LT. COL. SHIRLEY S. RAGUINDIN, AMBASSADOR GAA
PHOENIX, AZ -- When Johnny Pecayo authored a Petition OnLine over a year ago urging Filipino Americans throughout the United States of America to sign the petition on behalf of the Filipino American Veterans of World War II, he sought the assistance and support of Philippine Ambassador to U.S., H.E. Willy C. Gaa, as well as the different Consuls General in various parts of the United States, so that Filipinos in their respective territorial coverages could be made aware of the importance of this campaign.
The campaign began with two different letters addressed separately to the U.S. Senate, and to the U.S. House of Representatives, calling their attention to the importance of the Veterans Equity Bill.
It will be recalled that Filipino soldiers who fought against the Japanese in the Philippines were ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt into service in the U.S. Army. When the war broke out, the Philippines was a colony of the U.S. Therefore, the Filipino soldiers were American nationals serving the USA. They should have been entitled to full VA benefits had the Rider to PL 79-301, The Rescission Act of 1946, not taken those benefits away.
Pecayo went on to emailblast the Petition OnLine to various Filipino American organizations, businessmen, professionals and community leaders.
When Lt. Col. Shirley S. Raguindin of the Arizona Air National Guard (AZNG) received the email, she immediately responded, acknowledged it and, at the same time, wrote individual letters herself to the members of the U.S. Senate and Congress.
Last April 24, the U.S. Senate gave a resounding approval to S. 1315, otherwise known as Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, with a vote of 96 to 1. Upon learning of this good news, Lt. Col. Raguindin prepared a special letter of commendation for Johnny Pecayo, sought the approval of her Commanding General, Maj. Gen. David O. Rataczak, Adjutant General, AZNG, then sent it to Pecayo.
Commendation from Lt. Col. Raguindin
"Johnny M. Pecayo, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, is commended not just in celebrating the successful 18th anniversary of his publication this year, but for his outstanding and influential leadership which made a historic and significant impact to Filipino American Veterans in both the U.S. and in the Philippines.
"He spearheaded an OnLine Petition to generate support from the Filipinos to urge members of both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for an early passage of the Veterans Equity Bill. I joined the petition, along with my relatives and friends, and even campaigned further to support this noble idea. His united effort will make a significant difference.
"Out of the estimated 472,000 listed by the U.S. Army at the end of World War II, the remaining 15,000 surviving military service veterans will be able to receive the military benefits they rightfully earned. Without Johnny's vision and focused determination, the recent overwhelming Senate approval would not have been a reality today.
"In addition, when a member of the cast of the "Desperate Housewives" made disparaging remarks against Filipino physicians, Johnny initiated an awareness campaign by communicating directly with Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa in Washington, D.C., the different Consuls General in the U.S. as well as various community organizations. His presence was sought by TV reporter Gigi Gracietti of MY-13 and FOX-11, who caught up with him on his views.
"Johnny, a true champion of equal opportunity, civil rights and diversity, continues to heighten the awareness of the many significant contributions of Filipino Americans now and in the future," Lt. Col. Raguindin of Arizona Air National Guard (AZNG) wrote.
Commendation from Ambassador Willy Gaa
In his letter to Johnny Pecayo, Willy C. Gaa, Philippine Ambassador to Washington, wrote: "I wish to thank you for keeping the Embassy informed and up-to-date with your direct involvement in the Filipino Veterans' cause. Your OnLine Petition certainly drew a lot of attention not only from Filipino Americans, but from members of both Houses of U.S. Congress as well.
"I also wish to thank you for keeping the Embassy informed and up to date with the activities and initiatives of the Filipino American Leadership Council (FALCON), particularly in its continuing advocacy on behalf of the Filipino American community on the "Desperate Housewives" issue. Pecayo is the FALCON Chairman for Public Relations.
"It is both heartening and encouraging to see instances where the Filipino American community come together and find common ground on issues of importance affecting the whole community. It is my belief that the Filipino American community has significant
potential clout and influence in mainstream American society, the exercise of which would enable the community to further common interests and goals, not only for the community, but for the Philippines and the Filipino people as well.
"The efforts of FALCON and similar movements and organizations are steps toward the goal of establishing a higher and more active profile for the Filipino American community in the political and socio-economic fabric of U.S. society. In this regard, I wish FALCON and you the best of luck and success in all your endeavors," Ambassador concluded his commendation letter.
Pecayo, publisher and editor-in-chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, and president and CEO of Jade Management Pacific Ventures, is very active in the Filipino American community. Aside from being the Chairman for FALCON's Public Relations, he is also the Coordinator for the Greater Los Angeles area for Mabuhay Alliance, a San Diego-based non-profit organization dealing with mainstream America. He is a member of the Diplomatic Press Corps, Los Angeles Police Department's Press, Sheriff Department's Press, and Executive Vice President of the Philippine Press Club U.S.A., Inc. His newspaper, the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, is a Media Partner of ABS-CBN International; Gawad Kalinga; Ayala Foundation, U.S.A.; Mabuhay Alliance; Chinese General Hospital Filipino Nurses Association of Southern California; Isabela International; Nueva Vizcaya Association of Southern California; United Batanguenos of Southern California, which Pecayo headed as Governor for two years; and the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, which co-founded.
An MBA graduate from the Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business, Pecayo worked for six years at the Department of Foreign Affairs and with South-East Asia Treaty Organization. He pursued a 20-year career at San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage company in Asia. While on the management staff of San Miguel Corporation, he was elected President of the Philippine Council for Industrial Communications (PCIC) and, at the same time, editor of the following publications, in a concurrent position: Communicate, official publication of PCIC; AMC Newsletter, official publication for Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business, which he founded; PMAP Newsletter, official organ for the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines; Buhay Barangay, official publication of Barangay Don Bosco, which he put up; TASSCOR Newsletter, a monthly publication of the Towers Assurance Corporation. Pecayo was the editor-in-chief, for 20 years, of a) BMD Newsletter; b) BMD Marketing Management Digest; and c) Bunga ng Pinagsamahan San Miguel Beer Dealer Magazine. For the same length of time, he was a contributing editor to Kaunlaran Magazine, a monthly corporate magazine of San Miguel Corporation; as well as the SMC journal, the SMC News.
He launched Kalayaan News Magazine as its editor last June 14 at the Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in Burbank, California in commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.
When Pt. Pinatubo erupted several years ago, Pecayo was officially designated by Consul General Victor Garcia III as overall chairman of the fund-raising campaign in Southern California. Upon receipt of a designation letter signed by the Consul General, Pecayo organized a group then arranged with the Management of KSCI TV Channel 18 for a two-hour telethon. It was Marissa Castro who coordinated with Pecayo. After two hours, the telethon was able to raise about $100,000. It was reported that the amount raised was turned over to the American Red Cross that coordinated its transmittal to the Philippine Red Cross.
When news came that Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales would be coming over to Los Angeles, Pecayo began the coordinating task with the Cardinal's Office in Manila, and with Archbishop Oscar Solis in Los Angeles, who appointed Pecayo as Chairman of the Media Group and a member of the Reception Committee. He organized the group, comprising the membership from ABS-CBN Global, Asian Journal, MANILA-U.S. TIMES, Weekend Balita, Tribune USA, and Asian People's Journal. ABS-CBN, through Raffy Lopez and Ging Reyes, assigned Ana Diaz and a cameraman to provide TV coverage of this historic, first visit of Cardinal Rosales. Thousands of Filipino Americans attended the Sunday morning mass at Los Angeles Cathedral where a special lunch was also held in his honor.
Pecayo was also the executive producer and newscaster of the Filipino Variety Show, a weekly TV program aired over Channels 6, 52 and 95, covering the Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Burbank, La Crescenta, San Marino, San Gabriel and Irwindale areas. He also did radio broadcasting at KAZN radio and Radio Filipinas and co-hosted a weekly Filipinas.TV with Manny Calpito.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist Medical Center; Glendale Educational Foundation; 80-20; and Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society.
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JOHNNY PECAYO (right) is photographed here with Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales at the Phiippine Consulate General in Los Angeles. -- MUST PHOTO by Romeo M. Balboa
The campaign began with two different letters addressed separately to the U.S. Senate, and to the U.S. House of Representatives, calling their attention to the importance of the Veterans Equity Bill.
It will be recalled that Filipino soldiers who fought against the Japanese in the Philippines were ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt into service in the U.S. Army. When the war broke out, the Philippines was a colony of the U.S. Therefore, the Filipino soldiers were American nationals serving the USA. They should have been entitled to full VA benefits had the Rider to PL 79-301, The Rescission Act of 1946, not taken those benefits away.
Pecayo went on to emailblast the Petition OnLine to various Filipino American organizations, businessmen, professionals and community leaders.
When Lt. Col. Shirley S. Raguindin of the Arizona Air National Guard (AZNG) received the email, she immediately responded, acknowledged it and, at the same time, wrote individual letters herself to the members of the U.S. Senate and Congress.
Last April 24, the U.S. Senate gave a resounding approval to S. 1315, otherwise known as Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, with a vote of 96 to 1. Upon learning of this good news, Lt. Col. Raguindin prepared a special letter of commendation for Johnny Pecayo, sought the approval of her Commanding General, Maj. Gen. David O. Rataczak, Adjutant General, AZNG, then sent it to Pecayo.
Commendation from Lt. Col. Raguindin
"Johnny M. Pecayo, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, is commended not just in celebrating the successful 18th anniversary of his publication this year, but for his outstanding and influential leadership which made a historic and significant impact to Filipino American Veterans in both the U.S. and in the Philippines.
"He spearheaded an OnLine Petition to generate support from the Filipinos to urge members of both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for an early passage of the Veterans Equity Bill. I joined the petition, along with my relatives and friends, and even campaigned further to support this noble idea. His united effort will make a significant difference.
"Out of the estimated 472,000 listed by the U.S. Army at the end of World War II, the remaining 15,000 surviving military service veterans will be able to receive the military benefits they rightfully earned. Without Johnny's vision and focused determination, the recent overwhelming Senate approval would not have been a reality today.
"In addition, when a member of the cast of the "Desperate Housewives" made disparaging remarks against Filipino physicians, Johnny initiated an awareness campaign by communicating directly with Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa in Washington, D.C., the different Consuls General in the U.S. as well as various community organizations. His presence was sought by TV reporter Gigi Gracietti of MY-13 and FOX-11, who caught up with him on his views.
"Johnny, a true champion of equal opportunity, civil rights and diversity, continues to heighten the awareness of the many significant contributions of Filipino Americans now and in the future," Lt. Col. Raguindin of Arizona Air National Guard (AZNG) wrote.
Commendation from Ambassador Willy Gaa
In his letter to Johnny Pecayo, Willy C. Gaa, Philippine Ambassador to Washington, wrote: "I wish to thank you for keeping the Embassy informed and up-to-date with your direct involvement in the Filipino Veterans' cause. Your OnLine Petition certainly drew a lot of attention not only from Filipino Americans, but from members of both Houses of U.S. Congress as well.
"I also wish to thank you for keeping the Embassy informed and up to date with the activities and initiatives of the Filipino American Leadership Council (FALCON), particularly in its continuing advocacy on behalf of the Filipino American community on the "Desperate Housewives" issue. Pecayo is the FALCON Chairman for Public Relations.
"It is both heartening and encouraging to see instances where the Filipino American community come together and find common ground on issues of importance affecting the whole community. It is my belief that the Filipino American community has significant
potential clout and influence in mainstream American society, the exercise of which would enable the community to further common interests and goals, not only for the community, but for the Philippines and the Filipino people as well.
"The efforts of FALCON and similar movements and organizations are steps toward the goal of establishing a higher and more active profile for the Filipino American community in the political and socio-economic fabric of U.S. society. In this regard, I wish FALCON and you the best of luck and success in all your endeavors," Ambassador concluded his commendation letter.
Pecayo, publisher and editor-in-chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, and president and CEO of Jade Management Pacific Ventures, is very active in the Filipino American community. Aside from being the Chairman for FALCON's Public Relations, he is also the Coordinator for the Greater Los Angeles area for Mabuhay Alliance, a San Diego-based non-profit organization dealing with mainstream America. He is a member of the Diplomatic Press Corps, Los Angeles Police Department's Press, Sheriff Department's Press, and Executive Vice President of the Philippine Press Club U.S.A., Inc. His newspaper, the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, is a Media Partner of ABS-CBN International; Gawad Kalinga; Ayala Foundation, U.S.A.; Mabuhay Alliance; Chinese General Hospital Filipino Nurses Association of Southern California; Isabela International; Nueva Vizcaya Association of Southern California; United Batanguenos of Southern California, which Pecayo headed as Governor for two years; and the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, which co-founded.
An MBA graduate from the Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business, Pecayo worked for six years at the Department of Foreign Affairs and with South-East Asia Treaty Organization. He pursued a 20-year career at San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage company in Asia. While on the management staff of San Miguel Corporation, he was elected President of the Philippine Council for Industrial Communications (PCIC) and, at the same time, editor of the following publications, in a concurrent position: Communicate, official publication of PCIC; AMC Newsletter, official publication for Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business, which he founded; PMAP Newsletter, official organ for the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines; Buhay Barangay, official publication of Barangay Don Bosco, which he put up; TASSCOR Newsletter, a monthly publication of the Towers Assurance Corporation. Pecayo was the editor-in-chief, for 20 years, of a) BMD Newsletter; b) BMD Marketing Management Digest; and c) Bunga ng Pinagsamahan San Miguel Beer Dealer Magazine. For the same length of time, he was a contributing editor to Kaunlaran Magazine, a monthly corporate magazine of San Miguel Corporation; as well as the SMC journal, the SMC News.
He launched Kalayaan News Magazine as its editor last June 14 at the Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in Burbank, California in commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.
When Pt. Pinatubo erupted several years ago, Pecayo was officially designated by Consul General Victor Garcia III as overall chairman of the fund-raising campaign in Southern California. Upon receipt of a designation letter signed by the Consul General, Pecayo organized a group then arranged with the Management of KSCI TV Channel 18 for a two-hour telethon. It was Marissa Castro who coordinated with Pecayo. After two hours, the telethon was able to raise about $100,000. It was reported that the amount raised was turned over to the American Red Cross that coordinated its transmittal to the Philippine Red Cross.
When news came that Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales would be coming over to Los Angeles, Pecayo began the coordinating task with the Cardinal's Office in Manila, and with Archbishop Oscar Solis in Los Angeles, who appointed Pecayo as Chairman of the Media Group and a member of the Reception Committee. He organized the group, comprising the membership from ABS-CBN Global, Asian Journal, MANILA-U.S. TIMES, Weekend Balita, Tribune USA, and Asian People's Journal. ABS-CBN, through Raffy Lopez and Ging Reyes, assigned Ana Diaz and a cameraman to provide TV coverage of this historic, first visit of Cardinal Rosales. Thousands of Filipino Americans attended the Sunday morning mass at Los Angeles Cathedral where a special lunch was also held in his honor.
Pecayo was also the executive producer and newscaster of the Filipino Variety Show, a weekly TV program aired over Channels 6, 52 and 95, covering the Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Burbank, La Crescenta, San Marino, San Gabriel and Irwindale areas. He also did radio broadcasting at KAZN radio and Radio Filipinas and co-hosted a weekly Filipinas.TV with Manny Calpito.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist Medical Center; Glendale Educational Foundation; 80-20; and Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society.
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JOHNNY PECAYO (right) is photographed here with Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales at the Phiippine Consulate General in Los Angeles. -- MUST PHOTO by Romeo M. Balboa
JOHNNY PECAYO (left) shakes hands with Philippine Ambassador to Washington, Willy C. Gaa.
JOHNNY M. PECAYO (left), Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, is shown here with Congressman Hermilando Mandanas of the 2nd District of Batangas; Congressman Antonio Magsaysay Diaz, Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Philippine House of Representatives; and San Diego-based Businessman Robert Sanchez (whose father was also a World War II Veteran), an avid supporter of the Filipino American veterans. Johnny's father, Alberto N. Pecayo (deceased), a veteran of World War II, belonged to the 41st Infantry, 41st Division, USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East). They recently had a luncheon meeting at Cheesecake Factory in Redondo Beach, California and discussed the issue at hand -- S. 1315 -- which requires approval by the U.S. House of Representatives.
LT. COL. SHIRLEY S. RAGUINDIN of the Arizona Air National Guard.
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