Opening Remarks
C. Y. Buktaw
President, AAAMWDC

My fellow Ateneans and friends, on behalf of the Board and officers, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you tonight to our much-awaited gathering of Ateneans in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area. We promise to make your evening a truly enjoyable one – a night you will remember.

We are all gathered tonight to celebrate LIFE, to celebrate our friendships, to celebrate our oneness as Ateneans and more importantly to celebrate our blessings.

As we have been blessed, we are called upon to share these blessings, one such opportunity is our continued support and commitment to the Ateneo Scholarship Fund and the Gawad Kalinga Ateneo Project. As we participate in the fulfillment of the goals and dreams of these organizations, we live-out our Ignatian orientation of being “a man for others.” It is through these involvements that we become one in spirit with our beneficiaries, our fellow countrymen who may not be as fortunate.

Let me just briefly expound on the scholarship program that we have chosen to support. This program provides endowments and scholarships for young and aspiring students pursuing an Atenean education who come from less financially-endowed public schools in the Philippines.

The Gawad Kalinga project, as you may all know, provides housing for the poorest of the poor in our country. We are very proud and pleased to report that in January of this year, our association made a $12,000 donation to this project; thanks to the generous contributions of our donors. As this is an on-going project, proceeds from this evening’s affair will go the Gawad Kalinga Fund.

We, the new officers of the Association, are honored by the confidence and trust reposed on us. It is with the same passion and dedication that we commit to serve the Association to the best of our abilities. We shall rise to the challenge to keep up the good works of our predecessors and pledge to uphold the good standing we now enjoy.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers and committees whose tireless efforts, dedication and hard work have made this evening possible. I would like to particularly honor and thank the outgoing officers, Jojo Mendoza as President for his contribution to the association, as well as the other incoming officers : Phillip Ty, our VP for Operations; Dennis Soliven, our VP for Alumni Affairs; Bing Gavino, our Treasurer; Buster Olivares, our Secretary; Cristina Sison, our PRO and Biboy Ducut, our Assistant Secretary.

My commendation also to the Ball Committees composed of Zen and Patrick Carague, Meggie Pleyto, Midgie & Juancho Cajayon, Jojo Mendoza, Belit & Ramon Paterno, Mingging Ordoveza, Jun Quion, Olma Inocentes, and Gerry Berdan. Our sincere thanks as well to the sponsors and patrons for their generous donations.

Of course, we extend our appreciation to all of YOU who have taken time from your busy schedules to be with us, as we fellowship and later dance the night away! May our bonding with one another and commitment to our Association deepen even after tonight.

It is in this spirit of unity and service that our theme for tonight, “Gathering of the Eagles: Flying High,” becomes relevant and appropriate.

We will aim high and stand ready to achieve whatever goals we have set for ourselves and those we serve. We will continue to appeal for your active participation to bring it to fruition. Your invaluable support and our unity continue to be our strength. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam! — “For the greater glory of God!”

ONE BIG FIGHT !