(Beaver Flores, 2026 UPAA-W President)
The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Wisconsin (UPAA-W) kicked off 2026 with its first Board of Directors meeting on January 11 at the Philippine Center in Zablocki Park. The meeting set the stage for a year focused on community engagement, cultural celebration, and expanded educational support.
Leadership Updates
2026 President Beaver Flores opened the meeting by expressing gratitude for the members’ guidance and mentorship. Having rejoined UPAA-W in late 2024, Flores shared that this is his first leadership role in many years. He pledged to continue the important work started by earlier generations and set a clear goal for his term: to encourage more participation from members and improve communication, both within the organization and with its external partners.
Ito Conti, last year’s President, then shared key highlights from his term, highlighting numerous awards earned and the impact of UPAA-W’s scholarship programs and cultural initiatives. The Board thanked President Conti for his inspiring leadership and unwavering commitment to service.
Floresa Balondo, a resident of Waunakee, was also unanimously elected as President for 2027. She expressed her desire to involve Madison and Dane County-based members and strengthen regional connections. She looks forward to bridging members beyond the Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, which currently make up most of UPAA-W’s active membership.
The following members also graciously accepted President Flores’ invitation to serve as and/or continue their work as officers and committee chairs:
- Secretary: Roselle Rogers
- Treasurer: Fe Quevedo-Visaya, MD
- Liaison Officer: Gerry Ramos
- Public Relations Officer: Rowena Punzalan, MD
- Membership: Lucy Sloan
- Election: Rowena Punzalan, MD
- Audit: Becky Toledo and Carol Conti, MD
- Asuncion Miteria-Austria Value Our Heritage: Flo Balondo
- Feed the Hungry: Ito Conti and Trina Bando
- Scholarship and Professorial Chair: Ito Conti
- Investment: Ike Pahm
- Technology and Website: Ike Pahm
- Picnic: Roselle Rogers
- Christmas Party: Fe Quevedo-Visaya, MD
- Barrio Fiesta: Joey Abad Santos, MD
Major Highlights and Decisions
Expansion of Scholarship Programs
UPAA-W reaffirmed its commitment to giving back to our alma mater by continuing the UPAA-W System-wide Scholarship Award for UP students and the Guansing Regala Scholarship Award for Wisconsin-based students. The Board is also exploring ways to increase the number of recipients and expand eligibility to include technical colleges.
Conti also shared updates on the Scholarship Committee’s Viber group connecting UPAA-W with past and present scholars, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong ties with the many students the organization has supported over the years.
Professorial Chair Update
The Board confirmed the appointment of Professor Kathy Taraga from UP Diliman’s Department of Psychology as the recipient of the Professorial Chair award for 2026. Efforts to streamline communication with UP departments are ongoing to ensure timely nominations.
Community Service and Cultural Engagement
UPAA-W will keep its tradition of service alive through three Feed the Hungry activities this year and reaffirmed participation in the Holiday Folk Fair International. Members can also look forward to these signature events:
- Barrio Fiesta – June 20
- Summer Picnic – July 18
- Christmas Party – December 5
Digital Presence and Outreach
In line with President Flores’s goal of enhancing and promoting stronger membership participation through enhanced engagement and communications, a working group was formed to develop social media content guidelines to strengthen UPAA-W’s online engagement while maintaining compliance with 501(c)(3) standards. The organization will also upload scholar thank-you videos and professorial chair updates to its website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms.
Post-Meeting Fellowship
The meeting wrapped up with a sumptuous merienda cena prepared by President Flores, per tradition, which brought everyone together for food and fellowship.
This first meeting of 2026 was a resounding success, setting the tone for another year of fun, service, and meaningful impact. Padayon, UPAA-W!