FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Gonzalo “Jun” Policarpio


BE A PART OF SHAPING PHILIPPINE HISTORY RIGHTEOUSLY


This coming May 10th presidential elections in the Philippines is just too important to have a “wait and see” attitude and let it go without naming the best and most appropriate candidate to occupy the most powerful office of the land.

So on April 29th, Thursday afternoon, at a popular Filipino restaurant in Woodside, New York, a group of New Yorker Filipinos gathered and unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, only son of the martyred senator Ninoy Aquino and former president Cory Aquino.

The special group is composed of Filipino professionals coming from various backgrounds, namely:


This columnist who once served as a member of New York City Mayor’s Ethnic Advisory Council acting as the Mayor’s Liaison to the Filipino community from 1981 to 1989. He worked with former New York City Councilman Sheldon Leffler in 1983 to name a public park in Queens after Ninoy, called BENIGNO AQUINO TRIANGLE, the assassinated father of Noynoy for sake of freedom and democracy in the Philippines.

Prof. Ruben Policarpio Mendez, son of former Philippine Foreign Secretary Mauro Mendez and distinguished educator, author, and Rizalist, Dr. Paz Policarpio Mendez. Prof. Mendez wrote 2 textbooks on International Public Finance currently being used by college students at New York University. He also teaches at Yale University.

Jose Mari Mercader, former Philippine Tourism Attache in New York and former fiery anti-Marcos television commentator in the Philippines.

Atty. Roberto Hernandez, Immigration Lawyer in New York who once participated in the world-famous EDSA “People Power” Revolution and a relative in-law of former Senator Jovito Salonga, honorary chairman of the Liberal Party where Noynoy belongs.

Atty. Gabriel De la Merced, Immigration Lawyer in New York and son of the former Mayor of Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Luis Pedron, Jr., noted Filipino American filmmaker and director and newspaper publisher

Arturo Zamora, foremost Filipino visual artist in the Philippines and currently in New York. Former San Francisco Mayor, Willie Brown, once proclaimed an “Arturo Zamora Day” in honor of his artistic distinctions.

Last but not the least, Emmanuel Agbanlog, publisher of this paper and GLOBAL PINOY, a monthly magazine for Filipinos worldwide.

You may log on to www.filipinotimesonline.com to view and listen to this Filipino New Yorkers’ hearty endorsement of Noynoy Aquino as next president of the Philippines and Mar Roxas, as his vice-president.

Now to those who can vote, go the Philippine Center in Manhattan and cast your sacred vote. Remember that your one vote can make a big difference on what will happen to our mother country for the next six years.