Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - December 16, 2023

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

DECEMBER 16, 2023

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

On Kissinger, Asian Dictators, And Open A.I.

NEWS FEATURE

HFC Columnist Named Distinguished Alumnus in the Field of Journalism

ARTS & CULTURE

International Designer Promotes Cultural Pride

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 16, 2023

EDITORIAL

Remittance Gift-Giving Is A Symbol of Love and Gratitude

T

he Christmas tradition of gift-giving goes back to the first Christmas when the biblical Magi or three kings visited Jesus after his birth bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This ties gift-giving to the reason for the Christmas season, that God gave a gift to humanity that he sent his son Jesus for our

salvation.

Jesus’ birth was a gift to the world and the Magi celebrated this, traveled miles upon miles to show their gratitude and love recognizing the greatness of what his birth meant and what was to come.

To millions of Christians the Nativity is standard decoration in their homes each Christmas because it is the Holy Family that helped to make Jesus’ destiny possible. Saint Joseph and Mother Mary, Jesus’ earthly parents, played the important role or nurturing Jesus and providing for his earthly needs.

We see that family is an essential part of the Christmas narrative.

Remittances and strong family bonds Our Filipino tradition of sending money remittances (or Christmas aguinaldos) to our loved ones in the Philippines ultimately is rooted in our strong family bonds.

Family is central in Filipino culture. Of course, making a generalization that this holds true in all cultures is a fair one.

But cross culturally, how the different cultures express family bonds vary. Sending remittances in our culture is one example, but not entirely unique to Filipinos. Indians, Mexicans, Chinese also heavily practice remittance gift-giving. What these ethnicities have in common with Filipinos is strong family bonds as well as a massive diaspora, which is the second reason why remittances is a common and important cultural expression among these ethnicities.

For a better understanding of remittance gift-giving, it precedes the Filipino immigration experience and goes back to the family bonds, the family unit firmly established in the Philippines.

Typically, in the Philippines, resources are shared among family members. It is not just the father and mother who are financial providers. It’s also common that an older brother and older sister would make sacrifices to help sustain the family’s needs and obligations. In a household where money doesn’t flow as easily, sacrifices must be made. An older sibling(s) would play a “de facto parental” role, give up his opportunity for an education and instead work to help a younger sibling attain an education.

And typically, it is that younger sibling with an education who will immigrate to another country like the U.S. as a professional. But that younger sibling has not forgotten that his opportunity for a more financially secure life was not a result of his own doing. He remembers the family members who’ve helped make this possible.

It could be that his father or mother worked several months or years as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) as an electrician or maid separated from the family. That in his father’s absence, it was his older brother who did the myriad things a father would do with him. This he remembers.

It could be that a single mother raising three children would have help from her sisters to babysit. An aunty who came over regularly with comfort food like kare-kare, spent time with him while his mother finished work at her second job, and pressed him to complete his homework – this, the Filipino living abroad remembers. (continue on page 3)

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

he Christmas season brings out the best in the human spirit. It is a welcome break from the daily grind, and it gives us a fresh reinvigorating reboot in our lives.

It’s also a busy time for all of us. As Christmas Day dawns, we are planning for the annual family Christmas potluck gathering (Noche Buena). At this moment many of us are finishing last-minute Christmas shopping. What’s unique for Hawaii’s Filipino community is that gift-giving extends internationally to our family and friends in the Philippines.

For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports on the tradition of remitting money to the Philippines during the holiday season. This monetary gift is called aguinaldos. We in the Filipino community – immigrant, first-, second-, sometimes even third generation Filipinos – will send aguinaldos to strengthen our family bonds and show our deep love and appreciation for those in our ancestral home. What is the enduring inspiration that keeps this tradition alive? Find out what some members in our community have to say in the cover story, as well as what it means to receive an aguinaldo from the perspective of a former Hawaii resident living in the Philippines. It’s a wonderful, feel-good story that’s perfect to end the year.

Keeping with the Christmas theme, we have three interesting stories: 1) HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma writes a book review on “A Child’s Treasury of Philippine Christmas Stories,” which perhaps, you might discover to be a perfect Christmas gift; 2) HFC columnist Seneca Moraleda-Puguan contributes “The Christmas Adventure,” which focuses on the reason for the season, Jesus’ birth; and 3) HFC columnist Elpidio Estioko writes “Christmas is for Us!” about how spending Christmas Day for some parents now entails going to a son or daughter’s home for celebration.

Speaking of Elpidio, we have a news feature on him being named Distinguished Alumnus in the field of Journalism by the Urdaneta City National High School Alumni Association, Inc. Congratulations Elpidio!

Also in this issue, HFC scholarship recipient Lizette Nolasco writes a feature on Iris Gil Viacrusis, an award-winning international designer born in Olongapo City, Philippines, who is based in Keaau on Hawaii Island. Viacrusis is the director of the Habi at Baro collection of over 2,000 textiles and costumes from 13 major groups across the Philippines.

In local news, the father-daughter writing duo Steve Sombrero and Candance Ishikawa’s book “What Day Are You?” has just been released. It’s a local children’s book aimed to support youth mental health awareness. The Hawaii Department of Health revealed that about 35% of teenagers in the state grapple with teenage depression. A significant portion of the book’s proceeds will be channeled towards various youth mental health charities. On the topic of discrimination and civil rights, we have two articles: 1) HFC columnist Arcelita Imasa, M.D. contributes “What Can We Do About Discrimination in the Workplace?” and 2) news on the State’s new series of videos to understand civil rights in Hawaii.

This issue HFC colulmnist Emil Guillermo contributes yet another evocative piece, this one titled “On Kissinger, Asian Dictators, and Open A.I.” We hope you enjoy these and our other informative columns and news.

Lastly, the management and staff of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle wish you all a Merry Christmas. May it be filled with fun and joyful memories. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design

Junggoi Peralta

Photography Tim Llena

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 LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Millicent Wellington Maui Christine Sabado Big Island Distributors Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Distributors Amylou Aguinaldo Nestor Aguinaldo Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey 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

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

Millennials and Gen Z Are Revolutionizing Politics

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he millennial-Gen Z voting block is at the cusp of if not already the most influential political group of the U.S. electorate. They do not hold the power and money as the Baby Boom and Gen X do, but they have passion, activism and a surprisingly high voter turnout compared to their parents and grandparents when they were their age.

But what are the millennial-Gen Z duo all about politically?

Initially and as late as up until this year, politicos had them pegged as the voting block to lead the Democratic Party to the promise land in 2024 and future elections (based off their overwhelming support for President Joe Biden in his first run).

But this duo of youngadult generations is saying not so fast. Don’t pigeonhole us as the loyal Democrats you all think we are. You have to earn our votes, and rightfully so.

Third party support At this stage about a year into next year’s presidential election, they are leaning in favor of third-party candidates in numbers never seen before in modern pre-elections polling. And that’s just the beginning in their break from political conformity.

Boycotting This maverick generational duo is also taking political boycotting to a new level.

Boycotting has been around for decades. But the millennial-Gen Z’s use of boycotting is high-level crafting, precise, calculating and effective, which success can be largely attributed to social media.

To begin, their current boycott of Starbucks and other companies over Israel’s bombings and occupation of Palestine not only have resulted in decreased sales but it’s reported to have some investors jittery.

In the case of Starbucks, some financial analysts downplay the boycotts’ impact saying the ongoing unionization of Starbucks locations and investors’ high expectations on returns not being met (causing them to pull out their stocks) are the real reasons why Starbucks have lost billions of dollars going into December.

This analysis is sound and credible.

But it’s also credible that the massive boycotting is damaging Starbucks’ brand; and that a company’s brand always has influence on both sales and investments.

We are seeing that boycotting largely led by millennials and Gen Z arguably are having more success than companies would like to admit.

Should boycotting be a

legitimate form of political expression?

It’s hard to argue against it. If politicians are held to account for their stand on policy, why shouldn’t companies that lobby Congress on issues from climate change to anti-trust legislation to currently the latest over U.S. involvement in supporting Israel also not be held to account for their political actions?

Afterall, big PAC money have tremendous influence in campaigns; and donors to these SuperPACs are largely funded by corporations.

In this logic, millennials and Gen Z’s political expression through boycotting is a smart strategy, an evolution of sorts that targets the oftentimes source of political corruption and is an effective complement to traditional voting on elections.

Boycotting, in essence, is voting on companies’ ethics and against their lobbying influence.

Just as in nature where living organisms adapt to their environment over time, millennials and Gen Z are forging a new body politic by finding new ways to survive in the current dysfunctional ecosystem of American politics.

(EDITORIAL: Merry.....from page 5)

In the same family, it could be that his older sister started working at 16-years old to help their mother meet payments on monthly bills. That older sister would also take him to the mall, buy him shoes, buy him school supplies, keep him laughing and happy even as they faced financial hardship. This he remembers.

All of the sacrifices, the struggles, the joyful Christmases that the entire family spent together during Noche Buena and the aguinaldos he received – he remembers.

This is what inspires many Filipinos living outside of the Philippines to continue the tradition of remitting money to loved ones back home.

Our culturally tight family bonds and the sacrifices our family members made for us are at the heart of remittanc-

es – which are symbolic gifts of love and gratitude.

In the Christmas season, we reflect on God’s gift in the Christ child, the gifts of the Magi to Jesus, and the Holy Family who helped Jesus fulfill his destiny.

It is similar to our own families, our own experiences, that it took God’s help, our parent’s help and in some cases the entire family’s help for us to live out our destinies.

We give during Christmas because we’ve received. Not necessarily gifts wrapped in a colorful box exchanged during the holiday, but in many other ways that we have not forgotten.

The management and staff at the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle wish all of you, a very Merry Christmas, one filled with love and memories to last a lifetime.

Protesting Besides unprecedented support for third party candidates and precision boycotting, millennials and Gen Z are also integrating as part of their weaponry of political expression – protests.

Protests, again, like boycotting are not new. But this young adult block is taking protests to a level that is influencing public opinion on issues that have not been successfully challenged, at least not since the peace and civil rights movements and activism launched by Baby Boomers in the 1960s.

Since the Vietnam war, each war the U.S. engaged in has been largely uncontested.

Gen X failed to muster opposition or were ideologically in line with the Middle East war campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, at least initially.

In contrast, the widespread and passionate protests against U.S. involvement that’s ongoing, mostly led by millennials and Gen Z, is writing new text in the book

of U.S. war and hegemony.

One can argue, if it were not for these protests swaying public opinion, the war in Israel would have already been expanded to Iran and possibly other countries in a U.S. intervention, given the U.S.’s history of expanding conflict.

This is debatable. But what’s not debatable is protests have already managed to achieve something unheard of in American politics, and that is to seriously challenge U.S. support for Israel. Protests are responsible for President Joe Biden and others going from “complete unconditional support” to expressing concern over Israel’s bombing of civilians.

Millennials and Gen Z are revolutionizing politics. Politicos thought they had them figured out. But they’re shaking and rocking old pillars – challenging our two-party system, corporate influence and foreign policy and war.

The older generations have underestimated millennials and Gen Z’s resolve and lack of direction. But politically, they’ve mushroomed into a real force.

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 16, 2023

COVER STORY

A Filipino Gift-Giving Tradition: Global Remittances During the Christmas Season

By Edwin Quinabo

H

awaii Filipinos practice a projections, total cash remittances this unique Christmas tradition year would grow by 3.07% year-on-year that no other ethnic group on to $33.5 billion from $32.5 billion last the islands do – sharing the year. BSP’s 2024 projection could suryuletide joy internationally pass $33.5 billion next year, which could to family and friends living in the Phil- be the highest in at least six years.

The Philippines ranks fourth (behind ippines in the form of cash remittances.

During the holiday season in their an- India, Mexico and China) in World’s cestral homeland – from September to Top Remittance Receipts.

The U.S. posted the highest share of Christmas up until the day of the Three Kings in the first week of January – these overall remittances in the first half of erated this trend.

He said OFWs are either returning cash remittances are called aguinaldos. this year (accounting for about 40%), Aguinaldo means bonus in Spanish but followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, to the Philippines for work as new opportunities are presenting themselves in in the Philippines, it means a monetary and Japan,” the BSP added.

While each year the Philippines has certain sectors or they are immigrating gift usually given during the Christmas been posting record-breaking total re- to the country where they’ve been emseason.

Sending aguinaldos to the Philippines mittance receipts in real dollars, it is fol- ployed. With middle-income jobs buris commonly practiced among the dias- lowing a global trend of slower growth. geoning in the Philippines, he explained pora of millions of Filipinos living across Philippine economists say gone are the that some skilled workers abroad might the world, from North America and Eu- days of 10% annual increases that start- have decided to pack their bags and take rope to the Middle East and Asia and ed to slow down even before the global their chances back home.

Part of the lure of working abroad pandemic. south of the hemisphere in Australia.

Dacanay said, “Remittances perhaps for OFWs is that the average OFW In addition to the Filipino diaspora who’ve settled permanently in another may have lost their mojo when it comes makes 2.5 times what their counterparts country outside of the Philippines, hun- to supporting the peso, but they haven’t receive in pay in the Philippines.

Another explanation for the slowdreds of thousands of overseas Filipino when it comes to fueling consumption.”

Remittances are like Christmas down is that OFWs would rather take workers (total OFWs as of 2022 is 1.22 million) send their aguinaldos, usually by money that never ends and continues a pay cut to be with family. Being away the beginning of December to give family all year round. They provide a stable for work extending through months members time for Christmas shopping. income stream for millions—giving and years is a huge sacrifice, OFWs and The inflow of holiday money remit- them the resources to buy goods, pay their families say, especially during the tances to the Philippines is a major boost for children’s and college education, up- Christmas season.

For many Hawaii Filipinos who now to the overall annual remittance sent all lifts people from the pangs of poverty, year round, which is a key pillar of the and increase savings coffers for major live here permanently, this sacrifice – of purchases such as a home, car or health leaving family – is one reason why they nation’s economy. send aguinaldos. Many say, it’s not just Aris Dacanay, economist for ASE- emergency.

Dacanay said the main driver of the about money, rather, it’s about remindAN at HSBC, said OFWs remittances have represented around 20% of the slowdown was a drop in the number of ing their loved ones back home how economy’s current account receipts and Filipinos working abroad. The percent- much they are missed, how much they around 9% of gross domestic product age of total households with an OFW are loved. An aguinaldo is a fresh remember – who is lauded by family and minder that the bonds they have, while (GDP) since 2006.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) the country as heroes – has been gradu- they are separated, remain solidly inGovernor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said BSP’s ally decreasing, and the pandemic accel- tact, some say.

Aguinaldo money remittances from Hawaii Mila Julian, Honolulu, said “it is customary to send remittances during the Christmas season as a present. We usually

send money or both money and balikbayan boxes to our sisters on both sides of the family.” A balikbayan box is a large box filled with gifts, usually nonperishable food, canned goods,

snacks or useful, practical items like batteries or nonprescription medicine or common household items.

“They’re always grateful for what we can give, especial-

ly during Christmas. It’s always nice to give and receive gifts.

We not only give during Christmas, but we also give throughout the year,” said Julian, who is from the Philippines.

Julian said they go to the Philippine National Bank in Honolulu to deposit money in their sisters’ accounts. “It is safe and guarantees the money (continue on page 5)

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (A Filipino.....from page 4)

is there for our family members to withdraw.”

PNB has one of the highest ratings listed in Yelp among Hawaii customers.

Dr. Amelia Jacang, also from the Philippines and lives in Honolulu, said she usually sends money to her nieces and nephew in the Philippines before Christmas. “Occasionally if a friend or relative is going home for Christmas, I would send it through them. This is a safer way to send money. I give $100.00 to each family.

I don’t normally get anything in return and that’s the whole essence of giving. I remember being there for the Christmas holidays, and I would give gifts instead of money. They are very grateful for whatever you give. Most of my family are in the states so I do have a lot of friends to give presents to when I happen to go home.”

Leonard Polanco, 56, Pearl City, an executive chef at one of Waikiki’s largest hotels, second generation Filipino-American, said he has only a few cousins left in the Philippines. “Every one of my relatives in my parents’ generation has already passed on.

But my brothers, sisters and I will continue this tradition in memory of my parents. It’s something that we’ve been doing since we became working adults. We also have cousins on the mainland and Europe who send money to our relatives in the Philippines as well.

Christmas is about celebrating Jesus’ birth and sharing blessings. This is what my parents taught us and we’re more than happy to spread blessings to our family in the Philippines.

The Philippines is doing well and our cousins there are also thriving. But it’s the goodwill and thought that make the monetary gift special.”

Polanco said he and his brother would give their aguinaldos to their eldest sister who remits the money through Western Union. “This way there is only one transaction fee and our family there get to enjoy more of the money sent,” said Polanco.

Hawaii remittance agents say they expect this year to have remittances at the same level as pre-pandemic levels.

2022 was the first year that remittances sent from Hawaii started to rebound, but not fully, they say. The years 2020 and 2021 were pandemic years, followed by last year’s recession that dampened hopes for a full recovery.

Local agents say the average remittance sent to the Philippines during the holiday season is between $200-$300.

In the Philippines Bianca Santos, who studied in Hawaii for college but has since returned to the Philippines, said “remittances are a big part of Filipino culture, for sure. Even here in the Philippines, my family in Manila would send money to their family members in the province. And sometimes, my grandma who lives in the province will still send me some Christmas aguinaldo as I live here in Manila.”

As for her relatives living abroad, including Hawaii, Santos said she is grateful to receive a Christmas aguinaldo from them. “I feel very touched when relatives abroad send money as a Christmas gift.

Even with the distance, they still remember me and my siblings during the holiday season.

My siblings and I would receive an aguinaldo from our grandma and auntie from Hawaii.”

She said there was a time when they would fly back home to the Philippines for the holidays. “Back then, we would receive a crisp $50 bill as our aguinaldo. We would go to the store to exchange it for pesos and spend that money buying whatever we wanted to eat and play with. Sometimes, they would even give us extra $1 bills and we would keep that in our wallets as a kind of lucky charm.

“Although money remittance gives us money in pesos already, we still benefit from it greatly because we still get to spend the money they gifted to us on something that we want. It’s like they’re also here in the Philippines spending time with us.

“After we shop our stuff with the aguinaldo they sent over through a remittance center, we would call them via Facebook Messenger to show them what we bought with

their aguinaldo. I’m pretty old now to buy something with the money as I chose to stash it in my savings account but seeing my little sister showcase her new Barbie dolls to our Hawaii relatives warms our heart,” said Santos.

Types of services for remittances There are many companies in Hawaii that offer remittance services to the Philippines. To start, it’s recommended that senders look at independent reviews of money transfers like nerdwallet.com, Investopedia. com, money.com and others.

When looking over reviews, it’s important to know who is conducting the review to ensure it is an independent source. Fees vary from company to company for each remittance. It could be under 6% or less of the total amount being sent.

Some banks will offer this service for free with an account at their bank.

There are large money transfer companies like Western Union and Paypal services like Xoom.

Money transfer could be made online to Visa, Mastercard cards, directly to bank accounts or bank cards, or directly via digital wallets in the Philippines for low fees. Transfers could also be made by phone with some companies offering 24/7 global support.

Transfers have gotten so efficient that processing time could be three days or less and convenient for the late Christmas shopper-sender.

As for cash pickup, this method has gotten so efficient that cash pickup in the Philippines could be available as soon as one hour or sooner.

There are also remittance apps for those who send money on a regular basis. The process: get the app, create an account, and set up your first money transfer (need to do only once). There are also reviews on these apps as well.

The global remittance industry is competitive and enormous which enables efficiency and multiple modes for convenience. The global remittance market size was valued at USD $48.99 billion in 2021, according to Grandview Research.

“I feel very touched when relatives abroad send money as a Christmas gift. Even with the distance, they still remember me and my siblings during the holiday season. My siblings and I would receive an aguinaldo from our grandma and auntie from Hawaii. Although money remittance gives us money in pesos already, we still benefit from it greatly because we still get to spend the money they gifted to us on something that we want. It’s like they’re also here in the Philippines spending time with us. After we shop our stuff with the aguinaldo they sent over through a remittance center, we would call them via Facebook Messenger to show them what we bought with their aguinaldo. I’m pretty old now to buy something with the money as I chose to stash it in my savings account but seeing my little sister showcase her new Barbie dolls to our Hawaii relatives warms our heart.”

– Bianca Santos Philippines

Industry experts say senders should shop for the best combination of low fees and best service. If timing is important, consider a company that can transfer money fast enough and cash pick-up locations nearest to the receiver.

Senders should also be aware of scams such as receiver’s fraud (people who claim money that wasn’t destined for them, agent fraud (agent embezzling money), or fake rogue websites that misappropriate funds.

Experts suggest that you inform the receiver of the money when you will be sending the transfer beforehand and coordinate a time for the receiver to check if funds have been received as soon as the money is transferred.

Reason for the Season, Jesus For many Filipino Catholics they say aguinaldo remittances and gift-giving is an expression and a reminder of the ultimate gift that God gave to the world by sending his son Jesus for humanity’s salvation – the true essence of why they celebrate Christmas.

Some say they reflect on the biblical Magi or three kings who visited Jesus after his birth bearing gifts of gold, frankincense

and myrrh, the first gift-gifting at the first Christmas.

In the gospel, book of Matthew, after Jesus birth, Herod the Great, king of Judea, ordered the execution of all male children who are two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem. Herod sought the death of Jesus because of reports by the Magi that the king of the Jews was born in Bethlehem. This is known as the Massacre of the Innocents. An angel visited Joseph to warn him of Herod’s plan, so the holy family became refugees of violence and fled into Egypt.

The post Nativity story of this massacre is not commonly thought of or included in the Christmas narrative.

But the contrast between the silent Holy Night of Jesus’ birth, calm and peaceful, to the ensuing violence of Herod’s slaughter instigated by a fear of a rising “political” king to threaten his rule in Judea -- is a reminder of humanity’s cyclical history of war and peace, and violence of the ruling class over oppressed people.

As violence tears down communities in the region of Jesus’ birthplace this Christmas, the popular Christmas message of peace and good(continue on page 6)

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 16, 2023

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

On Kissinger, Asian Dictators, and Open A.I.

By Emil Guillermo

D

uring martial law in the Philippines, it was a standard news image.

Uncle Sam was burned in effigy.

But Uncle Sam was the myth. The ideas and thoughts–the “software” – behind U.S. foreign policy were mostly Henry Kissinger, the American enabler, who under Nixon and Ford from 1969-1977 also shaped the neo-conservative framework for Reagan and Bush who continued the Marcos puppetry.

Kissinger died recently at age 100, and it’s amazing how he shaped Asia and Asian America.

Asian Americans can be blunt about Henry Kissinger.

The fight against communist insurgents in Mindanao gave Marcos the justification for martial law. But it was with the blessing of the United States, which ironically harbored martial law’s

most ardent critics.

The Philippines wasn’t even the best example.

Kissinger carpet-bombed Cambodia. He napalmed the hell out of Vietnam, a war that he should be pilloried for extending rather than praised for ending. But in a depraved war-mongering world, it got Henry K. a Nobel Peace Prize.

Then there was the war in East Pakistan, and the U.S. backed the military government of West Pakistan in the genocide of what would become Bangladesh.

This is what Kissinger did. He wasn’t a dictator himself. He dictated to the dictators.

AAPIs who survived Kissinger’s dastardly deeds were able to seek refuge in America, the consolation for having our homelands destroyed. That’s the positive spin on the man who warranted an obit with the headline last week, “Henry Kissinger, War Criminal Beloved by America’s Ruling Class, Finally Dies.” (Rolling Stone).

wanted in on it. He was, after all, the real deal, a monstrous human.

Alas, he was still just human, and even the worst of us die.

But A.I. lives on as do its prospects of bringing about true existential dread.

If a demon like Kissinger was worried about A.I., so should we all.

Henry Kissinger

What I find more astonishing about Kissinger’s life is how at 100, he wasn’t done.

Not only was he looking for relevance by traveling to China to be courted by China’s president Xi Jinping (Kissinger was behind Nixon’s opening up of China in the ‘70s), but Kissinger was actively writing and speaking about artificial intelligence (A.I.).

Of course, the man who knew a thing or two about doomsday scenarios would be fascinated by the thought of a machine being more diabolical than any human.

Perhaps he was envious of the possibility of a robot creating more global mayhem than he ever could and

(COVER STORY: A Filipino ....from page 5)

will to men carries extra meaning for some.

Jake Abela, medical extern at Primary Care Clinic of Hawaii, said “I believe that world peace holds immeasurable significance, even if its impact may not always be immediately apparent in our daily lives. Our existence is inevitably intertwined with the state of peace in the world.

Imagine the potential for positive change that we could have accomplished when we choose to allocate resources toward improving lives instead of perpetuating war. Let us not forget that time lost for advancements in technology, healthcare, and the economy is time lost for the betterment of humanity. I firmly believe that every moment is an opportunity to enhance the well-being of people, and we must strive to

seize it with unwavering determination. Fostering a global culture of peace and actively working towards its realization is an investment that promises a better future for all.”

He said Christmas is a reminder of the universal ideals of peace love, and joy. “It transcends religious and cultural boundaries, uniting people in the shared pursuit of creating a world where these values are seen. We see it all around us when the Christmas season begins, through the decorations and messages that revolve around social media and advertisements and throughout the music that we listen to. The Christmas season becomes a time to inspire positive change, promote understanding, and foster a sense of community that extends beyond individual celebrations,” said Abela.

His Christmas message this year is “Through the pain and suffering of war, we are reminded of the preciousness of life and the importance of peace. It is only by recognizing the futility of violence that we can truly appreciate the value of cooperation and understanding. Even in the midst of conflict, we must strive to maintain our humanity and extend compassion to those who are suffering. For when we choose empathy over aggression, we elevate ourselves and honor the true spirit of humanity.”

Dr. Jacang’s Christmas message this year: “I hope this Christmas will be a blessed and wonderful one for everyone after experiencing two years of the pandemic! Enjoy and be safe and may 2024 be a prosperous and happy year!”

The path has been chosen for artificial intelligence Just before Thanksgiving, to paraphrase the poet Robert Frost, in the world of A.I., two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and the key developers took the riskiest choice. Caution? No, the green lights are on for A.I. There’s been much reportage on this, but maybe you missed it.

Given wars that could become world wars, local concerns about law and order, garden variety racism and discrimination, impending holiday travel and the like, you probably didn’t pay that much attention to a tech billionaire named Sam Altman getting fired last week by his company’s board of directors.

Or how the story snowballed.

The fired Altman was suddenly hired by another major competitor, which caused headaches for the firing company as workers threatened a revolt, and outsiders speculated as to the impact of the fall of a major tech company in the Bay Area.

The firing company, OpenAI, did what any capitalist enterprise worth its billions would do. It dumped the board members that wanted Altman out, reconstituted a new board of yesfolks, rehired the fired billionaire, and all is back to normal.

We are back on a collision course with our own humanity.

OpenAI is the leading company in artificial intelli-

gence. It essentially creates computers that are now or will be smarter than we are.

Altman was a full-speed ahead” guy who wanted to transform the world, creating machines that were so smart, that the world could be a better place.

Think about going to your doctor, who may know some things but not all. He makes mistakes and can even forget your name.

But with A.I. capability he puts information about your symptoms into a computer so smart, your diagnosis comes out in seconds.

Hooray, A.I. Consider this result in everything in life; a machine or a robot so smart it has answers to anything beyond words. It can see the sewing patterns in a garment. It can produce an image or likeness on video that replicates a real person. (Is it Lea Salonga? Or a DeepFake A.I. Lea?) This is the new world of A.I. where machines come up with the answer that replaces humans–if not your life, then your livelihood.

That means you and your job. The actors’ union was concerned about this during its strike. It won more money. But the union couldn’t stop the technology.

So that’s A.I. in a nutshell. It’s the ultimate in tech disruption. Computers and robots, becoming smarter than any human.

But that means, just as there’s room for good, there is equal opportunity for opposite evil.

What if artificial intelligence can be so good, it can do whatever the bad guys can do? This is not sci-fi.

Unregulated, a machine can be so smart it can bypass humans and make the wrong moral choice.

And that’s it for mankind.

We aren’t there fully, quite yet. But A.I. is being (continue on page 12)

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

NEWS FEATURE

HFC Columnist Named Distinguished Alumnus in the Field of Journalism

By HFC Staff

I

n its annual grand alumni homecoming this year, the Urdaneta City National High School Alumni Association Inc. named HFC columnist Elpidio Estioko as one of 14 distinguished awardees in various fields during the gala night held at the Urdaneta Convention Center in Urdaneta City, Philippines last November 26.

Estioko was named as a distinguished alumnus in the field of journalism.

The Outstanding Alumni Awardees were: Franco Sabado, Batch ’92- Community Service; Celso Manangan, Batch ’75; Edgar F. Olua, Batch ’88 – Education; MGen. George Blanco, Batch ’83 -Public Service – Philippine Airforce; Violeta J. Buenaventura, Batch ’83 – Public Service – DOLE; Cristi G. Crescencia, Batch

’83 – Community Service; Dr. Fe Sumera-Ranada, Batch ’73 – Medical Allied; Col. Jessie Cardona, Batch ’73 – Public Service – PNP; Alma Tabayoyong – Utulo – Batch ‘73 – Public Service; Rosalinda Fontanilla – Paguio, Batch ’73 – Community Service; Dra. Clarita Gandia Adalem, Batch ’60 – Education; Myrna Ortiz Del Rosario, Batch ’60 – Medical Allied; Lailani Fontanila De Vera, Batch ’63 – Real Estate, Owner and Broker; and Elpidio Reasonda Estioko, Batch ’65 – Journalism.

Estioko was nominated by MGen. Jesus A. Fajardo (Ret.), Batch ’73 and was endorsed by 10 former classmates from Batch ’65 – Bienlogia Zabala Cordingley, Luzviminda V. Tomines, Melecia D. Parayno, Rizalina Garcia, Maria P. Fernandez, Arsenio Dulay, Henry Zabala, Primitivo Raymundo, Rolando S. Consolacion, and Judina Q. Cadiente.

He earned his Bachelor’s

degree at the University of the Philippines; holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communications at the Graduate School of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP); an Assistant Professor 1V at the Institute of Mass Communications, PUP; a long-time educator; and a bemedaled journalist in the Philippines and the United States.

While in college, he became a correspondent for the Dagupan Tribune, a local paper in Pangasinan for a year and then joined the Rizal Chronicle, also a local paper in the province of Rizal, as its

managing editor.

After his 5-year stint with the Rizal Chronicle, he joined the Star Group of Publications (Ang Pilipino Ngayon, Philippine Star, Business Star) as a daily field reporter covering various beats such as the police, business/DTI, justice/ courts, and the foreign affairs beats.

He was an active member of the National Press Club for five years and was elected as a director, Public Relations Society of the Philippines in 1997 until he and his family immigrated to the US. In the US, he co-founded the FilAm Star, a weekly newspaper circulating in the Bay Area based in San Francisco in 2008, as its associate editor and columnist.

The weekly newspaper has a total circulation of 18,000 copies distributed in the newsstands but said paper folded in 2022. When the paper folded, he joined the longest-running FilAm news-

paper in the US the Philippine News Today as its senior reporter/columnist up to the present.

Simultaneously, he became a columnist of the Honolulu-based Hawaii Filipino Chronicle in 2017 to present. The newspaper, in addition to its e-version copy, has a total circulation of 20,000 being circulated in all the cities in the island state of Hawaii.

He was a recipient of two journalism awards in Hawaii given by the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle and by the state of Hawaii for his contributions to the community through his columns and articles and involvement in community affairs.

He was a recipient of the 6th Plaridel Awards, Best In News Story, given by the Filipino-American Press Club based in San Francisco in 2017.

He is one of the distinguished judges in the Asian American Tell Your Story Video Competition 2023 spon(continue on page 14)

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 16, 2023

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

The CHRISTmas ADVENTure

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

“O

ur King has come, our King has come.

Glory to the King, Emmanuel,

God with us!”

Our house is filled with music as we sing together this song by Victory Worship.

Our hearts are filled with joy and anticipation as we look forward to the celebration of Christmas.

Our souls well up with gratitude and hope as we declare that God is with us.

Over the years, the real essence and meaning of Christmas have been clouded with flickering lights, opulent celebrations and gift-giving.

Remembering and meditating on the ‘Christ’ behind the word ‘Christmas’ will bring us back to the real reason for the season, and will enable us to fully celebrate

and experience the joy that this beautiful time brings.

Christmas or the mass on Christ’s day is about the birth of Jesus. We celebrate Advent, which means the ‘arrival’ or ‘coming’. His coming.

Jesus. Yeshua.

He saves. He rescues. He delivers. But why do we need saving? Why did Jesus have to come?

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, He would have sent an economist.

If He had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, He would have sent us a comedian or an artist.

If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, He would have sent us a politician.

If He had perceived that our greatest need was health, He would have sent us a doctor.

give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Joy.

But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from Him, our profound rebellion, our death; and He sent us a Savior.”

-- D.A Carson, A call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers We were dead to our sins.

We were helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Until Jesus came along.

He has come as a baby born on a manger, became one of us, and eventually died for us so we can have life and have it to the full.

As our pastor powerfully preached, Jesus rescues us from the penalty, power and presence of sin in our life.

In Jesus, we have experienced grace and mercy we don’t deserve but have been freely given. And not only did He give us life, He gave us amazing gifts that no amount of money can buy.

Hope.

In Jesus, there is hope.

Trusting in circumstances, things and people of this world will leave us disappointed and wanting.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31).

Those who wait upon Him will not be frustrated for He is faithful.

In Jesus, there is joy. This world breaks our hearts and brings loneliness and sadness.

But in Christ, there is fullness of joy that no circumstance can ever take away.

It has been promised that the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10).

Though we have not seen him, we love him. Though we do not now see him, we believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

Love.

In Jesus, there is love. He is love. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).

It is because of love that Jesus has come. It is by His love that we have been ransomed, forgiven, and redeemed. We celebrate Christmas because of His great love for us, His children.

When Mary, the mother of Jesus, received the news from angel Gabriel that she was having a baby as a virgin, she must have been anxious and shocked.

But yet she responded with these words, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Whatever we are believing for this Christmas and in the coming year, may we respond the way Mary did. May His will prevail in our lives.

May the hope, peace, joy and love of Jesus Christ be experienced and made manifest in your lives this holiday season and in the year that is about to come.

Peace.

In Jesus, there is peace.

In Isaiah 9:6-7, the birth of Jesus Christ has been prophesied.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon[a] his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. In this world, there will be troubles but those who put their hope in Jesus can take heart for He has overcome the world and He gives peace that transcends Merry Christmas and Hapunderstanding.

Whatever you are going py New Year to you and your through, may these words of family!

Have a wonderful Jesus encourage you, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I CHRISTmas ADVENTure!

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

ARTS & CULTURE

International Designer Promotes Cultural Pride

By Lizette Nolasco

A

n award-winning international designer born in the Philippines and based locally in Hawaii is passionate and proud to share his culture through his artwork.

Iris Gil Viacrusis, an international designer born in Olongapo City, Philippines, and based in Keaau on Hawaii Island, discovered his passion for designing at an early age through a love of art.

His childhood drawings revolved around clothing, and his career trajectory began when he was introduced to a Barbie doll at the age of eight.

He created clothing for the dolls, and his detailed work was noticed by a friend’s grandmother, who encouraged him, stating that his patience while making clothing for dolls would ease the transition into developing full-sized dresses in the future.

His career flourished, with his designs spanning the globe.

Viacrusis recreated the historic gowns and suits of the Hawaiian monarchy at Iolani Palace, designed in Paris, France, and led research expeditions curating a collection of more than 2,000 Filipino artifacts, clothing and textiles.

While pursuing a business administration degree at Mission College in Santa Clara, California, Viacrusis minored in fine arts to continue his creative passion. He went on to study fashion design at West Valley College in Saratoga, California.

A part of his early career success was at the Asian Pacific Pageant in San Francisco, where he created a singkil costume to represent the Philippines, which won the best costume award.

Following this design was another award-winning gown, a red silk dress that exhibited the weightlessness of the fabric, making the wearer appear to be floating on the stage.

“That was my first taste

of it,” Viacrusis said. “All of a sudden, people got quiet, and all you heard was this ‘wow’ from the audience. That encouraged me more from there.

And after a few years, I decided to go ahead and move to LA and finish my schooling at LA Trade Tech.”

The awe-inspired audience reactions served as a catalyst for Viacrusis’s burgeoning career.

While attending school in Los Angeles, a pattern teacher noticed his interest in flamboyant designs and recommended he attend Fullerton College to study theatrical and historical costuming.

Despite the daunting LA traffic, weekly trips to Fullerton became routine in pursuit of advancing his studies and passion.

At Fullerton, Viacrusis researched and created gowns in the late Victorian and early Edwardian styles.

These lessons coincidentally aligned with historical periods resonant with Hawaii’s Kalakaua dynasty, which would later help him recreate the historical pieces at Iolani Palace.

Viacrusis moved to Hawaii in 1998 and became a permanent resident in 2005. While in Hawaii, he created gowns for the Royal Court during the annual Merrie Monarch Festival and has been doing so for 15 years.

Prominent community members admired his detailed works and commissioned him to recreate the historical pieces for the palace. This convergence of historical costume training in design school and the unexpected parallels with Hawaii’s cultural heritage became an influential cornerstone in his

design career.

Though he works with Hawaiian pieces, his own cultural pride is a focal point as he works to uplift and empower his heritage.

He is active in the Filipino community. He serves as chairperson for Sakada Day on Hawaii Island, the society display for the Hilo Orchid Show and the Merrie Monarch Hoike, which presents Filipino dance groups.

Viacrusis is notably the director of the Habi at Baro collection of over 2,000 textiles and costumes from 13 major groups across the Philippines.

This collection was part of a three-year-long research project where Viacrusis traveled to various communities to immerse himself in their customs and traditions.

One piece in his collection is a loom made of banana fiber from the T’boli tribe. He got to stay with the T’boli at Lake Sebu in South Cotabato for two weeks, researching weaving methods, extracting fibers and knowledge of natural dyes.

His travels allowed him to have unique experiences and learn from the locals.

He received a tattoo from the grandniece of the renowned Whang-od Oggay, the last traditional tattoo artist from her generation in Kalinga. He also

Iris Gil Viacrusis

traveled to Ilocos to learn from Inabel weavers.

The Habi at Baro collection was on display at the Lyman Museum, the Hawaii State Library, the Filipino Community Center, the University of Hawaii Hilo and the Manoa campus for the community to view.

Viacrusis actively engages with the youth, fostering a sense of pride and instilling a desire to perpetuate the rich heritage of Filipino culture.

He orchestrates cultural presentations at schools and various events through his initiatives, showcasing Filipino designs. These events provide an opportunity for students to actively participate by modeling the intricate designs, allowing them to embody and celebrate their cultural legacy.

“I always try to tell a lot of organizations you need to encourage the young and let them somehow lead something in-

stead of just telling them what to do,” Viacrusis said.

“You guys [the youth] have new ideas on how you want the culture to be seen in a different lens.”

The ever-energetic and vibrant Viacrusis is scheduled to participate in several notable events in the upcoming year.

Among these engagements is a scheduled show in New York slated for February, followed by another event in Florida in March.

Additionally, Viacrusis will be actively involved in the esteemed Merrie Monarch Festival and the Barrio Fiesta at The Filipino Community Center. He will also continue to do cultural presentations for students, and segments of his collection will be showcased at the Hawaii State Library.

His passion and cultural pride drive him to find opportunities to share his Filipino-inspired work with the world.

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 16, 2023

AS I SEE IT

Christmas is for Us!

By Elpidio R. Estioko

W

hile the true meaning of Christmas is about Jesus Christ’s birth and life, what it really means is about us.

Christmas is about the way we celebrate it, the way we spend our life every day!

Even when the world of our circumstances changes, the timeless message of Christmas is about the birth of God’s Son Jesus.

It is about how he came to give us love, hope and joy and that message doesn’t change from year to year, even when there is so much bad news and devastation in the world.

It should be good news worth celebrating despite the Russia-Ukraine and the Israeli-Hamas wars!

It’s about us because as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it reflects on what we are doing and how we are internalizing His life and teachings in real life among our-

selves, our families, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

It’s how we live our lives in the name of Jesus… on how we give love, hope and joy to each other.

Is there love in your family? With your friends? With your relatives? This is what counts!

Let us not forget though that Jesus’ birth and life is a message of good news for us because it means we are never alone.

It doesn’t matter how hard or hopeless our situation may appear to be, God is there for us. We don’t have to journey through our challenges and struggles alone.

He understands them. He walks them alongside us.

I really subscribe to this message that His birth and life give us comfort and great joy to celebrate at Christmas.

As the angel said to a group of shepherds on the night Jesus was born, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke chapter 2: verse 10, NIV Bible).

It is one of the most wellknown Bible verses about Christmas I learned as a child,

born with religious parents because it is such an encouraging and inspiring message.

It is one of joy – because Jesus comforts and encourages us. One of hope because we are never alone; God is always with us. And one of inclusivity because it is for all of us.

This year, my family is celebrating it differently compared to last year. Unlike last year when my children spent their Christmas with us in our Milpitas home in California, we will instead go to them and celebrate Christmas with them in South Carolina and Florida.

We, my wife Delia, daughter May with his boyfriend Steve, and son Jayson, will be flying from our Milpitas residence to South Carolina where we will be spending Christmas with my daughter Tweety, her husband Jonathan and their 3-year-old daughter Ellie.

We will be joined by our son Jojo from Jacksonville, Florida with his wife Alvi and daughters Bibay and Kayla. During our celebration, we will be joined via Zoom by our eldest daughter Gigi from Sydney, Australia

with her husband Eric, and our youngest child Paul who is in Kapolei, Hawaii.

It will be fun, as we used to do every year, having family bonding despite our distance and physical boundaries which we have always overcome to be together in the spirit of Christmas.

Celebrating Christmas this year with my family and friends is an opportunity to pause and give thanks for the hope and joy found in Jesus – our friend and savior.

It is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ more than just a Christian holiday or Christian festival, and more than an occasion to decorate our houses and put up the Christmas tree with many gifts under it.

As we exchange gifts with loved ones, it is out of remembrance of the gift God gave us in Jesus, regardless of the value or amount of the gift. It is not the gift but the art of giving, the gift that we are loved, are never alone, and can have hope for the future.

After Christmas, we plan to drive to New York and continue our Christmas bonding with some relatives and friends in the area. Then after a three-day stay in New York and suburbs, we are

driving back to South Carolina and get ready to fly back to California on December 31 to be able to spend New Year at home.

Our Christmas this year looked different from last year, but the enjoyment of the true meaning of Christmas did not depend on the number of gifts under a tree we had or the type of food we had on our table.

The message of Christmas didn’t change because we were surrounded by family, and missing loved ones for a while and it was not affected by the house we celebrated this year.

We blended religious and secular customs with our family traditions, incorporating food and decorations.

Christmas dinner included the traditional pansit, bibingka, puto, suman, ham, spaghetti, roast pork, salad, egg rolls, lumpia, and calamari.

And of course, my wife made sure we had 12 rounded fruits, as a tradition in the family.

Merry Christmas to all!

Mabuhay! Aloha!  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

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Local Children’s Book Aimed to Support Youth Mental Health Awareness

By Janet Kelley

“W

hat Day A r e You?” is not just another children’s book; it’s a captivating narrative authored by the dynamic local father-daughter team, Steve Sombrero and Candice Ishikawa, accompanied by illustrations from local teenage talent, Journey Flores.

This upcoming release is poised to make its debut

on December 5, 2023, inviting young readers on an enchanting journey alongside Moco, a sea turtle from Laniakea, and his fellow marine companions.

Through their adventures, these characters delve into life’s nuances, learning the art of navigating life’s challenges and journeys free from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Along the way, MoCo learns a secret equation for embracing life fully.

What sets this heartfelt cifically to readers in the creation apart from oth- 6th-8th grade demographic.

Having battled with his er children’s books on the market is that it caters spe- own struggles with teenage

depression, co-author Steve Sombrero embarked on this project with a vision to instill hope among adolescents.

Reflecting on his personal journey, Steve had a transformative realization during a trip to Japan in 2012 and found a renewed purpose in sharing this empowering message, particularly crucial for teenagers facing similar emotional battles.

A striking statistic from the Hawaii Department of Health revealed that about 35% of teenagers in the state grapple with teenage

depression.

Fueled by a desire to extend a helping hand, Steve enlisted his daughter, Candice, in co-authoring this book. “What Day Are You?” emerged as a beacon of guidance and encouragement for those seeking solace and direction in their lives.

To fortify their commitment to supporting adolescents and teens, a significant portion of the book’s proceeds will be channeled towards various youth mental health charities, dedicated to raising awareness for and (continue on page 12)

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

BOOK REVIEW

A Child’s Treasury Of Philippine Christmas Stories

By Rose Cruz Churma

T

his is one of the rare publications that contain Christmas stories that revolve around Philippine settings, traditions, culture and history.

Although published close to three decades ago, it still resonates with today’s readers with its tales of love and forgiveness, sharing and friendship, and the power of imagination.

When I was growing up, I spent holidays in the province—the Christmas break was one of them.

Back then, the countryside was not yet “electrified” which would come about only in the 1970s.

Unlike today’s kids with access to television and other devices that are sources of entertainment, our link to

the rest of the world is the radio. An alternate way to keep us entertained was storytelling.

When Christmas rolled around, the stories that kept us entertained—as I look back and try to remember— were a retelling of stories from the West such as those

by Charles Dickens and the more recent ones like Santa’s red-nosed reindeer.

The interesting part was that my mother would give it a Philippine setting, the characters have Filipino names and behaved with Philippine nuances.

This book, to some degree, has done the same, except the stories are originals and depict situations that can only happen in the Philippines.

As noted in the book’s introduction: “Christmas in the Philippines is like a tall glass of

halo-halo—made with Filipino sweetened beans, pinipig, kaong, saba and nangka, Chinese gulaman, Spanish leche flan and American ice cream—it’s colorful to look at and delicious to eat.”

The Christmas season is the longest in the Philippines with the start of the “ber” months—as early as September—one can see Christmas decor in the malls, streets and in homes.

Filipinos have adopted the American traditions of Santa Claus and hanging stockings but also of the Spanish Three Kings—who only bring presents to good kids.

Then there are the mano po traditions with one’s ninangs and ninongs, grandparents and elders who would give aguinaldo in crisp peso bills.

In some parts of the country the panunuluyan is still practiced, or a Christmas street drama. Most homes also have a belen after the French creche except the figurines are dressed like the Filipino farmers in the countryside.

Each part of the country has its unique traditions and this book tried to incorporate the Christmas rituals and traditions from different parts of the Philippines.

The authors stress that

the stories are not folktales but are works of fiction “inspired by the happy, colorful bits and pieces that make up a Filipino Christmas.”

One of my favorites is the last story “The Christmas Bell” set in the town of Santa Maria in the province of Ilocos Sur, where I had once visited and admired the architecture of the town’s ancient church.

This is the story of a little boy named Pepito who was chosen to be the bell-ringer for the season at the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion—one of the most beautiful old churches in the Philippines.

The church was built atop a hill that overlooks the town, and in the course of the narrative, the traditions such as the misa de gallo are described.

Another story that resonated with me was “The (continue on page 12)

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 16, 2023

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

State Shares New Videos to Understand Civil Rights in Hawaii

lic entities to take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with persons with disabilities are as effective as communications with people without disabilities,” said Kirby Shaw, DCAB Executive Director.

“The videos communicate important civil rights and enforcement information in a format that will be understood by many whose primary language is ASL. DCAB hopes this partnership will serve as a model for other agencies that want to provide information in ASL.” 

series of educational videos covering basic civil rights has been released by the State of Hawaii.

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) and the Hawaii State Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) produced the video series in American Sign Language (ASL) to provide direct information to individuals who are deaf, hard of

hearing and deafblind.

The series consists of five videos with the first four covering individual rights, communication access discrimination, employment discrimination, and housing discrimination. The fifth video shows the process of filing a complaint with the HCRC for discrimination cases.

“The HCRC is keenly aware of the importance of

providing access to services for persons in the communities we serve,” said HCRC Executive Director Marcus Kawatachi. “We learned from DCAB

and community advocates that English captioning does not provide equal access for some whose first language is ASL, and this realization led to the development of this project in partnership with DCAB.” Moreover, the HCRC website offers the videos in multiple languages such as English, Ilocano, Tagalog, Chuukese, Marshallese, and Hawaiian.

The expansion to ASL videos is intended to reach and empower more residents.

“The ADA requires pub-

(Local Children’s ....from page 10)

embracing the aloha spirit,” commends Carissa Moore, endorsing the book’s impactful message.

Author Steve Sombrero expressed: “My aim was to uplift and empower young minds and individuals navigating through their personal struggles. This project isn’t about monetary gains; it’s about offering hope and support, something I wish I had

during my youth.”

Steve Sombrero, a respected Hawaii businessman and entrepreneur, leads Cushman & Wakefield Chaney Brooks and Aloha Beer Co. His professional achievements align with his dedication to various nonprofit organizations, promoting social welfare and international educational initiatives.

Co-author Candice

Sombrero Ishikawa, a business and psychology graduate, steers the creative drive at Aloha Beer Company.

Drawing from her own journey combating depression and body image issues, she is also committed to destigmatizing mental health challenges through advocacy that promotes education, open-mindedness, and unwavering self-resilience.

Scheduled for release on

December 5, 2023, “What Day Are You?” promises to be a meaningful addition to any child’s library and a thoughtful holiday gift that carries a powerful message of resilience and living in the moment.

For further information about this remarkable book, please visit: https://www. madeforsuccess.com/whatday-are-you/

who lost everyone and everything to the volcano’s eruption, and somehow stumbled into the refugee center that was set amidst the lahar that covered the Zambales landscape.

Mother and daughter authors Lin Acacio Flores and Annette Flores Garcia’s children’s stories have appeared in various publications.

Lin Acacio Flores was awarded two Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for children’s fiction and a Honolulu Magazine-Parker Pen Award for adult fiction.

She lives in Maui, Hawaii.

Albert Gamos, the book’s illustrator, is a seasoned artist who has won numerous awards and has been recognized for his outstanding con-

tributions to children’s book illustration and design.

A

preventing teenage suicide.

Additionally, 10% of all sales profits will be contributed to the Moore Aloha Foundation, a remarkable initiative that works to empower and inspire young women, championed by Olympic Gold Medalist surfer Carissa Moore.

“This book beautifully captures the essence of living in the moment and

(BOOK REVIEW: A Child’s Treasury ....from page 11)

Aeta Christmas Baby” when refugees from the Pinatubo eruption in 1990 celebrated Christmas Eve by staging a panunuluyan—a Christmas Eve street play, where in this case, the refugee center became the stage and the refugees were the characters in the play.

As the refugees volunteer for the roles of Mary, Joseph, innkeeper, shepherds, angels and other assorted characters, they are pressed to find one young enough to be the baby Jesus.

The role went to Maeta, an orphaned young Aeta,

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.

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: On Kissinger....from page 6)

used by the military now.

And machines make cold decisions to kill humans.

We’re pretty deep into it already.

Maybe that’s why Altman was rehired by OpenAI to let the technology spread and let the market decide who the heroes and villians shall be.

The more reserved, goslow types lost like OpenAI’s chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, Helen Toner, a director of strategy at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, and Tasha McCauley, a researcher at the

Rand Corporation, were let go like outdated Palm Pilots.

They were replaced by hand-picked tech “yes people,” and a big name, Lawrence H. Summers, an economist, former Harvard University President, and former Treasury Secretary in the Obama years.

Notice they didn’t name an American Filipino writer who is an early adopter but displays cautious prudence.

Nor did I see any BIPOC folks on the board.

OpenAI named its own gatekeepers to do whatever it wants in the name of capitalism. And you know

how well that strategy has worked out if you’re in the 99 percent.

Someone needs to regulate A.I. At this point, there are no guardrails or radar guns to ticket the tech folks for speeding. Congress?

Congress doesn’t even appear smart enough to regulate TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or X. This is how we’re going into this new world. Pay attention or get left out and replace it with a machine.

There are already predictions of when technologists will reach “singularity,” or (continue on page 13)

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

LEGAL NOTES

Funding Your Trust: Other Assets

By Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.

I

n our last article, we looked at funding your trust as it relates to real estate. This article discusses other types of assets.

NOTE: The short form trust / certificate of trust / declaration of trust (SFT/ CT/DT) (different terms for the same document) is the shorter document that confirms the trust exists and identifies the trustees, successor trustees, and trustee powers.

Banks and Credit Unions and Certificates of Deposit The FDIC (banks) and NCUA (credit unions) have rules for what insurance pro-

tection is available according to how many owners and beneficiaries there are on accounts.

Ask yours about the protection you have whether you put your account into your trust or leave it out.

Bring your SFT/CT/DT as well as the trust agreement to the bank/credit union for their review and copy the necessary pages for the account file.

For certificates of deposit, you may have to wait until the certificate matures before you can change the name on it.

Many institutions charge penalties for early withdrawal, so it’s often best to wait until the maturity date to transfer the certificate to the trust.

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: On Kissinger....from page 12)

the time when machines can no longer be monitored by humans.

Estimates have been put at 5 to 50 years before “singularity.” But some say sooner.

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, the chip maker that is one of A.I.’s biggest enablers, said it will be 10 years before computers achieve “artificial general intelligence.”

That’s the point where computers can pretty much break down multi-step tasks just like humans do.

Speaking at that New York Times/Deal Book Summit (yes, the same one where Elon Musk told advertisers to “Go F*** Yourself”), Huang joked that he likes how the A.I. biz puts him in a state where he or the world might “perish.”

That day may be closer than we think. The firing and rehiring of Altman was due to disagreements over a breakthrough, according to reports.

A secret algorithm called Q-star solved some grade school math problems that indicated the machine’s

growing ability to use logic in a way that could replace humans.

With that ability, A.I. could lead to the displacement of up to 47 percent of jobs by 2034.

Forget global warming.

Consider computers heating up and replacing mankind.

We’re not just talking about a digital divide, where some people have fast wifi connections and others do not. We are talking about digital elimination, a true existential dilemma.

That’s why you need to pay attention to A.I. developments and make sure that people of color are on boards that help regulate whatever the tech folks devise as benign scientific breakthroughs.

They are not benign. A.I. can transform the world but are we—you and me–part of that future?

But OpenAI works in secret, just like Kissinger did in his diplomatic missions.

No wonder Kissinger at 100 was fascinated by A.I.. But now he’s dead, and the artificial monster and the dread it can create live on.

tificates of ownership, however, should be put into your trust.

all your tangible property Life Insurance Generally, life insurance into your trust. This allows your successor trustee to dis- proceeds do not go through tribute, sell, or donate your probate unless your beneficiary predeceases you and belongings as you direct.

If you are also given a there is no contingent beneMemorandum of Distribu- ficiary.

If you intend for children tion (or similar document), it’s helpful to attach photos to be the beneficiary, howof the items you are giving ever, you may want to name to specific individuals so the trust as a beneficiary so the successor trustee knows that the successor trustee can what you intend to give to a collect the benefit and hold it particular person, writing the for the children.

Minors cannot receive recipient on the back of the money and a court order Tangible Personal Property photo and referencing that appointing a conservator is Tangible personal prop- item on the Memorandum. needed to receive money erty generally can be thought on their behalf. Each child of as “anything you can sell Accounts Receivable and has to have her or his own at a garage sale.” These Promissory Notes Money that is owed to conservator case in probate don’t have title documents you, whether the debt is or is court, so this can get expenshowing your ownership.

Often, the lawyer who not in writing, should be as- sive quickly.

Naming the trust as benprepares your trust will pre- signed to the Trustee. eficiary can avoid the need pare a document transferring for a court-appointed conserVehicles Generally, you don’t vator for child beneficiaries Look, I’m no boomer need to put your vehicles in of a life insurance policy.

Luddite. I’ve even asked the trust because the County OpenAI’s Chat GPT to Department of Motor Vehi- Business Interests write an introduction for Consult your business cles will process the transfer me recently that I would lawyer to prepare the necby your heirs bringing your give to someone to bring death certificate to prove essary documents and folme on stage. low the proper procedures your passing.

It produced an astonishLuxury or antique or ex- for transferring your interest ing intro, calling me “a celpensive vehicles, with cer- into your trust. ebrated journalist” whose “groundbreaking work” has 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 “not only earned him accolades but sparked important constitute, an attorney-client relationship.) conversations about race, identity and social justice.”

My mother would have blushed. And she’s dead.

Frankly, I couldn’t have written it better. It could have replaced me.

But it lacked humility and humanity.

And that’s what’s at stake if we succumb to all the temptations of A.I. Other Financial Institutions, Stockbrokers, Mutual Funds, Etc. Each will have its own policies and procedures and forms. Bring your trust agreement and SFT/CT/DT for them to copy the pages they need for their files and their review.

They will give you the forms for you to fill out to change the name of the account to the trust as owner.

NOTE: This is my last column of the year. Please enjoy your holidays. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. You could probably tell, that ChatGPT did not write this paragraph. EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 16, 2023

HAWAII WORKERS CORNER

What Can We Do About Discrimination in the Workplace? comfortable. What can I do?

– Reader

By Arcelita Imasa, M.D.

M

y boss has recently been making very i n a p p ro p r i ate comments about me because of my gender. I am a woman, and all of my coworkers, including my boss, are men. He makes constant comments about my appearance and my body. And he undermines my ability to work. I even talked to my male coworker who told me he makes almost double my hourly pay. Nobody else in the workplace deals with this and I feel stuck, hurt, and un-

Dear Reader, We’re so glad you reached out. It is not okay that your boss is discriminating against you.

Thankfully, you have legal protections from this kind of discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

At the federal level, discrimination is illegal because of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

It is illegal for your boss to subject their employees to a hostile work environment through workplace harassment. And it’s not just gender discrimination; discrimination based on race, sex, sex-

ual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, or arrest and court record is also illegal.

If you have experienced discrimination from your employer, you can contact the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission, which investigates and conciliates instances of discrimination in Hawaiʻi, at (808) 586-8636.

There are also protections if you have been fired and believe it is because of discrimination. Even though Hawaiʻi is an at-will state, meaning your employer does not require a reason to fire, terminate, or lay you off, there is still something you can do.

Call us at 503-967-5377

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Cardax’s Astaxanthin Shows Breakthrough Longevity Results

C

ardax announced earlier this month the breakthrough longevity results with its specialty formulated astaxanthin in a study conducted by the Interventions Testing Program (ITP).

ITP is supported by the National Institute on Aging which is part of the National Institutes of Health. The results of the study were published on December 2 in the high-impact longevity journal GeroScience.

The specialty-formulated astaxanthin is the same form used in Cardax’s dietary supplement Zanthosyn®.

Previously shown to increase the lifespan in yeast, roundworms and fruit flies, ITP extended the findings in mammals through this study that started in 2019 and ended this year. The study found astaxanthin extended the median lifespan of male mice by 12%.

In addition, the astaxanthin-treated group showed a

consistent survival benefit versus control animals. Female mice’s median lifespan also increased but did not reach statistical significance.

Conducting actual lifespan studies in humans would require decades, so the ITP represents the most credible, practical assessment of mammalian lifespan presently available.

“Interventions with life extension benefits of more than 10% in the ITP are rare. Those that do, have side effects limiting chronic use for longevity,” says Dr. Bradley J. Wilcox, MD, world-renowned Harvard-trained longevity researcher at the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine. He is the scientific advisor to Cardax and co-author of the GeroScience paper reporting on these results.

“Astaxanthin is also commercially available and relatively inexpensive,” added Dr. Wilcox.

Cardax chairman and CEO said: “This rigorous, highly selective, and independent study adds to the body of evidence supporting astaxanthin’s longevity benefits. We have been working with astaxanthin for 25 years and our mission is to grow the awareness of its potential to slow aging and help people continue doing what they love.”

Cardax is a geroscience company focused on pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications of astaxanthin. The company markets Zanthosyn®, a physician-recommended astaxanthin dietary supplement for lifespan and healthspan, including joint and muscle function, cognitive performance and cardiovascular health.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

(503-WORKERS). We can help you navigate workplace discrimination and file a report. We recently helped a worker fight workplace discrimination. She was unfairly fired and got her job back with back pay!

If you believe that you have been suspended, discharged, or discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) or Wage Standards Division. And, be sure to file your complaint within 30 days of the date that you

were suspended, discharged, or discriminated against.

Send us your employment-related questions to hiworkerscenter@gmail.com.

We will be happy to address them in a future column.

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.

(NEWS FEATURE: HFC Columnist ....from page 7)

sored by the Silicon Valley Community Media (SVCM) which started on September 15, 2023 and ends on March 15, 2024.

He is a long-time educator both in the Philippines and in the US. In the Philippines, he was a special lecturer at the Institute of Mass Communications, University of the Philippines-Diliman. Then he joined the Arellano University as its department head putting up the Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and along with his friends, taught journalism, PR, and communications subjects.

The president of the then-newly opened Polytechnic University of the Philippines Dr. Nemesio Prudente invited him to join the university as its chief of the PressRadio-TV section of the University’s Public Affairs department and subsequently becoming the Public Affairs Director.

With the rank of Assistant Professor 1V, he taught at PUP’s College of Languages and Mass Communication teaching journalism, broadcast communication, essay writing, news reporting, feature writing, investigative reporting, and communication subjects. He also taught at the Graduate School, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila public relations and communications subjects.

In the US, he taught at the Arts and Sciences department of De Anza College, a community college in Cupertino,

California teaching Reading, English Writing, and ESL for ten years as an Adjunct faculty up to his retirement in 2008.

He also had a short stint at the San Jose State University teaching Essay Writing. He became a regular online faculty of Axia College, University of Phoenix for five years teaching business writing and communication subjects online.

At present, he is an Academic Instructor for San Jose Job Corps, a Department of Labor-run program for marginalized youths ages 16 to 24 from 2000 to the present.

While in Job Corps, he pioneered the Guajome Park Academy/Science for Integrated Academy and Technology, a charter school for high school students, for five years. Then, he was the lead teacher of the New Learning Resources Online (NLRO) for seven years.

As to community service, Southern California-based n o n - p r o f i t o rg a n i z a t i o n The Global Urdanetanians launched its scholarship program as the antidote for poverty and the recipients are all poor but deserving high school students from Urdaneta going to college to pursue their undergraduate courses in Urdaneta City’s universities and colleges.

All the 22 TGU scholars are now graduates from their college courses and are now professionals becoming con(continue on page 15)

DECEMBER 16, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

COMMUNITY CALENDAR 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 program-types for FilCom Center.

SAKADA DAY FILM VIEWING | FilipinoAmerican Historical Society of Hawaii, Filipino Community Center | December 16 at 10am-1pm | Casamina Flores Ballroom, FilCom Center, 94428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Annually observed on December 20, the Sakada Day is a celebration that commemorates the contributions and sacrifices of Filipino migrant workers who helped build

Hawaii’s sugar industry. Join us for a free film viewing.

Refreshments will be provided.

PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII’S 44TH INAUGURATION AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS | Saturday, January 27, 2024 | Royal Hawaiian Hotel-Monarch Ballroom | Formal Attire or Filipiniana. Email pmah-hawaii.org/ pmahinfo@gmail.com for details.

OPEN FORUM

Help Maui Fire Victims But Not By Abusing STR Owners

By Keli‘i Akina

W

hen you’re trying to persuade someone to help you, it’s sometimes necessary to offer them a few incentives.

The goal should be to make sure that everyone gets something they need out of the deal. But if you follow that up with threats of punishment for non-compliance, you risk turning a happy arrangement into something very bad.

That is what’s been playing out in the state’s efforts to persuade owners of Maui short-term rental properties to house Lahaina residents who lost their homes to the tragic Aug. 8 wildfires. To put it simply, state and county officials are offering carrots to STR owners, but also threatening them with some

heavy sticks.

The impetus for these discussions is that many Lahaina evacuees currently are being housed in Maui hotels — and it hasn’t been cheap.

The state has been paying at least $13,000 a month per room, which is why it is now offering to reimburse STR owners $5,000 a month for one-bedroom or studio units, and up to $11,000 a month for four-bedroom homes — both for at least 18 months.

Gov. Josh Green and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen are hoping that these proposed payments will be enough “carrot” to persuade STR owners to rent long-term to fire victims. In addition, participating STR owners would get a two-year break from transient accommodation taxes, plus a possible exemption from Maui property taxes until mid-2025.

(NEWS FEATURE: HFC Columnist ....from page 14)

tributing members of society.

He was the Chairman of the Board during its initial fouryear of existence and at present he is the VP for administration.

In the US, he served the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters as precinct inspector in 2008 and after four years as precinct inspector, he was promoted to Field Inspector supervising nine voting precincts until 2022.

In the city of Milpitas, he was a member of the City’s Water Task Force and was responsible for drafting the communications component of the Task Force which was approved by the City Council.

He was the chair of the Library Education and Advisory Commission for 12 years.

During his term, he drafted and proposed the city Donation policy for the Milpitas Library which proposal was subsequently approved by the City Council.

He instituted a four-tier donation board which was installed in the lobby of the library listing all donors with their corresponding donations. A picture board of the LEAC commissioners was installed at the walls of the lobby entrance for library users to know their commissioners.

In 2017, he was awarded the Heroes Award For Community Service given by then-Assemblymember Kansen Chu, California District 25.

As a final gesture, he published his book Unlocking the

Now, those might be attractive carrots, but on the flip side, the sticks being waved at non-participating STR owners are not so appealing.

Both the governor and mayor have suggested imposing a massive property tax hike on non-participating STR owners, and the governor has mused about banning them from the STR market altogether.

Gov. Green has acknowledged that an STR ban would probably result in legal challenges, but he shouldn’t ignore the fact that a back-door ban through a tax hike also could result in legal and political headaches.

Taken together, the government’s big carrot and big stick approach demonstrates a lack of understanding of STR owners. Foremost, they are, after all, property own-

ers, and there are many legal protections in place for property owners. Philosophically, property is considered by many to be the linchpin of our freedoms.

Beyond the legal arguments, STR owners often are our friends, families and neighbors. They have reasons for choosing to make their properties available for short-term rental instead of long-term. In fact, courts have recognized that choosing how you want to rent your home is a valid property interest that deserves protection.

If the government’s “carrots” are a good deal for a particular owner, then he or she will participate, a displaced family will get a temporary home, and everyone wins.

But for some STR owners, it might not even

be a question of money. Maybe the owner still lives in the home for part of the year and cannot rent long-term. Maybe they are already bound by other rental contracts and can’t back out of them. Maybe they are concerned about the legal and financial implications of taking on longterm tenants.

There is no question that we need to find suitable housing for those displaced by the Maui wildfires, and incentivizing STR owners to rent longterm to Maui fire victims could be a winning strategy in the effort to solve a pressing humanitarian problem.

But we all lose when the government disrespects the rights of Hawaii property owners.

Chain of Poverty: In Pursuit of the American Dream which is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris Publishing.

It is a book of guts, survival and the will to persevere against all odds at the time of an ailing global economy for new immigrants in the US. The foreword of the book was written by former California Assemblymember Kansen Chu. The awardees received their ribbons and personalized trophies during the gala night at the Urdaneta Convention Center. In the case of Estioko, who was not able to attend the awarding ceremonies due to a pressing commitment in California, his award was received by his niece Retired Master Teacher 2 from the Urdaneta Central School Gertrudes Es-

tioko duly assisted by another niece Eden Estioko Barbudo-Valdez, a member of the alumni board.

Among the Batch ’65 attendees who cheered for Estioko were founding president of the alumni association Atty. Mario Bravo; Batch ’65 president Minda Ventanila Tomines; past Batch ’65 president Arsenio Dulay; Joy Cabading Delos Reyes; Danny Calacsan, Vicky Calacsan, Eufrosina

Tigno, Greg Calacsan, Naty Calvero, Nardito Calvero, Mely Parayno, Gilda Doot Nickel, Judy Cadiente, Herminia Adviento Rontale, Rosa Andrada Manuel, Marcos Ignacio, Eliodoro Calacsan, Fely Sarga, Mila Gatchalian, Bien Zabala Cordingley, Tita Umipig, Aling Garcia, and Henry Zabala, among others.

Estioko joined two other distinguished alumni from Batch ’65 Atty. Mario Bravo and Joey Sumait.

H E L P

KELI‘I AKINA is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

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DECEMBER 16, 2023