It was a bright and sunny morning on September 22, 2007 when a group
of Filipino American leaders from various medical, legal, business,
socio-civic, and humanitarian organizations met at the Holiday Inn
Koger South Conference Center in Richmond, Virginia.
The objective of the meeting was to organize an association to help
in the reconstruction of the Philippine, by supporting Gawad Kalinga
and other programs that are fundamental in nation rebuilding. The
ultimate goal was the transformation of the Philippines and the Filipinos
and restore their pride and dignity as a nation and as a people.
The meeting in Richmond was the culmination of an initial one, The
Summit of Leaders, that was initiated by Oscar M. Laserna, MD, then
incumbent president of the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America,
during its 35th Gala Jubilee in Norfolk, Virginia on July 26-28, 2007.
At that Summit, guests Tony Meloto (Gawad Kalinga founder), his
son-in-law Dylan Wilk (Coordinator, Gawad Kalinga, International Partnerships),
Bobby Rodrigo (a past president of Rotary-Makati, and General Director
of South A Gawad Kalinga Resource), and dozens of leaders of various
Fil-Am organizations were present. It was decided at the Norfolk Summit
that there was indeed a need for such an organization of leaders to
lead and inspire the Filipinos overseas to aid in the rebuilding of
the Philippines. In view of the time constraint on that last afternoon
of the SPSA conference, the delegates adopted a proposal to hold another
caucus, an organizational meeting, in the next two months.
The North Central Virginia Association of Philippine Physicians,
led by Rosario G. Laserna, M.D., of Fredericksburg, which was holding
their September convention in Richmond, offered to host the second
Summit.
After opening statements and expression of sentiments by all leaders
present, a reaffirmation of the previous consensus at the July SPSA
Summit was reached. Thus, the Filipino United Network was born.
The leaders present elected the following: Chairman: Philip S. Chua,
MD, FACS, FPCS, a past president of the Society of Philippine Surgeons
in America and the Association of Philippine Physicians in America;
Vice-Chair: Rosario G. Laserna, MD, FACOG; Board Directors: Rudy D.
Bolipata, Emma T. Dacquel, MD, Eugenia E. Emmanuel, MD, Leo C. Gangoy,
MD, Rey Lee-llacer, MD, FACS, Fortunato Macatol, MD, Rumy Mohta, Aleflor
Ragaza, MD, Charito C. Santos, and Francis Talangbayan, MD. The Board
of Advisers is composed of : Sariel G.G. Ablaza, MD, FACS, Eustaquio
O. Abay, MD, FACS, Juan M. Montero, MD, FACS, and Antonio T. Donato,
MD, FACS.
The constitution and by-laws of FUN were drafted on October 8, 2007
and ratified on November 8, 2007. The motto of the Filipino United
Network is “Serving the Needy With Love and Compassion is FUN.”
Its email address is FUNforHumanity@gmail.com, and its website is
www.filipino UNITEDnetwork.com
On Saturday, December 8, 2007, the Filipino United Network launched
its internet campaign entitled “A One-Dollar Moral Crusade Against
Graft and Corruption in the Philippines.” The movement, which
was inspired by the struggle of the Reverend (on-leave) Father Ed
Panilio, newly elected “Miracle” Governor of Pampanga,
for honesty and transparency in governance, caught the interest of
overseas Filipinos. The inertia was set and the crusade is gaining
momentum
The Filipino United Network has great faith in the Filipino. FUN
does not believe that the Philippines is hopeless, or that the Filipinos
at home are not worthy of the sacrifices and the revolution being
waged on their behalf by their fellow Filipinos overseas.
The Filipino United Network and the millions of visionary Filipino
patriots abroad are launching a war against graft and corruption among
government officials in the Philippines, the cancer that is devastating
the nation, causing more than 75% of the people to wallow in massive
poverty, depriving them not only of the material, but of their soul,
and dignity.
These Filipino patriots around the world, including those at home,
armed with their love of country and compassion for their suffering
fellowmen, are the hope of our homeland.
The Filipino United Network is sounding a clarion call for all Filipino
patriots anywhere in the world to join this revolution, a revolution
not of arms, but of ideals and principle, where no blood shall be
shed, where sweat and tears shall one day bathe our nation clean,
and where poverty shall be history.