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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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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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CELEBRATING Thanksgiving is as alien to us in the Philippines as below-freezing-point temperatures. But those of us who have been here in the United States long enough to understand and feel the meaning and essence of Thanksgiving Day, it is an opportune time for us to pause and reflect on the blessings and bounties that came our way during the past year.
There are indeed a million reasons to be thankful for. Offhand, we can think of the following:
Despite the worsening political crisis and never-ending economic difficulty in the Philippines, the country has not fallen off the edges; our fellow Filipinos have not give up and are still putting up a noble fight to right the wrongs in the country, and to pull the economy out of the rut it is in right now.
We can be thankful that there are still Filipino Americans and other immigrant groups who are working hard to effect reforms in the US’ immigration laws and policies. Their work has made it easier for many of us to come to the US, find good-paying jobs, and to speed up the reunification of many Filipino families.
We can thank our good fortune that enabled us to share whatever blessings we have with our relatives, who through no fault of theirs, have been bearing the brunt of a stagnant economy back home in the Philippines.
We are also grateful to fellow Filipino Americans, who donate their precious time, skills and money to alleviate the plight of the of our brethrens, especially those who have been ravaged by poverty and natural calamities back home.
We also salute the work of Filipino foundations, organizations and not-for-profit groups that provide direct service and advocacy to the Filipino immigrant community here, making it easier for many of our kababayans to integrate into the American way of life, and at the same time remind us of our roots, tradition and heritage.
We could go on and on. You can even add some reasons of your own to be thankful for to our short list. The thing is, there will always be reasons to be thankful for.
To quote from “Desiderata”: “With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world ... Strive to be happy.”
Happy Thanksgiving.
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A reprise: On writing and the parable of a pencil
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NEW YORK --- On Wednesday last week, I met Al Pedroche, a friend who used to write for this newspaper, at a restaurant in New Jersey. It was a chance meeting and while having lunch, we talked about the past and shared stories about our respective families.
I told Al that my meeting him reminded me of my column I wrote in November 2002 while on a trip to Las Vegas. I mentioned that I remember him writing an incisive commentary about it, with his usual flair for humor and openness.
I also pointed out, that by sheer coincidence, a few people remembered that column as well and in their e-mails, they suggested to have that piece reprinted. I do not re-cycle my articles; however, although it has been three years since it was first published, my observation then remains as relevant as it is today.
Thanks to Cora, David, Ethel, Jun, and Mike for reminding me of the parable of the pencil. They are complete strangers to me who, it seems, have been following this page regularly. A reprise of “On writing and the parable of a pencil” is found below.
* * *
Writing a column is not an easy task and much more so if a column dealt with Filipinos and Filipino Americans and community issues. I find that it takes patience, research and courage to write what I believe in and what my readers deserve to know following standards of journalism.
In my three years of column writing for The Filipino Express, I find that I may have lost the friendship of some people I know in the community or who I have worked with in the past in serving the community. These are people who find my writings too critical and a threat to their “community leader image”.
Or to put it simply, these are people who tell me I could deliver the same message with a different approach and that is, by changing my style of writing.
However, I find it rewarding that I’ve gained much more friends and readership with my own style. These are people who I have not met but they have expressed their good wishes and encouragement through their e-mails and telephone calls.
These are people who have open minds and who understand the work that we do. These are people who believe in transparency and accountability. These are people who believe in the importance of information that affect our community.
Writing about certain personalities in our community is not an easy decision either. I know some people are interested only in seeing their names or photos printed and not in any form of disapproval of their actions or inactions. They seem to find it difficult to accept the consequences of their decisions or indecisions or admit their flaws.
Instead of responding to any commentary they have concerns about, they simply choose to maintain their silence in the hope readers will forget them anyway. Or they seem to find it a waste of their time to respond to any commentary as it just might encourage prolong discussions.
If such observations were true, they validate community perception about them that they are a bunch of community leaders that are only out for themselves under the guise of community service.
If they are leaders, they should have no fear of engaging themselves in a debate. If a healthy discussion of relevant issues were impaired, how can we ascertain they are leading us in the best interests of the community?
Community leaders and the press have a common thread in community building. Both are an integral part in a democratic society. Together, they weave the fabric of a strong community anchored on truth, justice, equal partnership and service.
Regardless of our positions on issues, we have to respect our respective roles. Community leaders must open their minds and participate in the free discussion of ideas and issues. Otherwise, if only the press discusses these issues, in the end, community leaders lose out in having their positions heard and understood by those who they serve.
Some people have compared my writings to [the late] Bobby Ordonez, a friend who wrote for The Filipino Reporter years ago. I am humbled by that comparison but I have to defer to Bobby’s experience, wit and fearless style. Perhaps Bobby started what we need from our so-called community leaders: an understanding of our role as change agents. If such was Bobby’s purpose, I can say that I am merely continuing Bobby’s journalistic credo.
I am reminded of a parable which was shared to me by a friend, another journalist. In the spirit of Thanksgiving Day, I wish to share the same to you. The parable goes like this:
“The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are five things you need to know, He told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
And five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now, imagine that these words of wisdom were said to you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. Allow yourself to to be of service to your fellow human beings.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
And five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties. By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart.”
Since the day I read this parable, it has been my guiding light in writing my columns or in dealing with life itself.
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
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Thanksgiving or Porky (Lechon) Day?
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Chicago, ILLINOIS --- Here in the US, Thanksgiving is a time to count one’s blessings. Blessings from their Christian-Judeo God.
No doubt, they had taken a cue from the Pilgrims, who celebrated their first Thanksgiving in America after fleeing religious persecution from their native England during the 17th century. New American immigrants from all over the world, who eventually settled here for good, likewise, joined the fun.
It is said that the Pilgrims started it all when they had a good harvest one October and the Pilgrims found themselves with enough food to put away for the winter. There were corn, fruits and vegetables, fish to be packed in salt and meat to be cured over smoky fires.
Having built their homes in the wilderness, the Pilgrims had raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long approaching winter. Coupled with their peaceful co-existence with the native Indians, the Pilgrims Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621.
Canada also marks Thanksgiving Day
Like in the U.S., where it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November by virtue of an Act of Congress, Thanksgiving is also celebrated in other countries, like Canada, where it is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is observed in the US as Columbus Day.
In the Philippines, I’m trying hard to find a counterpart celebration of Thanksgiving Day.
The closest parallel celebration I can imagine is the ubiquitous fiesta celebrations in each town or city in the Philippines. The only difference is that fiestas are observed in different dates.
But like Thanksgiving, fiesta celebrators are also thanking their patron saints for bringing prosperity to their towns and cities. While Thanksgiving meals are usually served with roasted turkeys, fiestas cannot do without roasted lechon (suckling pig).
Thanksgiving Under Martial Law
There was a time when Filipinos were introduced to a nationwide celebration of Thanksgiving by the Philippine government. But apparently, the celebration flopped.
I remember under martial law, President Marcos wanted vindication by the Filipino people of his proclamation of his iron rule. Marcos named the day of his proclamation of martial law in the Philippines on September 21 as Thanksgiving Day. But after Marcos was overthrown from power, no one ever remembers celebrating Thanksgiving Day again in the Philippines.
Thanksgiving at EDSA I
I would surmise if Filipinos really hated Marcos or his dictatorship, they should have clamored for the celebration of Thanksgiving Day when he was thrown from power on February 25, 1986.
I am now beginning to think that being in government is like being a star in the movies -- you are just as popular as your last picture.
Had Marcos’ Thanksgiving Day celebration caught fire in the Philippines, the Thanksgiving Day celebrations both in US and Canada, both nicknamed, “Turkey Day,” because of the popularity of these large roasted turkeys in the afternoon meals or dinners in both countries, the celebration of Thanksgiving in the Philippines would have had its own nickname -- “Porky (Lechon) Day!”
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THE scent of cloves lingered as the Indonesian editor stubbed his kritik cigarette “In Europe, only two communists are left.”, Sumono Mustoffa noted with soft Sumatran accents. “Both are Filipinos.”
His joke referred to aging commissars in the Netherlands : Jose Maria Sison a.k.a. Armando Liwanag and Luis Jalandoni (actually, a naturalized Dutch citizen). From their burgis flats in The Hague, both wage “People’s War” in the Philippines, by proxy through fax and e-mail, despite communism’s collapse.
Pol Pot’s genocide, the Berlin Wall’s end, Poland’s Solidarnosc to Czechoslovakia’s “velvet revolution” were outer indicators of communism’s inner corrosion. The Soviet Union crumbled in 1991. Moscow today debates whether to trundle Lenin’s embalmed corpse from Red Square to an obscure grave.
In Asia, China dismantles Maoist rebellion . Deng Xiao Peng’s uncluttered heresy -”To get rich is glorious” – drives China’s economic boom.
But the Communist Party here lashed President Hu Jintao for “abandoning people’s war” ( read : local Reds ), opting instead for “capitalist” trade.
The Indonesian editor’s wisecrack came to mind when the US and European Union again refused to scrub the CPP from it’s list of terrorist organizations.
That’ll trigger protests here. We’re law-abiding, assert the National Democratic Front and, it’s armed wing: the New People’s Army. So do assorted allies from party list congressmen Crispin Beltran and Teddy Casino, joined by their multiple fronts : from Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno, etc..
Widows and families of ex-communist leaders, rubbed out under 1993 “death condemnations”, will vehemently disagree. For breaking away, “four principal traitors” were ordered liquidated by a party “fatwah”: Felimon “Popoy” Lagman, Romulo Kintanar, Ricardo Reyes and Benjie de Vera.
“It’s sometimes necessary to ‘kill the chicken to scare the monkey’. That was Sison’s explanation, writes Pierre Rousset in “The Post-1992 CCP Assassination Policy”. Mao Zedong used this Chinese proverb to explain how he cowed inner party recalcitrants by murder.
Nationally publicized assassinations of Lagman and Kintanar also sent a signal also to reluctant tax sources. The CPP must wring chicken necks as external fund sources dry up. “Permits to campaign” (PTC) were one method in the elections.
”Tell Sison to stop playing God,” Kintanar’s wife screamed after the ex-rebel was gunned down. In Brazil, the World Social Forum urged a stop to salvaging of people that communists believe turned against them. Those threatened included, among others: Walden Bello and Lidy Nacpil.
Earlier, the “Kampanyang Ahos” pogrom executed comrades suspected as penetration agents. “Many were innocent,” wrote Sun Star’s Bong Wenceslao ( a former rebel himself ). This zapped organizational strength ...and will haunt (the party) in years to come.”
A terrorist tag undercuts Sison’s refuge in an EU country. If they’re “true believers” why don’t Joma and comrades live instead in starving North Korea, Philippine Star columnist Alejandro Roces wrote. Or fight with the NPAs here.
The movement is totally splintered between reaffirmists (Joma Sison loyalists) and rejectionist factions, Businessworld points out. They continue to fragment and are ideologically adrift. They tried to muster “People Power” crowds against the Arroyo regime. Failing that, they’ve tried to hitchhike on a discredited Joseph Estrada’s bid to create a “transitory government”. That flopped too.
So, why does a communist insurgency, without popular support and limited capacity to assault isolated police stations or collect “revolutionary taxes, still fester. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore have long squelched their insurgents.
Media mislabels the communists either from naiveté, ignorance or misplaced values, writes Manila Standard’s Tony Abaya. The press almost always refers to them as ‘leftists’ or ‘activists’ or ‘militants.
But the correct label is: ‘communists’, Abaya insists. “Is being a communist a crime or a social disease?”..By opting for innocuous terms, media insulates them from the opprobrium of failure. And bankruptcy is “the historical legacy of Communism, in Europe, in Asia and in Latin America”.
Grow up, Abaya urges both the press and local comrades. “What makes you think Filipino communists will succeed in building the ideal society where Russian communists failed, even after 74 years of total political control?,” he recalls asking Sison and comrades. “They never answered.”
(E-mail: juan_mercado@paci-fic.net.ph )
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DURING Thanksgiving, we all realize how grateful we should be, especially to those who are especially important in our lives.
First, I express my sincerest thanks to God Almighty, who has always inspired me to do my job to the best of my ability, and maintain my passion for the law and put it to the best use for my clients.
To my clients and the entire Filipino community. – Thank you for your trust and confidence in me and my firm. I know how important your immigration matter is to your life and family, and I will never betray your trust in me.
To my Staff -- who share my passion in law and service to our clients, I salute and thank you all. You continue to be the backbone of our quality service to our valued clients. Due to your tireless efforts and dedication, we continue to be one of the most successful immigration law firms in the country.
To our friends in the media – Through you, I am able to reach millions, and provide accurate information about immigration. Through you, we were able to enlighten those who did not know, and help so many bring their families together, and realize their American dream. Thank you for being such an effective vehicle in our constant drive to inform, assist and serve others.
And of course, to my wife, Millie -- Where would I be without her by my side? Thank you for your tireless efforts in making our partnership a success.
I am personally grateful to each and every one of you. With our joint efforts, I am confident that we will continue to move forward. With your continued support, I have no doubt that the future will continue to provide hope and promise to those in need.
My best wishes to all, as we celebrate Thanksgiving!
Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 24 years, and is an active member of the State Bar of California and New York, as well as the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Immigration Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has always excelled in school: Valedictorian in High School; Cum Laude at UCLA; and Law Degree Honors and academic scholar at Loyola Law School, which is one of the top law schools in California.
WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com
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219 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, California, 91203
Telephone: (818) 543-5800
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Telephone: (650) 827-7888
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Telephone: (212) 808-0300
PHILIPPINES:
Heart Tower, Unit 701, 108 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati, Philippines 1227
Telephone: 894-0258 or 894-0239
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