Manitoba Celebrates 2025 Grand Betan Reunion and Fraternity Ball
by Chito Reynoso
The Gala Night of The 2025 Grand Betan Reunion and Fraternity Ball in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada was the culmination of 4 days of warm brotherly celebration and festivities held at the historic and majestic Fort Garry Hotel in Downtown Winnipeg last Aug 31, 2025.
The event was a night of elegant and classic celebration in the historic Canadian city of Winnipeg. The affair was graced by 196 Brods, Sis, Guests and families from all over the North American Beta Sigma AA Federation Chapters, the Philippines and as far away as Australia. On this Gala Night, GP Chito Reynoso 84A of the BSFAA of Manitoba, Inc. (GP 1987-88 and 1988-89 UPLB), led the Manitoba Betans in awarding the Outstanding Betan Award for Service to Brod Dutch Aragones for his 22 years of excellent and sustained administration of the longest running scholarship in Fraternity history, the Big Brother’s Bounty Scholarship Program (BBB). The BBB under Brod Dutch’s steadfast leadership, was responsible for awarding 285 semestral scholarships worth over $95,000.00 USD to deserving resident Brods from 2003 to the present. The BBB was instrumental in the recruitment of about 40 new resident members from 2003 to the present and fostering the Fraternity’s academic excellence goals in the UPLB campus.
Keynote speaker for the event was the Honorable Kevin Lamoureux, Member of Parliament in Canada’s House of Commons and a member of the King’s Privy Council who spoke about the role of organizations and fraternities in nation and character building. The Honorable Malaya Marcelino, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Manitoba and Minister of Labor and Immigration for the Province of Manitoba also delivered a warm friendly Manitoba welcome to all guests and spoke of the immigrant experience in Canada.
The affair was capped by a classic Ballroom Dance presentation performed by the Manitoba Betans together with the Betan wives. Of the 196 guests in attendance, the UP Los Baños contingent alone, Brods and Sisters and partners represented more than 42 guests with the total UP delegates including Los Baños Diliman and Baguio being 52 strong!!! Truly a magical and elegant evening of warm brotherly celebration and camaraderie at the geographical Centre of Canada.
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In & Around Historic Winnipeg
CHEERS MANITOBA BETA SIGMA!!