ALL INSIGHT
fraternity’s of its members.
In spite of all these unsavory news, there are some fraternities that are doing well and working doubly hard to sustain the old revered image of Greek-letter societies. One of these “few good fraternities” is the UP Epsilon Chi fraternity. Let me reserve today’s column to pay homage to this fraternity.
The UP Epsilon Chi fraternity is celebrating its 55th year founding anniversary through a grand ball this October 5. This occasion is extra
anniversary of its legacy project — the Epsilon Chi Center. The sports and health center, called the EC Center, is just one of a string of legacies that the fraternity has etched not only within
neering, but in the university itself.
The Epsilon Chi Center
The EC Center is a P37-million facility conceived by the Epsilon Chi fraternity on the occasion of their golden jubilee anniversary in 2014. It stands inside the UP Diliman campus, next to the famous UP Bahay ng Alumni.
On Oct. 2, 2015, the Epsilon Chi fraternity and UP entered into an agreement whereby the fraternity undertook to construct the EC Center and upon completion turn it over to the university. UP was represented by its then-President Alfredo Pascual and Vice Chancellor Michael Tan. This covenant marked the start of the construction of the center.
The completed structure is a 1,400-square-meter multipurpose facility. Its centerpiece is a full-sized basketball court that can be converted to host volleyball, badminton and table tennis games. There is a gym with a full complement of exercise equipment in the mez
utilized most of the natural light and ventilation, including supplemental power from solar panels.
Three years later, the EC Center was inaugurated on Oct. 2, 2018. It is, and always will be, a source of pride for the Epsilon Chi fraternity members, who address themselves as Radians.
With the inauguration and subsequent acceptance of UP, the center
time in more than two decades, the UP men’s basketball team gained entry in the Final Four of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, largely because of their practice at the EC Center. Thus, the center equally became a source of pride for the Fighting Maroons and the UP community as well.
The EC Center has drawn even those outside of UP into its court. A friendly tune-up game between Gilas Pilipinas and Lebanon’s national team took place there on Nov. 23, 2018. Practice games between the different teams of the Philippine Basketball Association started in January 2019.
Scholarships and grants
The fraternity established its namesake foundation in 2004 to serve as a medium for raising funds for the UP College of Engineering scholarship programs. The Epsilon Chi
contributions from the fraternity’s funds to its scholars.
From 2005 to 2018, the foundation has awarded more than 130 scholarships to deserving engineering students. The policies and guidelines on admission to the scholarship program placed greater emphasis on the financial needs of the candidates rather than their historic academic records. Why is this so? Well, the presumption is that a student, having passed the rigorous UP College Admission Test, have the same potential as all other UP students to perform well in academics. Of course, this is only a presumption. Thus, higher standards of academic performance (e.g. a 1.5 grade point average) are required for the student to maintain the scholarship.
With a not so sustainable source of scholarship sources at hand, the
Radians’ Cup Golf Tournament in 2006 — with the aim of augmenting the scholarship fund.
Radian’s Cup golf tournament
The Radians’ Cup golf tournament has become an annual event for the fraternity and the foundation. The proceeds from these tournaments
the scholarship program.
The earnings from two successive golf tournaments in the year 2016 and 2017 were diverted to boost the funding for the EC Center legacy project. This year, as in the previous years, the Radians’ Cup golf tournament likewise serves as a venue for various fraternities (residents and alumni) in the university to get together and enjoy each other’s camaraderie.
Looking forward to more
As the fraternity moves towards the next 55 years, more legacy projects are being conceptualized. On top of this list is the E-kot Jeep Project, where the ubiquitous UP jeeps
years of existence. Incumbent Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña leads the bevy
the Epsilon Chi fraternity. Former Energy secretary Francisco Viray ( during the Ramos administration) is also a fraternity member.
Success stories of brother Radians abound in the private sector. This is
Executive Officer of Mega Global Fishing and Canning Corp. William Tiu-Lim. He is a multiawarded entrepreneur, his company providing employment to more than 2,500 locals and exporting its products to 41 countries. There is a long list of achievers from the fraternity, but space constraints prevented me from mentioning each of these successes.
As the fraternity members say, “I have a goal, I have a way. I am a man distinguished. And I stand proud and high among men for I am a Radian.”
True to its creed, the fraternity brothers have been contributing to nation-building, excelling in all
the lives of others and improving the quality of life for the Filipinos.
The Epsilon Chi Fraternity —