PETER’S PINOY PATTER — OCTOBER 2016

My Musings

On October 1, President Barack Obama issued his message in celebrating Filipino American History Month (FAHM) — the first U.S. president to do so. (www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine). Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, tweeted her own congratulations to FAHM on October 3.  Republican presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, is yet to be heard from.  I was privileged to be among a small group of Filipino Americans in Seattle in 1987 with whom Fred Cordova first shared his idea for a nationwide celebration.  FAHM and the Filipino American National Historical Society, which quickly approved the celebration, have indeed come a long way………….. I was surprised at reading a newspaper report on National Voter Registration Day (September 27) that only a small portion of the Bay Area’s burgeoning Filipino population was registered to vote.  Surprised? Because my own experience said otherwise.  My parents, like many Manong Generation Filipinos, were registered voters and faithfully went to the polls in every election.  They taught their Bridge Generation children the importance of voting; we did the same with our own kids.  But until the passage of the “Luce-Celler Act of 1946”, the Manong Generation did not have the right to vote.  By then, these Filipino immigrants had already spent most of their lives in the U.S. and were committed to remaining in America.  After Luce-Cellers became law my parents were among the first Filipinos in our area to apply for citizenship.  I remember them staying up nights after a long day of tending to their campo business, diligently studying for the test, and asking me to help understand the confusing terms in the citizenship booklet.  As a teenager at the time and a U.S. citizen by birth, I never gave my citizen status much thought.  One night I asked my parents, “Why is it so important for you to become citizens?”  Their response, “Until we were able to vote, we never felt like real Americans.”  It was a lesson I never forgot.  But why then, are so few Bay Area Filipinos registered to vote?  Maybe because Filipinos today take citizenship for granted — like I did as a youth.  Or perhaps Filipinos believe their vote would not make a difference.  But remember the 2000 election?  It was so close the Supreme Court decided the election for George W. Bush — not Al Gore who received the most votes.  Whatever the reasons for the low rate of registrations, however, the stakes are too high for Filipino Americans to stay away from the polls.  (Just consider the racist demag0guery of the current presidential campaign.)  The Bay Area is not alone in its low rate of registrations.  On October 1 Brendan Flores, chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, noted, “There are nearly 4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the U.S. today, constituting the second largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the country.  But voting rates among Filipino Americans continue to be low.”  So Filipino American citizens: PLEASE REGISTER AND VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER 8.

Pinakbet — News Across America

Speaking of elections, if you wondered about the ethnicity of Elaine Quijano, the moderator of the October 4 Vice Presidential Debate between Democratic nominee Tim Kaine and Republican nominee Mike Spence, — she’s pinay.  Born in Illinois, Quijano is the first Filipino/a American to moderate a national debate………….. It was distressing to read in the San Francisco Chronicle and Positively Filipino that long time community activist Steve Arevalo, 62, suffering from kidney failure and undergoing dialysis,  may no longer have a place to live after being threatened with eviction from the Gran Oriente apartment complex in San Francisco.  In 1921 forty Filipino seamen pooled their money to purchase the South of Market building as a hedge for their retirement years.  They were soon joined by Manong Generation Filipino farm workers who found its rentals to be more affordable during agricultural off-seasons.  Since then, the complex has remained a rare low-rent option for Filipinos. Now, the non-profit owners of the building say it cannot afford to continue offering low-income housing.  The owners had sought to cash in on the inflated SoMa real estate market by selling to a for-profit company — despite receiving a market rate offer from a nonprofit that would preserve it for the community.  Argues Arevalo, “This building is a tribute to our elders. We are the stewards of this legacy and we need to protect and preserve it.”  The City and County of San Francisco subsequently ordered a temporary stop of the highly profitable sale to the for-profit developer.  An ironical aspect to the controversy — Steve is a dues paying member of the Gran Oriente; his family has been affiliated with the organization for more than eighty years. May a fair solution come to you, Steve.  You deserve it!……….. Kudos to Bob and Christine Luna of Merced CA for their 15^th year of leading the local Explorer Scouts to volunteer at the Concour ‘d’ Elegance at Pebble Beach, Monterey.  The event has grown into the top-ranking collector car competition in the world where automobiles and motorcycles are judged for their historical accuracy, technical merit, and style………….. According to the Filipino Inquirer Luisa Blue has the distinction of being the first Filipina and Asian American and Pacific Islander to serve as an international union officer.  Blue, 64, was elected executive vice president by the Service Employees International Union during its Quadrennial Convention. Since 2013, she has been chief executive officer of SEIU Local 521, which represents 40,000 public and nonprofit, private-sector workers in California’s central Bay Area region and the Central Valley……………  “American Idol” runner-up Jessica Sanchez’s latest single “Stronger Together” was such a hit at this year’s Democratic National Convention, that the song has become the unofficial anthem of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign……….. Coach Erik Spoelstra of the National Basketball Association Miami Heat married his longtime girlfriend and former Heat cheerleader Nikki Sapp on July 23.  Spoelstra, in his eighth season as head coach, has guided the Heat to two NBA championships……………. Happy 65th Birthday to Florante Ibanez, Adjunct Professor and Manager of Computer Services at William M. Rains Library, Loyola Marymount University.  Also, a belated thank you to Florante and his wife, Roselyn Estepa Ibanez, for their kindness during my visit to SoCal…………. A growing community of ambitious young cooks is changing Los Angeles residents’ minds about Filipino food.  You may taste their culinary skills at Eggslut, located in downtown LA’s Grand Central Market; Unit 120 in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza; the Rice Bar also in Chinatown; Belly & Snout; Oi Asian Fusion; and The Park’s Finest, Nanay Gloria’s, and Bahay Kubo — all in Historic Filipinotown.  Yum-yum and masarap!

Bridge Generation News

The late Virgie (Rugnao) Townsend (1936-2003) must be understandably proud after the announcement on September 22 that her oldest son, former college All-American and professional basketball star Raymond Townsend, was selected to the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame. His induction is scheduled for November.  Virgie was no slouch as an athlete herself.  She excelled in basketball and other sports in high school, on Filipino youth teams in her native Stockton, and on city league teams in San Jose.  Like her son, she was also a trailblazer as she reportedly was the first female forklift driver in San Jose. Raymond, of course, was the first Filipino American basketball All-American at UCLA before going on to star in the professional National Basketball Association……….. Among the many attendees at the Isleton Filipino Reunion on September 17 were a sizable number of Bridge Generation Filipino Americans.  For them, their families, and countless Manong Generation farm workers, this small community (plus nearby Sacramento River towns such as Walnut Grove, Courtland, Clarksburg, and Hood) was their home and social center during the 1930-70s.   Thanks to Pam Bulahan, Lourdes Duhaylungsod, and Lynda Montano and their hard working committee for putting on this nostalgic event…………… On September 23, a crowd estimated at several thousand attended the Bob Santos Memorial at the WaMu Theater at Century Link Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks.  Former Washington State Governor Mike Lowry headed the many political and community luminaries in attendance.  But it was the diversity of the crowd that deserves special mention.  Ordinary and prominent Filipino Americans, African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and puti — all came to pay their respects to the man who spent his life fighting for civil rights and access to jobs, housing, and social/health services.  Reflecting how he lived his life working with different communities, the event was multicultural, multifaceted and inspirational — a fitting tribute to Bob’s life.  I will forever be grateful for our friendship spanning 46 years and will miss his humor, feistiness, generosity of spirit, and leadership. Rest in Peace, Bob. (For more details on his life see my September blog)…………..  Known as the “Godfather of Filipino American Bikers”, Ernie Cabreana of Santa Maria was honored with a surprise 86th birthday party by his biker buddies. They were among the more than 500 Filipino American motorcycling enthusiasts attending the 8th Annual Bikerdahan on September 9- 11, 2016 at Lake Don Pedro in La Grange, California…….. Happy October Birthdays To:   Al Acena, Abe Amen, Angie (Castro) Gamido, Luna Jamero, Delia Rapolla, Art Sugitan, Jo (Tenio) Canion, Don Velez, and Connie (Viernes) Pasquil.