LINGERING THOUGHTS
PaMana art exhIbIt, a seCond noveL, FILIPIno eMPowerMent
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
CeLebrate FILIPIno hIstory
Month at hILo barrIo FIesta
CANDID PERSPECTIVES
MartIaL Law
CoMes to broadway
AS I SEE IT
Larry ItLIong: the Manongs’ Leader In the FarM, PrIde oF PInoys
It’s encouraging and heartfelt that Filipino organizations across the state have risen to the challenge in the last two months by raising funds to help victims of the Maui wildfires. Some Filipino organizations are working with the Hawaii Community Foundation. Others are working directly with victims.
Our community knows that Maui Filipinos have been disproportionately affected by the disaster with Lahaina’s (hardest hit) population comprising nearly 40% Filipino.
What we’re hearing of what’s needed: 1) more guidance to access federal and state relief and 2) greater outreach to inform victims of what’s available. For some Filipino immigrants, there are language barriers that hopefully the state and bilingual Filipino volunteers can help with. Some of our older generation nanas and tatas not tech savvy also need help with internet navigation to access relief assistance. In-person relief access workshops are perhaps needed.
The next and most critical is helping our English-challenged and low computer skilled older immigrants with their insurance claims. We know that there are many Filipinos who work for private insurers. We encourage them to volunteer and hold insurance claims workshops. The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce (MFCC) should coordinate and lead multiple workshops on relief access and insurance claims.
We’d like to extend a big mahalo to our community’s organizations doing great charitable work, to name only a few, the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce, the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH), Filipino Chambers in Lihue, Hilo and West Hawaii, the Honolulu Jaycees, the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH), Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls (BCWW), the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAAH) the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW), and Filipino Mental Health Initiative in Hawai’i.
We are all realistic that rebuilding Maui will take years and continuous assistance will be needed. We encourage all organizations to keep the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle abreast of your relief efforts. Send us press releases and we’ll help to promote your events that benefit Maui’s victims and rebuilding.
Millennial Fil-Ams should know that Filipinos collaborating to benefit the community is a cultural custom called Bayanihan. The Bayanihan spirit refers to the communal desire of Filipinos to show acts of kindness to those in need. The Maui wildfires crisis is the perfect time to teach by example our children and younger generation this very old Filipino custom.
Putting locals first is listening to the people of Maui
Gov. Josh Green’s emphasis on getting input from Maui residents in the rebuilding process is smart and fair. Maui residents should have a powerful say in what they’d like their community to be like more than special interest groups solely interested in making a profit.
Green also said the state will make every effort to use local workers and local companies to complete projects.
Arguably the Governor’s greatest advocacy for Maui locals is in protecting victims’ property. He told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “I want to emphasize again, the land in Lahaina is reserved for its people as they return and rebuild, and I instructed the attorney general to impose enhanced criminal penalties, including up to a year in prison, on anyone who tries to take advantage of survivors by the unsolicited acquiring of property in affected areas of Maui.”
xactly two months ago, Aug. 8, 2023, the devastating Maui wildfires destroyed Lahaina town, killing close to 100 people, and leaving hundreds houseless. Immediately following the disaster, we did a cover story with Filipinos sharing their harrowing experiences (visit thefilipinochronicle.com for archived article). Already back then, we knew we had to do another article soon after.
For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo and HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma report on the latest in assistance available to victims of the wildfires and how our Filipino community statewide are coming together to help our Maui brothers and sisters. As many of you already know, almost 40% of Lahaina’s population is Filipino. Our community has been hard hit by the fires. I was interviewed in the cover story to talk about some of the new and ongoing programs available for victims shared with me by government officials. We know recovery will be a long process and we hope that government representatives and our Filipino organizations will continue to share with the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle the latest in relief efforts so we can get that information to our readers as soon as possible.
October is Filipino American History Month. We have several articles on this from planned events like the 1) Pamana Art Exhibit at the Honolulu Hale, 2) the Hilo Barrio Fiesta at the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Campus Center, and 3) six Filipino films to be showcased at the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival, to what we should actually know about Filipino American history highlighted for us in our second editorial. HFC columnist Elpidio Estioko writes about one historical giant Larry Itliong whose contribution to the American labor movement is still a lasting model from which labor unions replicate – strong negotiations and nonviolent picketing.
Also in this issue, HFC columnist Carlota Ader recaps Joel Sebag’s Pinoy Superstars event recently held at the Filipino Community Center. Over 300 people attended the event that had stars like former America’s Got Talent contestant Marcelito Pomoy.
Speaking of the FilCom, it will be honoring individuals and groups at the annual Bayanihan Gala at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom on Saturday, October 14 at 5:30 pm. This years’ honorees are Abelina Shaw, Avalon Development, The Mariano-Soquena Foundation and FilCom CARES. We hope you can support the event. For more information, visit filcom.org/bayanihan-gala-2023.
Lastly, HFC columnist Emil Guillermo contributes “Martial Law Comes to Broadway,” his review of the ongoing Here Lies Love new Broadway musical about the Marcoses and Aquinos during the People Power Revolution. We hope you enjoy these and our other columns and news.
Thank you for supporting the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle all these years. Until next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
Publisher & Executive Editor
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
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.
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
Attorney General Anne Lopez said that her office receives complaints every day about non-Hawaii attorneys soliciting for their clients.
Clearly, whether Maui residents choose to stay in Maui and rebuild or to leave is their choice. But during this critical period of shock and vulnerability, Maui wildfires victims should not be preyed upon and led into a decision they could possibly regret.
The governor already has in motion some worthy programs. But the full power of the state to advocate for Maui will
Carlota Hufana Ader
JP Orias
October is Filipino American History Month. Our population now sits at 4 million in the United States. While that is a relatively small number in the big picture demographics of this country, no one would guess it considering how visible Filipino Americans are.
Our high profile is undeniable today, but it wasn’t always the case, which is why a month dedicated to Filipino American history is all too important.
Part of analyzing history is to look at precedence. An example: before Filipino American Robert Cornelius Murphy, entrepreneur and software engineer became a billionaire as cofounder of Snap Inc. which created Snapchat, there was Loida Nicolas Lewis, the former billionaire corporate CEO of Beatrice Foods which she ran after her husband Reginald’s passing until the company was sold.
In the world of music: before Grammy artists Olivia Rodrigo and H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) became household names in
American pop music, there were Bruno Mars and Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, better known as Nicole Scherzinger.
In Hollywood, before Vanessa Hudgens and Mark Dacascos, there were Lou Diamond Philipps and Tia Carerre.
Before the countless Filipino restauranteurs and famous chefs of today like Tim Flores of Kasama in Chicago, Margarita Manzke of restaurant Republique in Los Angeles, or Hawaii’s own Sheldon Simeon, a Top Chef finalist -- there were James Beard Award winner Tom Cunanan and chef and television host Alvin Cailan.
We can turn on our television and see political and legal analysis by FilAm George Conway on CNN or MSNBC. Then, turn the channel to ESPN and see legendary NBA coach of the Miami Heat Erik Spoelestra.
While visiting New York City, we could have the option of watching Here Lies Love on Broadway, the first all-Filipino cast and Broadway show with a Filipino theme (real life story of the Marcoses and Aquinos during the People
come in the upcoming legislative session.
House Speaker Scott Saiki has created six House working groups looking at various aspects of the fire that Saiki expects will lead to legislation as the session begins. The groups will focus on wildfire prevention; cleaning up ground and ocean contamination; food, water and other supplies distributed to fire evacuees; jobs and business; strategies to educate Maui schoolchildren; and temporary and transitional shelter for evacuees.
Meanwhile, just two weeks ago, Maui residents in some disaster locations were allowed to see the rubble, or what’s left, of their homes for the first time. Authorities have been allowing residents to return in phases. Those who returned were able to utilize support services in the area, including shuttles, washing stations, portable toilets, and medical and mental health care.
Some residents say seeing the damage in person is something that just needs to be done. It’s not closure but can help in letting go and looking to the future. Most who returned to the fire zones stepped into roofless structures without walls. All their personal belongings carried away by the winds as ash.
At least they were able to make it out alive and say they are thankful for this. Others returning to their burnt down homes are also returning to the site of where their husband or wife, parent or child perished in the fire.
Let us keep moving forward with empathy and the bayanihan spirit and continue to do charitable work helping our Maui brothers and sisters.
Power Revolution) or if we’re lucky by chance, be invited to a runway showing of famed fashion designer Josie Natori’s latest collection.
Besides knowing some of our famous Filipino American personalities in history and up to current times, there are few major historical events that all Filipino Americans show know about.
• The first landing of Filipinos in North America was in 1587 during the Manila-Galleon Trade, which was even before the landing of Pilgrims in Jamestown in 1620. This first landing of Filipinos occurred in Morro Bay (presently San Luis Obispo County, California).
• The first settlement of Filipinos started in 1763 in Saint-Malo which is in Louisiana. These Filipinos jumped ship during one of the early trade shipments. The point to remember is that Filipinos have been in North America for centuries.
• The United States colonialism of the Philippines started in 1898. Because of this colonial status, this allowed for the recruitment of cheap Filipino labor to be brought over
to work on plantations in Hawaii as early as 1906. U.S. colonialism of the Philippines was actually the catalyst for Filipino immigration to the U.S.
• By the 1920s Filipino laborers expanded from Hawaii to the west coast mainland Washington and California, and Alaska. This is important to know because Filipinos were a major part of the United States’ agricultural revolution which enabled Americans to modernize and congregate in cities. Americans no longer had to rely on growing their own food with a thriving and prosperous Ag industry that had many Filipino workers doing the hard labor.
• It is also during this time that Filipinos experienced the most horrific discrimination, racism, beatings and murder. Filipino towns started to form along the west coast as a means of protecting their own people.
• WWII was a pivotal event for Filipinos already in the United States. If Filipinos enlisted in the United States Army and fought for the U.S. in WWII, President Franklin Roosevelt promised to grant them U.S. citi-
zenship. Nearly 250,000 Filipinos in the U.S. enlisted and after the war became U.S. citizens. U.S. bases remained in the Philippines after the war and it became a source of immigration as Filipino women married U.S. soldiers, came to the U.S. and formed communities. Filipino men were also recruited from these bases to join the Armed Services of the United States.
• The 1965 Immigration Act allowed for massive immigration of Filipinos into the U.S. Prior to this Act, the Filipino community in the U.S. had their origin as laborers or in the military. But the 1965 Immigration Act was responsible for diverse immigration which saw many women (prior to that, almost strictly men) and professionals.
• In the 1960s, Filipinos were an integral part of the civil and workers rights revolution alongside Whites, Blacks and Latinos. Filipinos joined forces with Latino farmworkers in the 1965 Delano Grape Strike that became a model of nonviolent labor strikes until today.
Happy Filipino American History Month to all in our community.
On October 4, Senator Brian Schatz announced that the Suicide Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $17.3 million in funding to the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) to address the mental health toll affecting the residents of Lahaina, Maui after the fires.
As a result of the August 8 fires, more than 7,000 people were displaced and at least 98 people lost their lives.
“The people of Maui have experienced so much loss, trauma, and grief, and ad-
dressing the mental health toll is just as important as dealing with the physical damage,” said Schatz.
“This new funding will provide necessary resources to help those who need it in a timely and culturally-informed way.”
According to Civil Beat, DOH expects that the behavioral impact of the Maui wildfires will be significant and long-lasting and that behavioral health will continue as the community grieves.
“Every bit of assistance to the victims of Maui’s wildfires makes a difference,” said Chona Montesines-Sonido, publisher and managing editor of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle (HFC). “But it takes community outreach and dissemination of information through traditional media and alternate media such as HFC to ensure our community – some 40% of Lahaina residents are Filipino – are made aware of what’s available.”
Gov. Josh Green made two major announcements: 1) Most of West Maui (except parts of Lahaina town) will fully open on Oct. 8, exactly two months after one of the deadliest fires in U.S. history that killed 97 people (not 115 as previously reported by news outlets). About 1,800-1,900 homes were destroyed; and 2) the governor authorized some $100 million in aid that could translate into $3,000 to $4,000 for affected families and $25 million to help businesses survive with grants of $10,000 to $20,000.
“The new assistance in the ballpark of $3,000-4,000 comes on top of previous ones. To recap a cash payment of $700 per person was available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Another $1,000 is available through Maui United Way, plus $1,200 for all adults in affected areas through the People’s Fund of Maui, launched by Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson. If you’re eligible, you should be claiming these.”
Gov. Green said, “West Maui will be open to visitors again, so people from Hawaii and around the world can resume travel to this special place and help it begin to recover economically,” he said. “This difficult decision is meant to bring hope for recovery to the families and businesses on Maui that have been so deeply affected in every way by the disaster.”
Montesines-Sonido said HFC was also informed by Sen. Brian Schatz office that $16 billion in new funding was signed into law over the weekend. “Part of this money will help in the long-term recovery of Maui,” she said.
Sen. Schatz said, “The new funding means that Maui will have the federal relief funding it needs for the foreseeable future. It’s good news for Hawai‘i and for Lāhainā’s recovery. The recovery process will take years, and we will keep working as hard as we can to bring home more federal resources.”
“Also on the federal level, Sen. Mazie Hirono is working to get the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), urging the agency to extend the physical damage loan application deadline for people impacted by the Hawaii wildfires. The SBA has approved over $98.9 million in disaster loans to assist with rebuilding those areas that have been damaged or destroyed by the wildfires. Currently, the deadline to apply for physical damage loans is October 10, 2023,” said Montesines-Sonido. Hirono is a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Montesines-Sonido also said Maui fires victims can now apply for and enroll in Lifeline, a federal program that helps lower the cost of phone and internet service for those in need. To enroll, visit https://www.lifelinesupport.org/.
“The Lifeline program is exactly as it sounds, a way for those displaced by the catastrophic wildfire to return to some sense of normalcy by ensuring that they stay connected with people important in their lives,” said Representative Ed Case.
Another fixture in Filipino media, Cecille Piros, vice president-general manager of KPMW-FM (MIX 105.5 FM, Maui’s only Filipino FM radio station, shared what she would like to see in Maui’s recovery.
Gov. Green stressed the importance of community feedback from Maui residents and how they’re integral to the state’s recovery efforts.
Piros said, “First and foremost, our hearts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by the Lahaina fires. Lahaina is embarking on a lengthy recovery, and while we understand that Lahaina will never be the same, it’s crucial to adopt a long-term perspective to this recovery effort. I believe we should focus on key areas such as Community Engagement, Cultural Preservation, Collaboration and Partnerships, and Economic Diversification.”
She explains, “Community Engagement: Involving the local community in decision-making processes is paramount to ensuring that recovery efforts align with their needs and aspirations.
“Cultural Preservation: The loss of Lahaina’s cultural and historical sites is truly heartbreaking. However, we hold hope that the leaders and community of Lahaina can
work together to restore and rebuild these sites, continuing to uphold Lahaina’s rich cultural heritage.
“Collaboration and Partnerships: The collaboration between government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and Lahaina’s residents is crucial. By pooling resources and expertise, we can make recovery efforts more effective.
“Economic Diversification: Exploring opportunities for economic diversification beyond tourism is essential. This could involve supporting local agriculture, promoting technology startups, fostering culture and arts, or developing other sustainable industries.
“By uniting our efforts, Lahaina can emerge from this tragic event stronger and be better prepared for future challenges,” said Piros.
Gov. Green mentions other programs being explored including: 1) a jobs training program for local residents to give people employment and 2) a new compensation fund modeled after the U.S. government’s Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund. The special fund could allow survivors who lost loved ones to receive compensation much faster while avoiding attorney fees. He said attorneys often take 30% to 40 % of legal settlements.
Gov. Green remains focused on providing locals housing. Since Aug. 16 the American Red Cross, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency have relocated over 7, 500 survivors to 29 hotels “and hundreds “ of Airbnbs, Green said. For some, living arrangements at hotels will last into next year, May.
In light of some fundraising scams, the Governor recommends cash donations be sent to the American Red Cross or the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
Montesines-Sonido said the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls (BCWW) together with the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH) donated money to Tulong for Lahaina and Maui Strong being handled by Hawaii Community Foundation.
(New Assistance....from page 4)
HAWAK KAMAY—Building Trust and Harnessing Hope, How the Filipino community refused to remain invisible
August 8, 2023 will forever be sealed in history as the day that Lahaina burned. For entrepreneurs Deron and Kit Zulueta Furukawa, that day started as a typical Tuesday— the day that they travel to Honolulu for the weekly workshops offered by Mana-Up, an organization that hosts a 6-month accelerator program geared for Hawaiʻi-based companies whose products have the potential to scale markets globally through both retail and e-commerce channels.
That morning, there were reports of brush fires in West Maui, but at the airport, it was business as usual. Fellow travelers had mentioned that a conference was being held in Waikiki attended by the state’s emergency management heads, including Maui’s. If this was the case, there was no cause for concern--since the folks in charge of emergencies made time to travel to Oahu for a conference. Or so they thought.
However, on their return flight to Maui, as the plane descended for landing, the glow of the fires at West Maui enveloped the horizon. Something was amiss, but it would be the next day August 9 that the full impact of the disaster would filter in. There was a scheduled delivery of goods to Foodland Lahaina, but phone calls were not being answered. Colleagues who were managing hotels in West Maui reported that employees and their families were trickling-in looking for refuge.
By August 10, the governing board of the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce (MFCC) led by its president Dominic Suguitan convened and agreed to establish a Bayanihan Fund to “set up a recovery fund to provide resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs of the people affected by the devastating Maui wildfires” and pledged to work with local, national and international partners “to get an understanding of the quickly evolving priorities” triggered by the wildfires. A sign-in form was also launched on its website.
The tasks ahead were over-
whelming, but for Kit Zulueta Furukawa, one of MFCC’s directors--a Filipina immigrant who arrived in Hawai’i in 2008--there was no hesitation to take the lead. “It’s hard to sit still when your colleagues and friends have lost everything except the clothes on their back,” like her first boss in Maui, Rick Nava, who convinced her to move to Maui in 2010 to work at his firm MSI Maui—a photo, video, and graphic design company.” Rick, who has been appointed by Maui Mayor Richard Bissen as one of five commissioners to guide Maui County in its road to recovery, eventually worked with her in implementing Hawak Kamay seven weeks after the disaster.
MFCC is a relatively “young” organization compared to the Oahu-based Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH) which they consider their “mother” organization.
The following Friday, August 11, one of the first to respond was the FCCH. Its president Susie Berardy tasked the chair for Community Outreach, Rose Mendoza to spearhead Kokua Maui, a fundraising arm attached to the FCCH Foundation and assist the Maui chamber. The Filipino chambers in Lihue, Hilo and West Hawaii quickly came on board, including the Honolulu Jaycees, as well as professional organizations like the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH), the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAAH) and the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW).
Initially the Maui chamber’s operations were mostly online. Two of its board members are general managers of West Maui hotels and were on ground zero, feeding information to the rest of the group, and its president had volunteered for the American Red Cross. One of its directors, Sharon Z. Banaag served as executive secretary to the mayor’s office and was also a source of critical information, but all were hands-on during the initial first days of the relief operations.
Less than 20 days after the disaster, Maui Filipino Chamber president Suguitan and director Furukawa visited families in
West Maui to assess the situation and learn about how best to assist families affected by the Aug 8 Maui fires.
Rose Mendoza who also serves as executive director of Hawaii-Philippines Business & Economic Council (HPBEC) tapped on the organization’s resources to drum-up support for the Maui initiative and was able to reach out to guest speakers of its monthly Zoom Talk Story, one of which was Yolanda Ortega Stern of the One World Institute (OWI) whose non-profit has been involved in disaster relief operations in the Philippines. As emeritus president of the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC), she has drummed up support for Lahaina with its affiliated Filipino chambers in the US mainland, including the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (CoFACC). Other mainland entities followed suit, like NaFFAA, SoCAL and numerous generous individuals and private companies.
One of OWI’s partners is Asia America Inc. (AAI) based in Washington D.C. Headed by a former Vietnam veteran, AAI was one of the early donors. Al Santoli is the head of the organization.
The organizers of the Bayanihan Fund had goals to respond quickly and deploy funds in a timely manner, but with the flexibility to achieve high-impact results to support life-sustaining and life-preserving needs. The fund is available to all directly affected by the wildfires.
Lahaina which was deeply impacted by the wildfires is considered a Filipino enclave—its population is mostly Filipino and the workforce of Maui’s visitor industry. There were reports that its Filipino population—a combination of newly arrived immigrants and those whose multi-generational families are rooted in Maui, has difficulty in accessing government assistance. Aside from the language barriers, there are cultural and technological nuances that can be challenging. For the majority, the process is intimidating and overwhelming.
Nikki Baysa, who is with the nurses’ group who mobilized quickly to help the dis-
“Every bit of assistance to the victims of Maui’s wildfires makes a difference. But it takes community outreach and dissemination of information through traditional media and alternate media such as HFC to ensure our community – some 40% of Lahaina residents are Filipino – are made aware of what’s available. The new assistance in the ballpark of $3,000-4,000 comes on top of previous ones. To recap a cash payment of $700 per person was available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Another $1,000 is available through Maui United Way, plus $1,200 for all adults in affected areas through the People’s Fund of Maui, launched by Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson. If you’re eligible, you should be claiming these.”
– Chona Montesines Sonido, Publisher and Managing Editor, Hawaii Filipino Chronicleplaced families—she notes that some are so overwhelmed they don’t know what they need, or where to begin.
A newly organized group called Tagnawa Maui, formed by Nadine Ortega, whose family was affected by the wildfires, took on the role of identifying the families in West Maui who were displaced by the wildfires. A chapter of the Filipino Mental Health Initiative in Hawai’i also reachedout to educate the community about mental health and wellness to make it easy for older and younger generations to connect with each other—especially valuable for those traumatized by the events.
Chachie Abara Ma, the force behind this initiative also reached out to help to ensure that access to languages that the community is familiar with, is easily available. A graduate of UH Manoa’s Philippine Language and Literature-Ilokano program, the skills she acquired in that program proved to be very useful.
Recognizing that recovery will take some time, the organizers determined that this fund may also be used in execution of other programs related to resilience and recovery such as: organizing resource fairs with partner organizations in medical care, shelter, as well as grief support and trauma-informed care, document recovery, job placement and counseling, micro-grants for start-up businesses, and others.
Less than a month after the disaster, on September 6, the HPBEC hosted a Zoom Talk Story and invited leaders of the Filipino community (Vince Bagoyo and Rick Nava of Maui and Angie Santiago of UFCH) to discuss strategies for relief and recovery, including the Lahaina Seven (the J-1 teachers who were assigned to Lahaina—who thankfully escaped unharmed). Moderated by Kit Z Furukawa, it was an emotionally charged two-hour session—partly an expression of grief and sorrow at the unimaginable destruction of a thriving town--it was also a collective appreciation for the bayanihan spirit that was evident in the days following the disaster.
What resulted from that online discussion was the need to provide an opportunity to gather and offer support for the Filipino community affected by the fires. Familiar faces who can speak Ilokano, Tagalog or Visayan can provide hope in a warm setting and address cultural nuances. This would also address the logistical challenge of distributing aid to victims who are temporarily housed and scattered in various parts of Maui.
This will also encourage the displaced families apply for relief where translators are available, and volunteers can literally hold their hands (or hawak kamay) in support as they navigate the disaster relief systems. By buying the relief
October is Filipino-American History Month in Hawaii, and the Pamana Art Exhibit will once again be held at Honolulu Hale from October 5 to October 26. An opening reception with the general public is planned for October 10 from 4-6pm in the City Hall courtyard.
Corinne Gallardo and Leo Gozar are the exhibit coordinators who have been responsible for past shows highlighting local Filipino artists and their work. This year will include non-Filipinos sharing their talents and skills.
I am happy to announce I have been selected to showcase two of my paintings at this event, and I’m honored and humbled to participate with other talented artisans.
goods from local businesses, it will also help generate economic activity for the area. But most of all, the community can grieve and pray together. And thus, the planning for Hawak Kamay Filipino Resource Fair took root, and the date set for September 23.
The response from various groups and individuals was swift and heartwarming. More than 40 organizations and Filipino groups attended. Among the activities provided were talk story tables to allow for “kwentuhan” with friends. A keiki corner was carved out where Filipino children’s books and school supplies were brought by Trisha Quema LaChica, newly appointed representative from Oahu, as well as stuffed toys (some of which were donated by Elvi Sutherland) and others purchased from donations.
Parol making was offered by Imelda Gasmen whose “tabo” giveaways were a big hit—those ubiquitous plastic containers found in Filipino bathrooms (she has now start-
I’m also proud to announce my second novel, Vengeance In Paradise, is now available online at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and other book-buying platforms.
Vengeance In Paradise is the sequel to Passion in Paradise, my first novel about two prominent and influential Hawaii families involved in business and politics. The public and private lives of the Wong and Henderson families are uncovered and exposed as relationships and actions dictate unexpected twists and turns in my fictional story set in the land of Aloha. Suspense, intrigue, and mystery await the reader.
My dream and goal are to secure a television deal about my novels to grow Hawaii’s local film industry and boost our local economy. Films, videos, and commercials shot in Hawaii enhance tourism and do provide free publicity for our state.
NCIS Hawaii is an example currently being filmed here
ed Operation Tabo to ensure all who want one, can get one. Arts and crafts were also available at the table manned by Philip Sabado, Maui’s premier artist whose presence was a treat to his many fans from Oahu.
Free hilot and massage was also offered, as well as libreng gupit or free haircuts. One of the stylists flew-in from Oahu, while another was a Lahaina resident whose haircutting tools were lost in the fire (but replaced by the organizers). Potted orchids were also available for plantitos and plantitas whose affinity with gardening helped in reducing stress. Therapy pets (two adorable dogs) begged for attention as they navigated the crowded civic center.
Aloha bags filled with Pinoy favorites such as sardines and other canned goods, dried fish and snacks were given out per family. Days before the event, an email was received by the organizers apprising them that folks were craving for Pinoy comfort food, thus the decision to bring-in pallets of Fili-
news, the 1853 Hawaii census noted five people from the Philippines who lived in Hawaii, but no records show their names or describe how they ended up here.
with Filipina American actress Vanessa Lachey playing the lead role in this successful series for CBS. I’ve seen more Filipinos and Asian Americans on television and the big screen recently, and it’s about time we continue not only as actors and actresses, but also as writers, directors, and producers in this global market.
Historically speaking, the first documented Filipino laborers or Sakadas came to Hawaii in 1906 to work for the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association. As a historical footnote, according to KHON
pino food items from Oahu.
Davelyn Quijano, whose husband’s family lost nine members from the fires, also brought boxes of fresh vegetables— eggplants, okra, and ampalaya (perfect for pinakbet!)—and fruits like avocados—donated by farmers from Oahu. Carolyn Weygan Hildebrand—a strong proponent of malungay, harvested sprigs of its leaves from her backyard soon after midnight before heading for the airport.
Free legal and financial support programs were also provided. Binhi at Ani (Maui’s Filipino Community Center) collected names of individuals who would qualify for their monetary aid (to be distributed in October according to one recipient), with its president Melen Agcolicol warmly greeting folks who came to sign-up. The Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association was also present in full force led by its president, Daniel Padilla. Also present were insurance experts, adjusters, bank personnel and others.
SCORE volunteers Dennis
The Sakadas were the pioneers who opened the doors and led the way for a wave of Filipino workers to arrive in Hawaii over the course of several decades. Their presence changed the fabric of Hawaiian society, and today, Filipino-Americans are the largest ethnic group in Hawaii accounting for over 20% of the population.
With a large Filipino base, Hawaii’s Filipinos should be able to wield considerable power and influence. We are well represented in the tourist industry, food industry, healthcare, agriculture, construction industry, and small business. Our work ethic and determination are second to none.
But one concern I’ve noticed is the lack of voter turnout during some elections.
Bunda and Alim Shabazz assisted in encouraging folks to avail of Federal services such as FEMA, SBA and the US Passport Services. Alim used the ChatGPT app on his phone to translate his English responses into Tagalog for Filipina entrepreneur Ms.Cokay, who lost her superette and home to the fires (her superette was in one scene in the movie My Partner which was shot in Lahaina).
The YWCA table featured brochures of its programs geared for women entrepreneurs such as the KIVA Microloan Crowdfunding. Its bricksand-mortar presence is in Oahu, but the non-profit has plans to establish programs in Maui in partnership with educational institutions according to its staff, Marla Musick. Interestingly, a table was also set-up by a group of millennials offering how to set-up crowdfunding websites to whoever were interested. One of those young volunteers was Jasmin Knight who flewin from Oahu with a few of her friends to help.
Several government agencies—Federal, State and
However, with mail-in ballots, voting is easier than ever. If Hawaii’s Filipinos are to attain the pinnacle of their destiny, they must participate in the electoral process to help determine their fate. State government is the most powerful entity in Hawaii, and our vote can determine the direction of our state.
As we celebrate Filipino-American History Month, we must understand we control our future. The past tapestry we have woven is rich with culture and pride, but there is much more we can do and attain.
Individualism is important, but with a united front, our influence can be both sought after and feared. Regardless of our dialects, home provinces, or birthplace, we are Filipinos and we are strong.
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.
County-- were also on hand such as the DLIR whose director, Jade Butay navigated the busy center to meet with constituents. Some of the DLIR staff from Oahu were flown-in to man its tables, and all were very friendly and helpful and encouraged folks to apply for unemployment benefits.
On another side of the Civic Center, the Philippine Consulate occupied several tables to provide consular services. A large number of its personnel were available from September 22 to 24. Unfortunately, Consul General Emil Fernandez’s inability to waive the steep $150 fee to replace destroyed or mutilated passports left a bad taste in the mouth for both volunteers and displaced Philippine nationals.
The Hawaii Workers Center volunteers (several of whom flew-in from Oahu for the fair) were dismayed about the fee, as well as the misinformation circulating that FEMA can reimburse the fee (not true). In fact, FEMA can only help an immigrant household if one of
An Ilocano lawyer asked a 19-year-old girl if she had a boyfriend. She replied “No.” He asked if she ever had a boyfriend. Again, she replied “No.” “So you are a virgin,” concluded the lawyer. The girl admitted that she was.
“Would you ask me for a date if I was not a virgin?” she asked. The lawyer replied: “Yes. Virginity to me is not material. I have dated married women and women with boyfriends.”
“What would concern me is if the girl said that she was a virgin and I later discovered that she was not.” “How would you discover?” asked the girl innocently.
I am a lawyer, I am a great discoverer – like Columbus – Columbus by night, not a Knight of Columbus.
Why is virginity such a big thing? Having intimate relations with a virgin is like climbing to the top of Mt. Everest. It is exhilarating. But sometimes it is not the most pleasurable. It could also cause pain – and some suffering.
An unmarried Filipino applied for a visa to come to the United States. He was petitioned by his father, a U.S. citizen. The son told immigration and consular authorities that he did not have an illegitimate child.
When he applied for naturalization, he stated that he had an illegitimate child. His application was denied for making a misrepresentation. He was placed in removal (deportation) proceedings.
We filed a motion to dismiss on his behalf. We argued that he might have made a misrepresentation, but the misrepresentation was not material. We pointed out that misrepresentation is material if, had the truth been disclosed at the time of applying for a visa, the visa would have been denied.
The misrepresentation is only material if it led to the person gaining some advantage or benefit to which he or she may not have been entitled under the true facts. A
fact suppressed or misstated is not material to an alien’s entry unless it is one which, if known, would have justified a refusal to issue the visa.” United States v. Rossi, 299 F.2d 650, 652-53 (9th Cir. 1962).
The suppression of the fact that the son had an illegitimate child was not material to his entry because even if it was disclosed it would not have justified a refusal to issue the visa.
Why? Because whether or not a son of a U.S. citizen has an illegitimate child is immaterial because having a child or no child is not a qualification for a visa for the son of a U.S. citizen.
The case was dismissed. Our client did not even see the inside of the immigration court.
A married Filipina was petitioned by her mother, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). It was approved by USCIS.
At the U.S. Consulate, she misrepresented that she was unmarried. A visa was issued to her. She immigrated to the U.S. She returned to the Philippines and “married” her husband. As a lawful permanent resident, she petitioned her husband. She presented the second certificate of marriage to support her petition. USCIS approved the visa petition. When her husband applied for an immigrant visa, the U.S. Consulate denied it because he and his wife were previously married before his wife immigrated to the U.S.
(continue on page 15)
Unlike other mostly white reviewers of Here Lies Love, the new Broadway musical that plays into the seduction of the notorious Marcos family of the Philippines, I have a unique perspective.
I was in the Philippines for one of the key moments depicted in the musical, and it definitely impacted my opinion of the show.
And of the event.
First off, we must admit the undeniable negative charisma of the Marcoses. That’s what we all care about, isn’t it?
Would there be any interest in Filipinos at all–by anyone–were it not for the Marcoses’ domination in Filipino and Filipino American history?
When the Marcoses were living in shame, certainly the news ignored them and ignored all the rest of us. But now restored to power, it’s like the world has a way of talking about Filipinos again.
We’re not dead totally. The musical’s title (aka/HLL) is the epitaph Imelda Marcos imagines on her tombstone, but is it anything but love?
From absolute power through martial law to shameful exile to total rehabilitation and restoration of power, the Marcos narrative arc is noteworthy, especially during the Trump era and the rise of autocracy.
Love them or hate them, the Marcoses are a badass narrative in a badass historical time. They give the bad guys hope.
In fact, the Marcoses may have been an inspiration for Donald Trump. Martial law as a career move? It happened in a Philippine democracy modeled after the U.S. Could
it happen in an American democracy controlled by rightwing extremists?
If we’re too busy singing and dancing, it could.
Jan. 6 was too close for comfort. It was even called an “insurrection.”
But my preamble is not to say you shouldn’t see Here Lies Love, where Ferdinand, the firebrand from Ilocos, marries Imelda, the tallish beauty queen from the Visayas who becomes his hood ornament.
Then Ferdinand Marcos uses Imelda as he drives his way to power, only to find she is his perfect mate when mar-
tial law is declared on Sept. 21, 1972.
It was just a ploy to stymie the spread of the political bogeyman of the time, Communism, although in reality, it blunted all political foes of Marcos, including one Benigno Aquino, a fellow oligarch, one-time suitor of Imelda, and certainly no communist.
The impact of the declaration was immediate. All the institutions of democracy were dissolved–the courts, the Congress. Only one man stood in charge, Marcos, who led the country into the great void. It was 14 years when all civil liberties were curtailed.
From a free press and free speech to basic human rights, the statistics of martial law are dark and staggering: nearly 3,300 known extrajudicial killings, 35,000 tortures, and 70,000 incarcerations.
And this is stuff worth singing and dancing about?
Well… That’s why it’s called Here Lies Love and not
something like F stands for Ferdinand: The Martial Law Musical.
No one would see that.
The musical is from Imelda’s point of view, and she has a much more sympathetic story arc than her husband. But not by much. Her pill-popping at Studio 54 is highlighted. And she is victimized by the philandering and impregnating Ferdinand, after being dumped by the hero Ninoy Aquino for being too tall.
But all that is just the Marcos narrative’s whipped cream frosting on a martial law cake that is far from a bon-bon.
Knowing the facts allows you to enjoy the frosting somewhat guilt-free. You get an emotional story, but the subtext remains the emotion in all those statistics that are flashed on the screen: the dead, abused and imprisoned, the ones who don’t get to sing their truth.
(continue on page 11)
October is Filipino-American History Month. Actually, it’s American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and as we celebrate it, we honor Larry Itliong, a highly influential leader whose pivotal role in the farm labor movement left a long-lasting legacy for all of us.
However, his legacy somehow is not remembered and not celebrated by many, just like how many remember and celebrate labor organizer Cesar Chavez, so the government declared the month of October as Filipino-American month with Larry Itliong at the helm for people to know how he and his group contributed to California’s labor movement and the states of Alaska (cannery) and in sugar plantations across the Hawaiian Islands.
Itliong was born on October 25, 1913 in San Nicolas, Pangasinan, Philippines as Modesto “Larry” Dulay Itliong and immigrated to the US in 1929 at the age of 15.
He made his living work-
the household members was US born or are citizens. Both local leaders Amy Agbayani and HWC director Sergio Alcubila offered to discuss the issue with the Consulate staff, or help assume the costs to be fundraised.
Carolyn W Hildebrand describes the event as making the Filipino community “visible”-not only in numbers but cultural ways. “Hawak Kamay proved to be a trauma-informed response that has community and cultural sensibilities. The haircutting was one of the most visual sights of community therapy. The folks were tireless, cutting hair from start to finish. I came away impressed with the will of organizers, the agility of volunteers and resource givers, and the spirit of social cohesion.”
Arlina Agbayani, one of FCCH’s directors who volunteered that day said, “I could
ing as a farm laborer and in Alaska’s salmon canneries. As a Filipino laborer, Itliong faced poverty and racism but became a charismatic and effective labor organizer and champion for social justice.
Organizations are highlighting his contributions to the farm labor movement, so we can trumpet his achievements, just like any other labor leader/organizer. In fact, his son Johnny is making a personal crusade to let people know about his father’s contributions to the California labor movement.
It’s been said that Cesar Chavez inspired the world, but not known to many, As I See It, Larry Itliong actually inspired Cesar Chavez, as shown in the Delano Grape Strike in 1965 which was started by Itliong and his Delano Manongs and was later joined by Chavez.
In an era known for civil rights movements, Itliong fought for better working conditions in a country thousands of miles from his homeland of the Philippines, by the time he landed on US soil up to his death.
He organized West Coast agricultural workers starting in the 1930s and rose to national prominence in 1965, when
feel the aloha spirit throughout the day, especially when one of the nanas received dried fish. She was in tears. That small token brought so much joy, familiarity and her smiling face was priceless.”
The most meaningful takeaway is from FCCH president Susie Berardy who notes that the Hawak Kamay fair “was a remarkable event that showcased the unwavering spirit of unity, resilience, and compassion among the people of Hawai’i.
The bayanihan spirit, rooted in the Filipino culture of communal unity and cooperation was palpable throughout the event. Participants exemplified this spirit by joining hands to assist those in need. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
Despite the scale of destruction and the immense challenges
he, Philip Vera Cruz, Benjamin Gines and Pete Velasco, walked off the farms of area table-grape growers, demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage, that became known as the Delano Grape Strike of 1965.
He has been described as “one of the fathers of the West Coast labor movement.” He is regarded as a key figure in the Asian American labor movement.
In 2022, recognizing his heroic efforts, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring October 25, 2022, as “Larry Itliong Day” in the State of California.
The proclamation states: “Today we celebrate the trailblazing Filipino American labor leader, civil rights champion and California Hall of Fame Inductee Larry Itliong. Born on this day
faced by those affected, everyone exhibited a positive and cheerful demeanor and provided a glimpse into the resilience and strength of the community. The concept of aloha – which encompasses love, compassion, and a deep sense of caring for others – was prominently on display.”
But for her, the most significant takeaway from the event was “the collective belief in the future. The determination to rebuild a stronger Lahaina was evident in the unity and support showcased at the resource fair. It was a powerful reminder that adversity can pave the way for even greater resilience and growth!”
For the organizers, this was just the beginning—for the journey to full recovery. But the fair provided a sense of hope, and that we are no longer invisible, and the ties that bind us are strong. We are here for the long haul.
in 1913 in a province of the Philippines, Larry Itliong immigrated to the United States as a youth in 1929, where he trailblazed farm labor movement… We honor the great contributions of Larry Itliong and the Manongs whose hardfought battles helped advance farm workers’ rights and social justice. Let us remember their message of “Isang Bagsak!” –we are all connected together in our fight for justice, and we rise and fall together.”
Itliong immigrated to the U.S. in 1929, hoping to become a lawyer, but he ended up working in the Alaskan fish canneries and along the West Coast as a farm laborer.
During that time, he experienced how badly laborers were treated. With this, he saw the power of working together to advance their cause. He became an activist and organizer to achieve their goals.
Following his service in the U.S. Army during World War II, Itliong became a U.S. citizen and in 1954 moved to Stockton’s Little Manila, where he organized the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC).
He was so good at recruiting new members that union leaders asked him to move to Delano to organize Filipino grape workers. It was there that he helped change the history of farm labor.
On Sept. 8, 1965, he led AWOC members in walking off the grape vineyards to demand wages equal to the federal minimum wage and better working conditions. But Itliong knew that for the strike to succeed, they needed members of the National Farm Workers Association to join.
He approached NFWA’s leader, César Chávez, with the proposal. On Sept. 16, the AWOC and NFWA joined forces beginning the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott. It lasted five years and was one of the most important social justice and labor movements in American history, ending with victory for the farm workers.
In the meantime, the AWOC and NFWA merged in 1966 to become the United Farm Workers (UFW), with Chávez as director and Itliong as assistant director.
In 1971, Itliong left the UFW but continued to work for Filipino Americans until his death in 1977 at age 63. One of his major successes was securing funding for the construction of the Paulo Agbayani Retirement Village in Delano, which has provided housing and support for retired Filipino farmworkers since 1974.
Itliong spent his life standing up for his belief that “everyone has equal rights and justice, but you have to make that come about.” He died on Feb. 8, 1977, leaving a legacy of activism that inspires us all.
In October 2013: Assembly Bill 123, authored by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, CA District 18, sought the inclusion of Filipino American farmworker history into K-12. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed Bonta’s Filipino Farm Worker Bill, AB 123 on October 2, 2013.
On April 9, 2015, the California State Assembly unanimously passed a bill designating October 25th as “Larry Itliong Day.”
In 2013, a documentary entitled, The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the UFW, highlighted the role of Filipinos in the farm labor movement led by Larry Itliong.
That same year, the New Haven Unified School District in Union City, California, renamed Alvarado Middle School to Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School in honor of Itliong and labor partner, Philip Vera Cruz, the first school in the United States to be named after Filipino Americans.
In 2018, a children’s book, Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong, was published. The Larry Itliong Papers are housed at the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State University in Detroit.
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
The Philippines’ hottest singing sensations were on full display during Joel Sebag’s Pinoy Superstars event held September 17, 2023 at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu.
An audience of over 300 people was treated to a wide variety of special renditions sung by former America’s Got Talent contestant Marcelito Pomoy and other stars.
Proceeds from the concert will be used to support initiatives benefitting at-risk and needy individuals locally and in the Philippines.
The event was Pomoy’s second appearance in Hawaii. Pomoy catapulted to fame during America’s Got Talent where he finished fourth overall.
In particular, his song “The Prayer” shocked as well as captivated the judges and
worldwide audience, particularly when he sang the melody in both tenor and soprano voices.
Pomoy’s story is all the more remarkable in light of his difficult upbringing. He was born in Cavite and came from a very poor family. He was adopted by a police officer after his dad was imprisoned, while his mom abandoned the family.
Another singer at the event was Sam Hashimoto, who was raised in Hawaii by Filipino parents but is part Japanese and Korean.
He moved to the Philippines, where he began as a fashion model in the Philippines and recently found success as a professional singer, particularly in the R&B and soul music genre.
Other performers included:
• Katrina and Monica Lopez—a moth-
(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Martial Law ....from page 9)
But at least you know the numbers are real. And you can read Wikipedia on your phone on the way out the door.
Because there is one truly dominant reason to see this musical, and that’s the immersive theatricality of the experience is simply breathtaking at times.
I’ve never seen a musical like it. The theater was transformed by ripping out hundreds of orchestra seats to create a disco floor where the audience could join the actors on stage. If you can stand up for 90 minutes straight, these are the tickets to get. It’s worth the experience.
It’s not like you can smell something fishy going on in Malacañang Palace, but you are in Imelda’s disco paradise while it’s all happening. The action comes from the stage, on the disco floor, and in the mezzanine, surrounded by massive video screens. Your head will spin. You are moved around the stage by ushers in pink suits. Don’t worry, you don’t have to show off your disco moves. You can just be
and absorb it all. You definitely will not check your watch wanting it all to end.
The music by David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame, and FatBoy Slim is all good. But this is more than a tragic love story of a dictator. It’s also about what the Marcoses did outside the name of love, in the name of greed and power. Pilfering the treasury, stealing from the Filipinos, creating more inequality. It’s the extreme of the one-percent society America has become.
And this is where the musical fails somewhat.
It shows the love between the oligarchs but doesn’t really highlight the real victims of martial law represented by all the dark numbers flashed on the screens. We needed a more sympathetic regular person, but that would get in the way of the oligarchic ride.
Still, the theatricality of it all is great. That means the people who really shine aren’t the real Ferdinand or Imelda or Aquino, but the actors, all talented professionals finally
er-daughter singing duet that has appeared on various tours around the world.
• Peter Rosalita —a 12-year-old singer from Abu Dhabi who also ap-
getting to play actual Filipinos, the most villainous in history. Notable were Arielle Jacobs as Imelda, Jose Llana as Ferdinand, and Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino. They bring the oligarchs to life.
Llana, who met with some of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) crowd in attendance, said it was important to tell Marcos’ story even in this version. “This is Broadway,” he said. “It’s got to be entertaining.” Born in Manila, Llana came to the U.S. with his parents to escape martial law. He said if the truth isn’t told, you get what’s happened today, the restoration of the Marcos family due to disinformation efforts in the Philippines.
An audience member asked if this musical with an all-Filipino cast would play well in the Philippines? Llana, who plays the dictator, admitted it wouldn’t be easy.
That leaves this $22-million-dollar production in a strange quandary of trying to find a large enough crowd to
peared in America’s Got Talent where he sang “All By Myself.”
• Maleeah Baltero —a 9-year-old singer from Hawaii. She is the daughter of Rachel and Frank
survive. It’s the white artistic vision of Byrne and Fatboy Slim, using Filipinos’ artistic talents, to tell the country’s dictatorial love story for a mostly white audience, and funded in large measure by well-to-do Filipino American co-producers like comedian Jo Koy and singer H.E.R., among others.
What we get can seem like a lively Classics Illustrated comic book set to rocking music in a great theatrical setting.
It’s a fun time. Just don’t forget the human rights abuses on the way out.
So I liked it. But true to the Marcoses, they have once again divided my household.
My father was an Ilocano from Marcos’ hometown who loved Marcos. I was an American-born journalist who remained objective.
This time, my half-Filipina/half-white daughter absolutely refused to see the show. “It’s a dictator’s story,” she said.
As a reviewer, I chose to
Baltero of Waipahu. Special guest singer Roland Abante was present at the event but did not perform. A fisherman from Cebu, he was a 2023 America’s Got Talent contestant.
see it. I told you what I think, and you should decide for yourself. Is it worth coming to New York? If you love the theater and you’re up for the visit, I’d say yes.
You don’t have to feel like it’s a guilty pleasure.
Why? Because the show’s moral compass never waivers. The facts are presented as plainly as the production is elaborate. The good guys are the good guys, the bad guys are still the bad guys. There is no confusion. Some people will never get exposed to this history. The musical becomes the gateway to understanding monumental political corruption and greed.
And let’s not forget, the U.S. was an enabler to its former colony. The musical could have played a clip of President George H.W. Bush from 1981 toasting Marcos in Manila saying, “We love your adherence to democratic principles.”
This was during martial law.
You can see why Reagan (continue on page 12)
The United States took control of the Philippines following the Spanish-American War of 1898. The first American Governor-General of the Philippines was William Howard Taft who uttered the infamous phrase describing the Filipinos as America’s “little brown brothers” and set the tone for subsequent Filipino-American encounters. Thus, this is an appropriate book review to usher in October’s Filipino American month.
The indigenous highlanders living in the Cordilleras, called Igorots, were fiercely independent and had minimal interaction with the Spanish colonizers. To some extent, the Cordillera region’s detachment from the lowland Philippines continued during the American colonial period.
One of the influential American officials during the first two decades of American rule was Dean Conant Worcester who “despised Filipino lowland officials,” and kept
Igorots from being “contami nated by Filipino Christians.”
He used a system of in timidation and bullying to implement his method of gov ernance, until he appointed an obscure teacher, John C. Early, to serve as lieutenant gover nor to one of the Cordillera’s sub-provinces.
This book not only chronicles John C. Early’s life but also “unveils hidden truths about Igorot-American interactions.” As a teacher, Early volunteered to teach at the most dangerous region of the Cordilleras which led to his appointment as lieutenant governor in 1909. He used his influence to mitigate the igorots’ abuses from their American colonizers, and for this, he was fired in 1911.
For the next decade, he taught in obscurity in the Philippines until the appointment of Governor Leonard Wood–when the Igorots were given a voice in their governance.
The igorots requested that John C. Early return as governor for the Cordillera. But the Philippine Senate delayed Early’s appointment, and it would be in 1927, at the death of Leonard Wood (who had a
negative rapport with the Philippine Senate) when Early was confirmed.
Compared to previous administrators of the colony, Governor-General Henry L. Stimson (who replaced Leonard Wood) cared for the highlanders, just like John Early and probably explained the deep friendship between the two.
Early’s appointment was viewed as a vindication from his previous firing, but unfortunately, he passed away in January 1932, and was buried two days after his death at the Baguio Municipal Cemetery.
Almost a century after Early’s death, he is almost forgotten in the Philippines and the United States. His grave in Baguio can’t be found. Archival documents show his protection of the cargadorers, Igorot property rights, human rights and his care for the en-
and Bush were burned in effigy by many freedom-loving Filipinos.
What got me in the show was the shocking assassination of Aquino and the procession of his casket through Manila in 1983. I was right there covering it for the NBC affiliate in San Francisco and fed NBC and CNN stations around the country.
At the show I attended, as Aquino’s casket was being brought through the crowd, I stood just a few feet from it. It was like I was back in Manila 50 years ago. And everyone
vironment. It is not surprising that the Igorots gave him their trust and affection.
Ironically, Baguio’s main roadways are named after a governor-general “who reportedly loathed Igorots” (Harrison Road); a governor “who regularly referred to Igorots as savages” (Governor Pack Road); and a governor-general “who refused to meet alone with Filipino officials because of his deep-seated racism” (Leonard Wood Road). However, John C. Early’s name is not found at all in the entire Cordillera area—the only one who believed in the equality of all races and people, no matter the color of one’s skin. Instead, he was persecuted for his beliefs.
In today’s social climate, this book is very timely—a biography and colonial history combined, but reads like a well-researched story where good triumphs! It describes Filipino-American encounters during the colonial period that are vaguely known or studied.
One interesting chapter was on how the headhunting practices of the Kalinga sub-province were eliminated (by brutalizing the local population) or the descriptions of how the Igorots were enticed to be exhibited at several fairs, not only in the US continent but in Europe—both practices that Early tried to stop.
In the preface, the author notes—“I spent my first eighteen years in the City of Baguio, learning the English
around me was no longer just an audience member; we were the Filipino people in the streets, yearning for democracy.
That for me was my transformative moment. What was missing from the musical, came to life through the immersive experience and gave me all I needed to feel from the night.
So, I’m glad I went to see the theatrical artistry of the fantastic Filipino American performers involved. Go to see this show while you can.
Remember, we wouldn’t have a choice under martial
language at home but speaking Ilocano with my closest friends and learning the national language of Tagalog in school. My deepest friendships were with people of the mountains—theirs was my culture and they shaped my ugali (character).” The son of American missionaries to the Cordillera, the author’s love and affection for the region— its people, culture and history is palpable in the book’s pages.
As Associate Dean of the Honors College and Professor of East/Southeast Asian History at Boise State University, Shelton Woods has half a dozen books to his name, in addition to scores or academic articles he has authored, but notes that this book is “what I have longed for people to read.”
This book is not only about John C. Early, whose life of service was a bright light during America’s colonial period, a life that all Americans should be proud of, but also of the greatness and dignity of the people of the Cordillera, that Filipinos (hyphenated or not), should know and appreciate.
For Philippine history enthusiasts or scholars of America’s colonial past—this is a must-read.
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.
law. There would be only one way to think. That’s not the case here.
Thank goodness for that.
NOTE: I will talk about this column and other matters on “Emil Amok’s Takeout,” my AAPI micro-talk show. Normally Live @2p Pacific. Livestream on Facebook; my YouTube channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www. amok.com.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.
To be held on October 14 from 10am to 2pm at the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Campus Center Plaza, the Hilo Barrio Fiesta is a celebration of the Filipino community, culture and history organized by the Samahang Filipino Club of Hawaii Com-
munity College, Bayanihan Club of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Island Filipino organizations.
The event features various Filipino food trucks, cultural performances, games, art exhibits, karaoke contest, and more activities that promote
Filipino history in Hawaii.
“It’s important to celebrate the significant contributions of Filipinos to Hawaiʻi’s history and to continue to perpetuate our culture and educate future generations to be proud of their roots,” says Ela Mae Gamilo, President of the Samahang Club of Hawaii
October is Filipino American History
Month and celebrating Filipino culture can be done through numerous ways including indulging in films that champion Filipinos.
At the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF43), six Filipino films are showcased at the film festival scheduled for October 12 to 22 on Oahu and October 26 to November 5 on neighboring islands.
From full-length films, short films to documentaries, HIFF43’s library of Filipino films will surely entice every kind of filmgoer to deep dive into the Filipino stories written, produced, filmed and performed by fellow Filipinos.
Here are the six Filipino productions to watch at HIFF43:
Araw Pagkatapos
hiff.org/events/everydayafter/
In this documentary, the older sister of a neglected little brother faces her own fears to ensure her brother may heal and live the everyday joys and struggles of growing up.
Where Is The Lie?
hiff.org/events/whereisthelie/
This black comedy film follows Janzen failed dates with Theo who was led by catfish and sociopathic mastermind Beanie, a successful female commercials director who cyberbullies the LGBTQOA+ community for her own “shits and giggles.”
ASOG
hiff.org/events/asog/
This on-the-road film follows Jaya, a non-binary teacher and comedian who survived the Super Typhoon Haiyan. She plans to travel across the
Philippines in hopes of winning a beauty pageant and its prize money. In a chance encounter with a student named Arnel who is searching for his family, they both travel together which complicates their individual plans.
Kunyari hiff.org/events/kunyari/
As the film Tagalog title’s
Community College. “We invite everyone to join us at this celebration.”
The event is free and
translates to pretend in English, this appropriately describes the main characters as they pretend to be together at a Filipino party in an act to please the expectations of their families.
How To Grow Apart? hiff.org/events/howtogrowapart/
Two Filipino American best friends navigate their fading friendship when one of the girls gets into a college across
open to the public. For more information regarding the event, visit FilipinoHistoryMonth.com.
the country while the other struggles to maintain their friendship amid the constant criticism of her Filipino mother.
Hito hiff.org/events/hito/
In this short film, a 14-year-old girl discovers that the fish that was supposed to be for dinner is a rehabilitated bioweapon named Kiefer. These six Filipino films are currently airing at different theaters in the State and are also available for online viewing. To purchase tickets, visit HIFF.org.
For the past 21 years, the Filipino Community Center (FilCom) has served and welcomed the community in Oahu.
To celebrate this milestone, FilCom will honor individuals and groups who selflessly serve the community at the annual Bayanihan Gala. The event will be held
at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom on Saturday, October 14 at 5:30pm.
At the gala, FilCom will be honoring Abelina Shaw, Avalon Development, The Mariano-Soquena Foundation and FilCom CARES.
Event sponsors and donors are highly encouraged to join the celebration gala as
the proceeds will go towards continuing FilCom’s mission of serving the Filipino community in Hawaii.
Individual seats are also available starting at $250, while sponsorships start at $5,000 for one table of eight seats. For more information, visit filcom.org/bayanihan-gala-2023.
Dear Reader, Our last column shared some important history concerning Filipino workers and unionization in Oahu. This prompted Ray Catania and Mike Miranda, Hawaii Workers Center volunteers, to share this story of the 1924 Filipino sugar workers strike on Kauai.
It was September 9, 1925. Hanapepe, Kauai, was the site of the massacre of 16 Filipino striking sugar
workers and the death of 4 sharpshooter deputies recruited by the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association. The Hawaii-wide sugar strike was led by Pablo Manlapit and the Higher Wage Movement.
The workers were striking for an 8-hour workday and $2 a day as payment for their backbreaking labor. The sugar bosses refused to listen. The Filipinos were the lowest paid of all the sugar workers; they had the worst housing, lacked decent medical care, and had no chance for social or economic advancement.
The mainstream media
and the more affluent saw them as pool hall hustlers, cockfighters and angry young men who were quick to settle conflicts with a knife. They were on the bottom rung of the social ladder. But their struggle was more than economic–it was for dignity, respect, and justice.
Most of Kauai’s sugar plantations were not affected by the strike. The fear of losing one’s job and getting evicted was a real possibility for the workers. The employers played the ethnicities against each other by paying them different rates, with Filipinos getting the least.
The plantation owners
also took advantage of the cultural and language differences between the Visayan, Ilokano and Tagalog workers. This tactic of “divide and conquer” hindered the workers in uniting.
The Higher Wage Movement had difficulty in organizing on all islands and at every plantation. They had little funding and no sympathy from the hostile mainstream media, some of them owned by then-Governor Wallace Rider Farrington. The Japanese pro-union newspapers, Hawaii Hochi and Hawaii Shimpo, were also ruthlessly attacked by Governor Farrington who was furious about their support for the Filipino strikers.
The strikers and their
allopulo ket
Tmaysa a tawen itan, Pebrero
2023 ita a sursuratek, ngem kasla idi kalman laeng. Kasta ti kinapateg ti maysa a padas a saan a malipatan, dagiti kinaimbag kas nailaga ti pannakatubay ti biag ti maysa a tao.
Laglagip ken panagbiag ti napalabas.
Kas mannurat, napateg kaniak.
“Sumrekka, Ading!” Naipasabat kaniak daytoy apaman a nakasangpetak iti pakaangayan ti tinawen a Literary Seminar Workshop babaen ti GUMIL Hawaii.Ti GUMIL Hawaii ti immuna a gunglo ti mannurat nga Ilokano ditoy. Nabangon idi Enero 1971 babaen iti nagaget a presidente Mrs. Pacita Saludes. Ti GUMIL Hawaii ti immuna a grupo a nakamengak apaman a nakasangpetak ditoy Hawaii idi Hulio 1971.
Madama ni Mike Ulibas nga agsarsarita maipapan iti Newsriting idi sumangpetak iti
Susannah Wesley Community Center a pakaangayan ti agti-
nawen a panaggiinnadal iti panagsuratan. Setiembre 5,1992.
Kaduak ni Mike iti Bannawag Hawaii Bureau. Adda pay kolumna iti Pacific Journal “Makseten. Makseten”.
Uray no nagtrabahuak ita nga agsapa, inkagumaak ti dumar-ay uray dandani tengnga ti aldaw, ken dandanin iti pannangan. Napateg ti awis kaniak gapu iti kinapateg kaniak iti panagsuratan ta no wen ken mabalin, kayatko ti makiinnadal.
“Tapno mataginayon ti kultura ken ti pagsasaotayo nga Ilokano babaen iti panagsuratan.”
Napasungadannak ni Letty Pasuca, ina ni Maria Lina Pascua a Miss GUMIL Hawaii 1982.
Sa nagdinnakulapkami ken ni Mel Agag, Jr. Apagisu met ni Mrs. Cresencia Dela Rosa Domingo a nagkuna kaniak: “Mamultaka ta naladawka, Amado.”
“Areglado Boss, itedko ti natrabahuak ita a bigat,” inkatawak.
“Sumrekkan, Ading. Nasayaat man ta maisaparmo”, impasabat kaniak ni Mrs. Pacita Saludes a presidente ti GUMIL Hawaii.
Very catchy ti mensahe iti Registration desk nga imatonnan ni Jocelyn Agustin. Adda pagrehistruan, ken no mano ti bayadan a panagkameng.
Iti diding, ngatuen ti headtable, nakabitin ken naibaskag ti banner: Welcome: Annual Literary Seminar Workshop. Tema: Family of Ilokano Writers Learning Together.
Pinilik ti nabakante a tugaw a kasinnango ti headtable.
Tugaw gayam ni Mel Agag, Jr. ti adda iti abayko. Naggapu ni Mel idiay Hilo, agtrabaho iti University of Hawaii- Hilo, kas Information Officer. Isu idi ti Associate Editor iti Ilokandia Magasin, siak ti Editor-in-Chief [1977-1982].
Iti kaabayko iti kanawan ti tugaw ni Rev. David Saludez, regular a contributor iti Ilokandia Magasin. Isu ti maysa kadagiti resource speaker iti GH Literary Workshop kadagiti napalabas a tawen a nagpaayak met a Chirman ti LFSW. Agsarita ni Rev. Saludez maipapan iti importansia nga akem ni Mannurat.
“Dakayo gayam ni Amado Yoro!” Napataliawak.”Naggasaten ta makitakayo.”
“Wen, siak toy agserbi” inyawatko ti imak.”
leaders also faced constant legal harassment and surveillance. On the morning of September 8, 1924, the frustrated strikers took two young strikebreakers’ “hostage” and events escalated.
About 40 armed sheriff deputies and militia moved in to retrieve the hostages. Violence ensued, which lasted into the following days as deputies hunted down strikers in the fields.
Besides the 16 workers killed, many more strikers were injured. Manlapit was blamed for the deadly melee and prosecuted, although he wasn’t even there.
One hundred and thirty workers were arrested and given sentences of one to
(continue on page 15)
“Siak ni Magdalena Nacino, tay masansan nga umawag iti programam iti radio.”
“Thank you Misis,” mapadayaanak a makitakayo iti personal. Ti GUMIL Hawaii ti pagyamananyo ta ditoytayo nga aggaammo.
Adda programak iti KNDI Radio iti tunggal Domingo, ti AMADO YORO AT YOUR SERVICE.
Sekreto ken Akem ni Mannurat ni Rev. David Saludez. AYAT.
“Ayat ti maysa a sekreto ti naballigian iti panagsuratan,” panangirugi ni Rev. David Saludez. Kunana a mangrugi ti amin a balligi gapu iti Ayat.
Masapul nga adda ayatmo: Nasken nga ayaten ti bukod a pagsasao; ayaten ti kultura a nagtaudan; ayaten ti disso,lugar wenno ayan a pagsuratan.
Nasken ti PANGGEP, ti kayat nga aramiden,ken itungpal; Nasken ti KONSENSIA, ti rikna, saem, panangipakita ti pudno a mapaspasamak.
Nasken ti KINAPUDNO, iti aramid, iti panggep, iti pagsasao.
Adda napateg nga akem ti mannurat iti panagdur-as ken irarang-ay ti literatura tapno saan a mabati nga awanan panaggaraw ken panagdur-as.
Nasken nga adda konsensia ti mannurat. “Good writer must be a good moral person. Nagsarita ni Cresencia Dela Rosa Domingo maipapan iti daniw.
“Nariknamon, ikur-itmon, daniwen---masapul nga ipeksam ti riknam. Uray ania nga estilo. Ritmo, metro, rima, nota, musika, blank verse. Free verse iti kaalistuan a suratenna a daniw.”
Benny Ventura—nagsarita iti drama iti radio. Nabaknang ti padasna iti radio kas musical director,iti NBC-DWRI ken BBC-DWLW, Laoag. Maysa a replay ti “Wedding Ring” a sinurat ni dati Aida Aurelio nga asawana. Ditoy Hawaii, ni Benny ti ad-adda a maawagan iti “Canuto” kadagiti promotional advertisements iti radio.
Nagsarita ni Ric Agnes maipapan kadagiti pakisalip a sinurat.
“Ad-adu koma ti maapit kas napintas nga ibunga panaggiinnadal, literary forum ken workshop,” Mannurat iti Bannawag ni Ric.
Francisco Ponce— “Ikkan ti nabileg a pilosopia ti biag, ken siguraduen a makaited iti moral lesson dagiti suraten a sarita”. Premiado a mannurat ni Ponce.
Ines Cayaban-otograpia. Immay ti pangaldaw.
LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 9, 2023 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 programtypes for FilCom Center.
(HAWAII WORKERS CORNER?: Filipino ....from page 14) four and a half years. Manlapit and other leaders were attacked as deranged and violent hotheads trying to create a government of their own.
The “conspiracy” trial and conviction of Manlapit and Cecilio Basan by the Hawaii Territorial Supreme Court put an end to the High-
HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL | Halekulani | October 12-22 on Oahu, October 26-29 on Maui and Kauai, October 30-November 1 on Lanai, and November 2-5 on Big Island | Consolidated Kahala, Ward Theatres and various locations in the state | Celebrate indie and art house cinema that focuses on Asia-Pacific, Pasifika, Indigenous and Kanaka Maoli films. Critically lauded films from Sundance, SXSW, Purchase festival passes from hiff.org.
er Wage Movement, but the struggle of workers to form unions and improve their wages and working conditions continued.
In 1946, the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU) conducted a successful territory-wide strike and sug-
(WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?: What is Misrepresentation ....from page 7)
The wife was not eligible to immigrate to the U.S. because her petitioner was a lawful permanent resident who could only petition a son or daughter if unmarried.
The wife’s misrepresentation was material because if she had told the truth that she was married at the time she applied for a visa, the U.S. Consulate would not have issued a visa to her because she was not eligible. Therefore, she would not have been able to immigrate to the U.S. and become a lawful permanent resident.
The wife was placed in removal proceedings. We represented her. We conceded that she was deportable, but we applied for relief in the form of cancellation of removal.
We pointed out that her positive factors outweighed her negative factors. The Immigration Judge granted cancellation of removal.
In real estate sales, the owner and the owner’s agent have a duty to give the buyer a “disclosure statement” prepared by the seller or at the seller’s direction, that fully and accurately discloses all material facts relating to the residential real property that is offered for sale that are within the seller’s knowledge or control.
In Hawaii the term “ma-
terial fact” is any fact, defect, or condition, past or present, that would be expected to measurably affect a property’s value in the eyes of a reasonable person.
Selling the property “AS IS” might not necessarily constitute a defense in a case for failure to disclose material facts, since the purpose of an “AS IS” Condition Addendum is to inform the buyer that the seller will not make any repairs to the property and will not make any express or implied warranties.
There is no reported case in Hawaii of disclosure of haunted houses. But there is a New York case. A prospective buyer signed a contract to purchase a home and deposited $32,500.
Upon learning of the home’s reputation as haunted, the buyer demanded that the contract of sale be rescinded and his down payment returned, arguing that the seller and her real estate broker had made material misrepresentations of the property by not disclosing that the house was haunted. The buyer said he was not “local” and did not know the reputation of the house as haunted.
The seller refused, saying that the sale was an “As Is” sale. She did not deny that the house was haunted. She said that she had reported the presence of poltergeists or ghosts in the home in national pub-
ar workers won a union and their first contract. The violence seen in the “Hanapepe Massacre” was the result of the plantation owners’ refusal to address the just demands of the strikers and the owners’ decision to deploy armed militia against them.
lications and the home was included in a walking tour of Nyack, NY as a “riverfront Victorian (with ghost).”
The buyer sued the seller to rescind the contract to sell and recover his down payment. “Pity me not but lend thy serious hearing to what I shall unfold” (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene V [Ghost]).
The court held that the real estate broker, as the seller’s agent, had no duty to disclose to a potential buyer the “phantasmal reputation of the premises.”
The buyer’s pursuit of a legal remedy for fraudulent misrepresentation against the seller “hasn’t a ghost of a chance” because New York law fails to recognize any remedy for damages as a result of the seller’s mere silence, applying instead the strict rule of caveat emptor.
But the court said that it was nevertheless moved by the spirit of equity to allow the buyer to seek rescission of the contract of sale and recovery of his down payment. Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2d 254 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991), 572 N.Y.S.2d 672.
ATTY. 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 graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He placed third in the 1955 bar examinations. He is admitted
HILO BARRIO FIESTA | Samahang Filipino Club of Hawaii Community College, Bayanihan Club of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii Island Filipino organizations | October 14, from 10am to 2pm | UH Hilo Campus Center Plaza | The community celebration is in commemoration of October’s Filipino American History Month. The event features Filipino food trucks, cultural performances, games, art exhibit, karaoke contest and more. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit filipinohistorymonth.com.
The Filipino strikers and their leaders were courageous in the face of bullets, and their efforts laid the foundation for the forming of unions and winning the improved working conditions and wages we have today. We owe them our respect and gratitude.
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 annotations and case notes to the Immigration and Nationality Act published by The Lawyers Co-operative Pub-
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.
lishing 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, interesting, 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 constitute, an attorney-client relationship.)
