fil-am who’S WHo June 2018
Maria Lea Batomalaque • Sally Nunez • Florida Lucas
Life & fullfilment on the RNExpress lane
InInThis ThisIssue. Issue.....
At AtYour YourService Service •• Consular Staff Mae Manubay Consul General TessErmita Dizon-De Vega Organizations We Love Community Shakers •• Saleaflor Foundation Dennis Sy Community Movers & Shakers Rewind •• Event Lea Batomalaque Photos by Rolan Gutierrez Milestones & Moments Organizations We Love • Florida Lucas • Saleaflor Foundation Rewind Cover Story • Event Photos by Rolan Gutierrez • Dr. Cesar B. Holgado Cover Story Milestones & Moments • Sally Nunez • JCI Icons of Impace / Jhett Tolentino
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A Word from The Editor
Oliver Oliveros
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Instilling Pride, Compassion in Filipino Nurses “Fulfillment comes with self and mutual respect and the capacity to care for others.” - SaraKay Smullens
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Pride in their job, and the capacity for compassion—the Filipino nurses best exemplify these traits.
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We’re truly honored and grateful that three proud Filipino nurses Sally Nunez, Lea Batomalaque, and Florida Lucas of RN Express Staffing Registry and Saleaflor Foundation are gracing our cover anew—the last time was three years ago. Sally, Lea, and Florida first worked together at the Amsterdam Nursing Home in Manhattan during their first few years into their nursing careers. They’ve been inseparable friends and business partners since—learning further, drawing strength and inspiration from one another. Filipino nurses who work abroad, especially in Manhattan and nearby boroughs, are proud Filipino nurses. Shouldn’t we share this same pride as well? In 2012, during my second year at NYU, I found myself at the NYU Health Center for my annual physical examination. As a Filipino nurse was about to administer a flu vaccine to me, she asked me (curiously), “Are you a Filipino?” I answered, “I could be easily mistaken for a Thai or a Vietnamese, but I’m proud to be a Filipino!” The nurse’s face lit up because according to her, it’s seldom that Filipino students at NYU admit they’re Filipinos. “They seem to be embarrassed to reveal they’re Filipinos,” she said.
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
“Not me,” I told her. “And I’m very happy that a Filipino nurse is attending to my needs.
Sally Nunez knows when to work and when to play. She is an avid golfer as shown here at the Paramus Golf Course.
“I feel safe and at home with a Filipino nurse.” As Sally, Lea, and Florida celebrate nearly a decade of success of RN Express Staffing Registry, which has been an invaluable source of career opportunities for nurses—Filipinos or not, please accept our heartiest congratulations! Never get tired of instilling pride and real compassion in our nurses. Fil-Am Who’s Who invites its readers to contribute articles, letters, comments, or pictures. Email submissions at info@filamwhoswho.com. Please also like us on facebook.com/FilAmWhosWho.
We use information sources that we believe to be reliable, but do not warrant the accuracy of those sources. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Fil-Am Who’s Who articles and other information on the website are up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the publication date.
fil-am who’s who
STAFF Executive Editor Myrna Gutierrez • Editor-in-Chief Oliver Oliveros • Layout Artist & Photo Editor Rolan Gutierrez • Contributing Writer Maricar CP Hampton • Contributing Writer Rachel Davis • Contributing Writer Wendell Gaa • Contributing Writer Fernando S. Esguerra Contributing Writer Niza Esguerra • Contributing Photographer Miguel Gutierrez • Marketing Executive Cecile Duyongco • Philippines Marketing and Sales Manager Jekelyn Nisola Publisher Fil-Am Who’s Who, Inc. Copyright © 2018 Fil-Am Who’s Who, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Fil-Am Who’s Who invites you to contribute articles, letters, comments, or pictures to the editor. For inquiries, please email adsfilamwhoswho@gmail.com or call (917)
502-9887 • (917) 502-9891.
Mae Ermita Manubay
At Your Service
Wendell Gaa
Experience makes a capable and reliable consular staff Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
Mae is now the assistant to the Deputy Consul General while concurrently serving as support staff to the Consulate’s Cultural Section. Among her busy daily tasks are to primarily assist the Deputy Consul General (who is Consul Kerwin Tate, as of writing) in his everyday responsibilities, along with assisting the Cultural, Political, Economic and Assistanceto-Nations (ATN) sections by coordinating the events hosted by the Consulate. Her official assignments entail creating the posters, flyers, and graphic materials for various community events and consular announcements. In addition, she’s the layout editor of the Consulate’s biannual newsletter, the Kaakbay. Her job description may sound demanding, but Mae has proven over the years her staunch capability and reliability as a member of the Consulate staff. Born in Manila but spent much of her childhood in Jersey City from grade school to her high school years, she went on to attend Saint Benedict College in Alabang (today known as San Beda University-Alabang campus) from 1999 to 2003, earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. By the time she was in her mid-20s, she decided to return to the U.S. to learn to be more independent, and there was no better place to be selfsustaining than in the streets of New York/New Jersey. She officially began working for the Consulate in September 2005, although the New York Philippine Center was surely no stranger to her as she would literally run around the halls there as a little girl back when her father, Benjamin Ermita, himself was an employee of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations from the mid-1980s to early-1990s. “I was looking for a job and was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to fill a vacant position at the time as a local hire,” she says, adding how working for the Consulate immediately felt like home to her. Public service indeed seems to run in her family’s blood, as her uncle happens to be the former executive secretary and spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Eduardo Ermita, whose daughter is currently the Congresswoman of the 1st District of Batangas, Eileen Ermita-Buhain.
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veteran employee at the New York Philippine Consulate General for over a decade now, Mae Ermita-Manubay has been at the frontline of some of the Consulate’s most momentous events with the New York Tri-State Fil-Am community. Adored for her ever-cheerful and outgoing disposition, she has served under three Consul Generals (soon to be under incoming Consul General Claro Cristobal). Not only has she been a mainstay figure among the Consulate staff, but she has also assisted in some of her office’s most dynamic consular, cultural, and economic initiatives, which have immensely benefitted the entire Northeast U.S. Fil-Am community.
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With each of her bosses and colleagues, Mae has enjoyed such privileged perks as coordinating presidential visits, business engagements surrounded by top businessmen/entrepreneurs, flagship projects promoting the Philippines in many aspects (cultural, economic, tourism, etc.), as well as projects with the Fil-Am community, particularly those that have aided people in dire need both near or far such as relief efforts from natural disasters such as the 2012 Hurricane Sandy, which affected the New York Tri-State region and the 2013 Typhoon Yolanda, which struck the Central Philippines. “The biggest perk from working at the Consulate was having the opportunity to attend functions and networking events, and that is where I met my husband…” Mae is married to Robby Manubay, a Pampanga native and currently a senior technical recruiter at KFORCE, one of the top recruiting companies in the U.S. Together, they are blessed with a bubbly son who is nearly three.
Organizations We Love
Community Movers & Shakers
Lea Batomalaque
Live A Life That Matters By Oliver Oliveros
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he life of a registered nurse is not a bed of roses—no matter how long you’ve served. Veteran nurse practitioner Lea Batomalaque knows it by heart by now that the life of a nurse may be fulfilling, but it also has its fair share of struggles, missteps, and fears.
The pursuit of peace will see you through, nevertheless. “That’s your key to a happy life,” Lea says. “Happiness is a state of mind. If you’re at peace, you’re happy, too. Even if you have everything the world can give: power, money, and possessions but lack the peace of mind, you can never be happy. “Be positive. Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.” Lea quotes Randy Armstrong, “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace.” Since she first stepped on the streets of New York in March 1990, her happy memories outweigh the bad. “Together with five other young nurses (Amsterdam Nursing Homes’ first batch of recruits from the Philippines), my 22-year-old self was so thrilled to see the Big Apple for the first time. I was amazed looking at the skyscrapers and the streets that were flooded with cars and the yellow cabs. There were also so many people of different colors on the sidewalks,” Lea fondly recalls. She adds: “Just a few days later, I experienced my first snowfall—it was unforgettable.” “But back then, I also had this fear of uncertainty. How will I survive this big city? I simply shrugged it off. My faith in God and myself was way too strong,” Lea says. Seasoned by experience—both personally and professionally, Lea, who is now the Vice President for Marketing at RN Express Staffing Registry in Manhattan, is happily opening up opportunities for fellow nurses, especially those who just graduated and couldn’t find employment due to lack of clinical experience. “We help these people by developing their self-confidence in the absence of experience.” At RN Express, which Lea co-founded with Filipino nurses Sally Nunez and Florida Lucas, “we encourage our nurses to learn from their mistakes and grow from their experiences; we also prod them to seek guidance from God, who makes the difference in our lives. It’s also important for these nurses to love their jobs. A fulfilling job is a blessing, which gives us purpose and pride in our lives.” Originally from the City of Kidapawan, North Cotabato, Lea came from a small family. Her mother was an elementary school teacher, while her father was a farmer who tilled their own land. Her only brother, who has his own steel roofing and decking business in the Philippines, lives with his wife and their two children. Lea is a proud alumna of the West Visayas State College (WVSC), which is now a university. “Prior to college, my mom made me choose from the different program offerings of WVSC: BS Communication, BS Biology, or BS Nursing. Honestly, I didn’t like any of them, but I had to choose one. I chose nursing. As I cruised along the program, I learned to love it. I told myself: ‘It was not a bad idea after all’.” About 30 years have passed—and still counting, what were the most important learnings this profession has taught her? Lea humbly shares three things: “First, you can’t please everyone. Like what Bill Crosby says, ‘I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone’; second, there’s no such thing as ‘know it all.’ There’s no shame in NOT KNOWING. We all make mistakes and mess up occasionally, but we learn as we go. Don’t hesitate to ask, and lastly, be patient. You don’t always get what you want right away. No matter how carefully you plan and work hard, sometimes, things just don’t work the way and the time you want them to.”
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Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
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Milestone & Moments
Florida Lucas
Looking Forward to Retirement By Oliver Oliveros
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
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happy and fulfilling retirement is more than simply saving enough money or having a retirement plan. It also involves a grateful heart for a life’s journey that has brought out the best version of yourself and the amazing people who have surrounded you in your life so far.
Upon retirement, there are also two things that would make you realize you have lived a fulfilled life and career: unconditional love and an influential leadership. “Throughout your life, sharing the love is key to being happy and fulfilled. At the workplace, exemplifying an affecting leadership is satisfying. Leadership is not about the job title attached to your name, though. Regardless of who you are in the corporate ladder, every single one has the opportunity to become a great leader,” says our soon-tobe retiree Florida Lucas, Assistant Director of Nursing at Amsterdam Nursing Home (also, one of the co-founders of RN Express Staffing Registry). Florida ponders further, “Retirement is a wonderful time to look back at the co-workers and friends I dealt with, the battles I won and lost, the vicarious experiences I enjoyed, as well as the sterling professional success I have achieved.” “For the successful career, good health, loving family and friends, I’m truly grateful,” she adds. If you ask us, besides a rewarding retirement, Florida also deserves a “loyalty award’ from the Amsterdam Nursing Home in Manhattan, where she rose through the ranks from being Nursing Supervisor to Rehab Nursing Coordinator to Infection Preventionist, and to Assistant Director of Nursing from 1999-present. Her love for the nursing profession, especially for the Filipino nurses, could explain it. Apparently, 90% of the nurses at Amsterdam Nursing Home are Filipinos. “It was my dream to become a nurse despite the fact that my parents wanted me to pursue Medical School. I think my heart belongs to nursing. And I’m a proud Filipino nurse.” From 1992-1999, she was also blessed with the opportunity to work at the Dewitt Nursing Home from a Staff Nurse to a Nursing Supervisor. From a seasoned nurse practitioner to the young Filipino nurses, take heed of Florida’s advice: “Not all Filipino nurses who migrated to the United States or to other foreign lands—despite the adversities and barriers of all sorts—have savored the same I achieved along the way. Stay humble. Also, know what you stand for and who you don’t. Lastly, self-confidence comes from doing—this is essential if you want to keep moving forward and to reach new heights.” Born and raised in Alicia, Isabela, Florida finished her nursing studies with honors at the Marian College of Nursing. She and her siblings are forever indebted to their parents’ (Florentino and Regina Lucas—now deceased) patience, perseverance, and love, which were their beacon of light through the years. “We owe our parents our good education. My brother Dr. Walter Lucas and his family now live in Ohio, my sister Dr. Mila Lucas runs the Lucas Paguila Medical Clinic and Hospital back home, and my other brother Florentino Lucas Jr. is also a nurse. How does she see herself after retirement? “I don’t have to worry about waking up early in the morning, especially during the winter! Kidding aside, I will enjoy life to the fullest. Maybe, I will travel the world for as long as I’m able to walk. There is life after retirement!” Oprah Winfrey says, “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams”--Florida has definitely lived her life like that. june 2018
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Alex Alejandrino RN Express Is Family By Fernando S. Esguerra
U
nlike many, Alex Alejandrino, administrator of RN Express, never dreamt of working in the U.S. because he was leading a busy life back in the Philippines. After graduating from the University of Santo Tomas, he was able to find a steady work right away, established a business, and began raising a family. He was content. “God, however, had other plans for him,” Alex says. “The globalization of trade some years ago affected our business. That was when my wife, a nurse, thought of migrating to the U.S.,” says Alex, who has been married to his wife, Ethel, for 22 years. They have two children. Alex’s wife took the required exam and passed, landed an RN job in a New York hospital, and was given a permanent resident status. Alex and his eldest daughter Mary Joyce (the only child at that time) later joined them in New York. Alex says his early years in the U.S. were quite daunting, as life in New York is fast-paced compared to the laid-back environment in the Philippines. “It was a period of making so many adjustments and even survival,” he says. “With God’s guidance and the support of my relatives here, these challenges became manageable.” He was lucky enough to get hired at a staffing agency, where he worked for six years honing his skills and knowledge about the business. He liked the job as it offered the chance to help people. One day, he was invited by the soon-to-be owners of RN Express (which did not yet exist at that time) for a brainstorming session on how to start a staffing company. RN Express was born. “We started very small and as a new company, I handled all the areas of operations,” he says. “Now, it’s different. There are various departments now, and as the administrator, I oversee their operations. I now pay particular attention to further improving our services.” Alex was with RN Express from its inception and to where it is right now. RN Express’ story could very well be Alex’s story, too. “This company is committed to providing the best service possible to our clients and employees,” says Alex. “And we don’t only help nurses and other health care professionals, we also help others whatever their fields of expertise are.” For Alex, RN Express is family. “And we bring families together. The bottom line is whoever needs our help could count on us as long as we can do something. RN Express was built with the purpose of helping those who need assistance. That’s our mission, first and foremost.”
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Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
Aida Duran
Accounting is ‘Doing Someone Else’s Math Homework’ By Maricar CP Hampton
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
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rofessional accountants are often perceived as extremely precise, good with numbers, and have the keen eye for details and the vast amount of practical knowledge. The work itself can sometimes be stressful for even the tiniest mistake can have a huge impact on either a client or business. But Aida Duran an accountant at RN Express defines the profession as just like “doing someone else’s math homework!” As a kid, she literally dreamt of numbers. “My parents used to poke fun at me by re-telling the same story about seeing me talking in my sleep as if I were solving a math problem on the classroom chalkboard. Most likely it all came from a childhood memory but I did always have a good head for figures.” Though she was initially unsure how she got into accounting, Aida has no regrets. “I feel lucky now that I always knew what I wanted and it helped me focus all my efforts,” she said. “I graduated from my accountancy course by the age of 18 and immediately worked for an accounting firm.” Aida knows first-hand that to be a good accountant: one should have “the drive to deliver assignments ahead of deadlines, have an analytical mind, (be) proactive, and patient,” to make it in this field. She first came to the U.S. in an official capacity then representing the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) at a World Bank-sponsored event. Later, her father who was a U.S. Veteran petitioned her. Aida spent the best years of her career as part of the management team at NAPOCOR. “I had the opportunity to handle most of the areas in Finance (from Internal Audit, Treasury, General Accounting, Disbursements Control, Projects Monitoring and Financial Review, and Management Accounting). I was a member of the NAPOCOR Welfare Fund Board, member of the NAPOCOR Bid Evaluation Sub-committee for Major Construction Projects, and Accountant of the NPC Savings and Loan Association.” She was also a consultant of the Philippine Coconut Authority (Philcoa) for a special audit project for the Philcoa Board. She attributes her success at work and at home, primarily to her faith in God. The rest would be hard work, resilience, humility, and the irreplaceable company of supportive friends and loving family members. Aida’s pride and joy is her family. She has eight siblings, three children, and seven grandchildren. Two of my children followed my path in finance and one, a computer engineer and at the same time a registered nurse. In her downtime, she enjoys taking care of her grandkids whom she refers to as “my success.” It’s actually much more engaging than my other full-time work,” she said.
june 2018
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Vanessa Jan Santiago
Jill of All Trades, Master of Many By Niza Esguerra
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
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anessa Jan Santiago may be a jill, or a queen, if you may, of all trades, but a master of none she is not!
For one, she’s a professional singer. And she knew she wanted to be one at a very young age. “I started singing probably between the ages of 1 and 2,” Vanessa says. “According to my mom, I started humming before I started speaking. And the moment I learned how to, I would always sing along with whatever was being played in the car’s stereo.” This singing career has brought her to her dreams as well as around the globe like Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where she performed as one of the opening acts in the events held for Filipinos working overseas. At one time, she also joined a contest for singers and celebrities, called “Twist and Shout,” televised over ABS-CBN and hosted by two of the Philippines’ leading singers at that time, Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera. “They placed me in a harness, which was situated on top of a huge bucket of ice and water,” Vanessa says smiling, as she reminisces the experience. “While singing, they placed me lower into the bucket. Thank God I was able to finish my song. That was definitely one for the books for me,” she recalls. Our professional singer is also a model. She was in the fifth grade when the lure of the ramp took to her. Initially, it was for her to improve the way she walked. “They told me I had to ‘fix’ the way I walked. I’m a daddy’s girl, so growing up, I mimicked and followed everything he did, including the way he walked,” she says. Vanessa’s volunteer work, however, lies at the heart of her efforts as a singer, actor, model, creative writer, and events planner. She’s now the event manager of Saleaflor Entertainment that raises funds for the Saleaflor Foundation, a threeyear-old organization that does medical and other missions in the Philippines. “We either produce our own shows or partner with other producers to raise the funds for these missions,” she says. “Being able to bring joy, help and provide safety to people is what makes me happy, excited, and fulfilled,” says Vanessa. Vanessa’s academic background is nothing short of stellar. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the Miriam College in Manila in March 2012. She also holds a Master’s degree in Entertainment Business from Florida’s Full Sail University, graduating salutatorian in 2014. Vanessa, who has a soft spot for children, also holds a degree in Criminal Justice (with a grade of 3.97). Vanessa admits that some may define her as an “average” student in school. “But what I lack, I make up for with hard work, patience, and perseverance.” And certainly with a passion, she tackles her various roles with. Inspired by the environment that she truly loves and cares about, Vanessa’s mantra goes, “We don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.”
june 2018
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Rewind Rewind Rolan Gutierrez
Ugly Kitchen owner and chef Aris Tuazon talks about his views of the Filipino restaurant industry in greater New York.
Filipino Restaurant Week Ugly Kitchen
Tinolang chicken soup
L-R: Fil-Am Who’s Who publishers Rolan and Myrna Gutierrez, DOT consultant Therese Necto-Ortega Filipino Reporter publisher LP Pelayo
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4th Anniversary of Philippine Heritage Astoria Manor
Philippine Heritage Founder & President Fely Perez with member Myrna Gutierrez
L-R: Myrna Gutierrez, Rowena Mejia Randman, Fely Perez, Debbie Sese, Merle Hitch june 2018
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Rewind Rewind
JCI Queens Chapter KC Hall
Rolan Gutierrez Notable
Consul Armand Talbo (center) along with Cecile Duyongco assisted JCI Queens Chapter President Carolyn Joyce Penas in the ceremonies
CONGRATULATIONS Guia Mary San Jose! Class 2018 Cum Laude, Health Information Management at CUNY School of Professional Studies
JCI Queens Chapter President Carolyn Joyce Penas reaffirms past presidents’ organizational responsibilities in oath.
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Broadway Barkada performs at the Philippine Independence Day Celebration Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Consulate NYC
Father’s Day at the 118th U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills, NY
Fil-Am Who’s Who (FAWW) publisher Rolan Gutierrez wth son contributing photographer MIguel Gutierrez at the US Open on Father’s Day june 2018
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Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
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Sally Nunez
What’s Her Secret Recipe For Success? By Oliver Oliveros At a time when immigrating to the United States is constantly on red alert, primarily due to the fear of terrorism, it’s also always good to remind everyone of the migrants’ huge positive contributions to the U.S. economy and its story of progress. After all, migration does more good than harm. Take for instance the immigration story of Sally Nunez, a Filipino registered nurse, young and relatively experienced, when she was hired at Jewish Home and Hospital in Manhattan, in the early ‘90s. With her strong faith in God and sheer determination to keep moving forward, she rose through the ranks and also served at the Amsterdam Nursing Home in Manhattan and at the Regal Heights Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Queens at several points in her nearly 30-year-old career. Originally from Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Sally, the youngest in the family of six siblings, grew up in a loving household where both parents were teachers and devout Catholics. No wonder her decision to pursue nursing was born out of a solemn prayer. “One night, before I went to bed, I prayed: ‘Lord, please lead me to the profession that I could be of help to others.’ He led me to nursing,” she recalls. “Since my family couldn’t afford to send me to Manila to take up computer science, I joined some of my high school classmates who studied nursing at Colegio de Santa Isabel in Naga City.” “Initially, I didn’t have plans to go to the U.S.,” Sally calls to mind. “However, my brother, Edgar, who put me through nursing school, also paid for my CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) application,” Sally says. In August 1991, a local staffing agency in the Philippines advised her the Jewish Home and Hospital in Manhattan was offering her a job—her very first job offer abroad. “At that time, I felt mixed emotions—excited but scared at the same time. I was all set to decline the job offer because I also had job offers from a few hospitals in Manila, the Kidney Center of the Philippines and Saint Luke’s Medical Center,” she recalls. However, thanks to the daughter of the late film director Lino Brocka, who was, by coincidence, bumped into her at the staffing agency. She tells Sally, “OMG. New York is so beautiful. I just came from there as a tourist and I’m here because I wanted to go back to stay there permanently. You should go!” So she went. Armed with her positive attitude, obedience to her first and subsequent superiors, and always being on her best behavior, Sally has earned her welldeserved success. “Obey before you complain and accept responsibilities without hesitation—the people you meet today may be the same people who will help you fulfill your dreams,” Sally advises. Today, Sally is the CEO of the RN Express Staffing Registry, a startup firm established in September 2009, which she co-founded with fellow nurses Lea Batomalaque and Florida Lucas. It fundamentally focuses on a full range of health care staffing services. Alongside the staffing agency, Sally and her business partners have established the Saleaflor Foundation, which holds fundraisers to raise money for its regular medical missions in the Philippines. Prior to establishing RN Express, Sally and her business partners sat down to brainstorm how they could best share their nursing home experiences, especially with “greenhorn” nurses. They also wanted to fix the bad impression that nurses hired by staffing agencies--notoriously
tagged as “agency nurses”--are “no good because they have no sense of loyalty and no sense of responsibility,” Sally says. “I never understood that mentality because practicing nurses shouldn’t be determined by who provide them their wages, but should be determined by their duties and responsibilities.” “For instance, at a nursing home, all nurses should fully understand their crucial role in helping the facility to maximize its reimbursement potentials from the government. From 2001 to 2010, the health care system was slowly changing the nursing skilled facility’s reimbursement process. There was a need to educate clinicians, whether you were a direct hire or an agency hire, of their important role, in order for the nursing home to survive this change,” she explains. “Nurses should complete their nursing care plans and documentation to satisfy the government’s audit.” Bringing RN Express to what it is today—continuously providing jobs and work permits to around 60% Filipinos and 40% non-Filipinos—was never easy, to begin with. “We faced so many challenges,” Sally recalls. “Running a business was never my forte, but someone had to do the job: place registered nurses—mostly, with no clinical experience, in various health care facilities, along with securing their work permits to work in the U.S.” Fortunately, RN Express has persevered over the past eight years. It continues to provide opportunities for nurses, with no clinical experience, to get accepted to its partner facilities. In anticipation of the feared shortage of nurses in the next five years, RN Express is confident to fill this void. “At the same time, nurses should be given access to a comprehensive health insurance package,” Sally claims. “Nurses should have the best health insurance package because we take care of sick people and we also help maintain the good health of our patients.” In February 2017, RN Express was certified by The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization, established in 1951, which recognizes the best businesses and organizations in the health care industry. When asked what her secrets to success were, Sally reveals her 6-step personal roadmap for success: • Put God at the center of your life; • Stop judging people. Always see the good in others; • Transform your passion into a business venture. Pick the right people from the start; • Listen before you speak; • Observe the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and • Remember the 3Rs: (1) Repect for Self, (2) Respect for Others, and (3) Responsibility for your Actions. At this point, does she have any other dreams to pursue? “I’ve already achieved my personal dreams. However, at age 50, I feel, I’m just starting to fulfill some of my aspirations and dreams—not so much for myself— but for the people I serve,” Sally says. Besides shopping and traveling, Sally has also been a golf enthusiast since five years ago. “For some, golf is a boring sport. But for me, golf enhances three virtues: patience, perfection, and consistency.” “Patience, perfection, and consistency”--could very well have been a welcome addition to Sally’s secret recipe for success. j u n e 2 0 1 8 FIL-AM WHO’S WHO 17
Photos by Rolan Gutierrez
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
june 2018
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Nemcy Cavite Duran
Nurses Must Keep Learning By Maricar CP Hampton
M
entorship comes in many forms but for it to succeed there needs to be an authentic relationship-based chemistry between the teacher and the student.
And Nemcy Cavite Duran, a nurse educator, gets just that “nurse educators should be able to connect with the students and with the understanding that each learner is unique with different learning abilities,” she said. Even as a child growing up she was trained and given the responsibility to mentor her siblings. “My mother used to tell me to do a check-up on the works of my sisters and brothers and to be available to help them with their assignments. Nemcy’s desire to teach and guide the younger generation extended on to her nursing career. She wanted to mentor the nurses to better take care of the patients. “I started practicing as a teacher during my college years when we had to give presentations to high school students. The topic was how to give the first aid during minor emergencies. I loved the way the students interacted. The feedback was very good that it inspired me to engage in teaching,” she told Fil-Am Who’s Who. Nemcy is not concerned that with the popularity of online education there will be less interest in becoming teachers. “Continuing education (in this field) is very important because you want to stay current with the clinical guidelines, regulations, and practices,” she stressed. A nurse educator, Nemcy said, “It requires a special personality. (Educators) should to be able to understand all types of human behavior and learning styles, especially if you are teaching adults where the attention span is very short.” “The nursing educational system in the Philippines is classroom-based and there’s an active interaction between the clinical instructor and students. The learners are more engaged and the instructors are able to provide the extra help needed. In the U.S., there are many nurses who obtained their Bachelor’s or even their Master’s degrees via online education. “ Nemcy who is a recipient of the 2014 The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York (TOFA) award for the health category credits “hard work, dedication, and the love for what you’re doing as her recipe for success. She is also an active member of the of the Filipino American community supporting various organizations among them the Philippine Nurses Association of NY, Philippine Nurses Association- America PNA-NY, American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC), and American Association of Director of Nursing Services (AADNS). Happily married to Jeffrey Duran and a loving mother to Brandon, Constantine, and stepson, Nico, she enjoys watching Broadway shows with her husband in her free time.
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Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
Atty. Jesus ‘Jim’ Reyes A Life Full of Pleasant ‘Accidents’ By Fernando S. Esguerra
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
T
o many, “accidents” are bad news, but not to Atty. Jesus “Jim” Martin Lomboy Reyes. In fact, it was “accidents”—pleasant ones—that happily shaped his adult life.
“I became a lawyer by accident,” says this 46-year-old native of Manila, who is married to Kristine Ann Reyes. They have a son, 9th grader Teodulfo Jose. Jim relates that prior to deciding to enroll in law school, he was teaching at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and just completed his academics for Master of Arts in Philosophy, with his thesis defense scheduled in October that year. “Not wanting to stop going to school and become idle for a few months, I requested my dean at the Graduate School to allow me to enroll for a Ph.D. program as I prepare for my defense,” he says. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the dean did not permit him. So, Jim, who had the benefit of free education being a faculty member looked for something to do. He later found himself at the gates of the College of Law. Originally, he intended to just to keep himself busy for one semester. “I did not realize at the beginning that one semester at the College of Law would mean a lot of sacrifices,” says Jim. “I had to get out of my comfort zone to be able to adjust to being a law student.” So, he told himself, that since he had already invested so much in law school, why not finish it. And that’s what he did. Now, he is an accomplished immigration lawyer based in New York. Jim describes himself as a person who does not easily give up, a trait that brought him to where he is today. While at law school in the Philippines, he would attend law classes in the evening and teach Philosophy and social science subjects at UST, University of Asia and the Pacific, and De La Salle College of Saint Benilde. Balancing the demands of work as a teacher and law studies was quite challenging but never for a moment did Jim think of quitting law school. “It’s so much fun,” he says. His immigrating to and practicing law in the U.S. was another “accident.” “I just came to the U.S. to visit my sister and brother in New Jersey. Then a week before flying back to the Philippines, I was offered a job at a law firm in Manhattan,” Jim says. “I accepted and it was only then that I was told that I am eligible to take the bar exam and become a lawyer.” After successfully hurdling the bar exam, Jim concentrated his practice on helping people, 99 percent of whom were Filipinos. He has helped nurses, physical therapists, medical technologists, teachers, and so many more. His advocacy involves helping Filipinos in distress, like the teachers in Maryland where he volunteered his time for several years, traveling from New York to Maryland twice a week to speak with and attend to the teachers’ pressing problems at that time. Now, Jim is setting up a branch of his law office in Australia, to be of help to Filipinos in the continent Down Under. Would he say he has already accomplished his goals in life? “There seems to be no finish line in the art of helping others, so even when I retire I see myself always ready to extend a helping hand.”
june 2018
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Nitz Blas Causing
Nurse Turned ‘Financial Missionary’ By Maricar CP Hampton
I
t’s never too late to switch paths--Nitz Blas Causing, a medical doctor and nurse turned financial adviser, learned as she made one of the most challenging decisions of her life. “I listened to what God wanted me to be: a ‘financial missionary.’ So many people need free advice from someone who makes them understand how money works.” Although as a young child, Nitz knew she wanted to be in health care. “I still recall being at our yard staring at the clouds and saw myself wearing a nurse’s cap.” After earning her degree in nursing, she took it a step higher by becoming a doctor in the Philippines. “I’ve always loved Public Health and Community Medicine, she said, “My father encouraged me to go into medicine. We realized it’s expensive and difficult but (I) ended up having so much fun in medical school as it was not too stressful because of my nursing background,” she said. It was in 1988, through a visa program for nurses that Nitz immigrated to the U.S. She first worked at the JFK Medical Center assigned to the neurosurgical floor. In 1990, she received her certification as Critical Care Registered Nurse and immediately moved to the cardiac critical care unit. She also worked at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital until she retired from nursing in 2006 at the age of 48. Before leaving the Philippines, her father gave her a valuable piece of advice. “My father’s last words at the airport [were] no matter where you go, if you make $10 and spend $20 nothing will happen.” Since then, she vowed to be a good steward of her finances.
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Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
“I was fortunate to meet my best friend’s financial adviser. I kept him for 11 years through marriage and kids. He took care of our life insurance, car insurance, home insurance, college [funds], and savings,” she said. But that wasn’t enough. Nitz wanted to be more in control of her own finances. “I had to learn and understand what my adviser was doing with my finances,” she said, “I realized most people don’t have a financial adviser and they don’t understand their savings programs.” She was convinced this was her turning point. “Suddenly, I became passionate about sharing my new found knowledge (on wealth management) and there was good money to be made, which took me away from nursing and becoming a doctor,” she shared. In 1998, she joined WFG/Transamerica, a multilevel marketing company that sells investment, insurance, and various other financial products through a network of distributors. “I built people and eventually built teams of agents. By that time, I quit nursing. This business allowed me to get paid through the efforts of the agents that I trained,” she said. Despite the huge career change, her training in the medical field did not go to waste. “I’m a better agent and adviser because I have the knowledge (as a health care professional) to lead my clients in the right steps to get the proper coverage,” she said. Today, Nitz has a thriving business. Currently, she operates in several states including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. She said more offices are expected to open in the next three to five years.
Jaena Valles
s y a P
d r a w r o F It
By Maricar CP Hampton
A
mid a successful career, Jaena Hermollisa Valles, an accountant and entrepreneur, is more than just happy to mentor and inspire the next generation of Pinoy accountants in New York. “It’s a cliché but I’m motivated to paying it forward.”
Her accounting firm Valles Vendiola LLP is considered the largest Filipino-owned and operated accounting company in the East Coast. “It’s also giving back since most of our employees are Pinoys [nearly 100 Filipino accountants],” she said.
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
Growing up, Jaena always strived to be the best. She graduated top of her class earning her a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. She considers the love of family, hard work, and prayers as the main ingredients that propelled her to success. “Being helpful, fair, especially to employees, and humble are key,” she said. Helping Jaena run the company is partner Gilberto Vendiola. Gil has over 35 years of experience in public accounting, commerce and industry. He was formerly their audit manager at SGV & Co. (Ernst & Young Global) and a professor of finance and operations management at the Graduate School of Business of De La Salle University in Manila. Gil holds a master’s degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management. Currently, he’s a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and an adviser of the Association of Filipino-American Accountants (AFAA). Do you have to be good in numbers to be in this field? “Not really, it’s a common connotation that Accounting is more analytical than arithmetical. But recently, I heard they’ve added into the curriculum some advance calculus subjects, which is real math.” While Jaena embraces change and advancement in the field, she believes accountants are still “relevant.” “I don’t think in-depth analysis and experience can be replaced by any application or software.” Jaena also assists in her family’s real estate business in Cebu. “My sister is a developer and my family in Cebu is in real estate. Our family has hotels, budget hotel, business hotel, and one coming up, the Sheraton Hotel in Mactan. We also own a dormitory that caters to mostly but not limited to college students,” she shared. She believes that the Philippines’ real estate business is “booming.” “[It’s] very promising because of factors like sustained GDP growth, the ‘build, build, build’ program of the government, diversification of tenancy mix led by Offshore Online Gambling being legalized by PAGCOR. In Cebu, we have a new international airport to accommodate more tourists that would like to fly direct to Cebu. For hoteliers and Airbnb users, it means more guests to accommodate.”
Valles Vendiola LLP partners Gilberto Vendiola and Jaena Hermollisa Valles
Jaena is an active community leader. She has been investing both her time and resources in different organizations, among them the Association of Filipino American Accountants, Apostolate for Family Consecration, and Marian Catechists Association. june 2018
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Atty Ryan Poscablo
Helping the helpless By Fernando S. Esguerra
Patience. Doggedness. Emotional intelligence. Good judgment. Discretion. For Atty. Ryan Poscablo, those
are the five qualities that make a good lawyer. An experienced trial and appellate lawyer, Ryan is a founding partner of the New York office of Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila (RSHC). This is a law firm that places its clients’ interest first and foremost, according to Ryan. “RSHC is the collaboration of a group of excellent trial lawyers that wanted to practice law the right way, to put clients first, to value diversity, to focus on pro bono, and to be the best at what we do,” says Ryan, who has been educated in the best schools in the U.S. Before founding RSHC, Ryan served for six years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He was a partner at another national firm prior to being in the public service, which he decided to join as he re-entered private practice because “It was time to pursue a new adventure,” according to Ryan. And what an adventure it was. While at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, he was either lead counsel or co-lead counsel in 12 significant criminal trials, which he all won. “It wasn’t an individual victory,” Ryan clarifies. “Each of those successes resulted from a massive team effort that included the work of law enforcement agents, paralegals, staff, trial partners, and supervisors.” While those successes can really make one beam with pride, Ryan says what was really close to his heart was when he served in the Violent Crimes Unit. “We helped solve cold case murders and obtain clarity and closure for the families of victims who lost their loved ones years before. Helping them obtain justice was really special to me,” he says. He adds: “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York contains the brightest and hardest working litigators in the country, and it was an honor to serve there. It ultimately gave me the experience and knowledge I needed to be an effective lawyer once I returned to the private sector.” How does he prepare for a case? “I approach each case and each trial like I approach each matter for a client now: we work tirelessly to achieve the right result and we advocate zealously and vigorously for our clients,” says Ryan. “The amount of preparation doesn’t change depending on the case because every case is significant.” Born in the Philippines and raised in N.Y., Ryan came to the U.S. when he was only three years old. He may not have so much recollection of what life was like in the Philippines, but he did imbibe certain Filipino values, one of which was the Filipino value of being of service to his fellowmen. “I wanted to become a lawyer because I was inspired by their ability to effect real change in our society, as well as their ability to provide assistance to people who feel helpless,” says Ryan. Helping the helpless, he really does. In fact, one of his pro bono cases involved a mentally disabled teenager who was wrongfully accused of committing a robbery and then getting those wrongful charges dropped or helping to draft the briefs to oppose the current Administration’s travel ban. Ryan was able to secure the dismissal of the charges.
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Randy Palasol Palmaira
Competency, Compassion and Creativity By Fernando S. Esguerra
to be a surgeon to be of help to others. As a pre-med course, he Hetookwanted up physical therapy. He liked it and decided to stick with it. “When I completed the course, I immediately felt ‘at home’. I realized as a physical therapist, I can make a difference in people’s lives,” says Randy Palasol Palmaira, who hails from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. He adds: “I find so much fulfillment in being able to help restore a patient’s physical functions. A patient’s smile, as he or she takes the first steps, could be very rewarding.” Randy started working in the U.S. in 1993, a year after his wife, also a physical therapist, migrated to New York. It was a childhood dream, he says, to work in a country that provides opportunities to everyone. And opportunities did come, but not necessarily on a silver platter. Randy had to work really hard, pursue continuing education to enrich his knowledge and hone his skills, and balance family-work-school to be where he is right now. “It was really quite a challenge. Without the all-out-support of my wife and two children, I could not have done it,” says Randy, whose name is now studded with hard-earned acronyms: PT (Physical Therapist), MS (Master of Science), MSA (Master of Science in Administration), and LNHA (Licensed Nursing Home Administrator). At present, Randy, 46, holds the rank of administrator at The Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center, a member of the Citadel Health Care Centers, both in New York City. Doesn’t keeping two highly demanding jobs take so much of his energy? “I was privileged to have the opportunity to run multifaceted organizations in the earlier part of my career,” says Randy. “Yes, it does sap the energy, but when I see the advancement of the organizations I lead, and the progress of the patients that we treat, it makes it all worth it.” Randy recalls a 21-year-old patient who had a vehicular accident and was paralyzed from the neck down. “I saw myself in that patient because I came to the U.S. when I was 21 years old and like me, that patient also migrated here to achieve the great American Dream. I told myself I would do everything to help him,” he adds. After two months, the patient was able to propel himself independently using a sip and puff wheelchair. Randy saw the patient three years ago. His former patient was now using a sports wheelchair and working as a computer analyst. “I was so proud of him. The sight of him was a great reassurance for me that I chose the right profession,” says Randy, adding that while it is great to have the latest technology in physical therapy, there’s still no substitute to Competency, Compassion, and Creativity, the three Cs he always applies when treating patients. Helping people and being in the field of health care, seems to run in the family. Randy’s wife is the director of rehab services in one of the nursing facilities in N.Y. His sister is also a physical therapist. His son recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Global Public Health from NYU, and his daughter is currently pursuing occupational therapy. “Iba talaga ang Pinoy,” Randy says in closing. “We have that heart to help and serve others. We care and love profoundly and I know that nothing can ever change this heart.”
june 2018
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What They Say About RN Express Staffing Registry From our Industry Partners: “They’re the most humble, generous business owners I’ve been associated with. Our Missions are paralleled: making a difference through our opportunities and products and services.” -Nitz Causing, Financial Adviser “RN Express’ leadership under Sally started low and slow until reaching where they are right now in a highly competitive industry, something where only angels dared to tread. Our companies grew up together; we’re like one family.” -Atty. Jim Reyes, Immigration Lawyer “One could not ask for better clients than Sally, Lea, Florida, and Alex. They’re thoughtful business people. They are caring employers. They know their business but are open to advice and counsel.” -Atty. Ryan Poscablo, Corporate Lawyer “Sally and her team help us tremendously not only with nursing staffing but also in charting reviews and auditing. For the eight years that I’ve known Sally and Alex, I know that I can always count on them.” -Randy Palmaira, Administrator, The Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center
Other Industry Partners: Nemcy Duran Randy Palmaira Jaena Valles Dr. Michael Avaricio Dr. Elizabeth Avaricio Dr. Marissa Santos Philippine Airlines
RN Express Staffing Registry, established in 2009 Sally Nunez, CEO, Co-Founder Lea Batomalaque, Vice President for Marketing, Co-Founder Florida Lucas, Co-Founder Alex Alejandrino, Operations Director Aida Duran, Accountant Vanessa Jan Santiago, Event Organizer, Saleaflor Entertainment june 2018
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SHOOTER’S TIP With her very casual blue casual look, I had my pretty model Ann Beck to pose against the blue grunge concrete wall. I took the photo on a tilted position to draw her hair on a slanted composition. Shot in available light using a Canon 5D iii 85mm at f/1.4 1/2500 sec ISO 100. Keep on shooting!
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Community Calendar Jun 30, 2018
Dinner Show With David Pomeranz
Saleaflor Foundation presents a dinner show with David Pomeranz, a night of celebration for success, life, and fulfillment, featuring singers Gail Banawis, Angel Ram, and Shane Ericks at DA Mikele Illagio (7917 Albion Ave., Elmhurst, NY) starting at 6 p.m. Buy a ticket ($200), which includes dinner, meet and greet, and one raffle stub, by calling RN Express 917-902-7372, Fil-Am Who’s Who 917-502-9887, or DJ Filipino Events 845-633-0980. Jul 15, 2018
Ilocano American Association Inc. Gala 2018
The Ilocano American Association Inc. holds its annual gala event at Leonard’s Palazzo (555 Northern Blvd., Nassau County, NY) starting at 12:30 p.m. The organization aims to preserve the Ilocano heritage among the Ilocano-American youth. For tickets, call Dulce Barangan at 516-343-8592 or visit the Facebook Page: @iaainy Jul 20, 2018
The Drifters Live in NYC
LinRa Promotions LLC and Asian Queen Fest present The Drifters Live in New York City, featuring Steve Mitchell as Elvis, at Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel (135-20 39th Ave., Flushing, NY, at 7:30 p.m. Buy tickets ($60-125) from Kaye 347-469-829, Myrna 917-5029887, Alice 347-750-9245, or Consuelo 347-488-9386. Part of the proceeds will go to the Filipino International Community of America, NothingButNets, Saint Patrick Church, and Philippine Community Center Services for the Aging.
Jul 25-29, 2018 Philippine Nurses Association of America National Convention The 39th Annual Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) National Convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City on the Hudson. For more information, visit PNA of NJ website at PNANJ.org. Aug 2-11, 2018
Womensphere Summer Festival 2018
Join the Womensphere Summer Festival 2018 across NYC. Celebrate women’s vision, achievements, and impact on leadership, science, innovation, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, culinary arts, music, poetry, and the visual and performing arts. Check out WomensphereSummit. org/Summerfest2018. Aug 11, 2018
Socsksargen USA Gala Night
Socsksargen USA will hold its convention gala night at Hilton Meadowlands (2 Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ) at 6 p.m. The event will also showcase the fashion works by Jhun Ador and Mikhaela Leiting. For tickets, call Rowena Mejia-Randman at 516-698-6036. Aug 11-12, 2018 2018 Fiesta In America Expo & Cultural Show It’s the biggest two-day expo and cultural show of its kind on the East Coast! The 2018 Fiesta in America Expo & Cultural Show will be held at Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. To sponsor, exhibit, or attend, call 212-682-6610 or email info@fiestainamerica. com.
SHOOTER’S TIP I asked my beautiful model Vanessa Santiago to hold her cellphone pointing to her face. Aside from lighting her face, the cellphone gives an attractive catchlight in her eyes. Shot in available light using a Canon 5D iii 200mm at f/2.8 1/80 sec ISO 12800. Keep on shooting!
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Elizabeth Delosreyes Avaricio, MD Board Certified Pediatrician By Elizabeth Delosreyes Avaricio, MD
Photos by Rolan Gutierrez
Grateful
S
ince I was twelve, I already knew I would be a pediatrician. First was my admiration for my own pediatrician and then the desire to help people and my interest in the human body. I was reading an encyclopedia of the human body in 6th grade. I became consumed with the dream to become a pediatrician. And having one’s dream - one’s ambition - become a reality has made me so grateful.
Wife, Mother and Pediatrician My roots are from the Philippines, I am always proud of that. With my husband of Filipino roots as well, we have shared the same sentiment of being proud of where our parents came from and have our children share Philippine culture and practice. Calling Tito/Tita for uncle and aunt, and saying “po” or “opo” which is “yes” with respect to the elderly are appreciated by our children. While I can speak Tagalog and with my husband Michael, we both try to indulge our children with some common Tagalog words like “salamat po”…which means thank you. I had visited the Philippines when I was twelve and I have nostalgic memories of that visit. I recall riding my uncle’s jeepny from Manila to Candelaria, Quezon. Quintessential transportation in the Philippines, I saw much of Filipino countryside and saw the contrast of lifestyle from the city center to the province. Of course the most wonderful aspect of my visit then was the hospitality of not just my relatives, but the people of the small town my father came from. To them I was welcome as one of their family, whether I was a blood relative or not – always offering me a home cooked dish or to just sit and talk with them. Hopefully, in the near future we will visit and tour the Philippines as a family and would that be a joy for all! Balancing career and family is possible, even as a woman in what still is a male dominated field. Being a pediatrician is like being 24 hour “on call”. It was not unusual in our family for me and my husband to be called to see a patient in the hospital in the middle of the night, and we are able to call on his parents to come at the spur of the moment to watch the children. If it takes a family to build a career, this is true for us. Not only do I have an MD for a husband who understands the demands our profession, Michael has parents who share with us the same ideas and extend a helping hand or two whenever needed. As a pediatrician, I provide physical, mental and emotional care to all my patients. I love the aspect of watching them grow from birth to adulthood, knowing that I had taken part in their development. I also have many Filipino patients and we share a special relationship with a common heritage. The phrase “beautiful eyes” to an infant means “show me your eyes” which is a small but shared practice that only Filipinos understand. My advice to girls who look into being a physician, especially a pediatrician, is to realize there is a lot of sweat and tears to get there, but it is one of the most noble, rewarding and fulfilling professions on earth. Never give up, work hard and believe in yourself! Now, you know having it all is possible and I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL!
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Michael Luz Avaricio, MD Advanced Cardiac Care PLLC By Michael Luz Avaricio, MD
A
Photo by Rolan Gutierrez
s a young boy in elementary school, I had excelled in both mathematics and science. However, what truly and sincerely brought me joy was to serve Jesus by serving as an alter server and sacristan in the church. Later, I had to decide about my future and I found myself very confused what my purpose in life would be. I asked God for guidance and a path was chosen for me. Through the gift of discernment, a career in medicine was to be my destiny. Most patients know me as Dr. Avaricio, but I am fondly called Dr. Mike. I was born, raised and, educated in New York City. Today, I am a practicing Cardiologist within my own establishment named Advanced Cardiac Care, PLLC. I am proud to be 100% Filipino, although I have not yet had the opportunity to visit the Philippines. My parents, Placido and Clarita, are from the Philippines and immigrated to the United States. My father is a mechanical engineer and is enjoying retirement from Management of the complex subway systems of the New York City Transit Authority. My mother, a dietician and a retired Food Service Director of the New York Health and Hospital Corporations at Queens Hospital Center and Elmhurst Hospital, still keeps herself clinically active by advising my patients on healthy diet choices in my office. It is through their upbringing that I was instilled the value of hard work, integrity as well as the responsibilities of leadership. As I was growing up, they told me about out how it was “back home”. Their reminders taught me to cherish Filipino traditions and the admirable qualities of our Filipino elders. All of which have molded me and have made me what I am today. Yes, the USA has been our home, but most Filipinos affectionately recall their roots and ancestry and still call the Philippines “Home”.
Growing up Filipino We lived in Queens, New York. Being an only child, I witnessed the hard work and the sacrifices my parents made for me that early on I promised to return my gratitude to them by achieving success in everything I do. I come from a deeply religious family. Each morning in grade school, I opened the church and prepared the altar and priest vestments for the mass. To me, it was never a job rather a privilege. I wanted to express my gratefulness to Jesus through service and to share my abilities in His Name. As a teenager, I attended Archbishop Molloy High School. It was during this stage of my life that I became more active in Filipino activities and community events especially with my interests in basketball, baseball and track and field. Most Filipino boys have a Filipino basketball league experience. I really enjoyed the experiences of competing against other Filipinos and appreciating the variety of spoken dialects. I was fascinated that although we share the same flag, each area of the Philippines had such a diversity in regard to accents, food, textile as well as fashion. I especially loved the fact that we Filipinos are proud and happy people. We always carry a smile no matter what adversities we have. We possess such strong characters that we can smile amidst our difficulties. I had not noticed this characteristic but it was brought to my attention by a classmate who was not Filipino. He asked me, “Why do you Filipino guys seem to smile a lot?” I began to contemplate about it and all I could say was that we, Filipinos, are resilient people and work with what little we have. We always gather strength together and that’s why we can be proud to be Filipino. As a people, we are empowered by our Christian faith. We represent our faith though our openness towards others and we grow in our knowledge and appreciation of people we encounter. My success in life was influenced by the strong values of the Filipino people, my bloodline and my heritage!
The Making of a Cardiologist From having my prayers answered, having passed the scholarship and entrance exam to an accelerated Medical School Program affiliated with the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, I knew God wanted me to be a doctor. At, 22 years of age, I became a doctor, then at the age of 25 became a Chief Medical Resident of the Department of Medicine at Northwell Long Island Jewish Hospital affiliate of the Hofstra Medical School. It was at this time that I received teaching awards and Clinical professorship through my research while practicing Internal Medicine. I had an ardent desire to become hands on in fixing medical problems and decided to go into Cardiology. The specialty combines the pressures of having to save lives acutely as well as engineering a long-term strategy in preserving quality of life. This is achieved by way of having a healthy cardiac capacity such as improving exercise tolerance and reducing and obliterating angina and claudication symptoms. At the age of 26, I started my fellowship at the prestigious Cardiac facility, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and it was there that I began performing cardiac catheterization including valvuloplasty and angioplasty, closure of atrial septal defects with Amplatzer devices, inserting pacemakers/defibrillators, and eventually becoming an attending cardiologist at 29. After my training, I thought it best to have my own office and to establish my own practice as a Cardiologist. Included in my service is transportation for my patients since for most of them this is a concern and an extra expense not reimbursed by any insurance. I offer car service to all patients in the five boroughs of New York City. To this very day, I look back at where I started and where I am in my life this very moment. I wonder how or why these successes occurred. In all my questions and wonderings, I acknowledge the contributions of everyone in my life, my experiences both the good and bad, my Filipino heritage, my gifts and talents, and but most importantly God. Through Jesus Christ, God gave me these abilities and presented me with all these opportunities. He understood the sincerity in my intention to constantly serve him and that I believe is why I am blessed. At the present, I am president of the Parish Council at my parish of Resurrection Ascension Church. I’ve had the fortune of finding out that my office building at Ozone Park, NY that both my wife, Elizabeth (a pediatrician) and I own and provide patient care, is the former location of the Roman Catholic church named Nativity. My curiosity of the building’s history peaked when I came across a statue of the Virgin Mary on the roof. I asked a nun who informed me that she had lived there in the past as well as had mass and broke Eucharist there with the Priest. She reminded me that the ground my building is on is “Hollowed” ground. God built that building to serve and help people. She added, “It first was a church and now it is yours to use. Use God’s Ground well.” I will remember those wise sayings and always be reminded that every outcome of my work occurred through the Divine intervention of my Savior Jesus Christ.
My Family, My Pride Life begins in a family, I am a family man. I am fortunate to have my parents, relatives, friends, teachers, and mentors, Filipino/American/Roman Catholic Heritage, my health and success. I am blessed to have my wife Elizabeth and my three beautiful children Michael Jr, Victoria and Emily. Together we grow in love, care, and pursuit of happiness as we face the challenges of life. I did not do it alone. Just like footprints in the sand and the hymn in church, “Be Not Afraid”. It states, “I go before you always, come follow me, and I will give your rest!” Now, you know why I THANK GOD EVERYDAY! june 2018
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