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Medical missions are transformative. To the patients – many who are desperate to seek medical care but either do not have access or cannot afford it – they are gifted with free medical treatment that often changes their physical bodies to carry on daily activities with less pain or discomfort. To volunteers, we commonly hear that their experiences have changed them, and the euphoria felt, tears and smiles of gratitude from the patients they’ve helped are forever kept in their memory banks.
Medical missions reflect the best of humanity, of volunteers pouring their talent, energy and hard work to uplift the lives of people who are in most cases complete strangers. These acts of charity epitomize selflessness. In many ways, a volunteer is the embodiment of a prayer. Volunteers – perhaps guided by the grace of God -- rise to the urgency of answering the prayers of the poor for better health. Their charitable acts are the goodness that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 19:19 to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Medical missions– the need for them – also reflect poorly on humanity, of a medical infrastructure inadequately funded and a community ignored because there’s little profit to be made from providing healthcare to the poor. That lack of onus by a government that’s not prioritizing healthcare to the degree it must change.
However painstakingly slow to respond to the critical health needs of Filipinos in what’s called geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), the Philippine government is taking steps to bridge healthcare gaps in these poor and underserved communities.
The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teddy Herbosa mentions several initiatives they are working on to improve healthcare disparities:
1. Doctor to the Barrios (DTTB) Program aims to deploy medical practitioners to all municipalities, particularly in GIDAs, where healthcare professionals are scarce. The DOH is actively recruiting and compensating doctors to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage nationwide. The program stresses the importance of community engagement and preventive healthcare measures.
2. Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) is an initiative focused on establishing new healthcare facilities in underserved areas, particularly urgent care and ambulatory services. Expanded infrastructure aims to improve accessibility in GIDAs and remote communities.
3. PhilHealth Benefit Packages Enhancement aims to enhance benefit packages offered by PhilHealth (the national health insurance program) by increasing coverage and benefits. The DOH aims to alleviate the financial burdens associated with healthcare expenses, especially to those from marginalized communities to access quality healthcare services without financial hardship.
The success of all three initiatives will largely depend on proper funding that healthcare advocates say would only be possible to make realistic improvements if the government allocates at least 10% to public health and more pri-
Our Filipino community in both Hawaii and the Philippines is blessed to have the Ohana Medical Mission, Inc. (OMM), the medical missionary arm of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii. OMM has been providing free medical, surgical, optical, dental and humanitarian services to indigent communities throughout the Philippines since 2009. They’ve made 21 missions to date.
For our cover story this issue, HFC associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports on OMM’s 2024 Charity Masquerade Ball/Fundraiser to take place on October 26 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It’s a perfect opportunity for members in our community to come out and support OMM and ensure their charitable work continues. OMM Executive Director JP Orias said the annual Charity Ball is the only fundraiser for OMM that supports its medical missions. “The magnitude and the number of the medical missions depend largely on the revenues generated by the fundraiser. OMM aims to do two medical missions a year,” he said. In the story several volunteers share their touching experiences while on OMM missions. See also in the article how you can donate to OMM or become a sponsor of the Charity Ball. Hope to see you there.
Speaking of charitable works, Patti Lyons the first President and CEO of the Consuelo Foundation, is featured in “How Social Work Changed Hawaii— From Practice to Social Justice” in our Book Review written by HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma. There is a segment in the book that tells of Lyon’s experience in seeking to establish shelters for street children in Baguio, Philippines where there are multiple shelters now and run by Child and Family Services Inc. At the time, Lyons was President & CEO of the agency.
Related to social justice is the role unions have played in advocating for economic justice of workers. As I am writing this, today is Labor Day. HFC columnist Dr. Arcelita Imasa submits “This Labor Day, Celebrate the Union Advantage!” which contrasts how workers in unions have on average higher pay and better benefits than non-union workers.
Also, in this issue we have several articles on the topic that’s dominating mainstream media’s news coverage – the presidential campaign. HFC columnist Will Espero writes “Campaign 2024: Race for the Presidency,” an overview of presidential nominees Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. HFC columnists Emil Guillermo and Elpidio Estioko in their separate articles recaps Harris’ acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Lastly, former state senator Gary Hooser contributes a commentary answering the question, “Voting CriteriaThe Party or the Person?” We hope you enjoy these stories and our other interesting columns and news.
For your convenience, remember to tell your family and friends that they can access a free digital copy of each issue on our website. To business owners, if you want to reach Hawaii’s huge Filipino community, consider advertising in our newspaper. Contact us at: filipinochronicle@gmail.com for more information. Thank you for your support. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.
Publisher & Managing Editor
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Associate Editors
Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo
Contributing
Editor
Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.
Design
Junggoi Peralta
Photography
Tim Llena
Administrative Assistant
Lilia Capalad
Editorial & Production Assistant
Jim Bea Sampaga
Columnists
Carlota Hufana Ader
Rose Cruz Churma
Elpidio R. Estioko
Willie Espero
Perry Diaz
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
Mark Lester Ranchez
Jay Valdez, Psy.D.
Glenn Wakai
Amado Yoro
Philippine Correspondent:
Greg Garcia
Neighbor Island Correspondents:
Big Island (Hilo and Kona)
Grace LarsonDitas Udani
Kauai
Millicent Wellington
Maui
Christine Sabado
Big Island Distributors
Grace LarsonDitas Udani
Kauai Distributors
Amylou Aguinaldo
Nestor Aguinaldo
Maui Distributors
Cecille PirosRey Piros
Molokai Distributor
Maria Watanabe
Oahu Distributors
Yoshimasa Kaneko
Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan
Advertising / Marketing Director
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Account Executives
Carlota Hufana Ader
JP Orias
U.S. border security has been getting most of the attention regarding immigration but what the country needs is comprehensive immigration reform that addresses both security at the southern border but also longstanding legal immigration problems like backlog in processing green cards.
Just this month the Catholic Diocese of Paterson, N.J. sued five federal agencies handling immigration because of an immigration procedural change affecting foreign religious workers in the U.S., including Catholic priests and nuns.
The change puts foreign-born religious workers into a new category where backlog for processing permanent residency cases have a long waiting list. Therefore, dioceses across the U.S. face the possibility of losing priests due to their cases now not being able to
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vate healthcare investments are brought in to assist.
While public and private efforts work to buildup healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines, the Hawaii-based Ohana Medical Mission, Inc. (OMM) has been providing invaluable work to fill some of the medical gap in depressed areas throughout the Philippines.
Since 2009, OMM has made 21 missions to the Philippines, helped tens of thousands of patients providing medical, surgical, optical, dental and humanitarian services. It has also donated hundreds of thousands worth of medical supplies and medicines.
OMM (missionary arm of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii) is truly a God-send project worth supporting.
be approved before their visas expire.
Some foreign priests have already been forced to leave or are preparing to leave and the backlog to return could be a year or more than 3 ½ years and could increase. If the situation is not fixed, this could become a crisis for the Catholic Church in the U.S. very soon because there already is a shortage of clergy with low number of native-born priests. The shortage is not just in the U.S., but a Vatican March 2023 report shows the worldwide number of seminarians, priests and men and women in religious orders has declined.
Our Filipino American community across the U.S. holds Catholicism and the Church dear to our hearts and lifestyle. We attend weekly masses and send our children to Catholic schools so this is an important issue for us that we hope can be fixed immediately by the
The community will have this opportunity to support OMM and have fun in the process by attending their 2024 Charity Masquerade Ball/Fundraiser to take place on October 26 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
We encourage our Filipino medical professionals and community at-large to rally in support of making the Charity Ball a success.
OMM organizers say their annual Charity Ball is the major fundraising project that keeps OMM in operation and that the amount of money raised determines how frequently they’re able to go on medical missions, which is typically twice a year.
Proceeds of the event will help to fund the two OMM missions slated for 2025, the first one on February 1-9, the second one in July-August.
next president and Congress.
In Hawaii and the rest of the U.S., the Roman Catholic Church heavily relies on foreign-born priests. The National Study of Catholic Priests – released in 2022 by Catholic University of America’s Catholic Project –shows 24% of priests serving in the U.S. are foreign-born. Of the U.S.’ foreign-born priests, a full 15% were ordained outside the U.S.
The Catholic Diocese of Paterson, N.J. lawsuit argues that the change “will cause severe and substantial disruption to the lives and religious freedoms” of the priests as well as the hundreds of thousands of Catholics they serve.
Realistically, the new procedural processing could impact every Catholic diocese in the nation. “It’s so disruptive,” said Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the committee on migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group has advocated for legislative and administrative fixes because the newly extra-long delays
If you’re not able to attend, OMM accepts donations all year round. Any amount helps to sustain their missions, OMM organizers say.
Lastly, we’d like to extend a big mahalo to Ian Guerrero, M.D., President of the OMM and his entire staff, the OMM sponsors and donors. And to the mission volunteers, without your compassion and commitment to help our kababyans in the Philippines, none of this would be possible. Some of these volunteers, who pay their own way on these trips, have made several missions with OMM. In the spirit of bayanihan, our Filipino cultural value of unity, cooperation and selfless service to our neighbors, let’s keep on sharing our love and talents to our brethren in the Philippines. Mabuhay to OMM!
in green card processing are “not sustainable.”
Most religious workers enter the U.S. under temporary visas called R-1, which allow them to work in the United States for five years. If the clergy decides to stay, they can then petition for permanent resident status — known as green cards — for them under a special category called EB-4. But backlogs are taking too long under the new category and priests must return to their native countries due to visa expirations.
Like other immigration advocacy groups, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have been lobbying for long-term comprehensive congressional reform. But gridlock in Congress on immigration has put reform proposals on the backburner year after year.
The recent lawsuit hopes to bring urgency to the matter that if Congress refuses to act, perhaps simpler administrative changes can be implemented quickly to prevent a labor crisis for the Church in the U.S.
Miguel Naranjo, the director of Religious Immigration Services for Catholic Legal Immigration Network, stresses that the situation is not just about ministry, but the education and social services priests and nuns provide. “They’re the last safety
net of many communities,” he said.
According to the Democratic platform, the party seeks to increase the number of employment-based visas that are available each fiscal year so that visas aren’t forced to wait decades for a visa. Democrat nominee Kamala Harris hasn’t spoken directly on this, which could help with bringing in new priests to the U.S. Republican nominee Donald Trump’s immigration platform is largely centered on border security.
What is the specific procedural change? The U.S. State Department revealed that for nearly seven years it had been placing in the wrong line tens of thousands of applications for neglected or abused minors from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and they would now start adding those to the general queue with the clergy, which is making dramatic changes to wait times for processing green cards.
Given the important role priests and nuns serve in the Catholic Church and Catholic schools which many in our Filipino community are a part of, we join the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in calling for a procedural fix either by Congress or administratively as the Catholic Diocese of Paterson, N.J. lawsuit seeks.
By Edwin Quinabo
To visiting westerners, the Philippines provincial life is idyllic, full of natural beauty and smiling people content with the simple, slow-paced life. It’s glamorized and antithetical to the hustle and hamster-wheel existence of the West, even envied as a destination for retirement –until they realize the dismal healthcare offerings in some of these rural communities.
Only half of the Philippines’ 117 million people have access to a primary care facility within 30 minutes, according to Undersecretary for Health Facilities and Infrastructure Development Lilibeth David, in part due to the country’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
David said there are currently 2,593 government primary care facilities and around 1,500 private facilities nationwide. Compare those numbers to Japan with a similar population size at just over 120 million but boasts more than double the number of hospitals at 8,372.
The Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teddy Herbosa said they are working on health care gap areas called Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), locations that the World Health Organization (WHO) says lack healthcare infrastructure-facilities and medical staff, mostly in rural areas. Even if hospitals or clinics and staff were available in GIDAs, many residents there do not have health insurance or sufficient resources for medical care, or in some cases, enough money for long-distance transportation to the nearest health facility, according to the WHO.
Philippines healthcare advocates have been calling for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the health sector and increase the national health budget. Under such dire conditions as it is in parts of the Philippines, healthcare officials call the situation a public health crisis.
While the Philippine government and international healthcare organizations work to target interventions to
bridge healthcare gaps in GIDAs, the Hawaii-based Ohana Medical Mission, Inc. (OMM) has been actively providing free medical care during their 21 trips since 2009 throughout the Philippines, serving mostly provinces and municipalities with inadequate access to hospitals or clinics.
“OMM’s mission and vision is to provide healthcare and health education to indigent patients in communities in the Philippines. It is committed to providing quality medical, surgical, optical, dental and humanitarian services to the less privileged so that no patient is denied treatment because of financial, social or political circumstances,” said Ian Guerrero, M.D., President of the OMM.
OMM has done a total of 65 mission days covering almost 100 urban and remote places serving an average of 1,000-2,000 patients per day. At the end of a mission week, close to an average of 6,000-8,000 health services are rendered. Besides their free medical labor of love, OMM has donated hundreds of thousands worth of medicines, medical equipment, eyeglasses, vitamins and essentials like food.
To help support the organization’s missions, OMM (the missionary arm of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii) is inviting the community to its 2024 Charity Masquerade Ball/ Fundraiser on October 26, Saturday, 5 p.m., Hilton Hawaiian Village, Tapa Ballroom. This is OMM’s second Charity Ball.
Planners of the event say the Charity Masquerade Ball will be a stunning and elegant event embellished with red carpet, have a silent auction and dancing.
JP Orias, OMM’s executive director, said “OMM developed the Masquerade Ball theme, which is envisioned to have more color, glitter and fun than the previous Ball. OMM believes that the upbeat presentation is more appropriate for the fundraiser.” The first Charity Ball was held in February 2023 with
a different theme entitled “After the Loving.”
Part of the proceeds of the Charity Ball will go toward OMM’s 2025 Medical Missions (its 22nd and 23rd) on February 1-9, 2025, in Gerona, Paniqui, and Santa Ignacia, Tarlac and Urdaneta and Lingayaen, Pangasinan and Bagong Silang, Metro Manila. OMM’s 23rd trip will be the Bicol Express run in July/August 2025 from Naga city to Sto Domingo Albay and Payatas, Quezon city. “We are now in the planning stage of setting up the venues [for the upcoming missions], establishing connections through communications with the local counterparts through zoom meetings,” Dr. Guerrero said.
“Through the years since its inception in 2009, Ohana Medical Missions Inc, has been innovating ways in soliciting help from donors and the community. And the Charity Ball is by far the most enjoyable and fun-filled way of gathering donors, sponsors and the community all sharing the common passion of helping OMM realize its goals.
“The Charity Ball’s proceeds go directly in procuring much needed medications, medical supplies in support of the nature of our missions that will benefit the underserved areas in the Philippines and beyond,” Dr. Guerrero said. “The Charity Ball is our opportunity to share our blessings, big or small, that will benefit countless indigents to whom OMM serves its missions. Your donation will be tax deductible. It is also a time to relax, enjoy and have fun for a very worthy cause.”
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Orias said the annual Charity Ball is the only fundraiser for OMM that supports its medical missions. “The magnitude and the number of the medical missions depend largely on the revenues generated by the fundraiser. OMM aims to do two medical missions a year,” he said.
Hermie Gaspar, secretary of OMM, and her husband William are OMM volunteers. They plan to attend the Charity Ball. “We are joining and inviting friends and families to the Charity Ball for a couple of reasons. OMM goes to missions to the Philippines to render medical services free of charge. Without events like the Charity Ball to raise funds, it would be impossible for OMM to meet its goal to help medically underserved families. We’re also going to the fundraiser to meet other people, enjoy, have fun and have a nice dinner.”
OMM volunteers over the years have been physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and lay staff support. Often volunteers also include doctor’s medical staff and family members. OMM volunteers pay for their own airfare, transportation and lodging.
Dr. Guerrero, a board-certified Internist and primary care provider in the west side of Oahu, first got involved with OMM as a volunteer packing medications and supplies in December 2013 for a humanitarian mission to support Typhoon Yolanda victims. Yolanda is one of the deadliest typhoons in the Philippines on record which killed over 6,300 Filipinos hitting Cebu and Leyte. A follow-up visit to those areas was made in July 2014.
“I was just a newly arrived immigrant and part of the Hawaii preceptorship program of Dr. Charlie Sonido who headed this mission. Countless of people were helped by missionaries amidst the rubbles and makeshift tents and schools,” he said. “It was a humbling experience for all the missionaries on that trip.”
His experience was overwhelmingly satisfying that he made a second mission trip on February 2015 with OMM to Gerona, Tarlac, Agudo in Mandaluyong city, Bagong Silang in Caloocan city, Naga city in Camarines Sur, Legaspi city and Bacacay in Albay, Philippines.
In 2021, he became director of OMM under the
presidency of Dr. Carol Divide, when OMM because of the pandemic, conducted its first and only virtual mini mission at Bagong Silang, Caloocan city serving the poorest of the poor families during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Guerrero became president of OMM on 2022 and since then had done medical missions in Bagong Silang and Payatas in January 2023 and La Union and Cabugao, Ilocos Sur in January 2024.
The OMM veteran shares his most memorable mission that happened in Bacacay, Albay in February 2015. “I saw a 58-year-old male, the sole breadwinner of his family who travelled by way of a wooden boat several hours away from the mission site just to avail of the free service. The man’s place of origin doesn’t have access to adequate healthcare services.
Unfortunately for him, I determined he had heart failure that required him to be hospitalized. His symptoms were so severe and ongoing for several months, the patient said. All his family members who were beside him became emotional when I was with the patient as he is the only one supporting them.
“After hearing my diagnosis, he was thinking of the expenses of hospitalization and became hesitant of going to the hospital because of financial reasons. We coordinated immediately with the Bicol Medical Center to accommodate the patient to be hospitalized as an indigent. I gave a little amount [of money] to the family to let them be
helped in their daily lives as the head of the family was in the hospital. This has been most memorable to me since I empathized not only with the suffering of the patient but on the impact of his suffering to his family.”
Volunteers express various reasons for going on OMM missions. Some doctors and nurses find it fulfilling to offer their valuable talents to the poor outside of traditional medical insurance-based settings. Some lay and medical volunteers are originally from the towns and provinces OMM visits. They talk about giving back to the communities and country they left. Some younger volunteers eventually become healthcare professionals themselves following in the footsteps of their OMM volunteer-parents.
The Gaspars have been seasoned OMM volunteers since 2019. Hermie is grateful to OMM for the opportunity to render help to her entire barangay. “My husband and I together with all my siblings will not forget these OMM supported missions. Our barangay was so grateful to OMM,” Hermie said.
In another mission to La Union Hermie recalls how she assisted in two minor surgical procedures that involved removing huge cysts that were in their lower extremities. The cysts prevented them from doing some of their daily work. “I saw the two patients cry with joy after these cysts were removed.
“Through the years since its inception in 2009, Ohana Medical Missions Inc, has been innovating ways in soliciting help from donors and the community. And the Charity Ball is by far the most enjoyable and fun-filled way of gathering donors, sponsors and the community all sharing the common passion of helping OMM realize its goals. The Charity Ball’s proceeds go directly in procuring much needed medications, medical supplies in support of the nature of our missions that will benefit the underserved areas in the Philippines and beyond, The Charity Ball is our opportunity to share our blessings, big or small, that will benefit countless indigents to whom OMM serves its missions. Your donation will be tax deductible. It is also a time to relax, enjoy and have fun for a very worthy cause.”
– Ian Guerrero, MD President of the Ohana Medical Mission
And I shared tears of joy with them,” Hermie said. Her husband Bill said what strikes his memory is the huge number of people coming for medical care. Typically, on these medical missions, crowds come in the by the thousands that planning for each mission takes extensive coordination. OMM reaches out for help from local governments in the Philippines, hospitals and clinics (public and private), families and organizations. OMM also works with the local medical community in Hawaii to acquire medical supplies to be given out at the mission sites.
OMM has covered provinces as far as Ilocos Norte and Isabela from the north to Cebu, Leyte and Davao in the south traversing corners of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The very first medical mission of OMM was held in San-
tiago, Isabela in 2009. The most recent one was held in San Fernando, Bauang, Bacnotan and Balaoan in La Union from January 8-12, 2024, and in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur from January 13-14, 2024.
The Jocobs is another volunteer family with OMM. Marianela Jacob, MSN, APRN is President of the Philippine Nurses Association of Hawaii (PNAH), CEO, Healthcare school of Hawaii LLC. She is a volunteer along with her husband Jose “Joe” Jacob, MSN, RN, and their daughters Elizabeth and Vanessa.
Marianela Jacob has made three OMM trips. Her first was in Santiago city, Isabela, then Bicol Region, and the last one was in La Union. “All three locations left a small spot in my heart (continue
By Will Espero
he candidates are selected, and the race for the presidency is heating up.
TPresident Biden’s announcement rocked the political world with his departure from the 2024 campaign. Kamala Harris emerged to challenge the former president in what is being labeled a historic election year.
Voters will elect the first woman president or the first convicted felon in November.
Donald Trump doesn’t seem too happy that President Joe Biden has been replaced by Vice-President Kamala Harris, and now Trump is the older, unstable candidate.
Oddly, Trump still talks a lot about Biden even though Kamala Harris is the person he should be focused on. Many democrats don’t mind because Trump’s words show a man who is a bully, scattered, immature, afraid, and confused at times.
In one weird interview,
(COVER STORY: Fun ....from page 5) that I will treasure for the rest of my life,” she said.
Marianela elaborates, “I assisted in triaging patients with their ailments and sent them to appropriate practitioners for immediate care. We had a lot of limitations since locations are mostly makeshifts and we have limited PPE’s. This was before COVID, but we managed to function the best we could. I appreciate the hard work of all the volunteers, working long hours from 7 a.m. -7 p.m.
“In Bicol, I was working in between the Pharmacy and as a clinician. It felt great, since one of the towns served by the mis-
Trump called the vice president a beautiful woman. Then Trump said he was better looking than Harris.
What the heck is going on in his mind? If he keeps up his rhetoric, propaganda, and offensive ways, Democrats should be elated.
He doesn’t sound like a man who should be president. Even Republicans have criticized Trump and told him to stick to the issues and stop the name-calling.
Trump isn’t listening.
Donald Trump’s penchant for name-calling and bullying is showing voters why he should not be elected president again. It seems like the assassination attempt against Trump did not make him a changed candidate or a unifier of a divided nation.
He is just as nasty as he’s ever been, and he’s a convicted felon.
Trump has called the vice-president a communist and comrade Kamala. He said she was a lunatic, a coward, and stupid. He has questioned her ethnicity and has shown great disrespect for the vice president.
This is sad and unfortunate because we voters expect better from our leaders.
sion was Nabua, Camarines Sur, my husband’s birthplace. I was glad to see familiar faces. My last OMM was in La Union. We drove from Bicol to La Union, and it took us about 16 hours to get there. The most rewarding experience was to see my family working together for the good of the community. My husband was in the Pharmacy, my two daughters and I were in the Dental department. We were happy to serve,” Marianela said. Joe Jacob had volunteered as a nurse at OMM. His first experience was in the Bicol region about five years ago. “I assisted in several minor surgeries,
Trump is showing everyone watching that he can still act like a child and be vindictive and berating. It’s embarrassing as the world watches.
If Trump continues his current tone and attitude, he will certainly turn off independents and undecideds leading to the election of the first woman president of the United States.
It is time for a qualified, capable woman to lead our nation, and Kamala Harris is the right person for America. She is intelligent, articulate, experienced in government, a former U.S. senator from California, and the current vice president.
Other countries have already broken the glass ceiling for women leaders such as Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, Indira Gandhi of India, Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Dina Boluarte of Peru, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo of Mexico, and Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar.
Kamala Harris can cement her place in U.S. history with a win over Trump.
The Biden/Harris administration and record are a legitimate target, but it must be remembered that
wound care, treatments and care of pediatrics and adults. The surgeons of OMM are experienced, skillful, and resourceful, as we performed our surgery in a local community clinic. The patients were very thankful and appreciative of the services they received. It was a rewarding experience serving the poor people who have no access to healthcare.
“Last January 2024, the OMM was in La Union. My two daughters, Elizabeth and Vanessa and my wife, Marianela, also joined this community outreach. I was assigned to the Pharmacy. I’m glad that we had a lot of medications to give away,
Biden is calling the shots in his presidency.
The vice president does have constitutional duties although she advises the president, provides input and commentary when necessary, and assists when directed by the commander-in-chief.
Being number two is definitely different from being number one in the White House and on the world stage. As the campaign continues, she will roll out her agenda and preferred policies.
Early issues touched on include affordable housing for first-time buyers, tax cuts for many Americans, protecting reproductive rights, and price gouging by commercial businesses.
President Joe Biden is a true hero to many for removing himself from the race for president when he did. It must have been a difficult decision for a man who dedicated his life to public service.
If and when Harris is victorious, Biden will be seen as the man who saved democracy. He changed the energy level and momentum of the presidential race by his unselfish action.
Trump’s coziness and friendship with dictators Putin of Russia, Kim of
North Korea, and Orban of Hungary foreshadow a closeness we do not want in the White House.
His connection to the controversial Project 2025 authored by Republicans indicates a willingness to go backward on policies and issues to the detriment of the American people.
The weakening and elimination of important rights and privileges via Project 2025 must never happen as Project 2025 is so bad that Trump has tried to distance himself from it.
A hidden camera interview shown on national television with a key supporter of Project 2025 implied Trump was lying and is still open to hurtful GOP changes.
But this shouldn’t surprise Americans as Trump is the most prolific liar to serve in the White House.
Yet another reason why the Harris-Walz ticket is the best choice for America in 2024.
WILL ESPERO retired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and State Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides a glimpse of his perspective on current events and issues
especially for those people who were buying their medications from out of pocket. We try to provide a 3-month supply of medications with the instructions that they need to continue taking their medications to maintain health and prevent complications.” He adds, “Most patients understood that we care for their health and well-being, and we as practitioners also under-
stood that we can only do so much to provide for their basic medical needs.
“My most touching experience was to witness the young taking care of the old and the old taking care of the young. It was a reinforcement and reminder that the family is intact. I truly appreciated the culture of this local community. I was grateful to serve
By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon
Millions of Filipinos and thousands of Caucasians are married to Filipinas and appear to be happy.
Generally speaking, Filipinas are caring and loving. Many Filipinas are beautiful or sexually attractive. Most are virgins, especially if they live in the provinces.
What more do men want?
An Ilocano remarked to his wife while they were in bed: “I have never heard you say ‘I love you.’”
The wife replied: “I have given my body to you. You still ask?”
The Ilocano riposted: “A call girl gives her body to the caller but that does not necessarily mean that she loves him.”
The wife pushed him away, saying: “So you think I am a call girl.”
Filipinas are shy in saying “I love you.” Do not expect a Filipina to be cooing “I love you” every day.
However, you must continue to whisper “I love you.”
There might come a time when she will say “I love you, too” – if she really loves you.
I met a Swiss guy in Baguio. He told me that he was married to an Ilocana from La Union. He said that he was very happy with her. They had children. She took very good care of the children and him.
I asked why he did not bring them to Switzerland. He said that he could not afford it.
There was another Swiss guy I met in Baguio who was married to an Ilocana, too.
They met in Switzerland when the wife was
working as a nurse there. They appeared to be happily married. They were selling their home in a plush neighborhood and moving to Manila or somewhere near there because they wanted to see the sun more often.
Try southern La Union, I suggested. I told them that the best place to see the sun without feeling the heat is in Waikiki Beach, Honolulu. There are gentle breezes called “trade winds.”
It has been said that if you marry a Filipina you marry her family. That’s understandable. But what does it really mean?
You become, in many cases, the family’s money source. Or as they say in Ilocoslovakia, “pagbagasan da ka” (You are the rice granary).
You better have enough money or get a second job. Money can be earned. Is your Filipina wife worth all the disbursements you are going to make for her and her family’s benefit?
Does she appreciate it? Does she care about you?
I met three medical students in Baguio and asked how much it costs to go to medical school. One said about Php 400,000 a year (about $8,000).
“Your parents must be well to do,” I commented. “My sister’s husband is paying for it, they live in the States,” she replied.
That’s an excellent investment. Doctors are among the top earners in the Philippines.
What if your wife’s father is undergoing dialysis?
They are just prolonging his life. Your Filipina wife asks you to help pay for the expenses. What are you going to say?
An American citizen married a very attractive Cagayan Valley girl. He was giving $600 a month to her parents who did not work even though they were able-bodied and were only in their 50s. That is $300 each which is more than the minimum wage in the Philippines.
When the wife committed adultery the husband stopped the payments.
The wife complained. Come back to me and stop fooling around and I will resume payment, the husband told her.
She preferred fooling around.
It appears that adultery has become one of the major problems involving married Filipinas in the last three decades.
Adultery while living in the Philippines during the husband’s residence abroad or adultery after coming to the United States.
There was a 20-something who went to the U.S. Embassy in Manila carrying a baby.
“Is that your child with your husband?” asked the interviewer.
“Yes,” she replied.
“How old is the baby?” asked the interviewer.
“One month old,” she replied.
“When was the last time you saw your husband?” the interviewer continued.
“About two years ago,” she answered.
“That cannot be your husband’s child. It takes only 9 months from conception to birth,” the inter-
viewer said.
The girl obviously did not expect such questions.
A possible answer – if true – would have been: My husband FedExed his sperm and I went to a clinic to have artificial insemination performed.
The husband requested the Embassy to forgive his wife because he loved her and had already forgiven her.
The Embassy refused saying that she had committed adultery and had lied to an immigration officer.
It is possible to obtain immigration relief, but the husband’s family told him that she was not worth it.
The most surprising case involved two high school sweethearts in the Philippines who belonged to a conservative church and were married in the church.
The husband became a green card holder and petitioned for his wife. During the pandemic, he did not visit her. Apparently, she found another man during the interlude and they had adulterous relations.
The wife came to the U.S. One evening while the husband was walking in the hallway of their apartment, he overheard his wife talking on the phone with a man.
He grabbed the phone and threw it to the floor and confronted the wife. She admitted that she had a boyfriend. Because he still loved his wife, they went out to buy another phone but he did not give her a telephone connection.
The husband did not realize that one can still communicate with another using Messenger, Viber, Telegram, etc. Weeks later, the husband arrived home. He did not find his wife but found his wife’s wedding ring on their bed.
There was a Filipino green card holder who had petitioned for his wife. The wife had been waiting for almost 5 years and there
was still no visa.
A lover boy must have told the waiting wife not to believe her husband. They started going out together.
The husband heard rumors about his wife going out with another man. He went to the Philippines to confront her. She admitted the affair.
The husband asked an Ilocano lawyer on whether to continue with the petition. The lawyer told him that there was a saying “Once a cheater, always a cheater.” Fuera de los buenos.
The husband continued with the petition. The wife came to the U.S. What did she do? She had another adulterous relationship.
One of the most blatant cases involved a man whose wife worked in a hotel.
One day, a friend told him that his wife had been going out with another man. His friend added that the man’s children with his wife did not look like him.
He took the children to a clinic and had their DNA taken. They were not his children.
He divorced his wife and asked for custody of the children saying that he had grown to love them and could better care for them.
A husband should continue to court his wife even after the marriage ceremony. He should continue to whisper “sweet nothings.”
Women like to be courted. They like to hear nice things. Consider going to the internet and looking for love poems.
Read a poem to your wife every so often.
A husband should be well-groomed at home. He should take daily showers and brush his teeth after each meal and snack. He should use deodorants and cologne.
In basketball, tight
(continue on page 8)
and hope to join future activities of OMM here in Hawaii and abroad.”
Vanessa had been on three OMM missions. Her first was in Isabela, then to the Bicol Region and the last was in La Union in January 2024. She was assigned to assist in the dental outreach section of OMM in her last mission.
“I did not know what to expect but the local volunteers worked with me and made me feel comfortable triaging possible candidates for tooth extraction. I assisted with registration, con-
sents, and setting up patients to each cubicle prior to the procedure. I was worried in the beginning because I had never had any of my teeth extracted before. We had a long line of people patiently waiting for their turn to see the dentist. I’m supposed to line them up and assign them to each dentist. Since the wait was long, we had the chance to give a short dental hygiene education to the young kids and give them a free toothbrush.
“My sister, Elizabeth Jacob was with me in this section, and she initiated the
(WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?: The Pros ....from page 7)
guarding is the best way to prevent the other guys from shooting for the basket. The same is true in marriage –tight guarding.
An Ilocano lawyer met a fellow Nortenian who introduced the attractive woman beside him as his wife.
The lawyer asked her, “What do you do?”
The man responded, “I do not let her work. Other guys will court her. I will lose my investment. I can afford to support her.”
So, do not let your wife work at all. If she has to work do not let her work in settings where her coworkers or supervisors could court her.
BMW: Bring mama to work. Bring mama from work.
A TTY. EMMANUEL
SAMONTE TIPON was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree specializing in Constitutional Law. He
dental hygiene instructions. We ran out of toothbrushes in a flash. Meanwhile, I got to observe injections of local anesthesia, tooth extraction, cleansing, packing, in a matter of about 10 minutes. The dentists are awesome. I hope to return next year, create a simple teaching tool, with the goal to help kids get a better understanding of dental hygiene so they can save their teeth for old age,” Vanessa said.
Dr. Guerrero says the community can help
graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He placed third in the 1955 bar examinations. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, New York, and the Philippines. He practices federal law, with emphasis on immigration law and appellate federal criminal defense. He was the Dean and a Professor of Law of the College of Law, Northwestern University, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the world’s most prestigious legal publisher and writes columns for newspapers. He wrote the
OMM by donating monetarily, becoming a volunteer or spreading the word on social media about what OMM is all about, its mission and the people and places OMM has helped.
OMM is accepting donations through Zelle via PMAH Ohana Medical Missions, Inc. with number 808 518 8929. It is also seeking sponsors for the Charity Ball. For inquiries about the Masquerade Charity Ball, sponsorship or to become an advertiser for the event, contact JP Orias at 808-518 8929 or
annotations and case notes to the Immigration and Nationality Act published by The Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Co. and Bancroft Whitney Co. He wrote the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws.” Listen to The Tipon Report which he co-hosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel “Noel” Tipon. They talk about immigration law, criminal law, court-martial defense, politics, and current events. It is considered the most witty, interest-
808 387 8297. The current list of sponsors of the Masquerade Charity Ball include Hawaii Filipino Healthcare, PMAH, Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls, Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, Hawaii Diagnostic Radiology Services (HDRS), Hawaii Medical Association McMann Eye Institute, Freedom Equity Group, Family Pharmacy, Waipahu Therapy Center, Movement Plus, East West Center, William and Herminia Gaspar and Iloreta Siblings, and Sorbella Guillermo MD.
ing, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KNDI 1270 AM band every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Website: https://www.tiponimmigrationguide.com The information provided in this article is not legal advice. Publication of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not consti
This article is for informational purposes only and is not to be constructed as offering legal advice. Please consult an attorney for your individual situation. The author is not responsible for a reader’s reliance on the information contained here.
By Emil Guillermo
f you’ve ever been underestimated, ignored, or generally made to feel invisible by others who simply assumed their superiority over you, the Democratic nominee for president just made a speech for all of us.
IKamala Harris gave that speech at the recent Democratic National Convention, and if there was ever any doubt she would be ready to be president of the United States on day one, it vanished before our eyes as the final speaker of the DNC.
There were many great moments at the DNC. But the main event wasn’t the phantom Beyonce. It was Harris.
Her speech sent this message to the world: Kamala Harris is ready to lead America out of its post-
Trump funk. Joyfully, but seriously too.
Her opponent knows how she can laugh. But unlike her opponent, whom Harris called an “unserious man,” Harris is a serious woman, a prosecutor, not a convicted felon.
And she’s writing a new chapter of the great American story. It’s one encouraged by her immigrant parents from faraway islands.
Her father from Jamaica told her as a young child at play to “Run, Kamala, run. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let anything stop you.” And her mother from India told her to stay close.
But while her dad taught her to be fearless, Harris said it was her mom who later told her something she’ll never forget–to never do anything “half-assed.”
Good advice for the next 74 or so days until November 5, when Harris engages in the run of her life, the fight
for America’s democracy.
Making
Before Harris’ big moment on the last day of the DNC, a video was played to introduce her to the standing-room-only crowd. One clip showed her at an Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies event, where she revealed a feisty but vulgar side she rarely shows.
“People will open the door for you and leave it open,” the video shows Harris speaking to an audience.
“Sometimes they won’t, and then you need to kick that f—ing door down.”
You don’t mess with Kamala Harris.
When the video ended, Harris appeared on the convention stage, her biggest stage ever with millions watching.
She didn’t have to kick down any doors.
She walked deliberately,
Kamala Harris
with confidence, to cheers and adulation, ready to show the world the first woman, the first ever daughter of immigrants of Black and Asian descent, born in the flatlands of Oakland, a member of the middle class, was more than ready to make history on multiple fronts and take America into the future.
It was a brilliant speech in so many ways, filled with soaring rhetoric that let people know exactly how Harris feels about who she is as a biracial woman; her love for America and its people; and her passion for service to help us all reach our dreams.
“I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless
belief that built our nation and inspired the world,” Harris said.
“That here in this country, anything is possible, that nothing is out of reach in an America where we care for one another, look out for one another, and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us. That none of us has to fail for all of us to succeed.”
It was a unifying speech in a time when we are too easily divided. It’s as if she was reinforcing that line in the Pledge of Allegiance too often taken for granted that speaks of “one nation, indivisible.”
Harris, as a multiracial person in a diverse new America, also showed us how maybe we all should talk about race and ethnicity in 2024, a time in society where minorities will soon be the majority. It has become such a sore point these days that diversity, equity, and inclusion are too often seen as fighting words.
So how should we talk about race?
You don’t billboard it.
(continue on page 14)
By Elpidio R. Estioko
e are not going back. We are going forward!”
This was the essence of the four-day Democratic National Convention (DNC) culminating in the historic acceptance speech of Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. President.
Before accepting the nomination, Kamala Harris made it clear in her speech that as president, she would be president for the people regardless of race, party affiliation, or status in life, but for the oppressed and the needy.
She said: “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America.”
That was a moving speech that made me believe that it would resonate with all sectors of America. She spelled out her economic, immigration, and foreign policies. And of course, she shared her vision to make
America the land of the free by discussing all kinds of freedom citizens can exercise to the fullest.
On the first day of the DNC, Hillary Clinton said the future is “in our grasp.” Clinton was the first woman ever to clinch a major party nomination for U.S. President eight years ago.
She expressed her support and said Harris has the “character, experience and vision to lead us forward,” reminding us that we should not be complacent but be more proactive and assertive in converting “popular votes” to electoral votes.
Clinton won the popular vote but lost to Trump for getting fewer electoral votes which is the determining vote to winning the presidency. She does not want this to happen to Harris.
For his part, President Joe Biden got a hero’s welcome as he passed the torch to Vice President Harris.
“I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years,” Biden told the cheering Chicago crowd that gave him a five-minute standing ovation chanting and raising/waving the
placards stating “Thank you, Joe.”
It took Biden about 20 “thank you’s” before starting his speech.
On the second day, I agreed with former President Barack Obama telling DNC attendees that America does not need four more years of a Donald Trump presidency.
“We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos, we have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse,” Obama said.
“America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”
Michelle Obama, on the other hand, said GOP’s former President Donald Trump must be running for a “Black position.”
I almost jumped on my chair while watching over my TV screen when she said:
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”
It was in reference to Trump’s comment he made during his June debate against President Joe Biden when he said: “Immigrants coming into the US were ‘taking Black jobs now.’”
On the third day, Oprah Winfrey, the very influential talk show host and a surprise addition to the list of speakers, said:
“We’re now so fired up, we can’t wait to leave here and do something, and what we’re going to do is
one of the most accomplished in modern times. She went on to wholeheartedly endorse Harris for president, condemned Trump for his role in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and gave her stamp of approval for vice presidential nominee, Walz.
elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States.”
Former President Bill Clinton thanked President Biden for his courage and service, saying he “had an improbable turn that made him president. And then he did something really hard for a politician to do. He voluntarily gave up political power.”
I agree with him because the difficult decision of Biden withdrawing from the race will surely enhance his presidential legacy. It takes a man to think beyond himself.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on the other hand, made a very dramatic introduction of himself before accepting the nomination by bringing in his football team on stage and his family with his son shouting “That’s my Dad.”
My wife Delia was touched as a mom of six children on the real meaning of a family with Walz bringing his football team on stage as a member of his extended family.
“I have 24 kids in my high school class and none of them went to Yale,” Walz said.
This was a very subtle innuendo to GOP VP candidate JD Vance who attended the university. Then he said: “Never underestimate a public school teacher.” He chanted, “We are not going back,” when he accepted the nomination.
For her part, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised President Biden’s administration as
So, the question now is: Can Harris convert her newly-gained popularity to votes?
I would say, with the latest positive developments favoring her candidacy, it’s a yes!
First, President Biden did the right thing in dropping from the race and endorsing Harris to replace him. Surveys had shown that in so short a time, Harris is now leading the national polls and in some key states over Trump. The political landscape has completely changed. The winds of change are blowing towards Harris!
Second, the personal attacks of Trump against Harris are not working as far as the voters are concerned. Even among GOP leaders, they are cautioning Trump to stay focused on policies and not on personal attacks.
Even North Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said: “Stop attacking Kamala, this is not the way to win the presidency!”
In several swing states, the Republicans for Harris coalition was launched. In an exclusive article from CNN, prominent conservative legal scholar and retired federal appeals court Judge J. Michale Luttig endorsed Harris over Trump and wrote in his statement:
“In the presidential election of 2024, there is only one political party and one candidate for the presidency that can claim the mantle of defender and protector of America’s Democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law. As a
(continue on page 11)
By Gary Hooser
Recently, I received an email asking a simple and straightforward question that quickly became entangled in complicated thoughts and counter-thoughts.
My friend asked:
“I live in Representative District ##, where John Doe (Democrat) is running against Karen Jones (Republican).
I reviewed their respective responses to their Civil Beat questions and found John Doe’s responses weak and thin. By comparison, Karen Jone’s words were much more thoughtful. However, she is a conservative and a Christian whose faith has a strong bearing on her life and politics. She makes that clearly known.
John Doe is running for reelection but seems very inexperienced and lacking a vision of his preferred future for Hawaii. But he is a Democrat and will be consistent in supporting the party line.
On the other hand, Karen Jones, at 65, is retired, a former owner of a company, and a long-time community association leader. She has a more defined vision of a preferred future for Hawaii. But she’s a Republican.
How would you advise people to vote in this instance? Should I vote along Party lines or cross the line and vote for the person instead of the Party?”
Seemed like a pretty basic question and my initial thought was to suggest that regardless of Party affiliation, the vote should go to the person who seemed more competent, and who held a more compelling vision of the future.
Then I remembered a past conversation with my daughter.
“Dad,” she said.
“There are some things like bigotry and a woman’s right to choose, where it’s not possible to agree to disagree. There are some things that are non-nego-
(AS I SEE IT: Harris Accepts ....from page 10)
result, I will unhesitatingly vote for the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.”
Former Trump White House officials Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye have also joined the GOP deserters. Grisham served multiple roles in the Trump administration. She resigned in the hours after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Hosted by Troye, a recent Republicans for Harris online rally was attended by over 73,000 people. On the coalition’s website, it states that “Over 100,000 people have joined this campaign within a campaign. Millions of Republicans will cast a ballot for Kamala Harris in November.”
Third, we have to admit that Harris is a more dynam-
tiable. Just because someone cares deeply about the community, is honest, has a solid track record as a volunteer, and goes to church every Sunday - doesn’t mean you want them in charge of making the rules we all must live by.”
My daughter, of course, nailed it and she’s absolutely correct (as is normally the case).
Consequently, my response to my friend’s email asking whether he should vote for Karen Jones the competent Republican with a compelling vision was a series of follow-up questions - each with a non-negotiable answer.
Does Karen Jones support Trump?
ic and charismatic speaker than Biden and who can match Trump’s rhetoric. With her charisma, she can turn the eyes of her listeners and make them interested in what she is emphasizing. She can capture the audience and can empathize with them.
Fourth, she is young and negated one of the most effective attacks the Republicans have leveled against their opponent: the age of Biden.
The vice president, at age 59, is a more energetic campaigner and able to make a more coherent case for her party.
She could also turn the 78-year-old Trump’s age against him (a baby boomer), as he would become the oldest person ever elected president.
Fifth, Harris, being Black and Indian, may be
Does she support Project 2025?
Does she believe in a woman’s right to choose?
Does she support marriage equality?
Does she view the LGBTQ community as equals?
Does she believe public schools should require the Bible to be taught as the word of God?
What about books?
Does she want to dictate the books my family may or may not read?
Does she believe every worker is entitled to a living wage?
Does she support universal healthcare?
Does she believe global warming is a real threat to our planet?
Of course, there are other litmus test questions, and it’s possible perhaps even likely, that Democrat John Doe does not answer them all correctly either.
But you get the point, and the questions must be asked.
Electing the right person to serve in public of-
able to generate support from Black, Indian, and Asian voters.
She may also combine that with more backing from other minorities and younger voters that could help her gain ground against Trump in swing states that will decide this year’s election.
Sixth, her background as a prosecutor could also bolster her tough-on-crime credentials in the campaign against Trump. It’s a rivalry between a convicted felon and a prosecutor in the political arena.
Seventh, as the first woman vice president of color, she can transcend this to being the first woman president.
Women will rally behind her considering that her opponent is a predator to women as evidenced by his sexual court cases.
fice is about more than just choosing someone with a good heart who cares deeply about the community.
I have close relatives whom I love dearly, but would never ever vote for them (and yes, at family gatherings we mostly avoid talking politics).
Political parties are formed around values, issues related to those values, and the individuals/ candidates who champion those values.
Candidates for State and Federal office join the political party that aligns best with their own personal values and pledge to support the platform of that Party.
Personally, it would be impossible for me to vote for Karen Jones or any candidate that personally supports, or belongs to a political party that supports, the electing Donald Trump to be President.
GARY HOOSER is ta former Hawaiʻi State Senator and Majority Leader.
At least 18 women have accused Trump of varying inappropriate behavior, including allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
The most celebrated of which was that of writer E.
Jean Carroll where a jury has ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages for defamatory comments he made about her when he was president.
Carroll sued Trump in 2019 for sexually assaulting her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.
Eight, as for the double-haters, they now have a choice in the person of Kamala Harris. Harris picks up the “double haters” as Democratic enthusiasm jumps, according to the latest polls in an article written by Lauren Sforza. Sforza said Harris is
gaining momentum among voters who disliked both Biden and Trump, according to a new poll.
A poll in June found that 54% of the double-haters who had unfavorable views of Biden and Trump would not support either candidate… and the new poll found that Harris now has 53% of the vote among these Biden-Trump double-haters.
The ultimate step is for Harris to garner the presidency in the November 5 election, and with all these positive indicators in her favor, she can easily win the final lap in the race for the presidency!
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
By Rose Cruz Churma
here is a Filipino saying that explains that one needs to look back to look forward and that a person who does not remember where he/ she came from will never reach his/her destination.
TIt urges to give credence to look back at one’s beginnings. This was the impetus for this book: the social workers wanted their profession to be understood by looking back at how it took root in Hawaii.
This book attempts to describe how social workers played a pivotal role in nurturing social justice by introducing reform and innovation in delivering services to the troubled and marginalized.
The book consists of three parts. The first part contains the life stories of three social workers who made an indelible mark on Hawaii: Clarinda Low Lucas, Ah Quon McElrath, and Myron “Pinky” Thompson.
Clarinda Low Lucas, a Native Hawaiian is credited for setting the stage for and facilitating the reinvention of social work to generate a sense of self-worth among Hawaiians. She introduced a social work mindset based
on cross-cultural understanding and healing the historic injustices done to the Hawaiian people.
Ah Quon McElrath is identified closely with labor organizing, specifically with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). Her life’s work can also be described as breaking the grip of the white oligarchy that controlled Hawai’i during her time. Described as the “social conscience of the ILWU,” she also changed it from within especially how it viewed gender roles.
The University of Hawaii School of Social Work was named after Myron “Pinky” Thomson in 2008. A warrior against social injustice, his influence is felt not only in Hawai’i but around the Pacific and in the nation’s capital, Washington D.C.
He is descended from Hawaiian chiefs and is well known for his support of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the group that launched the double-hulled Hokulea. In his lifetime, he held many roles—serving in government and non-profit organizations that would make Hawai’i and the world a better place.
The second part consists of the personal stories of five individuals who, in their own words, share insights on their career and their contributions to social work. The five individuals are Masaru Oshiro, Lynette Paglinawan, Patti Lyons, Andrew Chang, and Susan Chandler.
The story that piqued my interest was the Q&A with Patti Lyons. I first met Patti in 1986. My husband and I wanted to adopt a baby from the Philippines. We were told to call Child &
(CFS), an agency that provides adoption services in the Philippines.
By some fluke, instead of getting the social worker in charge of adoptions, my call was routed to her—she was by then President & CEO of the agency.
She talked about this in the book—and the bus trip we would make to Baguio, and how she promised to implement the vision of my former schoolmate Danny Urquico to establish shelters for street children in Baguio. (There are multiple shelters now and are run by Child and Family Service Philippines Inc.)
She also mentions that our bus malfunctioned in Tarlac, and we were left stranded by the side of MacArthur Highway to wait for the next Pantranco bus.
We were surrounded by an assortment of food vendors who helped bring our luggage onto the next bus. Patti bought all she could in appreciation for the help they offered, including a dozen balut.
Patti shared her early years as a social worker at Child & Family Service in Hawai’i in the late 60s where she asked to be sent to Wai’anae. She was told nobody would want to work there and was warned that “they don’t
like haoles.”
She persisted, and eventually her presence and the delivery of social work services at the Wai’anae Coast increased from once a week, to two, and finally full-time.
I wasn’t surprised that when we were in Baguio, she asked to meet with and interact with the street children. One night close to midnight, Danny Urquico brought us to the Baguio City market. Most of the kids worked there, helping shoppers carry bags and items bought at the market for a few pesos.
At night, they also use the nooks and crannies of the market to sleep. A stocky off-duty policeman armed with an armalite accompanied us into the bowels of the market where we observed where the kids sought shelter from the cold Baguio mist.
The next day, we were able to talk to some of them and a meeting of sorts took place on the road going up to Hilltop where farmers from the surrounding Cordillera mountains set up their produce on makeshift stalls. We sat on our haunches as Patti interacted with the kids.
She can establish rapport with the poor and marginalized of whatever age or gender, but she can also graciously charm and get the trust of the Philippines’ elite, its powerful politicians, or its Catholic clergy.
She shared with me once how she met with the Church’s top brass in Vigan, the owners of the property of what would eventually be one of the first shelters. They had grilled her on her views on contraception and oth-
er touchy issues. I wish it was taped—that would be an interesting archive since she won them over.
Patti is key to the establishment of the Consuelo Foundation and became its President and CEO in 1989 after 23 years at CFS. It was, she would reflect later, a leap of faith.
She shared Mrs. Consuelo Zobel Alger’s love for children: “...to renew hope for those who have lost it, and give hope to those who never had it.”
She would implement Mrs. Alger’s legacy “to spend my heaven doing good on Earth” where Mrs. Alger’s inheritance from the family’s fortune would be used for programs that would benefit children and families in the Philippines and Hawai’i.
There is a mosaic art installation at the lobby of the FilCom Center in Waipahu, a replica of Mrs. Alger’s portrait from the famed Filipino painter, Fernando Amorsolo.
It is made of imported Italian mosaic tiles that won’t fade. The subject of the painting seems to guard the courtyard that bears her name—the Consuelo Courtyard, the site of many memorable activities of the Filipino community of Hawai’i.
Patti was the head of a philanthropic entity that would make the first pledge of half a million dollars to the building of what was then an elusive dream—the Filipino Community Center. Her faith in this undertaking would lead others to do the same.
She would share with me later that her board of trustees was not so keen on the idea, but she persisted. The community
By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
In early August, Carlos “Caloy” Yulo raised the banner of the Philippines and made all Filipinos proud by winning, not just one, but two gold medals for gymnastics in the Paris Olympics 2024.
Inspired by his victory, we brought our children to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, just an hour-and-a-half train ride from where we live.
As we looked at the history of the Olympics and saw all the torches, medals, and costumes of Olympians displayed, we couldn’t help but be amazed by the dedication and hard work of the many athletes who represent their countries.
Yulo has been hailed a hero for being the first man to clinch a gold medal for the Philippines. He was also the first to secure two golds, won in two consecutive days.
It was a historic event for the country.
But just as everybody was rejoicing and celebrating, his victory was marred and overshadowed by the
conflict that his family is going through.
The spotlight was set on his family feud instead of his triumph.
Yulo’s story and how the Filipinos have reacted to his situation reflect one thing: our toxic culture.
Yulo may have been the “golden boy” but he’s just an ordinary human, just like each one of us.
He may have been showered with a lot of rewards after his win, but his life is also inflicted with struggles and issues that he faces every single day.
So much has been said about his family. Many hurtful words have been exchanged.
But because Caloy has become a celebrity, his private life did not escape scrutiny.
It’s normal between and among family members to have misunderstandings and conflicts.
But there are relationships, no matter how close, that can be toxic and destructive, especially when
(BOOK REVIEW: How Social ....from page 12)
had a long history of not being able to deliver.
“It would be different this time,” she assured them. Eventually, the heart of the FilCom Center would be named Consuelo Courtyard and volunteers would patiently nurture the potted roses that adorn the courtyard, roses that Mrs. Consuelo Alger loved.
The third part of the book contains the author’s reflections on the state of social work in contemporary Hawaii, with the last chapter in this section devoted to the students’ views on social justice and how this can be achieved in today’s context.
money is involved.
I hope that they resolve their issues, and choose humility and forgiveness towards each other.
The term “Marites” has been used by internet users to refer to the gossipy “tita” or auntie next door who spreads rumors to her neighbors. It has become a meme among Filipino netizens.
Though it can be quite funny, this “Marites” culture can be annoying and harsh. Its effect on the people involved can be damaging, too.
Instead of focusing on Caloy’s significant contribution to the country, what netizens highlighted more were the ‘juicy’ rumors
A quote on the back cover is worth noting:
“In their journeys, the pioneers and visionaries profiled in these pages became catalysts of social justice. Through their life stories, they challenge us to ask: Where are we today, and by the standards of their values, what does the future hold?”
Tom Coffman, the book’s author, is a prolific writer on Hawai’i’s social, political, and historical landscape. His publications have won multiple awards including three “Best Non-Fiction of the Year” awards from the Hawai’i Book Publishers’ Association. His docu-
about his mother’s use of her son’s funds and the rift between her and his girlfriend.
It was so irritating and saddening at the same time to see such news and stories on my Facebook newsfeed.
It showed how toxic people can be on social media. I hope we learn from this and become better consumers of social media.
One obvious thing that transpired due to Caloy’s winning is how we, as a society, reward lavishly those who bring home the bacon, those who bring honor to the country.
Many people now want to be like him because of the many rewards he has been given (and will receive) for winning two gold medals–his own condominium, a lifetime supply of food and other things, and millions of pesos from the government and different organizations.
This is a good thing. It inspires many young people to aspire to become great athletes. But I hope that they will not just support our athletes after winning but even before they achieve it.
From the very beginning, even before they
mentary filmmaking has also received numerous awards.
This is a must-read for those curious to know more about the efforts of the pioneers who nurtured the fires of social justice to burn fiercely and steadily in Hawai’i and be inspired to continue the work they have started.
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.
train, athletes–professional and amateur–should receive sufficient funding and help from the government.
May we, as a people, be not like parents who will only be proud of their children if they become honor students.
May the government also recognize and reward every single Olympian who works really hard and represents the country proudly, not just who brings home medals.
Despite the toxicity that the Carlos Yulo victory exposed about our people, it doesn’t diminish the fact that Filipinos have a place on the world stage.
We don’t just excel in singing, beauty pageants, and boxing, our nation now has its name imprinted in the world of gymnastics, pole vault, and weightlifting.
Carlos Yulo, Nesty Petecio, Aira Villegas, EJ Obiena, and the rest of the 22 Olympians, world-class athletes, who participated in nine sporting events and carried the flag of the Philippines are worth celebrating.
They made us proud and we are grateful for all their hard work and dedication to their sport.
Mabuhay ang mga atletang Pilipino!
By Dr. Arcelita Imasa
t looks like many workers are forming unions these days. What are the pros and cons of forming or joining a union?
I– Reader
Dear Reader, Let’s look at some facts.
Unionized workers got large wage increases in 2023 while other workers’ wages barely kept up with inflation, according to a Bloomberg Report analysis of Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data.
Unionized workers had an average wage increase of 6.3% while non-union workers averaged under 4% with some seeing little or no wage increase.
Union members make more than the minimum wage whereas non-unionized workers often make
the minimum or just a little bit more.
In Hawaii, 25.8% of our workforce makes the current minimum of just $14.00 per hour.
Unionized workers almost always have good benefits such as paid sick days, paid vacation, and health and dental insurance. Union members have job security through a written contract that spells out wages, benefits, working conditions, and how grievances will be handled.
And, they are not alone in dealing with grievances as they have a voice and will be represented by a union representative in dealing with their employer.
Union members have a voice at work through their union. That voice is reflected in job protections but, if employers are smart, workers often have good ideas about improvements that can lead to better services or products, greater efficiency, better morale, and a
(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Harris’ Speech ....from page 9)
You don’t blast it out.
If it’s derived from Obama’s approach, a bit. But it’s all Harris, and it’s how you navigate the treacherous race waters.
You let the obvious stand, and you show people who and what you are by your actions. Let them make all the assumptions they want.
And when you confide in them your origin story, they will realize the truth–how our similarities are greater than our differences.
For Harris, her vehicle was the story of her mother, the late Shyamala Gopalan Harris.
“My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist to cure breast cancer,” Harris said.
“When she finished school, she was supposed to return home to a traditional arranged marriage but as
safer workplace.
Every year unions collectively train an estimated 100,000 of their members in workplace safety.
Through their union, employees can negotiate from a position of strength with employers over wages, benefits, workplace health and safety, job training, and other work-related issues.
Women union members are far less likely to face problems at work while pregnant, on maternity leave, or when they return to work.
Unions also play an important role in making sure that management acts fairly and treats its employees with respect.
Some unions even push for policies and changes that go beyond the immediate workplace and focus on the “whole worker” meaning their family and working families in the larger community.
For example, UNITE HERE (which primarily
fate would have it, she met my father, Donald Harris, a student from Jamaica. They fell in love and got married, and that act of self-determination made my sister Maya and me.”
Harris said they moved around from city to city, wherever her parents’ jobs took them But she said, “the harmony between my parents did not last.”
It left her a child of divorce raised by a single mom, and others in her neighborhood.
“None of them family by blood, and all of them family by love,” Harris said.
That extended family instilled the “values of community, faith, and the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated, with kindness, respect, and compassion.”
But she would often see how her mother was not treated well by others.
“My mother was a brilliant, five-foot-tall brown
represents workers in hotels and airport food services) has successfully pushed for affordable housing, and funds to help workers buy homes and pay for college education in some states.
In Hawai’i, some unions support the work of the Hawai’i Workers Center with funding and support for campaigns to increase the minimum wage and provide paid sick leave for all workers even though their members usually have those benefits and more.
Proponents maintain that unions result in better wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers. Critics argue, that some unions are antagonistic towards employers and that union contracts make it more difficult to fire “unproductive” employees. Indeed, union contracts protect workers from unjust firings.
Throughout labor history in the United States workers have heroically fought for decent wages and working conditions
woman with an accent,” Harris said. “But my mother never lost her cool. She was tough, courageous, a trailblazer in the fight for women’s health.”
By her actions, she provided the lesson.
“She taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about it,” she said. “That was my mother.”
Her mom’s story is the heart and soul of Harris.
And it informed the real function of the night’s speech, her formal acceptance of her important new role:
“And so on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language a grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work
sometimes facing beatings, jail time, fines, and even loss of life to form unions and win labor rights.
There was a time when young children were forced to work long hours when there was no minimum wage or health or safety laws. Unions fought to establish the 8-hour day, overtime pay, paid vacations, and worker’s compensation, if injured. We have unions to thank for that.
As we head into the celebration of Labor Day, let’s remember the gains we have made, and let’s pledge to continue to strive for an even greater shared prosperity.
In Unity There is Strength!
Sincerely, Hawaii Workers Center
Dr. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.
hard, chase their dreams and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination.”
A simple “yes,” would not have been good enough.
Of course, her 37-minute speech addressed all the key talking points of her campaign, such as destroying Trump’s Project 2025, and saying she would sign the bipartisan border deal that Trump deliberately told his congressional allies to kill.
But it all seemed small next to the personal story that revealed the real Harris. And what about her “economic” plan?
When the details come, we can debate. Now is not the time to turn your nose at a Harris candidacy because it seems “too impractical.”
At this stage, voters should be wondering if they
like a candidate. That’s the significance of the story.
After hearing her story, you can’t take any claim seriously that calls her a leftist or a communist.
Harris is more moderate pragmatist than anything else. Surely, she’s more a unifier, a problem solver, not a divider/chaos creator.
And if there was any fear about her adequacy on the world stage, Harris dispelled that easily.
“I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” Harris said. “And with respect to the war in Gaza, President Biden and I are working around the clock to get a hostage deal and ceasefire deal done.”
On Israel, she said she will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself.
But she acknowledged that the “scale of suffering is heartbreaking,” and is working with President Biden to see that “the hostages are (continue on page 15)
LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 8, 2024 at 6:15pm | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening. Only $5 per class. Proceeds go to support these program-types for FilCom Center.
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By Marianne Ayende
rowing up, all I ever wanted was to earn the love and approval of my parents.
I poured myself into my studies, hoping that academic success would bring me the recognition I longed for.
My parents fought constantly, and my father’s harsh words left me with constant fear of committing mistakes and disappointing them.
The toxic environment at home took a toll on my mental health, turning me into a shy and insecure young woman.
I became so tired of pleasing my family and of our domestic situation that I began retaliating against my parents.
Whenever my parents would scold me, I would talk back at them with harsh and painful words. I also got angry with my siblings which created a wall and drew us further apart.
Despite my best efforts to excel in school, I struggled to find happiness and fulfillment in new relationships.
When I entered college,
I hoped for a fresh start, but instead, I found myself grappling with the challenges of young adulthood.
Amidst a global pandemic, I had a romantic relationship with my very first boyfriend where I was exposed to pornography and other temptations which added to my heartache and despair because he broke up with me after six months.
Broken-hearted and alone, I search for something to fill up the void inside me.
It was during this dark period that I stumbled upon a video on YouTube of a Christian woman sharing her personal testimony of transformation and restoration.
Something inside stirred me up as I listened to her message of hope and redemption. Feeling desperate at that time, I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.
This led me to watch various Christian content on social media until I remembered Christ’s Commission Fellowship’s (CCF) Elevate - a nationwide student movement that disciples and empowers
(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Harris’ Speech ....from page 14)
released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.”
As for the bad actors of the world, Harris was clear.
“I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un, who are rooting for Trump, because you know they know. They know he is easy to manipulate with flattering favors. They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an autocrat himself. And as President, I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and
students.
Week by week, I felt the weight of my burdens being lifted as I immersed myself in the teachings of Jesus.
In March 2021, I attended Elevate’s True Life Retreat, where I experienced a profound encounter with Jesus. It was there that I realized the depth of His love for me and the sacrifice He made on the cross.
Filled with a newfound sense of purpose, I completely surrendered my life to Him.
Since then, my life has been transformed in remarkable ways. I’ve found healing and reconciliation in my relationships with my family, too. I was also given the opportunity to serve in various Elevate events.
My discipleship group (DGroup) leader now, who is a campus missionary in Elevate, empowered me to host some of our campus seminars and campus services.
In January this year, I became a Campus Missionary Trainee after having completed my fundraising efforts to support my cam-
I know where the United States belongs.”
And where is that exactly? Again, her mother was at the heart of how she saw policy.
Her Story, America’s Story
“My mother had another lesson she used to teach,” Harris said.
“Never let anyone tell you who you are. You show them who you are. America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness, and endless possibilities.”
In other words, let’s tell our story loud and clear.
“We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world,” she said.
“And on behalf of our children and our grandchildren, and all those
pus missionary activities. Today, as a Campus Missionary Trainee, I have become actively involved in serving the youth through Elevate, sharing the message of Jesus’ grace and mercy with those who need it most.
I now focus on discipling 11 young girls while conducting missions in my assigned campuses at Jose P. Laurel Sr. High School, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo High School, and Juan Sumulong High School.
In February this year, my family accepted my invitation to join me to attend a Sunday Worship Service in CCF. God also worked in my heart to forgive my family and reconcile with them.
who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of the moment.”
The speech ended with a flash of light, that got us on a roll, urging us all to show “our optimism and faith to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals, we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth, the privilege and pride of being an American.”
Only a daughter of immigrants would so humbly see being an American as a privilege.
“So let’s get out there,” Harris said.
“Let’s fight for it. Let’s get out there. Let’s vote for it, and together, let us write
We are now able to communicate intimately and our family relationship is progressively improving with accountability and prayer time together. Thereafter, my family also accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
While I genuinely enjoyed doing campus missions, I actually had a goal for myself to become a news reporter after I graduated. But God was constantly challenging this goal of mine if it was His will for my life.
Until I read Romans 10:15 which says: “And how will the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out. As the scripture says, how wonderful is the coming of messengers who bring good news.”
I knew then that God was calling me to serve Him as a campus missionary. I surrendered my dreams to God, embraced His will for my life, and experienced His peace and joy. To God be all the honor, glory, and praise!
MARIANNE AYENDE once a slave to fear, doubt, pride, and sin, is now a messenger of the Best News Ever.
the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.” American democracy is not an experiment after all; it is the extraordinary story of human history.
In her formal acceptance speech, Harris told us the next chapter–it is our story.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.
