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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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The shocking news that has continuously hugging the headlines of Manila newspapers these days is about the graft and corruption charges that Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia, former deputy chief of staff for comptrollership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is facing.
The general is being investigated by members of Congress, AFP Ombudsman and other government investigative bodies for alleged ill-gotten wealth. Garcia and his family own several real estate properties in the Philippines and the U.S., and maintain peso and dollar accounts in several banks.
The immediate question that comes to mind is: How could a general earning a salary of P37, 000 a month acquire so much wealth? His wife and their three sons, who are still in school, are American citizens. Even if they were employed, would they have the capacity to bring in about P44 million into the U.S. and own properties in Ohio and New York?
The probe into Garcia's web of accounts and unexplained wealth may yet cascade into several other revelations related to corruption in the military. And that is not a good sign for what may yet happen in the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. If the military balked, that could be another shock ing story in the offing.
As overseas Filipinos, we deplore, like any other nationality should, corruption. Corruption eats at every strand of fiber of clean living and good governance. It destroys people and government. It shocks the very essence of what a civil society should be.
It is hoped that the investigations would result in a swift conclusion. And any person found guilty of corruption should be punished accordingly. It is expected to see the government reclaim any ill-gotten wealth and use it for the benefit of the people that need it the most. Definitely, not by some government functionary that may yet line up their own pockets again and may give us another shock.
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It's not just about winning
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NEW YORK --- The supposedly curse of the Bambino has been lifted, finally. I am talking about the Yankees who lost to the Boston Red Sox Wednesday night, 3-10, after leading the American Conference League Series, 3-0. The Red Sox won four straight games to claim victory.
I feel sorry about the Yankees' loss after having watched their games, sometimes up to the wee hours of the night, without fail. A Yankee fan ever since, I expected them to win again just as I expect some candidates of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) to win on October 30.
Elections for the post of president and board directors are coming up and campaigning by candidates is at fever-pitch. They burn telephone lines like hell and their presence in functions of many organizations is phenomenal.
They are driven by their desire to win, to earn a seat in the PIDCI board.
And much like the Yankees and Red Sox teams, there are two teams competing to earn the right to lead PIDCI in 2005. One team is led by Ludi Hughes and the other, by Nimia Lacebal. And like U.S. independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, four candidates are running on their own. The question is: who would make it to the magic slate?
About three weeks ago, I mentioned that somebody had suggested naming a dream team in this space. Well, I received quite a lot of responses from my readers. This list is by no means an endorsement but a reflection of the desires of some members of the community. It is also not a guarantee that the names in this list will make the cut when actual elections are held. Consider this exercise as an informal poll.
The thirteen most mentioned names are: Isagani Puertollano, Raul Estrellado, Ben Ileto, Baby Bleza, Philip Carreon, Lolita Compas, Ronnie Atinaja, Gaudencio Soriano, Emmanuel Pangan, Tambi Wycoco, Sofia Abad, Wilson Verzosa and Tony Bordamonte.
Of course, this list may yet change next week as election date nears and as candidates intensify their campaign. In so far as the presidency is concerned, Lacebal is leading.
If these candidates win, they have a big job in store for them. Foremost is the resolution of the audit findings of the 2003 and that of 2004 and reforms that are needed.
As you can read from the responses of both presidential candidates somewhere in this newspaper, both Hughes and Lacebal stated their views about reforms in PIDCI. They've also shared their vision and the goals they wish to accomplish.
I like what Hughes has said: "PIDCI must undergo a thorough realignment of its leadership. I have the fullest and sincerest respect for the 129 years of experience that the other team wants to emphasize. Without their previous leadership, PIDCI would not have been what it is today, vibrant, exciting and challenging. Trouble is, it is what it was also today because the leadership has not recycled to the point where new ideas, new passion and vision meet the needs of the 21st century. It is important to note that if we prevail, we will combine their 129 years and our young spirit to make PIDCI face the challenge of today.”
I also like Lacebal's statement regarding her vision: “One community that is progressive, involved and dynamic. I want to create a climate where one can disagree on substance without being combatant or personal.”
Both statements are well said. But would such statements matter to the voters when all they want is to vote and leave the place? Member-organizations have a responsibility, too. This is our community and if we are persuaded by influence and mere pakikisama, let's think twice and search our heart.
Although these candidates have shown their willingness to serve, we don't know how they have performed in the past and how they will perform if elected. Would they be able to share their knowledge and their skills to the betterment of PIDCI and the community, in general? Or would they serve as mere wall-flowers or paperweights?
I must caution every candidate and their supporters that this is not just about winning the elections. It is about your commitment to serve the community and your true desire to bring about what's best in us in commemorating and celebrating Philippine Independence.
It's not just about winning.
Send comments to rickyxpres@aol.com or visit Website at PinoyOnBoard.com.
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Like freshly baked cookies, we turned up in batches or as they call them here in America “classes.” We were not celebrating any anniversaries or jubilees but even so we called it a “reunion”. The idea to seek out other graduates of our school in the East Coast came about rather spontaneously after visiting with a former teacher in Manila.
Wouldn’t it be nice to meet the others? Wouldn’t it be nice to find out what’s happening at the school now? So after four months of e-mail coordination, twenty-eight women from batches ranging from 1971 to 1997, traveling from the tri-state area and as far as Boston, finally got together at the Holiday Inn in New Jersey.
It was a different kind of reunion because many of us had never met before, while those of us who had – had to strain to remember names because faces look different in uniform. And yet the bonds were strong – thanks to our shared values, our common culture, and memories of that Catholic girls’ school on EDSA. After 13 years in a place, it is hard to deny its impact on one’s life.
At the time I went to school there we had two sections with less than 40 girls in each class. Our system was “personalized” and everyone got to know each other pretty well. It was a relatively small school so that a high school senior could be friends with a fifth grader, a kindergartner with a first grader – sort of like sisters. Our teachers were lay religious people i.e. not nuns, many of whom spoke Spanish (because our school’s founder was Spanish). After 7th grade, I wanted so badly to move to another high school, perhaps one with boys or at least a different uniform? but my parents were steadfast and I stayed in the same school for another four years. Needless to say, high school graduation came as a relief as I looked forward to my freedom from stiff rules and orange gingham (uniform). After four years at a Catholic university, it came as a total surprise to my former high school principal when after college, I approached her for a job. Yes, my first job after graduation was teaching! I taught for only a year but I had a blast. And I have remained friends with my former students and co-teachers, including those who were my own teachers when I was in school.
Many Filipinos share my experience – those of us who schooled in the same institution from grade school to high school, steeped in tradition – we become loyal to our alma mater. We are bonded to those who came before us and those who come after. Our “batch” is our immediate family, our school, the extended family.
At the Holiday Inn, there was a nostalgic slide show that made us all ooh and ahh. We wistfully remembered our school days in Manila; and were brought back not just to our childhoods but to our Motherland. There we were a handful of girls who had benefited from this institution, Filipinas all— who had now made a life for ourselves in America.
At the end of the reunion, new friendships were formed and promises made to keep in touch. Our former teacher’s pleas to help our alma mater, and on a larger scale, our country the Philippines resonated in our minds and hearts.
Something tells me this won’t be the last time I’ll be seeing the ol’ girls.
Send your comments to: manilagirl01@hotmail.com, Visit www.manila-girl.com, www.missingmangoes.com
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