Energized Month of July

By: Veronica Leighton

 

Reverberations of energy for July can be felt abounding and resounding in every corner of our equally active community. First, the annual patriotic celebration of the Fourth of July is something that makes the whole population of America from every corner enjoy the parades, the cookouts, the picnics, the fireworks, and, of course, their most desired vacations for the long weekend.

In this special July issue of Via Times, we present the graphic energy of our community through the pictorial pages, stories, and your columnists’ articles with special photographs. Our editorial, written by Joe Mauricio, is sounding so patriotic in its appeal, which is quite apropos for the sentimental message of the month.

We are carrying over the Philippine Independence’s June activities of the PIWC by featuring the PIWC newly-crowned queens on our cover with story and pictorial on the inside pages 36-37. It was hailed a very successful event headed by young, dynamic Edwin Pineda and his hardworking committee members. And, more stories and pictures can be enjoyed by reading Elsie Sy-Niebar’s Notebook column on pages 13-14. 13-14.

As you can glean from the entire issue, parties, picnics, and all kinds of excuses for networking and interacting abound, the main reason of which is, the most-awaited SUMMER is here. Funny to hear though that this time of the year, many Chicagoans complain of the heat instead of the cold weather of Chicago. No happy medium?

A most exciting happening that we must touch on in this issue is the first-time Chicago visit of the LUMAD, the largest group of indigenous people in the Philippines, hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago headed by Consul General Gina Jamoralin. During the media session of interviews and Q&A’s, VT/CPRTV interview host Joe Mauricio asked the Lumad for a sampling of their culture through dance and music, which they politely obliged.To know more about this interesting session, please read Joe Mauricio’s “Objectively Harsh” article on page 22.

Pictured here is our Consul General joining the Lumad in executing their native dance number and playing their native wooden popercussion instrument. Complimented for her gracefulness, ConGen confessed that she used to be a member of a folk dance group in her younger days. You’re such a good sport, ConGen Jamoralin!

Enjoy, as usual, reading Via Times articles and looking at our colorful pictorial pages from cover to cover. Follow your favorite and terrific VT columnists’ wonderful writings in bringing to you the best topics for the month: They are Ryan Tejero, Girlie Pascual, Melody Dizon, Rev. Nancy Abiera, award-winning author Victoria Smith, Prof. Robert Boyer, Doug Nguyen, Elsie Sy-Niebar, Louella Cabalona, Attorney Janice Dantes, and Joe Mauricio.

Enjoy your sweltering summer months, while it lasts! ###

Chicago’s Consul General Gina Jamoralin is shown playing the Lumad native drum made of a wooden trunk from a tree with one of the Lumad delegates at the media session held at the Consulate General office on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.