This story had started during my second year in college at MSU - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) when I was recruited by my friend, my former high school batch-mate in Butuan City and my co-student at MSU-IIT to join their organization, the Alpha Theta Omega fraternity and sorority. 

Jojo, as I called him before was very persistent in convincing me to join their fraternity and sorority and he always repeat his litany especially during his almost Sunday visits to my boarding house to play chess with me.  But I always declined to his invitation because of the process that I shall pass first an initiation before I will become a member of their organization. 

Since most of the time I emerged as the winner in our chess game, I got an idea on how to make him stop in pestering me.  I challenged him for a one-off chess game with a gentlemen’s agreement that if I will win, he will stop on recruiting me but if I will lose, I will join their fraternity.  When he agreed, I thought it would be like a stroll in the park but what an unlucky game; I was outmaneuvered by Jojo and ended up losing the game. 

So the next day, to the chagrin of my friend Jojo, I was baptized as a neophyte of the Alpha Theta Omega fraternity and sorority.  Two questions were silently raised in my mind during that day – What benefit can I get from joining this fraternity?  Why I was beaten by Jojo in our chess game that I always dominate?

Nevertheless, I stood up with our agreement and three weeks later, together with other 29 neophytes, we all walked toward the initiation area with a strong determination to pass the final initiation rite.  I was so happy to know later that our whole batch of 30 neophytes had survived the initiation.

The 30 members of our batch felt the feeling of joy and self-fulfillment as we hold each other’s hand and sang our batch song “If we hold on together…” – signifying the end of the initiation rite and welcoming the birth of ‘The Great Survivors” batch of the Alpha Omicron chapter.  The news about our survival had spread at neighboring chapters and “The Great Survivors” batch become known not only because of quantity but also as quality Althonians.

Our acceptance ceremony was a Grand activity.  It was held in Snowland Restaurant - a cozy and one of the best restaurant in Iligan City during our time.  The Althonians exclusively occupied the entire conference area as “The Great Survivors” batch pledged to abide the rules and regulations of the fraternity and sorority. 

The feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie gradually developed after the acceptance of “The Great Survivors" batch as full-pledged Althonians.  The members always gather in- group inside the MSU-IIT campus during vacant time where some students find our closeness captivating.  We adopt an “Althonians above any other…” attitude, which prioritize the Althonians above any other extra curricular-related activities.  During weekly meetings, the members always attend the Althonians meeting first even if some of our brods and sis are officers of their regional group that also holds meeting every Wednesday inside the campus at the same time and venue.

Our attitude and our way of life attracted some of the students inside the campus that prompted some of them to join our ranks voluntarily, meaning not personally recruited.  This resulted to a series of weekly initiations and further increasing the population of the Alpha Omicron Chapter of the Alpha Theta Omega. 

A few months after my academic graduation in 1994 and had returned back to Butuan City, my home city; I started to miss the company of my brods and sis and began to recall my happy memories during my stay in Iligan City.  There and then, I remembered the questions that I asked to myself on the day that I was baptized to join this fraternity... and also I found the answers to these questions.

What benefit can I get from joining this fraternity? – It’s the Priceless Memories.  The memories and the experiences that I had with my brods and sis while still a student were priceless and worth remembering.  The Alpha Theta Omega fraternity and sorority had molds me to become a better person and had provided me with the opportunity to meet and get along with other people in all walks of life.

Why I was beaten by Brod Jojo in that particular game? Well for sure, I am destined to be a member of the Alpha Theta Omega fraternity and sorority.