Alpha Phi Omega () is an affiliated national organization of

Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,0 ...

in the Philippines. The founding of

in the Philippines in 1950 was preceded by an APO service project conducted just after World War II.

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

, the capital of the former

Commonwealth of the Philippines The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...

, had been devastated during the war. Many universities, utilised for military purposes, were in ruins. Knowing that the education of young people was a vital necessity for the country to get back on its feet, a number of Alpha Phi Omega members in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

and the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

, having served as soldiers in the Philippines, organised book drives on their campuses. The successful project gathered hundreds of textbooks, used but usable, from libraries and students and sent to the Philippines to help re-stock the many burnt-out college libraries in Manila. A few years later, in January 1950, Sol George Levy (Gamma Alpha chapter @

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...

1947), a professional Scouter, an Alpha Phi Omega brother at the

in Seattle, and a friend of APO National President Dr. H. Roe "The Chief" Bartle who served as president of Alpha Phi Omega from 1931 to 1946, went to the Philippines to generate interest among Scouts there. One evening, Levy spoke to a group of people about APO, Scouting's national service fraternity in the U.S., and its service project which donated books to Philippine schools. He also distributed copies of three APO publications: ''Questions and Answers'', ''National Constitution and By-laws'', and ''Ritual, Rites and Ceremonies''. In the audience was Librado Inocencio Ureta, then taking his MA in education at the

Far Eastern University Far Eastern University (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Pamantasan ng Malayong Silanganan''), also referred to by its acronym FEU, is a Private university, private non-sectarian Liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Manila, Philippines ...

in Manila. Ureta and a group of former Scouts founded Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines on March 2, 1950, at Room 214, Nicanor Reyes Hall, Far Eastern University, Manila. Alpha Phi Omega grew rapidly in the Philippines. In its third year, it became a national organization with seven chapters chartered in Manila and Visayan campuses. It was registered October 21, 1953, with the

Securities and Exchange Commission The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...

as a non-stock, non-profit, non-dividend corporation with a registered name of ''Alpha Phi Omega International Collegiate Service Fraternity''. The registration was renewed on June 8, 1981, with the SEC Registration No. 0099381 under the name of Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated. APO-SRB Medical Mission at Doha Qatar

Notable members in the Philippines

Presidents

*Librado I. Ureta, 1951–1953 *Ignacio J. Sevilla, Sr., 1953–1968 *Librado I. Ureta, 1968–1977 *Amancio Donato 1977 *Melchizedek Y. Maquiso, 1977–1981 *Francisco P. Brosas, Jr., 1981–1983 *Mama S. Lalanto, 1983–1985 *Geoffrey A. Pungutan, Al-Haj, 1985–1986 *Oscar V. Lazo Jr., 1986–1987 *Carlos M.E. Caliwara, 1987–1989 *Jose Antonio L. Dimaano, 1989–1991 *Rolando B. Baluyot, 1991–1993 *Felix J. Marinas, Jr., 1993–1995 *Ismail Michael A. Abantas, 1995–96 *Agaton C. Labrador, Jr., 1996–97 *Mariano R. Alquiza, 1997–1999 *Teddie Elson E. Rivera, 1999–2001 *Blo Umpar Adiong, 2001–2003 *Rodrigo V Mapoy, 2003–2005 *Jimmy U. De Castro 2005–2007 *Magleo Mel V. Adriano 2007–2011 *Jimmy U. De Castro 2011–2013 *Mamintal Taha 2013–2015 *Luis A. Paredes 2015–2017 *Roel Daboy E. Fernandez 2017–present

References

{{reflist

External links

Official Alpha Phi Omega Philippines Website
Student organizations established in 1950 Alpha Phi Omega

1950 establishments in the Philippines

Notable members in the Philippines

Presidents

See also

References

External links