Robert Casiano

Robert Casiano (79-B)

Melbourne, Australia...

How was the fraternity and UP during your time? Sinu-sino ba ang mga contemporaries mo?

I got my BSEE summer of 83. It was UP's Diamond Jubilee Year and they included those finishing on summer, otherwise I would officially be an 84 graduate. I hung out mostly with Don dela Cruz, Jun Altea, Benjie Javier, Toto Crudo, Lester Marinas, Mario Guce and I'm sorry if I wasn't able to mention the others, otherwise I'm gonna choke the bandwidth. I also had the good graces to be with the likes of Doops Solomon, Charles Protacio, the Teves brothers, the Avenido brothers, Alvin, Sonny, etc. Marcos was still in Malacanang and so there were still quite a lot of rallies going on. We had victories at the USC (I think Alvin was a USC councilor back then). Student Councils from the different campuses and colleges united to form something, I can't remember what it was called, but I was fortunate enough to be a part of it, representing ESC. An Inter Frat something was also formed, and again, I was a part of the formation, representing our frat. Engg Week was very much celebrated and the frat proved its worth especially in tug-o-war, the running thing, etc. I remember that time when 2 brods battled it out in the finals of table tennis, I think they were Thor and Angelo. The computer course was just introduced.

How is your free time like?

Free time? ano iyon? In between work, running up after the kids, and working on the house and garden, I don't have much free time. But my family and I do go out from time to time, still exploring Australia, sometimes camping and 4 wheel driving. I also play golf and tennis, but not as much as I want to. I also go to the gym.

Where are you now? How is the family?

I'm in Melbourne, Australia. I'm a contractor, doing Software Engineering jobs. My wife Ohlan (some of the brods may still remember her) works at Toyota and we have 3 daughters. They are all doing fine, performing well in school, both academically and in their extra-curricular activities. They play basketball, softball, netball and go to singing and dancing lessons. My eldest wants to be a singer, the second is more on the analytical side of things, and my youngest wants to be a politician.

What was your most memorable experience in the fraternity?

There is not one incident or event that stands out, all of my experiences with the frat are very good, and the time I spent with the brods was worth it. I do remember the feeling of being secure and satisfied that naturally comes from being with a good set of friends and a member of a great organisation. I guess my most memorable experience would still be during the finals initiation and immediately after, when I finally became a brod.

Now allow me to reminisce for a while... Room B17 at Narra used to have 4 brods (including myself) living in it, I wonder what happened to Brod Tikyo, I think he was John Lennon's no. 1 fan. Practising for Awitan. We came 2nd to the last, but we got the message across. There used to be a food stall near the main lib, that we made the 2nd tambayan. Then getting brods elected to ESC and making the ESC room another tambayan. Going to a concert with brods, but just staying outside. Para tipid, dinig pa rin naman eh... There was that jazz concert that we organised. Going to Jun Altea's place and drinking Drambuie (tama ba ang spelling) Going to Mt Makiling with Benjie J and another brod (for the life of me, his name escapes me. He was ChE and we had a lot of good times together) Participating in the lantern parade with the other frats, chanting "matalo, manalo, bugbog kayo..." Then there were the trips to exotic places like Beef Bee, Bughaw, and later on Aberdeen Court...

Any message for the brothers?

Messages? Just enjoy frat life. You'll get a lot out of it, probably more than what you'll get inside the classroom. Oh-oh, I didn't say you shouldn't study anymore, but you can strike a balance. You're EMC2, remember?