FILAM Rosby Teopaco believes in the power of one.
"One person can make a difference," he told the Asian Journal. "It doesn’t have to take a corporation to get things done."
Teopaco is hoping that he can make a difference in his new elected position.
Most recently, the City of Carson appointed Teopaco to serve as a member of the Mobilehome Park Rental Review Board commission last December.
Teopaco will be responsible for reviewing the mobile homes in the area, interviewing the owners and discussing ways to maximize land use, which includes the possibility of selling or converting the land for mixed use property. He also needs to convene with the board to recommend to the City Council regarding related matters.
The youthful looking, 62-year-old Teopaco from Angeles City, Phlippines said that it’s a tremendous honor to serve on the board.
He said he began his political career with the City of Carson by volunteering in Mayor Jim Dear’s office. He was stuffing envelopes for the Mayor when Dear approached him to be more involved.
"He asked me if I was interested in serving a committee," recalls Teopaco. "I gave him all my information, applied for the position, and I was appointed."
Teopaco said he earned the position because he’s a long time Filipino community worker. He’s worked in a leadership capacity in several different FilAm organizations the past twenty years from San Fernando Valley, Hawaii and now in Carson. In Hawaii, he helped build a FilAm community center in Waipahu.
"There’s nothing like that over here," said Teopaco. "Someday I’d like to have a center like that here."
Teopaco is also an entrepreneur. Teopaco has owned several businesses. Currently, he serves as a marketing specialist for Hopp Home Health Services, Inc.
Teopaco said he believes, as the baby boomer gets older, the younger FilAms need to step up and contribute more to the community.
"They need to get more involved," he said. "I understand they want to go to Las Vegas, dance along the Sunset Strip, but you need to manage your time. It just takes two hours a week to get involved with the community. Once you do get involved you’ll realize the importance of being a Filipino."
"They [The younger generation] have to be the modern heroes," he added. "The old people don’t have the energy. The younger people have the energy."
Until then, Teopaco will continue his advocacy. He knows the dearth of the number of FilAms in elected positions.
He believes in always giving back. It’s a reason why he serves as a mentor to many young Filipino kids and teenagers. Like many successful people, he follows a code that has lead to his success.
"Clean living, following the golden rule of ‘Do unto others as they will have you do’, satisfy intellect, take care of mother earth, spiritual health and go after your passion," he said.
( Published on January 14, 2008 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. B2 )
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