Peter’s Pinoy Patter — May 2021
Bridge Generation News
BG Personality of the Month — Richard Gacer: At 90 years of age, Richard still exhibits glimpses of the boyish looks and demeaner I remember when we first met in 1948. He had just joined the newly organized Livingston (CA) Filipino American Youth Association’s basketball team. As what I was to later learn to be typical of Richard, he fit in immediately.
Richard was born on August 3, 1930 to Filipino immigrant father Hermanaldo Gacer and American-born mestiza mother, Natividad Cayton, the middle child between older sister Connie Bacus and brother Charlie Alicaya. At seven years of age, his father passed away. His formative years were spent in the agriculturally-rich Central Valley town of Oakdale CA, best known as home of an annual rodeo. The town also was home for a significant population of Filipinos — all residents of Eastside Oakdale “on the other side of the tracks.”
When Richard was 14, the family moved forty miles away to the table grape capital of Lodi. Like other Filipino youth of the times, he toiled in 90 degree fields and orchards picking and/or pruning grapes, peaches, cherries, and apricots. At Lodi High School, he was elected class secretary, on the boxing team, played football, and a college prep major. At 17, shortly after graduating from high school, he enlisted for two years in the U.S. Army and was assigned to Regimental Headquarters at Fort Lewis WA as a clerk typist.
It was during this period of time that Richard met the love of his life Sally Revillar after seeing her crossing a street in Stockton. It was literally love at first sight. They became better acquainted at a 1948 Filipino youth club basketball tournament in Salinas CA, dated steadily, and were married in 1951. Their early years of marriage were happy but were “hard times.” He had to juggle college study and farm work while Sally worked at a Stockton tomato cannery. Moreover, in 1952 they adopted twin infant boys, Tom and Tim — followed shortly by the birth of Kevin and Richie. When the American Can Company moved to Stockton in 1952, Richard was among the first to be hired. While Sally continued to work full time, his increased pay at the can company enabled him to eventually graduate with a Masters of Education degree at the University of Pacific in 1962.
After a few years as a public school eighth grade teacher, Richard was hired by the California Youth Authority to teach incarcerated youth at the N. A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility located south of Stockton. Youth at the facility were among the toughest in the state. When a better paying job as Community Services Consultant opened up, Richard jumped at the opportunity. The position entailed inspecting county facilities serving youth from Kern County (Bakersfield) to the Oregon border. It was an assignment he thoroughly enjoyed until his retirement in 1992.
Richard is most thankful for the unwavering support and assistance he received from Sally during their 65 years of marriage. Not only did she work at local tomato canneries for 35 years, rising to the position of supervisor, she also was a nurturing mother to their four boys who grew up to be responsible and accountable family men. Sally’s death in 2016 has left an irreplaceable void in Richard’s life. He grew emotional as he described how important Sally was in his life, concluding he “would not have accomplished much without her.” Sally’s contributions continued into their retirement years. She was instrumental in helping Richard establish their real estate business — S & R Properties in 2001. Her handling of the company’s finances, as it was in her family money management role, was key to the company’s success.
Richard has been active in the community. He served as President of the St. Bernadette Church Council. He chaired two well-attended reunions of Bridge Generation Filipinos. He continues to support the prevention program for Southeast Asian youth he helped establish years ago. Richard is a generous donor to the Filipino American Museum in Stockton.
When asked to describe his greatest accomplishment, Richard said without hesitating, “When Sally and I adopted our twin boys.” His response speaks volumes of the compassionate person Richard has always been. Thank you, Richard, for sharing your life story and the privilege of including me in your life for the past 73 years.
BG Bits
A close friend from youth club days, Corny Adlao, reports his mestiza daughter-in-law, actress/script writer Stacie Gancayco-Adlao, recently was the winner of a $10,000 script writing Hollywood contest. She wants to continue writing scripts featuring Filipinos who she believes are too often overlooked in films………. Guadalupe CA native and fellow nonagenarian Joe Talaugon Sr. recently announced the publication of “Mestizo Through My Eyes” — his life story. Available at Amazon, it’s a great read.
Happy May Birthdays To: Bernie Cantil, Jeannette (Castillano) Tiffany, Jose Fidel, Irene (Plaza) Edralin, Walter Yuponco
Pinakbet — News Across America
Highest Ranking Law Enforcement Officer:
On March 24, California Filipinos had much to celebrate. It was when Governor Gavin Newson nominated Assemblyman Rob Bonta to California Attorney General — the first Filipino American to hold the state’s highest ranking law enforcement position. Bonta’s appointment means that since California also has the distinction of boasting the state’s highest ranking judge — Chief Justice Tani (Gorre) Cantil-Sakauye — their powerful positions bodes well for justice to be dispensed fairly to the state’s Filipinos and other People of Color.
“I became a lawyer because I saw the law as the best way to make a positive difference for the most people, and it would be an honor of a lifetime to serve as the attorney for the people of this great state,” Bonta said. He led efforts in the state to end cash bail, ban for-profit prisons and strengthen hate crime laws. His nomination was strongly pushed by proponents of criminal justice reform, Asian American groups and progressive advocates.
Filipinos are often a forgotten segment of California’s Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who account for about 16% of the state’s nearly 40 million residents. “Rob represents what makes California great — our desire to take on righteous fights and reverse systematic injustices,” said Governor Newsom. “Growing up with parents steeped in social justice movements, Rob has become a national leader in the fight to repair our justice system and defend the rights of every Californian.” (Bonta’s activist mother Cynthia Bonta and father Warren joined Larry Itliong and Filipino farmworkers in the 1960s protests against Delano grape growers.)
Did You Know:
(From Positively Filipino): A campaign was recently launched to name the first U.S. Navy warship in honor of Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad. He holds the distinction of being the first and only Asian American and first Filipino in the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor. The coveted Medal was awarded for “extraordinary heroism in the line of duty” during boiler explosions onboard the USS San Diego (ACR-6) on January 21, 1915 when Trinidad brought two crewmembers to safety despite his own injuries………… American words with roots in the Philippines according to Filipino historian, the late Virgilio Pilapil, MD: The derisive term “gugu” or “goo-goo” is derived from the Tagalog word “gago” which means dumb or stupid. The word was later modified to “gook” to not only refer to Filipinos but also to other Asians during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War…………. Kudos to the Filipino Community of San Jose CA in its successful campaign to name the first park in the city after Filipinos. On April 14 the San Jose City Council unanimously approved a new park to be named “Delano Manongs Park” to honor farmworkers, led by Larry Itliong, who rose up against unfair labor practices of grape ranchers in Delano CA in the 1960s. The zip code in which the park is located boasts a Filipino population of 13.1%, compared to a city-wide population of 5.6% Filipinos…………. The names of slain Alaskan cannery union reformers Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes are prominently displayed at the Wall of Martyrs at Quezon City, Philippines — the first non-citizens to be so honored. The Wall is dedicated to those who lost their lives fighting for justice against the Marcos Regime.
Musings
Is Excluding People of Color in Favor of White Supremacy in America’s Future? Part XV
On January 6 the nation watched in horror on TV as a pro-Trump mob, led by White Supremacist groups, attacked the U.S. Capitol in a failed coup to overturn the November election. Six weeks after the attack, media personality Tucker Carlson of Fox News, elected officials like Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), and other far-right conservatives began taking advantage of fading memories and unanswered questions to portray the riot differently. Hoping to rewrite the story of what really happened at the Capitol, these deniers claim the violent insurrection was a good-natured protest spoiled by a few troublemakers.
Don’t be distracted by disinformation and lies. The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol led by White Supremacists to overturn the presidential election was, in reality, a rebellion. After reading the U.S. Constitution, I believe the insurrectionists committed treason. To be continued.
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