PAGE 2 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
BY MARY LLANOS CORDERO
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 PUBLISHER Mary Llanos Cordero MANAGING EDITOR Bennette Espineli Misalucha DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Armand Busmente PRODUCTION MANAGER Alice Llanos Busmente ASSISTANT EDITORS Paola Rodelas Radiant Cordero COPY EDITOR Danielle Evangelista PHOTOGRAPHERS/GRAPHICS Brandon dela Cruz Noah Felipe Gabe de Liso Jeff Orig James Ramos COLUMNISTS Edna Alikpala Rhoda Yabez Alvarez, Esq. Jesse Bacon II Nancy Bernal Cesar Bonilla Alice Llanos Busmente Anabel Gasmen Cabebe Dr. Rickie Camara Dr. Patricia Halagao ZenyMuyot Angie Santiago Perfecto Yasay Jr. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Conrad Abuel Ric Agnes Paul Alimbuyao Ria Baldevia Eriza Bareng Marnelli Joy Basilio Bernie Caalim Randy Cortez Radiant Cordero Mary Cruzada Jaime de Jesus Brandon dela Cruz Christian Evangelista Imelda Gasmen Veronika Geronimo Leo Gozar Ben Gutierrez Carmela Minaya Gladys QuintoMarrone Gladys Menor John Pagaragan Paola Rodelas Judy Relosimon Sandra Sagisi Nicole Velasco Jason Ubay MichiVillaruz NEIGHBOR ISLAND BUREAU Maui Kit Zulueta Jeremy Zane Big Island Mil Asuncion Jane Clement Dr. Margarita Hopkins Kauai Virgie Cruzada Liza Trinidad Marynell Valenzuela ADVERTISING SALES MarivicAldaya Mary Cordero Annabel Cabebe Florence Tan McCollom Lydia Kamiya Joni Redick-Yundt Rudy Bautista Marynel Valenzuela CIRCULATION Florence Tan (Oahu) Ron Oshiro(Leeward Oahu) David Cordero (Maui) Marynel Valenzuela (Kauai) Milli Asuncion (Big Island) LEGAL COUNSEL Alfredo Evangelista, Esq
THE FIL-AM COURIER is published twice a month by OAHU RELOCATION SERVICES located at 2221 Liliha St. Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 Opinions expressed by the columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Fil-Am Courier. Publisher reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and other material submitted. Reproduction of material and ads appearing in the Fil-Am courier is forbidden without written permission. All photos submitted become the property of the Fil-Am Courier.
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MOTHERS: God’s Helpers on Earth Mother’s Day is one special celebration that we cannot ignore. It piqued our interest to dig and research a little history and how it all started. Although it’s celebrated on various days in so many parts of the world, the celebration of Mother’s Day in the United States began in the early 20th century. It was first celebrated in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in Grafton, West Virginia. Her campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her beloved mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day,” and she created Mother’s Day International Association. It was officially declared a holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in his 1914 presidential proclamation and by the U.S. Congress in relevant related bills. Every Mother’s Day, our thoughts turn to all the mothers out there—the birth moms, the adoptive moms, the step moms, the foster moms, the grand moms, the aunts, older sisters, and even the Godmothers who gave their all and took on the role of “mother” for the many children. Here are some Mother’s Day Facts: ++ Parenthood is the leading reason that teen girls drop out of school. More than 50% of teen mothers never graduate from high school. ++ 3 in 10 teen American girls will get pregnant at least once before the age of 20. That’s nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies every year.
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++ About 25% of teen mothers have a 2nd child within 24 months of their first baby.
++ Less than 2% of teen moms earn a college degree by age 30. ++ The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world. We support the young women or teens who were faced with a choice to be a young mother at an early age. They had a choice. They chose to be a MOTHER to their children. For this, we salute you! There are many more accepted forms of motherhood these days: single moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, helicopter moms, adoptive moms, etc. We have come to appreciate the variety of mom styles out there and we always learn something. We know that mothers wear a lot of hats — they are our cheerleader, chauffeur, organizer, therapist, housemaid, referee, family doctor, teacher, counselor, and the list is endless. Perhaps the most interesting permutation of Motherhood are Adoptive Mothers—women who are mothers not by birth but by CHOICE. If anything, this aspect of motherhood is the most interesting and the most challenging. To be the mother of a child you never gave birth to and who may in fact look nothing like you requires a woman to open herself and her heart in ways that most people without children can perhaps never understand or comprehend. It requires perhaps the ultimate form of love possible. In this issue, we feature two such examples. The Atiburcio and Kidd families adopted from the Philippines. Both of these families shared their difficult journey along the path of adoption since the process tended to take a long time and is quite timeconsuming and onerous. However, these parents will also be the first one to admit that all the sacrifices
were well worth it as the love and happiness they feel nowadays cannot be contained. Adoptive mothers not only provide the basics to a child—food, clothing, a home—but their time and patience as well as their wisdom and experience. Often this makes a huge difference for a child who otherwise might not have the stability and structure in their lives. Adoptive mothers really emphasize a point often missed by people— being a mother is not merely a status but an idea. For the adoptive moms, being a mother means more than simply physically having children and raising them but giving yourself to children. Adoptive moms made the choice to give love to their children with their whole heart. Motherhood is a constant making of choices about what is best for your child and family. It is choosing every single day, to continue to do all the things mothers do, no matter how difficult or how heartbreaking they may be sometimes. Every single day, there are new, potentially life changing choices and mothers make them, over and over again! In the end, there is more than one definition of what mother means. The definitions may vary but the true meaning of mother remains the same. Yet there are children who often times neglect to show how much mothers mean and how deep is a mother’s love. They don’t fully understand the goodness of her heart. Before we know it, our childhood is over and the “thank-yous” are years overdue. Then they learn the full extent of what a mother’s love has meant, the heartaches she’s concealed within. But it’s never too late. You can start NOW. It is important to honor and love your mother every
day and not just on Mother’s Day. Thank them for the toughest job they ever have and recognize that their work is undervalued. This advice is for me as well. Allow me this space to express my sincerest gratitude to my mom. My mom is the pillar of strength, our rock, the glue that holds our family in place. She is the most influential person in my life. She instilled in me to always follow the golden rule—treat others the way I want to be treated. She constantly inspires me to raise my children with love and compassion and to listen without being judgmental. I am in a we of her resilience. Now I understand the pain she went through losing my father when she was in her late 20’s, having to work so hard to support three kids and her aging mom. She had infinite wisdom, patience and courage. She’s gone through a lot of sacrifices and challenges in her life but she has always kept a good spirit to persevere and has never stopped trying to do what is right. My mom is the type of person who doesn’t care what other people think. She does her own thing the way she wants to, which is why she doesn’ t win popularity contests. But in my family, she tops my list. She’s the first person I would call when I have good news, when I need advice, and when I need to vent my frustration on anything. Not a day goes by when I do not speak to her as if our lives are still intertwined. We will never forget the countless sacrifices she bore for us kids growing up—a debt we can never repay. Not many can do what she has done. She’s one in a million! Thank you mom for giving me the greatest gift of all—the gift of life!
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 3
STATEWIDE COMMUNITY CALENDAR Compiled by EDNA ALIKPALA
OAHU May 17, 2014 Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii, Taldiap ti Probinsiya iti Ilocos Sur (A Glimpse of the Province of Ilocos Sur) and Reaffirmation of its New Officers at Hale Ikena, Fort Shafter. 6 p.m. Ticket cost: $50. Attire: Inabel and Filipiniana. Contact: Davelyn Quijano 489-8782, Loida Yamamoto 679-9540, Estrella Taong 845-1681, Rose Sabangan 677-9487 May 23, 2014 University of Santo Tomas Singers In Concert, Filcom Center, 8 p.m. Net proceeds will go to the followup Medical Mission for Yolanda survivors in Tacloban and other Eastern Leyte towns. Sponsored by Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii Ohana Medical Missions, Inc. Donation: $ 25 (general admission); $50 (VIP). May 24, 2014 Installation of Officers and Board of Directors Santanians Association Of Hawaii-USA. Ala Moana Hotel, 6 p.m. Ticket cost: $55. Contact Julius Soria @ 722-9958 or email santaniansofhiusa@gmail.com
May 30, 2014 Miss Oahu Filipina Pageant sponsored by the Oahu Filipino Community Council at Ala Moana Hotel, 6 p.m. Contact: Armi Farinas 221-0667.
June 29, 2014 Miss Teen Hawaii Filipina of the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, 6 p.m., Ala Moana Hotel. Contact: Jenny Quezon, quezonj001 @hawaii.rr.com.
June 14, 2014 Philippine Independence Day Celebration, sponsored by the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General, 6 p.m., Hilton Hawaiian Village, Tapa Ballroom. Cost: $70. Contact: Edna Alikpala, 282-3669; Melga Gendrano 383-7986
July 5, 2014 Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, 60th Anniversary and Installation Banquet. 6 p.m., Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, $75. Contact: Paul Alimbuyao
June 14, 2014 Annual Convention of the Oahu Filipino Community Council at Philippine Consulate General Lanai. Information on convention fee and registration of delegates will be mailed to all unit organizations by April 15, 2014. June 26, 2014 United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Golf Scholarship Tournament at Ewa Beach Golf Club. Tournament fee: $150/player or $450 for 3player team. Contact: Ben Cabreros 389-0614
July 5, 2014 Kalayaan Philippines Hawaii International. 15th Year Anniversary and the 7th year Huwaran Award for Outstanding Filipino Americans in Hawaii. 5 p.m., Pacific Beach Hotel, $60. Contact: Ben Pulido 4219474; Lynne Gutierrez 728-1700, Di Bucasas 398-8483 July 2014 First University of the East Alumni Association Hawaii Basketball Tournament. Calling all alumni from different Philippines colleges and universities to participate in this tournament. Contact Baybee Hufana Ablan, 753-5616
July 25 - 27, 2014 United Filipino Council of Hawaii Annual Statewide Convention, Island Council Host: Oahu Filipino Community Council. Location: tba. July 26, 2014 Miss Hawaii Filipina 2014 sponsored by United Filipino Council of Hawaii. Pagoda Hotel, 6 p.m. August 23, 2014 2014 Parents of the Year and 2014 Outstanding High School Valedictorians, at Empress Restaurant. Sponsored by Philippine Cultural Foundation of Hawaii, Maggie Domingo, President. Contact: Cecilia Villafuerte 371-8538 and Janice Sevilla at 595-8000.
AT THE FILCOM CENTER: May 31, 2014 Start of US Citizenship Classes; five Saturdays; Filcom Tech Center 1; 10 a.m to 12 noon. Conducted by HJIC of Legal Aid of Hawaii and Fllcom staff. Registration fee: $25. •
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August 30, 2014 KARAT, The Gozum-Dysangco Fashion Conspiracy, at Hawaii Prince Hotel, Maunakea Ballroom, 7 p.m.. Sponsored by Pygmailion Arts Fund. For tickets and sponsorship information, call 630-6268 and 312-0778 September 13, 2014 Maria Clara Ball of the Filipino Women’s Civic Club of Hawaii at Hawaii Prince Hotel, 6 p.m. Featuring the Miss Maria Clara and Mr. Barong Contests, presentation of the Filipino Icon Woman of Inspiration and scholarship award recipients. Contact: Bernadette Fajardo 342-8090
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FILIPINO FOLK DANCING – rehearsals at breezeway or courtyard. Saturday afternoons. BANDALAN DOCE PARES ESCRIMA – Saturday afternoons COMPUTER ENRICHMENT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING WORKSHOPS – year round. Computer Basics, every Wednesday, 10 a.m.-12 noon and 2 p.m.-4 p.m., four session cycles. WORD – every Saturday, 10 a.m.-12 noon, four session cycles; EXCEL, every Saturday, 2 p.m.-4 p.m., 3 session cycles. ZUMBA – taught by Pinoy808 crew, Mondays at 6:30 p.m. CONTACT: Filcom Center, 808-680-0451
MAUI May 30-31, 2014 Barrio Fiesta
PAGE 4 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
By PAOLA RODELAS
Our cover....
Adoption in the Philippines “They may not have my eyes, they may not have my smile, but they have all my heart.” – Unknown
Two couples. Two babies. And now two “Families”. Our cover stories dig deep into the journeys of the Atiburcio and Kidd families to adopt children from the Philippines. They reflect undying hope and persistence against all odds. Our cover shows the mommies and their babies taking time to pose for the Courier. Left: Vilma Badua Atiburcio with her baby, Evan. Right: Lorna Alonso Dumrique Kidd and her baby Elyana. Photo by Jeff Orig of www.origmedia.com Photo Concept by Noah Felipe of OrigMedia.
The Philippines has been one of the top 15 countries of origin of intercountry adoptions since 2003, while the United States adopts more children internationally than the rest of the world combined. In 2012, Americans adopted 8,668 children from around the world—123 of those children were adopted from the Philippines, making the United States the top “receiving country” of children from the Philippines. Adoption from the Philippines If you’re thinking that 123 adoptions doesn’t sound like much, that’s because it isn’ t. Intercountry adoptions worldwide have been in
decline since 2004, and the Philippines is no exception. Inter-country adoption from the Philippines has been instituted since the 1970s. While the demand for inter-country adoptions is high, in 2011 the Philippines’ Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) announced a temporary moratorium on accepting new applications from Adoption Service Providers who submitted more than 10 adoption cases per year for the last 3 years, as an effort to focus on applications already filed. It does not apply to the adoption of children with special needs or relative adoptions. Since the moratorium, Philippine inter-country adoptions have dropped, but not dramatically. There were 497 inter-country adoptions in 2011 and only 407 in 2012. This decline is seen globally, not just in the Philippines. More children are adopted from China by foreign countries than any other country in the world, but their inter-country adoptions have dramatically decreased from 11,231 in 2003 to 4,136 in 2012. Why locals are adopting from the Philippines Hawaii International Child (HIC) is the only licensed agency in Hawaii authorized by ICAB to facilitate inter-country adoptions from the Philippines. Founded in 1975, HIC has been helping local families adopt children from the Philippines since 2010.
According to HIC Executive Director Kristine Altwies, there are many reasons why local families want to adopt children from the Philippines. While infertility is the top reason, these local families often feel some connection to the Philippines because one or both parents are of Filipino descent. Inter-country adoption can be a long, complicated process, as described by Vilma Atiburcio (see cover story “The Gift of Motherhood”). However, Altwies emphasizes that they will only take as many applications as there are slots available. “We do not want to take our clients’ money and dreams,” assures Altwies, “For 2014, ICAB has given us four slots. When ICAB says they have a slot, that means they have a match.” She explains that applicants can expect a 1-2 year wait once they have a slot. These four slots do not include relative adoptions and the waiting child program. Relative adoptions, in which a child in the Philippines under age 14 is adopted by a foreign relative, are in high demand. ICAB recently established a policy that relative adoptions must go through a licensed agency, and HIC is the only one in Hawaii. The waiting child program is unlimited. Children on this list tend to be older (over 73 months) and in sibling groups or younger children with special needs.
In 2010,HIC placed 10 children from the Philippines with local families. Since then, they average 5 placements per year. The Kidd Family is one such success story; they worked with HIC and adopted their daughter Elyana. (Seecover story, “Motherhood: A Lesson of Love and Life.” Despite the global drop in inter-country adoptions, it doesn’t look like these adoptions in the Philippines will stop anytime soon. Altwies notes, “Many don’t know this, but another reason [why people choose to adopt from the Philippines] is that the Philippines has one of the most stable and long-term inter-country adoption programs.” Paola Rodelas is a graduate of UC San Diego, and majored in Visual Arts and Ethnic Studies. She has worked for public relations firms and the health care industry since graduating from college in 2010. A passionate volunteer, Paola is the founder of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network-Hawaii. A prolific writer, she was a regular contributor to BakitWhy.com and is happy to write for the Courier. Paola is currently a Communications Specialist at UNITE HERE Local 5.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 5
By ANTONIA AGBANNAWAG
The Gift of Motherhood Nothing stands between the love of a mother and her child. For one woman, this maternal instinct was so strong that it took her across the ocean to fulfill.
Vilma and her son Evan enjoying the beauty of nature
When I Grow Up… In their youthful bliss, many young girls play with baby dolls, pretending to be their mothers and hoping in their hearts that one day they will grow up to be mommies, too. Vilma Atiburcio always looked up to the matriarchs of her family during her childhood, which she spent in the plantation village of Kunia. Her mother and grandmother were both present as she grew up and helped nurture her to be the magnanimous woman she is today. The positive light and love these women radiated was so strong that Vilma asserts with a bright tone, “I never doubted that I was going to be a mom.” Journey After ten years of a happy marriage to her husband Guy, the couple decided it was time to grow their family. Vilma had been waiting her whole life to step into the role of motherhood, but a bout of ovarian cancer during her younger days threatened this dream from coming to light. However, Vilma is a woman with so much love to give that she did not let the fact that she could not bear her own children get in the way of her longing desire to become a mom. The couple had been to fertility doctors; they knew all their options. They were exploring the idea of adoption, but it was not until a fateful Rotary trip to the Philippines when Vilma came to a pivotal decision. Inspired by a friend’s
wisdom, Vilma determined that she would adopt a child from the Philippines. As one might imagine, the adoption process is complex, so an international exchange presents a whole host of extensive procedures. Three years of waiting and working with family and child services; eight months of paperwork, home assessments, and more waiting; and at the end, a one-week stay in the Philippines. In December 2010, Vilma finally brought her son Evan home for the first time.
well.” Together, they have formed a group-adoption ohana in which the children will always feel connected to and supported by one another as they grow older. Finally, Vilma shares, “To anybody who is interested in adopting, I would really encourage it. It is an emotional rollercoaster when you’re going through the process, but when you finally get paired with a child, it's the most incredible experience… especially when they call you ‘mom’ for the first time.”
My Son “He’s a gift,” Vilma pronounces glowingly. One can really sense the warmth Vilma exudes when she speaks of her son, who will be starting kindergarten this August. “They grow up so fast!” she exclaims. For her, the most rewarding aspect of being Evan’s mom is watching him grow and mature. She prays that one day her son will set out in the world to make a difference. Having a child was a lifelong dream for Vilma, and now she professes that motherhood is more than what she had ever imagined. With Evan’s adoption, the Atiburcio’s expanded their family in more ways than one. Vilma explains, “We are open with him that he is adopted, and we are fortunate to have good friends who have gone through this process as
Antonia is a recent graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a proud member of her Neighborhood Board. Antonia is the co-founder of the advocacy organization Student Network for Action and Progress. Her educational experience has been enriched by an internship in the Office of the Governor and her assistance with the Presidential Center Initiative.
Evan on his first day in Honolulu.
The Atiburcio family
Evan’s extended Ohana.
PAGE 6 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
By ERIZA BARENG
As Lorna Kidd leafs through the brightly colored photographs of her fouryear-old daughter Elyana, her smile radiates with happiness and her eyes begin to shed tears of joy. She is supposed to pick a few photos for display in her office, but with so many beautiful ones to choose from, this task may just prove to be a difficult one. It does not take very much to recognize just how much Lorna loves her adopted daughter from the Philippines. The petite and exuberant certified public accountant has always known of her passion for parenting. However, her path to finding maternal bliss was filled with roadblocks. She and her husband, Santos Kidd, tried various forms of fertility treatments before deciding to go through the process of international adoption. “The idea of a family was elusive for many years, and infertility sent us on a loop emotionally and physically. We had used up so much energy trying to have a baby. Adoption was always an option in the back of our minds and it was the right choice for our family,” says Kidd. The couple—high school sweethearts who have been
Lorna and Ely; photo taken when Ely was picked up by her new parents in the Philippines.
Meeting Minnie Mouse for the first time.
Motherhood: A Lesson of Love and Life
together for 28 years— worked with a local agency, Hawaii International Child (HIC), that facilitates adoption between various countries. When they were matched with one-year-old Elyana, they received the first photographs of their future daughter. Lorna and Santos “stared at Elyana’s pictures for months.” Lorna recounts her emotions as
she waited to meet Elyana, “There aren’t sufficient words to describe the immediate and pure love we felt for this child. Even though we didn’t know her, yet, we felt an immediate connection.” Lorna and Santos adopted the very cheerful and carefree Elyana from Davao City, Philippines when she was 16 months old. When they arrived at Davao airport, Elyana was there with a sign that read, “Welcome Mommy Lorna and Daddy Santos.” At this life-changing moment, Lorna became a
Their first Christmas together.
mother and the trio became a family. “It was the first time I was called a Mommy and I had waited so long to hear that,” recalls Lorna. All the emotional and physical challenges of infertility washed away as the proud parents first met the “light of [their] lives.” With Mother’s Day around the corner, Lorna contemplates the various trials and triumphs of her personal journey as a mother. Although she expected the many changes that motherhood would bring, the unexpected
proved to be just as important. “What I didn’t expect was how much I would laugh, how much she would teach me about love and life, and how much she would adore me.” With the support of her husband, family, friends, and a close group of other adoptive families—her adoption ‘ohana—Lorna cherishes every moment with her daughter. When asked if she would do it all over again, Lorna smiles with fresh tears in her eyes. Lorna, Santos, and Elyana are anticipating a potential new addition to their family with a second adopted child. Certainly, there will be so many more Kidd family photographs and memories to bring happiness to this mother’s heart. Born and raised in the Philippines, Eriza Bareng moved to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1995. After graduating at Farrington High School, she pursued her B.A. at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. She is currently a Ph.D. student in American Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 7
Winners of KNDI Radio Mother's Day Poetry Contest Recently, KNDI held a Mother's Day Poetry Contest. They received overwhelming entries but they selected only two winners - 1st and 2nd place. Congratulations to the two winners!
Nanang No adda maysa a tao ti sangalubongan, A kapapatgan ken mapagtalkan, Awan sabali no di ni nanang Pagulidanan ken pagtuladan. Isu ti silaw ti pagtaengan, Mangibagnos ti dalan dagiti kapututan, Mangraniag ken mangidalan, Kadagiti annak tapno saan da a maiyaw awan. Adu a rigat ken sakripisyo, Ti linak-am ni nanang ko, A mangisayangkat ken nangitandudo, Kadagiti annak tapno saan da a masurot ti dalan a killo.
First Prize Winner VICTORIA TALARO 1617 Young St. #307-A Hon. HI 96826
Raemen tay ngarud ken saludduan, Ni nanang a naisangsangayan, Agdios ti agngina tayo ti mangisalakan, Ta inikkan na tayo ti nanang. Awanen ti tao a nakitak, Ti kinaimbag ken kinapintas, Kinagaget, kinaanus ken kinaalibtak, No di ni Nanang ko nga ipangpangrunak. Uray no nalap-it ti bagi na, Ken nakapsot dagiti takkiag na, Napigsa ti pakinakem na, A mangtaming kadagiti kasapulan ti pamilya. Daytoy ni nanang a pagtamdak, Idolo ken silaw ko nga agbiag, Isu ti gabay ko ken pagsarmingak, Kadagiti aramid ko ditoy a biag.
“Nanang Ko” O Nanangko ited mi ti dayaw Panagyaman iti Dios a Namarsua Ta intedna ka nga nagbalin nga Ina Kadakami nga annakmo a lima.
Second Prize Winner REBECCA N. CABANERO Nanangko saan da kanto a malipatan 1514 Dillingham Blvd.. kadagiti rigrigat mo nga inka napasaran # 306 Bayat panangpadakkel mo kadakami a bungam Hon HI 96817 Ited mi ngarud ti nalaus a panagyaman. Kas inauna nga bungam, naimatangak Nalaus a gaget, anus ken dungngom kadakami Agluto, aglaba,agplantsa ken aglako iti adda Panagservi ti familya ti inpangpangrunam aya. Pinagadal na kami uray rigat lat adda Ta ti adal napateg para kenka Inaramid mo amin a pamuspusan Pangpataudam kuarta tapno arapaap mo matungpalda. Nagasat kami ta adda kas kenka nga Ina Adu nga talugading inted ti Dios Ama Adu nga sursuro ken adal a naggapu ti Biblia Pagulidanan ken pagsarmingan mi ita. Anian a ladingit ta awan kan ita Ditoy denna mi a makitkita Arakup mo a nabara ken isemmo Il-iliwen mi kenka ita. Umanay a liwliwa kadakami a bunga Adda kam ita iti sidong ti Dios Ama Awanen ti sakit ng inka marikna Ta puro a ragsak ken natalinaay a rikna Nanangko ay-ayaten da ka unay unay Dios unay ti agngina ti kadakkelan a tawid mi kenka Adal ken sursuro nga saan to a matakaw ken mapukaw Gameng nga agnanayon awan inggana. Itan ta nagbalinakon nga maysa nga Ina Ipakat kot naadal ko kenka Dawatek ti tulong ken pannarabay ti Namarsua Iti anakko a dungdungoek a maymaysa. Dakay ngarud nga an-annak ita Dayawen da Ama ken Ina Tapno manayon ti biagyo ditoy rabaw ti daga Kas nailanad itri Nasantoan a Biblia.
PAGE 8 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
Kurtney Dulig, Queen of Samahang Ilocano, poses with her attendants at Santacruzan where she portrayed Reyna de las Virgines. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Miss Hawaii Filipina 2013 Erika Joy Ordonez was the Reyna Elena for this year and was joined by eight angels who carry letters that spelled out “Ave Maria” and her father, Larry Ordonez, who proudly supported his daughter during the procession by carrying her beautiful Reyna Elena sign. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Flores De Mayo 2014: Entertainment at the 22nd Annual Filipino Fiesta. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Imelda Gasmen and her volunteers at the Kabataang Barangay pose by a Bahay Kubo. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Sharing #Happy Filipino Optimism
“Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth because I’m happy! Clap along if you know what happiness is to you because I’m happy! Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do…”
Students from Kasama at Leeward Community College adorned these costumes at the Filipino Fiesta. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Every year, the Filipino Fiesta has been a staple event for Hawai‘i’s Filipino Community. In accordance with May being the traditional fiesta month in the Philippines, when towns celebrate with colorful festivities to ensure a successful harvest and planting season, as well as honor their patron saints,
Children and volunteers play sungka/mancala at the Kabataang Barangay (Children’s Village) tent at the Filipino Fiesta. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Olay’s Thai Food Express was one of many food vendors providing delicious food for Fiesta attendees. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Amanda Busmente (photographer), Edna Alikpala (Courier’s Statewide Community Calendar Section Writer), Radiant Cordero, and Mary Cordero (Courier’s Publisher) pose in front of the Fil-Am Courier’s booth at the Filipino Fiesta. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
many organizations join forces yearly to provide cultural, social and educational events to the community. People also travel from the neighbor islands, other states, and countries make their way to O‘ahu to join the festivities at the Fiesta. In 2013, the Fiesta was expanded to a week-long festival of Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May) with various events. This year, 2014, was no different with the Fil-Am Young Leaders Summit, HawaiiPhilippines Business and Economic Council (HPBEC), 22nd Annual Filipino Fiesta with its theme “Isang Puso, Isang Diwa,” and the traditional Santacruzan processional pageant. Both the Summit and Council served as grounds for the younger Filipino and Filipino-American groups to collaborate for our future. The Filipino Fiesta and its
theme was a testament to the resiliency and unity of the Filipinos, and the traditional Santacruzan pageant allowed the community to celebrate our past and traditions in the Philippines. With these events, the goal to provide cultural, social, and educational events to Hawai‘i and its visitors was well met. With that being so, Filipinos of all ages at the multiple activities shared one thing in common: Optimism. Walking around the Filipino Fiesta, volunteers donned shirts with the term “#Happy Filipino” on the front of the shirt. As people celebrated the festivities throughout the week, Hawai‘i’s Filipino community definitely showed the state and the world the many things in life to be happy about! Until next year…
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 9
Maribel Tan was this year’s Reyna Esperanza (Queen of Hope) for Santacruzan held at the Honolulu Municipal Grounds. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Rachel Dela Cruz, Miss KalayaanHawai‘i International, represented Reyna Caridad in the Santacruzan pageant.
Reyna De Los Estrellas was beautifully portrayed by Lydia Evangelista. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
(Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Lovely Mae Orsino, former Miss Teen North America 2008, represented Reyna Sheba during the Santacruzan pageant.
Three beautiful sisters who participated pose together as they waited for the procession to begin. LtoR: Vhanessa de Mesa as Reyna De Los Confesores, Kate De Mesa as Reyna De Los Apostoles, and Camile De Mesa as Reyna De Los Santos. (Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Natalie Jacob holds up a cloth with the face of Jesus Christ before she walked in the procession as Sta. Veronica.
(Photo: Gabe De Liso)
Volunteers at the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i’s booth at the Filipino Fiesta take a break to catch up on the latest issue of the Fil-Am Courier. (Photo: Amanda Busmente) Summit attendees, panel reactors and delegates partake in the session breakout about Philippine Arts and Culture taking center stage at the FilCom Center. (Photo: Kit Zulueta)
BaybeeHufana-Ablan, event chair for the Santacruzan processional pageant, on stage as she introduced the Santacruzan participants. (Photo: Gabe De
Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr. addressed attendees at the Fil-Am Young Leaders Summit. He mentioned that, “If Filipinos in America unite, we’d be the most influential ethnic group here.” (Photo: Steven Raga)
Ladies of the United Filipino Council of Hawai‘i ended the Santacruzan procession.
Liso)
Volunteers at the AARP booth provided games, retirement information, voter registration and absentee ballots for attendees of the Filipino Fiesta. (Photo:
Posing before the Fil-Am Young Leaders Summit: Fil-Am Courier Contributing Writer and Assistant Editor, Neighborhood Commission Office Public Relations Assistant Noelle Wright, Philippine Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr., COVO Foundation President and Fil-Am Courier Contributing Writer Jane Clement, Oahu Filipino Community Council President Jean Jeremiah, Executive Secretary of the Neighborhood Commission Office and Fil-Am Courier Contributing Writer Nicole Velasco and Philippine Deputy Consul General Roberto T. Bernardo. (Photo: Nicole Velasco)
Amanda Busmente)
Representatives from LBC were present bright and early at the 22nd Annual Filipino Fiesta. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Representatives of SM Development Corporation (SMDC) were at the Fiesta to present different ways Filipino Americans can either invest or also reside in the Philippines. (Photo: Amanda Busmente)
Rachelle Ocampo, Fil-Am Young Leaders Program delegate from New York, spearheaded a breakout session called “Education as the key to uniting the Filipino diaspora” at the Fil-Am Young Leaders Summit held at the FilCom Center. (Photo: Nicole Velasco)
PAGE 10 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
THE MAYA STORY:
By DEBRA AGOO
Principal Elson Ibanez couldn’t hold back his tears as he surveyed the destruction of his school in Barangay Maya in Northern Cebu. The day before, 195 mph winds had ripped through Maya Elementary, causing three classroom buildings to collapse. Only seven of the school’s 25 classrooms remained standing with their roofs torn off by the raging winds. Debris was strewn across the grounds.
HOW DO YOU SAY ALOHA IN FOUR LANGUAGES? Across the street, the roof of the Maya Cultural Center was gone, its steel trusses mangled, proof of the wind’s strength. The acacia trees fronting the school were still standing but were stripped bare and badly gouged by flying debris. “Habang may buhay, maypag-asa,” says a Filipino proverb: As long as there is still life, there still lies hope. With various relief efforts that arrived soon
Left to right: Debra Agoo, Fe Castillo-Dumlao, Brandon Cheseboro, Val Mencias, NainoaHeaston, Kina Ranoa, Mia Arceo, and Jessica Yaple.
thereafter, Maya Elementary, just like the acacia trees fronting the school that are sprouting leaves, is coming back to life. “We are forever grateful to the work campers,” said Ibanez, referring to the 2014 YMCA-Rotary Work Camp, which targeted the school for this year’s project. In March, 75 participants from the Honolulu, Cebu, Hiroshima and Seoul YMCAs and the Honolulu and Talisay Rotary arrived to helprestore and rebuild the campus. They were joined by students from Hawai‘i Pacific University and others who simply wanted to help. This was the largest group to participate in the annual relief project which is financially supported by the Rotary Club of Honolulu and the Nan Foundation, through businessman Patrick Shin. The prospect of cleaning up the school and rebuilding was daunting for Ibanez and his staff, including 26 teachers, who were focused on reopening the school and resuming classes for their 1,100 students in grades kindergarten to sixth grade. Students were allowed back on campus on Nov. 18, 10 days after the typhoon hit but did not stay the entire day. Classes were held
Monday through Saturday, mornings for grades kindergarten through third and afternoons for grades four through sixth because there were not enough classrooms to accommodate the student population. Four months after the typhoon, rusting sheets of galvanized iron, rebar, lumber with nails protruding and rubble were still piled up across the school grounds where slipper-clad students walked and played. Work campers cleared the piles and hauled the galvanized iron sheets and lumber off campus to be recycled or trashed. They demolished building foundations and concrete planters. One group manually mixed cement to construct an outdoor stage
and platform for an outdoor courtyard. Overgrown gardens, shards of glass, broken bottles and nails that littered the grounds were cleared. The volunteers dodged colonies of red biting ants, mice, centipedes and pesky mosquitoes. Foreign workers utilized a newly built classroom as temporary sleeping quarters after they repainted and plastered it. When they weren’t in class, students joined assembly lines to haul rocks and coral sand to a nearby clearing that would become an outdoor courtyard. While they worked hard during the day, workers were able to bond with their foreign colleagues, the teachers and students at dinner and during live
Work, work, work.
The schoolchildren of Maya Elementary School.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 11
Participants to the mission included volunteers from Hiroshima (Japan), Honolulu, (Hawai‘i) and Seoul (Korea).
entertainment and dancing afterward. “It was life-changing,” said Brandon Chesebro, 23, an after-school site director at the Mililani YMCA who made close friends with fellow work campers from Honolulu, Japan and Korea and continues to connect with them on Facebook. Chesebro and other work campers said that they were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic welcome they received in Maya. Hundreds of smiling school children waved Hawaiian, Japanese and Korean flags greeted volunteers. Teachers, parents and a marching band came out to welcome them when they arrived. Throughout the work camp, the children milled around the workers, laughing and jumping in to help. The teachers and Ibanez expressed their gratitude to the work campers at every opportunity. And when it was time for the work campers to leave, they hugged and cried along with the children and teachers who lined the roadway to see them off. “For a community that had so little, they gave so much from their hearts,” Chesebro said. Jeff Guira, 35, a web designer from Waipahu, said he went on the trip expecting to help rebuild the school, but ended up on the receiving end. “I went there thinking I was going to bring about change for these people, but they’re the ones that changed us,” said Guira. Honolulu’s participation began with a friendship that was forged 47 years ago
between Don Anderson, former CEO of the YMCA of Honolulu from 1989 to 2004 and Cris Caparoso, executive director of Cebu YMCA. In 1989, the Honolulu, Cebu and Hiroshima YMCAs formed a partnership that led to their first young adult camp, helping victims in the 1991 flood in Ormoc, Leyte that killed 8,000 people. Since 1993 and until 2001, the partnership’s humanitarian outreach projects included building homes for flood victims and making improvements to rural schools. Following the SARS epidemic, post 9/11 and the first Gulf War, the projects in the Philippines resumed in 2003 with a joint effort by the Honolulu Rotary and the Honolulu YMCA. The work expanded to include building a social services facility and shelter for street children. Beginning in 2006, the Honolulu Rotary assumed leadership and financial support of the projects with support from the Nan Foundation. As the projects became larger, they also attracted the support of the Consuelo Foundation. Projects that followed ranged from a dormitory for deaf children in Bohol to homes for mud slide victims in Southern Leyte. “Restoring and rebuilding Maya not only gave hope to the school and the community, it also brought four countries together,” Anderson said. “Each of us grew as people and know our place on this planet better than we did before.” During the work camp, 300 reading glasses
courtesy of the Rotary Club of Talisay and Y’s Men’s Club were handed out to Maya residents who needed them. Dentists from the Mobile Dental Clinic also set up shop on campus and provided services to nearly 300 patients, including 58 sets of dentures, free of charge. Students also received t-shirts and toothbrushes from the Hiroshima YMCA. Anderson, 73, still tears up when he talks about the first work camp in 1993 at Ormoc, Leyte where the Honolulu, Cebu and Hiroshima YMCAs worked together to build 30 homes for victims of the 1991 landslide. Looking across the ocean where half a century before, the historic battle of Leyte that killed thousands of U.S., Filipino and Japanese occurred, “it was a powerful moment,” Anderson said.
Debra Barayuga Agoo was a staff writer for the Honolulu StarBulletin for 15 years. She left the news business at the end of 2007 to become a full-time mom and wellness coach with Herbalife. Currently, she is affiliated with the Mililani YMCA’s youth program as its Youth Department Coordinator. Agoo received her Journalism degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1992 with a scholarship from the Philippine Cultural Foundation of Hawaii. She and her husband, Johnny are blessed with a son, Jase (15) and daughter, Joie (12) and their family lives in Mililani.
PAGE 12 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
Congressional Gold Medal Award Sought for Filipino World II Veterans Washington, D.C. – A nationwide campaign has been launched to press the U.S. Congress to issue a national proclamation and award the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino World War II veterans in recognition of their wartime service to the United States from July 1941 to December 1946. A bill to award the medal, H.R. 111, has been introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), with more than 56 sponsors. In proposing this measure, Hanabusa said the United States “remains forever indebted to the bravery, valor, and dedication to country” displayed by the veterans. “There has never been a formal declaration to recognize Filipino American soldiers for their sacrifice and loyal service during World War II,” says U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret.), who is leading the Filipino American World War II Soldiers Recognition Project. “They fought bravely alongside American soldiers to resist Japanese aggression, engaged in guerilla warfare and provided intelligence to U.S. forces that was critical in ultimately winning the war. It’s about time we say ‘thank you’ and honor them for their exemplary record of selfless sacrifice and love of country.” Taguba notes that other groups have been recognized with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the United States. They include the Japanese American Nisei soldiers, Navajo Code Talkers, Montford Marines, Tuskegee Airmen, and Women Air Service Pilots (WASP). “Filipino American World War II soldiers are
and associate professor of American studies states further that “Fostering a deeper understanding of the role of Filipino soldiers and their WWII service to the United States is a worthy endeavor and highlights the efforts of a group that is too often overlooked, even by scholars in the field.” Also assisting in the research program is UM Professor Colleen Wood, a scholar in post war Philippine studies.
The Philippine Commonwealth Army was called into active service for the United States on July 26, 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. (File Photo: National Archives of the Philippines)
equally deserving of this award because they fought valiantly under the American flag,” Taguba adds. “But the Rescission Acts of 1946 deprived them of all nonservice-connected veterans’ benefits and changed the status of Filipino Veterans almost immediately upon conclusion of the War.” Community activists have lobbied in the last 40 years for veterans equity benefits in an effort to restore their rights as American veterans. In 2009, Congress established the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund. It provided eligible veterans who are U.S. citizens with a one-time payment of $15,000. Eligible veterans who are not U.S. citizens received a one-time payment of $9,000. Ben de Guzman, a member of the project’s core group and national coordinator of the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE), explains that the Gold Medal Award is totally separate from the FVEC.
“This Project’s immediate work to secure the Congressional Gold Medal is distinct from the important work happening separately to address the claims for the Filipino WWII Veterans Equity Compensation Fund (FVEC),” de Guzman said. “There is ongoing work already happening in our communities to engage the FVEC process, with more than 18,000 veterans having already received payments and about 4,000 more appealing their denied claims. This Project carves out a separate and particular focus to secure the Congressional Gold Medal for our veterans and preserve their lasting legacy to pass onto the next generation.” PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. In addition to the proclamation and Gold Medal Award, the Project also plans to raise national awareness and public information on the veterans’ wartime service. This will be undertaken through a national exhibition of the Congressional Gold Medal, which will be toured across the nation, and an educational program for use in secondary and elementary schools. “We have sounded out the Smithsonian Institution with a request to co-
sponsor this phase of the project,” Taguba said. To this end, project organizers have been working closely with the University of Maryland (UM) at College Park to conduct academic and historical research. “Our goal here is to provide proof the Filipino American World War II soldiers fought the Japanese Imperial Forces, and set the conditions for U.S. and Allied Forces to liberate the Philippines in October 1944,” Taguba points out. Adds University of Maryland History Professor Jon T. Sumida: “The Filipino resistance to Japanese occupation during the Second World War, although an important contributor to the American victory in the Pacific conflict, is a story unfamiliar to the general public. On-going and forthcoming scholarly investigation of this underexplored and significant subject by faculty and students of the History Department of the University of Maryland, College Park is intended to expand public awareness of the Filipino experience of occupation and liberation especially with respect to the service of the veterans of the guerrilla campaign.” Janelle S. Wong, Director of UM’s Asian American Studies Program
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. “We are calling on all local and national communities and veterans service organizations to be actively involved,” says Marie Blanco, former Chief of Staff to the late U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, and a member of the Project. “Their strong and unified engagement, in seeking additional cosponsors and advocating for consideration and passage of H.R. 111, is crucial to getting this measure signed into law.” Organizations that have endorsed the Project include the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater (CUFOT) Virginia, the Bay Area’s FilAm Veterans History Project,.Florida Veterans Foundation, National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE), Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, Veterans Equity Center of San Francisco, VFW and Filipino History Society of Hawaii. Veterans advocates from Seattle, WA., Houston, TX; Chicago, ILL; Las Vegas, NV. have also indicated their support. Organizers of the Filipino American World War II Soldiers Recognition Project are planning to hold a national summit in June to formally launch a national coalition and mobilize grassroots support for congressional action and other activities related to the project.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 13
IMPROVED DEFENSE COOPERATION WITH AMERICA By PERFECTO R. YASAY, JR.
On August 30, 1951, the Philippines and the United States entered into a Mutual Defense Treaty where both sides committed to act in unity and common determination against armed attacks on any of the island territories, public vessels or aircraft of the parties in the Pacific Area. When the MDT wa s signed, the Korean War had already started a year earlier when forces north of the 38th parallel, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded the south on June 25, 1950. Seen in this light, the treaty was a response to the imminent threat of Communist expansion that wa s emerging at an alarming pace in Southeast Asia. The increasing attacks of South Vietnam by guerillas from the North called Vietcongs further fueled the speculation that the fall of South Vietnam would result in other neighboring nations following suit under the socalled “domino theory”. For this reason the United States justified its intervention in wars of national liberation encouraged b y MaoistLeninist elements in various parts of the globe where American interests were at stake. The Philippines was no exception to the burgeoning communist inspired revolts. While the treaty had a separate life and purpose, it supplemented the 1947 Military Bases Agreement that allowed the U.S. to maintain and operate permanent installations for its combat troops, navy and air force that were extensively used during the Vietnam War. Ironically, it was the presence of these bases that made the Philippines a likely target of external attacks. And yet it gave the Filipinos the assurance of quick U.S. retaliation under the terms of the MDT. Influenced by the growing anti-U.S.
sentiment that marked the prevailing nationalistic fervor during the Marcos era, the Philippine Senate rejected the renewal of the MBA on September 16, 1991. Rightly or wrongly these military bases were seen as the mainstay of martial law that propped up a dictatorship, which had to be completely dismantled. But for some considerable period, both MBA and MDT served as the principal basis for the Philippines to rely on the U.S. in repelling foreign aggression. After the withdrawal of the U.S. bases, China began intruding into the expanse of the South China Sea and re-charted its borders under a 9-dash line map. It pushed the Philippines out of territories it had long occupied and from its 200mile exclusive economic zone. This renewed expansionist policy of China prompted the United States to rebalance its diplomatic, economic and military influence in Asia through a strategic shift of interests from Europe and the Middle East. As a result, the U.S. and the Philippines began fresh negotiations towards broadening their commitment for reciprocal defense under the MDT in order to effectively address new challenges posed by China’s aggressive provocations. The product of these discussions that was timed to coincide with the recent state visit of President Barack Obama to America’s only former colony in Asia is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed on April 28, 2014. EDCA is classified as an Executive Agreement within the purview of the MDT. Its salient provisions include increased provisional deployment of combat personnel, warships and aircrafts within the Philippines against external armed assaults, but prohibiting their operation in addressing internal insurgencies.
The establishment of permanent U.S. bases and entry of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear arms is forbidden. Under the agreement U.S. forces have access to various military camps in the country. They may construct and use facilities lik e housing, hangars and other improvements in these sites, free of rent that will be owned and managed by Philippine authorities. Other equipments and technical assistance are made readily a vailable for swift relief services in the event of disasters. The U.S. will also assist in developing the short term defense capabilities and long term modernization of the Philippine Armed forces including combined security exercises and training. Speaking before both American and Filipino soldiers in Fort Bonifacio in Metro Manila, President Obama stressed that EDCA is a “reaffirmation of the enduring alliance between two nations bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty for more than 60 y ears.” Reiterating the predicate of the 1951 Treaty, he declared firmly that “no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone.” He capped his brief remarks by assuring that “our commitment to defend the Philippines against external armed attacks is ironclad.” Whether the U.S. will actually engage in another war to defend the Philippines under the terms of MDT and EDCA will also depend on Beijing’s understanding and reaction to Washington’s intentions and constraints. America ma y ha ve undisclosed reasons for entering into this new accord in line with its pivot to Asia, but for the Philippines its enhanced defense cooperation with the world’s superpower serv es as a formidable deterrent to China’s intimidations. The agreement covers a period of only 10 years, but this should give us enough time and opportunit y to establish an independent and credible defensive military capabilit y without compromising the urgent need for measures to reverse our rising tide of inequalities,
President Barack Obama said a 10-year agreement signed on April 28 to give the US military greater access to Philippine bases will help promote peace and stability in the region and that he hopes China's dominant power will allow its neighbours to prosper on their own terms.
social unrest and other internal threats to national security and to promote a steady and balanced economic growth. However, we must never lose sight of the fact that in order to achiev e our paramount national goals we cannot relent in our war against corruption and incompetence, which has been at the core of our government’s failures and dysfunction.
After successfully practicing law in the Philippines and the United States, “Jun” serv ed as Chairman of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission under President Fidel V. Ramos. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Christian University in Manila, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Filipino Community Center. Yasay, along with his wife Cecile and daughter Stephanie, is a resident of Honolulu.
PAGE 14 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
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By HANNAH TAVARES
Courses in educational foundations take a broad look at education. Whereas other education courses in the departments of education focus directly on teacher education or preparing K-12 school professionals, the approach of foundations to the study of education is broader than the classroom setting extending to the larger community. Students study education apart from certification and learn about the “ideas and debates that have shaped educational practice.” Because an educational foundations curriculum is more aligned with the aims and courses found in the liberal arts or liberal study, its primary mission is not predominantly concerned with giving students knowledge or practice that has direct application to the classroom. Rather, the goal is the pursuit of ideas, learning to ask good questions, and engaging in provocative debates. Significantly the primary purpose of foundations is “to influence thinking and concept formation.”
Relevance of Educational Foundations Although some might find this purpose unimportant, it allows for the “critique of established ideas and the unexpected construction of improved conceptual frameworks for thinking about experience anew.” With this understanding of education and its purpose, I would like to share my experience working with a Hilo community-based organization (CBO) AtingBahay and the relevance of foundations to a broader setting and audience. The CBO was organized by a group of women as a community-based response to the catastrophic event of the murder of Katherine Dingle in May 31, 2010. The domestic violence tragedy catalyzed the development of AtingBahay and building a Filipino response to domestic violence. After a series of events organized by AtingBahay that included an Open Forum for community members in February 2011, and the first Filipino Domestic Violence Conference in October 2011, I was invited in October 2012 to meet the
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members to possibly help organize a conference in 2013 and be its guest speaker. The theme of the conference articulated by the group was around the concept of historical trauma. The aim was to examine the collective experience of the Pacific Island peoples and to create new narratives and to highlight resilience. I met with the group to offer my research skills, knowledge, methods, and other related research assistance. A central part of the work I did with the group was conceptual formation throughout the planning stages. I provided research literature synthesis on historical trauma and shared with the group my work on cultural memory through the use of family photographs as strategies of remembrance and for revealing broader historical and cultural knowledge for our youth, our communities, and our selves. The group was taken by the idea of memory work and presented life-size pictures of their families to explore connections between traumatic events and their material and psychosocial impacts on the present. The lesson I learned from this experience is that foundations work is not only significant to teacher preparation but to nonprofit organizations in our communities with a mission that includes the education of individuals or groups at any level of education or contexts of learning. Hannah Tavares is a faculty member in the Department of Educational Foundations at UH Manoa. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies and Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research undertakes the practical implications of contemporary philosophies and social theories of education
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 15
By ANGIE SANTIAGO
Many people think of the homeless during Thanksgiving and Christmas season. But for some, it is a yearround commitment – rain or shine, holiday or not, the homeless still need sustenance. Members of organizations such as the Oahu Filipino Community Council (OFCC) and its various unit groups volunteer an hour of their time each month at the Institute for Human Services (IHS). OFCC members serve meals at two service centers: to the women and children shelter at the Ka‘a‘ahi Street location and to single men at the Sumner Street location. At the men’s location, volunteers prepare plates and serve hot meals to over 250 homeless individuals while other volunteers serve 100 meals at the women and children location on the last Monday of each month.
Eddie Agas, Angie Santiago (co-chairperson), Jaime Alimboyoguen (VAH), Aven Santiago (BCAH), Art Abinsay (VAH), Amado Yoro (Chairperson), Nelia Abinsay-Alimboyoguen (VAH), and Wilma Abinsay-Luangphinith (VAH).
OFCC Volunteers Serve Meals Year-Round to the Homeless at IHS The project was first introduced by OFCC’s past presidents Danny Villaruz, Jun Abinsay and Amado Yoro as the result of a resolution adopted in June 2010 at the United Filipino Council of Hawai‘i (UFCH) Convention in Maui during Eddie Agas Sr.’s last term as UFCH president. The project has now grown to involve over 60
At the Women and Children Location - Analyn Osalvo (MAH), Armi Farinas (OFCC Auditor/MAH), and Angie Santiago.
Front Row: Eleanor Bru (OFCC Asst. Secretary), Jesse Pascual (OFCC Board of Director), Jenny Quezon (UFCH President), Rose Sabangan (Cabugao/ISAH), Teresita Aganon (President of VAH), and Lory Lee. Back Row: Al Sabangan (Cabugao/ISAH/co-chairperson), Eddie Agas (CCOPP/International Filipino Society), Rev. Alex Vergara (OFCC Board of Director/CVAH), Jennifer Chang (BCAH), and Conrad Abuel (OFCC Board of Director/BCAH).
Front Row: Aurea Agas, Angie Santiago (OFCC 1st Vice President/ BCAH), Jean Jeremiah (OFCC President), Amado Yoro (Special Projects Chairperson/CCOPP/ISAH), and Art Abinsay (VAH). Back Row: Eddie Agas (CCOPP/International Filipino Society) and Danny Villaruz (CCOPP/Santa/ISAH).
volunteers from over a dozen unit organizations. The OFCC’s chairperson for this community service project is Amado Yoro, who has been involved in feeding the homeless volunteer work since 1971, a service he did with the Lions Clubs and Divine Word College Alumni. Co-chairpersons for this project are: Art
Stack of paper plates to serve the meals for the homeless.
Rose Sabangan (Cabugao/ISAH), Cora Salvador (VAH), Agnes Malate (Fil-Am Citizen’s League), Erlinda Ferrer (PNAH), and Charlene Cuaresma (Fil-Am Citizen’s League).
Abinsay, Jesse Pascual, Al Sabangan and Angie Santiago. The Coordinator for the Women and Families with Children location is OFCC’s Auditor Armi Farinas. For information on volunteering, donating, and/or sponsoring fundraising drives for the Institute for Human Services, please go to the IHS website -- www. ihshawaii.org -- or contact IHS directly at 447-2810 or info@ihs-hawaii.org.
Angie Dytioco Santiago, our Gathering Place columnist, is a U.H. Manoa graduate. Employed by the City & County of Honolulu since 1986, Angie is currently a HR Specialist IV with the Equal Opportunity Office. Angie is presently the First Vice President of the Oahu Filipino Community Council (OFCC). The daughter of Angel & Rubing Dytioco, Angie served as the president of the Bulacan Circle & Associates of Hawaii (BCAH) from 2010 to 2012. She is married with two sons and enjoys photography and participating in cultural activities and events.
PAGE 16 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
By DR. CHRISTOPHER TORTORA, M.D. Medical Director of Hawaiian Eye Center
Summertime is just around the corner, and people will spend even more time outside doing the many activities Hawaii has to offer. More time outside means more exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light, which can damage the eyes just as it damages the skin. May is designated Healthy Vision and UV Safety Month by the American Academy of Ophthalmology to remind people that UV rays can severely affect the eyes. UV damage to the eyes tends to go unnoticed but accumulates over time, causing serious vision-re-
lated diseases. UV radiation from sunlight can burn the surface of the eyes directly or indirectly from reflections off the sand, water and pavement. Exposure to the sun is hazardous anytime of the day — even in overcast conditions — with UV radiation most severe from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. UV exposure can lead to
cataracts, macular degeneration, skin cancer around the eyes, and pterygium — an unsightly, noncancerous growth on the surface of the eye that can impair vision. Nearly 24.5 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataracts, according to the National Eye Institute. Almost 115,000 people in Hawaii alone suf-
fer from the disease. Wearing sunglasses is the best way to prevent eye damage from the sun. No matter the style or cost, choose sunglasses with labels that state “100% protection” or “UV 400.” Wraparound sunglasses that extend around the temples and a hat will add further protection from indirect sunlight. Eye care professionals highly recommend that everyone — from children to adults — wear sunglasses year-round whenever they go outside. Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays this summer is as simple as throwing on a pair of sunglasses and a hat.
Dr. Christopher Tortora, a board certified ophthalmologist, is host of “The Hawaiian Eye Show,” a weekly informational radio program about healthy vision broadcast live every Saturday at 8 a.m. on KHVH 830 AM/rebroadcast at 9 p.m. on KHBZ 990 AM. He and his colleagues at the Hawaiian Eye Center are committed to educating the public about the importance of preventative eye care. To learn more about a variety of eye health issues, please call the Hawaiian Eye Center at 6218448 or visit www.HawaiianEye.com and www.Facebook.com/ HawaiianEyeCenter, where “life has never looked better.”
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THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 17
By JANE CLEMENT (Kona, Hawaii)
Consul General Julius D. Torres spent his last official trip as Head of Post of the Philippine Consulate General, Honolulu in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. He led a team of seven consular staff to conduct a twoday mobile consular mission in Kona from April 19 to 20, 2014. The team was greeted with a long line of people at the West Hawaii Civic Center on the first day of the consular mission. People as far as Puna, Hilo and Waimea came to take advantage of the opportunity to access passport, documentation, and citizenship reacquisition services without having to fly to Honolulu. In total, the team was able to provide 269 consular services during the two-
Consul General Torres, wife Dr. Milali Torres, Kona Visayan Club President Jane Clement with husband Erik and son Isaac.
Hawaii County Managing Director Wally Lau presents Consul General Torres with a gift.
A fond farewell and aloha for Consul General Julius D. Torres day outreach program, which included applications for ePassport, notarials, authentication, civil registries, and dual citizenship. The Kona Visayan Club, led by this contributor, organized a farewell reception for Consul General Torres and his wife Dr. Milali T. Torres in the evening of April 15. Hawaii County Managing Director Wally Lau, on behalf of Mayor Billy
People patiently waiting in line for their turn to get services.
Kenoi, Councilman Dru Kanuha, and Filipino community members were in attendance during the reception to convey their appreciation for the leadership and vision of the Consul General during his tour of duty in Honolulu, and to bid Dr. and Mrs. Torres their warmest Mahalo and Aloha. The Big Island Filipino community wishes Consul General Torres the best of
luck as he returns to our homeland the Philippines and awaits his next post assignment. We thank the outreach team from the Philippine Consulate for continuing to deliver services to Filipinos living in the neighbor islands. We look forward to welcoming our new Consul General when he or she arrives in our islands.
Our Big Island columnist Jane Caballero Clement is also the President of the Congress of Visayan Organizations and the President of the Kona Visayan Club. She works as a Legislative Assistant to Councilman Dru Kanuha. In addition to her volunteer activities, Jane finds time to host a Filipino television show on the local cable channel.
PAGE 18 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014
By MILETTE B. OLIVEROS, M.D.
To circumcise or not to circumcise? This is a question every parent with a baby boy faces as soon as that bundle of joy is delivered. The answer is easy if the procedure is viewed as a must. “Dad is circumcised therefore son should be like his father” “Everyone in Hawaii is circumcised. I don’t want him to be different from other boys especially when he’s in the locker room.” “My religion requires all males to be circumcised.” There are so many other reasons why we culturally need to have it done. As a physician I am obligated to give parents an informed consent. Before they sign the form, I have to provide them with current medical informationon the risks and benefits of a circumcision. Circumcision has always been a hotly debated topic in the medical world. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2012 released this policy statement: “health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the procedure’s benefits justify access to this procedure for families who choose it”. The benefits mentioned were prevention of urinary tract infection, reduction in penile cancer and decrease
Tuli or Not Tuli: That is the Question in transmission of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. It was also stated that these health benefits were not significant enough to warrant circumcision in all males. The release resulted in a negative barrage of statements from the anticircumcision community. The negative arguments against circumcision include the biological nature of foreskin. It is a mammalian trait, albeit with minimal function, that its removalis akin to amputation of the little finger. It contains specialized nerve endings that can enhance the sexual experience. During intercourse, it provides a pleasurable linear gliding action.Circumcision may be seen as a violation of human rights in that the baby was not given a choice. With talking to parents, I inform them that it is a painful procedure which can have awfulcomplications including psychological trauma, severance of the glans or the whole penis, poor cosmetic result, excessive bleeding, infection and, even death. Circumcision has been documented, as early as 1609, in Sucesos de la Islas Filipina (Events in the Philippines Isles). Antonio de Morga, a lawyer who was a high-ranking official during the early period of
Circumcision or in Tagalog, “tuli,” is currently a ceremonial event for adolescent boys during summer, a rite of passage into manhood. With the old barbaric “pukpok”method, the young boy is instructed to chew guava leaves before the procedure.
Spanish colonialism, published it. Removal of foreskin, as mentioned in the book, occurred even before the Spaniards arrived. It was introduced by Muslim tradersfrom Borneo who eventually settled in the islands. Circumcision or in Tagalog, “tuli,” is currently a ceremonial event for adolescent boys during summer, a rite of passage into manhood. With the old barbaric “pukpok”method, the young boy is instructed to chew guava leaves before the procedure. The circumciser would then pull the foreskin down and chop it off swiftlywith a sharp knife. The boy would hurriedly jump into a nearby cold river to numb
the pain and wash off the blood. He would then apply the masticated leaves on the wound as a disinfectant (guava leaves are alkaline and have anti-bacterial properties). Fortunately, nowadays, medical personnel with local anesthesia, antiseptics and sterile instruments perform circumcisions. As a medical student in the Philippines, I would spend my summersby attending and eventually organizing outreach tulian clinics all over Luzon. The most common circumcision method performed was the dorsal slit. A single incision is made from the sulcus to tip of the foreskin .The flaps are then turned over and sutured to expose the glans.
With so much information at our fingertips, making medical decisions seems so much more daunting. But with the help of your trusted doctor, you can use Internet knowledge to weigh risks and benefits and make an informed choice. As you gaze into the eyes of your newborn baby boy, decide what you believe would be best for him.
Dr. Milette Oliveros is a Board-Certified neonatologist at Kapiolani Medical Center. She is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and did her residency and fellowship training at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System in Chicago.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MAY 16-31, 2014 • PAGE 19
Andy and Susan Noma of Daly City, California vacationed in Hawai‘i with their children, DJ and Angela.
Fermin and Luida Susa celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on March 16, 2014 at the Hale Koa Hotel. Many of their guests traveled from the mainland and the Philippines to witness the beautiful celebration of love. Guests enjoyed delicious food and entertainment throughout the night. Congratulations Fermin and Luida!
May Von was presented the “Superstar” certificate by Sylvia Ching for her exemplary service and participation as a loyal member of the Daughters of the Nile.
Sonny and Ani Sano of California visited Hawai‘i for the first time. They happily enjoyed the Aloha Spirit and beauty of our island. Sonny and Ani will definitely return for more sightseeing.
Marie Lowman, Dorothy Mau, Rica Suzuki, RexieEscasa, and Miriam Fortuna posing as they prepare for a meeting.
Barbara Kwock and May Von served as the receptionists for a fundraiser at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Eileen Skinner was recently installed as the Queen of the Egyptian Temple No. 33 for Daughters of the Nile. Pictured with her are her elective officers: Barbara Smith, Beverly Mau, Dorothy Mau, Eileen Skinner, Blossom Mau, and Rica Suzuki.
Flanked between her two beautiful daughters, Veronica and Nissa, ShenneDeGuzman Vestal celebrated her time with her daughters since they will soon be moving to the mainland. We wish Veronica and Nissa the best of luck.
Lori Shimko is a rising Financial Professional for the Freedom Equity Group. Pictured with her at the Ohana Financial Services – Vargas Team’s recognition night is Nestor Muyot.
Pastor Sonny Ona of World Health International Hawai‘i and his daughter, Hannah Davis, celebrated Hannah’s son, Caleb’s birthday. Hannah is married to Kyle Davis.
A birthday celebration was held for Andrea Aguada at the residence of Dani and Elchy Lopez in Royal Summit. Seated: Andrea Aguada, Cora Lastimosa. Standing: Eleanor Thommes, Meldy, Willie Michaels, and Merlina Ancheta. Happy birthday, Andrea!