Utek kappi

Kasapsapatami unay a Neighborhood Board Member iti Ewa Beach #23 Hunio 27, 2015 iti Mission Memorial Hall, Honolulu, Hawaii. Modesty aside, kadagiti 19 a kandidato, nagun-odmi ti maika-6 a kangatuan ti botos a mangtugaw iti 11 a pagsaadan iti distrito. Saankami a rimmuar a nagkampania iti door-to-door wenno holding signs along the road or street crossings. Immanayen ti kinunami iti 200 words: to continue my community and volunteer service and hoping to make a difference for the goodness of the community.

Newly sworn in Ewa Neighborhood Board Member Amado Yoro

Daytoy ti naawatmi nga email ti maysa kadagiti kalatakan a komentarista iti radio  KPRP Program Director, Pinoy Power Sunrise & Biag Ni Samtoy Cesar G. Bonilla maipapan iti ‘crab mentality attitude’ kadagiti sumagmamano wenno kaaduan a kadaraan.

Ti KPRP [Pinoy Power Radio 650 AM] ti kapigsaan, kalatakan a radio Filipino-owned station in the Island with a 10,000 watts and with a great mission: Educate, Entertain, Enrich. Enlighten and Empower. KPRP had just celebrated its 10th anniversary in May 2015. 

“Aloha Sir,

Thank you very much. I appreciate your gentlemanliness and greatness of heart. You are the best. With your community-oriented personality, you can increase the seeds of your investment in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father with equally-abundant yields in our mortal existence.

More Power to your great service in your own neighborhood community. 

Sir, can you give me some sort of opinions why the Filipinos sometimes, cannot unite themselves and share your ideas about the so called, "crab mentality."

Thank you very much and may God bless you.”

Kastoy ti inisingaymi a kapanunitan:

My personal and humble opinion about 'crab mentality attitude"

Fact of the matter, Sir Cesar, this has been embedded in our vein way, way back and I can’t understand why we cannot even try to change it as a form of reformation and redirecting our minds from the olden days to this modern time of technologies and after centuries. This kind of attitude may hinder our progress and advancement as we got stuck and may be uncomfortable to change it.

Amado Yoro with his wife

To me personally, there should be give and take; respect with mutual understanding; support the best, you must yield and give chance to one another.

Example as the “crabbing” business in my own personal observations was the 2006 US Congressional election when a state senator went against a city councilman, both Filipinos. This certain senator officially announced candidacy to the position a many months before the elections as the “one and only” Filipino candidate that time and that the sitting Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu Consul General proudly and said with full of hope:  “This is out time, Filipinos to have a US congressman in Washington, DC and we must support, vote and make it happen. This is the centennial celebration of the 100 years of the first arrival of the FIRST 15 ILOKANO sakadas as the pioneer of our presence here in the State of Hawaii, make this happen, this is a Filipino pride, own pride as a Filipinos represent us to Washington DC.”

But, what happened next, a month or less than a month close to the filing deadline, another kababayan filed a candidacy. Result: both lost. Annay.

Another example was 2014 election where another Filipino “crab mentality” was displayed. Regardless of seniority, length of service in public office, regardless of gender, there should have been better way to win US Congress seat among these more than three Filipinos running against each other. Rep. Mark Takai , a non-Filipino got the advantage. Sayang. Annay manen, kabsat.

There should be trust among us. There should be a “meeting of the mind” and mutual consensus: you first, you next, give me your hands now, I give you mine in your turn” strategy.

Why a so-called Solid North was so strong in the Philippines decades ago? Probably because they planned, strategized, and have that “you first, you next” instead of “matira ang matibay” but is that working? No! Wala ang matira kahit ang tibay at walang kang base or foundation to start with.

It is the timing, it is the strategy and with your record of achievements work.

Kuna ni Arthur Rubenstein, American parliamentarian, public speaker and communicator: “Don’t tell me how talented you are. Tell me and show me how hard you work, and how you deliver a positive result as you work with others.”

Sabali pay: Intention is good, actual performance is better. Slogan is good but implementation for good result is a proof of your leadership.”

Uray ngamin iti small community, masayyasayyatayo gapu itoy nga attitude.

I have no hope that Filipinos can be united unless: We should put the personal differences aside in terms of achieving the goals for social, political opportunities.

Ti rigatna ngamin, ti nanumo a paliiwko: adda diay kanya kanya ayus. Narigat a mapagkaykaysaan no asino ti nasaysayaat ni oy wenno ni ay. Banag nga agpakanawan ni Angkuan, agpakanigid ni Ansong.

Narigattayo nga akuen ti pagsasao: napalpalet ti dara ngem iti danum.

Kaaduan a gundaway, agpadada a mapaay ken manabtuog.

Ti la makunakon: as a good and abiding citizen: do the best of your best, what you can contribute to your community is always worth it.

Initiate, coordinate and implement a project/s that is acceptable and supported by most peers and community workers and volunteers. Have a commitment, consistent, creative, a ‘can-do’ and collaborative attitude.