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NaFFAA holds 2017 Board Summit January 27-28, 2017 in Houston, TX
FilVet Gold Medal NaFFAA MO, R8, R9, R10 Announcements Membership Form
It was 2 days of fun and dynamic exchange of ideas. It was very refreshing to see young leadership at its best. The Millennials were there to place their stamp and footprint in NaFFAA History. The board also voted on Bylaw amendments that would ensure leadership continuity in NaFFAA. In my viewpoint, foremost would be the Fundraising programs for NaFFAA in order to enhance our sustainability. The Finance Directors will have their plates full hopefully trying to implement some key fundraising ideas and concepts per our discussions. Next would be the Fundraising to raise money to be able to pay for the medals to be minted so that they can be awarded to the World War 2 Filipino Congressional Gold Medal Awardees. Time is of the essence as most of the awardees are very advanced in age. Membership growth was also another great discussion as this is also key to raising funds for NaFFAA. Last but not least, what I took back with me to Arizona was a sense of pride to be part of the NaFFAA family! Marie Cunning, Member, Board of Governors Arizona
Leaders reflect on the recently — concluded NaFFAA Board Summit After receiving emails proposing changes to the National and Regional Empowerment Conference schedules, recommending one-year term extensions for current BOG members, and announcing a new organizational structure consisting of Councils, I came to the 2017 NaFFAA BOG Summit questioning if the organization was headed in the right direction. However, at the end of the summit, I left with a greater respect for the leadership team consisting of Chairman Brendan Flores, Executive Director Jason Tengco, and National Operation Officer Kelly Ilagan. Brendan’s administration is not reinventing NaFFAA. Instead, it is bringing in talented new individuals to complement the experienced leaders that have already proven their worth to the organization over the years. At the summit, I heard the new Council Directors present their Strategic Plans and watched the BOG members enthusiastically embrace those plans. The BOG approved new as well as long-overdue updates to the Bylaws and corrected term mistakes for the newest members of the BOG. Brendan’s NaFFAA 2.0 - Balanced Leadership promises to take the organization to greater heights and to the next level of success! Armin M. Sayson, R3E Chair Ohio
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A well spent weekend attending NaFFAA Board of Governors Summit in Houston, Texas! The Board Summit was indeed a huge success, and I’m speechless! I was surrounded by a diverse age group, intelligent, hardworking individuals, determined and motivated seasoned and new leaders of NaFFAA. It was a productive, fun, efficient and successful meeting I have attended in the realm of NaFFAA, so far. I met so many wonderful people and to name a few is Ms. Viva Tarroza-Taft from Florida - a retired U.S. Army, who was also my roommate. It was a pleasure meeting a wonderful and remarkable woman! I’m excited with her passion and energy. Atty. Dennis Mondero of Chicago, Illinois joined me in representing Region 3-West. Atty. Mondero is our newly appointed National CoDirector of Development. I also met Atty. Bryan Ramos, who is our newly appointed Georgia State Chair, Legal Counsel, and Chair of the Grievance Committee. No doubt in my mind that these new NaFFAA leaders will definitely contribute as a driving force of our organizations success. Most importantly, the amazing trio came to Houston wellprepared, executed and delivered to my expectation. I commend Brendan Flores (National Chair), Jason Tengco (Executive Director) and Kelly Ilagan (National Operations Officer) for their leadership and keeping control of the flow of the meeting. The strategies are solid and goals are achievable. The collaboration of the brilliant seasoned leaders and the millennial bright minds flows naturally during the summit. I am confident that this new administration and the enhance direction of NaFFAA will take us to the next level of success and of service to our Filipino-American community and the entire nation as a whole. I left Houston with so much hope and a positive vision of NaFFAA moving forward. Anecita Sancho Alvizo, R3W Chair Missouri
Update on the minting of the Congressional Gold Medal On January 17, the FilVetREP team of MG Taguba (Chairman), Erick Soriano (Legal Counsel), Ben de Guzman (Program Manager) and Jon Melegrito (Exec. Secretary) met with the US Mint team, which includes April Stafford, Chief, Office of Design Management; Vanessa Franck, Program Manager, Office of Design Management; and Betty Birdsong, Deputy Director, Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, US Mint. At this meeting, the US Mint team provided an overview of the US Mint’s role in designing the Filipino World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal. S. 1555 is the authorizing legislation that will guide the design process.
From left, Betty Birdsong, Vanessa Franck, Erick Soriano, April Stafford,
Ben de Guzman and Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba. The US Mint team and the FilVetREP team resolved to work (Photo by Jon Melegrito) together in every stage of the design process until its completion. MG Taguba will serve as liaison to the US Mint, providing input in identifying design elements and key messages to convey both the sense and spirit of the FilVet story.
At the next meeting on Feb. 15, both teams will begin developing an Artist Brief, to educate the artists/illustrators about the story of the Filipino World War II veterans. Once the Artist Brief is developed and refined, illustrators will create the art work. A portfolio of designs will be reviewed by the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). Final selections will then be presented to the Secretary of the Treasury who makes the final decision on the design. Once a design is chosen, the U.S. Mint’s engraving staff begins the sculpturing and tooling work. Only one gold medal will be minted and permanently housed in the Smithsonian. FilVetREP plans to order 20,000 bronze replicas to be awarded to eligible Filipino and American veterans or their closest surviving relative. FilVetREP will also raise funds to cover the cost of these replicas ($50 each). The entire process is expected to take from 8 months to a year. 2
NaFFAA promotes advocacies; Meets with community leaders in Los Angeles Region IX Chair Noel Omega organized the NaFFAA Meet and Greet session, with National Chair Brendan Flores and Executive Director Jason Tengco on January 30, 2017 at the Zan Beer located at 3377 Wilshire Blvd. This has been a great opportunity for NaFFAA to reach out to a city that prides to have the largest Filipino American community in the country. This event encouraged leaders to exchange ideas in pursuit of shaping the future of a more viable and relevant national Filipino-American empowerment platform. Present were members of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of SouthBay Los Angeles Area and the local media. Other leaders in attendance include Lydia Soriano, Steve Angeles, Erlinda Granadasabah, Jason Benjamin Alinea Tengco, Paz Villanueva Velasquez, Brendan G Flores, Christine Gonong, Grace Barrios, Mary Ann Rosete Omega, Mary Ann Rosete Omega and Gil Mislang.
NaFFAA Region X introduces new officers NaFFAA Region 10 Chair Myrna Reyes took pride in introducing the incoming officers through a gathering in National City, CA on January 19, 2917. The theme of the event was “NaFFAA 10 Moving Forward.� Presented as members of the R10 Executive Board were the following: Fresas Flores Balistreri (Secretary), Agnes Buzon Hajek (Treasurer), Paulene De Mesa (Executive Director) and Joe Santos (Riverside County Chair). Region 10 Vice Chair, FilAmVote Director and newly -appointed member of the Board of Governors, Jr Amor, presented the 2016 accomplishment report on FilAmVote. He also shared his inspiring story about joining NaFFAA. A special presentation on FilAmVetRep was well delivered by Ditas Delossantos Yamane. San Diego County Chair Cynthia SueroGabler invited everyone to the upcoming NaFFAA10 Regional Empowerment Conference to be held at Clarion Hotel in National City in March 26. This NaFFAA event was graced by well known community leaders, which include: Mr. Rommel Alberto, who represented Honorary Consul Audie de Castro of the Office of the Philippine Honorary Consulate of San Diego; Board of Advisors - Mr. Rom Sarno and Francine Maigue, and Atty. Edward Calvelo Pamintuan and COPAO President Joe Mazares. Tony Inocentes shared his story being the first Filipino American who ran for an assembly position in his district. Inspired by the many Filipino Americans who ran for various political positions in the General Elections of 2016, NaFFAA Region 10 will establish a project of generating a master list of those who won or lose in the 2016 elections. NaFFAA10 welcomed its new members, and they are: Andrew Amorao, Zen Ply and Emma Padua Reyes and Agnes Hajek. House of the Philippines has also renewed its organizational membership to R10. Region 10 thanked the National City Mayor Ron Morrison for his continued support for Filipino Americans in San Diego and for recognizing the leadership and contributions of NaFFAA10 in community building efforts; AARP CA, through Kimberly Smith and Mr. Joe Garbanzos, for collaborating NaFFAA events in 2O15, 2016 and the upcoming Regional Empowerment Conference 2017. Last, but not least, R10 is grateful to its Region Chair Emeritus, Aurora Soriano Cudal for overseeing and serving as program host of the event. 3
NaFFAA Missouri Participates in Sinulog Fest
NAFFAA reaches out to community in Los Angeles, CA via Kababayan Today While meeting with community leaders in Los Angeles, CA, National Chair Brendan Flores, with the Executive Director Jason Tengco, became featured guests in a daily talk show in LA’s only media outlet for and about Filipino American community. Kababayan Today provides a platform for discussion of significant local and international issues. It remains to be the only Filipino media outlet in Southern California and Hawaii to engage the community at large. It is the largest running locally produced daily program that has consistently featured resources relevant to Filipino Americans to help them thrive here in the US. G Tongi (shown in picture below is the talk show host and producer).NaFFAA leaders were able to discuss the federation’s ongoing advocacies and pipeline projects.
Everywhere in the world, Filipinos celebrate the Feast of Senyor Sto. Nino, as part of our cultural tradition. Here in the Midwest, USA, NaFFAA Missouri embraces this tradition by participating in the annual Sinulog Festival in the State of Missouri. Through its performing group, Kultura and Bayanihan Dance Group, NaFFAA’s name once again gained recognition by participating in the Sinulog Fest held at the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbia, MO on January 22, 2017. The dancers are: Leonor Gorecho Wright, Paz Paz Balbuena, Anecita Sancho Alvizo, Vinia Struemph, Nichell Niki Brown, Analiza Rodrigo, Josie Jones, Christy Miranda and Jen Jen Pratt.
NaFFAA R8 Chair participates in Public Safety Awareness Campaign in San Francisco, CA San Francisco SAFE (Safety Awareness for Everyone) held a public safety awareness press conference on Wednesday, January 11 in front of the Stone Gate entrance to China Town to kick off the 2017 Lunar New Year Crime Prevention Campaign. The event was hosted, in partnership with Chief of Police Toney Chaplin; the San Francisco Police Department Command Staff; The Board of Supervisors; District Attorney’s Office; Captain David Lizar, Commanding Officer at Central Police Station and Captain Curtis Lum, chair of the SFPD API Forum.
Coming Together to Fight Crime :L-R NaFFAA’s Rudy Asercion, SF Safe Executive Director Sarah Burton, District Attorney George Gascon, Supervisor Hillary Ronen (on the Podium) Assessor Carmen Chiu, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Supervisor Ahsha Safai and Captain David Lazar. (extreme right.) 4
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Announcements NaFFAA Region 10
Conference March 26, 2017 San Diego, CA Inquire: myrnatfreyes@gmail.com
“Connect, Collaborate, Celebrate”
NaFFAA National is a monthly newsletter with the goal of circulating information on NaFFAA’s advocacy events and projects, appointments, messages from leadership and other related activities in the Filipino American community.
Ryan Tejero
Editor-In-Chief ryantejero@yahoo.com
Bing Branigin Kelly Ilagan Jason Tengco Christopher Rivera Please forward event announcements and news articles in your community for February issue by the 25th. Submission must be in word format and pictures are in jpeg formats. Thank you to all January contributors !
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c/o Brad Baldia 1625 Washington Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19146
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