DALISAY (Dely) VILLALON Fil-Am Icon For Untiring Leadership, Dedication, & Involvement To The Community

VT’s April Cover Girl Dalisay (Dely) Villalon is a very popular mover- and-shaker and a distinguished female leader for more than fifty years in the ever-active Filipino American community of Chicago.
An independent-minded woman and steadfast in spirit who has single-handedly raised her family for the last forty years, she is a proud mother of five: Enrique III, May Lorraine, Liberty (RIP) Frederik, (RIP), and Dolly Rose; widow of the late Dr. Enrique Arceo Villalon, Jr.; eldest of eight children of the late Federico and Librada Garcia Manuel. Her siblings are: Ligaya, Ernesto, Florencia, Cecilia, Mayumi, Danilo, and Dinia. She is a grandmother of sixteen and great grandmother of five. She migrated to the U.S. in 1967 with her husband and two children.
She is a Registered Nurse with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Manila Central University, with post-graduate courses at the University of Illinois, armed with extensive experience in geriatric nursing as director of nurses in nursing homes, retirement homes, and hospice care
organizations, where her place of work received awards for excellence in care. She retired at the age 79. She was a licensed Real Estate broker and licensed in insurance and investments, but did not pursue these careers any further.
Her community involvements are varied and wide:
Mission: to help foster a better and a kinder world through community service and leadership with deep commitment to extending help wherever/whenever needed. Over 50 years of community involvements in various community organizations in leadership roles.
Filipino American Council of Chicago(FACC) 1979-89 1st woman VP; Chicago Philippine Lioness Club president; two-times president of Chicago Philippine Lions Club; four-times president of Philippine Medical Association in Chicago Auxiliary; Asian Filipino Professionals of Chicago president; Asian American Coalition Overall Chair; Commissioner Advisory Council to Mayor Richard Daley (1 term); Philippine Independence Week Committee (PIWC) 1979; PIWCorp President, Board of Trustees; Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois past Board of Directors; Illinois Nurses (American) Association Blue Ribbon Committee Chair; and Chicago Women’s Club director.
As testament to her community services and involvements, she has received numerous honors and recognitions: Certificate of Appreciation, MacArthur Foundation, Wisconsin; Certificate of Appreciation: Philippine PMAC Medical Mission/Dr. Manuel Sanchez, 2007; Certificate of Appreciation PMAC Medical Mission/Dr. Nelcar Gadrinab 2023; Grand Dame of the Fil-Am community, 2022; Grand Maharlika Pinnacle Award PIWC from Maritess Wynkoop, OAC 2022; Presidential Lifetime Award, PIWC Board of Trustees 2022, President Brenda Stevens; Lions Club Excellence Award District 1A 2022; Via Times/CPRTV’s Chicago Filipino Asian Hall of Fame, VIA Woman of the Year 2010; Twenty Outstanding Filipinos Abroad TOFA 2008 (US &Canada) Washington, DC; Most outstanding Filipino of the Midwest. Cavite Association 1979; Outstanding Women In Leadership Filipino Women’s Club in Chicago 1989; Outstanding Leadership in Community Service by NGHIA Sinh International Asian Coalition; Lion of the Year District 1A 2019 and 2009; Golden Life Achievement Award CPLC Brenda Stevens Elegant Women, Fashion in Fashion/Victor Miller; Mrs. Chicago Philippine Independence PIWC 2003; Mrs. Philippines, Chicago Philippine Lions Club 2008; Certificate of Appreciation, Mayor Richard Daley; Certificate of Appreciation FACC 1981, and 1989; Outstanding Contribution to Quality Care, Illinois Long Term Council 1987; Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow 5 Diamonds District 1A; PRISM Award for Style and Achievement Phil USA Magazine 2003; Outstanding Alumnus MCU Nursing Alumni /Association /2004; and recipient of multiple Certificates of Appreciation and plaques for services in leadership roles.
Here’s Dely’s Words of Appreciation upon reaching the great milestone of her life at age 85: “First and foremost, I am thanking the Lord Almighty for my life and my children, and my loved ones’ lives; I thank with all my heart my friends and family in the organizations and jobs for their kindness, their support, their love, and friendship. I have a very meaningful and full life, whatever successes I have had in the last 50-plus years, I owe them to you. To my longest old-time outstanding and understanding friend, Veronique Leighton, my deepest and unending gratitude for all your support, love, and patience with me, in the last 50 years of our friendship.”