The U.P. ALPHA PHI OMEGA FRATERNITY was formally organized in 1952 and was officially recognized by the University of the Philippines in 1953. The Fraternity is the seventh chapter of Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines designated as ETA Chapter – ETA for Excellence. It is recognized as Alpha Phi Omega International Collegiate Service Fraternity, the only collegiate service fraternity founded in the University of the Philippines.
Its counterpart, the ALPHA PHI OMEGA SORORITY traces its roots from the Kappa Phi Omega that was organized in 1958 to provide the Fraternity a partner in its activities.
The Alpha Phi Omega remains to be a campus force actively involved in almost all aspects of university life. It has always immersed in sponsoring college and university events, linking with other organizations and institutions, participating in campus politics, and spearheading meaningful and relevant advocacies. True to its cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service, Alpha Phi Omega has always sought to develop leaders from among its ranks of brothers and sisters through the conduct of service projects, be it great or small, that benefit the students and faculty, the college, the community and the nation at large.
All year long, Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity and Sorority are behind projects and initiatives that are of great significance to various stakeholders. During summer of academic year, the Fraternity is in the forefront of providing assistance to college freshmen and UP administration through the UP Health Service Assistance and Registration Assistance Project. UP examinees and parents alike are beneficiaries of UPCAT Information and Assistance Program conducted during the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) in August. The Mathematics Reviewer Pamphlet on Algebra and Trigonometry issued by the Fraternity in partnership with MSA Review is also a form of rendering service to fellow students of the University.
In the same breadth, Alpha Phi Omega reaches out not only to the confines of the university but also to the premises of different communities in the country. It conducts Medical, Dental and Optical Missions in depressed and underprivileged communities of the metropolis and even in remote areas in the provinces. It also holds the Rolando Abad Service Week for the Fraternity and Anniversary Month for the Sorority which feature projects like Bloodletting Drive, Tree Planting, Outreach Program, Book Covering, Relief Operations and Disaster Information Seminar, Clean Up Day, Alternative Classes , Movie Premieres, Play Sponsorship, Open Tambayan, Free Ikot Ride, among others.
It has also been instrumental in advocating awareness amongst the youth on AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) through Tone-tingin Mo AIDS & STD Awareness Concert and Project White.
More so, the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity has continuously been a potent tool in espousing advocacies and campaigns through its annual tradition known as OBLATION RUN held every December in celebration of the international foundation of Alpha Phi Omega. This Fraternity tradition, which becomes a UP tradition as well, becomes an avenue of the Fraternity to highlight social and political issues besetting the country. This naked run had come to fore in more creative forms of making contributions to myriad themes such as Fraternity Violence, Illegal Drugs, AIDS Awareness, Tuition Fee Increase, Corruption, UP Budget Cut & Greater State Subsidy, Clean Elections, Environmental Protection, Expanded Value Added Tax, Campus Press Freedom, and Political Repression.
The Fraternity provided assistance to the U.P. Information Technology Training Center (ITTC) during the 2006 Philippine Youth Congress in Information Technology. It also successfully sponsored a night in the much-awaited UP FAIR ‘07 which attracted thousands of crowd in the kick off day of the said event. Ever serving fraternity and sorority, U.P. Alpha Phi Omega has joined with the Gawad Kalinga and Habitat for Humanity in efforts to build houses for the less fortunate families in the country.
To date, U.P. Alpha Phi Omega has already drawn lines of partnership and cooperation with civic organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private entities, and government agencies in delivering services for the needy, such as but not limited to, Alpha Phi Omega Philippines and USA, Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), Gawad Kalinga, Habitat for Humanity, MSA Review and Tutorial Center, to name a few.
Being one of the leading Greek-letter institutions in the campus, U.P. Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity has proven its worth and relevance in the University and Society by receiving numerous awards and citations from various entities. It received a Certificate of Appreciation (1999) from then Secretary of the Department of Health thru the Philippine National Red Cross, the first fraternity to receive such commendation. It was also a recipient of the U.P. Gawad Chancellor (1999) for the best student organization in the University of the Philippines. The Fraternity was also feted with Gawad Mapagbigay (2006) and Gawad Dekada (2007) by the Philippine Children’;s Medical Center (PCMC) for its commitment and dedication of service and for 10 years of partnership with the Center. In 2006, the U.P. Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity was a member of the Software Freedom Day (SDF) Team Philippines that won international prize in the Software Freedom Day 2006 Competitions and was among the organizers of the SFD 2006 Celebration in the Philippines.
This is not to mention other honors received by the Alpha Phi Omega in its long years of existence in upholding excellence through service. And amidst all these merriment are brothers and sisters who are diligent scholars, student leaders, athletes, and artists who have always brought honor and glory for Alpha Phi Omega.
U. P. Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity is an active member of the UP Barkada, alliance of 17 U.P. fraternities and Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP), the biggest and most comprehensive alliance of student organizations, fraternities and sororities in U.P. Diliman. Meanwhile, the Sorority is also a prime mover in the Inter-Sorority Council at the University of the Philippines – Diliman.
Below are some U.P. APO alumni who have made significant contributions and excellent service to Philippine society.
I. GOVERNMENT OFFICES
1. Jejomar C. Binay ‘60 (MMDA Chairman)
2. Philip John J. Lesaca ‘72 (Intellectual Property Coalition Chairman)
3. Eduardo V. Mañalac ‘61 (Department of Energy Undersecretary)
4. Grace Pulido-Tan ‘73 (Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary)
5. Hayde Yorac, Kappa Phi Omega (PCGG Chairperson)
6. Edgardo M. Madriaga ’73 (Labor Arbiter, National Labor Relations Commission)
II. GOVERNMENT CORPORATION
Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC)
1. Eduardo V. Mañalac ‘61 (President & CEO)
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
1. Francisco S. Magsajo, Jr. ‘64(President & CEO)
III. LEGISLATURE
1. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Kappa Phi Omega (Congresswoman, Aurora)
IV. JUDICIARY
i. Supreme Court:
1. Josue Bellosilo ‘56 (Senior Associate Justice)
2. Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Kappa Phi Omega (Associate Justice)
3. Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez, Kappa Phi Omega (Associate Justice)
ii. Court of Appeals:
1. Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez (Associate Justice)
iii. Sandiganbayan:
1. Jose R. Hernandez ‘64 (Associate Justice)
iv. Regional Trial Courts Judge:
1. Augusto T. Gutierrez ‘57(Binangonan, Rizal)
2. Jose R. Hernadez ‘64 (Pasay City)
3. Agapito S. Lu ‘65 (Cavite City)
4. Clifton F. Ganay ‘67 (2003 Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano Awardee for Judicial Excellence)
V. COMELEC
1. Julio F. Desamito ‘53 (Commissioner)
VI. LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1. Jejomar C. Binay ‘60 (Mayor, Makati City)
2. Mojamito R. Libunao ‘59 (Mayor, San Fabian, Pangasinan)
3. Armando P. Padilla ‘74 (Councilor, Makati City)
4. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Kappa Phi Omega (Governor, Aurora)
VII. FOREIGN SERVICE
1. Antonio M. Villamor ‘53(Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Yemen)
2. Fe Paredes- Rosales, Kappa Phi Omega (Philippine Cultural Attache, Vancouver, B.C.)
3. Mari Ortega (Philippine Representative, UN AIDS Organizations)
4. Vivo Vidal ’62 (Labor Attache to Qatar)
VIII. ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
1. Jesus Versoza ‘72 (PNP-CIDG Chief)
2. Jorge S. Segovia ‘74 (Army)
3. Isabelito P. Flores ‘80 (Army & Navy)
4. Jose Jorge E. Corpuz ‘77 (Police Superintendent)
IX. ARTS, MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
1. Gatt Maggay ‘63(Television & Radio)
2. Domingo M. Cobarrubias ‘70 (Acting)
3. John Philip J. Lesaca ‘72 (Music)
4. Cesar C. Cosme ‘74 (Television & Entertainment)
5. Leland P. Ronquillo ‘72 (Acting)
X. HEROES & MARTYRS
1. Magtanggol R. Roque ‘64
2. Hayde Yorac, Kappa Phi Omega
XI. U.P. APO IN THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Chancellor/Dean/Director:
1. Oscar L. Evangelista ‘54 (Dean of Students)
2. Oscar L. Evangelista ‘54 (Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs)
3. Nestor O. Vinluan ‘68 (Dean, College of Fine Arts)
4. Joel V. Mangahas ‘81 (Director, Center for Policy and Executive Development)
5. Hector L. Edrosa ‘73 (Director, University Health Services)
6. Mario L. Copuyoc ‘73 (President, U.P. Alumni Engineers)
Faculty/Instructor/Lecturer:
1. Oscar L. Evangelista ‘54 (History)
2. Joel V. Mangahas ‘81 (Public Administration)
3. Melithon U. Ordillas, Jr. ‘57 (Professor Emeritus, Metallurgical Engineering)
4. Nestor O. Vinluan ‘68 (Fine Arts)
5. Benjamin R. Buensuceso, Jr. ‘74 (Civil Engineering)
6. Octavio Tabios, Theta (Chairman, Department of Civil Engineering)
7. Hayde Yorac (Law)
8. Diane Reyes ’82 (Public Administration)
9. Joseph R. Fortin ‘ 73(Film)
XII. U.P. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL AWARDEES
1. Jose V. Eco ‘58 (Community Development)
2. Eduardo V. Mañalac ‘61 (Geology)
3. Tomas C. Banguis, Jr. ‘60 (Business Administration,Advertising)
XIII. ALPHA PHI OMEGA (PHILIPPINES) PRESIDENTS
1. Felix J. Mariñas, Jr. ‘73
2. Magleo V. Adriano ‘69
XIV. U.P. APO FRATERNITY AWARDS
1. Certificate of Recognition from DOH Secretary thru Philippine National Red Cross (1999)
2. U.P. Gawad Chancellor for Best Student Organization (1999)
3. Certificate of Recognition from the Fleur-de-Liz Society (2006)
4. Gawad Mapagbigay from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (2006)
5. Software Freedom Day International Prize (2006)
6. Gawad Dekada from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (2007)
7. Others