Pinoy News Balita

Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards

WASHINGTON, DC—Thirteen young, outstanding Filipino- Americans were recognized for their academic excellence and community service during the Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards on 17 December 2015 at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy.

Now on its 23rd year, the annual award recognizes students from the elementary, high school, and undergraduate levels in the Metropolitan
Washington, DC area who epitomize the values of the Philippine National Hero.

This year’s awardees were the following (grade levels during AY 2014-2015):
· Trina Sophia LaFortune – 3rd grade, Holy Spirit School
· Rebecca Verba Honigford – 4th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School
· Gerard Gonzaga – 6th grade, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School
· Regina Verba Honigford – 6th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School
· Arianne Arizala – 7th grade, Redland Middle School
· Adeline Christelle Baban – 8th grade, St. John Academy
· Justin Francis T. Bustamante – 8th grade, St. Peter’s School
· Janelle Gonzaga – 9th grade, Freedom High School
· Nicholas T. Mañalac – 9th grade, Fairfax High School
· Jed Paolo Dela Torre – 10th grade, Benjamin Banneker High School
· Joseph Brandon B. Gopiao – 10th grade, Lake Braddock Secondary School
· Allan James Phillips – 11th grade, Oakton High School
· Jenniber Marie R. Palo – graduate level, Bowie State University In his keynote address, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. talked about Rizal’s life and urged the awardees to continue learning more about the hero after whom the award is named.

“Jose Rizal’s accomplishments were never achieved before by a Filipino during that time. He realized his potential and he never allowed life’s hardships to stop him from serving his family, fellow men and country.
His poem ‘To the Filipino Youth’ appeals to the youth of the past, the present and the future to realize their dreams and be the best that they can
be in the service of the greater good,” said Ambassador Cuisia.
He added, “I strongly encourage all of you, especially as Rizal Youth Awardees, to learn more about our national hero by studying his life and
reading his works.”
Col. Shirley S. Raguindin, Chief of NGB Diversity at the National Guard Bureau, offered inspirational words to the awardees. In her address,
she shared how she aimed high in her studies and career and shared a quote from 11 year old Nkosi Johnson from South Africa, encouraging the young individuals to make the most out of what they have.
“Do what you can in the time that you have, in the place that you are,” said Col. Raguindin.
Three of the awardees shared essays they wrote which were used in the selection process.
Now a 5th grader, Rebecca Verba Honigford from Our Lady of Good Counsel School read her response to the question, “If Dr. Jose Rizal could
don his Batman suit, what do would be his first big task?”
Meanwhile, 7th grader Regina Verba Honigford responded to the question, “Can you describe how the Filipinos lived during Dr. Jose Rizal’s
time?”
Nicholas T. Manalac, now in 11th grade at Fairfax High School answered the question, “Ever the man of peace, how would Dr. Jose Rizal
resolve the issue of gun violence in the US?” Jenniber Marie Palo of Bowie State University read her essay on Rizal’s opposing views regarding the Katipunan.
Awardees and guests were also treated to a violin performance by the Baban Trio made up of siblings Ace, Troy, and Adie Baban.
The Dr. Rizal Youth Awards is a joint project of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) and the Embassy of the Philippines.
PAFC is a non-profit organization formed in 1996 which sponsors charitable, educational, cultural, and emergency assistance projects to help
improve the quality of lives of people in the community. ###

 

PH EMBASSY COMMENDS KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT FOR SUCCESSFUL RESCUE OF 10 FILIPINA TRAFFICKING VICTIMS

ERBIL—The Philippine Embassy in Baghdad has commended authorities in Iraq’s Kurdistan region for the important role they played in the
recent successful rescue and repatriation of 10 Filipino trafficking victims.
In a letter to Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Chargé d’Affaires Elmer G. Cato expressed the Embassy’s gratitude for the assistance in bringing the 10 Filipina victims home two months ago.
The Embassy, at the same time, said it looks forward to further collaborating with the Kurdistan Regional Government as well as with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in ensuring that the rights and welfare of Filipinos and other migrants working in the northern Iraqi region are protected.

Chargé d’Affaires Cato said the Embasssy would not have been able to rescue and repatriate the victims without the support and cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, particularly Minister Karim Sinjari and Director General Sami Jalal Husein, and the IOM.

“Their actions to immediately address our concern underscores the serious commitment of the Regional Government in working with the international community in combatting human trafficking and preventing the exploitation and abuse of Filipinos and other migrant workers in Kurdistan,” said Chargé d’Affaires Cato.

He added that the Embassy is ready to work with regional authorities and the IOM in developing and strengthening their internal processes
“to help ensure that the Kurdistan Region will stand out as a model in the way it protects migrant workers that it has been extending its kind hospitality to.”

The Embassy said majority of the estimated 2,000 Filipino in Iraq are in the Kurdistan region where they work in the oil and gas, health,
hospitality and services sectors. ###

 

 119th Commemoration of the Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
The Consulate General of the Philippines would like to invite the Filipino-American community and the general public to participate in the Commemoration of the 119th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

The highlight of the event will be a floral offering on Wednesday, 30 December 2015, 9:00 am, at the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument along Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.

The Consulate General enjoins all Filipinos, Filipino-Americans and their families and friends to take part in this moving ceremony.
This activity is a constant reminder to our kababayans that Rizal played the biggest role in the movement to get rid of colonialism in the
Philippines.
For more information, please contact the Consulate General’s Cultural Officer, Anna Liza F. Alcantara, at telephone no. (312) 583-0621 ext. 13 or email the Consulate at chicagopcg@att.net.

 

CMAA RECENTLY HOSTED AN OPEN HOUSE Event Featured Acclaimed Sci-Fi WriterWesley Chu & a “Taste of Argyle”

Acclaimed authorWesley Chu with the CMAA youth at CMAA’s Argyle.office.

Chinese Mutual Aid Association’s (CMAA), a pan-Asian social services agency non-profit that helps people from all ethnic backgrounds including Filipinos from youth to seniors, recently hosted its first ever Open House which was held on December 1st at its office on the northside of Chicago in the Uptown neighborhood. Attendees toured the office, had an opportunity to hear client testimonials & learned why CMAA’s services are so vital to the Asian immigrant community and met CMAA staff. Guests also enjoyed the Open House’s “Taste of Argyle” complimentary dinner, which was made possible through generous restaurants in the Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods.

Acclaimed science fiction author Wesley Chu was also a feature at the Open House event where he read to CMAA’s After School Program participants which consist of youth ages 5-14 years-old. Prior to reading to the youth, Wesley shared with them his life as a young immigrant from Taiwan and offered professional and personal advice to the kids. Wesley who is currently working on writing his next book has four books already published: Time Salvager, The Lives of Tao, The Deaths of Tao and The Rebirths of Tao. Wesley, a Taiwanese immigrant who has achieved the “American Dream”, has won the John W. Campbell Best Writer Award and the Young Adult Library Science Association Alex Award.

Paramount Pictures has obtained the exclusive rights to Wesley Chu’s Time Salvager novel, with director Michael Bay attached to direct the sci-fi film; Bay’s film credits include Armageddon, Pearl Harbor and Transformers.

In addition to Paramount Pictures who optioned Wesley’s novel, Wesley has a contract with Angry Robot books to resume the Tao novel series.

CMAA’s Open House also happened to be on Giving Tuesday, which is a global movement to promote philanthropy after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Interested individuals in utilizing any of CMAA’s free or low-cost services for all generations or volunteering in any capacity, please contact Michelle Lura White at michellew@chinesemutualaid.org or at 773-784-2900. CMAA is led by Filipino-Americans Dennis Mondero, executive director, and Michelle Lura White, business development & marketing manager as well as board members Lakhi Siap & Roxanne Volkmann. CMAA also has Filipino homemaker staff members who speak fluent Tagalog and who provide free, at-home non-medical services such as accompaniment to doctors visit and meal preparation for eligible seniors 60 years-old and over and for people with disabilities. These services are available both in Chicago and in the suburbs.

Founded in 1981 and based in Chicago, CMAA is a 501(c)(3) pan-Asian social services non-profit that serves people of all ethnic backgrounds, generations from youth to seniors, and abilities. CMAA is dedicated to providing a wide range of programs to meet its community’s diverse needs, including a homemaker services program in the Chicagoland area for eligible seniors 60 and older and people with disabilities, immigration case assistance, job placement and consultation services, job training, youth programs and many more programs for youth to seniors. For more information on CMAA, please visit CMAA’s website at www.chinesemutualaid.org.