1

December 1-15, 2014

Vol. XXIV, No. 2

Online: www. manilamail.us

December 1-15, 2014

House panel hears plight of FilVets appeal for equity fund

97-year-old Filipino WWII veteran Celestino Almeda with Nevada Rep. Joe
Heck.

WASHINGTON D.C. The

hunt for World War II-era
records, often compounded
because theyre still classified
secret seven decades after the
war ended, continues for thousands of aging Filipino veterans
whove been denied equity benefits, Filipino American advocates
told a congressional panel last
Nov. 20.
Of the 42,755 applications
received for the Filipino Veterans
Equity Compensation (FVEC)
payments, 23,826 were denied
due to ineligibility. Some 4,554
were put on appeal but most

have been rejected.

Nearly $226 million has been
paid out for the nearly 18,929
claims that did go through,
Brad Flohr, senior advisor for
compensation service of the
Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) testified before the House
of Representatives subcommittee on disability assistance and
memorial services.
The primary reason for
denial of claims was the inability
of these individuals to establish
qualifying service, he Flohr
explained.
However, Eric Lachica,

Executive Director of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV) told lawmakers that
the VA failed to comply with
the FVEC law and congressional
directives in denying most of the
appeals.
Lachica enumerated five
major shortcomings in implementing the FVEC.
Firstly, he averred, the VA
did not follow congressional
directive for the VA to consider
all forms of evidence of service
and not just those originally
considered.

WASHINGTON D.C. Filipinos across the United States

generally
hailed
President
Obamas executive action thats
expected to shield over five million undocumented immigrants
from deportation until at least
the incoming Republican-dominated Congress can get a law
passed to fix the broken immigration system.
We whole-heartedly support President Obamas execu-

tive action that provides immigration relief to undocumented

immigrants who have made
significant contributions to this
country, and yet have been
denied access to the same opportunities that Americans enjoy,
says NaFFAA National Chairman JT Mallonga.
President Obama has reaffirmed once more that this nation
is a nation of immigrants, said
lawyer Arnedo Valera, co-execu-

tive director of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC).

Our immigration system
should be about family, unity,
economic opportunity, fairness
and equality. Providing immediate immigration relief to at
least five million undocumented
immigrants which includes tens
of thousands of Filipinos in the
United States is a very important

Continued on page 21

Undocumented Pinoys
among top in 4 states
WASHINGTON D.C. Filipinos comprise the top undocumented groups in at least four
states, according to an online
tool unveiled by the Migrant
Policy Institute (MPI) on the eve
of President Obamas announcement on immigration-related
executive actions last Nov. 20.
The report showed that

undocumented Filipinos were

among the top undocumented
groups in Hawaii, California,
Nevada and Washington.
The MPI, a DC-based immigration think-tank, also broke
down the numbers on who
would benefit from the Presidents executive action. Their

Continued on page 21

Pacquiao wins but eyes

already on Mayweather bout
MANILA. Filipino boxing
champion Manny Pacman
Pacquiao pummeled an outclassed Chris Algieri and though
the victory came through unanimous ecision, sports analysts
said it sent a strong message to
unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The unbeaten Algieri was
game but was no match to the
savvy, more experienced Filipino
champ who knocked him down
six times on the way to keeping
his welterweight belt.
Against a taller fighter with
solid boxing skills, Pacquiao
showed that he still had the
explosiveness, punching power
and speed that once made him
the top pound-for-pound boxer
in the world.

Pacquiao clearly wanted

to end a knockout drought that
stretches all the way back to
2009, but Algieri managed to
stay standing until the final bell.
He nevertheless won in overwhelming fashion, with judges
scoring the bout 119-103, 119103, and 120-102.
Pacquiao hiked his professional record to 57 wins with
five losses and two draws, and
has now won three consecutive fights in convincing fashion
since losing back-to-back bouts
to Timothy Bradley and Juan
Manuel Marquez in 2012.
Algieri, for his part, lost for
the first time in 21 professional
fights.
Despite the morning-after
exhilaration, focus seemed to

Continued on page 20

quickly return to a dream matchup between Pacquiao and Mayweather (47-0).

Hes going to fight me? Yes!
Yes! Pacquiao mocked to the
delight of his entourage inside
the ring, imitating his widely
seen Foot Locker commercial.
I think Im ready to fight
next year for him, said Pacquiao. I want that fight. The
fans deserve that fight.
He insisted in a Manila TV
interview that Mayweather has
no more excuses to avoid a fight
with him.
I saw Mayweathers interview in his last fight where he

Continued on page 20

Filipino champ Manny Pacquiao stands over vanquished Chris Algieri.

December 1-15, 2014

December 1-15, 2014

Fil-Ams press Senate for Coloretti confirmation

NEW YORK. Filipino American community leaders are calling on the United States Senate to
confirm the appointment of compatriot Nani Coloretti as Deputy
Secretary of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The call came after Republicans won back control of the
Senate in the midterm elections
that could complicate confirmation of President Obamas
appointees.
Coloretti, whose grandparents are Filipinos and grew up
in Hawaii, was nominated to the
post last March. If confirmed,
Coloretti would be the 4th
female deputy secretary and one
of the highest-ranking Fil-Ams in
the Obama administration.
Kaya DC Filipino Americans for Progress said the US
Senate has made no significant
action to confirm Coloretti.
Her confirmation would
ensure the representation of the
Filipino American community
and the greater AAPI (Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders)
community in developing policies that impact us, said Kaya
Co-Chair, Romeo Ymalay.
Coloretti is currently serving as the assistant secretary for
management at the US Department of the Treasury, a position
she has held since 2012. Previ-

ously, she served as the deputy

assistant secretary for Manage-

HUD Deputy Secretary-designate Nani Coloretti

ment and Budget from 2009 to

2012.
Prior to joining the administration, she worked in the San
Francisco Mayors office from
2005 until 2009, most recently
serving as budget director.
Coloretti is a recipient of

the National Public Service

Award, the Public Policy and
International Affairs Achievement Award, the Government
Finance Officers Association
Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and the Federal 100
Award.

December 1-15, 2014

SC hears challenge to PH-US defense deal

MANILA. The Supreme
Court has started hearing the
constitutional challenge by opponents of the PH-US Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) but the countrys
top magistrate has suggested
the country needs the American
security umbrella.
The constitution is very
clear, argued plaintiff Harry
Roque, Foreign troops and
bases shall not be allowed unless
there is a treaty.
Lawyer Rachel Pastores, one
of the counsels for the petitioners
said the EDCA was lopsided
in favor of the United States
and to the detriment of Philippine sovereignty. The gamut of
authorities granted to US forces,

Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma.

Lourdes Sereno

its practically surrendering to

the US the sovereignty of the
Philippines.
Negotiations for implementing the EDCA have been placed
on hold by Filipino and American military officials while the
Supreme Court hears the case.
The Philippines maintains
the deal doesnt require a new
treaty or congressional review
because rotational deployments
are permitted under the preexisting Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the PH-US
Mutual Defense Treaty.
The EDCA will allow the
US to deploy forces in Philippine
military camps and pre-position
hardware and supplies in the
country.

The Supreme Court case

comes at a highly sensitive time
for PH-US relations after US
Marine Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberto was accused of murdering
a Filipino transgender in Olongapo City last October.
Roque said Laudes death
illustrates why they oppose
the EDCA, namely that foreign
troops are beyond the jurisdiction of our country.
Is it grave abuse of discretion for a government to ask
an ally with w hom you have
a mutual defense agreement
with since the 1950s to fill the
(defense) gaps, promoting longterm modernization? Supreme
Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes
Sereno asked the petitioners.

Isnt that the greatest threat

when our fishing grounds are
no longer accessible to us? I see
our islands in the West Philippine Sea being overtaken. What
is wrong with prepositioning?
How long does it take for a missile to reach Palawan? Sereno
queried.
She believes the EDCA was a
tool to raise international awareness about the countrys claims
in the West Philippine Sea.
Philippine defense officials
are confident the challenge will
eventually be junked but admit it
could take months, if not longer
for the case to be resolved.

Ex-US Marine back in Manila for murder trial

MANILA. A former American Marine has been extradited
to the Philippines to stand trial
for the murder of a retired British policeman and his Filipina
girlfriend in Angeles City, Pampanga in 2011.
Timothy Noah Kaufman,
a veteran of Americas wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan, is accused
of murdering Joseph Balmer and
his Filipino girlfriend, Elma de
Guia.
He was arrested by the Saratoga County Police and Federal

Joseph Balmer and Elma de Guia

Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last
April. The victims were shot to
death in their Angeles City home
in September 2011. Kaufman was

one of three suspects in the murders.

Philippine
authorities
arrested a second suspect, a
Filipino, in March last year
while a second American suspect remains unaccounted for,
according to Daniel Daganzo,
head of the international operations division of the departments National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The report alleges that
Kaufman came under suspicion
after a watchmen in the gated

residential neighborhood saw

as a car passenger soon after the

him hastily leaving the scene

estimated time of the killings.

APOLOGIES TO OUR READERS

We apologize to our readers for the blurry photos that were published in our anniversary issue, Nov. 16-30, 2014. In our haste to
meet the deadline, our volunteer photo editor and layout artist
have failed to upgrade the photos which they usually did in the
past.
Readers have also called our attention to the different fonts used
on page one.
Our apologies.
THE EDITORS

December 1-15, 2014

Pinoy part of ISIS beheading team - report

MANILA. A website reputedly written by retired American servicemen claimed that an
Asian-looking militant seen on
beheading video, including of
American aid volunteer Peter
Kassig, from the so-called Islamic
State (ISIS) was a Filipino.
The website The ISIS Study
Group said the Asian-looking
militant was possibly Filipino
Tausug.
The Tausug is a nomadic
Muslim tribe (the word means
people of the current) living
mainly in Sulu Island, that has
become a base for the Al-qaedaaffiliated Abu Sayyaf Group
(ASG).

At least 15 people were

killed in fighting in the island
last Nov. 14 as hundreds of Filipino troops mount a fresh offensive following the abduction and
eventual release of two German
hostages.
The group claimed it
received $5.7 million ransom for
the pair.
Classified as a terror organization, the ASG is believed to
be holding at least 13 more hostages, including five foreigners,
according to Philippine military
accounts.
The alleged Filipino ISIS
member was reportedly seen in
video of executions of 18 Syrian

Photo of suspected Filipino ISIS

militant
Air Force pilots and Kassig that
was posted on the internet last

Nov. 15.
The recent IS execution
video showing the beheadings of
the Syrian pilots and Peter Kassig
is extremely important due to the
fact that a Filipino foreign fighter
was involved in the execution of
the pilots, and quite possibly was
also involved in Kassigs execution as well, the website said.
The allegation was echoed
in the British news website Mail
Online. It cited unnamed Kurdish sources as saying that the
killer from the latest ISIS video is
a Filipino.
Armed Forces public affairs
chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc
will not confirm he was indeed

Filipino.
So far there are no verified
reports about Filipinos joining
ISIS, he said.
But the ISIS Study Group
said that approximately 10-20
Filipinos have actually traveled
to Syria or Iraq with the purpose
of networking with the right
people connected to foreign
financiers.
Last October, former President Fidel Ramos revealed that
about 100 young Filipino Muslims had entered Iraq to train
with the ISIS.

UVA suspends fraternities over gang rape report

WASHINGTON D.C. The
University of Virginia has suspended all campus fraternities
following a Rolling Stone report
detailing the gang rape of a student inside the Phi Kappa Psi
house in 2012 and the botched
response of school officials.
The controversy deepened
when a video surfaced showing a dean who acknowledged
that students whove admitted
to sexual assault had escaped
expulsion and that none one had
been expelled for sexual assault
in at least seven years.
Protesters kept up demon-

strations outside the fraternity

house where the rape allegedly
took place two years ago.
The report comes in the

heels of the murder of a Virginia

freshman, Hannah Graham, in
September; the 2010 murder
of a female lacrosse player,

Protests rock University of Virginia campus

Yeardley Love, at the hands of

a male lacrosse player, George
Huguely; and years of concern
about sexual abuse on campus.
At a gathering of student
leaders demanding self-examination and reform, the president
of the Inter-Fraternity Council,
Thomas Reid, said, It makes me
personally sick to my stomach
to make me think about what
happened that one night in that
specific fraternity house, and it
disorients my understanding of
this community.
UVA student leaders, horrified by the alleged gang rape

that led to the suspension of

fraternities, vowed to change
the schools culture and make it
safer for victims of sexual assault
to come forward.
Enough passivity. Enough
stigma. Enough silence, said
Ashley Brown, the president of
a sexual assault education group
called One Less.
The president of the Student
Council, Jalen Ross, said: This is
our problem to solve. And that
means that every single one of
us, all of us, have a role to play in
finding that solution.

December 1-15, 2014

Meetings with calamity victims, poor highlight Popes sked

MANILA. Pope Francis will
meet with political and religious
leaders during his visit to the
Philippines but the highlight will
be meals the pontiff will be sharing with the poor and survivors
of natural calamities that killed
thousands in 2013.
Thirty survivors of typhoon
Yolanda and the 7.2-magnitude
earthquake will share lunch with
Pope Francis in Tacloban City on
Jan. 17.
They are trying their best
to choose people, not only those
who had survived Yolanda but
even other calamities, so that the
event will be well-represented,
said Fr. Chris Arthur Militante,
media coordinator for the papal
visit of the Archdiocese of Palo.
Fr. Melvin Mejia, secretary-

Pope Francis memorabilia already on sale in Manila.

general of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP), said the pope will also
meet with leaders of other religions at the University of Santo

Tomas on Jan. 18.

One of the things close
to the heart of Pope Francis
are the different religions and
faiths. Inter-religious dialogue

is an important dimension of his

papacy, Mejia explained.
The Pope will arrive in
Manila on January 15 aboard the
Sri Lankan flag carrier. He will
be welcomed personally by President Benigno Aquino III.
The following day, the
Pope will pay a courtesy call to
Aquino in Malacanang. He will
also celebrate mass at the Manila
Cathedral, then meet families at
the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay
City.
He flies to Leyte on Jan, 17
where he will celebrate mass
near the Tacloban Airport,
as well as meet survivors of
Typhoon Yolanda.
Cebu and Bohol, which
were struck by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Oct. 15 last

year, are expected to send representatives to the lunch with the

Pope.
He will return to Manila
and meet the youth at the UST
on the morning of January 18. In
the afternoon, he will celebrate
mass at Luneta. The Department
of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) has said it was spending over P20 million to spruce
up the Quirino Grandstand and
Rizal Park.
Millions of Catholics are
expected to attend the Luneta
mass.
The Pope will leave for
Rome on Jan. 19, on board a Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane.
The government is mulling
declaring a holiday while Pope
Francis is in the country.

Over 260,000 Pinoys suffer modern slavery

WASHINGTON D.C. More
than a quarter of a million Filipinos are facing some form of
modern slavery in the Philippines and many more could be
victims overseas, according to
the 2014 Global Slavery Index
(GSI).
Walk Free Foundation, a
group with a mission to end
modern slavery, revealed the
latest GSI that claimed 261,200
Filipinos are facing modern slavery. This makes the Philippines

among the top 20 countries with

the highest number of people in
modern slavery.
While incidences of slavery were found in every one of
the 167 countries surveyed, five
countries -- India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Russia -accounted for nearly 22 million
people or about 61 percent of the
total number suffering in bondage.
The worst offender, India,
accounted for an estimated 14.29

million people.
The Philippines ranked
103rd in terms of prevalence of
population in modern slavery.
The Walk Free Foundation defined modern slavery as
human trafficking, forced labor,
debt bondage, forced or servile
marriage, or commercial sexual
exploitation.
The report found a 20 percent increase from last years
numbers, although it attributed
the rise to more sophisticated

data collection and analysis.

There is an assumption
that slavery is an issue from a
bygone era. Or that it only exists
in countries ravaged by war
and poverty, Andrew Forrest,
Chairman and Founder of the
Walk Free Foundation, said in a
statement.
The first step in eradicating slavery is to measure it. And
with that critical information, we
must all come together -- governments, businesses and civil soci-

ety -- to finally bring an end to

the most severe form of exploitation.
The GSI report pointed out
that Filipinos who are under
modern slavery have been subject to sexual exploitation and
domestic and carers work.
It also stressed that there are
migrant workers who may also
be subjected to modern slavery
in other countries like Qatar,
which is the top 4 country in
terms of slavery prevalence.

December 1-15, 2014

December 1-15, 2014

Fresh murders pile atop slow Maguindanao Massacre trial

MAGUINDANAO.
The
Philippines is running out of
time for justice to 58 victims of
a November 2009 massacre of
journalists and women in this
Mindanao province, Amnesty
International warned the administration of President Benigno
Aquino III.
Justice delayed is justice
denied, said Hazel GalangFolli of Amnesty International
Philippines. Five years after
the Maguindanao massacre, the
cases are still inching through
the Philippine court system and
not a single person has been held
to account.
On Nov. 23, 2009, 58 people,
including 32 journalists, were
mercilessly executed by over 100

gunmen allegedly on the orders

of the powerful Ampatuan clan.
The group was traveling in a
convoy to the capitol so the wife
of an Ampatuan political opponent can file registration papers
for an upcoming election.
Almost half of the 197 suspects for whom arrest warrants
have been issued remain at
large and the courts have yet to
deliver a single conviction after
five years.
The families of the victims,
the provincial government of
Maguindanao, and other sectors
gathered at the massacre site on
Nov. 23 to remember the dead as
well as reiterate calls for justice.
Governor Ismael Mangudadatu, the Ampatuan oppo-

Prayers are offered for justice to Maguindanao Massacre victims.

nent who was targeted in the
attack but who sent his slain wife

instead, echoed the hope convictions can be won before Presi-

dent Aquino steps down in 2016.

The massacre became a key campaign issue because the Ampatuans were allied to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
who allegedly looked away from
the warlord clans excesses in
exchange for delivering votes
during elections.
Amnesty International said
delays and court setbacks have
exposed witnesses and the victims families to intimidation
and in several cases, led to their
murders that demand prompt
justice themselves.
At least eight witnesses
and their family members have
been killed in such attacks since
November 2009, Amnesty International said.

Napoles children face graft, tax raps

MANILA.
Two
children of alleged pork
barrel scam mastermind
Janet Lim-Napoles has
been arraigned by the
countrys graft court
for their alleged role in
siphoning billions of
pesos for non-existent
government projects.
Jo Christine Napoles
and her younger brother,
James
Christopher
Napoles, were finally
arraigned Nov. 19 by
the Sandiganbayan 3rd
Division; both refused
to enter a plea for the
15 counts of graft filed
against them by the
Office of the Ombudsman.
They were implicated in the alleged
misuse of P345 million in
pork barrel allotments of
now detained Sen. Juan
Ponce Enrile.
Besides the Napoles
siblings, Budget Under-

secretary Mario Relampagos

and three members of his staff
Rosario Nuez, Lalaine Paule
and Marilou Barealso refused
to enter pleas.
Three of their co-accused
former Napoles employees Hernani Ditchon, Rodrigo Galay
and Laarnie Uyall pleaded not
guilty to two counts of graft.
Asked by 3rd Division Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang what her plea was, Jo
Christine said in a muffled voice:
Your honors, upon the advice of
my counsels, I refuse to enter any
plea.
Another of the siblings,
Jeane Catherine was slapped earlier with a P17 million tax evasion complaint. She reportedly
owns high-priced real estate in
the United States and a sprawling farm in Pangasinan although
she had no visible source of
income. She is reportedly a student in California.
Jeane Catherine featured
prominently because of social
media postings boasting an
extravagant lifestyle.
Stephen David, one of
the siblings lawyers, said the
Napoles children had no knowledge of the operations of JLN
Corp. and the foundations that
their mother allegedly used to
siphon off billions of pesos from
the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in connivance with some lawmakers.
Government witness Marina
Sula, one of the whistle-blowers
in the PDAF scam, earlier testified that Napoles children
were among those who forged
the documents pertaining to the
projects funded by Enriles pork
barrel allocations.
At the time, they were
just students. They also had
their own businesses, David
declared.

December 1-15, 2014

10

December 1-15, 2014

Chinese poachers convicted but wont be jailed

MANILA. A Philippine
court convicted nine Chinese
fishermen last Nov. 4 for poaching in the countrys waters but
imposed a fine instead of sentencing them to jail.
Observers noted the move
could help improve relations
between the Philippines and
China, strained by the impasse
over conflicting territorial claims
in the South China Sea.
The fishermen were arrested
in May after Philippine authorities said they found hundreds
of protected turtles aboard their
vessel.

The fishermen theoretically

faced up to 20 years in prison,
but President Benigno Aquino III
had made it clear they wouldnt
be jailed because the United
Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which
both China and the Philippines
are signatories, discourages the
imprisonment of foreign fishermen, including poachers.
The court instead fined them
roughly $100,000 each.
The decision to just fine
the Chinese fishermen will
obviously go a long way in deescalating tensionsor at the

Chinese fishermen could soon be free after court spares them a prison sentence.

very least avoiding an additional

crisis, said political science professor Richard Javad Heydarian
of De La Salle University.
Relations between the Philippines and China have been at
rock bottom ever since a confrontation over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in 2012.
But a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and
President Aquino at the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation
summit in Beijing earlier this
month appeared to signal an
opening to improve ties.

Binay wife sues for time to face own graft raps

MANILA. Elenita Binay,
the wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Makati
City Mayor is scheduled to be
arraigned on charges of graft
and malversation of public funds
early next year.
What should have happened at the Sandiganbayan
this month was pushed back at
the request of Binay lawyers to
give them time to challenge the
arraignment.
The Binays have been under
increasing fire for alleged irregularities in the construction of a
parking garage and undeclared
properties; the latest allegations

pointed to possible bribes from

private contractors with projects
in the Makati district.
However, Mrs. Binay is
facing a different complaint, this
time the allegedly overpriced
purchase of hospital beds and
other medical equipment for the
Ospital ng Makati.
It comes at a time when her
husband is facing fresh accusations that he owns at least
six condominiums in Makati,
all ostensibly registered under
dummy names, that he allegedly extorted from contractors
in exchange for facilitating and
approving city permits to build

Ex-Makati Mayor Elenita Binay

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(SMDC), Megaworld Corp.,

Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC),
Rockwell Land Corp. and Eton
Properties, which all have large
real estate dealings in Makati,
denied the allegations made by
a Binay opponent, his former
vice mayor, Ernesto Mercado, at
a recent Senate blue ribbon testimony.
That Binay is allegedly getting a unit for every condominium built in the nations financial
center is a long-running rumor
within the business community
but no one has publicly accused
him of wrongdoing.
Mercado, star witness in the

panels inquiry on corruption

allegations against Binay, had
only cleared Ayala Land Inc.,
Makatis biggest landlord, in his
testimony.
Mercado, who is enrolled in
the governments witness protection program, reportedly left
for the US last Nov. 18 to visit his
family and promised to return
to Manila the following month.
Binays lawyers have asked the
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
to do a lifestyle check on Mercados properties in the country as
well as the US.

11

December 1-15, 2014

Customs bureau helps track Balikbayan boxes

MANILA. The Philippine
Customs Bureau is offering Filipinos abroad the chance to track
Balikbayan boxes sent to relatives to the Philippines.
Trade
Undersecretary
Vic Dimagiba said consumers
can track down the location of
Balikbayan boxes amid warnings from cargo forwarders that

Balikbayan packages in warehouse.

most packages expected for the

holiday season may arrive late.
Dimagiba, who is head of
the Philippine Shippers Bureau,
said consumers can track the
packages through the Bureau of
Customs (BOC) website (www.
customs.gov.ph) by searching
for icon resources or references
to check on the status of a spe-

cific package.
According to Dimagiba,
they get a copy of the ship manifest two weeks before it arrives
and can thus give consumers an
idea of the packages location.
But he added freight forwarders have no liability in the
event of delayed delivery due to
port congestion, as long as the

package is delivered.
Cargo

forwarders

earlier

warned that only Balikbayan

boxes sent on or before August
will make it this Christmas,
noting that packages sent after
that could get stuck in the ports.

Pinoy nurses join call for better Ebola safeguards

WASHINGTON D.C. Filipino nurses in the capital region
joined more than 18,000 nurses
and nurse practitioners in a oneday strike last Nov. 12 to demand
tougher Ebola precautions in US
hospitals.
Lizelle Natividad, 31, was
among the protesters. What if it
happened here in DC, she wondered. Can we handle it? The
nations capital attracts thousands of tourists, diplomats and
workers from West Africa.
Natividad is worried. DCs
Providence Hospital, where she
has worked as a nurse in the
Intermediate Cardiac Care unit
for six years, has reportedly not
trained the 400 nurses on Ebola
safety precautions and the use of
personal protective equipment.
Compounding her concerns
were the frantic calls from her

family in Zamboanga City. The

Ebola scare was alarming, she
says. As health workers who
are willing to care for patients,
whether its flu or Ebola, we are
vulnerable.
Similar protests were held
in Canada, Ireland, Spain and
the Philippines. In the US, nurses
in 15 states joined pickets, strikes
and vigils.
Organized by National
Nurses United (NNU), the largest US organization of nurses,
the strike was triggered in part
by the breakdown in negotiations with management.
Hospital executives at the
Providence Hospital refused to
fairly address matters of health,
safety and equity for patients
and nurses, said NNU Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro.
Our nurses are now being asked

Nurses protest lack of Ebola safeguards in hospitals.

to put themselves in harms way
unprotected and unguarded.
NNU has repeatedly called
on the President and Congress to
mandate all hospitals to meet the
highest standard of protection
for health workers who might

encounter an Ebola patient,

DeMoro said.
An NNU survey showed
that 85 percent of the 2,200
nurses who responded to the
unions questionnaire reported
that their hospitals had not pro-

vided education on Ebola.

Another 76 percent said
their institution had no policy
for how to admit and handle
patients potentially infected
with the virus. More than a third
claimed their hospitals didnt
have enough safety supplies.
Not only am I not prepared
for Ebola, we are severely understaffed, says John Estenor, a
Filipino nurse at the Washington Hospital Center from Iloilo
City who joined Natividad and
dozens of other Filipinos.
We are in the capital city of
the greatest nation on earth, and
we are not ready? We care for
our patients, thats why we are
making our voices heard. They
deserve the best quality care.
But we must also be trained and
equipped properly he averred.

12

December 1-15, 2014

DCs Mayor for Life dead at 78

WASHINGTON
D.C.
Marion Barry Jr., who passed
away Nov, 22, has been heralded
for his contributions to the civil
rights movement and serving
four terms as mayor of the District of Columbia, but he also figured in a controversial spat with
Filipino nurses and teachers.
In April 2012, Barry singled
out Filipino nurses as he tried to
draw attention on the need to
train more African Americans
to become nurses. If you go to
the hospital now, youll find a
number of immigrants who are
nurses, particularly from the

Philippines, he said at a videotaped hearing on the University

of DCs budget.
Lets grow our own teachers, lets grow our own nurses, so
that we dont have to go scrounging in our community clinics and
other kinds of places, having to
hire people from somewhere
else, he continued.
The National Federation of
Filipino American Associations
(NaFFAA) characterized Barrys
statement as racist Asian bashing. They called on Barry to
apologize.
Some Fil-Am leaders were

4-time DC Mayor Marion Barry Jr.

especially peeved because Barry,

whos been celebrated for helping tear down racial barriers,

appeared to be fueling the notion
that Filipino immigrants were
depriving Americans of jobs.
NaFFAA
chairman
Ed
Navarra called on Barry at the
time to engage in a meaningful dialogue with our community so we can better educate the
broader American public about
the significant contributions that
our diverse immigrant communities have made to this country.
Barry was no stranger to
controversy. He was jailed on

cocaine charges, ran and won

his 4th term as DC mayor and
struggled with alcohol and drug
addiction. He was married four
times, divorced three times and
separated from his 4th wife.
He stirred more attention over
unpaid taxes.
But there was also little
dispute that he was a dominant
force in DCs political landscape
and kept in the limelight until his
death. Some have called Barry
the citys Mayor for Life.

Govt survey shows petty graft going down

MANILA. Someone in one
out of every 20 families in the
Philippines paid a bribe to a government official who asked for
it, according to a survey by the
countrys Ombudsman.
The finding can be found
in the 2013 National Household
Survey on Experience with Corruption in the Philippines that
was commissioned by the Office
of the Ombudsman and included
in the 2013 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey conducted by the
Philippine Statistics Authority.
This was reportedly an
improvement over the 2010
survey which showed that two
out of every 20 families that

admitted giving bribes.

The
survey
measured
respondents actual experiences
in small-scale corruption, particularly in bribery or facilitation
money.
It also identified the public
services vulnerable to corruption and whether the bribes were
solicited by the receiver or initiated by the giver.
The survey revealed that
bribes are usually solicited by
corrupt government officials
rather than initiated by the giver.
It also showed that incidents
of bribe initiation is practiced
more by families seeking basic
social services compared to fami-

lies transacting other services

such as securing registry documents and licenses, accessing
justice, and paying taxes and
duties.

According to the Office

of the Ombudsman, the 2013
survey is consistent with the
results of the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer of Transpar-

Filipinos try to deal with government agencies

ency International, which noted

a decrease in the bribe incidence
in the Philippines from 16 percent in 2010 to 12 percent in 2013
The report attributed the
lower incidence of bribes to a
more vigilant citizenry and their
growing intolerance for corruption.
The top reason why people
didnt report cases of petty corruption was because the respondent believed the incident was
not worth reporting or that the
amount was too small to bother
with (59 percent). Other reasons
were fear of reprisal (24 percent)
and the lack of time to report (21
percent).

13

December 1-15, 2014

China seen tilting balance of power in Pacific

WASHINGTON D.C. A
United States congressional
panel said China could tilt the
balance of power in the Asia
Pacific region by 2020 even as
new satellite images appear to
buttress fears aired by the Philippines and other countries that
it was building a major air base
in the disputed South China Sea.
The
satellite
pictures
obtained by the IHS Jane website showed China reclaimed
enough of Fiery Cross Reef
large enough to construct a
runway and apron. The reef,
which sometimes disappears at
high tide, has reportedly grown
to nearly two miles.

The land reclamation project was Chinas fourth in the

Spratly Islands in the last 12 to

US-China Economic and Security Review Commission warned

last Nov. 21 that Chinas nuclear

Chinese structure on Fiery Cross Reef

18 months and by far the largest,
IHS Janes said.
Meanwhile, the bipartisan

forces are expected to expand

considerably in the next three to
five years that could potentially

weaken US deterrence.
Chinas growing confidence in its military capabilities has emboldened Beijing to
aggressively advance its territorial ambitions, the report said.
The commission urged
Congress to allocate additional
resources to meet the growing
challenges from China.
The commission expects
China to have a total of 351 submarines, five of them nuclearpowered each with a capability
to fire a dozen intercontinental
ballistic missiles, and missileequipped ships in the AsiaPacific region by 2020.
The US Navy could increase

the number of ships and submarines to up to 67 in 2020 if

the budgetary situation permits,
from 50 as of this year, the report
said.
The naval construction and
military build-up appear to defy
US calls for a freeze in provocative activity in the South China
Sea, one of Asias biggest security issues.
Because of these, tensions
continue to mount among countries that have conflicting territorial claims with China, including
the Philippines, Vietnam and
Japan.

PH Embassy to spruce up Old Chancery

WASHINGTON D.C. The
countrys
historic
chancery
building along Massachusetts
Avenue is getting another round
of renovation after the bids and
award committee of the Philippine Embassy finally awarded
the job to a New York-based contractor.
Urban Group Ltd. of Woodhaven, NY submitted the lowest
bid of more than $1.98 million; the Department of Foreign
Affairs had actually set aside
$2.22 million as budget in 2013,
which means the government

likely saved some money from

the contract.
The old chancery, located at
1617 Massachusetts Ave. NW,
had earlier undergone a first
round of renovation to house the
busy consular section. It rises just
across the street to the Philippine
Embassy building where the
old consular offices used to be
located; because of limited space,
the queue sometimes stretches
out the building which caused
a lot of discomfort especially
during the peak of summer or
winter.

The chancery was acquired

from Stella Stapleton, wife of US
platinum baron Daniel Stapleton, on Nov. 15, 1941, but it was
not until 1943 when the Office of
the Resident Commission moved
into the building (President
Manuel Q. Quezon preferred to
stay in a Georgetown hotel that
served as the de facto capital of
the government in exile during
the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines in World War II).
When
the
Philippines
achieved independence and
became a Republic in 1946, the

After the new Embassy

building was built, the Chancery fell into a state of disrepair
and was later damaged by fire.
The city government had threatened to condemn the building,
prompting Philippines officials
Old Philippine Chancery building in
Washington DC

to rescue the structure which sits

Office of the Resident Commissioner became the Embassy of

the Philippines, and the building
became the Chancery.

estate.

on prime Washington DC real

The

Philippine

Embassy

posted the award of contract

notice in its website last Nov. 20.

14

December 1-15, 2014

Deadline extended for Marcos human rights victims

MANILA. A child massacre survivor of the martial law
era has won a small victory after
Congress voted to extend the
processing period for thousands
of Marcos human rights victims.
Pablo Pagtama, now almost
40, fought for the extension of the
registration period for victims of
human rights violations under
the regime of former President
Ferdinand Marcos.
He was only five years old
when gunmen opened fire on
their home on August 27, 1980,
killing seven members of his
family.
I didnt have the death
certificates of my family, he
explained. They didnt even get

blessed by the priest and their

bodies were not brought to town
for fear that anyone who claimed
the bodies could also be shot.
Pagtama said the bullet that
hit him damaged his intestines
and his doctor admitted it was a
miracle he survived. He said he
still has nightmares about that
day.
He lauded the passage of
the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of
2013 but said the deadline for
filing claims was too short.
On Nov. 18 the Senate,
responding to a Change.org petition for Pagtama and other victims, approved a joint resolution
extending the deadline by six

Victims of former Pres. Marcos martial law regime ready documents to

receive damages.

months.
Pagtama, who needs monetary compensation for his
wound, said the extension
would allow martial law victims
to inform the younger generation of how the people suffered
under a dictatorship.
The Philippine Alliance
of Human Rights Advocates
(PAHRA), a coalition of human
rights groups, said the Human
Rights Victims Claims Board
(HRVCB) had received only
around 29,000 claims as of October.
PAHRA chairman Max de
Mesa said the board expected
about 55,000 to 90,000 more
applications to be processed.

Fil-Ams join transgender protest in LA

LOS ANGELES. Filipinos

said the murder last October of

Jolene Levid.

joined protesters on Nov. 18,

Filipino

Jennifer

Its very important to raise

blocking an east Hollywood

Laude in Olongapo City, alleg-

awareness of our issues and the

intersection and briefly scuffling

edly at the hands of a US Marine,

murdering of transgender has

with police to draw attention to

underscored the need for greater

got to stop. This violence against

the need to protect transgender

protection and respect for trans-

the transgender community hap-

rights.

genders.

pens worldwide, she said

transgender

Makeshift coffins lined the

Were still mourning her

Statistics show that trans-

streets representing murdered

death but were also using it to

genders are 50 percent more

transgenders. Karina Samala, a

fuel our anger. Thats why were

likely to be murdered compared

transgender community leader,

here in the streets today, said

to gays.

Murdered Filipina transgender Jennifer Laude was focus of protests.

15

December 1-15, 2014

If you would like your organizations event to appear in the calendar, kindly send it your information
to Maurese Oteyza Owens at mpapoose@aol.com.
Dec 6 (Saturday) 10:00a.m.
2:00p.m. Filipino American
Institute of Accountants (FAIA)
Seminar covering topics including new rules for not-for-profit
organizations, tax planning &
retirement, Lincolnia Senior
Center.Contact: Bong Pangilinan

@ 703-899-8356
Dec 6 (Saturday) 5:30p.m.
- 11:30p.m. Marinduquenos of
the Capital Area, Inc. (MCA,
Inc.) Pasko Natin 2014. Bethesda
Marriott , 5151 Pooks Hill Rd,
Bethesda, MD 20814.
Registration at 5:30pm. Party Tickets:
Adults: $60.00/$65.00
after Nov 30; Minor/Teens:
$50.00/$55.00 after Nov. 30;
12 years old and below - Kids
Meal) $25.00 /$30.00 after Nov.

30. Contact: Blanca Ho: 301-9190753.

Dec 6 (Saturday) 4:00p.m. All
Saints Filipino-American Ministry Bethany Food Pantry Benefit
Concert, Please bring Non-Perishable Food Items, 9300 Stonewall Rd, Manassas VA 20110.
Contact 703-909-6454
Dec 6 (Saturday)
7:00
p.m. All Saints Filipino-American Ministry Potluck Christmas Party. 9300 Stonewall Rd.,
Manassas, VA. Contact: Rose
Ann 703-909-6454
Dec
6
(Saturday)
7:00p.m.
Mayon
Global
Foundation Inc. 1st Annual
ChristmasCaroling & Fundraising Dinner Party. 22320
Canterfield Way, Germantown,
MD. Dinner while listening and/
or singing Christmas Carols. Featuring the newly-formed MGF

Choir. Proceeds to benefit the

Jan 2015 Health Assistance Program (HAP) in Naga, Camarines
Sur and provide assistance to
Mayon Volcano eruption victims
in Camalig, Albay. RSVP Vangie
Miller at 301-250-5081.
Dec 6 (Saturday) 4:30-6:00
p.m. The Filipino Ministry of
Christ the Redeemer Zumba
Dance Party - a fun evening of
fitness and fellowship. Phenom
Sports & Conditioning Studio,
21690 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn,
VA 20147. $10 per person. Led
by Nikki McNutt-Thiem of Full
Out Fitness (www.fulloutsweat.
com) and a certified Zumba
instructor. Preregister by email
to filminatctr@gmail.com. Help
stock the LINK food pantry to
feed the hungry this Christmas!
Bring non-perishable
food items and receive $1.00 off

admission.
Dec 7 (Sunday) Mass at
12:00 noon.followed by La Salle
Philippine Alumni Association
(LSPAA) Pasko Berde 2014 at
1:45. Bring a pot-luck dish. Lorton
Station Community Center, 9050
Lorton Station Blvd. Lorton,VA.
For details:lgimeno@cox.net
Dec 7 (Sunday) 2:00 5:00
p.m. USTAAA 4th Anniversary. Christmas Country with
DJ Ray and the Modern Vintage Band with Lauriat dinner
at Harvest Moon Restaurant,
7260 Arington Boulevard, Falls
Church, VA 22042. Contactustallumniamerica@gmail.com or
(703) 573-6000..
Dec 7 (Sunday) 3:005:00p.m. PAFC Paskong Pinoy. A
nostalgic concert of choral and
instrumental groups to usher in
the Christmas Holidays. Southern Regional Technology And
Recreation Complex, 7007 Bock
Road, Fort Washington, Md
20744. A free concert. Contributions welcome. Contact: Ador
Carreon 240-475-2645)
Dec 7 (Sunday) 6:0010:30p.m. Bayanihan sa America
Christmas Party. Jane E. Lawton,
4301 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase,
MD. No entrance fee but please
bring one toy for a kid. Contact:
Emily Wiegand 202-460-7874.
Dec 12 (Friday) 6:00
pm. PAMWE Christmas Holiday Party. Fortune Restaurant
on 6249 Seven Corners Center,
Falls Church, VA 22044 on
Arlington Blvd, Route 50. Contact: Hazel Russell at hazelchantel@yahoo.com
Dec 13 (Saturday) 1:00pm
5:00pm Marinduqueneo Association of the Capital Area
2014 Christmas Party. Environ
Community Clubhouse, 18000
OHara Circle, Olney, MD 20832.
RSVP by Nov 23 to macasecretary@gmail.com.
Dec 13 (Saturday) Mayon
Global Foundation Christmas
Party.
Lincolnia Recreation
Center Chambliss St, Alexandria
VA 22312. This is an appreciation party for all MGF friends,
donors and supporters.
Dec
13
(Saturday)
12:00n-4:00pm
13th
Sunflower
Intl
Cultural
InstituteSunflower Christmas
Beauty Pageant. Hilton HotelGaithersburg at 620 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.
Tickets now available for $55.
Semi-formal. Contact: 240-4770622 or www.sunflowerpageants.com
Dec 13 (Saturday) 1:00pm
5:00pm Marinduqueneo Association of the Capital Area
2014 Christmas Party. Environ
Community Clubhouse, 18000
OHara Circle, Olney, MD 20832.
RSVP by Nov 23 to macasecretary@gmail.com.
Dec 14 (Sunday) St Rose
of Lima Misang Pilipino, 11701
Clopper Road, Gaithersburg,
MD 20878. For details:www.FilipinoMass.com

16

December 1-15, 2014

Simbang 2014 For Northern VA

List of participating parishes
Dec 15, Monday
7:00pm: ST. MICHAEL
Annandale, VA
For info: Bring Crisologo
703-395-9160
Bobby Tamayo 703-615-9451
7:30pm:
CHRIST
THE
REDEEMER
CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Sterling, VA
For info: Loulou Rosales
703-716-1951
Lizette R. Andreyko 703404-2654
Jet Sevilla 703-937-7968
Dec 16, Tuesday
7:00pm
QUEEN
OF
APOSTLES
Alexandria, VA
For info: Cheryl Cuenca
Madlansacay 703-386-6254
7:00pm: ST. ANTHONY of
PADUA
Falls Church,VA
For info: Margot Atilano
571-226-7187
7:30pm HOLY SPIRIT
Annandale,
VA
For info: Beng Magalong 703978-3802
Dec 17, Wednesday tentative
St. John the Apostle
Leesburg, VA
For info: Theresa C. Purca
571-209-0561

Participants and names of parish in the Nov. 15 meeting of Simbang

Gabi are in group photo. First row, from left are Tess Taylor from Our
Lady of Lourdes; Nancy Ceniza from Our Lady of Good Counsel; Margie
Paglinawan from St.Raymond of Penafort; Pia San Luis from Blessed Sacrament; Pinky Hudson from Blessed Sacrament; Lady in pink from Blessed
Sacrament; Theresa Purca from St. John of Leesburg; Noemi Carmack from
Our Lady of Hope; Bob Carmack from Our Lady of Hope; Ehmie Hill from
All Saints Parish; Cora Arca from St. Philips; Lilia Arca from St.Philips;
Pat Aguas from Nativity Church; Thelma Billy. Lynn and Joe Chavez from
St. Leo. Second row Ed Tiong from St. Timothy; Conrad Alzona from All
Saints; Rose Ann Alzona from All Saints; Gerry Jumat from Our Lady of
Hope; Meng Hoepfner from St. Timothy; Nilda Bautista from Blessed Sacrament and Leah Roa from Our lady of Good Counsel.
Dec 18, Thursday
7:30pm:
NATIVITY
CHURCH
Burke, VA
For info: Pat AguasDec 19, Friday
7:00pm:
ALL
SAINTS
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Manassas, VA
For info: Rose Ann & Conrad
Alzona 703-909-6455
7:30pm: OUR LADY OF
HOPE
Potomac
Falls,
VA
For info: Gerry Jumat 703-717-

1064
Noemi Carmack 703-5795435
Dec 19, Friday
7:30PM: ST. VERONICA
CATHOLIC CHURCH Chantilly, VA
For info: Ed & Chit Nufable
703-626-2996
Dec 20, Saturday
7:00pm: OUR LADY OF
GOOD COUNSEL CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Vienna, VA
For info: Chiqui Sanchez

571-499-8277
7:00pm ST. MARY OF SORROWS CATHOLIC CHURCH
Fairfax, VA
For info: Nory Ces 202-957
8085
7:30pm: ST. BERNADETTE
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Springfield, VA
For info: Rolly & Tess Saldana 703- 569-1054
7:30pm:
ST.THERESA
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Ashburn, VA
For info: Ben & Sollie Manalaysay 703-858-1635
8:00pm: HOLY FAMILY
CATHOLIC CHURCH Dale
City, VA
For info: Noel Montoro 703209-2224
Dec 21, Sunday
7:00pm: BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH
Alexandria, VA
For info: Pinky Hudson 540419-4537
7:30pm: ST. PHILIP CATHOLIC CHURCH
Falls Church, VA 22042
for info: Cora Arca 703-5692093
Dec 22, Monday
7:00pm: ST. LEO
Fairfax, VA
For info: Thelma Billy 703-

323-6470
Dave Bacungan 703-4899490
Joe Chavez 703-250-2458
7:30pm: ST. TIMOTHY
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Chantilly, VA
For Info: Ed & Dollie Medina
703-266-4670
Dec 23, Tuesday
7:00pm: GOOD SHEPHERD
Alexandria, VA
For info: Claireen Enciso
703-303-0794
Ed Tiong, 703-403-5624
For info/Contact us at :
WWW.SIMBANGGABI.COM
FOR EARLY RISERS IN
NORTHERN VA AND METRO
DC
Simbang Gabi Mass from
December 16 to December 24.
Early morning mass (Dawn
or MADALING ARAW)
16-24 December (5am 7am)
St. Charles Borromeo
3304 N. Washington Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-527-5500
Directions:
http://
www.stcharleschurch.org
Note;
Breakfast
served
after mass at Benedict Hall
Sponsored by Litong Roa/
Sunga family and Simbang Gabi
Group of St. Charles

FilAm woman heads fastest growing company in Virginia

Mrs. Miriam Villarin

NVE Inc, headed by Filipino American entrepreneur

Mrs. Miriam Villarin of Herdon,
Virginia, has been named one of
the fastest growing company in
2014 by the Washington Business Journal. . NVE, Inc. is a
woman-owned small business
federal contractor company and
is owned by Myriam who origi-

nally hails from San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. Her company,

NVE, Inc. has been ranked 1335
on the 2014 Inc. 5000 list. She
was honored recently during
the Fastest Growing Companies
cocktail reception at Convene,
Tysons Corner, McLean, Virginia.. Myriam is the wife of Nilo
Villarin, a multi-awarded Fili-

New officers of Ilocandia Association of Washington DC (ILAW) were installed Nov. 23 during its inaugural dinner/
dance at New Fortune. Inductees are President Helen Supang Pelegrin (7th from left). Other officers are VP Clarita
Chan, Sec. Cathy Bongbonga, Asst. Sec. Divina Rillorta, Treas., Gloria Arista, Asst. Treas. Richard Chan, PRO Luz
Adriz and Marvi Aguinaldo, Bus. Mgrs. Vicky Rillorta and Dominga Tubog, Auditor Lina Eclipse, Asst. Aud. Alda
Wynes, Sgt. at Arms Ador and Conrad Martinez, Board of Directors John Cabrera, Evelyn de Jesus, Aida Ancheta
and Juliet Barredo; Advisers Richard Organo and Victor Basamot, Legal Advisers Beth Wong and Regina Domingo.
PAFC President Sonny Busa (2nd from right) inducted the officers.(Photo by Jon Melegrito)

pino American engineer-inventor whose initials form the title

of the company. .

NVE, Inc. has been fulfilling

government contracts for more
than a decade.

John Estenor of the Washington Hospital Center and Lizelle Natividad

(right) of the Providence Hospital are among thousands of nurses across the
U.S. who went on strike Nov. 12 to protest the lack of Ebola training in the
nations hospitals. Estenor, who hails from Iloilo City, has been an operating
room nurse for 9 years, while Natividad - a Zamboanga City native - works
in the Intermediate Cardiac Center Care Unit since arriving in the Washington DC area six years ago. Photo by Jon Melegrito

Around DC in Pictures

December 1-15, 2014

The US Philippine Society, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the Philippine Embassy
Nov. 1`9 invited panelists from the Philippines and the US to discuss the lessons learned after Typhoon Haiyan. Other
panelists were Atty. Karen Jimeno-McBride, Head for Communications and External Affairs, Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery, Mr. Jason Foley, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Asia Bureau, US
Agency for International Development, Mr. Ernesto Garilao of Zuellig Family Foundation; Ms. Claudine Zukowski
of Proctor and Gamble and Butch Meily, President, Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation. Shown from left are
Am John Maisto, president of US-PI Society; Bing Branigin, NaFFAA region 2; and Antonio Yulo Loyzaga; Manila
Observatory and Mrs. Garilao.Back row: Sec. Rogelio Singson, DPWH; and Amb. Bobby Romulo, Zuellig.

Family and friends of Imelda C. Abella (center, wearing glasses, behind Judge David Valderrama) gather for a
Despedida Party at the National Philippine Cultural Center (NPCC) in Oxon Hill on Nov.22 to wine, dine, sing and
dance to the music of Tutubi. Abella, who recently retired from the Prince Georges County government is moving
to the Philippines for a much need rest and recreation. As outgoing chair of the NPCC Foundation, Abella also
presented appreciation certificates to members of the board Erlinda Alcones, Cora Dones, Ester Fojas, Mya Grossman, Roland Lee, Julian Oteyza, Romeo Ramirez, Serrano Salvador, Matthew Thomas and Ruth Williams. Also in the
picture are Prince Georges County Councilman Obie Patterson (right) and long-time friends Gabriego Fine Artist,
Jun Pedery and Zeny Viloria. (Photo by Jon Melegrito)

KAYA-Washington D.C. president

Romeo Ymalay, president KAYAWashington, left, poses with Ms.
Lottie Buhain, chair of Feed the
Hungry, Inc., and Randy Lizardo,
President Filipino Young Professionals, Washington, DC., during
fundraising for Haiyan rebuilding
in the Philippines at thet the Parlay
Bar on November 21.

Outgoing and incoming officers of

Filipino Young Professionals of DC
gather for a Transition Dinner
at Bistro 1707 in Crystal City, Va.
recently. Smiling for the camera,
from left, are Abbie Elliott, incoming
president; RJ Diokno, FYP founder;
Mark Arevalo, incoming vice president; Randy Lizardo, FYP founder;
Portia-Marie Enrique, outgoing
board member; Paulo Sian, incoming treasurer, and Christian Escoto,
incoming member and President of
the GWU Philippine Cultural Society. (Photo by Jon Melegrito)

17

Mrs. Marlan Manguba, 51, the Philippines candidate to the 2014 Mrs.
World Pageant, made it to the top 11 finalists in the Solomon Island, MD
late last month.. Mrs. Manguba, mother of 5 children, hails from Cagayan
province.. She won the hearts of the audience as she glided gracefully on
stage in her swimsuit and later in her yellow sequined gown. She bested 40
other beauty queens who were a lot younger than her. Although a charming,
tall lady from Belarus won this year, Mrs. Philippines was clearly a favorite
among the crowd. Marlan was accompanied by her husband, children and
Ovette Ricalde and Engr. Danny Pagsambugan. of Megastar Productions,
World Pageant, founded in 1983, is an international, beauty pageant organized to honor married women across the globe. Photo shows, from left,
Guding Buhay, MHC ExecDir. Grace Valera, Mrs. Manguba, Ricalde and
MHC ExecDir Jesse A. Gatchalian.

Ms. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, executive director of the Manila Observatory,

briefed guests on her organizations work to advance scientific research
in climate and disaster resilience through public and private partnerships.
With her are Luke Beckman of the American Red Cross, Ginny Barahona,
USAID; Paz Carlos, Patrick Ferraren, Eric Macalma, Lito Katigbak,, Maj.
General (Ret) Delfin Lorenzana, Bill Branigin, the Washington Post, Sam
Hayes, FSG. Also present were Mimi Katigbak, Jon and Elvie Melegrito, and
Minister Elmer Cato.The dinner reception was held at the home of Bill and
Bing Branigin in Reston, Virginia last November 20.

Posing for picture during the Handog Gala and Fund Raising galal of the
Feed the Hungry at the Hilton Mark Center in Virginia November 15 are,
from left, Dr. Willie Buhain, Lottie Buhain, Chairman of the Board, Feed
the Hungry; Mrs. Vicky Cuisia, Amb. Jose L. Cuisia, and Celia Donahue.
(Photo: Bing Cardenas Branigin)

The Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC) has given grants
to George Mason University-FCA, PNAMDC, MACA, APARRC, GWU-PCS,
Feed the Hungry, Filipino Cultural Association of Towson, Maryland, and
Filipino Cultural Association of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Photo shows the PAFC selection committee led by Ador Carreon, PAFC
chair, meeting with Mya Talavera, Eileen Nadal, P. de Jesus, Gloria and
Bobby Federigan, Ana Maria de Jesus and Bing Branigin.

18

December 1-15, 2014

PH officials grapple with Uber dilemma

MANILA. If Washington
DC is struggling to resolve the
controversy with online taxi service Uber, the Philippines land
transport regulator is handing
off the dilemma to Congress.
Winston Ginez, chairman of
the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
(LTFRB) said Congress needs to
pass a law that can regulate Uber
and other online transportation
services that it accuses of being
colorum.
He said they wanted Congress to determine if LTFRB has
jurisdiction over private vehicles
that use Uber, a technology startup that connects passengers with

private drivers for hire through a

mobile app of the same name.
Cities have responded to
the entry of Uber and Lyft in
different ways, with open arms,
or cease-and-desist letters, preemptive bans or legal blessings.
While DC has been described
as one of the friendliest cities
for Uber, its been met with stiff
opposition from the citys heavily regulated taxi companies.
The LTFRB was cracking
down on Uber after receiving a
complaint from the Philippine
National Taxi Operators Association (PNTOA), which said
that the vehicles hired through
Uber should be apprehended for

Controversial online taxi services like Uber has reached Manila.

being colorum or for operating
like taxicabs without the proper

franchise.
Well be calling a public

hearing including Uber and taxi

operators to come to us and
question them whether or not the
LTFRB has the power or jurisdiction to regulate these online services, Ginez said.
He added that since these
vehicles are not registered, commuters who use them are not
covered by insurance in cases of
accidents or other untoward incidents.
The Philippines has been
wrestling with unregistered
public vehicles that have been
blamed for deadly road mishaps
especially in Metro Manila.

Rooster lays egg, owner says itll bring luck

CAGAYAN DE ORO. A
fighting rooster is causing a stir
in this northeastern Mindanao
city, not because of its cockpit
exploits but the coin-sized egg it
has reportedly laid.
An ABS-CBN News report,
quoting Bayan Patroller Daniel
Naguio showed a picture of the
small egg alongside a normalsized egg.
The small egg was allegedly
laid by a white claret rooster
owned by Antonio Naguio, resi-

dent of Zone 9 Cugman. He said

he discovered the egg near the
roosters feeding plate.
He was sure the rooster laid
the egg since he was separated
from the hens.
Naguio said he didnt
notice anything unusual with his
rooster until it allegedly laid the
egg.
Ma. Teresa Roa, coordinator of the Department of Agricultures Region 10s livestock
program, explained it was pos-

sible that the rooster has two sex

organs.
Roa said hormonal imbalance may have also caused the
rooster to lay an egg.
She said small eggs such
as the one hatched by Naguios
rooster are called pullet eggs.
Meanwhile, Naguio said he
will not sell nor cook his roosters egg because he believes that
Rooster bought for fighting lays egg instead.

it will bring him luck.

Fan Page 19

December 1-15, 2014

Sampaguita stars reunite in old studio

QUEZON CITY. Some 150
former stars of Sampaguita Pictures, one of the countrys top
studios and a steady mill of
matinee idols, reunited over one
weekend in November at the
Sampaguita Gardens in Quezon
City.
Among the stars who
attended the reunion were some
of the most popular leading men
and ladies of their era.

for her family and returned to

showbiz in 1960 with the films
Pakipot and Tatlong Magdalena.
Del Sol is now recognized
for her philanthropic work.

Eddie Gutierrez
Gutierrez, now 72, started
his film career in the late 1950s as
a bit player and went on to star in

Gloria Romero
Acknowledged as movie
queen of the 1950s, Gloria
Romero started her career as an
extra in Ang Bahay sa Lumang
Gulod. Her first lead role was in
Monghita (1952). In 1954, she
won Famas best actress for her

Delia Razon

Eddie Garcia

Eddie Gutierrez and Susan Roces

Gloria Romero
film Dalagang Ilocana. In 2000,
Romero starred in the awardwinning film Tanging Yaman.
On television, Romero is
known for her role Tita Minerva
in sitcom Palibhasa Lalaki. In
2008, ABS-CBN paid tribute to
Romero as she celebrated her
75th birthday. In 2011, Romero
appeared in Kapamilyas series
100 Days To Heaven.

Mila del Sol

Actress Mila del Sol made
her movie debut in Giliw Ko
in 1939. She took a break in 1950s

several Sampaguita productions,

including Eddie Longlegs and
Portrait of My Love, until he
left for the United States to focus
on his family.
He made a successful return
to local showbiz in the 70s with a
string of starring roles in movies.
He currently appears in It Takes
Gutz to Be a Gutierrez, his reality show with wife Annabelle
Rama and their celebrity children Ruffa, Raymond and Richard, among others.

At 85, Garcia is one of the

most senior actors still active
today. His first credited film
role was in 1949, and he hasnt
stopped working since. Now
with some 400 movies and TV
shows to his name, Garcia is
showing no signs of slowing
down.
Recently, he reaped several acting awards -- in addition to an already long list -- for
his role as an elderly gay man
in Bwakaw. Garcia is set to
appear in the ABS-CBN Christmas-oriented series Give Love
On Christmas.

Estrada, now 77, endured the

biggest controversies -- from his
ouster from presidency in 2001,
being pardoned for plunder in
2007, to seeking re-election for
the same post in 2010. Prior to his
political career, the incumbent
Manila mayor was a sought-after
actor with over a 100 films to his
name.
He entered showbiz in
1956 and remained active until
1989, when he became a senator.
Estrada was popular in the 60s
for his action tandem with the
late Fernando Poe, Jr. His last
acting role was in the comedy
film Ang Tanging Pamilya in
2009.

Divina Valencia
Known as one of the sex
sirens of her era, Valencia is one
of the favorite leading ladies
of action stars Jess Lapid, Tony
Ferrer and the late Fernando

Helen Gamboa
Actress Helen Gamboa, the
wife of Senator Vicente Tito
Sotto III started her movie career
in 1960s. She was dubbed as the
Dancing Queen of Philippine
movies. In 2001, Gamboa joined
ABS-CBN series Sa Dulo Ng
Walang Hanggan with Claudine
Barretto. In 2009, she appeared
in the series Tayong Dalawa.
In 2012, she was praised for her
performance as Margaret Montenegro in the phenomenal soap
Walang Hanggan with Julia
Montes and Coco Martin.

Tony Ferrer
Tony Ferrer, now 80, was
dubbed the James Bond of Philippine movies with his character
Tony Falcon in Agent X-44
film series. He made his acting

Erap Estrada
Among his contemporaries,
Tony Ferrer

Delia Razon
Born Lucy May Gritz,
actress Delia Razon debuted in
the 1949 film Krus na Bituin.
She became popular for her love
team with actor Rogelio dela
Rosa. Shes known as the Dame
of Costume Epics.
She is the mother of 1980s
matinee idol Rey PJ Abellana,
the father of actress Carla Abellana.

then joined the cast of Galema:

Anak ni Zuma in 2013.

Divina Valencia

Joseph Estrada

Poe Jr. She was introduced in

the film Kardong Kidlat and
was dubbed as La Divina in the
showbiz industry.
In 2012, Valencia joined
ABS-CBNs hit morning series
Be Careful With My Heart

debut in the 1960s via Kilabot sa

Barilan with Fernando Poe, Jr.
He is the father of former beauty
queen Mutya Crisostomo and
actress Maricel Laxa.
The party culminated with a
class picture that captured the
rare coming together of biggest
stars of past decades who are
now considered local film icons.

20

December 1-15, 2014

Fil-Ams hail Obama... from page 1

step toward fixing our broken
immigration system, Valera
averred.
This is undoubtedly big
news for our community, said
Romeo Ymalay, co-chairman of
Kaya: Filipino Americans for
Progress. Many Filipino Americans experience first-hand the
tremendous difficulties caused
by our current system. But President Obamas action is only the
first step. Much more needs to
be done to finally fix our broken
and unjust immigration system.
But while most Fil-Ams welcomed presidential intervention,
they also cautioned about reading or expecting too much from
the executive action.
House
Speaker
John
Boehner has said President
Obamas unilateral moves have
poisoned the well and claimed
they made it more difficult to
pass immigration reform in Congress.
Malacanang warned Filipinos against looking at the Obama
executive action as a license to go
there undocumented. President

(Barack) Obama also mentioned

that this will not apply to future
cases. So, theres a cut-off,
explained presidential deputy
spokesperson Abigail Valte.
Still, Valte urged undocumented but eligible Filipinos
already in the US to avail of the
executive actions. Any Filipino citizen who satisfies these
parameters, we encourage them
to take advantage of the window
that was given by President
Obama, she said.
Although a tremendous
reprievedeferred action ultimately does not resolve the
status of undocumented immigrants, the group Kaya said in
a statement.
They provide relief for
undocumented parents of US
citizens and legal permanent
residents (LPRs) who have been
continuously present since Jan.
1, 2010, pass background checks
and pay taxes.
The Obama executive action
also eliminated the age cap for
beneficiaries of the deferred
action (DACA) program and

Pacquiao wins but... from page 1

said to wait for the result of this

any more excuses, Pacquiao

fight (against Algieri). The fights

declared.

now over. I hope he doesnt have

But despite repeated nego-

moved the date of continuous

presence to Jan. 1, 2010; but it
also exempted undocumented
parents of DACA participants.
The relief measures expire in
three years or by the time President relinquishes the reins of the
White House.
The US Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS)
estimates there are 270,000 unauthorized Filipino immigrants in
the country today. Some believe
that since relief is limited to parents of US citizens, it will leave
out a majority of unauthorized
Filipino immigrants.
Valera
said
President
Obamas action should not be
seen as a cure all to our defective immigration system but
an immediate and practical
immigration relief to millions
of undocumented immigrants
greatly impacted by an unresponsive immigration system.
We recognize that these
steps only provide temporary
protected status to undocumented immigrants who qualify, Mallonga points out.
Congress must finish the
job and work with the President

in passing a comprehensive,
bipartisan bill. The US Senate
passed one more than a year ago,
with 68 senators from both parties voting for it. Its up to the
House leadership to do the right
thing, now, he averred.
Although the President
has done his part to improve the
lives of immigrants, only Congress has the authority to enact
meaningful and lasting fixes
through legislation, the group
Kaya said in a statement.
DREAMers, who were
allowed to apply for deferred
action in 2011, still risk losing
their families to deportation as
deferred action was not extended
to their parentsthere is still
no solution to thebacklog
in family-sponsored petitions.
The delays caused by this backlog have particularly impacted
Filipino American immigrants,
some of whom must wait as long
as 23 years to be reunited with
their families, they pointed out.
Mallonga reiterated calls for
the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
thats expected to benefit at least

150,000 Filipinos whove been in

the US for the last five years.
In view of the limits
imposed by the Presidents
decision, we continue to call on
Homeland Security to grant TPS
to the Philippines, Mallonga
explained.
The humanitarian arguments we have put forward are
still valid, and require immediate response, he stressed.
There is about a six-month
window built in President
Obamas executive action before
it becomes fully operational, that
some say is the White Houses
way of daring Congress into
acting.
These initiatives have
not yet been implemented and
the USCIS is not accepting any
requests or applications at this
time, Valera explained.
Beware of anyone who
offers to help you submit an
application or a request for any
of these actions before they are
available. You could become a
victim of an immigration scam.

tiations, a Pacquiao-Mayweather
fight has never come close to
happening. Bob Arum of Top
Rank, has been drumming up
a potential showdown against

Mayweather all throughout the

build-up to the Algieri fight,
saying Mayweather needs only
to answer the telephone to get
negotiations going again.

There are no more excuses.

None. Ill be by my phone,
Manny will be by his phone.
Were ready, he stressed.

21

December 1-15, 2014

Undocumented Pinoys... from page 1

analysis showed as many as
5.2 undocumented immigrants
could benefit from the presidential edict.
Undocumented
Filipinos
accounted for nearly half of the
estimated 21,000 undocumented
immigrants in Hawaii, with over
a third of them living there for
less than five years. The other
major group was the Japanese
(comprising about 14 percent of
the total number). However, the
MPI report showed that the vast
majority of them are economically well-off, about 40 percent of

them owning their own homes.

On the other hand, unauthorized Filipinos accounted for
three percent of the total undocumented population in California (89,000 out of 3.2 million);
four percent in Nevada (5,000
out of 145,000) and just two percent in Washington (5,000 out of
214,000).
The MPI estimated there
are 11.4 million undocumented
immigrants in the United States;
about a third of them have been
in the country for 5-9 years, to
be between 25-34 years old and

House panel hears... from page 1

Secondly, he pointed to
an Aug. 26 decision by a threejudge panel of the US Court of
Appeals on Veterans Claims to
remand back to the VA the case
of Juliet Tagupa, a war widow,
for solely relying on the National
Personnel Record Center (the socalled Missouri list) to determine
her husbands US Army service.
They found the NPRC was
a reference service and not a
service department of the US
Army to issue determinations,
Lachica said.
Thirdly, he added, the VA
failed to assist claimants in
obtaining evidence needed to
substantiate their claims, citing
the case of Mrs. Tagupa. This
duty includes making reasonable
efforts to obtain all records held
by a governmental entity that are

relevant, Lachica testified.

He noted that the VA Court
of Appeals listed several possible sources, such as Philippine
Commonwealth Army records,
World War II guerilla service
rosters, and honorable discharge
documents and certifications.
Fourthly, Lachica said the
VA Secretary failed to exercise
administrative discretion under
his FVEC authority to accept
genuine World War II honorable service documentation.
The Appeals Court, he noted,
cited the plain language of
VA regulation that uses the term
may and thus give the VA discretion to determine whether the
evidence submitted to establish
service is itself sufficient without
additional service verification.
And lastly, Lachica said the

likely never married. An estimated 65 percent of them currently have jobs.

There are about a quarter
of a million unauthorized immigrants in Virginia, most of them
Hispanic. The top Asian ethnic
group in the group are the Koreans, which comprise about five
percent of the undocumented
population in the Commonwealth.
The same is almost true
among the 228,000 undocumented immigrants in Maryland; however, the top Asian
ethnic group there are the Indians which comprise about three

percent of the total.

The 23,000 undocumented
immigrants shown on the MPI
report for the District of Columbia are from Mexico and El
Salvador; although the report
indicates there are 3,000 undocumented Asians in the District,
they are so diverse that no single
ethnic group stands out.
As many as 3.7 million
unauthorized immigrants who
are parents of US citizens or legal
permanent residents could apply
for temporary relief from deportation under President Obamas
new deferred action program,
the MPI estimates.

Modifications
to
the
Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) program,in
place since 2012 and has provided relief from deportation
to more than 580,000 young
unauthorized immigrants, could
expand eligibility to another
290,000, bringing it to close to 1.5
million.
In total, MPI estimates the
anticipated new deferred action
program and expanded DACA
initiative could benefit as many
as 5.2 million people or nearly
half of the 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants living in the US.

VA and the VA Board of Appeals

failed to comply with adjudication procedures when they failed
to consider the possibility of
unrecognized guerilla service.
FVEC
compensation
benefits should be granted to
deserving claimants based on
alternative documents provided
by other US official government
sources including the Philippine
governments Adjutant Generals Office who have Philippine
Commonwealth Army records,
authenticated World War II
guerrilla rosters and individual
letters of recognition, Lachica
testified.
He also cited the case of
Gaudencio Pablo who was originally denied recognition by
the NPRC in Missouri but was
able to prove his qualification
through US Army documents he
fund at the National Archives in

College Park, Md. in 2011.

Unfortunately,
Lachica
lamented, the US Army considers these documents as classified and instructed the NPRC
not to release the relevant documents without permission
despite expiration of the 50-year
secrecy limitation.
Claims were denied then,
as they are today, for very legitimate and justifiable reasons,
argued Brig. Gen. David MacEwen, 59th Adjutant General in
the Department of the Army.
Changing the service verification process by accepting
non-verifiable service documentation for Philippine Army and
Guerilla Veterans may result in a
significant number of faulty service verifications, he stressed.
Over the years, the Department of the Army has been
requested to establish a different

process for Filipino veterans to

prove their service, MacEwen
averred, The facts are that we
have a process; it is adequate and
it is sound.
Flohr testified that all original FVEC claims have received
a decision but there are 15
reopened claims and 10 appeals
pending with the VA Board of
Appeals. In addition 32 appeals
of FVEC decisions are pending
with the Board of Appeals and
nine more before the US Court of
Appeals for Veterans Claims.
He revealed that theres still
$56.4 million in the FVEC fund; if
all of the reopened and pending
appeals are granted, payments
would only amount to about $1
million.

SC evicts oil firms from Pandacan depot

MANILA. The Supreme
Court threw out a Manila city
ordinance that shielded oil companies from vacating the Pandacan depot that residents have

pleted not later than six months

from the date the required documents were submitted. The presiding judge shall monitor the
strict enforcement of this deci-

the Pasig River and a stones

throw away from Malacanang
Palace. Oil companies have for
many years been resisting efforts
to move them out of Manila.
The SC said it was trying to
protect the residents of Manila
from the catastrophic devastation that will surely occur in case

of a terrorist attack on the Pandacan terminals.

Roberto Kanapi, Pilipinas
Shell vice president for communications, said that while the
company was ready to observe
the rule of law and good governance the relocation will mean
higher delivery costs that could

be passed on to consumers.
Estrada also allayed fears of
possible job losses and economic
loss that may arise from the relocation. He said that several companies have already expressed
interest on developing the area
for commercial use.

Pandacan oil terminal along Pasig River.

long complained as a fire hazard.
Voting 10-2, the High Court
declared as unconstitutional and
invalid Manila City Ordinance
No. 8187 which allowed the
33-hectare Pandacan oil terminals to stay in the city.
Oil firms Chevron Philippines Inc., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Petron Corp.
were ordered to submit a relocation plan within 45 days.
Relocation shall be com-

sion, the court directed.

Manila
Mayor
Joseph
Estrada, who had earlier given
the oil companies until Jan. 16
to vacate the area, welcomed the
decision after receiving the order
to oversee the relocation of the
oil terminals.
The Pandacan oil depot,
constructed in 1914 and gradually expanded since, is right in
the middle of one of the densest
districts of the capital, straddling

Immigration attorney, Miriam B. Riedmiller, delivered a lecture on November 3, 2014, at the Johns Hopkins
Carey School of Business in Washington, D.C. She was invited by Professor Lin Mao to create and deliver a
lecture to Asian Global MBA students to resolve their quest for H-1B visa sponsorship through strategic communication. Riedmiller delivered a presentation entitled: The Feng Shui of H-1B Sponsorship and Strategic
Alternative Remedies. Prof. Mao who specializes in finance and commercial real estate asked Riedmiller to
help students overcome communication and cultural barriers that inhibit US employers from sponsoring Asian
students as H-1B employees.

22

December 1-15, 2014

The Devolving Aspect of Communication

Wilma Gonzales Buenaobra
A concise word for the
countless ways with which we
transfer thoughts and ideas with
one another: communication.
We narrow it down to the more
obvious.
Here in the US, at least in
my opinion, communication is
largely explicit. Everything is
spelt out. Like unless someone
says to you, I love you. you
are not to assume that he or she
feels that way. Truth be said, it
is the most popular question,
Do you love me? Surprisingly it comes from many, many
women. It is why despite Rod
Stewarts hoarse and scratchy
voice, millions of women adore
him! Why not, he sang to them,
Have I Told You Lately That I
Love You? Whoever out there
can beat that! Many fear to utter
this particular set of words.
Potentially, it could usher bigger
expense. A proposition, leading
to a more complicated, restricted
life. No matter if two people
have been seeing each other for
months, or even lived together
for years, it doesnt mean you
will get a ring. Here in the US,
the ring is a tangible sign of a
more serious commitment. As
Beyonce says, If you like what
you see, put a ring on it!
Similarly when one opens
his wallet after a listening to a
sad tale of financial woe, one
has to be explicit: is this to be
returned, or is this gratis? If the
intended recipient is honest
and principled, he will say, Id
rather not, I might not be able
to pay you back. In that case,
one can surmise the sad tale is
a ploy to get your money out
of its hiding. People in certain
countries prefer to have money,
and stuff gratis. Rarely do people
graciously decline. In the US, it
is not a guessing game. There is
no ambiguity. There are no hard
feelings either if one cant deliver
a request. I have no money
to spare; I am just meeting by
obligations. Or if one says,
Here, pay me back when you
can. Immediately, the recipient
expresses gratitude and issues a
promise: I will pay you back as
soon as I can, next month, or,
when I get my tax refund.
There is clear communication. Understanding is quickly
reached. It is a now gentlemans
Agreement. Always, exceptions
to the rule apply, that is why
lawyers are still very much in
business.
We must not forget the
loaded expression of rolling
ones eyes, an excellent eyeball exercise, performed by the
younger ones; also by the knowledgeable elderly. This puts an
end to a sermon or continuing to
listen in extreme agony. A sigh is
not just a sigh, especially elicited
by the younger ones either. Likewise, coming from the boomers,

a sigh is also not just a sigh, but

can mean two different things. A
glint in ones eye as one is being
introduced to a new person signals a meaning only the astute
can detect and interpret. A smile
is always welcome and sometimes one has to be careful about
it. It can be interpreted as a comeon, when one just is genuinely
pleasant and friendly. In France,
when one winks at another, it
is a clear indication/invitation:
game on.
An interesting question was
once asked of Andrea Bocelli,
who may not need an introduction to many, an Italian tenor,
singer and songwriter, with
worldwide acclaim. Born with
weak eyes, he became totally
blind at age 12. A reporter asks:
Andrea, can you detect a beautiful woman just by kissing or
shaking her hand? Without
hesitation, his answer was, Yes,
I can. I can also tell when a beautiful woman enters a room.
Reporter: How does this work?
Andrea: A beautiful woman
emits a positive vibration, like
joie de vive. And when a beautiful woman walks in, immediately, the energy in the room
shifts. The blind, the deaf, and
the mute, have all developed a
sixth sense we cannot quite comprehend? I once had a classmate
at grad school whose parents
were both mute. Sign language
is how they communicated at
home, along with her other
two speaking siblings. Interestingly, prior to learning about the
unique environment she grew
up in, I was curious, fascinated
by this gentle and soft-spoken
creature. She had an aura of class
(my definition of someone who
is detached from, and has risen
above intrigue, gossip, and pettiness). Quiet yet confident, she
doesnt feel the need to prove
anything to any body.
Our verbal communication
style is largely influenced by our
environment, our upbringing.
Children learn to cuss, curse,
shout, and are introduced to
choice words by listening to how
their parents communicate with
each other, and to them. I had a
coworker, who routinely spoke
like a shout. Naturally, everybody was intimidated, even his
boss would inadvertently be
pulled in a shouting match with
him! They are totally oblivious of
where they are until I sometimes
say, OK boys wrap it up! I was
rather curious as to how this
loudness came about. I asked him
one day about it: John (his real
name), how did you get to speak
so loudly? He replies: I am the
youngest of 10 and I learnt early
on, unless I spoke on top of my
lungs, stood on a chair, I just get
laughed at or ignored! I said,
Well, in the culture I come from,
when you yell, you could come

across as obnoxious, downright

belligerent, an unschooled country bumpkin, or at best; under
the influence! After a pause, I
think in this place, it could well
mean the same thing to others.
His ego pricked, he muttered,
I dont care! Yet from then
on, Johns decibel went down a
notch, or two.
Quite an interesting phenomenon; that in this Information Age, we have stunted our
growth, our capacity and ability
to express our selves verbally.
Misunderstandings and misconceptions abound, thus broken
relationships have arisen. We
no longer speak much, or enjoy
a healthy and leisurely exchange
of ideas. We seldom carry conversations, discuss, rehash, and
rethink matters through without
getting worked up. In the face
of e-mail, blog, facebook, twitter,
and so on, we have developed an
attitude I have no time for this!
Speak quickly and get to the
point! When ordering a meal,
the message is Make it fast!
Yet we can spend an entire sleepless night, copious and alarming
number of hours in front of whatever gadget: computer, laptop,
Iphone, and so on. Believe it or
not, it is an alarming and worrisome addiction! True, technological advancement in communication, has jettisoned us to a new
age. But along with its undeniable convenience comes the
down side. There is that human
factor, as always. Abbreviated
words via text messages and the
social media, have clearly corrupted, and destroyed proper
spelling. Truly, it has also diminished our ability to communicate
effectively, with substance, clarity, and purpose. Often there is a
sad disconnect between what we
say, what we mean, and what we
actually have in mind! Indeed, in
the face of all these technological
advancement, we have seriously
compromised our communication skills.
With the downward spiral
of face-to-face human interaction, there are other concerns.
Who for instance in the past,
would have thought because of
text messaging, road accidents
would increase? Already we
have to contend with existing
road hazards such as reckless
drivers, carefree teenagers, alcoholic drinkers (DUI), and rest of

them who make roads unsafe for

other motorists. Men, women,
and children get maimed, even
killed everyday, for this convenience. Clearly, text messaging
has been misused and abused.
That people send photos of their
private parts? Who in their right
mind did that? But they do! Like
it was the thing to do! It is an
amusing and shocking perversion. Boldly fun it seems until
one tries to run for public office
and well, it shows up in public:
their private parts! Since this
mind-boggling
phenomenon
is becoming so common, perhaps it should now be renamed
public parts no? It behooves
us to remember even at our most
senseless moment, that anything
sent in cyberspace stays out
there forever; and anyone can
access it!
A relationship develops,
and is nurtured, through a
healthy dose of communication. This is why when one is
romantically interested, one
immediately attempts to establish communication. A couple
talks, talks, and continue talking until the cows and the hens
have long gone home. It is
amazing to watch Homo sapiens when their hunting skills are
awakened and are on high alert!
Indeed, they can talk! And how!
The female gender: laughs at the
most inane, and dumbest jokes,
smiles plenty, charm wattage
dialed way up! But as things get
familiar and old, couples communicate less, much less. Teenagers tend to say one-syllable
words as they start to stretch out
into the world. Yet they are talkative, animated with friends and
classmates. But at home, they
have morphed into something
else: a nonverbal, uncommunicative entity who eats a lot, sleeps
a lot, and one who can live quite
comfortably in a pig sty! Yet
miraculously, completely resuscitated when there is a party, a
game, or a hanging out session
with classmates or friends. It
has been a wise advice given to
parents with teenagers, to get a
pet, a dog preferably. Dogs are
particularly expressive in their
affection to their benefactor who
is sure to feel the loyalty, love,
and gratitude. Here, a dog is part
of the family. Whether they are
naughty or nice. We talk to and
about them like they are our
own children. They are in our
Facebook, in our Iphones, we
proudly show their photos to
friends. Why? One derives maximum joy and appreciation from
the pooch. A dog can lower your
blood pressure and your cholesterol as well, per Dr. Oz.
Chatting with a waitress one
day while awaiting my order, I
asked her if she notices customers at all, or is she just engrossed
with waiting at the tables. She

said they in the business see and

know it all. There are those who
are: (a) just getting to know each
other; (b) someone is trying to
impress the other (their favorite customer); (c) on the road
to something more than sharing coffee or a meal; (d) when a
relationship is about to end or
has ended; and finally, (e) when
the couple has been married for
many, many years.
Communication skills coupled with diplomacy is worth
cultivating. The plainest and
shortest of men (and women)
have snagged the most good
looking and handsome partner
or spouse with their mastery of
the verbal language, sprinkled
with a generous dose of good
humor. They are people magnets
as well. One who has mastered
the art of verbal communication
has become a billionaire because
of it; Oprah Winfrey comes to
mind. Similarly, a writer who
has the ability to capture and
transport the readers imagination to a time and place where no
one has ever imagined one can
travel to, is a gift few possess,
J.K. Rowling definitely has it;
now a billionaire like Oprah. A
writer can take us to the deepest
and disturbing of realizations,
haunt our imagination to no
end resulting in sleepless nights.
They can sometimes, make us
turn a corner in our otherwise
sad and dreary lives. They can
expand our knowledge, teach
us without having the need to
experience events ourselves, prepare us for anything and everything. Books introduced us to all
that. And yes, a writer can also
bore us to tears! Much like singing. Many, many people love to
sing. Thank God for the karaoke!
The healthy outlet freeing up
the bottled-up dream, yearning,
and threatening to be released to
become the next Celine Dion or
Josh Groban. Just as a few have
the gift of gab, so does the precious gift of a wonderful voice.
Yet few have come to the realization actually they just dont
have it. The same is true for a
self-declared writer. As has been
frequently said, Sometimes
what we like, may not like us
back. Just as many may know
how to cook, since anyone can
be trained to read and carefully
follow recipes, only a rare few
can prepare a truly memorable
meal, from scratch.
Only in the human specie
can you find a speaker who has
the power to percolate anger,
inspire ideas, give hope, and
create laughter. Only a great
singer can take us to back to our
carefree, youthful days, even
pluck at our heartstrings, and
start the waterworks by delivering a beautiful and haunting
song.

To be continued

23

December 1-15, 2014

Our boys in the GOP

WASHINGTON D.C. Political observers are praising
the work of two young Filipino
Americans who helped the
Republican party win Asian
voters in the last mid-term elections.
The two - Ninio Fetalvero,
press assistant and Matthew
Alonsozana, research analyst
at the DC-based Republican
National Committee - were
responsible for churning out
reams of press and photo releases
to the ethnic press, including the
Manila Mail.
Manila Mail editor said
Ninio sent in an average of 5 to
7 press and photo releases every
day prior to the November elections. They are credited with
harnessing the Asian American
votes in the last election.
The Manila Mail is reprinting the articles wirtten by Maricar CP Hampton and published
in FilAm Metro D.C. Online last
month.

By Maricar CP Hampton
Matthew Alonsozana, 22,
once thought that becoming a
doctor was his purpose in life.
That was until he realized his
true calling: to be in politics, to
be a public servant.
Its been one of the greatest blessings in my life to work
with the Republican Party and
be a part of what I believe to be
the new wave of leadership in
our country, said Alonsozana, a
Research Analyst at the Republican National Committee (RNC).
He reports to the RNC Research
Director.
Strange but true. Alonsozana told The FilAm Metro D.C.
that growing up in a conservative Filipino household helped
fuel his desire to go into politics.
Its really funny because
our dinner table conversations
span everything, from medicine,
to politics in this country and to
politics in the Philippines, he
recalled. When I was coming
off from high school and college I really thought which party
best represents what I believe
in, which party offers the best
solutions and the best way to
create opportunities in the same
way that my grandparents and
my parents were able to succeed here in America, when I
think of the challenges that they
have experienced in the Philippines, it is really the Republican
Party that offered the best way
to create opportunities for the
country.
A visit to the Philippines in
2012 opened his eyes to the social
issues confronting Filipinos. He
said that his three months at the
Ateneo University as a Visiting
Research Associate made a great
impact on his decision to becoming politically engaged.
During this whole time
I was in Manila, I was not just
stuck in Quezon City at the

Ateneo campus. I went to different nearby cities like Tondo, all

the way up to Marikina listening
to barangay and council officials,
really interacting with the local
population, he said. At that
time I dont think I have fully
grasped what it meant to be Filipino, but this experience of advocating for people in the Philippines really made an impression
on me to a point where whatever
I do, I want to make sure it will
lead to creating opportunities for
the people in the Philippines.
His entry into the GOP
began when he campaigned for
Mitt Romney in 2012.
As a graduate of Boston
College, he felt a certain political kinship with Romney, who
was Massachusetts governor
from 2003 to 2007. To this day,
he thinks Romney would have
made a better chief executive
and that President Obama has
not proven himself to be as good
a leader as many people have
expected.
The oldest of four boys,
Matthew learned that politics is
the art of interacting with other
people. The decision to be a registered Republican was his coming-of-age.
Theres no clear pathway
to getting into politics. The most
important thing is learning to
talk with people and listen to different people.
Try out a lot of different
things because the people that
you are trying to serve are not
just one type of people. The more
you learn to do that, the more
youll get better at it, he said.
Like his parents Drs. Edgar
and Gladys Alonsozana, both
pathologists at Mercy Medical Center and Veterans Affairs
Hospital in Baltimore, Matthew
had dreamt of following in their
footsteps. But it was while taking
pre-med courses at Boston College that he became aware of
the issues of the Asian American
community.
When I got to Boston College I really started getting
involved socially and politically
with the university and local
organizations and help serve the
Asian Americans, he said. I
realized what was getting me out
of bed in the morning was not
necessarily my organic chemistry classes but going out to these
events and meeting these people,
talking with the people and
advocating for them.
Being a student of color set
him apart, and Matthew knew
how to work that to his advantage.
Being Filipino was not a
mark against me. It was actually something that strengthened
me, he said. Because there
was not many FilAms in where
I grew up, it gave me a very different perspective than most of
my colleagues. And because of
that I can always contribute a

different perspective to a conversation. I never felt as if being

Filipino made me an outsider but
I always felt that because I am
Filipino it gives me the ability
to really interact and empathize
with a lot of different types
of people. And because of
that culture I can easily slip in
different groups and start up a
conversation. Born and raised
in Elkridge Maryland, Matthew
wears a second hat for the GOP:
He is also the campaign manager
for Kevin Forrest Schmidt, who
is running for a seat in Howard
Countys Council District 1.
He believes Filipinos are a
growing political force, but that
more leaders need to rise up and
be counted.
We have to get more
people involved. People need to
get informed about the debate
and at the same time they need to
be more willing to take a harder
position to take it publicly, he
said.
Since his involvement with
the FilAm community, Mathew
said he has made it his goal to
serve. I want to do that because
I look at every member of the
Filipino American community
as an extension of my family. No
matter where I am I will continue
to advocate for my extended
FilAm family or the community, he said.
Alonsozana enjoys listening
to classical music and cheers for
his favorite Baltimore Orioles and
the Baltimore Ravens. He makes
it a point to read two to three
books a week. On his nightstand
is a copy of Michael Barones
Shaping Our Nation,which
documents Americas migration
history from the 18th century
and gave the country its distinct
cultural diversity.
The greatest thing that I do
in my down time is really just
relax with my family, especially
with my two youngest brothers.
Its a very good feeling, he said.
(Part I)

By Maricar CP Hampton
A
Filipino
American,
21-year-old
Ninio
Joseph
Fetalvo, is the Asian Pacific
American Press Assistant for the
Republican National Committee.
Like many young, idealistic Americans, Ninio was on a
search for leaders who stand up
for their convictions and make
the right decisions. The road led
him to the GOP. He found his
role model in Tea Party firebrand
Sen. Marco Rubio, who, like
Ninio, is a child of immigrants, a
Catholic, and grew up in Florida.
I really like that he is
inspiring, said Ninio in an interview with The FilAm Metro D.C.
His story of how he reached
the American Dream as a son
of immigrants is what resonates
not only with me but with most
Asian Americans who came
to this country in search of the

Ninio J. Fetalvo

Matthew Alonsozona

American Dream.
As a publicist for the GOP,
Ninio makes sure the conservative message gets across - and is
understood - by the Asian community. As a Filipino American,
his mission is to improve the
engagement of his community
in the political process.
We have great up-andcoming GOP Filipino leaders
like Ron Villanueva of Virginia
Beach, and Brunswick, Ohio
Mayor Ron Falconi, and they
inspire our community to be
active in politics, he said. Other
FilAms in elected office are:
Milpitas, California Mayor Jose
Esteves, Mayor Pro Tem, City
of Claremont, California Corey
Calaycay, Walnut, California
Mayor Pro Tem Tony Cartagena,
and Honolulu City Council, District 1 Kymberly Marcos Pine.
The trend is shifting, said
Ninio. Young Filipinos are
becoming more involved in politics than their parents were in
their time.
People like me and Matthew (Alonsozana), who are
getting more involved in Republican politics, is an example of
how our community is engaged
with the Republican Party, he
said. They understand that their
beliefs match well with what the
Republicans are trying to accomplish.
Born in Fort Myer, Florida to
Nelson Fetalvo, a technician for
Acura automotive, and Minerva,
a registered nurse, Ninio said it
was his traditionalist upbringing
that prepared him for a role in the
GOP. He and his sister Tina grew
up in Port Charlotte and learned
Filipino values like respect and
studying hard at school.
I was taught to treat others
with respect. That is something
my peers would say about
me: that I am a very respectful
person, and I think thats being a
Filipino American, he said.
While his parents constantly
stressed the importance of valuing his Filipino heritage, Ninio
said they also encouraged him

to immerse himself in all different cultures and have a wellrounded life. (They wanted me
to) learn about my culture and
about all the other cultures and
how we all fit in together and celebrate the greatness of our country, he said.
As he learned politics in
school at the George Washington University, he realized that
the Republican Party is aligned
with his personal beliefs and
way of thinking. After an internship with the RNC, he landed his
dream job. As a publicist detailed
with the Asian American community, he reports to Jason
Chung, the National APA Field
and Communications Director.
The Republican Party
has been very welcoming, he
recalled. When I started interning for RNC during my senior
year of college, halfway through
the internship they notified (me)
that the job for press assistant
for Asian American engagement
would be available. I applied for
the job and I knew that this is
exactly what I wanted to do after
college.
He talked about the Growth
and Opportunity Project and
the Victory 365 Project as efforts
to better connect with minority
communities, grow the party,
and win elections. Asked about
the partys outreach initiatives to
Filipino Americans, he said, We
have hired staff across the country to engage not only Filipino
Americans but Asian American
and Pacific Islanders. We work
with various current and past
elected Republicans who are
acting for our communities as
surrogates and who are active in
the community.
They make sure that political leaders are visible at Asian
community events. For instance,
U.S. Senate nominee Ed Gillespie
of Virginia and Delegate Ron
Villanueva celebrated Filipino
American Friendship Day last
summer, and Filipino Ameri-

Continued on page 30

24

December 1-15, 2014

On Crediting Filipino Visionaries

KAISERSLAUTERN
rediting, much more than
in accounting sense, is
paying homage to men
and women whose contributions to nation-building defy any
acceptable standards of weight
and measure; much more than
in acknowledging deeds done by
awarding medals or trophies, it
is the hallowed perpetuation in
memory of visions acted upon
ideals of freedom, acceptance,
and respectability, a loan forever
due and owing.
Here in Landstuhl, having
home-prepared breakfast with
my son and his family and
with my wife in one of the five
municipalities of the district of
Kaiserslautern in RhinelandPalatinate in southwestern Germany, my thoughts went back
to the trip, by car, we made the
day before to the small town of
Wilhelm Feld, a suburb of Centrum Heidelberg, where a small
memorial park dedicates almost
in idyllic setting a full-size statue
of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. I have seen
in my lifetime countless statues,
busts, padded paper molds in
the likeness of the Philippines
national hero, but his contemplative stance in this public preserve
sweetened my memory of his
historical feats much more than
the jelly on the rye bread.
Looking at the statue,
remembering his visions for
the Philippines, I visualized a
man forever ahead of his time.
A marker authenticates his stay
as a guest of Pastor Karl Ullmer
of the vicariate Wilhelmsfeld for
two months in 1886 and where he
finished his Noli Me Tangere,
(Touch Me Not) a novel portraying his apprehension and fears
of Spains colonial rule over the
many aspects of Filipino lives.
Gazing at past his statue are the
two buildings of a school for
young children, stark reminders
that in his novel, Rizal initiated
and guided the construction of
a school for children, believing
that education alone could be the
balm for what ails his countrymen.
Like so many others in his
time, his vision for the Philippines to be independent and
freed from the clutches of colonial rule cost him his life. I think
also of the sacrifices of Andres
Bonifacio, Antonio Luna, Gregorio del Pilar, Diego Silang, of the
victims of Sumoroy and other
succeeding rebellions, and of
Bataan and Corregidor. Countless Filipinos and others of racial
makeups who have read of Rizal
and who are acquainted with his
works visit this memorial park in
a spirit of a religious pilgrimage.
For, Rizal and his image tell the
Filipino story: Filipinos, like any

C
Is Binay self-destructing?
MANILA
ice President Jojo Binay is
taking a lot of heat from
his withdrawal from his
debate with Sen. Sonny Trillanes
that would have taken place
Nov. 27. If before his critics were
crucifying him, now theyre
roasting him alive.
The reactions to Binays
U-turn from the debate were
spontaneous and sharp. Especially in social media, which are
often cruel and unrestrained
because theyre uncensored.
Manila
Observer
was
stunned by the Veeps decision. Its mind-boggling, to say
the least, after all it was the vice
president who had challenged
Trillanes to a debate. Binays
reputation as a fighter is getting tattered and shredded to
pieces because of his inexplicable
moves lately.
Many of the comments,
especially those of Trillanes,
were blunt and unsparing. There
was talk about cowardice and a
lack of a palabra de honor. Many
other uncomplimentary remarks
were thrown around.
But this column wont participate in the intemperate language, the deluge of ridicule,
against the vice president. Its
better to analyze the situation
in a sober manner in an attempt
to fathom Binays state of mind
when he cancelled what had
promised to be a blockbuster
debate.
As the Observer has been
wondering in recent columns,
Binay has been showing signs
that hes befuddled by all the
pressure brought to bear upon
him by the seemingly inexhaustible list of charges of corruption.
He cant seem to get a handle on
all thats happening to him since
the first salvo was fired by his
ex-gofer and ally, former Makati
Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.
Hes been like a man drowning in the sea, this time a sea
of accusations, splashing and
thrashing helplessly in the water.
Its like a person whos forgotten
how to swim and is desperately
trying to save himself from going
down. He hasnt come up with a
plan or strategy to respond to the
specific charges leveled against
him.
None of his public statements so far has been convincing. None of them addresses
directly any of the charges. What

hes done is to call his accusers

names as his way of devaluing
their accusations and destroying
their reputations.
Binays defenders, as the
Observer has pointed out more
than a few times, havent issued
anything
more
convincing,
either. All theyve succeeded
in doing is to further muddle
and confuse the issues at hand.
Theyve not helped their principal any.
The conclusion that suggests itself is that the accusations
against Binay are true. Else, why
hasnt he been able to counter
the charges? Why hasnt he presented any credible proof to belie
the accusations? Why hasnt he
made a point-by-point effort to
dismantle the seemingly damning evidence ladled up by his
critics? Why have many of the
people accused as his partners
in crime seemingly disappeared
from the face of the earth?
Is he getting conflicting
advice from his advisers and
family members? Why havent
any big-time politicians come
to his defense? Why hasnt he
devised a water-tight defense to
exonerate himself? Why has he
been evading a direct confrontation with his accusers?
His recent decisions indicate a person lost in a maze. He
doesnt seem to know where to
go, what to say in a coherent
manner, how to save himself.
For a long time, he couldnt
decide if he should attend the
Senate hearings. He kept saying
he was weighing his options on
whether to go or not. He indicated he might go if the Senate
Blue Ribbon mother committee
was the one that invited him.
And when the committee did
invite him, he declined after
much hesitation.
And then he did challenge
Trillanes to a debate, which the
latter readily accepted. And then
his camp floated trial balloons
about the inadvisability of him
participating in a debate that
would be a no-win for him. And
then, he backed out, again with
an unconvincing explanation.
Binay seems to be selfdestructing practically before
the peoples eyes. He has failed
to project an image of a man
who can be in control of any
given situation, who is in com-

Continued on page 30

other people inscribe their histories, beliefs, attitudes, desires,

and dreams in the images they
make, and represent the sum
total of their culture.
The representations of these
images are in the countrys literature, in the performing arts,
in architecture and designs, but
mostly in artistic forms that trace
the national tradition of painting,
sculpture, and printmaking. Art
paintings and sculptures seen
or exhibited in todays art galleries and museums in Makati
and elsewhere in the Philippines,
foster a persistent belief of the
Filipinos in reinvention and in
the power to makeup as they
trod along which is a form of
freedom. For an artist, these are
contradictory urges, producing
combined feelings of a sense of
freedom to act in the present and
future, and nostalgic feelings for
the past.
A good representation of
twined feelings of freedom and
nostalgia is the allegoric Spolarium by Juan Luna. Painted
in 1884 on a big canvas, it shows
a group of men dragging bloodstained dead bodies out of what
appears to be an arena, Lunas
interpretation of the then countrys plight. The portrayal of
modern life started even before
Juan Lunas time, in 1734, when
Francisco Suarez started painting everyday Philippine scenes:
planting and harvesting of rice,
people going to church, hawkers of kitchen wares, housewives
doing chores, and town festivals.
The so-called leap to modern
times is represented by a succession of paintings from 1880 to
1937. Among the artists whose
works depict the many aspects
of Filipino lives and cultures are
Lorenzo Guerrero, Simon Flores,
Eusebio Santos, Felix Martinez,
Fabian de la Rosa, Jorge Pineda,
Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos V.
Francisco, Galo Ocampo, Victorio Edades, and Angelito Antonio.
Viewed together, the artists
works represent periods across
spans of cultural time and from
which one can glimpse aspects of
Filipino character, hopes, fears,
and aspirations.
The Filipino story is a long,
rich and complicated, emphasizing a culture that dates back even
before the arrival of Magellan in

1521. It is a culture born of more

than 7,100 islands delineating the
borders of the Philippine archipelago. It is a culture sustaining an unyielding desire of the
inhabitants, almost geneticallyimbued, to travel from one island
to another, from one barangay
to another, to go beyond their
island conclaves to commerce, to
socialize, to learn and appreciate
whatever they could find, and to
be identified and accepted. Even
before the arrival of the Pilgrims
at Plymouth in Massachusetts, in
the United States, the Filipinos
were already a nation of immigrants hardened by constant
travel.
The many travels Dr. Jose P.
Rizal did in his time to several
cities in Asia and Europe, where
he met people whose ideas and
ideals he readily evaluated and
accepted, sustained his vision for
the Philippines. The memorial
park at Wilhelm Feld also displays the busts of Otto Becker,
Karl Ullmer, Ferdinand Blumentritt, and Rudolp Virchow,
acquaintances and later friends,
who aided and influenced Rizal
in the pursuit of his profession
and ideals .The busts rest, individually, on squared column of
polished stone placed on the left
and right sides of Rizals statue.
The urge and desire to travel
is a part of the Filipino DNA.
We are explorers of some sort,
succumbing to an inner voice
to enter so-called dark caves or
tunnels of our desires because
we expect to find the proverbial
cache of gold at the end. The
increasing number of Filipinos
working in almost all of the
countries in the globe is prodded by an indelible belief in their
birthrights. No less than Rizal, in
his lifetime, took advantage of
this.
The regular monetary remittances made by the overseas
workers undeniably contribute
in large part to keeping the Philippine economy at more than
sustainable level. The records
and other documents attesting
to their authenticity will always
belie the fact that these overseas
workers go from countries to
countries not for economic benefits but to satisfy a lingering
itch to be free and self-reliant, a
vision held in perpetuity by tradition and culture.

25

December 1-15, 2014

DACA
expanded

T
Deadly superbugs on the rise

ince Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist,

pharmacologist, and botanist (a 1945 Nobel laureate), first
discovered penicillin in 1923,
hundreds of more potent wider
spectrum antibiotics have been
added to the medical armamentarium. These life-saving drugs
have been a boon to medical care
and benefited hundreds of million patients around the globe.
However, like many good
things, antibiotics have been
abused by society as a whole,
including the medical community. In many cases, they are
prescribed without strict medical justification or used for a
protracted period, longer than
necessary. Individuals who are
able to buy them over the counter without prescription use
them ignorantly and unnecessarily, without medical rationale.
Besides wasting money, they are
endangering their health and
well-being.

*The Transformer bugs*

Since bacteria have the ability to adapt to substances being
repeatedly used against them
and mutate (transform itself)
overtime to a resistant variety
in order to survive, medically
resistant strains of the microorganisms soon develops. They
are called superbugs, potential
killers which would not respond
to any antibiotics at all.
When this happens, humans
and other animals would be
under the mercy of these superbugs. Medically, we would be
transported back to the pre-antibiotic era, where simple wound
infection of the hand, arm, or
leg could lead to amputation or
death, where easy-to-treat bacterial gastrointestinal infection of
today could be a frequent killer
once more.
Indeed, it is scary to imagine a world with a pandemic
of superbugs, without effective
antibiotics. People will be dying
like flies, especially today when
bacteria appear to be more virulent and more adaptive.

*Superbugs are here*

But this is not science fiction.
Today, we already have some
superbugs.
One of them is the medically
resistant tubercle bacilli, where
the standard anti-TB regimen is
no longer effective and where
survival is more of an exception.

The more popular one is MRSA,

methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which used to
respond to methicillin, a simpler
and much less expensive antibiotic. Today, MRSA is resistant
to many antibiotics. In public,
most MRSA infections are skin
infections, but in medical centers, this dangerous bug causes
potentially fatal blood poisoning, pneumonia, and infection
of the surgical incisions. MRSA
is expected to have a death toll
of 19,000 annually in the United
States alone.
Luckily for patients with
MRSA, Bactrim and Vancomycin, clindamycin, minocycline
have been found to be still effective against it. However, resistance is now being seen developing even to some of these more
potent and more expensive
drugs.
The emergence, multiplication, and spread of superbugs
are a threat to the achievements
of modern medicine. They
would negate and renderuseless
the great advances in pharmacologic science and clinical medicine we have gained so far in our
war against bacterial infections.

*Warning from WHO*

The World Health Organization has published and released
its first worldwide review of
antimicrobial resistance with
data from 114 countries and
warning the global community
of this serious threat to public
health.
WHO assistant directorgeneral for Health Security, Dr.
Keiji Fukuda, declared Without
urgent, coordinated action by
many stakeholders, the world is
headed for a post-antibiotic era,
in which common infections and
minor injuries which have been
treatable for decades can once
again kill.the implications will
be devastating.
The report also pointed
out that there is a resistance to
last resort treatments, like carbapenem antibiotic against the
common intestinal bacterium
Klebsiella pneumoniae, which
has now spread around the
globe.
This is now ineffective for
more than 50 percent of severe
infections it used to cure.
E. coli infection of the
urinary tract, which used to

Continued on page 30

he Deferred Action for

Child Arrivals (DACA)
that was implemented
in 2012 was expanded by Pres.
Barack Obamas announced
executive actions on November
20, 2014.
The original DACA granted
deferred action status to certain young people who do not
have valid immigration status
and who meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Have come to the US under
age of sixteen;
- Under 31 years old on June
14, 2012
- Have continuously resided
in the US for at least 5 years
before June 15, 2012 and physically present in the US on aforesaid date;
- Currently be in school,
have graduated from high
school, have obtained a general
education development certificate, or be honorably discharged
veteran of the Coast Guard or
Armed Forces of the US;
-Not have been convicted
of a felony offense, a significant
misdemeanor offense, multiple
misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national
security or public safety;
Deferred action is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion
by DHS not to put certain aliens
who entered the US while under

VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES

DECEMBER 2014
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried sons/daughters
of US citizens
Dec. 15, 2004
Second:
A: Spouses/minor children of
permanent residents:
Mar 22, 2013
B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years
of age or older of permanent residents
Jan. 15, 2004
Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Jun. 22, 1993
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens
Jun 01, 1991
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority workers
Current
Second: Professionals holding advanced
degrees or persons of exceptional ability
Current
Third: Skilled workers, professionals
Nov. 01, 2012
Other Workers
Nov. 01, 2012
Fourth:
Certain Religious Workers
Current
Fifth: Employment creation/
(Million or half-million dollar investor)
Current
the age of sixteen in removal proceedings, with option to apply
for work authorization. The
status was initially valid for two
years subject to extension.
The series of executive
actions announced on November 20 changed the cut-off date
for child arrival in the U.S. from
June 15, 2007 to January 1, 2010
and allows persons born before
June 15, 1981 regardless of age,
eliminating the upper age restric-

tion of 30. Validity of the status

is extended from two to three
years. Expected implementation
is approximately 90 days from
November 20, 2014
The expanded DACA now
benefits undocumented parents
of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents now living in
the US if they have continuous
residence in the US since January
1, 2010 and do not fall under the

Continued on page 30

Something to take back to US

By Eric Macalma
MANILA
here is always a First
Time, from your first
baby steps, to your
first
crush, or your first time behind
the driving wheel. There is
always a first, and as for me this
was my First Business Trip to
the Philippines. Come to think
of it, as I walk down this busy
Terminal 2 hallway at Ninoy
Aquino International Airport,
this trip has been a first time
for many things. Fortunately for
me, the most memorable parts
were times that will be completely etched in my heart forever. Some of these experiences I
would say has even changed my
mindset of the motherland and
will now always be a part of who
I am now for better or for worse,
but for me these three experiences in particular were most
memorable.
This was my First Time to
meet a former President which
was both an honor and humbling at the same time. This
former statesmen happened to
be President Fidel Ramos, who
was short in and skinny in stature but had a strong handshake
like no other with a personality that would leave anyone in
awe. He was warm, friendly
and mostly sincere as we were

treated to an opportunity to not

only meet him, but he insisted
that we stay for coffee. As he
gave me a tour of his office overlooking the Manila Bay, I picked
up on his witty remarks as his
sense of humour also would
leave anyone laughing.
What was most interesting was sitting in his conference room/office and noticing
all of the countless books on his
shelves, and most noticeable
were all the papers and documents on his long conference
table. They were a reflection of
his brilliant mind always running as anyone could tell that
reading was one of his main passions. He spread out books with
several highlights and bookmarkings all across the table
along with having printed and
saved every single page of every
important article hes ever read
online on the internet. What was
most humbling though as we sat
having coffee with him were his
stories of politics and history that
led to his creative ideas for continuing development of modern
day Philippines. To see his passion to continue serving as a
public servant to the country at
his golden age years was a sight
to see in itself.
This was also my First

Time to actually watch the

Manila Bay sunset. The colors
in the sky were like watercolors
on a master painting canvas.
Unfortunately beyond the brilliant masterpiece that came from
the scarlet sky blanketing the sky
was also a stark contrast of utter
despair and despondency as the
streets were lined up with homeless squatters living on the strip
of Roxas Boulevard.
It was heart wrenching to see
one of the most beautiful sights
of the Philippines anchored
down by the homeless children
playing out in the streets while
their parents scrapped for food
or cooked alongside Roxas Boulevard as this was home to them.
Moreover one will notice how
their homes were literally lined
up across the bay amidst the joggers and bikers passing by, as
some would sleep in their cots
while others would openly bath
out in front. This was a sight that
I too will never forget.
The most emotional first
experience for me however was
actually heading back to my
mothers hometown of Alicia
tucked in the of the province
of Isabela, because this was my
first time coming back to see

Continued on page 30

26

December 1-15, 2014

EVELYNS SUCCOTASH

love this wholesome vegetarian dish because it can

be eaten anytime of day, and
most of all, any leftovers taste
even better the next day. Succotash is a bean and corn dish, with
other vegetables mixed in. It is
also a good complement to any
main entree, especially seafood
dishes like crab cakes, scallops,
lobster or shrimps. Delicious
and attractive with less salt used,
you will be able to taste the natural sweetness of the corn and the
other vegetables.
Serves 4-6

half cup green bell pepper

Salt and white pepper to
taste

pinches

of

turmeric

(optional but recommended)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Garnishing: sprigs of cilantro or parsley

Methods:
Stir fry the tofu in a nonstick skillet until light brown.
Transfer into a plate when done
and set aside. In the same skillet, sweat the onions until soft
(3-4 minutes). Add mushrooms
and cook for 2 minutes. Add
corn, lima beans, tofu, then red
and green bell peppers and continue mixing until all the vegetables are cooked through (3-5
minutes). Season lightly with
salt and pepper (and turmeric
powder if preferred). Mix in the
mayonnaise until well blended.
Garnish before serving.
Serve hot or cold.
Editors Note: Master Chef

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil for stir frying
and sauting
1 cup tiny diced yellow
onions
1 cup diced firm tofu (half
inch)
1 cup diced button mushrooms
2 cups kernel corn in the can
(drained)
1 cup frozen baby lima
beans
half cup diced red bell
pepper

Evelyn --100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S., 2009, Filipina Womens Network; MHC Most
Outstanding Migrant Award in
Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila
Special Achievement Award, 2011;
Owner/Chef, Philippine Oriental
Market & Deli, Arlington, Virginia;
Founder and President of CHEW
(Cancer Help Eat Well) Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public charity
formed to help and cook pro-bono for
Filipino-Americans who are afflicted
with cancer and other serious illnesses; Culinary writer; Member,
Les Dames dEscoffier International,
Washington DC Chapter; Member,
International Cake Exploration
Society, Member, Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C.; Master
Chef, French Cuisine and Patisserie,
Le Cordon Bleu, London.

RIGOR MORTIS

oung Boyet came home

from school to find the
familys pet rooster dead
in the front yard. Rigor mortis
had set in and the hen was lying
flat on its back with its legs in the
air.
When his Dad came home,
the little boy said, Dad, our
rooster died and his legs are
sticking up in the air. Why are
his legs sticking up in the air?
Thinking quickly, his father
replied, Son, thats so God can
reach down from the clouds and
lift the rooster straight up to
heaven.
Gee, Dad, thats great,
said Boyet.
A few days later, when Dad
came home from work, Boyet
rushed out to meet him yelling,
Dad, Dad, we almost lost Mom
today!
What do you mean?
Well, Dad, I got home from
school early today. When I went
up to your bedroom, there was
Mom flat on her back with her
legs in the air screaming, Oh,
God Im coming, Im coming. If
it hadnt been for our neighbor
holding her down, wed have
lost her for sure!

apologies for being so rude, the

young woman said, Ill do anything, absolutely anything that
you want me to do, no matter
how kinky, for $100. But, on one
condition.
Flabbergasted, the man
asked what the condition was.
You have to tell me what
you want me to do in just three
words.
The man considered her
proposition for a moment. Then
he took out his wallet and slowly
counted out five $20 bills, which
he put into the young womans
hand. He looked deeply into her
eyes, and then slowly and meaningfully said, Clean my house.

PEEPING TOM
A hotel busboy looks
through the keyhole of a honeymoon suite and says, Wowie...
A maid hears him, and
pushes him out of the way for a
look. She says, Oh, my God...
Just then the maitre d is
walking down the hall, and has
the maid get out of the way so he
can have a look. He peeks and
says, I cant believe he complained about a hair in his soup
last night.

ON CONDITION

DUMB & DUMBER

A man was sitting at a bar

enjoying an after-work drink
when an exceptionally good
looking, very sexy young woman
entered. She was so striking that
the man could not take his eyes
away from her.
The young woman noticed
his overly attentive stare and
seducingly walked towards him.
Before he could offer his

Two parents take their son

on a vacation and go to a nude
beach. The father goes for a walk
on the beach and the son goes
and plays in the water.
Later, the son comes running up to his mom and says...
Mommy, I saw ladies with boobies a lot bigger than yours! The
mom says... the bigger they are,
the dumber they are.

So he goes back to play. Several minutes later he comes running back and says... Mommy,
I saw men with dingers a lot
bigger than Daddys! The mom
says... the bigger they are, the
dumber they are.
So he goes back to play. Several minutes later, he excitedly
comes running back and says...
Mommy, mommy... I just saw
Daddy talking to the dumbest
lady I ever saw and the more he
talked, the dumber he got!

NALUNOD
Naglalaro ang apo habang
nakamanman ang Lola nang
biglang lulunin at tangayin ng
isang malaking alon ang bata.
Nagmakaawa ang lola sa itaas...
Lord, ibalik po ninyo sa akin
ang aking apo. Ikamamatay ko
po kapag nawala siya sa akin.
Please po, maawa po kayo sa
akin. Biglang dumaan ang
isang malaking alon at iniluwa
ang bata na walang kagalosgalos. Sabi ng lola... Lord, may
sombrero po siya kanina.

KRIMINAL
Tatlong kriminal ang nahatulan ng kamatayan. Tanong
ng tagabitay sa unang preso...
Iniksiyong letal o silya elektrika? Sagot ng una... Iniksiyon. Kaya, yun... patay!
Tinanong ang pangalawa at ang
pinili niya ay silya elektrika. Iginapos ito at pinakawalan ang
kuriyente. Aba, hindi gumana
ang aparato. Kaya sabi ng berdugo... Sige, dahil walang
nangyari, makakalaya ka na.
Tinanong ang pangatlo: Iniksiyon o silya? Sagot ng preso:

Dahil sira nga ang silya, eh di

iniksiyon na lang. (Gago!)

MABISA
Kalbo 1: Pare, ano kaya ang
mabisang pampatubo ng buhok?
Kalbo 2: Ikiskis mo sa ano
ng misis mo.
Kalbo 1: Eh, bakit kalbo ka
pa rin hangga ngayon?
Kalbo 2: Tingnan mo naman
ang kapal ng bigote ko, pare!

MAGINHAWA
Nabundol ng taxi ang isang
pedestrian. Nilapitan siya ng
isang pulis at iniangat ang ulo
nito at tinanong... Maginhawa
ka ba, pare? Sagot ng pedestrian... Siyempre naman, malaki
kasi ang suweldo ko, eh.

PAGONG
Taon-taon
kung
magpunta ang isang businessman
sa kanyang bahay-bakasyunan
sa probinsiya. Magpapahinga
na sana siya nang may kumatok sa pintuan. Binuksan ang
pinto ngunit wala siyang nakita.
Napatingin sa ibaba at nakita ang
isang pagong. Sa inis, dinampot
ito at buong lakas na inihagis
doon sa malayo. Tatlong taon
ang lumipas at nakabalik ulit
sa probinsiya ang negosyante.
Habang nagpapahinga, may
kumatok sa pinto. Nang buksan
ito, wala na namang makita.

Tumingin sa ibaba at nasa

paanan niya ang isang pagong.
Sabi ng pagong: Tangna pare,
bakit mo naman ako inihagis?

KAIBIGAN
Dalawang magkaibigan ang
hinarang ng isang holdaper sa
eskinita.
Holdaper: Akin na ang mga
pera niyo.
Kulas: (Inilabas ang laman
ng pitaka) Eto pare, limang
libong piso. Huwag mo kaming
saktan.
Kaloy: (Dumukot ng tatlong
libo sa pitaka at iniabot ito kay
Kulas.) Eto pare, bayad sa utang
ko. Patas na tayo.

ALA EH
Isang binatang Batangueno
ang nahihirapan sa takbo ng
kanyang buhay sa probinsiya
kaya nagpasiyang makipagsapalaran sa Maynila. Umupa siya
ng isang kuwarto. Sa hindi sinasadya isang gabi, napasilip siya
sa kabilang kuwarto. Kinabukasan, bumalik siya sa Batangas
sa ikinagulat ng kanyang ina.
Batangueno: Inay, dito na
lang ako. Ala eh, kay hirap pala
ng buhay sa Maynila.
Nanay: Bakit mo naman
nasabi yan, anak?
Batangueno: Ala eh, sa hirap
ng buhay doon, pati kuwan ng
babae kinakain.

27

December 1-15, 2014

The Gifts of Christmas

Adversity, Blessings,
and Gratitude

wrote an article titled An

Improper
Wedding
in
August 2013. This is the rest
of the story.
Oh love, young love,
bound in thy rosy band. Let sage
or cynic prattle as he will. These
hours and only these redeem
lifes years of ill. Lord Byron.
Mitch and I started our
married life with deception.
The nurses dorm at Beth Israel
Hospital in Newark, New Jersey
didnt allow outsiders. But the
$100 we had in the bank couldnt
pay for a move to another apartment. So each night I smuggled
him into my tiny studio.
Each
morning
Mitch
would wake up at five and
make the long trip to the Bronx.
Unwashed. Unshaved. And
unfed. He did his grooming at
the doctors lounge. There were
days he would find himself the
lone passenger at the end of the
subway line because he had slept
through his stop yet again.
I was 7 months pregnant
with our first child when we
finally moved out of the nurses
dorm. Our first car (a Chevy
Nova) became an unwitting
source of funds. We were broadsided by an elderly woman.
She was clearly at fault but
New Jersey was a no-fault
state. (Insurance companies
are required to compensate its
own policyholders for accidents
regardless of who was at fault.)
Geico sent us a check for
the damage then promptly cancelled our coverage. We used the
money for the move and didnt
have any left to fix the dent. (Our
experience with Geico would
forever exclude it from any considerations. To this day all their
promotional letters go directly to
the trash.)
Everything we owned filled
the back seat of our battered
Nova. By then my hyperemesis
gravidarum (debilitating nausea
and vomiting from pregnancy)
was over and I was healthy and
strong enough to help move
small appliances. Our most
prized possession was a Sony
Trinitron TV set. Our neighbors
were horrified when they saw
me balance that TV on top of my
ballooned stomach.
Two months later, Mitch
dropped me off at the hospi-

tal to deliver my baby. Then he

returned home to sleep. He gave
in to the exhaustion of alternating days of marathon 36-hour
work load. The attending obstetrician shook his head in amusement and disbelief. Our baby
girl developed neonatal jaundice, the yellowing of the skin
due to unprocessed bilirubin in
newborns, so she stayed a few
more days at the hospital. I went
home without her but soon suffered complications that made
walking difficult.
Mitch was on his own when
it came time for our daughters
homecoming. Anna left the nursery dressed in a hospital shirt
and swaddled in a pink hospital
blanket. Her daddy didnt bring
a change of clothes. We hadnt
bought a car seat either. So our
baby lay on the passenger side
with her fathers free hand as her
only protection.
Anna came home to an
almost empty apartment. The
insurance check covered the
move and the rent but not much
else. Mitch and I slept on a mattress on the floor until a neighbor
found out and gave us a bed he
was about to donate to Goodwill.
The only purchase we had was
a small cabinet. Our daughter
slept inside one of its drawers.
We bought a plastic baby seat
and placed it on the living room
floor. That was where she slept
until we saved enough money to
buy her a proper crib.
My first attempt at budgeting was comical. I bought several envelopes and placed bills
in each according to my calculations. Unfortunately my computations changed daily. I borrowed from Peters envelope
to pay Paul too many times.
So I gave up after six months,
ditched the envelope plan, and
hoped for the best.
To supplement our income I
worked as a staff nurse at Alexian
Brothers Hospital near our flat.
My shift started at 11pm and
ended at 7am. Mitch dropped
me off at work every evening
at 10:30pm. Our sleeping baby
was in a tiny car seat at the back.
They returned to the apartment
for the night and came back for
me at 7:30 the next morning.
The three of us had a 20-minute
family time in the car until Mitch

oy and excitement fill the

air as Christmas comes near.
This is the time when everyone is charged up, getting ready
to celebrate the greatest birth of
all, the birthday of The Infant
Jesus. Many December born
people that I know of felt blessed
and thought that it was the best
month of all to be born. I agree
because my youngest daughter
was a December born child and it
fills me with appreciation for the
merriment of Christmas season
that included her own birthday.
Of course, she gets another set of
gifts when her birthday is celebrated four days after Christmas.
We are nearing the cusp of
the dying days of autumn when
both the unpredictable snow
and leaves cover the ground
and suddenly we feel the presence of Christmas creeping just
around the corner. To create a
warm and festive atmosphere
at home, we put up the Christmas tree with all the trimmings,
dress up our dining room for
our family Christmas dinner
and colorful lights are hung up
on outside windows and doors
to welcome family and friends.
I want to capture the moments
when our family is together in
the coziness and warmth of our
home as these moments become
permanent memories in the distant future. Elsewhere Christmas
decorations are already unfolding in the windows of major
department stores and inside the
malls even before the Thanksgiving Day has arrived. The stores
have started displaying their
beautiful and fabulous items for
the season to lure the shoppers
to get their gifts early. The sale
announcements were strategically placed everywhere. Surely,
the holiday season is full of shopping spree for many people. If we
did not make a shopping budget,
do have a care-free shopping
attitude and are blinded by the
convenience of using the plastic
card, the start of 2015 will not be
desirable.
Swing Into Season of Simple
Joys
This is not a wishful thinking but rather doable if we get
focused on what we really want
to happen.
We anticipate and look forward to the celebration of Christmas in December. Can we do
it small, simple and personal?
Yes. Simple is pleasing and less
stressful. We dont have to cram
our holidays full of activities and
hectic schedules, and we dont
have to make everything big and
complicated. If we keep our holidropped us off at home on his
way to work at the Bronx.
It was a scheme destined
to miserable failure. My lack of
sleep and Mitchs lack of rest and
the babys lack of mommy time
made life miserable for the three
of us. I yelled too much. Mitch

days simple, we will be better

able to participate into gracious
giving and celebrate with those
we love. I believe in the clich,
We create joy in our life. This
is one way of doing so.
These days, weve replaced
true heartfelt giving with hollow
materialism that keeps us all
overspending materially during
the holidays, and under spending emotionally. There are gifts
to open and share with family
and friends. Through the years
I have realized that gifts could be
tangible or intangible things. The
choice is ours and they become
clearer and eventually more
defined as we mature which
comes with experience in life.
As we go through the natural
flow of life or as we pass through
the seasons of life, our priorities
are changing. We are less on
material things, but becoming
big on things that are felt which
touch our sensibilities and emotions. We are not keen anymore
on spending money lavishly
to make an impression on the
receivers. Simple things for comfort and ease are more appreciated now. One does not pay anything for the gift of giving kind
words, compassion, expression
of sympathy, gratitude, thanks,
appreciation and understanding.
These, for sure, have an emollient effect on the receivers when
given with full sincerity and
empathy.

Coming Home for

Christmas
Just the thought of it makes
me teary- eyed. More, so when I
hear the song, Ill be home for
Christmas. Admittedly, I am a
sentimental fool, however you
put it. We used to have two big
family gatherings each year. Like
it or not, times have changed.
Like other grown up or adult
children, my own now live independently minding their own
personal and work schedules.
As I have stated before, time will
come when we can no longer
keep on with our family tradition of coming home for the
Thanksgiving and Christmas
family celebration. That time has
lost his patience most days. The
baby cried constantly.
Those early years tested
my faith in love everlasting. But
my husband lifted me up by his
industry and his hope eternal.
I wrote this for him You
drew me to your world, gave me

come. Now our children can only

come home during Christmas
break which my husband and I
have learned to accept. We truly
appreciate them for their efforts
to be with us on Christmas Day
till New Year. Ahead of time,
they make arrangements with
their offices to make it happen.
Oh, they look forward to this
family gathering with Mom and
Dad and the comfort foods that
Mom cooks for them. This is one
of the blessings that we are very
thankful for.

Whats for Christmas

Menu, Mom?
This
familiar
question
warms my heart. They asked
me the same question every year
since they were small. Again,
call me a sentimental fool, fine. I
know what food they like, ergo,
Ill serve them what they like. All
are tedious to prepare. Hey, for
my children whom I see all four
at the same time every year, its
worth it. Their faves for Christmas dinner: Pancit Molo dumpling soup, Filipino fried lumpia,
Kare-kare, Menudo, Pancit Malabon, Adobo, my own recipe
of fruit salad, and turon with
langka. My chef daughter, Rissa
will bake her famous Sans Rival.
Other dishes for the rest of the
holiday week shall be: Adobong
pusit, lumpia frito (vegetables),
ginataang murang langka, sinigang na ribs, beef nilaga, large
shrimps cooked with spicy coconut milk and nilagang beef with
bone marrow. I will also have
beef steak, fried bangus, langonisa and achara. I shall fill up
their tummy with above yummies.

The Challenging Part

Over some years, there were
changes in the eating preferences
that have developed with two of
my four children. Roderick, the
eldest, has stopped eating meat
(chicken, pork and beef) and also
rice. In his menu he eats vegetables, fruits and quinoa for rice
and the saving grace for me is his
preference for all kinds of seafoods- fish, shrimps, calamari,
crabs, oysters, scallops and other
mollusks.
your love, cherished me, freed
me, allowed me my dreaming. I
lay myself bear with total abandon. See me, touch me, hear me,
Im affirming. I accept the love
you are offering and return mine
not caring what future awaits or
unveils our loving.

28 Editorial

December 1-15, 2014

What we need for Christmas

Commentators have started counting down to Christmas, and it feels like it couldnt be coming sooner.
From Syria to Crimea to the streets of Ferguson and
halls of Capitol Hill, there a lot for Americans to ponder:
threats from abroad, racial unrest, the seemingly unrelenting political conflict and a feeling of drift despite signs of
a mending economy.
Christmas has come to symbolize hope. For Christians
the world over, it marks the advent of the Messiah. The
season tries to engender the spirit of charity and reconciliation that feel in very short supply right now.
The people then probably saw a world not too different
from ours: the scourge of wars and pestilence, oppression
and injustice everywhere; a yearning for redemption and
even just a tiny dose of tranquility amid turbulence and
uncertainty.
According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a manger, in
the humblest of settings. It set the tone for Jesus latter
years when he relied on parables to reduce the most complex human dilemmas to its bare minimum. The rules he
laid down, offered as solutions to mans infirmities, were
not monolithic, bereft of dogma or fashionable red lines.
Free will, he stressed.
Many usher the brisk shopping season, inspired in
large part by the Christmas tale of the three magi bearing
gifts for the infant Jesus.
Others see it as a time for sharing the bounties of the
past year. Some compatriots will travel a vast distance to
spread cheer to Manilas homeless street kids, no matter
how fleeting.
But there are other ways we can celebrate Christmas. It
can be as simple as appreciating the person standing next
to us, a smile, a wave, a heartfelt hello, an open heart. God
knows we need a lot of that this Christmas season.

3942 Collis Oak Court, Fairfax, VA 22033

Dino dela Rosa,

A. Arguedas, 571 356 4151

Xmas gift to TNTs

housands of Pinoy TNTs may benefit from President Obamas temporary stay of deportation. Tsismoso
hopes my TNT friends will get out of the
shadows and celebrate. The only caveat
is that the GOPs might do something
drastic to stop this. Then it will be a fight
between Santa Claus and the Scrooge!
Lets help Santa.
***
Merry Christmas to my thousands
of followersand detractors who are
spreading grim rumors like, The Manila
Mail is dying!
He, he, he, he Tsismoso reporters
say that at a recent gathering of a group
of Filipino Americans in the greater D. C.
area, they overheard loud whispers followed by guffaws from some rival rumormongers of mine. The rumor runs like
this: Now that the owner of the Manila
Mail is dead, it will die. A brilliant logic.
What probably triggered the exaggerated report about the newspapers demise
was the Nov. 16-30, 2014 issue of the
Manila Mail which marked the 24th year
of its founding. Headlines in this issue
are that the newspaper, at 24, is still run
by volunteer journalists. Another article
inside said the newspaper will go and
on. The issue hailed the contribution of
the retired and active journalists who have
volunteered their services so the community can have a voice in official Washington and a medium of information.
It also hailed a businessman who,
to meet the founding editors condition,
agreed to advertise in every issue of
the Mail so it will have funds to pay for
printing cost. Some nincompoops think
an advertiser owns the paper. This is an
insult to the volunteers who have given
their time and effort to help publish an
impartial and independent newspaper
Well, Tsismoso does not blame people
with pea brains.
***
A week after the National Federation of Filipino American Associations
(NaFFAA) issued for the nth time its plea
for Homeland Security to give Temporary Protective Status (TPS) to Filipinos in
America, USCIS issued a statement giving
people from Sierra Leone, Liberia and
GuineaTPS for 18 months! Reason is the
Ebola epidemic.
Maybe for the tens of thousands
of Pinoys, they would have to resort to

Obamas undeportables.
***
One of the beneficiaries of the temporary stay of deportation is Jose Antonio
Vargas, the undocumented Filipino Pulitzer Prize winner who has launched a nonstop nationwide campaign for the grant of
immigration status to Dreamers. They
are the children who grew up in the US
without any status. Probably because of
his court case in Texas where he flaunted
his being an undocumented alien, Vargas
can resurface without fear of deportation.
My Tsismoso reporters who have no
status can now emerge from the penumbra and scream: I cannot be deported.
***
Tsismoso came across this Rappler
Item from Patricio N. Abinales, professor
of Asian studies in University of HawaiiManoa, for compiling the hits on corruption in the Philippines and US. Heres
his report:
Thank God for the Internet and social
media, public access to information has
grown by leaps and bounds. In the past,
one waited for the daily rag to be delivered at your doorstep or the monthly
subscription to a newsmagazine sent by
slow mail. These days, all one needs is a
WiFi connection and a fast computer to
download as much information about
anything.
This also means that with all these
information on hand, you d expect the
curious to engage in the next step: to compare and contrast more substantively.
However, as has often been the case, the
more one knows about something else,
the less one is interested in contrasting.
The more information one acquires about
issues other than what he and his society
face, the less curious he is about inquiring
into whether these have anything similar
to his social settings.
Take the case of our elites corruption
and their plutomania. This issue has taken
off of late as a result of the Senate investigation into the alleged hidden wealth of
Vice President Jejomar Binay. If you add
the scandal involving the distribution of
largesse by the Aquino administration to
loyal allies, and the detention of 3 senators
for helping Janet Napoles siphon off millions of pesos in development funds, the
depth of the corruption appear unfathomable.

Opinion 29

December 1-15, 2014

Thanksgiving

T
Of Shadows and Rain

fter days when temperatures dipped to low 30s

and 40s, we actually
had one refreshingly warm and
balmy day, with winds pushing
high temperatures to the high
70s.
That was the Monday after
President Obama announced his
executive action on immigration
relief for nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants.
I take that as a good sign.
Even Sundays overnight showers seemed like a harbinger for
something better yet to come.
Perhaps Im being overly
optimistic. You see, days after
the Presidents historic decision,
the feeling from his opponents
was far from warm and balmy.
The invectives that poured forth
include Mitt Romney saying
Obama was poking an eye of
the Republican leaders in Congress; House Speaker John
Boehner calling the President
Emperor Obama for poisoning the well of bipartisan
cooperation; U.S. Rep. Michele
Bachmann, a Tea Party darling,
expressing fears of illiterate,
foreign nationals committing
widespread voter fraud; Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn predicting the presidents immigration reforms could lead to violence; Kansas Secretary of State
Kris Kobach warning of ethnic
cleansing; and Alabama Representative Mo Brookswho suggested earlier this summer that
President Obama is waging a
war on whitessaying Obama
may have committed a felony
with a five-year in-jail penalty.
But then theres Republican
Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona.
Rather than poke him in the
eye, Id rather put legislation on
his desk, he said, preferring to
avoid the natural instinct to poke
back. An eye for an eye, a tooth
for a tooth. He says Obamas
unilateral action will actually
force him to accept conservative
immigration provisions, thus
increasing the chances of enacting a comprehensive immigration bill. His argument actually
makes sense. Hes taking up
Obamas challenge to pass the
bill. I know hes serious because
he was a member of the Gang
of Eight that crafted a bi-partisan measure, which the Senate
passed in June 2013.
Question is, can the rest
of the Republicans who now
control both chambers find it
in themselves to resist their first

impulse (which is to block anything Obama proposes) and once

and for all work with the President in fixing the nations broken
immigration system?
Will the GOP, as posed by
the Washington Post, demonstrate an ability to be constructive?
Flake predicts he can find
enough colleagues in his party to
support his approach, if we can
resist the urge to shut down the
government in the meantime a
not too subtle hint for his fellow
Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
Immigration reform isnt
supposed to be a partisan issue. I
still remember the bill crafted by
Republican Alan Simpson and
Democrat Romano Mazzoli and
signed by Republican President
Ronald Reagan in 1986. It gave
amnesty to 4 million undocumented immigrants.
No less than President
George W. Bush, upon entering
office in 2001, favored a path to
citizenship for the 11 million
who had no legal status. Vowing
to govern as a compassionate conservative, he sincerely
wanted them to come out of the
shadows. But anti-immigrant
zealots in his own party shut him
down.
My hope is that saner
heads will prevail once Congress resumes in January. Rather
than get fixated on Obama or
the Obstructionists, immigrant
rights advocates or intransigent
diehards, Jose Antonio Vargas or
John Boehner, my hope is that we
can all have a robust and healthy
conversation without echoing
the partisan bickering, without
finger pointing and without
poking each other in the eye.
In our community, its heartening that some of our Filipino
American lawyers are at least
talking to each other via e-mail to
figure out whats best for advocates and beneficiaries to know.
First, they have warned
of scams. Immigration lawyer
Arnedo Valera provided this
official notice from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) immediately following Obamas announcement:
These initiatives have not yet
been implemented, and USCIS
is not accepting any requests or
applications at this time. Beware
of anyone who offers to help
you submit an application or a
request for any of these actions

Continued on page 30

he Filipino people owe

living
boxing
legend
Manny Pacquiao a ton of
thanks for giving them a day free
from traffic gridlock and crime.
On November 21, Pacquiao
fought and successfully retained
his welterweight crown against
New Yorker Chris Algiere in
Macau, China. As is always the
case, the good the bad and the
ugly in the Philippines congregate and cheer in unison, a
nation like one big family.
Pacquiaos market value
took a big hit after he was
knocked down cold by Mexican
boxer Juan Marquez and then
losing a controversial decision to
Tim Bradley. Since then he has
enlisted his mother Nanay Dionisia now known as Mommy D
and may later be known as Lady
D judging from the designer
apparel she puts on, to banish
the demons with her black magic
rituals that TV camera men love.
As the fight was about to begin
and soon after it ended, she came
up the ring and like a high priestess waved a rosary close to Mannys face as if it were an amulet,
then touched her hand on top his
head, face and upper body while
muttering something. As the
fight raged on, she would also
throw rapid fire punches rosary
in hand. If that was voodoo black

magic, she was the most welldressed witchcraft practitioner

in the world.
Manny Pacquiao won a
decisive victory. It must be the
black magic. Carry on, Mommy
D.
***
As the people of Ferguson
Missouri wait for the decision
of the grand jury whether or not
to indict the police officer who
fatally shot a teenager named
Michael Brown, the state and
city government are preparing
for the worst and hoping for the
best. Agitators are threatening an
eruption of violence if the grand
jury decides not to indict the
police officer Darren Wilson.
Protest marches held days
after the shooting have led to
violence and destruction of
property. The rage is fueled by
claims that the police officer
shot the unarmed teenager with
his hands up and while running

away. Because the police officer

is white and the shooting victim
black, the protesters cry racism.
It does not help when
grandstanding politicians and
self proclaimed leaders do not
dispel the injection of racism
when there may be none. At
least they should let an honest to
goodness grand jury investigation take its due course. A parallel federal investigation for possible civil rights violation apparently found no basis to charge
the police officer.
Another version of the incident has been leaked in small
drips to the media. Allegedly,
the police officer was physically
assaulted by the teenager before
the fatal shooting. According
to unattributed reports, there
are grand jury testimonies from
African Americans who support the self-defense claim of the
police officer. If this turns out to

Continued on page 30

Living in the
shadows

o the difficult things

while they are easy,
counseled an ancient
Chinese philosopher, and the
great things while they are small.
Being first-time homeowners sometimes provides its own
challenges; like looking for a reliable contractor when a pipe leaks
and ruins your ceiling, or you
need front door lights installed.
Through a friend of a friend, we
met Alfred, Primo and Mang Joe,
a quite efficient and professional
band of all-around workmen to
fix our home. Oh, and did I mention, theyre Pinoy?
Not knowing any better, we
had contacted a large plumbing
service to fix a pair of leaks and
as it turned out, overpaid for the
job. After mentioning how much
we spent, Alfred gave back a
mournful sigh. Charge it to experience, I thought to myself.
Alfred, who hails from San
Carlos, Pangasinan and Mang
Joe, a kasamanwa from Molo,
Iloilo (yes the home of the venerated pancit molo), did an outstanding job and Im be ready to
recommend them to anyone but
thats not why Im writing this.
Over lunch, we got to know
both men better. Alfred, who
spent years working as an electrical engineer in Saudi Arabia
before trying his luck in the

United States; and Mang Joe who

said he got here plying his construction skills with the World
Bank. Both took a labored, circuitous route to be where they are
now, something that piqued my
interest because of the contrast
they offered, on the surface at
least, with the usual tales about
the struggles of, say, teachers or
nurses.
They surmounted hurdle
after hurdle, and for a time
inhabited the shadow that
President Obama often alludes
to, on the way to building what
I can only count, sitting across
them one Saturday afternoon,
as successful, meaningful lives.
Alfreds eldest son is about to
graduate with a degree in cybersecurity. He is active in a Fil-Am
church ministry. Mang Joe,
whose labored breathing suggests years of inhaling the toxic
dust of construction work, still
supports some of his grown children (and apos) back in the old
country despite his age. His wife
has gone back to the Philippines

because she could not bear the

cold, Mang Joe confided. Whenever the opportunity presents
itself, he would buy old houses
and tapping his skills, turn it
around, hopefully on a profit.
Many men have experienced living in the margins of
that shadow. Millions live in
the fringes of American society
but the bigger injustice is talking about them in terms of cold,
impersonal statistics.
Its easy to see why the
subject of immigration is such
an emotional and often volatile issue. Beneath the numbers
are millions of untold stories,
many Im sure compelling, about
humanity trying to carve their
own, tiny corner in this great
nation, built on the backs of foreigners, first from Europe then
Africa and lately, Asia and the
rest of the Americas.
It is tempting to reject President Obamas executive order
solely on the basis of principle.

Continued on page 30

30

December 1-15, 2014

Living in the shadows... from page 29

Its easy to see the dangerous
precedent it sets under a system
of divided government. But
its also evident that a solution,
already within arms reach, has
become even more elusive. The
mounting animosity between
President Obama and Republican lawmakers seems to give
added credence to Betrand Russells observation that democracy does not ensure good gov-

ernment, but it prevents certain

evils.
Lost in the wages of political
battle are the many men, women
and children whose fate often
hangs on the caprices of elected
officials, now marching to Capitol Hill with their own notion of
what voters told them last Nov.
4.
Though their individual stories may be obscured by the par-

Of Shadows and Rain... from page 29

before they are available. You
could become a victim of an
Immigration scam. This is very
helpful to know. We are told the
earliest someone can apply will
be in June next year.
Next, they have suggested
holding public forums to educate both beneficiaries, advocates
and community leaders about
what the executive actions mean
in practical terms. The Philippine American Bar Association
(PABA), NaFFAA, PAFC and
other groups can and should do
this. Like mental health, immigration reform is an urgent issue
that can move forward with the
collaborative energies of various
organizations.
In the meantime, pro bono
seminars, individual consultations and informal small group
discussions with undocumented
immigrants themselves, which

are being offered by the Migrant

Heritage Commissions (MHC)
Legal Resources program, are
designed to keep sensitive and
personal discussions confidential.
Immigration
Attorney
Miriam Bustamante Riedmiller
is calling on PABA members to
rise to the occasion, asking them
if they are interested in getting
active. I hope the answer is a
resounding Yes!
At the end of the day,
Obamas action only provides
temporary protection to a small
segment of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this
country. Millions will continue
to remain in the shadows until
Congress passes a law providing
a path to earned citizenship.
Of course, theres always
that lingering question about
fairness, about rewarding those

Is Binay self-destructing?... from page 23

mand, and who is decisive. What
hes shown is a person who can
be curt with questioners, who
seems to decide on impulse, and
who cant make decisions and
stick to them.
What hes shown is a man

who may not be able to handle

the constant demands of the
presidency. Who cant decide in
a calculated manner in order to
come up with a well-thought-out
response or stand. Who cant be
dispassionate in times of crisis,

Deadly superbugs... from page 25

respond to fluoroquinolones, is
now resistant to the drug around
the world. When these drugs
first came out in the 1980s, there
was zero resistance.
The UK, Canada, Australia,
France, Japan, Austria, South
Africa, Norway, Sweden, and
Slovenia have reported treatment failures with third generation cephalosporins, the last
resort treatment for the more
than one million gonorrhea
patients around the world.
WHO also laments the fact
that many nations lack basic sys-

tems to track and monitor antibiotic use and resistance, and not
many have seriously addressed
this issue.

Our abuse is haunting us

While bacterial resistance is
a natural and expected tendency
to a degree, the rapid speed of its
development and the number of
superbug transformations have
been the results of our carelessness and abuse in the use of antimicrobial drugs as a society.
For one thing, viral infections in general (colds, Flu, etc)

Our boys in the GOP... from page 23

can Heritage Month in Virginia
Beach a few weeks ago. Villanueva is FilAm.
There are two concepts
he wished to clarify: One, that
Republicans are anti-immigrants, and two, that the Tea
Party is dividing the GOP.
We wholeheartedly support legal immigration, and we
believe in prioritizing border
security, he said. He called the

GOP a big tent party that welcomes anyone who identifies as

a Republican. does not discount
the possibility of one day running for public office. Right
now I just want to help the party
and make sure that the Filipino Americans are inspired by
Republicans to do what is best
for the country.
Among his immediate plans
is to visit Camarines Sur, a prov-

tisan posturing, the people of

the shadow have at least found
some measure of relief from executive action, short and tenuous
as it may be. They have no choice
but to wait for Congress to act. In
the meantime, they continue to
search for a path forward; with
a lot of hard work, perseverance
and a plenty of luck, some may
find it. But the vast majority will
realize that America is well past
doing great things easily.
who broke the law and punishing those who play by the
rules and wait in line, those
who returned home, or remained
at home to await their turn for
lawful residence. In the case of
Filipinos, the wait has been up to
22 years.
Immigration is a complex
issue with no simple answers.
The prediction after Mondays warm and balmy weather
is a cold front passing through
the region, with temperatures
dipping to the low 40s once
again.
For one day, at least, we
could bask in the sun, thankful for this break in the weather
and hopeful that one day soon,
the nation will get a break from
partisan warfare and allow those
in the shadows to come out and
feel Americas welcoming sun
and gentle rain.
Send your comments to
jdmelegrito@gmail.com
who cant maintain grace under
pressure, who cant keep his cool
and composure in order to be an
effective leader.
Binay, in this time of grave
crisis for him, hasnt been able to
save himself from self-destruction.
do not respond to antibiotics,
which are actually indicated only
for bacterial infections. A person
taking antibiotic frequently
and without medical supervision is more prone to develop
superbugs in his/her body. That
would be tragic.
Our abuse, which includes
feeding antibiotics to our farm
animal sources of meat, could
bring back some old enemies in a
drug-resistant and deadly form:
tuberculosis, typhoid, syphilis,
gonorrhea, klebsiella, diphtheria, etc., which could wipe out
countless millions more.
ince in the Philippines, where he
has family. Ive been to the Philippines many times, he said.
Most of my family is still there.
With some free time, Ninio
enjoys exploring the sights and
sounds of the Nations Capital. I
think D.C. is one of those places
where they have a lot of great
restaurants. There is so much to
do here, and I really enjoy learning about the history of our government and our country.

Thanksgiving... from page 29

be true, then the case was just
about a common criminal being
fatally shot after assaulting a
police officer. Justified or not, the
teenager got shot because of his
action, not because of his race.
Is it plausible that Michael
Brown could have assaulted a
police officer? There are reports
that Brown drew blood from
the officers face. Less than an
hour before the encounter with
the police, Brown went inside
a retail store, picked up merchandise without paying for it
and just shoved aside the store
clerk who tried to stop him from
taking the merchandise. I could
imagine anybody who acts like
he is above the law is capable of
defying authority and assaulting
a police officer.

The tragedy in the Ferguson

case is not just that a wayward
young man has died. Instead of
bridging the racial divide that
has narrowed over the years,
recklessly injecting race in a situation when it is not actually a
factor sets us back in our quest
for a color blind world.
***
Golf tidbits:
After being sidelined for a
few weeks, King Arthur played
like he did not miss a step,
sharing bragging rights with
Eveready Freddie. Somebody
asked- what happened to King
Arthur? Heaven dropped him to
earth for plucking the forbidden
apple. Mr. T and Kilabot were
consoled by fried wings. No
blood with my godfather.

DACA expanded... from page 25

enforcement priority for removal
of the DHS. The US citizen or
permanent resident child must
have been born on or before
November 20, 2014. The status
is valid for three years. Expected
implementation is 180 days from
November 20, 2014.
The November 20 executive
action also expanded the provisional waiver rules released on
January 2, 2013. This procedure
allowed certain aliens who are in
the US without a valid status and
who need a waiver of unlawful
presence to qualify for a green
card to apply for a waiver deci-

sion before exiting the US for an

interview in his home country. If
the provisional waiver is denied,
the alien has the option of avoiding the risk of being stranded
abroad after an unsuccessful
visa interview by staying put in
the US. The benefit was originally limited to spouses, children under 21 years and parents
of US citizens. The November
20 executive action expands the
benefit to include spouses and
children of lawful permanent
residents and children of US citizens regardless of age.

Something to take... from page 25

my relatives as a grown up adult
and business man. Despite all the
meetings I had throughout my
trip, it was reconnecting with my
past, specifically my family that
kept me grounded, reminding
me where I come from. Seeing
my cousin Kristine along with
her parents who happen to be
my Ninong Eugenio and Ninang
Flor have been at the top of highlights on this trip. They were the
ones still there for
me when we first started
and they were the ones that
supported us and continue to
support us through the ups and
downs. As I was back home in
Alicia, Isabela they hosted us
with a big meal fresh with Illocano delicacies from the flavorful pinakbet Ilokano vegetable
stew, to crispy Ilokano chicharon called bagnet, and of course
our family favorite the roasted
lechon, but perhaps the most
memorable moment, was having
that one photographic picture
of me getting a chance to hold
my Ninangs hand. The times
we have been able to share have
been far and few, but knowing
how much she prays and loves
me no matter how far and across
thousands of miles over land
and sea, makes this trip worthwhile in itself. One would think
that the biggest highlights were

the new faces that I met with the

business relationships created,
but again to me it was getting
a chance to reconnect with old
faces. Its those hugs and kisses
that reminded me of what it was
like being a true Filipino. On
this trip I honestly can say I came
back as just an American business man but come back home
a Filipino American. I return to
America remembering what it is
truly like being Filipino. Being
Filipino is about family, loving
one another and taking care of
each other. It is about relationships.
Turning into the airports
members only Pacific Club
(NAIA 2) as I wait for my flight,
the first thing that comes to mind
is how I embarked on this journey originally thinking I would
be bringing something back to
the Philippines. Somehow the
little 3 and half year old boy who
left with his parents and family
back in 1989 would be taking all
that he learned from the States to
the Philippines and that perhaps
he had more to give as a Filipino American to the homeland.
Instead she gave me something
to take back home to America,
and so I leave Manila coming
back to the States different than
I came.

December 1-15, 2014

31

32

December 1-15, 2014