The Greater Washington Alpha Phi Omega (GWAPO) was established on May 11, 2003 to re-confirm its commitment to the principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service (LFS), to ensure that it accepts only bona-fide members of APO within its ranks, and to implement programs pursuant to APO’s principles. GWAPO submitted an application for a charter with APO Philippines in October 31, 2006, was subsequently granted Charter No. 175 on April 17, 2007 that was formally awarded during the National Biennial Convention in Tagaytay City Philippines.

 

GWAPO’s activities encompass community service, cultural and educational activities, and community leadership. It engages in Adopt-A-Park service projects, medical/dental missions, homeless feeding programs, fundraisers to benefit Philippine indigents and other projects. 

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GWAPO members have volunteered for over 15 years in the annual Pagdiriwang festival at the Seattle Center as the festival’s operations group, helping build a stronger community in partnership with other Filipino organizations. 

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GWAPO sponsored, by itself or in partnership with other organizations, performances by Philippine groups such as the De La Salle University Chorale (2004, 2010), the Nightingales (2016), the Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (2006), the UST Singers (2004) and the Saranay of Edmonton, Canada (2001).  These activities highlight GWAPO’s role as a supporter of arts and culture in the greater Seattle area. 

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In service to the fraternity, GWAPO supported the ETA Chapter (UP Diliman) Alumni Association of North America Foundation, Inc. (ETAANA) on July 2-5, 2009 at Cornet Bay, Washington, raised funds for purposes such as the support for scholarships for indigent elementary school students in cooperation with the APO International Sorority Sisters in Service (ISIS), and contributed to medical assistance to APO members in the Philippines.

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As part of its service and friendship to the Filipino community at large, GWAPO engaged in several adopt-a-park projects and joint camping fellowship with Olympia-based Filipino groups at Cornet Bay, WA July 1-5, 2011. In September 2011, GWAPO gave the social hall and the patio of the Ronald United Methodist Church (RUMC) a much-needed cleaning and power washing. 

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In service to the nation, GWAPO raises funds and collects relief goods for victims of natural disasters in the Philippines. It co-sponsored with APO MANDIN and the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines two medical and dental missions: (a) May 2, 2011 in Boac, Marinduque, and (b) April 9, 2012 in Barangays Canat, Boi and Bayute, all in Marinduque. Its last project for 2017 was the collection of goods for flood-ravaged Caba and other areas in La Union.