The article is found on pages 20 and 21 of the January 2008 edition of Filipinas Magazine.

“Taking a chance on running a travel agency nearly 30 years ago, Johnny Francisco has built a business that continues to soar.”

It is 11:00 p.m. in San Francisco. A sleepy Filipina travel sub-agent, who has an online booking engine at her website, answers a telephone call from a friend in Chicago. Apologetic, he asks, “My grandmother just passed away — and I want to leave in a couple of days for Manila. I need the best internet airfare. Can you help me?”

After noting some basic information, she guides her prospective passenger with his first online booking experience. Then, she calls 1-800-2-MANILA (626452) or 1-866-2-MANILA for additional assistance on quotes and advice for emergency travel. The “24-hours a day/7 days a week” live operator phone service is based in Manila. Within an hour, her friend feels comfortable with the internet sales tool, courtesy of Travelfast International, a.k.a. Travelfast.com, the sub-agent’s consolidator. Amadeus, Travelfast’s technology partner, provides the cutting-edge global distribution system that is connected to over 220,000 travel agency terminals worldwide.

Johnny Francisco, the President of Travelfast International, whose company has served the ethnic Asian travel community since 1978, takes pride in being able to give his 3,543-plus travel agents and sub-agents the technological clout of an automated booking system with real time availability and instant confirmation. With a 30-year milestone coming up on March 6, 2008, Johnny reflects about his company’s prominent and seasoned leadership in an industry that is expected to boom exponentially in internet airfares.

“I had no choice!” Francisco declares. “I already had a lucrative import-export business in the Philippines. This was the only way for my family to stay permanently in the United States. So, I bought this existing travel agency — lock, stock, and barrel. I had to learn the ropes quickly.”

Johnny’s San Francisco office in the historic Flood Building at Powell and Market Streets, close to the daily cacophony of cable cars’ bells and shoppers’ traffic at nearby Union Square, has proven to be an ideal location. “The overhead was pretty low. There were no computers then. With one other person helping me, we used an index card system for our reservations. It was all about hard copies before the era of the database system,” he recalls. Francisco was confident about Travelfast’s product mix, comprised of carriers such as Philippine Airlines, Pan American Airways, and Northwest Airlines.

Johnny’s entrepreneurial spirit also honed his guerrilla marketing techniques for building his company from the ground up. His belief in the power of “personal connection” meant distributing fliers to Filipinos he met at the crowded Market Street corridor and members of Filipino community-based organizations. San Francisco, during the late 1970’s, was home to a larger Filipino population compared to Los Angeles or Chicago.

“I was one of the first to add my photo to my business cards so that people could relate the name to a face. I inherited existing clients from the previous business owner but I still had to win their trust. My word had to be good,” Johnny said. “After the first year, I was hooked. The commissions at that time ranged from 10% to 25% per plane ticket. There was also a lot of competition from five large Filipino-owned travel agencies that controlled the market in 1979. These agencies eventually closed shop.”

Dealing with an economically-diverse clientele, Johnny marketed a Fly Now, Pay later program for the next 10 years. A relationship with an established Asian Indian wholesaler gave Johnny Francisco the break he needed for “direct blocking” with Japan Airlines and China Airlines.

Johnny ventured into the corporate market in the 1980’s. “There were two of us who got the Pacific Bell contract. From this experience, I realized that there was a glass ceiling for minority-owned businesses. In fact, most minority-managed or owned travel agencies were really owned by big corporations. I decided to concentrate on the Filipino market.”

In 1996, the forward-thinking entrepreneur analyzed the technological trends affecting the business of travel. Johnny reveals, “My edge is my basic knowledge of the industry — from ticketing to restrictions. I’m one of the few who understands the business in relation to the market. For instance, after 9-11, there were zero commissions since travelers could book their domestic tickets directly with the airlines. To counteract the loss in commissions, the airlines decided to assign a few agents to handle their international ticket sales. Travelfast International consolidates for 10 airlines to Asia with the ability to offer cheaper airfares versus the airlines’ published rates. I would like to think that Travelfast’s credibility and financial stability were deciding factors for these carriers.”

Johnny Francisco’s foresight about the emergence of internet airfares as the industry’s premier sales and promotions vehicle helped him develop Travelfast International’s 21st century business model which included “easy name and number recall” and branding for the toll-free telephone numbers and retail websites selling wholesale consolidator tickets, the opening of branch offices and retail kiosks from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and a Hongkong office. “We are the only US-based consolidator that has a fully-owned corporation in the Philippines and a 24-hour call center staffed with trained travel consultants. Since the previous business owner retained the Travelfast International business name in the Philippines, we chose the name Mango Tours for our ancillary and overseas operations,” Francisco explains.

The Travelfast International and Mango Tours infrastructure and operations, linked by telephone and the internet, are handled by approximately 80 employees. At any given time, Johnny Francisco knows how many people are logged into their computer network. He discloses, “We field an average of 2,000 telephone calls a day plus handle the activity in the websites that provide online bookings: MangoTours.com, FlyToManila.com, FlyToCebu.com, IFlyPAL.com, and FlyToAsia.com. We also saw a need to bus and house our customers so we started offering value-priced tour packages to the Philippines.”

Since online booking also means electronic tickets, Francisco urges travelers to obtain their internet airfares from online booking engines that are supported by established consolidators. “When you receive your confirmation number after your online booking, we direct you to a website where you can check your reservation. You can also call the airline to confirm your flight,” Johnny points out.

When asked what advice he has for the Filipino immigrant who wants a career in the “Wild, Wild West” world of entrepreneurship in the United States, Johnny Francisco thoughtfully enumerates his life lessons: “Be patient. Wait for your time. Don’t do everything overnight. Wait for the right moment and opportunity. Find your niche — where the glass ceiling doesn’t exist. You don’t have to be a jack-of-all-trades. Always deliver your promises. And, just remember that we’re the most affluent among the ethnic groups in the United States.”

With a twinkle in his eyes and a satisfied smile, Johnny terminates his reflective mood. “We haven’t reached 50% of our objectives yet. This is only the beginning,” Johnny Francisco adds.

Lorna Lardizabal Dietz, a Filipino community publicist, writes profiles about people, places, and events. She is based in San Francisco, California.

August 23, 2005: Introducing The New Principal

This is the scenario.

You are a brand-new student at Silver Creek High School this week in San Jose, California. You have already made your acquaintance with Thelma Boac, Principal, before the official “first day at school.” Mrs. Boac smiles a lot. Her eyes sparkle with laughter. Her teacher’s voice sounds crisp and clear, soothing and melodic — articulating English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Cebuano words fluidly and appropriately — somehow making the school’s embracing multi-ethnic, inter-cultural environment seem more like a global learning ground. You feel right at home with the fusion of cultures.

“I’m the second Filipina in 24 years to become Principal of the Eastside Union High School District (a.k.a. ESUHSD), the largest union high school district in Northern California. There are 22,000 students in Grades 9 to 12,” Principal Thelma Boac shyly reveals this factoid after close friends leaked the information to ethnic media when she took over the leadership reins on July 1, 2005. Thelma had been appointed by Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, then-superintendent of East Side Union High School District, to replace Principal Art Darin. One of Thelma’s colleagues had suggested to her sometime ago that being a role model for the youth and future educators was worthwhile overcoming embarrassment about having to “toot her own horn.” Her friend exclaimed, “Be proud! You represent the community!”

Evergreen Times, the community newspaper of Evergreen Valley and Silver Creek Valley, reported in its July 1, 2005 edition: “Boac, a long-time ESUHSD educator, has been at Independence High School for 24 years. Since 2001, she has been the villa principal for the ninth grade program at Independence High School, handling the full gamut of administrative responsibilities required to lead a school of 1,200 students. From 1981 to 2001, she taught ESL (English as a Second Language, now known as ELD), Spanish, and world history at Independence and served as a literacy coach, coordinator and department chair for the ELD (English Language Development) program throughout almost two decades of service there. She was also a club advisor for various student organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in education, administration and supervision.”

Thelma Boac is currently the President of the Filipino American Movement of Education in Silicon Valley (FAME). “This organization was started in 1972 by a group of very dedicated educators. They became very influential in the school districts in recruiting teachers from the Philippines to mirror the student population of the district,” she says.

Thelma’s advocacy of nurturing environmental consciousness is reflected in her involvement in the Philippine-based non-profit organization, Human Development International Vanguard Corps, through its United Nations’-endorsed “Call to Save the Mountains of the World” initiative.

Accolades awarded to Thelma include the Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day “Good Neighbor Award for Community Service” in January 2005, “Community Hero Award” from Jacinto Tony Siquig Northside Community Center during its Jose P. Rizal Day celebration, the “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” in 1996 by Marquis Publications, and the same publication’s citation of “Outstanding Woman” in the “Who’s Who Among America’s Women” for 2005.

After some cajoling from her friends, Thelma Boac consented to sharing intimate details about her life story. Humility and devotion to service are the qualities Mrs. Boac’s peers, friends, and students like about her. Thelma discloses, “When you’re an educator, you become ‘public.’ You also become an advocate for what you believe in: the best educational opportunities for all children. Education is not only the responsibility of the school but also a partnership with parents and the community.”

A Student of Change

Thelma B. Boac’s story began in the island of Bohol, Philippines, where her parents gave her up for adoption to her mother’s older sister, who had painfully lost two of her children and her first husband during World War II. Just before the first huge wave of Filipino professionals immigrated to the United States in 1965, Thelma left the Philippines as a 10-year old child to live with her “new” parents in Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo County in California.

Thelma didn’t speak English — but could read English fluently — when she first arrived in the United States. She was very fearful about going to school. “In a year’s time,” Mrs. Boac reminisces, “I was speaking English. It helped me shape who I am today, that is, a job of a teacher is not only to understand and care but also to understand the needs of students.”

Life at a strawberry farm was idyllic for the motivated, obedient, and studious immigrant. Thelma’s father had been a World War II veteran who was one of the “Manongs” (the respectful term used for the older Filipinos who first immigrated to the U.S. and became agricultural workers) who was able to own farm property.

Thelma admits that after studying in the rigid atmosphere of a Catholic-run parochial school, the public school system opened her eyes to the wonderful world of education. Her teachers — through their actions — modeled kindness, fairness, and understanding. “They motivated me! I was motivated also. I said, ‘Someday, I want to be just like them.’”

Her parents were also immersed in volunteerism, helping build a vibrant community of Filipinos in Grover Beach. These Filipino farmers manifested their dream to build a community center of their own in 1970, a few years before Thelma married Danny Boac. Thelma’s parents, key players and benefactors in this project, influenced Thelma’s mind-set and passion about community centers managed by community-based organizations (CBO’s).

Divine Direction

Today, Thelma Boac’s genius in “building community” thrives through helping community centers, such as San Jose’s Jacinto Tony Siquig Northside Community Center, in creating programs for ethnic groups interested in ELD (English Language Development).

Mrs. Boac focuses on education’s intrinsic value in “building community.”

“A community center can provide ELD and other services wherein education can be accessed by senior citizens, for instance, who would like to receive them for free. Everyone is welcome!” Thelma adds, “My belief in education is that it is not limited to the school grounds but extends to the community as well.”

Thelma Boac’s experiences in FAME for being instrumental in recruiting teachers from the Philippines for her school district are filled with memories of triumphs and challenges. “During a time when our Filipino teachers had to return to the Philippines to renew their visas after their 3-year contract,” she conveys, “I can proudly say to you that our school district was very supportive. They filled the affected classes with substitute teachers until our Filipino teachers came back. Remember, our Filipino teachers were chosen as the best qualified to teach our classes because of the shortage of American-based educators in Math and Special Education. Our educational system in the Philippines is based on the American system, including our fluency in the English language.”

Creating the Future

When asked about her future role in California’s educational system within five years, Thelma Boac looks thoughtfully at a distance before answering.

“You know,” Thelma reveals, “I had no ambition to be an administrator. The ambition came from the encouragement within the school community that I worked with. Just before I became school principal, I had been accepted in the Doctoral Program in Collaborative Educational Leadership at the University of California-Santa Cruz, in collaboration with the California State University System, which included San Jose State University and Monterey Bay.”

Thelma is only Filipina/Asian American, and one out of twelve successful candidates, to be accepted into the program. She is deferring her studies for a year due to her new responsibilities.

Mrs. Boac makes known her goals. “This doctoral program is more than a ‘think-tank.’ The current findings show that we need to train and prepare educational leaders like myself in implementing change in the educational process within a multi-cultural, multi-diverse school setting in meeting the needs of all students — especially students of color that have been traditionally underserved.

Many students of color are failing in the existing system. This program will deal with the issues of ‘Why?’ and create change. We are all leaders right now. Our job is to find ways to close the gap in terms of student achievement within the existing system.”

This Extraordinary Thing Called Love

Mrs. Thelma Boac has many teary-eyed, overwhelming, and happy experiences that defy description. Some stories are about her former students.

“A former student came to see me one day,” Thelma relates. “He said, ‘Mrs. Boac, do you remember me? I was your student 20 years ago. I just want you to know that I’m O.K. Now, I have a 14-year old son under your care. I hope you’ll do for him what you did for me.’”

Thelma’s life has come full circle when it comes to her family life.

“I had no idea that my life would be repeated. Danny and I adopted the two children of my youngest sister who had passed away. In 1989, we became parents to a 14-year old daughter and a 16-year old son. They are a gift from God,” she reveals.

We need more educators like Thelma Boac.

© August 2005. Lorna Lardizabal Dietz. Published in Manila Bulletin-USA.

Lorna Lardizabal Dietz is the community news anchor of the San Francisco Bay Area radio talk show produced by Cultural ID, “Filipina First & Foremost,” on Saturday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., KVTO 1400 am radio, together with Caroline Ocampo and Jacquie Lingad-Ricci. Her passion as a community publicist is complemented by her profession as a marketing specialist for www.ThinkApril.com.

His irreverent sense of humor charmed and provoked an international Filipino audience, accentuating a “tongue-in-cheek” outlook on their life experiences. Renowned for his ability to comfortably execute multiple personas, from leading roles in Philippine and Singaporean theater productions to portrayals as actor, stand-up comedian, singer, host, scriptwriter and director, Bernardo effortlessly attracts an admiring clientele in the entertainment and corporate circuits.

When Queenie Salazar, a special event and entertainment consultant, introduced us a few months ago, my pursuit of the holistic lifestyle suddenly manifested itself in gaining a new teacher who helped me understand that healers come in various forms. In his case, Bernardo could alter the lackadaisical or lethargic climate of a room into a powerful, transformative impression that overflows with light-heartedness and delight. His experiences in pranic healing and interests in crystal healing stimulated my curiosity.

“If you’re in Manila, go to SM Megamall and visit my crystal shop, Crystal Stars. My partners will take good care of you,” Bernardo assured me.

He gives commonplace advice to people whose studies in Eastern philosophies are meant to enrich their quest for enlightenment. “Every person has a special gift. Whether it is the ability to make people laugh or being conscious and sensitive about what is going on at all times, take care of these gifts. A person might not be prosperous with his finances right now, yet he is blessed with many friends, an active life that includes community service, or a loving family.”

Bernardo’s dream is to have a bi-country commuter’s life between the Philippines and the USA. “I manifest my intentions by allowing people to ‘know me, like me, and trust me,’” he said. Bernardo then shifted to a more reflective mood and added, “For the longest time now, I’ve had this desire to simplify my life. It’s happening. I know my priorities.”

Professionally, Bernardo’s career intentions in the US are very clear. “Many people in Asia remember that my theater background is the foundation of it all. A masters degree in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, a Bachelor of Literature college degree in Journalism with a minor in Public Relations from the University of Santo Tomas, an Urian Award-Critic’s Choice for Best Actor, and a multi-hyphenated total performing artist’s reputation are significant credentials for my résumé. Yet, at this time in my life, I want my talents and skills as a teacher, trainer, director and entertainment host to take center stage in the US. My focus is education. I have a lot to learn and a lot to contribute,” Bernardo said.

His first choice for an American directorial debut was an improvisational variety show that served as a playful and flippant tribute to the newly-arrived Filipino immigrant’s adventures in the US.

“It was very well-received in San Jose and Anaheim. In time, we will broaden the revue’s story line to encompass a more multi-racial American experience. I would really like to expand this entertainment format to include a local cable TV show,” Bernardo revealed.

Recently, an advertorial in a Filipino-American publication about the production of the Island Pacific Supermarket’s TV commercial for ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel caught my attention. The comedic milieu had Bernardo Bernardo impersonating a Samba dancer, a nouveau riche matron, a blue-collar worker, and a fish-loving personality. I asked him about the episode where he had to lie down on a bed of ice with the fishes.

I teasingly inquired, “Was it a slimy experience?”

“It was refreshing! However, when I used a mackerel as a microphone, the production crew laughed because it wasn’t written in the original script,” recalled a happy Bernardo after he related that the advertisement had garnered favorable reviews.

“Make more commercials like this one and you’ll be due for a Clio Award,” I encouraged Bernardo, referring to the world’s creative competition that honors advertising and design excellence.

Bernardo’s endeavors in the US include laying the groundwork for actors’ workshops in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Preparing for a career in acting, acting for singers, and basic actors’ workshops are courses that he believes will empower individuals to pursue their dreams with purpose and passion.

“Every day, we create many roles for different situations. The performing arts is a very generous and giving profession. Even if you are always ‘on,’ there is something childlike in an actor’s attitude and mind-set. An actor heals with his gift of transformation. Remember, actors’ workshops offer you the chance to round up your personal and professional development. You’ll discover more gifts and insights about yourself in the process,” Bernardo said.

And so it is.

(The author is the executive secretary of the Philippine American Press Club. You may e-mail her at lornadietz@yahoo.com.)

Notes: This article was written one Sunday morning in November 2002. I e-mailed it to all of my friends around the world as a prelude to a difficult writing assignment, although it was more than a writing exercise because I wrote the text as an intention. This profile was published by a Filipino American publication, Asian Journal, and the news portal, www.inq7.net.

http://www.inq7.net/gbl/2002/nov/29/gbl_7-1.htm

What’s up, Bernardo?

Posted: 6:11 AM (Manila Time) | Nov. 29, 2002

By Lorna Dietz, contributor
INQ7.net

“We can mold and manipulate stone and metals to the extreme,” Anton Quisumbing explains as he ends his working day preparing for the “Simbahan” (Churches) exhibit at the Social Hall of the Philippine Consulate General’s office in San Francisco. The miniature facades of Philippine churches, chosen for their aesthetic and virginal, restorative appeal and ranging from a foot high to almost three feet, stand majestically atop their double-purpose carrying cases. Hours and days of sculpting that started in November of 2000 are blessed with bas-relief replicas carved in Mactan stone, a fossilized limestone found in the island of Mactan, Cebu. Using resin and plaster to complement other meticulous details, Anton finishes the miniatures with a patina of simulated antiquity. Thus, when a visitor enters the exhibit hall, a hushed aura of “sacred space” pervades the atmosphere.

Anton, the Fine Arts graduate who majored in Sculpture from the University of the Philippines, can also handle almost any metal — iron, brass, bronze, aluminum, and zinc — from the family-owned foundry in Mandaue City, Cebu. He tackles a variety of projects ranging from monuments (“100 feet stainless steel monuments are magnificent,” he says) to commissioned works of art meant for corporate identities. Since November of 1990, Anton Quisumbing has displayed his artwork in several exhibits in the Philippines and Malaysia. Anton adds, “I am honored to be a part of Consul General Rosal’s emphasis on a Philippine arts and culture program for the San Francisco Bay Area. Other cities in North America would benefit from more of these cultural exhibits.”

There is a special console table carved in Mactan stone that Anton proudly displays as part of the “Simbahan” exhibit to showcase his versatility as a sculptor. The purist can recognize its Moorish-inspired influence. “I was inspired by my visit to the Alhambra Castle in Granada, Spain in 1992. My exhibit at the Seville World Exposition had highlighted other traditions. Working on designs based on ornamental calligraphy was another coup because curlicues and graceful angles make you appreciate the artwork stone carving delivers,” Anton says.

The ability to combine commerce and art in his life is one of Anton’s special talents. Currently involved as the Executive Vice-President of Loran Industries, Inc., a family-owned furniture manufacturing company established since 1978, Anton Quisumbing handles the business’s marketing and product development. For information, contact Anton Quisumbing at santequi@mozcom.com or check out the website at www.loranfurn.com.

The works of art, including the console table, are available for sale.

© Lorna Dietz, October 2001. This was the profile written for the October 15, 2001 exhibit opening at the Philippine Center, San Francisco.

Since the new City Hall is nestled in the heart of the Milpitas Civic Center, a public plaza, a restored statue of “The Flute Player,” a library, a community center, and a fountain that doubles as a gravitational rendezvous point feel like jubilant gestures of celebration for a city that has experienced a frenetic pace of economic empowerment during the past decade. The political leadership’s commitment to service also packaged an expected bonus: an improved quality of life for Milpitas’ highly-skilled and culturally-diverse communities.

“We did this!” Henry Manayan, the city’s former mayor whose leadership had spearheaded the $36 million capital improvement project showcasing Milpitas’ economic strength in Silicon Valley, beamed with pride as he graciously spent a few minutes chatting about the needs of Californians in the 21st century.

Henry’s days as a private citizen, many of his political supporters predict, are numbered. Serving as the mayor of Milpitas from 1996 to 2002, Henry Manayan effectively bundled his expertise in venture capital and commercial real estate with his academic achievements and practices in political science, speech communications, law, business, and executive training in state and local government. Henry’s comfort zone in international trade and multi-cultural affairs made it possible for him to bring in resources to support Milpitas’ aspiration to become Silicon Valley’s “diamond in high technology.”

One of Henry’s friends observed, “Henry’s accessibility to his constituents 24/7, whether they are housewives, students, religious groups, community base organizations, business owners, and senior citizens, demonstrates his work ethics. The other quality Henry shows is his ability to work as a team player and bridge builder with international groups and government entities as well as local and national public legislators.”

Henry Manayan acknowledges that the natural progression of his career path is to repeat the proven success formula that his leadership and management skills have done for a city that boasts of having a high technology base of 350 companies with annual sales revenues of over $69 billion and a support structure of 1,200 hi-tech corporations. An ambitious commercial real estate development program spawned the birth of the Great Mall of the Bay Area, a proverbial “phoenix rising” from the abandoned premises of a Ford automobile manufacturing plant. Milpitas Square, a large strip mall that caters to the South Bay’s huge Asian population, is another example.

“I would like to be known as the champion of economic development,” Henry Manayan says. “California attracts many of the best and the brightest people from all over the world. Milpitas is a real role model of empowerment that can be duplicated throughout the state. We have the ability to create synergy for economics.”

Henry’s agenda includes clear-cut solutions for easing the congestion in the streets and highways of the Bay Area. He thoughtfully pursues his advocacy for environmental protection in an urban setting. “Caltrain and Bart are very important. I look forward to the time that Bart will have a station in Milpitas. Transportation is very vital in efficiently moving goods and services between Silicon Valley and the Bay Area,” he states.

“Another important element in creating more dynamic communities is having more affordable housing. Critical support services such as people in public safety, the teaching profession, and our assembly line operators are essential to the foundation of our neighborhoods,” Henry adds.

He articulates his sentiments about the current state’s leadership in Sacramento. “Let’s look at our state budget as a pie. Leaders try to decide who gets the larger or smaller portions of this ever-shrinking pie. Instead of doing that, why don’t we enlarge the pie? We need more economic cooperation. For instance, we can develop more economic incentives for countries like India, China, the Philippines, or Mexico to do business with us.”

In the latter part of 2004, the 20th Assembly District will need a “consensus candidate” like Henry Manayan to represent them: a political leader who knows how to work with different constituencies and speak in a language these groups can appreciate. Henry is determined to focus on California’s economic and business leadership in the cities of Fremont, Newark, Milpitas, Union City, and parts of San Jose, Pleasanton, Castro Valley, and Hayward.

Leadership that’s viable, credible, and reliable. Henry Manayan for State Assembly.

Sacramento beckons.

About the writer: Lorna Dietz is the Executive Secretary of the San Francisco-based Philippine American Press Club, USA. The tagline, “an influencer of ideas and change,” sets the tone for her marketing communications and public relations business, Radiant View Communications. She can be reached at lornadietz@yahoo.com.

http://axispi.bizland.com/homefeature.htm

Source: As written by Lorna Dietz, published in the Manila Bulletin USA issue – June 18, 2003