Sections FilVets' Lobby Almageddon--the Filipino Fireworks Lighting Up the Sky from Fourth of July, All Summer Long
| Almageddon--the Filipino Fireworks Lighting Up the Sky from Fourth of July, All Summer Long |
Part V of the FilVets' Lobby Series
Armageddon refers generally to end times or giant, apocalyptic catastrophes in various religions and cultures. It may also refer to any great loss of life in battle or use of weapons of mass destruction. Starting this Fourth of July, the "Almageddon" brand of Filipino fireworks will be heard all summer long from California to Rhode Island until the battle is won.
The final battle to end the culture of corruption in the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA) has begun. We call it the "Almageddon" because it is the fight for the soul (alma in Spanish) and heart not only of the NaFFAA members and the various chapter officers but also of all Filipino Americans. It is just a coincidence that the new NaFFAA national chairperson is named Alma Q. Kern. Ms. Alma is probably the most-honest person in the Filipino-American community who cannot force her fellow NaFFAA national executive officers (NEOs) to exercise honesty in the federation and comply with the tenets of the ATIC policies. ATIC, as I coined, is the acronym for Accountability, Transparency, Integrity and Credibility. The NaFFAA chairperson is like that primate that hears nothing, sees nothing and speaks nothing. So she does nothing even if some of the NaFFAA NEOs continue to refuse to provide financial reports about the events that they did for the federation.
It will also involve a lot of humor and satire. After all, this writer is following in the footsteps of his literary idol, the now-legendary Jessica Mitford. She said that "her writing might not change the world but at least it will embarrass the guilty."
And humor was employed heavily in all the stages of this ongoing conflict. The word war is now on its eighth year of verbal combat over the Internet, in e-newsgroups and even on Filipino-American hardcopy publications.
Who can forget the now-classic Rodel-Rodis jokes? Remember the incident when San Francisco police officers handcuffed Atty. Rodis for allegedly passing a bogus hundred-dollar bill at the Walgreens? Wags said that the greenback was genuine but it was dirty because it came from the NaFFAA treasury.
Just like the day when this writer came to the rescue of his Ateneo fraternity brother, Jose "Jay" Caedo. Perry Diaz not only was insulting Mr. Caedo, who is totally blind, but also his kin. Mr. Diaz even posted his most-unkind remark that Jay’s mother was a prostitute. That is how Mr. Diaz’s sense of decency has sunk that low. I rose in defense of Mr. Caedo. I was one of the few who berated Mr. Diaz for his abusive and foul language exhibited online. At that time, Mr. Diaz boasted to all his roots, saying that he is the "Great Ilocano," as he explained what the term "GI" meant.
I butted in the online debate between Perry Diaz and Jay Caedo. I said that perhaps Mr. Diaz meant the "Grated Ilocano." Yes, just like the coconut that has its meat grated and what is left is just the empty shell. There were so much guffaws and LOL-cries online that Mr. Diaz stopped calling himself the "GI," as everybody was dubbing him the "Grated Ilocano."
Then one day, Mr. Diaz called this writer "gay." I simply told Mr. Diaz to ask his wife about my manhood. He did not mention again his bias against the gay people in his "perrytales," to borrow the term of journalist Joseph Lariosa in describing the literary output of Mr. Diaz.
It appears that Perry Diaz is a bigot, for he hates the gay people. Proof? He has been saying in his postings that the Media Breakfast Club (MBC) of Los Angeles (that has an e-mail address of mediabcla@aol) is composed of gays because it uses the screen name, "mediabcla." Mr. Diaz has been making fun of the "mediabcla" because the Filipino term for gay is "bacla." He says that the MBC people merely dropped off the "a" in "bacla." Mr. Diaz must really hate that much the gay community.As I said in the series about the Filipino Veterans’ (FilVets’) Lobby, the present outreach campaign in the American Congress and corridors of power is the best opportunity to end this conflict with the NaFFAA NEOs. The Filipino-American community, especially the well-meaning NaFFAA members and regional officers, have to decide once and for all if it is worth letting the NaFFAA clowns and crooks represent Filipino Americans in Washington, DC, and in major cities in the United States.
So stay tuned in and this summer, you will be able to hear the Almageddon fireworks light up the sky from California to Rhode Island, where incidentally the NaFFAA chief operating officer, Doy Heredia, lives most of the time. # # #
Mr. Moderator:
Just two items for public notice:
1. Regarding the references to Mr. Cesar Torres, I have responded directly to him regarding his record at the Filipino American Council executive committee. If he avers that my statements were false, malicious, and/or libelous, then he is free to contest that in civil court. However, a very large group of senior constituents are also prepared to testify on my behalf who have suffered from the loss of funding for said agency, and who likewise will attest to the fact that he cursed them ( " P. I.....several times) from the podium of the Rockappulco over the microphone during an event which he asked our group to organize for Sen. Pimentel. Many of the seniors present are still alive and will speak up.The other issues will be attested to by witnessess as welll. We are fully prepared.
The issue is responsibility and accountability, and the fact that the succeeding board (membedrs) are having a difficult time trying to revive the agency. Fault , atonement and rectification thereon has not been rendered. DENIAL is not a river in Africa.
BTW, there was also a rather objectionable E-mail he wrote about the Philippine News which was rather widely spread. That is currently under legal review.
2. . Mr. Diaz in this, and other list serves openly, and publicly called me a child of a Pasay prostitute who was picked up in the trash. Likewise he also wrote an E-mail to a certain Dindo Genroso to " f_ck a Kangaroo" in Australia, and Mr. David Martinez in Los Angeles, whom he wrote " Okinam" over the list serve.
Mr. Denoga, it is rather hilarious that Mr. Diaz is now complaining to you of my " habit." Sanctimonious hypocrites really amaze me no end.
BTW, if I am not mistaken you have met my parents, as I have yours. Our fathers were both associate Medicare Commissioners under Dr.Pacifico Marcos, you will recall. As to my mother, that is likewise of public record.
Just let this ride lightly. I suspect they are just reacting to the fullness of the moon.
Jay
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 8:53 AM
Subject: Re: [NaFFAA_forum] Re: Perry re: "Exposing the Poseurs...." [Okay lang but w...
Hi Butch,
Since you addressed your message to me on the subject line, I assume that you're referring this message to me, alone. Isn't Bobby Reyes a member of this forum? If not, then I am not aware of that. However, I have been reading his postings in this forum lately and that is the reason why I posted my responses. Could you please clarify if Bobby is a member of this forum?
By the same token, you should address your message to Jay who has a habit of assassinating the character of some unnamed people but which he identified them by saying, for example, "That UP graduate with three degrees" or "that Filipino Republican leader from Sacramento." Of course, by such statement, that unnamed person is already known to some people. That is what you should monitor as moderator of this forum. But you allowed that to happen.
Same thing with Bobby. He has been attacking numerous people (too many) who are not members of this forum for the past six years. You allowed him to do that. Now, why am I being singled out? For telling the truth about the lies these people posted in this forum?
Perry
In a message dated 7/2/2007 12:44:29 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, writes:
Posters should stop talking about people that are not even in the same egroup and unable to defend themselves.
My involvement with the Fil-Am Council San Francisco was in the 1990's and no subpeona was received by me involving any mismanagement. Were it not for the long commute for me (50 miles every week), I would still have been involved. But on the hindsight, why? It should have been enough to (re)establish the foundation and just promote the growth. It should not be a lifetime job.
What each organization needs is to prosecute erring officers/members even if it means just community service. Those officers/board members who caused this should OWN up to their mistakes.
There is always a mention of problems, problems, problems ... can we try proposing solutions for a change. How do we solve it?
I am assuming that, after all these years, we can show that we have learned and are able to take responsibility, otherwise let's just be managed by non-Filipino groups.
Let's make sure that when following a leader, that that leader is not him/herself lost.
Butch Denoga
|
|