My personal special achievements and contributions for 2015

With personal effort and with collaborative and collective effort most of these I consider my humble accomplishments in God’s Blessings and guidance: I was elected delegate and representative to the Annual Diocesan Convention and the Regional of the Hawaii Episcopalian 2015, St. Paul’s Church, Honolulu;

Chosen a Champion of the Quarter Department of Transportation, Highway Division as Chairman of the Adopt a Highway Clean Up Project under the OFCC;

Took pride as co-chair for Ways and Means, Fundraising Committee joint project of Annak Ti Sinait Iti Hawaii and Sinait National High School Alumni Assn of Hawaii for the successful HOKU BBQ chicken fundraising in March 2015 for Medical Mission and Operation Fund;

Took pride as co-chair for the ISAH 2^nd President Elpidio Quirino Leadership and Humanitarian Award June 4, 2015 Hawaii Prince Hotel;

Took pride as co-chair for Mrs. ISAH 2015 Hilton Hawaiian Village October 24, 2015;

Took pride as Chair ISAH Special Fundraising Project November 2015, Neal Blaisdell Park for Medical Mission and Sakada Statue and Marker fund;

Recipient, Certificate of Appreciation from the Institute for Human Services as Chairman Coordinator of the Feeding the Homeless, twice a month project with other volunteers with me;

Attended the 27^th Hawaii State Legislature January 2015 at the State Capitol and successfully wrote a feature story related to the Filipino-American lawmakers as inventory stock. With me were Jun Abinsay, Danny Villaruz, Jean Jeremiah, and Ben Cabreros.

Successfully published a book with AMMAFLA 64 winning short stories by 59 writers. Compiled, edited and published by Bannawag Editor Cles Rambaud and Literary Editor Juan Asuncion. DAGITI PREMIADO A SARITA—1997-2014 – AMMAFLA, 500 pages including cover. MAJOR SPONSORS: Amado/Gloria Yoro; Francisco/Aurora Ponce; Fred/Cherry Quibol. Other sponsors: Danny F. Agsalog, Romuloand Ophelia Basuel, Louie and Lucy Funtanilla, Roger and Editha Tapat, Mr. and Mrs. Rexie Tuzon, Rodel and Julie Dureg, William and Hermie Gaspar. Elias Yoro, Namah Baptista, Danny and Emmie Villaruz, Cresencio and Celia Yagin, Eddie and Aurea Agas, Jesse and Esther Pascual, Albina Gamponia, Richard Abadilla, Roland and Edith Pascua, Larry and Norma Alejandro, Sam and Acela Garcia, Carlota Segundo, Rose Galanto, Lito Alcantra;

As a family, we were able to purchase a 2014 Toyota Corolla;

Thank you Lord, I was able to sponsor one student delegate to the Timpuyog Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas-Global National Conference; four student delegates to the Gumil Filipinas National Conference;

I was able to renew my membership to the American Institute of Parliamentarian;

I was able to continue my writing activities for The Ilocos Times, Timpuyog Journal, and Hawaii Filipino Chronicle;

Elected Board member for the 11-member Ewa Beach Neighborhood Board #23, fifth of the 19 candidates and to serve from July 2015-June 2017;

Certificate of Recognition from the Paralyzed Veterans Assn, being donor 2015;

Certificate of Appreciation as Volunteer for the 5^th Annual Get Ready Ewa Emergency Preparedness September 5, 2015;

Elected Executive Vice President for DWCLCAAH reorganizational meeting May 16, 2015;

Elected KOR 9-member board, and voted as Pursuivant [secretary] sworn in by Supreme Commander Jerry Singson on June 4, 2015 at Max Dillingham, but resigned as Pursuivant for one reason;

Served as Co-Chairman for the June 2015 OFCC annual Convention with Jake Manegdeg, Chairman. I was a delegate as Ilocos Surian adviser;

Vice Chairman for the Oahu Filipino Community Council COPP Council of Past Presidents [Danny Villaruz, Chairman];

I took part of the OFCC Inauguration and Re-Affirmation program: “A Year of Renewal” at the Ala Moana Hotel and participated in the Presidential Toast offered by the eight OFCC past presidents [COPP] in attendance: Ernie Pascua, Amado Yoro, Franklin Borromeo, Maggie Domingo, Maria Etrata, Cirvalina Longboy, Lynne Gutierrez, Ben Cabreros, on the stage [Eddie Agas, Sr. off the stage];

Nominated and confirmed Interim General Chairman and International Coordinator for the Class 1966 Reunion and Homecoming for the Golden Jubilee Celebration on April 30, May 1,2, 2016 at the Sinait National High School Court, Sinait, Ilocos Sur; plan to make SNHS beautiful by planting Narra trees at the high school compound; to construct marker as a concrete and abstract symbol of the Homecoming;

I took pride on October 10, 2015 as I participated in the general cleanup of St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Wahiawa with Laymens Organization of St. Paul’s Church;

Even in my absence, I took pride on December 19, 2015, completion of the Narvacan/Abra Junction marker and its unveiling ceremonies when the ISAH medical mission was held. The parcel of land where the marker is situated was donated by Mr. Jojo Sarmiento Cauton in Narvacan by the effort of Mr. Eliseo Contillo, Narvacan Municipal Development Officer and Public Relation officer, Engr. Eleuterio Ines for obtaining the Deed of Donations and with the close coordination by former State Representative Felipe P.  Abinsay, Jr., Danny Villaruz and Amado Yoro—this is a long overdue project since 2005 approved project as presented by this writer. [Note: it should have been a boundary arches:  Ilocos Sur/Norte; Ilocos Sur/La Union, Ilocos Sur/Abra. By the opinion and recommendation of then Ilocos Sur Governor DV Savellano, Norte and La Union already have existing arches, respectively. Thank you ISAH, you made my dream came true;

Chaired the successful joint Christmas party and general membership meeting of the Annak Ti Sinait and the Sinait Alumni last December 5, 2015 at the Asing Community Park. Thank you Gaspar/Iloreta family for the lechon;

Participated in the successful St. Paul’s Christmas Caroling 2015 with significant amount donations from caroled families from among our congregation members. Thank you Linda Butay, St. Paul’s Church Junior Warden, for your chairmanship;

Even in my absence, I took pride as part of the Unveiling and official dedication of the Sto. Cristo Milagroso Marker at Dadalaquiten Norte, and the completion of Phase 2 [fencing] was successfully accomplished on December 18, 2015. Thank you to Augusto Concepcion, Annak Ti Sinait president for the close supervision and coordination of the project. With him are Mr. and Mrs. William and Hermie Iloreta Gaspar—Iloreta family donated the 25 x 25 feet parcel of land with and legal and official deed of donation; 

In my modest and simple leadership, I was able to continue the role that I was assigned by the OFCC President Rev. Alex Rivero Vergara, as chairman for OFCC SPECIAL PROJECTS and Publicity for the whole 2015 with the support and cooperation of my co-chairs: Jesse Pascual, Art Abinsay, Al Sabangan, Armi Farinas; and with the regular participation by  Jean Jeremiah, Angie Santiago, Lory Lee,  Danny Villaruz, Rose Sabangan, Conrad Abuel, Charlene Cuaresma, Maria Cristina White, Helen Go, John Witeck, the Santiago, Abinsay, Alimboyoguen family and tens of fellow volunteers shared for the “Adopt a Hwy, Feed the Homeless” project. The Committee has received Certification of Appreciation from both Hawaii State Department of Transportation, Highway Division, and from Institute for Human Services for the services.

As a family, thanks God, my wife and I were able to fulfill our stewardship and church pledge in 2015, and will continue our pledge for 2016 and beyond in a progressing manner as we started in 1980.  Thank God, Gloria was chosen as the 15^th Hermana Mayor for 2015-2016 in our St. Paul’s Church by Rev. Canon Randolph VN Albano. Amen!

The unaccomplished, underperformed

ON the other side, I admit I have failures as we cannot win them all. As the saying goes: there are two sides of a coin—that there is always days and nights to differentiate time, a word and a deed are not always congruent to each other.  

To name a few: Even if I would have loved to do it, circumstances and situations served as roadblocks—I missed the Sinait Medical Mission, the Ilocos Surian Medical Mission, the unveiling and dedication of the ISAH MARKER in Narvacan/Abra Junction; the Sto. Cristo Milagroso at Dadalaquiten Norte in Sinait, Ilocos Sur; the Gumil Filipinas National Conference, and the TMI-F National Conference all in the 2015.