12 outstanding Filipinos in Guam honored

MANILA, Philippines - The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Guam on Sunday honored 12 outstanding Filipinos in the US territory of Guam.

A report from the Guam PDN said that the association on Sunday recognized the achievements and contributions of the 12 in a dinner at the Guam Marriott Resort & Spa.

Among the highlights of the event was the launch of a 2009 calendar that featured one of the honored Filipinos each month.

“Actually it was one of our members who came up with the idea. What we did was to start off with a number of businesses and people within the community and eventually narrowed it down," said Eddie Sy, a member of the calendar committee, in the report.

Featured for the month of January is Guam Senator James Espaldon.

“It’s quite an honor to be selected, I knew I was going to be in the calendar but I had no idea it would be for January — I was actually hoping for June, which is my birthday," said Espaldon, who was sworn into his second term in office on Monday.

He said that he believes in being a Filipino who lives the American way.

“I think about my father with this honor of being selected to the calendar — he was very proud in his Filipino heritage, at the same time he believed in American way and was committed to this island of Guam," said the senator.

Moreover, Espaldon said he is proof that immigrants are an important part of any foreign community.

“We are an immigrant community and I think to a lot of those people who immigrated here to provide for a better life for their children, I represent those dreams to a lot of people and am proof that although we are not from here we can become an integral part of this community and still contribute while maintaining our heritage," he said.

Also featured in the calendar were Dr. Dometila Aquilizan (February), Bernie Schumann (March), Eduardo Ilao (April), Dr. Tita Alegria (May), Tessie Marcos (June), Melen Ruiz (July), Emelio Uy (August), Catherine Bejerana Camacho (September), Atilana Rambayon (October), Mark V. Pangelinan (November), and Peter Loriega (December).

Sy said that a large part of the proceeds of the calendar will go to charitable causes such as a $1,000 donation to the Guam Memorial Hospital and a donation of a school bus stop to a Guam Public School System school. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

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