The Community Responds to Haiyan!

By now, Haiyan (aka Yolanda) has disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving behind dan- ger, damage and death. Through it all, the Filipino Association and the community of Greater Kansas City knew that collectively, they were greater than this typhoon, category 5 it may have

A monthly publication of been. Just like Haiyan coming from nowhere, new faces showed up at the monthly Filipino Breakfast to show their support, bringing donations in cash and in kind. Dozens of Balikbayan the Filipino Association boxes filled with clothing, blankets, toiletries and non-perishable food items have been picked of Greater Kansas City up, destined for the hard-hit towns of Ormoc and Guiuan. In true Pinoy fashion, the most

th meaningful undertakings are indeed shared over a meal. Thank you, Kansas City! 9810 West 79 Street

Overland Park, KS 66204

www.filipino-association.org

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013

VOLUME 45 NUMBER 5

Kevin Bautista, Executive Chair of the

In this issue…

- Community

1 Responds to Haiyan

- Divisiveness and

2 Betrayal

- From the Editor

- Pictorial 3

- Seniors Corner 4 - What’s Up

5 - Tourism and Travel

6 - Celebrants Page

- Minutes of the 7 General Meeting

- Jobs in Canada!

- Facebook 11 Shout-outs

12 - Simbang Gabi

Photo credits: Mike Alvarado and Armando Balino-Costes TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

Guest Editorial TAMBULI STAFF

Editor-in-Chief: Ping Bayani Divisiveness and Betrayal – Contributors: Ed Tumanut A Fatal Flaw of the Filipino Character? Lillian Pardo MD By Manuel P. Pardo, M.D. Nonong Pardo MD Cory Sorio On a recent visit to the Philippines, while reading some old history books, I was Alcy Malkmus struck by how far back in its history in fighting and betrayal among Filipinos has

existed. Want to be part of the Staff? Call and leave a message at When Ferdinand Magellan first set foot on Philippine soil in 1521, he encountered (913) 558-4332 a group of natives led by their king, Rajah Humabon, who agreed to be converted to Christianity. However, another group led by their ruler, Lapu Lapu, refused to * * * embrace Christianity. Magellan refused the offer of Humabon’s help and faced Lapu Lapu with his men in their armor. Unfortunately, Magellan got hit with a ADVERTISING RATES poisoned arrow and was killed in combat.

Size Per Issue Per Year With the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, the Filipinos rebelled against Spain. Jose Rizal advocated for a more peaceful means of gaining independence. How- Business Card $15 $120 ever, Emilio Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio wanted a more militant approach. 1/4 Page $25 $260 In a struggle for leadership, Aguinaldo and Bonifacio turned against each other. 1/2 Page $35 $360 During the American time, after the end of the Spanish American War, Aguinaldo Full Page $50 $480 went into hiding, after rebelling against the Americans. Hot on his trail was the

American General Frederick Funston. Aguinaldo was betrayed by the Macabebe From the Editor… Scouts leading to his capture.

By Ping Bayani At the time of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines during World War II

While it may be true that catastrophic some Filipinos collaborated with the Japanese and turned against their fellow Fil- events bring out the best in people, the ipinos. Even among those who united in their effort to fight against the Japanese, the guerilla forces sometimes fought among themselves for leadership. question begs to be asked – ‘Why must it take a negative to generate the positive?’ After World War II, a band of disgruntled farm workers who had originally Why can’t people just put their best foot fought against the Japanese now turned against the government. The Huk move- forward all the time? ment turned Filipinos against Filipinos. President Magsaysay was credited with

I’ve heard it said that if everything were winning peace by military force and social action. Despite efforts at agrarian re- form,conflict remains among different farm groups. always ‘well and good’, life would be boring. Among Filipino immigrant communities who settled in the U.S., clannish groups

I suppose that would be true. We won’t formed usually based on which region of the Philippines they came from. For ex- have the opportunity to be angry and ample, those from the Ilocos region called Ilocanos and those from the Visayan then make-up. There would be no need Islands called Bisaya stuck together. The same was true for those from other re- to forgive. Tears would stop flowing, gions. As a result, different Filipino organizations fragmented as various leaders formed their own association. hugs could become extinct, frowns and frown lines would be a thing of the past. While these social observations may also be true in other parts of the world or No more botox, no more chilled cucum- with other cultural groups, none is more conspicuous in intensity of struggle than bers under the eyes. We would never get that seen among the Filipinos. It can go from forming smaller subgroups to suing the satisfaction of blaming God and ask- each other to even killing each other. ing Him ‘Why?’ A whole gamut of feel- ings and emotions would disappear. I read somewhere that when labor recruiters were seeking farm workers for Ha- waii and California before and after World War II, they purposely mixed Chinese, One such feeling is that of great appreci- Korean and Filipino workers so they would be less likely to form labor unions and ation and gratitude – a feeling that we make demands. Filipinos are now giving to our brother Is divide and conquer a natural consequence of any group dynamics? earthlings for coming to our aid, albeit some more than others. And, therefore, just part of human nature?

TAMBULI –NOVEMBER 2013

Newsmakers…

Team ‘Tatang Agers’ wins Filipino American Basketball Association (FABA)’s Senior League! Congratulations!

Thank you to the hardworking group of volunteers who came to the Filipino Cultural Center to pack donated relief items! Great minds working together on final plans for Medical Mission 2014. Philippine Medical Society of Greater KC and other volunteers will go to Angono, Rizal, then onto Cebu to assist in the Haiyan-damaged areas.

TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

SENIORS CORNER what’s up…

A Day of Chestnut Picking! Christmas Party By Carmen Chico Saturday, December 7, 2013 It was a little bit chilly, but on Sunday, October 27, 2013, 24 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM members of the Senior Council braved the weather and went Filipino Cultural Center chestnut picking at the expansive property of Dr. Balty Join us at our annual Christ- Lotuaco and Denys Collins in Weston, Missouri . mas Party to celebrate the holidays and to give thanks Originally billeted as a fund raising project of the SC, the ac- for all our blessings. Bring your friends and family - tivity was opened up for all volunteers and ended up, to no there will be a special program with lots of prizes, sing- one’s surprise, as a potluck picnic! ing, dancing and an appearance by none other than Santa Claus himself, all the way from … somewhere in Everyone had fun but complaints of ‘My hips are aching!’ ‘I Kansas City! Oh alright – the North Pole! cannot bend anymore!’ ‘Suko na ako!’ – were definitely au- dible, purposely meant to be heard or otherwise! This is a potluck event! Please bring a dish good for 10 people and a soda/drink (see list below). Also per Denys was very kind to drive all of us in their trolley going to tradition, please bring a wrapped gift for each of your the chestnut farm. And Dr. Balty gave us a tour of their children (include names) so that no one is left out. dream home where you can feel the warmth of their hospi- Santa will be there to distribute your gifts. tality – it’s a huge house and we could have all slept there! We will also have a membership drive for 2014, so God was very good to us and the sun eventually made its please bring your checks! appearance and everyone really and truly enjoyed the late morning, each one bragging about his/her harvest! Suggested dishes:

When lunch time came around, we all shared a good variety Appetizer - egg rolls, vegetable dip, cheese dip, etc. of delicious food. Kelly Tumanut and Cory Orille played some Chicken - adobo, fried chicken, baked chicken, etc. piano pieces after eating while others watched our NFL KC Beef - kare-kare, pot roast, etc. Chiefs record their 8th win with no losses! Pork - dinuguan, adobo, menudo, etc. Vegetables - pinakbet, chop suey, etc. All good things, however, must and do end. Sadly, parting Noodles - pancit, spaghetti, etc. time came all too soon and we sang our ‘Thank you’ to our Dessert - leche flan, biko, ube, palitao, ginataan, fresh hospitable couple. fruits, etc. We really had a grand time – good exercise, good picnic and Contact: Bing Sakach best of all, good friendships! [email protected] / 913-226-5161

Filipino-American Appreciation Typhoon Haiyan Day Slated at Arrowhead Stadium Relief Benefit Concert

On December 22, our Kansas City Chiefs take on the Sunday, December 8, 2013 Indianapolis Colts. Our group tickets have all sold out 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM, Rockhurst High School

for this event and we can’t wait! A joint committee of the Filipino Association is plan- Each Filipino group in attendance will be acknowledged ning a benefit concert featuring performances by local and recognized on the huge video boards at halftime! artists and musicians. Please save the date and stay tuned for details! A big THANK YOU to Rizvend Pecana for arranging this fun activity! Contact: Bing Sakach

GO CHIEFS! [email protected] / 913-226-5161

TAMBULI –NOVEMBER 2013

TOURISM and travel What to do in Manila - When you have no particular place to go…Part 2! (Editor’s note: So you’re in the Metro Manila area. You’ve got a day or two (or three) to while away. Somehow, watching the antics on Showtime or following the tele-seryes does not appeal to you. And you’ve been getting your 8 hours of zzz’s, thanks to the air-conditioner, so sleeping during the day seems redundant. What do you do? Where do you go?

Well, The Poor Traveler (http://www.thepoortraveler.net/2013/03/15-great-destinations-near-manila-philippines/#) and the PDOT (Philippine Department of Tourism) have 15 suggestions.

The first five were featured in last month’s issue: 1. Trek to the Crater of Taal Volcano. 2. Beat the Heat in Tagaytay City. 3. Learn how to Dive in Anilao, Batangas. 4. Church-Hop from Lipa to Taal, Batangas. 5. Hit the Beaches of San Juan, Matabungkay (Lian), Nasugbu and Calatagan.

This second installment offers ten more worthwhile places to visit. 1. Be Blown Away by Mt. Pinatubo. Figuratively, of course! Take a bus to Tarlac, ride a 4×4 jeep, and trek to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo! It’s a long way but the view is definitely worth the time and effort. See the rim of the crater slope up from a lakefull of rainwater, accumulated over the years! You can even boat across the crater lake and camp overnight. On your way back, pass by Angeles

City to sample Pampanga’s rich and irresistible cuisine!

2. Laze on Volcanic Ash in Anawangin and Nagsasa Cove, Zambales. Photo by Rolen Facundo

One of the provinces at the base of Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales was terribly buried when the sleeping volcano awakened two decades ago. But the disaster dumped a good amount of ash onto its the rocky shores, breathing a new life to its otherwise ordinary beaches. To- day, Anawangin and Nagsasa Coves have risen as popular tourist destinations for its ash- en sand and agoho trees (resembling pine trees) that foster a unique Baguio-meets- Boracay vibe. Capones and Camara Islands are also waiting. (Continued on page 10)

Tourism After Haiyan Editors note: In the aftermath of super-typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), here are some updates on the more popular tourist spots and hotel/resorts in the Philippines -

In Boracay, most resorts are running on power generators. There is proper water supply and communications exist, although not optimal. Clean up on the island is being done. Flights and ferries are now operating on normal schedules. The following resorts/hotels did not sustain any damage but have no internet and telephone connections: Shangrila Boracay, .Discovery Shores, Estancio Uno, Fridays, Boracay Regency, Boracay Garden, Boracay Tropics, Surfside, Patio Pacific, Asya Premier and The District.

Coron Island, Palawan has some damage, especially in the town where structures have collapsed and many roads are impass- able, leaving some tourists stranded for a couple of days. Today, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have resumed their flights into and out of Busuanga airport. Two Seasons and Asia Grand View have reported minimal damage. Club Para- dise sustained some damages and has stopped operating to do their repair work until 30 November. Busuanga Bay Lodge, however, is fully operational with no damage at all. The northern part of the mainland of Palawan was also affected. The town of El Nido and its resort properties sustained minimal damage: El Nido, Pangulasian, Miniloc and Lagen are fully operational with electricity, water supply and proper communications. ITI Flights are also running on regular schedule. Amanpulo is doing a clean-up of the island and is currently closed until 25th of November to undergo some repair work.

(Continued on page 9)

TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

Celebrants page

PLEASE ADVISE US IF ANY OF THE INFORMATION BELOW NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. THANK YOU!

December Birthdays

Paulo Mamuric 1 Cynthia Medel-Labayen 9 Sherrylynn Manary 16 Christopher Schilling 23

Leneo Christopher Rabang 1 Catherine Quiason 9 Kathy Summers 16 Rayner Sillorequez 23

Amor de los Santos 2 Ian Rabang 9 Sonia Tumanut 16 Freddie Wright 23

Tina Leonido 2 Debbie Zubiri 9 Lily Casillan 17 Greg Bittner 24

Tina Ruiz 2 Ting Amilasan 10 Jacob Galos 17 Herminio Gatapia 24

Nina Van Zandweghe 2 Alma Navato-Garchitorena 10 Toto Sulit 17 Carl Potts 24

Shaunika Leonzon 3 Zoe Sabido 10 Michelle Baker 18 Sammie Tan 24

Linda Lisondra . 3 Carlo Santos 10 Richard Hipona 18 Jazmine Alaniz 25

Erick Orille 3 Meredith Deutch 11 Rosenne Humphrey 18 DJ Casterline 25

Travis Roth 3 Michelle Pacis 11 Max Maliwat 18 Iman Dimalanta 25

Brandi Rowlan 3 Tanch Bayani 12 Grace Patino 18 Arnie Sulit 25

Hazel Ruyle 3 Fred Covillo 12 Rudy Salvatierra 18 Dave Cawley 26

Flora Sokol 3 Harrison Deutch 12 Evelyn Velasco 18 Marita Domingo 26

Nonoy Jagorin 4 Nita Labayen 12 Brenda Wyatt 18 Nicolas Navarro 26

Avelino Baguyos 5 Michael Bahgaei 13 Joe Patino 19 Lito Nicolas 26

Jeanette Ballares 5 Lauren Chevlier 13 Fred Sachen 20 Michael Navarro 27

Jeanette Edward 5 Johnathan Contreras 13 Manny Batocabe Sr. 21 Marc Tumanut 27

Remy Bump 6 Cindy Crain 13 Beth Cordero-Merrick 21 Angie Chico-Agustin 28

Merriam Buena-Patillo 7 Carl Ladayan 13 Melanie Frogozo-Andresen 22 Ron Bobis 29

Cherry Russell 7 Dion DePaolis 14 Ed Herman 22 Rhea Medel 29

Zeny Stutzman 7 Victoria Morrow 14 Cora Lising 22 Sean Calderon 30

Leilani Alaniz 8 J-E Meyer 15 AJ Sarol 22 Nieko Giesbrecht 30

Malou Nix 8 Ricci Racela 15 Annmarie Vilkins 22 Chris Javillonar 30

Annabelle Hillyer 9 Lucila Rider 15 Angel Abanilla-Mascarenas 23 Christian Juan 30

Fred Iloreta 9 John Horst 16 Sofia Horne 23 Beth Mithelavage 30

Will Crain 31

Rod and Vicky Herrera 5 Jose and Eileen Cocjin 21

Taylor and Jenny Dent 6 Rolando Aguilera and Karen Free-Aguilera 24 December Jamie Frates and Becca Tumanut-Frates 6 Carl and Dolly Potts 24

Bobby and Rio Starkey 10 Luis and Lydia Adrales 25

Wedding Benny and Rhondara Marie Ringor 14 John and Perla Horst 27

Harold and Rose Ballares 17 Lito Nicolas and Carmen Agustin Nicolas 27

Fuji and Tess Zoleta 18 George and Riza Francia 28 Anniversaries Jay and Jennifer Siron 19 Jon Andresen and Melanie Frogozo-Andresen 30

TAMBULI –NOVEMBER 2013

FILIPINO ASSOCIATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY Minutes for General Meeting of November 1, 2013

Filipino Cultural Center, 9810 W 79th St, Overland Park, KS 66204

Attendance: Board of Director Chairman’s Report - Bong Tumanut Fely Francisco MD, Edward Tumanut, Bing Sakach, Kevin Chairman Bong was absent but Edward reported for him. Bautista, Carl Estep, Ric Labayen MD, Cory Sorio, Manuel The main topic is cleanliness of the Cultural Center. A Pardo MD, Armando Costes, Neo Rabang, Letty Rabang, group met and decided to have to annual cleaning, strip- Mike Dacuno, Mary Ann Deming, Cindy Kulphongpatana, ping and redoing the floor and monthly buffing of the Maricar Contreras floors and then cleaning after usage. Also discussed was Call for Meeting to Order by President Bing at 7:46pm cleaning of the entire Cultural Center i.e. cleaning the bathrooms, restocking paper supplies, cleaning the kitchen Call for Approval of the Agenda - Added to the agenda after each usage of the Cultural Center. Scholarship and a White House Visitor to new business. Bids are currently being solicited. If you know of any Treasurer’s Report- Mary Ann Deming cleaning company who would like to bid on the contract, All questions were answered. We were unable to approve contact the Association Leadership, Bong, Bing and Jun. the Treasurer’s report due to no quorum. Tambuli Editor in Chief - October is a big issue. Check Approval of the October minutes. We were unable to ap- your mailbox, email or the website! prove the minutes of last meeting due to no quorum. Filipino Cultural Center Director - No report. No guests for this month’s meeting. It was mentioned that there was water leaking in the old Birthday celebrants: Ed Tumanut and Kevin Bautista. house. Bing will notify Jun. It was suggested to turn off the water. President’s Report - Bing Sakach. I have one more month left on my presidency. Membership - 130 paid members. It was suggested to have a membership table at the Volunteers party and at the October wasn’t a busy month. A couple of events were Christmas party. cancelled: the 5K Run and the Halloween Party. Discussion on the floor – What are the benefits of being a We had a successful Shrimp Dinner sponsored by Filipino member of the Association? Some suggestions were: (1) Cultural Foundation. Thank you to Armando for the pictures if you pay through Pay Pal, have the site take out the an- and decorations. Thank you to Neo Rabang for being the nual dues every year so you don’t have to remember if you chef and to Tita Adela and her brother, Jun, also for cook- have paid your membership; (2) Discounts to Association ing. events, possibly; (3) Also suggested was to have a life Volunteer Appreciation Party - November 23, 2013. All time membership option. Ed will look into it. Volunteers will be receiving an email. It is restricted to the Hospitality- Member David Merrick was diagnosed with volunteers only and not their family member unless they pancreatic cancer. He wants to see friends and family on volunteered. November 9, 2013 for a celebration of his life. This is a Christmas Party – Dec. 7, 2013. The date is wrong on the private event. Association website. (Editor’s note: This has been correct- Bing’s uncle, Bong Chico, is ill and at North Kansas City ed.) Hospital. December 14, 2013 is the Philippine Nurses Party. Abby Cabamungan is at University of Kansas Hospital. New Year’s Eve Party – the Senior Council is planning the She is the sister of Alice for whom we did a fundraiser and party. passed away in June. Please continue with prayers.

We all need to help and volunteer. We welcome sugges- Hospitality- Member David Merick was diagnosed with tions and ideas. We need to support the incoming president pancreatic cancer. He wants to see friends and family on as well as the Association. November 9, 2013 for a celebration of his life. This is a

All my best for 2013 and the coming 2014! private event. (Continued on page 8)

TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

(Minutes of General Meeting…continued from page 7)

September Affair - Kevin Bautista. Bing’s uncle, Bong Chico, is ill and at North Kansas City Hos- We are still awaiting collection of account receivables. pital. Mary Ann is working on tax receipt letters. Thank Abby Cabamungan is at University of Kansas Hospital. She is you cards will be sent to the donors. Souvenir pro- the sister of Alice for whom we did a fundraiser and passed grams have been mailed to the advertisers. away in June. Please continue with prayers. Building and Maintenance - Neo Rabang. Christmas Party - Maricar Contreras. Neo cleaned the fencing. There is poison ivy. The The party is Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Cultural Cen- lawn mower is no longer working and he is unable to ter. Volunteers are needed. The Sampaguita Choir director be repair it. asked if they will be needed to sing at the event. David Merick has a riding lawn mower and would like

Ways and Means to donate it. The Iways also have a riding lawn mower Pinoy Breakfast – is tentatively scheduled on November 16, that they are selling. Neo asked Bing to talk with the 2013. Iways about donating the lawn mower. We will need a trailer and a shed to house the lawn mowers. Scholarship - Cory Sorio. The dead tree needs to come down. We need a chain No applicants. Deadline is November 15. It will be posted on saw in order to cut it down. the Website and on Facebook. Old Business: None Community Outreach – Bohol Relief: If you would like to donate, write and send your New Business: check to Dr. Olivia Iway and she will send the monies to Bohol Adela Tan - Hong Kong Market sent a bill to her. We Relief. If you are not comfortable with this, write a check to have an outstanding bill from the Ethnic Festival. the association and put ‘Bohol Relief’ in the memo They delivered the goods but the bill was given to area. The World Outreach Foundation is also collecting mon- someone at the Ethnic Festival and the bill was never given to Mary Ann or Bing. ey. They are a 501 C3 organization.

Nomination Committee – A White House representative will be coming on No- Lisa Hopkins unable to attend. Bing reported on her behalf. vember 7, 2013 to the Cultural Center. She is the Sen- ior Policy Advisor for the White House Initiative for Nominees: For Treasurer: Mary Ann Deming Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It is suggested For Secretary: Kevin Bautista that the Association host this event from 6:30-8:30pm.

We need a President-Elect. This private event is about Asian American Advocacy. They are looking for an Asian Representative in Kan- We are accepting nominations till November 12. 2013. Con- sas City. 15-20 people expected. It is a round robin tact Lisa Hopkins with your nomination. discussion about Asian American topics. Michael

Senior Council – Ric Labayen. Mesina is heading this event.

The Senior Council Calendars are ready and for sale at $10 per Neo motioned to adjourn the meeting. Cory seconded calendar. the motion. Fely Francisco reported that the Seniors went chestnut picking Meeting adjourned at 9:05pm October 27, 2013 in Weston, MO. They started at 10 a.m. with 50 people attending. A picnic was held afterwards at Dr. Balty Submitted respectfully, Lotuaco’s home. Cindy Kulphongpatana , 2013 FAGKC Secretary

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Treasurer’s Reports for September and October Not a member of the Filipino Association yet? have not yet been approved due to a lack of quorum Here’s the link to the Membership Page on our website: at the General Meetings. These will be published at a future issue of the Tambuli after they have been http://www.filipino-association.org/membership/ duly approved at one of the General Meetings.

TAMBULI –NOVEMBER 2013

Tourism After Haiyan… 14,000 Job Openings in Canada! (continued from page 5) Summarized from an article by Joyce Sazon, Posted on Oct 17, 2013 - Philippine News, World News Some parts of Cebu, the northern part especially, and particularly Bantayan Island and Malapascua, were MANILA, Philippines – Great news for those seeking employ- not spared from the damage. There is no communica- ment in Canada! The Canadian government formally opened the tion on the island, and hence, we have no report of door to approximately 14,000 job openings for Filipinos and oth- the actual situation there. er Asians.

Malapascua Island Resort sustained minimal damage Canadian official Brad Wall disclosed that some employers but many residents, sadly, have lost their homes. from Saskatchewan, which is one of the economic powerhouses Alegre Beach Resort, also situated on the northern in Canada, are currently in the Philippines to hire workers for an part, has temporarily closed to do repair work on initial 150 job vacancies, and that they expect to hire more work- their cabanas. ers in the coming months. He added that many Canadian employers prefer Filipinos because of their fluency in the English The following properties in Cebu had no damage and language and commendable work ethics. continue with normal operations: Marco Polo Cebu, Cebu City Marriott, Waterfront Cebu City, Cebu Says Wall, “If you go to a website called Saskjobs.Ca today, Parklane, Moevenpick, Maribago Bluewater, Planta- there are usually around 10,000 unfilled jobs. So in order to keep tion Bay, Crimson, Alegre, Costabella Beach Resort, our economy growing, we need to focus on the labor shortage and a part of that is international recruitment... Our employers Cebu White Sands. Shangrila Mactan suffered some value the strong work ethic and high literacy skills of Filipino damage but is now back to normal after repairs. workers, and we will need them to meet the ambitious targets we Radisson Blu - Hotel was closed after the earthquake have outlined in our Growth Plan.” but just opened last week with limited rooms only. Philippine Labor Undersecretary Danilo Cruz adds, “Over the Bohol was relatively spared, allowing the island to last four years, the Philippines has become the largest source continue to recover from its recent earthquake. Regu- country for both immigrants and temporary workers for Canada, lar tourism activities are taking place on this island overtaking China and India as the traditional sources.” destination. Bluewater Panglao, Panglao Island Na- ture Resort & Spa and Bellevue had no damage and Among the most in-demand job openings are in the fields of continue with normal operations. Amorita is opera- business, education, healthcare, natural and applied sciences, so- tional but experiences power interruptions. cial science, government service, trade, transportation, oil and gas processing and manufacturing. Applicants can go Luzon island, where Manila, Banaue, Tagaytay, etc. to >> saskjobs.ca << to view the entire list of occupations open are situated, is practically unscathed. for hiring

The Bicol region, Donsol and Ticao Island sustained The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) continues to minimal damage as they were all well-prepared for warn applicants not to fall prey to illegal recruiters. Interested the typhoon. parties can go directly to POEA (Philippine Overseas Employ- ment Administration); with telephone numbers 722-1144 and (SOURCE: Philippine Department of Tourism – 722-1155. The DOLE further disclosed that accredited agencies Central Visayas Region 7 as of November 22, 2013) will be tasked to screen applicants for the jobs.

SOME OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFW) TRIVIA – - Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs are Filipinos working abroad who are expected to return permanently either upon the expiration of a work contract or upon retirement - According to the Central Bank of the Philippines, OFW remit- tances back to the Philippines exceeded US$20.1 billion in 2012 - The Philippines is the 4th largest recipient of official remittanc- es after China, India and Mexico. - Nearly 20% of the population of the Philippines is working abroad

TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

What to do in Manila – (continued from page 5)

3. Camp Overnight in Borawan and Dampalitan Islands, Quezon. They say that Borawan is a portmanteau, Boracay and Palawan. The more believable origin of the name however is bulawan, which means gold. But screw etymology, just get yourself to this paradise on your next holiday break! The towering karst cliffs hug the white shores of Borawan, reminiscent of many islands in El Nido and Coron. Except, Borawan is only four to five hours away. It is one of the many islands off the coast of Padre Burgos, Quezon that nestle gorgeous white sand beaches! Other places to visit: Dampalitan Island and Puting Buhangin. There are no resorts here so camping is the way to go! Want your own Borawan getaway?

4. Join a vibrant festival in Quezon, Batangas, Rizal, or Pampanga. Mark your calendars! Here are some of the most energetic and most interesting festivals near Manila: Pahiyas Festival – May 15 in Lucban, Quezon Parada ng Lechon – June 24 in Balayan, Batangas Higantes Festival – November 23 in Angono, Rizal Giant Lantern Festival – Saturday before Christmas, San Fernando, Pampanga Hot Air Balloon Fiesta – 3rd Week of February, Clark, Pampanga Pahiyas Festival is a celebration of the good harvest, in honor of San Isidro de Labrador. A parade roams around town passing by houses that are creatively decorated with vegetables and kiping, a colorful ornament made from rice (and yes, they’re edible)! If you get hungry, there’s always longganisang Lucban and pansit habhab! Traffic can be as dense as your former boss so you might also consider staying overnight in Lucban or neighboring town.

5. Appreciate Art and Get Cultured in Angono, Rizal and Paete, Laguna. Known as the art capital of the Philippines, Angono is as interesting as it is accessible. See the Angono-Binangonan petroglyphs, a prehistoric artwork that is considered the oldest in the country. Pay a visit to the house of Carlos “Botong” Francisco and get to know the na- tional artist better. For the adventurous eater, try Soup No. 5 and fried itik in some of the more famous restaurants in the area! One of the most underrated destinations in the country, Laguna holds a number of surpris- es for those who will take a step into its overlooked territory. Learn the art of sculpture and witness how this craft has become the center of the lives of the people of Paete! Go on a bakya shopping spree in Liliw! Overcome your fears and descend into the Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan. The province is also dotted with several historic churches, ancestral houses, and unique restaurants!

6. Chase Waterfalls in Pagsanjan and Pangil, Laguna. Pagsanjan Falls may be just another waterfall to many but it is the getting there that makes a visit an unforgettable experience. Board a small boat and be amazed with how the boat-

men masterfully conquer the rapids and the rocky stream on the way to the waterfall! Photo by Robx Bautista of Buntot Palos Falls is another best-kept secret of Laguna that may be attractive to the thrill- www.thetravellingdork.com seeking adventurer! Tired of chasing waterfalls? Choose one of the 7 lakes of San Pablo!

7. Make a Splash in Puerto Galera. A bus and a ferry ride away, Puerto Galera has been the go-to summer destination among city-dwellers for beach activities such as swimming and beach bumming. (Ha, I know what you’re thinking!) But there’s more to this Mindoro paradise than what’s above the surface! Puerto Galera is a great diving destination. Declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973, it is one of the destinations with the richest marine biodiversity in the world.

(Editor’s note: We will feature the final installment of this series next month.) 10

TAMBULI –NOVEMBER 2013

OUR FACEBOOK Shout-outs

To KU Medical Center To Anderson Engineering Company who collected items for care packs and raised $500 who came to the Filipino Cultural Center for Heart to Heart International to help sort and pack items for typhoon relief. typhoon relief projects.

To the FlipSide band for their benefit concert/ To Gigi Mateo for collecting blankets and towels/ To all the churches that took second collections at all their masses/ To the planners and performers for the FAGKC benefit concert at Rockhurst/ To all who participated in ANY relief efforts/ To all of you – MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT PO!

Maligayang Pasko

To Beth Rosas and Jun Puno who spearheaded the collection, sorting and packing of all the donated items at the Filipino Cultural Center these last couple of weeks. Our first shipment left for Ormoc and Guiuian.

TAMBULI - NOVEMBER 2013

Dear friends,

Mary's Children, a lay group of the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity (SOLT), invites you to the Simbang Gabi novena to be held December 15 to December 23 at the Filipino Cultural Center.

The Simbang Gabi is a Filipino Catholic tradition rich in meaning and history. It is a devotional 9-day series of masses held daily from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24, in anticipation of Christmas. The various terms used for this novena provide some insight into its meaning. The Spanish term “Misa de Gallo”, (Rooster's Mass) point to its origins during the Spanish regime when the mass is done before the roosters crow in early dawn, in consideration for farmers who start their day before sunrise. The corollary term in Tagalog, “Simbang Gabi” (Night Mass) is descriptive of the time when mass is held very early in the morning, even as early as 3:00 or 4:00 o'clock when it is still dark. Most meaningful of all is the term “Misa de Aguinaldo”, literally translated as “Mass of the Gift”. It brings to the forefront the true signif- icance of Advent and Christmas, a mutual gifting between the faithful who offer prayers and sacrifices to prepare themselves to receive the great “Aguinaldo” of God, Jesus, Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary.

Join us in the Simbang Gabi novena. In faith and ritual, we will welcome Jesus into our midst, in an encounter with God that can be life-altering. Expect things mysterious and profound, inspiring and enriching, hopeful and joyous this Christmas season.

Schedule of Masses: Dec. 15 (Sunday) 6:00 PM Dec. 16 – 21 (Monday thru Saturday) 7:00 PM Dec. 22 (Sunday) 6:00 PM Dec. 23 (Monday) 7:00 PM SHRIMP DINNER! Plates filled with seafood, air full of music; hearts filled with laughter, room full of friends...

Ahhh! Life is good… except for the shrimp, even if he tries to mimic Gemma’s pose! Or is it the other way around?

Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City 9810 West 79th Street Overland Park, KS 66204

Mission Statement: The Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City is a not-for-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organization established to preserve, promote and enhance Filipino culture through education and cultural arts and to provide service to the community at -large through its projects and programs.

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