Honored Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Famers’ Words of Thanks

By: Veronica Leighton

 

Indeed it was an honor to receive the award and a humbling experience to be with such accomplished Filipino-Americans and Friends of Filipinos. This is a beginning of another journey to continue to make a difference. With regard to the gala event, it was very formal and organized, including the program, the red carpet experience, the beautiful gowns that the ladies wore, good food, and the large screens around the ballroom that allowed everyone to see what is happening up close. Fantastic event! (From Maria Fides Balita, CFAAHOF Awardee in Finance/Accounting)

It was truly an honor and humbling experience. I am even more motivated to showcase our heritage and contribute to the community. (From Aeron Lancero, CFAAHOF Awardee in Excellence in Executive Leadership in Hospitality Business) So thankful to the Via Times & CPRTV for believing in me, it’s really a big night for me and one-of-a-kind awards night, indeed! (From Ed Cabanayan, CFAAHOF Awardee in Excellence in Performing Arts)

First and foremost, I would like to thank you for nominating me. I didn’t expect to be selected as the 2014 recipient of the Excellence in Education award. My husband and I are satisfied simply by making people happy. Teaching is my passion, and we expect nothing in return. We have worked with so many students over the past three years and were so busy that we didn’t even realize we’d made a mark. It seems like it all happened yesterday. As I said, your nomination came as a complete surprise. My husband told me and later read an email from your office saying I had been chosen for an award and would be recognized by the Chicago Filipino Asian-American Hall of Fame. It was, and is, a wonderful feeling to be honored by such an illustrious organization. I vividly recall all the successful and respectable inductees that stood with me on the momentous, glittering ceremony. I am still ecstatic about it. To all my students – thank you for the flowers, thank you to all who came to support our cause, thank you to the people who aren’t comfortable wearing a gown but came to support us anyway. Thank you for the love, and most of all, for your respect. Thank you to former PNAI & PNAA President and coawardee, Ms. Clarita Miraflor. To all my friends and family; to my husband, Brian Evangelista, and above all, I thank God for all these blessings. The Excellence in Education award has indeed made a mark in my life. It has inspired me to push further in everything I do. I have been delighted to hear the good things people have said about the event. They say it inspired them to continue their work, to better themselves, and to someday be recognized for their own lifelong efforts. I share this glory with all of our nursing students and everyone else who needs it. This honor will feed a never-ending desire to be better and become the best; to never give up in the face of hardship and trials; to surpass it all, and become victorious in every life endeavor. To all inductees of this year’s CFAA Hall Of Fame, we salute you all. We are aware of the sacrifices you’ve made to achieve greatness. To all of you who also aspire to great things, be willing to work hard and wisely. Always ask yourself: what are you willing to give to achieve your goals? Life is a colorful journey that has a shimmering end. To be part of such event is just magnificent. The Chicago Filipino Asian-American Hall of Fame to us is like gold – glitzy and star-studded. And like gold, it is precious and tough. It has survived intense heat to achieve its luster. Congratulations to all Chicago Filipino Asian-American Hall of Famers 2014. Congratulations to Viatimes Magazine, and to CPRTV for its twentieth year of dedicated service to people. And congratulations for another successful night of greatness and glitter. (From Mary Jane Evangelista, Excellence in Education)

It was such a pleasure and much joy to see you and Elsie after 36 years!! I could not thank you enough for the wonderful reception you accorded me during this historic visit of mine! Much appreciated with deep gratitude! Not only did I see my relatives in Chicago but also saw the Purays and the Ardientes along with the PNAA leadership! Meeting the 2014 CFAA Hall of Famers with their enviable and well-deserved recognition was a great privilege too! Young, successful entrepreneurs, highly-educated and service-oriented individuals indeed! One who impressed me the most was Mary Jane Evangelista with the entourage of admiring students offering bouquet of flowers showing their appreciation of her dedication to their nursing education! I spoke with Mary Jane and her students and shared with them on what happened in 1974 included in my Bio. They all promised to join PNAI as members and attend the PNAI sponsored PNAA North Central Regional Conference in April 2015! As far as my comments..here goes: IMPRESSIVE, GLITZY, ENJOYABLE, ABSOLUTELY an “AFFAIR to REMEMBER”!! What a WONDERFUL and MEMORABLE NIGHT on October 4, 2014!! Once again, CONGRATULATIONS for another highly successful fun-filled event sponsored by your two progressive companies. Missed meeting Joe Mauricio, and maybe when I return in April for the PNAI Conference I would like to meet him and see you again! Warmest regards, loving hugs and Godspeed) (From Dr. Clarita Miraflor, Awardee of Excellence in Nursing Leadership-International)

Thank you for your passion in delivering recognition to Filipino-Americans and friends of the Filipino People through the HOF awards. “My personal vision for the family of Hall of Famers is also a challenge that the bestowment of this prestige does not end as just a happy memento in the history books but rather as a new beginning in which all of us, HOF awardees can, in times of future need in the Philippines, rise up together as one to deliver help in times of need for leadership in the Philippines; assistance in natural disasters and calamities; and also in days of cause for celebration for the Filipino Asian American culture and its festivities. May we find empowerment to do more good to humanity with the HOF award. God bless us all.” A heartfelt congratulations to all. Godspeed & Speeding Bullets= (Dr. Jojo V. Sayson, Awardee in Science/Humanitarian)

I read your Salute to the Hall of Famers late last night and felt humbled and honoured with such distinguished company- ALL OF PEOPLE OF GOODWILL, no doubt! Reminded me of the initial meeting I had with the Presidents of 16 different international medical graduates that later formed the International Medical Council of Illinois. It is only when issues are highlighted and that solutions can later be formulated. This is true with the movement of certain minority in this country, TO DELETE/ELIMINATE the word GOD, which started with the prohibition of saying morning prayers in school, Boys and Girls Scout’s of America Oath of Honour, even the Little League’s Sport Prayer, the US Military (ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE) enlistment Oath, Our school Pledge of Allegiance and now on October 1st, 2014 the US National Treasury will STOP printing any currency with phrase, “IN GOD WE TRUST’. And yet, 85% of people surveyed DO NOT WANT THE NAME GOD REMOVED! Why are we allowing now the minority to rule our lives? Constitutional issue?? But, WE, THE PEOPLE..ARE THE CONSTITUTION!! We should be able to change this anomaly. Sorry for being emotional yesterday, which actually disrupted my trend of thoughts. The thought of political correctness- the fear of offending other people — entered my mind, hence my abrupt ending. I should have challenged the Hall of Famers, the audience and even you and Joe, the CPRTV & VIATIMES, being previous active advocates for the GOOD. Respecting the rights of the minority, LETS ALL BE ADVOCATES FOR GOD AND COUNTRY because as British statesman, Edmund Burke, aptly said, “For forces of evil TO TRIUMPH, goodmen and women ONLY HAS TO DO NOTHING.”. Having Bruce Rauner, candidate for governor of Illinois, I have decided to shun off my political correctness. May I be allowed to list the four incidents where ACLU and others have succeeded in eliminating or erasing the name of God when I get back? Thanks again for your friendship and indulgence. (From Dr. Jesse Corres, M.D, Awardee of Excellence in Medicine)

As a former Hall of Famer, I can’t help but marvel over the continuous improvement of the event. Every year it gets better and better which is a tribute to you and your team! (Dave Pauldine, former Awardee of Friend of the Filipino in Education. He is the President of DeVry University)

HOF Co-coordinators Jovie Calma and Ryan Tejero with hardworking committee members husband-andwife
team Chaz and Jhun Patron.

 

Keynote speaker Billy Dec, newly-appointed by the White House for Asian Americans Pacific Islanders Affairs Commission, with HOF emcee GirliePascual and James dela Cruz.