Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - November 4, 2023

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

NOVEMBER 4, 2023

LINGERING THOUGHTS

Art in Waipahu, Illegal Fireworks, U.S. Congress

OPEN FORUM

Streamline Permitting Process to Reduce Wait Times, Favoritism

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

Why We Remember 1587 As We Bid One Last Goodbye to Filipino American History Month

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Waipahu Legislator Receives Award From National Women’s Organization

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  NOVEMBER 4, 2023

EDITORIAL

Ethnic Media Are Here to Stay, Our Old and Long History Will Continue Well into The Future, National Trends Show

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e live in a world of special interests. Historically, this has always been the case.

We have chambers of commerce to represent business interests. We have labor unions to represent workers. We have professional associations to represent the interests of individuals within their profession. We have civic groups to further the cause of educational, cultural, religious or ideological causes. Politically, there are PACS, SuperPACs, and political parties.

Special interest groups ultimately are formed for one purpose which is empowerment of individuals that belong to a respective group.

The more organized a group is and the greater its voice translates to harnessed strength in the greater society or mainstream society.

Now, when we look at mainstream media, the idea, or more precisely “ideal” behind these outlets is that they represent impartiality as media professionals try to present “both” or multiple sides of a story or issue.

But what happens when certain ethnic groups, their needs and uniqueness, are not represented sufficiently or fairly in this enterprise called “mainstream media” that purportedly represents the many groups in greater society?

The inadequate representation – unfairly or completely ignored -- of ethnic communities have led to the birth of ethnic media, which collectively, represents yet another set of special interest groups.

Asian, Latino, Black, white ethnics have taken it upon themselves to establish their own media ultimately for empowerment and to control their own narratives.

When we trace the origins of ethnic media in the U.S., we discover it’s as old as the origins of immigration of these ethnic groups into the country. Black and Mexican media dates to the early and mid-1800s. The earliest Asian media dates to the turn of the 19th and 20th century.

From the very start of the rise of ethnic media, there has been antagonism between ethnic and mainstream media.

Until today, there is a high-brow attitude the mainstream press has over ethnic media, one example, not including ethnic media in the most esteemed media industry awards.

Certainly, today, we see an abundance of minority professionals in mainstream media, which helps with minorities’ visibility and empowerment in greater society. This should be applauded as we move forward to greater inclusivity and diversity in journalism.

And in part because of this, some will question the need for ethnic media at this time. A common argument is that minorities already have their representation. There is none or lesser need for ethnic media to exist.

But the role of mainstream media remains largely the same, one that will represent the interests and perspectives of greater society, which in fairness, perhaps should be the case.

Additionally, due to the changing demographics in the U.S. and that minorities are a part of mainstream media in (continue on page 12)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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e are pleased to share with our community and readers that the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle (HFC) this month reaches the milestone of 31 years of publication. It has been a gratifying, fulfilling and challenging journey for us to bring the latest in news and consequential issues our community holds dearly and of importance. We extend our sincere gratitude for all your support through the years – our readers, our advertisers, the many Filipino organizations, civic, government, nonprofits, institutional and grassroots support. A special mahalo to our staff and contributors, past and present, who have been integral to HFC’s success and growth.

For our cover this issue we wanted to do an article looking at the state of ethnic media in Hawaii and the mainland, their historical origins, the current trends, and future outlook. As a part of the ethnic media, we at the HFC can relate to many of the challenges and aspirations of our colleagues. Our associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports that ethnic media is on the rise nationally in the U.S. This is not surprising as the demographic in our country is changing with large numbers of growth among minority communities. We are also witnessing a historic moment in which alternative media, of which ethnic media is a subset of, along with other small independent newspapers, the international press, social media and other digital news outfits have arrived and now rival American mainstream news as co-gatekeepers, co-sources of modern communications.

Also, we have two alarming news to report in this issue. The first is found in HFC columnist Arcelita Imasa, M.D. article “Unsafe Housing Conditions in Kalihi?” that involves an apartment complex in Honolulu where the landlord has cut off electricity, disconnected water service and has failed to conduct basic repairs. This extreme case hopefully will be the beginning of a larger dialogue between the city and the state on how we can improve the living conditions of our renters in Hawaii. Second, and somewhat related to this first one involves property repairs and improvements. Keli‘i Akina, president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, contributes an Open Forum article, “Streamline Permitting Process to Reduce Wait Times, Favoritism.” The article highlights deep favoritism problems at the Honolulu Department of Permitting with regard to significant disparities in permit wait times, suggesting that corruption could be at play.

In community news, the Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii (FAHSOH) will be hosting a presentation and exhibit, “Remembering Our Filipino WWI and WWII Veterans” on Nov. 18, 10 to 11:30 am, Waipahu Public Library.

Lastly, do you know what happened in 1587? Read HFC columnist Emil Guillermo’s informative article “Why We Remember 1587 As We Bid One Last Goodbye to Filipino American History Month.” HFC columnist Atty. Emmanuel Tipon addresses an important topic of immigrants seeking the help of non-attorneys to acquire immigration benefits that could land them in trouble. Be sure to read our many other news and columns.

Until next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design

Junggoi Peralta

Photography Tim Llena

Administrative Assistant Lilia Capalad

Editorial & Production Assistant Jim Bea Sampaga

Columnists

Carlota Hufana Ader Rose Cruz Churma Elpidio R. Estioko Willie Espero Perry Diaz Emil Guillermo Arcelita Imasa, M.D. Seneca Moraleda-Puguan J.P. Orias Charlie Sonido, M.D. Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.

Contributing Writers

Clement Bautista Edna Bautista, Ed.D. Teresita Bernales, Ed.D. Sheryll Bonilla, Esq. Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D. Linda Dela Cruz Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand Amelia Jacang, M.D. Caroline Julian Max Levin Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D. Federico Magdalena, Ph.D. Matthew Mettias Maita Millalos Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D. Renelaine Bontol-Pfister Seneca Moraleda-Puguan Mark Lester Ranchez Jay Valdez, Psy.D. Glenn Wakai Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent: Greg Garcia

Neighbor Island Correspondents: Big Island (Hilo and Kona) Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Millicent Wellington Maui Christine Sabado Big Island Distributors Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Distributors Amylou Aguinaldo Nestor Aguinaldo Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey Piros

Molokai Distributor Maria Watanabe Oahu Distributors Yoshimasa Kaneko Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan

Advertising / Marketing Director Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Account Executives Carlota Hufana Ader JP Orias

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

We’re Overtaxed, We’re Sending Too Much in Foreign Military Aid; We Should Be Working to Build Global Peace, Not Escalating Global Wars

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hat about Americans?

What about our needs?

Why is the U.S. government still giving billions in foreign military aid? These are questions typically asked by pro-protectionist, pro-nationalist political idealogues who support a non-interventionist approach to foreign policy.

But average traditionally non-political Americans are now also saying the same in light of President Joe Biden’s latest request to Congress of $105 billion mostly to go towards supporting the wars in Ukraine and Israel.

The breakdown of Biden’s supplemental funding request is $60 billion for Ukraine, specifically for replenishing weapons, $14 billion for Israel, specifically for air and missile defense systems, and the rest for border security, humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and a variety of initiatives geared toward countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Total U.S. support to Ukraine and Israel So far, Congress has approved about $113 billion in aid to Ukraine, according to calculations by the US State Department Office of Inspector General and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Regarding Israel, it has been receiving 30% of all U.S. foreign aid annually.

Each year it receives close to $4 billion. According to the Poyner Institute’s POLTIFACTS, since the end of World War II, the U.S. has cumulatively provided Israel with almost $318 billion in aid of all types, including military, economic and humanitarian.

The BBC reports over the years the U.S. aid has helped Israel develop one

of the most advanced militaries in the world. With U.S. aid, the BBC says Israel has spent that money to buy weapons from U.S. manufacturers like 50 F-35 combat aircrafts, eight Kc-46A Boeing Pegasus aircrafts, and missiles for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.

To make this clearer: 1) Congress gives billions in military aid to for example Israel, 2) Israel buys billions in missiles and aircrafts from U.S. arms manufacturers, 3) U.S. arms manufacturers spend millions to lobby Congress, and 4) thousands of Americans (including some members of Congress) invest in war stocks and make a profit.

Since the outbreak of war in Israel-Palestine, war stocks have gone up by 30%. You see how special interests are at work in Congress.

What about us?

While billions of U.S. taxpayers’ money enriches special interest groups and investors (we are not even arguing here the assumed “benefits” geopolitically to the U.S. which is debatable), the average American taxpayers are raising valid concerns that our government always has unlimited money – almost no questions asked – for wars, but not enough money for our domestic needs.

We have inadequate support for Maui relief, healthcare, the homeless, American children who go hungry, climate change, border security, Social Security, Medicare, workforce retraining, education, affordable housing, and countless other areas.

Furthermore, Americans are overtaxed – federal taxes, state taxes, county taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, taxes on utilities passed on to homeowners and renters, and on and on.

It was only recently be-

fore the war that the government was close to a shutdown because Republicans were worried about the national debt, national spending.

And here we are about to pass possibly a multibillion dollars supplemental funding package in military aid which is separate from the overall budget that once again will be argued in mid-November. And if spending is not agreed upon, the government faces a shutdown.

President Biden says our support for Israel is a good investment. He should explain how that investment trumps investing in the rebuilding of Maui or investing in climate change that would help to prevent incidences like the Maui wildfires from happening again.

Biden should explain how that “investment” in Ukraine – which many military analysts have already said is a war lost on the ground and why we will now be sending long range missiles among other weapons to possibly launch an offensive into Russia, an escalation of war that the U.S. said it would not do – is a greater priority than bolstering support for the fragile Medicare and Social Security programs.

Potential for more money dedicated to global wars Longterm commit-

ments should also be considered at this very moment.

At this juncture in the global wars the U.S. supports, Biden is asking for over $100 billion. This is the third round of war money requested for Ukraine.

What happens should war expand, and the U.S. finds itself in a massive regional conflict in the Middle East that will have the U.S. defending Israel against not just Hamas and other terror/resistance groups, but countries like Iran, Syria and Turkey?

Without a doubt, the billions Congress is already funding will need to increase exponentially to fund a trillion dollars war. Can we afford that? And at what expense? Less money for domestic needs and less money for “real” investments that could go directly to helping Americans and bolstering our domestic economy.

F r a n k l y. A m e r i c a n s are tired of a long, drawnout war in the Middle East.

We’ve done that already with Iraq and Syria for two decades. Instead of Biden saying we’re behind Israel 100 percent, a responsible world leader should be working to build bridges and peace that will benefit everyone, especially save billions in dollars for American taxpayers. And members of Congress who hold special interests above the American people’s interests should be voted out.

Americans are watching closely. Americans are far more sophisticated in how the world works than we were during the Iraq wars.

Politicians should know this.

UPDATE: Just before submission for printing, the House announced it will vote on the supplemental funding separately and it scheduled a vote for Thursday Israel’s part of the aid proposal.

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  NOVEMBER 4, 2023

COVER STORY

Ethnic, Social and Alternative Media Collectively Now Rival Mainstream Media As Co-Gatekeepers of Mass Communications

By Edwin Quinabo

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thnic media in the U.S. dates to the 1800s and early 1900s. It is one of the oldest branches in a collective of news organizations known as alternative media that also includes podcast, the international press, small independent news outfits, strictly digital news providers and social media.

Today, collectively, alternative media now rival the mainstream media as a co-leading source of news in the U.S. In a striking, awesome showing of influence at this very moment, history is in the making as alternative media are co-presenting the narrative of the current war in Gaza. Milennials, Gen X are not going to traditional channels – network and cable news outlets that once cornered reporting on war – to get their updates. Instead, they and millions of others are plugging in, powering up, and connecting online to access a plethora of information -- some precise, enlightening, and professional news reporting while others are pedestrian, amateur and even fake commentary.

This is the state of news in 2023 that some say is rendering a fuller picture on the issues of the day as enterprises of competing ideas, unfettered by traditional colossal corporate media gatekeepers, swirl around in new (powered by tech) and old channels of communication.

Ongoing need for ethnic media

Ethnic media are a niche in alternative media. Alternative because from their very start hundreds of years ago they were then and remain now often a counter narrative to mainstream media. Where communities of color, ethnic and immigrant were largely invisible and unheard, it was the ethnic media as an “alternative” to mainstream media that gave these communities a body of presence and voice.

With ethnic media, you have the niche of the niche,” says Sandy Close, founder and director of the San Francisco-based Ethnic Media Services, which works to foster and

sustain ethnic news outlets. “You can’t get more local.”

Hilda Gurdian, La Noticia’s publisher, said “In the best case, we are under covered. In the worst case, we are ignored.”

“People watch our news in order to survive in this country,” said Univision anchor Jorge Ramos. “We are providing essential information…How does one receive a scholarship, how does one get medical insurance, how to vote on the day of elections,” he said.

Chona Montesines-Sonido, publisher and managing editor of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, said “We need ethnic media to communicate the news happening in our ethnic communities since the mainstream media tend to leave us out. They do not tell the whole story. Sometimes, the bad news overshadows the good news that often is not even reported. We have many community activities that go uncovered.

“Ethnic media showcase the best in our community, our culture and both our successes and failures. Our reporting is not always a self-pat on the back. In fact, we report on areas of need for improvement that we ourselves know best what they are and the right solutions for us,” said Montesines-Sonido.

The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle who Chona along with her husband Dr. Charlie Sonido founded is in its 31st year of publishing.

She gives an example of the importance of the ethnic media that occurred during the height and preceding years of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was the ethnic media that first brought attention to Asian hate and crimes against Asians by reporting on STOP AAPI Hate’s data showing thousands of Asians across the country experiencing racism to outright violence and deaths. And Asians are still targets of discrimination and violence today solely based on race. So, in this example alone, ethnic media remain relevant and needed,” said Montesines-Sonido.

How big is ethnic media in the U.S.

A study from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill identified 950 ethnic news outlets in the U.S. in 2020.

That number could be higher as some important ethnic media has been uncounted in the UNC study.

Hawaii has a vibrant ethnic media with newspapers for the Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Native Hawaiian communities. Currently, there are two statewide Filipino newspapers – the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle and FilAm Courier.

The Hawaii Hochi has a Japanese-language newspaper and an English-language edition started in 1912 called the Hawaii Herald. Started in 2002, the Hawaii Chinese News is currently the major newspaper for Chinese Americans in the State. But their community had a far older newspaper, the Hawaiian Chinese News that was circulated from 1881 to 1907.

On the mainland the first Spanish-language newspaper was El Misispi, published in 1808 and immediately followed by El Mensajero Luisianes in 1809. Dating as far back as 1827, the first African American newspaper was the Freedom’s Journal.

Ethnic media have been story tellers of the American experience from the nation’s cradle years of the old Spanish-Mexican west, to the Japanese intern camps, to the COVID-19 pandemic that claimed the lives of hundreds of Filipino nurses, nearly a third of all nurses who’ve died from the coronavirus in the U.S. That story is still largely untold.

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (Ethnic, Social and....from page 4)

Changing demographics behind rise in ethnic media By 2045, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the current U.S. minority population will outnumber whites, which rise in the Latino, Asian, African and Native-American communities is the spark currently igniting an explosion of new ethnic media found mostly along the coasts in California, Washington, New York, Florida, and in the south in Texas.

Pew Research shows Latino-Hispanic media are by far the largest ethnic media, followed by the Asian American community.

Besides the Latino population’s strength in number (in both California and Texas, they make up the largest racial group), their media’s success can be attributed to their communities’ high Spanish-language retention and ongoing immigration.

Asians currently have the highest immigration into the U.S., but third, fourth, and even second-generation Asians have low ancestral language retention. This is true for Hawaii Asian immigrants. Ancestral language retention is one sign of connection to one’s ethnic community, which connection is key to ethnic media’s audience size and success.

Besides a strong connection to community, Montesines-Sonido echoes what other owners of media say, is that “you must build trust in the community you are serving.”

She explains, “Trust is one area ethnic media has an advantage over the mainstream media. Certainly, there are reputable legacy newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post, but there are many new mainstream newspapers struggling to build trust with their audience. With ethnic media, our community, our audience trust us because our very existence is built upon advocacy for our people.

“We in the ethnic media have our niche audience, we

have their trust, our big challenge is to survive the brutal economic conditions,” said Montesines-Sonido.

Economic conditions specific to Ethnic Media In the same UNC study, researchers found that most ethnic media outlets are independently owned small businesses except for a few conglomerates such as Entravision Communications (28 Hispanic/Latino outlets), NBC Universal (26 Hispanic/ Latino Outlets) and Univision (20 Hispanic/Latino outlets).

Small independently owned media are faced with ongoing financial limitations.

They don’t have enough capital to grow to a readership size that will entice more advertisers interested in reaching a maximum audience for their limited advertising budget.

But most companies that do advertise in ethnic media understand that they are reaching an audience that mainstream media often will not penetrate, particularly in non-English ethnic publications. Any reader they reach in ethnic media is potentially a new client, a potentially new market base, advertisers say.

Advertising remains the main source of revenue for ethnic media. Because of their smaller audience, ethnic news outlets can’t charge as much for ads, ethnic media owners say.

They also say minorities’ buying power are often underestimated, no matter the size they may be in a community.

In Hawaii where minorities make up a majority, and specific to Hawaii’s Filipino community, they are the largest and fastest ethnic group in the state. Filipinos’ buying power in Hawaii is unquestionable, many advertisers say.

dia to maximize exposure.

Some ethnic media account executives say having a digital presence in addition to a hard copy product justifies higher rates for advertising.

This is additional revenue that was not available years ago.

Larger well-established ethnic media will take the digital market further and have pay walls to their online site and have digital subscription as another income stream.

Ethnic outlets and alternative media in general will also seek grants and funding from corporations, charitable foundations, or even local governments to run their operations, the UNC study says.

“However, ethnic media outlets received only 2.1 percent of the total funding that philanthropic foundations gave all local media outlets from 2010-2015, according to the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. Also, reliance on such funding can leave a news organization beholden to its sponsor,” according to the UNC study.

Some ethnic media will merge and buy out others to build a larger base with scale of economies in mind.

Even with these new opportunities to increase revenue, ethnic media are still competing in the same environment that larger mainstream newspapers are in; and according to data from UNC, in Hawaii, mainstream media newspapers are down by 38% and newspaper circulation is down by 60% between 2004 and 2019.

The digital future Minority populations are expected to continue growing so ethnic media will have opportunities to grow.

The increasing reliance on the internet for news among New sources of income for millennials and Gen Z sets ethnic media the trend for prosperity in the Publishers of ethnic me- digital sphere, social media dia are fully invested in dig- and mobile news apps. ital platforms and social meAll media owners, not

“Trust is one area ethnic media has an advantage over the mainstream media. Certainly, there are reputable legacy newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post, but there are many new mainstream newspapers struggling to build trust with their audience. With ethnic media, our community, our audience trust us because our very existence is built upon advocacy for our people. We in the ethnic media have our niche audience, we have their trust, our big challenge is to survive the brutal economic conditions.”

– Chona Montesines-Sonido, Publisher and Managing Editor, Hawaii Filipino Chronicle

just ethnic media, know that’s it’s not enough to just have a website, but to have an active social media presence. Large mainstream media have employees whose primary responsibility is building their companies’ social media presence. This is the modern frontier of marketing.

Filipino community on ethnic media Edna Bautista, Ed.D, retired journalism professor, said she enjoys picking up different ethnic newspapers from the stands wherever available to see what articles and ads are published. “No matter if it is Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Ukrainian, Hispanic, etc., we really do share a lot of similarities. There are stories that highlight immigrant success, ads for services for and by the ethnic group, article snippets from the motherland and sometimes authentic recipes. I also check the community calendar in the different ethnic newspapers to see if there are any fun festivals to attend!”

Bautista joined the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle staff in its second year and has worked with the Chronicle’s journalism scholarship recipients. On ethnic media, she says, “they have very important roles to fill. Ethnic newspapers and magazines, radio stations, TV programs and websites provide relevant information for the immigrants who have

made their home here on the islands and the mainland.

Ethnic media outlets keep them connected to their cultures and their countries and sometimes language(s), so they do not feel alone when they are far away from the motherland.

“They can build a community and highlight their contributions to the state and nation. Ethnic media also serve as an historical record for future generations who can look back on how their immigrant ancestors have worked hard to succeed in another culture and country, paving the way for their descendants to have a much better life,” she said.

Bautista has contributed myriad articles to the Chronicle. “I’m proud that our newspaper is brave to address major and sometimes controversial issues for Hawaii’s Filipinos as the cover stories. But I especially like to read about the Filipinos and Fil-Ams who are making a positive difference in society. Their stories are inspiring.”

She adds, “it is good that we also feature our youth. I hope we can get more younger voices represented in our newspaper and even extend ourselves to media that they use more often, such as podcasting or videos.”

Teresita Bernales, Ed.D., retired, Kailua, contributes articles to the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. She is a former officer of the Media Council (continue on page 6)

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  NOVEMBER 4, 2023

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

By Emil Guillermo

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efore we get all thankful in November, let us honor again the reason why October was officially designated Filipino American History Month by FANHS, the Filipino American National Historical Society.

It all happened in 1587, on Oct. 18.

On that very day, the first Filipinos from Asia landed in America. And they didn’t grab a thing. At least, not for themselves. They even gave food and clothing, as peace offerings to their fellow “Yndios.”

Sure, the Filipinos were just working stiffs for the Spanish colonizers, but they were present.

And please note that 1587 is 33 years before 1620.

That would be the time of the much-ballyhooed Pilgrims, who landed on a rock in Massachusetts and forgot it first belonged to the Native Americans.

Despite the egregious oversight, we still make much ado of those Mayflower folks in November.

And those first Filipinos?

Do we all eat Filipino food on Thanksgiving? Adobo?

Why We Remember 1587 As We Bid One Last Goodbye to Filipino American History Month Pancit? Vegan lechon? Nope.

In fact, few people know about the Filipinos as being first in anything except maybe in the number of young girl singers in TV song competitions.

But we should make a big deal of Oct. 18, 1587, the day Pedro De Unamuno sailing for Spain landed on Morro Bay, close to San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California.

While Unamuno, not a Filipino, is only partially obscured in history, the Filipino parts of the story are almost totally eviscerated from memory.

That changed with the original research of Unamuno’s logs published in the University of California-Los Angeles’ Amerasia Journal in 1996 by Eloisa Gomez Borah, a librarian and a trustee of FANHS. She makes the case for the First Filipinos, telling the story of how Unamuno was part of a Spanish expedition led by Francisco Gali in 1584. When Gali died, Unamuno lost command of the two ships he inherited after taking a side trip to Macao.

Stranded in Asia, Unamuno was finally able to buy another boat, described

by Borah as “a single-deck three-masted vessel” named

Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza.

His deckhands and brawn were mostly Filipinos.

On July 12, 1587, Unamuno headed for points east and was at sea until the end of his voyage on November 22, 1587, in Acapulco, Mexico.

But there was a brief three-day land excursion between October 18 and 20 that turned out to be the northern California coast.

Unamuno sailed with the Franciscan Father Martin Ignacio de Loyola, nephew of the founder of the Jesuit order, a few priests, and soldiers.

The logs also reveal the presence of at least eight Filipinos identified as “Yndios Luzones,” or Luzon Indians from the northern Philippines island of Luzon.

They were jacks-of-alltrade seamen, seen as the brawny manpower of the ship.

In an email exchange, Borah told me too often they were left off the logs.

“Filipinos present on these early explorations and trade ships were overlooked in captains’ logs,” Borah said.

“Even in Captain Unamuno’s log, which I chose because he did mention “Indios Luzones,” documenting the presence of Filipino natives was inconsistent, as my count in the article provides the proof.”

Borah counted “Yndios” appearing in the logs 42 times in total. In 23 times, it was a reference to the native Californians encountered, but 19 times it described the crew.

But they mattered on Sunday, October 18. That’s when Unamuno, after anchoring off the California coast in a place he called Puerto San Lucas, formed a landing party.

It was 12 armed soldiers led by Father Martin Ignacio de Loyola, cross in hand.

But even before the cross, up ahead of them all were two Filipinos armed with swords and shields.

It was their typical formation. Filipinos were the first to step foot on land.

On the first day, the expedition climbed two hills, saw no settlements or people, and took possession of the land for the King of Spain.

On the second day, October 19, eight Filipino scouts led Loyala and 12 soldiers for further exploration.

It was on the third day, October 20, that the expedi-

tion encountered violence.

But not before there was an effort from the ship’s barber and some Filipinos to make a peace offering of food and clothing.

Borah said all was good until the Native Americans tried to kidnap the barber, and that’s when a violent exchange ensued. The log noted one soldier was killed, but so was one unnamed Filipino, by a javelin, his blood spilled on American soil.

Unamuno didn’t stay long. He left for Acapulco by daybreak on October 21.

The significance of three days?

Borah calls it the unique evidence of a Filipino presence that is too often obscured when historians fail to identify or differentiate among non-Europeans in their crew.

“Filipino natives, among the non-white Indios of that era, did not write the logs or the letters to the king or any other contemporary documents,” Borah wrote me in an email exchange.

“However, Filipino Indios were 4 out of 5 who worked the Spanish galleons (Schurz, 1939) in crossing the Pacific for 250 years, and they were the advance guard in the land expeditions and provided the information evidenced in Captain Unamuno’s log.”

It’s part of history that no one seems to know about.

try. Opinions by experts provide various points of view on an issue thus helping me shape my own view. I have high interest in reading local news, celebrations, festivals, social, political and cultural events to keep me up to date on what’s going on in the Filipino community. Example-the devastation on Maui rallied the community to one cause. The overwhelming support from various organizations was covered by radio, TV and print media resulting in massive out-

pouring of support and also creating a ripple effect to give aid to the victims from all ethnic and mainstream communities.”

Asked about a specific reporting by the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle that she felt was important for our community to learn about, Bernales said, the Ohana Medical Missions is very important. “This humanitarian effort of providing free medical services to underserved communities in Hawaii and the Philippines has been

making significant impact on the healthcare landscape. By bringing healthcare directly to those in need, OMM helps to improve the health of patients and also elevate their quality of life.

“There is also the positive influence of OMM on community awareness and education about healthcare disparities. They collaborate with local organizations and community organizations to spread awareness and advocacy for better healthcare de-

Morro Bay

(continue on page 10)

(COVER STORY: Ethnic, Social and..from page 5)

Hawaii, now named Honolulu Community Media Council. She is a supporter of ethnic media and says, they play important roles in “various facets of living in an adopted community.”

Some examples she cites of the ethnic media, [collectively] “it gives a voice to minority communities, provides information to target population, connects them to their homeland, fosters community engagement, maintains and preserves culture and heritage, breaks down

barriers thus promoting inclusion of all in the mainstream society, is a platform to share one’s stories of challenges, resilience and success, and contributes to the creation of role models and leaders.

She says specific to the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “I look forward to reading about the cover story which is the most pressing issue of the week. News from home provides me with current events, making me feel always connected to my coun-

(continue on page 10)

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?

By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon

T

housands of people asking for immigration benefits often seek the services of people who are not lawyers, such as travel agents, tax preparers, real estate agents, notaries, paralegals, and other creatures whom we shall refer to in this article as “immigration consultants”. Their motive is to save money, thinking that attorneys are “expensive”.

What constitutes “expensive” is “in the eye of the beholder”. Contact this writer and he will tell you what is a reasonable price for the services you seek.

These immigration consultants could do the alien a lot of damage including plac-

Ineffective Assistance by “Immigration Consultant” Could Get Alien Deported and Consultant Could Be Sued for Fraud ing them in peril of being deported and subjecting them to stress and spending more money to defend themselves than what they “saved”.

Jose entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa but overstayed and legacy INS commenced deportation proceedings against him. Jose hired an immigration services company, Entra, to provide him with representation. Adela owned Entra and told Jose that she was a paralegal but had immigration attorneys and would be represented by one of them, Alfred. Jose was told that a change of venue would be sought since he lived in another state. Jose went to the Immigration Court but no attorney represented him. The Judge denied the change of venue motion and told Jose to return on a specified date

otherwise he would be deported. Jose contacted Adela who allegedly told him that their attorney would not appear in court for him, if Jose went to court without an attorney he would be deported, and that because Jose had a pending application for adjustment of status he could not be deported. Jose did not attend the next hearing and the IJ ordered him deported in absentia.

Jose received a letter from INS to report for deportation.

Jose showed the letter to Adela who told him that their lawyer had “taken care of” the in absentia order of removal by filing the adjustment of status petition with INS. (When a person is in removal proceedings, the application for adjustment of status must be filed with the Immigration Court). Adela reassured Jose that the lawyer would file a motion to reopen and formally vacate the in absentia order.

A lawyer from Entra filed a timely Motion to Reopen and Reconsider on the ground that the motion for change of venue had been wrongly denied, but it never mentioned the pending adjustment of status petition or gave any reason for Jose’s failure to appear at the scheduled hearing. The IJ denied the motion. Jose, who was not served with a copy

of the order, believed that the motion had been granted. Later, when Jose asked the other attorney working for Adela if he could travel to his home country to visit his ailing mother, Jose was told that the removal order had not been vacated.

IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT AND LAWYERS SUED FOR FRAUD Jose filed a civil lawsuit against Adela, Entra, and the two lawyers working for Adela.

Jose claimed that Adela and the lawyer Alfred defrauded him by leading him to believe that Alfred was doing all of his legal work, by making fraudulent representations about the status of his case, and by telling him that if he (continue on page 12)

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  NOVEMBER 4, 2023

NEWS FEATURE

Philippine Senator Imee Marcos Visits Hawaii

By Carlota Ader

F

rom October 6 to 10, Philippine Senator Imee Marcos along with local government officials of Ilocos Norte, Philippines visited Hawaii to meet with Ilocos Norte organizations based in the State of Hawaii.

A luncheon was held at the Filipino Community Center on October 7. The following day, a celebration was held at Blaisdell Park featuring multiple booths and food festivals to showcase the cities and provinces of the local government present during the Hawaii delegation.

According to Marcos, the delegation was held to reunite the harmony and community relations between the

Ilocanos in Hawaii and those in the Philippines to obtain full success and cooperation whenever projects are held in the two locations.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Emil Fernandez were present at the Blaisdell Park reception. Along with other Ilocos Norte Filipinos based in Hawaii, La Union Circle of Hawaii’s president Carlota Ader and representative Conrad Valdriz were also invited to the event.

The Philippine local government officials that joined Marcos are the following: Mayor Nicomedes dela Cruz of Bacarra, Mayor Maximo Virgilio Calajate Cajigal of Badoc and Sangguniang Bayan member and president of League of Mayors, Mayor Fidel Cimatu of Bangui, Mayor Mary C. Abadi-

Philippine Senator Imee Marcos with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi

lla and Vice Mayor Carlito Abadilla Jr of Banna, Mayor Rowena Chua of Batac City, Mayor Edward Quilala and Sangguniang Bayan Juidth Quilala of Currimao, Mayor Joffrey Saguid and Vice Mayor Aldrin Gravida and Vice Mayor Jessie Galeno of Paoay, Mayor Robert Aguinaldo of Pasuquin, Mayor Georgina Guillen of Piddig, Vice Mayor Maynard Francis Bumanglag and Municipal Treasurer Ami Ruel of Pinli, Vice Mayor Paul Her-

nando of San Nicolas, Sangguniang Bayan Ralph Medrano and Mary Ann Abad Damaso of Sarrat, Mayor Joseph de Lara and Vice Mayor Jonathan de Lara of Solsona, Mayor La Guillen Yapo of Claveria, Cagayan, National Agency Engineer Eddie Guillen, and Irrigation Administrator and Congressman Angelo Marcos Barba of the Second Congressional District of Ilocos Norte.

Marcos is the sister of current Philippine president

Bongbong Marcos and the eldest daughter of former Philippine president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The last time the Marcoses were in Hawaii was almost 40 years ago when the family was exiled to the Aloha State after her father was ousted during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

Beyond the senator’s unofficial visit to forge connections in Hawaii, organizations such as the Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice and Democracy held a protest outside the Philippine Consulate in Nuuanu on October 9.

The organization told Hawaii News Now that they want to show Marcos that they “have not forgotten [nor] forgiven her family and the things that they’ve done to the Philippines and the Filipino people.”

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

BOOK REVIEW

Ampalaya Monologues

By Rose Cruz Churma

A

mpalaya Monologues was originally conceptualized as an event that features a collection of “bitter-to-better” love and life stories written by the author but told through monologues and spoken word poetry by other performance artists.

In 2017, a compilation of the monologues was published

by Summit Books and a book tour was launched. The book tour included appearances in major book launchings and related events such as the Manila International Book Fair, the Philippines Readers and Writers Festival, the Cebu Literary Festival and others.

According to the author, he has not been in any official relationship yet—at least as of the publication of this book.

But he has the shoulders that friends and family can cry on

when confronted with a broken heart.

He is the buddy willing to listen when you need advice on romantic relationships, a love quote or need to vent after experiencing bitter disappointment in a relationship that has gone sour.

He decided to write about these stories into short pieces that he and other performance artists can adapt on stage as monologues.

Its popularity among the younger crowd has been phenomenal—the pieces can relate.

The monologues are in Taglish—the way folks in the Metro Manila and other big cities in the Philippines talk.

English sentences are liberally peppered with Tagalog phrases and Tagalog (also called Filipino as described in the latest Philippine constitution) words are Anglicized. For one who is not used to Taglish, reading this can be difficult—but easier to understand when read

aloud.

This collection contains 27 vignettes. The one that caught my attention was titled “No! Hindi Pwede” because the initial sentences were in English which I felt would be easier to read for one who is not used to reading in Taglish: “Ano? Nagising ka na lang isang araw and suddenly straight ka na? Saan napunta ang kabaklaan mo? Shinampo

mo tapos nawala na parang dandruff?”

(What? You just woke up one day and suddenly, you’re straight? Where did your queerness go? You shampoo-ed it then it’s gone like dandruff?)

This story turns out to be hilarious but also bittersweet.

The sentences also show how Taglish could appear as text and how it may sound when spoken aloud.

The series was so popular that in 2019, the book was adapted into a television series by called Ampalaya Chronicles. Some segments can also be found on YouTube—which may be easier to access than reading the book.

The author, who is part Lebanese, is a multi-medium storyteller, spoken word poet, theatre artist, author, and host.

Although Mark Ghosn is best known for creating the hit show Ampalaya Monologues in 2015, Ghosn is mainly regarded as a theatre actor. He

was part of several theatrical productions in the Philippines including the hit plays such as the annual Virgin LabFest WFP Readings (2015-2018).

He has also written and directed plays as part of the Karnabal Festival (20142016). In 2016, Ghosn was awarded the Gawad Rizal for his contribution to the Philippine theatre scene.

He also became the first spoken word artist to enter the Philippine Top 50 on Spotify with a collection of spoken word and music collaborations. In 2022, Ghosn became the main host of a podcast entitled Ampalaya Stories, produced by Oomph, the digital arm of Viva Entertainment. ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE NOVEMBER 4, 2023

AS I SEE IT

What Do We Know About “No One Is Above The Law,” “Gag Order”?

By Elpidio R. Estioko

T

here are a lot of things going on in the country’s political landscape today as we move on watching on television how House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position by his GOP colleagues and Rep. Jim Jordan seeking the position for the third balloting and lately, eight more (the 9th dropped out from the race last night) GOP aspiring for speakership.

As these developed, we are confronted with many more developments such as the meanings of “No one is above the law” and “gag order.”

As I See It, this means that no person, government official, government is above the law following principles that are fundamental in preserving the rule of law.

I subscribe to the idea that: “All people are ruled by the law. Law enforcers, the government, and judges must adhere to the law without bias or prejudice.”

In ordinary parlance, this is often used to describe people in high-level positions who wrongly believe they should not have to obey rules or laws because they think they are too important or too powerful.

In other words, “above the law” means not having to obey

the law or rules or standards.

When former President Donald Trump appeared before Judge Arthur Engoron in the $250 million civil case against him, we are reminded of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ initial statement when Judge Engoron ruled against Trump: “No one is above the law.”

“No matter how powerful you are, and no matter how much money you think you have, no one is above the law,” he said on her way into the courthouse before Judge Engoron.

The judge overseeing the civil trial of former President Donald Trump in New York issued a gag order barring those involved in the case from posting information about his staff.

Judge Arthur Engoron told all participants in the case not to smear court personnel, warning of “serious sanctions” if they did.

Rebuking Trump, judge Engoron imposed a limited gag order Tuesday in the former president’s civil business fraud trial and ordered him to delete a social media post that publicly maligned a key court staffer.

“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, not appropriate, and I will not tolerate them,” Engoron said after complaining — without naming names — about a defendant’s” disparaging, untrue and personally-identifying post about a member of my staff.”

In a separate article by

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Why We Remember...from page 6)

I just came back from a Harvard Asian American alumni gathering and mentioned in passing about 1587.

Not one person I talked to had even heard about it.

And yet of all the Asian Americans, Filipinos were in North America first and left empty-handed after three October days in 1587 in California.

Do you want to win a few bar bets this month? Just ask

about who the first Asians, documented in historical logs, to come to America.

It was the Filipinos. They didn’t stay and create a community. But they stepped foot in North America and spilled blood.

It’s because of them we remember October as Filipino American History Month.

If you forgot about it this year, don’t worry, Filipino American History Month hap-

Former U.S. President Trump

Matthew J. Galluzzo, he stated that a gag order instructs a party to a litigation to refrain from speaking publicly about the case.

Galluzzo said a New York judge overseeing a criminal case has the power to issue a gag order over one or more of the parties to the case. Gag orders are relatively rare, however. They certainly are not done as a matter of routine.

A gag order can be imposed, just like what Judge Engoron has done, upon a defendant where the defendant makes deliberate attempts to undermine the “true administration of justice” by tampering with the jury pool and making extrajudicial statements.

A court should hold an evidentiary hearing on the issue of the violation of the court order before making a decision.

The decision will be made by the court. The maximum jail time for a violation will be 30 days at Rikers Island.

While Trump is supposedly not scheduled to appear, he voluntarily appeared in court, for many understood as a campaign gimmick, to further solidify his lead in the ongo-

ing GOP primary leading to the expected showdown with President Joe Biden during the 2024 election.

The way it’s going, Trump will likely get the nod of the GOP as their standard bearer for the 2024 election and Biden as the standard bearer of the Democrats due to the doctrine of the equity of the incumbent. So, expect a showdown of Biden vs. Trump in 2024!

Lately, Trump has been using all his legal setbacks as campaign gimmicks to further his ambition of going back to the White House in 2024. Will the gag order limit this?

For years, Trump has accused James of pursuing him for political gain. He even called her a “political hack” and a “deranged, Trump-hating judge.”

In a statement released, somehow in answer to Trump, James said: “For years, Donald Trump

falsely inflated his net worth to enrich himself and cheat the system. No matter how rich or powerful you are, there are not two sets of laws for people in this country. The rule of law must apply equally to everyone, and it is my responsibility to make sure that it does.”

Trump’s attorney, Christopher Kise, argued that the overvaluations are examples of Trump’s “genius,” announcing in court that he is “a master at finding value where others see nothing.”

Kise might be correct because Trump declared bankruptcy several times in the past, but he made money out of it by finding some loopholes in the law.

With the gag order, I hope Trump will stop talking about the case and let the rule of law prevail! ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com

(COVER STORY: Ethnic, Social and.....from page 6)

livery. This has a profound impact on equity to healthcare access. The dedication and compassion of the mission’s countless volunteers continues to make lasting impact on thousands of sick and poor people whenever they conduct their missions which are held twice each year,” said Bernales.

Alfredo Evangelista, attorney, Maui, said ethnic media have oftentimes affirmed certain values or insights he has. “There are multiple roles of ethnic media. First, it is to report stories of the pens every year. Just rememethnic communities. Secber, if we don’t trumpet the ond, it is to provide a diffacts, no one will know about ferent viewpoint from the it. And no one will care. mainstream media. Third, it Self-erasure is unbecomis to reach out to the ethnic ing. Let people know who the first Asians were to come to communities.”

Montesines said, “HFC America. has greatly impacted our The Filipinos. In 1587. Filipino community - it EMIL GUILLERMO is a jour- gave our community a nalist and commentator. His talk voice to express their opinshow is on www.amok.com. ion on our government, our politicians, our educators,

and it also served as an advocate for Filipinos. HFC has empowered Filipinos.

It’s a source of knowledge and information. Filipinos have drawn strength from the HFC and learned valuable information that have helped them to make important decisions in life.

For example, what are the retirement options in Medicare, what are the top trends in careers, or what political candidates’ plans are that could benefit you – these are all valuable information that our community can make use of. We have health columns, legal columns. We have news that matter like how you can access certain government benefits like Social Security or disaster relief for those recently affected by the Maui wildfires. Ethnic media outlets are here to stay because we continue to have value in the communities we serve.”

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

LINGERING THOUGHTS

Art in Waipahu, Illegal Fireworks, U.S. Congress

By Will Espero

A

new quaint art gallery at Minasa Hawaii restaurant in Waipahu held its opening reception on October 21 in celebration of Filipino American History Month with artwork

by Filipino Americans and other artists from Oahu.

Restauranteurs Maleko and Ann Lagmay hosted the event with the artwork on display until December 1st. Bryzane Lagmay coordinated the art exhibit which included a musical performance and car show.

Bryzane’s goal is to help publicize and promote Filipino artists and bring art culture to the west side of Oahu. Maleko and Ann Lagmay were thrilled with the opening turnout and hope to host other art events in the future.

Halo-Halo is the name of the art show as it billed itself as “celebrating the beauty of mixing and merging, just like the delicious Filipino dessert it’s named after.”

I brought home a lechon dish from Minasa Hawaii, and it was tasty and mouthwateringly delicious. I highly recommend checking out the art show and trying some ono dishes as well during the holiday season.

Art should be readily available in our public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. Imagine if a child had twelve years to develop a talent or skill like drawing, painting, sculpting, singing, dancing, writing, acting, or playing an instrument.

These are skills that can last a lifetime and earn an income for some when one is an adult.

In Hawaii where the high cost of living affects just about everyone, additional income from the arts would certainly be welcomed. Art is positive, inspirational, and fulfilling,

and it’s an integral part of society that should always be supported and encouraged.

On another note, illegal fireworks continue to be a problem in our state, and on the west side, it’s starting up again as the holidays approach. The illegal fireworks never really disappeared over the months, and as a resident of Ewa Beach, I hear and see illegal fireworks year-round in Waipahu, Ewa, and Kapolei.

For many people, they see aerial fireworks as a local tradition that isn’t harming anyone. But many of us know this is not true as pets and residents with PTSD can be negatively impacted by the loud, obnoxious booms and noise.

Reminders of war and battles are the last thing veretans need as they live and adjust in their own homes. What annoys and irritates me the most is that after New Year’s Eve, the illegal fireworks may subside, but they never go away.

Recently, some fool in the Ewa area set off a loud booming firework at 3:00 am waking me from my sleep. I’m guessing the whole neighborhood heard the boom as the person or persons who lit the fuse had no regard for their neighbors and showed their disrespect and careless attitude toward our community.

These individuals who are setting off the illegal fireworks are criminals and lawbreakers who are uncaring and inconsiderate of others.

They may think they are being cool or funny, but in reality, they are rude and thoughtless. Their actions scare children and the elderly, and one day, someone may have a heart attack after hearing these unexpected explosions in their neighborhoods.

In my opinion, our government is not doing enough to stop this illegal activity. We know criminals are secretly shipping illegal fireworks from the mainland and selling them on the black market in many communities.

I would like to see the

county police, state sheriffs, Coast Guard, and/or FBI devote more resources to catch the dealers and top figures importing explosives (illegal fireworks) into our state as a matter of safety and domestic security.

From my perspective, if criminals can easily sneak explosives into our state, the idea of smuggling a dirty bomb is a possibility. If a dirty bomb were to explode near a military base, in Waikiki, downtown, or near the airport, our economy would come to a halt and hardship would fall upon many.

Some readers may think my imagination is in overdrive, but in this era of terrorism and international conflict, the threat is real.

When I was a lawmaker, I introduced legislation to do random inspections of shipping containers from the mainland entering our ports.

Unfortun a t e l y, m y efforts were unsuccessful, and in my opinion, the situation has gotten worse.

I also pushed for sting operations and undercover buys to catch the culprits involved in illegal fireworks.

Government and law enforcement need to do more to stem the tide of illegal fireworks and criminal activity.

So, the next time you hear or see attractive colorful fireworks, understand they have the potential to create nega-

The Minasa Art Gallery reception with (from left to right) Bryzane Lagmay, Kulundzic Kosta, Cristina Nishioka, Fox Wong and Paul Galang.

tive reactions and unwanted consequences for many residents of our state.

Finally, Congress was able to select a new Speaker of the House after weeks of stagna-

tion and inaction. Republican Congressional members had turned the Capitol into a circus as hurt feelings and bratty politics resulted in the demise (continue on page 12)

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE NOVEMBER 4, 2023 (EDITORIALS: Ethnic Media....from page 2)

greater numbers than ever, it is true that coverage on ethnic populations has improved tremendously.

However, there is still a need for advocacy in ethnic communities and this falls outside the realm and scope of mainstream media. Therefore, there remains a need.

In fact, data shows ethnic media is on the rise.

There are now close to 1,000 ethnic media across the country, according to a comprehensive study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

And as old as the col-

lective of ethnic media is, it is less a part of mainstream journalism today, but rather fall under what’s now collectively referred to as alternative media that includes small independent newspapers, the international press (which presents different editorial slants typical of mainstream American press), smaller digital-only newspapers, podcasts and social media.

Due to millennials and Gen Z’s reliance on alternative media as their preferred sources for news, the alternative media today rival

mainstream media within each country and globally, which make for a fuller representation of communities and perhaps closer to truth in reporting.

Hawaii is unique from the mainland and is special even when it comes to journalism because it reflects a kind of United Nations, multi-cultural approach to reporting news. Its mainstream media perhaps is the fullest in representing minority communities.

Still ethnic media here is welcomed and flourish as the Filipino, Chinese, Japa-

nese, Native Hawaiian communities all have their own newspapers, radio or TV programs in English and/or their ancestral language.

As for Filipino media in Hawaii, we have seen the value and need in the state’s latest crisis, the Maui wildfires. With some 40% of those living in Lahaina comprising of Filipinos, the Filipino media in Maui and Honolulu have been reporting on how Filipino organizations – business, professional, civic, cultural – are coming together to help Maui. Hawaii’s Filipino

media are relaying valuable information our Filipino organizations are working on for those affected by the disaster to access. Moreover, there is a long-established relationship of trust between our community in Maui (and statewide) with Hawaii’s Filipino media that makes outreach and our reporting better received.

There will always be a need for ethnic media and alternative media. The trend of ethnic media outlets increasing nationwide shows this to be true. Ethnic media are here to stay.

sel, see 8 U.S.C. § 1362 (1952) (amended 1996), and a constitutional right to counsel based on the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process of law. Ponce-Leiva v. Ashcroft, 331 F.3d 369, 374 (3d Cir. 2003). Implicit in the right to counsel is the requirement that the assistance rendered not be ineffective. “Ineffective assistance of counsel exists where, as a result of counsel’s actions (or lack thereof), `the proceeding was so fundamentally unfair that the alien was prevented from reasonably presenting his case.’” Saakian v.

INS, 252 F.3d 21, 25 (1st Cir. 2001) (quoting Bernal-Vallejo v. INS, 195 F.3d 56, 63 (1st Cir. 1999)).”

MORAL LESSON Jose has fought his case for over 6 years. He was placed in jail. Can you imagine the stress he has suffered and the thousands of dollars and time he has spent in his fight? His fight is not over. The Court of Appeals remanded the case to the BIA to determine whether fraud was committed. Jose had been detained for over a year at the time the Court of Appeals decided the case. He still had to file an application for his release the outcome of which remained uncertain. If only he had hired an excellent immigration attorney in the first place, he would have avoided these. 

is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, New York, and the Philippines. He practices federal law, with emphasis on immigration law and appellate federal criminal defense. He was the Dean and a Professor of Law of the College of Law, Northwestern University, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the world’s most prestigious legal publisher and writes columns for newspapers. He wrote the annotations and case notes to the Immigration and Nationality Act published by The Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Co. and Bancroft Whitney Co. He wrote the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws.” Listen to The Tipon Report which he cohosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel “Noel” Tipon. They talk about immigration law, criminal law, court-martial defense, politics, and current events. It is considered the most witty, interesting, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KNDI 1270 AM band every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645.

E-Mail: filamlaw@ yahoo.com. Website: https://www. tiponimmigrationguide.com

(WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?: Ineffective....from page 11)

went to the Immigration Court for his hearing he would be deported. He said that were it not for this fraud, he would have appeared at his removal proceedings and an in absentia order would not have been issued.

Jose, represented by a new lawyer filed a second motion to reopen. The IJ denied it because it was filed outside the 180-day window for seeking rescission of Jose’s in absentia order of removal and he did not demonstrate that his failure to appear was due to “exceptional circumstances”.

The BIA dismissed the motion to reopen.

The Court of Appeals held that the 180-day time limitation is analogous to a statute of limitation and is subject to equitable tolling, and that toll-

ing may be appropriate where there is fraud. The Court remanded the case to the BIA to determine whether there was fraud. Borges v. Gonzales, 402 F.3d 398 (3rd Cir. 2005).

ALIEN’S RIGHT TO EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL The Court of Appeals said: “The Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process of law in deportation proceedings. Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 306 (1993). This is a right that must be strictly protected because deportation “visits a great hardship on the individual and deprives him of the right to stay and live and work in this land of freedom.” Bridges v. Wixon, 326 U.S. 135, 154, 65 S.Ct. 1443, 89 L.Ed. 2103 (1945). Furthermore, aliens SIMILAR CASES For cases similar to Borghave a statutory right to counes v. Gonzales, 402 F.3d 398 (3rd Cir. 2005), see Lopez v.

INS, 184 F.3d 1097 (9th Cir. 1999), involving a person posing as an attorney, and Varela v. INS, 204 F.3d 1237 (9th Cir. 2000), involving a person pretending to be an attorney’s assistant.

ATTY. EMMANUEL SAMONTE TIPON was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree specializing in Constitutional Law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He placed third in the 1955 bar examinations. He

*DISCLAIMER: Information and opinions of columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle editorial board.

(LINGERING THOUGHTS: Art in Waipahu....from page 11)

of former speaker Kevin McCarthy.

MAGA Republicans made a mockery of the United States House of Representatives as their spurned advances led to a leaderless body.

Unfortunately, the new House speaker, Mike Johnson, is a Trump supporter who supported the crazy notion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. Because of this insane belief, I don’t think

Johnson should be the speaker.

But the Republicans who had been making Congress look like a feeble institution couldn’t do any better, and now we are stuck with this compromise candidate.

I do hope Johnson can lead our Congress and help pass legislation that benefits all Americans and shows collaboration and cooperation with Democrats as our nation needs true leaders and not manipulat-

ed narrow-minded thinkers.

The Republicans have chosen Johnson, and the 2024 elections will determine if the American people are happy with our country’s leaders and policies. WILL ESPERO retired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and state Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

O Death, Where Is Your Sting?

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

A

ccording to Wikipedia, death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. In other words, it’s the end of life. It’s the inevitable event that everyone, whether we like it or not, will have to ultimately face.

Every single day, countless people die due to disease, disaster, or tragedy.

Just a year ago, hundreds of young people lost their lives while celebrating Halloween or the Day of the Dead due to a deadly crowd crush in Itaewon, South Korea. Even now, the tragedy is still very fresh in the minds of the Korean people that the country is refraining from Halloween celebrations.

And at this time, thousands of lives have been

wasted because of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Civilians–young and old, women and children are all collateral damage of the war between the Hamas Islamist Movement and the Israeli soldiers. The war is far from over. Lives are wasting away every day because of division and selfish gains.

Around the world, wars going on, senseless crimes happening, and bodies are giving in to cancer and deadly diseases.

We can’t do anything, do we?

Death is part of life. It is something we all face. It is something we have to accept. Our life is but a breath.

Our days are just borrowed.

The Bible even describes us as vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

But what happens after

death? Is death the end of everything? If it is so, then what is there to hope for?

If death is the ultimate end, what’s the point of living?

Maybe you have asked these questions, too.

I used to dread the idea of death. It is a very uncomfortable subject to even think of or talk about. Until I came to know and trust the One who has defeated it, the One who has overcome the grave.

I came to realize that death is not to be feared but to be em-

is in the Lord, death is not the end. Eternal life awaits.

I hold on to the promise in Revelation that there will come a time when He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Life may be difficult at the moment or you feel like there’s no more reason to braced because there is hope live, but there is hope. Hope for something better. has a name. His name is One of the most quoted Jesus. In Him and through Bible verses declares: Him, we can live our short “For God so loved the life to the fullest. Hang in world, that He gave His only there! begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not “O death, where is your perish, but have eternal life. victory? O death, where is For God did not send the your sting?” The sting of Son into the world to judge death is sin, and the power of the world, but that the world sin is the law. But thanks be might be saved through to God, who gives us the vicHim” (John 3:16-17) tory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55To those whose hope 57).

OPEN FORUM

Streamline Permitting Process to Reduce Wait Times, Favoritism

By Keli‘i Akina

A

nyone wanting to renovate, repair, or build a home in Honolulu can typically expect to wait months or even years before being issued a permit.

The situation has become so bad that The Actors Guild, a local acting group, produced a play based on their five-year ordeal of trying to get a permit to renovate their theater at Dole Cannery.

The play, titled “Building Permit” ran for two weeks to sold-out crowds — proof that the public really identified with the topic.

But what if I told you that the wait for a permit isn’t always measured in months or years? In fact, for some favored parties, there is no

backlog or delay. They get their permits in a matter of days or weeks.

It might not seem possible. It doesn’t seem fair. But it’s true.

A new report from Honolulu Civil Beat has exposed the depth of the favoritism problem at the Honolulu Department of Permitting. Reporter Christine Jedra looked at the data and found significant disparities in permit wait times, even between very similar projects.

The most obvious explanation for abbreviated wait times is corruption. In fact, two architects recently charged with bribery received consistently speedy approvals. Some of those permits came in less than half the time required for similar projects to get approved.

However, corruption

doesn’t fully explain the discrepancies in wait time.

Jedra uncovered dozens of applicants who consistently received their permits in record time.

For example, a permit for a project that includes alterations to electrical and plumbing usually takes 135 days.

However, Jedra located 20 applicants who consistently obtained their permits in half that time. Seven of them — with 164 applications between them — received their permits in less than 50 days.

One could claim that differences in the applications or architects are a reason for the different wait times.

But that doesn’t explain how four substantially similar projects — new buildings with electrical, plumbing, and solar costing approximately

$850,000 — ended up with wait times that varied from as little as 45 to as many as 345 days.

What explains the difference?

In some cases, a call from the mayor’s office hurried things along. In others, it was an existing personal relationship with department staff or small niceties such as boxes of manapua.

Nor can we ignore the fact that the department is simply overwhelmed by its responsibilities.

Ethical issues can be addressed with reforms like those proposed by the Foley Commission, but we must also consider ways to speed up the permitting process and remove the temptation to favor some applications over others.

The Honolulu City Council has already passed Bill 56, which exempts certain small

projects and repairs, thereby reducing some of the backlog. It currently is considering Bill 6, which would help reduce delays by allowing third parties to review applications.

Still, we can do more to streamline the permitting process, such as increasing the value threshold for permit exemptions, further reducing the number of projects that require permits, employing private contractors to help reduce the backlog and creating avenues for pre-approved plans that require minimal review.

We must make the permitting process fair again.

It is the only way to shorten wait times, reduce the stress on the department and kill permitting favoritism at its source. KELI‘I AKINA is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE NOVEMBER 4, 2023

HAWAII WORKERS CORNER

Unsafe Housing Conditions in Kalihi?

By Arcelita Imasa, M.D.

I

heard something about the issue of unsafe housing conditions for our Micronesian brothers and sisters in Kalihi. Do you have more information on it?

– Reader Dear Reader, Thank you for your question and for seeking more information about this very important issue in our neighborhood.

There are renters and community leaders who are currently fed up with the unsafe living conditions at a Young Street apartment complex in Honolulu where the landlord has cut off electricity, disconnected water service and has failed to conduct basic repairs such as replacing missing doors and windows.

Tenants of the 1738 Young St. apartment, supported by the Compact of Free Association (COFA) Workers Association, and community and elected leaders, are calling on state and city leaders to hold

unscrupulous landlords accountable for keeping their rental units in a safe and habitable condition.

The residents allege that back in the beginning of September, the apartment owner turned off the water for nearly 11 days as some renters had to resort to borrowing water from neighbors. They also allege that the landlord turned off the water in early August after tenants provided a demand letter that she make repairs to the property.

A state district court judge issued a temporary injunction against the illegal utility shutoff on September 7, 2023, but the six-unit apartment complex still has missing doors and windows, and basic kitchen appliances are in disrepair.

According to tenant Nancy Agripah, their bathtub is so broken that they can’t shower inside their home. She tried to talk to the landlord to ask to fix their bathtub, sink, and toilet.

She also complained about their windows being broken, not having a front door and the rain coming inside their house. But she was ignored.

Another resident Abelrina Kirielmo said residents have been using lanterns and a portable stove for months as the landlord has refused to fix electrical problems within the

unit. Kirielmo added that the rat problem is terrible.

Unfortunately, Robert Kirielmo, husband of Alberina, who also is president of the COFA Workers Association, said the owner retaliated against his family and other residents by threatening eviction after they wrote a letter on June 1 asking for basic repairs.

Several members believe unscrupulous landlords such as the owner of their building use cultural and language barriers and weak landlord-tenant laws to exploit Hawaiʻi’s Micronesian community.

The COFA Workers Association, a project of the Hawaii Workers Center, was started by community leaders from member nations belonging to the Compact of Free Associations to organize their community for their own social, economic, and political well-being, is calling for stronger protections.

Starting with having City or state housing inspectors to ensure apartment complexes are not only up to code but habitable with water, electricity, and plumbing.

The association is also calling for stiffer penalties against landlords who fail to make the basic repairs. As it stands, the landlord-tenant code allows for only $500 to

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Waipahu Exhibit Commemorates Filipino WWI and WWII Veterans

N

ovember 11 is Veteran’s Day. To commemorate this event, Waipahu Public Library is displaying exhibits on Filipino veterans of World War I and World War II. The Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii (FAHSOH) will be hosting a presentation to provide order to dig deeper into the historical contexts, contra- history of Filipinos during dictions, and discussions in the two World Wars espe-

cially how these events affected Filipino’s experiences at that time.

Titled “Remembering Our Filipino WWI and WWII Veterans,” the exhibit is free and open to the public.

The FAHSOH in-person presentation will be held on November 18 from 10 to 11:30am at Waipahu Public Library. For those who won’t be able to attend in person, online ZOOM access is also available.

For more information, visit FAHSOH’s website at www.fahsoh.org.

be deducted from rent if the tenant makes the repairs.

For Hawaii Workers Center, we believe that if we want to prevent homelessness, we need to start enforcing basic habitability laws against these bad landlords. They cannot continue to simply kick tenants out on the streets when tenants ask for repairs.

We hope this is the beginning of a much-needed dialogue between the city and the state on how we can improve

the living conditions of our renters in Hawaii, especially for our most vulnerable communities.

Sincerely, Hawaii Workers Center Dr. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.

PHILIPPINE LANGUAGE

Denggem, Ala, Denggem Pay Ti Kantaniw ILOKO By Amado I. Yoro

D

aytoy ti daniw para kenka ti kanta iti sabali a putar (dimon sa la ngamin marikna ti segga ken iliw ti ur-urayek a panagsublim a nabayagen a diak nakita ken nangeg) Seggaak a seggaan ti birtud ti init kalpasan ti saan a matmaturog a rabii addaak agdawdawat iti Milagro iti baet dagiti luluak kadagiti nasapa a parbangon umay ti agsuysuyaab nga agsapa iti urayek nga agmatuon. ti init agmatuon iti panagtindek kas iti alimpatok ti pagorasan (Kayatko ti agbiag iti lagip uray iti Ipupusay ti malem dagiti sikikidem A mata ti ayat ken arapaap) Toy kanta para kenka met laeng Ta ikkak ti biag ti kalman nga agsublika Denggem, ala, denggem man pay Ti samiweng Ti harmonica Ti napalabas Ti agdama - ti kari - ti ayat – (uray ti pasidumri wenno pasugnod) Nabirbirtud ti pul-oy a dumnges Ngamin ti musika nailaga ti kappia Ti raya ti init.

Perngek ita met laeng ti isem Ti init, kas iti arbis Maidasayakto manen iti maysa a darikmat Iti ungto ti pluma Kas iti kansion Ti daniw Ti puso ti ayat Ti epiko a maisurat Adda biag toy kanta-daniw.

Ti birtud ti init: namnama Ti birtud ti ayat: talna ken sirmata Kaslaak manen agtutubo Idiay Sta. Romana Ta isublik met iti kinasiak.

NOVEMBER 4, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 9, 2023 at 6:15pm | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening.

Only $5 per class. Proceeds go to support these program-types for FilCom Center.

HAWAII FESTIVAL

INTERNATIONAL FILM | Halekulani | Until October 22 on

Oahu, October 26-29 on Maui and Kauai, October 30-November 1 on Lanai, and November 2-5 on Big Island | Consolidated Kahala, Ward Theatres and various locations in the state | Celebrate indie and art house cinema that focuses on Asia-Pacific, Pasifika, Indigenous and Kanaka Maoli films. Critically lauded films from Sundance, SXSW, Cannes and Toronto will be premiered during the festival. Purchase festival passes from hiff.org.

HALO-HALO ART SHOW | Minasa Gallery | Until December 1, 2023 | UMinasa Gallery, 94-866 Moloalo Street, D12, Waipahu | Hosted in Waipahu’s first art gallery, “Halo-halo” (meaning mix-mix in English) is all about celebrating the beauty of mixing ang merging, just like the delicious Filipino dessert it’s named after. Show your support by visiting the gallery.

TASTE OF WAIPAHU | November 4, 4-9pm | Don Quijote Parking lot, 94-144 Farrington Highway | Contact ijdeloso@wca.com for details.

Q&A

The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging’s Information Guide on Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines

By NAPCA Staff

F

lu season is coming, and the newly updated COVID-19 vaccine came out following last year. We want to share some information about COVID-19 vaccinations in this month’s column.

Question: I have already received the Updated Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine when it came out last year. Do I still need to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

Answer: Like the Flu virus, the virus that causes COVID-19 has changed over time. The bivalent vaccine which was available since September 2022 isn’t well matched to the currently circulating strains of COVID. A new vaccine has been developed and was approved by the FDA on Sep 11, 2023. The new vaccine provides better protection against the currently prevalent COVID-19 variant and is available for administration starting in late September 2023.

Q: Does everyone need to get the new COVID-19 vaccine?

A: The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get

an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter. Getting vaccinated every year is the best way to prevent serious illness requiring hospitalization.

The people most at risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 are over age 65 or have health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart and lung disease.

The risk of hospitalization is pretty low for those under 18 years old. But if you are 65-74 that risk is 36 times higher. The older you are, the higher your risk is. So, if you are over age 65 or have an underlying condition, it is especially important to get the most updated vaccine.

Note that young people should be considered to get vaccinated not only for themselves but also to protect the older adults who live with them.

Q: If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

A: COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19. You may consider delaying your vaccine by at least 3 months from when your symptoms started or, if you had no symptoms, when you recovered from a positive

test. People who already had COVID-19 and don’t get vaccinated after their recovery are more likely to get COVID-19 again than those who get vaccinated after their recovery.

Q: Do I need to wait after getting a Flu vaccine or another vaccine before getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

A: There is no recommended waiting period between getting a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a Flu vaccine, at the same visit. Possible side effects after getting vaccinated are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccines.

Q: Does my health insurance cover the Flu and COVID-19 vaccines? What if I don’t have health insurance?

A: Yes, Medicare Part B and most states Medicaid cover Flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost. All Health Insurance Marketplace plans and most other private insurance plans cover these vaccines without charging out-of-pocket costs when provided by an in-network provider.

People who don’t have

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Waipahu Legislator Receives Award From National Women’s Organization

W

aipahu Representative Rachele Lamosao is named 2023 Elected Women of Excellence Awardee by the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL).

“I am grateful to receive this recognition amongst a group of fellow women lead-

ers dedicated to serving our communities while breaking down barriers to inspire the next generation of women leaders,” said Lamosao in a press release.

The national award recognizes women who are dedicated to serving their communities despite barriers and obstacles

in their way. The winners were nominated by their colleagues and constituents in their home states and then chosen by NFWL panel members.

The 2023 Women of Excellence Awarding Ceremony will be held at NFWL’s 2023 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida from November 16 to 18.

health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Your state health department can tell you where to go for free and lowcost vaccines, including community centers, schools, and religious centers.

If you have additional questions on Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace, Social Security Retirement Benefit, Supplemental Security Income, or

H E L P

COVID/Flu vaccination, there are three ways you can reach us today.

You can call our Senior Assistance Center at: (English) 1-800-336-2722, email us at askNAPCA@napca.org or send a mail to NAPCA Senior Assistance Center, 1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 914, Seattle, WA 98101. National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers and is available in 5 different languages.

W A N T E D

Cabinet / millwork person. No exp. Fully paid med, drug, vis, den, vac, holiday. Pay negotiable.

Call 808 671-6133

H E L P W A N T E D Part time • To package candies

Call (808) 226-3790

NOVEMBER 4, 2023