President

Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan

The very heart and soul of the San Beda College Alumni Foundation is Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan. Doc Jimmy, as he is known to fellow Bedans and people whose lives he has touched, has been President of the SBCAF since 1997, when it was re-registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under Doc Jimmy’s leadership, the SBCAF has raised substantial funds for its student scholarships and professorial chair programs. It was also during his incumbency that the SBCAF was accredited for five years as a done institution by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) that would allow benefactors to claim income tax credits for donations to the Foundation.

Much of SBCAF’s significant achievements may be attributed to Doc Jimmy’s servant-leadership characterized by integrity, humility and servanthood that gives much credibility to the Foundation. What the SBCAF is today, owes much to his many years as President.

Doc Jimmy was one of those who initiated the establishment of a College of Medicine in San Beda. In the decades that he has practiced medicine, Doc Jimmy has been guided by only one signpost: “Country First, Self Later”. He has kept his eye fixed on this signpost since he became a “doctor to the barrios” right after medical school and all throughout the various positions he has held, including Secretary of Health.

He has also tried to make his students in medical school follow the same signpost. Doc Jimmy has explored and is actively promoting traditional and complementary systems of treatment and therapy, aware of the fact that the high cost of medical care in the country makes it difficult for most Filipinos to get the quality health service they need and deserve.

Aside from his involvement with SBCAF, Doc Jimmy is the Founder of Health Futures Foundation, Inc. (HFI) that advocates and acts “in the best interest of the poorest to achieve total health and development.” It is a means to realize his vision of empowering communities and local governments to achieve access, quality and equity in health and development.

He also encourages people to take charge of their own health, in partnership with their physicians, and to help their bodies heal. Doc Jimmy is a passionate advocate of wellness and prevention of disease. He has written books on the value of traditional therapies and the curative and therapeutic properties of Filipino plants and fruits.

Vice President

Mr. Tomas P. Africa

Tomas “Butch” P. Africa was among those who revived SBCAF in 1997. He was then President of the SBC Alumni Association.

The former Administrator of the National Statistics Office (NSO) and Civil Registrar General of the Philippines strongly believes in education so it is no surprise that he has remained actively involved in the SBCAF as a Trustee since the Foundation’s prime goals are to help poor but deserving young people to get an education and to support educators hone their skills to be better at their job.

“Education should open up new horizons, possibilities and opportunities to everyone, regardless of age, gender, status, race, and creed,” he says. Butch considers it a “blessing and privilege” to be able to help empower individuals to face the challenges of the future, especially when they are able to graduate.

A Bedan education, which SBCAF scholars are getting, has the additional benefit of teaching them to serve the needy and “to stay humble while doing it.” Bedans, Butch says, are taught justice, humility, loyalty, service to country, and God.

For Butch, who has also worked in various international organizations including the United Nations, San Beda has significantly contributed to making him the person that he is now. “Ora et labora. Work and pray. Work is
prayer. When you work well, you give praise to the Lord,” he says. Ora et labora is San Beda’s motto.

As a Bedan he is proud of the unconditional brotherhood among alumni and the Service by the community engendered by the monks. Like every alumnus, he is also proud of the beautiful Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat.

Aside from sports, his main interests are things to which he had devoted most of his adult life – statistics, civil registration and child rights. During his term as NSO Administrator, Butch initiated the streamlining of the government agency’s record-keeping to make it easier and faster for the general public to get copies of certifications of birth, death, marriage and other vital documents. NSO partnered with Unisys, Philippines for the Civil Registration System Information Technology Project or CRS-ITP.

Upon full implementation of the project, Butch said then, clients would be able to obtain their certificates within 30 minutes in Metro Manila and within two hours in regional and provincial branches. He added that CRSITP had inherent security features that would minimize fraud and fabrication of civil registry documents.

Then President Joseph Estrada commended the NSO for its efforts to increase efficiency in the Philippine bureaucracy for better government performance. He said the project would “address the perennial problem of storage and retrieval of records” and would help “eradicate fixers who take advantage of (fellow) Filipinos.”

In 2012, Butch was elected Distinguished Bedan in Public/Government Service, by the San Beda College Alumni Association. Such award is richly deserved by someone who has given much of himself to helping others.

Treasurer

Mr. Edgardo B. Favila

Edgardo “Ed” B. Favila says he has had the best of both worlds – private and state schools. He went to San Beda for his basic education and the University of the Philippines for college. “I experienced the First Quarter Storm on Mendiola when I was in high school and became a front line activist at UP. I was able to witness the turning tide from pre-martial law to Marcos’ fall.”

Currently SBCAF Treasurer, he says they resurrected the Foundation some 20 years ago when the opportunity presented itself. “I became part of the core group,” he says. Ed, who is also chair of the scholarship committee, believes strongly in the major thrusts of the Foundation – promoting good education by supporting scholars and faculty members.

Ed explains that the mission of the foundation is distinct from the San Beda College Alumni Association. “The Foundation is focused on scholarships and professorial chairs while the Association is more about school activities for the alumni and the school, i.e., sports, homecoming, general alumni affairs, etc. In a way, there is specialization. This is how the dynamics of the two organizations benefit the school.”

He adds, “I value education so much that when we started the foundation, the first program we did was the scholarship.” Education, he says is the great equalizer. “Whether you are financially challenged or privileged, whether you are physically fit or disabled, as long as you are educated and put it into good practice, you are all equal,” he says.

Ed admits the job of choosing scholars is very hard because there are many applicants and the Foundation “doesn’t have enough resources to give. It’s hard to choose the ideal scholar because, for me, everyone is deserving. We are not giving them investments to start a business, we are investing in them to get a good education and future. And it’s very rewarding to see them excel.”

He says the SBCAF Trustees, as well as the thousands of other graduates, were very good products of San Beda. “This is why we want others to learn and experience Benedictine education. If I had been a product of a different school, I would still want others to experience what I got from that other school,” he adds.

What he treasures most in San Beda is the humility of everyone – from the priests and staff to the students and teachers. “Priests in San Beda are very simple because they have a vow of poverty,” he says. “They are not after material things. Maybe because activism was very strong during my time, people were really not about material stuff, they just looked after each other and upheld the Benedictine values, which continue to guide their lives until today.”

Secretary

Mr. Geoffrey L. Go

Geoffrey Go experienced Bedan education at its finest and owes much of what he has become today, particularly his personal core values, to his Benedictine training. He feels a “deep sense of belonging” whenever he reminisces about his high school days in San Beda.

Through to the adage ”the heart that truly loves, never forgets,” Geoff joined the San Beda Alumni Foundation in 2003 upon the invitation of his classmate, the late Rev. Fr. Basil Apostol, OSB. Geoff could have gone to other equally reputable schools but he considers San Beda his real second home.
It is in this 118-year-old Benedictine learning institution that he found another family. Geoff always rejoices in the unity of Bedans and their being down to earth. Admirable to Geoff is his fellow Bedan’s Benedictine spirit: their faith in God, love of the truth, their courage and fortitude.

A well-established businessman, Geoff applies his business acumen in formulating sound policies and practices in running the affairs of the SBCAF, where he has been efficiently serving as Corporate Secretary since 2014. Close to his heart is the SBCAF’s Scholarship program that enables underprivileged but deserving students to experience the quality education that he himself received. “It is payback time,” says Geoff, who devotes quality time to SBCAF affairs, despite a rather hectic schedule.

An avid supporter of the San Beda Red Lions and Red Cubs, Geoff continues to devote to these two great basketball teams his time and resources to ensure that the teams would remain among the country’s best in basketball. He is a proud founding member of The Bedan Boosters, a group of Bedans that is always providing full support to both teams.

Humbled and gratified by the many opportunities to be of service to his fellow Bedans through the SBCAF, Geoff is happiest when he joins other SBCAF Board Trustees in advancing truly noble causes to improve lives and build communities.

Geoff is determined to set a good example of a Bedan who feels responsible and accountable for the future of Bedan education.

Auditor

Mr. Roman Felipe S. Reyes

Roman “Manny” Felipe S. Reyes believes accountants, even lawyers should be equipped with the technological knowledge to remain relevant and not become obsolete.

The Founding Partner and Chair of Reyes Tacandong & Co. (RT&Co), says, “In today’s technological environment, business disruption is not a passing trend. It is the new normal that has changed the way of doing business.” Guided by this belief, Manny has steered RT&Co to become a Digital Consulting Firm of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and lawyers.

A Bedan from grade school until he obtained his Bachelor’s degree, with Accountancy as his major, he was named the 1993 Outstanding Alumnus and was the 2004 Most Distinguished Bedan awardee in the field of Accounting and Auditing.

“Education is very important. I would not be where I am now without the education I got from my Alma Mater,” he says. “The future of the next generation greatly depends on the values they learn from home and from school, and the quality of the education they get.” Manny adds, “We need to improve further our educational system and the competency of schools, San Beda included, so that our graduates can compete with other colleges and universities not only in the Philippines but outside as well.”

For greater self-fulfillment, Manny says one has to learn to give back to his Alma Mater and to the younger generation by sharing the blessings one has received. This can be through scholarships and by helping deserving teachers and professors, with limited financial capacity, to enhance further their competencies, the two main thrusts of the San Beda College Alumni Foundation (SBCAF).

“I owe San Beda a lot. I was taught and molded by the monks and by my teachers to remember to share and always give back. These are among the values that I live by which I got from my Bedan education. These are the same values that I taught my children.”

Manny is currently also a Trustee of San Beda University and Chair of the Board of San Beda College Alabang. He is also Chair of the Board of Governors of the Nicanor Reyes Memorial Foundation.

He is a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Pakistan International Container Terminal Limited, Premium Leisure Corporation, Radio Philippines Network – RPN 9 and the Rockwell Leisure Club. He is a Director of the Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc., Pampanga Sugar Development Company, All Asian Countertrade Inc., Macawiwili Gold Mining and Development Co., Inc., and FF Cruz & Co., Inc.

Trustee

Mr. Mukesh S. Advani

Pride in Mukesh “Mike” Sehwani Advani is a sentiment shared by fellow trustees in the San Beda College Alumni Foundation (SBCAF).

A former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) standout as a guard for the Ginebra San Miguel team and now a very successful entrepreneur, Mike Advani is the owner and President of the Advani Apparel, Inc., a leading distributor of apparel and household goods.

This outstanding Bedan (High School 1979 and College of Arts and Sciences 1983) is also Chairman of the Board of Mark Foods Corporation.

Mike is at present the Honorary Chair of the Federation of Indian Chamber of
Commerce, Inc. (FICCI). He is a former President (2020 to 2022) Federation, which was instrumental in enhancing and strengthening bilateral relations between India and the Philippines to achieve inclusive growth and alleviate poverty in the two countries. Mike considers the FICCI as a catalyst for both the peoples of India and the Philippines to have a closer engagement and stronger bond. As President, Mike led the successful staging of the FCCI’s 70th Foundation Anniversary celebration in 2021.

Mike considers accepting the invitation of the SBCAF to be a board trustee as one of the best decisions he has made in life. Through the SBCAF, he is able to share his blessings and change lives. He has been a valued donor of the SBCAF’s student scholarship program since he became actively involved in the affairs of this esteemed alumni foundation.

A Bedan who personifies the Benedictine core values of ora et labora, Mike evolved from being a popular and most valuable basketball player when he played for his Alma Mater’s Red Lions team and Ginebra’s top guard for several years to become an astute business entrepreneur. He was once the team manager of San Beda’s Red Lions that won basketball championship titles at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for many years.

To his fellow trustees in the SBCAF, Mike continues to project so much positivity as he strives to be his usual best self, conquer formidable challenges, and make an exemplary difference as he puts into action the ora at labora ways.

Undeniably, Mike Advani is one of SBCAF’s valued treasures who is tireless in giving much of his talent, time and resources to keep the SBCAF’s deep
commitment to Bedan education truly alive.

Trustee

Amb. Jose E.B. Antonio

Jose “Joey” Antonio knew San Beda was a good school. But it was a practical consideration that tilted his choice in favor of the institution. “It was nearest (to where I lived) – just a bus ride away,” he says.

He had not regretted the decision. “I am grateful not only for the education I received but also for the connections I made. I was close to faculty members and the priests. My classmates and I have remained friends,” he says.

Ambassador Antonio, Founder and Chair of Century Properties Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries and currently Special Envoy of the President to the United States, says Bedans are more grounded. Although they are better off, they have no sense of entitlement. And the values they learn in school, as well as the spiritual guidance they get, keep them on the right path throughout their lives.

Having been taught the virtue of helping other people, Joey says, “I always tell my four sons, if they are successful, they should help other people.” He welcomed the opportunity to be part of SBCAF as a trustee. “By joining the Foundation, I can help those who lack the financial resources to pursue an education. They can also learn the same values Bedans have been taught.

Aside from the Foundation, the Ambassador has also endowed a professorial chair for the College of Business. He wants his financial support to go towards promoting entrepreneurship. “I personally believe people will have more success as entrepreneurs, rather than employees. They can have their own start-up companies.”

He wants the holder of his professorial chair to do more mentoring. He is even willing to be a guest lecturer in one of the professor’s classes and hold dialogues with students.

An icon in Philippine business, Ambassador Joey’s pioneering spirit, leadership excellence and selfless service have inspired members of the Bedan community, specially his fellow Bedans, to give much of themselves to Bedan education.

Truly, Ambassador Joey’s presence in the SBCAF board continues to make a big difference. Undeniably, his legacy is assured.

Trustee

Atty. Dominador D. Buhain

Dominador “Jimmy” Buhain spent his formative years in San Beda College, where he finished elementary and high school.

He pursued a college education first at De La Salle College, where he got a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, then the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law. But he finished his Law studies at Far Eastern University.

Jimmy says, “I gradually inched back to San Beda through the encouragement of Dr. Edgie Paras, a luminary lawbook author and friend…” He credits Divine Providence and the Benedictine motto, ora et labora, for giving him the fortitude to “survive in this highly competitive world…”

He notes that a striking virtue of Bedans is humility amid great successes. And Bedans have an undying loyalty to their Alma Mater, as shown by their active support of alumni associations that help San Beda’s teams excel in different sports, particularly basketball, at the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The school’s sports accomplishments parallel academic excellence, he says. “I am proud to be a Bedan because I believe in this school, which develops generations of champions,” he says.

San Beda is equally proud of him. In 2013, he was chosen the sole Hall of Fame awardee by the San Beda Board of Trustees chaired by Manny Pangilinan.

He was a recipient of the Bedan Achiever Award in 2003, recipient of the Most Distinguished Bedan Award in 2004 and recipient of the Icon of Entrepreneurship Award from the San Beda Graduate School of Business in 2014.

The other schools he attended have also honored him. Jimmy, as Chair and President of the REX Group of Companies and, as patriarch of the Buhain-Fontelera Family, received on April 14, 2018 the Philippine Family Business
award from the Ateneo Family Business Development Center of the John Gokongwei School of Management. The award honors families that have exemplified excellence in the industry through effective governance, commitment to quality and strong family relations for the growth and progress of their businesses and in service to the community and the Filipino nation.

Jimmy received the Golden Tamaraw Award from the Far Eastern University Law Alumni Association on November 24, 2017. He adds with pride “that my family was instrumental in putting up the REX City Inside the Forest, which is
symbolic of the Bedan culture.” The City has a 70-foot statue of St. Benedict looking down on the whole complex, the banner project of SBCAF, and is distinctive for its indigenous trees.

At present, Jimmy is also President of the Asia Pacific Publishers Association (2017-2020), President of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association (2017-2019), President of the Philippine Printing Technical Foundation and President Emeritus of the Philippine Educational Publishers Association.

He holds several positions in different educational and civic organizations. Through the years, he has been elected President of the San Beda University Alumni Association (2007-08; 2017-18; 2018-19), a proof of his quality brand of leadership.

Trustee

Atty. Jonas L. Cabochan

Lawyer Jonas Cabochan is a true red-blooded Bedan, ready to help his Alma Mater or a Bedan in need. He was President of the SBC Alumni Association for three terms and now serves as Trustee in all three San Beda Alumni Associations: the San Beda University Alumni Association, San Beda College Alumni Foundation and San Beda Law Alumni Association.

As a working student, he was elected President of the San Beda Law Student Government in his junior year. In his senior year, he was elected National Chair of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines and Vice Chair of the ASEAN Law Students Association.

Jonas’ Benedictine education has been the compass that has guided his personal and professional life. After passing the Bar examinations the first time he took them, he was appointed Director in the Office of the Executive Secretary during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, the youngest lawyer-executive in that office. He was also a part-time law professor in prestigious institutions. Upon leaving government service, he became the youngest partner in a law firm where he handled, among others, cross-border legal issues involving foreign clients. At the same time, he was a consultant in Congress.

Jonas has since established his own law firm and has joined his Alma Mater’s prestigious roster of law professors.

In 2015, he was appointed National Director of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-National Center for Legal Aid, which provides much-needed legal advice and assistance to the underprivileged. He was also the National Convention Director of the 2017 National Convention of Lawyers. He served as President of Club Bulakenyo, a socio-civic organization that grants scholarships to poor but deserving students and organizes medical missions and other civic projects in the province of Bulacan.

Unknown to many, he gives assistance to some varsity teams/players of San Beda and is instrumental in giving opportunities to financially challenged but qualified students to study in San Beda.

Trustee

Mr. Enrico U. Dee

The 2010 Distinguished Bedan awardee (Business & Entrepreneurship), Enrico “Rikki” Dee says the education he received and the values instilled in him by San Beda have helped him manage his roles as family man, brother, friend and businessman. “My formation in college focused on Faith (Fides), Knowledge (Scientia), and Virtue (Virtus), helped me to be the man I am today,” he says.

His Bedan education developed in him resiliency, the determination to follow his passion and to believe “any business will work, as long as you work hard and face your challenges squarely. Opportunity comes and goes, so one must be ready to grab it when it comes.” Years after leaving San Beda, he still draws guidance from the Benedictine core values of ora et labora (prayer and work).

The President/Chief Executive Officer of Centralmall Group, Foodee Group, Foodlink Group, Sunnies Group and All British Cars strongly believes in education. Rikki says, “Education for me is the greatest equalizer.
It enhances one’s skill to face the ever challenging world.” He adds, “Joining the Foundation has encouraged me to share with deserving economically challenged students and help them pursue their lifelong dreams. I feel fulfilled when I see students face a brighter future through education.”

In providing Foundation scholars the opportunity to get a Bedan education, Rikki says he wants them to acquire the values the school taught him. Aside from helping students pursue their lifelong dreams, he says the Foundation also aims to help University professors undertake studies that will make them better mentors by broadening their knowledge and providing them new and better skills. “It’ll be a fulfilment to see students get a brighter future through education and assist educators pursue special research projects,” says Rikki, who was invited to join the Foundation by his former professor Dr. Joffre Alajar.

The successful businessman is also passionate in promoting entrepreneurship and helping Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) reach their full potential. “In our Malls we’ve dedicated a big portion of our area for upcoming and new concepts…. We are working hard to empower MSMEs to excel and become part of our developing economy by putting them in the forefront of business in our country.”

Recently, Rikki established in his Alma Mater a Distinguished Professorial Chair in Entrepreneurship, to enable faculty members to undertake meaningful research in this exciting field.

With the sincerity of his heart, Rikki also has become a gift that continues to give.

Trustee

Atty. Constantino L. Navarro III

Banjo Navarro is a Bedan through and through.

The founder and owner of the Navarro Law Offices not only studied in San Beda from preparatory to law school but also married a Bedan, a fellow lawyer. He even married his wife at the Abbey Church when it was still allowed to be a venue for weddings.

Banjo has not only benefited from the education he received at San Beda but his life continues to be shaped by the values instilled in him by his Alma Mater. For him, the core values every Bedan alumnus possesses are honesty, trustworthiness, dependability, fear of God and love of nation, family and school.

Primarily involved with the Foundation’s scholarship program, Banjo considers education an important tool in helping people live better and more comfortable lives. “Education is a permanent framework of one’s future or destiny. It’s legacy, too,” he says.

Believing in the importance of education, he considers it “a privilege and an honor” to be able to help those in need through the Foundation’s scholarship program.

The lawyer who also teaches the Bible, says the program is an actual application of Proverbs 19:17: If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD – and he will repay you!

Banjo is proud of his Bedan heritage. Bequeathed to him by his father, he and his wife have passed on the Bedan heritage to their four children. “Benedictines are known as exorcists or deliverance ministers,” he says.

Banjo played in San Beda’s basketball and track teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and has been president of his class since 1999.

For this dyed-in the-wool Bedan, an alumnus of San Beda “is someone who understands prayer and work, and can mingle with anyone – rich or poor, etc.”

The Benedictines’ motto ora et labora (pray and work) continue to guide this Bedan in everything he does.

Trustee

Dr. Conrado F. Oca

It is said that the Bedan heart is happiest when it beats for others. Such must have been felt by Dr. Conrad Oca whenever he extends a generous hand in the many SBCAF plans and programs. An accomplished medical doctor and administrator, Dr. Conrad has a huge heart when it comes to helping others.

Without much fanfare, Dr. Conrad lends assistance to financially needy students who wish to experience Bedan education.

In 2005, the Board of Trustees of the San Beda College Alumni Association conferred on Dr. Conrado F. Oca the Distinguished Bedan Award. The Board recognized “his leading a simple but purposeful life with the noble mission to heal the afflicted; and be an exemplar for the youth entering the noble medical profession; his outstanding professional achievements making everyone proud of the Filipino talent and his embodying the Benedictine ideals of pax, ora et labora (peace, work and prayer).“

Currently President of the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUPPTGWO-ITF), his life and work as a doctor of medicine have always been “in the service of others”, making him a true role model and inspiration for other Bedans.

A truly distinguished Bedan, Dr. Conrad comes from an illustrious family. Aside from being the President of AMOSUP, he is also Chair of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific’s Board of Governors, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Seamen’s Hospital and an active member of many international and local organizations like the Philippine Medical Association, Manila Medical Society and International Maritime Health Association.

The former President (2005-06) and Trustee of the San Beda College Alumni Association (2004-2013), Dr. Oca has been a Trustee of SBCAF since 2007.

Aside from the awards he has received from San Beda, including SBCAF’s Daluyang Buhay Leadership Award in 2014, he also received in 2016 MARINA’s Maritime Achievement Award “for his invaluable contribution” to the maritime industry. MARINA stands for Maritime Industry Authority. His colleagues in the medical profession have also cited him for his professional work.

In 2011, believing that part of the San Beda’s mission is to build intellectual capital through research, Dr. Conrad took the lead in establishing a Professorial Chair in Labor Relations to perpetuate the memory of his beloved father Capt. Gregorio Oca.

Undeniably, Dr. Conrad Oca is indeed the quintessential Bedan who exemplifies the true essence of utmost generosity.

Trustee

Mr. Jorge Z. Ortoll

Jorge is Executive Director of the Ma-Yi Theatre Company and has been instrumental in raising the consciousness of audiences throughout the world about the excellence of Asian American theater artists.

Through Jorge’s vision and hard work, Ma-Yi Theatre Company is recognized today as the premier Asian American theater company in the USA. He is a founding member of CAATA (Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists) and sits on its Board. Started in 2003, CAATA holds conferences and theater festivals around the country to spotlight the excellence of Asian American
theater artists.

Outside of the theater world, Jorge remains committed to helping our Filipinos. He is supporting financially the construction of 20 school rooms in the province of Negros Occidental.

Jorge also financed the building of the Ortoll Reproductive Health Care Center in the Manila campus of the Philippine General Hospital, a two-story structure to support the large demand for birthing facilities among indigents in Metro Manila. He is part of a foundation that gives financial assistance to indigent visually-impaired people in the metropolis. He also financed the athletes’ quarters in San Beda Rizal campus and the renovation of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

In 2013, the Board of Trustees of the San Beda College Alumni Association awarded Jorge the Distinguished Bedan award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in theater arts, his over two decades of artistic excellence and nurturing of Asian American voices in stylistically varied and engaging theater; and his dedicated stewardship, vision, diligence, perseverance, and humility, which make him an inspiring model for the youth who
wish to be in the theater arts.

For his passionate crusade to engage the academe in scholarly pursuits in the field of information technology and for embodying the Benedictine ideals of peace, humility, service, prayer, and work (ora et labora); and the Bedan values of faith (fides), knowledge (scientia), and virtue (virtus), the San Beda College Alumni Foundation Inc., the San Beda College Alumni Association and the Academic Community of San Beda College established the Jorge Z. Ortoll Distinguished Professorial Chair in Information Technology on September 10, 2016.

Trustee

Dr. Edgardo Paras

The Bedan education he received, Dr. Edgardo “Edgie” C. Paras says, “instilled in me the pursuit of study and community service by being a true Filipino and citizen of the world.” It also developed my love for family.”

With advanced degrees in law (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Civil Law) and management (Master in Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy), he also pursued post-doctoral studies at the Hague Academy of International Law, the National University of Singapore and the JFK School of Government at Harvard.

The Long-time President of the Association of Law Book Authors of the Philippines, he is the author of several books, including legal biographies of Chief Justice Ricardo Mercader Paras and Associate Justice Edgardo Lardizabal Paras, Sr.; “Economics for Lawyers” and “Derivatives in the Philippines: Legal Environment and Regulatory Framework” (forthcoming) – all published by REX Book Store.

Everything he has done and continues to do is because of education. “It’s an extraordinary feeling, knowing that I can change lives, create better future for people. It’s simply overwhelming,” he declares. Education, he says, may be manifested in many milieus – teaching, research, and music, in short, “encompassing.”

Edgie made his mark in music, too. He played lead guitarist for the Ends Revival Band in the early ’70s. He topped the 1st Philippine Guitar Festival (1977) and received the Grand Prix in the 1st Southeast Asian Guitar Festival (1977, sponsored by the Yamaha Music Foundation of Japan and the Yayasan Musik Indonesia). He was the first classical jazz guitarist to hold a one-hour televised concert (PTV4) at the “Paco Park Presents” (1981). He was
editorial consultant/chord-finder of Moptop and Jingle chordbooks.

Edgie says the Bedan brand of education is superb in offering all the best in the practical professions – accounting, law, medicine, nursing, business and the arts. In today’s age of disruption, education cannot be left to chance. With a corps of trained and qualified educators with much-improved efficiency, partially due to incentives and grants of more professorial chairs, and more scholarships to deserving students, there is no doubt about SBU’s pre-eminence in the educational world, he says.

With its newly created research center, it would only be a matter of time before SBU has fully integrated the three A’s – artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms, and analytic.

In 2010, Dr. Paras was elected by the SBC Alumni Association as Distinguished Bedan (Education) for his significant contributions to Philippine Education.

Trustee

Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr. believes that education provides a person with the knowledge he/she needs to live as a useful human being who will serve the common good. Thus, he fully supports SBCAF’s scholarship project. “It is fulfilling to help economically challenged students finish their education,” he says.

That SBCAF scholars are getting a Benedictine education makes the opportunity even more rewarding. Justice Reyes says. “To be a Bedan, for me, is to be virtuous, to follow the principle of ora et labora (pray and work).” A Bedan is humble and dependent on God, especially at the height of his/her life’s glory – hard-working, Godfearing, loyal and able to maintain his/her integrity.

“San Beda shaped me by giving me opportunities to shine as a leader when I was an AB Political Science student. At the College of Law, there were professors who inspired me. Thus, I am able to lead civic and religious organizations and work in the Judiciary with commitment, humility, and integrity,” the new Supreme Court and former appellate court Associate Justice says.

He adds, “I am proud to be a Bedan because there are many leaders and achievers who are Bedans and have helped build our country and make it progressive. They have also been role models for the youth in humility, selflessness and fear of God.

While he strongly believes in the liberating power of education, he does not want it used just for one’s personal advancement. “I am also passionate to evangelize, especially to those who have been educated, so that they will use their blessings to help others improve their lives according to God’s plan,” says the Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Aside from his work in the judiciary, Justice Reyes was also Knights of Columbus Supreme Director and State Deputy for Luzon North.