APRIL2013 2013 JULY
Happy Liberation Day CNMI! The story of Saipan’s Dr. Jack Hardy
Celebrate the 68th Anniversary of our Liberation!
Photos courtesy of 2013 Liberation Day Committee, Bill Bezzant Photographer
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Cover Story
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Liberation Day A day of remembrance, a day of celebration
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On the Road
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Underwater adventures await you with Nautilus Saipan
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Celebrating the 68th Anniversary of Liberation from Camp Susupe
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Running away from home — and running to a new home The story of Saipan’s Dr. Jack Hardy
July 2013 APRIL2013 2013 JULY
On the cover: Shown from left are Sina Ha’ani Ulloa Palacios, Rea-Lei Lisua Iskawa, Melody Margaret Barrogo Johnson, Nicole Ichihara Sablan and Annalyn Jovannah Cabrera. Photos courtesy of 2013 Liberation Day Committee, Bill Bezzant Photographer
Glimpses Publications include Guam Business Magazine, Marianas Business Journal, Beach Road Magazine and R&R Pacific
PUBLISHER Maureen N. Maratita ASSISTANT EDITOR Jacqueline Perry Guzman CREATIVE/PRODUCTION MANAGER Taliea Strohmeyer PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Rosanna Dacanay SENIOR DESIGNER Vikki Fong DESIGN & PRODUCTION Tamerlane Urao SALES MANAGER Annie San Nicolas
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www.brmsaipan.com beachroadmagazine
ACCOUNT MANAGER Minda Castro MANAGING DIRECTOR Marcos W. Fong Beach Road Magazine, July 2013. Entire contents copyrighted 2013 by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. Beach Road Magazine is published monthly by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. P.O. Box 502080, Saipan, MP 96950 • 2/F Transpac Business Center Gualo Rai, Saipan Tel: (670) 235-7645 • Fax: (670) 234-1801 • E-mail: saipan@glimpsesofguam.com. All rights reserved. No material may be printed in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher.
COVER FEATURE
Sina Ha’an Photos courtesy of 2013 Liberation Day Committee, Bill Bezzant Photographer.
Introducing the Liberation Day Royal Court
(1st Princess) Sina Ha’ani Ulloa Palacios, 16, attends Saipan Southern High School. Her ambition is to make a difference in Saipan. Her hobbies are singing, dancing, listening to music and hanging out with loved ones. Her future plans are to finish high school and further her education and enlist in the military, preferably the Air Force and later to become a judge. “Liberation is important to me because it is a constant reminder of how we were, and how we came to be. It is a reminder of the significant price that we must pay for to be free. Freedom was fought for and earned, which is why we have the opportunity to live how we live today. We all have a voice and that voice can and will be heard. ‘By the people, for the people’ that saying was earned, not given. Freedom to me is more than a word, it is a gift. Freedom is a right, a right to express oneself, a right to be an individual, a right that cannot be taken away from anyone no matter the race or gender. Liberation Day to me is a time to celebrate independence. Liberation Day may only be celebrated once a year, but freedom is an everyday right and an everyday gift,” Sina says.
(2nd Princess) Rea-Lei Lisua Iskawa, 17, is a senior at Kagmann High School. Her hobbies include spending quality time with family, listening to music and reading. Her ambition is to become a marine biologist. She plans on completing college with a bachelor’s of science degree in marine biology and wishes to work for the government as a biologist. “Freedom and liberation is important to me because it is a reminder of the lives lost and the suffering our people went through to make us who, what and where we are today. Freedom allows each and every one of us to speak up and stand for what we believe in,” Rea-Lei says.
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Rea-Lei JULY 2013
COVER FEATURE
(3rd Princess) Annalyn Cabrera is an 18 year old senior at Kagman High School. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family and having fun. She hopes to be a fashion designer someday. In the future she says she will go to college and travel around the world. “Without liberation, we won’t be able to express ourselves for who we truly are,” says Annalyn.
Annalyn
Melody
(Royal Princess) Melody Margaret Barrogo Johnson is a 17 year old graduate of Marianas High School and incoming freshman at the University of Pittsburg. Her hobbies include playing sports such as tennis, soccer, volleyball and basketball; volunteering in the community; reading, swimming, going to the beach and spending time with family and friends. Her ambition is to become a therapist or psychiatrist, but her main goal is to help others. She will attend college in the fall at the University of Pittsburgh with a major in psychology. “Liberation is important to me because it means freedom, and freedom is what makes us all unique. Having freedom gives us the opportunity and right to decide and figure out who we are and who we want to be. Liberation is what our forefathers fought for, and we should not take it for granted,” Melody says.
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COVER FEATURE
(2013 Liberation Queen) Nicole Sablan is a 20 year old Sophomore at the Northern Marianas College. She enjoys reading novels, playing volleyball, surfing the web and hanging out with friends. Her ambitions are to be successful and to find inner peace and happiness. In the future she plans on becoming a teacher to educate the future generations of the CNMI. “Liberation is important to me because a life without freedom is no life at all. It is a blessing to be able to follow your own dreams, pursue your own goals, and voice your own opinions,” says Nicole.
Nicole Message from outgoing Liberation Day Queen I wish to extend big thanks to my sponsors & supporters for assisting me during my candidacy and to my family and friends for providing me their outpouring support throughout my reign. To my Royal Court, thank you for taking the initiative to give back to the community. The experience wouldn’t have been anything without you. Finally, to the new Royal Court of 2013, despite our economic downfall, it is always a pleasure to see the youth joining one another to make changes.
LydeeRose
Lydee Rose S. Pangelinan 2012 Miss CNMI Liberation Queen
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subway
ENVIRONMENT
Green Thumb Not Required
Rake, shovel, hoe, fork, tiller, cultivator, trowel, transplanter, edger, weeder, and gloves and that is just to prepare the soil for planting. Farming can seem a bit daunting, even to those that do have a ‘green thumb’. When we think farming most of us picture either a huge plantation with crops for acres and acres or a victory garden in someone’s front yard. We are in a constant battle for space inside and outside our homes. Most people do not have a yard to plant in and others would rather keep the yard beautified with ornamentals instead of corn cobs. Urban farming is growing in popularity and can be seen in apartments as well as businesses. Understanding the limited resource of space there are some pretty clever ideas that are helping apartment dwellers grow their own food as well as adding a little green to their living space. The simplest idea and the cheapest are just plain window boxes and pots (to be used either inside or out). You can vary the size depending on your space and pick exactly what plants you want to grow, varying anywhere from a herb like basil to a crop like tomatoes. The next option is a wall planter/ vertical garden/living wall. These are great for herbs and small crops. You just hang it inside or outside your house. They can be made from a variety of materials like old wood, old pallets, plastic bottles, felt, or canvas. Visit the following links for directions and ideas on how to make your own vertical garden.
If you are not into the do-it-yourself projects you can purchase these planters from hardware stores and home decorating stores, ranging in price from $20-$100 depending on size and material. Though there are plenty more ideas floating across cyberspace on urban gardening or even interior gardening the last one I am going to list is the window farm (https://windowfarms. com). The window farm takes the shape of a column, plants stacked on top of each other, using hydroponics to grow the plants. Purchasing one will cost you $200, but there is another option. If you go to the website it will actually give you directions on how to make your own window farm using simple materials like water bottles, plastic tubing, and duct tape. It may not look as pretty as theirs, but it is just as effective. Another great thing about this website is you can buy parts. So, if you were having a hard time finding a small pump for your farm, you can buy just that item from them for $20. This is a great farming method for those with little space, little time, and especially for those that do not want to get dirty gardening. Whether you have a green thumb or a black one give it a go with these simple farm ideas and enjoy the benefits of fresh produce in your meal. Most food at the grocery store has been sitting for at least a week or more commonly 2-3 weeks. You will taste the difference when you cook with produce straight off the plant. Your family and your wallet will thank you.
http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/home_and_garden/diy_project_make_your_own_pallet_wall_planter.php http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2013/04/succulent-wall-planter-2.html http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/5-simple-ways-to-create-a-diy-living-wall.html
Liberation Day
A day of remembrance, a day of celebration By Michael Dilly The Matua Riders of Saipan is a local nonprofit motorcycle riding group and as with most Motorcycle groups from around the world they have a heavy participation in the Liberation Day Parade. We are made up of veterans, currently enlisted members and all our patriotic riders who show their colors for the memories of those who have paved the road to freedom. It’s a day for the group to share with the crowds something that the motorcycle has always stood for — freedom and individuality. Matua Riders will be out in full force enjoying the crowd as much as the crowd is enjoying watching them go by and rev those powerful engines in a display of freedom and individuality. It’s all about the smiles on the faces of the young and old that makes Liberation day, a day for me to remember every year, enjoying the freedoms we have today. On Saipan, this is the 4th of July, which is also the same day as Independence Day. For Guam, Liberation Day is on the 21st of July. What does it mean today for those of us that are looking forward to the huge day of celebration both here and on Guam? Well for most of us, it is a day to be inspired by all the creativity as you watch the grand parades, barbecue on the beach or side of the parade route and share our good times with our family and friends. I may not remember all those that endured the hardships or self sacrifices who fought in that war which paved the road for us to enjoy what we have today, but they allowed us and our families to enjoy peace and prosperity. And the right to choose where we love living today, I can say from my heart and without a doubt, that place is Saipan, CNMI. JULY 2013
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ON THE ROAD
The Ayuyus from McDonald’s of Saipan (from left) Jose Jr., Marcia and Mabel, with Vicky Izuka of First Hawaiian Bank. Philippine Consul General Bayani Mangibin addressed the Saipan Chamber of Commerce concerning the status of his office and the Philippine citizens he represents on Guam and in the CNMI.
Robert C. Torres, area manager, IP&E; Velma Palacios, director of networks; Lerissa Debrum, finance manager; Janice Tenorio, customer service manager and SCC board chairman — Education Committee; and Rose Soledad, managing director, all of IT&E.
Saipan Mayor Donald Flores says hello to BRM while making his rounds at the Agricultural Fair.
From left: Galvin DL Guerrero of MCS with wife Velma, Jeff Schorr and wife Hanna, Keo Buenpacifico and Allan Perez from Bridge Capital, LLC.
Young supporters from Victory Chapel smile for BRM.
Holding their SCC award certificates (from left) are Michael Sheu, Angela Mamaril, Na-Eun Son Kim, Peter Paul Camacho, Melody Johnson and Feng Lizama. Each candidate was presented with a $2,000 Scholarship check from SCC on June 5. Also shown in photo are the SCC members and board of directors, as well as supporters and sponsors.
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Roque, 2; (center), and Brandon, 4, enjoyed watching the farm animals with their aunt Kelly.
ON THE ROAD Cerinn Hwang from Glushko’s Ballet Academy gave one of the best performances of the day.
The voice of Glenn Mesina, a popular acoustic singer in Saipan, entertained the audience with his personal Tagalog song compositions.
A pretty ballerina from Glushko’s Academy, Joy Sizemore, entertained the crowd with her adorable smile and ballet number. Glushko’s is owned by Ana Glushko.
Leonard and Matthew Manuel performed harmonious duets like pros during the Pistang Pinoy afternoon programme.
The U.F.O. event committee prepared numerous games for children, including a Tug of War. Basag Palayok and Sack Race among others, at Pistang Pinoy 2013.
The rock band “Flow” performed hip songs to the audience’s delight. The band members are all from Saipan Southern High School.
Larry Lee with wife Winnie smile for BRM during the Pistang Pinoy 2013 event on June 16.
Seven year old Bernice Shane Sabino wowed the audience when she effortlessly belted out the popular song This Girl is on Fire. Shane is the daughter of Ester Sablan. JULY 2013
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ON THE ROAD CNMI’S Pride Yvette Bennett bagged 2 awards in the Ms. U.S. International Pageant held on June 30, 2013 in Miami, Florida. She won Miss US International Spirit Award & Top 15 Award among 39 contestants. Yvette is the daughter of Ambrose and Lillian Bennett.
A group called Underground from Victory Chapel entertained the people with their hip worship songs. The group performs at the chapel in Chalan Piao every other Saturday at 8:00p.m. Photo taken on June 15.
Congratulations to Royce Angelo Ben on his 6th Grade Promotion on June 19. Royce is shown in photo with parents and (second from right) Paulette Sablan, Principal, GES. Love from Ben family.
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ADVERTORIAL
Auto Marine Inc. offers adventure for the whole family Adonis Santos Sr. is the founder and president of Auto Marine Inc. In December 1995, he and his wife Josephine Santos (vice president) established the company with one parasailing boat. During this time, the economy was at its top peak. Several years later, the company grew enormously at a fast rate. Although there were some obstacles along the way, the company continued to succeed. The company currently has more than 15 boats in Saipan not including vessels in Guam and Boracay. The newest venture of Auto Marine — underwater tours — launched in May. Nautilus was built in Rancho Cordova, California. It’s a 62 feet semi-submarine that is composed of 35 panoramic glass partitions. The inside cabin is cooled by an air conditioning unit and the semi submarine is equipped with an entertainment system and a restroom on the main deck and there is also a built-in shower head for snorkeling customers. The semi-submarine is certified
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by the United States Coast Guard to carry 52 passengers. The vessel is also equipped with the latest fire fighting system certified by the Western Fire Safety in Seattle, WA. “Our business started as a small marine sport company and it is now expanding. We feature parasailing, banana boat, Seawalker/Aquawalk, wakeboard, snorkeling, fishing/trolling and semisubmarine recreational services,” Jefferson Santos, chief executive officer and general manager of Auto Marine says. “Our company also provides machinery work under AM machine shop such as resurfacing, fabrication and much more. Our company is striving to be its best and to improve the quality of our service. We are planning to add more activities in the near future.” Jefferson Santos is the son of Adonis Sr. and Josephine. Their company is a family oriented business. Another son of Adonis and Josephine, Adonis Santos Jr. is chief engineer; and his brother Mark Arnold Santos
is owner of Mac’s Marine, a sister company of Auto Marine Inc.; and their sister Joice Santos is the counter attendant/ dispatcher at Auto Marine. “I am looking forward serving our local community that includes the man’amko and the students. I would like our local community to discover the undiscovered lagoon of Saipan,” says Jefferson Santos. “Many have probably lived in Saipan for the longest time but they probably haven’t seen what is beneath the surface of our magnificent waters full of wonderful corals and fish. In addition, they will also have an opportunity to see some of the relics from World War II. It’s not only educational for science classes but also educational for historians,” he says. As a special liberation day promo, our company would like to offer $20.00 per adult and $10 per child (for the local community only) for the whole month of July.
BRM GUIDE TO
July
SUNDAY
MONDAY
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TUESDAY
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WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
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Independence Day/Liberation Day Holiday Garapan Street Market
7 8 9 10 11 Garapan Street Market
14 15 16 17 18 29th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament
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Garapan Street Market
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Garapan Street Market
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Visit: www.regmovies.com Proudly serves refreshing
beverages.
“Coca-Cola” is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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13 29th Annual
MOVIES The Lone Ranger Despicable Me 2 The Way, Way Back premiere at Regal Cinemas
MOVIES Pacific Rim Grown Ups 2 premiere at Regal Cinemas
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MOVIES Red 2 The Conjuring Turbo premiere at Regal Cinemas
Saipan International Fishing Tournament
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26 27 MOVIES The Wolverine Fruitvale Station premiere at Regal Cinemas
FEATURE
Celebrating the 68th Anniversary of Liberation from Camp Susupe In June 1944, during the first days of the battle for Saipan, chaos reigned. Civilians poured down from the caves where they had been hiding, with only the clothes on their backs. Many of the Chamorros and Carolinians clutched crucifixes to distinguish themselves from the Japanese. The U.S. Marines and soldiers did not know what to do with these frightened, desperate people. Never before had they encountered so many civilians as they battled their way across the Pacific. At first, the military herded the terrified civilians into makeshift beach stockades, while the battle raged. Several days later, Camp Susupe was formed and designated Internment Camp No. 1. Conditions in the camp were abysmal. People slept, huddled together, with a tarp stretched over their heads for protection from rain. As tents arrived, they replaced the tarps. Food was scarce. Many were starving, dehydrated and sick. Death haunted the camp. Escolastica Cabrera recalled, “We stayed in tent for two weeks. There were no place mats; just people squeezing in the nighttime. We just slept, I don’t know, there’s no light, no nothing. And I remember one day an old lady. She went to the rest room there by the tent. She just went there. She fell down and I’m not sure that she dies. But somebody just brought some kind of white sheets and wrapped her up, maybe eight o’clock. You had to bury the dead. Nobody did a prayer. There was no blessing from the priest, because we have no priest that time.” But the strength of the people’s culture since pre-Spanish times, the family prevailed. A Navy man Vincent Prestigiacomo recalled several days after the invasion, as people watched the trucks filled with civilians roll by, that “members who recognized other family members on the truck would run out of the camp, climb the trucks as the trucks were rolling, either it was a mother, a father, a child, a husband whatever it was. We just let
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them go until they settled down and then we separated them into families. They lived as families.” Eventually, Camp Susupe was divided into sectors, local civilians, the Chamorros and Carolinians were moved to Chalan Kanoa away from the Japanese and Koreans. People salvaged what tin roofing, lumber and other materials they could from the sugar mill and from the rubble in Garapan, and built shelters for themselves. Gradually the situation improved as supplies arrived and local supplies of food were found. Norman Meller, an American intelligence officer, recalled that three or four thousand people would go out every day to work at the farms in the hills. Every night they returned to camp because there were still Japanese hiding in the hills. One of the first things the people did was to restore the Catholic masses that had been banned by the Japanese. Escolatica remembered that when the priests came, they built something like a palapala, ten feet by ten feet square. And they held mass everyday. Clothing was at a premium. Martha Mendiola remembered: “I worked maybe six months with no shoes on. I got the ID card. I don’t know where they get it. One of the military army, gave me some pants to wear at nighttime so my mom can wash my clothes.” Esco remembered walking barefoot to mass. Her first shoes were tabi, and she was so proud she could wear them to the palapala church. Tan Amalia Diaz realized what an opportunity the need for clothes on the part of the hundreds of Chamorros and Carolinians offered. “Day and night, I’m sewing for people with no clothes,” the grand Marshal for the 1993 Liberation Day parade recalled. She was paid 50 cents for each piece. There quickly emerged a political organization in Camp Susupe. On July 4, 1944, Juan M. Ada was sworn in as high chief
FEATURE
of Saipan by a Marine Corps Civil Affairs Officer. By the end of 1944, Gregorial Sablan was the first democratically elected high chief of Saipan. Bt 1945, schools were back in session and small businesses were reviving. The people were learning new ways from the Americans. Daniel R. Ogumoro, Grand Marshal for the 1993 Liberation Day, remembered Camp Susupe as a happy time. “The Americans were real good. (They) are soft-hearted and didn’t discriminate against us,” he said. He was often allowed to go fishing and help gather food in the warehouses. Peace brought relief to all but it raised the question of what to do with the island. One American observer said, “I’m not sure there was any real understanding of what was going to be done here after the war was over. Theoretically, it looked as if the military was going to stay here forever. I’m sure until someone in Washington finally decided the camps were going to be closed, nobody probably knew that they were even being kept. You just had that kind of inertial that keeps things going.” Whatever the reasons, Camp Susupe did not close until almost a year after the war ended. On July 4, 1946, the Chamorro and Carolinians said goodbye to the camp and hello to the building of new lives. Sixty-nine years later, in political association with the United States, the life they have built is a very good life, one based on the peaceful cooperation of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Unity in diversity has become a way of life on the island. The suffering and devastation of war from which Camp Susupe sprang will, with the hard work and good will of all, remain where it belongs, in history books and in the memories of the island’s Man‘Amko, as a reminder of how far we have come. (Based on transcript of “Witnesses to War” video produced by Bruce Lloyd, 1995)
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ON THE STREET
Man on the street
Comments on Liberation
PUDING QUITUGUA, 63 This year’s preparation for Liberation was pretty late. Every year, we celebrate liberty for the people of Saipan. They marked July 4th as a day of freedom. Our family members celebrate Liberation Day by gathering together and watching the parade. We also support the Liberation Committee’s goal, under the Saipan Mayor’s Office, to raise funds and support community projects to include scholars.
AJ, 8; CHLOE, 14; and JESSE VILLAZON, 17 Freedom allows me to enjoy life and to do anything I want to do. July 4th is a special day to celebrate our freedom. Freedom makes our lives easier. We want to thank the Troops for fighting for our freedom. Most of the time, we watch the July 4th parade and go to the carnival.
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RICARDO CRUZ, JR. I’m always mindful of the fact that sacrifices have been made so that I can enjoy the freedom that I have. I look around me and I’m grateful that my family and friends live in a world where they’re allowed to be happy and thrive. For that, I will always be thankful. Happy Liberation Day!
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JULY 2013
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Running away from home — and running to a new home
The story of Saipan’s Dr. Jack Hardy Account by Jack Hardy
Over the past 25 years, many people have asked me “Why did you move to Saipan?” I reply “I decided to run away from home.” I was born in Cincinnati in 1937 during the highest flood in the history of the Ohio River in that area. I lived in Reading, a suburb of Cincinnati. I graduated from Reading High School and then went through the College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati. Following that I went to medical school in Des Moines, Iowa. I practiced surgery in Cincinnati until 1989, when I decided to make a big change, and move almost half way around the world. Early in 1989, I sold my surgical practice and the building my office was in. This was necessary to start my new life on Saipan, where I went to work as a surgeon at CHC, the “original” Commonwealth Health Center. I left a routine where I was on call 24/7 in solo practice and driving more than 50 miles a day to see patients in the hospitals and in my office. In the new venue, I became an employee of the government and left behind the stress of the financial demands of being in solo practice. It was refreshing to leave the clinic at 5 p.m. knowing that another surgeon would look after my patients as I enjoyed the tropical sunset. My training and practice in Ohio prepared me well for the demands of a small hospital far removed from the big medical center.
The beauty of Saipan stimulated me to learn more about taking photos, and I was able to receive excellent training from Del Benson. Del mentored me in all areas of photography. The next life changing transition was the purchase of a photography company, with employees, and new horizons and demands. This required leaving behind the familiar routine of a surgeon, to be an artist and businessman. Realizing that the CNMI was undergoing dramatic economic changes, I searched for a new home to begin another phase in my life. I visited Cuenca, Ecuador in 2010 and felt that being 8000 feet above sea level, photographing mountains instead of oceans and beaches was where I wanted to be. JULY 2013
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