LOS ANGELES – "Honor our Heroes, Celebrate their Greatness," was the theme of Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and Search to Involve the Pilipino Americans (SIPA) firstPhilippine National Heroes Day celebration on Monday, August 30, 2010.
"Today is special for all of us to come together and celebrate National Heroes day," said Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Mary Jo Aragon.
The commemorative event held at the SIPA community hall,was the first of its kind in the US, according to event organizers. National Heroes Day is a national holiday in the Philippines known as Araw ng mga Bayani. Celebrated on the last day of August, it’s a day to honor Filipino heroes who built the Philippine nation but it is not formally recognized in the US.
More than 40 people filled the hall including ConGen Aragon, Vice Consul Dan Espiritu, members of the ConGen staff, Filipino World War II veterans, widows of WWII veterans, college students from UCLA and Cal Poly Pomona, and about 20 Filipino elementary school children, who are in SIPA’s after-school program.
Ernest Tamayo of SIPA, one of the event organizers, said it’s important to have an eclectic group to celebrate the event.
"We wanted this event to be intergenerational," said Tamayo. "We invited the Filipino WWII veterans because we especially wanted Filipino youth – the elementary school kids and college students – to know that we have heroes."
Tamayo said not many Filipino kids living in the US recognize the past accomplishments and heroism of the Filipinos who came before them.
"We have a lot of Filipinos and Filipino American heroes all over the US," said Tamayo. "Unfortunately, not many of our Filipino youth know about them."
The Filipino elementary school kids attended and participated in the event. Each played an angklung wind instrument and sung songs like Bahay Kubo; Leron Leron Sinta; and May Bukas Pa. During the event, college students accompanied select elementary children and had them read the short bios of Filipino and Fil-Am heroes and s-heroes of the past and present.
Philippine Patriot Dr. Jose Rizal, revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo, Gabriela Silang, the first Filipino woman to lead a revolt during the Spanish; author and journalist Ninotchka Rosca; Andrés Bonifacio, the founder of Katipunan; and Philip Vera Cruz, a Fil-Am labor leader were among those recognized.
Tamayo said it was a challenge to teach the young kids the history of some of the most important figures in Philippine history. So he had the kids make a game of it and brought in real life Filipino WWII veterans to attend the event.
Ryan Carpio of Los Angeles Councilman Eric Garcetti’s office said heroes come from everywhere and it is equally important for college students to recognize the past accomplishments of Filipinos.
Jeff Ochoa, a 22-year-old Computer Information Major at Cal Poly Pomona and SIPA volunteer, said growing up, he didn’t know much about the Philippine National Heroes’ Day but as he got older he recognized its importance.
"Considering what those heroes have done for the nation, and us we should be proud of who we are as Filipinos," said Ochoa.
( Published September 1, 2010 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A1 )
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
