SPRING HAS SPRUNG! Enjoy! Pray! God’s steadfast Love never ceases

By: Elsie Sy-Niebar

 

* Our 73rd ‘Bataan Day,‘ A Time of Remembrance and Recognition’ says US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba

*MBDO Pres. Maj. Richard McMahon joins Philippine Vets celebrations

*Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wears ‘New Clothes for his Second Chance’

*Sampaguita Ball to be held May 8 at Chateau Ritz, Niles

*Updates on the“Philippine Independence Day 2015 celebration

*Don’t miss reading the heartbreaking Tributes to the late Asteria Glimane Bhandari, our Cover story

*Ladies, beware of ‘Mr. Lover Boy’; he will empty your heart and your wallet! *A Philippine Consulate employee reported this columnist to ConGen Calonge for being ‘Rude’ to her????

April 9, 2015 commemorates the 73rd BATAAN DEATH MARCH in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines, where thousands of Filipinos and Americans died in the brutal hands of the Japanese soldiers. The date was April 9, 1942, a most tragic day in our Philippine History. In Washington, DC., the Philippine Embassy had a celebration with US. Army Maj. General Antonio Taguba (Ret.) as guest speaker. In his speech, the major called on the American people to remember the sacrifices and sufferings of the men and women who fought valiantly in Bataan and endured the Bataan “Death March” 73 years ago.

He said: “It was a historic moment, one that will always serve as an inspiration for all Americans and Filipinos. We owe these brave heroes our deepest debt of gratitude for their perseverance and faithful service to the cause of freedom. This is also a time of honor and remembrance for their families who have entrusted their loved ones to this nation’s military, waited for their safe return, welcomed those who returned home and grieved for the sons and daughters who gave their lives.”

In recalling the contributions of Filipino World War II veterans to the war effort, Taguba also points out that America has yet to say ‘thank you’ and give them their well-deserved recognition. “There has never been a formal declaration to recognize their wartime service,” he added. “Before we close this dark chapter in American history, we must honor them for their exemplary record of selfless sacrifice and love of country.”

Maj. Gen. Taguba is leading the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) a nationwide campaign to raise awareness through academic research and public education. Purpose is to obtain national recognition of the Filipino American WWII Soldiers for their wartime service to the United States and Philippines from July 1941 to December 1946. This nationwide campaign also aims to seek an Act of US Congress to award a congressional gold medal to the Filipino American WWII soldiers, the highest civilian award in the U.S. Taguba estimates there are over 200,000 Filipino soldiers who fought in WWII. Only 16,000 to 17,000 soldiers remain in the US and the Philippines, and their death toll is growing faster.

“Unlike previous legislative efforts with the Filipino veterans which focused on benefits, this is primarily about recognition which is long overdue,” says Marie Blanco, FilVetREP vice chair and former Chief of Staff to the late U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, a champion of veterans rights during his more than 50 years in the Senate. “We are confident that Congress will once and for all recognize the valuable contributions of these brave soldiers to the cause of no less than Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Field Marshall of the Philippine Army, who praised the Bataan force for fighting in a battle they were never expected to win: “No army has ever done so much with so little and nothing became it more than its last hour of trial and agony.”After the Japanese Imperial Army forced them to surrender, they were ordered to walk for 90 miles to a prison camp in Tarlac.

Thousands of prisoners died during the Bataan Death March due to starvation, dehydration and disease. Their heroic stand in Bataan and Corregidor slowed down the advances of the Japanese troops, giving allied forces valuable time to prepare for other battles in the Pacific theater. As US Army historian Jennifer Bailey puts it, “It delayed the Japanese timetable for the conquest of South Asia, [and] became a symbol of hope for the United States in the early, bleak days of the war.”

Taguba adds: “It was with honor when these veterans served the country of their birth, and defended the nation who called them to serve. They would be honored if this nation would now grant them the recognition they highly deserve.”

The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project is a nonpartisan, community-based, allvolunteer national initiative whose mission is to raise awareness through academic research and public information and obtain national recognition of Filipino and Filipino- American WWII Soldiers across the United States and Philippines for their wartime service to the U.S. and the Philippines from July 1941 to December 1946.

The organization intends to incorporate as a non-stock, nonprofit charitable organization under applicable Virginia law. It also intends to seek 501(c)(3) tax exempt status as a public charity under applicable Federal law. For more information, please go to filvetsrecognition@ gmail.com or http://www.filvetsrecognition.org/.

You’ll find so much interesting work that the Filipino Veterans Recogniton and Education Project has done and is doing to honor our WWII Filipino American Veterans. Please get involved. ***

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wears “New Clothes” after winning a “Second Chance” as mayor of Chicago. All right, WE lost. Our candidate for ALL PEOPLES and RELIGIONS — Cook County Commissoner JESUS “Chuy” GARCIA, lost by a very low margin (44%-52%) to the 50-Million-Dollar Political War chest of incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the “prince” who concentrated among the Royals during his first Reign.

But the runoff election, FIRST TIME EVER in the History of the Windy City Elections, woke him up with a Nightmare; he changed clothes and “humbled himself” braving the freezing Chicago winter—going to the train stations, on the streets, and in the NEIGHBORHOODS which he pushed to the backburner during his first FOUR YEARS REIGN – SMIILED, GREETED THE PEOPLE AND SHOOK THEIR HANDS! He was wearing the KING’S NEW CLOTHES. So he won.

Someone Up there gave him his “Second Chance.” During his victory party, Rahm Emanuel PROMISED to BRING CHANGE! Yes, CHANGE not only to Chicago but CHANGE IN HIS LEADERSHIP. Congratulations, Mr. Mayor! Hope to see yah in our communities…

To CHUY GARCIA: You will have your Time, Chuy! . We are sad for our loss. But Happy to help restore Chicago back to the People…under the Second Chance leadership of Mayor Emanuel! Hopefully! ***

Search for “Miss Sampaguita 2015” Scholar & “Mrs. Sampaguita 2015”

Ting Joven and “Mrs. Philippines International” Rose Tibayan, co-producers, are inviting everyone to join the “Sampaguita Ball” welcome Spring at an elegant Filipiniana-themed event on May 8, 2015. It wll be held at the Chateau Ritz, 7000 N. Milwaukee, Niles. Illinois starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Sampaguita Ball is an annual celebration founded on a solid commitment to promote Filipino American culture, recognize personal achievement, and support higher education. These goals will be accomplished from the proceeds of “Miss Sampaguita” U.S.A. franchise, a non-pageant scholarship competition for select collegiate women of Filipino heritage.

This year’s awards include top scholarship of $2,000. The two runners-up will receive scholarships $500 and $300. The Sampaguita Ball believes that by investing in higher education, it helps increase the opportunity for Filipino American women to acquie long-term academic success.

Everyone, specially College Students, are invited to join this elegant evening of all-white Filipiniana attire and tradition and help select the new “Miss Sampaguita U.S.A. 2015” scholarship winner and the Mrs. Sampaguita USA 2015. See you May 8th at 7 pm at the Chateau Ritz on Milwaukee Ave. in Niles, Illinois. For more details, please visit their website at http://sampaguitaball.com or call Ting Joven at 224-805-3243. ***

Update on the Philippine Independence Day Celebrations in Chicago: At press time only two groups have definite dates of their respective celebrations this coming June: the Philippine Independence Week Committee (PIWC) headed by Ellen Tan and the Philippine Week Committee (PWC) under Adeline Fajardo. So far, both have “transparent” preparations for their respective celebrations of the 119th Philippine Independence Day in Chicago.

Dr. Rufino Crisostomo, president of the Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago (FACGC), told this columnist over the phone that the FACC will celebrate the “Kasarinlan” on June 13, Saturday, at the Rizal Center.

As I’ve been hearing before, the “Kalayaan” founded by Orly Bernardino had bowed out, but of course, nobody gave me a finality. A big hand for Ellen Tan, giving her best as PIWC executive chair with Lindy, her highly-dependable son also giving his best to his Mom.

All six beauty queens are ready and so are all the committee chairpersons, into whose hands the success or failure of the PIWC. Hats off to Evelyn Tolledo, picnic chairperson, whose resourcefulness is shown by the many donors who gave her their support, for foods, paper plates, bottled water, beverages, etc. In spite of her hectic job, she managed to have time to “beg” for a good cause, using her sense of humor and sincerity. The Philippine Week Gala will be held on Saturday, June 13, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont. ***

PWC BEAUTY PAGEANT and CORONATION: Adeline Fajardo, from the Philippine Week Committee (PWC)

told this columnist that the PWC will hold its Beauty Pageant and Coronation on May 23, 2015, Saturday, at the Diplomat West Banquets, Elmhurst, IL, from 6:30 pm.

The young candidates will be judged according to popularity, poise, personality, talent, interview and gown. All candidates are considered Winners of any of the following crowns, in this order: Miss Philippine Independence; Miss Luzon; Miss Visayas ;Miss Mindanao; Miss Manila. Not bad. The PWC GALA will be held on June 6, Saturday, at the Diplomat West, from 6: 30 pm. ***

Believe it or not, a woman employee named Liezel Alcantara from the Philippine Consulate here in Chicago, reported me in writing to her boss, the Consul General Generoso Calonge, that I am rude TO HER! She wrote to ConGen: “Sir, she (me, Elsie) is being rude on the phone when I talked to her this morning.”

Wow-Wee! Me? Rude? Why? Because I told her how “goofed up” is the consulate’s TELEPHONE Answering system? I spent over 20 minutes with NO LIVE PERSON to speak to on the other end. The worse part: The Consulate telephone system automated answerer keeps commanding the caller to “press “0” or press “1- 0” and you get NADA — but back to the command.

If you have 30 minutes of your time to WASTE, try calling the Philippine Consulate at (312) 583- 0621. If you got a live voice, you’d feel like winning the Lotto! The TRUTH: I have been serving as a Telephone Information “volunteer” to the Consulate since the time of ConGen Herrera. I get phone calls from as far as Michigan and Wisconsin asking for the telephone number of the Consulate, especially after it moved its office. Isn’t it a “standing order” for such an important office like a Consulate, to RETAIN ITS TELEPHONE NUMBERS, even if it moved to another location?

In response to Liezel Alcantara’s complaint against me, I emailed ConGen Calonge, as follows:

This woman is THE VERY FIRST PHILIPPINE CONSULATE employee who accused me for being rude to her, in my 40 years in Chicago. To some employees before her time, especially the younger generation, called me either “Tita” or “Ate” because I refused to be formally addressed as “Mrs” or worse yet, “Madam”.

In my long years of service with the city government, NEVER did someone call me RUDE until today by Liezel Alcantara of the Philippine Consulate. When she told me she is the press officer handling the Bataan press release, I shared with her my agony of your telephone system. I told her about my “unhappiness” not being included in the press list of the consulate. I hung up when she promised to send me the press releases. I was trying to finish my column. When I am under pressure, I talk fast and loud.

How did I become RUDE to this Madam? Was it because I did not say PO? I am a Bisaya, I am not used to saying PO kahit kanino… but it does not mean I am DISRESPECTFUL OR RUDE.

To me, the best Lady employee at the Consulate these days is TINA. She takes time to listen; she accomplishes what she promised to send me, i.e, consularrelated info, which people asked me to HELP obtain for them from the consulate because THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULIES calling the Consulate. I am very generous with Appreciation to everyone like Tina who does her/his job right.

I think it’s time I tell you this, ConGen Calonge: I receive complaints about some “suplada or suplado” (disrespectful) attitudes of some of your Consular staff especially at the visa or passport department. They told me some employees do not have the patience to listen to their questions. One told me bluntly: Ang akala nila ay nasa Pilipinas pa sila na may palakasan at may lagayan para mabilis ang serbisyo.”(Some think they are still in the Philippines where the “whom you know”syndrome and bribery expedite their services.) In service to All Peoples, Elsie Sy-Niebar A retired public servant from the City of Chicago who continues to serve, pro bono. ***

BEWARE of LOVER BOY WHO WILL EMPTY YOUR HEART and YOUR WALLET:

Actually, this is a very old “Love Story” which targets vulnerable and lonely women (oftentimes, older Women, like me???) seeking for humane affection they miss after the death of a loved one, or after being dumped by a lover in favor of a younger one who is looking for a “Green Card.” Recently, I received a long list of Monetary Accountabilities from a list of WOMEN accusing A Lover Boy (we see him in our “hi-society community”) who owed them few thousands and some by the hundreds of their hard-earned dollars, when he was their Lover Boy.

Mr. Lover Boy never returned their phone calls and if he did, he yelled at them for “bothering” him. Worse scenario: some of these “dollar-jilted” women are illegals, so, Mr. Lover Boy WARNED THEM, “I will report you to the Immigration if you keep harassing me for payments!” He knows he holds the key to his victims’ immigration status! He has an Edge! Wow! Yep!

Loneliness for a single woman can be painful. But being duped is Insanity! Soooo… LADIES BEWARE! Also GENTLEMEN. I knew of a widower who lost his house and IRA moonees to a young and pretty short-time Kulasisi (Pilipino word for paramour). ***

The Phil-Ams of Surigao in Illinois, spearheaded by Dr. Simeon A. Sevandal will hold a medical/surgical mission to the islands of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat on June 3-7, 2015 .

This mission was the idea of the late Asteria G. Bhandari who hailed from the area. Her daughter, Dr. Angelina Bhandari and husband Dr. Vijay Kalleponda will join the group with Dr. Lourdes Balquiedra- Sevandal, Dr. Leonardo Chato and Dr. Benjamin del Carmen from Maryland.

They will be joined by a team of two general surgeons and two family practitioners from the Philippine General Hospital recruited by the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod,the mission arm of the University of the Philippines. The two associations have been doing medical missions in Surigao since 1997. Coordinator of the Ugnayan is Lourdes dela Rea and Dr. Eric Talens who trained in PGH and Cook County Hospital in the 1990s.

Anyone interested to join or donate any medical supplies or cash, please email Dr. Simeon Sevandal at sasrook01@yahoo.com or Dr. Angelina Bhandari at angelinabhandari@yahoo.com Thank you. #

Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret), Chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), speaking at the Philippine Embassy’s Bataan Day Commemoration in Washington, DC. Photo by Jon Melegrito

 

Maj. Richard McMahon, president of the MAYWOOD BATAAN DAY ORGANIZATION (MBDO) represented MBDO and joined the CAPAS FREEDOM MARCH, last Saturday, April 11, 2015. He is shown in photo with former President Fidel V. Ramos (guests speaker) and former Tourism Director Dr. Mina T. Gabor, who introduced Pres. Ramos.

Cynthia Flores, Chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA) poses with Rose Tibayan, mainstream television anchorperson who served as the emcee of the Awards Nights. NAFFAA other officers are Lynnette Torres, treasurer; Abbey Eusebio, vice-Chair; Alma Reed, Secretary, and Rose Tibayan, Director of Media. Angeles “Jelly” Carandang is the Chair for NaFFAA Region 3 West. “Empowered Women” Awardees were: Geri Aglipay, Kulsum Ameji, esq., Edith Ardiente; Jovie Calma, Jane Cannon, Donna Fahrenbeach, Rian Mari Francisco, Eleanor Gonzales, MD, Judge Anjana Hansen. Jeannie Hoffman, Linda Hou, Maria Isabel Lopez, Josina Morita, Megan Nakano, Iris Sagrado and Luyang Yang.

Congratulations, to my nephew Michael Castro on his graduation last March, with an associate degree in Bible Training Program leading to Ministry, from New Life Training Center in Manila. In photo are Pastor Paul Chase (Founder of New life and New Life Training Center), Michael, his wife Sheryl Villanueva Castro, their child Baby Keilah with her Grandma Regina Villanueva.

The Hon. IL State Secretary Jesse White, posed with his Lady Friends at the NAFFAA ILLINOIS 2015 Circle of Empowered Women Awards Night, at the Crowne Plaza O’Hare, last March 29. From left are Lily Castagna, Evelyn Tolledo, Secretary White, Elsie Sy-Niebar, Veronica Leighton, VT publisher; and Carmen Estacio, Secretary White’s Liaison to the Asian American.

 

Birthday celebrant Nestor Castillo poses with some of his close friends, from left: Tori Batacan, the Celebrant with wife, Elsa; Fe Igna, Elsie Sy- Niebar and Evelyn Tolledo. Photo by Ernie Antonio, Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

The beautiful Song Bird Chaz Patron, shown about with her hubby, Jhuh, is inviting friends and dance lovers to her Santacruzan coronation as Chicago Dance Lovers Queen 2015, on Saturday, May 9, 2015, at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a party which promises you dancing the night away. (ESN)

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NESTOR! Nestor Castillo (shown with a some kind of native hat greeted by his beloved Elsa and friends who danced all night to celebrate his birthday. Photo by Ernie Antonio, Jr.