TOFA-NY’s 4th year: Fil-Am achievers say it’s time to ‘take the lead’


And there was music and wonderful moments. Some tears too, and through it all a challenge to Filipino Americans: It’s time to “take the lead.”

The fourth The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York was an occasion to celebrate the achievements of Filipinos in the New York area during Filipino American History Month. On its fourth year on October 25, it became a time of reflection as well, as keynote speakers congratulated the 14 winners and five Heritage Awardees and voiced the hope it’s time to take professional success and achievement to the next level.

With their accomplishments, said Jason Tengco, senior advisor at White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), Filipinos have made “a huge dent in the glass and bamboo ceiling.” It is time, he stressed, “not just to have a seat at the table but to lead the meeting.”

Consul General Mario Lopez de Leon Jr. said he would like to see more Filipinos assume leadership roles, as he gave kudos to TOFA-NY awardees for their “noteworthy skills, competence and social impact” in New York and the larger US society.

Journalist and Rappler founder Maria Ressa, who hosted the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall, said being Filipino American can cut both ways. “It is both a blessing and a curse,” she said. “If you don’t navigate the waters well, you’ll drown. But if you hold the values from both worlds, we create something new, we create a community that defines us.”

Filipinos need to be involved in the political process, reminded Ludi de Asis-Hughes (Awardee for Public Service, Politics), because “our everyday lives (as Filipino Americans) are affected” by who we elect in government, she said in her speech. “We don’t vote, we don’t count.”

CEO and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis urged this year’s awardees to remain proud Filipino Americans not easily disheartened by failures. She urged them to “fight bigotry and discrimination,” and to keep going whatever obstacles are in the way.

This year’s 14 outstanding Filipino Americans are:

Arts & Culture
Kinding Sindaw

Business & Entrepreneurship
Dennis Josue

Community Service & Advocacy
Roger Santos

Courage of Conviction
Geena Rocero

Education, Research & Technology
Michael Vea

Entertainment
Jhett Tolentino

Fashion & Style
Elle Madrona

Food & Restaurants
Joel Javier

Health Care
Nemcy Duran

LGBT Advocacy
Jenab-i Pareja

Media & Publishing
Ritz Mazon Craves

Public Service & Politics
Ludi de Asis Hughes

Senior Welfare Advocacy
Juliet Payabyab

Youth & Sports
Team Takbo

This year’s Heritage Awardees are award-winning songwriter Bobby Lopez, fashion designer and philanthropist Josie Natori; Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia University Sheila Coronel; the founder of Fiesta In America trade and cultural expo; and the medical mission volunteers of Philippine Medical Association in America (PMAA).

Geena Rocero (Courage of Conviction) and Jenab-i Pareja (LGBT Advocacy) offered their awards in memory of Jennifer Laude, the Olongapo transgender woman who was killed in an apparent hate crime. An American serviceman is a suspect.

Heritage Awardee Sheila Coronel dedicated hers to all her investigative journalism students at Columbia and to Marlene Garcia-Esperat, who was killed for her stories exposing corruption in the Philippine Department of Agriculture. “This award is for those who believe that journalism can be a force for public good,” she said.

California Assembly Member Rob Bonta made a surprise appearance and presented Coronel her award. Sportswriter Ritz Mazon Craves (Media & Publishing) thanked the Filipino boxers who have shared with him their “sad stories of abuse, inequity and greed, stories that need to be told.”

Elle Madrona (Fashion & Style), Nemcy Cavite Duran (Health Care), Joel Javier (Food & Restaurants), Roger Santos (Community Service & Advocacy), and Dr. Alna Prado of the Philippine Medical Association in America (Heritage Awardee) thanked the Lord as well as their families for the support and encouragement to go after their dreams.

Michael Vea (Education, Research & Technology) hoisted his award for all teachers “fighting to provide quality education to children in poverty.” Broadway producer Jhett Tolentino (Entertainment) looked back at his impoverished past growing up in the squatters of Calumpang Molo, Iloilo City.

“If I made it this far, you can too,” said Tolentino, whose Broadway credits include “Here Lies Love” and “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”

Juliet Payabyab (Senior Welfare and Advocacy) and Team Takbo President Jay Pascual (Youth and Sports) said receiving the award gave them a platform to campaign for their advocacies. “There is joy and fulfillment in helping people,” said Payabyab.

Pascual said promoting a “happy and healthier lifestyle” in the Filipino community will always be his group’s goal.

Potri Ranka Manis, founder of Kinding Sindaw (Arts & Culture) said the award serves to remind every FilAm that “there is noble blood that flows in every vein of every Filipino.”

A brief but poignant moment came when Miss USA first runner-up Audra Mari recalled her Filipino roots. Her Filipino grandfather, surgeon Justo Mari, married an American woman and raised a family in North Dakota. She is witness to the enduring love between her grandparents who just celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary.

“My grandfather is 87 years old and still lives in Fargo with my grandma, their four children, and 11 grandchildren. I’m sure he would be with us tonight but he is struggling with the effects of dementia,” she said, stopping momentarily to wipe a tear, “and isn’t able to travel.” The audience applauded.

Expressing thanks on behalf of the TOFA-NY board, founder and executive producer Elton Lugay said, “Trust and transparency are two things we take to heart. We have reached our fourth year because of the open process by which the winners are nominated and voted and because the support and trust of the community have grown over the years.”

New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo was represented by Gil Quiniones, CEO of the New York Power Authority. Through Quiniones, the only Filipino in the governor’s Cabinet, Cuomo offered his congratulations to the honorees as well as gratitude to Filipino American contributions to the state.

AARP, which supported the event, reached out to the FilAm community with its core message about taking care of the elderly. AARP Ambassador, Retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, said caregiving is a family matter but is something some tight-lipped Filipino families hardly talk about until the parents become ill and the need is there. He urged FilAm families to “start a conversation early” and invited them to visit the AARP website for resources on caregiving.

The evening’s emotional and empowering moments were stitched together with musical entertainment courtesy of the Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles, Broadway Barkada, Enteng Evangelista, UST Alumni Singers, Voice of McDonald’s’ Richard Lelis Tuozo, Pilipino American Cultural Arts Society of Washington D.C., Elaine Ficarra, pianist Yasuhiko Fukuoka, Pilipinas Got Talent’s Geo Ed Rebucas, and Voice Kids Philippines’s Darren Espanto. —The FilAm

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