VIA Times – September 2014 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
Chicago, Il. – In 2009, the US Congress thru the House of Senate and House of Representatives respectively passed H. Res. 780 recognizing October 2011 and every October thereafter as Filipino American History Month (FAHM) to celebrate the history and culture of Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to the Nation. Starting in 2011, the Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) spearheaded an invitation to many Filipino American organizations in Chicago and suburbs to organize a variety of events to celebrate FAHM every October. Since 2011, Filipino American community groups in Chicago and suburbs have been working and partnering together to consolidate and promote the various events in celebration of FAHM every October. This year, we are glad to welcome our new Consul General Generoso Calonge and thank him for his support in hosting the FAHM planning meeting at the consular office in Chicago. In a proclamation dated August 22, 2014, “Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois do hereby proclaim October 2014 as FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH in Illinois in recognition of the contributions of Filipino Americans made in our state and to our nation as a whole and in celebration of all Filipinos who call Illinois home”. See attached copy of the proclamation from the Illinois Governor. The Philippine Consulate General in cooperation with the Filipino American community would like to invite everyone to actively participate and support the celebration of the Filipino American History Month Celebration in Chicago and Suburban Illinois. The schedule of events/activities is in attached. Let us take pride of our Filipino heritage and history. Let us come together and make every October celebration – a meaningful and memorable month.
OCTOBER COMMUNITY EVENTS IN CHICAGO
Sep. 27 Sat (11:00A.M. -5:00 P.M.)- AdoboFest 2014 sponsored by the FilipinO American Network (FAN). Kick-off of the month-long celebration of Filipino American info@fan-chicago.org
Oct. 2, 19, 16, 23, – AFIRE’s Healthy Heart, Healthy Train the Trainor workshops- What is in Filipino immigrants’ lifestyle that causes high incidence of cardio vascular disease? Sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Oct. 02, Thu 06:00 P.M. (TENTATIVE) Film Showing of Delano Manongs Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers. Sponsored by FANHS Greater Chicago chapter.
Oct 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 Sat at 7PM & Sun at 4PM CIRCA Pintig presents APAT: A Quartet of Short Acts by Conrad A. Panganiban. Ticketed Event
Oct. 4, Sat, 6:00 pm to 1:00am: Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame sponsored by Via Times and CPRTV. Ticketed Event 2nd Week of October TBA- Dual Citizenship Informational Sessions Workshop that discusses important information about Filipino American Dual Citizenship including eligibility requirements, privileges and responsibilities, dual citizenship by birth and how to apply for Filipino citizenship reacquisition.
Oct. 10, Fri-6:00 P.M. – Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois Induction of Officers 2014-2016 & Excellence Award in Nursing Ticketed Event Oct. 11, Sat 3:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. Film showing of “Filipino Americans – Discovering their Past for the Future” sponsored by the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago
Oct. 15, Wed 5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Why should we know Dean Worcester? Monthly meet up guest Prof. Mark Rice ( St. John Fisher College, NY) will talk about Worcester’s controversial photos of Filipino tribes he took when he was colonial administrator in early 1900s.
Oct. 16, Thu 05:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. Chicago Loop Alliance’s ACTIVATE: Streets Of Manila in Chicago featuring Connection Art Project with the special participation of Filipino Folk Fusion band, SamaSama Project
Oct. 16, Thu 06:00 P.M. (TENTATIVE) Film Showing of Untold Triumph.sponsored by FANHS.
Oct. 17, Fri 07:00 P.M.- 10:00 P.M. The ENERI Access Series Presents: “Crossing Borders” with Matt Miller and Russell Kuzuhara and special guests Louella Maningas Cabalona and Baron Cabalona of SamaSama Project Oct 18, Sat 2:30 P.M. to 5:00P.M. Variety Talent Show Anyone interested in participating, contact Jelly Carandang
Oct. 18 Sat U.S.A. Regional Ladies for Rizal presents “ Miss Maria Clara 2014-2016 “ Dinner/Dance in celebration of FAHM- Ticketed Event
Oct. 19, Sun 02:30 P.M. – 5 P.M. Typhoon Haiyan, One Year Later: Remembrance and Reconstruction Art, dance, music, poetry, panel discussion (UNICEF, Tacloban med mission, Gawad Kalinga, among others). This is not a fundraising, just a tribute to Filipinos and friends worldwide.
Oct. 19, Sun 12:00 N.N. – 04:00 P.M. FAHM celebration in Glendale Heights sponsored by the Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF). 4th Week of October TBA Mass Oath Ceremony for Dual Citizens Are you a dual citizen or thinking of applying? Fill out the Dual Citizenship Survey: http://bit.ly/1oh85tF For info and updates, check out: https://www.facebook.com/FYLPro Oct. 24, Fri 08:00 P.M. Martin Nievera – Just You and Me Concert. Ticketed Event
Oct. 25 Sat 6:00 P.M. Filipiniana Fashion Show and Dinner/Dance – Ticketed Event
Oct 26, Sun 11:00 A.M. – 04:00 P.M. – Recognition of Outstanding Seniors in celebration of Filipino American History Month sponsored by the Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF).Ticketed Event
Oct 26, Sun-06:00 P.M. Fashion for a Cause-
Oct. 31, Fri 6:00 P.M.- 4 Da Laffs – comedy show featuring Pokwang, Pooh, K Brosas and Chokoleit …. 4 Top comedians from the Philippines Ticketed Event
REMITTANCES FROM FILIPINOS IN THE US HELPING IMPROVE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Remittances from Filipinos in the United States and other parts of the world helped the Philippines regain its position as Southeast Asia’s best performing economy during the first semester of the year. “The Philippine economy grew by 6.4 percent during the second quarter of 2014 also because of the millions of dollars that our kababayans, especially those in the US, have been sending home,” Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced the good news. “Our diaspora plays a very important role in the economic transformation now taking place in the Philippines,” Ambassador Cuisia said as he paid tribute to the 3.5 million members of the Filipino-American Community who consistently account for more than half of the total remittances the Philippines receive annually from abroad. Citing NEDA figures, Ambassador Cuisia said remittances by overseas-based Filipinos reached a new high for the year in June when inflows went up by 5.9 percent to $2.050 billion that month, raising the total for the first half by 5.8 percent to $11.422 billion. “Our economy is performing well as result of a stronger industry and services sector and robust remittances from overseas Filipinos,” Ambassador Cuisia said. “This should make the Philippines more competitive and more attractive to investors, particularly those in the US.” Ambassador Cuisia cited the improved performance of the Philippine economy in urging a group of businessmen in New York to consider doing business in the Philippines. “It is important to point out that the emergence of the Philippines as “Asia’s New Emerging Tiger” is a strong demonstration of a tipping point phenomenon – the results of transformational leadership changes and policy reforms introduced in almost 30 years,” Ambassador Cuisia told businessmen at the Harvard Club during a luncheon co-hosted by Samish Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Transfast, a leading international money transfer company and Peter Tichansky, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council for International Understanding. “With all this dynamism and optimism, I hope your interest in the Philippines will continue,” Ambassador Cuisia told the group that included senior-level executives involved in financial services; consumer goods; pharmaceuticals; equipment manufacturing; communications; and law and government. In response, Kumar said his company, which operates a proprietary network of over 200,000 payment points across more than 100 countries in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa, will continue to be a major player in the remittance sector in the Philippines. “The 3.5 million Filipinos in the US and the 850,000 in Canada send nearly $13 billion–or more than half of the approximately $25 billion— of global, cross-border remittances sent annually to the Philippines,” Kumar said. “Transfast delivers a large percentage of these remittances making the company a significant player in the Philippines economy,” he added. “Transfast has a 25-year commitment to the well-being of Filipinos, wherever they may be across the globe. We are proud to be a contributor to the health and growth of the Filipino economy.”
