USPAA Leadership
Yari Miralao '88
Yari joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1988 and graduated with a BS in Business Economics from the UP School of Economics in 1991. Yari obtained his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1998.\n\n Yari has over 25 years of international energy experience leading various M&A transactions, green field development projects and commercial functions. He is currently president of Batangas Clean Energy, Inc., a joint venture between the Ayala Corporation and US private-equity firm Blackstone, Inc. which is currently developing the next generation of combined-cycle gas turbine power plants for the Philippines. Prior to Batangas Clean Energy, Yari was the Managing Director for Business Development at the AES Corporation where he led the execution of business development strategy in Asia with specific focus on conventional, renewable and battery energy storage projects in India, the Philippines, and Vietnam Yari also served as Vice President for Business Development at Aboitiz Power Corporation, a Philippine power company with various generation and distribution utility assets. At Aboitiz, Yari was responsible for the company's international expansion strategy with a focus on geothermal projects in Indonesia. Yari is the son of Lee '65 and Jean Miralao '65 and brother of Sasa '98. He was a fellow custodian during his resident years and president of the USPNA Mid-Atlantic Chapter, formerly the Southeast Chapter, as an alumnus. As the current President of the USPAA for the 2023-2025 term, Yari is working with the Executive Committee and the Board in helping provide strategic direction to the USPAA and delivering value to the constituents it serves.
Roel Castro '84
Roel Castro '84 is the USPAA's chairman of the Board of Trustees for 2023- 2025. He is a business executive with over twenty-five years of leadership experience. Before joining MORE Power as President and Chief Executive Officer, Roel had been at the helm of over nine companies - Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corporation, Palm Concepcion Power Corporation, A Brown Co., Inc. and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to name a few. Roel serves on the board of the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation, Philippine Red Cross, UP Visayas Foundation and the UP Alumni Association among others. Roel is a firm yet compassionate leader and his signature leadership style of passionate service has led him to be recognized twice as one of Asia's leading CEOs. Roel earned a Master's Degree in Management at the Asian Institute of Management. He also completed an advanced Senior Executive Management Program at the IESE Business School of the University of Navarra in Spain and the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). He received his bachelor's degree in Agribusiness from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
Joselito Tapay '75
More known as JET to business colleagues and Tolits to family, Lito is a graduate of UPLB with a degree in BS Agriculture major in Animal Science and presently resides in Lipa City, Batangas. He has been in service to the animal industry through his feed milling company, Jetbest Animal Nutrition and Health Care, Inc for over 40 years with various products for poultry and livestock, swine, fish and dog. His business ventures have expanded to real estate, hospitality, food & beverage and microfinance. Lito loves to travel and lives an active lifestyle with golf as his favorite sport; he has been an active member of the Upsilonians na Pumapalo for many years. Lito has served as president of the Rotary Club of Lipa and was a past national executive vice president of the Jaycees International. He served as chairman of the board of the Upsilon Sigma Phi Los Banos Alumni Association.
Bill Romero '76
Bill is a practicing Cosmetic Physician on Long Island New York. He was the President of the UPSNA from 2016 to 2020. For the USPNA, he is the Chair of the Permanent Endowment Fund Committee and the Medical Assistance Committee. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the USPAA from 2021-2023 under the Presidency of Ed Sunico '86 and Chairmanship of Martin Romualdez '85. He is again a member of the current Board of Trustees of the USPAA. He is one of the architects of the Upsilon Medical Assistance Program (UMAP) and continues to work with the UMAP Committee. He was a Tanglaw Awardee for Leadership of the USPNA in 2020 and a UNO Awardee of the USPAA in 2021.
Ken Sarmiento '82
Ken is in the private practice of law with Kiko Pangilinan '81 and Boboy Ringler '81. His practice areas include corporate, commercial, international trade, foreign investments, real estate, succession, tax, immigration, intellectual property, securities law, and government contracts. As USPAA trustee, he heads the Legal Committee and is a member of the Leadership Institute Oversight Committee. His focus will be on providing legal advice, counsel and service to the residents and alumni, as needed, compliance with mandatory government registrations, filing of periodic reportorial requirements, contract review, protection of intellectual property, grievance and dispute resolution.
Ricky Rionda '83
Ricky is a finance and management consultant with concentration in Project Management, Financial Systems Development, Corporate Accounting, SEC Reporting and Regulatory Compliance, Employee Benefit Plans and Real Estate Finance. He founded RLR Consulting LLC in 1999 in Washington D.C. and his clients include small to medium size businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Ricky has consulted with ST Engineering, Hilton Global, CSC Corporation, Washington Gas, Nextel Corporation, Long & Foster, Promontory Financial Group, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority and First Savings Mortgage Corporation among others. He most recently served as controller for CYREN Inc.. Ricky is currently a senior consultant with the Capital Search Group, providing accounting and finance services to multinational publicly-traded corporations and early-stage venture capital funded companies. Ricky studied political science in UP Diliman and was a reporter for the Philippine Daily Mirror and the Manila Times in his early career. He is the vice president of the USPNA for 2022-2024. He has been serving the USPNA Board for many years and was president of the Southeast Chapter in 2000-2002. He also chaired the "Aksyon sa Washington" international reunion in 2000. He serves in the IT and Communications committee and is the editor in chief of the Upsilon Sun. Ricky migrated to the United States in 1986 and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Marilyn. He has two sons, Nathan 27 and Matthew 18. He is a second-generation Upsilonian, the son of Roger '58.
Dindo Sanchez '84
Dindo joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1984 and graduated with a BS degree in Agriculture, majoring in Horticulture from the UP College of Agriculture and Food Science, UPLB in 1987. He received his MS in Environmental Science from the UP School of Environmental Science and Management in 1994. He earned his doctorate in Landscape in 1998 from the Tokyo University of Agriculture as a Japanese Monbusho Scholar. Dindo is a professor of Landscape Horticulture at U.P. Los Baños and has been a senior faculty member of the College of Agriculture and Food Science for more than 34 years. He served as its ninth Chancellor from 2014-2020. Prior to being elected UPLB's chief academic and executive officer, Dindo was the Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development from 2011 to 2014. His involvement in the university's planning and development date as far back as 2005 when he was appointed Assistant to the then Vice-Chancellor. He was also a member of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization- Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO - SEARCA) Governing Board from 2014 to 2020, serving three years as its chairperson and 10 months as the interim director. Dindo was the Most Illustrious Fellow for 1991-1992. During his stint as MIF, he successfully launched the UPLB-USP Campus Map Project. As a member of the current Board of Trustees, he has been tasked to develop a formal leadership curriculum for the USPAA Leadership Institute.
Alan Austriaco '86
Alan is an Ophthalmologist currently practicing in Manila and Cavite. At present, he is the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology of three major hospitals in the province of Cavite. He is also an active consultant in both the Asian Hospital & Medical Center and The Medical City. A holdover from the previous USPAA Board, Alan continues to head the Medical Triage Team of the Upsilon Medical Assistance Program (UMAP). He has set up a formidable group of Upsilonian doctors from different specialties who are tasked to take calls from Upsilonians in need of medical support. Since the UMAP's inception in June 2021, the Triage Team has assisted more than 400 Upsilonians, their families, friends and our Sigma Deltan sisters. Aside from his work with the Triage Team, Alan is also a member of the Financial Needs Advisory Team of the UMAP: the group that looks into requests for financial assistance for the medical needs of Upsilonians. To date, the UMAP has disbursed close to P1,000,000 to brods in need. Alan is currently the batch leader and a proud member of Batch '86.
Theo Panga '86
Theo Panga '86, known in PEZA and industry circles by the initials T.O.P., was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the first home-grown PEZA Director General on 23 March 2023. Theo started as a Planning Officer 3 in 1998 and worked his way up to become the Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning in 2010, a position he held until his appointment as Director General. Throughout his career in PEZA, Theo was responsible for policy and planning, ecozone development, digital transformation, special projects and programs, and other eco-industrial initiatives. Theo earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Literature from UP Diliman in 1991 and his Master's degree in Industrial Relations from the same university in 2000. He also completed an Executive Course on Urban, Industrial, and Environmental Management at the National University of Singapore in 2009. Theo is a 2015 Top 10 national finalist at the annual Presidential Gawad Career Executive Service Awards for best performing career government officials as administered by the Career Executive Service Board. He won the 2020 Best Policy Foresight Paper in the Executive Course on Leadership, Innovation, Communication, and Knowledge Management (CLICK) for third-level government officials as administered by the Development Academy of the Philippines. Recently, he has been recognized as a Heroes' Outstanding Leader in Economic Development by Asia's Modern Hero Awards Council in 2023.
Czarevich Parra '89
Charvy, as he is fondly called, has over 20 years of experience as a Physical Therapist. At the moment, he practices privately and specializes in treating Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)/stroke patients, musculoskeletal injuries and its rehabilitation and in geriatric care. Charvy is the preferred Physical Therapist of most of our brods, sisters, their friends and families. Charvy '89 studied civil engineering in U.P. Diliman and decided to shift to the medical field and graduated cum laude and class valedictorian with a BS in Physical Therapy at UERM in 2002. As a resident fellow, he was one of the chief organizers of the indignation rally for Cochise Bernabe 81 in 1990. He also headed the "Balik Basement Program" for Upsilonians in 1990 and the overall head of the Upsilon Month in November 1991. Charvy also served in the fellowship council as fellow orator in 1991. Charvy is also over-all head of the SPREADLIGHT program, a noble initiative that brings our tradition of fellowship to Upsilonians who are unable to take part in our gatherings due to sickness or age. He has been helping lead this program since 2017. Charvy is the father of Margelo 2022 who is an IntarMed freshman. As Trustee, Charvy is the head of the Membership Committee and also co-heads the Fellowship Committee.
Jojo Santiago '89
Jojo joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1989 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accountancy (BAA), a double-degree major, from the UP-Business Administration College - Diliman in 1991. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Fondly called "Jojosan" in the banking industry, he spent more than 25 years managing the financial reporting, local regulatory, management information, statutory requirements, legal management, controllership and taxation of two global banks - Citibank and Deutsche Bank, covering 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region. He joined an accounting firm after his retirement in 2021. Jojosan recently joined the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) as Vice-President for Frontline Technical Services under the Office of the President and General Manager. Jojosan is the father of Robert Gabriel 2015 and Robert Uriel 2020 and uncle to Gerard 2011 and Miggy 2015, sons of brother-in-law Gerry Sirios '89. Jojosan serves as Treasurer of the USPAA and is a member of the Executive Committee. He heads the Finance Committee which aims to safeguard the USPAA's assets and capital by providing transparency, accountability and completeness of all information and data related to the financials of the fraternity.
Gari 'GT' Tiongco II '91
GT is the son of Upsilonian Gari '62 and Sigma Deltan Gladys '67. He is the brother of Gene '20. GT joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1991 and graduated with a BA in Communication from the UP College of Mass Communications in 1994. GT also graduated with a master's in business administration from Boston University in 1999. GT manages a construction company which specializes in medium rise buildings and horizontal developments like medium cost housing. He has projects in Manila and Iloilo. GT is also involved in various real estate developments like housing, dormitories, and cemeteries. He is currently the VP of the current USPAA board and was the chairman of the recently concluded Upsilon Congress 2023.
Deo Custodio '91
Deo is currently an Assistant Vice President for ACEN Corporation and a partner of Lopez Custodio Munoz & Castro Law Office. From 2010 to 2016, he served as the first Chairman and Administrator of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan where he helped multinational and local companies establish diverse businesses that generated thousands of jobs. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to elected officials both in the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives. Earlier on, Deo worked as an Associate Attorney at Puyat Jacinto & Santos Law Office. Deo holds an MBA from INSEAD. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics from the UP School of Economics as an Oblation Scholar in 1991. He earned his bachelor of laws degree from the UP College of Law in _. While a law student, he served as the Illustrious Fellow of the Upsilon Sigma Phi from 1997 to 1998. Deo married his college girlfriend and former fraternity sweetheart, Mayda Castillo, and they have been blessed with four children: Sofia, Emilio, Santi and Andres.
Dominic Afuang '95
Dominic Afuang is a successful business leader and an accomplished alumnus of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He completed his BS Business Administration degree in 1998 and his Masters of Business Administration degree in 2003. As a Sanwa Bank scholar, he ranked 5th in his UP MBA class of 2003. Currently, Dominic serves as the Head of Supply Chain for North and East Asia and General Manager of Orica Philippines Inc. He is also a board director of Nitro Asia Company Inc. and Orica Nitrates Philippines Inc. His vast experience in supply chain management has earned him a reputation as an expert in the field. In addition to his professional achievements, Dominic has also served as a Trustee for two terms for the Philippine Institute of Supply Management. His contributions to the organization helped shape the industry and set the standard for supply chain management in the Philippines. Dominic serves in the Finance committee and the Branding committee.
Glenn Panganiban '97
Glenn is a licensed agriculturist and deputized plant quarantine officer with advanced training on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, risk management, and experienced in both local and international phytosanitary standards formulation and enforcement. Glenn is currently championing food security through urban and peri-urban agriculture. Glenn established a professional network of academics, bureaucrats, private sector and public sector managers and government leaders. His broad experience in agriculture and background in management enabled him to develop an innovative perspective toward sustainable agricultural development. Glenn managed and participated in numerous local and international cooperation and capacity-building activities for plant health under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Glenn's research interests include good governance (e.g., bureaucratic quality, anti-corruption, regulatory quality), E-government, globalization, regional development, performance management, local governance and collaborative networks. Glenn is in charge of the maintenance and upkeep of the Upsilon flagship projects - the Promenade and the Kapi-Kapit installation as well as the national marker. He is a member of the IT and Communications team.
Jeff Coronel '01
Jeff was born, raised and is currently based in Davao City. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in Mindanao with a degree in Economics, Major in Natural Resource Economics. Jeff obtained his Juris Doctor from the Ateneo de Davao University in 2007 and passed the bar in 2007. He took his Masters of Law at San Beda College in 2015. He is the Managing Partner of the Law Firm of Villarica, Coronel, Pojas & Caharian. He has been teaching in various law schools in Davao City for more than a decade and advocates for the environment. He takes greater pride in being a dutiful husband and a father to Ethan and Elisha. Jeff previously served in the USPAA Board from 2021-2023. He is a reservist with the Judge Advocate General Service with a rank of major and national president of the SSEAYP International Philippines. He is also the senior warden of the Davao Masonic Lodge No. 149. Jeff is a member of the executive committee as the Board's corporate secretary.
Jeremiah Tomas '16
Je joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 2016 and graduated with a BS in Business Economics from the UP School of Economics in 2020. Je's role has primarily revolved around business development, be it for their family business, or in the consultancy work he does. He also has interest in the areas of politics, finance and international relations. Je is the first among his family to become an Upsilonian. He served in the Fellowship Council as Senior Noble Fellow and Custodian during his resident years. Je heads the Alumni and Resident Affairs Committee which will work with the Branding Committee in helping reimagine and reinvent the brand of the fraternity from within and without.
Bong Uichanco '81
Bong is an IT, telecommunications and BPO professional and a recognized leader in these industries. He is an engineer by profession and finished his BS in electrical engineering, cum laude in UP Diliman in 1985. He obtained his master's in computer science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill as a Fulbright scholar in 1988. Bong's extensive management experience in the IT and telecommunications industries include tenures as vice-president of Software Ventures and vice-president of the Bank of the Philippine Islands. He served as Asia marketing manager for Hughes Network Systems and marketing manager for Interwave. In the BPO industry, he served as Director for Etelcare and Convergys. Bong was a member of the Board of Directors of the USPAA from 2019-2021 and also served as its Treasurer from 2021-2023. Bong continues to assist the USPAA by volunteering his services to the Membership Committee and ensuring that our departed brothers are accorded the fraternity's solemn final rites.
Cai Monteser '17
Cai is the Board's executive director, a newly created position that supports all the standing committees and will help supervise the day to day operations of the Leadership Institute. Cai is a senior at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños majoring in development communications. He was a former Illustrious Fellow. Cai has been instrumental in helping drive the current Board's visibility through press releases and announcements using the fraternity's various social media platforms. He is the Associate Editor and Content Manager of the Upsilon Sun and maintains the Board's calendar.
Rennard Marquez '17
Rennard Marquez '17 is an IT consultant working on projects related to Blockchain and AI. As a student at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, he was involved in various extracurricular activities, including serving on the student council. He later decided to pursue a career in software development. He is the owner of Neorevel, a Web Development and Design studio that specializes in creating solutions and marketing strategies for various businesses.
Ex-Officio Members
Ramon Allado '73
Peter Suchianco '83
Martin Romualdez '85
