AARP presents award for senior welfare, advocacy at TOFA-New York

Night at TOFA (left to right): Philippine Consul General in New York Mario de Leon Jr.; TOFA Award Winner for Senior Welfare & Advocacy Juliet Palabyab; community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis; AARP Community Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (ret.); AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel; AARP Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement Daphne Kwok Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience; and AARP Executive Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. PHOTO BY VELZON H. VELEZ

WASHINGTON, DC — First-time sponsor AARP presented the award for “Senior Welfare and Advocacy” to Juliet Payabyab, at The Outstanding Filipino Americans’ Awards in New York (TOFA-NY) on Saturday, October 25 at Carnegie Hall.

Payabyab works with the Philippine Consulate by assisting Filipinos in need. She is the first woman president of the Philam Lions Club and a two-term president of the Philippine American Communities Executive Council (PACEC), an umbrella organization of Filipino American civic organizations.

“AARP congratulates Juliet Payabyab and all the TOFA winners on their exceptional accomplishments,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience. “We’re proud to sponsor TOFA, a program that embodies the spirit of AARP in which age and experience can expand your possibilities.”

Other winners include award-winning songwriter Bobby Lopez (“Frozen,” “The Book of Mormon”); fashion designer and philanthropist Josie Natori; Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia University Sheila Coronel; the people behind Fiesta In America, an annual trade and cultural expo; and the medical mission volunteers of Philippine Medical Association in America (PMAA).

“We are extremely fortunate to partner with a trusted organization like AARP and applaud them for their support to our community, especially during Filipino American History Month,” said Elton Lugay, Founding Chair of TOFA.

AARP Executive Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez and AARP Ambassador Major General Antonio Taguba addressed the crowd at the opening of the award ceremony.

Special guests also included Philippine Consul General to New York Mario De Leon, Jr., community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, and White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Senior Adviser Jason Tengco.

Visit www.AARP.org/AAPI, www.facebook.com/AARPAAPICommunity and www.twitter.com/AARPAAPI

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