THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION - NEVADA (UPAAN)
by Isidro (Sid) Dela Cruz, UPAAN Past President, Historian, Director & Registered Agent (RA); last updated on 8/4/2019
HISTORY
The genesis of the UP Alumni Association – Nevada, hereinafter referred to as UPAAN, was evolutionary in nature, starting with the various preliminary formation meetings that took place in the 1990s. It was initially formed as University of the Philippines Alumni Association in America – Nevada Chapter on June 16, 1995 by Art Javier together with Ronaldo Madarang, Abraham Velasco, and Alexander Lopez.
The movement gained momentum and official national recognition when it elected on April 21, 1999 its first set of officers with Will Vicuna, president, Abe Velasco, 1st vice-president, Ed Cruz, 2nd vice-president, Lilia Castaneda, secretary, Art Javier, auditor, and co-hosted with the UP Alumni Association of Los Angeles, the 10th Grand Assembly and Reunion of UP Alumni Association in America (UPAAA) on October 15-17, 1999 at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2003, in our desire to elevate to the next level our goals to put more emphasis on charitable, educational and public service, the name was changed to UP Alumni Association - Nevada and the Constitution and Bylaws (CBL) were amended and reinstated through the effort of Benlor Rivera (then vice-president) and Pat Barber/Isidro Dela Cruz (then president) to conform with the Nevada Revised Statutes on Nonprofit Corporations and the Internal Revenue Code Section 501-C-(3). Our application for a non-profit status was approved by the IRS on Nov. 5, 2003 with Tax ID # 753046980, and thus, the UP Alumni Association – Nevada, formed under the Laws of the State of Nevada, a 501-C-(3), was born.
On Aug. 3, 2019, the CBL was amended to reflect the many changes that occurred in the Association through the years. For example, the definition of “alumni” and categories of membership were redefined to follow the ones used by the UP Alumni Association in the Philippines. Also, the governing body, its power and duties, and conduct of operation were updated to reflect current best practices. Also incorporated was the role of technology, the Internet, net meetings, text messaging, etc. in managing the Association’s affairs. The Association’s objectives were also realigned to be in sync with the objectives of the UP Alumni Association in America.
OBJECTIVES
The Association’s objectives outlined in the amended CBL are to:
1) provide help and resources to the University of the Philippines in support of its mission as a premier academic institution
2) provide leadership in fostering a bond of unity, fellowship and collaboration among alumni and organizations to achieve common goals
3) promote the development and advancement of intellectual, cultural, social and civic projects that benefit the University of the Philippines and the community at large in general, and
4) generate funds to support its charitable, educational and cultural activities under Internal Revenue Service guidelines on tax exempt organization.
MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE LAS VEGAS COMMUNITY
The Consular Outreach Program was a regular activity of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles to bring its various services closer to its constituents residing in areas within its jurisdiction. Hosting the Consulate’s outreach program in Las Vegas was the most important contribution of UPAAN to the local community. Hosting entails funding, arranging and providing a venue, a staff of volunteers, publicity, marketing, coordination, logistics and all other activities necessary to make the event a success. By sponsoring these consular outreaches, UPAAN was able to help thousands of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in Nevada and the surrounding States renew, replace, amend and/or extend their Philippine passports, secure dual citizenships, register births and marriages, legalize documents, secure travel documents, and register overseas absentee voters. Specifically, UPAAN hosted and in some situations co-hosted with other organizations the consular outreach events enumerated below. An average of 100 dual citizenships, 300 passport services, 200 overseas absentee voting registrations, and 100 civil registries and document legalizations are performed per event.
- Feb. 14-15, 2009 -- at Masonic Memorial Temple, 2200 West Mesquite Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106, co-hosted with FAHF-NV.
- May 23-24, 2009 -- co-hosted with FAHF-NV at Seafood City.
- Aug. 22-23, 2009 -- at Masonic Memorial Temple, 2200 West Mesquite Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106.
- October 10-11, 2009 -- co-hosted with FAHF-NV (Fil-Am Heritage Foundation-Nevada) at Seafood City.
- June 19-20, 2010 -- at Bugsy's, 6145 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89146, co-hosted with FAHF-NV.
- October 4-5, 2010 -- at Seafood City, 3890 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119, hosted by NaFFAA-NV (National Federation of Fil-Am Associations-Nevada) and assisted by UPAAN volunteers.
- Feb. 18-19, 2011 – at Quick Tax Refund Office, Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, NV.
- Oct. 8-10, 2011-- at Salo-Salo Grill & Restaurant, 3650 Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89103.
- May 26-27, 2012 – at the Boulevard Mall Promenade, Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV.
