Privilege

By FRANCINE m AIgu E

This week, the word “privilege” came up in countless conversations. Topics ranged from education to awards, citizenship to public assistance. Privilege. I heard it used and misused so much that I began to wince each time I heard the word.

Rancid were the layers of judgment that worked to tarnish the best intentions of leaders, volunteers, neighbors—folks fueled by compassion and an understanding of “the bigger picture,” people who work much and sleep very little in the pursuit of progress and equity for our community, people keen to the potential of a domino effect of good.

Can privilege be temporary?

Is privilege subjective? If an opportunity is afforded to many, is it still a privilege?

Here’s just one of the heated topics discussed in our community this week…

Criticisms were published that attacked the aims of delegates from a program that immersed young, Filipino American leaders in communities in the Philippines.

The claim: Fil-Ams returning to the Philippines to assist communities in need are reminiscent of colonization.

Whoa… Colonization is a strong word. I’d hardly call the efforts of these Fil-Ams (many dual citizens) works of colonization. Last I time checked, none of these folks were trying to assert political control over their kababayan. When one is sent back to our homeland to help— one helps.

So these Fil-Ams are graduates of “top universities.” So these Fil-Ams are hailed by others as “successful.” So these Fil-Ams are branded with “honors.” So?

Is the opportunity to study at a great university a privilege? Sure… but it took hard work to get there and hard work to graduate. The very goal of these folks was to learn as much as they could, so they could go out and help others in the most effective ways possible. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Is it a privilege to be seen by others as mentors in your field? Sure… but the very core of mentorship is giving solicited advice. One can’t blame someone for sharing their thoughts, if one asked them what they were thinking.

Is an award a privilege? Sure… but give these folks some credit. If you’ve met them, they are humbled by the opportunities they’ve been given, understand the daunting expectations that come with such accolades, and want to give back as their thank you. The community’s proud of them and wants to celebrate their achievements. We should all want that for our fellow Filipinos! I worry more about the folks that ask, “Why not ME?”

…and maybe that’s the next stage in these conversations… Do people really mean “opportunity” when they mean “privilege”--one certainly connotes a greater sense of entitlement than the other.

There are certainly many opportunities out there to make the best for and of one’s self and one’s community here, abroad…online.

I welcome our passionate, innovative leaders, activists, and volunteers from across the US to our hometown to share and express your views and opinions in community forums. I look forward to the many juicy discussions that are sure to arise. It will be a privilege, an opportunity, a blessing to engage in these conversations, as we work to develop the necessary changes that empower ALL members of our community to achieve. Check back every week for ways to pamper yourself and those you love.

Why? The answer is simple: YOU DESERVE IT!

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Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla, Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez, NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban.

Rice importation remains an option for emergency, relief ops MANILA, Apr 20 (Mabuhay) -President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the government is looking at the option of importing rice to beef up the country's supply in the event of natural calamities, such as typhoons and the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Marcos, however, assured that the country has ample supply of the staple grain to keep the prices stable in the market.

He also dismissed the possibility of a repeat of the rice crisis in 2018.

“So, we are watching and waiting to see what the production levels are going to be after the last planting season before the harvest, for the upcoming harvest and what will be…” Marcos said in a media interview during an event in San Jose del Monte City.

“So ‘yun ang tinitingnan natin (That's what we are looking at). We may have to import. So that’s --we’re keeping that option open," he added.

The President said the buffer stock of the National Food Authority (NFA) had been depleted due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, which hampered the operations of most of the industries.

Marcos said the government is trying to figure out how to boost its buffer stock without causing the rice prices to rise during harvest season, considering that the NFA is only allowed to buy from local farmers.

Under the Department of Agriculture's (DA) 2023 supply outlook, the country’s total supply is at 16.98 million metric tons (MMT), which is sufficient to cover this year’s demand estimated at 15.29 MMT.

“This would leave the country with an ending balance of 1.69 MMT, which is equivalent to 45 days of buffer stock, instead of the 90day ideal buffer stock to stabilize the price of rice,” a DA briefer said.

Providing affordable food items to the grassroots Marcos launched another outlet of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Program in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan to provide affordable agri-fishery commodities to consumers and a ready market for farmers and fisherfolk.

Marcos is envisioning the program as a platform to bring affordable food items to the grassroot level to manage food inflation, as well as provide more income opportunities for farmers, fisherfolk and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Ginagawa namin ang lahat upang paramihin ang ating mga

Kadiwa hanggang umabot na kahit sa malalayong lupalop at lahat ng ating mga kababayan ay makaramdam ng kaunting ginhawa dahil nga sa pagbaba ng mga presyo ng bilihin

(We are trying our best to open more Kadiwa stores so that it could reach even the farthest areas and every Filipino could at least experience a bit of relief as the prices of basic goods go down),” he said.

The President also awarded interventions amounting to PHP15.793 million for several farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Bulacan province.

The Dulong Bayan Farmers Association based in San Jose Del Monte City received PHP5 million from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-National Rice Program for the construction of warehouse with mechanical grain dryer. It also received PHP5.5 million from the DA-National Livestock Program for the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) implementation.

On the other hand, the Biyaya ng Matangtubig Irrigators Association, Inc. of Baliuag town, the Sta. Catalina Matanda Bata Irrigators Association of San Ildefonso, and the Magmarale Farmers Field School Marketing Cooperative of San Miguel each

Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization.

Hungary to help DSWD in response, community dev’t works

The government of Hungary will help the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in its disaster response operations.

During her meeting with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian at the DSWD central office in Quezon City on Thursday, Hungarian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Titanilla Tóth, said her government will also assist the DSWD in the development of certificate programs specializing in social work and community development.

In a news release, Gatchalian said the ambassador’s visit coincided with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Hungary and the Philippines.

Gatchalian provided an update to the visiting ambassador on the ongoing activities of the DSWD, particularly on the relief operations in the oil spill affected areas in Oriental Mindoro and neighboring provinces.

He also mentioned the augmentation assistance needed to support the oil spill victims with their basic needs like potable water and food packages.

Gatchalian also discussed the ongoing preparations to revive its Social Welfare and Development Center for Asia and the Pacific (SWADCAP) as a learning center to promote and upgrade the social work practice and profession in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian met with Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Socorro Inting and Director Frances CM AguindadaoArabe for a possible partnership on voter’s education.

He expressed his support to the Comelec’s initiatives, saying DSWD is willing to assist them in advocating for the rights of Filipinos to vote and participate in the electoral process.

Gatchalian continues to meet with international and local development partners to better uphold the rights and provide appropriate services to the marginalized and vulnerable sectors, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for an inclusive society. (MNS)

NAKAPUNTOS ANG PECHANGA RESORT CASINO SA BAGONG PINANGALANANG LPGA SPONSOR, GABRIELLA THEN, BILANG AMBASADORA NG KURSO

Opisyal na nakipag-isa ang Pechanga Resort Casino sa propesyunal na golfer na si Gabriella

Then upang kumatwan bilang kanilang Ambasadora ng Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

Si Bill Anderson, Hepeng Opisyal sa Marketing ng Pechanga Resort Casino, ay nag-anunsiyo ng pagiging isponsor sa CM Pro-Am Tournament noong Martes. Binigyang diin niya ang natatanging istorya ni Then, sa pagtukoy ng kanyang mahabang pasensiya at tanging inspirasyon sa mga kabataang golfers sa buong mundo. Ang pakikipag-isa ay naglalayong suportahan ang turno ni Then at ang kanyang kakayahan habang patuloy na ipinamamarali nito ang naturang palakasan sa mga kabataang babae at sa mga kababaihan mapa saan man.

Isang babae tubong Southern California, si Gabriella Then ay bumulusok pataas mula sa mga ranggo sa komunidad ng mga kababaihang golfer na may kahanga-hangang

Jesca

Continued from page 1 talk about it, or wanting to call their mom. If I could wish for anything after this show, it is that people will want to call the people that raised them and tell them they appreciate them.”

From the Philippine-American Association she grew up in, to the creative teams and casts she currently works with, she said community has become a grounding force in her work.

“I create a community in every production I work on. It’s really important that we feel like we are a community,” Prudencio said. “I’m not just a director coming in to stage a play or a choreographer to teach the dance. We actually feel like we are a community. We are aligned in what the purpose of the project is so that we can all bring our best work.”

The purpose she said she’s bringing to “Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play” is walking the line between comedy and truth, especially when dealing with a topic that has been the source of discrimination for years.

“Something Keiko said in an interview is that there are so many awful things happening when it comes to racism, hate and the AAPI community around the U.S.,” Prudencio said. “She believes, and I totally agree, that the first step of that is the othering of food. It’s easy for people to smell our food and say, ‘Ugh, ew what’s that?’ There’s a ripple effect to that.”

Prudencio said the comedy that the play brings is meant to help the audience relate while also revealing ugly truths about the impact of othering and hate.

“We hope that this show makes our audiences question, ‘When have we done that, not only to the Asian community? When have we just quickly othered communities and dehumanized [them]?’” Prudencio said. “We hope our audiences stay curious and really question how we treat each other.”

The Filipino Press attended opening night. The actors delivered line after line of raw humor that contorted and morphed my laughing mouth into an ajar gape when it hit me that the comedy of this play was deeply funny because it was deeply truthful.

Truthful about my own insecurities. Truthful about the ways I sometimes want to disappear into a quiet, cold, empty place.

Truthful about the generational hurt that therapy can only tap at the surface of a sea of undercurrents coursing with anger, disassociation, confusion and rejection. And the minute a bubble is popped on the surface, another lurking hurt fills the well.

Ricocheting between joy and sadness, present and past, hope and loss, I was propelled through an hour and 40 minutes of storytelling that made me feel known, represented and heard.

The ways the characters interacted with the audience at times encouraged us to confront our internalized racism or biases and at other times made us want to join in with the dancing or let out deepbelly laughter. The actors’ knack at being able to do those things kaibahang naitala na natamo nito. Nag umpisang sa turneyo ng golf sa edad na siyam na taon, si Then ay patuloy na nakipag tunggali sa kaniyang unang U.S. Women’s Open sa gulang na 14. Siya ay nagtapos sa University of Southern California kung saan siya naglaro ng naturang palakasan sa golf, nagtamo ng All-American na titulo bago pa man lumahok sa Epson Tour noong 2017. Pagkatapos malampasan nito ang pag abante sa Stage II ng LPGA’s Qualifying School noong 2019, nag desisyong lubusang magbitiw si Then sa palakasan upang and stand in the in-between space of those very different experiences was astounding. To see “Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play” as a FilAm person is to take ownership of the seasoning, the food, the culture, the ancestors that came before us. The Old Globe Theatre Company is hosting the world-premiere of bumaling naman sa ibang larangan. Iniwan niya ang propesyunal na golf sa loob ng 18 buwan bago nito muling pag ibayuhin ang kanyang hilig at pagmamahal sa larong ito. Kaakibat ang bagong sigla na puspusang pagtuunan ang palakasan na may kalinawan, si Then ay nagpatuloy muli hanggang manalo ito ng tatlong beses sa loob ng apat na buwan sa Cactus at Women’s All Pro Tours. Muling naudlot ang pagpupunyagi nito. Siya ay nanalo ng Ladies European Tour (“LET”) QSchool noong 2022 na nagwagi sa kinalalagyang pwesto sa LET. Sa kalagitnaan ng panahon, muling nakipag sapalaran si Then at muling pumailanlang sa palakasang golf at sumali sa Epson Tour kung saan nakamit nito ang unang Epson Tour na pagkapanalo sa ikalawang serye ng paglahok. Sa katapusan ng taong 2022 Epson Tour na serye, si Then ay Natapos ng ika-pitong puntos sa palakasan, kung saan ay nakamit niya ang lugar sa LPGA tours ng 2023.

“Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play.”

Previews ran April 8 through April 12. Opening night was April 13, and the play will run through May 7. Tickets are available for purchase online https://www.theoldglobe. org/pdp/23-season/exotic-deadlyor-the-msg-play/#?startDate=202304-01&%3FendDate=2023-04-30