FACC spearheads picnic for Philippine Independence Day

Me (near the Philippine flag) with FACC president Dr. Malette Oliveros and friends

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The Fil-American community in Charlotte, North Carolina celebrated in advance Philippine Independence Day with a summer picnic at the Hornets Park in Beatties, Ford Road last Saturday, June 7.

The event was spearheaded by Dr. Malette Aquino-Oliveros,  this year’s president of the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) and the entire board along with area representatives and was attended by a sizable number of Fil-Americans.

It kicked off with the singing of the Philippine national anthem by FACC past president Dell Fallar followed by the singing of the Star Spangled Banner led by an elder from the Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons).

Dr. Malette-Aquino-Oliveros (center in yellow blouse) with some Fil-Americans

Dr. Chris Villapando led the invocation. Villapando extolled the virtue of the Filipinos and asked the Fil-Americans in North Carolina to extend their support to the Filipinos back home.

Yours truly, an FACC representative, talked about the shared history of Fil-Americans and the Filipinos back home. 

The picnic was emceed by couple Dr. Michael Borja and his wife Tracy Borja. 

Aside from the sumptuous food, the Fil-Americans had a grand time dancing, singing and playing games. Among the featured performers were the students of the Eskwelahang Munti (Little Schoolhouse), Hannah Laabid and Lance Lawsin. 

The Eskelahang Munti was presented by founder Gloria Grefenhagin and Dell Fallar.  

Popular Filipino food like puto (rice cakes), pancit (native noodle dish), adobo (stewed pork and chicken), barbecue, torta (short cake), biko (sweetened rice),  suman (rice cake), cakes, lumpia Shanghai (Spring roll derived from Chinese cuisine),  rice, dinuguan (pork blood stew) and even maruya (banana fritters) were sold to the delight of elder Fil-Americans who missed Philippine fare.

A batch of maruya sold during the picnic

Kay Ronquillo-Antone, FACC 2nd VP, was seen buying the food in bulk. Also seen at the picnic were former FACC officers Florami Lao Cordero-Lee, JP Ave, Wally Penilla, Letty Waddell and many others.

It was also a first time for some to come and participate. In an interview, Wally Penilla of the Filipino American Spirit (FAS) said the present FACC officers have done so much for the community halfway through their mandate.

“This is a good sign for the next generation of the Fil-Americans  here at the Carolinas,” said Penilla, also a past FACC president. Penilla is considered one of the Fil-Am pioneers in the Charlotte, North Carolina community.

Dr.  Malette Aquino-Oliveros  said she’s confident that there are more activities to come for the FACC before the year ends and she credits the teamwork of her fellow officers for the success of these programs. 

She also appealed to all Fil-Americans present in the community to spread the good word on FACC to their families, neighbors and friends.

Hula-hoop dancing during the picnic

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

FACC, Leyte Dance Theater brings the house down in Charlotte

Photo by Boging Mata

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

IT was the audience participation in a native dance number that brought the house down during a performance by the Leyte Dance Theater in the Peace Auditorium of Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina last Friday.

The show entitled “Bayan Ko” was spearheaded by the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) and the auditorium was filled to its 400-person capacity, FACC secretary Lota Mascarenas said.

The number that drew the most applause was the kuratsa, a Filipino native dance number which the dance group invited the audience to participate in. It helped that the group got the audience into the dancing mood with its fiesta barrio setting on stage.

Among those who danced the kuratsa were incumbent FACC president Malette Aquino Oliveros who is clad in beautiful Filipiniana dress, Dr. Nini Bautista, Matthew Antone and many others.

Past FACC President Adelia Fallar also enlivened the audience with her sure kuratsa dance moves. “This is fun, so fun,” said Dorena Reynolds, who came in late with her mother. She doesn’t mind the US $15 ticket charged to each attendee because “it’s the kind of Filipino show I want to see.” 

Also in attendance were Dr. Michael Borja, FACC 1st VP, Kay Ronquillo-Antone, FACC 2nd VP, FACC treasurer Luisa Castaneda, FACC auditor Tracy Borja, FACC area representative MJ Maturan, Terry Laabid and yours truly. 

FACC area representative Blessel Arcamo Butler is in the Philippines for a brief vacation. The Leyte Dance Theater group is now on its 7th US tour and had 20 performances under its wing, including Charlotte. 

Grea Tulio-Penilla hosted the show which also drew Fil-Americans from Greensboro . Some of the audience like Yulie Amara-Armstrong said the show revived a love for Filipino entertainment and culture in her and her son Gregory.

Also seen were spouses James and Joan Lightle with their boys Charlie and Alan. Rocky Robinson a member of the Philippine Charlotte Dance troupe said the show was “very educational” and wished that more shows would promote their heritage. 

Dr. Nini de Bautista paid homage to the group in a group email whom she said performed brilliantly despite suffering from the devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan in Leyte, Central Visayas in the Philippines in November last year. 

Photo by Susan Dennis 

“Their performance is a testament to the fortitude and resiliency of the Filipinos,” she said in an email to me. Another guest, Eric Robinson, described the dance group’s performance as “powerful and heartrending.”

The group ended the show with a dance re-enactment of the different eras in Philippine society starting from the Spanish period followed by US and Japanese occupations and eventual independence as shown by the dancers who were covered by the Philippine flag. 

The Leyte Dance Theater is composed of dancers who are either living or studying in Tacloban City, the area hardest hit by typhoon Haiyan.  “I am happy how the group is received here in Charlotte,” said the show’s artistic director Jess de Paz. 

For more on the show, see this link. 'Till next time, have a good day.  

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

FACC Bankeros compete with the best in Dragon Boat Festival

The FACC Bankeros in their victory pose

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

IT was a proud moment for all, especially for Fil-Americans in the Charlotte, North Carolina community when the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC)  Bankeros placed third in the recent Dragon Boat Festival.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the crowd-drawing events of the Asian Festival that’s usually held in May.

There were 41 teams composed of three Dragon Boat club sports teams and 38 corporate or private teams who participated in this yearly activity at Ramsey Creek.

The FACC Bankeros participated in the A Division, the top division among the non-sports clubs. 

“We won first place and we’re way ahead of the competition in two qualifying heats with times of 57 minutes and eight seconds and 56 minutes and six minutes,”  Dr. Mike Borja said.

United
Borja, also the FACC first VP, was one of the team captains in charge of the organizational management. The other team captain was Ro Lawsin, who’s tasked to motivate and work on the rowing skills of the members.

“Ro worked on the strategies, ” Borja added.  The FACC Bankeros had the seventh best average time overall including those among the Sport Club teams.

List of paddlers. Katia Debian was replaced by Randolph Villamor 

“We were the 3rd seed in the Division A Championship Final Round of which our competitors were the best among non-club teams,” Borja said.

Among those participating were TIAA CREFF,  Duke Energy,  Microsoft, Lake Norman Chamber and other teams. Rogelio “Ro”Lawsin credits his teammates for sticking together throughout the event. 

“We came this far because we were united and we awoke the Pinoy Pride in us,” Lawsin said. 

He said the Bankeros only had two practices before the actual competition compared to other teams who’ve been paddling together all the time.

Outreach event
Borja said the Bankeros team consisted of novice and experienced rowers. There were 13 men and 12 women in the team who came from diverse professions and backgrounds such as medicine, business, music, school and the military.

Christine Olarte of Dust N’ D’ Attic beat the drum for the team. Borja also credited Mylene Clemente and  Marynell Rivas of the Charlotte Dragon boat team for  coaching the team.

The Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) hosted the 15th annual Charlotte Asian Festival and Dragon Boat Festival last May 17 at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius.

The free event usually draws 4,000 to 7,000 people, said Chamber chairman John Chen.  It is considered a major CAACC community outreach event, both for the Asian population and the community at large.  

In 2005, the Board of Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) approved the formation of the Charlotte Dragon Boat Association (CDBA) as a dedicated resource to promote, plan, organize, and sponsor dragon boat racing events in order to raise awareness and enrich and celebrate the diversity of Charlotte’s Asian community.

Also on hand was Kay Ronquillo, FACC 2nd VP who took charge of the logistics and banners with FACC President Malette Oliveros. FACC Public Relations Officer/Auditor Tracy Borja and FACC Area representative Terry Laabid were in charge of the food.  

Borja said the recent success of the FACC Bankeros would hopefully set the foundation for a champion team in the future. Congratulations to the team and may they succeed in next year’s event. 

I’ll feature the Pinoy Striders in the next article. Till then, have a good day.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Flo lauded at 14th Asian Festival in Charlotte

Florami Lao Cordero-Lee (left) poses with  friend Roxanna

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Yet another Fil-American achiever was given recognition by the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce during the 14th Asian Festival last May 17.

Florami Lao Cordero-Lee, head of the Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe here in Charlotte, wore a native Filipina dress in preparation for a subli dance when she received the award from CAACC chairman Dr. Chen, CAAC President Nimish Bhatt and Phin Xaypangna, president of the Charlotte Asian Heritage Association (CAHA).

Cordero-Lee was awarded for promoting Filipino culture through traditional costumes and dance performances. She said it was the first time the group received recognition from the CAACC after being awarded by different groups and schools.

“It was a proud moment to get this and I was surprised,” Cordero-Lee said. She also credited the group for their tireless efforts in making every performance special.

Lee said there would be new dances to learn and more Fil-Americans joining the group this summer. “Time, practice and availability is much required besides buying our own costume,” she said.

The Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe at the Charlotte World Parade and Festival

The Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe had been receiving invitations left and right and recently represented the Fil-American community in the Charlotte World Parade Festival.

It was set up by Florami Lao Cordero-Lee four years ago before she became the president of the Filipino American Association of the Carolinas (FACC).

Lee said there are seven adult members including her and the youngest, Ginger Butler, is nine years old. 

Other members include Maria Benrokiya, Alma Butler, Raquel Robinson, Blessel Butler, Allyssa Abalos and Rutchie Secretaria.  “I had different performers as the years go by,” Lee said. 

She said some of the members are in college while the others got married. The dance troupe had been invited to different gatherings, not just in Asian communities.

Of the many dances in the Philippines they performed, the “tinikling,” “binasuan” and “subli” are among the most requested. “Different dancers, different choreographies and different times,” Lee added with a smile. 

The tinikling dance is one of the most popular and well-known of the traditional Philippine dances, a pre-Spanish routine that involves two people beating, tapping and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other.

While two people handle the bamboo poles, one or more dancers step in and out between the poles. 

The dance originated in Leyte among the Visayan islands in the central Philippines as an imitation of the tinikling bird dodging bamboo traps set by rice farmers.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Dr. Nini given recognition for founding Miss Asia Festival

Dr. Eumelia "Nini" Bautista de Garcia voices her thanks for being recognized for her work. 

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

A SPECIAL recognition award was given to the founder and chairperson of the Miss Asian Carolinas during the 14th Asian Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina, a week ago.

Dr. Eumelia “Nini” Bautista de Garcia personally received the award from the publisher of Asian Herald Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun who also founded and organized the first Asian festival fourteen years ago. 

Chun was assisted by Nimish Bhatt, the president of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) and Dr.John Chen of the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce(CAACC) The Miss Asian Carolinas was founded by Dr. Nini in 2003 and is now called the Miss Asia Carolinas Multi-Cultural Showcase.

During the pageant's 11-year-history, the Miss Asia title was won by one Korean, one Vietnamese, two Indians and seven Filipinas. A Filipina won the crown last year.

There is no Miss Asian Carolinas (MAC) this year since the new team was unable to prepare in time due to other commitments.

The past winners underwent a rigorous three-tiered selection process and was evaluated by a panel of non-Asian judges. Scholarship awards and other prizes were given to the winners.

In her response Dr. Nini said thank you in many languages : “Maraming Salamat, Merci Beaucoup, Damke Schon, Tse tse, thank you for this beautiful award, I owe it all to the participants of the Miss Asia Carolinas who inspired me and the many volunteers and donors who supported me.”

Clad in Filipiniana dress, she also stood with the winners of the pageant after receiving the award. Dr. Nini said it was a “joy and privilege” to provide young Asian American women a venue to shine and be recognized in the Carolinas community.

Dr. Nini said the Miss Asia Festival is not just a pageant but a multicultural showcase that gives focus on a young Asian American woman's leadership development, cultural advocacy, community service and academic excellence.

“It's truly brains, beauty and talent,” she said. Dr. Nini said the journey to establishing the Miss Asia Festival cannot be possible without the help of generous volunteers and sponsors.

She quoted author Dennis Kimbro who wrote: let others live small lives, but not you, let others argue small stuff, but not you, let others cry over small hurts, but not you, let others leave their future in someone else’s hands but definitely not you, Take charge of your own destiny and happiness.”

Dr. Nini then faced the pageant winners on stage and told them “I love being with you and being there for all these  11 years. It is time to move on.” 

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

FACC showcases slices of Filipiniana in Asian Festival

Me at the FACC Fil-American booth at the 2014 Asian Festival

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

The weather cooperated and the smiling photo of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III greeted Fil-Americans and visitors at the Fil-American booth the 14th Asian Festival here at Carolinas yesterday.

President Aquino's smiling photo shared space with the beautiful Filipino handicrafts and inventions at the Fil-American booth which showed the Filipino's ingenuity. 

The sight of miniature jeepneys and tricycles has Dorena Buten Reynolds commenting that the vehicles were “her favorite rides” back home in the Philippines.

FACC President Dr. Malette-Aquino Oliveros with FACC secretary Lota Macarenas

Jeepneys and tricycles are among the widely used means of public transportation in the country nowadays. 

It started right after World War II when the American troops sold and gave surplus military jeeps to the local Filipinos. 

The Filipinos pimped the jeeps to accommodate several passengers, added metal roofs and decorated the vehicle with vibrant colors. Since then, it had evolved in many forms, shapes and sizes.

The Fil-American booth as set up by the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) also showcased  necklaces made of sea shells and other local materials and national wear like barong Tagalog and sequined kimono for women.

The female visitors also found and bought the native “bakya” or wooden sandals with matching crocket for straps. There were also big fans made of banahaw leaves that were used by Filipinos to cool themselves in humid weather.

Outside the booth were posters and streamers showing Philippine facts and figures that were read by young Fil-Americans. The Philippines, officially called the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelago of 7,107 islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Clad in neon green kimono and matching local skirt, FACC president Malette Aquino-Oliveros manned the booth along with FACC secretary Lota Mascarenas to entertain visitors. 

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)

Dr. Chun spearheads 2014 Asian Festival in Charlotte

Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun grooves to the song performed by Silver Moon Rising

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

IT was entertaining to look at the leader who started the Asian festival 14 years  in the Carolinas dancing up a storm yesterday.

Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun of Chun Industries whose businesses include the Asian Herald was dancing to Silver Moon Rising's rendition of that classic disco song “I Will Survive” inside a makeshift building along with many others.

Chun wore a white polo-shirt with tie and black pants and sat with a friend when a lady got him to join the others in dancing to the disco tune.

Also dancing up a storm was Jennifer Watson Roberts, Board President of the International House. 

Dr. Chun, Ph.D., LL.D., CCIM, CPA, is the founder, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Chun Group, Inc.  Dr. Chun is also a practicing Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who started his practice in April of 1983. 

The Chun Group, Inc. has two additional subsidiaries, one of which is the Asian Herald newspaper that he founded in July 1993 and is printed in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

Dr. Chun came from Seoul, South Korea and studied history at Korea University then arrived in the US on a Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship. 

He graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 1974 with a B.A. in Business Administration, received his M.A. in Business from Appalachian State University in 1975, his CPA license in April of 1983, a Ph.D. from La Salle University in 1986, and received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (LL.D) from Lenoir-Rhyne University in May 2000.

Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun came to the US with his wife Sunny with big dreams and ambitions. 

These dreams and ambitions became a reality through his key philosophies which are "Live for Others" and "Knowledge is Power."

The good doctor espouses these fundamental principles through his work and his community service. 

He held teaching posts as Adjunct Professor for two years at Pfeiffer University and seven years at Johnson C. Smith University and won teaching awards. 

Dr. Chun taught accounting, federal taxation, business, economics, and auditing.

He and Roberts were on hand during the Asian Festival to distribute awards to various persons and groups that extended assistance to the Asian community.

Dr. Chun organized the first Asian festival at Marshall park at uptown Charlotte in 2000. The festival's purpose then and now is to unite the Asian communities in the Carolinas and celebrate Charlotte's Asia-Pacific heritage in May.

Since then, in Roberts' words, the festival has become “bigger and better in attendance.”

The festival venue also changed from uptown Charlotte to Wachovia Atrium and finally to Ramsey Creek where the popular Dragon Boat festival continues to become a major Asian tourist attraction. 

This year the Asian festival featured a cultural presentation, dragon boat race, Asian food and crafts and vendors booths. The day was both sunny and cool for everyone who attended the event.

Fil-American Ranulfa Deloso Cammarano who came with the Lightle family  told me that she has been attending the festival every now and then. But this year she came to look for Filipino barbecue.

Everyone had a grand time and it was good seeing Dr. Chun celebrating it with the Asian communities that attended the event. 

To quote a beautiful Chinese lady who I met at the designated parking area of the bus that would lead us to our own ride “Xie-xie (Thank you)” - see you next year.”

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)