Columns Bai (Cebu & Magellan) Column Today Is THE 2008 “Sinulog Festival—Los Angeles”
| Today Is THE 2008 “Sinulog Festival—Los Angeles” |
All-systems are go for the celebration of the 2008 edition of the “Sinulog Festival” in Los Angeles, California, today, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008. The Cebu Brotherhood, Inc., (CBI) sponsors the annual event for the 78th year. This year's main event will begin at the St. Columban Filipino Catholic Church at Loma Drive, Historic Filipinotown District of Los Angeles. It starts with the 11:30 a.m. mass. The “Sinulog Festival” is also known as the Santo Niño Fiesta.
The Cebu Brotherhood was organized in October 1930 but it was only incorporated on Oct. 16, 1980, as a California public-benefit corporation. The CBI-sponsored “Sinulog Festival” is the original fiesta held in honor of the Santo Niño in Southern California. The beneficiary for the 2008 Sinulog Festival—L.A. is the City of Cebu’s “Street Children” foundation, which provides social services for its under-privileged youth.
A nine-day novena for world peace and prosperity begins the festival.
A nine-day novena for world peace and prosperity will usher in the 78th edition of the “Sinulog Festival—Los Angeles,” as the event would now be called per the motion of this writer. The addition of “Los Angeles” is necessary to distinguish it from the other “Sinulog” celebrations in Culver City, West Covina, Orange County and elsewhere in Southern California. The novena started last Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, at 5:30 p.m., at the AGS Adult Day Health Care, 1925 West Temple St., Suite 111, Los Angeles, CA 90026, and held every day until Jan. 12, 2008, with the exception of Jan. 6th, Sunday.
On Jan. 6, 2008, the novena was held at the Social Hall of the Filipino-American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The FACLA is located at 1740 West Temple St., just a stone’s throw away from the AGS Adult Day Health Care.
Part II of the “78th Sinulog Festival—Los Angeles” will be begin with the 11:30 a.m. mass at the St. Columban Filipino Parish on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008. The blessing of all the Santo Niño images and icons will follow after the mass. Then a procession will be held at the church ground – from the church to its social hall, where lunch will be served.
Sinulog Festival Is also a Filipino Fiesta.
Then the fiesta celebrants will move on at 2:30 p.m. to the FACLA Social Hall, where a short program will be held. There will also a “merienda cena” and then dancing. For a Filipino fiesta always includes dancing and merriment. Philippine Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon has been invited to deliver a keynote speech at the FACLA venue of the Sinulog Festival.
The 2008 Sinulog Festival—L.A. has the CBI president, Ager Flores Libago, and CBI chairperson of the Board, Luz L. Espina, as honorary co-chairs. Overall chair is former CBI First Couple Caloy and Lina Alpuerto. Assisting the Alpuertos are Bobby M. Reyes (co-chair), Zeny Bajarias (co-chair for reception), Anne Gutierrez (co-chair for decorations), CBI 2nd vice president Larry Caballero (co-chair for music and entertainment), CBI 1st vice president Nene Ortega Jensen (co-chair for food), Rita Dinsay (co-chair for raffles) and Lorie Lee (co-chair for the Sinulog dances). Former CBI president, Nestor C. Balila, attended also the Christmas party and pledged full support to the 2008 Sinulog Festival.
Sponsors will be sought for the Sinulog Festival—L.A for the first time in its history.
The Food Committee reported during today’s meeting that three lechons have been pledged and paid for by the donors: President Libago and Chairwoman Espina (first lechon), the Alpuerto Couple (second lechon) and the third one from CBI officers Luz Itzel (treasurer), Zeny Bajarias (auditor) and Arcadia Caballero (assistant treasurer). Lucy Thayer (CBI corresponding secretary) pledged four cakes and Fely Garcia (CBI event coordinator) would supply the Filipino “biko” delicacy. The Media Breakfast Club will provide Starbucks coffee at both venues. The other CBI members contributed cash for the needs of the festival.
Bobby Reyes announced also that he is now crafting sponsorship deals with several prospective corporate sponsors, the identities of which will be announced by this coming week. He is also finalizing a five-year plan that would make the “Sinulog Festival” the biggest ethnic festival in the City of Los Angeles in the month of January. Details of the 2009 festival may be announced during the Jan. 13, 2008, fiesta. # # #
As I have said in my telephone conversation with you last week, I fully support the upcoming Sinulog Festival on January 13th. I shall bring participation from groups in the SFV as well as from our start-up group of Kalayaan 2008 leaders.
Please relay my commitment to the Cebu Brotherhood leadership as I look forward to being a part of this event. Please let me know how I could help and, perhaps, leverage on this event to promote Kalayaan 2008. I will get in touch with you sometime next week.
Noel Omega
Chairman, Kalayaan 2008
and Immediate Past President and Co-founder,
Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce of San Fernando Valley
The Manila Times
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Bigotry in Metro Manila Film Festival
By Prof. Fred Cabuang
Are the Bisayans, Kapampangans, Pangasinense, Ilocanos, Bicolanos not Pinoys?
I was told that scandals and brouhaha are inherent in the Metro Manila Film Festival like fireworks are in the New Year festivities. I'm not a movie critic nor an entertainment writer but a language advocate who fights for the protection and preservation of the endangered languages of the Philippines. The recent release of an entry in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) brought indignation to many non-Tagalog speakers (and moviegoers) who reside in Metro Manila because of the disgraceful treatment of the Bisayan language in particular in one of the scenes.
In the movie entitled Sakal, sakali, saklolo (Star Cinema), Judy Ann discouraged the Bisayan yaya to speak Cebuano to her child saying, "dapat Tagalog para Pinoy!" Meaning "You should speak to the child in Tagalog otherwise it's not Filipino."
The statement is not only an act of language discrimination. It also demeans Filipinos whose first language is Bisaya, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Ilokano, Bikolano, or any non-Tagalog language.
When will we ever learn that being a Pinoy is not measured by one's ability to speak the Tagalog language only? Are the Bisayans, Kapampangans, Pangasinense, Ilocanos, Bicolanos not worthy of being called "Pinoys" too? Do our Bisayan athletic heroes who did well in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand have to learn Tagalog well before they are considered "Pinoys?" What about the world re-known Manny Pacquiao, does he have to learn Tagalog well too, before he can be called a real "Pinoy" hero? And surely, nobody will question the pride of Pampanga, our beloved President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her father Diosdado Macapagal; did they become Pinoys only when they learned to speak Tagalog?
I join honorable Senator Pimentel in calling on the public to boycott the movie. I am even calling on a boycott of all Star Cinema films if its executives do not make a public apology in all the Philippine regional languages.
Republic Act 3060, Section 3 states that "The Board [of Censors] shall have the following duties and powers:
(a) To screen, censor, examine and supervise the examination of, approve or disapprove or delete portions from, and/or prohibit the introduction and exhibition of all motion pictures, imported or produced in the Philippines for non-theatrical, theatrical and television distribution which in its judgment are immoral, indecent, contrary to law, and/or good customs or injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines or its people;
(c)To screen, review, delete portion from, approve or disapprove and censor all publicity materials in connection with any motion picture including trailers, stills, and other advertising materials which in their judgment are immoral, indecent, contrary to law and/or good customs, or injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines or its people;
The Board approved a movie that is "contrary to law, and/or good customs or injurious to the prestige of the Philippines or its people" (specially the Bisayan population.)
The linguistic attack of the movie "Sakal, sakali, saklolo" allegedly is a violation of Republic Act 7356, Section 7, that states, "Preservation of the Filipino Heritage.—It is the duty of every citizen to preserve and conserve the Filipino historical and cultural heritage [Note: Regional Languages are part of Cultural Heritage] and resources."
Not many are aware that the discriminatory statement of the movie is contrary to the UN Declaration of Linguistic Rights, Article 38, that states, "The languages and cultures of all language communities must receive equitable and non-discriminatory treatment in the communications media throughout the world." The movie is one of the best media of communication considering that the celebrities are the pop heroes and models of the general public.
Perhaps it will take another generation for every Filipino to realize that speaking Tagalog is not synonymous to speaking the Filipino language. The language issue has been a heated topic of debate among congressmen, senators, academe, students and the public. It's been made clear in print, television and radio that Filipino as a language is still under development. A speaker of any regional language and other indigenous languages is no less a Filipino than those who speak Tagalog.
Some of our Philippine languages are dying and the people and their culture die with these languages. It is abhorrent to see that the movies, whose leading men and women are the idols of the masses, have become the portals and spreaders of bigotry among Filipinos.
Sorry to say, but we, Bisayans, together with the Kapampangans, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Pangasinense, et al must proclaim that Tagalog is not our native tongue but we are proudly Filipinos.
I commend you for an 'éxito asegurado' on Jan 13th, the programme looks great and the spirit and faith of our community will do the rest. Perhaps next year Proyectos Saluda will start coproducing with several communities and the Archdiocese a big Sinulog Parade? Will see you this upcoming Jan 13th, si Dios quiere.
¡Saludos!
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