Exclusive interview: Fil-Am Police DistrictCommander Charles Dulay

Dulay is Chicago’s first top Fil-Am cop
PINOY Newsmagazine
September 2005

By Ted Regencia

CHICAGO, IL -- In an unprecedented development for the Filipino American community in Chicago, one of its own has been designated by Chicago Police Superintendent Philip J. Cline as district commander.

Charles “Chuck” Dulay officially took over his post as head of District 17 covering Albany Park, last July 1, capping 37 years of service in the Chicago police force, and making history for the Filipino American community in the Chicagoland.

Dulay is the second officer of Asian-American background to head a district.Commander Gary Yamashiroya heads Chicago’s 23rd District.

Recently, the Asian American Law Enforcement Association headed by another Filipino American police officer, Audie Manaois feted Dulay for his promotion.

Manaois praised Dulay saying “a lot of us have always looked up to him. He is a model and father figure to many of us in the service.” “He is also very knowledgeable in the operations of the Chicago police department. And knowing that he is a Filipino American, it’s a good feeling,” he added.

Throughout his career spanning almost four decades, Dulay has been assigned and re-assigned to different Chicago districts. Along the way, he picked up awards, recognitions and promotions in the 14,000-strong police force. As a top cop, his name also surfaced in a few highly-publicized police stories such as the 2001 homicide case near the location of MTV Real World Chicago and the 1997 cop-to-cop racial complaint case.

Dulay’s promotion, however, reaffirmed the Chicago Police hierarchy’s trust in his leadership, friends and colleagues said.

Retired Lt. John A. Laskey, a long-time colleague attested to Dulay’s record as “a fearless detective, and a good one too.” "I am glad he got this promotion. It’s long overdue for him," Laskey added.

“He’s relentless and he put up a good file with high conviction rate. Also he earned the respect of judges and attorneys. Indeed, this is a well-deserved promotion," he said.

While the life of a police officer is “tough on the family” as Laskey described it, Dulay managed to keep his family intact. His wife, Dianne and son John were on hand to witness the reception in honor of Commander Dulay. Another child, Jennifer was out of town.

“He’s a good man,” wife Dianne beamed during the reception.

Solid career
Dulay himself was beaming with pride, adding that he “hopes to live up to the expectations” of the Filipino American community and all Chicagoans at large.

“I’m proud to represent this community,” Dulay said. “ It’s a wonderful way for me to finish my career. I’ve been around for a long time and I will be around for a few more years in the service.”

On his new assignment, Dulay said that it is a “relatively low-crime area” and he “will do the best I can that it will stay that way. We hope to continue the good work of my predecessor.”

Dulay traces his paternal roots to Binmaley, Pangasinan, the hometown of his father, Juan Rayos Dulay, who came to the United States in 1925 at the age of 19.•

Exclusive Interview: A Holocaust survivor's escape to Manila

Escape to Manila: How 1,200 Jewish refugees eluded Hitler's death camp
PINOY Newsmagazine
March 2005

By Ted Regencia

Chicago, IL -- Unbeknownst to many Filipinos and the world, the Philippines played a small but noteworthy role in saving over a thousand Jews from Adolf Hitler's death camps in Europe, in the years leading to World War II.

Despite the distance, religious and political barries, the Philippines rose to the occasion and showed its humanity by providing sanctuary to an oppressed people from Europe.

That important but obscure part of history, tucked away for decades by fading memories, could have been completely forgotten if not for a young eyewitness who lived to tell the tale. His name is Frank Ephraim of Chevy Chase Maryland. He is the author of the book, Escape to Manila.

"I always wanted to tell the story how we survived, and relate to the whole world how the Filipinos welcomed us with open arms," the 73-year old Ephraim said in an exclusive interview.

From Germany to Manila
It was 1939, the Nazis were at the height of its power in Germany and anti-Jewish sentiment was in full swing in Europe.

Ephraim recalled how as a young boy he was verbally abused and taunted by fellow Germans in the streets of Berlin, where he was born. At that time, the schools were segregated and he and his fellow Jewish schoolchildren were isolated by the government.

Sensing early enough, that the intense bigotry was making a dangerous turn, Ephraim's parents decided it was time to escape from their homeland and seek safer haven elsewhere.

The Ephraims, however, had limited option. Most of the world was turning its back on Jewish refugees. Even the United States government, in one instance, turned away a boat full of Jewish refugees, who had to return to Europe and eventually die in the hands of Hitler's army.

The Epharims were one of the few who escaped and survived. Ephraim's grandmother and uncle languished in Hitler's death camp in Poland. By the end of World War II, six million or about 72 percent of the Jewish population in Europe were exterminated.

How the Ephraims ended up in Manila was almost an unlikely story.

The Frieder brothers
By stroke of circumstance, four American brothers of Jewish origin were running a cigar factory in the Philippines. Heeding the call to duty, Philip, Alex, Morris and Herbert Frieder of Cincinnati, Ohio worked quietly to help the refugees.

The Frieders established a Jewish Refugee Committee, and with the help of their friends, including the US High Commissioner of the Philippines Paul V. McNutt and President Manuel Luis Quezon, they secured passports and visas for mostly German and Austrian Jews.

The Ephraim couple and their son, Frank were one of the lucky few to receive their visas. Their journey to the unknown began in earnest.

The evasive trip took the Ephraims from Berlin to Genoa, Italy where they boarded the ship Victoria. According to Frank, the ship was also filled with Jewish refugees headed for Shanghai in China, which took around 17,000 refugees. From Italy, the boat sailed to China, and continued its trip to Manila, arriving their on March 16, 1939.

"The Frieder brothers were just ordinary Jewish businessmen, but they went out of their way to save lives," Ephraim was quoted as saying in published interviews. "No one made them do it. They just did what they thought was right."

Documents dug by researches would later reveal that the Frieders had hope to bring as many as 10,000 refugees in Manila. But World War II intervened with their plans.

Life in Manila
It took some time for the Ephraims and other Jewish families to get settled in Manila. Eventually they blended in thanks in large part to the locals who embraced their presence.

Ephraim fondly recalled his childhood in Manila, his trips to the wet market, the jeepney rides and afternoons playing with friends by Manila Bay, along Roxas Boulevard.

For a few years, Ephraim studied at De La Salle University, while his father and mother worked as a salesman and secretary respectively.

Ephraim also said that they "freely worshipped" at their synagogue in the Malate district of Manila, where they also lived.

Japanese invasion
Then another nightmare took place when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. The Ephraims witnessed another horrific event in history, including the destruction of Manila at the conclusion of World War II.

But like the Nazi campaign in Europe, the Ephraims also survived the Japanese ordeal.

By telling his story, Ephraim said, he wants to honor the Frieder brothers, Commissioner McNutt, President Quezon and the Filipino people, for their "valiant efforts" in saving them. He also wanted to remind the world, not to repeat the terrible and painful part of history.

Exclusive Interview: Olympian Natalie Coughlin

An Olympic moment with Fil-Am swimmer Natalie Coughlin

PINOY Newsmagazine
October 2004

By Ted Regencia

Chicago, IL -- Good things come to those who wait. But for Olympian Natalie Anne Aguillion Coughlin (pronounced COG-lin), winning five medals in Athens was more than just a waiting game. It required “very hard work”, determination and lots of grit to confront her misfortunes.

For this 21-year old Filipino-American swimming sensation, the path (or should we say the watercourse?) from her native Vallejo, California to the world stage, was like swimming against strong currents. But swim against all odds she did, on her way to collecting two golds, two silvers and a bronze in the recently-concluded Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

“The reality (of being an Olympic champion) hasn’t sunk in yet,” Natalie coyly admits, in an exclusive telephone interview. “I have yet to step back and really absorb everything that happened,” she said, adding that she has been very busy keeping up with overflowing requests for media interviews and school, which started soon after the Olympics. With five Olympic medals, it sure would take some time for her to absorb “reality.”

Sydney 2000
Her splash to the world stage was meant to take place in Sydney four years ago, but in early 1999, the then swimming prodigy tore her shoulder muscles due to intense practice, thus slowing down training.

“I was working very very hard. I wanted to be the best. But the intense training backfired,” Natalie recalled.

And backfire it did. She failed to make it to the 2000 US Olympic squad.

The 17-year old Natalie, then a freshman scholar at University of California in Berkeley, was “devastated.” “It was a terrible time for me. I was frustrated. I wanted to quit.”

Wanting to keep her university scholarship, Natalie persevered. And with the help of her coach, Teri McKeever, she was in fighting form again. Natalie credits McKeever for formulating a unique program for her, that would keep her in shape without straining her shoulders too much.

Not long after, she was setting new records again and collecting gold medals in international swimming events. In 2002, she set a new world record in her “best” event, the 100-meter backstroke, posting 59.58 seconds. It was the first time for a woman to break the 1-minute barrier. The record remains up to this day.

Another disappointment
Then, in 2003 at the World Championships in Barcelona, Natalie suffered another setback when she was hit by a viral infection. She finished 22nd in the backstroke, and lagged behind her closest world rivals in other events.

Later, she would tell The Australian newspaper that the incident was a blessing in disguise as “it took a lot of pressure off the Olympic year.”

Hello Athens
But Natalie was not about to give up on another Olympic moment. As a kid, she “dreamt of competing in the Olympics." Athens opened that opportunity for her to fulfill that dream.

Natalie did not only turn that dream into reality, she did it five times over, becoming only the sixth American woman to win five medals in a single Olympics.

“It was a bit tough because of high expectations. I have to deal with a lot of pressure,” she said. “But later, I just told myself that I’m going out there and do it for myself.” Developing camaraderie with her equally-famous teammates such as Jenny Thompson and Amanda Beard also helped ease the tension.

With her feat, Natalie’s name now sits alongside swimmers Dara Torres and Shirley Babashoff, gymnasts Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Miller and track star Marion Jones. No U.S. woman has ever won more than six medals in one games. How’s that for a first-time Olympian?

Family: A constant
Throughout her bumpy ride to Olympic stardom, Natalie referred to her parents, Jim and Zenny, her sister, and her extended Filipino family in California for their constant support.

“I have such a huge extended Filipino family. And you could just imagine when all of us get together,” Natalie said. “And yes, they are very proud of me.”

While talking about her family, Natalie could not help but mention, with a chuckle, her lola’s home-cooked lumpia [fried meat roll]. “She makes the best lumpia and I can always tell when it’s not my grandma who prepares it.” Natalie’s grandmother hails from the province of Cavite in the Philippines.

Sports Broadcasting
At present, Natalie is finishing her psychology degree at Berkeley. After graduation, she hopes to work as a sports broadcaster. Recently, she did broadcasting work for Fox Sports. She will also continue her training in the pool, paid for by her sponsor, Speedo.

Yes, Natalie is far from being finished. She hopes to compete again in Beijing in 2008. By that time, she will only be 25 years old and at the peak of her physical form.

To aspiring young Fil-Am athletes, Natalie has this to say: "Do it not because you are being forced to. It is important that you love and enjoy what you are doing. Then work hard to excel in it."

Exclusive Interview: Fil-Am cooks for Oprah

This Filipino chef cooks for Oprah
PINOY Newsmagazine/Philippine News
October 2005

Text and Photo by Ted Regencia

Chicago, IL -- "I am not financially well-off, but I am rich in experience. So I want to give something back to our less fortunate countrymen," Chicago-based Filipino American chef Ron Bilaro says, speaking of his trip to the Philippines this November to help raise funds for the Gawad Kalinga (GK) project for the poor.

For the event, Ron will travel to Manila with his mentor Art Smith, private chef to Oprah Winfrey. Ron also cooks for the entertainment mogul as sous-chef to Smith. Smith, who has his own children's foundation, Common Threads, was inspired to team up with Ron, and visit the Philippines after learning of the latter's charity work.

After the White House has named Filipino American Cristeta Pasia Comerford as its executive chef, a sense of kinship among Pinoy chefs in the U.S.has been established.

One of those who emerged from anonymity is Ron Bilaro. He invited this reporter to his hip residence located near the heart of Wicker Park's yuppie village. Ron's digs, which offers a stunning view of the Chicago skyline, is surrounded by upscale restaurants, which he visits often to try out new tastes.

Chicago's FilAm community learned of Ron's high-flying culinary stint after Sharon Cuneta introduced him to the audience during her hit concert last May.

At his own stage -- the kitchen that is -- Ron has been earning raves from his well-heeled clients, which includes an old rich family and an international hotelier. As a personal chef to Chicago's corporate families, he whips up culinary concoctions that are delicious to the taste as
they are delightful to the sight. At the recently concluded Chicago Air Show, Ron was busy cooking for a corporate family whose guests include television producers and reporters.

In one of those private parties, he caught the fancy of author and celebrity chef Art Smith, who happens to be the private chef of Oprah. From there, the two forged a working relationship, such that whenever Art Smith needs some assistance, he calls on Ron.

Ron's Oprah gigs started in earnest. During Oprah's grand 50th birthday celebration, he flew from Chicago to Montecito, Californiato join a few more chefs in creating a menu worthy of the grand dame of American entertainment.

Since his fortuitous meeting with Art Smith, Ron has his share of "Oprah moments." However, he is prudent enough to protect his client's privacy. He only goes as far as describing her as "a wonderful person and very down-to-earth." She likes crispy quesadillas, and has not tried bagoong or kare-kare just yet.

The kid from Pasig
Despite his feat, Ron has remained grounded. During our first encounter after Sharon's concert, I asked if he still speaks Filipino and he quipped: "Gusto mo, tutula pa ako." (If you like I can even re- cite to you a Filipino poem.)

"What's nice with chef Ron, wherever he goes he's always proud to say he's a Filipino. And he knows, as a chef, he can contribute something worthwhile to his fellow humans," Panjee Gonzalez, the former Mrs. Gabby Lopez, was once quoted as saying.

Bilaro was born in Pasig to Rafael and Josefina Bilaro. His parents are now based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has one brother.

Ron finished high school at the Pasig Catholic College and went on to study at Letran and Maryknoll College (now Miriam). At the age of 19, he and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he lived for many years. He later joined United Airlines as a flight attendant, and ended up in the Windy City where the company is based. Ron loves to travel so working in the airline
business was a logical move. Still, his heart was yearning for something else.

"While working as a flight attendant, I always found myself in the galley plating food for first class and business class passengers. I told myself, 'I can do better than this,'" Ron recalled. "Becoming a chef was something that I always wanted to do."

"The 9/11 tragedy changed the dynamics of my career. Immediately, I decided to stop flying and went back to school to be a chef," he said. He enrolled at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago under Le Cordon Bleu. He graduated at the top of his class, after enduring many
penny-pinching months.

"Right before graduation, I got a break when a corporate family hired me to cook for them," he said.

To further boost his stock, he apprenticed as pastry chef at Rhapsody and trained under Chef Gene Kato. Being a pastry chef is something Ron really relishes because he enjoys the intricacy of preparing baked goods and creating chocolate desserts.

Eat healthy
Ron is putting together a cookbook and is only waiting for "the right time" to publish it. The book contains a line-up of cuisine that Ron has done for his top clients and a section on Philippine dishes.

I asked him why Pinoy cuisine has not quite captured the mainstream American market. He conceded that food presentation is still inadequate; even as he hastened to point out that the taste is as good as other ethnic fare. Ron was proud to say that he is experimenting on Filipino dishes like deep roast and desserts like jackfruit, introducing them to his mostly Western clients. He, however, admitted that many Filipino dishes are rich in fats and high in cholesterol, thus limiting his picks as his patrons "prefer or demand healthy food."

For Filipino families, how then can they enjoy the typical Filipino cuisine without sacrificing their diet? He said, they should learn how to "eat in portions" if they cannot give up altogether cholesterol-packed Pinoy meals.

"We also have this habit of eating too fast. That's not advisable. One should take time to enjoy the food. Eat lean meat instead, more fish, vegetables, fruits and other food with high fiber. The more colorful it is, the healthier," he said. "And get a lot of exercise." Now take that
from this gym-buffed chef.

Beyond his evident love for food, however, is Ron's passion "to help the less privileged back home." Last May, he learned about GK and its humanitarian activities. At once, Ron pledged his support to GK executive director Tony Meloto, and GK Chicago regional director Esok Adraneda.

While the Couples For Christ's GK project is focused on building houses for poor families through GK 777, other supplemental projects are carried out such as livelihood creation. That's where Ron wants to share his resources and ideas, by teaching food vendors to improve their trade and prepare dishes to draw more customers and generate bigger income.

Aside from GK, Ron has been involved with the Karangalan (Honor) Foundation, another Manila-based initiative, which promotes social change through positive values, such as initiative and social entrepreneurship.

That volunteer work earned him praises in Manila, and landed him television interviews including the ABS-CBN show, Private Conversations with Boy Abunda.

"I really wanted to help and inspire families to earn a decent living and be self-sufficient," he said.

Exclusive Interview: Fil-Am Cardiologist of Oprah Winfrey

Heart-to-heart with Oprah’s cardiologist

PINOY Newsmagazine/
Inquirer.net/Philippine News
October 2005

Text and Photo By Ted Regencia

CHICAGO, IL – Because of “poor diet,” many Filipinos are vulnerable to heart disease, the number one killer in the United States.

Take that valuable words of caution from Dr. Annabelle Santos Volgman, one of the top cardiologists in the country. Volgman is the director of the Electrocardiography Services at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She also happens to be the cardiologist of TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

In an exclusive interview, the Marikina-born, New York-raised, medical practitioner laid out the scientific facts and enumerated crucial life-saving measures to protect one’s heart.

"Eighty percent of strokes and heart attacks are preventable,” Volgman declared. “And if more people knew that it's in their hands to prevent them, I think they will change their lifestyle."

For Filipino families, that change of lifestyle starts in the kitchen.

In her words, "Filipinos have terrible diet" because of food rich in cholesterol and salt. Cholesterol blocks the arteries and restricts normal blood flow in the body, while high concentration of salt induces high-blood pressure: A life-threatening, if not a killer combination.

"Avoid them altogether if you really want to avoid heart attacks and strokes,” she said.

For lechon-loving, Chinese buffet-raiding Filipino folks, that piece of advice may be hard to take. Sounds like an equivalent to solitary confinement or deportation. Volgman herself admitted that because it is a deeply-ingrained habit, that has become part of the culture, eating deliciously greasy and salty Filipino food is so hard to give up.

“But that is a choice that people have to make," she said.

Five major factors
Volgman said there are five major factors contributing to heart disease: Family history, cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

As in any other ethnic groups, those factors above may be present within the Filipino community; but because of the Filipino eating habits, the level of risk moves a notch higher. Other contributing factors include stress, obesity and lack of exercise.

"In order to prevent heart disease, you have to have a change in lifestyle,” she stressed.

Another essential part of that change is exercise. She said walking for, say, 30 minutes every day makes a lot of difference. Volgman practices what she preaches.

See a doctor
"If you cannot change your lifestyle, you need to see a physician who can put you on the right medication," Volgman said. "If they go to a doctor to check their cholesterol and blood pressure; and listen to their doctor to take medication or to decrease their salt
intake, it would make a huge difference. It will save their lives."

While heart attacks remain the number one killer in America, the actual number of cases has declined.

"People are much more aware of how to prevent them. There are also less cigarette smokers, although it remains a big problem," she said.

"There are also excellent medications. So a lot more people are having less heart attacks, because they are taking medications." However, she noted, that healthcare is also becoming expensive. And research is also becoming very expensive. On the bright side, she said, "we wouldn't be able to save a lot of lives if we hadn't done these research studies."

Listening to Dr. Volgman, it's apparent that medicine is her passion.

Solid academic background
As a young girl growing up in Marikina, she has always wanted to be a doctor. Moving to the U.S. at the age of 11 paved the way to achieving her dream.

Since elementary, Anabelle excelled in the academics. “I got the right genes from my mother, Purificacion, and father, Raymundo,” she proudly declared.

In 1984, she graduated from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.

“I remember when I went to New York. We lived in Washington Heights and we were passing by Columbia. I told my dad, ‘I like that place. I want to go there. And I did’.”

Following her graduation, then Dr. Santos had her medical training at the University of Chicago
Hospitals and Clinics for Internal Medicine Residency. For her Cardiology Fellowship Training, she went to Northwestern University Memorial Hospital. She eventually ended up at Rush University, where she also serves in the faculty as a professor in medicine.

While at Rush, she landed a very high profile patient, when a fellow Columbia University graduate, Elena Campbell, a gynecologist at Northwestern University Hospital referred to her, Oprah Winfrey.

“She was having some pre-menopausal palpitations and she was very concerned, so her gynecologist referred her to me,” Dr. Volgman said. That meeting was highly publicized by the mega-entertainer in her magazine O.

“She's an incredible woman. But it was also difficult because I have to remove the fact that she's this huge personality and just focus on the person,” Volgman recalled her first meeting with the superstar. “I think my office was more excited, while I’m the one with all the pressure and the stress.”

"She's doing all the right things and she work outs a lot," Volgman said of Oprah, declaring her as "very healthy."

Family first
Despite her level of achievement, Volgman remains unaffected by all the attention and the awards she gained through her profession. To her, her family remains the "first priority."

The doctor is married to Keith A. Volgman, a Chicago-based lawyer, and they have two children
Robert, 13 and Caroline, 9. Son Robert is part of the cast of "Carmen" at the Lyric Opera. The family lives in the upscale neighborhood of Lincoln Park in Chicago.

"My family always comes first," she said.

Exclusive Interview: Fil-Am White House Aide Susan Ralston

A View from the West Wing
Pilipinas Magazine 2.0

By Ted Regencia

Washington, D.C. -- September 11, 2001, 6 a.m. The rest of United States was still in deep slumber while the other half of the world was getting ready for bed. But a few select men and women tasked to help run the most powerful country in the world, were already up and running in Washington D.C. By now the White House was buzzing with politics and policy, a daily staple there.

In one corner at the second floor of the West Wing, Fil-Am and Chicago native Susan Bonzon Ralston, was gearing up for the day’s events, sifting through the many documents piling up on her desk. That day, Ralston’s boss senior political aide Karl Rove was traveling with President Bush to Florida. Except for the president’s trip and First Lady Laura Bush’s appearance in Capitol Hill, that clear mid-summer day was expected to be just another ho-hum 24 hours for “Bush 43” West Wingers. Nothing prepared them for the approaching disaster that would turn their world upside down.

At around 8:45 a.m., hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC). Minutes later, the tragedy was flashed on TV screens. Ralston, her monitor tuned-in to Fox, was one of the firsts to witness it. Immediately, she alerted Rove by phone, giving him a blow-by-blow account of the air mishap. Ralston, however, observed how strange the circumstances behind the incident were. As she continues to chat with Rove, a second hijacked airliner struck the South Tower. Right there and then, she knew it was no coincidence. America was under siege.

All hell broke loose.

“This could not be real,” Ralston recalled as telling a colleague. But it was a real West Wing moment not even an NBC series of the same name can closely approximate. Suddenly she was tossed into the eye of the storm. In one blink, this mid-level Filipino American in the White House became a reluctant eyewitness to the unfolding of history.

Rove Deputy
As one of the deputies of Rove, arguably the closest and most influential aide to Bush, Ralston is assigned to coordinate public events involving the POTUS (President Of The United States). She is also involved with the long-term strategy and planning of Bush’s schedule and travels, including one the president made to the Philippines recently.

As a close and trusted aide to Rove, Ralston is designated of late, as a White House liaison to the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election campaign, a first for a Filipino. It is “not unusual” then that she confers with senior government officials on a regular basis. But on that fateful day of September, her role took on a more profound significance.

As soon as it was determined that the twin incidents in New York were perpetrated by terrorists, then New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New York Governor George Pataki scrambled to get on the phone with the president. They quickly made contact with Ralston’s office, which maintains a secure and direct line to Rove and President Bush. During these very tense moments, Ralston managed to keep her cool as she helped orchestrate the powwow between the highest officials of the land.

Even as she was fulfilling her responsibility to her country, Ralston also made sure she’s in constant communication with her family: Her mom and dad in Wilmette, Illinois and her husband at their Woodridge residence, 30 miles from D.C. “My husband, while anxious, assured me that I would be out of harm's way. New York is a safe distance from Washington.” Little did they know that at that very instance two more planes were barreling towards the capital, ready to hit its targets.

D.C. Under Siege
Indeed, at 9:43 a.m., one of the planes carrying 58 passengers and six crew members crashed into the Pentagon killing another 125 personnel inside the fortress of the Defense Department, just a few miles away from the presidential residence. It was now very clear: Nobody was safe anymore. With one more plane still unaccounted for and with reports saying that it was headed for the White House or the Capitol, the Secret Service concluded it’s time to evacuate.

The Secret Service first rushed Vice President Dick Cheney into a secured underground facility into the belly of the White House, while the rest including Ralston were hastily ushered into the mess hall, which is below ground level. “It was a very eerie scene. Everyone was very silent and tense,” Ralston said. And it was not the end of it. Only a little later, they were ordered out of the White House compound. “We were told to run as fast as we could.”

Outside, everything became even more incomprehensible. “It was total chaos.” Like many, Ralston was cut off from the world. Phone lines were not working. Cell phones were jammed. Rumors spread that the Capitol was on fire and that Camp David, the president’s summer and weekend hideaway was under attack. All Ralston could hear are the sonic booms and the whizzing of fighter jets searching for hostile crafts. It was Independence Day: The Movie minus the extraterrestrial invaders. The fog of war has descended over D.C.

It was only much later, when Ralston re-established communication with Rove who was in an undisclosed location with President Bush. She also learned of the horrifying collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, which killed thousands of innocent civilians, and the crash of a fourth plane in Pennsylvania.

As bedlam ensued, Ralston found herself wading through the crowd. She and hundreds of others were stuck near a bridge connecting D.C. and Virginia. Since she carpooled that morning, she was left with no choice but to do some hitchhiking. Albeit exhausted, Ralston realized on her walk home how the event transformed people. Complete strangers approached each other and even offered help. One motorist drove up to her and gave her a ride to the other side of the bridge, where she was reunited with her husband. She made it home at 2:30 p.m. Amidst the demonstration of hate and terror, some “rare” and beautiful things happened along the way that day, Ralston recalled.

Later in the afternoon, the president returned to the White House to address the country and the world.

Chicago native
In an interview last Fall, I asked her if her 9/11 experience two years ago made her wish she was doing something else instead of working at the White House. This Fil-Am pride’s reply was, it only strengthened her "resolve" to serve her country even better. Now this daughter of two Filipino doctors from Quezon City in Metro Manila is ruling her West Wing desk, thirteen to fourteen hours a day, Monday to Friday, and on-call on weekends.

It’s not all work though, for this summa cum laude graduate of Chicago’s Loyola University. On weekends, away from the political chit-chat and Bush-bashing in Washington D.C., she manages to do some round of golf and running with her husband. Or reading at home. This homebody’s latest read is the controversial, The Da Vinci Code, a book, which re-examines the role of Mary Magdalene in the life of Jesus Christ.

So what makes this Asian woman stand out in her world populated by Republicans? Determination and hard work. That she is a brilliant head-turner doesn’t harm. Ralston also credits her Filipino character – being warm and hospitable – as part of her charm. On her trip to Manila to coordinate Bush’s state visit, she also wowed her kababayans with her confidence and wit that landed her on the front-page of the widely-circulated national daily, Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Still, the question begs to be asked, why Republican? And why George W. Bush, the favorite target of anti-Iraq War opponents? To the first, she highlighted the Grand Old Party’s “conservative and family-oriented policies”, its anti-tax plank, its health care plan, its pro-life stance and its emphasis on “ownership society.” However, the Republican’s stand on one important issue dear to Filipinos, immigration, remains iffy at best. On the issue of Bush’s cowboy tendencies in dealing with world problems, Ralston said, “you don’t have to agree with every policy” the president makes, even as she emphasized that he is “a decisive president,” a man “full of integrity” and “down to earth.”

Ralston is equally protective of her boss Karl Rove’s reputation. On the claim that Karl Rove is the “real brain” of the second Bush White House, she said, “the president is a strong leader and he makes his own decisions. Karl is there to provide good advice. They are good friends.” “Karl is always portrayed as Machiavellian, but he is not all that.”

But whatever politics, an individual has, Ralston stressed, serving the public is an honorable profession. She encouraged young people from the minority population, especially Filipino-Americans to consider government as a career path. “We don’t have a lot of Asian people in politics. So go out and study government and politics, ” Susan Bonzon-Ralston.

2004 Republican Convention Coverage

Fil-Am voice remains in the sidelines

PINOY Newsmagazine
November 2004 Issue

Text and Photos by Ted Regencia

New York, NY -- As the Republican Party nominates President George W. Bush for a second term, issues being advocated by Filipino-Americans remain in the sidelines, with the attention focus on terrorism, national security, the economy and health reforms.

In his acceptance speech September 2 at the Madison Square Garden, President Bush made no mention of immigration, one of the major concerns of Filipino-American voters. This, even as he aggressively courts the largest immigrant group, the Hispanics, with specific and targeted proposals.

The immigration issue aside, the Filipino-American community's other major concern: Full recognition of Filipino American World War II veterans, was also unheard of at the convention floor.

Further complicating efforts to advance its causes is the almost absent representation of the Filipino-American community in the Grand Old Party's (GOP) convention delegates. Of the 2,509 delegates, only 104 or two percent are Asians with an undetermined number of Filipino Americans. This despite statistics showing the 2-million plus Filipino American community is the second largest Asian group in the US.

It should be noted, however, that this year, minorities make up 17 percent of total delegates as compared to 10 percent in 2000. "(This is) the most diverse group of delegates in our party's history," Republican National Chairman Ed Gillespie said in the GOP website.

Two Fil-Ams
Of the few Filipino American delegates, PINOY interviewed two, and both did not mention immigration or equity for Fil-Am veterans as among their top concerns.

Filipino American Mark Ellis, one of the delegates from the state of Maine, said it's Mr. Bush's stand "on tax cuts and the economy" that he was most passionate to hear about. Ellis, a computer expert, was born in the Philippines.

The 43-year old Ellis from Augusta, Maine played a major role in the Republican Party as one of the 110-member platform-writing team. He was involved in the aspects of the platform that dealt with terrorism and homeland security.

Another Filipino American delegate from Hawaii, Vivian Welsh Aiona, stressed homeland security, education and family values, as among her concerns. Aiona was not disappointed when Bush addressed her three concerns during his acceptance speech.

"This is my first time to attend a Republican National Convention and I am really very excited. My kids are also very excited," added Aiona, wife of Hawaii Lt. Gov. James Aiona and mother to Makana, Ohulani, Kulia and Kaimilani. She traces her roots in Cebu, the province and birthplace of her mother.

When pressed on her stand on immigration and undocumented immigrants, Aiona said "immigration laws need to be fixed" and that she favors faster process of "family reunification.�" She did not elaborate.

Thorny issue
Meanwhile, Susan Fischer, a Republican delegate from Texas told PINOY that undocumented immigrants should be sent back to their respective countries.

Nancy Acevedo, a Florida delegate of Hispanic descent was more conciliatory. She said Republican leaders in Congress need to "fix the problem", given the reality that thousands cross the US border from Latin American every year.

When asked what problems in immigration need fixing, Acevedo said that it is up to the legislators to determine it.

Immigration is a thorny issue for both the Republican and the Democratic Party. According to published reports, a slight majority of Republican delegates, 52%, think legal immigration into the US should be kept at its present level. A similar number of Democratic delegates said so in July. But Republican delegates are more likely than their Democratic counterparts to want decreased immigration: by a two-to-one margin, Republican delegates say immigration level should be decreased, while the Democratic delegates said immigration should be increased by 23% to 14%.

Nationally, voters of both parties want to see decreased legal immigration, with 53% of Republican voters and 48% of Democratic voters saying so.

Pinoy New Yorkers
While Republican faithfuls carried on with their four-day affair inside Madison Square Garden, life went on in the streets of New York.

At Union Square, Anita, a middle-aged caregiver from the Philippine island of Cebu, and long-time resident of Queens, was enjoying her late lunch while people-watching.

Asked about the upcoming presidential elections, Anita casually commented in her native Cebuano that Bush "would probably win re-election, because the wife of John Kerry (Teresa Heinz-Kerry) does not look like a first lady."

Anita would also relate her "harrowing" experience during 9/11 when she had to walk for five hours to get home; and the 2003 Blackout, when she was trapped in the subway.

At the other side of Union Square, Stephanie Valera, a Fil-Am graduate of New York University, was busy chatting with her friends. They have just witnessed an open-air exhibit dubbed Eyes Wide Open featuring hundreds of combat boots representing the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq. One pair of boots was labelled: Spec. Solomon Bangayan, Vermont. Bangayan, originally of Sudipen, La Union, Philippines was killed in Iraq last January 2, 2004.

"He is universally hated here," Valera said, never mincing her words in criticizing President Bush and his decision to go to war in Iraq.

Earlier, another Filipina, artist June Pascal, formerly of Quezon City, chanced upon this reporter at Station 96 of the R subway. The conversation immediately turned to politics, with her expressing her "disgust" towards the Republicans. "I hate them. I hate them. That's why I am moving out of here," she she before announcing that she is moving to the Dominican Republic.

Still, another Filpino-American from Vigan, Ilocos Sur said he "does not want to get involved in or comment about politics."

Fifth Avenue corporate office workers David and Jade Zapanta, on the other hand, were taking the temporary Republican onslaught in New York with calm demeanor. Both are supporting Bush's opponent, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

Bush ahead among Pinoys
Filipino American supporters of Kerry, however, may be disappointed to learn of the survey showing majority of their kababayans (countrymen) are voting for Bush.

According to the New California Media, which conducted the survey for the Republican Tarrance Group and the Democratic Bendixen & Associates, 56 percent of Filipino Americans back President Bush.

Overall the nationwide poll of 1,004 Asian Pacific and Islander Americans "likely to vote" on November 2, shows Kerry leading Bush 43-36. Filipino Americans composed 19 percent of the total polled.

The NCM poll projects 2.9 million Asian Americans, out of the estimated 3.5 million registered voters, will go out and vote in November.



Obama will face off with his Republican opponent Alan Keyes in the November 2, 2004 election. Many polls suggest he will win by a large margin.

Obama, a law graduate of Harvard University and the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, rose to national prominence after delivering a speech July 27 at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

"It was a great honor to be able to speak to the nation. I am very flattered," Obama said of his moment at the podium.

Of his natural charm, Obama attributed his multi-ethnic background as a great influence for his ability to embrace different cultures and respect people.

Obama also related how he first became a community organizer in the Southside of Chicago, a civil rights lawyer and coordinator of Project Vote, which helped elect President Bill Clinton in 1992, and his experience as a state senator.

Even before his election to the US Senate, people across the US and more especially the media, are already talking about his presidential prospects. They suggest that he could be the first African-American to become president of the US.

But Barack Obama only has this to say: "It is not something I take seriously. At this point, I am working to win this Senate contest and serve all the people of the State of Illinois."