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Is there such thing as a multi-dimensional truth?

NEW YORK --- When people are confronted with a question that affects their credibility, we often get a mixture of reaction. The outrageous ones are those coming from people who try to ignore, withhold or even twist the truth to portray their version as a fact. Politicians are known for that.

But nowadays, I don’t find it odd when even so- called community leaders behave the way politicians do, and worse, they do it casually as if it was their acquired right.

It becomes obvious; however, they are lying through their teeth when they start struggling for words in mid-sentence. Instead of responding to questions, they are throwing back questions at you.

The other tactic these people use is to look at you straight in the eye with an air of confidence when they tell their story. While some gullible folks are easily swayed, I can’t be simply persuaded; I take every word I hear with a grain of salt.

To me it’s the credibility of a person that counts in believing or not someone’s story. With years of experience dealing with people, I can usually sense what a person is apt to.

There are others who simply give up on what they see wrong around them.

For example, take the reasoning of Inocentes A. Tecala of Washington, D.C., who recently sent an e-mail to me.

Claiming that he is a “DC Fil-Am community leader and very active,” he wrote: “What is new in Fil-Am community activities? Isn’t the standard operating procedure for majority of Fil-Am leaders is ‘me and my group first?” You are concerned about ‘funds’ earmarked for PHIL celebrations and you find that there is no formal accounting? So, what is new?”

His message, I believe, is hopelessness. His premise is that since everybody tends to a group that shares the same “philosophy,” we need not expect them to be accountable for their actions. But there’s more.

He also writes: “If graft is prevalent in our native land, should this not be so among Fil-Ams in and around USA or elsewhere? I wonder how long you have been in America and yet do not know the Filipino mentality? Have a life my friend.”

Only someone who condones what is morally wrong can write this. His comment is a sweeping generalization of Filipinos and suggests, unfortunately, that we should accept what Filipinos do wrong.

If there is any taint of truth to what he wrote, should this be true to every community leader? Is the life he talks about means living with graft and corruption?

I do not how Tecala can sleep soundly at night if he lives day-by-day with that thought. And he says with pride: “DC Fil-Am community leader and very active”! That’s a big question mark. But perhaps, considering what he has or is experiencing in Washington, D.C. Filipino American community, he is saying what he believes is the truth about Filipinos.

But as I wrote in my reply to him: “If I were in DC, I’d demand for your immediate resignation, if not expulsion. In my book and others who believe in accountability, transparency, integrity and credibility, you don’t deserve to lead and inspire!”

I forgot to add that his comments are a disgrace to every Filipino.

How true is the statement that “a few rotten Filipinos can ruin the whole Filipino-American bushel?” To those community leaders who turn their sights away from it, they are in denial. They cannot accept that fact. Although everyday they see themselves in a mirror, they cannot see what is wrong.

This Thursday, I had a conversation with Sofie Abad, the appointed budget and finance officer and director of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI). I asked her if she has a financial report of the Leyte Dance Group, which the Philippine consulate had provided for since June 30. She said she did not have it and referred me to Mila Mendez, the chairperson of the fund-raising committee.

If that was true, why is it that in a committee report of June 30, Mendez said that the “accounting worksheet is with Sofia Abad, Project Finance Officer?” Something is not connecting here. Either Mendez or Abad is not telling the truth.

Why is there so much secrecy surrounding this project? Abad also told me that it is not true that the project lost money and demanded that I give her the amounts that I have so she could compare them with her records. I found that absurd. Is she being truthful to ask that from me? Shouldn’t she, in the interest of transparency and accountability, have shown it to me to preclude any doubts?

In my book, the project lost money. But Abad says otherwise; I’ll give her the benefit of a doubt. I’ll wait for a report to be released on this project and see what actually happened. Perhaps by then we’ll know what the truth is.

Truth seems to be multi-dimensional; it depends on how a person views and uses it. I’ve seen how so-called community leaders flaunt it to fit their agenda and use it to save their skin as needed.

The question is: When will it set them free?

Send comments to rickyxpres@aol.com or visit Website at PinoyOnBoard.com.

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The August 2005 Priority Date

The priority dates for all family-based petitions moved forward by at least one week, as shown in the August 2005 monthly Visa Bulletin. However, visa numbers remained "unavailable" for both employment-based cases for professionals and skilled workers, and for "other" (unskilled) workers.

This means that these two employment categories have reached their annual limits, and no adjustment of status or immigrant visa issuance will be made from July through September. With the start of the new fiscal year in October, we hope visas will become available again in these categories. The State Department said it is not possible to make any estimates regarding potential cutoff dates at this time.

Petitions by Citizens :

The priority date for the First Preference Category, F-1 (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, over 21 years of age) moved forward by one month, from February 8, 1991 to March 8, 1991 .

The Third Preference Category F-3 (married sons and daughters of United States citizens ) moved forward by one week, from September 1, 1990 to September 8, 1990 . (Note: There is now a difference of 6 months in priority dates between unmarried and married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.).

The Fourth Preference, F-4 (brothers and sisters of United States citizens) moved forward by one month, from January 1, 1983 to February 1, 1983 .

Petitions by Green Card Holders :

The Second Preference, F-2A (spouse and minor children below 21 years of age, of green card holders ) of Family-Based Petitions moved forward by two months, from May 22, 2001 to July 22, 2001 .

The Second Preference, F-2B (unmarried sons and daughters, over 21 years of age, of green card holders), moved forward by three weeks, from January 1, 1996 to January 22, 1996 .

Petitions by Employers:

The Third Preference (professionals and skilled workers) of Employment-Based Petitions (Labor Certification), remained unavailable. The last priority cutoff date was June 1, 2002 . The Third Preference (non-skilled workers), also remained unavailable, with the last cutoff date at January 1, 1999 .

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes the priority dates for that particular month. This means that visas would now be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below .

The August 2005 priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:

FAMILY CATEGORY:		Priority Date:
First Preference	Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens (over 21 years of age)	March 8, 1991 (In July 2005, the priority date was February 8, 1991.)
Second Preference	2A. Spouse and minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holder 2B. Unmarried sons and daughters (over 21 years old) of green card holder	July 22, 2001 (In July 2005, the priority date was May 22, 2001.) January 22, 1996 (In July 2005, the priority date was January 1, 1996.)
Third Preference	Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens	September 8, 1990 (In July 2005, the priority date was September 1, 1990.)
Fourth Preference	Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens	February 1, 1983 (In July 2005, the priority date was January 1, 1983.)
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Third Preference	Professional/Skilled Workers	Unavailable (In July 2005, the priority date was also unavailable.)
Other Workers	Non-Skilled workers	Unavailable (In July 2005, the priority date was also unavailable.)

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