Hello, friends! It’s been sometime since you’ve heard from me. For this worldwide email directed to all Overseas Filipinos/Filipinas s and the Asian Pacific American community for this special weekend, these are my highlights for you to consider. Take action! Please forward freely and widely in your distribution list. My apologies for any cross-postings.

– Lorna Dietz, community publicist for the Filipino (FilipinasMag.com), Indonesian (KabariNews.com), & Punjabi (SanJoseMela.com) American communities

THIS WEEKEND’S HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Overseas Filipino Voters for the Philippine Elections (Babae Ka Party List, #110 on the ballot) and Filipino voters in the Philippines (Babae Ka Party List, #116 on the ballot)

Jacqueline Lingad or Jacquie Lingad Ricci, An Overseas Filipina and a dear friend to many of us, is one of the four nominees of this women’s political party (a centrist organization). One of their advocacies is to make sure Anti-Age Discrimination is practiced in the Filipino workplace (it’s about time!). Check out the video, ALL ABOUT BABAE KA IN FIVE MINUTES, that I created/produced (Youtube) at http://bit.ly/b75VYd

Before I decided to support Babae Ka Party List, I placed my research in a FilipinaImages.com posting. What an eye-opener! See http://bit.ly/d2RAgh

2. The V Monologues and MMRP with an all-Asian Pacific American cast in San Francisco on April 10, 2010 (produced by the Filipina Women’s Network since 2004)

Here’s a moving video (Youtube) where Fides Enriquez and Gerri Nuval talk about why they joined the 2010 cast. http://bit.ly/aA5kbe

WHEN: Saturday, April 10, 2010
WHERE: Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Admission: $88 (VIP), $38 (general admission), $28 (students/ seniors), 10% discount for groups of 20 or more.
Can’t make it to the show? Sponsor a resident or a staff member of a domestic violence agency. Only $38. Click here to sponsor: http://www.filipinawomensnetwork.org/events?eventId=134499&EventViewMode=EventDetails

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://filipinawomensnetwork.org/

THE V-DIARIES 2010 ONLINE with Mona Pasquil, Acting Lieutenant Governor, State of California, on the cover page: http://bit.ly/cBpycW (and for all you Cebuano/Bisaya-speaking folks in my Universe, Mona is one “garbo sa sugbo’ gyud)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

1. BABAE KA

From Jacqueline Lingad Ricci’s facebook page:

Jacquie Lingad, Babae Ka Partylist Director & No. 2 Nominee, is the daughter of former Pampanga Governor Jose Bulaon Lingad of Lubao Pampanga who was the first opposition leader to be assassinated during the Marcos dictatorship. Daughter of Catalina Canlas Mangila from San Vicente, Santa Rita Pampanga. Formerly with the PCGG (Philippine Commission on Good Government) and DOT (Department of Tourism). Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Response Team. Fighting for the the rights of Women & Children in our homeland and overseas. An activist during the martial law era and member of the Movement for Free Philippines and Ninoy Aquino Movement. Activities include Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council and against domestic violence to women & children.

2. FILIPINA WOMEN’S NETWORK

Marily Mondejar, FWN president, sent an email to us. Here are snippets from this email:

http://www.filipinawomensnetwork.org/v-2010asian

Meet the brave women and men of the V-Day FWN Asian American Cast & Crew 2010, San Francisco:

1. Bill Tamayo, Esq., Regional Attorney, EEOC for San Francisco and Pacific Northwest
2. Brenda Hartshorn, Photographer
3. Brian Soo, Kaiser Permanente
4. Charles Wang, Cellist
5. Claudine Cheng, Attorney & Principal, Claudine Cheng Consultants
6. Connie Zheng, Client Staff Assistant, Burson-Marsteller
7. Dave Rodriguez, Realtor, Pacific Realty and Investment Corporation
8. David Chiu, Supervisor, SF District 3 and President, SF Board of Supervisors
9. Don Santos, Retail Fragrance Specialist, Make-up Artist
10. Dr. Emily Murase, Executive Director, San Francisco Dept. of the Status of Women and Candidate for the San Francisco School Board
11. Erin Fightmaster, Teacher, Kid Street Learning Center
12. Errol Zshornack, Attorney at Law
13. Felicia Perez, Professional Genealogist, Lecturer, and Dream Worker
14. Fides Enriquez, Executive Director, Pacific Ethnographic and New Art Media
15. Fiona Ma, Speaker pro Tempore, Assemblywoman, District 12
16. Franklin M. Ricarte, Social Media Strategist
17. Genevieve Dwyer, President, Genevieves Corporation
18. Geraldine Nuval-Weibull, Owner, My Boudoir Lingerie
19. Gian Lizardo, Youth Advocate, Project: Come Passion & Soulciety
20. Gladys Dodds, Managing Associate, Partners in Business Systems
21. Helen Marte Bautista, (former) Commissioner, San Francisco Public Library
22. Dr. Jennifer Ong, Optometrist; Commissioner, Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women
23. Josephine Romero, Philippine Trade Commissioner, UI.S. Western Region
24. Julie D. Soo, Esq., Senior Staff Counsel, California Dept. of Insurance
25. Juliette Olivia Musni, Student, Rooftop Alternative
26. Katrina Socco, Senior Director of Programs, Youth Leadership Institute, San Mateo County
27. Keesa Ocampo, Government and Community Relations, ABS CBN International
28. Koua Jacklyn Franz, Executive Director, Hmong Women’s Heritage Association
29. Madeleine O’Dell Conui, LOLA Activist, Retired RN
30. Marife Sevilla RN, President, Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California
31. Marites Ares, Legislative Analyst, California School Boards Association
32. Maya Ong Escudero, Teacher
33. Mitzi Manzano, Freelance Make-up Artist and Fashion Stylist
34. Mona Pasquil, Acting Lieutenant Governor, State of California
35. Noelani Sallings, President, DAWN -Democratic Activists for Women Now
36. Norma P. Edar, CFO, A Topnotch Security Services Inc. and Costless Maintenance Services
37. Rae Almajose, Retired
38. Raymond Virata, Art Director, Filipinas Magazine
39. Sabrina Sandalo, Marketing, Frog Design
40. Sol M. Manaay, President & CEO, Care on Call, Inc.
41. Sonia Delen, Senior Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
42. Dr. Valerie de Leon, Dentist, Millbrae Smile Center

NOVEMBER 12-14, 2010 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ

Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce
Announces Bi-National Annual Convention

“Entrepreneurs without Borders” Converge in Phoenix
to Address Global Recession

San Francisco, CA, February 22, 2010 – The Filipino American business community is coming together in a highly-visible, unprecedented move to align its empowerment activities with an eye toward evolving as a borderless, globally-focused network of entrepreneurs and professionals. The “Federation 2010: Entrepreneurs without Borders” Convention, slated for November 12 to 14, 2010 in the newly-built, lush and luxurious venue, Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona in Scottsdale, Arizona, promises to engage local, national, and international participants alike with a strategic, innovative convention program that “connects the dots” in building a business global mall and promoting technological advancements, opening the doors to green wealth and green building opportunities, and bridging business and community through humanitarian and trade missions, among its many offerings.

In addition to the attendance of luminaries and dignitaries, keynote speakers include Arizona Governor Jan Brewer; Dr. Yolanda O. Stern, international entrepreneur and philanthropist; Jaime Lim, President of the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) and Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon, acclaimed for his outstanding work in building business coalitions that win government contracts; and Marie Cunning, a successful Arizona-based Filipina American developer who advocates green building practices. After the highly-awaited Philippine Presidential Elections on May 10, 2010, the new President of the Philippines will be invited to address the expected 800 attendees coming from 40-plus FPACC chapters throughout the United States and Canada.

“The road to a world of Entrepreneurs without Borders provides the Federation’s chapters, members, and affiliates with the ability to connect the dots in real time. We will renew and enhance our commitment to improving the business climate for Filipino entrepreneurs during these uncertain economic times, provide a rich directory of resources and networks, and truly help each other grow and succeed. In this year’s bi-national annual convention, we will increase our delegates’ opportunities to meet potential partners from other parts of the world besides the Philippines,” Marie Cunning announced. Cunning is the convention’s chair and President of the Filipino American Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona (FABCCA).

The Federation is offering its first 200 registered delegates “first come, first served” benefits such as an invitation to a special event within the convention: the opportunity to meet with venture capitalists, investment groups, and companies seeking joint venture agreements. Delegates, guests, and local visitors will also be treated to a diversity of exhibitors’ products and services inside a high-traffic Exhibition Hall as part of the convention’s Business Global Mall.

As the Talking Stick Resort gets ready for the Grand Opening festivities in June, 2010, sparking global attention with its 100,000-plus square feet of indoor and outdoor convention space amidst a backdrop of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Tribe’s Indian cultural heritage, the Federation looks forward to being one of the first groups to enjoy the 5-star facilities. Delegates will be greeted with a Welcome Reception at the resort, sponsored by FABCCA, the Host Committee.

“Becoming an Entrepreneur without Borders means that you are ready to be an impetus to actions that change the world,” says Jaime Lim in his invitation to prospective delegates.

Early convention registration information can be found at FPACC.com.

About the Organization: The U.S. Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce, Inc., is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation, incorporated under the not for profit laws of the State of Oregon with corporate offices at 447 Sutter Street, Suite 701, San Francisco, CA 94108. It has 42 chapter members from all over the United States mainland to include Hawaii. Incorporated in 1997, it bridges US Philippines trade and commerce, promotes goodwill and mutually beneficial projects between the two countries. It holds an annual convention in the US and one trade mission a year to the Philippines. It currently has several major Memoranda of Agreement with major Public and Private sector departments of the Philippines, including a major one with the US-SBA.

Press Contacts: Ben Menor at FPACC2010@gmail.com or Marie Cunning at MCunning@cox.net.

The victims of the devastating typhoons in the Philippines in September and October of 2009 were the “focus” of our hearts and souls in preparing and implementing the necessary tasks and responsibilities for this fundraiser. Cheryl Burke and Mark Ballas, among the many entertainers who wowed all of us that night (and our checkbooks!), truly understand the meaning of Christmas. “Dancing with the Stars” champions together in the same dance studio, wow!

I will be updating this posting with a photo slideshow in the coming weeks. I found some youtube videos that were taken by some of the guests during the fundraiser. We were all digitally-happy! In the meantime, Happy Holidays!

Here is the sample of the dancing that Cheryl Burke and Mark Ballas performed for the fundraiser’s guests, Cheryl’s Argentinian Tango and Mark’s Cha Cha that I was able to document.

In the black and red Bad Romance Costumes, Jeremy Babagay, Jaymee Racho, Stephanie McShurley, and Michelle Bird dancing with Paju Munro as the Lady GaGa. Thank you to AHILTON for posting this youtube video.

Another youtube video, contributed by mrtonysmith, shows another angle of the P.Y.T. dance performed by Cheryl Burke and Mark Ballas.

From Cheryl Burke Dance Studio’s youtube channel. This video was taken from the opposite side of the studio (from where I was).

I also created another video (which is not available on Youtube) that I posted in Facebook, showing some of the work that Cheryl Burke and Mark Ballas did for the fundraiser. There will be another video that will show my documentation of the total event.

Here is the video invitation.

AKO (I, me) mismo (myself or me, personally) is a very rough translation. Me, myself, and I… am doing my part in making the world a better place to live and work in.

How I got involved

I just received an email from an old friend, Patrick “Pato” Gregorio. It looks like my like-minded colleagues (including advertising luminaries such as Gil Chua of DDB Philippines) have wisely maximized their marketing, public relations, and media expertise to launch a movement that unselfishly, compassionately SHARES. Shares what? The real, positive energies that enhance the hope of Filipinos worldwide — that the Philippines continues to be “The Land of Plenty.” I’m happy to ride on this campaign and share this GOOD NEWS with others… PLEASE PASS THIS ON — AND MAKE YOUR ACTIONS COUNT!

Declaring your commitment in writing is the first step in making your good intentions manifest into reality. What you perceive becomes your reality. Imagine what it would be like to have millions of Filipinos — and those who advocate our Filipino causes — share their altruistic acts to all of us.
Here’s the text from the youtube description of AKOMISMO.

ALTRUISM ROCKS!

making a stand and taking real action for the causes you believe in. Causes that you yourself can truly pursue to make a real, positive difference to your fellow countryman, to your country.

It is for you who still dare to hope that life for millions doesnt have to be a hopeless battle against problems like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment.

It is for you who believe that not enough is being done about our countrys problems. And that to do right things, youll do them yourself.

It is a movement where you can show your patriotism and compassion, and make these traits infectious.

Its about action that eradicates hopelessness in every Filipino.

How hard will this be to accomplish? Well that will be entirely up to you.
In AKO MISMO you get to choose the cause you wish to pursue. No cause is too small as long as it is a noble one. All we ask is that you make a pledge to do it.

You yourself can pledge anything: from teaching English to your yayas kid, to making sure that your barangay is dengue-free.

Or make a pledge to do your part in ending corruption, prostitution, illegal drugs or the inhumane treatment of animals. The choice is yours.

No matter how small, as long as you pledge that you yourself will take action, its sure to make a big difference.

Giving more hope for Filipinos to stop merely surviving, and start living. And it starts with you.

MISMO yan.

http://www.akomismo.org

AKO MISMO – I pledge to continue “Reshaping the Filipina Image Online” through our advocacy blog and news portal, FilipinaImages.com.

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 1 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 2 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 3 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 4 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 5 of 5

Greg B. Macabenta, our NaFFAA National Chair who was elected in September, 2008 recently appointed me as NaFFAA’s Online Coordinator. This appointment clearly acknowledges the evolving power of cyberspace. With this appointment also comes great responsibility. As a coordinator, I am both in a position of support and front-line activity in advocacy empowerment and online reputation. Since I have always publicly stated that I am a community publicist for the Filipino community — and not a journalist — then it is the community’s experiences that mandate my overt efforts in making this constituency understood to the community-at-large.

I believe I am the first person to use the label, “community publicist,” to distinguish it from its more entertaining cousin, the “celebrity publicist.” I recall that sometime in 2005, during a radio talk show that Caroline Ocampo, Jacquie Lingad-Ricci, and I co-hosted on Saturday mornings, California State Senator Leland Yee (Assemblymember Yee at that time), called in — and upon recognizing my voice, exclaimed, “Lorna, you’re all over the place!” He was referring to just having met me the night before at a Filipino community event. And I replied, “But of course, Mr. Yee, I’m a community publicist. I’m all over the place!” (Something to this effect.)

As a community publicist, my goal is to highlight my community’s triumphs, achievements, trials, and tribulations to the larger communities — with one major aspect: I believe that I am being a “town crier” for the right reasons. It is not a paid position because the effects of my actions cannot be quantified right away. It is qualified by inter-linked and enhanced relationships that weather storm after storm — after storm.

Since I started maintaining and expanding my relationships via e-mail in 1996, I could not have imagined how viral my methods have become in announcing our events and activities to our Filipino American community. Thus, in 2004, I asked my sister to host my website, www.RadiantView.com. At that time, WordPress was just gaining its notoriety for its simple content management system — except that I wasn’t comfortable with HTML. I would just send Noemi the articles I wrote and she would put it inside my website. It would take me another three years to finally make the time to “teach myself” (with my sister, Noemi Dado, coaching me on yahoo messenger) the basics of blogging.

And here I am today, extremely grateful for the learnings I got from my patient sister. She is truly a major inspiration in my growth process. If it weren’t for Noemi’s guidance, I wouldn’t have reconciled (in my mind) the similarities between a journalist’s ethics and a blogger’s ethics. I would never have thought of pushing my friends at NaFFAA to focus on documenting and archiving our programs and activities online so that media would have an easier time fact-checking their news and views about us. I would never have been featured by Jeremy Zilar, the design technologist of The New York Times (in his blog), for announcing to the 350-plus attendees of the WordCamp 2007 (for Wordpress users) that “My sister has this online campaign to take back the word ‘Filipina.’” I was startled by the resounding claps after I made my one-line statement. I had just announced that we were using blogging as a medium to impact social change. Imagine that.

I begged Noemi to come with me to the 8th NaFFAA Empowerment Conference last September in Seattle, Washington. Her account of her experiences can be found here: Future Bloggers, My Blogging Goals.

As a board member of the Philippine American Press Club-USA, I am an active proponent of using new media to complement traditional media. Our Philippine-based Filipino journalists are wa-a-a-a-ay more sophisticated and knowledgeable — and our Fil-Am media has a lot of catching up to do.

I found the January 15, 2009 Media In Focus quite provocative. I was emotionally involved. I could relate to the heartaches of maintaining a blog. I remembered my fearlessness in defending a good friend when he was crucified by online critics and pseudo-journalists (and you know who you are).

I am mystified by many of my peers’ nonchalance in pursuing digital literacy.

We will persevere!

I can only appeal to my media and NaFFAA colleagues to “start somewhere today!” Thank you to Nanette Alcaro, my “partner in crime” at FilipinoVillage.com, for understanding what a bumpy road we have to traverse, with lots of detours along the way.

My initial comments after Noemi alerted us about the TV segment were:

Noems, I had so much fun viewing this segment because I could truly relate to the dilemma of journalists, bloggers, and pseudo-journalists who truly use the blogosphere to destroy the credibility of our Fil-Am community leaders. I can validate that you did try to contact the Pangandamans to get their story because I also used my own resources to help you. But no one wanted to speak out… The part about editing ONE WORD OR PHRASE really spoke to me. You see, bloggers can self-edit, especially the typos that they missed or crazily-arranged words that don’t express the message clearly. In my world wherein we use a blog’s easy content management system to have a website that archives or documents our programs and projects that impact social change, we try to self-edit responsibly. So, there are times that we can’t always disclose every typo when we’re very busy advocating for change . My conclusion: Do Your Best. Be accountable in public forums. And use The Bloggers’ Code of Ethics.

I have a long journey ahead this year as I struggle to stay 20 steps ahead of my colleagues in helping them become the “Techy Non-Techie” in using new technology and internet tools for effective communications.

It’s going to be a wild ride!

Since this is a year-long project that involves a lot of logistics, we hope to finish the videos by October 2009, just in time for the next FWN Summit.

Let’s start with this video.

THELMA BOAC
Principal
Silver Creek High School, San Jose, California

When Thelma Boac started her new job as Principal of Silver Creek’s High School, I had the privilege of writing her profile for Manila Bulletin-USA. Click here to read the article.

Let me quote directly from the source.

PINAY POWER 2012: TIME CAPSULE PROJECT

A time capsule is a way for us to deliver important messages so that our designated heirs have a sense of what life was like for us when they open our time capsule in the future.

When Pinay Power 2012 was birthed at FWN’s future search conference at the 4th Filipina Summit in 2006, the Filipino community was celebrating 100 years of Filipino migration in America. Strikingly missing were the stories and documentation of the contributions of Filipina women. “Never again forget the role of Filipina women in the building of America,” said Marily Mondejar, president of FWN. This statement inspired the Pinay Power 2012: Time Capsule Project.

This project will actively promote Filipina women’s capacities to lead, innovate and inspire the next generation of women. View the list of FWN 100.

A digital and print archive will serve as a time capsule for future generations. These Filipina women’s stories will hopefully help every Filipina worldwide during her own moments of adversity and tribulations. Helping craft the image of the Filipina woman in the US is the inevitable end-result of this project.

“By using the internet these videos will reach a worldwide audience and bring an all too often marginalized community their earned recognition.”

DOCUMENTARIANS

FWN is thrilled to collaborate with two award-winning professionals who have been supportive of FWN thru the years.

* Helene M. Rosenbluth have been recording conferences both nationally and internationally for more than 20 years. As a journalist for Pacifica Radio, she has covered the United Nations International Women’s Conferences in Mexico City, Nairobi, and Beijing resulting in several national awards. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting honored her for her coverage of the Nairobi International Women’s Conference, and by the Associated Press for her documentary about Violence Against Women. She covered the Earth Summit in Brazil, The Anti-Racism Conference in Durban, South Africa and the Human Rights Conference in Vienna. Over the past sixteen years she has developed an extensive web-based, audio archive of socially conscious ideas gathered from hundreds of conferences worldwide.

* Anna L. Marks is a communications expert and social entrepreneur. She is the creator and founder of Conscious Life Magazine and Bay Area BusinessWoman News where she served as publisher, editor-in-chief, and layout artist for over 15 years. Marks has been on numerous boards, and currently serves on the Alameda County Women’s Commission and the California Women’s Agenda Media Task Force. She was awarded “Businesswoman of the Year” by San Francisco Business and Professional Women; and “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” by the San Francisco chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Marks is passionate about using new media as a change agent for global progress in the new millennium.

Let’s meet more of these amazing Filipina women who have impacted the way I think and act since 2004 when I first became a member of the Filipina Women’s Network.

ELENA MANGAHAS
Co-Chair
Little Manila Foundation, Stockton, California

SONIA DELEN
Senior Vice President
Banc of America Leasing, San Francisco, California

DR. MARIETTA N. ALMAZAN
President & CEO
Specialty Center, Inc., Sacramento, California
Psychiatrist & Author of “The Bipolar Spectrum”

VANGIE CANONIZADO BUELL
Filipino American National Historical Society, Berkeley, California
Memoir: “Twenty-Five Chickens and a Pig for a Bride: Growing Up in a Filipino Immigrant Family”

SUSAN “SUSIE” QUESADA
Secretary/Treasurer and Marketing Manager
Ramar Foods International, Pittsburg, California

ROSENI “NINI” ALVERO
Trade Commissioner
Foreign Trade and Investment Service Officer for the Philippines Government, Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, California

CORA TOMALINAS
Chair, First Five Santa Clara County Commission, Santa Clara, California
Board Member, Silicon Valley Education Foundation

EDNA CASTEEL, MNA
Chief Accountant
Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, California

FOR MORE OF THESE PERSONAL STORIES ON YOUTUBE, CLICK HERE. To contact FWN, email Marily Mondejar, FWN President, at MarilyM@FFWN.org.

The much-awaited verdict on the three cases filed against San Jose, California community leader, Ben Menor, which was to have been handed down on September 18, was moved back to October 9, following an agreement between the District Attorney’s Office and Menor’s counsel, Charles Hendrickson of the Public Defender’s Office, before Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Ray E. Cunningham, that Menor would plead No Contest to one charge, while the two other cases would be dismissed.

The postponement was because the Department of Probation was not prepared to present the necessary documents that would have facilitated the immediate resolution of the cases.

According to Hendrickson, in a briefing to media after the proceedings, the dismissal of two of the three cases against Menor had earlier been offered by the DA’s office on condition of payment of restitution of $46,862 and of Menor pleading No Contest to the charge of making a false statement on a financial report.

At the September 18 court appearance, Menor’s counsel informed Judge Cunningham that a payment of $51,000 had already been made to Santa Clara County by Menor, thus satisfying the first condition. Other fees and charges account for the excess payment.

Hendrickson further explained to the media that the No Contest plea would result in the charge being reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, with no jail term, and in its being immediately expunged. Based on the provisions of Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code, that would amount to a dismissal of the case.

“In effect,” said Hendrickson, “it would be as if the case were just being initiated and the defendant were to enter a plea of not guilty.”

The cases against Menor were filed by the City of San Jose based on allegations that Menor, as President and CEO of the Filipino-American Senior Opportunities Development Council and Executive Director of the Jacinto Tony Siquig Northside Community Center, had used funds and facilities of the City and of the center for unauthorized and illegal purposes, and that he had submitted false financial reports concerning payment of services rendered by the center.

One of the charges was for grand theft, allegedly because Menor had used City and center funds for the August 2002 national conference of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), a national organization of which Menor is a member. The other charge, also for grand theft, alleged that Menor had arranged for services that benefited his parents at the expense of the center.

Based on the evidence at hand, the District Attorney’s office offered to have the two grand theft cases dismissed, provided that Menor paid restitution amounting to around $14,000 for the case involving NaFFAA and around $32,000 for the case involving his parents, or a total of $46,862.

The other condition was for Menor to plead No Contest to the third case, which alleged that Menor had unlawfully over-charged the city for services rendered to the center’s clients. An uncertain reading and interpretation of the rules on charging for services may have been the reason for the agreement to reduce the charges from a felony to a misdemeanor and its immediate expunging from the court records.

The Jacinto Tony Siquig Northside Community Center, on North 6th Street in San Jose, is a 16,500 square ft. facility consisting of the center itself and an apartment for senior housing. It serves all ethnicities, although up to 80 percent of beneficiaries are of Filipino descent.

Menor led the efforts to raise the money – totaling $8 million for the center and $17 million for the senior housing – from grants from the City of San Jose, Santa Clara County, the state of California and other sources, including funds made possible by the Community Reinvestment Act. Construction of the facility began in 2001. It was inaugurated in 2003.

Menor had been connected with the Filipino-American Senior Opportunities Development Council since 1993. He left in 2006 when the charges against him were filed.

-30-

Yesterday, I received an email from an old friend.

Hi Lorna!!

How have you been?? Hope all is well with you and your family. Im writing you from Manila. You must have heard about the soon-to-open new California Academy of Science at the Golden Gate Park featuring the Philippine Coral Reef as its permanent exhibit. Malou Babilonia heads the Filam Focus Group which supports it and Im in the Steering Committee with Tita M, Voltaire Guingab, Susan Po- Rufino, Nenuca Ortigas and others. Would you please help us spread the word about this great Philippine pride by forwarding these articles to your million and one Filam contacts and the movers and shakers from the East Coast to the West? Let me know of your great help so I can update Malou and the Focus group about your valued assistance which will surely make a lot of difference. Will forward you succeeding press releases as well. Can I count on you, my dear Lorna?
Thanks and best regards!! Celia

Celia C. Cuasay

So, Celia, here it is… Let’s start with a press release that you sent me. I can’t wait to see the wonderful photos!

SAN FRANCISCO — The world’s deepest living coral reef exhibit opens at the new California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park on September 27, 2008. The Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit, in a 212,000-gallon aquarium tank, will be home to a variety of soft and hard corals, black-tipped reef sharks, rays, and more than 4,000 reef fishes that are native to the Philippines. Visitors will be able to view the reef and its inhabitants from the surface as well as from five different underwater windows.

The Academy chose to feature a Philippine coral reef because the reef systems in the Philippines are among the most diverse in the world. Despite their global importance, most people on the planet have never seen a living reef. With the opening of the new Academy building, over a million visitors a year will be able to experience the splendor of a living Philippine coral reef and learn what they can do to help save coral reefs around the world.

With a 40-year history of research in the Philippines, resulting in the discovery of dozens of new animal species and publication of a comprehensive guidebook to Indo-Pacific invertebrates, the Academy is partnering with local education and conservation groups, such as Pusod, a non-governmental organization based in the Philippines and Berkeley, whose mission is to preserve and enhance the ecosystems of the Philippines and show their significance to the world.

Both organizations are committed to scientific, educational, and outreach efforts regarding the coral reefs of the Philippines. These efforts will be targeted toward the Filipino community in the Bay Area and abroad, fostering their appreciation for and personal connection to one of the world’s critical biodiversity hotspots.

According to Dr. Terry Gosliner, Senior Curator at the Academy, “Our goal to reach a broad and diverse audience is the reason we have this wonderful evolution of interaction with Pusod and the Filipino community.”

The Academy and Pusod have organized a group of San Francisco Bay Area Filipino Americans to generate interest and excitement about the exhibit, and to get the Filipino community involved. The group, Reaching out through Environmental Education to Filipinos (REEF), has a marketing team that has been aggressively promoting the exhibit to different sectors of the Filipino community. Recently, it participated in the Pistahan parade in San Francisco with a marine-themed float.

Dr. Meg Burke, the Academy’s Director of Education, comments that it is wonderful how the Filipino community has been so cooperative and excited about the Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit. She says she is overwhelmed by how much support the Academy has received from the Filipino community in making the exhibit a spectacular possibility.

“Because the Philippines has more marine biodiversity than anywhere else in the world,” says Malou Babilonia, Pusod Founder and Trustee, “the Filipino community needs to take action in any way to protect, preserve and enhance our marine environments. It is so important that Filipinos everywhere immerse themselves in the Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit at the Academy.”

For information: www.pusod.org/reef
Send inquiries to: reef.project@yahoo.com

Our conversation also touched upon some “whistle blowers” regarding Formula Milk made by Wyeth that is supposed to be recalled in the Philippines. I got the impression from my chat with Nona that birth statistics regarding the contaminated milk have not yet been disclosed, especially the inference about the increased percentage of new-born infants who contracted meningitis. This definitely needs more investigative work — so whoever reads this and is interested can certainly contact Nona.

Since I don’t know what all the perspectives are, my googling research is what I’m writing about (and I’m biased because I’m pro-breastfeeding). What I found about the current war between formula milk and mother’s milk in the Philippines (and probably other third world countries) made me reflect on my own role as an advertising and business development professional. I asked myself, “Do I solicit advertising from companies who do not share my values about compassion and sustainability?” and “Do I even care about media’s civic role in advancing the Filipinos’ mindsets and attitudes?”

My online research, upon Nona’s prodding, took me to the UNICEF Philippines’-produced documentary, FORMULA FOR DISASTER . The marketing copy caught my attention: “This eye-opening documentary reveals how the marketing of powdered milk has caused fewer mothers to breastfeed in the Philippines – including those who can ill afford artificial milk and suffer its harmful consequences. The milk companies’ formula for profits is a formula for disaster.”

Here is the “Formula for Disaster” documentary, courtesy of UNICEF-PHILIPPINES through YouTube.com.

Formula for Disaster (Part 1 of 5)

Formula for Disaster (Part 2 of 5)

Formula for Disaster (Part 3 of 5)

Formula for Disaster (Part 4 of 5)

Formula for Disaster (Part 5 of 5)

During my searches at YouTube, I found this endearing video, A TRIBUTE TO BREASTS. I thought that the 2nd Synchronized Breastfeeding Event deserves a third-party tribute for its noble efforts.

Nona Andaya-Castillo is very busy bringing people and organizations together to organize the Second Synchronized Breastfeeding Worldwide Event, scheduled on October 11, 2008, as well as its launching during the World Breastfeeding Week on August 1 to 7, 2008. She is looking for public service, corporate, non-profit agency, and community-based partners who can sponsor the US central global event to be held in New York City.

COULD THIS BE YOU OR YOUR GROUP?

TO CONTACT NONA D. ANDAYA-CASTILLO:

Nona D. Andaya-Castillo, IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
The Breastfeeding Clinic: Your Partner from Pregnancy to Parenting
Telephone: 632-444-4716 632-271-0954
Children_For_Breastfeeding@yahoo.com
+63-919-839-5555 and nurturers2005@yahoo.com.ph

Founder:
Nurturers of the Earth
A support group for vegetarians and vegetarians-in-progress

Children for Breastfeeding
Mobilizing children to promote earth-friendly parenting

No statements are being sent out by Ben Menor because there is still a court hearing he needs to attend on July 24, 2008. Ben Menor said that “I’m happy that the case is coming to a close — and I can move on with my life —- and that I can get back to what I had been doing, which is my love for serving the community.”

For any media interviews regarding the case, please contact Charlie Hendrickson at 408.299.7192 at the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s office.