“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.” This anonymous quote rings true for any man, as being a father is more than raising a child. For it takes patience, wisdom and love to be able to raise a family.
This Father’s Day, we pay tribute to our Daddy, Itay, Ama and Tatay for the love and support they have given us. Here in Northern California, we would like to recognize a few fathers who have been successful in their respective fields and yet have not ignored their responsibilities as the head of the family.
Dr. Carmelo Lim Roco, MD
A successful doctor, Dr. Carmelo Lim Roco, MD is married to Bernadette Munoz and have been blessed with three children—Nathanjon, Nathaniel and Niecholle.
A graduate of the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Roco is now a physician surgeon at the Napa State Hospital, the Medical Director of St. Francis Pavillion in Daly City and Medical Director of the Alameda Wellness Care Center sub-acute ventilator unit. He also has private practice in San Francisco.
Aside from his busy professional life, he manages to squeeze in social and public work like being part of the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California in which he has been a president of, adviser of Fil-Am WWII veterans since 1993, and organizing medical missions in the Philippines since 1989, among others.
Awarded for his public service and philanthropic works numerous times, Dr. Roco’s best achievement is still his family. He is, first and foremost, a loving husband and father.
Jaime D. Velasco, Jr.
Originally from Lingayen, Pangasinan, Jaime D. Velasco, Jr. now resides in Antioch, CA. A retired US Navy Officer, he presently works with the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority.
Velasco is proud of his 42-year marriage to Matilda Roldan, as they were blessed with three children—Mary Jane Velasco-Partlot (a special events producer in LA), James R. Velasco (a firefighter engineer/paramedic in Fairfield), and Michael R. Velasco (an entrepreneur in Modesto). An ideal father, Velasco was able to provide his three children all the love and support, as shown with their brilliant educational attainment.
In his free time, Velasco devotes his free time to the Most Holy Rosary Church in Antioch as a volunteer of Saint Vincent de Paul by distributing food to those who need it, conducting ministry to the sick and participate in raising funds by organizing benefit events in the Fil-Am community. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Antioch.
Marvin Cuaresma
“One of the happiest moments in my life was when I became a father,” said Marvin Cuaresma, a successful realtor/loan officer. Nothing was further from the truth, as he almost lost his wife and only son in 1995 during childbirth.
As a child, Cuaresma considers his father, Pastor Marianito Cuaresma, as a role model. “My dad was a minister, a military and a gold medalist runner in Asia in the 60s,” he said and added, “He was faithful to his wife and worked hard to provide for his family of five children.”
He also lauds his wife’s father, Mr. Isaias S. Cueto. “He was loving, supportive of his family – (he) was a well-respected great man.”
Today, as a father to rising teen star JDC, he believes that it is a full-time job. “Great fathers embrace great responsibilities. No matter how busy we are in our schedules, let’s not forget to spend time bonding with out children. We are their best friends they can truly trust in the end.”
Bradley Roxas
Married to Alma B. Roxas, Bradley Roxas has two children, JB and Mandy. A graduate of Electrical Engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila, he also took a management course at the Asian Institute of Management.
He joined the Order of the Knights of Columbus in 1994 and rapidly served in the elected offices of the council, assembly and chapter. Roxas is a past Grand Knight, past Faithful Navigator and a past Chapter President. He also serves as the Wheelchair Foundation Chairman of the Knights of Columbus from 2003 to 2008 and also serves as State Awards and Programs Chairman from 2009 to 2010.
In 2008, Roxas was appointed by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson as District Deputy in the California State Council – District #24, and was instrumental in forming Our Lady of Lebanon Council at Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City last March 15.
Roxas serves on the Boards of Bay Area KOC foundation for the Developmentally Disabled Children and Adult and the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center. He is also a proud member of Daly City Host Lions Club.
Prior to emigrating here in the US, he was the former VP for Sales and Marketing at ShoeMart and Equitable Computers, Inc. (SEComp) in the Philippines. He is at present, the COO of Trans-Fast Worldwide Money Remittance Company headquartered in New York.
Feodor Gregorio
A loving husband to Tess Gregorio (Singer for All Seasons and president of the Forever Young Club of California), Feodor Gregorio is a proud father to Techie and Jojo. He is also an evangelist and Pastor at the United Methodist Church.
Through his hard work and perseverance, Gregorio was able to put his daughter through college at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST). At present, Techie is a software and business intelligence engineer and consultant. His son, Jojo, studied at San Jose State University (SJSU) and is also an IT consultant.
Gregorio served his community in the Philippines as a devoted District Area Manager for the Metro Manila Commission (MMC). At present, he is retired and is enjoying his free time with his adoring wife Tess, as well as guiding his grandsons Ethan and Jean-Pierre.
“Papa Feodor,” as he is known to many, is and will always be a man who lives by example via his virtue, unconditional love, infinite wisdom, and serene understanding of life. He is truly a man, a husband and most of all, a father worth emulating.
Alberto Gerardo, Sr.
A retired maintenance machinist of Kaiser Steel Corporation and Oregon Steel Corporation (merged), Alberto Gerardo, Sr. is a loving father to Rachel Gerardo Zaragoza (married to Isaiah Zaragoza), grandfather to Vanessa, Jordan and Alexis and great grandfather to Payton Lopez.
Born in Bauan, La Union; he arrived here in San Francisco in 1949. His first job was a maintenance machinist and welder at the Kaiser Industrial and Napa Pipe Company.
Gerardo loves singing, dancing and traveling, but it is obvious that his greatest passion is his family. As a father, he has worked hard to be there for his children, as well as their growing families.
Fernand Tanedo
Married to Susan David Tanedo (owner of Jarrian Enterprises), Fernand Gopez Tanedo has been residing in California since 1989, with the last ten years in Pittburg, Contra Costa County. He is Blessed with two sons—Riel Fernand (a Cinema major from SFSU) and Jarryd Fernand (7th grade at the St. Peter Martyr School).
He was born in Manila but a native of Pampanga with roots in Tarlac. He is the eldest son of Conrad and Zennie Tanedo and graduated from De La Salle University with a degree in Industrial Management with minor in Mechanical Engineering. He started his career as a Materials Management Analyst at San Miguel Corporation and became the Logistics Systems and Standards Manager before migrating to the US. Currently, he is a Business Development and Supply Chain Consultant for IntelAssist, Inc., a Philippine-based business who provides professional outsourced labor to companies in the US and Loudmouth Golf, LLC, a company which provides golf apparel.
Tanedo’s success professionally equals that of his being a father. As hectic as his schedule is, he makes it a point to be always there for his wife, Susan and sons.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(Northern California June 17-23, 2011 SomethingFilipino pg.2)
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