OFFICERS
President Rey T. Solidum, M.E.
Exec. Vice President Derdle C. Iguban,M.E.
Executive Secretary Triciamarie Blanco Gelito, I.E.
Treasurer Saturnino G. Legaspi, C.E.
Auditor Gavino C. Solidum,M.E.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman Felimar M. Blanco, M.E.
Vice Chairman Den Solidum Sabilano, Ch.E.
Directors Chippy C. Iguban
Eldred T. Iguban, E.E.
Christian Earl C. Iguban, C.E
Brenda Mangilog, Cptr E.
Divino Solidum Sabilano, Cptr.E.
Antonio Solidum Sabilano, Chemist
Ging Tambo-Ong, Chemist
Eddie A. Tamboong, Nautical E.
Audie Ilejay, Geologist
Ponciano Icatar,C.E.
Paolo Villadolid, M.E.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman Ricardo S. Sitjar,S.E.
Vice Chairman George Kimpo Villareal, Acht.
Trustees D.Roy Solidum Jr., C.E.
Ramon Tumbokon, C.E.
Orlando S. Solidum, C.E.
Winston I. Miralles, Ch.E.
Nino Ascano, Ch.E.
Meldad Eslava, Ch.E.
Mafalda P. Salvador, Archt.
Edgar Borbon, E.E.
Valentin Solano., M.E.
Dolores de la Cruz Chaffin, Ch.E.
Melissa Solidum Flores, Cptr E
FELLOWS Alejandro Melchor, C.E.
Gavino Conlu Solidum, C.E.
Ciriaco Tirol, C.E.
Florencio T. Miraflores, I.E.
Estevan S. Madrona,C.E.
|
In the 60's Canada opened its immigration doors to Filipinos. The first wave were people under medical, dental and optical professions. The second wave were people under the engineering profession. The third were those of garment workers, seamstresses and upholsterers. Coming from the States in 1972, D.Roy Solidum Jr., met the second wave of Filipinos, while building Knight Street Bridge, crossing the Fraser River from Vancouver to Richmond. Roy met some Ibayhanons, who were on a labor strike at the Port of Vancouver, looking for work. Roy found out that they were Marine Officers from a Panamanian vessel, who would certainly know electrical works and plumbing. Roy immediately found them jobs at Italian hotels and restaurants as electricians and boiler mechanics. This was the start of the Association of Ibayhanons Engineers. In 1976 the liquor control board of British Columbia allowed Beer Parlors to serve hard drinks, on the condition that an extra washroom and fire escape as will as a physical partitions be made separating beer drinkers from hard drinkers. Sheer coincidence, another group of seamen from a Nicaraguan vessel docked off the harbor, and again complaining of poor labor practices. Taking this opportunity, Roy obtained a contractors license while keeping his job at H. A. Simons as a Project Coordinator, he ventured to the renovations of hotels and motels, using the skill of the Panamanian crew on top of the Nicaraguan Crew. That year was the peak of the Association of Ibayhanon Engineers. In 1977,British Forces invaded Falkland Islands. The Royal Canadian forces asked for Spanish speaking Volunteers to help. The group of Ibayhanons volunteered and passed the language test. Comes evidence to provide Canadian pink slip, no seaman was able to produce one. Canadian Forces waived the requirements and offered them citizenship after basic training and paid them well while on training. War ended in the Falklands without sending the Ibayhanons trained. In the victory parade, the camera were focused on Filipinos marching proudly among the British and Canadian Forces. These Filipinos were attached to the 6th Field Engineers Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers. In their military application, each one wrote Association of Ibayhanon Engineers under Professional Affiliations. A television viewer Don Salvador Araneta was so intrigued, he looked for the Filipinos at 6th Field Squadron Headquarters, convened with them with an offer to keep them employed in the Island of Negros and offered them wages equal to Canadian dollars in Philippine pesos. Ibayhanons declined however, and Don Salvador, to prove his sincerity, offered Roy assistance in his construction venture. With just a guaranty from the Italian Hotel/Motel association that there are contracts to come, Don Salvador basically financed the construction venture. Within two years, Roy was able to pay loan. Don Salvador refused to collect interest. In 1979 recession took place. Roy was repatriated back to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, he left his crew stayed behind to do the finishing touches. Once completed, each man was on his own. The comraderie arising from the construction venture was such that they convened regularly under the banner of the Association of Ibayhanon Engineers. In 1980 Roy obtained California's General Engineering Contractors license. With the help of TNT's (undocumented alien) construction venture prospered. Roy offered them minimum wage, clothing, food, and place to stay at construction sites. Little did Roy know that most of the TNT's were graduate engineers. From 1980 to 1984 influx of Filipino World War II veterans showed up. They were recognized members of USAFFE who fought side by side with the Americans during WWII in Far East. Again Roy offered some of them a place to stay at construction sites. After shift, they would tell war stories to the working men, while the crew relaxes with beer cans in their hands. Some of the construction men were mural artists. And they turned out to be very handy. Once they displayed their war photographs at the U.S. Army Museum at the Presidio of San Francisco in July 1984. The display basically triggered their appeal to become U.S. Citizens. With the engineering talent displayed by the construction men, the idea of continuing the Association of Ibayhanon Engineers again struck in Roys mind. By 1985, U.S. Congress passed a bill granting naturalization to Filipino WWII Veterans. Almost at the same year, illegal residents (the TNTs) were granted amnesty. In 1986, Roys construction found it economically prohibitive to keep his men. He did not discouraged them to look for other engineering jobs elsewhere. The group survived helping each other. They were able to get into job shops. Roy himself returned to engineering consulting by this time, in Senior Bridge Inspector capacity. From 1986 to 1993,the group meets at Aliwan Restaurant tagging along war veterans. Office environments forced them to wear neckties, which made Pinays admire them. Waitresses at Aliwan would often greet, "dressed to kill po kayo . nasaloob na po ang Ibayhanon Engineers " In 1994 both Ric Sitjar and Roy Solidum were honored and awarded Outstanding Ibayhanons. Roy was amazed to see that there were delegates from Vancouver B.C. representing their local Association of Ibayhanon Engineers. Alongside, there were delegates from San Francisco carrying the same banner. In 1995 both Vancouver and San Francisco groups joined the Filipino Association of Architects and Engineers. Ricardo Sitjar, P.E., S.E., the leading exponent of Ibayhanon engineers was elected President of FASAE Ibajay-Aklan Chapter. From FASAE Ibajay-Aklan Chapter, other Ibayhanon associations merged together. Under the leadership of Ric Sitjar, Ibayhanons formed a coalition towards a long due project, the Gateway to Gavino Solidum Park. Architect Cris Balugay did the perspective for the project, - two towers connected by a bridge symbolizing the chosen profession of so many Ibayhanon Engineers, Civil/Structural Engineering. Project was completed timely enough for the town fiesta of January 2000. To date FASAE's logo is displayed at the main entrance. The project is commonly referred to as the Disneyland of Aklan. FASAE Ibajay-Aklan Chapter does not forget the Most Distinguished Ibayhanon produced by the 20th century--Alejandro Melchor. Col. Alejandro Melchor, an engineer, and a soldier earned the Legion of Honor from The French Government. He accompanied Gen. Carlos Romulo to the very First Conference of the United Nations in San Francisco, a celebrity at the West Point, and at Annapolis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Philippine Military Academy and at his alma mater, the University of the Philippines. Every September FASAE-Ibajay Aklan Commemorates Alejandro Melchor's demise by having the Induction of Officers & Directors on that day.
FASAE - IBAJAY AKLAN CHAPTER ROSTERVince Solidum Alvino - Cptr. E.E. RicardoAguirre - Ch. E. Glenda Aguirre - C.E. Florencia S. Alarcon - BSE(Math) Evangeline S. Alarcon - BSE(Math) Jonathan S. Alarcon - LOE Gregorio Alarcon - LOE Arthur Alfonso - LOE Benjie Alfonso - LOE Isagani Alfonso - LOE Nino Ascano - Ch.E. Ed Borbon Primitivo Bostre - Archt Nestor Solidum Bongato C.E. Dolores de la Cruz-Chaffin - Ch.E. Butch Conanan - M.E. Gilbert Solidum Castro - E.E. Robert Solidum Castro - E.E. Alfonso Cacas - LOE Al Conde - LOE Virgilio B. Castro - E.E Alma Solidum Clarino - Chem Victor Doromal - C.E. Eduardo Solidum Decena - E.E Ruel Solidum Decena Angelito Solidum Decena - M.E. Jesus Decena LOE Julian Escuadro - Archt Meldad Eslava - Ch.E. Charles Foster - C.E. Melissa Solidum Flores - Cmptr E. Jim Gailey John Hill Ma.Luisa Solidum Holgado - Ch.E. Audie Ilejay - Geol Saturnino Legaspi - C.E. Derdle Iguban - E.E. Chippy C. Iguban - E.E Maria Marte Chuaquico Icenogle CE Carlos Jocson - C.E. Gerry Krize LOE Florante Liwanag - E.E. Bert Mangilog - LOE Joseph Mangilog - Nautical E Mark Mangilog - Cptr.Engr Brenda Mangilog - Cptr Engr. Mitzi Mangilog - Cptr Engr Roseller Mangilog - C.E. Arcelito Mangilog - C.E Rogelio Mangilog - E.E. Cristina Moroney Archt Rizalino Magdamo - M.E. Rizal Melodias - LOE Vicente Melodias - LOE Winston Miralles - Ch.E Rey Nufable - Marine Engr. Gavino Nazarro - M.E. Nicomedes Prado - LOE Gil Rapiz - M.E Robert Tirol Reclusado - Archt. Tony Sanchez,Aircraft - Maint Engr Tony Salido - LOE Boy Sarabia - M.E. Emma Solidum Sabilano - BSE (Math) Divino Solidum Sabilano - Cptr.Engr Antonio Solidum Sabilano Chem Mafalda Pelayo Salvador Archt Valentin Solano - M.E. D.Roy Solidum Jr, - C.E. Emilio S.Solidum E.E. Laudemer G.Solidum - Cmptr E. Arnulfo Solidum - Archt Jesus Solidum - M.E. Bernard Solidum - M.E. Leonardo Solidum LOE Rafael Solidum - LOE Teodoro Solidum LOE Ramon Tena Solidum - M.E Rey Tena Solidum - E.E. Stephen Solidum - Comptr.E Leonardo T. Solidum Jr - I E Gil M.Solidum - Nautical E Expedito Solidum - LOE Renato Solidum - C.E Nestor Saus Solidum - Geod E. Sorates Y.Solidum - I.E. Chot Sitjar - C.E Ric S. Sitjar - S.E. Sidney Schwarzkopf - L.O.E. Ceasar Fernandez Supetran - M.E. Eddie Tambo-ong - Nautical E Ging Tambo-ong - Chem. E. Nestorio Tirol Leo Torrea Leonardo Tumbocon - LOE Ramon Tumbukon - C.E. Radiel Tumbukon - M.E. Ramchell Tumbukon - M.E. Raymond Tumbukon - E.E. Thomas Vargas LOE Paulo Haresco Villadolid - M.E. John Warren - C.E. Walter Yee C.E. Jessie Yap Jr - Cmptr E LEGENDC.E. = Civil EngineerCh.E. = Chemical Engineer Chem = Chemist Archt = Architect Geol = Geologists Geod = Geodetic Engineer Nautical = Nautical Engineer BS Math = S.Mathematics BS Phyics = B.S.Physics Aero = Aeronautical Engr LOE = Land Ordnance Eng M.E = Mechanical Engr E.E. = Electrical Engr T.E = Textile Engr I.E. = Industrial Engr Cmptr = Computer Engr. |
 |
