National Federation of Filipino American Associations

Thank you to Rodel Rodis for alerting us about the YouTube videos that TFC’s Balitang America uploaded for interested viewers who missed its featured “Presidential Debate Night” discussion among Filipino Americans about their choices for the next President of the United States.

NaFFAA has a very strong FilVOTE program.

Formed as a non-partisan program, NaFFAA’s FilVOTE not only aims to register Filipinos who are American citizens, but to make sure they go out and vote. In the 2004 presidential elections, only 594,000 Filipino Americans voted - a decline of 7 percent because 122,000 registered voters did not cast their ballots. “Potentially, there are 715,000 Filipino Americans, or 40 percent of our total number, who can be mobilized to go to the polls,” says Gloria Caoile, co-chair of FilVOTE. “But we need to register them if they haven’t done so and educate them on issues that directly affect our community so they will appreciate what’s at stake, especially for our children and families.”

Many of NaFFAA’s leadership showed up for this televised discussion sometime in mid-October, 2008.

Something to think about: When there are more Filipino Americans who take the time to speak out about what matters to them, political leaders listen. When more Filipino Americans mobilize its own communities to “rock the vote,” they allow their influence and affluence to shine brightly in the arenas of public opinion and legislative decisions.

Note: Any listed titles after people’s names are for identification purposes only.

Balitang America: Debate Night Part 1

Balitang America’s studio audience talk about the election after watching the 3rd and Final Presidential Debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Balitang America: Debate Night Part 2

A studio full Filipino Democrats, Republicans, and Undecideds comment on the Presidential debate, and talk about who they’ll vote for.

“How many of you think that race is a very strong factor among the Fil-Am community in making a decision in this election?” Gel Santos-Relos asked the audience.

Balitang America: Debate Night Part 3

One Filipino Republican, Rudy Asercion, and One Filipino Democrat, Rodel Rodis, duke during a special Balitang America Debate watching party shortly after the 3rd and Final Presidential Debate.

Special guest star in this segment is Ed Navarra, aka NaFFAA Region 3’s chair.

Rudy Asercion is NaFFAA Region 8’s City Chair for San Francisco (Member, American Legion War Memorial Commission) and Rodel Rodis is one of NaFFAA’s founders (Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco).

After Greg Macabenta’s election last Saturday, September 27, 2008, as NaFFAA’s new national chair, which took place during the 8th NaFFAA National Empowerment Conference at the Westin Seattle, we gathered some information that will help us understand the mind-set, focus, direction, and agenda of our new NaFFAA national leadership.

Rozita Lee was re-elected as NaFFAA National Vice Chair. Ian Purganan was elected National Youth Chair. Our congratulations to them!

Joining our NaFFAA R8 team in Seattle was our new NaFFAA R8 Youth Chair, Jenab-i Pareja. We are very excited to have Jenab-i on board (more on him later). We bid “Good luck” to former youth chair, Caroline Iwamoto, who has started her college freshman classes somewhere in New York.

We found a YouTube video that features Greg B. Macabenta and his spouse, Gigi, at the 2007 Pistahan Festival, an annual gathering which is held at the prestigious Yerba Buena Gardens in the heart of downtown San Francisco, California. Listen closely to what Greg says.

Click here to go directly to creativeconceptsintl’s youtube link.

On October 1, 2008, Greg Macabenta replied to interview questions from Asian Journal. Here is a transcript of Greg’s responses.

1. What is your Vision for NaFFAA as the new national chair?

I was asked at the “debate” between me and Ernie Ramos, shortly before the election, how I would “forge a new direction” for NaFFAA. My response was that we still needed to achieve our original directions, namely, the socio-economic and political empowerment of the Filipino community in America.

When the need for NaFFAA was discussed at the planning meeting in Salinas that resulted in the first National Filipino American Empowerment Conference in Washington DC in August 1997, we all agreed that important events were happening in America that our community had no hand in shaping; that we were mere bleacher viewers rather than participants; reactors rather than pro-actors.

After 11 years, we are still struggling, but through NaFFAA, our community has gained a seat at the table in Washington DC and in many other state and city fora where once we were mere onlookers. But we still have much to do - as the Veterans Equity battle on Capitol Hill illustrates. We may lose this one again.

2. What do you think are the challenges you will face as NaFFAA’s national chair?
Why do you think it has taken long for the mainstream to recognize the significance of FilAm community/organizations?

The first challenge that we all face as community workers and volunteers is to persuade the greater number of our community to become more involved, to care more about the issues that affect all of us in the long term but only a few of us in the short term. It is the short term impact that most see, which is one reason for not being involved (”Doesn’t concern me anyway!”, they think).

If we have so much difficulty getting our own people to appreciate the importance of NaFFAA, is it surprising that the American mainstream has not recognized us enough?

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In the light of the upcoming national elections at the 8th NaFFAA National Empowerment Conference, one of our Northern California region’s brightest stars, Greg B. Macabenta, has decided to run for the office of NaFFAA National Chair. When he announced his intention to Region 8 Chair Jose Pecho and Region 8 Vice-Chair Lorna Dietz, the two regional officers immediately promised their support and personal endorsements. Somebody as results-driven as Greg Macabenta who has successfully trained business and community service leaders is someone we need during these fast-changing times. Both of these regional officers had trained with Greg B. Macabenta during the highly successful Third Global Filipino Networking Covention in 2005.

Here are some of Greg’s thoughts and ideas as he looks forward to NaFFAA’s growth as an empowerment organization. 

Dear Friends,

First of all, thank you for your support. I am encouraged to pursue this candidacy in spite of the sacrifices that the position will subsequently entail. Para sa NaFFAA.

I have received a copy of Ernie Ramos’ platform and I’m forwarding it to you along with some comments. Please be assured that I am making these comments with no malice aforethought and only in the interests of NaFFAA. I am also resending my strategy document, the better for you to compare that with Ernie’s. I will appreciate your comments.

Ernie proposes to solve the problems of NaFFAA and achieve its objectives by way of his platform which I have taken the liberty of summarizing (divested of the verbiage).

In effect, Ernie Ramos is proposing to do the following:

TO RAISE MONEY FOR NAFFAA

1) Write grant proposals in the hope of raising millions from “Federal, State and County agencies”;
2) Call on corporations doing business with the FilAm community and solicit funds.

TO ACHIEVE FILAM EMPOWERMENT THROUGH NAFFAA

1) Assist green card holders in becoming US citizens.
2) Launch an aggressive voter registration (FilVote) and GOTV (Get Out The Vote) campaign;
3) Encourage you, as Regional Chair, and the State Chairs to organize ‘Getting to Know Your Candidates’ forum(s) in cooperation with “other Asian-American and minority organizations”;
4) Encourage you and the State chairs to hold fundraising events.
5) Challenge you and the State Chairs to expand your NaFFAA membership.

TO MAKE NAFFAA MORE INFLUENTIAL WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS

1) Get to know White House and Congression leaders better in order to get their support.
2) Help you, as Regional Chair, and the State Chairs frame your strategies and draft your talking points in dealing with Congress. .
3) Impress upon you and the State Chairs the importance of FilAm voting power so that you can use this argument in dealing with your Congressmen.
4) Coordinate with you and the State Chairs in advocating for issues affecting FilAms before your respective State officials and before Congress.
5) Link up with other minority associations to get ““numbers support” and “network support” for legislation that will benefit FilAms;

TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONS WITH THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

1) ” Establish mutual relationship” with members and leaders of the Congress;
2) “Impress” Congress and the administration with “NaFFAA’s role…in representing the issues and concerns impacting FilAms, immigrants and OFWs” and as a “responsible catalyst” in relations with the US.
3) Assist you and the State Chairs in facilitating dual citizenship and amending the Overseas Absentee Voting Act, as well as other rules affecting Filipinos in the US.
4) Express NaFFAA’s position on the merits or demerits of proposed bills and executive orders affecting FilAms and OFWS;
5) Be an active advocate for or against presidential resolutions or proposals that affect overseas Filipinos, using our “14 billion plus” remittances as leverage.
6) “Establish a mechanism” for making use of FilAm talents, skills and assets to benefit the Philippines.

The question is: Can Ernie commit to raise funds from grants soon enough to keep NaFFAA alive? Alma Kern and Loida Lewis thought that it was easy and found out that getting grants approved is easier said than done. Meanwhile, NaFFAA is running on empty.

If Ernie can achieve in a timely manner what Alma and NaFFAA have not been able to achieve in the past two years, then he will surely deserve to be NaFFAA chair. You might want to ask him if he is prepared to make such a commitment.

With respect to my modest proposals, I AM COMMITTING TO RAISE FUNDS IMMEDIATELY. It’s as simple as that. The grants should be written but, in the meantime, we need to sustain NaFFAA operations.

Another question: Of these proposed ways to”empower” FilAms, which ones are not already being done to a greater or lesser degree?

I know that many of our friends across the US have been conducting FilVote and Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns relentlessly for years. But the harsh reality is that what is required is an attitudinal change.

Making NaFFAA and our community “more influential” with the US Congress and the White House is something that you and other hardy champions for Veterans Equity have been trying to do for years. Slowly, success is being gained. But we’re still not sure of a victory in the House. This is the reason why we need to address the issue of organizing a potent political action committee at the national and local levels, something that you have been actively espousing for years. I hope they will discuss this at the national conference.

Perhaps Ernie Ramos can demonstrate his capabilities by using his Capitol Hill connections to get the Veterans Equity Bill passed in the House. You might want to ask him to do that. If he succeeds, he surely deserves to be National Chair of NaFFAA.

Meanwhile, let me summarize what I propose to do as National Chair:

TO STRENGTHEN NAFFAA’S IMAGE

1. Publish the book, NaFFAA: The First Decade,” a book on the struggle for empowerment, the role played by NaFFAA (citing specific cases) and featuring the winners and nominees in the first NaFFAA Kabayanihan Awards for Community Service; distribute the book among key publics: U.S. government policy/decision makers; Corporate sponsors and donor organizations; Media; Philippine government, business and NGOs; FilAm communities (NaFFAA and non-NaFFAA). This is something I can do with available resources, including my personal resources, clients and business contacts.

2. Mount a sustained information and communication campaign to strengthen awareness and image of NaFFAA before key publics. Again, this is something I can immediately implement with existing rescources, specifically my own, starting with a regular section on NaFFAA in Filipinas Magazine.

With these tools, NaFFAA can approach government and corporate targets with head held high and negotiate from a position of strength. This is something I do all the time for my clients, including the Seafood City Group and GMA Network.

TO BUILD NAFFAA’S FINANCIAL AND OTHER RESOURCES

Writing grant requests (which is the main program of Ernie Ramos) is fine but remember that this is a long-gestation exercise. We need activities that will deliver immediate tangible results and will also lay the foundation for securing grants.

1. Having revived and then built up NaFFAA’s image, we can market NaFFAA’s current assets to corporate sponsors, funding agencies and foundations. Our websites, conferences, database and community networks are worth their weight in gold as far as corporate sponsors are concerned - but first they must be impressed with NaFFAA. Right now, they are not.. This is why image building is so vital as a first step. Consider that with my little magazine - Filipinas - I am able to organize an annual awards presentation with corporate support from Anheuser Busch, Wells Fargo Bank, Set, Triple A, Hawaiian Airlines, Seafood City, Ayala Corporation, Genentech, State Farm, etc. A national organization like NaFFAA should be able to attract a lot more support, if our image can be properly revived and built up.

2. Mount programs that can be funded and sponsored immedaitely:
(a) Kabayanihan Community Services Awards.
(b) A national NaFFAA directory of FilAm organizations, social services, community assets and elected/appointed FilAm public officials. This is not a new idea but it can generate substantial revenues and will also help strengthen NaFFAA’s links with community organizatioins and services nationwide (after all, we will list them for free and give them prominence).
c) Programs/seminars/forums/conferences focusing on Seniors, Youth, Women, Health, Education, Civic Involvement, etc. which are of interest to foundations, corporations and other funding sources. SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans) in Los Angeles has been able to build a senior housing facility, buy a building and mount youth, senior and other community services by way of tangible programs. Joel Jacinto, executive director of SIPA told me two weeks ago that his organization would get actively involved with NaFFAA if I agreed to run for National Chair (one of the reasons why I made this decision). I hope to replicate SIPA’s programs in other cities, with Joel’s guidance.

3) Reactivate involvement with the Greenlining Coalition. This multi-ethnic organization has clout with all the major corporations and is able to access to community development funds that these corporations (specifically banks) are mandated to make available. This was how Alex Esclamado managed to secure funding during NaFFAA’s early years.

4) Hold an annual NaFFAA fund-raiser. This is not a new idea but it always works. NaFFAA has not done this at all.

5) Set up a Corporate Advisory Board through which we can access corporate and foundation funds. SIPA, La Raza and other ethnic organizations have this as a mandatory component. Loida Lewis attempted to set this up but there was no corresponding set of programs to which funds could be channelled (youth, education, health, seniors, etc.). This can be revived with the required program components. Operating funds can be derived from a percentage of proceeds (similar to SIPA).

6) Write Grants. Perhaps Ernie Ramos can be harnessed for this since he appears to be such an expert in doing it. But, again, we must remember that this takes a while bearing fruit and we need to have the requisite programs to justify the grants.

ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE NAFFAA STRUCTURE

1. Establish and activate task forces or working committees to undertake the programs earlier mentioned, delegating to members of the NaFFAA Board and the leaders of the Regions and the States. That way, we will not lack in heads and hands. More importantly, we will be able to harness the skills, expertise, time and resources of the key leaders of NaFFAA. We know you guys are just raring to prove yourselves. You should be given every encouragement and incentive to assume leadership in your various areas of expertise (Ernie in Grant writing, for instance). This way, we will no longer agonize over who should be the next National Chair of NaFFAA. The stars of the organization will shine and we will always have a deep bench. That is what I mean by sustainability.

Al, I hope you find all of this both interesting and valuable. Warmest regards.

Greg B. Macabenta

READ GREG B. MACABENTA’S PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR NAFFAA IN THE NEXT PAGE.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2008

Contact: Ning Rogge, Media Relations Manager
NaFFAA 8th Empowerment Conference
Tel. 206 949 9676; elizrogge@gmail.com

Seattle, WA - In just a few weeks, hundreds of community leaders members and advocates throughout the United States and other countries will gather in Seattle to discuss how to “Forge a New Filipino American Agenda for the 21st Century” and promote the welfare and well-being of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans by fostering unity and empowerment.

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), will hold its 8th National Empowerment Conference, a three-day event on September 26-28, 2008 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle. Since its founding in 1997, leaders from across the nation and around the world convene every two years to discuss how Filipinos can help each other improve their quality of life.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be the keynote during the Gala event on Friday, September 26, 2008. Over 1,000 attendees are expected.

“We are really looking forward to hearing what President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has to say to us. We are a diverse community, some of us are third, fourth generation Filipino Americans, but regardless of how far back we can trace our Filipino ancestry, we remain attached to the culture. We would also like her to hear how we are very much part of day to day struggle to have the quality of life we hope for, as Filipino Americans. NaFFAA is a young national organization, only 11 years old, yet has had major successful projects such as dual citizenship for global Filipinos. But we are still and will continue to fight in the United States for Equity for Filipino WWII Veterans, for voter education, civil rights advocacy, better educational and business opportunities. It is good for President Arroyo to hear all that.” states Kern.

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Please visit us often since we will be posting updates here. This special event was approved by the NaFFAA Board of Directors during its August 6, 2008 national board meeting.

What is NaFFAA?

Founded at the 1st National Filipino American Empowerment Conference in Washington DC in August 1997, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) was conceived to meet the need for a national entity that could harness the potentials and resources of the thousands of Filipino and Filipino-American organizations across the United States.

NaFFAA’s goals: To achieve socio-economic and political empowerment, contribute more meaningfully to the well-being of American society, and provide assistance to the Philippine homeland.

Registered as a 501c3 non-partisan, non-profit entity, NaFFAA has its headquarters in Washington DC and operates through twelve (12) Regional Chapters, representing Filipino American organizations on the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Marianas. In this regard, it is the only FilAm organization of this size and scope.

The Voice of FilAms in Washington DC.

In Washington DC, NaFFAA is recognized by the White House and by Congress as the principal advocate of Filipino and Filipino-American interests, typified by its sustained lobbying for the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill. These efforts have succeeded in pushing S. 1331 through the US Senate. Speaker Nancy Pelosi will soon schedule the bill for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Heroism (Kabayanihan) at the Local Level.

While involvement in national issues has given NaFFAA a high profile, it is at the regional and state levels where the most meaningful contributions of NaFFAA and its leaders have been felt:

• Organizing the FilVote Voter Registration Campaign in Las Vegas, Washington DC and Seattle, to increase FilAm participation in the electoral process.
• Filing a case in Federal Court to protect the rights of Filipino non-citizen airport workers in San Francisco who were laid off in the wake of 9-11.
• Raising funds for the successful legal defense of Filipino workers in Texas, unfairly detained in the wake of 9-11.
• Rallying the Northern California FilAm community to successfully persuade CalPERS (the largest pension fund in the US) to keep its investments in the Philippines.
• Raising funds at the local level to build FilAm community centers that provide services to seniors, youth and the general community.
• Organizing festivals and cultural events to promote Filipino art, culture and traditions in the American mainstream.
• Mounting a tutorial program in Seattle and Las Vegas to improve the K-12 performance of FilAm students in public schools.
• Extracting an apology from the TV network, ABC, for the slur against Filipino doctors in the series, “Desperate Housewives.” Additionally, initiating a program for the involvement of more FilAm talents and technical personnel in ABC’s network operations.
• Providing relief and emergency housing in Texas to victims of typhoon Katrina fleeing from Louisiana and Mississippi.
• Organizing annual regional conferences to address burning issues affecting the FilAm community and the American mainstream.
• Successfully lobbying the Philippine government for passage of the Overseas Absentee Voting Law and the Dual Citizenship Law.
• Filing a successful motion for Mandamus and Certiorari in the Philippine Supreme Court to overrule the decision of the Commission on Elections to prevent FilAm dual citizens from voting in the Philippine elections.
• Organizing regional and national conferences in different states, plus the Global Filipino Networking Conventions in San Francisco, Manila, Cebu, Hawaii and Sydney, to address burning issues affecting overseas Filipinos.

All these and more were undertaken, not by individuals but by FilAm community organizations, guide by the philosophy of Bayanihan, a Filipino tradition that combines the concepts of community (Bayan) and heroism (Bayani).

Answering the Need to Honor and Inspire Community Kabayanihan.

For their heroism, individuals have been honored by the community. But there has been no vehicle for honoring entire groups or community organizations. This is the need that we propose to meet with the Annual NaFFAA Kabayanihan Awards for Community Service.

The Kabayanihan Awards will honor community organizations – whether or not affiliated with NaFFAA – that have rendered outstanding and meaningful service to the community in the following fields or benefiting the following sectors:• Education
• Youth
• Senior Citizens
• Women
• Health
• Immigration & Human Rights
• Entrepreneurship
• Arts & Culture
• Aid to the Philippines
• Civic InvolvementAn 11th category, the Alex Esclamado Award for Advocacy, is for any organization that has advocated in a sustained and outstanding manner a cause or causes that have had a profound impact on the FilAm community or the American mainstream.It is named after Alex Esclamado, the founder of NaFFAA and one of the most ardent advocates of the rights and interests of Filipino Americans and of the Philippines. For this, he was conferred the Legion of Honor by President Corazon Aquino and the Ellis Island Award on the occasion of the 250th year of the founding of the United States.Scope and Format of the Awards.

A political party, or any entity engaged in partisan politics, does not qualify.
A religious organization may qualify only with respect to a project designed
to promote community welfare rather than religious interests.

The awards are open to both NaFFAA-affiliated and non-NaFFAA
organizations.

2. Awards Criteria.
The following factors will be considered in evaluating nominees:

a) Relevance of the nominated service or project to the award category, i.e., a Youth Service/Project must be directly relevant to the youth. -

b) Importance and impact of the service or project and the benefits enjoyed by the beneficiary sector or community; i.e., some services/projects are more important or have more impact and deliver more benefits than others. Qualitative and quantitative criteria and operative results will be applied.

c) History, consistency and sustainability - How long has the service been rendered or has the project been undertaken; how consistently has it been implemented and has served its beneficiaries; and are its impact and benefits sustainable?

d) Degree of group involvement – Has the project been the work of only a small circle of individuals or has it involved and harnessed the skills and resources of the members of organization? This considers the principle that the more members involved, the more the Bayanihan spirit is actualized.

3. Nomination, Evaluation & Judging Process.

A National Awards Committee, headed by the Organizing Committee Chairman, will be constituted. Members of the Committee will be the current NaFFAA National Chair, National Vice-Chair and Executive Director plus three members at large to be recommended by the Committee Chair and approved by the NaFFAA National Board. No person shall hold more than one seat in the committee. This committee will undertake the planning, supervision and management, and the implementation of the entire awards program.

The National Awards Committee will constitute a Panel of Jurors with
members selected from among distinguished figures in the American
mainstream who have had involvement or have expertise in the fields that are
subject of the awards. They will be chosen from the academe, government,
media, the arts, business and non-profit community-oriented organizations.
The chairman of the Panel of Jurors will be NaFFAA National Chair
Emeritus Loida Nicolas-Lewis. She will choose and recommend the Panel of
Jurors to the National Awards Committee.

The Regional Chapters of NaFFAA will solicit nominations within their
respective jurisdictions, including both NaFFAA and non-NaFFAA organizations. The Regional Chair will constitute a Regional Awards Committee to go over the nominations. Membership in this committee
will be left to the discretion of the Regional Board.

Based on each criterion, a nominee will be evaluated against a 10-point
scale, with 10 being outstanding. To prevent a punitive or arbitrary
evaluation, it is to be assumed that every nominee automatically deserves a
minimum rating of 5. Each rating will be converted into a percentage of
100% (e.g., a rating of 8 is 80%). The totals will be added and averaged out
to determine the final percentage (e.g., 80% for each of the 4 criterion would
result in an average rating of 80%). To qualify for an award, a nominee must
garner a minimum average of 75%.

A short list of nominees achieving the minimum average rating will be
endorsed by the Region to the National Awards Committee. It will, in turn,
submit, the list of nominees to the Panel of Jurors . The records of
all the other nominees will also be submitted to the National Awards
Committee for reference. These will also be forwarded to the Panel of Jurors.

The Panel of Jurors will evaluate and rate the nominees for each category
based on the criteria, the 10-point system and the averaging process. The
nominee that earns the highest rating in each awards category will be
declared the awardee. The Panel of Jurors may decide to designate more
than one awardee for a category, based on the merits, or designate honorable
mentions. The decision of the Panel of Jurors will be final and not subject
to appeal.

All the nominees in the Regional short list who have been endorsed to the
National Awards Committee will receive Certificates of Nomination. National\AAll

4. Award Category Sponsors.
Sponsors, mostly drawn from businesses with interests in the Filipino-American community, will be solicited for each award category. An individual may also offer to sponsor an award category. In any case, a sponsorship fee of $10,000 will be required of each sponsor. Corresponding benefits will accrue to the sponsor, including:
a) Being identified as the Category Sponsor, along with the right to promote this involvement in its marketing or public relations programs;
b) An executive of the Category Sponsor will present the award on the occasion of the awards presentation;
c) A brief videotaped message by an executive of the Category Sponsor to be included in the videotaped presentation of the achievement of the awardee, to be shown during the awards;
d) Inclusion in the NaFFAA national and regional websites, with logo and brief product/service description (and/or slogan);
e) Inclusion in all press and photo releases prior to and after the awards;
f) Inclusion in the souvenir program, invitations and other awards signage;
g) Corporate and brand signage at any NaFFAA conference (national or regional promoting the awards);
h) Corporate and brand signage at the venue of the awards;
i) A competitive lockout for the specific award category;
j) Inclusion in the NaFFAA Book, to be published after the awards;
k) For an additional fee of $10,000, designation as an official entity (e.g. Official Communications Company) of NaFFAA and of the Kabayanihan Awards for the year of the awards, and first option to continue the designation into the subsequent awards;
l) This official designation will be acknowledged in all NaFFAA national and regional conferences, the NaFFAA website and in official communications related to the awards; and may be used by the sponsor for its marketing, advertising, public relations, community relations and promotions campaigns for the period of the designation.

5. Kabayanihan Awards Presentation.
A gala reception and awards ceremony will be organized in Washington DC
in June 2009 as a major component of the observance of Philippine
Independence Day. Prominent officials of the federal and state
governments, officials of the White House, members of the US Senate and
Congress, officials of the Philippine government, led by the Philippine
ambassador to the United States, other Philippine officials, captains of
Corporate America, members of the mainstream media and Filipino and
other minority media, NaFFAA officers and members and community
leaders, both Filipino, Asian and mainstream, will be invited to the event.
Corporate Sponsors, together with prominent officials from either US or
Philippine government, will present the award for each category. An official
of the US Legislature or the White House or the federal or state government
will be invited as keynote speaker.

6. The NaFFAA Book.
A NaFFAA Book will be published based on the achievements of the
awardees and all the other nominees, as well as the history of NaFFAA, from
the first National Empowerment Conference in Washington D.C. in 1997.

At high noon today across from the busy Union Square in San Francisco, the Filpino Anti-Defamation Coalition (FAC) organized a well attendedf picket of over 50 people, mostly Filipino phycicians and nurses, along with community people, social justice groups, and students in front of the Disney Store at Powell and Post. with plenty of picket signs and leaflets, the protestors took their angry message about the first episode of ” Desperate Housewives” to the several hundred shoppers, tourists, and Asians who were out on this sunny Saturday. The beautiful day was perfect for our protest.

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“For reflection… This is a reality check about what we do as members of organizations and institutions that serve our communities.” - Ben’s message

From: Ben Menor
Date: Sep 21, 2007 11:32 AM

Dear fellow NaFFAA leaders,

Last Wednesday I attended the funeral of Sean Aquitania, Sr., 21 and his son, Sean Jr. in Sacramento. Some of you may have seen the story on CBS or the local news. Many familiar faces were at the Rosary, Perry Diaz, Norman DeYoung, Lilia Rivera, Mark Montemayor, Dinnah and Dave San Pedro and other leaders from the FilAm community.

I have attended many funerals including young FilAms, including those who died due to suicide, murder, sickness and accidents. This funeral was different. This funeral involved a 7-month old child, killed execution style. Working with gangs and senior citizens, I’ve witnessed their passing because of their age or lifestyle. But I’ve never witnessed a baby killed execution-style as a way to send a message to the rival gang. Not here in the USA. Maybe in other countries where the population is very poor and life is less valued.

I share this experience because the other night, Tuesday, we were holding our committee meeting and Rudy was expressing the struggle to bring more resources to better serve our community. Lorna, expressing her feelings about effective leadership and Bernadette trying to accommodate space to hold needed events at the Bayanihan Community Center. I realized how important all those sentiments and efforts are to saving the life of a child —7 months old. Yes, NaFFAA is needed. West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center is needed. Bayanihan Community Center is needed. All of you are needed so we can save a child from dying a cruel, senseless, and hideous death.

Please read and view the number of URL’s on these two young Kababayans. Look into their eyes and see their future shorten because of desperation, hate, anger, sickness, selfishness, lack of community and family, and Godlessness.

That is why we need a conference by NaFFAA to strengthen our roots so our branches can reach those in need and give them hope.

What will it take to end the violence????

Let there be Peace and let it begin with Me.

References:

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/391143.html

http://fox40.trb.com/news/ktxl-091707memorialfund,0,402353.story?coll=ktxl-home-1

http://www.feedzilla.com/search.asp?k=USA&q=aquitania

http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_261210434.html

http://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/sean-paul-aquitania-sr-and-sean-paul-aquitania-jr-murder-91407-sacramento-ca-father-killed-during-a-home-invasion-baby-deliberately-killed-while-in-his-carseat-in-the-car/

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=32780

http://www.kcra.com/news/14127915/detail.html

West Bay Pilipino Multi Service, Inc. is pleased to announce three award winning grants from the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness and the Hellman Family Foundation; for the development of culturally appropriate and sustainable breast cancer support services.  

Grant #1. Filipina Breast Cancer Disparities - What model is meaningful? An ethnographic research into social support and social capital within the Filipino Community.  

Grant #2. Cancer Awareness Training -  A study to assess a current West Bay breast cancer program to identify pre - existing channels for the provision of support within the community and to develop culturally resonant breast cancer education.  

Grant #3.Comparative Study - How support group may be culturally tailored to meet the needs of Filipina breast cancer survivors and what other groups are doing that might improve or augment West Bay’s current program.  

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Rodel Rodis, Esquire is NaFFAA Region 8’s Founding Regional Chair and one of NaFFAA’s founders.

Appeals court clears way for SF politician to sue police

Last Update: 1:43 pm

A San Francisco community college trustee and civic leader can sue two police officers for wrongful arrest after they accused him of trying to pass a counterfeit $100 bill that turned out to be authentic, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

San Francisco police officers arrested Rodel Rodis in 2003 at a pharmacy after he used a 22-year-old $100 bill to pay for cough medicine. Even though a counterfeit pen showed the worn bill to be legitimate, the pharmacy manager called police because the old bill didn’t display any of the newer security features printed on newer bills, such as a watermark.

Continue reading the complete news article at Fox6.com.

Rodel Rodis had sent us an e-mail with a copy of a news article from SFGate.com. There was a deviation in the last lines of the article from the Fox6.com news release.

Appeals court clears way for SF politician to sue police

By PAUL ELIAS, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
(08-28) 12:56 PDT San Francisco (AP) –

Deputy City Attorney Scott Wiener said city officials disagreed with the ruling and were contemplating their next step.

“We are seriously considering further appeals,” he said.