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San Francisco: So what else is new? Of course everybody agrees that
Filipino food is oftentimes greasy, fatty and mostly unhealthy. Pero,
ang sarap naman! In California, ingredients are cheap, easily
available and of good quality —no wonder many Fil-Ams totally
disregard so-called healthy choices in favor of lechon, dinuguan,
adobo, bulalo and halo-halo!
In San Diego, a local organization called
Kalusugan Community Services (KCS) conducted a survey of food served
in 13 Filipino restaurants in Mira Mesa and National City. Their
conclusion: Filipino restaurants do not offer healthy choices. In
fact, there is no place to eat healthy, according to the survey.
To prevent obesity, heart problems and other
diseases, Filipino-Americans need to learn better eating habits. KCS,
according to its president, Riz Oades, is also against combination
plates, the high presence of cooking oil, and all-you-can-eat
buffets.
Filipina wins celebrated labor case
Former housemaid Nena Ruiz is $825,000 richer
this year (minus lawyers’ fees, of course) after the jury
convicted James and Elizabeth Jackson of forced labor and alien
harboring. However, the former Sony vice-president for legal affairs
and his Filipino wife have declared bankruptcy, so where will the
money come from?
Ruiz is a former schoolteacher in a rural town
in the Philippines. She arrived in the States on a special work visa
at the request of the Jacksons. She was supposed to work as a
companion and caretaker of Elizabeth’s mother. However, Nena was
moved to the Jackson home where she was allegedly mistreated by
Elizabeth, who paid her a meager $300 for one year’s work.
District Court Judge Fischer denied the
plaintiff’s request for home confinement in lieu of prison time,
claiming Elizabeth treated her dog much better than she treated Nena.
In freedom-loving America, people like the Jacksons are treated with
disdain and contempt.
Alcala art exhibit
There’s an ongoing exhibit at the John F.
Kennedy Library in Vallejo that features the artwork of illustrator
Alfredo Alcala and Christian Volitar Alcala. There’s another
worthy exhibit being held at the International Hotel featuring the
collaborative works of Arvin Flores, Jose Guinto, England Hidalgo,
Marcius Noceda, Carlo Ricafort and Mel Vera Cruz.
A death in the family
Ernesto “Titong” Hernandez, passed away on
January 31 in Bridgeview, Illinois after a long illness. Titong was
the first Filipino-American to cover the White House as a reporter
for the Knight-Ridder Publications. Born in South Bend, Indiana to
Jose Ma Hernandez and Nenita Carreon, Titong studied at the Ateneo
de Manila and University of the East, but at age 19, he selected to
become an American citizen. He returned to the United States and
continued his studies at the University of Indiana. Titong fought in
the Korean War and was a frontline correspondent during the Vietnam
War.
Ernesto is survived by his six sisters: Mini
Hernandez, Sylvia H. Cruz, Leni H. Debuque, Alice H. Reyes, Lala H.
Carroll and myself. His cremains will be scattered at sea under the
Golden Gate Bridge on March 8.
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