From Joel Cabato on May 8, 2006 Hello mga kababayan, I found a website. Mga filipino na super funny and they're from Chicago, too.These are pinoy that we should know. Here's the link to their website: http://peptepepte.com Joel Cabato, Chicago IL Jcabato@yahoo.com

From Gene Smith on April 27, 2006 My wife has written her second book on the Fil-Am experience in America, Say Uncle! Life in DC with my Filipino Uncles is available on the web at many places. Additionally, there are several book reviews available on the web. You have a nice website. Keep up the good work! Very Respectfully, Gene M. Smith Kearneysville, West Virginia genemsmith@yahoo.com

From Yoly and Bart Tubalinal on February 21, 2006   Nice! FACC has indeed made a big leap into the latest technology [with the streaming video in the Media Coverage page] and because of this, too, we get more media mileage from the formerly elusive mainstream broadcast media.   Congratulations, Rose, Ting and Ka Miniong!   Yoly and Bart Tubalinal, Buffalo Grove, IL philtimeusa@aol.com

From Corazon Luzon deRosas on February 6, 2006 I wish your effort in putting up this event [the Healthcare Workers Town Hall meeting on February 5, 2006] will be the start of change to our kababayans especially nurses who are playing a good role in our society. I've never been attended any Filipino functions -- the reason being was most of our countrymen but not at all are always thinking of their interest rather of others. If lack of discipline why we're being discriminated in our own community we shoud first work on this. I wish this new generations of leaders like your group will be the answers to this fast-changing world and will bring back the trust of all our kababayans. I'm glad to see my long lost classmates Baby Abella who also did a good job in uplifting our profession. Good luck on all your crusade; THE LINK; towards the care providers in u.s. If there's anything i  can be of help you can just e-mail me or contact Baby. GOD BLESS! - Corazon Luzon deRosas, Chicago IL

From Pastor Rey Lopez on February 6, 2006 I am glad that your group sponsored the event [Healthcare Workers Town Hall Meeting]. After September 11, the immigrant community will be at the receiving end as the dominant  group in the U.S. bears to the drift towards the right. Thank you for organizing the health care sector. Before I entered the ministry , I was a union organizer for nurses in New York and Chicago with 1199 and SEIU. I am just passing thu. I fly to Brazil on Sunday to visit several Ports in South America.I am now  doing ministry in the Filipino diaspora. Shalom.  - Pastor Rey Lopez, Paranaque, P.I.

From Paul L. Villanueva on September 24, 2005 Just dropping by to say Hi to my very good friends, Mabuhay ang mga TAGUDINIANS, The Almazan Dance Troupe, and The Filipino American Political Association, Chicago Chapter. More power to the FACC Website. This is a great source of information about our Filipino-Americans in Chicago and all over the World. Job well done under the leadership of Mr. President Herminio Poblette and Atty. Alfonso Bascos always caring at the background. God Bless and Take care. Keep in touch. I love you guys! Best regards, Paul L. Villanueva, Chicago, IL paulvillanueva@chicagopolice.org

From Maurice Mudlong on August 18, 2005   My personal thought and observation of what is happening in the Philippines and Filipino in USA.Pilipino politics is in a maze and it is not doing any progress geared to the future of our youth. I feel bad reading news of our political leaders and community leaders not imbuing our youth the necessary qualities of what a good leader should be. They are the very one showing the bad example of leaderships. Grandstanding, power hungry, materialistic, arrogant, selfish and not dedicated to the welfare of the community and its citizen. They only look for their own personal interest and the interest of their friends and cronies. I hope our youth and the whole citizen of the Philippines can someday understand that they need to work harder and understand that change in attitude and economics mentality is needed for the welfare of the whole nation. There is no shortcut to prosperity and economic development. The formula is for the citizen and its leader to work harder and manage well the goal of achieving prosperity for the whole nation through coordinated effort. Maurice Mudlong, Chicago IL mudlong@sbcglobal.net

From Sir Jean Jacobs on August 2, 2005 Dear Friends, As I do not have the e-mail adresses of the Rizal chapter's members in Chicago, Can I kindly ask you to inform our brothers Knights from there about the event (Knights of Rizal excursion to Brussels) of next September? Can you also put a link or our invitation on your website www.rizalknights.com Forward many thanks. Sir Jean Jacobs, KCR Brussels, Belgium

From Maurice G. Mudlong on July 18, 2005   I congratulate you for planning, creating, and managing the Guest Book website. It is good and informative. I know you have devoted tons of hours to create the website. I am gratful to you and your supporters for providing a venue where positive thinking for the Filipino Community can be expressed.Now people of goodwill will be able to communicate to each other and express their opinion and concerns, not only to FACC, but to the community in general.Please let me know if you need assistance, support or anything I and my family can do to support the website. Maurice Mudlong, Chicago IL mudlong@sbcglobal.net

From Ariel Fernandez on July 17, 2005   Magandang araw po sa inyo lahat akin mga mahal na kababayan Filipino dito sa Chicago, ako si Ariel Fernandez kasalukuyang reporter ng RADYO DZXL 558 KHZ RMN NETWORK Phil., kamusta po kayo? kami naman dito nalalagay sa krisis hindi lamang pang ekonomiya kundi maging sa pampulitikal.Binabati ko ang inyong samahan na bukod tangin nag-iinvite sa sino mang gusto magbigay ng comment, kaya kung mayroon naman kayong nais na iparating dito sa Pinas ano mang balita ito man ay maganda o problema ay atin pag-uukolan ng pansin tawagan lang ako sa 0919-2950720 o di kaya sa akin email MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!!! Ariel Fernandez, Manila, Philippines dugoy101@yahoo.com

From Ramon A. Aytona on July 10, 2005 Dear FACC, I firmly congratulate the overall chairman of such great festivity for this year 2005 whom I learned as Mr. Ram Cabanero.The event was so successful as observed from its activities and the well-rounded responses of Mr. Cabanero as he was interviewed by one of the Philippine correspondent here in Manila under ANC of ABS Channel 2.Truly, your show of excellence in handling such event shall uplift the good image and standing of our strain of Filipino blood abroad.The true essence of our heroic Rizalists in time with our commemoration of our independence day, June 12, 2005 had gave us more meaning and momentous understanding here as Filipinos.As some glimpses of your event was televised here focused by Mr. Cabanero's show of excellence as he answered some interviews of Filipino journalists, pressmen and correspondents of our local tv stations. Again, may we say as Filipinos here in Manila, we are very proud for your prestigious commemoration of your organization for this year's "KASARINLAN" and may we congratulate Mr. Cabanero for his enourmous job well done in the preparation of such great event.Thank you and in behalf of our Manileños. Ramon Aytona, Manila, Philippines

From Daffodil Martinez-Bahani on July 4, 2005 Hello! My name is Daffodil Martinez Bahani and I am from Taft Property Ventures. Taft is a developer of top line subdivisions here in Cebu Philippines. WE at TAFT Property have good news for you and your family. We have brought satisfaction to many families not only because of our subdivision's location but with the comfort it brings to everyday living. Taft Property would like to share to you and to everyone the passion for quality living and realize dreams of having a decent home by being a future resident to any of our subdivisions.Please come and visit our website at www.taftproperty.com For any quiries and concerns please don't hesitate to email us at taft_property@yahoo.com.ph or call us at tel. nos: (63-032)2314996, (63-032) 2315166 or (63-032)2318717.Thank you and good day to you! Daffodil Martinez Bahani, Cebu City, Philippines

From Evy Ozoa de Infanzon on June 27, 2005 SRTA: OZOA,GUSTO EN SALUDARLE SOY DE LAS OZOA DE LA ISLA DEL ENCANTO PUERTO RICO...SI DESEAS ESCRIBIRME SERA UN PLACER...OZOAKISS2005@YAHOO.ES....EXITO Y HACIA DELANTE..."SE PUEDE SER FELIZ". Evy Ozoa de Infanzon, Puerto Rico, U.S. [Webmaster's Note: The "Senorita Ozoa" to whom the the guest is referring is Elizabeth Anne Ozoa, Miss Kasarinlan Peace 2004. Elizabeth can be seen smiling in the middle of the FACC website banner at the top of every page.] ozoakiss2005@yahoo.es

From Rebecca Galutera on June 14, 2005 Dear FACC -- Last Sunday, we saw on TV the Chicago Kasarinlan. Parang nakita kong nagdaan si Padre sa likod ng father in law ni Mikey Arroyo who was supposed to be the guest speaker but was not able to make it. The long hair and straight body was unmistakably Padre's. He was not yet in barong, he was wearing short sleeved white polo. Rebecca Galutera, Pasig City, Philippines beckiegalutera@yahoo.com

From Abbott Sabio on May 10, 2005 Congratulations from a UP Diliman Alumnus to Rene Abella. Your achievement is celebrated by the Kappa Epsilon Alumni Association of North America! More power to you! Abbott Sabio, MD Maj, US Army MC Kappa Epsilon UP Diliman 75C Huntsville, Alabama

From Bryce Lusterio on April 30, 2005 Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to invite you to join the Hispanic-Filipino Circle or Círculo Hispanofilipino.The following are the objectives and characteristics of the Circle: 1. To encourage a change in the cultural awareness of Filipinos toward revaluation of the Hispanic Filipino heritage, especially the Spanish and Chabacano languages, and to promote reflection on Hispanic Filipino identity and history, which are the Filipinos' fundamental bridges to the Hispanic world. 2. All Filipinos or non-Filipinos interested in these and other related themes/issues are welcome to take part and can feel free to express their views or make contributions in English and/or Spanish. 3. We'd like to promote respectful discussion, dialogue, debate, free exchange among common citizens and culturally sensitive persons so that Filipino culture can acquire a fuller, more accurate and higher profile than it has today. 4. The statements and contributions aired on these subjects (as well as the information on members and their addresses) may only be given out to other persons who are not in the list, after obtaining the list member(s)permission to do so. 5. We want to look back to the past, encounter and understand better the Hispanofilipino culture, which can possibly lead to a new future that all Filipinos today will feel is truly their own, grounded in a past memory in which all Filipinos (no matter their ethnic origins, languages, religions) had recognition of their particular character -- much more so than today. 6. Examine, review, analyze the positive aspects of the Spanish / Chavacano languages, as being a fundamental part of the Filipino cultural heritage, and therefore an essential part of the national cultural identity. 7. Propose that the Filipinos advocate the re-institution of compulsory units of Spanish language in the Philippines' educational curriculum.The e-mail address of these circle is: hispanofilipino@yahoogroups.com If you send your comment to these address, all participants get the{{br}}information in the same time.Hope to keep in touch with you and have a fruitful discussion. Viva Las Islas Filipinas! Mabuhay Ang Pinoy! Salamat po. Bryce Lusterio Chicago, IL hispanofilipino@yahoogroups.com

From Teresa F. Weigel on April 6, 2005   I am a native filipino that first moved to the United States in 1983. I have lived around the world for the past 18 years, having traveled with my husband and four children. We will be relocating to the Chicago area from Lansing, Michigan and would love to find a local filipino community to reside in or near, and find as many groups with activities to join as we can. I am a practicing Catholic and would also like to find a place that has filipino mass. Feel free to email me as much information as you would like to share about the Chicago area.My email is: aloha2165@comcast.net Teresa Weigel, Lansing, Michigan aloha2165@comcast.net

From Ron LaGro on March 27, 2005 Dear Mr. Rudy Babaran and/or Mr. Joe Mauricio, My name is Ron LaGro, a past resident of Chicago yet still a fan of the city. I met Mr. Babaran in his store, "Aeta Furniture" @ 116 Illinois St. approximately 6 years ago. I now live in Aspen, Colorado and am opening a World Furnishings Store in Denver, Colorado in the near future. I had spoken briefly with Rudy and his store manager, Martin, about designing furniture and various products with the possibility of working together importing and selling his beautiful furnishings in the west. I am unable to locate him and would greatly appreciate any information or assistance in reaching Mr. Babaran. Thank you very kindly for your time. Respectfully, Ron LaGro, Aspen, Colorado ronlagro@aol.com

From Fr. Andre on March 21, 2005 Dear Friends, Greetings of Christ Peace to all! I am a Filipino priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I was ordained last May 2001. I am interested to support the Filipino Spirituality and community building in the Archdiocese of Chicago. If you are interested to help build Filipino Spirituality and community building and if you are not available but have great idea, please do not hesitate to call: 708-423-8110. Salamat po! Fr. Andre, Chicago IL

From Maurice G. Mudlong on January 22, 2005 Congratulations to Miniong Poblete for doing a good job of leading the FACC. Keep going and just do your best. My advice is the same advice given to Manny Belbis by Joe Lariosa in March of 2004. Post your yearly financial statement report in this website and every thing will line up. Support for FACC will grow and community unity follows. There is no substitute in documenting your stewardship. Good luck and God bless you and your family. Maurice Mudlong, Chicago IL

From Gary on November 18, 2004   Very nice site to learn more of the Filipino culture. Great work being done in Chicago. Thanks for sharing with us. God Bless. Gary of Hampton Roads, Virginia

From Rolly A. Cailles on June 19, 2004   We had a most wonderful time during the Kasarinlan Independence Dinner Dance Ball. Without taking anything from the other celebrations organized by other "as qualified and able community leaders", the 2004 Kasarinlan celebration is perhaps one of the best that Linda and I have attended. Kudos and our heartfelt congratulations to the Chairperson, Manny Belbis and his lovely wife Becky. Congrats are also in order for Rose Tibayan. The Souvenir Program, which we have been told was conceived by Rose, was prepared and printed with class! And we are highly impressed! In addition, one cannot expect more from their guest speaker who also was most impressive. Ka Miniong Poblete showed his true leadership qualities when he appointed Mr. Belbis, Rene Abella and Ms. Tibayan to lead the charge. IT WAS INDEED A JOB WELL DONE. IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THIS TIME THE FACC PEOPLE WALKED THE EXTRA MILE! Congratulations to all of you. On another walk, it will be most appreciated and timely if the same FACC people can on the same lines put up a genuine concerted effort to UNITE all the Filipinos in Chicago under one roof. Is that too much to expect from them? They have proven that they are capable of putting up a good social event. Can they accept another challenge on an even more timely and important task, (their main task?) - the UNITY of the Filipinos in Chicago? Or is the FACC good only for putting up social events? I am most certain that the FACC can do it. I am convinced that the FACC are completely capable of doing the job if (and that is a BIG IF) they will give it their "best" shot. Let Manny, Rene and Rose, under the no-nonsense leadership of Ka Miniong, lead the charge again! I believe that the other community leaders will welcome this new and fresh effort. ONE BIG FIGHT FOR THE FILIPINOS! Rolly A. Cailles maybahay@comcast.net

From Scott Davis on May 17, 2004   I really enjoy your web site. I was a missionary on the island of Negros in the Philippines. I spent the last 6 months there in Bible College and plan to return next year. I am requesting information on the Tagalog and Pilipino language. I see you give classes there at the Rizal Center. I live in South Carolina so if you know a school or college where I could learn the language, it would be a great help to me. GOD BLESS, and I look forward to your reply. Love, Scott Davis, South Carolina

From Rowena N. Luna on April 5, 2004   I sat beside Rose Tibayan last Saturday during a meeting and I really wanted to personally thank her for the wonderful, wonderful website gift she not only gave to FACC but to all Filipinos here and around the world. Now, using the internet I would like to thank her for a job well done and for the many fantastic ideas she is continually bringing to Rizal Center.More power to you, Rose, and, again, maraming maraming salamat... Rowena N. Luna, Chicago IL

From Norma A. Tan on April 1, 2004   I feel so privileged to have been invited to participate in the activities of the Filipino community in Chicago. Congratulations and more power to all of you! Norma Tan, Chicago IL

From Ana Francisco on March 19, 2004   Congratulations! This website is very informative and well put together. Kudos to all the people behind it. It is so good to know that Filipinos are patriotic. We have such a beautiful country, race and heritage, that we should love it and let's keep it going.Keep up the good work!!! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!! Ana Francisco, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

From Jesse Jose on March 16, 2004 Pare ko (Manny Belbis), Congratulations and thank you for inviting me to write a comment on FACC's website guest book. It's a well done and coherent endeavor. I agree with my good friend and fellow MegaScenes columnist, Joseph Lariosa, that FACC's financial statements should be apparent and transparent to all, "so nobody would ... think that the FACC is hiding something from the the community it serves."May I add perhaps that FACC's financial statements also be should audited periodically, without notice, by an entity outside of the perimeter of FACC? May I suggest, too, that FACC's "Wall of Fame" should be of Fil-Am leaders who have made their mark in the community, not of celebrities who have merely visited the building? Last but not least, how about posting the names of FACC leaders in the "Leaders" portion of your website, so they they can be properly recognized as well? Jesse Jose, Seattle, WA mnjose03@aol.com

From Joe Mauricio on March 16, 2004   Dear Manny (Belbis): Kudos to Rizal Center's "brain trust," for being interactive. People can now have access to FACC activities and others.Remember the time (in my recollection) of how our LAYA GROUP (Manny Belbis, Rudy Babaran and Joe Mauricio) first joined the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in an effort to make a difference in the Filipino American community of Chicago? That was indeed notable in my mind up to now, although things have ended up in our utter frustration. Mr. Manny Belbis, who pioneered the FACC's Kasarinlan independence celebration has a calling -- to serve the Philippine community in Chicago and serve with dignity, sincerity, dedication, and passion. He sometimes sacrifices his business and family life to be able to do this community service.I call on the community that he serves to rally to his side in making our community unified, at least in the celebration of our Philippine Independence Day. Congratulations to your team, and mabuhay, Pareng Manny.P.S. Your business partners Joe Mauricio and Rudy Babaran remain on the sideline---far, far away from that embarrassing PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF CHICAGO. JOE MAURICIO, Chicago IL

From Maurice Mudlong on March 16, 2004   This a great idea to communicate with the young one. I wish this site can also use to educate our "old generation" to refrain and think twice before destroying each other because of petty politics. Let us elevate and dignify the genuine effort of some community leaders sacrificing to do good for the community without any compensation or recognition. I recommend that local news daily refrain from mud throwing and innuendos without proper documentation that can stand the court of law. I also encourage the media to use it investigative privilege to un-mask fake leadership whose interest is pure selfishness and interior motive not relevant to the betterment of the community as a whole. Keep going, I admire and respect your mind set and dedication to Fil-Am concern. I have high hope that the young one of this generation will come together for the good of our community. Maurice Mudlong, Chicago IL mgmabm@aol.com

From Joseph G. Lariosa on March 15, 2004   Dear Manny B. As a member of the "9-5" working force, dabbling as a journalist, your website becomes a convenient source of information me, especially the pictures of officers and community activities that tell the world of the transparency of those running the FACC. For this, let me congratulate you, Manny B., FACC President Miniong Poblete, the members of the executive board and the board trustees of the FACC for approving such a project.From the looks of it, this professionally presented website must have cost the FACC a fortune or nothing if this was contributed by a volunteer for gratis. To remove more chaff from the grain, I would suggest that it would be ideal if FACC would also publish its financial statements so nobody could even think that the FACC is hiding something from the community it serves. If you live up to this difficult challenge, you will be doing something no community organization would have ever done before in a consistent basis. This means that more members of the community will get themselves to get involved in the FACC activities. More involvement, more new members will enlist in your organization. You will get more hits in this website. More members, more donations in cash or in kind will come. This means, more projects to accomplish to benefit the community members because the community knows where their contributions are going. I am sure if you do this, and do it right, for instance, doing a public bidding for purchase of big-ticket items, you will be getting nothing but praise from even some of your congenital and consistent critics because what you are about to do is something that your critics may not be even capable of replicating in the first place. Good luck and more power. JOSEPH G. LARIOSA P.O. BOX 805072 CHICAGO IL 60680-4112 Telefax 773.283.59866 lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net

From Marylou Bagasan on March 9, 2004   Congratulations! Thank God for your cause... it's about time that Filipinos be recognized. You may want to add successful Filipinos all over the country. Marylou Bagasan, New York City

From Victor Miller on March 7, 2004 Excellent Job. This site looks very impressive and informative. I'd like to talk about it on WCEV 1450 AM Sunday at 10:00AM Your Filipino American Radio Talk Show in Chicagoland. Congratulations! Victor Miller, host, www.fashioninfashion.com Chicago, IL

From Linda Dela Cruz on March 7, 2004 I'm so proud of all the work Filipinos do throughout the United States, internationally and in the Philippines. We are so fortunate to have many great leaders to look up to. Thank you for sharing the accomplishments of the Filipinos in Chicago on the world wide web.As a Filipina and a native New Yorker, who is a writer living in Hawaii, I always have my radar up for innovative and fearless Filipinos. I'm looking forward to coming back to the site and finding out more about what is happening in the Chicago Filipino community. Linda Dela Cruz, Honolulu HI

From Ernesto M. Gange on March 7, 2004 Please extend my best regards to the FACC Rizal Center. I visited the FACC in 1995 during NaFFA's campaign for the support of the Amerasians when the US Bases were closed in the Philippines. I also invited them to join with the celebration in the United Nations for the presentation of the Pearl S. Buck Woman of the Year Award to former President of the Philippines Corazon C. Aquino in June 5, 1995. Some of the members responded by sponsoring an Amerasian child for the Pearl S. Buck International, formerly Pearl S. Foundation, whose mission is to help children worldwide. The Office of the Philippine Consulate General arranged my meeting with the FACC and I appreciated it very much. The FACC had been doing great things for our people and do please extend my CONGRATULATIONS on their center's 30th anniversary. I look forward of visiting them again in the future.Thank you very and best regards! Ernie Gange, Former NaFFA East Coast Regional Leader (and) National Federation of Filipino American Republicans Ernie Gange, Philadelphia, PA

From Rebecca Gaspar on March 7, 2004   Dear FACC --   Congratulations on a very informative and well-presented website! I found it fascinating to read about the history of Filipinos in Chicago. Looking at the pictures of Friends of Children of the Rizal Center reminded me of the Filipino-American family functions that I attended with my siblings and parents growing up in suburban Philadelphia. Keep up the great work! Rebecca Gaspar, Madrid, Spain

From Eden Bernal on March 6, 2004   What about including some prestigious awards e.g. the Hall of Fame Awardees by Jerry Alcantara? Would be nice if we recognize Filipinos who excel in their own fields. Just a thought...and by the way, thank you so much for this website, very informative and interesting...mabuhay! Eden Bernal, Chicago, IL 60611 edenbern@att.net

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