May `Bato’ For PNoy

By: Veronica Leighton

 

My favorite month, May, is a CELEBRATION month, from all kinds of commemorations from Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month to Memorial Day, and Santacruzan Catholic religious pageantry honoring the blessed Virgin Mary, not counting the fact that it’s my birthday month and National Women’s Health Month. It is the month that enjoys the best of spring when gardeners are busily cultivating and preparing their plants to grow and bloom ready for the summer months. Prof. Boyer, our American columnist who has been writing about the Philippines and the Filipino people (Philippines, page 33) sent me a brief note regarding our April topic on Asian Pacific Islanders appearing in this column, “thanks for the information on “Pacific Islanders.” I have been wondering what peoples and areas that term covered.” Yes, we got all these topics and happenings covered in this wonderful May issue.

This is the month that the VT family finds themselves engrossed in all kinds of community activities and coverages as parties and gatherings abound almost all at the same time. Independent-minded, indefatigable and introspective writers, many of our columnists are expressing their very interesting thoughts and opinions on the first visit of President Benigno Aquino in Chicago. We all have varied opinions and are expressive about our thoughts. As the editor, I fully enjoyed reading the Noynoy’s Chicago visit stories written by your favorite columnists from Joe Mauricio (page 22) to Elsie Sy- Niebar (page 14), Girlie Pascual (page 26), Lou Maningas-Cabalona (page 34), and me (page 5). and so would you.

VT’s May editorial by Joe Mauricio on this page bespeaks of the great Filipinos’ existence and contributions to America, a minihistory, so to speak, for the occasion of the Philippines’ upcoming 117th celebration of its independence from the Spanish colonialism for more than 300 years.

Please do not overlook to read our coverages of our upcoming Philippine Independence Week’s (PIWC) June celebration, wherein the current PIWC Chairperson Ellen Tan is featured by Club Presidents columnist Ryan Tejero (page 32). The young Filipino Americans who participated in the annual PIWC Essay Writing Contest are also pictured on Ryan’s page (winners to be present and to be announced at the gala ball by Chairperson Jo Abaya Wee Sit). We are also featuring the PIWC Queens who will be ceremonially crowned and take centerstage on June 13th gala dinner event on Elsie Sy-Niebar’s column on page 14. By the way, Elsie has managed to have the tinikling dancers of the Philippine Cultural Foundation featured on ABCTV Ch 7 last Sunday, May 17th. This segment is in conjunction with the celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

Our beautiful May cover feature, Chaz Patron, Dance Lovers Club of Chicago Queen, together with her DLC Princesses, is a super-active woman who also painstakingly oversaw the successful execution of the DLC Santacruzan with more than 40 participants, coupled with the Queen & Princesses Coronation held last May 9th (please see their pictures on page 40).

Speaking of May as a religious month, please see the following pages…page 41 on Rev. Fr. Diwanee Cacao’s Healing Services in Chicago, and on page 42, “Devotion to the Divine Mercy” showing the DM miracles and and prayerful members.

Beauteous Melody Dizon, nurse and Home Health Care business owner, who also hosts a Health segment on CPRTV, is starting her maiden health column in this issue, entitled “Unchained Melody” (to help you in releasing or “unchaining” the human body’s maladies, aches and pains, and everything associated with the so-called aging process). Help me welcome Melody on page 29.

Enjoy reading, as usual, this exhilarating VT May issue.

Mark your calendar for the forthcoming annual gala event of the 21st anniversary of Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame on Nov. 14, 2015 at Hyatt Regency O’Hare.##

What the…? They say “pictures can speak a thousand words…” So how can you put in words the meaning of these two pictures snapped at during President Aquino’s Chicago visit last May 6. My words… (1) PNoy saluting Elsie’s beauty (2) Naughty Elsie giving PNoy a finger back…what’s your words? I want to hear, dear readers.