US Roadshow Kicks Off in New York

On October 10, the Philippine Consul General Claro S. Cristobal welcomed UPCOE Dean Rizalinda de Leon, UPERDFI Chato Calderon and the organizers from UPAANJ, Beta Epsilon Fraternity Alumni Association of the Americas (BEFAAA) and Tau Alpha Fraternity Alumni Association at the courtesy in his office at the Philippine Consulate in New York City.

ConGen Cristobal, UP BA cum laude and Master in Economics, offered to help connect the UP alumni in his area and to help UPCOE in expanding its network with the universities in his jurisdiction from New England to Pennsylvania in the East Coast.

The event started with cocktails at the beautiful ground floor lobby lighted with a huge capiz chandelier. There were about 50 alumni and friends from the New York and New Jersey areas who witnessed the presentations of Dean de Leon and Engr. Calderon in the historic Kalayaan Hall on the fourth floor. ConGen Cristobal gave an encouraging message and stayed throughout the evening showing his support.

Take a look at the snaps from the event!

We thank UPAANJ President Johnny Ferrer, BEFAAA Butch and Imelda Reyes, Didin and Doris Manahan, Boy Echavez, Tau Alpha Bede Torralba and UPCOE alumnus Gary Gellada (CE ’99) for their generous support in hosting and organizing the event.

Several expressed interest in learning more about the technological innovations presented for possible assistance as donor and investor. Mrs. Malou Allado Reformina, a UP alumna gave her testimony when the Allado family sponsored a professorial chair for their father Honorio (CE ‘36) on the 50th year anniversary of their construction company. Honorio Allado and Quintin K. Calderon (Chato’s father) were contemporaries with CE degrees. Both sets of parents Honorio and Elisa Allado and Quintin and Norma Calderon are being honored by their children with professorial chairs. Alumnus Gareth Paglinawan (CE ’99) showed pictures of his CE professor and classmates who influenced him in generously giving back to the college.

Learn more about getting involved in UPERDFI.

Message from our Partners:

The highly informative and illuminating presentations of UP COE Dean Rizalinda (Babylin) de Leon, Ph.D. and UPERDFI President, Engineer Rosario (Chato) Calderon provided attendees at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in New York enlightening perspective of the UP COE’s initiative to commercialize innovations and concepts developed by UP COE faculty, students and alumni with the goal of establishing an enterprise that would reach a market valuation of PhP 1 billion, a Philippine Unicorn. They highlighted various programs / projects that they envision could potentially achieve this lofty goal and invited attendees to express their interests in these investment opportunities. Both Dean de Leon and Engineer Calderon merit profound commendation for spearheading this noble effort.

Consul General Claro Cristobal deserves a special thanks for willingly obliging my request to give an impromptu welcome remarks and for accommodating a courtesy call by Dean de Leon, Engineer Calderon and the planning team prior to the event. Maraming salamat po. The support of the staff of the Philippine Consulate General in New York before, during and after the event is duly acknowledged.

It was indeed a pleasure to work with Butch Reyes, the event coordinator, Didin Manahan, and Bede Torralba in planning and staging the event with UPAA-NJ serving as a co-host. As the current UPAA-NJ President, I truly appreciate the tireless and meticulous attention that Butch, Didin and Bede expended in ensuring the success of the event, certainly a well-attended weekday affair.

Being a physicist, I can only admire the intense and enormous engineering, business and management tasks needed to bring to fruition UP’s First Unicorn.