The event started with some catching-up, updatings and small talks before lunch was served, courtesy of the school. After some pleasantries, the meeting started with Engr. Macy Cruz, NAMA President, thanking Dr.Vea for the sumptuous meal served and for accommodating the group despite his heavy schedule. She then briefed Dr. Vea about the recently concluded plant visit of the board at the MWSS Filtration Plant and the Manila Water Sewerage Treatment plant in UP. She also added that one of the projects of the board is to conduct professional advancement programs by way of field trips and plant visits and then asked Dr. Vea to encourage MIT students to join them in this activity. The planned trips/visits are as follows: Maynilad Water sewerage treatment plant in Tondo, Manila and the methane power plant in Montalban wherein electricity generated by decomposing garbage is being sold to Meralco.
President Cruz also introduced to Dr. Vea her new set of officers: Max Daquil, 1st VP; Jeci Lapus, 2nd VP; Ming Moreno, secretary; Art Cenal, treasurer; Lemy Roxas, auditor; Mona Lisa Buencamino, PRO; Rod Cannu, Efren Dacanay and Fernan Castillo, directors. Affiliate directors were: Pete Raralio (Architecture); Evelyn Santos (BA); Vida Aurelio (ChE-Chm); Cris Torres (CE-EnSE); Mark Joseph Cabrera (ECE); Bobby Agoncillo (EE); Fernan Castillo (ME); Horacio Ramos (MGM); Mona Lisa Buencamino (HS); Nelson Salazar (Castle & Cardinal); Elias Ang (Fil-Chi); Raquel Teodoro (Home Chapter). Advisers: Dolly Legaspi-Lim, Alfonso Supetran, Larry Guevara, Glecy Estrella, Serge Balolong. Immediate Past President, Rod Silvestre. Official & de-facto photographer, and communications committee member, Robbie Moreno. She introduced as well her guest, Cely Guano, secretary of the newly formed alumni chapter in Australia, Mapua Alumni-Australia (MAA).
President Cruz also informed Dr. Vea the continuation of the programs from the previous administration mainly: a). Gawad Kalinga / chaired by Efren Dacanay. The lot was donated by the municipal government of Montalban, Rizal under Mayor Ping Cuerpo, himself a Mapua CE alumnus. To date, 15 houses had been pledged. b) The continued organization of international chapters with those in Saudi Arabia & Northern California currently in the works. Other programs that would be undertaken are as follows: the MIT foundation day to be held on the 2nd or 3rd week of January 2010, outreach programs at Little Angels and Bukid Kabataan in coordination with FOMI, the oath taking ceremony of the new set of officers on August 29, 2009, and the NAMA homecoming on May 22, 2010. Adviser Dolly Lim and IPP Silvestre also brought up the idea for Mapua to conduct seminars or put-up a satellite Mapua technical school in Dubai where the sons/daughters of Filipino OFW can have their engineering and related studies.
Dr. Vea on the other hand informed and updated the group on the favourable status of Mapua’s application at the American Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This would certainly be a big help specially for Mapua Alumnus who would be working or are planning to work in the United States since their academic subjects and units taken here in our school will be automatically credited in the US. This certainly is a big boost as you won’t have to take anymore related courses in US in order to be accepted and employed in your engineering field. On the lighter side, he also candidly requested for NAMA to morally support the school’s struggling basketball team as most of the stalwarts have already graduated to the big leagues.
Before the meeting ended, IPP Silvestre prodded Dr. Vea to commit one housing unit for the Gawad Kalinga project to which the latter said he would ask the school to favourably consider. However, Dr. Vea though committed to send an army of MIT-National Service Training Program (NSTP) to help in the construction of Gawad Kalinga houses.
NAMA Attendees are as follows:
Macy Cruz - President
Max Daquil - 1st VP
Ming Moreno - Secretary
Art Cenal - Treasurer
Rod Silvestre - IPP
Rod Cannu - Director
Dolly Lim - Adviser
Glecy Estrella - Adviser
Cris Torres - CE-EnSE
Evelyn Santos - BA
Robbie Moreno - Communication Committee Member
Cely Guano - Secretary - NAMA Australia
Rose Cruz - NAMA Secretariat
Mer Ortha - FOMI Secretariat
For complete photo gallery, click here.
