Updates on 2005 column issues

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I DO not get paid for writing this weekly column, at least not in monetary terms. Last week, however, I got "paid" when a 78-year-old man came up to me at a Christmas dinner and introduced himself as a "devoted reader" of the column. He immigrated to the US after the war and has lived in San Francisco's Manilatown/Chinatown for most of his life. He told me that one of the pleasures he enjoys most is reading my weekly column and educating himself about community issues.

Manong Edwin asked me about the latest developments in a number of the stories I had written in my columns in the year 2005. For his benefit, let me provide updates on the following issues.

Filipino Veterans Equity: The new Filipino Veterans Equity Bill was filed in the US House on December 16 by Darrel Issa (R-Ca.- 49th) and it is now HR 4574. For the last several years, the lead sponsor of the equity bill had been Rep. Randy Cunningham (R-CA -50th). (For tactical purposes, it was necessary to have a Republican in the lead even if more than 95% of the supporters of the bill have been Democrats). Unfortunately, Rep. Cunningham was forced to resign last month after he was charged with receiving more than $2-M from a lobbyist. Fortunately, Republican Rep. Issa stepped up to the plate. He will approach every Representative Issa-Issa (one by one) to get sponsors for the bill. From among his colleagues, Rep Issa specifically selected six Democrats and five Republicans to be his initial co-sponsors.

Victoria Manalo Draves: A new "Victoria Manalo Movement" has been formed by Filipino students at San Francisco State University and at the University of San Francisco to lobby the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF) to include Vicki Manalo in next year's class of awardees.

West Bay: The resolution of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors suspending all previously allocated funds to the West Bay Pilipino Service Center was only for six months, according to Sup. Aaron Peskin, the President of the SF Board of Supervisors. As it was made in July, 2005, it is set to expire in January of 2006. According to Sup. Peskin, it was never meant to be a permanent cut-off as the Board's Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) was supposed to review the matter and to make a recommendation to the Board on the release the rest of the $487,000 allocated to West Bay. Unfortunately, the BFC chair, Sup. Tom Ammiano, has consistently refused to include West Bay in the agenda of his committee meetings as "a courtesy to Sup. Chris Daly," the sponsor of the resolution to suspend funds to West Bay. There's good news and there's bad news. The good news -- Ammiano's term as BFC chair ended last week. The bad news -- the new BFC chair is Sup. Chris Daly.

Northside Community Center: On December 20, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to take over management of the Jacinto Tony Siquig Northside Community Center from the Filipino-American Community Development Council (FilAmCDC) which had been managing the Center since its founding. The city's parks and recreation department will run the city-owned center effective January 1, 2006 until a new operator is selected later in the year. Although there will be new management, the services provided by the FilAmCDC to over 1500 seniors, veterans, youth and families will continue "without interruption under the leadership of FilAmCDC." The FilAmCDC is hosting a fund-raiser on December 30, 2005 to raise $25,000 to cover the costs of operating its programs at the Northside Center. The 8th Annual Dr. Jose Rizal Community Heroes Banquet will be held at the Northside Center in San Jose on December 30 at 5 PM (dancing begins at 9 p.m.). E-mail info@jtsnorthside.org for more information.

Subic Bay Rape: The driver of the van used by the six US Marines charged with raping a 22-year-old Pinay on Nov. 1 in Subic recanted his sworn affidavit. In papers filed with the Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office, the driver claimed that he was "coerced" into signing the affidavit. Lawyers for the accused Marines deny that there was a gang rape and claim that it was "consensual sex." The hearings before the Olongapo City Prosecutor are being held to determine if there is probable cause to file criminal charges against the Marines. The unnamed victim is represented by three Filipino female attorneys led by Katrina Legarda while the six US Marines are represented by Filipino male attorneys led by former Philippine Ambassador to the US Raul Rabe.

NBI Director Wycoco: When I was in the Philippines a month ago, I had breakfast and dinner with NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco. Less than a week after I left for San Francisco, I learned that he suffered a stroke on November 23 that put him in a coma. On December 19, Wykes"(as he was fondly called) died from irreversible brain damage. Wykes is the fourth NBI director in a row to die of natural causes while in office. Is it pure coincidence or a "jinx"? Regardless, no other office in the world has suffered such a "jinxed coincidence" with four NBI directors -- Antonio Aragon, Santiago Toledo, Federico Opinon Jr. and Wycoco -- all dying while holding the post of NBI chief.

Union Square Plaque: Rudy Asercion, the chair of the Rewording of the Plaque Committee, reports that the wording of the plaque that will be placed in San Francisco's Union Square has been agreed upon by members of his committee. After it was submitted to the San Francisco Arts Commission for review, the Commission passed it on to the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Commission which then asked the Union Square Merchants Association for comment. Rudy is still hopeful that a bronze plaque will be installed beside the Union Square monument to Commodore George Dewey's triumph in Manila Bay by May 1, 2006, 108 years after the battle of Manila Bay.

Sensenbrenner Bill: The Wisconsin Republican is still a grinch and still needs a heart transplant.

Happy holidays and a peaceful and prosperous New Year to all.

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