The RP “good news” team led by yours truly is back in the United States to again deliver positive news to our kababayans here about social and economic developments actually happening in our country today.
And, as they did in our first visit here last February, our kababayans welcomed our efforts with great enthusiasm, bravely attending our meetings and conferences in large numbers despite swine flu, typhoons and floods in these parts of the US Eastcoast and Southwest.
This time, the team went to New Jersey and Maryland for discussions with leaders of various Fiipino-American organizations, and in Chicago, Illinois where we attended a big gathering of our cabalens sponsored by the Circulo Kapampangan.
We went to New Jersey via New York where heavy rains and cloudy skies almost forced our flight from San Francisco to land elsewhere. The airplane was in the air for almost 45 minutes and it was one of the most tumultuous rides I have ever experienced.
From the East coast and Midwest, the team proceeded to Houston, Texas for the forum with the Fil-Am community and meetings with media people. This forum was co-sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles, which has jurisdiction over the entire State of Texas, and the Filipino-American Coalition of Southern Texas or FOCAST.
In Houston, we experienced unusually heavy rains that caused up to 10-foot floods in low-lying areas of Houston and power outages (the first time it happened in Houston according to the Fil-Am leaders). But despite these occurrences, the Fil-Am leaders still came to the forum and expressed all-out support to our efforts.
From Houston, the “good news” team travelled to San Diego, California, the US west coast county bordering Mexico, where there are reported to be thousands of cases of swine flu victims including more than 100 fatalities, and where the epicenter of the pandemic was.
Contrary to our expectations that some leaders may choose to stay at home instead of attending the forum in San Diego because of the swine flu pandemic, almost a hundred Fil-Ams came, which was much more than the target number of participants.
In San Diego, the forum was very lively and the audience was very attentive in spite of more than almost 2 hours of audio-visual presentations. In fact, no question was raised during the open forum ;instead the leaders voiced all-out support to our government and present projects aimed at uplifting the social and economic condition of the country and the people.
The US “good news” team is composed of yours truly, SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, Clark International Airport Corporation Executive Vice President Alex Cauguiran, and Usec. Danilo Consumido and Dir. Kirk Galanza of the Office of External Affairs of the Office of the President.
Here are representative samples of responses and reactions from our kababayans here to the efforts of the “Good News” team:
* Letter from Ms Rosalina “Sally” V. Idos, President, Council for Teaching Filipino Language and Culture, 6333 Viewpoint Ct., San Diego, CA 92139, to Consul General Aragon of the Philippine Embassy, which the latter furnished yours truly.
“I would like to thank you and Scretary Pamintuan and his team for coming to San Diego and sharing with us the good news about the Philippines.
It was like a breath of fresh air. I will not get tired listening to positive reports about the Philippines. It certainly balances the negative ones that we always hear and read about.”
* Another letter from Ms Idos to Ms Rita Buencamino Andrews of 2010 Census Partnership Specialist, U.S. Bureau of Census, ELCO San Diego, which ConGen Aragon furnished yours truly.
“On behalf of COPAO, we would like to thank all of you for making and taking time from your busy schedule to show your interest and enthusiasm by being there to welcome our KABABAYAN Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan and his “GOODWILL TEAM”!
“It certainly was very refreshing to hear what was on the other side of the coin so to speak. For me at least, as one of those that looks at life as ‘half full’ vs. ‘half empty’, as many of us do, I believe, it was indeed very reassuring news.
“I wish that we more time with them. In this spirit, I opted not to speak and take anymore of that precious time. I wanted to give what little more time left to the community leaders all.
“Therefore, I’m taking this opportunity instead to express my deep gratitude for your important presence and to show how and what our community really looks like.”
* Letter from Mr. Melvin Joseph Adriatico, President and Founder, Adriatico Investment Group, LLC (Commercial and Residential Fiancing, Real Estate, Consulting,Mortgage), Houston, Texas, to yours truly:
“It was a pleasure meeting you all at the Crown Plaza Hotel the other night. It was very encouraging and enlightening especially all the growth that’s been happening. Subic and Clark and to the entire country. It’s really nice to hear the progress and the development and I do pray for the continued success of the current administration led by President Macapagal-Arroyo from here forward. I think all the Filipino-Americans who are working hard to provide a good living situation to families in the Philippines are proud to know that we are at least contributing for the growth of the Philippine economy. I look forward to seeing all the amazing progress myself when I come and visit this year and I hope to meet with you as well. Have a safe trip back home and please keep in touch. Thank you and have a great week.”
The members of our “Good News” Team and yours truly are happy to bring glad tidings to our kababayans here. We are happier by the results that our mission has produced, as seen by the spontaneous reactions of our kababayans who have been enlightened and encouraged—even enthused!— by the good news about what truly is happening in our country in terms of social and economic development.
And, as they did in our first visit here last February, our kababayans welcomed our efforts with great enthusiasm, bravely attending our meetings and conferences in large numbers despite swine flu, typhoons and floods in these parts of the US Eastcoast and Southwest.
This time, the team went to New Jersey and Maryland for discussions with leaders of various Fiipino-American organizations, and in Chicago, Illinois where we attended a big gathering of our cabalens sponsored by the Circulo Kapampangan.
We went to New Jersey via New York where heavy rains and cloudy skies almost forced our flight from San Francisco to land elsewhere. The airplane was in the air for almost 45 minutes and it was one of the most tumultuous rides I have ever experienced.
From the East coast and Midwest, the team proceeded to Houston, Texas for the forum with the Fil-Am community and meetings with media people. This forum was co-sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles, which has jurisdiction over the entire State of Texas, and the Filipino-American Coalition of Southern Texas or FOCAST.
In Houston, we experienced unusually heavy rains that caused up to 10-foot floods in low-lying areas of Houston and power outages (the first time it happened in Houston according to the Fil-Am leaders). But despite these occurrences, the Fil-Am leaders still came to the forum and expressed all-out support to our efforts.
From Houston, the “good news” team travelled to San Diego, California, the US west coast county bordering Mexico, where there are reported to be thousands of cases of swine flu victims including more than 100 fatalities, and where the epicenter of the pandemic was.
Contrary to our expectations that some leaders may choose to stay at home instead of attending the forum in San Diego because of the swine flu pandemic, almost a hundred Fil-Ams came, which was much more than the target number of participants.
In San Diego, the forum was very lively and the audience was very attentive in spite of more than almost 2 hours of audio-visual presentations. In fact, no question was raised during the open forum ;instead the leaders voiced all-out support to our government and present projects aimed at uplifting the social and economic condition of the country and the people.
The US “good news” team is composed of yours truly, SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, Clark International Airport Corporation Executive Vice President Alex Cauguiran, and Usec. Danilo Consumido and Dir. Kirk Galanza of the Office of External Affairs of the Office of the President.
Here are representative samples of responses and reactions from our kababayans here to the efforts of the “Good News” team:
* Letter from Ms Rosalina “Sally” V. Idos, President, Council for Teaching Filipino Language and Culture, 6333 Viewpoint Ct., San Diego, CA 92139, to Consul General Aragon of the Philippine Embassy, which the latter furnished yours truly.
“I would like to thank you and Scretary Pamintuan and his team for coming to San Diego and sharing with us the good news about the Philippines.
It was like a breath of fresh air. I will not get tired listening to positive reports about the Philippines. It certainly balances the negative ones that we always hear and read about.”
* Another letter from Ms Idos to Ms Rita Buencamino Andrews of 2010 Census Partnership Specialist, U.S. Bureau of Census, ELCO San Diego, which ConGen Aragon furnished yours truly.
“On behalf of COPAO, we would like to thank all of you for making and taking time from your busy schedule to show your interest and enthusiasm by being there to welcome our KABABAYAN Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan and his “GOODWILL TEAM”!
“It certainly was very refreshing to hear what was on the other side of the coin so to speak. For me at least, as one of those that looks at life as ‘half full’ vs. ‘half empty’, as many of us do, I believe, it was indeed very reassuring news.
“I wish that we more time with them. In this spirit, I opted not to speak and take anymore of that precious time. I wanted to give what little more time left to the community leaders all.
“Therefore, I’m taking this opportunity instead to express my deep gratitude for your important presence and to show how and what our community really looks like.”
* Letter from Mr. Melvin Joseph Adriatico, President and Founder, Adriatico Investment Group, LLC (Commercial and Residential Fiancing, Real Estate, Consulting,Mortgage), Houston, Texas, to yours truly:
“It was a pleasure meeting you all at the Crown Plaza Hotel the other night. It was very encouraging and enlightening especially all the growth that’s been happening. Subic and Clark and to the entire country. It’s really nice to hear the progress and the development and I do pray for the continued success of the current administration led by President Macapagal-Arroyo from here forward. I think all the Filipino-Americans who are working hard to provide a good living situation to families in the Philippines are proud to know that we are at least contributing for the growth of the Philippine economy. I look forward to seeing all the amazing progress myself when I come and visit this year and I hope to meet with you as well. Have a safe trip back home and please keep in touch. Thank you and have a great week.”
The members of our “Good News” Team and yours truly are happy to bring glad tidings to our kababayans here. We are happier by the results that our mission has produced, as seen by the spontaneous reactions of our kababayans who have been enlightened and encouraged—even enthused!— by the good news about what truly is happening in our country in terms of social and economic development.
