by Bud Omar, PHI '08B

Following last year’s outrageous birthday bash, some of the fraternity’s February celebrants – Brods Nestor Pareja Φ63, JoeGon Gonzales Φ69, Edwin Reyes Φ80, Toby Abaya Φ81, Gap Legaspi Φ83, and Iggy Agbayani Φ86 – yet again treated the brods to a ‘riot’ held at Pacio’s Bar in Quezon City; and a ‘riot’ it is very deservedly called.

The bar owned by host Brod Jonas del Rosario Φ86 was jampacked with around 70 brods; among them, 43 alumni. It is a testament to the enduring brotherhood of the PHI that brods many generations apart, fathers and sons even (as in Gene Φ72 and Ryan Torres Φ06, and Benny Φ50 and Iggy Agbayani Φ86), could come together for a night of warm and genuine camaraderie. It was surreal to see luminaries of Philippine medicine in the like of Benny Agbayani (the Father of Philippine Allergology and Immunology) delight in casual conversation with young freshmen over bottles of beer – but such is the distinct characteristic of PHI brotherhood – a brother is a brother, no matter the gaps in stature and generation.

The night also marked the formal election of the new Phi Kappa Mu Alumni Association president. Outgoing president Brod Chuck Chua Chiaco Φ72A turned over the presidency to Brod Jonas, the lone nominee for president unanimously voted by all Philippine alumni present at the gathering.