Outgoing trade commissioner and media pioneers honored

SAN FRANCISCO, California—Last Friday, December 2^nd, way over at the end of Pier 39, where views of San Francisco Bay are smash-mouth, in-your-face spectacular, the gourmet Japanese restaurant, Hana Zen, saw a gathering of the Who’s Who in Filipino American media, business, and community leadership.  The occasion? The first joint Christmas celebration by the San Francisco Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce (SFFACC) and the Philippine-American Press Club (PAPC) where Josephine Romero, outgoing Philippine Trade and Industry Commissioner, was given a fitting send-off for a job well-done, and pioneers of the Filipino American media were honored with the annual PAPC Torch Bearer Awards.

Prior to her assignment to the San Francisco consular offices, Ms. Josephine Romero, or Jopin as she is fondly known in the Fil-American community, was the Philippine trade representative in New York and, concurrently, commercial attaché in Washington, DC, from 2005 to 2009. Jopin was presented a plaque by Carmen Colet, and Vic Barrion, Chairman, and President of SFFACC respectively, to commemorate her outstanding work promoting commerce and trade between the Philippines and the US. In her acceptance speech, Jopin thanked the Chamber for the honor and voiced her appreciation for the privilege of representing Filipino business interests in the US.  She then introduced her successor, Michael Alfred Ignacio, who recently held the same position in London, expressed his excitement at the prospect of working with Bay Area businesses and the region’s Filipino community in particular. Commissioner Ignacio would be the first male Trade Commissioner in 60 years for the Northern Pacific post.

Consul General Marciano Paynor, Jr. who together with PAPC President, Esther Misa Chavez, presented the Torch Bearer Awards, said that he is pleased to see the business community and the media join together to honor their colleagues.

The 2011 Torch Bearer Awardees whose trophies read “Keeper of the flame of the Filipino Ideal in Journalism and Community Leadership are:

Mona Lisa Yuchengco for her pioneering work publishing Filipinas Magazine the first nationally distributed glossy magazine for Fil-American readers. It wrote about Filipino culture, arts, history and current events, as well as FilAms who have succeeded in their chosen fields.

Ness Ocampo, for his pioneering work in Fil-American Network Broadcast radio for the past 50 years. Starting with a stint in Manila at Bulletin Radio. He then worked at stations in Hawaii and California. At present he can be heard at KVTO, San Francisco where he will be celebrating 14 years of continued broadcast of one hour nightly radio show and a three-hour weekend show.

Alex Esclamado, for his pioneering work in print media. Philippine News was established in 1961. During Martial Law, when Esclamado reported on the atrocities in the Philippines, he received the ire of the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, nearly losing his shirt in the process. But the independent Philippine News flourished and is celebrating it’s 50^th anniversary under the ownership of the Espiritus. Esclamado has retired back to the Philippines and was represented by Atty. Rodel Rodis, a longtime columnist of the paper.)

Lito de Joya and Julie de Joya, for their pioneering TV production in the 1980s. “Manila-Manila” was one of the first Filipino shows produced in America then. The de Joyas immigrated to the US in the mid-1980s to offer their children a safer place during the height of martial law. Julie de Joya wrote that “At that time, there was no Filipino American television show that could bring the news and sentiments of our people to the rest of the Filipinos in the US.  We needed to create a vehicle.  With the passion of Antonio de Joya, Lito’s father, Manila Manila was born. “

De Joya thanked a dozen or so FilAm professionals, and students of San Francisco State University for working with little pay and “for giving us an opportunity to share this work for over 10 years, instilling Filipino pride, culture and identity in our  Fil-Am community.  We thank you all.” The De Joyas who went back to the Philippines after the Edsa Revolution in 1986 were represented by their daughter, Trina.

Joseling Santisteban, for his work in Fil-American TV production. His nephew, Juan Carlos Ventosa, represented Santisteban who has retired in the Philippines. Ventosa recounted that his uncle was a Block timer at TV Station Ch. 26 initially showing a 2-hour Saturday Morning block and expanding to a daily evening half hour ABS-CBN news, and TV Patrol. He also produced a 30-minute weekly show called Pinoy Parin. All these prior to Filipino television giant ABS-CBN setting up a U.S. bureau to satisfy the growing demand for Filipino TV shows.

Mark and Jossie Alegre, in recognition of their pioneering work and continuing service as PAPC board members since 1989. Mark and Jossie were contributing writers for the Daly City based “The Eye.” They zealously participate in community activities and support worthy projects here and in the Philippines.

Peachy Pelaez, for pioneering the outdoor celebration of Philippine Independence Day and for her work as Department of Tourism director from 1986 to 1999. (Pelaez could not make it so current Department of Tourism Director Rene de los Reyes received the award on her behalf.)

Inquirer.net, for its pioneering work in online media and being the first Filipino news website. Inquirer.net was launched in 1997. Esther Misa Chavez, Inquirer.net Vice President and US Sales Director, received the award on behalf of the online news publisher.

The recognition and awards presentation and party were held at the Hana Zen Restaurant at Pier 39 in San Francisco, which is owned by Cebuana, Angie Louie, and her San Franciscan husband, Alvin Louie.