Annak Ti Santa

                                          Maria Caridad B. Goze

Maria Caridad "Caring" Goze is the daughter of the late Catalina Bello Brillantes and Floro Goze Goze, both natives of Santa and teachers in Santa Central School.  She is the second among three daughters;  Remedios (Medical Technologist) and Concepcion (Chemist).  They all reside in New Jersey.

                                                 Education and Work Experience

Santa Central School as salutatorian in 1956; University of Santo Tomas for her secondary education and graduated as honorable mention in 1960.  From 1960- 1965 she was a National Science Development Board (NSDB) full course scholar in UST and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering;  1973-1974, International Post Graduate University Course in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering- Tokyo Institute of Technology, conducted research on Polymer chemistry.

While working fulltime in the Corporation R & D Center of San Miguel Corporation,she attended evening classes and obtained the following degrees: 1981- Master in Business Administration (University of the Philippines) under the company's Educational Program;  1983- Master in Engineering (Major in Chemical) University of the Philippines.

Caridad taught Mathematics and Chemical Engineering courses at the U.S.T. Faculty of Engineering from 1968 to 1977 and at various Engineering Review schools in Manila from 1968- 1988.  She was a Senior Process Development Engineer at the Corporate R & D Center of San Miguel Corporation from 1977 until she immigrated to the United States in 1988.

Upon arriving in New Jersey, she landed a chemist job in a small environmental laboratory in Hillside, New Jersey through the rcommendation of a friend and former colleague in the faculty in UST Engineering.  She initially worked in wet chemistry and later in organic chemistry analyzing municipal clear water and waste water and sludge.

In July 1990 she was hired byMobil Chemical Company as a junior process development engineer in the Process Development Department of the Synthetics Division.  This was a new field that she found very interesting and challenging.  The Synthetics Division manufactures polyalphaolefins (PAO) among other specialty chemicals which are used as base stocks of synthetic lubricants such as Mobil 1.  At present she is a Senior Research Engineer in the PAO Product and Process Development group in Technology Development of ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

While in ExxonMobil, she was inventor/co-inventor of a number of U.S. and European Union patents on the synthesis of low viscosity PAOs.  These processes are being used in the PAO manufacturing plants of ExxonMobil.  In 2002 she received the Global Technology Award and again in 2007 with her group.  The Global Technology awards are given annually to recognize individuals or teams who have made outstanding contributions.  After working in ExxonMobil for more tha 18 years, she plans to retire in December of this year.

                                                      Professional Membership

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChEI);  Society of Technologists and Lubricating Engineers (STLE);  U.S.T. Engineering Alumni Association (USA);  University of the Philippines Alumni Association.

She is the treasurer (since 2002) of the UST Engineering Alumni Association (USA) and she actively participates in the various fund raising activities for the Scholarship Program.  This is her way of giving back to the Philippines.  The organization gives financial assistance for tuition & books to two deserving students in UST Engineering from their first year until they graduate for as long as they continue to meet the organization's scholarship criteria.  She loves to travel, read and solve puzzles.

She was chosen "Miss Congeniality" at the Annak ti Santa 1st Global Reunion on July 11-12, 2008  in San Francisco, California.

Her motto is:  "In every work you do, always do your best and God will do the rest".

Gen. Antonio P. Billones

Tony was born in Ampandula, Santa on August 22, 1951.  He is the 5th of the 8 children of Geronimo Billones, Sr. and Paula de Peralta.  He studied at Basug Elementary School but transferred to San Mateo East Central School in Isabela Province where he graduated with Honors.  He studied for a year at La Salette of San Mateo but transferred to Santa High School where he graduated Salutatorian in 1968. He was also the President of the Student Council and Corps Commander of the PMT.  He took up Engineering at Mapua Institute of Technology for one year on academic scholarship, took and passed the Examination for Cadetship of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1969 and graduated in 1973 and conferred the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Philippine Constabulary (PC).

Interspersed in his career, he underwent specialized training in anti- terrorism,  Ranger,  Jungle Warfare,  Airborne, Underwater Search, Rescue and Recovery operations,  intelligence and investigation.   He took up Advance Infantry Course in Fort Benning, Georgia;  underwent anti-terrorism training in Louisiana State Police Academy in Baton Rouge and in Washington DC;  Conflict Management and Resolution Course in Melbourne University in Australia and observed APEC Summit security in Osaka, Japan.  He also represented the PNP in  conferences in Copenhagen, Denmark;  Bad Kissingen, Germany;  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and in East Kalimantan and Manado, Indonesia.

Immediately after graduation from PMA and at the height of Muslim Rebellion, Tony was sent to Mindanao.  This started his more than 17 year- assignment in Cotabato and Davao provinces, holding various positions as platoon leader of a combat battalion,  a Commander of 4 different PC Companies,  Intelligence and Operations Officer and Regional Staff Officer.  He actively participated in numerous armed encounters with the Muslim Rebels and the New People's Army.  He survived 2 ambushes perpetrated by the Muslim Rebels.

In 1991, when the Philippine Constabulary was reorganized as the Philippine National Police, Tony was transferred  to General Headquarters, Camp Crame, Quezon City as Division Chief at the Directorate for Operations.  After one year, he was assigned back to field units as Intelligence Officer of the Aviation Security Group,  Provincial Director, Albay Province in Bicol,  Chief of Police, Makati City,  Provincial Director, Nueva Ecija Province and Deputy Director, Special Action Force.

In 2001, he was assigned back to Camp Crame as Executive Officer and later on Deputy Director for Comptrollership.  He was then promoted to Chief Superintendent (1 star-rank).   In 2003, he was designated as director of the Logistics Support Service.  Not long after, he was assigned back to Mindanao to be the Regional Director of Police Regional Office 12 based in General Santos City and Police Regional Office 11 based in Davao City.

In 2005, he was designated as the Director for Operations of the PNP and promoted to the rank of Director (2 star-rank).  Later on, he was appointed as Chief, Directorial Staff and promoted to Deputy Director General (3 star-rank).  Not long after, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief, Philippine National Police for Operations until he retired in 2007.  On his retirement, President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo awarded him the Philippine Legion Of Honor Degree of Commander.  Tony is also a recipient of 130 various medals and more than a hundred Letters of Commendation throughout his career.  He is now an active member and President-elect of Rotary Club of San Juan-EDSA, District 3800.   He also plays golf on his spare time.

Tony is married to Monina Bacaltos of Cotabato City and blessed with 3 children:  Regina Gilda, graduate of BS in Architecture, University of the Philippines- Diliman and now taking her Masters Degree in Urban  and Regional Planning;  Christian Rey, graduate of BS in Agricultural Economics in UP Los Banos and now taking his Masters Degree in Finance also in Up- Diliman;  and Michelle Anne graduate of BS in Social Sciences in Ateneo de Manila University and now working in an advertising company.

Catalino A. Blanche, PhD

National Program Leader,  Natural Resources and Environment

USDA CSREES,  Washington, DC

Educaion and Experience:    BS, Forest Utilization Engineering (UP Los Banos)

MS, Agriculture (Ecophysiology/Biochemistry) (UP Los Banos) 

MS, Forest Resources (Ecology/Biometrics)  (University of Georgia)

PhD, Forestry  (Tree Physiology/Crop Ecology)  (Mississippi State University)

Post Doctoral  (Urban Forestry)  (University of Florida and National Urban Forestry School, Nebraska City, NE)

Supervisory Academy  (Texas A&M University)

Executive Development Training, ESCOP/ACOP,  Purdue University, Indiana

        Dr. Blanche serves as National Program Leader for Forest Biology and Forest Products.  He administers the $30M/year McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Grant to 65 land grant institutions and other eligible participants in the Nation, the $6.5M/year Wood Utilization Research, and 8 special research grants ($6M) to conduct research on forest biology, forest management, forest products, wetlands, urban silviculture and related fields.  He manages the Forestry Research Advisory Council (FRAC) that advises the Secretary of Agriculture relative to forestry research conducted by the US Forest Service and land grant institutions that are federally funded through various mechanisms.  He is a permanent member of the USDA Secretary's National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council.  He co-coordinates the Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) National Base Program Support Team under the Extension Committee on Organizational Policy.  He was one of the five architects who designed the Clinton-Glickman conservation legacy.  He currently serves as Director for the following programs:       Agricultural Development in the American Pacific,  2) Ecosystems Research in Alabama,  3) Wetlands Research at Louisiana State University and West Virginia University,  4) Competetiveness in Agricultural Products at the University of Washington and Washington State University,  5) Engineered Materials from Renewable Resources at Virginia Tech,  6) Alternative Fuels Laboratory at North Dakota State University,  7) Urban Silviculture at Cornell University (NY), and  8) Forestry Research at the University of Arkansas.  He coordinates the national curriculum development  for forest fragmentation and parcelization.  He was on loan to the World Bank as Agroforestry Specialist in 2002.  Prior to his current position he was Program Leader for the Agroforestry Research Program with the USDA Agricultural Research Service,  Associate Director of the Urban Forestry Program at Southern University,  and Research Scientist at Mississippi State University.  He has published 97 scientific papers and book chapters covering a variety of areas including urban forestry, agroforestry, forest products, bark beetle/host interactions, alternative products, seed biochemistry and technology, photosynthesis, wood chemistry, hydrocarbon (monoterpene) chemistry, allelopathy and competition.  He is the first Filipino to serve in this capacity in the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Erlinda Burgos- Gonzalez

Erlinda Burgos- Gonzalez is a grateful "ANAK"  of Mabilbila Sur.   She is the second daughter of the late Ambrocio Burgos and Mrs. Maria Burgos.  Erlinda has seven siblings:  Salvacion in Ohio,  Rosemarie in the UAE,   Fidencio,  Jose,  Evangeline,  Genoveva in the Philippines, and Maria Teresa in Las Vegas.

Erlinda was a class valedictorian from first to sixth grade at the Mabilbila Community School, and a class valedictorian from first year to fourth year high school at Santa High School.   She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the UERMMC College of Nursing in 1974.   She immigrated to the US in 1976.  She also has a Masters in Business Administration from Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio in 1994.

Erlinda has worked as an Assistant Director of Nursing in a Michigan Hospital,  a Staff Nurse in an Emergency Department in an Ohio Hospital,   a Clinical Coordinator of four Nursing departments in Ohio Hospital and  presently she is an Administrative Director for Nursing Services for HCR Manor Care.   She is also a Clinical Faculty for Bryant and Stration College of Nursing in Willoughby, Ohio.

Erlinda is a member of the National Association of Directors of Nursing in Long Term Care,  member of the Special Events Committee for Lake Hospital Foundation in Ohio,  and a Board Member of the Association of Specialists On Aging.

Erlinda is married to Engr. Arturo Gonzalez and they have two children;  Michael Phillippe is 25 years old, graduated from the Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical  Engineering in 2006 and is in his second year of Law School at Cleveland Marshall College of Law,   Allison Marie is 21 years old and is a Senior at the Ohio State University.  She will graduate in June 2008 with a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and will continue on to pursue her Doctorate in Pharmacy.   Both Michael and Allison were Academic Scholars at the Ohio State University.

"Eventhough I have been in the United States for over 30 years, I will always be an Anak ti Santa, particularly Mabilbila Sur.  It is within that great environment where I learned , persevered and conquered some of the adversities of life and made me who I am today.   I will always be grateful to my wonderful parents, siblings, teachers,  relatives and friends for they are a part of that great environment."

Eumelia (Mellie) Custodia- Nagal

Mellie was born in Mabilbila, Santa.   She is the oldest child of the late Camilo Birosel Custodia and the late Maria Nartatez Barnachea.  She attended Santa Central School and Santa High School for her secondary education.  She holds the following degrees:  Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Far Eastern University;  BS, Major in Management,  Hope University, Fullerton, CA;   Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, Laverne University, Laverne,CA.

Mellie came to the United States under the Exchange Visitor Program in November 1961.   Her work experience include:

Post graduate  -   Maternal & Childcare,  Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital, Jersey City, NJ

         Staff Nurse-  St. Johns Regional and Medical Center, Oxnard, CA;  Maternal & Child Care Critical Care

Medical Surgical, Post Anesthesia Care;  Shift House Supervisor;  Clinical Nurse Supervisor;

Director of Nursing;   Assistant Vice President, Nursing;  She is currently semi- retired.

She is married to Benjamin C. Nagal and they are blessed with three children:  Melanie Nagal- Charles;  

Melinda Nagal- Burton and Melissa Nagal.  They have three grandchildren:  John, Jordan Charles and Quentin Thomas Nagal Burton.