PHILIPPINE GENERATIONS

Farewell Message of Consul General Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-de Vega

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:50:00 +0000

Rebecca Grant: An Actor in Art

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Cruz) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 22:19:00 +0000

Rebecca with portrait of ex c-star Robert Powell (c. right) and Ambassador Reynaldo Catapang

‘An Actor’s Art’

For actress and singer Rebecca Grant, ‘An Actor’s Art’ is her first exhibition of a lifelong hobby and passion. Rebecca, most famous for her role as Sister Daisha Robertson in Holby City, has not yet let one talent to waste. During stage rehearsals and scene breaks, she took the time out to draw and paint scenes of production and portraits of her fellow actors.

Her works, which can be seen at the Philippine Embassy (10 Suffolk St., SW1Y 4HG), is a refreshing collection with lots of modern appeal. Not to be ignored. But hurry! There are 3 days left of the exhibition – don’t miss out!

Check out Rebecca’s blog here for the official press release. Stay tuned for the conversation with the star here on the Philippine Generations blog. Happy musings…

www.rebeccagrant.co.uk

K.A. Cruz

Following in the footsteps of Rizal

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Cruz) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 22:25:00 +0000

This May, 15 non-native speakers from in and around London completed a ten-week beginners’ Filipino language course – Philippine Generations’ second consecutive successful batch since language classes first began last year.

This year’s group got to grips with a range of basic Tagalog vocabulary and dialogue practical for common daily use. Practicing to speak confidently and more at length about themselves or in the context of eating in a restaurant or simply talking to a stranger, were learned at an impressive pace over 2-hour sessions at a time. Though this sounds a little daunting to those who feel ill-equipped to pick up language-learning, this class of adult beginners, ranging from the age of 18 years and beyond, proved there is no challenge of age limit to it. University students mixed together with full-time professionals, which altogether made also for a colourful assortment of nationalities in the classroom. Even if the ethnic mix may not come as a surprise here in London, I still felt a strange feeling of wonder and pride in seeing Brits, a Japanese and an Italian together with 2^nd generation Fil-Brits studying Tagalog. I recall in the last lesson, a South African university student also sitting in with fascination.

During the class, there were no less than two volunteers supporting teachers Cathy Frideres and Dianne Marcos with assisting students in grammar exercises and conversation. There was constant feedback on what was interesting to learn and what was not, students appeared at ease with the pace in which they were digesting their learning. The teachers' approach was pro-active, friendly and naturally encouraged students to ask questions or simply speak in Tagalog aloud with more confidence – a challenge that many of us Fil-Brits knowingly struggle with. The success of each student’s oral exam at the end of the course was certainly a moment to be proud – and for Cathy and Dianne at least to gush a little.

Tagalog, Rizal and Smelly Fish

Today we celebrate the birthday of a Filipino national hero: José Rizal. Rizal was indeed a revolutionary and visionary on many matters political and social. What some of us might not know is that Rizal mastered in total 22 languages during his short lifetime. He wrote essays and letters in both German and Spanish, his most famous works ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo’ were both written originally in Spanish. But he understood above all the importance of engaging with Tagalog most crucially as an extension of the people. There is so much more than we realise which can be uncovered through learning Filipino beneath the surface of verbs and sentence structure. For example I came to appreciate, among many things, Filipino humour through learning Tagalog: a priceless part of the Filipino’s personality and experience of the world.

He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and a smelly fish. - J. Rizal

Rizal, a truly exemplary ‘global Filipino’, demonstrated how instantaneous and extraordinary the connection language is when you do connect. He accomplished to reach out to so many literally across the globe with his words. And despite the irony of writing all of this in English, I hope we all can find renewed inspiration and appreciation in the Filipino language through him and through our own learning.

A big congratulation to the entire Beginners’ Filipino class 2011. Philippine Generations are currently the only organization that exclusively offers Filipino language classes in London. Please get in touch if you are interested.

K.A.Cruz

PIDWC 2011 - Vote for the Best Team Name

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Philippine Independence Day World Cup 2011

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 02 May 2011 09:16:00 +0000

Saturday 11th June 2011 will see the 2nd Annual Philippine Independence Day World Cup.

Once again the Filipino Community in the UK will unite in the name of Philippine Independence and celebrate with the world's biggest sport.

As an expression of freedom, sport is a powerful tool, from Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico to Henry Olonga and Andy Flower in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. We aren't making a major political statement with the Tournament, we've got a new President already!

However playing in a uniting tournament outside of the Philippines in the name of Philippine Independence is something that would have made our forefathers proud!

Will You be there to see the action? Will You be there to Play? Manila Ice DOMINATED last year's Cup, can You?

A Big Thank you to our 2011 Sponsors:

Main Sponsor

This year will be bigger; there is the option of 9 players with 4 substitutes, matches are 12 minutes straight and two teams qualify from each group.

The venue is indoors but we have our own section near facilities/bar with a viewing gallery at Play On Sports, in Canary Wharf. There is free parking in the car park all day and the venue is close to Canary Wharf Tube Station.

Overall, there will be 16 teams, 4 groups, with the top two teams going through to the knockout stages of the tournament. Each team must be named after a place in the Philippines, must contain at least one Filipino and are allowed to enter 9 players with 4 as subs.

Registration begins at 10:00am and ends at 10:15am, the first matches will kick off at 10:30am.

Announcements will be made in due course! Tickets will go on sale in May on a first come first served basis.

Below is a list of Manila Ice Achievements:

Best Team name: Manila Ice
Best Player: Anthony Chua (Manila Ice)
Top Scorer: Chichebe Ibekwe (Manila Ice)
Champions: Manila Ice

Run? Michael Ran!

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:35:00 +0000

On Sunday 17^th April 2011, Michael Castro ran the Virgin London Marathon 2011 to raise money for Philippine Generations. In doing so, he brought sponsorship from Moneygram, support from FilmeFilms, ABS-CBN, Fil-Event and Planet Philippines.

Ever since Michael announced he was running, he said he would do it in under 4 hours and inside the top 10,000. He was even filmed by FilmeFilms declaring he would make this time on Youtube. In the short film, Michael’s Filipino mother expressed her pride of her son doing something and trying to achieve something. This is a powerful message Michael hopes others will take from his own experience.

Sunday itself was a glorious day of sunshine, not ideal for runners, especially those who have been training in the colder, damper winter months. It was a long day, Michael, PG (Adrian & Mae) and a few of his supporters, Bobby, SJ, Oliver & Katie travelled to Blackheath at 8am and met ABS-CBN (Rose & Patrick) there at 9am. Other supporters were preparing to see Michael in Deptford, Wapping, Westminster and Victoria. On the train, the mood was buoyant as runners and supporters chatted and offered advice to eachother. There was one older gentleman who wished Michael well and good luck to the Filipino community, he said, ‘I have met people from the Philippines but I don’t know anything about it’. Justifying one of the reasons Michael believes in PG’s ideology.

Officially his race was to begin from the Blue start in the elite men section at 9.45am and Blackheath was jam-packed full of runners and well wishers from all over the world. There Japanese runners with placards in support of the victims of the Tsunami, People in fancy dress drawing publicity for their chosen charity and even a guy in a Testicle costume raising money for testicular cancer! As the Marathon started, PG, his supporters and ABS-CBN were also running to make it to the start of the race and catch a glimpse of Michael set off. Unfortunately we missed him! All the preparation, running and we missed him start!

As thousands of runners set off, crowds were calling out the names on their shirts and vests, offering words of encouragement, at this stage, it was distracting, a bit later on this kind of support proved to be a god send for many of the runners.

Travelling around London proved difficult as trains were packed as tightly as the morning rush hour and Sunday service on the tube did not help. It was here that the support broke up, one supporter, Kenny, managed to catch up with Michael in Deptford at around mile 8 and he actually ran a short distance with him! Oliver & Katie went to Wapping/Shadwell to catch a glimpse of Michael run past at mile 13 and PG, ABS-CBN, Bobby & SJ went on to Westminster to get a good spot at the last 600 metre mark to cheer Michael on at the last leg of his 26 mile journey.

St. James Park was packed and the atmosphere was electric, people were already approaching the last leg at 12:30am! There were runners who looked like they were running down to the newsagents to get a pint of milk, hardly breaking a sweat, although there were many more who looked like they had just gotten out of a very long sauna! Others were obviously approaching their limit and a few ‘hit the wall’. The crowd was brilliant, with every single person cheering the runners on, for a guy who started running backwards as his legs just gave up on him and had to be helped along to a guy that had stopped and was hunched over, only for the crowd to spur him on to ‘pick those legs up’ as he began running again to finish.

It was this atmosphere that got a few of Michael’s supporters saying they want to run at some point in the future. At 1:30pm we were eagerly awaiting Michael’s approach, a prediction of sub 4 hours would have him at this point before 2pm. As we saw Michael approach we gave him a huge roar! Some other sections of the crowd joined in, crowd mentality I guess. He didn’t disappoint either, thumbs up and smiling he maintained a good pace until he reached the finish line a good 5 minutes under the 4 hour mark, 3:54:06 to be exact! Michael finished in 7,849^th position out of 34,738 people! Placing him in the top 10,000, another goal he wanted to achieve.

It was at this point most of Michael’s supporters met up to greet him at the end of the Marathon run in the Piccadilly side of the park, PG, ABS-CBN, Bobby, SJ, Oliver & Katie, were joined by Kenny (all the way from Deptford!), Janice & Hazel. Michael appeared with his medal and the guys all cheered, posed for pictures and began the slow walk out of the park to Victoria to where other supporters were waiting, Romella volunteered to drive Michael back to Marylebone and Minesh & Justina met up with the group to travel back to Baker St to meet another well wisher AJ for some well-deserved Nando’s chicken. And, when reviewing the Marathon footage recorded from the LIVE BBC show, Michael can be quite clearly seen at the starting line beginning his run and waving into the camera! We got to see him start after all!

Of course, the whole reason Michael ran to raise funds for Philippine Generations, was to help raise funds for future events. The money raised will help PG to hold the Philippine Independence Day World Cup in June, to hold a Kultura Workshop for the community that will be free to attend, to celebrate PG’s 4^th Birthday with a community event and for PG to continue the successful Parol Workshop this Christmas! Central to this was the support and faith shown by main sponsors Moneygram who are looking to really build their relationship with Philippine Generations and the Filipino community in the UK, they offered this official statement:

‘MoneyGram were proud to sponsor a regular volunteer for the Philippine Generations, Michael Castro who ran the London Marathon on April 17th by donating £1000 to this charity to continue providing events and support to the community in order to help the Filipino become more recognised people in the UK. ’

In the UK, MoneyGram is available in every Post Office Branch, Thomas Cook and Going Places stores plus hundreds of independent outlets. Not only is your money typically transferred in 10 minutes (subject to agent hours of operation) but we also understand that value for money is important offering a money transfer service from only £4.99.

In the Philippines the MoneyGram Service is available in over 7,000 locations including BDO, SM, M.Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier, KwartaGram and thousands of points all over the country. Money can be received in either Dollars or Pesos.

By Adrian Williams

Filipino Language 10 Weeks Course - Conversational

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:05:00 +0000

This is robably the most on demand project we have so far, the class filled up after 2 days of being announced available online and there are still people on the waiting list! We are very proud of it's achivement so far, last year we held a pilot class which was very sucessful that lead us to do the course.

We are now on the 6th week on Tuesday, 3rd May. Students are very happy of the course so far as it's a very relax teaching environment, full of exercises, reading materials and information about Philippine & culture embedded in the course.

Our volunteer teachers are doing a fantastic job teaching our students, they are working very hard to give the best standard as possible. Philippine Generation is a registered Filipino Language Supplemetary School by NRC.

The topics so far are:

1. Introduction (Pagpapakilala)

In this introductory lesson, you will learn to meet other people and introduce yourself in Filipino. To achieve this we will be covering vocabulary on the family, hobbies and types of professions. You will be taught standard greetings, the Filipino alphabet (old and new), and we will work on pronunciation through interactive exercises and games to help you feel comfortable and gain confidence in learning the language.

2.Fiesta! (Pistahan!)

Hundreds of fiestas are celebrated in the Philippines on a yearly basis - Filipinos love these special occasions to mingle, dance and eat good food! In this lesson, we will cover the significance of fiesta to the Filipino psyche and you will plan a fiesta event. You will learn to standard expressions and vocabulary for dates (days, months, years), times and numbers. As with the first lesson, we will also work on pronunciation.

3. Eating Out (Pasyal / Kain sa Labas)

To build confidence in speaking Filipino, we will teach you how to order at a Filipino restaurant. You will learn to ask for the Menu, order food and drink for yourself and your family, state any dietary requirements and ask for the bill. We will cover standard phrases and vocabulary on quantities, types of food and drink, and general table conversation, including how to get out of some awkward situations!

4. At the Market (Sa Palengke)

Markets are an integral part of Filipino life. This lesson shall cover costs, Philippine money (the Peso), numbers, quantities, colours, sizes, and shapes. We will not only cover standard expresssions and vocabulary for buying and selling items, we will also show you different bargaining techniques and bargaining etiquette that you can use the next time you see that one-of-a-kind shawl... or the perfect mango.

5. Speed-Friending (Barkadahan)

In this session, we will conduct a mid-term revision of the previous classes through a series of interactive exercises, games and drills to help you build more confidence with using the different expressions and vocabulary. This session is intended to help us assess your progress in the language, but we also hope to receive feedback from you that we can use to improve the course once it resumes following the Easter break.

6. Getting to Places (Deriksyon / Pagbibigay ng Punto)

What to do if you're lost? How do you get to the station? This is propbably one of the more practical things to leaen in a foreign language. In this Session we will cover the different types of transportation in Filipino and what to say when asking for Directions or giving directions. We will also teach your vocabulary and standard phrases dealing with location of items and Filipino concept of distance.

To subcribe to our mailing list here!

Many thanks to Westminster Partnership and...

Well Done Michael

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:45:00 +0000

WELL DONE MICHAEL!! Whoo..hooo!

You really inspired many people not just the Filipino community but the British community as a whole! We are very proud of you and thankful that you run for PhilGen. It's a big achievement for you and to our community too. I hope this will inspire more Filipinos to be more proud of their heritage, get involve more in the community and do well for themselves.

The money raised will help PhilGen with their projects this year including a 'Kultura' Workshop in the summer, Philippine Independence Day World Cup and Parol Workshop.

Many thanks to all the people who supported Michael on the day, it was a manic day but we all managed to find each other in the end :)

A massive thank you to MoneyGram who is Michael's main sponsor, all the people who individually sponosred Michael, Filmefilms for the promo video, Planet Philippines for the article in March, ABS-CBN for the coverage, Michael's friends, Robert 'Bobby' Williams photographer on the the day and all the PhilGen Volunteers.

For those who haven't donated yet it's not too late we will keep the site up until next week www.runmichaelrun.eventbrite.com We will update everyone for the total money raised!

Mabuhay tayo!

JOIN US ON SUNDAY! Let's CHEER Michael during his run at the Virgin London Marathon. Route & Meeting Points

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Starting Point

For those who want's to come with us. PhilGen group + Friends are meeting in Baker Street station at 8AM with Michael. If you want to join us from there you are welcome to come.

If you want to meet us in Greenwich please let us know by either emailing us on info@philippinegenerations

or calling us on PhilGen number 0789 870 8319.

When you arrive in Greenwich we will be at the either near the Peter Harrison Planetarium or at The Ave. This is when you need to call us to see where we are.

The race starts at 9:45 but we aim to get there early so that Michael can prepare and we can all wish him luck! If you miss this point our next point will be on the 13miles point: The Highway, Tower Hamlet, E1W 2BX

13miles point: The Highway, Tower Hamlet, E1W 2BX

If you miss this point, if we can, we will try to cross over to see Michael again on the 22miles.

And if you miss that we will be at the finish line.

Finish Line: The Mall

If you make it to the finish line, we can meet you there too. Special Note! If you are going to the finish line, make sure you're on the right hand side of the course facing the direction of the runners, otherwise you may have to walk a long way to cross the road.

We will met Michael @ Horse Guard Road or Horse Guard Parade. There will be signs posted and alphabetically divided.

British-Filipino athlete to raise funds for charity

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:21:00 +0000

By Patrick Camara Ropeta, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

LONDON - A British-Filipino athlete is set to run the Virgin London Marathon to raise funds for a charity organization promoting Philippine culture.

Michael Castro, an information technology engineer from Westminster, has been training rigorously for the past few months in preparation for Britain's largest annual marathon.

“I’ve made a lot of sacrifices,” he said, including carefully watching his diet and “not going out much.”

He has also been running for 30 miles three times a week since November 2010.

The 31-year-old is hoping to raise funds for Philippine Generations, a London-based charity organization promoting Filipino heritage through socio-cultural initiatives.

“We need to receive the acknowledgement we deserve and highlight our status,” said Castro, who previously completed half-marathons in Budapest, Greenwich, and Silverstone.

“Not only do I want to raise funds for a good cause, but I also want to inspire younger Filipinos to believe in themselves, pursue their goals, and hopefully one day achieve what they want to.”

Proceeds from the marathon will be used to fund projects by the British Filipino group, which in the past included Tagalog lessons and parol-making workshops.

“This charity run means a lot for the organization,” said Mae Williams from Philippine Generations. “It means that Filipinos are seen in the wider British public. It means that we have a presence in the community. And also to raise funds for our initiatives this year. We would like to put it in lots of different projects like the Philippine Independence Day Football Cup in June.”

Castro, a sports enthusiast, was “lucky” to secure a spot in the marathon through the lottery selection system. Spaces are extremely limited and are mostly allocated through major charities and UK athletics clubs. This is the first time for both Castro and Philippine Generations to be involved in one of the world’s biggest charity events.

Williams, who is thrilled with the opportunity, is urging Filipinos to support the run: “To have those Filipino flags around the track when Michael is running would be inspirational.”

The 2011 Virgin London Marathon will take place on April 17, starting from Blackheath in the Southeast to Pall Mall near the Buckingham Palace.

Thousands of runners from around the world will run approximately 25 miles to raise funds for hundreds of charities supporting a myriad of causes.

Sponsor Michael here!

For more information, visit www.philippinegenerations.org.

Sponsored by :

Supported by

Philippine Generations sharing the Filipino cuisine @UKTV Food Channel

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:41:00 +0000

Filipino Language Course 18+

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:39:00 +0000

From16th March to 31st May
6:45pm - 8:45pm

10 Weeks language classes for adult 18 and over. This class is suitable for beginners and those who know a little Filipino but want to practice what they know. Just like our pinot classes last year this will be a conversational class and an interactive class.

Below are the dates to the classes, the topics will follow shortlt.

Week 1 - 16th March
Week 2 - 22nd March
Week 3 - 27th March
Week 4 - 5th April
Week 5 - 12th April
Week 6 - 3rd May
Week 7 - 10th May
Week 8 - 17th May
Week 9 - 24th May
Week 10 - 31st May

Fee: £120 for the 10 weeks OR £15 a week

Seven Dials Club
Covent Garden Community Centre
42 Earlham Street
London
WC2 9LA

ENROL NOW!

Ticking all the Right Boxes: British-Filipinos and the 2011 UK Census

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:25:00 +0000

Written By Mark Corbyn

The UK 2011 national census is fast-approaching, with Census Day being 27^th March. So expect a questionnaire to pop through the post sometime soon – but don't be scared! Yes, there are a lot of questions, and yes, there is a fine if you don't complete it, but this year's census could not be more convenient – and more vital – to complete.

What is the Census?

The census happens every ten years, and in the UK has been running since 1801, making it one of the longest-running regular censuses in the world.

It is the government's way of knowing about its citizens – how many they are, who they are, and what they are. Census information is used to shape economic and social policy at national and local government levels, ensuring that it is targeted at the right people in the right places.

Why do they want to know my ethnicity?

Understanding ethnic populations allows for local and national government to know where those communities are situated, and to wise up to the specific crime, employment, health, education and other issues that each population faces in those locations. An immediate example of this is to see into which languages local councils choose to translate their documents. Lambeth offers Portuguese translation services because of its large Portuguese community; does your council do the same for its local Filipino community? If they don't, is it because they don't know that your community exists?

Why has this been a problem for Filipinos before?

The main problem is that the UK government has been a little old-fashioned in how it categorises ethnicities for census purposes – specifically, "Asian or Asian British" was a different category from "Chinese & Other", as Asian has traditionally been understood as meaning being from the Indian subcontinent. If the Chinese don't count as Asian, where do Filipinos stand?

Unsurprisingly, two-thirds of UK Filipinos in 2001 identified themselves as "Asian Other", with the rest choosing "Any Other Ethnicity". This inconsistency makes it difficult to create appropriate policies that affect the Filipino community, and only serves to make the position of the community vaguer in British society.

Thankfully, the government has come to its senses, and for the 2011 census, Chinese and other Asians are now counted as "Asian/Asian British". Hopefully this will reduce any confusion when filling in the census!

Why is it important for Filipinos to complete the Census?

If you do not want to be fined up to £1000, be prosecuted and possibly end up in jail, then it's best if you complete the census!

Of main importance for Filipinos in the UK is the ethnicity question. It is here that we can make the government understand the true strength, spread and presence of the Filipino community – and in turn raise the profile of the community so that it receives the right political, social and economic attention that it deserves.

One could argue the case that the Filipino population is perhaps more transient than other ethnicities and may return to the Philippines one day, but all the same there are significant numbers of us who are just as keen to establish the UK as our home, and to make our own impact on society here. In that sense, we want our position in society officially recognised by the government.

In 2010, the USA added 'Filipino' as a separate ethnic category to its census questions – just imagine if one day we could get the same recognition here in the UK! The Chinese, and for this census even the Arabs, have their own ethnic categories – so why not Filipinos too? The last official estimate (2009) from the Office for National Statistics was that there were 112,000 people in the UK who were born in the Philippines – the 15^th highest foreign country of birth – higher even than China.

So what should be done for the 2011 Census?

Below is a preview of what the ethnicity question will look like. Where do you think Filipino fits in best? We feel that "Any other Asian background, write in", under "C Asian/Asian British" is best. Be sure to write in Filipino, so that you are not just like any other Asian! The same applies for those of us who have mixed ethnic backgrounds – specifying that you are English-Filipino, for example, can only be good for clarifying our position.

Source: Final recommended questions for the 2011 Census in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics, Oct. 2009

How do you complete the 2011 Census?

The usual way is to complete the questionnaires that are posted to every single household. However, 2011 is the first year that you can complete the census online. How convenient can that get?

Just remember, 27^th March is Census Day. You must submit your census questionnaire, by post or online, either before, on, or just after that date – otherwise the government will send representatives to ask you these questions on your doorsteps. And whilst those representatives may be nice people, I for one am not so keen to speak to a random stranger, face-to-face, about my personal information!

British Filipinos in the UK

The 2011 Census is but one way that we can raise our profile, and ensure that our community is recognised and treated accordingly. It is therefore important that Filipinos complete the 2011 Census. When combined with other civic and community-building initiatives, who knows where this step may take us in the future?

http://2011.census.gov.uk/en/index.php

Michael Castro runs the London Marathon for Philippine Generations

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:59:00 +0000

A very good friend of mine and supporter / regular volunteer for Philippine Generations, Michael Castro, is running the London Marathon to raise money for Philippine Generations.
This will help PhilGen to continue providing events and services in the future. Such as Filipino Language Classes, Parol Workshop, Philippine Cuisine, Football Tournamnet and many more!

He recently came over to our house for our usual movie night. Before we watched the film and after eating our customary take away food, we sat down on my red sofa and I interviewed him about it all. He seemed very excited about the questions and very keen to answer them:

Mae: What do you do for a living?

MC: I work for an IT outsourcing company.

Mae: So are you an IT Techician or IT Engineer?

MC: Either IT Engineer or IT technician, they're both the same

Mae: What Marathons have you already run?

MC: I did two half marathons last year, the biggest one was in Budapest, Hungary (it had no name but was sponsored by Nike) so maybe the Nike Budapest half marathon?! I also ran the 'Run to the beat' half marathon at the O2 in Greenwich, London.

Mae: How long did it take you to get to the finish line?

MC: Budapest I got 1h 45mins and at the O2 I got 1h 47mins!

Mae: Why did you sign up to run the London Marathon?

MC: Well I joined my company’s running club to keep fit and eventually was asked if I wanted to do a half marathon since I was covering distances up to 8 miles, of course I accepted.

I then got the bug for running and felt compelled to do a marathon as it is a great achievement and something that can be used to raise money for a great cause.

Mae: What inspired you to run a full marathon?

MC: Initially my inspiration came from the members of my running club who the majority are a lot older than me and have families.

I was surprised to learn that most of these people had run not just one marathon but several. I also draw a lot of inspiration from sporting greats like Manny Pacquaio, Paula Radcliffe and Haile Gebrselassie.

Mae: What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking up running?

MC: If they were to take up serious long distance running, then they should get a cardiac assessment from their local GP to see if their bodies are up to the physical demands. Also find a good running store like ‘The London Marathon Store’ in covent garden or some of the big brands like Nike and Adidas to find the right kit for you. Most of these stores can provide individual assessments to observe your running technique and see how they can best advise you.

Running with friends or members of a running club is vital as not only is it safer but it’s a lot more fun. So join a running club, either at work or through friends and start running. You can find groups of people who run in local areas online and you can also find route planners for your runs on websites like www.mapmyrun.com.

Mae: What was it like growing up as a Filipino in the UK? Negatives? Positives?

MC: Growing up as a mixed race Filipino, I’m half Spanish, in London was fun and also comfortable. Being the melting pot that it is, I was never really subject to any sort of discrimination or prejudice and grew up within a community that was accepting of me and provided me with a host of close friends from a variety of backgrounds. I wouldn't say there have been any negatives during my residence in the UK.

Mae: Have you been to the Philippines? What do you think of it?

MC: I have been to the Philippines many times as a young child back to the province Pampanga where my family are from.

I only have fond memories of my time spent there as my family really pull out the stops to entertain me whenever I come. I feel like a king over there and despite the obvious poverty that surrounds you, it is a beautiful country to visit.

Mae: Tell me about your hero/s or heroine/s? Any Filipinos in there?

MC: My real heroes are my parents for putting up with me for so long and being supportive of me through whatever decisions I have made in my life. Another hero would be Manny Pacquiao who has achieved legendary status by entering the boxing hall of fame, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for breaking multiple records in tennis.

Mae: Why did you pick Philippine Generations as your charitable cause of choice?

MC: I chose Philippine generations because not only are two of my closest friends the actual founders but for what it stands for, which to me is; Recognising Filipinos in the UK and highlight their status in the West so that we can receive the acknowledgement that we deserve. Which is one of the reasons why I am attempting the London Marathon as I am hoping to contribute to this ideology.

Mae: How much money would you like to raise?

MC: £1000 would be fantastic!

Mae: What would you like to do next after the marathon? Olympics? haha!

MC: I will continue to do half marathons as they are a lot easier to train for. Ideally I would love to be part of the New York and Japanese marathons and who knows maybe one day I may attempt an ultra marathon which can range in length from 36 miles up to 100 miles!

Mae: Finally Michael, what final words of advice would you give to Young Filipinos in our community?

MC: That’s difficult...You have to try and do the best you can, the worst thing is to not try. Also be proud of who you are and to not be afraid of being yourself.

After my questions, we watched 127 hours. A very good film about being determined and not giving up...a very good message for Michael Castro as he continues training to run the London Marathon for Philippine Generations!

For Sponsorship and Donations please contact info@philippinegenerations.org

Your help will enable Philippine Generations to continue our good work and we hope to see you at one of our events soon.
P.S If you would like to join us on the day of the Marathon (17th April 2001 from 9am) and cheer Micheal on Please contact us info@philippinegenerations.org

Maraming Salamat! Many thanks!

By Mae Williams

Edited by Adrian Williams

Online Ticketing for Help Michael raise £2000 for Philippine Generations by runinng the London Marathon 26 Miles powered by Eventbrite

Please support the Blue Peter Go Cardz appeal - buy your cards today!

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Philippine Generations is helping Whizz-kidz encourage more people to buy their christmas cards. It's for a very good cause and all proceeds come to Whizz-Kidz to fund Wheelchair Assessment Clinics around the UK where disabled children can get fitted for new wheelchairs. Our aim is to fund 100 clinics across the UK but we can’t do this without YOUR support!!

Colourful, glittery, funny, wacky, cute and completely unique....just some of the words we’d use to describe the amazing Christmas cards made by your School, Brownies or Scout group for the Blue Peter Go Cardz appeal. Thank you so much to everyone involved for taking part.

To date, we have only sold 5,000 out of 75,000 packs so we really need your help to make this appeal a success and support all the children who have made all these wonderful cards. If everyone on this list were to ask all the parents of the children involved to buy just ONE pack we would sell them all!

Cards are on sale now in selected Tesco Superstores and Extra stores nationwide at Customer Service and Direct Desks. Find them in the Blue Peter Go Cardz blue box:

Each pack contains two cards and two envelopes for £1.20.

For a full list of participating stores please click here

Please do share this information with as many people as possible schools and clubs. Thank you so much for your continued support.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Maligayang Pasko At Manigong Bagong Taon!

All the best,

Philippine Generations Team

A Filipino Connection

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:11:00 +0000

When I announced my plans to study in the Philippines to my parents, the shift of their instinctive feelings of concern to excitement took agonizingly longer than expected. A fortnight before my departure – this time right on cue – the parents began to pile on bizarre pearls of ‘wisdom’ that were effectively reminders about personal hygiene and social cues. Twenty years or so of exposure to such characteristically Filipino candidness coupled with my British idiosyncratic respect for more subtle propriety has prepared me for such curious and stressful times like ‘The Fortnight Before Departure’.

With my passport renewed and preparations ensuing, more and more of our family and friends began to find out that I was ‘going home’. I started reflecting on the word ‘balikbayan’ and while concentrating a little too hard on the roots of the word itself, I started to wonder how curious it was that I had casually slipped into this category. A quarter of my suitcase content of pasalubong could certainly identify me as balikbayan, but on this very special occasion, I think ‘pasalubong mule of dual nationality’ is a more accurate description.

According to its legal definition, balikbayan refers to a Filipino national who has lived and/or worked outside of the Philippines for at least one year. Regardless of whether or not one chooses to go through with naturalization later on in their host country, balikbayan is a permanent term which the Filipino is referred to as. It is ironic how the concept of permanence abroad defines the balikbayan when it simultaneously refers to the Philippines as the place and point of return. It was certainly confusing when more or less the same concept of ‘going to the Philippines’ for me suddenly became the same as ‘going home’ for my parents.

As legally termed spouse of the balikbayan (who are by definition not in their own rights balikbayan themselves), there is some sort of comfort in being an included extension to this increasingly growing global network of Filipinos. But the comfort is more of a sentiment that balikbayans – parents mainly – feel the most assured. If we take a closer look at the socio-cultural implications of the word, balikbayan is not a term that can be transferred to the generation that followed after. To transfer the meaning entirely would be like transferring the past onto the present, which in reality does not reflect our generation today. It is the differences in history and of time that we distinguished ourselves as the 2^nd Generation.

Who is included in this category of people? Apart from the ‘2^nd generation’, the balikbayans and the global Filipino diaspora in general continue to grow in age, number and diversity. The abstract concept of the generation that followed the balikbayans is not something that can be quantified. As those directing the aptly named Philippine Generations have been discussing: we need not agonize over the criteria that might help the individual define themselves as part of this ‘2^nd generation’. The concept does not intend to be exclusive nor alienating. The term should be understood and must be allowed to become looser in definition in order to incorporate the idea of the 2^nd generation as an ideological movement of an existing community of people.

When I thought about what going back to the Philippines meant for me and my parents, I was reminded that family has no geographical constraints. The 2^nd generation counts itself privileged to have a wealth of access to two or more cultures because of its familial connections, which in some cases can span across two or three continents. But learning to appreciate or even to recognize that we are an inherent part of a diverse and international network sprung from one nation is a gradual and sometimes difficult learning process. Some sadly may continue to be ignorant of their cultural wealth; particularly because we are nurtured and believe ourselves more ‘native’ to a nation our parents call their ‘host country’. The feeling of alienation is mutual on both generational sides.

From another perspective, it is also equally a challenge for some balikbayan parents to not get offended if their children do not immediately assume the Philippines as ‘home’. As some of you may have experienced, it is natural that both generations of different cultural eras experience moments of conflict like this with each other. An example of this between my parents and I culminates in this recurring humorous moment when both my parents exclaim in astonishment (yet again) that I behave too much like “an English person”. I am not afraid to say that I cannot apologize for the nature and location of my own upbringing.

The point is that we – the generation that followed - have the choice to nurture our Filipino cultural connection and have two ‘homes’ if we wanted. Nationality may be given by default i.e. my own being British-Filipino through place of birth and ancestry, but cultural heritage can never be just given. The ideas and traditions that we embody are borne, whether through our surrounding environment or by choice, over time and not just involuntarily inherited.

In the past couple of invested years of travelling and studying languages, I have learned that to appreciate any cultural heritage, we have to allow new ideas we come in contact with to permeate and change our preconceptions. Not just for learning’s sake or for a sense of immersion, but also to really imagine that we are part of an evolution of ideas about people and culture that we can engage in – a cultural revolution that we can truly affect. In the month that I have spent here in the Philippines, I can confidently say that at the very least, it is worth the fun exploring our Filipino culture.

By Kat Cruz

Kat Cruz is currently enrolled for one semester at the University of the Philippines (Diliman) on Philippine Studies program, she is also a PG volunteer and dedicate some of her time to write for Philippine Generations.

Blue Peter Campaign: Whizz-Kidz Christmas Cards

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Last Saturday we volunteered some time for Whizz-Kidz, a childrens disability charity. For their Blue Peter campaign, they have asked children all over the UK to make Christmas cards to be sold in Tesco. This will help raise funds to put up more centres helping children get the wheelchairs they need and lead happier and more independent lives.

The PG (Philippine Generations) volunteers arrived at the venue geared up to start packing the Christmas cards, the morning started with an induction about the cards and health & safety instructions. The girls sat down at their designated table, they packed about 400 cards between them. Not bad for a mornings work! The girls giggled, chatted, tweeted and took lots of photos. It turned out to be a great morning for the girls.

The deadline for the cards is 20 october, so the cards are pouring in. Whizz-Kidz needs our help to pack and sort the cards. If anyone has any time they can spare, please contact us and we'll arrange for this. The fulfillment centre is in One warwick row, victoria. They are open from 9-6pm 7 days a week, but on special days, they are open til 9pm. This evening shift will work best for people who work. Timings are:

Tuesday 26th Oct 6-9pm
Wednesday 27th Oct 6-9pm
Thursday 28th Oct 6-9pm
Monday 1st Nov 6-9pm
Tuesday 2nd Nov 6-9pm
Wednesday 3rd Nov 6-9pm

PAROL workshop: traditional Philippine Christmas lantern

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:36:00 +0000

Join us in making traditional Christmas lanterns! This year will be our second year running and is proudly funded by Westminster Small Grants. In the Filipino language, a Christmas lantern is a ‘parol’. There is no greater symbol of the Filipino Christmas spirit than the parol, it is our Christmas tree. Throughout the Christmas season, star-shaped lanterns can be found hanging outside homes and along the streets of cities and small provincial towns, farms and fishing villages. For Filipinos, making a parol, decorating one and lighting a parol is an expression of shared faith and hope. We would like to share this beautiful art with everyone this Christmas.

Register your interest here!

PFC: A New Chapter

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:54:00 +0000

Greetings everyone,

I'm Edward from Philippine Generations. I'm part of the management committee and I have been involved with the group for quite some time.

I am also a football fan and I've been following the progress of the first Filipino football team in the UK since it was set up around two years ago. The team, which Philippine Generations helped to form, was originally called Philippine United Football Club, or PUFC.

The club experienced its maiden campaign last season after entering the 2^nd Division of the West Hertfordshire League. PUFC exceeded expectations and along the way to finishing second in the league to qualify for Division 1, they thrashed some teams by up to seven goals.

Due to unforeseen circumstances during pre-season, the team was renamed Philippine Football Club, or PFC, after the club's founder Leo Jensen stepped down.

Norm Parkin, the Head Coach of PFC, recently guided his side to a 7-4 victory over South American opposition Chile F.C. It was the club's final warm-up game before the start of their second season in competitive football, which kicks off on Saturday the 5^th of September. If you would like to know more about what happened in the game, please have a read of Norm's match report below.

PHILIPPINE F. C. SHINE WITH A FINE VICTORY OVER CHILE F.C.

28/08/2010

On Saturday the 28^th of August, Philippine F.C. entertained South American side Chile F.C. in the team's final pre-season friendly before the start of the new season. It was a cracking and hard fought game, which we eventually won 7-4.

We started with flowing football and opened the scoring within the first five minutes of the game when Ben Tolete struck from close range.

Not long after, we found the net again when Jason Arroyo cut inside and steered his shot past their advancing keeper to make it 2-0.

We were well on top of things at this stage and it was inevitable that we would score again. This time the goal came from Michael Cepillo, who slotted the ball home with little effort, making the scoreline 3-0.

As you can imagine, with a lead of three goals in the space of 25 minutes we were coasting, but then the unthinkable happened.

From bad defensive work we let Chile pull a goal back to make the score 3-1. Then a few minutes later, after another slip-up, Chile scored their second goal to make it 3-2.

Chile started to believe in themselves and with their confidence growing by the minute the shoe was now well and truly on the other foot.

It was only a matter of time before they got the equalizer, and what a stunner it was, arriving 5 minutes before half-time.

For the PFC fans who know me, you won't be surprised to find out that my guys got a half-time roasting from me, but it seemed to work as usual. As soon as the second half started we started to play the good stuff that we are noted for.

Even though we were playing well, Chile scored again against the run of play to take the lead for the first time, making the score 3-4.

I was not worried because I knew that if we kept playing the way we were, I was sure of a good outcome and I wasn't wrong.

We stepped up a gear and our equalizer came a few minutes later, with a tap-in from Aniello Mone, who made it 4-4.

Another followed with an effort from Jason Arroyo, who smashed in his second goal of the day to put us back in front 5-4.

The Chile team started to tire and Ben Tolete took full advantage of the situation, slotting home his second, making it 6-4.

By this time there was only one team in it. To cap a sound performance Michael Cepillo bagged his second goal, making the final score to 7-4.

It was a very good victory, which I admit was a little uneasy at times to say the least. The South Americans had some very skilful players and they really gave us a good work out before we start the new season next Saturday.

It was nice to see that three players all scored a brace each, and even though a few of our players were missing, on the whole, the team put in a very good performance.

Man of the Match this week went to Jesse Arroyo, who was prominent in both halves. He used his pace, tenacity and aggressive (never say die) attitude to devastating effect.

Remember our season starts next week so tune in for the next report and keep the faith all you PFC fans.

Yours in Football,

Norm Parkin

PFC Head Coach / Team Manager

West Hertfordshire League Division 2 games will take place every Saturday, starting at 2pm. Their first game of the season is this coming Saturday and they are playing at Home. If you would like to watch the team play, their ground is located in Watford. The address is: Queen's School, Aldenham Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 2TY.

Keep an eye out here for future Philippine Football Club match reports. More details on the upcoming fixtures will also follow. If you would to know more information send an email to: ed.l@philippinegenerations.org

PFC also has its own Facebook page, which you can follow here: http://tinyurl.com/34myflk

Yours sincerely,

2009-2010 PUFC Team Photo

(Top row) from left to right: Raymond Tordecilla, Garey Reyes, Jeff Burgin, Michael Cepillo, Engelbert Cepillo, Keith Townsend, Ryan Suyat, Brian Buazon, Aniello Mone, Marco Ordona, (Bottom row) Leo Jensen [Founder], Steve Conroy [Assistant Coach], AJ Low, Jesse Arroyo, Norm Parkin [Head Coach], Renee Banao, Oliver Liyanage, Leo de la Cruz

Barrio Fiesta in the UK

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:21:00 +0000

The ‘Barrio Fiesta’ is something everybody looks forward to. It means literally ‘neighbourhood-party’ and is something that happens in every town and area in the Philippines. Outside of the Philippines it is a chance for Filipinos to celebrate Philippine culture, find out more information about Filipino TV, music, food, property, balikbayan boxes, remittance, etc, find out what Filipino businesses exist in the community and catch up with old friends. The biggest date for many in the UK Filipino community is the Barrio Fiesta sa London. It is in its 26^th year and is managed by the Philippine Centre and held in Lampton Park, Hounslow. It is by far the biggest gathering of Filipinos you will see outside of the Middle East, United States and of course, the Philippines.

When I was a child I used to travel to the many Barrio Fiestas with the Rondalya as my mother played the bamboo instrument and made some of the outfits and I played the maracas. I also remember acting as chaperone for many little Miss Philippines pageants during the Fiestas. It was all fun, the atmosphere, the food and the fact I saw so many brown people like me! This had a massive affect on me personally as during the Barrio Fiesta, I did not feel out of place. As I got older and going to Barrio Fiesta became more of a social activity, the feeling of excitement was a little lost. As a teenager I had very little interest in the artists flown over to sing for me, the food was always so expensive it was always a good idea to bring some baon and many of the exhibitors and stalls advertised crates and boxes, house and lots, apartments, remittances and phone cards; all things I didn’t need and I was not interested in. The highlight for me were, sticks of barbecue, Halo Halo, who I would see that I already knew, the girls I didn’t already know and the funfair, which is where everything happened. For many, little has changed.

On a much broader note, when I was younger even the community was different. I remember my mother would meet a Filipino lady on the bus and the next day she’d be in our house eating as if she was family! I remember being excited when I met new Filipinos, so many times my mother would start a conversation with another Filipino and then make me talk to their child. I remember seeing an older Filipino gentleman on the bus everyday on my way to school as a child along Sloane Street, I’d say hello as that was what I was taught to do and now as a man, I see this gentleman at Filipino events as like me, he is involved in the community. This was how the community was built. Now I see a young Filipino in the street and they give me a bad look as if I’m somehow offending them. Perhaps it’s because there are so many Filipinos in the UK, the novelty of meeting a Filipino is lost?

Many of my generation comment that Barrio Fiesta is no longer relevant. Gone is the community building and celebration, instead it is all about selling cable TV, property back home, crates and boxes to fill the home you’ve bought, telecommunication to speak to those looking after the home and tour operators who will fly you to your new home. Unfortunately, the biggest issue is the cost of food. This is something that is inevitable, the cost of holding an event as large as this is massive! This passes onto the stall holders who pay for a stall and then onto us who buy food from the stall. I love sticks of barbecue, and so does my daughter. I spend at least an hour every year tracking done the best value stall…and it is different every year! It’s the same story with Halo Halo.

However the Barrio Fiesta is rightly positioned as important for the community, as it serves as a focal point for Filipino businesses and community groups. This year in 2010, rumours are that there is far greater community involvement and cohesion, which is long overdue. Granted the love teams will still be flying over, but this attracts the TFC viewers who watch regular Filipino TV. This year is ABS-CBN led, whereas last year was GMA. Ideally Barrio Fiesta would include all that is Filipino, not just one network but both, so ABS-CBN and GMA. Both networks have a raft of stars in the public interest. Personally Manny Pacquiao is one of few Filipinos I would pay to go and see / meet and he is GMA so would contractually not be able to come.

Now that I run Philippine Generations, Barrio Fiesta has a bit more meaning, it is a chance for us to meet many of the people who interact with us through our Facebook, website and twitter. It also enables us to meet new people who had no idea we existed and there are groups who listen to the children of Overseas Filipinos. The nature of Barrio Fiesta is that size is irrelevant, as long as a community is given a chance to celebrate. Over the years we have seen many smaller Barrio Fiestas serving small communities such as Mitcham, Bournemouth, Milton Keynes, Bradford, Dublin, Morden, Wales…the list could go on forever! I remember there used to be a Barrio Fiesta in Holland Park and in Philippine Village in Kent.

Although Barrio Fiesta has turned into something of a commercial machine, so has everything else in the world. So more should be done to support these smaller Barrio Fiestas as they should not be seen as competition. The more people getting involved in Filipino projects and talking about the Philippines, the more we as a people will be acknowledged and heard. This is why Philippine Generations does not try and compete with other Filipino groups and organisations, instead we try and work with them, as that is the true nature of Bayanihan that was taught to us by our parents and we in turn try and teach our children.

Whether you are a fan of Barrio Fiesta or not, Philippine Generations will be there on the 17^th / 18^th July in Lampton Park for the 26^th Barrio Fiesta so London.

By Adrian Williams

Philippine Independence Day World Cup 2010

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:48:00 +0000

Philippine Independence Day 2010

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:51:00 +0000

Every year people in the UK mark up dates in their Calendar, I do the same. For many, first it’s Birthdays, then Easter and Christmas, then Bank holidays, next it’s events and occasions such as Valentines, Mother’s/Father’s Day, Chinese New Year, St Patrick’s Day, Notting Hill Carnival, Glastonbury, Bonfire Night, we could go on! Yet very few people I know ever mark up or even ask what’s happening for Philippine Independence Day. Why is that?

Perhaps Independence as a concept is lost on generations brought up in relative peaceful democracy, especially if born abroad. Maybe it is because many still feel oppressed or have little faith in the government. In many countries all over the world the same experiences and circumstances ring true; an aggressive and oppressive colonial master grants Independence after an often bloody war, then follows a period of implosion, where other nations may try and take over or the country itself fails socially and politically, before a dictator seizes power and imposes martial law and is then driven out by a peaceful modernizing liberator. What then? For me, as a young British Filipino, I am very proud of our Independence from Spain, however I am less proud of the American occupation and the eventual descent of the country financially, politically and socially. Were we actually free when the Spanish signed us over to the Americans? Were we in a better situation when the Americans finally granted us true Independence in 1946? Has the agenda of those in power been anything other than obtaining more money for themselves and their families? There are so many questions, so many reasons why Independence as a concept has been dampened after over 250 years of Spanish Colonialism and it’s sad.

The dampened effect could also be because Philippine Independence Day was changed from 4^th July to 12^th June, by former President, Diosdado Macapagal (father of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo). The timing was a direct response to the American administration’s rejection of the $73m additional war payment bill for the Philippines. The decision had already been made on the grounds of 4^th of July was already too big a day for Americans and so any state celebration or dinners would not be attended as people would instead go the American celebration! Another reason offered is the lack of Inspiration the date would offer in contrast to the day when General Aguinaldo stood on that balcony in Cavite waving the new flag of the Philippines.

It is this idea of inspiration that we should concentrate on. I believe we have lost this feeling of inspiration and pride, Philippine Independence Day should serve as a day for us to believe in ourselves, to believe we are equal to anyone, to break down the perceived barriers that stop us from achieving. We should feel inspired to do something on Independence Day, to not only remember how many people fought and died for us but also to celebrate that we are a nation in our own right. Many other cultural celebrations are open to and celebrated by all. Why do Filipinos in the UK still market everything we do to ourselves?

Independence still means something today, to remember that we were a thriving people before Spanish rule is important, to know that we can travel the world, live, work and integrate freely is important to know we still have our own languages is very important. How many other Spanish colonies can boast that? The will and determination to be recognized as equals is what drives many causes and it has driven the Philippines forward, however the culture of working abroad, sending money home and ‘not causing any trouble’ is not what the country should be focusing on. The inspiration and drive would come from encouraging the younger generations of Filipinos in the Philippines to remain in the country and drive it forward. Instead, many are training for a life in another country so they can send money home to family and send a relative to college. This does not imply that we are free and independent, it is a difficult situation and one that must be addressed, otherwise the ratio of dependents in the Philippines to workers will be skewed in the wrong direction. Over 10% of the country is abroad working, this leaves a dependency figure of at least another 10% of the country not working as they are expecting money to be sent to them, that means 20% of the population are not working in the country. This may not even include those out of work or children, not very inspiring numbers.

Either way, which ever country Filipinos reside the acknowledgement of our own culture still remains through food, music, cable TV, barrio fiestas and more importantly the community! This is the biggest success story of OFWs. As a child of a migrant worker I am thankful my mother came to the UK, my life is vastly different to what she experienced, likewise my daughter’s life will be vastly different to the one I experienced, it is this progression that is inevitable. What we must maintain though is the celebration of the reason we are all here today…Philippine Independence day.

Philippine Generations are holding an event open to all on Saturday, 12^th June 2010 at Paddington Recreation Ground in Central London. It is the first ever Philippine Independence Day World Cup, with 16 teams and over 80 players competing to be crowned Champion. Each team is named after a place in the Philippines and must contain at least one Filipino. It is free to come and support & watch, if you want to play there is a small charge to cover costs. What this does mean however, is that this is one of the first sporting events in the Filipino community that is truly open to all! How inspiring will it be to see people of all races playing the world’s number one sport under the Philippine flag and in the name of Philippine Independence?!

To find out more about the event, please contact info@philippinegenerations.org or visit www.philippinegenerations.org.

By Adrian Williams

Philippine Typhoon Few Months On...

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:50:00 +0000

On September 26^th, 2009 Filipinos abroad were shocked to hear the news about the typhoon that hit the Philippines and left the capital city submerged in water. A month’s worth of rain fell in a space of 12 hours causing the worst flooding in the city in 40 years. Typhoon Ondoy internationally known as Ketsana left the Philippines devastated, killing 246 people and left hundreds more missing.

The next day rescue teams continued to save people, Despite the ensuing carnage there were footage of people on top of their roofs waving yet still smiling. Children posed to the camera, adults waving as the camera panned the scene and the people looked in high spirits even in the worst of times.

A few days after the tragic ordeal, the aftermath was horrifying. People and businesses’ belongings were either swept away or rotten by the wet conditions. Merely a week after Ondoy, another typhoon hit the Philippines although missing Metro Manila, Pepeng also known as Parma hit Northen Luzon in places like Benguet, Isabela and Pangasinan causing massive floods, landslides and strong winds that affected hundreds of families. The strong winds uprooted the trees, left the surrounding areas in chaos and left some families with no homes, many buried under the soil.

After hearing the news about typhoon Ondoy relatives abroad worry stricken relatives abroad attempted to contact their loved ones. Organisations, Companies and Individuals around the world including us here in the UK were thinking of how they can help back home. Should we send our old clothes? Some tinned food? or simply donate money online? These were our initial thoughts while hearing the terrible news.

A few days after the event, an invitation for an emergency meeting at the Philippine Embassy in London was sent to all community group leaders and individuals interested in helping with the relief operations. Different groups were giving different ideas on how money could be raised, collections of item donations, concerts, parties and the like. Everyone wanted to help and wanted to do something. A follow up meeting was held, and while it was clear that although there was will, there was little unity. As a result, many organized “knee-jerk” events on their own, impatient to find out the true situation. Ultimately, little thought was given to what was to be done with any monies or donations raised.

There was some collaboration after that meeting but not to the extent there should have been. Is this the time to be divided? This emergency situation should bring us Pinoy together. ‘Bayanihan’ they call it back home, when someone from the village is moving location, the villagers would come together to physically move the house using two long bamboo lifting the whole house together to the new location. Back home they called the typhoons the event to that brought back Bayanihan, yet the initial meetings of the community here in the UK was frustrating.

Philippine Generations gathered all its resources and arranged a series of fundraising events for the victims of the typhoons. After so many phone calls and emails within the PG team, we decided to do two fundraiser events. The first fundraiser in October was the ‘PG Charity Golf Day’ this was headed by David Garidan, Vice Chairman of Philippine Generations and Janette Dalay-Robertson, PG Administrative Officer. They organized a golf tournament to raise money for the victims of Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepng (Parma). In a matter of one week they put together a tournament of over 20 players for the day, some guests and supporters including Deputy Chief of Mission Reynaldo Catapang of the Philippine Embassy, Manny Guzman Consul and attaché assigned to the second generation and Gen Ashley editor of OnePhilippines. After the tournament, the players and supporters stopped at the clubhouse where David announced the winner of the tournament, Richard Edgar who received a small gift from the team. It was a fantastic day and even the sun actually to turned up for the day!

The second fundraiser in November 2009 was the ‘Guanabana Charity Gig’, this was headed by Malcolm Conlan, PG Community Liaison. This event was a combination of efforts from the PG team & volunteers, Guanabana staff & Omar Shah (Guanabana Proprietor) who kindly donated some food, as well as the Artists who performed on the night. Including Ima Castro, Junix Inocian, Mark Villarosa, The Shaydz, Lirikong Supremo, Clencha, Jhay, Charisma, Carlos Mapano, Lester & Nicole, Trucolorz, the brilliant security team who also volunteered and our hosts Ligaya & Rhona, our DJ on the night DJ Carlos and of course the PG team. On the night we auctioned donated items including 2 tickets to any concert in Wembley stadium, signed pictures of Mayleen Klass, PG T-shirts signed by the pound for pound number one boxer in the world Manny Pacquiao. We also had an appearance from ex-Sugababe, Mutya Buena who also donated a limited edition book with CD which was auctioned off in the evening.

Six months on many might have forgotten the tragedy our country went through, many lives were taken, some left with nothing and some barely survived the trauma it caused. Someone would wonder how a country so devastated could ever stand up again. Questions include: What happen to the people badly affected by the typhoon? Did they manage to start again? You might be surprised to hear but they have! In time of crisis and disaster Filipinos always find a way to smile about it and also move on and get on with their lives. Start rebuilding and continue living. Political and governmental issues, problems with rations and donations not being distributed, Pinoys still continued to smile.

I went back in February 2010 and was so surprised at how people had moved on and that it looks like nothing had happened. There are obvious damages if you look hard enough but it seems the people just pass it all by and get on with their everyday lives. While I was there I didn’t hear anybody even talk about it, maybe it was too tragic and people preferred not to mention it?!?

Philippine Generations continually vetted NGOs in the Philippines involved in grassroots work to help the typhoon victims. We finally identified two which were doing an amazing job. The money raised was donated to AKAP-Pinoy ‘Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy’ (Alliance of People with Disabilities), an umbrella organization for People With Disabilities (PWD) and the Philippine Community Fund (PCF), a UK based charity recently awarded an accolade by the Queen for helping Pinoys out of poverty.

After the typhoons, there was plenty of donated food and clothes, but there were many still living in tents and evacuation centres. The fund that Philippine Generations raised went to rebuilding and repairs. We believed a targeted approach bypassing government agency/company or big charities like Red Cross and Oxfam, insured the money raised would go straight into helping the most in need. Hence, we searched for NGO (Non-Government Organisation) groups in the Philippines. Luckily we were in contact with VSO UK (Voluntary Service Overseas) who had a counterpart in the Philippines, VSO Bahaginan.

My recent trip, was sponsored by VSO UK, not only cemented our new project partnership with them but gave me and my colleague Sam Jennings, PG Project Manager, a chance to visit these NGO’s with the help of VSO Baganinan. We met the President of AKAP-Pinoy Navy Capt. Oscar Taleon, a PWD himself and his good wife who assisted with his everyday tasks as he is blind. They took us to the centre of MPK ‘Munting Pamayanan ng May Kapansanan’ (Small Community of People with Disability), a group under AKAP-Pinoy.

MPK has a centre for blind people, It is unfinished; the first floor was left open after the global exchange volunteers came to build the building. Surrounding the centre is a community of families who have a family member that is blind. They also have a nursery attached to the center. The main uses of the centre are for group functions, meetings, events, they do feeding programmes for children and pregnant women and a school for blind children. We were introduced to the President of the group who is also blind. They are very happy that we donated some money to them. They have been raising money to finish the building, when the typhoon hit the Philippines their village, Manggahan Pasig were one of the villages that was badly affected. Many of the blind families went to the centre to shelter and to get to higher ground. They went to the first floor, the stairs were unstable and there were no banisters on the stairs or the top floor. Due to the flooding from the typhoon the whole electrical circuit of the building was damaged beyond repair, they need to redo & replace the whole circuit. They also need to examine the whole building as it was left submerged in water for days, there were some cracks in the building and ceiling. They lost lots of equipment, particularly music equipment and brail books due to water damage. The group plays music at events like wedding, corporate events and birthdays as a way to earn a living.

After our visit to their center and meeting all the people involved, I was inspired to do more and to spread the word about them. PWD’s in the Philippines need lots of help, the government do not acknowledge them enough, the education system for people with disabilities is almost nonexistent. The money we donated will go towards replacing and repairing the electric circuits in the building, they currently do not have electric. This will help them ease the after effects of the typhoon. It might not help them finish the building but they will have small luxuries such as electric fans, TV or Radio, a fridge in the kitchen and other amenities that require electricity.

PFC (Philippine Community Fund) is a charity based in UK and in the Philippines. Lynie Pispisano, PCF Project Coordinator showed as around Smokey Mountain. It was also badly hit by Ondoy, because the houses are poorly built it was easily ravaged by the flood. The money donated to them will be spent on building 6 houses in Manila and Baguio. We visited one of the families in line for rebuilding their house. We couldn’t find her at first but eventually we found her busy volunteering in the area, feeding children and pregnant women. I know what you might think, Smokey again?!? Surely there are other NGO’s who are doing something to help the victims of typhoon. I’m sure there are, we wanted the money to go to an established organization and we were assured that the money will be spent on the people affected by the typhoon. Seeing their state of living can be overwhelming, giving 6 families a stable home will enhance their way of living. As we all know that these people are living in extreme poverty and the money we donated to 6 families will be greatly appreciated. Both organizations will continually send us updates, pictures & financial reports for continuity.

Unfortunately the typhoon couldn’t choose who its victims would be or where, it just happens that the Philippines is in Western Pacific Ocean where cyclones are usually formed in Asia. The country encounters at least 20 typhoons each year. In a way they are already immune to flooding but Ondoy and Pepeng really stood out because of the amount of rain, ferocity and how the second typhoon formed so quickly after the first.

On behalf of the PG team, I want to thank everyone who supported the fundraisers for the victims of Ondoy and Pepeng. We appreciate all the hard work and effort of the whole team and our supporters. We wanted the money raised for the typhoon to go to the right people. Your donations are in good hands and will be spent on the people who were affected by the disaster and who truly needed it. For more information about the donations and pictures please visit our website www.philippinegenerations.org

Future events:

Philippine Independence Day World Cup

COMMUNITY DEBATE UK Elections: Diaspora Connections? How your vote can help folks back home.

For more information please email us on info@philippinegenerations.org.

What the Philippines needs is...

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:29:00 +0000

What answer can you possibly provide to a question that has more often than not been answered with more than just a term of office or a business deal in mind?

The Philippines is a country with more people than Australia, the Netherlands and South Korea put together. Yet with all of these people, a third are under 15, that is almost 26m children, that is 6m more people than in the whole of Australia and 10m more than in the Netherlands. What can we do with all these children?

To quote a cheesy line from a cheesy song… “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way…” Are we doing enough with the children back home? Are we just simply getting them through the education system or are we building the hopes, dreams and ambitions of these children? It is a fact that we have an excellent adult literacy rate and a population with an above average grasp of the global language, English. However, is that still the case? Are these truths created by a system designed to get workers to go abroad and send money home? Or to get Foreign companies to use Filipino call-centres? Has the focus now switched to getting Filipinos jobs in the Philippines? Where does the Filipino child stand in a country with 170 languages?

There is a movement in the Philippines which follows the MLE or Multilingual Education model which sets out that the mother tongue of children should be used in the classroom to facilitate their learning, development and grasp of communicating knowledge. This of course is difficult when there are 21.5m Tagalog speakers, 18.5m Cebuano speakers, 7.7m Ilokano speakers and 9 other languages with over 1m speakers. There has always been confusion on formal language in the Philippines, which is why you often hear ‘Taglish’ on Filipino TV and in the malls and boardrooms of the country’s major cities.

The 1987 constitution states the national language as Filipino, including its evolution as it is developed and enriched by existing Philippine and other languages. Yet in the next section it states ‘For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English.’ No wonder ‘Taglish is now the language of choice by many of the Filipino ‘elite’ and ‘Teleseryes’.

This is where it gets complicated, should policy be driven regionally or nationally? This is a question that needs a more informed and astute head than mine. What I do know is if children in the Philippines are being taught that escaping to work abroad or working for a foreign company is the goal then we are not doing the children justice. And what of the children born outside the Philippines? Five children of Filipino origin are born in the UK a day, what is in place for their Filipino experience?

An idea that has been tabled by many people across many continents that will provide more opportunities for both parties is of relocation, repatriation and exchange. By providing a support system for those of Filipino origin to learn the national language, learn Philippine history, get jobs, homes, schooling for their children in the Philippines then we will see a greater difference to our country. Unlike Israel, India and South Korea, Filipinos born abroad do not go back to make a life or make a difference, seeing family, shopping and hot weather is often the only reason people ‘go back home’. If ‘going back home’ actually meant something more permanent, then the level of skills, knowledge, experience and investment in the Philippines would surely increase. It is no secret that foreign investment in the Philippines today is actually lower than the level before the current administration came into power.

One thing the Philippines can do is make it easier for ‘Foreigners’ to own property, land and businesses in the Philippines. This extends to repatriating the many children of migrant workers and offering more active educational and professional exchange programmes.

Another issue commented on by many tourists and bakilbayans, is the state of the country’s infrastructure. The national roads are good in places, you can travel freely and a lot of investment has gone into this area, however it is not enough. I once asked the mayor of a town why he doesn’t fix the roads (the pot holes and cracks meant even tricycles had to swerve around each other, delaying journey times and making for a less than comfortable ride) he replied by simply rubbing his thumb and fore finger together. Local investment is often not there.

So how can we make a difference from here in the UK? Does all this actually affect me and my family? These are the questions people often ask me. Well the most important thing is that we should care what happens in the Philippines. As a second generation Filipino, policy and government do affect me here, my family there and most importantly when I go back home. These affects are both direct and indirect, from legislation defining what I can do in the country to legislation that affects the image of a country that I represent in my day to day life.

We are at a point where the Philippines is in need of inspiration, the current Presidential battle of dynastic savior and proponent of the anti-corruption campaign, Nonoy Aquino and supreme capitalist with a rags to riches story, billionaire Senator Manny Villar may provide a spark, however it does have a strange feeling of familiarity about it all that is less than inspiring.

The biggest way we can help the Philippines in improving education, infrastructure and development socially and economically is by registering to vote, then using that vote. Also, if the appetite is there, find out how easy it is to relocate to the Philippines, what you can do at a very local level or on a much larger scale. This could include volunteering in the Philippines or helping your family with their own business. Another option would be to take a bigger interest in the country and what is happening, the more you know, the easier you can identify problems and explain possible solutions.

Ultimately, it is down to the future Government to put in place a clearly defined programme of how to engage with those of Filipino origin or the diaspora, a term used here in the UK.

At Philippine Generations we have a pilot Filipino language scheme running for four consecutive weekends in March, we have also partnered with VSO (Volunteering Services Overseas), to offer support and opportunities to those who want to volunteer in the Philippines. As I write, money that we raised last year is being presented in the Philippines to two organizations, one building houses in Manila and Baguio for those affected by the Typhoons of last year and one rebuilding a centre used by PWDs (people with disabilities) that was badly flooded. Aside from these very direct ways of connecting the community here with the Philippines, we have many smaller projects that are constantly happening.

The future of our community is down to our communication, the Typhoons last year brought back the spirit of Bayanihan and with every young Filipino I meet these days, the interest levels, passion and pride is at an all time high. What a great positive sign for my children…

By Adrian Williams

PG / VSO Volunteers Survey

info@philippinegenerations.org (Philippine Generations) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:50:00 +0000

Dear All,

As you may already know, PG has been in negotiations with the VSO (Volunteering Services Overseas) organisation for a good while now. We can finally confirm that we are partnering with their Diaspora programme. This means we are joining forces to bring those of Filipino origin and resident in the UK, to the Philippines in order to volunteer and share their skills and experiences.

The Philippines is in need of assistance in many areas, these might include business development projects, building projects or even social projects. This opportunity can enable Filipinos in the UK to go back home, reconnect with their culture and ultimately give something back.

Volunteering is an ideal way to build the kind of life experiences that you can use professionally as well as those that will stay with you personally forever.

In order for us to get started in providing access to this kind of opportunity for the community we need to gauge the level of interest, skills and capacity of you, the Filipino community. We will be doing this with a survey designed with you in mind.

Those who take part will automatically be entered into a prize draw for a voucher which entitles you to £20 off a dining experience at our favourite restaurant, Guanabana, in Camden!

To take part in the survey in association with VSO, please click on the link below:

PG/ VSO VOLUNTEERS SURVEY

(If the link above does not work, please use this link instead, http://tiny.cc/PGvolunteers)