Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Manila Mail (March 16-31, 2015)
Manila Mail (March 16-31, 2015)
Amal Alamuddin-Clooney
Continued on page 16
By Jennie L. Ilustre
Continued on page 16
Continued on page 16
ORLANDO, Florida. Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson (9th district) has accused
his estranged Filipina wife of
Youngest Fil-Am
billionaire Page 6
Sharons comeback
Page 15
Pacquiao, Mayweather
vie for edge Page 16
Continued on page 16
American hurt
AKLAN. An elderly American and 10 others were injured
Fil-Ams re-elected
LOS ANGELES. Two Filipino-Americans won fresh mandates last March 4 following
elections for city councils of Cerritos and Carson in Los Angeles
County.
Mark Pulido, currently
mayor of Cerritos, topped the
city council elections for the
Balangiga Bells
second time.
Elito Santarina, mayor pro
tem of Carson, was re-elected to
Nurse nabbed
Bobby Murphy
listed by Forbes Magazine as the
2nd youngest billionaire in the
world today with a net worth of
$1.5 billion.
Murphy grew up in Berkley, California, the son of state
employees. He met Snapchat
co-founder Evan Speigel met in
Stanford University and later
collaborated to launch the hit
temporary photo messaging app.
The 24-year-old Spiegel,
with a net worth of $1.5 billion,
is the youngest in this years
Forbes list.
Murphy was a math major
while Spiegel is into product
design.
Snapchat now has close to
200 million users. The business
LOS ANGELES. A
Filipino nursing assistant in Southern California has been arrested for
allegedly stealing from
his elderly patient.
Maui Berganio was
arrested for allegedly
obtaining and using his
elderly patients debit
card for online purchases
without her permission.
Berganio, 29, reportedly stole as much as
$40,000 from the victim
who is now deceased.
Glendora Police say
Berganio admitted to
them that he has fraudulently obtained the
account of at least two
elderly victims.
Investigators
said
Berganio has worked at
multiple facilities and
they are now trying to
see if he may have done
similar crimes.
Ms. Tucson
TUCSON, Az. Filipina pre-nursing sophomore Patricia Duenas
10
11
12
News in Pictures
13
Photojournalist Kim Komenich opened an exhibition of his works during the 1986 People Power revolt in the Philippines. Timed with the 29th anniversary of the People Power in the Philippines, photo shows (left to right) Washington
Post editor William Bill Branigin, the San Francisco Chroniles Komenich, Philippine Deputy Chief of Mission
Patrick Chuasoto and Amb. John Maisto, President of the US-Philippine Society cutting the ceremonial ribbon
during the opening and reception of the exhibit Revolution Revisited. Branigin who was the Washington Posts
bureau chief for Southeast Asia and covered the People Power revolt in Manila shared his experiences as a foreign
journalist in the Philippines in the 1908s. Maisto was instrumental for helping convince former strongman Ferdinand Marcos step down and restore democracy in the Philippines. (Photo by Bing Cardenas Branigin)
Photo shows, from left, National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) Capital Region Chair and Manila Mail editor Bing Cardenas
Branigin; KAYAs Katrina Dizon; and Jason Alinea Tengco, Senior Advisor
at the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islander at the
University of Maryland College Park, Filipino Cultural Associations 5th
Biennial Filipino American Studies Program Gala held last February 28.
networking opportunities.
Sponsors of the event
included the Philippine American Foundation for Charities,
Asian American Studies Program and the Department of
American Studies.
US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba (Ret.), at the 5th Biennial Filipino
American Studies Gala, sponsored by the University of Maryland-College
Park Filipino Cultural Association last February 28. (Photo by Bing Cardenas Branigin)
Leadership Scholarship seeks to
recognize undergraduates who
demonstrate scholarship and
leadership and who are considering a future in federal public
service, both civilian and military. ($1,500 award).
More information is available at http://www.aast.umd.
edu/scholarships/scholarshipprogram.
The afternoon event held at
Orem Hall in UM College Park,
was an uplifting three hours of
song, traditional and modern
dance, inspiring speakers and
14
Advanced delivery
MANILA. South Korea
is advancing delivery of two
last March 3.
They will be combat and
mission ready upon their arrival
this December, he said.
Manila signed off on buying
12 FA-50s in March last year; KAI
committed to deliver all the aircraft by mid-2017.
President Aquino inspected
an FA-50 at Gimhae Air Base in
Billionaires club
MANILA. SMs Henry Sy
Sr. emerged as the wealthiest
Filipino and jumped to 73rd richest man in the world, the latest
Henry Sy
Susan Co had a combined worth
of $2.3 billion; and rounding out
the top 10 richest Filipinos is
Roberto Coyiuto Jr. with $1.8 billion.
Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is the richest man in the world with a net
worth of $72 billion.
Fan Page 15
Gutom na gutom
By Andrew Esmele
pino place.
So JC and I walk in, I was
so happy when I saw an ad for
Balikbayan boxes. See? I told
you it was! But then we realized that even though it was a
great oriental store, there was
no ready to eat food. Andrew,
its Filipino, but what are we
gonna eat? I grab some instantpancit canton. We could just
warm this up? I said, knowing that it wouldnt satisfy our
cravings. Strike two. JC was just
about to lose hope.
So I look for the next closest Filipino Restaurant, emphasis on restaurant. We drive for a
bit; I bought JC some cornick
Filipino-
Cinderellas voice
ences.
Cheryl Burke has left after
a decade with the top-rating
to make up for my unforgivable
mistakes. We pulled up to the
3rd place.
It says Global Supermarket.
But it says Filipino! We
walk into the store and browse
around. Strike 3 for me. That
would have been game over for
me, until a certain smell lured
us to the back of the store, like
light at the end of the tunnel, we
saw Sinigang, Adobo, Lechon
Kawali, everything. We almost
cried. I was never this happy
from food, it was amazing, and
it was just right for the budget
of a broke college student. At
least now we know where to go
whenever we need Filipino food.
Check out
Fiesta Oriental Store: 4815
1st Street North, Arlington, VA
22203 and
Filipino Global Supermarket: 5509 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041.
Sharon comeback
MANILA.
Philippine
megastar Sharon Cuneta is
busy plotting her comeback
after surviving a deep personal
crisis, including the death of her
mother Elaine last November.
On a Facebook post,
Cuneta, 49, told fans that they
will be seeing her in just a few
days.
Cuneta did not provide
any other details on her comeback project, but it apparently
includes an aggressive weight
loss campaign to achieve her
ideal weight. She is reportedly returning to ABS-CBN after
leaving the network in 2011.
She withdrew from the
limelight and some reports
suggested she suffered from
depression. Cuneta admitted in
an August 2014 interview that
she lost control of her weight
and went through one of the
lowest times of her life and
career.
She apologized to her fans
for neglecting her career. Cuneta
has starred in 53 films and
recorded more than 40 albums.
Cris Judd
Sinigang na hipon
the
comedy-variety
another
tal-
Rachelle Ann Go
We were looking for someone special, not just to sing the
song beautifully but to also
deliver the message reliably and
inspire audiences, said Amit
Malhotra, General Manager of
Walt Disney Studios Southeast
Asia in a press release.
Fans will be also treated
with an extra special segment
in the music video, where Rachelles mother flew from Manila
for a surprise visit during studio
recording.
She is currently in the
London West Ends revival of
Miss Saigon.
Disneys
Cinderella
by British director Kenneth
Branagh opens in cinemas later
this month.
16
land.
He said at least three BIFF
bases have been captured,
including one that contained a
factory for improvised explosive
devices (IEDs). The army has
deployed 105mm howitzers to
force the BIFF to abandon their
camps and move to the open
where they are more vulnerable.
Several combat battalions from
the armys 6th Infantry Division
are spearheading the offensive.
Local officials have appealed
for a stop to the fighting but the
army has wrangled more time,
del Rosario.
Nancy Ceniza, who was
among the volunteers at the
dinner reception said, Im
delighted to attend this mass.
Someday who knows?Cardinal Tagle will probably be the
first Asian Pope...He is very close
to Pope Francis. He is known for
his excellent homilies and for his
humility. Hes very popular, so
people came despite the snowy
weather.
In a separate interview, Mrs.
Cuisia agreed. Yes, hes very
humble, thats why hes wellliked, both in the Philippines and
here. Filipinos know him here,
because he studied here and he
lobby.
Mitch Ocampo of Arlington, Virginia, son of the late
Philippine National Artist Galo
Ocampo, was among those who
joined the reception line. He
was joking and smiling. Hes
very warm and friendly.
Pacquiao, Mayweather
hunt for edge
LOS ANGELES. Manny
Pacquiao has stepped up preparations for his May 2 showdown
with undefeated archrival Floyd
Mayweather Jr. as both sides try
to find an edge in their training.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiaos
mulit-awarded coach, said they
have recruited a secret sparring
partner for the Filipino champion. He said theyre keeping
the boxers name under wraps
for now because he doesnt
want to get beat up or something like that because hes leaving Mayweathers camp.
Meanwhile, Alex Ariza,
Pacquiaos one-time trainer,
assured hes going to train Mayweather the way he also honed
his former ward.
Im not gonna say that we
are gonna do a bunch of different things for this opponent that
I havent done for other opponents, Ariza was quoted in an
ABS-CBN News report by Bev
Llorente.
For me its just going back
17
N
The system is not
the problem
MANILA.
he opportunists here calling for President Benigno
Aquino IIIs resignation
claim that our system of government is the problem and they
want to change it.
Heres shocking news for
these people: Its not the system
thats causing all our miseries.
No system of government is
perfect, whether its presidential,
parliamentary or any combination of these. The authoritarian
form that Ferdinand Marcos
introduced in 1972 wasnt, and
isnt, the right one, either. Or the
totalitarian one that enamors the
Left.
A system will only work if
the people running it are competent, guided by the right principles, and driven by love of
country.
Weve existed as an independent nation for more than
a half-century and were still
mired in a quicksand of despair,
in a rut of economic underdevelopment, in a malaise caused by
never-ending political and social
strife, and in the exploitation by
the ruling class.
We dont want to succeed
as a sovereign nation aspiring to
join the modern world in prosperity. We refuse to let go of our
culture of squabbling among
ourselves, quarreling among
ourselves for advantage.
And were not fit to manage
our affairs of state. Theres an
absence of cooperation, a collective desire to improve our lot.
We ourselves have allowed
our collective lot to be in a continuing state of decay, impoverishment, and misery.
We weaken our bureaucracy
by stuffing it with incompetent
and corruptible workers. We
make our educational system
useless by making do with
improperly trained teachers and,
as a consequence, we produce
18
Here Comes
Spring & the
Jobs Report
I
The Greatness Behind the
Human Mind
RICHMOND, Virginia.
ehold the human brain,
Gods beautiful, intricately
designed masterpiece.
Despite only making up two
percent of our body weight, our
brains demand 15 percent of our
total heart output and 20 percent
of our total oxygen to function.
Scientists say the average human
brain has between 50 and 100
billion neurons and 1000 trillion
connections when our synapses
are all firing.
Thats a lot of power to
punch behind the human brain
despite just weighing a measly
three pounds. With all that said
its pretty safe to say that she is
perhaps the most complex yet
important and vital part of our
bodies. She also gives the Godgiven ability to think, create and
act on our ideas, which is the true
blessing of the human brain after
all.
In the past few articles, I
have talked about how we all
have ideas, but what separates
the great ones from the regular
ones is what makes extraordinary individuals stand out from
the rest. Itseparates the Steve
Jobs and Warren Buffetts from
the Average Joes of this world.
To some degree everyone
wants to leave their mark with
their own great ideas which
gives us all an itch at some point
in our lives to share them with
others and even take on the Big
Machine a.k.a the game of business. Unfortunately it takes a lot
to even get our ideas out in the
first place let alone start a business, but what prevents us all
from taking our own walk with
greatness?
I believe it all starts with
Fear. The funny thing about
fear is he can creep up into our
lives and hit as in an instant
out of nowhere. What starts as
something so small can suddenly
send us in the middle of an ocean
with waves crashing mightily.
Fear is what keeps entrepreneurs
from actually taking the first step
merely dipping our feet in shallow waters.
Fear also creates doubt and
leaves us prisoners to our own
thoughts. How often do we see a
person with a great idea just sit
and become complacent, thinking and second guessing himself
Parole in place
he USCIS on November
15, 2013 issued a Policy
Memorandum clarifying
the treatment of alien relatives of
United States military personnel.
Spouses, parents and children of active duty service
members, including veterans
and reservists, who are present in the United States without
valid immigration status will be
granted parole status.
This temporary status will
shield qualified aliens from
deportation. Unless the alien
has been convicted of serious
crimes, it is likely that parole will
be granted. It is given on yearly
increments.
Under current law, aliens
who enter the country without
inspection ordinarily would
not qualify for adjustment of
status unless granted parole. For
instance, the spouse of an active
duty soldier who crossed the
border into the US would not be
able to adjust to permanent resident without exiting the country to apply for an immigrant
visa. The problem however is
that once the alien exits the US,
he/she may have to wait for
an indefinite time before being
granted an immigrant visa to
return.
Whether or not the alien will
qualify for adjustment of status
in the US without exiting the
19
VEGETABLE PATTIES
Methods:
Using a skillet, slightly wilt
the kale without any oil over
medium heat and set aside to
cool.
Wipe clean the same skillet
and saut the onions with a dash
of vegetable oil until soft (about
2 to 3 minutes). Add the carrots
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup finely chopped
onions
1/2 cup tiny diced carrots
1/2 cup tiny diced potatoes
1/4 cup tiny diced sweet
potatoes
1/4 cup tiny diced red bell
pepper
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, slightly beaten
pina Women in the U.S., 2009, Filipina Womens Network; MHC Most
Outstanding Migrant Award in
Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila
Special Achievement Award, 2011;
Owner/Master Chef, Philippine
Oriental Market & Deli, Arlington,
Virginia; Founder and President of
CHEW (Cancer Help Eat Well)
Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public
charity formed to help and cook probono for Filipino-Americans who
are afflicted with cancer and other
serious illnesses; Culinary writer;
Member, Les Dames dEscoffier
International, Washington DC
Chapter; Member, International
Cake Exploration Society, Member,
Culinary Historians of Washington,
D.C.; Master Chef, French Cuisine
and Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu,
London.
BEER
puwede, mare.
Doray: Bakit naman, mare?
Pinang: Virgin pa kasi ako
eh.
BIBLE CLASS
ROMANTIC
The wife texted her husband:
My love. if youre sleeping,
send me your dreams. If youre
smiling, send me your smile.
If youre crying, send me
your tears. I love you.
He replied: Im in the toilet.
What would you like me to send
you?
BOYFRIEND
A 5-year-old boy went
to visit his grandmother one
day. Playing with his toys in
her bedroom while grandma
was dusting, he looked up and
said, Grandma, how come you
dont have a boyfriend now that
CONSIDERATE
An old guy is in Costco
pushing a cart around, when he
collided with a young guy also
pushing his cart. He said to the
young guy, Sorry about that.
Im looking for my wife and I
guess I wasnt paying attention
to where I was going.
The young guy says, Thats
OK. Its just a coincidence. Im
looking for my wife, too. I cant
find her and Im getting a little
desperate.
So, the old guy says, Well,
maybe we can help each other.
What does your wife look like?
The young guy says, Well,
she is 24 years old, tall, with
blond hair, green eyes, long legs,
big boobs and shes wearing
tight white shorts, a halter top
and no bra. What does your wife
look like?
The old guy replied,
Doesnt matter. Lets look for
yours.
ANO BA
Anak : Tays! Kakains nas
tayos!
Tatay: Hoy! Tigilan mo yang
kalalagay mo ng S sa mga sinasabi mo ha! Ano ba ang ulam ?
Anak: Bangu na may kamati,
ardina na may ibuya!
ENTRANCE FEE
BAWAT BUTIL
DI PUWEDE
HONEYMOON
VOGUE
Amo: Inday, kunin mo nga
yung VOGUE magazine!
Inday: Mam, Vogyu hindi
Vog.
Amo: Inday, Vog ang
tamang pagbigkas.
Inday: O sige na nga Mam,
Vog na... theres no need to arg.
PIZZA
Waiter: Sir, gusto po niyo
i-cut ko ang pizza niyo into 4
slices or 8 slices?
Kaloy: Into four na lang,
masyadong marami yung eight...
baka di ko mauubos.
LAGING MALI
Anak: Wala akong kuwentang anak para sa inyo! Lahat na
lang ng ginagawa ko puro mali !
Lagi na lang ako mali! Di niyo na
ako mahal!
Ama: Nagkakamali ka anak.
Anak: O ayan! Mali na
naman ako!
20
M
Sugar and Spice and
Everything Nice
(I
*********
Sugar and spice and everything nice. Thats what little girls
are made of. I was a prickly girl
so whoever wrote this nursery
rhyme missed me by a mile.
I grew up in Fernando Air
Base (FAB) in Lipa, Batangas. It
was built by the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 by using Philippine and American prisoners
on forced labor.
There is a bunker, a tunnel,
to the rear of the FAB Elementary School. We made up stories
of human skeletons in various
tortured poses inside. The more
adventurous among us ran the
length of the cave and reappeared on the other side. I ran
fast, the hair on the back of my
neck stood on its end in protest. I imagined skeletal claws
closing in on me. Nevertheless I managed to peek at the
rooms on either side of the cave.
There were no skeletons. There
was that unmistakable smell of
ammonia and animal droppings.
Any horror was covered with
overgrown grass. My personal
horror was about to begin.
Our fifth grade morning
classes started like any other. But
the harmless heckling escalated
into malicious name calling. This
boy dared me to meet him by
the bunker. He was to bring his
second and I was to bring mine.
You first. No, you first.
We goaded each other to throw
the first punch as we circled one
another. What did I get myself
into this time?
I grabbed his shirt and we
both ended up in a heap on the
Continued on page 23
inister
Penaranda,
has returned back to
Manila after completing his tour of duty as the Deputy
Chief of Mission of the Embassy
of the Philippines in Washington,
D.C. on December 31, 2014. We,
in the Filipino American community have seen diplomats and
officers of the Embassy come and
go, but I was so amazed with the
extraordinary number of invitations that this diplomat received
in his honor to bid him farewell.
Invitations started coming in
mid last year and many more
were received as his last day in
the office came closer. Litany of
invitations came in November
to the last day of December for
lunches, dinners and if possible,
even breakfasts; also in group
gatherings and organization
events. Many were thankful that
his final departure was on the 1st
week of February which fortunately gave the well-wishers last
minute farewell parties for goodbyes. Though in Manila now, I
am inspired to pay tribute to him
and his wife.
The Deputy Chief of Mission: First and foremost, the Minister has an impressive profile as
a diplomat. At age 41 in 2014,
he became the Deputy Chief of
Mission, the No. 2 position at
the embassy after the Ambassador. In his words, he feels fortunate that with his posting at
Washington, D.C., his career was
thoroughly enriched by working
with outstanding Ambassadors,
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.
and Ambassador Willy C. Gaa
under the leadership of two Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and
Secretary Alberto G. Romulo.
I commented that his successive promotions were not
pure luck. Yes, he was fortunate
to have had a very well-rounded
diplomatic and consular experience at the nations capital,
but his upward movements in
a short period of time were due
to his own sterling and meritorious performances that his
diplomatic superiors gave him
credits for. With his humble and
unassuming demeanor, it takes
some directed and focused conversations before he would put
himself into the limelight. Who
knows someday, he might come
back to Washington, D.C. as the
Ambassador.
Profile
on
Diplomatic
Career: His Masters Degree
in Foreign Affairs and Trade
received from the Monash University in Australia had set his
educational foundation towards
a diplomatic career. To further his studies, he took PhD
courses in Development Studies
in Political Science, but had to
postpone its completion due to
his assignment to WDC. There
were positions that he assumed
while building up his diplomatic
Continued on page 23
Editorial
21
Stunning beauty
Amal Alamuddin has the kind of beauty that leaves most
men breathless; shes also a sharp, young barrister whos represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and victims of the
Armenian Genocide in Turkey, among others.
The Lebanese-British lawyer, activist, and most recently,
celebrity wife of Hollywood star George Clooney has revealed
an inclination towards complex, unpopular causes, not the least
her reported intervention for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the discredited former president, locked inside a hospital room while
being tried for plunder.
Officials in Manila, still reeling from the backlash of the
Mamasapano debacle in Maguindanao, have muted their
response. As this paper goes to press, Justice Department officials claimed they still dont have Alamuddins alleged papers
on Mrs. Arroyo.
Mrs. Clooney has reportedly demanded her release and
an apology from the Aquino administration. She purportedly
insists Mrs. Arroyos rights have been trampled on.
Thats raised not a few eyebrows in Manila. The irony cant
be more glaring Mrs. Arroyo presided over one of the bloodiest chapters of Philippine history, rivaling Ferdinand Marcos
Martial Law regime.
About a thousand people priests, journalists, union organizers, farmers, labor leaders, students have been murdered
during Mrs. Arroyos eight-year tenure. A United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings denounced the culture
of impunity, shielding the worst offenders. Before she could
step down, one of her key political allies allegedly murdered 58
people, 34 of them journalist, in Maguindanao: the single deadliest day for journalists around the world.
Whether shes indeed taken the cudgels for Mrs. Arroyo or
this turns out to be a hoax, the attention its gotten may have
given Amal Alamuddin-Clooney an opportunity to really stun
Filipinos and indeed the world, into action for human rights in
the Philippines.
IM A SHORT SLEEPER
urray!
This is a true confession that
deserves to be published in the
magazine, My True Confession. For years,
yours truly have always taken pride in
telling his friends...and girlfriends... that I
only sleep a few hours a day.
The towns philosopher always lectured me about the need to sleep because
it is vital to my health. I have always
claimed that I felt just as healthy as anybody walking on two legs.
Now researchers say short sleepers
need not worry. I never use an alarm
clock, rarely yawn, dont need caffeine,
and no need for naps.
Scientists in California said short
sleepers like me are more energized than
the regular sleepers.
All day long and nights they are
very active. They are very optimistic.
They are go-getters, according to some
experts. Now Dr. Ying Hui Fu and his wife
at the University of California in San Frncisco say less than one percent of the US
population (that includes me) is biologically capable of comfortably running on
six hours of sleep or less.
Fu has only found 20 to 30 people
with the genetic mutation that allows
them to get by on less sleep. Its hard to
tell how frequent this mutation is. They
said that one day there will be a drug that
changes the circadian rhythm, or internal
clock, that controls sleep.
(No Dr. Fu, I prefer to remain as is...)
***
Here we go again. The Philippine
embassy is going out of its way to answer
critics in the media about the alleged
rudeness of consular officers. Consul
General Emil Fernandez went on Facebook to explain why people have to stay
in tents during the deep freeze to wait for
their passports, etc. The problem is that
the consular office has been temporarily
moved to the main building while the old
building is being renovated, again. Why it
is being renovated in mid-winter is probably beyond comprehension.
Among the complaint: the palakasan
system, rude behaviour of staffers, mo
consideration for Pinoys waiting outside
the building with their bodies tumitigas
na sa lamig...
Why not build a bonfire in the
embassy premises? Pity the overworked
staffers.
***
Here are some taelltale signs of a hus-
Continued on page 23
22
Politically
incorrigible
O
Celebrating Filipino
Women
t may have been Eleanor Roosevelt who said it, but its
an appropriate quote to cite
as we mark Womens History
Month:
A woman is like a tea bag.
You never know how strong she
is until she gets into hot water.
Writing for Tambuli, a community-inspired publication produced mainly by young people
in the DC metropolitan area
more than 15 years ago, Gloria T.
Caoile dedicated her piece to Filipino women for their contributions to our history and culture.
The more challenges we face,
she wrote, the more we rise to
the occasion. And it even amazes
us when we face those challenges
and conquer our fears.
To Gloria, one woman who
stands out is Marcela Agoncillo,
known in history books as the
Mother of the Philippine Flag.
She was the principal seamstress
of the first and official flag of the
Philippines.
The following is excerpted
from Glorias account: Agoncillo was one of many historical
women who played a significant
part in the building of a nation.
Over a hundred years ago, when
General Emilio Aguinaldo went
into exile in Hongkong, he was
accompanied by revolutionaries, including womenfolk:
wives, sisters, daughters, kinswomen, patriots in their own
way. Among them was Agoncillo, the wife of Aguinaldos
spokesman, Don Felipe. She was
asked to sew the first flag of the
Philippines. She chose silk a
brilliant red, a bright blue and
pristine white, purchased from
the bazaars of Hong Kong. She
selected the touch of gold and
used silken threads to match the
brilliant swatches of silk cloth.
Together with her young
daughter, Lorenza and Delfina
Herbosa de Natividad, whose
mother was a sister of Dr. Jose
Rizal, the women labored hard.
Their hearts were imprinted on
the flag. Marcela never saw the
flag fly in Kawit, Cavite. At the
request of Aguinaldo, her husband remained in Hong Kong
and she stayed with him
The women of the revolution never took up arms
although they fought their own
battle. They were the wives who
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The
executive
action
expands the 2012 Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) to include their parents and would have shielded
as many as four million people
from deportation at least for the
next three years. Experts say, its
almost certain this too will go to
the Supreme Court.
Did you know that this Minister also sings? I was told that
he was requested to sing to some
of the farewell parties hosted
by community organizations.
. At the farewell lunch hosted
by the Marinduquenos, he
sang impromptu a capella Joey
Ayalas Ilog. During another
farewell dinner hosted by the
Bicolanos, he belted the Tagalong
version of Sarungbanggi. The
attendees in these two gatherings were so delighted with the
newly discovered hidden talent
of the honoree. Ariel, the Minister, became an instant Singing Idol. At the farewell party
hosted by Ambassador and Mrs.
Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., he sang John
Legends All of You accompanied on piano by his daughter
Mithi. His talent does not end
with singing. He also composes
songs. Inspired by his beautiful
wife-to-be, he composed a Tagalog love song and sang it as a
surprise for her at their wedding
reception. For sure, the new Mrs.
Rowena D. Penaranda was so
To be continued
24