Page 4 A quarterly publication of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA, Inc. April - June 2017
Pangasinan Brotherhood rolls...(from page 1)
What does it take? Inner strength, determination, never giving up and love of Pangasinan and our motherland are the bedrock of what it takes for each member. The people coming in must have the ability to lead, can sacrifice self- interest and work for the common good of the people being served. God fearing and keeping our faith that there is but one Power above us that will propel us to victory on each battle we face against all odds.
Who is he that we need have? Our main target is he who has the heart that is filled with joy to share with the fallen and downtrodden. It is he who has the heart that knows how to comfort those that are weak and lost. It is he who has the heart that nurtures hope and where valor and gallantry reside. He is the one who is brave in all adversities and trials and stand tall with dignity intact for the next battle.
Philippine Consul General to Los Angeles Adelio Angelito S. Cruz delivers his inspirational remarks during PB-USA's Musical Odyssey Concert. - Photo by Dan E. Nino
DACA recipients see light at the end of the tunnel
By Elpidio R. Estioko
Hope is becoming brighter for the nearly 788,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who are undocumented young immigrants as they are assured of work permits and allowed to live in the U.S. without fear of deportation. This was the assurance made by President Donald Trump in response to persistent queries on the fate of the DACA program.
“The future of the DACA program continues to be under review with the administration,” a department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said in a written statement. The president has remarked “the need to handle the issue with compassion and with heart.” This is a victory, as far as the recipients of DACA are concerned. It is a concrete manifestation of the growing concern of the President, a change of heart; although he kept on saying that it is being reviewed.
If you recall, during the campaign period, the president had repeatedly pledged to end the Obama-era program which he believed has been shielding undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children of illegal parents by deporting them, but lately, he said he will keep the Obama-era program after all. Recipients of the DACA program, according to the Homeland Security “will continue to be eligible” for renewal, adding that “no work permits will be terminated prior to their current expiration dates.”-Editor’s Note: Excerpts,,FilAm Star, June 22-28, 2017
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
World-acclaimed pianist Rudolf Pelaez Golez dazzled the enthralled audience with his repertoire of musical masterpieces in a Musical Odyssey Concert at CCPA with a trio of Filipino-American performers - Photo by Dan E. Nino
FilAm graduation rites from college
By Andrew Julian Soriano
As a recently graduated student of the University of California at Santa Barbara as well as a Filipino American, I learned that one of the most important things you could aspire to do as a youth of color is to maintain and be proud of your dual identity. Over the past four years, I have been a member of the on-campus Filipino American Club at UCSB, Kapatirang Pilipino. The club inspires, educates, and celebrates the Filipino American identity via its four "pillars": social, political, academic, and cultural. Recently, Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA reached out to our club in order to establish the “Tito & Tita” program, which hopes to gradually establish a working relationship between the PBUSA, and college youth in a mentorship role. Although I am now an alumni of the school, I still hope to look back and support it as it forms, especially since I am also a member of PB-USA’s NextGen.
One of the most memorable events in my memory was actually very recent - the Pilipino Graduation ceremony, which took place on Friday, June 16th, 2017. The event was hosted by one of Kapatirang Pilipino’s sister organizations, UCSB Pilipino Graduation (PGrad for short). The organization celebrates seniors who have completed their college careers, and, as most of them were members of Kapatirang Pilipino (KP for short), many KP members and friends, as well as the families of each of the thirty-five graduates who joined the PGrad program, were in attendance.
After the recital of both the American and Filipino national anthems, the event proceeded with an introductory speech by a keynote speaker, who herself was a fairly recent graduate of UCSB as well as a former KP & PGrad member. As someone who is currently thriving in her post-grad life, she gave us a role model to look up to as we head in the same direction. Throughout the event, catered Filipino food was served, evoking tastes and feelings of home. Afterwards, it became a very intimate affair, as all thirty-five graduates had an opportunity to deliver a two-minute speech thanking their loved ones for their support and reflecting on the past four years as a college student. After each speech, the graduate was presented with a graduation stole resembling the Filipino flag by their parents, loved ones, or other chosen presenter, which would symbolize their Filipino American identity as they walked across the commencement stage at the school’s official graduation ceremony later on in the weekend.
The uniqueness of this event lies in its multifaceted celebration of the Filipino American traditions of food, family, pride, and love. To me personally, I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this program because it allowed me to celebrate my Filipino American heritage, my college career, my family and friends, and the unity between my fellow graduates and I all at once. And as we currently live in an America that sometimes calls into question our identity, especially as youths trying to establish ourselves, being able to celebrate who we are has never been more critical.
Graduates pose after the UCSB Pilipino Graduation ceremony on June 16, 2017 hosted by Kapatirang Pilipino, a Fil-Am club in the university - Photo by Andrew Soriano
Alcala in our minds
By Menchu Madriaga
It was stroke of good fortune that a great number of immigrants from Alcala, Pangasinan had decided to settle in Southern California. Cognizant of this reality, a hardy bunch among them met in 1982 to form the Alcalenian Association of Southern California (AASC) with an original roster of 200 families.
According to its Constitution and By-Laws, AASC was founded for the following purposes: To provide opportunities for worthwhile and wholesome amusement and recreation for its members and their friends; to help each other in times of distress and misfortune and share together the joys of success; to perpetuate desirable values such as filial piety, honor and respect for parents and authority, high regard for order and discipline, hospitality and modesty, and, with the best of American ways, develop a Philippine-American culture; to foster love and remembrance of the old hometown, Alcala, by giving help for noble purposes and/or deserving individuals, especially students; to encourage members and their children by offering awards in scholastic, cultural and sports-related activities; and to be united in the promotion of individual and common welfare of members.
To realize these objectives, the Association has undertaken many projects and activities throughout the years. AASC holds an election of its officers every two years. Remia Corpuz is the current president. It holds its annual dinner dance in the month of August. The affair alternately features the induction of officers and the traditional coronation of the AASC royal court, the former in even-numbered years and the latter in odd-numbered years. This year, the eventual winners of the popularity contest for Miss Alcala-USA will be crowned at the Holiday Inn in Long Beach on the 12thof August.
Like many other town organizations, the Association also celebrates an annual fiesta. To coincide with the town fiesta back home, Alcalenians and their friends gather at a local park to enjoy the festivities – western style -- on one Saturday in the month of May.
The children are a big concern for the organization. It has established a scholarship program since its inception and now holds an annual Youth Day in September to celebrate and reward their achievements and give them their time to shine and enjoy. Over the years the Association has also given scholarship grants to deserving students in Alcala, which drew not only people from Alcala but also the neighboring town of Bautista. It soon became a prototype for other barangay health clinics in helping Alcala has always been a priority to AASC. It actively supports projects that are intended to improve the town and the life of its citizens. Aside from sending relief to victims of natural disasters, it has sponsored several Medical and Dental Missions over the years, the latest of which was held on April 28 this year. It has immensely contributed toward the beautification of the town plaza, the town’s jewel and source of pride and joy. It has donated two ambulances in the past decade. In 2003, it built a health center in the barangay of Anulid, Pangasinan.
AASC continues to help local schools. It gave the initial funding for the first classroom of the Canarvacanan High School. It built an open court for the Alcala Central School and just finished building a canteen at the San Vicente Elementary School. This is not to mention the school equipment and materials, books, backpacks and many other little things that they have donated to the various local schools. . It has established a scholarship program since its inception and now holds an annual Youth Day in September to celebrate. deserving students in Alcala.—(Please turn to page 8)