Fil-Ams in Los Angeles celebrate 5th Historic Filipinotown Festival; QueensCare participates, too

TERRY BONECUTTER (right), President and CEO of QueensCare Family Clinics, is being interviewed by Joseph Pimentel for ABS-CBN International's Channel 2.

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Celebrating the birth of the historic Filipino district in Los Angeles, California, the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council (HiFiNC) in collaboration with the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) and several other Filipino-American organizations held a two-day celebration on August 4 and 5 at the corners of Temple/Burlington here.

The fifth anniversary celebration of the Historic Filipinotown brought a feast of great performers for all ages, emerging talent from top shows and a vast array of booths for goods, arts, crafts, food and services, in addition to an exciting 5-kilometer Walk/Run Road Race, with support from Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon.

QueensCare Family Clinics participated in the festival through a booth, managed by Elaine Gillituk, Johnny Pecayo, Mario Quilao, Olga Garcia and Maria Garcia, where a number of festival guests dropped by, registered, and were briefed about the medical, dental and vision services, as well as pediatrician services to young children being provided by QueensCare to qualified individuals, in any of its clinic.

QueensCare Family Clinics are located, as follows: Eagle Rock Clinic, 4448 York Boulevard; East Los Angeles Clinic, 133 N. Sunol Drive; Echo Park Clinic, 150 N. Reno Street; Hollywood Clinic, 4618 Fountain Avenue; Wilshire Clinic, 3242 West 8th Street; and Bresee Clinic, located at 184 S. Bimini Place, Los Angeles.

Among the prominent personages in the Filipino American community who came to visit the QueensCare booth, were: Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon of the Philippine
Consulate General; Maria Quiban, TV newscaster, Fox 11 and Channel 13; Lydia Soriano, Chairman, Kalayaan of Southern California; Thelma Calabio, Founding chairman, Mamburao, U.S.A.; a school nurse who expressed interest to inform the parents about what QueensCare does in the community; Alvaro Vanegas of the Latino community, who is very active not only in the Latino community, but in the Fil-Am community as well, and many more.

Terry Bonecutter, President and CEO of QueensCare Family Clinics, was interviewed by Joseph Pimentel, assisted by a Cameraman, for Channel 2 of ABS-CBN International. The TV newscast is broadcast worldwide.

Featured performers included “American Idol 2007” finalist AJ Tabaldo, Joseph Gelito, Lara Avengoza, Ivory Cunanan, Pam Darden of the Marvelettes, Caroline Oguma, Ranella Ferrer, Dubhe Ferrer, Children of Burlington School, USC Troy Philippines, Kapatiran Historical Society, People’s CORE, Catheryn Briones, Sarah Lazatin, Erick Lerma, Josh Lopez, Kiana Lopez, Rocco, and Malou Toler among others.The feast of sister cultures, color and tradition continued with Proyectos Saluda Folklore Coalition of Mexican (Esplendor), Nicaraguan (Nicaraguita), Honduran (HULA), Colombian (Comparsa Fantasía Colombiana) and Guamenian (Kuttura Chamoru) folklore dance groups in two hours of mesmerizing presentations celebrating with Filipinos the joy of one big family, in one big Angeleno neighborhood. This was coordinated by Alvaro Vanegas.Also a highlight of this year’s celebration was the installation of 58 medallions on streetlights along Temple Street. The 5th Historic Filipinotown Festival is also organized by the Filipino American Library (FAL), Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), People's Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People's CORE), Pilipino American Network & Advocacy (PANA), and Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).Historic Filipinotown was created by a resolution of the Los Angeles City Council on August 2, 2002. It is home to a diverse population, including about 30 Filipino organizations, businesses, and landmarks.

Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, is the highest ranking Filipino in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico, the Consulate's territorial jurisdiction.

In a huddle (from left) are: Elaine Gillituk, Terry Bonecutter, Olga and Maria of QueensCare East L.A.

MARIA QUIBAN (left), a popular Filipino American TV newscaster at Fox 11 and Channel 13, dropped by the QueensCare booth to meet with (from left): Johnny Pecayo, Elaine Gillituk and Mario Quilao.

MARIA QUIBAN gamely participated in the damp tank contest, conducted by Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA). She is totally wet as she was dropped to the tank full of water when the participants hit the bulls eye.

MARIA QUIBAN, donning a summer shorts, had to put on another T-shirt on top of her white T-shirt as she is totally wet here.

MARIA QUIBAN shakes the hand of Mario Quilao, as Elain, Maria and Olga look on.

With her hands full of QueensCare give-aways, this young lady is being briefed by Olga (left) about the many services available at any of the six branches of QueensCare.

Elaine Gillituk (right) talks to a lady visitor, who is registering in the logbook.

An elderly man, with cap (left), talks to Mario Quilao, while Maria (right) looks on. Partly hidden is Elaine Gillituk.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT of hitting the ball against the "key" of the damp tank is Maria Quiban of Fox 11 and Channel 13.
A couple engages Olga in the discussion about the services available at QueensCare clinic.
During a dull moment, Elaine Gillituk, Maria, Olga and Johnny Pecayo found the time to relax as they were photographed here infront of the QueensCare product display.
PART of the crowd in the Entertainment Section, where various entertainment numbers were presented from early morning to early evening, for two days, August 4 & 5, Saturday & Sunday.
Three visitors are simultaneously registering and discussing the services available at QueensCare clinic with Mario Quilao and Olga.
ELAINE GILLITUK (right) entertains a friend who dropped by the QueensCare booth.
A BUSY QueensCare booth on the morning of August 4, with a number of potential clients milling around the booth.