Distinguished Alumni | upaatoronto

ALUMNI AWARDEES

2017 AWARDEES

AGNES MANASAN

B.S. Social Work, 1975

In Canada, Agnes has helped hundreds of live-in caregivers and permanent residents of Filipino descent by providing them needed information and referral to vital services in the community that facilitated their adjustment and integration to Canadian society.
With her social work and counselling experience she provided free counselling to individuals and families who are going through personal and family issues such as domestic violence, divorce and separation, suicidal ideation, depression and many others.
Agnes received a medal and a certificate of Recognition as a nominee for the Character Community Innovator at the 11th Annual York Region Character Community Awards on April 26, 2017 in Richmond Hill. Board in 2013.
Currently a member of the Board of directors of Gawad Kalinga Canada. She helped raise funds to provide housing in GK Villages. She also facilitated GK Canada’s support for the GK Villages in her province of Negros Occidental by sending them refurbished computers, toys and books, etc.

Patrick Alcedo has had several accomplishments in his career within the Arts. A majority of his projects revolve around the globalization, gendering, and folklorization of religion.
One of his very recent achievements include the successful showing of “Luzviminda” which celebrated the presence of Filipinos as the fastest growing immigrant community in Canada and one of the largest visible minorities in Toronto through a historic collaboration among Philippine dance companies, independent artists and dance researchers in Toronto.
He was named Pinoy of the Year by the Golden Balangay Awards for his outstanding achievements as a Filipino Canadian.
Patrick also directed “A Piece of Paradise” which was selected to be shown during the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival this November 2017. The documentary film is a tribute to our countless foreign domestic workers.
Aside from this, Patrick is a recipient of so many awards and research grants for the past decade.

PATRICK ALCEDO

B.A. English: Language, 1992

PAULINA CORPUZ

B.A. Psychology, 1985

Paulina Corpuz’s work center on awareness raising, education and engagement among the youth and workers in Ontario.
She founded and led the Philippine Advancement through Arts and Culture (PATAC) in 2007, an organization providing opportunity to Filipino Canadian children and youth to learn about their culture.
Through PATAC, Paulina was able to open doors and access to places and organizations and promote Philippine culture, heritage and issues.
Her work with PATAC gained her a recognition as one of Outstanding Volunteers for two years by the Support, Enhance, Access Service (SEAS), a Chinese based community services agency. Her work here helped raise awareness about the Filipinos and its heritage.
Organized the first Filipino Workers Network conference in Toronto. She also organized training to develop skills of workers to enable them to become leaders.
Paulina started the initiative of collecting signatures to make June as the heritage month for Filipinos.

Daisy Bernabe has been continuously rendering her services to the UPAAT since her better half became the President in 2001.
For Daisy, “UPAAT itself provides the on-going support and encouragement for us to be effectively involved as alumni volunteers in the many worthwhile activities and projects of the association. It is up to us, as members, to take the initiative, commit to participate at every opportunity and assume a meaningful role in the association’s affairs”.
Daisy would always have the most number of tickets sold, sponsorships or solicited raffle prizes during alumni homecoming or fund-raising events resulting to a significant contribution to the proceeds enabling UPAAT to increase its financial assistance to scholars.
Daisy has always been an active member of the Membership Committee giving meaningful advices to membership recruitment. She is always part of the call brigade encouraging members to attend UPAAT events.

DAISY BERNABE

Masters in Public Administration, 1969

TERRY CHUA

B.S. Hotel & Restaurant Administration, 1982

Terry Chua has been supporting different UPAAT Councils and Presidents. She has started the Iron Chef Barbecue Contest Summer Picnic for UPAAT in 2010 and sustained the activity for 4 consecutive years. She invited contestants for the barbeque contest and arranged all the additional food to be served during the event. In 2010, she invited past Presidents and the Consul General during that time to participate. In 2011, she invited other UPAAT members; in 2012, the children of UPAAT members and in 2013, the battle of champions was held. This activity has drawn UPAAT old and new members to attend Kapihan. It also demonstrated the cooking talents of UPAAT members as well as promoted camaraderie among them.
Terry also spearheaded the solicitation of donations for the PCUAA summerfest for the past 5-6 years or so. She spearheaded the food brigade that fed hundreds of UPAAT members attending the sportsfest.

In her capacity as UPAAT treasurer, Gena established financial transparency within UPAAT through the production of formal financial statements and annual reports during the annual general assemblies. This benefitted the whole UPAAT membership (over 300 members) every year from 2007 to 2011. She has also served as liaison with the
University of the Philippines, particularly in matters pertaining to endowment funds, which allowed UPAAT to support UP faculties and student from 2007 to 2011.
Gena designed the semi-automated membership registration process that UPAAT is still using today. She is also a key contributor in many of the Council’s strategic decisions, including fund-raising initiatives.
Gena exhibited her leadership skills during the Career Mentoring and Career Development program of the association. She led some of the "role playing" activities on the interview sessions coaching new immigrants and other professionals on what to expect from an interview and how to handle interview sessions.
She is also currently serving as member of the Committee on Elections.

GENA BALDIVA

B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1999