This 2023, I had the occasion to be part of two centennial celebrations. It is always good to be part of the celebration of institutions that have proven their mettle for all their 100 years of existence.
My first centenary event was in March 2023, when the accountancy profession, led by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, celebrated its grand centenary celebration in Manila Hotel. I am a Certified Public Accountant and a proud member of the accountancy profession after passing my CPA examinations way back in 1979. The celebration then was extra special when I was among the 100 CPAs awarded the “Accountancy Centenary Award of Excellence” for having proven themselves worthy of honor and emulation.
My second centennial celebration took place on September 23, 2023 in the Britanny Hotel in the Bonifacio Global City. That night, over 180 members of the Pan Xenia Fraternity and its sorority Adelfe Enu Crea, gathered and enjoyed the festivities and bonding moments. Pan Xenia is the Greek translation of “all embracing goodwill,” which aptly pertains to the character of the fraternity.
I am a proud member of Pan Xenia having joined the Fraternity in 1976 when I was taking up my accountancy course at the University of the Philippines Diliman. I had to undergo the “bruising” initiation process to become a member of the fraternity. I was enamored then of being part of a fraternity that adheres to its four Cardinal Virtues of Honesty and Business Ethics: Knowledge, Caution and Courage, Appreciation of human relationships. I also was keen in joining Pan Xenia brods upon invitation (no applications accepted) to be part of the roster of resident brods based in UP and the elite alumni brods who had made their mark in business, academe, politics, government and other segments of society. I will not anymore mention in this article the many names of Pan Xenia brods who have excelled in their chosen endeavors, due to my apprehension of missing names in the enumeration. Morever, this information is readily available on the social network sites of the fraterity.
The centennial celebration that night was fun and memorable. The venue, food and drinks were excellent and flowing and was taken cared of by Brod Manny Villar, former Senate President and acclaimed as the richest Filipino businessman. The raffle prizes were aplenty, including over two million pesos worth of paintings that were provided by Brod Ernie Salas of Gallery Genesis. The entertainment was superb with the UP Singing Ambassadors rendering several song and dance numbers, and our delightful masters of ceremonies entertainer Giselle Sanchez and an unnamed brod regaling the audience with their “medyo bastos” antics. At the close of the celebration by midnight, all brods and sisses went home with a loot bag full of goodies and memorabilia items.
The centennial celebration will not be complete without the formal activities. The Pan Xenia Foundation briefed the brods of the selection of the nine members of the Board of Trustees and new officers who will oversee the activities of the fraternity until 2026. I was appointed as consultant for Financial and Accountability matters. The brods sang fervently the newly minted Pan Xen Hymn created by acclaimed musical artist Rey Paguio and Brod Rec Yabes. The new website of Pan Xenia (https://uppanxenia.net/up/) created by Bron Lemuel Baran was launched. The brods were generous in contributing to the Pan Xenia Fund to finance the many activities of the fraternity. The centennial pictorial exhibit and videos that were shown during the event brought back fond memories of the milestones of Pan Xenia.
It was a remarkable night of camaraderie and bonding of Pan Xenia brods. I am certain of the bright prospects facing Pan Xenia Fraternity moving forward to its next century of all-embracing goodwill.
Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, and Tax partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax and consultancy practice and can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com and his firm JL2T Consultancy.
