SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 1 ♦ WEEKLY ♦ SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 ♦ HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS PHILIPPINE NEWS MAINLAND NEWS PEÑAFRANCIA FIESTA, IT'S TEODORO FOR FILIPINO PRIEST BEATS A SPECTACLE OF LAKAS-KAMPI CELEBRITY CHEF FAITH IN 2010 IN TV SHOW HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE PRESORTED STANDARD 94-356 WAIPAHU DEPOT RD., 2ND FLR. U.S. POSTAGE WAIPAHU, HI 96797 PAID HONOLULU, HI PERMIT NO. 9661 2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 EDITORIAL FROM THE PUBLISHER Publisher & Executive Editor loha and welcome to the lat- Taste of Kalihi Celebrates Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D. est issue of the Hawaii Fil- Third Anniversary ipino Chronicle—the leading Publisher & Managing Editor and only weekly Filipino Chona A. Montesines-Sonido hey could have easily called it quits. Instead, a A community newspaper in the Associate Editors fledgling community tradition will live to see its fabulous 50th State of Dennis Galolo third birthday, thanks to the intestinal fortitude of Hawaii! We are dedicated to providing you Edwin Quinabo a small band of volunteers who recognize the im- with the very latest news affecting Hawaii’s T portance of holding such an event. If anything, Creative Designer Filipino community. Junggoi Peralta events such as the Taste of Kalihi help to boost Our cover story for this issue is the Third Annual Taste of Design Consultant the self-esteem of a community that has long been unfairly Kalihi, which is right around the corner! Filipinos truly love Randall Shiroma stigmatized and associated with crime, gangs and other neg- parties, so it’s no surprise that the Taste of Kalihi has been a hit ative activity—the most recent of which was the discovery of Photographer with so many Filipinos. If you’re in the mood for a good old Tim Llena a dead girl’s body at Kamehameha Homes in the heart of fashioned Kalihi-style block party—complete with good food, Administrative Assistant Kalihi. good friends, entertainment and dancing—then make sure to Shalimar Pagulayan Kudos are therefore in order to the Filipino Chamber of mark September 26th on your calendar. With your support, the Columnists Commerce of Hawaii Foundation, the City & County of Hon- Taste of Kalihi will become an annual tradition and a source of Carlota Ader olulu and Kamehameha Schools for co-sponsoring the event, pride for Kalihi—one of Oahu’s oldest and most colorful Belinda Aquino, Ph.D. as well as to the handful of dedicated vendors who have stuck Teresita Bernales, Ph.D. neighborhoods! Please read more beginning on page 4. with the festival despite the slumping economy. They have all Carlo Cadiz, M.D. Speaking of pride, we are pleased to announce that the City Sen. Will Espero done their part, but it certainly hasn’t been easy. This year, or- will be providing the Chronicle’s readers with regular updates Grace F. Fong, Ed.D ganizers were forced to do more with less and to pare down Mayor Mufi Hannemann on the mass transit project. Many of you already know that the the events without sacrificing too much fun or activities. Governor Linda Lingle City is looking to break ground on this multi billion-dollar proj- Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Ph.D. Now it’s the community’s turn to get out and support the ect by year’s end. Although the route, technology and other Rosemarie Mendoza event. We hope entire families will spend the day at the J.P. Orias key decisions have already been made for the transit project, Dillingham Shopping Plaza and enjoy the delicious food, live Pacita Saludes there will still be opportunities for you to get involved. These Charlie Sonido, M.D. entertainment and festivities. If enough people come out to regular updates are meant to keep you informed on the very Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq. support the Taste of Kalihi, it could very well become an an- Felino S. Tubera latest on this very important project for Oahu. The first update nual event for future generations to enjoy—and not just for Sylvia Yuen, Ph.D. can be found on page 8. Filipinos, but for people of all ethnicities who call Kalihi their Another source of pride for the Filipino community is the Contributing Writers home. upcoming Penafrancia Fiesta, which is organized each year by Calvin Alonzo, O.D. the Bicol Club of Hawaii. This colorful, week-long event cul- Rowena Ballesteros KSBE Transit Report: Clement Bautista minates on Sunday, September 20 with a fluvial procession at Linda Dela Cruz the Rainbow Marina at Pearl Harbor and a “Taste of Bicol” Fiedes Doctor Too Little, Too Late Gregory Bren Garcia food festival. Members of the Bicol Club of Hawaii are already Danny De Gracia, II, MA n an eleventh hour move, major landowner looking forward to 2010, which marks the 300th year of the Amelia Jacang, M.D. Kamehameha Schools released a report it says devotion to the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia. Please read Caroline Julian will save nearly $2 billion for the rail transit proj- Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D. more about this fascinating religious event on page 7. Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq. ect by building half of the 20-mile system at In closing, we hope that you will enjoy reading these and Glenn Wakai I ground level, rather than elevated. other articles of interest in this issue, particularly the Opinion Philippine Correspondent Conducted by a New Jersey-based consult- column on page 3, “Legislative Connection” on page 6, “Legal Guil Franco ant, the report recommends that the rail system be built at- Notes” on page 13 and “Philippine Language” on page 14. Big Island Distributor grade from East Kapolei to Waipahu and from Middle Street On behalf of our staff, thank you once again for your faith- Elmer Acasio Ditas Udani to Ala Moana Center. Only its middle portion from Waipahu ful support. Until next time…aloha and mabuhay! to Middle Street would be elevated. Maui Distributor City officials, who are anxious to break ground on the proj- Cecile Piros ect in late 2009, have criticized the report, calling it yet another Molokai Distributor attempt to delay rail. And rightly so. Kamehameha Schools has LETTERS Maria Watanabe Advertising/Marketing Director had several opportunities to weigh in on the project—the lat- VISAYAN PRIDE AT COVO CONVENTION est being the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pe- Chona A. Montesines-Sonido riod, when the City was accepting comments from the public. When the Congress of Visayan Organization (COVO) met re- Account Executives cently for their 22nd convention, it got me thinking of my Bisayan The timing of the KS’s report is also questionable, considering Carlota Ader heritage (on my mother’s side). She spoke fluent Binisaya and I as J.P. Orias that the final EIS report is due later this month. a child along with my other siblings picked up a lot of Bisayan The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle is published The bottom line is that building the transit system at-grade words from her. weekly by The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. It is mailed directly to subscribers and dis- within the Downtown area, as recommended by KS’s con- I went to the University of Hawaii-Manoa Hamilton Library in tributed at various outlets around Oahu and sultant, does not make sense. The most obvious reason is that search of Cebuano language dictionaries. To my amazement I found the neighbor islands. Editorial and advertis- the spelling and the definition of words such as PASTILAN: which ing deadlines are three weeks prior to pub- there simply isn’t enough room to operate at-grade through lication date. Subscriptions are available at is used as an expression of worry/grief. My Mom would often say Downtown, especially during morning and afternoon peak $75 per year for Oahu and the neighbor is- “Ay, Pastilan!” lands, continental U.S. $80, foreign country times. One only needs to remember the recent gas leak in the Another is PANGADYI—a period of 9 days in which the novena $90. Copyright 2006. The Hawaii Filipino Downtown area that closed several lanes and snarled traffic Chronicle Inc. is located at 94-356 Waipahu is said. My mom would bring us along to witness the beautiful Depot, Waipahu, HI 96797. Telephone for hours. An elevated system would allow the transit system Bisayan recitation of the Holy Rosary. How I really miss eating the (808) 678-8930 Facsimile (808) 678-1829. E-mail [email protected]. Web- to bypass such instances. sweet and delicious BINANGKAL! site: www.thefilipinochronicle.com. Opinions So, with nothing really new to discuss, the Council is right I wish there was a Bisayan culture classes that we 2nd/3rd expressed by the columnists and contribu- generation Filipinos in Hawaii could attend. tors do not necessarily reflect those of the in not holding hearings on Kamehameha School’s report. As Hawaii Filipino Chronicle management. Re- far as we’re concerned, the ship has already sailed on discus- production of the contents in whole or in part Mel Domingo is prohibited without written permission from sions regarding the route, or whether to build at-ground or el- the management. All rights reserved. evated. It’s time to move on and build the rail. Honolulu Printed in the U.S.A. SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 3 OPINION am told that two alleged “presi- caught! dentiables” volunteered them- Would a businessman want Pricing the Presidency selves as serious candidates, the world to know that he or his even though they were nowhere company can donate several CTalk By Cito Beltran campaign contributions. Drugs over tobacco and alcohol We all presume that when a products.