Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - May 17, 2025

PICTORIAL NEWS Mabuhay and Malunggay! Filipino Fiesta a successFul and saFe event

Preventing School Bullying Must Be a Commu-

nity Effort of Schools, Parents and Students All Working Together

Bullying is still a problem in our schools, and it should be made clear – every student deserves the right to learn in a safe learning environment, free from taunts and harassment. We must view student bullying as a major hindrance to learning and growing. We want our children to grow, learn and succeed, which is why this issue deserves serious attention.

Studies show that school bullying is pervasive. Those who are bullied suffer anxiety, fear, depression and low self-esteem. Their academic performance and school attendance are lowered. Some will decide to drop out of school. In extreme cases, bullying has been linked to adolescent suicide. Studies also show that teen bullying can have long lasting mental scars that carry into adulthood, impacting future relationships and employment.

School bullying is a “community” problem

Addressing and dramatically reducing school bullying must take on a multi-faceted approach. It is a community problem that will take schools, government, teachers, parents and students all working together.

Schools and government can implement anti-bullying programs to promote a culture of respect, understanding, inclusivity, and acceptance. At the same time, there must be a robust system of accountability for violators (bullies) of this culture. There must also be a system of reporting that’s not intimidating. Schools must have in place counseling and support for both the victims and perpetrators of bullying.

School districts should also know that certain types of bullying violate civil rights laws and it’s a legal responsibility for schools that receive federal funding to prevent harassment and discriminatory conduct. There is no federal law directly addressing bullying, but it may overlap with discriminatory harassment based on a student’s disability, including sexual harassment, sexual violence and gender-based harassment. As a community, we should be mindful that a civil society begins in our educational institutions – this is how we can fashion a better society.

Parents need to be aware of their children’s daily school life. Ask questions and communicate with their children. Anti-bullying experts recommend parents to look for signs that could indicate bullying like sudden withdrawal, change in appetite and sleeping patterns, increased anxiety or depression, or drop in grades. Parents not only should discuss the consequences of bullying with their children and promote the tolerance of people who are different but be good role models themselves.

Students who are bystanders witnessing acts of bullying should step in (if safe) and help their fellow students from harassment to be able to walk away unharmed. Incidences of bullying should be reported immediately to a teacher, counselor or principal. For

FPublisher & Executive Editor

or our cover story in the last issue, we explored our Gen Z population, mostly focusing on older Gen Z in their twenties. HFC associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports in this edition’s cover story a serious topic confronting the younger half of Gen Z, those still in high school and middle school. The issue is school bullying, that’s a pervasive, humiliating and dangerous problem with long-lasting mental health and self-esteem effects. The statistics on school bullying are alarming. What can our community, teachers, parents and students do to dramatically reduce it? Get the details in the article, as well as comments from those who’ve been bullied and what parents say about it, including its newest manifestation, cyberbullying.

Onto a joyful topic, HFC contributing writer Edna R. Bautista provides us a pictorial news on the Flores de Mayo and Filipino Fiesta that occurred on May 3 at the Filipino Community Center. As usual, the annual event brought together thousands in our community to celebrate Filipino heritage and culture. See who attended this event in the pictorial news.

Speaking of celebrations, this May our community celebrated Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. HFC columnist Emil Guillermo contributes “DEI or No DEI, It’s Still AANHPI Month — Our Month.” The article is not all festive as he mentions historical tragedies as Filipinos beaten, lynched, shot, and killed in the 1920s and ’30s in the U.S., as well as a personal story of his cousin Stephen Guillermo who was killed in a “wrong place” shooting.

In Global News, all the buzz has been on the election of the Roman Catholic Church’s new pope, born Robert Francis Prevost originally from Chicago but having spent years in Peru. He will now be known simply as His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. We join our global Catholic community in welcoming our new spiritual leader.

A major local news story, in our second editorial we review the details of the May 6 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment of a group of international teachers from the Philippines at their residence in Maui. HFC columnist and former Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser submits a commentary on the death of HB371, a bill if it were passed, would have extended the ban on campaign contributions from government contractors to include company officers and family members. HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma gives us a book review on Rizaliana for Children, Illustrations and Folk Tales by Rizal. Most of us know the Philippines’ national hero Jose Rizal for his notable literary works, such as the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. But he’s also made contributions to children’s literature.

Lastly, we have a special Community Health and Wellness Supplement this issue you’ll enjoy. Thank you for supporting the HFC. For your advertising needs, contact us at: filipinochronicle@gmail.com. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

students who are bullied, know that it’s not your fault and that you shouldn’t feel ashamed to talk about it with your parents.

Experts say students who are bullied feel weak

(continue on page 8)

Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing

Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design Junggoi Peralta

Photography

Tim Llena

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Lilia Capalad

Editorial & Production Assistant

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Columnists

Carlota Hufana Ader

Rose Cruz Churma

Elpidio R. Estioko

Willie Espero

Emil Guillermo

Gary Hooser

Arcelita Imasa, M.D.

Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

J.P. Orias

Charlie Sonido, M.D.

Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.

Contributing Writers

Clement Bautista

Edna Bautista, Ed.D.

Teresita Bernales, Ed.D.

Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.

Dr. Dylan Bothamley

Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D.

Linda Dela Cruz

Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand

Amelia Jacang, M.D.

Caroline Julian

Max Levin

Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D.

Federico Magdalena, Ph.D.

Matthew Mettias

Maita Millalos

Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D.

Renelaine Bontol-Pfister

Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

Jay Valdez, Psy.D.

Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent:

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Neighbor Island Correspondents:

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Kauai

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Maui

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Thank You, Sens Schatz, Hirono, and Education Officials for Your Concern and Speaking Out on ICE’s Detainment of Teachers in Maui

We join the Hawaii community at-large and our Filipino community in voicing our concerns over the May 6 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment of a group of international teachers from the Philippines at their residence in Maui. The international teachers are employed through the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program which allows them to teach in the U.S. legally.

Although the incident resulted in no arrests, there are lingering questions about the detainment and further ignites national debates over ICE’s heavy-handed investigations of nonviolent immigrants and racial profiling. Homeland Security Investigations officials said agents “executed a federal search warrant in Maui that was issued by a federal judge related to an immigration investigation.” One of the teachers detained said they were told by agents they were looking for a man who had lived there a year ago.

If ICE agents were looking for one individual male, then why were all the teachers detained, interviewed and had their names taken and run through background checks, as reported by one of the teachers. Many in the community called the investigative tactics excessive, unnecessary and frightening, especially given the atmosphere of fear and intimidation of arrests happening all over the nation. We agree with such characterizations.

Detail account of incident

Homeland Security Investigations officials said, “For the safety of the agents and the occupants, residents of the home were briefly detained and interviewed in addition to the search.”

Sounds harmless. But let’s go over the personal accounting of one of the detained teachers, who is a U.S. citizen, told during a press briefing by HSTA. She explained that she was still in bed when the agents pounded on her

window with guns.

“They rushed us downstairs and by the time I had gotten to the front, there were teachers out there that had wet hair, half the teachers were dressed, half the teachers were not,” she said.

“There were people there with blankets on because they didn’t have the appropriate time to put on clothing. I was really scared because it happened so quickly and I even asked if I could show them documentation or if they could show them documentation or if I could have time to just put a jacket on or something, and they wouldn’t even allow me to do that.”

“As time went on, they began to write names on a pad, and they were radioing the names to an agent in an unmarked van that I guess was identifying them,” she said. “In that moment, I began to notice that some of the people around me were shaking, and that one of the teacher’s daughters, who was in front was crying, and I was really concerned.”

She added, “They finally let me go first in the group and when I was brought upstairs and showed the agent my passport, he was taken aback and looked shocked and apologized to me several times.”

“The whole situation was really overwhelming and traumatic for all of us but I felt the need to speak out because I feel it could have been handled better,” the teacher shared.

“I really do not want to see that happen again with teachers who are here to help our children, who are here legally as well.”

Public reaction, lawmakers and a school official reaction

The question remains: why were the teachers forced through exhausted investigative measures – including having their names run through a check -- if the suspect agents were in search of was one male individual who lived in that property in the past?

Although ICE officials deny the incident was racial profiling,

some in our community believe it was. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said, “The reported interrogation and efforts to detain Filipino teachers in their home on Maui by ICE agents is outrageous. This is racial profiling and a shameful abuse of power. We are a nation of laws, but the broad ICE raids this week are clearly designed just to instill fear,” said Schatz, in a statement. “Our teachers, our visitors, and our neighbors deserve dignity and safety, not fear of seemingly arbitrary harassment.”

Senator Mazie Hirono denounced the operation, describing the incident in a floor speech before the U.S. Senate as “terrorizing people, plain and simple.” On her Meta page, she commented, “Deeply alarmed by ICE detaining and interrogating a group of teachers on Maui. Rather than making our communities safer, Trump is focused solely on sowing chaos and instilling fear in vulnerable communities.”

Hawaii State Teacher Association President Osa Tui said, “There was no public apology for

the harm that was done. We encourage our students to take their time and do their homework. As we’ve seen across the country and now here in our communities, our government is not doing their homework and doing sloppy work, which jeopardizes lives and the well-being of those who live here,” he said. “We’re concerned that if this was a mistake, what other mistakes are being made or will be made affecting other innocent people?” Tui said.

We agree with all three reactions to the incident, that “racial profiling” was likely, that the incident was “terrorizing,” and that the investigation was “sloppy work.” Not only do we agree with them, but we also extend a thank you to these leaders in our state for their advocacy and courage to look after our community. And sadly, this is just one incident by ICE that many Americans across the U.S. find troubling. ICE must do better in enforcing immigration laws that are more respectful, less fear-evoking, and carried out safely for all parties involved.

Profiling the Problem of School Bullying in Hawaii; Prevention and Actions to Take When It Happens

By Edwin Quinabo

School bullying is as old as the institution of education. Its ugly head crosses all cultures and countries, present in classrooms and halls at public and private schools. For many the problem of school bullying can be generational and leave lingering trauma into adulthood.

Alicia Bulda Arakawa, a former Hawaii resident now living in Las Vegas, said she was bullied as a teen and that all her daughters experienced bullying. How did her childhood bullying have a lasting impact on adulthood? “It affected my self-confidence, increased my hesitancy to stand up for myself in all aspects of my life. I still have mental scars, get flashbacks when I see my bullies in all forms,” she said. “Some [who’ve been bullied] use their trauma to push them harder, for me, it forced me into isolation [back then] because I didn’t want the pain anymore or have feelings of suicide.”

Arakawa said of bullies, “they need to understand what those who they’ve bullied must go through. Bullies need deep therapy.” As a parent, she talks with her children about the subject openly and provides guidance. In her daughters’ bullying, Arakawa said, “after they reported what was happening to school administration, the bullying didn’t stop. In fact, their bullies threatened them more.” She didn’t explain the final outcome of her daughters’ situation, but said, “social media is a cesspool for cyberbullying. My daughters received a lot of belittlements, threats, and racial slurs.”

Prevalence of school bullying

According to the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance

System, about 19% of high school students nationally report being bullied and 39% among students aged 12-18 in grades 6-12. In Hawaii, about 40% of students experienced bullying in school and 10.9% were cyberbullied. The CDC reports that Hawaii has higher rates of middle-schoolers thinking about suicide and high schoolers skipping classes due to feeling unsafe from bullying compared to the national average.

About 15.4% of students reported being bullied by a student who was more powerful than them in some way, 14.5% reported being bullied repeatedly in a school year: one day (32.5%), two days (17.6%), three to 10 days (31.5%), more than 10 days (18.5%). The prevalence of bullying is higher among female students (21.8%) than among male students (16.7%). The prevalence of bullying is higher in middle school (26.3%) than in high school (15.7%).

Students ages 12–18 in grades 6-12 who reported being bullied said they thought those who bullied them: 1) had the ability to influence what other students think of them (56.3%); 2) were more popular (52%); 3) were physically stronger or larger (39.7%); 4) had more money (35.2%).

Who are the common victims of bullying?

School bullying can happen to anyone, but certain groups are more vulnerable. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) vulnerable groups include:

*Students with disabilities: 34.9% reported being bullied due to their disability (NCES, 2020)

*LGBTQ+ students: 63.1% reported being bullied due to their sex-

ual orientation (NCES, 2020)

*Racial and ethnic minorities: Research suggests that students from minority groups face higher risks of bullying (Pew Research Center, 2016)

*English language learners: Students who are still learning to speak the dominant language in their country may be more vulnerable to bullying (UNICEF, 2018)

Mary Ann Cabales, Kaimuki, said as a teen she was a victim of being bullied as a racial minority and learning English as a second language. As an adult, she often experiences anxiety when placed in stressful situations that she traces back to her youth being bullied. “My children also have been bullied at some point. It’s important for me to be able to educate my children. I would not want my children to be subject to the same situation, and I wouldn’t want them to do the same with their peers.”

When Rolando Guzman, Oakland, former Hawaii resident, was informed that over 60% of LGBTQ+ students report being bullied due to their sexual orientation, he was surprised. “From what I’ve read and (continue on page 5)

hear of the younger generation, they are far more accepting of gays than it was in my days.” A gay man, now in his late forties, he recalls growing up attending schools in Waipahu, “I hid that I was gay because I saw how the effeminate boys who couldn’t hide their gayness were treated. You know, the name calling, physical pushing. That’s how it was back then. It’s sad to see gay students are still being harassed.”

Ariel Jay Flores, a Filipino community leader in Hawaii, has a son who is in special education. “He [his son] is segregated from other students, but

Consequences of student bullying

Studies show bullying can have severe consequences for both the victims and perpetrators. In a Pastore & Maggipinto study, the emotional toll on victims of bullying can lead to increased anxiety, depression, mental health issues, and even thoughts of suicide. These students’ academic performance is affected; their attendance and they have higher dropout rates. In a Holloway study, it showed those bullied have long-lasting consequences in future relationships, self-esteem and overall well-being.

For perpetrators of bullying, studies found similar mental health issues of anxiety and depression but added to those two problems are social isolation and legal consequences for their bullying.

Hawaii Department of Education response to bullying

Hawaii State Superintendent from 2017-2021, Dr. Christina Kishimoto, said “Bullying of any kind has no place in our schools and communities — it runs counter to everything we stand for as a public education sys-

he knows that he would be bullied if he were to be exposed to those students.” He says, “I don’t think any of my kids has approached me about being bullied at school. I’ve heard of mean girls at school whom they would eventually make friends with them.”

Flores shared tragic news of an extreme consequence of bullying, “I serve on the New Hope Leeward worship team and one of the men on the team had a daughter who took her life because of cyberbullying. The parents couldn’t pinpoint who might have been bullying her.” But they attributed her death to bullying, he said.

tem that’s grounded in respect, acceptance and aloha.”

In 2018, the Hawaii Department of Education was hit with a lawsuit that alleges the department has failed to provide a safe environment to its students due to lackluster policies and procedures governing student-on-student bullying and harassment. The lawsuit, which gathered data prior to 2018, lists alleged instances of racial slurs used against students, violence and troubling social media video postings without proper response from school officials. At the time, the Office for Civil Rights determined that the Hawaii DOE was in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

A later Hawaii School Health Survey of more than 16,300 public middle and high school students showed incidences of bullying have gone down. The survey was a joint project of the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE), Hawaii Department of Health and the University of Hawaii.

“This is a positive trend that we want to see continue as our schools uphold the commitment

“It [being bullied] affected my self-confidence, increased my hesitancy to stand up for myself in all aspects of my life. I still have mental scars, get flashbacks when I see my bullies in all forms. Some [who’ve been bullied] use their trauma to push them harder, for me, it forced me into isolation [back then] because I didn’t want the pain anymore or have feelings of suicide. Bullies need to understand what those who they’ve bullied must go through. Bullies need deep therapy. In my daughters’ bullying, after they reported what was happening to school administration, the bullying didn’t stop. In fact, their bullies threatened them more.”

– Alicia Bulda Arakawa

to provide safe and nurturing learning environments for all students,” said Dr. Kishimoto.

But anti-bullying advocates say a more robust effort is needed at a district-wide level, including better training and more preventive measures.

SPEAK NOW APP. Nanea Kalani, HIDOE Communications Director, told HNN “Students, staff, families and communities are asked to help stop bullying in all its forms by promoting the positive behaviors of respect and empathy toward others at home, online and in our communities. Any instances should be reported to a trusted adult on campus for immediate investigation. Incidents can also be reported digitally and anonymously through the Department’s Speak Now app.

Speak Now HIDOE anti-bullying reporting app provides another avenue for students to report bullying incidents on campus — digitally and anonymously, and if they choose — to appropriate school personnel. The app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Besides the Speak Now app, bullied students

can report incidences in the traditional way by talking to a schoolteacher, counselor or principal immediately. The principal will initiate an investigation to determine if a Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Chapter 19 violation occurred. Chapter 19 is Hawaii state law that governs student misconduct. Timely information of administrative’ findings will be given to the parents involved.

Hawaii anti-bullying laws prohibit students from making verbal or non-verbal expressions that cause others to feel uncomfortable, pressured, threatened, or in danger because of reasons that include but are not limited to the person’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Hawaii schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics.

What parents want done and tips for families

Flores said bullies should be reprimanded and sent to the guidance counselor. “But if they continue their behavior, they should be expelled from school and sent to an alternative educational institution that would help alter their harmful behavior,” he said.

“From a young age, children need to be taught that there are repercussions for their actions. Most children who are caught bullying receive a light punishment which does not teach them the severity of their actions. In some cases, schools do not even acknowledge the situation,” Cabales said. Common disciplinary actions schools take for

At present, no federal law directly addresses bullying, but in some cases when bullying overlaps with federal law, criminal charges can be made. Bullying could even be a hate crime. If federal discrimination laws are broken, a student and parents can contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

(

Hawaii Legislature Hits a New Low

By Gary Hooser

Two state legislators have already gone to jail for corruption.

According to media reports, others remain under investigation. Big money decides who wins elections and who loses. The “pay to play” environment at the Capitol is alive and well.

The arrogance is mind-boggling.

But let’s stick with“Just the facts, ma’am.”

As that’s the only way to write about the ugly and politically corrupt death of HB371.

Below are those facts from the public record at http://www.capitol.hawaii. gov.

If passed into law, HB371 would have extended the ban on campaign contributions from government contractors to include company officers and family members.

It was described by good government advocates as a critically important measure needed to fight corruption.

But HB371 was not passed into law.

It was, instead, killed behind closed doors by Senate President Ron Kouchi, House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, Senate

Ways and Means (WAM)

Chair Donovan Dela Cruz, and House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita.

These four Democrats are the most influential legislators in state government.

They held no public meetings to discuss the reasons behind their decision-making.

They made their decisions in private; they discussed these decisions with the Conference Committee in private; and the Conference Committee then announced those decisions to the public.

These are facts — not speculation, not opinion, and not hyperbole.

According to the Campaign Spending Commission, it’s common for government contractors to circumvent the existing campaign contribution ban by having people connected to the contractor make the contribution.

Civil Beat called HB371, “arguably the biggest reform measure of the session.” The bill sailed through the House and Senate with unanimous votes of support – both in committee and on the floor.

Ninety-nine percent of the testimony was in support. Only one person testified in opposition, citing “freedom of speech” con-

cerns.

Not one Senator or Representative ever voted in opposition.

The first indication of a “problem” occurred on April 22, just before the naming of “conferees” to the House Conference Committee.

That’s when House Speaker Nakamura “re-referred” the now amended bill, HB371SD1, to House Finance.

This move ensured that House Finance would have a Conference Committee vote, even though the measure had no direct budget impact, and the Finance Committee would hold no hearings.

The Conference Committee is responsible for “working out the differ-

ences” between the Senate and House versions of the bill.

When they met on April 22, House Judiciary Chair David Tarnas announced “leadership was now involved,” the measure would likely thus be “weakened,” and the Committee must await direction from “leadership” (House Speaker Nakamura).

At this same meeting, Senate Judiciary Chair Senator Karl Rhoads acknowledged he’d received similar information from Senate Leadership — Senate President Kouchi.

On Friday, April 25, the Conference Committee reconvened. The two chairs announced “leadership” had proposed significant amendments that weakened the bill, and they’d been unable to receive “release” from Finance or WAM.

Therefore, the bill would be deferred and is now dead.

HB371 did not require any funding whatsoever, nor did the subsequent amended version HB371SD1.

(COVER STORY: Profiling ....from page 5)

bullies include progressive discipline, suspension, counseling, detention, collaboration with parents on social skill building behavioral support, ensuring the safety of the victim. As part of school discipline, a bully is asked to apologize to the bullied student. A meeting is held with the bully’s parents and school principal. If bullying persists, the bully is expelled from school.

Anti-bullying advocates say families must communicate with their children daily and ask questions about their school day, ask about their friends, and observe their child’s emotional state, any changes in behavior, appetite or sleep patterns. These could be signs of anxiety linked to bullying.

Yet both Representative Yamashita (Chair of Finance) and Senator Dela Cruz (Chair of WAM) refused to “release” the bill.

As of this writing, neither has yet made any onthe-record statements as to their reasoning.

Likewise, neither Senate President Kouchi nor House Speaker Nakamura has issued any public statements about the rationale for their last-minute opposition.

HB371SD1 was killed in the dark, and nobody’s talking.

The discussion, deliberation, and decision-making were done in secret, behind closed doors, and only announced publicly after it was a done deal.

Hawai’i Democrats must do better.

How can we push back effectively against the abuse of power occurring in Washington D.C., when here at home, at that big square building on Beretania Street, the same thing is going on?

GARY HOOSER is a former Hawaiʻi State Senator and Majority Leader.

Parents should also teach anti-bullying habits like not pushing or teasing, but rather to be kind and respectful. Experts recommend if bullying occurs, to tell your children to ask the bully to stop, walk away and report it to an adult. Parents should contact the child’s teacher, school counselor or principal at the school.

What parents should not do

StopBullying.gov lists mistakes parents should avoid:

• Never tell the child to ignore the bullying.

• Do not blame the child for being bullied. Even if he or she provoked bullying, no one deserves to be bullied.

• Do not tell the child to physically fight back against the kid who is bullying. It could get the child hurt, suspended, or expelled.

• Parents should resist the urge to contact the other parents involved. It may make matters worse. School or other officials can act as mediators between parents. Often bullies have issues of abuse or stress happening in their home life. Confronting the bully’s parents could trigger confrontation.

What fellow students should do

StopBullying.gov recommends that student bystanders first should not

(continue

By Emil Guillermo

As May is our month, now known as the all-inclusive Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, keep in mind it’s intended as a celebration of culture and traditions, not necessarily our history.

Our history is much more ironic and bittersweet. History is also not necessarily “inherited,” though patterns remain hard to break.

So while we try to be positive as we pass around the lumpia, history was the reason May was chosen as our month.

We remember the good days and the bad about being Asian in America.

May 6, 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was approved, the first significant law restricting immigration to the US. That’s not so great.

But then there’s May 7, 1843, when the first Japanese immigrant to America arrived. But that would, of course, lead the way to a generation of Asian Americans who would later be incarcerated during WWII.

Then there’s May 10, the day of the Golden Spike in 1869, that connected east and west within our borders and completed our country’s transcontinental railroad.

A good day until you realize how most of those who commemorate that day tried for so long to forget it was all built on the backs of exploited Chinese immigrant labor from the Far East.

That’s the ironic and

DEI or No DEI, It’s Still AANHPI Month—Our Month

bittersweet parts that the anti-DEI folk wish we’d just forget.

Stephen Guillermo

For me personally, May 3rd has special meaning. It is the day my cousin Stephen Guillermo was murdered.

He was just 26, about to graduate from San Francisco State University, when after a night on the town, he returned to his family’s modest apartment on Mission Street in San Francisco.

He lived on the 5th floor but got off on the third. After a few drinks, apartment hallways all look the same early in the morning.

Only this time it led to Stephen trying to enter the wrong apartment.

He was shot and killed with a single bullet. The apartment resident who shot him turned himself in and spent three nights in jail.

And then the SFPD and the District Attorney let him go.

They didn’t want to prosecute because of California’s version of “stand your ground,” based on something called the “Castle Doctrine” which gives the right of self-defense to any home-dweller with a gun who feels threatened by an intruder.

In 2014, I tried to make the case that a reasonable man, especially the suspect who was twice the size of my cousin, should not have felt threatened.

Therefore, the suspect held should still be prosecuted for, at the very least, second-degree murder.

But there was no political will to challenge California’s law. No appetite to put a limit on self-defense as an alibi for a fatal mistake.

Authorities had the killer, but they didn’t charge him.

They let him go. My cousin was simply in the “wrong place, at the wrong time.”

Since then, people have started noticing how “wrong place” shootings occur more than we realize.

One stretch in 2023, in less than a week seven people made the news. All of them were shot, one fatally, just from being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

In Kansas City, there was Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old African American kid, who went to pick up his siblings at a family friend’s home.

But he went to the wrong address.

That’s where Andrew Lester, then 84, heard the doorbell and grabbed his gun. He saw Yarl and thought he was attempting to break in.

Yarl was shot once in the head and arm and told police Lester said, “Don’t come around here.”

Lester was charged with first-degree assault. Missouri has a “stand your ground” law.

But unlike in California, no one in the “Show Me State” was scared to stand up for Yarl.

This year in February, Lester pleaded guilty to felony murder in the second degree. He was awaiting sentencing, which could have carried up to seven years in prison.

But as he waited, Lester died this past March. The Yarl family was sympathetic, but still say there’s been no justice.

There hasn’t. But at least Yarl survived the shooting.

My regret is that no officials in “liberal” San Francisco were willing to challenge the California law for Stephen.

The DA at the time, the same one who just lost in Los Angeles, told me, my cousin was just one guy. That loser DA was focused on big things like letting non-violent drug criminals loose.

To them, my cousin’s case was just a Filipino being shot by an African American apartment dweller, a case involving two poor people in America with more in common than not.

It was a case that was meant to go cold and die. And that is part of the broader history of Asians in America when we just

don’t count enough.

My cousin’s Filipino treatment was nothing new. The Chinese were lynched throughout California in the 19th century.

Filipinos were beaten, lynched, shot, and killed in the 1920s and ’30s in California from the Central Valley to the Central Coast in Watsonville.

My father was in that group of Filipinos in California in the 1920s. Almost 100 years later, his grand-nephew, who came here dreaming of the same things as my father, is murdered.

Stephen’s story is a modern version of our Asian American experience, part of a pattern that we try to remember and break all at the same time.

But it’s not our heritage, it’s our history. We don’t have to relive it. With knowledge and understanding, we can do something about it. At the very least, we can move forward together.

And not repeat the tragedies of the past.

That’s what I think about every May, during our month, Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Stuff happened. And we grew stronger.

EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok. com.

Stephen Guillermo

Filipino Women’s League Announces Scholarship Awardees

The Filipino Women’s League (FWL) celebrates its 55 years of service and cultural advocacy with the 2025 FWL Community Scholarships.

Five local high school graduates will receive $4,000 to support their higher education.

The FWL Scholarship recipients are:

• Briana Nepomuceno, Campbell High School

• Amalia Abigania, Kauai High School

• Lovely Isabelle Valencia, Farrington High School

• Joelle Angelica Evasco, Waianae High School

• Krizelle Nicolette Busto, Waipahu High School

FWL also administers the Estrellita Taguba Ebersole Scholarship on behalf of the Ebersole and Taguba families.

This scholarship offers $2,000 in memory of Estrellita Taguba Ebersole for

her legacy of service and commitment to education.

The Estrellita Taguba Ebersole Scholarship recipient is Chloe Julian Matro from Kalaheo High School.

FWL has been dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of Filipino heritage through community outreach and programs across the Hawaii islands.

To learn more about FWL and its community programs, visit filipinowomensleaguehawaii. org.

Maui’s Annual Barrio Fiesta to Be Held

The 56th Annual Barrio Fiesta will be celebrated on May 23 and 24 at Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center in Kahului, 780 Onehee Avenue across Maui Waena.

Initiated by the Maui Filipino Community Council, the Barrio Fiesta was first held on May 31, 1970, at the War Memorial grounds. At the time, there was an influx of immigrants from the Philippines.

“We are proud to be able to share the Philippine culture through the 56th Annual Barrio Fiesta. We need to continue to share our rich

culture–whether it’s through food, entertainment, exhibits and contests so our youth will not forget their roots and the rest of Maui can also appreciate our Filipino culture,” said Arnel Alvarez, president of Binhi at Ani.

“With the food, culture, pageantry, entertainment, contests and special events featured during the 56th Annual Barrio Fiesta®, there’s something for everyone.”

The event will start from 5pm to 10pm on Friday, May 23. While Saturday, May 24’s festivities will begin from 10am until 10pm. En-

(EDITORIAL: Preventing ....from page 2)

to be targeted by someone who often is physically stronger or popular. It’s not a weakness on your part to be a victim, which is why bullied students should see it as an act of strength to report incidences of bullying.

Students who engage in bullying should seek help from a school counselor to understand why they must act out with aggression and anger, and to demean others. With guidance from a counselor and parents, bullies can redirect their anger in positive ways. Bullying could be a serious beginning toward an adult life of violence, isolation and perhaps criminality.

Teachers have a pivotal role in stopping bullying. They must learn how to respond appropriately to bullying situations. Some teachers might feel it’s not a part of their job. But providing a safe learning environment is part of a teacher’s job. This is where they must work with school administrators on correct and appropriate anti-bullying protocol.

Racial bullying

In Hawaii, it’s ironic that racial bullying in particular is the most common form of bullying given the state’s

on May 23-24

try is free for everyone.

Several activities and contests with prizes will be held throughout the fiesta

Three women are vying for the 2025 Miss Barrio Fiesta crown on Friday evening at 7:30pm. That same day at 8:30pm, the Barrio Fiesta Voice contest will be held.

On Saturday, several contests with $500 prize money are scheduled, such as Climb the Greased Pole (1:00pm), AnyKine Sisig Challenge (3:30pm), Barrio Fiesta Balut Challenge (6:30pm), and more.

On both days, there

multicultural and diverse population make up. Studies show higher rates of racial bullying in Hawaii compared to the mainland.

Within this category, immigrants, especially those with accents and learning English as a second language are more frequent targets of bullying. Years ago, Filipino immigrant students bore the brunt of teasing, insulting and harassment because of their accents and the way they dressed. We are seeing today Micronesians experiencing the same discrimination many Filipino immigrants faced

will be drawings for major prizes such as inter-island flight travel, a $500 gift card, a $1,000 trip to Las Vegas, and a flight to the Philippines.

Food vendors serving Filipino food and island classics will be available throughout the venue. Philippine cultural entertainment will be provided as well.

“We’re very excited to present the 56th Annual Barrio Fiesta®–the longest running Filipino fiesta in the United States,” says Nora Cabanilla-Takushi, the Event Chairperson.

“We could not have

and are still encountering.

Cyberbullying

Unique to this generation of bullying is the rise of cyberbullying through texts and social media accounts. Studies show cyberbullying can be even more harmful than old-school bullying because of the expanded reach of harassment for many of their peers to see and laugh over.

continued this unmatched tradition without the support of our sponsors, advertisers, donors, vendors, entertainers, volunteers, and the Miss Barrio Fiesta® contestants. It’s a terrific way to continue to share our culture with all of Maui and to be with old and new friends.”

Binhi at Ani, which means “Seed and Harvest” in Filipino, is a Hawaii non-profit corporation that also operates the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center and the annual Barrio Fiesta. Binhi at Ani also awards scholarships to outstanding high school graduates.

Parents should play a larger role in preventing cyberbullying. They must explain to their children that there are certain behavioral boundaries that must not be crossed and encourage positive social media interaction. Teens should be encouraged by their parents to not give into peer pressure to engage in demeaning, mean spirited communications on social media. Allow teens to explore and affirm independent thinking on social media. But that doesn’t mean parents be 100% hands off. They should be aware of the general patterns of behavior their children are having on social media. Positive parenting these days must also include positive parenting in the digital world.

Let’s all work together as a community to do our part in decreasing school bullying.

Amalia Abigania, Kauai High School Briana Nepomuceno, James Campbell High School

Joelle Evasco, Waianae High School

Krizelle Busto, Waipahu High School

Krizelle Busto, Waipahu High School

Chloe Matro, Kalaheo High School

Mabuhay and Malunggay! Filipino Fiesta a Successful and Safe Event

By Edna R. Bautista, Ed. D.

Quelling concerns after tragedy literally struck at the LapuLapu Day festivities in Vancouver, Canada, a week prior, the Flores de Mayo and Filipino Fiesta on May 3 at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu was a successful—and safe—event, spearheaded by the Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu.

The annual event drew thousands of people to the free day-long Filipino cultural festival, including “fiesta father” and L&L Hawaiian BBQ founder Eddie Flores Jr., Hawaii’s new Philippine Consul General Arman R. Talbo, state Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, numerous Filipino and local VIPs and pageant queens.

With a theme of “Celebrating Wellness and Heritage through Malunggay” (moringa plant used in Filipino cuisine), the fiesta featured a leaf-picking contest, “Malunggay Master: The Ultimate Strip-Off”; Morning Café with Sama Sama serving up specialty moringa drinks and snacks; and educational workshops, such as “Malunggay Block Print”

facilitated by Kami Yamamoto, and “Malunggay: Garden to Table Traditions” facilitated by Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand.

New to the fiesta in 2025 were a Waipahu community mural, created in partnership with local artist Zach Angeles; Magnolia Purple Freeze Challenge and ube ice cream eating race; and cocktails and pupus at Inuman Garden.

Attendees also enjoyed signature fiesta experiences, such as the regal Santacruzan court procession (a Catholic tradition commemorating the search for the Holy Cross by Queen Helena); Pamana Sessions (cultural workshops in tinikling folk dance and martial arts); Filipiniana market and Ligaya’s sari-sari store; Kabataan Barangay (cultural and keiki/children’s villages); a variety of street food vendors and trucks; balut eating contest; and music and dance performances and martial arts demonstrations throughout several stage areas, concluding with local R&B award-winning artist Keilana opening for headline entertainer AJ Rafael.

See more fiesta photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hfcnews/ albums/72177720325869176.

The 2025 Filipino Fiesta kicked off with the Flores de Mayo court in a regal Santacruzan processional.

Fiesta “founding father” Eddie Flores Jr. presented a $10,000 check to the FilCom Center on behalf of his franchise restaurant L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.

Hawaii’s new Philippine Consul General Arman R. Talbo was among many VIPs attending the Filipino Fiesta.

Folk and contemporary entertainers danced and sang on various stage areas at the FilCom Center grounds.

The Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu worked hard all year to plan and present the 2025 Filipino Fiesta.

Several pageant queen contestants—from Mrs. Hawaii Filipina to Miss Oahu Filipina— graced the fiesta with their presence.

Following the malunggay theme, the fiesta featured health information displays, specialty drinks, an educational workshop about the moringa plant and a malunggay leaf stripping competition.

By Elpidio R. Estioko

Diana Ding, founder and CEO of Silicon Valley Community Media, announced the winners of the 2025 Asian American Tell Your Stories Video Contest.

The contest has a theme of “My Gift To America,” with over 93 contestants who submitted their entries. The awards ceremony was held at the H.L. Peninsula Restaurant in Milpitas, California, on May 1.

The awards ceremony was hosted by ABC News Reporter and local celebrity Dion Lim and Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens.

“As I watched every single entry, I was deeply moved. These stories made me laugh, cry, and reflect,” said Ding in her message during the ceremony.

“They captured the quiet heroism in everyday lives. These are not just videos – they are living

Silicon Valley Community Media Announces Asian American Video Contest 2025 Winners

legacies, /they are blueprint of courage, identity, and belonging, they remind us that Asian American stories are not side chapters but central to the America can narrative.”

There are three winners for the Adult Category Award:

First Place - Hino Lee for his video that centers on the profound sacrifices made by the storyteller’s mother that illuminating her selfless actions and positive ripple effects on the wider world.

Second Place - Vicki Manalo Graves on her video about The Gift of Two Golds that highlights the two Olympic golds that America won in the 1948 London Olympics, which shows a vision of true strength in the shadow of World War II.

Third Place - Friends Of Children With Special Needs submitted a video that unveils a heartwarming testament to the quiet yet powerful force of Asian Americans building a vibrant “Dream Com-

(COVER STORY: Profiling ....from page 6)

put themselves in harm’s way. When it is safe, bystanders should:

• Help the bullied get away

• Be their friend

• Don’t give bullying an audience

• Tell a trusted adult

• Set a good example

Guzman said when he saw gay kids get bullied growing up, and some of his friends did the bullying, he would always step in and diffuse the harassment. “I was a bigger teen than others. No one suspected that I was gay and because of my physique, most kids were afraid of

munity” tailored for children.

Now, for the Youth Category Award, the three winners are:

First Place - Jaslyn Kwan for her video that shows a vibrant expression of cultural heritage through a beautifully captured passion for dance.

Second Place - Kaihua Skyler Chong, who submitted a video showcasing his love for wushu, a Chinese martial art practice, that he performs at big events like the Stanford Spring Festival Gala and SF Chinatown celebrations.

Third Place - Gunn Language Bridge Club sent a video that shows a poignant reflection on the initial challenges of immi-

me. When I saw the more effeminate kids get bullied, I would tell them, ‘how would you like if I did that to you?’ That would quickly end the harassment. But, of course, I couldn’t be everywhere to stop what was going on,” Guzman said.

Bullying based on race

Hawaii is known as a multicultural melting pot, but it isn’t a paradise for some students when it comes to bullying. Racial bullying has been a problem for decades. In a dramatic difference from the rest of the U.S., white students surveyed by the

CDC in 2023 are far more likely to experience racism in Hawaii schools. According to the survey, roughly 47% of white students in the islands reported unfair treatment compared to the national average of 17%. Black students and Micronesian students are also more commonly known to experience racial bullying in Hawaii. Overall, it was found that 39% of Hawaii high school students surveyed by the CDC in 2023 had been treated unfairly because of their race or ethnicity, well above the national average of 32%.

Anti-bullying advo-

grating to America. There were also excellence awardees namely Eva’s Aloha Spirit: Sharing Hawaiian Joy Across Generations; Visionary Pioneer: Dr. Vernon Wong’s Million-Eye Miracle; From Harvard to Hope: Amanda Nguyen’s Gift to Legislative Reforms; Joanne Ho; Asians Are Strong; Yi Ding; Min Zhu; Jasper Chen; Vivian Liu & Claire Wang; and Shinyee Tang.

The Viewer’s Choice Award went to Li Ding and Liana Chung, while the first submission prize went to Jasper Chen’s Ignite Your Story, Inspire Others.

The four Special Recognition Awards were awarded to Jiay Li, Can-

cates say kids pick up the same resentment and anger they see from their families at home. That anger could include racial animosity. This is why some anti-bullying advocates say kids should be taught in school about compassion, kindness and respect. But that’s unlikely, they admit, due to resistance by parents who feel that behavior should be taught in the home, and not in schools.

Wookie Kim, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, said racism in the state has long been a challenge for schools,

tonese Opera; Jun Hao Su; Chengwei Chen & Weng Kee Fu; and Elly He. Kristi Yamaguchi, one of the most prominent Japanese-American women in sport and pop culture, received the 2025 Legendary Story Teller Award. Yamaguchi won the gold medal for the USA in women’s figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She is a member of the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic Hall of Fame.

Congratulations to all the winners!

In closing, I would like to echo the parting words of Diana during the awards celebration:

“Let tonight be a celebration of who we are, a recognition of all we give, and a promise to keep telling stories that matter.”

ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com

but not all teachers and administrators are taking incidents seriously. She said it’s sometimes difficult for teachers to differentiate between friendly banter between students and harmful name-calling that borders on racism. Kim added race is the most common basis for bullying when the ACLU receives complaints from parents in Hawaii schools. While school bullying persists, surveys in Hawaii show improvement. Awareness and education on bullying helps, parents believe, but say still more prevention needs to be done.

Understanding Advance Directives and Medical Powers of Attorney

By Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.

An Advance Directive or Living

Will is a legal document that allows individuals to outline their preferences for medical treatment in situations where they can no longer communicate their decisions.

This often includes directives about life-sustaining treatments such as mechanical ventilation or resuscitation.

In contrast, a Medical Power of Attorney designates an agent to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the principal (the person creating the document) when they lack capacity.

The agent is expected to honor the principal’s wishes and best interests.

While both documents serve to guide medical care, conflicts can arise, especially if the decisions of your healthcare agent conflict with the stipulations in the advance directive.

Under Hawaii law, at Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 327E-3, these are combined into a single document to avoid both the confusion and unavailability of authority that can arise from not having them together.

HIPAA authorization is also part of the current Advance Directive, so that appointed agents have the authority to obtain information related to a person’s medical treatment.

Risks of Appointing CoAgents

Designating multiple individuals as co-agents can lead to disputes. Conflicting opinions among co-agents can delay critical medical decisions and may result in actions that contradict the principal’s documented wishes.

Such disagreements can also place additional

emotional strain on family members during already challenging times.

On the other hand, when co-agents are appointed, there can be more of a sense of shared responsibility and shared decision-making, so that the agents do not feel the weight of making a decision alone to let a parent go. Ask yourself if the coagents you appoint can discuss and decide with each other so there is no standstill for the hospital staff, because timing and the need for a decision can be important in your treatment.

Best Practices for Choosing Healthcare Agents

Select a Single Agent: To minimize potential conflicts, appoint one trusted individual as your healthcare agent. Choose

MAINLAND NEWS

someone you trust will carry out your wishes. Communicate Your Wishes Clearly: Discuss your medical preferences in detail with your agent. This ensures they understand and are willing to honor your decisions.

Document Preferences Thoroughly: Clearly outline your medical treatment preferences in your advance directive to guide your agent and healthcare providers.

Review and Update Documents Regularly: Periodically reassess your advance directive and medical power of attorney. Your preferences may change over the years. Updating your documents regularly ensures your documents reflect your current wishes and that your chosen agent remains willing and able to act on your behalf.

Trump Administration Plans to Accept Luxury Plane Gift From Qatar

President Donald Trump is planning to accept the Qatar royal family’s luxury plane gift and intends to use it as Air Force One, according to reports.

The luxury plane, which is a Boeing 7478 airplane, would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the U.S. government. A new commercial 747-8 costs around $400 million.

According to the reports, the plane will eventually be donated to Trump’s presidential library after he leaves office.

Democrats and good governance advocates reacted to the planned gift and called it unconstitutional.

Members of the Sen-

ate Foreign Relations Committee, which includes Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), released a statement addressing the Trump administrations plans with the luxury gift.

“The Constitution is clear: elected officials, like the president, cannot accept large gifts from foreign governments without consent from Congress,” the senators said in the statement.

“Air Force One is more than just a plane — it’s a symbol of the presidency and of the United States itself. Any president who accepts this kind of gift, valued at $400 million, from a for-

eign government creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government. No one—not even the president—is above the law.”

The senators are planning to ask the Senate to vote to impose the basic principle of good governance: “No one should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts,” the statement reads.

On social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said it’s more than just bribery.

“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar. It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra leg-

room,” he posted on X.

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is “committed to full transparency.”

“Any gift given by

a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump’s administration is committed to full transparency,” she said in a statement. 

Rizaliana for Children, Illustrations and Folk Tales by Rizal

By Rose Cruz Churma

It’s still May, but it’s not too early to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero, who was born in the month of June.

He is known for his intellect, achievement, and nationalism, but his contributions to children’s literature are often mentioned as a side note to his notable literary works, such as the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

This book review serves to commemorate his 164th anniversary of his birth in Calamba, Laguna.

Born on June 19, 1861, the young Rizal was a precocious child who spent his childhood in the family’s bahay na bato home in Calamba.

In the evenings, little Jose would stay at the azotea of the house, where during moonlit nights, his yaya or nursemaid would share fairy tales, or frighten him into eating his meal by telling him aswang and nuno stories.

In the introduction, the editor notes that the bulk of Rizal’s contributions to children’s literature were written (sometimes illustrated by him) between the years 1885 to 1890.

These are the years of his prime when he was preoccupied with perfecting his medical practice, learning new languages, and writing his novels.

This is to differentiate it from the artistic output when he was a child and a teenager.

At a young age, he was already known to write poetry and do portrait sketches, but the ar-

tistic and literary works included in this publica tion were written during his adulthood, when he was traveling in Europe to complete his first novel, getting trained in ophthal mology, and learning oth er European languages.

The first children’s story featured in this publication that he wrote and illustrated is The Monkey and Tortoise, which is based on a Tagalog folk tale.

He was then staying in Paris in the autumn of 1885 to take up residency in ophthalmology. While in Paris, he lodged at the atelier of the artist, Juan Luna, and was also friends with another Filipino artist, Felix Ressureccion Hidalgo.

The three also formed friendships with the brothers Trinidad and Felix Pardo de Tavera. The two brothers had a sister, Paz, who at that time was being courted by Juan Luna. The trio of friends made regular visits to the Pardo de Tavera home.

During one of the visits, Paz Pardo de Tavera convinced Jose Rizal to contribute to her album. The album was almost full, and Jose Rizal filled up the remaining pages with his sketches illustrating the Tagalog folk tale with its text in Spanish.

The second story is The Baptism of Two Brothers, a comic strip he drew for Etta and Fritz Ullmer, children of Pastor Karl Ullmer, the protestant vicar of Wilhelmsfield, a village not far from Heidelberg in Germany.

After his stint in Paris, Jose Rizal left for Germany in the spring of 1886 to take up another residency in ophthalmology.

He was determined to learn German, and he felt that living with a German

was hand-written by Rizal in Tagalog contains diacritical marks (such as the circumflex on some vowels) but is not included in this version due to limitations of technology during its publication.

Similar to the diacritical marks used in the Hawaiian text, the marks denote which syllable is stressed and the glottal stop for its vowel.

ily would help him learn the language quickly; thus he decided to stay with the Ullmer family.

It must have been an idyllic time. Installed in the vicarage, Jose Rizal spent the time putting the finishing touches to his novel Noli Me Tangere and endearing himself to the two Ullmer children.

The comic strip he drew for them would only be known to Rizaliana researchers when the comic strip was rediscovered by the wife of the then Philippine ambassador to France in 1959. It was then owned by Pastor Ullmer’s great-grandsons, inherited from their father, Fritz.

The third in the series is Rizal’s translations from German into Tagalog of five fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. These are: Ang Puno ng Pino, Si Gahinlalaki, Ang Pangit na Sisiu ng Pato, Ang Sugu and Ang Batang Babaing Mai Dalang Sakafuego.

The original manuscript, comprising 40 pages, was bound in leather and written in his own script and illustrated with diminutive sketches. He completed this on October 14, 1886, in Leipzig and sent it as a gift to the three oldest children of his sister Narcisa.

The manuscript that

piece in the book is called “Mariang Makiling.” This is the retelling of a legend from Rizal’s hometown and was written under the pen name Laong Laan, and was published on 31 December 1890 in La Solidaridad.

The fourth segment in the book consists of two parts: “Specimens of Tagal Folklore” is comprised of proverbial sayings and puzzles (bugtong in Tagalog), while “Two Eastern Fables” is a comparative analysis of the Philippine fable Ang Buhay ni Pagong at ni Matsing and the Japanese fable Saru Kani Kassen. This fourth segment is written in English, which Rizal soon mastered.

When Rizal finally settled in London in the spring of 1888, he boarded with the Beckett family. He spent his Sunday afternoons in the house of a German doctor, Dr. Rost, who had a collection of books on the Philippines.

The Beckett residence was within walking distance of the British Museum, where Rizal spent most of the time annotating Morga’s book Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.

It would be Dr. Rost who first published the two essays in 1899, which Rizal wrote while in London (along with his completed annotations of Morga at the British Museum) critical examples to prove that the Philippines has “inheritance of civilization” well before the Spaniards arrived to colonize the islands in the 16th century.

The fifth and last

Rizal was informed of the formation of La Solidaridad in Barcelona in January of 1889 after moving from London to Paris. It was in Paris that he sent his best writings to La Solidaridad, where he notes that “The principal instrument of the heart and the head is the hand. Some prefer the brush; others the chisel. I prefer the pen.”

It should be noted that the arrangement of the literary pieces follows the sequence of Rizal’s travels from 1885 when he first arrived in Paris, to 1890 when he returned—the written pieces done in five years.

Each of the five segments is preceded by a description of the context in which Rizal wrote the essays, in some cases noting his frame of mind by quoting from letters he wrote to his brother Pascasio, or his fellow expatriates in the emerging propaganda movement against Spain.

This is a one-of-akind book, a rare historical piece that documents the little-known writings for children of the Philippines’ national hero, and the context of those times when he wrote these.

ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

When The World Feels Unsafe: A Mother’s Surrender

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

We live in a world full of perils. Danger can strike anywhere, at any moment, and often when we least expect it.

Just recently, a moment meant to celebrate Filipino culture ended in unspeakable tragedy.

At the Lapu-Lapu Festival in Vancouver, joyful families were struck without warning by an SUV, killing eleven and injuring dozens.

One entire family was lost—including a 5-yearold child—leaving behind only a 16-year-old son to carry the weight of grief.

In Tarlac, Philippines, another tragedy unfolded.

A family en route to

a Baguio vacation and a van transporting six children and four adults to a church camp in Pangasinan were sandwiched between a truck and a bus.

The collision killed over ten people and injured more than twenty.

In Illinois, a horrifying incident claimed the lives of four young girls, aged just 7 to 18, when a car crashed into a building hosting an after-school program.

Who could have imagined that a day of fun could turn into the worst day of someone’s life? That in an instant, joy could be replaced by heartbreak?

These tragic headlines – along with news of war, natural disasters,

and economic turmoil –confront us daily, shaking our sense of safety.

As a mother, I can’t help but feel anxious and fearful. I worry about my family, especially my children.

My mind sometimes drifts to terrible “what ifs” even on seemingly ordinary days.

What can I do to protect them?

The sobering reality is, I can only do so much. Even within the supposed safety of our homes, danger can find its way in.

Yet I’ve come to accept a deeper truth: our days are numbered, and our lives are not fully in our control.

No amount of planning can guarantee tomorrow. No matter how hard we try, death is a reality we cannot escape.

But in that truth, I’ve found a deeper peace.

This peace comes from my faith – a belief that while death is inevitable, it does not have the final say.

Recently, we marked Holy Week and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus.

For me and many others, this is a reminder

that in Him, there is hope beyond tragedy, victory over death, and the promise of eternal life.

Death does not get the final say.

As a mother, the best I can do is entrust my family to God.

My husband and I have made it a daily practice to begin and end our days in prayer with our children. Each morning, we entrust them to God before they leave the house. Each evening, we thank Him for His protection and commit the next day to His care.

To fellow moms and dads, let this truth encourage you:

We may not be able to shield our children from every harm, but we can place their lives into the hands of the One who created them. He knows them. He has a purpose

(continue on page 14)

The New Pope Is American, From Chicago

By HFC Staff

Habemus papam! Or in English, we have a new pope!

The conclave, the voting ceremony wherein the cardinals choose a new pope, took place on May 7th. After a day and four rounds of voting, white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney indicated that a new pope had been selected on May 8th.

Shortly after, the new pope, Pope Leo XIV, emerged from the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony to address the crowd gathered in Rome that day.

The first US-born pope

Born to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent in 1955, Robert Francis Prevost grew up in Chicago with his two older brothers. He attended Catholic schools where he served as an altar boy.

Known as “Rob” or “Bob” to his friends and family, Prevost would pursue degrees in mathematics, divinity, and canon law of the Catholic Church from universities in Pennsylvania, Chicago, and Rome.

Although an American from the United States, Prevost went on to spend most of his career overseas, particularly in Peru.

He became an ordained priest in 1982 and shortly after joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985.

In 2024, Pope Francis made Prevost the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru. In 2023, he became an archbishop. That same year, Francis

made him a cardinal and the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a role that selects and supervises bishops.

The 69-year-old Prevost, now called Pope Leo XIV, is the first Roman Catholic pope from North America and the United States.

“I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you,” said the pope in his first address in the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in May 8.

He delivered the speech in Italian and Spanish.

“Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome - the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter,” he continued.

“Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.”

The world celebrates

United States residents, especially those in Chicago, celebrated the new pope.

John Prevost, the pope’s older brother, told NBC Chicago, “It’s totally unreal. It’s totally surreal.”

“It’s a tremendous, tremendous thing to take in. But it’s something to be very proud of,” he said.

Louis Prevost, the

(PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: When the World ....from page 13)

pope’s other older brother, shared his excitement. “My brother is the pope. Wow, I can’t believe it. I think he’ll be fantastic,” he said.

For the residents of Peru, the new pope is also their pride and joy. In the middle of the pope’s first speech, he stopped and asked if he could say a few words in Spanish.

He smiled and said: “Hello to all and especially to those of my diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.”

Leo XIV spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and as a teacher in northwestern Peru. He earned a Peruvian nationality and is remembered for his work with marginalised communities and Venezuelan refugees in Peru.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte said, “The pope is Peruvian; God loves Peru.”

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, they celebrated the new pope with a fascinating story from Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

In a post-conclave press conference with Tagle and fellow cardinals

Pablo Virgilio David and Jose Advincula, the three Filipino cardinal electors shared their thoughts about their conclave experience and the new pope.

One story that stuck the most with viewers is Tagle’s first act of charity for the Holy Father. Tagle always has a candy with him, especially during the conclave when proceedings take a long time.

“Cardinal Prevost was sitting next to me. When I heard him breathing heavily, I asked him, ‘Do you want some candy?’ He said, ‘Yes, give me one.’ Then I said, ‘That’s it! That’s my first act of charity to the new Holy Father,’” he said.

Tagle also recalled that Prevost was asking him questions about the proceedings since it was Tagle’s second time participating in a conclave.

When Prevost was selected as pope, Tagle jokingly told the new pope that if he had any problems with the proceedings during the conclave, he could change it now that he is pope.

“He has a humorous side, he has a sense of humor, and he has a loud voice when he laughs,” Ta-

gle said of Pope Leo XIV.

Tagle also told reporters in the press conference that the new pope is always calm and composed.

“He is a very level-headed person. He’s not the kind of person who is guided by just impulses and reactions,” he said.

“He listens and, if needed, he would study something. He would not immediately decide, but he would study it first. But when he comes back, you will see that everything is clear.”

The papal name

Prevost chose the papal name Leo to honor Leo XIII’s legacy.

In a first meeting with cardinals, Prevost said that there are numerous reasons behind his choice of papal name, but he shared that he is inspired by Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum.”

“Rerum Novarum” was an open letter written by Pope Leo XIII and published in 1891 that addresses the condition of the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

In Prevost’s, now Pope Leo XIV, closing statement in his first speech, he called for peace.

“To all the faithful here present, and to all those who receive his blessing through the radio, through television, and other technologies of communication. You can recognise him in the way recognised by the church,” he said.

“Let us hope that he’s preserved for a long time and ensures peace to the church throughout the world.” and a plan for their lives. The safest place for them to be is in God’s loving care.

Let us surrender our fears and trust the One who holds them, who surrounds them, watches over them, and will bring to completion what He has begun.

May these scriptures bring peace to your heart as you raise your children in a world that feels increasingly frightening and uncertain:

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:3

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” –Isaiah 41:13

“The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from

this time forth and forevermore.” – Psalm 121:7–8

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” - Psalm 27:1

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

To all the anxious mothers and fathers, take heart. We are not alone, and neither are our children.

God’s hands are big enough to hold them, guide them, and protect them, even when we cannot.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

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Not for Performance or Applause, But for His Glory Alone

By Darla Baltazar

Before I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I prided myself on being an overachiever, excelling in most things I put my hand to - academics, sports, and music.

I lived for the applause of others, believing that my worth was tied to my performance.

At home, it seemed that excellence was the standard, and I felt that love had to be earned and weaknesses had to be hidden.

This mindset carried over into my relationships, from which I desperately sought affirmation and approval.

I attended an all-girls school where I found comfort in my best friends, but my attachments were unhealthy.

I idolized them, invested too much time and emotion in them, only to be left hurt and confused when these relationships eventually became toxic and ended.

This pattern of emotional dependency followed me into college, leading me into a same-sex relationship. And even then, I was eventually replaced, once again feeling abandoned and unwanted.

It was during this season of brokenness that I first sensed God’s pursuit of me.

A friend asked me, “Darla, where do you find not just temporary happiness, but lasting joy?” I didn’t have an answer, but

he shared his - Jesus.

Soon after, he invited me to Elevate, where I heard the gospel clearly for the first time. Though I had not yet received Christ, God planted a seed in my heart.

The following year, I experienced yet another painful falling out with a close friend. It prompted me to begin reading the Bible on my own to search for answers.

The Book of Romans captivated me, “Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” revealing a God who loved me not because of what I do right, but through what He did on the cross.

And all I needed to do was receive this gift of salvation by grace through faith.

A year later, I returned to Elevate on my own and finally surrendered my life to Jesus. I joined a Dgroup, and for the first time, I felt free from the pressing weight of performance and seeking to please people.

Dgroup was the space where I did not have to impress, but could confess my deepest shame. And instead of condemnation, I felt God’s compassion.

When I chose to repent, I felt God’s forgiveness and healing.

But becoming a follower of Christ did not instantly erase my struggles.

My faith was soon

tested when I developed a new close friend, and my tendency toward emotional entanglements resurfaced.

I wanted to love God more than I loved my friend, so that season eventually came to a close through much prayer, accountability, and God’s intervention. I learned to grow in my daily dependence on God.

In the next two years, I immersed myself in discipleship and serving in ministry.

God also gave me the chance to share the gospel through music as an independent Christian artist. But there was still a time when I once again compromised and fell into sin. Even as a more mature

Christian, I still failed.

Yet, even in my rebellion, God was faithful. During the prayer and fasting week at the start of 2024, I pleaded with God to finally free me from my relational crutches.

His answer came swiftly but painfully. He allowed conflicts in important relationships, and another lost friendship, revealing what I needed to surrender to Him.

In my brokenness, I humbled myself before God.

I confessed everything to my leaders and entered a season of restoration, stepping away from ministry to focus solely on my relationship with Christ. During this time, I im-

mersed myself in the Word of God daily.

It was also then that I joined Christ’s Commission Fellowship’s (CCF’s) Glorious Hope program, where God deeply ministered to me.

Though my flesh and my heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Jesus took away my shame, renewed my mind, and gave me a new purpose - to lead others to the freedom I had found in Him.

Today, by God’s grace, I am more accountable to my Dgroup leader, and I am also discipling young women, one of whom is already discipling students as well.

God has also blessed me with healthy, Christ-centered friendships, such as in the B1G singles’ ministry of CCF Katipunan.

I also shared the gospel with my mom, and now she is regularly attending Sunday services with me.

I am blessed to declare that I continue to experience and live out God’s love and joy in my life.

My name is Darla Baltazar, no longer living for the approval of people, but for God’s glory and pleasure. To Him be all the honor and praise, now and forever!

My baptism in 2019 at the Elevate Katipunan Retreat at CCF’s Mt Makiling Recreation Center.

DARLA BALTAZAR is currently a discipler and worship leader at Christ’s Commission Fellowship Katipunan and actively serving in the Be One with God singles ministry.