Page 14 - Hello Philippines March 2016 'A' issue

14 www.hello-philippines.com
Pinoys abroad join #EDSA30 commemoration
FILIPINOS abroad have joined
their countrymen in the Philippines in
commemorating the 30th anniversary
of the EDSA People Power Revolution
that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
In Madrid, Spain, Filipinos
gathered at the Parroquia de Nuestra
Senora del Espino on February 21
to relive the historic event through
songs and a book reading.
In his message, Ambassador
Carlos C. Salinas praised the late Sen.
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., whose
assassination he said inspired “an
unprecedented show of humanity that
astounded the rest of the world: the
1986 EDSA People Power Revolution
- a glorious moment in the recent
history of the Filipino people.”
Filipino youth singing “Bayan Ko”
led the community’s entrance to the
church.
Also part of the event was a
book reading by Filipino boy Elizer
Lubis. He read the children’s book
“EDSA,” which captures details of the
Fil-Am general who probed Abu Ghraib abuses among 2016 Asian Hall of Famers
FILIPINO-AMERICAN Antonio Army, retired in 2007. He led a 2004 team
Taguba, a retired Major General in the
US Army, is among the honorees to the
2016 Asian Hall of Fame given by the
Robert Chinn Foundation.
Aside from Taguba, those who will
be inducted on May 14 at the Fairmont
Olympic Hotel in Seattle are television
journalist Connie Chung, martial artist
Bruce Lee, and Olympic Gold Medalist in
figure skating Kristi Yamaguchi.
The Asian Hall of Fame is a national
recognition event for Asian Pacific
Americans, celebrating culture and
achievement during Asian-Pacific
American Heritage Month in May.
Honoree Bruce Lee will be represented
by the Bruce Lee Foundation, which will
accept his posthumous award.
Taguba, who served 34 years with the
TEAM CLINTON Fil-Ams fuel victory in Nevada caucus
LAS VEGAS - Filipino-American
Democrats from New York, Virginia,
Washington D.C, Arizona, and
California trooped to the Nevada
caucuses February 20 to take Hillary
Rodham Clinton a step closer to the
White House.
Team Clinton’s AAPI outreach chief
Lisa Changadveja sounded the call to
her Fil-Am comrades to help with door
to door canvassing, merchant business
walks, and phone banking.
The exercise reunited diehard
Democrats Irene Natividad, panelist
on PBS’ On The Contrary and the first
Filipino-American to head the National
Women’s Political Caucus; Daly City
Council Member and immediate past
mayor Raymond Buenaventura, and
political strategist Vida Benavides.
Pollsters predicted a tight contest
between Clinton and her Democrat
rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, but
revolution as seen through the eyes of
a child.
The event ended with the
community singing of “Handog ng
Pilipino sa Mundo.”
Meanwhile, in Turkey, the
Philippine Embassy in Ankara
marked the EDSA commemoration by
providing consular services to more
than 76 Filipinos in Istanbul.
During the event, video-clippings of
the EDSA documentary “Baliktanaw”’
and a separate documentary on the
West Philippine Sea were shown, as
well as videos of the popular People
Power Revolution songs “Magkaisa”
and “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo.”
The embassy said the consular
team was able to process 14 ePassport
applications for renewals and two
applications for the replacement of
lost valid e-passports, four report of
births, and two report of marriages. It
also issued seven notarial documents;
released four certifications, 15 voter’s
ID, 10 ePassports, and five yellow
that investigated reports of human rights
violations of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison
in Iraq. The now-famous Taguba Report
confirmed the torture and abuse of prisoners
and denounced the Bush administration for
“committing war crimes.”
Born in Manila, Philippines, he
immigrated to the United States in July 1961. Land Component Command(CFLCC)/
Commissioned as an Armor Officer from
the Silver State eventually delivered
a decisive victory for the former
Secretary of State, Senator and First
Lady.
“It was a hard-fought campaign
and the AAPI involvement made
the difference,” Buenaventura told
Philippine News. “According to the
exit polls, Asian American turnout for
Hillary was 4 percent and the margin
of victory was in fact 4 percent: We
were the margin of victory.”
Clinton took 20 delegates or 52.6
percent against Sanders’ 15 delegates
or 43.7 percent.
Buenaventura said he was
energized to see Filipino Americans
working together and sharing a
common purpose in the movement to
take Clinton to the presidency.
The Filipino Americans fanned
out to 1700 caucus sites throughout
the state. They signed up as precinct
IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS
cards; processed one application for
marriage license; and attended to
seven assistance-to-nationals cases.
In Japan, the officers and staff of
the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo,
led by Ambassador Manuel M.
Lopez, held a simple ceremony to
commemorate 30th anniversary of
the EDSA revolution.
During the ceremony, Lopez
shared his personal experiences of
the events leading to and during the
EDSA revolution. He also recalled
that his brother was put to prison
during Martial Law, and that they lost
their family-owned businesses to the
dictatorship.
“The assassination of Senator
Benigno Aquino in 1983 became the
catalyst for EDSA,” said Lopez, who
was present, together with other
members of his family, at EDSA from
day one.
The ceremony ended with the
singing of “Bayan Ko” by all Embassy
personnel while a video clip of scenes
Idaho State University in 1972, he served
in numerous command and staff positions
with service assignments in the continental of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Office of from assisting Veterans with their
United States, South Korea, Germany, and
deployments to Kuwait and Iraq.
During Operations Iraqi Freedom,
he served as Deputy Commanding
General for Support, Coalition Forces
Army Central Command/Third U.S. Army
forward deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. He
was responsible for overseeing logistical
and support services to U.S. and Coalition
forces totaling over 150,000 troops
conducting combat operations. His duty
also included the coordination of host
nation support from the Government of
Kuwait, and security cooperation and
training requirements with Saudi Arabia,
Jordan, Egypt, and Qatar.
captains, observers, and election
protection attorneys during Caucus
day.
Nevada voters are required to be
at their designated caucus site and
vote for their respective candidate,
remaining at the site until the caucus
ends to be counted.
“The Hillary Clinton campaign
views the involvement of AAP’s as
crucial in the primary and general
election,” Buenaventura said. The
Filipino coordinator for the San
Francisco Bay Area City of the Clinton
campaign in January boarded the
“Hillarybus” from Daly City to Los
Angeles to attend the launch of AAPI
for Hillary led by US Rep. Judy Chu of
Southern California.
Meanwhile, Republican front-
runner business mogul Donald Trump
placed first, trailed by challengers
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas
from the People Power Revolution
was being shown.
In Israel, Philippine Ambassador
Neal Imperial led a solemn ceremony
where he described the EDSA
revolution as “a seminal event in
Philippine history that triggered a
wave of democratization worldwide.”
“We have every reason to be proud
Upon his return from deployment,
he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary
the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon. In
his final assignment on active duty, he
served as Deputy Commanding General,
U.S. Army Reserve Command.
His military awards include the
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2
awards), Legion of Merit (4 awards),
Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service
Medal (6 awards), Secretary of Defense
Identification Badge, and Army Staff
Identification Badge.
Taguba served as Vice President
for Army Account, SERCO Inc., a global
services company from 2007 to 2008.
He is the President of TDLS Consulting
LLC, a business consulting services
company for corporate and nonprofit
Die-hard Dems Vida Benavides, Gene Benavides, Junelle Cavero, Irene Natividad, Melissa Ramoso,
Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal, Margie Llorente Gonzales, Evan Louie, Jason Pu, Judy Ki, Vicky Shu, Mike
Fong, Julian and Divina Chung and Ray Buenaventura descend on the Silver State for their candidate.
Photo courtesy of Ray Buenaventura
Ted Cruz in the South Carolina
caucuses.
The union elects its president and
vice president through the Electoral
College. Each state represents a
number of electoral votes.
Presidential caucuses and primaries
are staggered between February and
March 2016 – No. 05 • UK & Europe Edition
of this revolutionary heritage made
possible by the sacrifices and heroism
of those who suffered and perished
during Martial Law, including the
invaluable contribution of Senator
Benigno Aquino, Jr. and President
Corazon Aquino,” Imperial told
embassy officials and staff. n Published /
KBK, GMA News / February 26, 2016 / 5:01 pm
organizations. He is also involved
in a great deal of charitable work,
benefits and health care needs,
raising funds for college scholarships,
and as a volunteer at the United
Service Organizations (USO). He is
the Chairman of Pan Pacific American
Leaders and Mentors (PPALM), the
Chairman of the Filipino Veterans
Education and Recognition Project
(FILVETREP), a Member of the Board
of Directors for the armed Forces
Insurance Company, and a Community
Ambassador for AARP.
He is married to Debra Ann Taguba.
They have two adult children- Lindsay
Taguba Keys and Captain Sean Taguba,
and twin granddaughters, Ibby and Lily.
n The FilAm / Published / February 24, 2016 / 4:19 pm
June. The Democratic and Republican
Parties will nominate their candidate
at their national conventions. The
presidential election will take place
Nov. 8, 2016. It will be the 58th
quadrennial U.S. presidential election.
n Cherie M. Querol Moreno / Philippine News /
Published / February 26, 2016 / 1:17 pm