Showing posts with label Fil-Ams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fil-Ams. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Exemplary Fil-Am Leadership: The shining civic spirit in Angelita L. Pena

by Augusto F. Mesia, M.D.
Astoria, New York



Angelita de Leon-Pena’s job experience comes from years of sterling service in the corporate world and from human interactions that count. For many years she has worked as the assistant vice-president of New York Mellon Bank after serving in Corporate Trust Department of US Bank, the State Street Bank, Citibank (NY,) and the Philippine National Bank (PNB) in Naga City, Philippines.

The affable lady that I know since our days in Naga City has surely greater knowledge than what she knows about the financial health of America. She is now the incoming president of the Bicol National Association of America (BNAA,) a coalition of organizations of Bicolanos across the United States.

For many Bicolanos from California to New York, from Boston to Miami, from Hawaii to Alaska to Georgia these milestones are miniscule compared to Lita's desire, like her ardent friends in BNAA and the Our Lady of Penafrancia Devotees Asssociation (OLPDA) to serve the community.

More than the drudgery of plain living away from native Bicol, it is her passion to come up with something magnanimous for Filipinos in the enlarging diaspora. Her lively wit and sophistication are never dull. She is a fountain of inspiration---especially when she starts asking some gritty questions like, “How can we unite all Bicolanos in America? What can we do to help the people of the Philippines?”

Filipino-Americans (Fil-Ams) know the next president of the BNAA has her views. When she deals with issues of utmost importance, she stirs the pot with rationality and wisdom. As her impeccable credentials show, the beneficient angel from Naga does her civics well.

Lita is busy laying the ground work to host a reunion which will draw Bicolanos to the Northeast in a July 17-19, 2009 convention. The group’s reunion next month will tie-up bonds, recharge friendships, and drum up fresh humanitarian projects for the organization. With fellow-Bicolanos working with her, she will gather kababayans, Fil-Ams, their friends, and families from all over America and elsewhere for a tastefully planned merry get-together.

Would you believe you’re invited? Or would you believe we're all invited? BNAA, like OLPDA, is a welcoming group ready to open its arms. In a giveaway expression of real hospitality, the reunion is open to as many Fil-Ams as possible particularly Bicolanos.



In 2002, Lita walked as the grand marshal of the Philippine Day Organizing Committee in Passaic, NJ. Shunning self-importance, she worked hard as a board member in the well-known Philippine Independence Day Committee (PIDC) of New York City. With unrelenting duties at home and in the community, she proved to be an dedicated adviser of the Bicolandia National Association of America of the Eastern Seaboard, USA (BNAA-Eastern Seaboard) and OLPDA.

The leader with a beaming persona gave away precious time in 2003 to be the overall chairwoman of the Philippine American Friendship Committee, Inc. To forge unity the following year, Lita assumed headship of the Philippine American Friendship, Inc. Community Development Center (PAFCOM – CDC.) What more can one ask? She was a respected and popular president of BNAA-Eastern Seaboard, and the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) Alumni Association.

Serving as this year’s NAFFA’s Filvote Chair for Hudson County in New Jersey, Lita, the radiant civic leader of New Jersey can surely deliver the goods. On her gaudy sleeves rest a treasure trove of public service accomplishments that matter---those which draw people to be united with the community.

Consistently praised for her energy, Lita was appointed by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy as board of director of the Jersey City Training & Development Center in last year. As two-term president of the Greenville Fil-Am Bowling League and past board of director & vice-president of the Folklorico Dance Company of New York, she organized OLPDA of the Tri-State Area in the early 1990’s which encouraged faith-based veneration of Ina in America, the mother-patroness of the Bicol Region.



For all the sacrifices she endured, Lita didn’t lack the admiration of her kababayans who trust her ability. The Philippine New York Jaycees gave her the outstanding community leadership award in 2003. Along with Peng, her devoted husband, she was named by the New Jersey Parent Foundation as the 2000 Parent of the Year---a coveted distinction that brought sparks of inspiration to family-oriented souls across races and backgrounds.

As a keynote speaker, in 2002, the Bicol Canada, Inc, (Etobicoke, Canada) presented Lita a certificate of appreciation for her selfless service to Bicolanos as she helped improve the quality of life in Jersey City and in the Bicol Region.

A dynamic lady leader who kindly encouraged Filipinos to embark on community undertakings, Lita was given the Women’s Achiever’s Award by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and by the Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League of Jersey City. She received a certificate of appreciation from the mayor citing her outstanding commitment and continuous support for the Filipino American Veterans Organization of New Jersey. Given a service award in 2007, she was likewise cited for brilliant leadership and dedication by the BNAA-Eastern Seaboard.



Lita graduated from the Colegio de Sta. Isabel High School in Naga City. She finished her college education at the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) in Manila, Philippines where she earned her accounting and business administration degree.

Married to Eufronio Pena of Naga City, she is a proud and loving mom of three wonderful children--- Eduardo, married to Marsha Rafanan, Ysadora, married to Alan Clarin and Eric, married to Ivy Damian. Lita and Peng, are happy grandparents to Alexa, Jonah, Aivery, Drew and Jaxsen. To better know this lady with an amazing civic spirit, why don’t you attend the grand BNAA convention and join the OLPDA? It will be fun for she will be there. (Photo Credits: Lita Pena/ AFM) =0=



RELATED BLOG: "Erlinda Requejo-Arellano: outstanding Bicolana community leader of New Jersey" Posted by mesiamd at 1/19/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Bicolandia Association of Eastern Seaboard Fundraiser on May 3, 2009

The Bicolandia Association of Eastern Seaboard, Inc. and its incoming illustrious national president Angelita de Leon-Pena extend their invitation to all Bicolanos and Fil-Ams in this year's fun trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey on Sunday, May 3, 2009.

The bus will be waiting at 24 Culver Avenue, Jersey City between 8-8:30 AM and will depart at 8:30 AM sharp for Atlantic City.

Be on time! Since available seats are limited, make reservations ASAP by calling the following contact persons: Lita Peña @ 201-232-1742; Linda Arellano @201-240-0872 and Gidget Revilleza @201-983-1335.

The event is in preparatiom for this year's grand Bicol National Association of America (BNAA) all-state convention slated on July 17-19, 2009 to be held in Sheraton Newark Hotel, New Jersey. Proceeds of the fundraiser will be donated to the organization's charities.(Photo Credit: LDP; CharlesW1)) =0=



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PostHeaderIcon Fil-Ams don’t want bad news?



“I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to excape fear is to trample it beneath your feet." ----Nadia Comaneci, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist

According to the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, Filipinos residing in the USA would rather hear good news from the Philippines. Yes, we like to have the positives rather than the negatives each time we talk about the motherland. But what if there is a dearth of good news? Do we have to dodge the country’s toxic news and focus only on the good ones?

No matter how much we want to escape reality, it’s always there to challenge us. This is probably what happened when Fil-Am community leaders across the United States engaged themselves in dialogues with visiting Philippine officials----saying that they want good news, wanting the bad ones in the back burner. For so long, everybody knows our problems. They’re all over the media for us to solve.

"We thought we would be faced with disbelief and confronted with hard questions, but we were pleasantly surprised that our kababayan [compatriots] here would rather hear the positive developments in the Philippines. Our team was ready to clarify even the negative news, but no one raised them," the report quoted Edgardo Pamintuan, presidential adviser on external affairs---Inquirer (03/16/09, Balana, C).

We seem to vent a very common reaction. Most of us don’t want to be bogged down by depressing news---problems that are entrenched, those that have little chance of being solved quickly.

In America, we have our own worries to tackle in addition to those we left behind back home. That's why. Yet, being selective of what we want to do may lead to detachment, more apathy, and lack of care for the country. If we don’t bravely focus on hard truths, we won’t be able to advance ahead. We have serious problems that we must not ignore. As someone once said, “the best way to escape a problem is to solve it.” (Photo Credit: Mineke_Reinders; Akira_Minh)



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