Unveiling of the Tree of Life at the Portal West Building SUACONA is distinctly proud to
have been a part of this enormous and noble project, which is the Portal West Building. This is a very clear example of what the university and the alumni can do together if we pool our thoughts and resources into a common goal. The Portal West Building is often
alluded to as a fund raising project of SUACONA. While this allusion is flat- tering, we have our feet firmly on the ground in the thought that this is a fund raising project of Silliman Univer- sity, as any fund raising is a project and responsibility of the university. Where we in SUACONA and other alumni organizations come in is when the university asks us to assist in raising funds. As we have said time and again, SUACONA’s main thrust is to be re- sponsive to the needs of the university as they are presented to us. Undoubtedly, the biggest boost to
our fund raising efforts had been the Tree of Life and the Interactive Com-
puter, which we are inaugurating today. We could not think of a better way to acknowledge those whose generosity have made this building stand where it is now. The Tree of Life concept had been our guiding light, and it pleases me greatly, as I’m sure it does every- one here today, that we are finally in- augurating this meaningful installation which, aside from being an expression of gratitude to the donors, is a tremen- dous work of art in itself. Dr. Federico Agnir and SUACO-
NA’s Tree of Life Committee, which he chairs, had been instrumental in see- ing this installation come to fruition. As an ex-officio member of the TOL committee, I have watched closely how Dr. Agnir and his committee have been relentless in their drive to see this proj- ect through. I have also been witness to how Dr. Agnir worked cooperatively with Abe Cadelina, Bob Macalolot, Ar- chitect Manny Almagro, Engr. Uyma- tiao and Vice President Nick Fontelo
– all working towards one common goal of installing the Tree of Life today, realizing its sustaining implications on this and other future fund raising proj- ects.
The Tree has grown, but let us not
forget that a Seed was sown a few years back. During Tipon 2003 in Teaneck, New Jersey, the SU administration made a presentation on the planned Twin Portals Building, and proposed to the gathered SUACONA to assist in the fund raising effort. Under then- Chairman Dr. Sylvester Almiron, SUA- CONA made a commitment to make the Twin Portals Building its flagship project. Right after the close of Tipon 2003, a meeting was held at Jean’s kitchen (at the invitation of Mrs. Jean Almiron), where Prof. Leonor Brio- nes, Ambassador Tony Villamor and SUACONA Chair Jun Almiron sat with NYNJ officers (Faith Duran, Eula Ber- gado, Marty Visitacion) brainstormed on how to raise $700,000. The consen- sus was to look for 700 donors who can give $1000 each. And how do we encourage people to donate $1000? By acknowledging their donations through the concept of a Tree of Life. Marty Visitacion was then tasked with coming up with a blueprint. All told, that was when the seed was sown. Today, we are witnesses to how the
tree has grown. SUACONA would like to dedicate all the efforts and love put into this project to our dear alma ma- ter, Silliman University. Let this be our small contribution to the attainment of its mission to provide quality Christian education, as we continue to Walk His Way, Speak His Truth, and Live His Life. Via Veritas Vita!
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Dr. Sylvester Almiron, Jr., past Chairman of SUACONA, delivers his address at the unveiling of the Tree of Life installation in August 2008.
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