FILAM-march-2021

Issue 37, March 2021

Katherine Creag

Pinay journalists mourn ‘super fun’ friend

Noel Quintana Is race behind his attack?

Elcee Cagas Conner

Filipina global leader in respiratory care

Letter from the Editor

Tears for the T

he number is mindnumbing. 500,000. At least half a million American lives lost to the stealth killer coronavirus. Thousands of them of Filipino ethnicity. Almost 300 of them Filipino American doctors, nurses, and other health care frontliners, based on data from Kanlungan.net, a memorial dedicated to Filipinos in the healthcare system.

How did it happen that way?

Where do we begin to fathom such incalculable loss? Have we become like clueless people whistling past a graveyard? Or humming the numbers to the tune of “Seasons of Love?” Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred…

Some people have justified that the old and the elderly are, in a way, perishables. That’s a cruel thing to say. Just as painful is the fact that many young Americans have also died from this plague.

The tragedy is that the outbreak of COVID-19 had been foretold after it was first detected in China in late 2019. Actually, scientists who track diseases have warned us for years, no, decades that a contagion is likely to hit us. Soon. Not later. Or in

500,000 Where do we begin to fathom such incalculable loss? this case, now. When it did, the previous administration acted like it came out of nowhere. It was a delusion that proved deadly.

There was front and center denial that the disease was in our midst and raging out of control. Instead of speaking to educate the public about the threat of not taking the pandemic seriously, Donald Trump politicized the wearing of masks and stoked the fires of hate against Asian-Americans.

Who should be held to account for our irresponsible response to the coronavirus which has killed so many? What accounts for the cavalier attitude of some toward

COVID-19 with people around us dying at an alarming rate? Like half a million over a period of more than a year?

There are some encouraging signs, according to The New York Times: The vaccines seem to be working. Nursing home deaths are slowing. Still, troubling indications remain. Infections continue to spread. Vaccination logistics remain problematic.

Plagues, such as the coronavirus, are going to hit our society again because of our casual attitude toward science and the environment. Some continue to dismiss the idea that we are

Contributing Writers Tricia J. Capistrano Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko Joel David Mariel Padilla Wendell Gaa Maricar CP Lindy Rosales Hampton Danielle Vania Angelito Cabigao Bonus

Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116

Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com

The FilAm is a publication of A&V Editorial THE FILAM |

stewards of our planet for now and for the next generation. We increasingly invade wild areas, coming into contact with plants and animals whose bacteria and viruses make the jump to humans who have no defenses against these elements. A lot of times, the invasions are justified on the basis of creating a better life for ourselves without thought of environmental consequences.

The litany of diseases that has been caused partly by our indifference, and sometimes hubris, is getting long and worrisome.

AIDS made the jump from simians to humans and exploded in the 1980s. SARS burst in Asia in early 2000, and we are just fortunate it did not spread elsewhere. Ebola, which was a health scare from 2013 to 2016, is still cropping up in Africa.

It is only a matter of time, as every serious scientist has asserted, that another germ will be upon us and spread like wildfire. COVID is mutating, and some are predicting it may have a permanent presence in our lives just like the flu.

This means we need to get a shot every year. We need to have confidence in our vaccines. We cannot have half a million deaths more.

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Pinay journalists mourn the passing of WNBC’s Katherine Creag, 47

By Cristina DC Pastor

The sudden death of WNBC News 4 journalist Katherine Creag came as a shock to the Filipino American community especially to two colleagues in the industry.

“T

o know Kat was to adore her,” writes Hazel Sanchez, a reporter for CBS News, on Facebook. “Super hilarious, super smart, super mom,” Hazel remembers, “I was always so excited when our shifts would overlap and we’d run into each other in the field. Her infectious smile and bellowing laugh, it was impossible to not get taken by her joyful spirit.”

Although they work at competing stations Hazel said she and Katherine “instantly connected.”

“It’s just something Filipinos do… you meet another Filipino and instantly you’re family. I remember her filling out Gemma’s Kindergarten application for SILS (St. Ignatius Loyola School on the Upper East Side) while we were both covering an accident in New Jersey… and despite the time crunch… she paused to tell me about how wonderful the school was and how my girls would have to apply once they were old enough. Needless to say, her guidance led us there and I officially joined the SILS Filipina Moms Mafia in 2018.”

“I will miss our fearless Pinay leader, our ‘80s hip hop dance battles and that “THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC!” feeling I got every time I’d see her at an event,” says Hazel.

Nina Pineda of ABC writes that she and Katherine were like “two Filipinas from another mother.”

She recalls on Facebook how Katherine “stayed up way past her bedtime, but still traveled to

Jersey on a weeknight surprising me in 2015 when I was honored for volunteer work at a local charity supporting @womensrightscenter.

That’s what she did, the late @ katcreagnyc, always supported her friends, colleagues and the people whose lives she touched.”

As a reporter, Katherine was always “reporting stories on a grueling shift with that GIANT smile,” writes Nina. “Her crew was like family to her and her own family, so cherished, so adored and loved so fiercely by their mama bear.”

“The world lost a radiant light,” Nina ends her post.

The death from a still-unknown cause of the well-loved journalist was reported by WNBC on February 11. “Katherine Creag, a beloved member of the News 4 family who was a stalwart of New York City’s mornings on ‘Today in New York’ for years, passed away suddenly Wednesday evening.” She joined WNBC in 2011 after working as a reporter for FOX 5.

“For 10 years Kat was one of our cornerstones, always willing to help in any situation, whether it was a colleague in need or a shift that needed to be covered. She was thoughtful, funny and relentless.

And even on the toughest days she was a bright light, quick with a kind word and a smile,” WNBC’s vice president of news, Amy Morris, said in an email to the staff as reported in the news. The daily news program ‘Today in New York’ ran from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.

She is survived by husband of 14 years, Bill Gafner, and their children Jack, Gemma and Josie.

'A stalwart of New York City’s mornings for years.’ Facebook photo

With CBS’s Hazel Sanchez. ‘Super hilarious, super smart, super mom.’ Facebook photo

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My Cory Aquino story

By Cristina DC Pastor

During the Marcos Dictatorship, the Aquino family was hardly covered by the media because much of the media at the time was controlled by the government. We at WHO magazine (of the Hans Menzi Bulletin publishing family) decided we wanted to talk to them. I was given the assignment to interview Kris who was 7 years old at the time and was campaigning for her father Ninoy who was in detention: I was to ask her what she thought about democracy and if she thought the Philippines was a free country. I went to the house on Times Street. Cory opened the door. She was the proverbial housewife at the time.

I

said something like, ‘Hi Ma’am I’m so sorry to come without notice…I’m a reporter from WHO magazine and I wanted to interview Kris for an article about democracy.’ She was thrilled and started to laugh.

‘Are you sure? Nobody writes about us, nobody comes to interview us,’ she said hinting at the family being totally ignored by the media. She asked us in. Kris was in school at the time but Cory very eagerly agreed to set up a time for me to meet her.

We -- the photographer, the company driver and me -- returned after a couple of days. Kris was ready. She was cute, had long hair, a little on the chubby side, and was wearing pambahay shorts and a regular shirt. She didn’t seem too happy, but she didn’t look coerced either. She faced me and the camera but insisted on sipping chocolate drink from a tetrapak during the interview.

Cory was apologetic. She answered all my questions, was very articulate while Cory sat nearby to listen. She was pleased, and told us, “Oy, hindi ko tinuruan yan ah,” she chortled. I thought Cory was a little bungisngis, and I liked her instantly.

‘Nobody comes to interview us.’ Photo: Getty Images

Kris Aquino campaigning for her jailed father at age 7. Photo: Epoch Times After the story came out, I received a box of pastries from Cory, her way of saying thanks. Her driver Teody delivered them to our Liwayway building office on Pasong Tamo.

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I came to know her number and every time there was news about her family (like Ninoy being granted a Christmas furlough) she would give me a call.

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When Ninoy was granted a Christmas furlough, she called me.

‘Cristina, you might want to come here, the senator is on furlough and we’re having a small party for his friends and supporters. I want you to meet him, I want him to meet WHO.’ She added that (Doy or Monching or Jovy) might be coming too. Of course, we grabbed the opportunity. I came with my editor Cielo after work.

We were thrilled, excited, maybe a little intimidated to meet Marcos’ Number One Political Enemy.

Cory introduced us amid all the LP bigshots in the room. For something like 30 minutes, me, Cielo and Ninoy in one corner of the living room just talked about anything that came to mind – life in detention, Marcos’ plans for him, the opposition, Kris stumping for him, etc. We asked him to autograph a copy of our magazine.

Then, Kris approached her father – naglalambing -- urging him to go with her to the karnabal nearby.

Ninoy laughed and told her it was late and he couldn’t leave his guests. Cory was smiling, full of understanding because Kris appeared to be missing her father so much and wanted to spend more time with him. Kris is said to be her father’s daughter because she was comfortable in the spotlight. Cory sent a box of cookies again to our office after that.

Cory and I lost touch when she became First Woman President by which time hordes of media would be after her. But one day, while attending a rally at Luneta where she was a speaker, I ran into Teody, her driver. “Hoy andiyan ka pala,” I must have said. He said he’s looking for a watch repair shop around T.M. Kalaw because the President wanted her watch fixed. I thought it was funny that the most powerful woman in the Philippines (at the time) needed to have her watch fixed when she could just buy a new one. Teody said, “Matipid talaga si ma’am. Kung pwedeng i-kumpuni, kumpuni muna bago bumili ng bago.”

‘I said, what’s wrong with you? He came toward me and slashed my face’

By Cristina DC Pastor

On February 10, Noel Quintana, an accountant and a volunteer at The Migrant Center of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Midtown, spoke before a gathering of friends and supporters via Zoom. At the “prayer and healing gathering,” he recounted how, on February 3, a man on a subway train knifed him across the face after Noel asked him to stop kicking his tote bag.

The online gathering of about a hundred attendees was organized

by Fr. Julian Jagudilla of the Migrant Center to “pray for justice for Noel.”

Joann Yoo of the Asian American Federation echoed Fr. Julian’s call for solidarity, saying, “Silence and a sense of shame is what’s preventing us from getting a sense of justice.”

Here’s Noel’s story from the day of the horrific attack up until the day before the February 10 Zoom meeting: On the train at Bedford Station, a man stood beside me. I was standing. The train was not packed but it’s standing room only. The man who stood beside me started kicking my tote bag. I turned around him so he would not be disturbed or touched by the bag.

He’s still kicking it. But the way he kicked it was on a staggered basis, not continuously, he’s pacing it. I said what’s wrong with you. I moved away from him.

He came toward me and slashed my face. I thought he was going to punch me. I didn’t feel any punch. I saw the reaction of passengers, they were shocked. I realized there was blood oozing down my face. I asked for help. Nobody came.

Noel Quintana: When he heard NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio say that crime in subways is lower than in previous years, he felt he had to tell his story. Photo: ABC-7 There’s a mic for emergency in the train.

Nobody (used that). I stepped out of the train and asked for help. A woman was calling, maybe, for 911. I walked from end to end to get to the booth of the 1st Ave. station. I shouted to the woman: Help me, help me, call 911. I sat on the stairs and waited for medical help. They came and asked a lot of questions. I was worried I might be losing a lot of blood. They asked me to stand up and asked if I could walk. I said yes. I walked toward the ambulance. I felt dizzy. They put me on a stretcher.

They brought me to the emergency at Bellevue. I was so concerned of the loss of blood; nothing was being done yet.

When the doctor looked at me and started giving stitches, I felt the blood coming out. They told me they would bring me to operating room.

They would operate on me so they could explore all areas around the wound. I signed some papers.

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They operated for more than two hours. I finally gained consciousness. I stayed overnight and when I was about to go home, I was watching the news. I saw (Mayor Bill) de Blasio saying crime in subways is lower than in previous years. That’s when I realized I should come forward and do something about it because I don’t want to be part of statistics. Luckily, there was a reporter outside and I was interviewed by ABC 7 news.

Yesterday, I was at the hospital again to remove my stitches. Maybe I was so anxious I felt dizziness. Maybe because of the pain too. I passed out and when I regained consciousness, I felt numbness all over my body. I called the doctor I told him I felt numbness. I was afraid I was having a stroke. The doctor said it’s just an anxiety attack.

They brought me to the ER to have me examined.

Luckily it was not a stroke. They asked me to stay overnight. I just came home this noon.

A vacation in my hometown and a realization of who I want to be

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By Karen Joy Pangantihon

t felt like I traveled through three flights over 22 hours in the air, in the course of over 40 hours just to hug my mom and dad.

As soon I got off the last plane on the way to Cabadbaran, my mother’s hometown, in Agusan del Norte province I knew I couldn’t do this trip often, especially if it wasn’t going to be first class.

I arrived sick, stiff, smelly, and fatter it seemed. I was in a car with my father driving from Butuan to Cabad.

It was nice. Being in the car with my father driving was the meat of my childhood. As temperamental as he is, my faith in feeling safety under his care has not faltered. I missed that feeling.

As soon as I arrived in Las Pilipinas there’s one thing that aggressively hit me. It’s called “Pasalubong” which I understand to be a tradition and form of respect that involved bringing small gifts, be it makeup, money, food, clothes, anything, for people in your family. And I mean whole family, including extended, and that rare person you met once when you were little and have no recollection of ever knowing them. I had no idea this was a thing. I felt embarrassed and so unprepared.

There was a conversation after a party with my cousin Apple. My cousin who is the oldest of my generation of the Alaan clan, has always been like an older sister to myself and my other sister, Ate Mavis.

She’s been somewhat like a bridge between me and my parents because she spoke the language of both worlds and was acclimated with both cultures. We were on the couch in the sala after everyone was asleep and all of a sudden she drew me into this very deep, intense conversation. She basically gave me a harsh reality check and reminded me that everyone is getting older. Suddenly I was releasing a flood of emotions and tears to clean off all the sweat and dirt off my face.

“Do you have money to fly back to the Philippines on a moment’s notice if anything happens?” “Do you have money for a funeral?” “What’s going to happen to this house and who is going to take care of it years from now when your parents are no longer here?”

“Do you know if your parents want to be cremated or buried?” I sat there and just cried, listened.

On top of that, my other cousin, who identifies as a Christian Libertarian, and I had a very long heart-toheart another night. Our heart-to-heart included the state of the country, the world, an escape plan, a plan of action, civil war, nuclear war, the idea that if we do not have children we have no legacy to carry on, my argument that at this point my offering to the world would be those that come from my creative endeavors, and why all these things lead to who we choose as a

‘I had no idea Pasalubong was a thing. I felt so embarrassed.’ Photo: kjpangantihon.com partner in life. In fact, I found myself having to defend not only my weight, my size 6, but also my lifestyle which in my eyes seems to be something to be proud of.

I’m a young, independent woman living in New York City that works extremely hard to survive on my own while pursuing a career as a multi-disciplinary creative artist and performer.

I am pursuing to have romantic relationships that reflect partnership, respect, and love. God forbid I wait to marry for love, and really believe I can take care of myself.

How dare others make me feel like I’m not living correctly? Mind you, if I put my two cents in about how I feel the way others’ lead their lives being problematic, I’m being aggressive or insensitive.

Anyway, being in the Philippines with all its beauty, reality checks, and deep conversations made me think about my lifestyle and the life I was leading.

It was my intention to spend as much quality time with parents and family because when you fear that you may count the times you have left to see your parents, you see the value in the time you have with them. I’ve witnessed breathtaking views, but some of the most precious memories of this trip was the stuff THE FILAM |

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At a Rotary Club of Cabadbaran induction with parents Demosthenes and Alicia Pangantihon. Her father is club president. unworthy of your average basic Instagram traveler -- learning to make a mango desert with my mom and Auntie Listine, taking a nap with my parents in Cebu, hearing my father deliver his speech as president of the Rotary Club, and my mother and cousins helping me tape an audition to send to L.A. I’ve come back from Las Pilipinas realizing how tiresome it is to explain how my “vacation” was. I can’t casually talk about it because it wasn’t a vacation really, it was the death of so many ways of thinking, being, and existing. Realizing the evolution of the roles we play in family means you’re ready to usher in the change you need to become an adult. I wasn’t just a cousin, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, an Apo, or Ate, anymore, I was given more responsibility, and I’m okay with that, because that’s who I want to be.

Karen Joy Pangantihon is an Equity actress, singer, dancer, born and raised in Miami, but is currently based in New York City. She is a co-founder, and co-host of the podcast “Cinema Therapy” and has published a collection of poetry “Bright Young Woman.” This essay originally appeared on her blog http://kjpangantihon. com/ and is being republished by The FilAm with permission.

Remembering Corky Lee, the teller of our stories

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By Malaika Queano

orky Lee has been with Kinding Sindaw since the very beginning, when it was only our family that made up the dancers and the musicians of the dance troupe.

My mother Potri Ranka Manis founded Kinding Sindaw, the New York-based Philippine dance/ martial arts troupe, in 1992. My father Nonilon Queano was the master musician. Instead of leaving me with a babysitter, mom would let me join her on stage and dress me in tiny person traditional clothes. Corky, who had seen me grow up from baby to adult, documented it all.

My friendship with him is that of family.

He had been photographing my mom when she was dancing solo -- even before Kinding Sindaw started -- in 1991. He photographed her backstage and on stage, when my mom was new to the U.S. He appreciated that what she was doing was very rare. He said he had already photographed many Filipinos but he had never seen dancing like my mom's.

Mom explained to him that she is Maranao, and what she learned from her aunt and family is what she has been dancing during performances. Corky said he was president of A4 (Asian American Arts Alliance) and suggested mom could apply for a grant, and it that would help build an organization. It was a technical assistance grant for new organizations.

So Corky was really key to building Kinding Sindaw because he really guided Potri on how to start the organization. He connected her with so many people in the Asian American community. He was nurturing.

She thought of him like a fairy grandfather, seeing him photograph every performance and affirming that it was really a great performance. He followed us all the way to Binghamton and Syracuse and really documented Kinding Sindaw as it was growing and gaining a following. He was a pioneer, became a board of director, and stayed with us, inspiring and guiding us, and capturing our story with his camera.

His passing was a sudden and a heavy one because Corky was one of those people I felt would always be around. He was always at any important event, like that distant uncle at family gatherings, reminding you that you're always on his radar, that he’s keeping an eye on you as you grow up.

He captured every important moment in my life -- my childhood raised as a Maranao in New York City, my student organizing days, summer play streets in Woodside, my wedding day.

Back in college, Corky would call me once in a while with a bunch of invites for events or topics my student club should cover. Sometimes he would go off on these tangents, telling me about how there was a prosperous import/export trade of ginger from the U.S. back

The author as a little girl. ‘I was born in 1992, so he was there even before I was born. He photographed my mom when I was in her tummy.’

The beloved Corky Lee with Kinding Sindaw founder and Artistic Director Potri Ranka Manis. to Asia during the old days and how the laborers found ginger native to America.

Who knew!

Back then we were called Asian Student Association. Later we became known as Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance. One time, he came up to New Paltz by bus carrying at least Kinding Sindaw through the lens of Corky Lee. 80 pounds of equipment, frames, and photos to teach us about the unforgotten history of Asian American communities. He mounted his photos opportunities to sit and hear more from you -- the all over the multipurpose room, handed the students teller of our stories, the fierce spirit and light that post-its and had us place a post-it on the photo that shone on our communities in this country. intrigued us. He took the photos with the most post-its I pray you are at peace now, my friend. and told us the story behind each snapshot. It was more Malaika Queano is the Co-Executive Director and than a glimpse into the weight of his work. It was a look main musician of Kinding Sindaw, an NYC-based into the past and the legacies we all continue to carry nonprofit dance theater troupe dedicated to preserving with us. the oral history of the indigenous peoples of Mindanao, My friends and I decided to spend my birthday at the @ Southern Philippines. She has a B.S. in Electrical legaleaseus exhibit in Queens. You invited my friends and Engineering and is currently pursuing her master’s I to get hotpot in Flushing with your friends but we had degree in Cybersecurity. other plans. We’ve had a coffee book of all your photos of Corky Lee, is a Chinese American photographer the 29 years of Kinding Sindaw on the backburner for so known for taking pictures of regular Asian American long until we could find a designer. I’d finally recruited folks, events, and festivals. He did this for almost five one this past year, right before the pandemic. decades until his death on January 27 from COVIDSo many what ifs. It’s so hard to fathom that I’ll no related complications. He died at 73, a legend in New longer see you in passing moments. So many missed York City.

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Queens neighborhood gets free COVID tests

On a frigid January 30 morning, Rosalia Lapena walked two blocks to the Monarch Clinic on Woodside and saw a line forming. The long-time Queens resident was among the 50 people who got tested – or swabbed — for free for possible Coronavirus infection by way of a PCR COVID-19 test.

“T

his is a very much-needed community service in these very trying times,” said the 70-year-old Rosalia who lives in the neighborhood.

The nasal testing didn’t seem to bother her; neither did the long line. “It was very heartening to see how everyone did everything so well for all those who came,” she said, as she and others in line chatted about the deadly virus and the vaccine treatment that couldn’t come soon enough.

Swab and Save Lives is an initiative of lawyer Lara Gregory, the founder of Legal Good, and was launched on January 27, via Zoom. The free COVID testing held three days after its launch was in partnership with Monarch Clinic whose owner is FilAm Dr. Alice Almendral.

“We’re only as strong as the most vulnerable in our community,” said Gregory who spoke at the beginning of the testing. She said the swabbing was not limited to Filipino Americans but those who came were mostly FilAms and a couple of South Asians.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards was in attendance during the testing and commended the community initiative. He said, “There is a need to build confidence in the community in the process of COVID-19 testing and vaccination and having community leaders and members initiate activities such as these go a long way in this effort.”

Swab and Save Lives had the support of key borough officials, such as Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.

“We want all inhabitants of Queens to be safe and to keep healthy during the pandemic,” she said. “All the resources of our Office are available to the diverse Queens community so they know particularly during the pandemic, they can rely on our office to respond to their concerns.”

A second swabbing was scheduled for February 6, said Gregory.

The Philippine Consulate’s

Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate said, “We’re all in this together and the only way to fight this is for everyone in the community to continue wearing masks, observe social distancing, wash hands often and to get tested for COVID-19.”

Among the organizations that manifested their support were 1199 SEIU represented by Maria Castaneda, National Alliance of Filipino Concerns, Foundation for Filipino Artists, Inc., and Kinding Sindaw.

At the height of the pandemic, Legal Good held webinars on the moratorium on eviction, pandemic unemployment compensation, and released particulars on New York City real property tax program — all “designed to assist the community informed of rules, regulations and policies that will help them as they survive the pandemic,” said Gregory.

Legal Good also delivered care packages to Queens neighborhoods.

For more information on Swab and Save Lives, please email legalgoodny@gmail.com

Attorney Lara Gregory with Queens Borough President Donovan Richards: ‘We’re only as strong as the most vulnerable in our community.’

A Zoom meeting to launch the Swab and Save Lives initiative.

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COVER STORY

Elcee Cagas Conner: A global leader in respiratory care on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. As a result, she finished high school there, and then graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a degree in Cardiorespiratory Science.

She initially worked as a flight therapist on helicopters bringing premature infants into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She would soon join the faculty at St. Louis Community College in St. Louis, Missouri, teaching respiratory therapy and later became the director of Clinical Education.

She was a key founder of APARC in 1992, working alongside the late Dr. Herminia Cifra of the University of the Philippines medical school in Manila, and the late Dr. Jun Takezawa of the University of Nagoya in Japan. The organization grew in popularity in the 1990s and held conventions in the Philippines, Korea, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, and Taiwan, among other countries, as well as coordinated with friends, such as Dr. Jie Chen of China, head of the non-infectious disease department at the World Health Organization.

In 1999, APARC sponsored a training program for Chinese mainland physicians and nurses in Beijing, co-sponsored by the Minister of Health of China,

By Maricar CP Hampton

When the global coronavirus pandemic erupted in early 2020, it was difficult for most people to understand what an incredible challenge it would become.

For Elcee Cagas Conner, president of the Asia Pacific Association for Respiratory Care (APARC), it was one of the many challenges she spent her life preparing for.

In the last year, she has been actively communicating with health care professionals around the world to spread information to physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals on how to provide life-saving medical care to desperate patients facing obstacles and limitations that few had imagined. She developed these contacts through years of attending medical conferences in various parts of the world, and nurturing relationships with educators and practitioners of respiratory and critical care medicine, as well as sponsoring training programs not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but in Europe, Africa, Central and South America, and Central and South Asia.

Elcee came to the United States from Malolos, Bulacan, in 1973, when her father, Dr. Cosme Cagas, was forced to leave the country due to his opposition to martial law. He was a pediatrician and took a position

She laments how respiratory therapy professionals are ‘generally out of the limelight compared to doctors and nurses.’

Elcee in Peru in 2016. She says, ‘Health professionals in South America are hungry for more critical care education.’

With father Dr. Cosme Cagas in Mexico. At age 12, she was her father’s secretary in his Malolos, Bulacan clinic.

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garnering an attendance of more than 3,000 health professionals. Faculty from Europe and the United States were invited for a hands-on experience with ventilators and instruction on how to set up and operate intensive care units, provide oxygen and other respiratory support. This educational training would later prove critical when SARS-CoV-1 struck China in 2004, as all the ventilators in the country at the time proved insufficient, and donations of ventilators outside the country were necessary. It also showed how shortages of trained personnel could hamper efforts to surge essential care.

Since then, Elcee has spoken extensively on disaster preparedness, humanization and mental health support for patients in the critical care settings, as well as the importance of inspiring young people to engage in health careers. She would travel overseas to dozens of conventions and other training programs and has been a highly sought-after educator. She is known to the faculties of most of the world’s medical institutions.

Now that respiratory therapy has become a vital frontline occupation, and as poor countries are facing the prospect of having their hospitals overwhelmed by seriously ill patients, Elcee is hoping to aid in responding to these challenges. She continues to

Elcee conducting educational training in one of the largest hospitals in Jakarta, Indonesia. In this photo, she is with an intubated patient with adult respiratory distress syndrome.

actively attend online conferences. The next APARC convention is currently planned for the end of this year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“I have always been inspired by the world leadership that Filipinos have shown in health research and clinical education,” she said in an interview with The FilAm. Most of all, she was inspired by her father, who in 1986 founded the Philippine Economic and Cultural Endowment (PEACE), an organization that has funded many hundreds of artesian wells for safe drinking water for poor Filipino communities. PEACE has organized feeding programs in Filipino schools for underweight children, and provided scholarships for more advanced education to talented Filipino youth.

For PEACE and other initiatives, he received the Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (Linkapil) Award from then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Elcee is currently president of the Auxiliary of the Association of Philippine Physicians of America and has been active in that organizations for over 30 years, assisting in many of its medical missions.

“I hope to continue to be an inspiration to the younger generations around the world by living the testimonial of my own experience,” she said.

5 ways the pandemic has changed job hunting

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to at home — reliable high-speed internet, business software, video or audio equipment.

ith many businesses still hesitant to hire due to uncertainties about the pandemic, job opportunities can be hard to come by. And older workers — many of whom have not applied for or interviewed for a new job in more than five years — may now have to handle newer twists such as video interviews.

Here are five ways applying and interviewing for jobs could change in 2021, based on the survey results:

||4. Your next job interview might be a video chat.

Last April, 86 percent of employers switched to conducting job interviews through videoconferencing technology as one way to still see candidates when they couldn't meet face-to-face, according to a survey from Gartner Inc. With remote work continuing into 2021 for many businesses, brushing up on your video interview skills could be the key to getting hired.

||1. Employment gaps aren't a problem.

With so many workers having lost their jobs last year due to the pandemic, recruiters are now less concerned about employment gaps. If you have a gap in your résumé, job search experts say that rather than trying to hide it, you should briefly say what happened and explain how you used that time to build skills.

||2. Cover letters mean more now.

Writing a smart cover letter that explains why you are a good fit for the job has long been encouraged. Before writing a cover letter, make sure you research

Brush up on your video interview skills. Getty Images the company so the letter can explain specifically why you are the best fit for the job. You'll also want the letter to include keywords from the job posting. That way, the company's screening software will see you as the right fit.

||3. Remote work could be here to stay.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonessential jobs switched to THE FILAM |

remote work at least temporarily.

Many positions are likely to stay that way for some time. That means that for many job openings, recruiters will be looking for candidates who can demonstrate they can be successful working remotely. That means your résumé should highlight your experience telecommuting. You may also want to subtly mention which technologies you already have access 11

||5. A little thanks goes a long way.

Whether you interviewed for the job by video or in person, be sure to send a thank-you email to the hiring manager and other key people you may have spoken with. According to the survey, 68 percent of recruiters say that a thank-you note — or lack of one — has become more significant over the past year. A thank-you note can be a quick way to show you're really interested in the job. -- AARP

Calendar

of Events

||Ongoing till May 21

||April 30

Photo exhibit by Carlos Esguerra Lobby of the Master Building in Upper Westside of Manhattan: 310 Riverside Drive, corner West 103rd Street Take the No. 1 subway to 103rd Street and walk west for 5 minutes on 103rd Street towards the Hudson River.

Deadline for nominations to the 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas To get an endorsement from the Philippine Consulate General in New York, contact them before April 30: Attn: Cultural Section Philippine Consulate General 556 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10036

||March 4 & 5

Seminarians of Color 2021 Calling all seminarians from Asian American, Black, Latino and Indigenous communities. This is a virtual conference featuring Filipina seminarian from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California Sunshine Dulnuan, and Korean American seminarian from Yale Divinity School in Connecticut Joseph Cundiff. Here’s the link to register: https://DFMS.formstack.com/forms/ soc_2021

Carlos Esguerra photograph

||March 6 & 7

Malayang Pagluha: A Ceremony for Cradling Grief With the guidance of Jen Maramba and Jana Lynne (JL) Umipig this ceremony will hold with tenderness, the collective and individual grief that our families and communities face in these times.

Limited Space Capacity 16 People $100-150 USD/ $128-192 Sliding Scale RSVP: www.tinyurl.com/ cradlinggriefmarch2021

||May 28 & 29

2021 Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies Research Conference Deadline for submission of papers

||April 15

Conference theme is “Healing, Care, and Resistance.”

Welcomes submissions focused on topics including: -Immigration and migration -Resistance against patriarchal norms and forces within the Filipino community -Anti-fascism and Anti-racism Work -Transnationalism -The politics and cultures of Filipino communities -Queer and LGBT issues within the Filipino community -Issues of education and activism in regards to the Filipino communities -Health and health policy -Filipino and Filipino-American histories, narratives, and movements -Other issues and topics within the realms of Filipino studies or the Filipino community at large Additional information is available here: tinyurl.com/ BuloConference2021

||March 13

Kuwentuhang Pilipino Bilingual story time with The Filipino School of New York & New Jersey For more info email info@filschool-nynj.org

||March 8

A Panel Discussion with Filipino & Filipino-American Women Writers Featuring Cecilia Brainard, Migs Bravo Dutt, Luisa A. Igloria, and Gayle Romasanta moderated by Aileen Cassinetto To receive the zoom link, please register at https://tiny.cc/IWD3821.

||March 20

Book talk on ‘The Revolution According to Raymundo Mata’ Featuring award-winning author Gina Apostol and host MT Vallarta Hosted by Eastwind Books of Berkeley To RSVP, go to www.asiabookcenter.com

THE FILAM |

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Social media has turned us into spontaneous storytellers. Our new feature called “Remembering: Pinoy. Powerful. Personal” is a collection of short essays of memories pushed aside by time and making themselves apparent in the writer’s present. Some of the essays are contributed; others culled from social media posts. To send your essays, email thefilamny@gmail.com.

Sans Rival to die for My Times Square

O

By Tricia Capistrano

n a cold January morning in 2010, I woke up at 2 a.m. I had jet leg. My husband, our six-year-old, and I arrived from Manila the day before after spending Christmas with my parents, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. My son was on our bed. He cried himself to sleep. He said he missed his Lolo and Lola. I did too.

It was one of those nights when you question your choices, if it was all worth it–leaving behind family and friends you had grown up with and know all about you.

I went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator and saw the box of macadamia Sans Rival that my mom packed for us. I took a slice.

When we were packing, I told my mom I wouldn’t bring it because it was such a hassle but she insisted, she knew how much I loved it.

I don’t drive and there were no Filipino restaurants in Manhattan at that time. She divided the cake and put it in two 5”x8” containers.

Helen, our helper, wrapped it in ice packs and plastic so it would still be chilled when we arrived in NYC. I ate another slice and then thought about my mom and how I was short with her when I used to live at home. I started to get weepy.

I then realized in my muni-muni, that I had finished the contents of an entire container.

My chest started to hurt. Talaga!

In between deep breaths, I put the empty container and the pristine dessert plate (I had scraped off the leftover buttercream with my fork), in the sink.

I thought that if I had a heart attack, it would be a pitiful way to die — a fork, an empty sans rival container, and my body strewn on the kitchen floor,

M

of snacks

By Maricar Tangonan

issing the Philippines so I created a piece of it in my kitchen — a favorite snack from when my age was in single digits —freshly fried caramel covered Banana Cue. Our mababang paaralan in my hometown Camiling was just beside the very busy palengke. Back then it was basically our Times Square of snacks! For the young me, that meant a constant source and abundant choice of freshly made snacks. Our palengke had all kinds of Kakanin — Suman, Puto, Latik, Tupig, Binatog, Dinikdikan, Ukoy, Maruya, Lugaw, Pancit, Fish Balls, Tamarindo, fresh fruits, etc. but my most favorite snack was always the Banana and/or Kamote Cue. My budget was piso, Php 1.00, and I also had some uninteresting snacks I brought from home that I often ignored. I was always eager to use my piso allowance for the fried banana on stick that usually had two pieces of saba or Asian plantain on each stick.

Quite rarely, the manang Banana Cue vendor would fit three smaller ones on a single stick. For the young me, that’s one more piece of my favorite so I would often look or wait for that lucky stick.

I wasn’t always lucky — but every school day and every piso I spend, I hoped for that stick that had one more fried saba.

In memory of those simple and hopeful days in my hometown in the Philippines, tonight I made one lucky stick with three bananas.

Yummy nostalgia!

tear drops down my cheeks, butter and macadamia on my lips. I thought about my mom and how she would be so embarrassed.

When the chest pain subsided, I drank a glass of water, washed my face and went back to bed. I hoped to be awake in the morning.

THE FILAM |

13

EDGESTONE REALTY www.kpedgestone.com (732) 307-3200

LOOKING FOR A REAL ESTATE AGENT CALL ME TODAY!

Gene Del Carmen

Get to know the FANHS Metro NY Board 2021-23 ||Co-Presidents

Noel Aglubat: “Much of our experience is unrecorded in the Metro NY area. I believe FANHS MNY has the capability to become their platform to share that history and archive that knowledge. I also believe in turning our website into a resource for our community, a place where future generations can turn to and learn about the work that has happened, that is happening and will happen in our community.“ Isabella Villacampa: “My vision is to build on the momentum of the work we’ve done so far to continue to be a true community with impactful programming. I am passionate about growing our work in historic preservation and archiving. I envision our Board focusing on a balance of both hosting engaging events and also developing how we gather our history and educate our community.”

||Treasurer

Michelle Amor: “I joined the FANHS MNY General Executive Board following graduation, because I wanted to continue serving our Filipino community beyond the collegiate setting. I've been honored to work with such a great team and am so proud of all the events we put together.”

||General Executive Board Members

Lorial Crowder: “As a 10-year veteran of FANHS MNY and over 20 years of organizing in the Fil-Am community and eager to continue being involved in the sustainability and preservation of the organization, I would like to assist with developing more family friendly programming and continue to build relationships with partner organizations.”

Michael Salgarolo: “I'm a PhD candidate in History at NYU studying Filipino American communities in Louisiana. My grandfather was a Filipino merchant marine, and he and my grandmother settled in Fort

From top row: Noel Aglubat, Isabella Villacampa, Michelle Amor Lorial Crowder, Michael Salgarolo, Xenia Diente Emily Supil, Cecile Sison, Joey Tabaco Danika Fernandez, John Sapida, Julie Jamora Greene, Brooklyn in the 1950s. I'm interested in working with others interested in documenting Filipino American history in New York City.”

Xenia Diente: “Despite 50+ years of Filipino American presence in Woodside, the community has been historically overlooked. In the past few years, through a number of

THE FILAM |

bayanihan efforts, we (as it takes a community!) have organized inspired walking tours, public art interventions, mutual aid with Filipino restaurants and feeding frontline workers, and a petition organized to install “Little Manila” co-name street sign in Woodside. With FANHS MNY and partnering with our com-

15

munities, we can continue to help creatively build visibility, archive our stories and contributions to NYC.” Emily Supil: “I helped plan virtual programming in 2020 including creating the concept of Merienda Meetups, which highlights topics and works important to the Filipino Americans community in 10- to 20-minute talks. I would like to focus on expanding Merienda Meetup events and other programming.”

Cecile Sison: “I believe in the goal of FANHS to promote Filipino American history, especially in the New York area. Uncovering and sharing aspects of our history could provide Filipino Americans with a grounding for their identity and actions in our diverse social environment.”

Joey Tabaco: “Hope to continue serving the Metro NY Filipino American community, continue our Merienda, closer contact with FIND D3, and other events related to the historical Pinoyork.”

Danika Fernandez: “I am a proponent of preserving the arts and culture of the Philippines, bridging the artistic gap between Filipinos in the Philippines and in the diaspora while at the same time being a new generational voice for those considering a career in the performing arts.”

John Sapida: “It is my hope to use my experiences and skills to help document the work of FANHS, to advance FANHS MNY’s public history and education initiatives (including assisting FANHS MNY in starting an oral history and education project), and to extend FANHS’ outreach to collegiate organizations.”

Julie Jamora: “I would like to contribute to organizing accessible events for the public; contributing to oral history projects that document our NYC Filipino communities like Little Manila Queens, that face the constant threat of gentrification; and in documenting the history of our NYC Filipino healthcare workers, who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”

The Inglewood Forum where Los Angelenos waited in their vehicles to get their shots.

Senior citizen gets vaccinated… without leaving her car

By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D.

Since the news about the pandemic's beginnings in March 2020, most everyone had hoped the talked-about vaccines would be realized. Science responded positively.

W

hat was made emphatic was how there would be "priority" given to members of the seniors community. The news was indeed hailed. My son requested an appointment for me via a communication line available to the Los Angeles community. Forms were filled out. On January 23rd, I had an appointment for my first vaccination.

Fortunately, for this writer who is truly a senior, an appointment was easily made. I was not nervous at all.

Neither was I apprehensive.

With my son behind the wheel, we drove to the Inglewood Forum in Southern California, a large sports arena that used to be the home of the Los Angeles Lakers. I witnessed what it meant to wait in line without leaving the car. One medical professional came up to my side of the vehicle to get the approved paperwork. All I had to do was to stretch my right arm. It was over in a few minutes, and we were instructed to move on.

That first shot felt like any usual shot one receives prior to the flu sea-

son. There was hardly any discomfort.

Three weeks after that first shot, it was time to receive the second one on February 13th. I didn't have to request an appointment. The latter was given to me at the request of my primary care physician in a clinic setting.

Again, it seemed just like the first shot.

However, after the second day, I felt a strong sensation on my left arm. There was a distinct pain. Overnight, I just had brief snatches of sleep. Of course, before I was released from the aforesaid clinic, the nurse informed me how I should inform my physician should the shot cause any extraordinary concern.

I took note of how the second vaccine affected me. The vaccinated arm lost its strength. There was a distinct swelling on the third day accompanied by a rise in temperature. I applied hot and cold compresses to ease the pain.

Yes, the shot thwarted my movements.

The feeling that I would recover, as I always did from previous shots, consoled me.

Too, although my children and grandchildren communicated with me THE FILAM |

‘All I had to do was stretch my arm.’

as soon as they had heard of my having gone through the follow-up shot, it did come as a relief when I assured them I would be able to return to my old self.

It has been close to seven days since.

No adverse effects have been noted.

I didn't have to report to my primary care physician.

I knew how a senior like yours truly can always take instructions about 16

medical procedures, armed with the confidence that in time, all would be well. As one of my grandsons indicated, "You can now travel without all the pre-vaccination concerns."

Yes, having the two vaccinations has provided me with strength, comfort and confidence that I can rely on science in times like the advent of COVID-19.

1st PHL ambassador J. M. Elizalde remembered on 56th death anniversary

A

ceremony commemorating the 56th death anniversary of Joaquin Miguel Elizalde, the first Philippine Ambassador to the United States (1946-1952), was held on February 9.

At exactly 12 noon, a small group gathered around Elizalde’s gravestone at the cemetery at St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church. A special prayer, led by Fr. Kevin Farmer, was dedicated to Elizalde, and his grave was sprinkled with holy water. Consul General Jose Victor Chan Gonzaga, U.S.-Philippines Society Executive Director Hank Hendrickson, and Fr. Kevin offered flowers at the grave.

The prayers were followed by the playing of a clip of a speech delivered by Elizalde on December 16, 1941, or a few days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In his “Message to the Philippines,” now stored at the Recorded Sound Research Center of the Library of Congress, Elizalde foreshadowed how the destinies of the Filipino and American peoples will eventually be forged by the fires of war, and presciently anticipated the strategic importance of the Philippines in Southeast Asia. The recording was made available to the embassy by the Philippines on the Potomac (POPDC) Project.

Consul General Chan Gonzaga and Hendrickson delivered remarks emphasizing the importance of Elizalde’s role in the beginning of Philippines-U.S. relations, and highlighting the important friendship, alliance, and partnership of the two countries.

“The commemoration of Ambassador Elizalde’s death anniversary auspiciously marks the beginning of a year-long celebration of the 75th year of formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the United States,” Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said in a statement following the ceremony.

“The work, life and legacy of Ambassador Elizalde is a clear testament to the deep, historic, and enduring relationship between our two countries.

However, we are also reminded that PH-U.S. relations continue to be an unfinished project. Our task is to build upon the strong foundations of the past in order to achieve a common future of mutual peace and prosperity,” Romualdez also stated.

"In commemorating the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Philippines diplomatic ties, the Society recognizes the foundational role of Ambassador Elizalde in setting in motion an enduring relationship between our two sovereign nations that has grown and prospered for three-quarters of a century. We were honored to join with representatives from the Philippine Embassy to mark Ambassador Elizalde's 56th death anniversary. It is with great affection

that we recall his work linking America and the Philippines through diplomatic service, business, and educational ties,” Hendrickson also said after the event.

“And, on a personal note, it was a special pleasure to visit Ambassador Elizalde' grave site at the St. Joseph church cemetery near Frederick, Maryland, my hometown," he added.

“It is an honor to receive our guests from Washington and the Philippines. We are thankful for this chance to pray together, to remember the Ambassador and all of the departed in our cemetery,” Fr. Kevin said during the ceremony. He was joined

by Ruth Puls, executive director of Mission at St. Joseph; Martina Vallecillo, coordinator of Children’s Faith Formation; and Toni Edwards, coordinator of Ministries Administration.

J. M. Elizalde, Resident Commissioner of the Philippines, 1943. Photo: Library of Congress

From left, Consul General Jose Victor Chan Gonzaga; Fr. Kevin Farmer, pastor of St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church; and U.S.-Philippines Society Executive Director Hank Hendrickson THE FILAM |

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COVER STORY

The other Mayor Pete: Pedro Urscheler of Phoenixville, PA

By Cristina DC Pastor

It never occurred to Peter Urscheler while growing up that being born to parents who are getting close to being venerable, the precious time they could be together may be all too brief. That every moment, every day is a pearl to be treasured forever.

A

day after Peter took his oath of office as the youngest mayor of Phoenixville, PA, his dad passed away.

“Even though they were older than most, my parents were always the go-to people,” said Peter in an email interview with The FilAm. “They volunteered for every school, church, sports, theater and community program. I grew up with the stories of their challenges and with their strong example of service, and I was inspired with a lifelong passion for community activism.”

To understand Peter’s journey, one has to look at how his parents had met and fallen in love.

Norma Bonuel from Sorsogon, a Magna cum Laude graduate from the UST Nursing school, was recruited to the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. There, she trained under John Gibbon, Jr., inventor of the Heart-Lung Machine.

She traveled quite a bit as a young nurse. From Pennsylvania, she went to the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands to work on the European Transplant team, then to Australia to Prince Henry Hospital to work in the area of experimental brain surgery. In Sydney, she met Emil Urscheler, a former professional soccer player in Switzerland.

“My dad left Switzerland for Africa where he worked in construction, building schools and shops,” said Peter.

The couple wed and settled in Umatilla, Florida. After two years,

Emil was born. Norma continued to work as a Charge Nurse of OB and Pediatrics at two Florida hospitals: Hospital Waterman and Leesburg Regional Medical Center.

Norma died in February 2014 of stomach cancer. Emil and Peter kept all her appointments and we went to each doctor and nurse to say ‘thanks’ for the incredible care they provided her.

“After Mama passed away, I started to feel a void in my life while working

Phoenixville, PA’s youngest mayor.

His parents Swiss-born Emil Urscheler and Norma Bonuel of Sorsogon.

THE FILAM |

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in Corporate America and I knew I needed to do something different so that I could be closer to home and take care of Daddy, so I started consulting locally for businesses and non-profits,” he said. “My mom inspired and instilled in me the importance of education and a sense of service to others.”

His father Emil was some kind of a jack-of-all trades who worked as a caretaker, landscaper, Victorian furniture and cabinet maker. “He became a shop fitter, meaning he’d built all the beautiful cabinetry in commercial or government offices,” he said.

The Urschelers made sure they were present at every milestone in Peter’s life, including spending summers in Switzerland or the Philippines. “My parents built a stable and comfortable middle-class life full of love, support, and opportunity.”

||Politics at Grade 3

Ask Pedro ‘Peter’ Urscheler — named after his Filipino grandfather — when he got into politics and he would say it all began in third grade.

He was elected class superintendent in charge of keeping order. His involvement in class politics continued into Tavares High School where he became class president for three successive years.

In college, he became involved with community activism. By the time he graduated with Marketing and Management Information Systems degrees at Stetson University, he was a prominent student leader.

“I’ve been doing it most my life,” he would tell young people of Phoenixville.

After college, he was recruited by the CEO of an international financial services firm based in greater Philadelphia and became a Director of Communications. He left the corporate world when his mother passed.

“This allowed me to be focused on the local community, once I left my corporate job, I was able to get more His father, wearing a Barong, witnesses Peter’s oath-taking. He died in his sleep the next day.

THE FILAM |

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involved with local organizations in Phoenixville and I realized just how much I loved the community. Eventually a group of friends approached me and asked if I’d ever be interested in being mayor. The previous mayor was retiring and they were looking for someone who would run for office.

Without hesitation I signed up!”

On November 7, 2017 he was elected mayor. On January 2, 2018 after he was sworn into office, his dad had died in his sleep. “My dad wore his Barong Tagalog at the ceremony and held the Bible as I was sworn in.”

A poignant moment after his oath-taking, he took his dad home and they shared a tender father-son moment of just talking and laughing and remembering Norma.

“I felt like the three of us were so close in that moment,” he said. “I thanked him for being there with me.

I gave him a kiss goodnight and he told me how much he loved me.”

On that farewell, Phoenixville’s youngest mayor became a father to his town.

Issue 37, March 2021

Corky Lee Teller of our stories

Cory Aquino

Before she became President

Phoenixville, PA’s Peter Urscheler The other Mayor Pete