NEWS FEATURE HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS MAINLAND NEWS inside look Love's in the 8 Farewell 13 Abercrombie Fights 14 FEB. 14, 2009 Head, Not the Heart Corky Trinidad to Keep Filipino Vets in Stimulus Bill H AWAII’ S O NLY W EEKLY F ILIPINO - A MERICAN N EWSPAPER THE VISAYAN CENTURY: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE VISAYAN PRESENCE IN HAWAII By Dennis GALOLO ilipinos of Visayan ancestry in Hawaii kicked-off their centennial anniversary celebration last January 18, 2009 with the Santo Nino Fiesta held at the Wailuku Community F Center on Maui. More than 600 people attended the event THE FIRST VISAYANS IN HAWAII which was highlighted by a Sinulog proces- Records from the State Archives show that sion, a Catholic mass, dinner, a gubernatorial the first Visayan sakadas arrived in Honolulu, proclamation and entertainment. Visayans Hawaii on July 20, 1909, aboard the s.s. Korea. from Honolulu, the Big Island and Lanai par- There were 45 of them, including men, women ticipated in the festivities. A resounding suc- and children. They included the first Visayan fam- cess, the Santo Nino festival will be followed ilies in Hawaii – the Magpiong and the Yorong by other centennial events statewide organ- families – whose descendants still live in the is- ized by the Congress of Visayan Organizations lands. (COVO), in collaboration with other community This first group of Visayan sakadas originated groups. mostly from Cebu and Siquijor Islands. They were (continued on page 4) Lingle Appoints Filipinos to State Ilokano Program Issues Call For House of Representatives and UH Papers For Upcoming Conference By HFC Staff Board of Regents he University of Hawaii- By Carlota ADER Manoa’s Ilokano Language T and Literature Program is ov. Linda Lingle recently appointed Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran to the State currently planning the 4th Nakem G House of Representatives and International Conference which Michael A. Dahilig to the University of is scheduled for November 11- Hawaii Board of Regents (BOR). 14, 2009. Keith-Agaran replaces the late Rep. The theme of the four-day Bob Nakasone, while Dahilig fills the re- conference is “Dap-ayan: Shar- maining BOR at-large seat. ing and Understanding Ethnolin- Rep. Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran (center) with Rep. Keith-Agaran is a member of the guistic Worlds Towards Cultural House Speaker Emeritus Joseph Souki (left) and Pluralism.” Organizers expect House committees on Finance, Labor, Rep. Roland Sagum, III. Transportation and Public Safety. The gov- the event to be well-attended by ernor chose him from among three finalists Since 2005, he has practiced law as a part- cultural researchers, heritage nominated by the Maui Democratic Party. ner with Takitani & Agaran, Law Corpora- language educators, advocates (continued on page 4) “I’m humbled and honored to represent tions. Prior to that, he worked for Carlsmith the people of the Ninth House District,” he Ball LLP. HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE PRESORTED He also served as a member of former 94-356 WAIPAHU DEPOT RD., 2ND FLR. STANDARD says. “I look forward to this opportunity to U.S. POSTAGE serve the people of my community.” Gov. Ben Cayetano’s administration, hav- WAIPAHU, HI 96797 PAID ing chaired the State Board of Land & Nat- HONOLULU, HI Rep. Keith-Agaran graduated from PERMIT NO. 9661 Maui High School and earned degrees from ural Resources and served as the director Yale College and the University of Califor- of the Department of Labor & Industrial Re- nia-Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. (continued on page 5) HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION 2 EDITORIAL FEBRUARY 14, 2009 Profligate Leadership by Example hile other countries have slipped into recession, President Arroyo appears determined to show to the world how healthy the W Philippine economy is: by traipsing around the globe. Her latest eight-day jaunt across Europe, the Middle East and North America cost taxpayers a whopping P123 million — and that’s the amount that Malacañang was willing to acknowledge. What did Filipino taxpayers get in return? Few people remember exactly why the President went to Davos, Switzerland, or to Italy. If she went to the World Economic Forum to brag about the Philippine example, the international community seemed unimpressed. Malacañang cited benefits from the entire trip amounting to an even more whopping $2 billion. Where did that fantastic figure come from? Palace officials said the President received pledges of aid from Saudi Arabia totaling $500 million and, from Bahrain, an investment commitment and major investments in the Middle East are on hold, foreign workers are of $350 million for a hotel project in Makati City. In the United States, where being sent home, and it’s doubtful that recovery will be quick. her quest for a coveted photograph with new President Barack Obama Textile exports to the US? The Philippine textile industry has been ended in humiliation, there is a possibility that the Philippines can export devastated by competition from China and India. And if there is textile to $1.2 billion worth of textiles. speak of for exports, are Americans buying at this time? As for that Decisions regarding foreign aid or major investments are not made as unfortunate pilgrimage to Washington, where the President did not merit quickly as the President decides to fly to Washington for a photo op. The even a nod or word of acknowledgment from her US counterpart, the groundwork for decision-making is laid over several months, and the final embarrassment should be enough to keep her home at least for the commitment does not need the presence of the head of the recipient duration of the global slump. But then that would be too much to expect of country. The original reason cited for the President’s Middle Eastern trip this President. If members of Congress and even police officers are was to act as job-hunter for overseas Filipino workers. But the region has inveterate junketeers at taxpayers’ expense, it is because they are simply been hit by the precipitous plunge in world demand for crude oil. Projects following their leader’s example. (www.philstar.com) The administration had hoped that the ZTE scandal would go away, See No Evil like a bad cold, with the scrapping of the deal and the resignation of Ben- mid the latest corruption scandal, the government is again calling for jamin Abalos as chairman of the Commission on Elections. But without a appropriate cases to be filed instead in court. The developments in final report from either the justice system or the Senate, this scandal will A the last major scandal should remind the government of why many see no closure. And the fate that has befallen Lozada will discourage other Filipinos have lost faith in the justice system and prefer to jump to conclu- public servants from sticking out their necks and blowing the whistle on sions instead. corruption cases. The other day Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada led a mass action to retrace what The latest scandal involves the rigging of bids in road projects funded he described as an attempt to kidnap him last year and prevent him from by the World Bank. The House of Representatives hastily ended its in- testifying about corruption in the national broadband network deal between quiry into the scandal, clearing everyone, but so far the Senate is pursu- the Department of Transportation and Communications and China’s ZTE ing its own probe. Corp. Lozada’s allegations – both about the NBN deal and the kidnapping The Arroyo administration is seeking a copy of the World Bank report. that he said started at the NAIA upon his arrival from soul-searching in All that the administration has to do is ask — from either the Department Hong Kong – remain unresolved. None of the public officials linked by of Finance or the Office of the Ombudsman, which received copies of the Lozada to his alleged kidnapping was meted even a slap on the wrist. The official report months ago from the Bank. Seeing no action from the gov- whereabouts of the mysterious security agents identified in the alleged ernment, the World Bank announced it had permanently blacklisted a kidnapping, including one linked to the Presidential Security Group, are Philippine contractor and suspended six others, four of them Chinese unknown. companies, for collusion in rigging bids. The World Bank report is there, but it cannot be seen by anyone whose eyes are closed. (www.philstar.com) HAWAII-PHILIPPINE NEWS EDITION Contributing Writers Advertising/Marketing Director Columnists Calvin Alonzo, O.D., Clement Bautista, Linda Dela Chona A. Montesines-Sonido Charlie Y. SONIDO, M.D. Carlota Ader Cruz, Constante A. Domingo, Danny de Gracia, Publisher and Executive Editor Michelle Alarcon, Esq. Amelia Jacang, M.D., Caroline Julian, Albert Account Executives Carlo Cadiz, M.D. Lanier, Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D., Glenn Wakai Carlota Ader Chona A. Sen. Will Espero J. P. Orias Grace F. Fong, Ed.D. MONTESINES-SONIDO Mayor Mufi Hannemann Creative Designer Big Island Distributor Publisher and Managing Editor Governor Linda Lingle Junggoi Peralta Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Ph.D. Elmer Acasio Philippine Correspondent Dennis GALOLO Rosemarie Mendoza Ditas Udani J. P. Orias Guil Franco Edwin QUINABO Pacita Saludes Photographer Maui Distributor Associate Editors Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq. Cecile Piros Charlie Sonido, M.D. Tim Llena Emmanuel S. Tipon,Esq. Randall SHIROMA Administrative Assistant Molokai Distributor Felino S. Tubera Design Consultant Shalimar Pagulayan Sylvia Yuen, Ph.D. Maria Watanabe The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle is published weekly by the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. It is mailed directly to subscribers and distributed at various outlets around Oahu and the neighbor islands. Editorial and advertising deadlines are three weeks prior to publication date.