THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
----- 30 ----
E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org
A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
----- 30 ----
E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org
A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
----- 30 ----
E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org
A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
----- 30 ----
E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org
A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
----- 30 ----
E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org
A VOICE FROM AMERICA
By Ernie D. Delfin
SOME THOUGHTS OF HOPE AND RANDOM GOOD NEWS
THIS EASTER WEEK AND SPRING SEASON

“An unexamined life is not worth living for” -- Socrates
Today is Palm Sunday 2004, a beautiful spring day in Southern California. I love this Spring season simply because many trees and plants including those in my “farmyard” that lost their leaves last Fall started to show off their green luscious leaves again; various flowers start to bloom attracting birds, butterflies and many living creatures that contribute to the cycle of earthly life. All these wonders of nature unfold their magnificence as if responding to a magic wand of an Invisible Director before our naked eyes as they continue the healthy balance of life around us. God’s work is a miracle every day, which is unfortunately taken for granted by millions of people especially those in many metropolitan areas.
I did not realize until about two decades ago that I would enjoy nature this much considering that I hated farm work because of the demanding physical work from sunrise to sunset during my growing up years in the farming village in Pangasinan. Now, farm work or gardening has become a priceless hobby, an effective but inexpensive therapy for businessman’s stressful life in the city. Today is another awesome weekend that helps me enjoy the day despite the chaotic or depressing news in many parts of the world, including the political circus in the Philippines.
Palm Sunday, a great holiday of our Church, is the beginning of the Passion of Jesus Christ. To all Christians, the Lenten Season gives timely reason to pause and reflect on the Passion of Christ to have some personal retreat (from a topsy-turvy world) for reflection to infuse some meaning to our lives. The worldly acclaimed Mel Gibson movie, The Passion of the Christ, which opened on the first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday in the United States indeed has not only fueled some heated controversy but also prompted many people to examine or meditate what is truly important in their lives. Christians who have seen it, like this writer with his entire family, are reminded that world is indeed an imperfect one since the beginning of time as we ardently hope that there is another more peaceful world in the afterlife. To us believers and followers of Christ, the promise of our redemption that is fully paid by Christ suffering and death on the cross is the ultimate reward that all Christians hope for.
* * * *
From my perspective in America, there are also many good things happening in our world despite the gloom and doom prediction fueled by heated political campaigns and the pessimistic news that we continue to read in the papers or see on TV. To augment some pounds of optimism for my STAR readers this Easter Week, let me share some good news and developments emanating from America:
* As the U.S. economy continues to contract, and some jobs are lost due to globalization (outsourced abroad like in India, China, Malaysia and Singapore and also Philippines) families are adjusting by living together to share expenses. Due to spiraling costs of living especially in housing in California, many families are opting to just add a room or two so that family members can come back for economic reasons. The median price of a house in Orange County now is almost half a million dollars. A rent for one bedroom apartment is already over $1,l00 dollars before other expenses like utilities, food and transportation. The upside of this dramatic increase in housing costs is that families are again beginning live closer as a family, probably living happier and hopefully longer too.
* More children of many Filipino American families now, compared a generation ago , are now much more interested to learn about their Filipino culture and even enrolled to learn how to speak the Filipino language. There is now an increased demand for Philippine Studies and Culture. I read that even the University of Hawaii has some very unique subject, Ilocano Dialect, Culture and Values!
Another phenomenon is the continued growth and vibrancy of our Catholic Covenant Community City on the Hill (COH), an affiliate of Ligaya ng Panginoon and Couples for Christ in the Philippines, is attributed to the Singles Group of Young Adults whose Music Ministry has added much needed energy to the entire COH community. Christian songs in Tagalog are often sung more often now. Furthermore, the popular singing group from the Philippines, Bukas Palad, is arriving to perform in a concert here in Southern California on May lst because of our COH Single Group. This promises to be a special treat to many Filipinos in Southern California.
• In the media, especially in broadcast journalism, the beauty and talent several Filipino women are also being noticed. For instance, in the Los Angeles area, two beautiful ladies appear almost daily in prime time TV. They are Denise Dador of ABC Channel 7, whose parents are from Cebu, and Maria Quiban who was born in Hawaii of Ilocano parents (like the former Miss Universe the former Miss Baraquio) who is a regular at Fox Channel Eleven. The Asian American Journalists Association (www.aaja.org) also had a National President several years ago, Ms. Camia, and the LA local chapter has two members of the board, namely: Richard Fruto, a Philippine born who has a journalism degree before becoming a lawyer, is the treasurer and my own daughter, Donna Karen Delfin, is now the secretary. The National Executive Director, Rene Astudillo, is also a Filipino. And there are more Filipino American personalities in other cities and states.
• In the health care field, the presence and importance of Filipino doctors and nurses are very obvious. It is said that no hospital in the US, especially in California, will survive without the Filipino doctors and especially the nurses! Thousands are also working as private caretakers of many elderly or disabled Americans. Even the celebrity, Christopher Reeves is reported to have some Filipino nurses in his employ. These private caregivers who go to the American homes are the fastest growing but seemingly invisible occupation of many Filipinos many of them have college degrees. Caregiving might be a lowly and non-glamorous job but many Filipinos do not mind because the salaries are very good. I know a family (both parents and one daughter) as they are my tax and real estate clients, made over $100,000 last year just being caregivers!
• In U.S. politics, although the Filipinos are still way behind the other Asian groups like the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, we are slowly adding some names to the roster of elected officials. In Carson, California, after the shameful exit of Mayor Pete Fajardo and Councilman Manny Ontal (both Filipino Americans) l due to corrupt practices, another Filipino, Elito Santarina, a teacher who hails from Nueva Ecija, won a Council seat last year. He tried to run for Mayor this year but he did not make during his first try, but I predict that as his name becomes more recognized, he will be the next Filipino American mayor. In the City of Walnut, the mayor is also a Filipino by the name of Antonio Cartagena. In the City of Milpitas, CA the mayor is a certain Mr. Esteves (originally from Pangasinan) who succeeded another Filipino American mayor, Henry Manayan, who unfortunately did not win the March 2nd primary to have been the first Filipino American member of the California State Assembly. In the City of Daly City, Mr. Guingona is also the mayor. A lawyer-friend David Valderrama, (a fluent orator in both English and Tagalog from Laguna) is the first and only Filipino American elected delegate to the Maryland Assembly. And in the Cerritos ABC Unified School District, 3 of the 7 members of the Board of Education are Filipinos: Cecy Groom, Mark Pulido and Armin Reyes. The City Finance Manager is also a Filipina CPA-friend of mine who is a fellow Rotarian, Becky Lingad. With an estimated 3,000,000 Filipinos in America, of course, there should be more in politics and government… but slowly and gradually, our numbers will also increase with time.
• In Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, among the Asians or foreign-born entertainers, the Filipinos are most likely the most popular group… Martin Nievera had a long-standing show at the New Orleans Hotel & Casino and just recently Regine Velasquez also had a successful show.. The Society of Seven has also appeared there many times in the past. The popular American Idol show had two Filipina contestants who are now among the semi finalists…. Coincidentally, our visiting Rotarian guests from Japan acknowledged, during our welcome dinner last night upon learning that I was originally from the Philippines when I was introduced as the President Elect of our Cerritos Rotary Club, that there are many entertainers in hotels are working in Tokyo and in Osaka where we will be going next on May 22 for the Rotary International Convention. Indeed the talents and popularity of the Filipinos in the entertainment field is now a worldwide phenomenon !
• The brotherhood of men is also evident in our Rotary Clubs worldwide. Through our Rotary Avenue of International Service, our Rotary Club of Cerritos and our sister club in Gifu, Japan are donating a couple thousand dollars to the Loyola Heights Rotary Club, Quezon City to help them in their Loving Village affordable housing project for the poor in joint project with the Couples for Christ. During this forthcoming 2004-2005 Rotary Centennial Year, we have also committed to help our sister club of Makati Bel Air Rotary Club in their Gawad Kalinga Poverty alleviation program project. We plan to hand them a few thousand dollar check when we visit them in June this year.
• It is also very heartwarming to learn that many overseas Filipinos also are getting more involved in lending a hand to many Filipinos in the Philippines even in a small but positive way. For almost a year now, dozens of overseas Filipinos especially from the United States have formed a ProgressiveTimes Action Group (visit www.ptag.org website) and without much fun fare or publicity are now involved in sending some dozen Sagip Bata scholars in different schools coordinated by our Filipino PTAG volunteers. We have also sent some needed books to some places like the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta, Rizal, and in San Pablo City in Laguna and to Pangasinan and also in Bacolod. Dozens are also volunteering to assist with the Namfrel volunteers in monitoring a clean and honest election.
As the founder of this PTAG, I am very pleased of the response of many volunteers and the growing benefactors of PTAG. We have now some presence in San Pablo City because of Gigi Fellizar and MeAnn Pineda-Gonzales, in Cainta and Taytay because of Austri Basinillo and Faith Malazarte and Mario Firme, in Hagonoy Bulacan, because of Paddy Padilla, in Marbel-Koronadal City because of Jing Ureta and also in Pangasinan because of Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal and yours truly. And soon we will have the Payatas Resettlement Project in Palawan because of Fred Antonio and Celia Ruiz Tomlinson and their recruited volunteers.
This coming school year, we believe that we will have more beneficiaries as we have more volunteers and benefactors. Our vision and our ultimate dream is to have a PTAG chapter in every barangay in the Philippines to serve as a an effective and graft-free conduit between pre-selected beneficiaries in the Philippines and the Overseas Filipinos and their friends who are able and willing to assist improve the quality of life of many economically challenged Filipinos by motivating and teaching them the how-to-fish mentality and not just through dole-outs which many Overseas Filipino dependents have been accustomed to.
With such an ambitious programs of PTAG --- in addition to hundreds of other organizations doing parallel work for the Philippines ---- there is great hope that the Philippines will change for the better! But we still need more people to lend a hand to make this social and charitable work expand larger, faster and wider. Any one interested, please email this writer or simply join us at: ProgressiveTimesAction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and visit our website at: www.ptag.org.
With that, I wish all you, my STAR readers, A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER WEEK!
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E-mail writer at: erdelusa@hotmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Visit: www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.org