A Review of Chicago’s Philippine Consuls General

By: Veronica Leighton

 

We recently received the following official notice about the sudden move of Chicago Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim and his family to a new post in Los Angeles, California. He will be replaced by Hon. Ambassador Generoso Calonge, the current Philippine Ambassador to Israel, who is slated to perform his official duties as Consul General of Chicago sometime in July.

Hon. Ambassador Generoso D.G. Calonge

“The Consulate General of the Philippines in Chicago wishes to inform the Filipino- American community of the appointment by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the current Consul General in Chicago, Hon. Leo Herrera-Lim, as the new Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles with jurisdiction over Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Consul General Leo Herrera- Lim departed for his new post, 17 April 2014. He has served as Consul General in Chicago since May 2010.”

The Consulate General in Chicago is pleased to announce of the appointment by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of his replacement, Hon. Generoso D.G. Calonge, the current Ambassador of the Philippines to Israel. Ambassador Calonge is a career diplomat whose career in the Foreign Service spans almost three decades. He has served in Philippine diplomatic missions in Washington DC, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saipan in various capacities, as well as in the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns, Office of Legal Affairs, Office of Intelligence and Security Services, Office of Middle East and African Affairs, and Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines, Manila in 1976, completed his degree in Law from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1985, and then moved on to finish his Masters of Laws from the prestigious Harvard Law School in 1988. Ambassador Calonge also attended Officer Cadet School of the Australian Army as a Military Science scholar from 1978-1979 under the Philippines- Australia Defense Cooperation Program. Ambassador Calonge is married to Atty. Gloria Salazar Calonge and has three children, namely Golda, Nikki and Joshua Benedict.” ‘Twas a mixed emotion for the Herrera-Lim’s Chicago friends, fans and foes (interestingly starting in “F”) in seeing them go, not being able to finish their term of six years stay in Chicago. There were spates of despedida parties held for their departure coupled with tearful goodbyes from different groups of people and organizations here in Chicago. Yet, the most oft query was, “why the sudden cut-off of his tour of duty in Chicago?” No one would know, for sure. This drove us to look back and analyze the Consuls General, spouses and families, who have touched our lives as Filipinos (illegals, immigrants or American citizens) during our transplanted years here in Chicago, as characterized by their own personas and behavioral manifestations towards our community … Consul General Rodolfo Sanchez, now deceased, has served the longest term of about than ten years during the Marcos era. He was wellliked by the then burgeoning Filipino American community in Chicago in the 1970’s to ‘80’s but disliked by the anti-Marcos group of Filipinos. He was the brains behind the celebration of the Philippine Independence celebration, and actually headed it for a couple of years. Due to his Cassanova reputation, his years of Chicago was marred by a jealous wife and scandalous stories of his love for women. A period of lull followed Sanchez when a very respectable priestdiplomat in the name of Rev. Eleuterio Espinas became our Consul General. He was much loved but he had to leave after his six-year term of office. ConGen Espinas had to retire while doing his duties in Chicago and was followed briefly by ConGen Mario Belisario Consul General Jaime Bautista with his Spanish wife Conchita, gave the most gorgeous parties at their (then) new and controversial consular home in Highland Park. He did not escape the ires of some local press people when politics entered and divided the Philippine independence celebration that was started by ConGen Sanchez. Conchita was a high-profiled ConGen’s wife that naturally liked people and minded her social IQs. ConGen Bautista became Philippine Ambassador in Moscow later on. ConGen Bautista’s post was followed briefly and quietly by the following ConGens: Diosdado Orocio, Jr., Rowena Mendoza Sanchez, and Honorio Cagampan, with not much community upheavals. Consul General Emerlinda Pineda had no visible First Gent. Not really well-liked because of her dull personality and aloof attitude, but she was able to finish her six years tenure of office in Chicago. Consul General Blesila Cabrera, simple and sweet ways, always had something nice to say to people that she met here in Chicago — a consummate diplomat. She treated members of the community with respect, professionals or not professionals. Like Pineda, she also had a husband (now deceased) who shunned away from the community and social functions. Her daughter Marianne still lives in Chicago. Bedimpled Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim tried to perform his diplomatic duties with seriousness and professionalism, although he was branded by some sectors of the community for being selective in his choice of favored organizations or groups. Both in their prime of life, he and his wife Fides really enjoyed making new friends and attending many Chicago social scenes. There’s nothing wrong with that except when some unfavored groups started complaining about the couple’s selective choices of professional medical or richie groups for friends, and wife Fides did not make any qualms about it. His ambitious, unstable and overly sensitive wife Fides was more of a detriment as a Congen’s wife due to her rash behavior. She has been labeled “Ms. Material Girl” and figured in the most controversial poison letter that was circulated in the community last year addressed to Ms. Norma Manankil, former VT columnist.. Now we welcome with open arms our new ConGen, Ambassador Calonge and his family. He surely will be delighted to meet the exciting group of diverse Filipinos and Filipino Americans of the Chicago community. His name will be a new addition amongst the list of our most honored ConGens to create another history of his wonderful term of duty as a Philippine diplomat in Chicago, a highly favorite diplomatic post in the world.. **** VT/CPRTV’s Chicago Filipino American Hall of Fame’s Man of the Year 2010, Billy Dec, was recently appointed by President Obama in the Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Upon learning of Billy Dec’s appointment by the President, Governor Quinn said, “When a typhoon ravaged the Philippines last year, the Illinois Filipino community rose up to lend a hand through clothing drives and donations. One person showed extraordinary generosity. Billy Dec opened up his wonderful Sunda Restaurant for a fundraiser to help those in need. Illinois is a place with a big heart and Billy Dec personifies it. I am immensely proud that such an outstanding Illinois resident has been appointed to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I send heartfelt congratulations to my friend Billy.” #### Here’s a little bit of background about the May celebration of the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Hon. Ambassador Generoso D.G. Calonge United States, taken from the Internet… . A rather broad term, Asian-Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island). Like most commemorative months, Asian-Pacific Heritage Month originated in a congressional bill. In June 1977, Reps. Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a House resolution that called upon the president to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. The following month, senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both were passed. On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual celebration. Twelve years later, President George H.W. Bush signed an extension making the week-long celebration into a month-long celebration. In 1992, the official designation of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.