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Mabuhay from Stephanie Velasco"Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5
I am writing you directly from Makati City, Philippines where I arrived this morning at 4:56am, where the temperature is well above the nineties and is very humid. Not to mention the lovely smell of diesel reminding me of L.A. In case you didn't know, I am participating in the Filipino American Youth Leaders Fellowship Program alongside ten fil-ams chosen from different parts of the United States. The Fellowship Program is a summer work program where young Fil-Ams can have the opportunity to contribute to the social development in the Philippines from firsthand, exposure, experience and action. My specific assignment is with CENTEX, the Center for Excellence in Public Elementary Education, a division of the Ayala Foundaiton, Inc., a philantrhopic venture in the Philippines. I will primarily conduct ocular visits to two different elementary sites, one in Tondo, the other in Batangas, to do interviews and work with local government Thanks and blessings, Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat (good afternoon) everyone! It is 3:30 am in the afternoon, a day ahead of the United States, and this is my first break from intensive training in Makati. I attached a photo of the ten fellows selected to participate this year. In case you're interested, 6 of us are from California, 1 from Kentucky, 1 from Washington D.C., 1 from New York, 1 from Texas. There are 3 males and the rest are females. We range in age from 20-35, me being the "big sis" of the group at 28. Some are in college, while others working and all are single, except for me being engaged. I attached a lovely photo of us at the Filipino Heritage Library in Manila.
Prior to the program, we had a wonderful program orientation and team bonding weekend with consultants from Pheonix Inc. and I was able to visit a few relatives in the meantime. My first free day was spent with my father's side of the family (aunt and cousin), where I learned that my uncle became a two star general in the Philippine army. Go tito Ric! I was not able to see him because he was receiving his honors in Bicol. I spent dinner the following day with my cousins from my mother's side to meet many of their new spouses and children following a brief starbucks stop at the new series of shopping malls they call Greenbelt, a modernized shopping outlet geared to tourists. The program on "The meaning of being Filipino" began the next day and included the following highlights:
...and I haven't even started my official fellowship! Tonight, we will be meeting our host NGO's and families. I am leaving Makati to live in Muntinlupa City, Alabang with the Director of my organization and her family. Maraming Salamat sa inyong lahat (thank you everyone) for your love and support across the miles, "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 Kumusta sa inyong lahat (greetings to everyone) & happy independence day to all in the U.S.! My life is an irony. I say this with disdain, however, thankful and blessed to be given the opportunity to learn and immerse myself in my native culture. On one hand, I live in an area characterized by wealth and affluence and on the other, I visit schools where the brightest of children come from the poorest of families. Before departing to the Philippines, the mere mention of the city where I would be living -Muntinlupa City - is a place described as the holding place for criminals. Within the city walls, rests a well-known penitentiary for the most dangerous criminals. Yet, I live with a My life is an irony. As one of two fil-am fellows working specifically for the Ayala Foundation, I am experiencing my first taste of "corporate" culture, working in a high rise building, overlooking the traffic separated from colleagues by multiple cubicles colored with sounds of singing, laughter and of course, tagalog. I take my "baon" in the lunchroom at noon and sometimes, walk to and from the few stores I familiarized myself with during my training here. The busyness in the streets, the pedestrians and the cars that mind them remind me all to much of New York city - only with Pilipinos. My life is an irony. As a Christian, I desperately search for a church I can find home among the dominantly Catholic culture and find a home at New Life in Alabang Hills, a stone's throw away, where an ex-celebrity who gave his life to God, shared a message about the need for the church to My life is an irony. Today was my first visit to one of two CENTEX (Center for Excellence in Public Elementary Education) schools in Batangas. CENTEX is a pioneering effort to raise the standards of public schools and provide bright students from economically disadvantaged communities access to quality education. CENTEX is a multi-sectoral undertaking participated During my visit, I joined the two-hour caravan from Makati in the rain, passing many sari-sari (custom-made stores), carabaos (water buffaloes) and fields to the site. I was met by several teachers, who are paid by the department of education and visited buildings provided by the local government unit and sat in classrooms where curriculum is One classroom in particular, was filled with third graders who listened attentively to religion and science, participating actively and attentively. I was particularly struck by one young man, Patrick, who periodically interrupted the lesson with occasional statements and questions. The lesson was about plants and the source from which the "Teacher, mahirap po ba ang walang ina?" (Translation: Teacher, is it hard if you don't have a mother?") He was comparing himself to the young plant. He further asked that if he lost his mother, who would water him? feed him? "My mother is like the sunlight to me" If I lost her, what will happen to me?" The teacher later explained that his mother was sick with an intestinal disease. Her condition is so severe that the teachers do not know how long she will live. This is only one of the many touching moments I've experienced so far. Also, I found my meeting with the My life is an irony. But, I hope to make sense of it all. Please pray for my health through all these weather changes and feel free to send me your thoughts on how I can do the same for you. Ingats, "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 Dearest family and friends, Thank you all for your warm wishes and greetings! Your prayers were well received and I overcame my cough and cold in two days (away from work). But there is much to pray about here in the Philippines. My perspective as a Pilipino American will never be the same. Among the ten Pilipino American fellows, I am the only one assigned to Makati, considered one of the major business districts in Metro Manila (and the Philippines). I learned, in a short while, that it is also one of the major rallying points in the country. Beneath my building, stands a statue of Benigno Aquino, Jr. appropriately titled "the people power" monument where I already witnessed one mass gathering following the government scandal. Amidst the "business-as-usual" chatter, came chants and roars from the streets below. Another rally, no less. I run to get my camera, excited about the commotion yet turned off by the small turnout, I later learned that it was really the precursor to a much larger event. Suddenly, the biro (jokes) in the office, turned sour as tsimis (gossip) about overthrow and impeachment threatened the president. We turned on the radio... I am no longer amused. My officemates, all Pilipinos, express everything from: fear of a new president in the worse time of the economy, lack of hope in the government and even ignore the rally chants. For the first time, I felt like I was a Pilipino native, given a brief understanding into the hearts of kababayan (countrymen) who are discouraged by the political unrest that binds them. All I can do is pray for the country and its people. That evening, I left Makati for Fort Bonifacio where I witnessed the President's motorcade pass me by. The further away I was from the city, the more I realized that this sentiment was not felt all over the country. At "the fort," where I stayed with my dad's side of the family, I was surrounded by military families and people who continued to live life as if nothing happened. Apparently, the rest of the country is at peace, BUT on red alert. My aunt, married to my uncle (a general in the Philippine army), assures me that "so long as the military is behind the president, everything will be fine." After all, she is still the commander-in-chief and the president. Later, GMA announced that she would not resign. Regardless, I am writing you on the day of the "big rally." Thousands were expected to turn out, once again, in Makati (where the mayor is anti-GMA) and I, instead, went peacefully to visit CENTEX Tondo today and witnessed the mayor of Manila's motorcade pass by. There will be another rally (pro-GMA) scheduled in the near future But for today, I was in Tondo - the original CENTEX school. Tondo is stereotypically characterized as the bad "hood" of Manila, marked by crime, gangs and illegal activities. I thought it was just a phase until the drivers cautioned us to lock our doors. On our way, I saw some of the homeless on the "riles," (railroad tracks) where some of the children lived and met the exceptionally bright children from those backgrounds today. Open the attachment and you will never know that these children come from families where the combined family income is less than 15,000 pesos (the rate is ~55 pesos to the US dollar and dropping - you do the math). My visit was intended for observations and interviews, but I was blessed today by what I received. I met and interviewed a group of parents, who volunteered their time to help the school function. They are required to give 30 hours of time to help clean, cook, or assist the teachers in the classroom - and they love it! It gives them a chance to be involved in their children's lives. In turn, the school provides them with livelihood classes such as marriage enrichment seminars and cooking workshops to improve their lives. It's a wonderful cycle, uncommon to any other public elementary school in the system. The teachers were also very gracious to allow me into their space and so creative with their classrooms. Many of them are "GI's" (genuine ilocanos), including the principal, who made a special ilocano dish "diningding" for me because I told them it was one of my father's favorite. I even put my sandwich aside to participate in some good 'ol "kamayan" (eating with bare hands) with the administrators in the office. The best moment for me was interviewing the students, who actually interviewed me. They are so bright and sweet, asking questions about the comparative view between the Philippines and US, Catholicism and Christianity, and other world cultures - and they're 3rd,5th & 6th graders! I felt like a celebrity afterwards, when they asked me for my autograph :) During and after my classroom visits, several of them got up from their seats to give me a hug - even during their lesson! Sweet hearts. I already look forward to meeting with them again. And I look forward to writing and hearing from all of you again in the near future. Best wishes from afar, Note: I have a new email address for work. It is velasco.sm@ayalafoundation.org until August 19. Mabuhay! "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 Kumusta colleagues, family and friends! "Maganda at Malakas" These were the words printed on a sign outside of the Kamayan restaurant five years ago during my second visit to the Philippines. It is my present trip to the Philippines that has brought those words to life. "Maganda" Maganda means "beautiful" in Tagalog, one of the thousands of dialects of the Pilipino language. This weekend, I was invited by friend's host family to a place called "Punta Fuego," an exclusive resort affordable only to the rich and famous. As follows, her host father is a famous PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) sportscaster and her host mother is the long-time spokesperson for Knorr or Maggi products. They invited us to their beach house, nestled atop the hill overlooking a beautiful cove where we enjoyed the fresh air of the ocean, drank in a couple of lychee-banana smoothies, swam on the "long beach" (of course, I took a picture of the sign – it's my birthplace) and the infinity pool that appears to waterfall into the ocean, and relaxed to my first massage. I felt very relaxed and very blessed. The islands are so beautiful and so are the people…
During our stay, we met a charming young Batanguena girl who said, "alla-eh" a lot. Probably not in reference to Allah, but I did find it interesting that she wore an amulet tied to a cord around her waist to ward off evil spirits. On one occasion, Tita Maggie, who is quite "mestiza" (mixed race and fair-skinned) asked her in Tagalog,"Bakit ka kayumanggi?" (Why are you so dark?). The little girl looked up at her, surprised (as I was) and laughed. But all of us were pleasantly surprised to hear her tell the little girl "Kayumanggi ay maganda" or "Brown is beautiful." Being naturally sun-kissed ourselves, my friend Kathleen and I turned to one another and smiled. "Malakas" Malakas means "strong" and this was epitomized by the uncalloused hearts of Eddie "a balut (boiled duck embryos) vendor" and Pen, his wife who live with their six children along the riles or railroad tracks who I met during the screening of "Riles." Appropriately titled, "Riles" is a documentary by Pilipina filmmaker Ditsi Carolino, whose previous films have won international acclaim. Her movie captures the brokenness and depravity that characterizes the poor who live in the slums and ratholes that paint much of the areas throughout Manila. Before viewing the film, I was warned many times over that I would cry. Surprisingly, I did not and instead, found the piece rather inspirational. I saw resilience in the Pilipino spirit – a mother who kept her faith and thanked God every day she could provide for her family and a father who constantly joked and made light of their situations through his humor. On another note, I am saddened to share that the young man Patrick that I shared about in past updates (who asked, "Is it hard if you don't have a mother?") recently lost his mother to lung cancer. Despite his loss and being under the care of an abusive father, Patrick is back to school and teachers observe that he is still the same. Strong, no? "Malakas at Maganda" "Malakas at Maganda" refers to a famous Pilipino folklore about creation. It refers to the characteristics of a (strong) male and (beautiful) female derived from within a bamboo tree, struck by lightening and splitting itself into two. I experienced both strength and beauty this past week at a benefit concert for Kythe, an organization dedicated to working with children with cancer. For the cost of less than $10 (U.S.), my cousin, friend and I learned about Kythe and its sponsors while listening to the many talented Pilipino bands and solo artists such as Side A, Freestyle, Nina and others, who shared their vocal strengths for free to this noble cause. It was a powerful display of the eclectic styles (r&b, lounge music and pop – mostly of American covers) and talent that has made the Pilipino famous worldwide. It makes me wonder why only few Pilipinos, like Lea Salonga, are internationally known. At the same time, beautiful celebrities, models, PBA stars, reporters and artists who sat amongst us. Unfortunately, they were unfamiliar to me so I relied on my cousin and the videocamera lights that followed to identify them. Indeed, It was a "strong and beautiful" event. Thanks for reading this far. In case you missed any of my past updates, I am excited to share that my employer, Pitzer College, surprised me with a website link on their front page! I invite all of you to visit the spotlight on www.pitzer.edu and click on my photo titled "Mabuhay from Stephanie." Please feel free to share the information with those who might be interested.Blessings, "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 Hello family and friends! This past week, I experienced my first sudden outpour of rain while walking back from the streets. One minute I am walking underneath a bridge to avoid the sweltering heat and sun, then a few minutes later, I am walking through a windy rainstorm. Awesome! Similarly, the weather I experienced in Lumban, Laguna (a place known for its barong-makers) was quite hot and humid. My relatives and me withstood the heat while negotiating for a custom-made barong (formal shirt for men in the Philippines) and eating at ChowKing (popular Pilipino-Chinese food franchise). On our two-hour drive back, we suddenly encountered the rain and its cold winds while shopping at the ATC (Alabang Town Center) while waiting for my friend to join us for a trip to the "tiangge" (flea market). Tawad or Bawas? The term "tawad" is often used for requesting a "discount" while bargaining. Likewise, the term "bawas" is used "to lessen or remove." My cousins accompanied me on separate trips to the familiar "tiangge" at Green Hills (there are several) were I used these words interchangeably to bargain for the treasured pearls of the Philippines. Can you believe that one of the vendors decided to give me a bargain because of my efforts to speak Tagalog? On a separate trip, my other cousins took me to the Divisoria, another bargain haven, where I saw "Ben" (the rat). He didn't scare me, but I was amused watching his huge body (like a possum) walk beneath the people's feet in broad daylight. It was here that I encountered a difference in mentality regarding customer service – apparently, the "customer is not always right" yet it turned out to be a peaceful experience. Thank God! SONA Monday was declared a "national" holiday but only for Metro Manila. This translates into "no work or school except for the government officials and police" (in case of civil disobedience). Why? It is the day set aside for the president to deliver the SONA or "State of the Nation Address." It was a clever speech, describing the Philippines as a divided nation – one ready for economic takeoff and another marked by a degenerate political system. But, I was transfixed on the blue "filipiniana" dress she wore, that to me, reflected the blue side of the Philippines flag. A symbol of a country in peace – this is what I hope for. Billy and friends During my second visit to CENTEX Batangas, I enjoyed interviews with the principal, parents and children in the rural setting. Each interview was under a separate tree and as I sat in the classroom, sunlight and warm breezes would filter through the windows. I walked around and enjoyed the different colored bulaklaks (flowers), butterflies, and saw a huge green grasshopper. Staring at me from outside the school gates was "billy" the goat. When I moved in for a closer look, I noticed that billy had a family of five. They belong to Miss Ching, who supervises the parents and coordinates the menus for the children. She gave me a nice box of local Batangas cookies as pasalubong (souvenirs). Sarap! (Delicious!) Calatagan, Batangas I was invited by our fellow program organizers to accompany them to the Enrique Zobel Foundation and one of its public elementary schools where I had the opportunity to observe a setting different from CENTEX. It was apparent that the public elementary school had larger facilities to accommodate the ratio of children (40+: 1 student-teacher ratio vs. 20:1 in CENTEX). This could account for the amount of time it took to settle the classroom as I helped another fellow Erin moderate a game of "Simon Says." This trip was especially heartwarming for me because I had a chance to reunite with her and another fellow named Holly. CENTEX Tondo During a brief visit to CENTEX Tondo, I was interviewed by Manila Bulletin, "the nation's leading newspaper." I was flattered to be one of the fellows featured on an upcoming spread about the Pilipino American Youth Leaders Program. The children were so warm and friendly waving at the reporter's camera and even giving us hugs during our visit. The issue is due the first or second week of August. You can also find it online at http://www.mb.com.phThanks for reading. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Take care and God Bless! "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 "Eyewitness" 7: August 4, 2005 Dearest family, friends and colleagues, With only a few precious weeks left here in the Philippines, I am careful to weigh the ironies about my experience here in anticipation of sharing it in the States. So, to keep my focus, I decided to count my blessings this past week. I am blessed because… …although I am assigned to the area of education, I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a few medical presentations with my cousin and his wife, who are both medical doctors. Interestingly, I learned about GIRD (gastrointestinal reflux disease) and found out that dysentery is the leading cause of morbidity (death) among Pilipinos. I also learned how pharmaceuticals will go out of their way to bribe doctors to prescribe their medicines (free hotel rooms, trips, giveaways, and dinners), and enjoyed a good laugh experiencing it firsthand. …I had the opportunity to travel through the verdant province of Laguna, where I picked up a custom-made barong, and drove with another cousin and his family through the zigzag road amidst coconut trees where we stopped for some fresh buko (young coconut) juice. We revisited my mother's province and I was amazed at the vivid memories I recalled of my first visit five years ago. Prior to leaving, we visited Lucban where I was able to purchase some native bags, made from the pandan tree, a commodity that brought nostalgic memories of my Lola (grandmother) to mind. …being stationed in Makati allowed me to accompany our program organizers to other sites. This week, we visited another place in Laguna called Paete, known for its precious woodcarvings. We traveled near the cool, mountainous area and walked through tiny streets lined with clean water, to three different public elementary schools and met with Professor DeDios, a fil-am professor at Georgetown and balikbayan to Paete. He helped to jumpstart the creation of PAETECH, a set of computer labs designed to enhance technology in the classroom. I was able to observe how a fil-am used his resources to give back to the Philippines.
We had lunch with the mayor of Paete, who shared that a rally by the opposition party was to take place in the town. I learned that in this country, defeat is unacceptable. Natalo or Nadaya – You either win, or someone cheated you out. Our driver took us through UP (University of the Philippines) Los Banos, considered the largest campus in the Philippines (because it houses Mount Makiling) where we drove through magnet hill, a place where the forces of gravity naturally move our vehicle up the mountain and down again – it's surreal! …to be chosen alongside my fellow fil-am and roommate Leslie, to be "Y-Idols of the week." We will be featured on a short segment of Y-Speak!, a show on channel 23 (on a national network called ABS-CBN) dedicated to youth debate on current events. Y-idol is not about singing (thank God J ), but about young Pilipino role models. So stay tuned and watch it this Sunday (August 7) at 7pm! Unfortunately, it doesn't broadcast in the states, so they will provide us with a digital copy of the show. You can access the network online at abs-cbn.com.
Prayer Requests:
I pray that you will be blessed too, "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 "Eyewitness" 8: August 11, 2005 Mahal kong mga ka pamilia, kaibigans at ka trabaho (family, friends and colleagues), I feel a rhythm, so hope you don't mind the poetic "chika" (small talk)… The transportation…the translation of the energy from people to vehicle, from streets to streets filling the city and countryside with clouds of dark smoke creating an overcast in the air. I hop from one ride to another, a spontaneous rendezvous with jeepneys, buses, and MRTs (similar to metro in LA or the subway in NYC). "Bayad, mama," my companion says aloud as the pesos dance from hand to hand up to the driver – who avoids pedestrians, cars, horses, potholes – an art of multi-tasking similar to the American driver sipping coffee, fixing makeup, talking on the cellphone through the bumper-to-bumper traffic in the city. I don't mind the crowded seats, the wind in my air, the privileged in their cars alongside us, just the adrenaline pumping through this vehicular adventure. Admiration for those who know how to navigate this intricate spiderweb of transportation options. Y-Speak Live! 3…2…1…the lights, the camera, the first TV show in the Philippines. I sat amongst the scholastic minds from UP (University of the Philippines), PUP (polytechnic) and Our Lady of Fatima as the hosts entertained us with the day's topic "Ang ganda ang lola mo?" Earlier, fellow Leslie and I played "celebrity-for-a-day" with co-host Pat Evangelista (who is the PI national debate champion and also co-host for another show called "Breakfast") and focused more on her beautiful buhok (hair) - as we laughed at which products could be responsible – "instant ayos" Rejoice or "wow, ang dulas" Palmolive. From behind the scenes to the make up room to the set, we enjoyed the production, flattered by the segment producer's two minute rendition of our 1 hour shoot featuring us as this week's Y-idols. Btw, Y-Speak Live! DOES air in the U.S. on the TFC (The Filipino Channel) approximately a week later. Please check your schedule beginning this Sunday, August 14. Be sure to catch our short segment in the last half of the show, including shots of me and Leslie in the studio audience J Baaaaluuuut? Tahoooooo? I feel complete, having heard these two words from vendors selling duck embryos (a Philippine delicacy) and soft tofu laced with sago (tapioca) and syrup. Lately, I've been enjoying the many frutas (fruits) of the islands – the unique dark plum colored mangosteen (from Davao), the red, hairy skin of the rambutan, the yellow, pigmented lanzones and the small, brown longans – each revealing a juicy variety of flesh-colored or segmented inside. I even saw the "smells like hell, but tastes like heaven" durian fruit filling the streetside with its aroma as one of the CENTEX teachers hosted me on a hunt for bargain pearls in Tondo. It's officially the last week of my internship and I completed my assignment ahead of schedule. I will be presenting the accreditation process for the CENTEX system tomorrow. In the meantime, I've enjoyed a few visits to the schools and reflected on the greater purpose of my time here. Last night, during mid-week service at church I realized more and more how this trip has removed me from the distractions of my everyday life in the US to focus on my life experience, passion, mission and purpose. More to come… On Friday, August 12 (tomorrow), be sure to check out the "Youth section" of the Philippine Star, another national newspaper (focused on the Filipino Global Community). Pat Evangelista is also a writer and will be doing a follow-up feature on Leslie and me in her column. The Star is also available online at www.philstar.com "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 "Eyewitness" 9: August 16, 2005 Hello kaibigans (kamusta ka na)!? Hello friends, how are you!? Scene 1: Despedida Later that day, I experienced my own first despedida/belated birthday party for my host mom and deputy director for CENTEX. We ate delicious Pilipino food at a restaurant in Makati. It was very thoughtful of my co-workers to send me off with happy memories. I enjoyed their friendship and laughter during my visit here. 19 East I joined Kathleen, her host sister and boyfriend to 19 East with their friends (including a PBA star named Gin and his celebrity girlfriend Genny Hernandez) to watch performances by artists named Thor and Krishna (why they're named after false gods, I don't know!) Jollibee Yes, this happened at my cousin-nephew's 1st birthday party where I enjoyed my first "chickenjoy" and "mr. Yumburger" with coca-cola and spent some quality time with my cousins and their families. Tony is a kababayan (countryman) from U.C. Irvine (my alma mater), who moved to the Philippines after being recruited to play for the PBA. He is now married and recently became a father again to a second child. I learned that he recently was recruited to the Philippine National Team in hopes of going to the Olympics. I also learned that another UCI kababayan Verwin Gatapandan is also here looking to break into the industry and I will be meeting with them tonight for dinner. Small world? Only a few weeks ago, I also connected with Edel Jose, a graduate from Pitzer College, where I work and unfortunately did not meet in person. She just finished her Fulbright in Manila. Fin. (The End). Epilogue I am relocated to a hotel in Makati and will be participating alongside my friends and fellows for the closing workshop. Please lift me up as we share our lives and create workplans for our time here. Blessings, "Eyewitness" 10: Steph's Final Update Sa States Na (I'm in the States now)… Before departing the Philippines, I shared a memorable experience with my nine other fellow friends in our condotel, where they all helped me repackage all the wedding favors I bought into a "balikbayan box." The box, will always metaphorically represent each of them, bringing their uniqueness to the program and to the country. I was touched that they would leave a personal note on the box for me to take back with me to the States. I received a text and email from a couple of the teachers from CENTEX, who have made an indelible mark on my work experience both in and out of the office. I will miss all of the students, teachers, parents, administrators and AFI staff who welcomed me on their campuses. What I will miss the most is their gift of food and laughter. The assignment exposed me to research and the corporate world. On my last day, I shared a few visits from relatives from both my mother and father's side, who all warmly reflected the hospitable nature attributed to the Pilipino culture and I enjoyed getting to know each of them personally. Both my family and host family were generous caretakers for me and added so much fun to my work experience. During this time, I experienced alongside them their highs and lows, including the birth of my cousin's first daughter to the loss of an uncle I never knew. I walked around Ayala Alabang, the BPI (Bank of the Philippines) building office, and through the Greenbelt and Glorietta shopping centers once more, reflecting on memories of people and places that I shared this experience with. I am intrigued yet plagued by the lessons observed from the "haves and have nots," realizing that the same cancers that affect the poor and the rich all over the world, also plague those who define themselves by their wealth and status in life. I leave with a deeper sense and appreciation of self: the 4'11" height that frames me also typifies most of our notable leaders such as national hero Jose Rizal, former Secretary of Social Development and Welfare Dinky Soliman, and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; the love of my kayumanggi (tan) skin that colors me in spite of the media ills perpetuating the global racist mentality that "fairer is better"; the appreciation of my pinay nose, distinguishing my "you look so Pilipino" face from the blood of the American and Spanish oppressors; and my last name Velasco, a surname I learned is common among many Pilipino leaders from the northern to the southern tip of the Philippines. I arrive in the states with a clearer direction of "layunin" or purpose. The revelation for the need of moral servant leadership in the Philippines has led to a personal confirmation that my past experiences as a youth leader, community advocate, global citizen, coupled with my career and educational choices as well as faith and giftings. I discover a heightened relationship with God marked by answered prayers to the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional goals I set apart for myself. After checking into the airport, I was unaware that Philippines Airlines charged a terminal fee. With only a credit card in hand, I tried to obtain cash at the bank, convenience store, and ATM. Without any luck, I tried my card in the local telephones and became frustrated with them. I resorted to the guards for a cell phone. Unfortunately, he didn't have one and asked several people until finally a young man approached a teary eyed me with compassion. I surprised both of them in Tagalog when the guard told the man I could only speak English. (Thank God for Tagalog) He escorted me to another ATM and after no success, this kind man offered to pay for my fee. The man refused my twenty pesos, my hopia (Pilipino pastries), and the change leftover from the fee. "Impossible," my mother tells me, as she recalls the many memories of poor Pilipinos asking for money. "No, its God," I explain. "Nothing is impossible with Him." "Welcome Home Steph" reads the sign posted in my living room by my two youngest sisters as they and other relatives frequent my parents home to hear cuentos (stories) of my journey to their motherland. I share photos and explain that the few pasalubong (souvenirs) I brought were limited because of the room needed for the custom-made wedding dress, barong and gifts I acquired in the country and how necessary it was to give away many of my personal belongings to friends, relatives and prisoners (from Muntinlupa penitentiary) to accommodate them. I arrived to find a surprise article in the "AsianJournal" (an Asian American publication) about me and the fellows in the program. Aside from the past articles written, there are two more scheduled to come out. Be on the lookout for an article by Miss Amyline Ching, a writer for the "Manila Bulletin." The issue is due in the youth section Tuesday, August 23. Also, another article by Professor Danton Remoto will be published in another edition of "The Star" on Monday (either the 22nd or the 29th). You can also find these online. I am grateful for the personal support of both my host family and my family (both present and abroad), fiancé, and to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, for their continual love and support of my project in the Philippines. I would like to send a shout out to my nine fellow friends, all "youth idols" in my eyes, in hopes for creating positive change in the Philippines. To my supporters in the States and my new kaibigans (friends) in the Philippines and the faith community at New Life Christian Center in Alabang Hills, in hopes for a continuing relationship across the miles. Last but not least, maraming salamat to the organizers and sponsors of the Ayala Foundation-USA, LBC Foundation, ChevronTexaco and to Pitzer College for their gracious funding and support for my participation in the Pilipino American Youth Leaders Fellowship Program. Thanks & God Bless! Ingat, "Eyewitness" 1 | "Eyewitness" 2 | "Eyewitness" 3 | "Eyewitness" 4 | "Eyewitness" 5 05-2005
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Greetings from the Philippines!
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