oblation to the Vinzon’s Hall, where Leo Malagar’s office as Student Regent was located. It was there that we formally decided to form the group agreeing on the name, the Association of Young Boholano Professionals in Metro Manila, Inc. or AYBPM.

We elected our officers with Elmar becoming our founding Chairman and President. We also registered the association as a non-stock, non-profit organization at the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 1997. Then, we had a grand induction and Chistmas party at the UP Vanguard Building attended by top officials of Bohol and officers of the BAMMI.

We have had several sets of officers.  Elmar Galacio was Chairman/President from 1997 to 1998.  I, Gilbert Lumantao, was Chairman/President from 1998 to 2000. Willy Ramasola was Chairman/President from 2000 to 2002. Myra Vicente-Olarte was Chairman/President from 2002 to 2004. Alan Cajes was Chairman and Nelson Getigan was President from 2004 to 2006. Fr. Roland Jaluag was Chairman/President from 2006 to 2008.  Then, Willy Ramasola was again served as Chairman/President from 2008 to 2010. And now, we have a new set officers led by Cathy Biliran as Chairman and Julius Gregory Delgado as President.

During the first term of Willy, we decided to change the name of the association from the Association of Young Boholano Professionals in Metro Manila, Inc. to the Association of Young Boholanos in Metro Manila, Inc. to discard the notion that the association is only for professionals.

There were many milestones. We created the Bol-anon YahooGroup on November 29, 2000 and to this day it serves as our main means of communication. We put up our first website around 2004 and to this day we maintain the domain www.aybm.org.

During the term of Myra, we had a medical mission giving free eye surgeries to indigent folks at Jagna, Bohol. And, during the term of Nelson, we embarked on major medical mission bringing more than a hundred doctors, nurses, and support staff from the St. Luke’s Hospital to Bohol to give free medical services, including major surgeries, to numerous indigent Boholanos.

We have had meaningful activities. We had bowling and badminton sessions, and participated in fun runs. We also had forums and gatherings on various topics and purposes. We have had many outreach missions to communities both in Metro Manila and in Bohol.

We endeavored to provide help to our members in times of need. We continue to strive for a group insurance program for all our members. And we have actively played our part in the community of Boholanos here in Metro Manila.

Most importantly, we have grown the organization from a small circle of friends to a now divergent group whose members are bound together by their common Boholano heritage and ties. To this day, the association continues to live its purpose just as the pioneers have envisioned it to be.