Inspired by the life and legacy of Dr. William “Bill” Romero ’76

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show… let me do it now.”
— Etienne de Grellet, as quoted by Bill Romero ’76

The Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association, Inc. (USPAAI) Board of Trustees recently approved the first round of student assistance grants and loans under the Upsilon Student Assistance Program (USAP), selecting seven deserving resident Brods for various forms of support.

The vetting process began with the USAP Committee, which received applications, reviewed each Brod’s needs, and matched them with available resources. The internal process involved extensive discussions among committee members and with applicants.

The USAP Committee is composed of Tito Mora ‘78 as Chairman, and with the following brods as members: Bill Romero ‘76, JJ Portugal ‘80, Rico Villareal ‘86, Philip Alpajora 2014, the Treasurer Jojo Santiago ‘89, the Executive Director Lucas Buenaflor 2023, the Illustrious Fellow of Diliman-Manila, Gelo Dellosa '18, and the Illustrious Fellow of Los Baños Luis Rellosa '18.

“For us on the committee, the process brought us closer to the Brods,” said Philip Alpajora ’14. “We really tried to understand each applicant’s situation to ensure the help went to someone who truly needed it.” For the applicants, the experience was seamless: fill out a form, meet with the committee, explain your case, and wait.

The awards reflect a needs-based approach to financial aid, combining grants, work-matching, and zero- or minimal-interest loans to support students with thesis requirements, dormitory needs, and daily sustenance. Each application was evaluated on financial need, accountability, and eligibility for assistance.

The First USAP Grantees are as follows:

• Juan Castro 2021 – ₱27,000 interest-free loan, payable over one year
• Deo de los Reyes 2024 – ₱25,000 loan for thesis support; endorsed for work, matched by Brod Dindo Sanchez
• Edward Ceniza 2024 – ₱8,000 grant for dorm and food per semester; endorsed for work
• El John Barrientos 2024 – ₱8,000 grant for dorm and food; endorsed for UMAP coverage
• Dewin Banquiles 2021 – ₱8,000 grant for dorm and food
• JP Pichon 2021 – ₱5,000 grant for dorm; endorsed for work
• Francis Lampa 2024 – ₱33,805 grant for this semester; matched by Brod Carlo Vega
  

How USAP Took Shape

In April 2025, at the Board of Trustees meeting in Bacolod, requests for assistance came in. One Brod needed funds for a thesis on insects, and another had just been accepted to Harvard. The Board wanted to help, but most of its resources were already committed, primarily to UMAP. Chairman Eric Gene Pilapil ’86 offered a stopgap: he’d personally fund the request. But everyone agreed, there had to be a system.

Meanwhile, at the same time and in another part of the world, in the United States, Dr. William “Bill” Romero ’76 was thinking about the same problem. Not because someone asked for money from him, but because he remembered what it was like to need money. He was thinking of his own story.

(In the picture, we see the USPAA leadership receiving the check for P1 million from the niece of Bill Romero, Josephine Romero.)

He offered a solution: set up a fund to channel alumni generosity. He proposed to call the system USAP. He backed his own words with action, putting in P1 million of his own money. That was the goldilocks amount, not too high as it could not be matched, and not too low as to be able to help only a few. Batch ’86 matched it. Batch ’89 pledged another P1 million. Imagine if Bill put in P100,000 and others followed suit, then we would only have a few hundred thousand as of this writing. The beauty of it is that more donations are pouring in.

But while he was discussing the idea with others, he met skepticism. Some have asked, “Why is this necessary? Aren’t Upsilonians supposed to be well off?” That’s the illusion some manage to put up. The truth is more complicated. Not every Brod’s story is gilded. There have always been fellows trying to figure out where their next meal will come from or where they’ll sleep that week. Not everyone makes it through without help.

Others were concerned it might be a system rife for abuse, or that the program would stall from donor fatigue. But the USAP was designed to be purely voluntary, powered by the goodwill of Brods who give not because they are compelled by obligation, but because of a need to lift one another.

“The USAP is a child borne out of the consistent cry of resident fellows for dignified financial assistance to supplement their recurring academic requirements,” said Chairman Pilapil. “It was matched with the voluntary, and sometimes coincidental, generosity of alumni fellows wanting to share their own financial graces with the Fraternity and the residents. The USPAAI Board had to answer at their call.”

The Story That Started It All

USAP is more than a policy; it is a reflection of Bill Romero’s life. Before he was “Doc Bill,” he was Billy, the son of a high school teacher and a homemaker in Tarlac, one of eight children. Education was everything, but money was tight. His parents sent him to Don Bosco Academy, hoping it would unlock a future that seemed otherwise out of reach.

At UP Diliman, he qualified for full tuition support through the Grants-in-Aid Program. But day-to-day survival was still a hustle. He cooked rice in his dorm to save money, once causing a blackout by overloading the wiring. He sold fake Lacoste shirts, umbrellas, and textbooks. He secured medical supplies on consignment from Bambang and resold them to classmates and PGH staff. This was a big deal, as those items were not cheap; he really needed to build trust. And when things got really tight, he sold his own blood. Classmates, noticing how pale he was, would invite him to meals.

Still, it wasn’t enough. That was when Manny Gomez ’76 took him in. In medical school, a Phi Kappa Mu classmate did the same. These were more than acts of kindness; they were acts of survival.

He joined Upsilon in his senior year. Despite preparing for med school, he was drawn to the circle of Brods who had already shaped his path. At the UP College of Medicine, he found mentors like Popoy Mangahas ’70. And after a long dry spell, 22 Upsilonians followed him there.

Giving Back, Quietly and Consistently

After medical school, Bill trained in New York and became a cosmetic physician. But his career wasn’t linear, five spinal surgeries over 15 years forced him into retreat. The last of these surgeries nicked a nerve, impairing his ability to walk. He literally forced his heart, nerves, and sinews to push himself to walk again by conscripting muscles meant for other functions to take on the work of movement.

He then became president of UPMASA, then of USPNA, leading initiatives like the Tanglaw Awards, the restoration of fraternity monuments, and a pandemic-era Zoom series that brought Brods together across time zones. He also helped establish the Upsilon Medical Assistance Program (UMAP), which today helps about one Brod a day get timely medical care.

“I am who I have become,” he wrote, “because of the kindness, generosity, and sacrifices of many people along the way.”

A Movement That’s Just Beginning

That spirit of gratitude drives USAP’s long-term vision: to ensure no Brod’s future is compromised by temporary hardship. “USAP is an instrument of fraternity,” said Tito Mora ’78. “It’s about seeing a fellow Brod through, no matter his circumstance. We are building resilience and ensuring that no brod gets left behind.”

As Bill puts it, “Never hesitate to ask for help. Even if you cannot repay kindness directly, you can always pay it forward. Like an apple tree, your true value lies in the fruit you bear and the shade you provide.”

The program is still young. More funds will be needed. More Brods will apply. But the groundwork has been laid, and the circle is holding.