UP Alumni & Associates in Manitoba, Inc. [Staging Site]

Author: upmb-admin

  • UPAA-MB, Inc. Hosts Filipino Inter-Organization Bowling Tournament

    UPAA-MB, Inc. Hosts Filipino Inter-Organization Bowling Tournament

     

    The University of the Philippines Alumni Association and Associates (UPAA MB) hosted the first inter-organization Pinoy bowling tournament which was held last November 24, 2012 at the Chateau Lanes in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    The event aimed to raise funds for donation to the Christmas Cheer Board and to promote the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation among Filipino organizations in Winnipeg.   The event took off with a ceremonial roll by the group presidents and team captains of the 10 competing teams.  Of this number, eight teams represented Filipino organizations in Manitoba, which included Bibak Association of Manitoba, Damayan Manitoba, Filipino-Canadian Technical Professionals Association of Manitoba (FCTPAM), Isabela Association of Manitoba, Mabuhay League, St. Edward Parish, and the UPAA-MB. Two other teams, namely RaRa Boys and Buddy-Buddy, were formed by twelve individual participants.

     

    The half-day event was filled with fun and excitement as the participants cheered as they scored strikes and spares or missed the pins. The tournament culminated in the awarding of prizes to the winners. The RaRa Boys Team garnered the championship after amassing a score of 2684, followed by the St. Edward Parish Team with a score of 2421 and the Mabuhay League Team with 2397 pins. Francis Ballesteros of RaRa Boys Team clinched the Best Male Bowler award with a score of 533, while Virgie Gayot of Bibak Association of Manitoba received the Best Female Bowler award with 273 pins.

    UPAA-MB expresses its gratitude to all the organizations and individuals who made the event a success. Through their support, the tournament generated a total amount of $409.62. Proceeds will go to the Christmas Cheer Board that coordinates gift giving to add joy to its recipients – the needy individuals and families in Winnipeg, this Christmas. There is certainly no doubt that we look forward to having more activities, events, and interactions with the other organizations in the future as we all strive to promote unity and stronger camaraderie within the Filipino community here in Winnipeg.

     

  • UPAA-MB’s 3rd Annual Christmas Party

    UPAA-MB’s 3rd Annual Christmas Party

    UPAA-MB, Inc. cordially invites you to its Annual Christmas Party on Friday, December 7 at 6:00 PM. The event is going to be held at the Fraternal Society of St. John Cantiusa, 768 Mountain. Entrance Fee is $5.00.

    Potluck Dinner, Drinks and Fun Activities await! Please RSVP by November 24.

    For inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

  • UPAA-MB Inc. holds its second Annual General Meeting

    UPAA-MB Inc. holds its second Annual General Meeting

    The University of the Philippines Alumni and Associates in Manitoba Inc. held its second annual general meeting last October 20th at 4:00 PM. Around 30 members and their families have attended and renewed their membership this year which the organization considered as a great turnout.

    During the assembly the constitution amendments were presented by this year’s Ad hoc committee. These amendments were unanimously voted and approved by the board. The committee heads also presented their annual reports. It was then followed by nominations of Honorary and Associate members. Nominated associate members are currently under review and for approval by the board and will be announced at a later date.

    The organization also held its election of officers. The following are UPAA-MB Inc.’s new set of Board of directors:

    Chairperson – Anna Juangco-Maniquiz
    Secretary – Tintin Acab-David
    Treasurer – Danjae Medina
    Membership – Bless Ramos
    Social Responsibility – Divine Teodoro
    Fundraising – Pong Maniquiz
    Information & Communications – Nikki Mailom

    The incumbents will be working and training with the previous board during their transition period. They will be taking office starting in January 2013.

  • Running to Celebrate Life

    Running to Celebrate Life

    Fellow iskolars within the organization have been active participants of the Manitoba Marathon for the past couple of summers. This year, UPAA-MB members have gathered and organized ISKO-RUN (an amalgamation of Iskolar and Run and a moniker for keeping the score), which is a running clinic to prepare UPAA-MB members and families for the upcoming Manitoba Marathon this June. The marathon is participated by around 14,000 runners of varying ages, all come together to celebrate life, fitness and family ties.

    Norman Garcia, UPAA-MB’s resident fitness trainer, shares with us his motivation in starting this clinic as well as sharing his advice on how to stay fit, whether you’re a marathon participant or not.

    What is ISKO-RUN and what are the motives behind it?
    ISKO-RUN was established in pursuit of UPAA-MB’s mission to harness the potential of its members and to this end, the Membership Committee aims to prepare interested UPAA-MB members who will be joining this year’s Manitoba Marathon. This is not exclusive to the members though, as their friends and family are also welcome. This is also not just about preparing oneself to run the marathon, but also for those who simply want to get fit or lose weight through running.

    The idea here is to introduce natural running form and techniques to maximize health benefits, to improve physical performance and to reduce the risk of injuries. ISKO-RUN is not just about running—it also includes discussions on nutrition, visualization, strength and cross-training.

    Please describe a usual ISKO-RUN session to us.
    Each ISKO-RUN lasts about 90 minutes, broken down as follows:
    15mins – review of natural running form
    15mins – light jog, warm-up, calisthenics
    45mins – running
    15mins – speed work drills
    15mins – cool-down and stretching
    15mins – discussion on nutrition, strength training, others

    We’ve heard that this training clinic is intense. How do you keep yourself and your “trainees” concentrated and motivated?
    Every session, participants are progressively taking on challenges to slowly build-up their strength and endurance. As the trainer, I encourage each participant to run at the pace that is comfortable to them. I also emphasize that they are not racing against the other participants; rather it’s all about conquering one’s own limit. I think running is a great way to see what you are capable off. Each hurdle, no matter how big it is, can be overcome with proper preparation and visualization. Every time one overcomes a challenge, he or she becomes a better person physically, mentally and emotionally. These changes also bring positive influence to his or her personal and professional life. Running is a spiritual activity as it allows you to discover yourself better.

    I try to keep each ISKO-RUN session fun and interesting by not acting like a drill sergeant. Instead, I work as a running buddy who has also started running at the same level as they have started.


    To anyone who is interested in keeping fit, or joining the MB Marathon, what are your tips/advice?

    – Visualize! Visualize the end in mind. Imagine the following: You’re just a few meters away from the finish line where your family and friends are cheering for you. You’re wearing your favourite clothes. Your health indicators (blood pressure, sugar level, cholesterol level, etc.) make your doctor smile.

    – Be patient. There are no shortcuts. Progressively take on challenges. If you find a drill difficult, regress and slowly build up. Don’t be pressured by what the other runners are doing, everybody started as a beginner.
    – Make sure to warm-up before running and to stretch after running.

    – Run only after 1.5 to 2 hours after a light snack or 2-3 hours after a big meal. Do not run later than 4 hours after a meal as you have less energy. Also eat high protein food within 45 minutes after each workout.
    – Take care of yourself! Invest on a good pair of running shoes and make it a habit to put on sunblock even if it’s cloudy as UV Rays penetrate through clouds.

    – Carry a sports bottle and hydrate yourself regularly; take a sip even if you’re not thirsty; when you are thirsty that’s an indication that you’re already dehydrated.

    – Find running buddies to make running fun, safe and motivating.

    – Be mindful of the surroundings. Appreciate the beauty of the environment especially the trees, flowers, clouds, route, people, etc. Treat each run as “me time” and time to commune with God and nature.

    – After each run, say a brief prayer to our Lord, thank Him for giving you the opportunity to run that day and promise to be a better person after each running session.

    ##########
    Photos by Jeffrey David

  • UPAA-MB organizes Career Gateway Program For Visible Minorities Information Session

    UPAA-MB organizes Career Gateway Program For Visible Minorities Information Session

    UPAA-Members attended a Career Gateway Program for Visible Minorities information session last March 10, 2012 at the UFCW Training Centre. The seminar was held in order to provide information to members who are interested in working for the provincial government.

    The information session was delivered by Ms. Sam Grande of the Civil Service Commission. Prior to the talk, Ms. Grande introduced herself as a fellow UP alumni, having obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UP Diliman and UP Baguio respectively.

    Within the 2-hour seminar Ms. Grande provided information on the provincial government’s structure, its recruitment and selection process, as well as methods on how to tailor one’s resume when applying for a position. Emphasis was given on the Employment Equity program and how it ties up with the Career Gateway Program.

    For more information please visit the Civil Service Commission website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/csc/equity/cgpvm.html

  • UPAA-MB Makes Another Score in “Love Strike”

    UPAA-MB Makes Another Score in “Love Strike”

    UPAA-MB members with their families and friends pose after the bowling games

    The cold weather did not stop the UPAA-MB from having a successful “Love Strike” bowling event in the afternoon of February 11, 2012 at St. John Cantius Bowling Lanes. The attendees heated up the lanes with two games that both required teamwork, strength, and proper execution of strategies.

     

    Members of UPAA-MB, along with their family and friends, were divided into six groups for the activities. The first game was the Bingo Bowling in which all groups struggled to get all the required scores to be able to mark all the boxes on the Bingo sheet. After all the cheers, screams, and much anticipation, the Team 1 finished first and won the Bingo Bowling game. Team 1 was composed of Dennis Flores, Darren Gonzales, Beth Quijano, Aaron E, Grace Francisco, and Jackie Flores.

     

    They later moved on to the second game, the Funky Bowling, which had added twist of scoring while bowling in ten different ways. Among these ways were using the right and then the left hand for bowling, bowling backwards, bowling while sitting, bowling while hopping, and rolling the ball through split legs of all team members formed as a tunnel. This time the all-boys Team 6 won and they were Edwin Yazon, Jerome Javier, Nelson M. , Danjae Medina, and Marjiam Santos. Also, the highest scorer per group were declared winners. They were Grace Francisco from Team 1, Oliver Francisco from Team 2, Arwyn Chua from Team 3, Vanessa Jusi from Team 4, Jean M. from Team 5, and Danjae Medina from Team 6.
    Team #2 during the second round of the games — "Funky Bowling". Photo by Pong Maniquiz.

     

    The great time everyone shared while playing and cheering for friends and family members can never be matched. The day was ended with announcements of future events, activities, and, lastly, of the completed process for incorporating UPAA-MB as a non-profit organization. As this was the first social event in 2012, UPAA looks forward to more future gatherings and more participation from members, their families, and from the community. Way to go UPAA-MB!