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PAGE 2 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
Ewa Beach Golf Club. 91-050 Fort Weaver
Road Ewa Beach Hawaii. The proceeds from
the tournament will fund the Foundation’s
scholarship program. Looking for interested
players. Contact Persons: Eddie Agas 783-
3327, Jack Legal 284-6832, Bernadette
Fajardo 342-8090
APRIL 8,2017
Annual commemoration of the Araw Ng
Kagitingan coordinated by the Philippine
Consulate General in Honolulu in cooperation
with the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating
Committee of Hawaii (PCCCH) National
Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 9:00 AM-
11:00AM; Contact Persons: Cecilia
Villafuerte 780-4985, Philippine Consulate
General Honolulu 595-6316
APRIL 8, 2017
Associated Chinese University Women,
Inc., presents “With a Song in My Heart”
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach
Resorts, Coral Ballroom, 9:00 AM. Coral
Lounge Marketplace opens 11:25 AM – 1:30
PM Program, Luncheon, Fashions. Featured
Entertainers: Kristian Lei & Baritone Chris
Lowe, Fashions by Anne Namba, Benefit
Scholarship, Community, Cultural Programs.
Tickets $75.00 payable to “ACUW
Fundraiser”. Mail to P.O. Box 62264 Honolulu,
Hawaii 96839. Contact Phone Numbers:
Tickets: 599-4386 or 839-5452
APRIL 8, 2017
The 45th Anniversary of the University of
Hawaii Ilokano Program & The 25th
Anniversary of the Timpuyog Ilokano Student
Organization at UH Manoa. Hale Koa Hotel
Waikiki Ballroom. 5:30 PM; Contact Person:
Dr. Aurelio Solver Agcaoili via Facebook
MARCH 5, 2017
Fil-Am Courier Community Hour on KNDI
1270 AM Radio; 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM. Log on
to www.kndi.com and/or www.filamcourier
.com and Social Media FB Page Fil-Am
Courier with your host Amelia Casamina
Cabatu. For more info call Amelia at (808)
282-2033
MARCH 12, 2017
San Juan “Lapog” Association of Hawaii
Installation of New Officers. Empress
Restaurant ,100 N. Beretania St.; 6:00 PM.
Cost: $45.00 Contact Persons: Alice
Castaneda 230-4095, Flori Padua 542-5458,
Norma Gascon 391-9682, Aurea Valdez 864-
0647
MARCH 10–12, 2017
The 23rd Honolulu Festival, Hawaii’s Premier
Cultural Event. Activities includes: March
10, 2017 International Friendship Gala, 6:00
PM. Hawaii Convention Center, March 11,
2017. Craft Fair and Cultural Performances
Hawaii Convention Center, March 12, 2017
Craft Fair at the Convention Center with a
Grand Parade on Kalakaua Avenue. The
Philippine Consulate is in partnership with
Philippine Airlines, Congress of Visayan
Organization (COVO), Filipino Chamber of
Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH) and the
FilCom Center for a bigger, colorful, and
culturally-rich Philippine participation. For
more information visit their website at http:/
/www.honolulufestival.com
MARCH 24, 2017
Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
23rd Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament,
APRIL 15, 2017
Filipino Women’s Club of Hawaii Foundation
(Formerly known as the Hawaii Filipino
Women’s Club) Annual Terno Ball Ala Moana
Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom. 6:00 PM; Contact
Persons: Nelly Pongco Liu 228-7808, Carlota
Ader 797-4381, Mercy Mullins 226-1320
APRIL 30, 2017
Filipino Business Woman Association
(FBWA) Scholarship Fundraising event.
Rumours Nightclub Ala Moana Hotel. 6:00
PM-11:00 PM; Cost: $30.00 Pre- paid, $35.00
at the Door. Contact Person: Elsa Talavera
358-8964
MAY 6, 2017
25th Annual Filipino Fiesta & Parade (5th
Flores De Mayo) Kapiolani Park, Waikiki.
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For sponsorship and
booth information contact the Fil-Com Center
Arceli Rebollido 808-680-0451 or
email:[email protected]
MAY 13, 2017
Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
Filipino Entrepreneur of the Year and the
Filipino Young Entrepreneur of the Year and
Scholarship Awards Gala. Fil-Com Center
94-428 Mokuola Street Waipahu, HI. 6:00
PM – 11:00 PM; Contact Persons: Rocky
Anguay, 387-5821, Bernadette Fajardo 342-
8090
JUNE 1-7, 2017
Adobo Festival, the very first in Hawaii
presented by the Philippine Celebrations
Coordinating Committee of Hawaii (PCCCH)
in Cooperation with the Filipino Chamber of
Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH) and the Hawaii
Restaurant Association to promote local
businesses and promote Filipino Culture and
Cuisine Contact Persons: Cecilia Villafuerte
780-4985, Bernadette Fajardo 342-8090,
Amelia Casamina Cabatu 282-2033
JUNE 10, 2017
119th Philippine Independence Day
Celebration presented by the Philippine
Celebrations Coordinating Committee of
Hawaii (PCCCH) in cooperation with the
Philippine Consulate General, Hilton
Hawaiian Village Resorts Tapa Ballroom.
6:00 PM; Contact Persons: Cecilia Villafuerte
780-4985, Bennette Misalucha 398-5988,
Bernadette Fajardo 342-8090, Amelia
Casamina Cabatu 282-2033
JUNE 23, 2017
Rotary Club of Kapolei 2017-2018 Installation
of Officers and Board of Directors. Fil-Com
Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street Waipahu,
HI. 6:00 PM; Cost: $50.00 for Dinner,
Entertainment, Door Prizes and Rotary
Foundation RSVP to Rev. Alex Vergara,
RCK President at 808-5514303 or email:
JULY 8, 2017
Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
(FCCH) Installation of New Officers and
Board of directors. 6:00 PM; Hilton Hawaiian
Village Resorts, Tapa Ballroom. Contact
Persons: Bernadette Fajardo 342-8090,
Brandon Dela Cruz 389-0517
AUGUST 26, 2017
Philippine Cultural Foundation of Hawaii
Recognition Night honoring the 2017 Parents/
parent of the year, recognizing the 2017
outstanding achievements of graduating high
school valedictorians in public and private
schools & presentation of the continuing
scholar recipients, and announcement of the
Trailblazer of the year award. Empress
Restaurant. 100 N. Beretania St. 6:00 PM.
We are currently searching for the parents/
parent of the year who sacrificed to send
their children (3 minimum) to college and/or
universities & have attained their professional
chosen careers. Contact Persons: Janice
Sevilla 595-8000, Lina Longboy 421-7381,
Leo Rojas Gozar 630-6268, Maggie Domingo
783-0068
SEPTEMBER 16, 2017
Filipino Women’s Civic Club (FWCC) Annual
Maria Clara Ball 2017. Ala Moana Hotel
Hibiscus Ballroom. 6:00 PM; Contact
Persons: Rose Galanto 688-4458, Cecilia
Villafuerte 780-4985
OCTOBER 20, 2017
Filipino Community Center, Inc. Bayanihan
Gala Fundraiser honoring extraordinary Acts
of Servicefor more information and
sponsorship opportunities contact Fil-Com
Center (808) 680-0451
NOVEMBER 4, 2017
Filipino Business Women’s Association
(FBWA) presents the Annual Kimona Ball
and the Business Woman of the Year Awards
Ceremony. Dole Cannery Pomaikai
Ballroom. 735 Iwilei Road, Honolulu, HI 6:00
PM; Contact Person: Elsa Talavera 358-8964
STATEWIDE COMMUNITY CALENDARCompiled by AMELIA CASAMINA CABATU
Amelia Casamina Cabatu is a community leader and a familiar face, often hosting community events and celebrations. She is a veteran radioannouncer and hosts the “FIL-AM COURIER COMMUNITY HOUR on 1270 KNDI Radio every 1st Sunday of the month. In addition to other affiliations,Amelia is the former Chair of the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii. She owns and operates an adult daycare businessand is happily married to Arnold Cabatu. They live in Salt Lake and are blessed with one daughter, Armay. Please send your event information [email protected] or call her at (808) 282-2033.
OAHU
KAUAI
APRIL 29, 2017
Kauai Philippine Cultural Center 6th Major
Fundraising Event Titled “Lets Show the
World”. 5:30 PM; Kauai Marriott Grand
Ballroom. Make checks payable to Kauai
Philippine Cultural Center. PO Box 1961
Lihue, Hawaii 96766 Contact Information on
the web: www.kauaiphilippinecultural
center.org or email: [email protected]
For
Advertising
information,
please call
595.8787
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 3
PUBLISHERMary Llanos Cordero
MANAGING EDITORBennette Espineli Misalucha
DIRECTOR OF DESIGNArmando Dela Cruz Busmente
PRODUCTION MANAGERAlice Llanos Busmente
ASSISTANT EDITORRadiant Cordero
COPY EDITORDanielle Evangelista
PHOTOGRAPHERS/GRAPHICSBrandon dela Cruz
Noah FelipeGabe de Liso
Jeff OrigJames Ramos
COLUMNISTSEdna Alikpala
Rhoda Yabez Alvarez, Esq.Jesse Bacon IINancy BernalCesar Bonilla
Alice Llanos BusmenteAmelia Casamina CabatuAnabel Gasmen Cabebe
Dr. Rickie CamaraDr. Patricia Halagao
Zeny MuyotAngie Santiago
Perfecto Yasay Jr.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERSConrad Abuel
Ric AgnesPaul Alimbuyao
Ria BaldeviaEriza Bareng
Marnelli Joy BasilioBernie CaalimRandy Cortez
Radiant CorderoMary Cruzada
Jaime de JesusBrandon dela Cruz
Christian EvangelistaImelda Gasmen
Veronika GeronimoLeo Gozar
Ben GutierrezKathleen Lee
Carmela MinayaGladys Quinto Marrone
Gladys MenorJohn PagaraganPaola Rodelas
Judy RelosimonSandra SagisiNicole VelascoJason UbayMichi Villaruz
NEIGHBOR ISLAND BUREAUMaui
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Big IslandMil Asuncion
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KauaiVirgie CruzadaLiza Trinidad
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ADVERTISING SALESMarivic AldayaMary Cordero
Annabel CabebeFlorence Tan McCollom
Lydia KamiyaJoni Redick-Yundt
Rudy BautistaMarynel Valenzuela
CIRCULATIONFlorence Tan (Oahu)
Ron Oshiro (Leeward Oahu)David Cordero (Maui)
Marynel Valenzuela (Kauai)Milli Asuncion (Big Island)
LEGAL COUNSELAlfredo Evangelista, Esq.
Atty. Ernesto Urbano (Phils.)
All rights reserved printed in the u.s.a ©
HFAMC
Hawaii Filipino American Media CouncilFFAMAS
Federation of Filipino American Media Associationsof the United States and Canada
M E M B E R
Telephone: 808.595.8787Facsimile: 808.595.6883E-Mail: [email protected]
www.filamcourier.net
THE FIL-AM COURIERis published twice a month by
OAHU RELOCATION SERVICESlocated at 2221 Liliha St.Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Opinions expressed by the columnists are their ownand do not necessarily reflect those of the Fil-AmCourier. Publisher reserves the right to edit lettersto the editor and other material submitted. Repro-duction of material and ads appearing in the Fil-Amcourier is forbidden without written permission. Allphotos submitted become the property of the Fil-Am Courier.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1987
Parenting forSuccess
By BENNETTE ESPINELIMISALUCHA
The conversation was triggered
by the experience of a friend’s
daughter who had recently graduated
from a good university on the
Mainland. Armed with this firm belief
(planted by the parents with good
intentions of course) —that she was
special, she moved to a city where
she thought it would be easy to find a
job. After writing her 200th resume
without even a job offer, she went
through some soul searching and
tough times. She expected sunny
skies as painted to her by her parents
but when it did not happen,
disillusionment set in. The story
eventually did have a happy ending
(i.e. the daughter finally found a job,
earning minimum wage) and my
friends and I dissected how parents
shape their children’s world view
about learning, about life, its realities
and challenges.
So if the parents’ role in life is to
prepare your child to eventually stand
on their own two feet, does one imbue
them with this unshakeable belief that
they are destined to greatness so they
plow through disappointments? Or
should we tell them to brace
themselves for the bumps that are
certain to come?
disappointment, so in athletics and in
other “competitive” events, we gave
each of the participants a trophy. We
told our children they were special
and that they could do anything, (yes,
anything!) and they promptly believed
us.
And boy, were we involved in our
children’s schoolwork! I remember
staying up all night supporting my son
Christian as he scrambled to finish
his science project. I did not go to
bed until he was finally done. Or how
a bad grade would elicit a phone call
to my daughter Danielle’s teacher
asking to meet— to discuss how this
could be prevented in the future.
How many of you left work to go
back home because your child forgot
his homework on the kitchen table? I
raise my hand as I aided and abetted
my two children while they were in
elementary or high school.My parents
would never have done that for us.
My oh my, I now see the folly of
my ways.
I was reminded of my background
recently when I had a conversation
with some dear friends on how
parenting styles have shifted during
our time.
My mom taught my siblings how
to read, but that was the full extent of
her participation in our schoolwork.
Don’t get me wrong—she was a loving
parent and as a school teacher, she
could have done more to tutor us, her
children, on the subjects we struggled
with.
But both my parents developed
a hands-off approach to our schooling
and left us to sort through our failures.
Doing our homework was a given, and
when we did not do them, we learned
to deal with the consequences of our
actions. I was not coddled or told that
I was exceptional. On the contrary,
my parents gave us space to fail. They
did not panic. They had faith that we
would somehow figure it out and
eventually succeed. True to form, I
initially struggled. But over time, I
learned coping mechanisms and I did
figure things out. I graduated
salutatorian of my graduating class
and all of the siblings after me
graduated with honors.
The one thing that my parents
did teach me to dream. They planted
the notion in my head that I can aspire
to greatness and that if I work hard, I
can achieve my goals. My Papa, who
was ahead of his time, particularly
embedded the conviction that I, a girl,
am equal to any task that a boy can
do. It was a principle I took to heart
and served me well as I navigated my
career in male-dominated fields.
When I became a parent at 26,
the parenting styles had evolved. In
the 80’s, an involved parent was the
ideal figure, and from amongst the
fellow parents of my generation, we
strived to demonstrate that loving our
children meant being in their lives
constantly.
I believe the term they now use
to describe us, is “helicopter parent”.
Okay, I confess I was the classic
textbook definition of one.
The prevailing thought then was
that our children have to be somehow
“managed.” They needed to have
structure in their lives. We filled their
days with piano lessons, dance,
soccer and a long list of activities.
We wanted to shield our children from
And what is the best approach to
learning? I ask myself, in hindsight,
what is the balance we need to seek—
knowing full well that the appropriate
answer lies between the extreme
hands-off approach of my parents’
generation and the extreme hands-on
parenting style of baby boomers like
me?
How much dose of reality can
we share with our dear children?
While we do not want them to live life
as if they have their heads up in the
clouds, we also do not want them to
walk around, totally bitter or negative
on life.
It is a complex issue that I am
still trying to think about. As a parent,
I have to admit I do not have all the
answers. My own children have now
grown. They are not perfect but they
are both comfortable in their own skin.
Love prevailed. We have remained
close. They have survived my
parenting.
Fortunately, there are other
things in life that we are certain about.
The fact about how one’s culture can
enhance and deepen the educational
experience is one.
Our cover story this issue is
about a group of Filipino-American
educators at the University of
Hawaii’s College of Education,who
are moving forward with their
initiatives. Called Tinalak, the group
seeks to “envision, inspire, and
weave together Hawai»i’s new
generation of teachers through the
recruitment and support of Filipinos
in the education profession.”
This is our first Education Issue
cover story, and it is one that we hope
to do on a yearly basis. We will also
soon be launching a monthly education
issues column, which will be written
by the members of Tinalak. Look for
it in future issues.
Education feeds the mind. But
Education and Culture feeds the soul.
We wish Tinalak success in its
efforts. We look forward to seeing
tangible results in the near future.
They survived my parenting during their schooldays: Danielle and ChristianEvangelista with Christian's girlfriend, Carolyn Dunlea.
PAGE 4 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
ABOUT OUR COVER
Our cover photo features the
members of Tinalak, the Filipino
Education Advisory Council at the
University of Hawaii Manoa's
College of Education.
First Row: Chantelle Awana,
Shannon Cristobal, Dr. Virgie
Chattergy, Dr. Niki Libarios; Second
Row: Teresa Hodges, Debra
Arellano, Jennifer Padua, Dr.
Rosela Balinbin Santos, Dr. Patricia
Halagao; Third Row: Raju DeSai,
Rachel Quinajon, Amy Sojot, Ivee
Cruz, Dr. Hannah Tavares, Dr.
Robert Bachini
Photo credit: Brandon Dela Cruz,
Marketing Director for L&L
Franchises.
Cover concept by Noah Felipe of
Orig Media. Mahalo to Jeff Orig.
Both Noah and Jeff can be reached
at www.Origmedia.com or at (808)
447 9559.
Dr. HANNAH TAVARES
language courses(Fall 2012 topresent)
• Awarded five Filipino COEstudents $200 each to pay forPRAXIS tests via funding from aDiversity and Equity InitiativeAward from the UHM Office ofStudent Equity, Excellence, andDiversity (Spring 2013)
• Co-taught ITE 360 Introductionto Multicultural Education withFilipino Focus (Fall 2013)
• Filipino American Book &Curriculum Fair (Oct 29, 2013;Oct11, 2016)
• Fil-Am Courier articles by eachTinalak Advisory Councilmember on issues related toFilipinos in education (Dec 2013to present)
• UH System PamantasanConference Presentation on“Filipinos in Hawai‘i Public
produce more Filipino educatorsin Hawaii.
2. To provide professionaldevelopment for pre-service andin-service teachers inunderstanding and working withFilipino students.
3. To increase the number ofFilipino faculty in the COE.
Accomplishments Fall 2012to Fall 2016:
• Planning meetings to establishTinalak and Tinalak activities(Fall 2012)
• Targeted recruitment at highpercentage Filipino communitycolleges/high schools, includingWaipahu High School,Farrington High School,Campbell High School, the UHcommunity colleges, as well asin the UHM Ilokano and Filipino
society,” the Filipino EducationAdvisory Council was established inthe COE in Fall 2012.
This council is named afterTinalak, the hand-woven natural clothdesigned from the dreams of theindigenous T´boli people of thePhilippines. Symbolizing “dreamweavers”, the charge of Tinalak is toenvision, inspire, and weave togetherHawaii’s new generation of educatorsthrough the recruitment and supportof Filipinos in the education field.
The Tinalak council is comprised oftenured COE instructional andstudent services faculty, COEFilipino doctoral students, and theDirector of the Office of StudentEquity, Excellence, and Diversity.They serve in advisory roles to theCOE Dean. The goals of Tinalak arethree-fold:
1. To recruit, retain, and graduateFilipino students (Tinalakscholars) from the COE to
Overview:At 25.1%, Filipinos represent a
signification portion of Hawaii’spopulation, making it the secondlargest ethnic group in Hawai‘i.Similarly, Filipinos are the secondlargest student group in the Hawai‘iDepartment of Education publicschools (DOE) representing 22.4%of the student population at the K-12level.
However, Filipino teachers onlymake up 6% of the DOE teachingprofession and Filipino studentsrepresent only 8.2% of the populationin University of Hawai‘i College ofEducation (COE), the primaryproducer of teachers in the DOE.Furthermore, Filipinos represent only3.1% of the faculty in the COE. Insum, Filipino DOE teachers, FilipinoCOE students, and Filipino COEfaculty are severely underrepresentedand do not reflect the community itserves.
In accord with the COE’s missionto “prepare professionals to contributeto a just, diverse, and democratic
By:
DR. RAJU DE SAI&
The UH College of Education operates from two main buildings, Wist and Everly Halls. University of Hawaii At Manoa.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 5
Higher Education” and“Education for College, Career,and Community” (Mar 21, 2014)
• 2014 Filipino American NationalHistorical Society Conferencepresentation on “Filipinos inHawai‘i Public Education:Challenges and Opportunities atthe K-12 through HigherEducation Levels” San Diego,CA (July 29, 2014)
• Fresh of the Boat Filipino CanoeFundraiser (Oct 12, 2014)
• Established COE TinalakFoundations Account with initialfunding donated by tenuredTinalak Council members (Feb2015)
• Created Tinalak logo depictingHawaii and the Tinalak wovencloth (March 2015)
• Center for Philippines Studies40th Anniversary in 2015conference presentation titled“Woven Dreams: A PanelDiscussion from the College ofEducation, University of Hawai’iat Mânoa” (April 4, 2015)
• Awarded fourteen $140 PRAXIStest stipends to Filipino LeewardCommunity College studentswho intend to transfer to the UHManoa College of Education andbecome teachers. Thesescholarships were funded froma Diversity and Equity InitiativeAward from the UHM Office of
Student Equity, Excellence, andDiversity (Spring 2016)
• Increased Tinalak membershipto fifteen members and created aListserve mailing list for Tinalakmembers (July 2016)
• Created a Facebook page forTinalak events and otherinformation (Aug 2016)
• Special Message from GovernorDavid Y. Ige Presented to theTinalak Filipino EducationAdvisory Council recognizingthe Filipino American BookCurriculum Fair (October 11,2016)
2017 New and On-goingProjects:
• Awarded fourteen $140 PRAXIStest stipends.
• Educational PerspectivesJournal of the UH Manoa Collegeof Education special themedissue on Filipinos and educationauthored by Tinalak Councilmembers
• Philippines Study AbroadInitiative
• Monthly Fil-Am Courier articlesby each Tinalak AdvisoryCouncil member
impact on the health, education, andwelfare of children and youth.
FilGrad – Filipino GraduationRecognition Ceremony
We are pleased to announce thatthe first ever UH Manoa FilGrad
Filipino Graduation Recognition
Ceremony that will take place May2017. The purposes of FilGrad are to
promote the matriculation of UH
Manoa Filipino students at theuniversity; to encourage current non-
graduating Filipino students to
succeed in higher education; and toemphasize the importance of
collective efforts in helping students
to graduate.FilGrad is significant because
Filipino students are severely under-
represented in higher education.Filipinos comprise 25.1% of the
population in Hawai’i and are the
second largest ethnic group inHawai’i. However, Filipino students
are only 10.6% of undergraduate
students and 4.2% of graduatestudents at UH Manoa and thus are
underrepresented at the university
level in relation to the population inHawai’i.
Filipino commencement
ceremonies on the continental U.S.(particularly in California) attest to
their value, impact, and success in
supporting the matriculation of Filipinocollege students. They exemplify the
importance in collective efforts
(community and institutional) atsupporting Filipino student
matriculation. Related to the direct
impact it has on the graduates,FilGrad has a broader significance to
their families and communities by
publicly recognizing the graduates’educational success.
In the context of UH Manoa, it
will counter a pervasive anddetrimental narrative in our
communities that Filipino students are
unprepared, uninterested, ill-suited,or lack the skills and supports to
succeed. Thus, we hope to initiate at
UH Manoa a tradition of recognizingFilipino educational success.
Any U.H. Manoa student,undergraduate or graduate, that is
planning to graduate in either Spring
or Summer 2017 is eligible to apply.Please complete the application form
at https://goo.gl/forms/xecZYJmjE
MN6EWDj2
Tinalak Statement in Regardsto Current Administration
The Filipino Education Advisory
Council stands in solidarity withstudents and communities that are the
most vulnerable under the current
administration. The students weserve, and we ourselves, include
Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Asian,
Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, White,Immigrant, Muslim, LGBTQ, persons
living with disabilities, and more .
Tinalak’s mission valuesdiversity, equity, and inclusiveness,
and we renounce racism, bigotry, or
discrimination in any form. We willcontinue to support and defend
policies that increase opportunities
for our students and have a positive
• Establish COE TinalakScholarship
• Targeted recruitment at highpercentage Filipino communitycolleges/high schools and inUHM Philippine Languagecourses
• SEED Office Diversity InitiativeAward for PRAXISreimbursements for Filipino COEstudents
• Submitted workshop proposalWeaving Dreams as FilipinoEducational Praxis UH SystemPamantasan Conference to beheld March 17, 2017
• UH Manoa FilGrad (Filipinograduation recognitionceremony) to be held May 2017
PAGE 6 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
parents then decided to move nearerto our family in Aiea and Waipahu,and be exposed to more Filipinos.
De Sai :Being mixed heritage, Iguess I was always aware of ethnicity.I understood that I was Indian andFilipino but couldn’t alwaysdistinguish who I was since my entiremom’s side is Indipino and I noticed adistinct difference between our cultureon that side of the family than theculture of my father and his family inIndia. I think it was always a positiveexperience for me though—at least inmy home and in the Excelsior wherethere were a lot of Filipinos. It wasn’tuntil later, when I got older that Istarted having more negativeexperiences.
3) If you were not aware of your ethnicidentity as a child, when did you firsthave that awakening? Please sharedetails.
Libarios: Up through high school,I didn’t feel a full sense pride of beingFilipino. I was affected by thenegative stereotypes of Filipinos andhid behind saying that I was partSpanish or part Chinese because ofmy slanted eyes.
4) To what extent did your homeenvironment shape your culturalidentity? Did your parents raise youwith Filipino values? Or were youraised as an “American”?
Libarios: Yes, I grew up beingvery aware of Filipino customs, thefood, I was brought up in the Catholicchurch, and I knew bits and pieces of
2) As a child, were you aware of yourethnic identity? Was it a positive ornegative experience? Please sharestories to support this perspective.
Libarios: As a young child, no!In fact, my Dad, Ernie Libarios, oftenreminds me of a story that was a wakeup moment for him. I grew up inHawaii Kai until I was about sevenyears old and there were very fewFilipinos living in that area, if any, atthat time. One day, my dad and mom(the late Shirley Libarios) took me toa parade in Waipahu where I saw aPortuguese looking lady speaking toa Filipino person and innocently said,“That lady is so brave talking toFilipinos.” My dad recalls saying tomy mom, “My God, that boy doesn’tknow his heritage!” Taken aback, my
raised in the Excelsior District of SanFrancisco, California. I have been inHawai’i since August 2013 when I firstentered the PhD program inEducation at UH Mânoa. I am currentlya doctoral student in CurriculumStudies, a graduate assistant in thedepartment of Special Education, anda lecturer in the Filipino program. Ihave been a member of Tinalak sinceI started at UH. As a member ofTinalak, I coordinated the first andsecond Filipino American Book &Curriculum Fair, co-taught the ITE 360Filipino focused MulticulturalEducation class (Fall 2013),presented at conferences, writtenarticles, and am currently organizingthe first FilGrad (Filipino graduationrecognition ceremony) at UH Mânoa.
By BENNETTE ESPINELI MISALUCHA
Exploring RaceIdentity Issues
sets of my grandparents came fromthe Philippines to work on the sugarcane plantation of Kohala, Big Island.Undereducated only up to the 3rd gradelevel at most, it is on the plantationwhere they met their spouses andcommitted to working hard, so thatthey can provide an education andimproved way of life for their children.
I am currently the Director ofStudent Services for the Universityof Hawaii at Manoa (UH Manoa),College of Education. I am theadministrator of an office thatoversees the admissions, recruitment,advising, retention, and graduation forthe College of Education.
De Sai: I am a second-generationIndipino American (the child ofimmigrants from Mumbai, India andManila, Philippines). I was born and
There is a level of engagementthat permeates those involved inTinalak. They seem genuinelyinterested in the outcomes. Perhaps,it the spirit of collegiality that seemsto exist. It's always interesting touncover what fuels the passion ofthose who have committed to bringmuch needed changes to the statusquo.
In the case of the Tinalak group,we wanted to know more about whatfuels the passion of those who havecommitted to bring much neededchanges to the way we educate ourFilipino community. What values dothey share with the constituency theyserve? What challenges did theyovercome before they arrived at theplace where they could theneffectively teach and influence thenext generation?
Here are the personal insightsfrom members, Dr. Niki Libarios andDr. Raju DeSai and an essay from Dr.Patricia Halagao.
1. First, please share some personalcontext — i.e. first generation orsecond generation, born in Hawaii?raised elsewhere, etc. and whereparents are from. Then, please stateyour position in the department anddescribe your duties.
Libarios: I am a third generationFilipino who was born and raised inHawaii. A local boy, I am half Visayanand half Ilocano. My father’s side ofmy family is from Bohol and mymother’s side is from Ilocos Sur. Both
Dr. Niki Libarios Dr. Raju DeSai
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 7
the Ilocano and Visayan dialects,especially when I got scolding by mygrandparents! I enjoyed our familyparties, particularly when it was anall day event where we wouldslaughter and roast the lechon. Atmy paternal grandparents house, weperformed the rosary daily, but Ialways felt spooked by the hologramlike picture of Jesus who followed mewith his eyes throughout the livingroom! In all, as a youngster I grew upbeing Filipino, but just didn’t outwardlyshare it with others, especially myschool friends.
De Sai: I think I was raised withmany different values that all blendedtogether—Filipino, Indian, American.I think the biggest thing was that I wasraised to think critically about race,class, and gender. My mom,grandmother, and tita instilled theimportance of not judging someonebecause of their identity in me froman early age.
5) What is the story of your culturaltransformation? Was it a gradualchange? Or was there a dramaticturning point?
Libarios: It wasn’t until collegewhere I began to learn about and feltpride in my Filipino identity. At thattime, I met other Filipino collegestudents and began to get involvedwith Filipino clubs and organizations,such as Susi Ng Pilipinas (LeewardCC Filipino Club), Sariling Gawa(Filipino youth organization), and feltsupported through various programsoffered by Operation Manong at UHManoa. I even joined a professionalFilipino dance troupe calledHimigbayan! Now, with my wife Laurie,we encourage our daughters (Joy andFaith) to embrace and grow in theirF i l i p i n o - O k i n a w a n - J a p a n e s eidentities.
De Sai: I think there were manyevents and experiences that affectedmy cultural transformation. I think oneof the biggest events was my first tripto the Philippines with my tita when Iwas fourteen. That was the time whenall the black and white and faded colorphotographs in our family albumscame to life and I was able to meetrelatives I had only heard about instories. That trip really inspired me toimprove my Tagalog and to really learnmore about the Philippines.
6) Who do you consider as your(Filipino/a) role models— people whohave influenced you and who youhave become?
Libarios: My most influentialFilipino role models have been myparents and grandparents. It tookmaturing though, for me to completelyunderstand all the love and sacrifice
they have made for their children andgrandchildren. Among the things Iappreciate the most about them is thatthey emphasized the importance of acollege education. More so, the workthat my parents have done to helpFilipinos and other underrepresented/at-risk students over their careers ineducation greatly shaped who I’vebecome and my career path. OtherFilipinos who have influenced me areDr. Amy Agbayani and Dr. VirgieChattergy. I’m also impacted by myFilipino-Samoan “twin brother”, LeonFlorendo, and my work at UH Manoathrough Tinalak.
De Sai: I have had many rolemodels—all of whom are strongwomen. In my family, there was motherwho is my first teacher, mygrandmother who was my firstTagalog teacher, my Tita Lin who wasthe one who first brought me to thePhilippines and taught me all aboutFilipino cuisine. Academically, thereis Ate Allyson Tintiango-Cubales fromSan Francisco State who not onlyhelped me feel more comfortable inother Filipino spaces as an Indipino,but who also got me into teachingFilipino American Studies at the highschool my cousins went to. As aneducator, she was the one teacher whoalways made sure to let me know thatshe saw me even though I was thestudent that never wanted to be seen.She more than anyone, has probablyshaped the educator that I am today.
7) What is your advice to youngpeople who are searching for theiridentity?
Libarios: I’d like to encourageyoung Filipinos to embrace theiridentity through the realization that weFilipinos have a lot to be proud of andthat our Filipino culture is woven intothe very fabric of what it means to be“local” in Hawaii today. For example,not too long ago, people used to teaseus about the kind of food we eat. Butlook now at Pearlridge Center Foodcourt and who has by the longest lines.It’s Bautista’s Filipino Kitchen!
De Sai: Don’t let anyone tell youwho you are or who you aren’t. A lotof times, people like to quantify orcompare identity based on some falsenotion of what a “real” Filipino is orisn’t. If you don’t speak Filipino,Ilokano, Tagalog, Bisaya, etc. thatdoesn’t make you any less Filipinothan anyone else.
8) As an educator, do you see a trendof our young Filipinos seeking toembrace that identity? Have you seena change over the period of time?
Libarios: Yes, I’ve definitely seena greater number of Filipinosembracing their Filipino identity.
Growing up, I didn’t want to be Brown. I wanted to be
White. I was born in the Philippines, but moved to the United States
when I was six weeks old. I was a first generation immigrant raised in a
largely White community in the Midwest and I felt contradictions on a
daily basis.
As a child of two Filipino physicians, I belonged to a privileged
socio economic class, but I never felt like I fit in. Though my family
practiced Filipino culture and traditions at home and my mother was one
of my greatest role models, I always downplayed being Filipino in school.
I was ashamed of my parents’ Filipino accents and speaking Tagalog.
Stereotypes and discriminatory experiences like being told, “to go back
home where I came from” further dug away at my ethnic pride and
confidence.
My life turned around when we moved to Stockton, California,
where we were surrounded by ethnic diversity. But I later realized as an
elementary teacher in an inner-city public school in Oakland that diversity
didn’t matter without equity and justice. I saw inequities all around my
largely Latino, Vietnamese, and Cambodian students - the same kind of
cultural denigration I faced, but more systemic. For example, my school
was 95% African American, yet if you had a “foreign sounding last name”
you were funneled into my English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) class,
without English proficiency testing. Therefore, I made it a point to integrate
their home languages and cultural backgrounds into the curriculum to
counter Eurocentric and western dominance.
I pursued my Ph.D. in multicultural education at the University
of Washington to further my understanding of how to challenge these
kinds of inequities in our schools and simultaneously explored my own
ethnic identity. I enrolled in a Filipino American studies course taught by
Drs. Fred and Dorothy Cordova, where it was the first time I learned
about myself as Filipino American. Through an oral history project, I
discovered that my great granduncle, Dr. Macario Bautista was the first
Filipino doctor in Central Valley California and a farm labor leader. His
life of struggle, perseverance, and activism rooted me in my Filipino
American identity and gave purpose to my educational work.
As a result of learning about my own ethnic background, I’ve
made teaching and researching about Filipino history, culture, and
education the center of my work: a multicultural curriculum entitled Pinoy
Teach, the Smithsonian’s iJeepney, and the Filipino American Education
Institute.
Today, I am a professor at the University of Hawai»i at Mânoa’s
College of Education. I am passionate about promoting education that
fosters a strong sense of self-identity, an inclusive education that values
all cultures and languages, and a quality education for all children.My
work is even more personal now being a mom of two young children. I try
to impart in them what I advise to all young people: be proud of who you
are, excel at school, and always give back to the community.
ON BEINGBROWN
By PATRICIA ESPIRITU HALAGAO
That’s something positive to build on.What’s helping this greatly is thatthere are more and more “visible”Filipino role models in our community.We see these folks in areas such asbusiness, politics, education,medicine, law, engineering, etc….These individuals should behighlighted as an important statementfor our people and the progress wehave made.
De Sai: Since I have mostlytaught Ethnic Studies, I am used tomost of my students beginning toreally embrace their identity as theylearn more and more about ethnicstudies and their own heritage.
9) What do we as a community needto do to change or improve the statusquo?
Libarios: We need to promote theimportance of a college educationamong our Filipino youth and improveour Filipino public higher educationattendance rates, particularly at UHManoa. Higher education is key ameans for social mobility and animportant measure of aneconomically thriving community.With Filipinos now being the secondlargest ethnic group in our state, all ofHawaii would benefit through a greaterhigher education achievement amongFilipinos.
De Sai: I think our communityneeds to come together more andreally work together. We need to movebeyond some of the divisions thatstem from the Philippines in order tocollectively address some of theissues that affect us all as Filipinas/os here in Hawai»i and in the rest ofthe US. I think we need to create morespaces and opportunities where wecan come together and have realdialogue with one another where wetruly listen to each other’s ideas,struggles, needs, and dreams.
10. What do you find most fulfilling inyour job?
Libarios: The most fulfilling partof my job is knowing that I am makinga positive impact on others, whetherit be students or colleagues. It’s alsorewarding to know that I can be seenas a positive role model. And like myparents and grandparents before me,I am pleased knowing that I’msacrificing and working hard, so thatmy children can aspire to be whateverthey want to be.
De Sai: I love working with youngpeople because they give me hopeand keep me young. I may not changethe world, but I hope to help createthat spark in the mind of the personthat does.
PAGE 8 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
Tinalak Roster & Bios
DR. PATRICIA ESPIRITU
HALAGAO(Tinalak Co-Founder)
Associate Professor,
Department of CurriculumStudies, College of Education,
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Patricia Espiritu Halagaois an Associate Professor in
the College of Education at the
University of Hawai’i at Manoa.A former elementary teacher,
her scholarship now focuses
on Filipinos in K-12 education,culturally responsive
pedagogy and policy. She
served on the Hawai’i StateBoard of Education (2013–
2016) and led the adoption of
two linguistic policies: the Sealof Biliteracy and
Multilingualism for Equitable
Education.
DR. NIKI LIBARIOS
(Tinalak Co-Founder)
Director, Office of StudentAcademic Services, College
of Education, University of
Hawai’i at ManoaNiki Libarios is the Director of
the Office of Student Academic
Services in the College ofEducation at the University of
Hawai‘i at Manoa. A former
academic advisor, communitycollege counselor, and
elementary school teacher,
Niki’s research interestcenters on Filipinos in higher
education with a focus on
recruitment, persistence, andtransfer. Niki earned a PhD in
Education with a
Specialization in EducationalAdministration, MS in
Counseling Psychology, BEd
in Elementary Education, andAA in Liberal Arts.
DR. HANNAH TAVARES
(Tinalak Co-Chair)
Associate Professor,Department of Educational
Foundations, College of
Education, University ofHawai’i at Manoa
Hannah received her
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) atthe University of Wisconsin-
Madison in Educational Policy
and Curriculum Studies. Bornon Oahu, she attended
Waimanalo Elementary, Fern
Elementary, and KalakauaIntermediate Schools. She
teaches and studies
multicultural education,feminist theory, politics of
education, philosophies of race
and ethnicity, and visualculture.
DR. ROBERT BACHINI
(Tinalak Co-Chair)
Director of UndergraduatePrograms, Shidler College of
Business, University of
Hawaii at ManoaRobert is a first
generation college student. His
father is from Camiling, Tarlacand immigrated to California at
the age of 18. He previously
served as a Vice Principal,Counselor, and Basketball
Coach in the Windward School
District.Earned a Ph.D. in
Education Administration at
UH Manoa; a M.S. inCounseling at Cal State Los
Angeles; and a B.A. in
Psychology from ChaminadeUniversity. His research
interests include the retention
and persistence ofunderrepresented students.
AMY SOJOT
Graduate Assistant | Education
Doctorate in ProfessionalEducational Practice
Ph.D Student | Educational
FoundationsAmy Sojot was born on
Oahu and is a PhD student in
Educational Foundations. Herresearch examines the
intersections of art, policy, and
education theory. Amy’spresent focus considers
sensations of learning as a
means to examinecontemporary educational
assumptions.
SHANNON CRISTOBAL
Ph.D. Student | Educational
FoundationsGraduate Assistant | Office of
Research Services
University of Hawai’i at ManoaDoctoral Student in Education;
M.A. American Studies, UH
Manoa; B.A. English fromUniversity of Hawaii-West
Oahu.
Born and raised on Oahu-Kalihi. Research interests
include Filipino American
identity, representation,feminist theory, foodways
studies, material cultural &
museum studies. Aside fromher academic pursuits she
also coaches Cross-Country &
Track & Field at Mid PacificInstitute.
JENNIFER PADUAInstructor & Cohort
Coordinator, Institute of
Teacher Education,Elementary
Jennifer Padua is an
Instructor and CohortCoordinator in the Institute of
Teacher Education,
Elementary Program in theCollege of Education at the
University of Hawai`i at Manoa.
She holds a Master's Degreein Curriculum Studies and is
currently a Doctoral
Candidate. Born on the islandof Oahu, her professional
experiences include working
as a classroom, Title I, andcomplex resource teacher,
mentoring pre-service
teachers, and providingprofessional development for
in-service teachers in Hawai`i
and the US Affiliated PacificIslands.
DR. ROSELA BALINBIN
SANTOS
Assistant Professor of SocialStudies & Cohort Coordinator,
Institute for Teacher
Education, ElementaryRosela Balinbin Santos is
an Assistant Professor and
cohort coordinator workingwith teacher candidates
pursuing a Bachelor’s degree
in the elementary educationlicensure program. Born and
raised on the Island of Maui,
Rosela, a former elementaryteacher, earned her Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) in
Educational Foundations andMaster’s of Education in
Teaching specializing in K-6
Elementary Education at theUniversity of Hawai?i at Manoa.
She also received her
Bachelor?s of Arts inCommunication Arts with an
emphasis in Mass Media
Studies from the University ofSan Francisco. In addition to
her academic accom-
plishments, Rosela is an avidoutrigger paddler, competing in
races across Hawai’i and
internationally
IVEE CRUZ
College & Career Counselor,Global Leadership Instructor
University Laboratory School
Ph.D. Student in Education -Curriculum and Instruction
Ivee Cruz was born in
Marikina, Philippines withfamily roots from Mindanao and
Luzon. She is currently a
Doctoral Student in Educationat the University of Hawai’i at
Manoa. Ivee has a M.A. in
International Education
ELENA CLARIZA
Philippine Studies Librarian,
University of Hawai’i at ManoaElena Clariza grew up in
the Philippines where she
found her passion for socialjustice and the environment.
She is a lifelong Philippine
Studies scholar and currentlythe Philippine Studies
Librarian at the University of
Hawai’i at Manoa (UHM). Shewas engaged in community
organizing for immigrant rights
and environmental justice inCalifornia before coming to
Hawai’i to learn about non-
violence education and organicfarming. Elena has an
educational background in
Biology and EnvironmentalStudies (B.A.), Asian Studies
(M.A.) and Library and
Information Science (MLISc).
TERESA HODGES
Lecturer | Ethnic Studies
Graduate Assistant | Women’sStudies
Affiliate-TA | Center for
Teaching ExcellencePh.D. Student | Educational
Foundations
--University of Hawai’i atManoa
Teresa is a Black/Native
American/Filipina fromOxnard, California, having
roots in Negros and Cebu,
Philippines and the Southernregion of the United States.
She received her M.A. in Asian
American Studies (SanFrancisco State University)
and her B.A. in Ethnic Studies
(UC San Diego) and centersher work around Black
Americans, Filipina/o
Americans, and mixed Blackand Asians (blasians).
RAJU DESAI
Instructor | Indo-Pacific
Languages & Literature(Filipino Program)
Graduate Assistant | Special
Education DepartmentPh.D. Student | Curriculum and
Instruction
Lecturer | Philippine Studies,City College of San Francisco
Raju Desai is an Indipino
born and raised in SanFrancisco, CA. He is currently
a doctoral student in the
College of Education at theUniversity of Hawai’i at Manoa.
Development from TeachersCollege, Columbia University
and a B.A. Global &
International Studies andSociology from University of
California at Santa Barbara.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 9
DEBRA ARELLANOPh.D. Student | Educational
Foundations
Graduate Assistant |Educational Foundations
B.A. Political Science & Ethnic
Studies, UH Manoa; M.A.Public Anthropology, American
University
Born and raised on Maui.Instructed and advised first
generation and Filipino high
school and college youth at UHMaui College. Interests include
Ilokano studies, Ilokano/a
identity and consciousness,critical race feminism, and
Filipino/a-American studies.
He received his M.A. and B.A.in Asian American Studies
from San Francisco State
University and has over 8years of experience teaching
Ethnic Studies and Philippine
Studies from grades 6 throughcollege. His research interests
include Philippine/Filipina/o
American Studies, EthnicStudies, Youth Participatory
Action Research, Critical
Pedagogy, Critical Mixed RaceStudies, and Filipino
Language.
CHANTELLE AWANA
Instructor, Special Education
DepartmentChantelle de Jesus
Awana is an Instructor with the
College of Education, SpecialEducation Department at the
University of Hawai`i at Manoa.
She holds a Master's Degreein Special Education from the
University of Hawai`i at Manoa.
Her experience in educationincludes years of service to the
Department of Education as an
inclusion coach, resourceteacher, and as a classroom
teacher. Chantelle's parents,
David and Tess deJesus,migrated to Hawai`i from the
Philippines at a very young
age and are active in theFilipino community.
DR. NICOLE ALIA SALIS
REYESAssistant Professor,
Educational AdministrationNicole Alia Salis Reyes
is an Assistant Professor of
Higher Education in theDepartment of Educational
Administration in the College
of Education at the University
of Hawai’i at Manoa. Herresearch broadly considers
how communities of color,
especially Indigenous peoples,define postsecondary success
for themselves and how
institutions of higher educationcan better serve students in
pursuit of these forms of
success. Her previous workexperiences have been in
college academic and peer
advising, cultural communitycenter programming,
admissions, and residential
life.
DR. LORIE TONGCO
BALDOSGraduate Assistant | Hawaii P-
20 Partnerships for Education
M.S. Student | EducationalPsycholgy
Lorie is a scientist and
educator with a passion for theenvironment and connecting
children with nature. She is
currently pursuing a mastersdegree in educational
psychology and is connected
with Scholaris Learning andDevelopment Center, a
preschool and homeschool
center in Palawan,Philippines, as its Curriculum
Development Head.
She holds a Ph.D. inBotany from the University of
Hawaii, and M.S. and B.S.
degrees in Biology from theUniversity of the Philippines.
RACHEL QUINAJON
Student Support | KOKUA
ProgramPh.D. Student | Educational
Administration in Higher
EducationGraduate Assistant | Ethnic
Studies
Rachel Quinajon is adoctoral student in the College
of Education at the University
of Hawai`i at Manoa. Rachelhas a M.S.W. from the Myron
B. Thompson School of Social
Work at the University ofHawai`i at Manoa and a B.A.
in both Psychology and
Philosophy from the Universityof Hawai`i at Hilo. She works
in Student Affairs at the
KOKUA Program, whichprovides accommodations for
students with disabilities. Her
research interests includeFilipinxs in higher education,
gender violence, and Title IX.
DR. JEFFREY TANGONANACIDO
Lecturer, Ilokano Language and
Literature Program-UHMPh.D. in Education, MA in
Theology. Research interests
in Nakem Pedagogy andCommunity LIberatory Praxis
DR. JEFF MONIZ
Vice Chancellor & ProfessorAcademic Affairs, University of
Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu
Jeffrey Moniz is the ViceChancellor for Academic
Affairs at the University of
Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu. Aformer schoolteacher and,
later, professor of education at
the University of Hawai‘i atManoa, he is now the chief
academic officer at UH West
O‘ahu. Jeff earned a Bachelorof Arts in history and a Master
of Arts in Teaching from Beloit
College in Wisconsin. He alsoearned Master of Arts and
Doctor of Philosophy degrees
in education from theUniversity of California, Santa
Barbara. He has taught andwritten about matters of race,
ethnicity and culture and
espouses a pedagogygrounded in multiplicity. Born
and raised on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i,
he savors life on his home
island with his wife and twosons.
GERI SALVADOR
Geri is the Secretary tothe Director, College of
Education, Office of Student
Academic Services,University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Born on Oahu and raised in
Kalihi, Geri Salvador is a firstgeneration Filipina college
student and is a proud graduate
of Farrington High School.Geri earned her AS in
Administration of Justice from
Honolulu Community Collegeand a BA in Public
Administration from UH West
Oahu. She is currently aMasters Candidate in the
Educational Administration
program at UH Manoa focusingher studies on the
underrepresentation of
Filipinos in post-secondaryeducation.
PAGE 10 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
By BRANDON ELEFANTECouncil Member
City and County of Honolulu
Brandon Elefante represents Honolulu
City Council District VIII, which covers
‘Aiea - Pearl City - Waipahu. He can be
reached at (808) 768-5008, and his email
discussing current issues that comebefore the Honolulu City Council.
Waipio Neighborhood ParkUpdate
In the Fiscal Year 2016 CapitalImprovement Program (CIP) budget,I requested funds to convert theexisting tennis courts at WaipioNeighborhood Park to basketball/pickleball/volleyball courts. Thecommunity had long requested this
work with a total of seven differentinterns, ranging from high school tocollege.
We welcome three interns fromAiea High School who arevolunteering their time in the officefor their third quarter of their junioryear. Our three interns are: KylieUrasaki, Annelle Martin-Ortega,and Eli Muse. They are right in themix of things by writing memos,evaluat ing legis lat ion, and
I am honored to continue toserve the communities of Aiea,Pearl City, and Waipahu as theirarea Councilmember in CouncilDistrict 8.
New InternsOne of the things I most enjoy
about being a Councilmember ismeeting new people. Whether it’sat a City park, a project at a schoolin my district, or at the City Councilmeetings, I always look forward tomeeting constituents and makingconnections. I am always inspiredby our students, our youth, and ournext generation of leaders. Since Itook office, I have been honored to
February HighlightsMayor Kirk Caldwell signed Bill 69, CD-1 (2015) to create a one day bus pass atthe Waipahu Transit Center. Councilmember Elefante, who introduced this bill,offered remarks and was joined by: (left to right in first row) Roger Morton,President of Oahu Transit Services (OTS); Jon Nouchi, Deputy Director of theDepartment of Transit Services (DTS) ; Mark Kikuchi, Acting Director of DTS, theMayor, and other employees of OTS and DTS.
Councilmember Elefante welcomes intern Eli Muse.
Councilmember Elefante welcomes interns Kylie Urasaki and Annelle Martin-Ortega.
conversion since the tennis courtswere underutilized after the openingof the tennis center at the nearbyPatsy T. Mink Central OahuRegional Park.
I am happy to announce thatafter working with the Departmentof Parks and Recreation and theDepartment of Design andConstruction to expedite this projectfor the community, it is going out tobid for construction in the first halfof this year. Soon, more people will
be able to play their favorite sportat the new courts of WaipioNeighborhood Park!
I look forward to cont inueworking with my col leagues,constituents, and community!
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 11
I hope you will join me inexpressing yourself: expressing your
support for medical aid in dying to your
lawmakers as they consider the HawaiiDeath with Dignity Act, and talking with
your family, early and often, about end-
of-life wishes.
By CHARMAINE MANANSALA
HOW WE DIE IN HAWAII –
Let’s Talk about ItWhether or not you or your loved
ones become terminally ill and might
ever need to consider a medical aid in
dying option, the Hawaii Death withDignity Act (SB1129) is making more
people aware of the full spectrum of
end of life options, while at the sametime expanding that range of options.
That’s good for everyone.
jurisdictions have authorized the
option, resulting in a combined 30
years of closely monitored practicewithout a single documented case of
abuse.
The most recent poll of Hawaiivoters in December 2016 shows a
supermajority 80 percent in favor of
the option across all demographics,including ethnicity, age, economic
status and religion.
This is especially relevant forFilipinos. While all of us have death in
our future, Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders contract seriousdiseases that have protracted dying
processes at a much higher rate than
other groups. The facts are sobering.Filipinos suffer disproportionately
from certain cancers, tuberculosis and
Hepatitis B.Our instinct may be to avoid
talking about death. I now know from
our family’s experience with my dad’spassing that not talking about death
exacerbates the horrible way we feel
as it begins its mission to steal ourloved ones. But talking about it
reduces death’s power to surprise,
disrupt and terrify.
The days leading to my dad’s
death were sad, confusing andchaotic. Adding to our grief was the
stress of poor family communication
brought on by lack of planning,indecision and our Filipino culture. We
just don’t talk about death before it
smacks us in the face.My father had not made his end-
of-life wishes known, and my mother
hadn’t pressed him. She wanted toinclude all family members in
decisions, but no one felt comfortable
offering an opinion. After dad’soncologist told us that “no other
treatment will help,” he died ten days
later.Sound familiar? This scenario
plays out in hospitals and homes
across the nation every day.Thankfully, right now in Hawaii,
there is a bill moving through the
legislature that would authorizemedical aid in dying for the Aloha
State. And it’s getting people talking
about this most important stage of life.
What is Medical Aid in Dying?
Filipinos in Hawaiioverwhelmingly support medical aid
in dying. This is the end-of-life medical
practice in which a terminally ill,mentally capable individual who has
a prognosis of six months or less to
live requests, obtains and—if his orher suffering becomes unbearable—
self-administers medication that
brings about a peaceful death.Here in Hawaii we have been
striving for access to medical aid in
dying for more than 20 years,beginning with Governor Ben
Cayetano’s Blue Ribbon Panel on
Living and Dying with Dignity in 1996.Since then, seven U.S. states and
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Charmaine Manansala is political
director for Compassion & Choices,the nation’s leading advocacy
organization working to improve care
and expand choice for the end of life.
Mary and Charmaine with House Speaker Souki
PAGE 12 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
By NANCY BERNAL
anniversary. This family-ownedbusiness lead by BJ Sabate has beenspecializing in women’s and men’sclothing with unique designs for threedecades and continues to create t-shirts, tank tops, hats and much more.Check out their Butigroove – HiLifeStore located at 1311 Kapiolani Blvd.,Honolulu and celebrate their success.
• • • •For now, That’s Entertainment!(If you would like to submit
entertainment information, pleasecontact Nancy Bernal at 947-5736 ore-mail her at [email protected])
11 a.m. til 2 p.m. There will be non-stop entertainment including a specialperformance by Hawaii’s fastestjuggler – Greg Gabaylo with AlWaterson as Emcee and activitiesfor all ages. Admission is free andopen to the public. Congratulationsto Jerri Chong (President) andCandace Asam-Lopez (Director ofDevelopment) on making The RonaldMcDonald House a “home away fromhome”.
• • • •Apaulo Music Productions
(Michael Paulo) presented anotherfantastic smooth jazz concert at TheHawaii Convention Center onFebruary 4 featuring Saxman - EugeGroove and Pianist – Tracy Carter.Michael Paulo joined them onstageas the headlining musicians had theaudience dancing in their seats duringthis high-energy show. It was amusical celebration!
• • • •
Synergy Show Systems, Inc.(Jarmil Maupin – Owner/Producer)presented the inaugural Stage ofStories concert featuring RaiateaHelm, Nathan Aweau and Halau NaMamo O Pu’uanahulu at The HawaiiConvention Center on January 29.This Hawaiian Concert was inspiringas it provided a beautiful andmemorable evening of music fromsome of Hawaii’s top entertainers.Watch for more concerts in theupcoming months from Synergy ShowSystems, Inc. and visitwww.synergyshowsystems.com formore information.
• • • •Maui Brewing Company opened
their newly renovated restaurant atThe Waikiki Beachcomber Resortlocated at 2300 Kalakaua Avenue inJanuary. It is a beautiful and spaciousvenue featuring live entertainmentseven nights a week. This is theirsecond location in Hawaii; the firstlocation is in Lahaina, Maui. Validatedparking is available at the valet area.
• • • •Congratulations to Butigroove
Clothing Store on their thirty year
Left to right: Candace Asam-Lopez, Al Waterson and JerriChong (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii)
Left to right: Jerel, Darah Dung (Model), Kyle and BJ Sabateat a Butigroove photo shoot
Raiatea Helm and Nathan Aweau
Left to right: Michael Paulo, Euge Groove and Tracy Carter
Greg Gabaylo
The Ronald McDonald HouseCharities of Hawaii is celebratingthirty years of service on Oahu tofamilies with seriously ill children.They will be presenting events
throughout the islands this year tobring awareness to the wonderfulassistance they offer to families inneed. Their kick-off event will be atKahala Mall on Monday, March 27 at
For Advertising information,
please call
595.8787
their partner was "the one," and lastly
- but importantly - tips for a healthy,
happy, and lasting relationship.
To close off the radio show,
Reverend Alex Vergara officiated the
vow renewal ceremony with Maggie
Domingo serving as the ninang, Sol
Solleza as the Flower Girl, and Espie
Badua, Mary Cordero, and Vanessa
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 13
I do, take twoHost Amelia Casamina Cabatu
orchestrated an exceptional
opportunity for Hermie and Letty
Tesoro, Larry and Jeniffer Ordonez,
Edgar and Elsa Talavera, and Gerhart
and Nancy Walch to express, again,
their commitment to one another.
Each couple was interviewed
about they met, their courtship and
engagement stories, how they knew
The Fil-Am Courier Community
Hour on KNDI February 2017 show
not only provided an intimate space
for not just one, nor two, but four
couples total to do just that on Sunday,
February 12, 2017 through the tri-
media outlets of radio, social media,
and print media.
Renewing wedding vows can be
a meaningful, touching, revivifying
ceremony. It is a time for a married
couple to pause and reflect on where
they have been and where they are
going and to redefine and fortify their
love for one another.
Wedding vow renewal
ceremonies can be as creative and
personal as you want them to be.
Kop as the Bridesmaids/Maid of
Honors.
The reaffirmation of vows at the
Fil-Am Courier Community Hour
brought together a celebration that
was not just monumental for the show,
newspaper, and radio station, but was
a unique and memorable moment for
the four couples who said, “I do,” take
two.
By RADIANT CORDERO
Host:Amelia Casamina Cabatu
Tech Staff:Charmaine PadillaRadiant Cordero
Couples are:Hermie & Letty TesoroLarry & Jeniffer Salazar OrdonezGerhart & Nancy WalchEdgar & Elsa Talavera
Officiating ReverendAlex Vergara
Ninang:Maggie Domingo
Bridesmaids/Maids of HonorMary CorderoVanessa KopEspie Badua
Flower girlSol Solleza
Special thanks to:Sunrise Leis & FlowerVal & Edith Doctolero
American Marketing Chair CoversPanga & Bing Torres
PAGE 14 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
SUPREME COURTASSOCIATE JUSTICE
MARIO RAMIL
a defining moment in his life.
Apparently, Mario was caught pilfering
a small item from the neighborhood
grocery store. His sister, Norma
recalled that she disciplined him, had
him return the item, apologize to the
store owner and made him sweep the
floor at the store. “I must have put the
fear of God in him, so much so that
after that incident, he said he could
not even bear to have an overdue
library book in his life!”
Judy validated Norma’s version
of this story and attributes Ramil’s
integrity to the home grown family
values that he was raised on. “His
Ate Norma supposedly pulled his
ear—Philippine style of discipline, I
guess—whenever he was naughty
and he learned those valuable
lessons that way,” Judy explained.
Judy and Mario met in college in
Hayward, California when they were
both enrolled in a geology class. “I
thought he looked cool, handsome. His
opening line to me was, ‘Can I look at
your rocks?’, and we both laughed
about it afterwards.” The relationship
developed and the happy couple got
married after dating for a couple of
years.
Norma added: “He was always
resourceful and when he wanted
something, he persisted until he
achieved the goal. For example, when
the four boys in the family wanted
bicycles, Mario built four bicycles
from scrap parts he salvaged
somewhere.”
Judy also said that Ramil often
talked about how poor they were: “He
said their family got their clothes from
Salvation Army, and in school he
would get teased by students, who
claimed that was their old clothes he
was wearing. So now you can see
why he always wanted to stand up for
the little guy.”
When the family moved from
Vallejo to live in a house in Stockton,
they were the first non-white family to
live in their neighborhood. Their all
white neighbors passed around a
petition banning the family from
moving in. “But the petition did not go
anywhere, and in the end, the person
who started the petition actually ended
up being good friends with my
mom,”Norma related.
One incident stood out in Ramil’s
childhood – and both his wife Judy
and his sister Norma referred to it as
parents believed the U.S. offered
better opportunities for the children.
But it proved to be the one single
decision that pushed the family to
experience difficult times and one
which likely shaped Ramil’s values
and judicial temperament.
Norma Matro, Mario’s older
sister who acted like his second mom,
shared the family’s humble
beginnings: “My father was a lawyer
in the Philippines and owned
businesses. But when we came to
the U.S., he could not find a job. And
going back to the Philippines was not
an option so my dad had to do
whatever it took to feed the family. My
dad and my older brother ended up
working in California’s agricultural
fields. They would pick the apricots
in Vallejo and the children in our family
would sell the fruits in baskets.”
“We all pitched in to help. I
remember Mario and Lindo had a
newspaper route to help augment the
family’s income. The newspaper
offered incentives to those that did
well, and usually, the workers would
exchange the incentive points for toys
or gadgets. Mario chose to use his
points for paper plates and paper
goods for the family.”
Born in Quezon City, Philippines
on June 21, 1946, Ramil was the third
child of seven children. Relatives say
he was an adventurous child, and at
seven or eight years old, he would
often go with his brother Lindo to the
mountains in Novaliches and stay
there until dark, usually hiking and
exploring.
At the age of 10, his family moved
to the United States because his
It was easy to like the man.
Humble, low-key and
personable, Mario Ramil quietly
disarmed you with his gentle ways.
He had a charming face that seemed
almost about to break into an impish
smile any time. Never boisterous,
nevertheless, he relished a good
joke.He did not always like the
limelight, but he loved people. In fact,
he blended so well with others from
all walks of life, they often forgot who
he was, and the great strides he had
made.
Ramil passed away on January
30, 2017 of cancer, surrounded by his
loving family. He was 70 years old.
Ramil left behind an impressive
legacy of service and was beloved by
the local Filipino-American
community. The second Filipino
American appointed to serve as an
Associate Supreme Court Justice,
Ramil also served as Hawaii State
Insurance Commissioner and State
Director of Labor.
But if you ask his wife of 44
years, Judy, how Ramil would like to
be remembered, she was
unequivocal: “He was a simple man.
No grand airs. He just wanted people
to remember that he was for the little
guy. He was never in this for himself.
He was always fair. Whatever he did,
he did it with integrity.”
Judy and Mario Ramil: married for 44 years
Mario and Judy with their sons Jonathan and Bradley during their "roots" trip in2015.
The Ramil siblings with their mother Fausta, left clockwise: Norma Matro,Michael, Quintin, Lindo, Mario, Cesar, Gloria Omania.
IN MEMORIAM
By BENNETTE ESPINELI MISALUCHA
The GentlemanJurist
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 15
Mario was one of 4 Filipino Deputy AttorneysGeneral appointed by Attorney General Ron Amemiyain the fall of 1976. He was assigned to theDepartment of Labor and Industrial Relations. AbelinaMadrid Shaw was assigned to the Department ofHealth, Chris Pablo to the Department of Taxation,and Robin Campaniano to the Department ofEducation and the University of Hawaii.
After Easter Brunch at his home in 1984, Marioand I put his son and my daughter in a wagon andwalked around his neighborhood in Waipio Gentry. Imentioned to him that Governor Ariyoshi hadnominated me to the Board of Regents for theUniversity of Hawaii that week. He was excited, andthen told me that the Governor had just appointedhim as Insurance Commissioner. I recall telling mywife on the way home that I was glad that I got myappointment, but was concerned about Mario’s…afterall, who would want to be Insurance Commissioner?But a few years later, Mario was appointed Directorof Labor, and I took over Mario’s job as Commissioner.
Mario was active in sports and played on theAttorney General’s flag football team in the AttorneyLeague, and joined Chris in playing on Robin’s Hoods,the AG’s office scrub team. He also joined the otherdeputies in tennis, golf and basketball gatherings.Golf, however was his enduring passion. He traveledto California and Arizona, as well as to Scotland,Ireland and the Philippines to play golf. He scored 2holes in one, the latest in competition with PUCChairman Randy Iwase, with whom Mario wouldengage in weekly friendly, but intense golf matches.
It seemed like Mario was always cheerful andupbeat. Often laughing and smiling, his cheerfuldemeanor masked a strong and steady intellect.Coupled with his humble beginnings and humble andhardworking life experiences, Mario was winded agood representative on the Supreme Court.
In the last few months, we would talk on the phoneabout our lives, and how they delightfully intertwinedsince the first time we met. He bore his fate withdignity and was an inspiration to me until the end. Imiss him and will never forget him.
Memories...By ROBIN CAMPANIANO
Was he romantic? Judy laughed
when she responded, “He was, but
only when we were by ourselves. He
was very discreet. Like everything in
his life, he was low-key. We were both
private people.”
After college, Ramil proceeded
to law school at University of
California, Hastings College of Law
and after graduation, decided to
venture to Hawai‘i.
He was introduced to then State
Attorney General Ron Amemiya who
hired him on the spot to be an
Assistant AG. Judy recalled that their
plan was to give Hawai‘i a try for five
years and then return to the Mainland.
But as Ramil received important
appointments to key positions over a
period of time, that plan had to be re-
evaluated. Today, Judy said that she
would never dream of leaving Hawai‘i.
“This is home, and Mario now being
interred at Punchbowl makes it even
more so.”
One of the young attorneys who
served with Ramil at the AG’s office
during the 70’s, was Randy Iwase,
who today serves as Public Utilities
Commissioner.( Please see inset of
memories shared by Ramil’s good
friend, Robin Campaniano).
Their friendship spanned for forty
years, and during the last few years,
Ramil and Iwase usually golfed at
least once a week. “I was with him
when he had his second hole-in-one!”
he declared. “He was devoted to his
wife and cherished his sons. I know
that it was important to him that he
passed on a good name to his sons.”
Mario and Judy’s sons are
Jonathan and Bradley, and it is clear
to everyone how close they are to their
parents. One of the high points in the
family history was a “roots” trip to the
Philippines two years ago. Judy said
Ramil seemed to have a premonition
about his health, and he insisted on
taking the 2 ½ week trip to places like
Palawan, Makati and Manila.(Ramil
was diagnosed shortly after that trip).
It was the first visit for the boys and
they both left with a better appreciation
of the country and the culture.
“Mario was very proud of his
culture, of being Filipino.He thought it
was important to give back to the
community. He served on the board
of the Filcom Center and was always
ready to volunteer for the Filipino
community. He had been through so
much and he was grateful for the
opportunities that were given to him.
But he never forgot where he came
from,” Judy added.
Those experiences likely made
Ramil passionate about mentoring the
next generation. Many of his law
clerks at the Hawai‘i Supreme Court
could attest to the time he often took
to share his personal insights and
guidance.
“He helped these young people
get their start because he felt he too
was blessed in his life. He was not
just involved in their legal careers;
he became a part of their lives. He
took pride in their achievements and
they became like family to him,” Judy
said.
Ramil’s appointment as
Associate Supreme Court Justice
was the pinnacle of his career,
serving from 1993 to 2002. The
Filipino community in Hawai’i basked
in that shared glory. Judy said
Ramil’s biggest regret was that his
father was not around to see him
achieve this honor.”He told me, I hope
my Dad’s proud of the man I have
become.”
Actually, it is not just Ramil's
family who have expressed pride in
the legacy he left behind. The Filipino
community in Hawai`i mourns his
passing as they would a favorite son.
In the end, Ramil's claim to
greatness was not just the high offices
he held, and there are many, but in the
courage manifested as he fought for
the little guy, the wisdom he shared
with those starting with their career
journey, and the humanity he
displayed as a son, a brother, a
husband, a father, a friend.
Safe passage home, Mario.
Paalam.
• • •
Ramil’s life will be celebrated at
a gathering on Friday, March 3, 2017
at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Family
greeting will start at 5 p.m. and
services at 6 p.m. A private inurnment
ceremony will be held at a later time
to place his ashes at the National
Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl
Crater.
He is survived by his wife Judy;
sons Jonathan and Bradley, brothers
Quintin Ramil, Jr., (Teresita), Lindo
Ramil (Filipina), Cesar Ramil (Anita),
and Michael Ramil, and sisters Norma
Matro (Carlos) and Gloria Omania
(Louis).
In lieu of flowers and gifts, the
family requests donations be made
to: University of Hawai‘i Cancer
Center (indicate funds In Memory of
Mario Ramil) to: UH Foundation, P.O.
Box 11270, Honolulu, HI 96828
Oncology Nursing Society (c/o
Sharon Shigemasu, 701 ILALO St.
Honolulu, HI 96813) Hawai‘i Nurses
Association (949 Kapiolani Blvd.
#107, Honolulu, HI 96814)
Bennette Espineli Misalucha is
the Managing Editor of the Fil-am
Courier, a position she has held
since 2013. She has been
affiliated with the paper for 29
years.
Mario on a golf outing with his friends, including one of his best friends, RobinCampaniano (standing behind Mario)
Ramil as an Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.
PAGE 16 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
Iolani Palace offered arare series of evening toursto the public on December 28and 29, 2016, incommemoration of QueenKapi’olani’s 182nd birthday.The tours gave guests anopportunity to experience thepalace as it was during the19th century, with live
performances in the BlueRoom, the Throne Room, andin the Upper Hall, as well aslive entertainment outside.Guests were also allowed totake the famous koa staircaseto the second floor to view thedisplays; and gowns worn byQueen Kapi’olani and QueenLi l i ’uokalani .
By ANGIE DYTIOCO SANTIAGO
Hawaiian Ali’i Gowns
The gowns wererecreated by Hawaii Island-based historic dress designerIris Viacrusis. Iris wascommissioned by the AliiGown Reproduction Projectto create anew the four gownsnow displayed permanently atIolani Palace, once theceremonial home of both
Miss Hawaii 1984 Debbie Nakanelua-Richards wearing a replica of Queen Kapiolani'slei hulu (feather lei) gown, greeted and welcomed guests during the tours' openingnight.
Recreated by Historic
Members of Lei Hulu (featherwork) of Hilo, founded by Kumu Doreen Henderson,assisted in making the peacock feather gown. Over 50,000 feathers weretrimmed and bundled before they were hand-sewn, and took 400 hours andalmost 1-1/2 years to make. Pictured: Sheile Hayashida, Gay Covington,Naomi Hagura, Iris Viacrusis, and Sean Spellicy.
The replica of Lili’uokalani’s black ribbon gown displayed in the Blue Room, in front of aportrait of her in the same outfit. Pictured: Pepi Nieva, Iris Viacrusis, Virgie Chattergy,Rhoda Alvarez, Rose Churma, Evelyn Llena, and Roberta Sullivan.
The replica of the ostrich-feather-and-lilac gown is the second piece in the Friendsof Iolani Palace's Alii Gown Reproduction and is believed to be the last gowncommissioned by the queen as sovereign of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 17
on Display at Iolani Palace --
Kapi’olani and Lili’uoklani. Irishas been commissioned to dothree more gowns plus tworegalia suits for the king’swardrobe. Iris studiedEdwardian and Victorianfashion in Paris and recreatedhistoric costumes for theMerrie Monarch court.
Angie Dytioco Santiago, our Gathering Place columnist, is a U.H. Manoa
graduate. Angie is currently a Governor of the United Filipino Council of
Hawaii (UFCH), the Recording Secretary of the Bulacan Circle & Associates
of Hawaii (BCAH), and the Assistant Treasurer for the Filipino Chamber of
Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH). She served as an Assistant Auditor for the
Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii (PCCCH) from
2015-2016, as 1st Vice President of the Oahu Filipino Community Council
(OFCC) from 2013 to 2014, and as BCAH President from 2010 to 2012. She
is the daughter of Angel &RubingDytioco and is married with two sons. She
enjoys photography and participating in cultural and social activities and
events.
Dress Designer Iris ViacrusisHawaii's First Lady
Dawn Ige presented aCertificate of
Appreciation to FirstMerry Monarch QueenDoreen Henderson for
her cultural contributionwho has dedicated herlife to the preservation
and perpetuation ofHawaiian featherwork.
The Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW) hosted a Mahalo Luncheon for the Lei Hulu of Hilo.Pictured: FAUW President Rhoda Alvarez, Melga Gendrano, Apolina Stice, Roberta Sullivan, Ethel Alikpala Ward,Bey Lontoc, Evelyn Llena, Rose Churma, and Iris Viacrusis.
Solita Dytioco, Bey Lontoc, FAUW President Rhoda Alvarez, Iris Viacrusis, Ethel AlikpalaWard, and Apolina Stice attended the special VIP evening tour at Iolani Palace.
The original peacock gown was worn by Queen Kapi'olani in 1887 to Queen Victoria’sjubilee celebration in London.
All 2,000 tickets were sold for these special Iolani Palace's tours.
Family and friends of Luisa Joy G. Labez will celebrate herremarkable life on Saturday, March 11, 2017, at Koolau Ballrooms,beginning at 10 a.m. She died in Arlington, Virginia, on January 22,2017, after batt l ing cancer for four years with strength anddetermination typical of her character. She was 62 when she left behinda lifetime of public service, hula, Filipino dance, and everlastingfriendships.
Born in Manila, Philippines, on September, 26, 1954, Joy came toHawaii at age 15. A 1971 graduate of McKinley High School, sheearned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the Universityof Hawaii and a Master of Public Administration from San FranciscoState University.
She worked for the state Department of Transportation, and for 10years as Senior Planner with the state Judiciary’s Office of theAdministrative Director of the Courts.
In 1991 she moved to the Mainland to join the U.S. GovernmentAccountability Office. In a career that spanned 26 years, she beganas an evaluator and rose to Assistant Director of International andTrade team, traveling the world to evaluate the effectiveness of U.S.food assistance programs. She received GAO’s Meritorious ServiceAward in 2007 and 2014.
The passion and dedication she brought to her professional careerwas surpassed by the devotion she lavished on her friendships andlove of hula and Filipino culture.
Joy was known as Hau’oli and was renowned as lead hula teacherand dancer for Halau Ho’omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai’i since its foundingin 2000. She performed at Wolf Trap, the Smithsonian Museum of theAmerican Indian and at many cultural festivals in the Washington,D.C. area. She also performed with Halau Hula Mahina O WakinekonaDC.
She began the study of hula in 1971 under the tutelage of KumuHula Lovey Apana. She believed that dance is “a window to one'ssoul, and that the study of hula allows one to lift the hearts of all thosethat learn and share it with others to enjoy.”
Her hula sister said: “The joy and grace and beauty she broughtto her hula made it seem as if every song was composed just for her.Hau’oli touched so many lives and hearts, introduced new friends,reunited old friends and invited everyone into her circle of love. Morethan anything she taught us by her joyful example.”
While a college student on Kauai she danced professionally atParadise Pacifica. During her years in Honolulu, she was a leadperformer with Pamana Dancers, a celebrated Filipino cultural troupedirected by Hana G. Trinidad, and Sulyap Philippine Dance Companywith her brother, Zach Labez.
She was a member of the University of Hawaii Alumni Association.She is survived by sisters Alma Elmer, Faith Labez, Pat Labez
Muntz, brother Hipolito Labez, and loving nephews and nieces.Following the celebration of life on March 11, her ashes will be
buried at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery beside her beloved brotherZachary G. Labez, a former city deputy director and community activistwho died in January 2003.
PAGE 18 • THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017
By STU GLAUBERMAN
CommunityMourns Death ofFilipino Culture
Advocate
Joy labez dancing hula at a concert at the NationalMuseum of the American Indian last May.
Joy labezSENATORS KIM AND INOUYEAPPOINTED TO LEADERSHIP
POSITION FOR NATIONALORGANIZATION
Senator Donna MercadoKim (Dist . 14 - Kapalama,‘Alewa, Kal ih i Val ley, Ft .Shafter, Moanalua Gardens& Val ley, port ions of Halawaand ‘Aiea) was recent lyappointed to serve on the2017 Pol icy Committee forNat ional Foundat ion forWomen Legis lators (NFWL).
As a member of thePol icy Commit tee, Sen. Kimwil l contr ibute to al lcommit tee business bydeveloping educat ion pol icyprograms on pol icy issues,engaging with pol icypartners, andrecommending which areasof pol icy the Foundat ionshal l focus on. TheCommittee wi l l focus onshared legis lat ion byencouraging elected womento exchange legis lat ivei d e a s .
This is a new emphasisfor NFWL and the Pol icyCommittee wi l l p lay an
About the NationalFoundation for WomenLegislators, Inc. (NFWL)
Through annual educationaland networking events, theNational Foundation for WomenLegislators supports elected womenfrom all levels of governance. Asa non-prof i t , non-part isanorganization, NFWL does not takeideological posit ions on publ icpolicy issues, but rather serves asa forum for women legislators tobe empowered through informationand exper ience.www.womenlegislators.org
integral role in the launchand maintenance of sharedleg is la t i on .
“ I t ’s an honor to beasked to serve on the Pol icyCommit tee,” said Sen. Kim,who has been a member ofNFWL since 2015. “This yearmore than ever, there aret imely, pressing issuesfacing our communit ies.Hawai ‘ i is not alone in manyof these problem areas suchas homelessness, theeconomy, and educat ion.Being on this Committeeallows me to collaborate withother women legis latorsacross the country and f indcreat ive solut ions.”
Senator Lorraine Inouye(Dist . 4 - Hi lo, Hamakua,Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa,Kona) was recent lyappointed to serve as the2017 State Director for theN F W L .
“ I ’m proud to serve asthe State Director for th is
Senator Lorraine InouyeSenator Donna Mercado Kim
dist inguished organizat ion,”said Sen. Inouye. “Thegreatest r is ing force inpol i t ics is not a pol i t icalparty, but women. I knowthat there is much that canbe accompl ished to help ourstate and our country byworking together as electedw o m e n . ”
“We are so honoredSenators Kim and Inouyehave accepted leadershipposi t ions in our foundat ion,”shared Minnesota StateSenator Carr ie Ruud,NFWL’s 2017 Chair. “Theywil l play a crucial role in thecont inued success of NFWL,as we embark on our mostexci t ing year yet.”
Sens. Kim and Inouyebegin serving in their newposi t ions immediately, andwi l l hold this of f ice throughthe end of 2017.
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THE FIL-AM COURIER • MARCH 1-15, 2017 • PAGE 19
