Pinoy Jam Barkada leads performers for FACC Summer Picnic

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

The Pinoy Jam Barkada band will lead the list of performers scheduled for the Summer Picnic sponsored by the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) this Saturday, June 8.

Incumbent FACC president Tonette Asay said the Pinoy Jam Barkada will perform six original Pilipino music (OPM) plus two songs from their guest singer Emelyn Burgess, current FACC auditor. The band will serenade the crowd during their meals.  The band is composed of Gerry Canta, Adam Yabes, Glenn Espiritu, Sain Diaz, Tarah Hang and Oliver Rodriguez.

The band used to be known as Tara and the Emojis.  Their latest performance was during the Charlotte Amore Dance Event in February organized by the Couples for Christ (CFC). 

The members used to be with other bands in the Charlotte area and they bonded together with  their common love of music.  

They formed the Pinoy Jam Barkada and they made a name for themselves not only in the Filipino-American community but in neighboring areas too. 

This year’s FACC Summer Picnic carries the theme “Pagbabalik-Tanaw sa Mga Larong Pinoy (Reminiscing our Childhood Games).”  Jake Miranda, manager for Ancop Foundation Inc’s Southeast Asian Region will lead the invocation while Emelyn Burgess will conduct the National Anthems of the US and Philippines. 

FACC President Tonette Asay will deliver the welcome address while a “Dance Dahil  sa Iyo” program follows with Doreen Reynolds and Emelyn Burgess leading the way.  A keyboard performance by Zild Dalton of songs like “Faded” and “Hello” by Adele is also included along with an interpretative dance number by Jamie Burgess and Cadence Neely of the song “Riptide.”

Pinoy games like jumping rope, sack race, sipa, tug of war, Chinese garter, tiyakad, limbo rock and sangkayaw are included and open to everyone in attendance, Doreen Reynolds said.  Tons of prizes await the winners.

In between the games are intermission numbers like a gymnastics routine by Karolyne Dalton set to the songs “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.  Abby Thomas is also on tap to perform the song “Can’t Help Falling In Love” on ukulele while Marissa Borja will perform songs like “Boom Boom” and “Girl in the Mirror.”

Cip Onia, 2018 FACC First VP and this year’s Volleyball Chairman, will announce the winners and close the program.  Joy Moore will host the picnic while Dr.Cris Villapando will lead the prayers before meals.  The summer picnic ill be held at Park Road Park from 10 am to 4 pm.  

Food, music, dance galore in FACC Summer Picnic

Music, games and food galore are all in abundance in the annual Summer Picnic sponsored by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) on Saturday this week, June 8, at the Park Road Park.

The PinoyJamBarkada band are among the headliners for the event, said incumbent FACC president Tonette Asay.  

The PinoyJamBarkada will perform six Filipino songs plus two more from their guest singer Emelyn Burgess, current FACC Auditor.  The band is composed of Gerry Canta,  Adam Yabes,  Glenn Espiritu,  Sain Diaz,  Tarah Hang  and Oliver Rodriguez.

The band used to be known as Tara and the Emojis and their latest gig was during the Charlotte Amore Dance Event in February organized by the Couples for  Christ.  

They used to come from other bands but have since grouped together and are becoming a favorite in the Charlotte area.  The FACC Summer Picnic  carries the theme “Pagbabalik-tanaw sa Mga Larong Pinoy  (Looking back on Filipino Childhood Games).

Jake Miranda, manager of Ancop Foundation Inc’s Southeast Asian Region will lead the invocation while Emelyn Burgess will conduct the National Anthems of the US and Philippines.

President Tonette Asay will welcome guests.  A dance segment to be led by Doreen Reynolds and Emelyn Burgess is also on tap aside from a keyboard performance by Zild Dalton. FACC first VP for 2017 Cip Onia is the chairman of the volleyball event./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Fun Class 73 reunion of Jose Abad Santos High School in Charlotte

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

It has been said that a person has to recall a happy memory as often as he or she can and this is especially true when one attends family or class reunions.

One such class reunion is is Class 73 of the Jose Abad Santos High School in San Fernando, Pampanga (JASHS) held in North Carolina recently.   Jose Abad Santos High School is now named Pampanga High School and it takes pride in one of its former graduates, the late Philippine president Diosdado Macapacal.

About 29 people--20 graduates and nine spouses--came from all over the US, Europe and Canada to attend the three-day reunion held last May 16.

On the opening day, the batch mates were treated to an arrival dinner at the Ferreras Home in Concord, North Carolina.  The host Angel Ferreras is a member of Class 73.

Class 73 consisted of 25 sections of 40 to 50 students each or 1,000 graduates that year. Angel and his lovely wife Herminia hosted, a boodle  fight (a communal meal in which diners partake of the food spread on the table).  Soul music wafted through the early summer night, sparking animated conversations among those present.

The dinner at North Carolina was the  first for JASHS 73.  Class 73 holds its reunion every one to two years either in the Philippines or in the US.  Most of the attendees have never been to NC.  Angel wanted to show to friends the best that North Carolina had to offer.    “We held a smoke pit barbecue in Concord to Biltmore house/estate in Asheville.  They also ate at Bojangles and shopped at Charlotte’s premium outlets,”  Mrs. Ferreras said.

Last year year it was held in San Diego, California.

Here's a photo of the attendees.  

Standing from left are Dr Jun Canaria from Maryland

Edan Garcia- Toronto Canada

Annie Martinez- Arizona

Lucy Galang- Chicago

Peter Puno- Switzerland

Lourdes Velasco- Maryland

Greg Velasco - Maryland

Ian Arranza- Virginia

Gloria Mangune- Portland

Armando Panlilio- California

Ed Miclat- San Diego

Rommel Meneses- Jacksonville

Angel Ferreras - Concord NC

Ritz Panlilio- California

Lerna Meneses- Jacksonville

Second row from left

Alma Canaria - Maryland

Lot Mather - Florida

June Concepcion- Vancouver

Mollet Aranza - standing from Virginia

Lilian Julian - Chicago

Alma Scali- New York

Elvira Atienza- New Jersey

Emmy Puno- Switzerland

Shirley Cristobal Hermie from Concord, NC

Front row

MC Canlas - San Francisco

Val Cristobal - Michigan

Dr Cezar Tapnio- New Jersey
Cristobal- Michigan 
and Armand Atienza.

Angel Ferreras provided live music courtesy of the IBand.  For those who attended the reunion it was yet another precious memory to be savored in their life’s journey with more to come in next year’s reunion.