A C

B JULY 3-5, 2013 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL C
alendar of Events
across
Community Journal
America
july 3 & 1 0
Two FACLA Celebrations for July 4th: The US Independence Day
The Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) cordially invite the public for a
double celebration of the 4th of July, the American Independence Day on Wednesday, July
3 and Wednesday, July 10, 2013. The first celebration on July 3 will celebrate the wedding
anniversary of FACLA’s 3rd Vice President Letty Reyes and musician Maestro Dr. Buddy Reyes
together with their granddaughter Sam Leynes. from 11am to 4pm at the FACLA Social
Hall, 1740 West Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026. There will be dancing and the music will
provided by The Dr. Buddy and Letty Reyes FANTASTIC BAND. Lunch will be served at 12nn.
The next celebration will on July 10 from 11am to 4pm for the Philippine-American Friendship
Day. Ms. Letty Reyes is also the Chairperson for the said affair to be held in FACLA. FACLA
will celebrate two events on July 10, the Philippine-American Friendship Day and the US
Independence Day. For more information please call FACLA at (213) 484-1527 or Letty Ryes
at (323) 644-2827 or visit our website at www.newfacla.org.
july 6
BASC 26th Annual Picnic at Baldwin Park, CA
Binangonan Associatino of Southern California (BASC) will hold it’s 26th Annual Picnic, on
July 6, from 11 to 8pm, at Morgan Park, at 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA. 91706,
phone (626)813-5245. Please wear any BASC T-shirt and bring your favorite dish to share with
our kababayans. Lots of foods, games, fun and surprises are in store for everyone! There will
also be a basketball game. Remember to bring your raffle tickets and win our big prizes! Any
inquiries, call President Olan Celestial at (323) 356-3090.
Hiram Award for WB Carlos Antonio Jr.
The Metropolitan Lodge #352 invites you all to the Hiram Award for WB Calos Antonio
Jr., taking place on July 6, Saturday, 6pm, at the Green Leaf Garden Masonic Center on
12001 Beverly Blvd., Whittier, CA, 90601. Bretheren are requested to come in business casual
attire, while ladies are requested to come in semi-formal attire. There will be free dinner and
dancing, and the event will be open to non-masons.
2013 Sta. Isabel Grand Reunion
You are all cordially invited to the most awaited 2013 Sta. Isabel Grand Reunion. We look
forward to having you join us in solidarity, camaraderie, fellowship, and entertainment. Mark
your calendars! The Reunion will be on July 6, Saturday, at the Ryan O’Connell Hall on 575 W.
Estudillo Ave., San Leandro, CA 94577, from 9am to 10pm. Please come in Filipiniana attire.
We all look forward to welcoming you all in this fun and exciting event. Hosted by the Sta.
Isabel, Kawit, Cavite of Northern California.
http://www.asianjournal.com • (213) 250-9797
Your debts and Samson
Debt
Relief
Atty. Lawrence
(Part 1)
IF YOU have debt problems,
think of Samson. Samson lived
in Israel about 1200 B.C. Before
he was born, the Israelites betrayed the one true God again
by going back to their ungodly
ways. God punished the Israelites by delivering them over to
the Philistines who worshipped
the false god Dagon. Thus, the
Israelites were living under the
yoke of Philistine rule for 40
years. Samson was granted supernatural strength by God to
fight the Philistines as well as
perform heroic feats in the name
of God. An angel of the Lord in
human form appears to the barren wife of Manoah, an Israelite, and promises her that she
will have a son who will deliver
Israel from the oppression of
the Philistines. However, God’s
condition was that both mother
and son must abstain from all
alcoholic beverages, and not to
shave or cut his hair. Following
these conditions, Samson would
become a “Nazarite of God”
who dedicated his life to God.
In exchange, God would give
Samson supernatural strength.
Move over Superman, Batman
and Spiderman. Samson was
actually the world’s first super
hero because of his gift from
God, the one true God, the God
of Moses and Israel, my God,
who sent His only Son, Jesus,
who willingly agreed to become
man and die on the cross for us
because He loves us so, that we
may have eternal life with Him
after our earthly life expires.
Samson was born 1,200 years
before Jesus was born through
the Blessed Virgin Mary in a
manger in Bethlehem.
As a young man, Samson falls
in love with a Philistine woman.
Although his parents object,
Samson decides to marry the
woman who worships the false
god Dagon. On the way to visit
his fiancé, Samson is attacked by
a lion. Samson rips the lion apart
with his bare hands! Sometime
later, when Samson is on his way
to his wedding, he finds that a
swarm of bees have nested in the
carcass of the lion. He eats the
honey, and at the wedding celebration he offers a riddle to the
30 Philistine guests: “Out of the
eater something to eat; out of the
strong something sweet.” Samson said that if they could solve
the riddle, he would provide thirty garments to the guests.
Frustrated by their inability to
solve the riddle, the guests persuade Samson’s bride to get the
answer from Samson. Samson
gives the answer to his bride on
the 7th day and his bride gives
the answer to his guests who say
“What is sweeter than honey and
what is stronger than a lion? To
get the 30 garments that he had
promised if the riddle was solved,
Samson went to a nearby village
and killed 30 Philistines whose
garments he gives to the wed-
ding guests. However, when he
returns to the wedding, his bride
has chosen one of the guests
as her husband. The bride’s father offers Samson his younger
daughter who weighs a ton but
Samson rejects the offer, saying
that she is not heavy enough. His
original bride at 5 tons was just
right for him. Instead, Samson
catches 300 foxes and attaches
torches to their tails. He lets them
loose to burn the corn fields and
vineyards of the Philistines.
Samson then falls in love with
Delilah. He sees Delilah for the
first time lifting 500 lbs. barbells
at the gym, and it’s love at first
sight. But the Philistines now hate
Samson so 3,000 Philistines follow him to his cave where he kills
a thousand of them with the jawbone of a donkey. The Philistines
bribe Delilah with 1,000 pieces of
silver to find out the secret of his
strength. Samson teases Delilah
by answering that if she tied him
with fresh bowstrings, new ropes
or if his locks are woven together,
he would become weak. Delilah
has her servant tie up Samson
with fresh bowstrings while he
sleeps, but when he wakes up he
easily snaps the bowstrings. (To
be continued)
***
Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in
bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil
litigation and has successfully represented
more than five thousand clients in California.
Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626)
284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S
Fremont Ave Bldg A-1 Suite 1125 Unit 58
Alhambra, CA 91803.
(Advertising Supplement)
july 8 -2 0
UP Alumni Association-SF Launches First-Ever Filipino Cultural
Immersion Summer Camp
The UP Alumni Association of San Francisco (UPAA-SF) in coordination with its community partners, Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, RAMAR Foods International Scholarship Foundation, and the Office of the Mayor’s Adviser on Education and Family Services is
conducting the 1st Filipino Cultural Camp on July 8-20, 9pm - 3pm at the Bessie Carmichael
Middle School Campus on 824 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94107. This multi-age educational camp is open to children and teens 10 to 18 years old. This program is designed to
give the Fil-Am youth of the Bay Area the gift of pride and immersion in their Filipino cultural
heritage. They will learn the different aspects of Filipino culture in a fun and educational way.
They will also be given the real opportunity to connect with their roots, understand their culture, and appreciate and preserve their heritage. The subjects to be taught by noted Filipino
American subject matter experts include: Philippine Geography, Philippine History, Tagalog,
Filipino Literature, Philippine Dance, Philippine Music, Filipino Costumes, Filipino Games,
Martial Art and Filipino Cuisine. For inquiries, please contact Cecile G. Ascalon, Camp Coordinator at [email protected]; or call her at (650) 201-4913.; Letty Quizon, Program Chair,
at [email protected] (408) 455-4137; or Sonia Delen, Program Co- Chair at soniadelen@
yahoo.com (415) 203-8111.
july 8 -3 1
SIPA Entrepreneur Training Program
Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) is pleased to present the Entrepreneur Training Program – Developing Your Business Skills, a program that will run from July 8 to July 31,
every Monday and Wednesday evenings, from 6pm to 9pm. The signature training program
is open for new and current business owners. Topics to be covered include business planning,
marketing, legal/labor issues, taking your business to the next level, business banking, budgeting, and more. At the end of the program, participants will have created their very own
business plans, and will receive a certificate of attendance that can also serve as a supporting document for future loan applications. Contact SIPA and learn more about the program.
You may call (213) 382-1819 ext. 107, or email [email protected]. Deadline to register is on
Monday, July 1. Registration fee of $80 will be due at the first class. Spaces are limited! Hurry
and register today! (SIPA is located at 3200 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90026.
july 1 2-1 4
Santa Ignacia Society of America (SISA) 16th Anniversary Celebration in Las Vegas
The Santa Ignacia Society of America (SISA) celebrates its 16th Anniversary in Las Vegas!
Calendar of Activities: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 7pm Walking Tour of LV Strip; Saturday, July
13, 2013 at 5pm. Dinner-Dance at the Egyptian Ballroom Luxor Hotel; Sunday, Luau Luncheon
at the Ancheta Residence. For more information, please contact Ludi Santos-Martin at (818)
267-4618 or Rose Valenzuela at (818) 744-4919.
july 1 9 -2 1
The 17th AFCCPC National Convention
The 17th National Convention of the Alliance of Filipino Catholic Charismatic Prayer Communities will be held at the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel and Convention Center on July
19-21, 2013. The scriptural guideline for this Convention is from Psalm 5:8, “Guide me, Lord,
in your righteousness.” Chairing and coordinating this event is Ging Mangaliman, member of
the AFCCPC Board (213) 453-2595; [email protected]. The Spiritual Director is Fr. Ramon Valera, Head Shepherd of the AFCCPC. Panel of Convention speakers inlcude Cardinal
Luis Antonio Tagle and Bishop Oscar Solis. Topics include: evangelization, spirituality, liturgy,
pastoral ministry, and youth. Highlights of the Convention include the Filipino Priests Concert
and Praise Celebration, healing services, Eucharistic Adoration, and Pilipino Misa ng Bayan.
For online reservation, access: www.facrc.org. This Convention is sponsored and presented
by the Mid-Pacific Region of the AFCCPC and its leaderhip. Coordinators of this region are:
Mikmik Flores, Diana de Guzman, Mae Hartberg, and BJ Mangaliman.
july 26
Journey in Faith – An evening of music with the St. Brendan Choral Group
St. Brendan Church presents Journey in Faith – An Evening of Music with the St. Brendan
Choral Group. With musical direction by Victor Wheeler, the event will be held on Friday, July
26, 7pm, at the St. Brendan Church on 310 St. Van Ness, Los Angeles, CA 90020. For more
information on tickets and reservation, please call (213) 590-6249.
july 26 -28
2013 CFC North America Eastern Conference
The 2013 North America Eastern Conference of Couples for Christ (CFC) USA & Canada
will be held on July 26-28, at Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center at 2
Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, New Jersey. CFC USA National Director & President
of ANCOP USA.Villanueva announced that this year’s conference theme is “Obey and Witness” (John 2:5 “Do whatever He tells you!”). Sonny Aguiling, conference coordinator, said
that over a thousand CFC members are expected to attend the July conference. Aguiling
also said, delegates will come from CFC organizations in the following places: Rhode Island,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Vermont, Philadelphia, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia,
West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Canada Areas, Puerto Rico, Belize and South America. Registration for the
conference is going on. Detailson how to register on-line, including hotel rates, are athttp://
cfcusaconferences.org/cfceastern/2013/ . Walk-in registrants will not be accepted.
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the
details at [email protected] or [email protected]
How to help children learn Filipino
NOT everyone is equipped with the natural
resources to teach the Filipino language to their
children. Because not all parents are able to
speak it themselves. So, how can children learn
to speak Filipino then if the parents don’t even
speak it? Perhaps the first goal should be to
teach them to understand the language, which
can eventually lead to speaking it. Most people
that speak a second language besides English
can vouch for the fact that they can understand
more than they can speak. Even the older generation can read and understand a Filipino book
or listen to a Filipino mass, but cannot necessarily speak in that manner. So, there is something to be said for teaching children to at least
understand Filipino, because they’re halfway
there, so to speak.
There are many suggestions on how to solve
this continuing dilemma with every new Filipino-American generation falling into the hazard
of losing a little bit more of its culture than the
last generation. The most common suggestion is to enroll children in a Filipino language
course, whether at their school, a learning center, or with books. But even that process does
not retain the language down the line, if it is not
practiced. Many have taken two to four years
of Spanish in school, and still cannot speak or
understand much of it after years of not practicing it.
Another suggestion on how to teach the Filipino language to children is to surround them
with those who do speak Filipino. Some have
gone out of their way to find Filipino-speaking
babysitters just so their kids can have a chance
at learning some of it. Other parents go further
and try to learn Filipino themselves in order to
teach their own children. But, again, only practice can make this process perfect.
For those who had Filipino as their first spoken language, but no longer speak it, they actually have quite a valuable advantage to still
being able to speak it. Surely, they can still
understand it, for that never really goes away.
The spoken part can be forgotten if they’d never
spoken a word of it after choosing to speak only
English going forward. But with a little practice, and maybe a little immersion into it, learning to speak Filipino again can be very possible.
Many people who never even spoke a word of
Filipino, and were sent to the Philippines for
even less than a year can pick up the language
pretty quickly. So, it’s very possible to speak
Filipino again, maybe even fluently, for those
who once spoke it as a child. Understanding
that this is a valuable thing is what’s shamefully
missed, because some people don’t realize it
until it’s too late.
Of course, the best case scenario is to grow
up in a Filipino-speaking household, whatever
dialect is spoken. But with interracial marriages so common in today’s households, it’s not
always an option.
I am a first-generation Filipino American,
who was born speaking Filipino, and grew up
with parents who spoke Filipino to each other
and to my sister and me all our lives. Yes, we
can both speak it very well. My sister can speak
it even more fluently than I because she spent
almost a year in the Philippines, completely immersed into the language, both at school and
with the family. Strangely, we never spoke it to
each other. In fact, we spoke English primarily, even to our parents. But somehow we were
able to retain the speaking part of the language
because our parents always spoke it to us. My
sister eventually married someone who was
born and raised in the Philippines through his
adulthood, so that only enhanced her Filipino
speaking abilities. I married another first generation Filipino, like myself, with the same exposure to Filipino as I had. But we had concern
over our future children being able to speak it.
We were decidedly sure that we would speak
Filipino to each other in the house, so that they
would have no choice but to learn it. However,
when our daughter was born, communication
between brand new parents having a new little
baby to take care of was quite challenging as
it was. Trying to squeeze in Filipino, unnaturally, with each other was becoming a bigger
challenge. So, we, unintentionally, continued
speaking English to each other, because it was
so much easier. I realized then that we just
didn’t speak it fluently enough to be comfortable with it. But somehow, even after giving up
on speaking Filipino to each other for the sake
of our daughter, she has picked up on a lot of it.
She might not speak a word of it back to us, but
I can definitely say that she understands a some
of it. In fact, it’s the very important basic commands and expressions that she understands
like, “maligo ka na,” “kumain ka na?,” “halika,”
“bilis,” “tulog na,” “nasaan ang...” Those basic
pieces of Filipino roll right off our tongues, so
it’s no surprise that she picked it up. But one
thing that I do remember going out of my way
to do, when she was a toddler learning to speak
for the first time, was to say something in Filipino, and followed it in English. I did that as often
as I could, hoping that it would help somehow.
Well, it really did help!
Another valuable resource that we utilized
when she was six years old, was to enroll our
daughter in the Learn Filipino Program here at
Bahay Kubo Center. When I met the President
of BKC a few years ago, and heard her talking
about the program to someone else, I did not
hesitate to jump in their conversation to find out
more about this BKC. And since then, we have
been actively involved as volunteers, a little bit
more each year than the last. We primarily
started going to BKC for our daughter’s sake.
She learned so much from the LFP classes that
we as adults even learned for the first time. We
saw how much enrichment she was getting out
of it, so we eventually became more and more
actively involved, so that we can help share this
enrichment with others who might have a little
or a lot of challenges with teaching their children how to speak Filipino.
Bahay Kubo Center will be continuing its
Learn Filipino Program this Spring. If any of
the above dilemmas apply to you, your children,
or your grandchildren, please come and visit
BKC when they reopen their doors to the first
8-week workshop coming this April. You are
welcome to come see what the program has to
offer. For more information, please contact us
at (818) 832-1941, or email us at: [email protected]. For upcoming announcements, visit
our website at: www.bahay-kubo.org.
Halina kayo sa ating Bahay Kubo Center!
(Anna Soriano)
UP Alumni Association-SF launches…
PAGE B4 t
mer Camp is a great first step in
educating our Filipino American youth about their rich cultural heritage and connecting
them with their roots. The hope
is that the more they know
about the country of their heritage the more they might be engaged and interested in it. This
might also help them as they
define and shape their cultural
identity.”
The Philippine Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. congratulated and commended the
UPAA- SF for launching this ini-
tiative. Consul General Marciano
A. Paynor, Jr., said. “In a nation
as diverse as the United States,
knowledge and appreciation of
one’s own cultural and ethnic
heritage is something that not
only benefits our children, but
the community they are growing up in. We are grooming our
children to be active, contributing members of society, and in
that sense it is crucial that they
understand who they are and
what they stand for. UPAA-SF’s
Cultural Immersion Summer
Camp is an important step toward building that understand-
ing in the next generation.”
This Filipino Cultural Summer
Camp will definitely be a once in
life-time experience for Fil-Am
youth in the SF/Bay Area. Application Forms are available for
download at the UPAASF website www.upaa-sf.org.
For inquiries, please contact
Cecile G. Ascalon, Camp Coordinator at [email protected] or
call(650)201-4913; Letty Quizon,
Program Chair, at lettyquizon@
gmail.com or call (408)455-4137;
or Sonia Delen, Program CoChair at [email protected]
or call (415)203-8111. n