By Johnny Pecayo, Manila U.S. Times Editor:
LAS VEGAS, NV -- More than 100 Filipino-American leaders from various states, associations, and sectors in the United States have emerged from the historic November 10, 2007 Summit held at the Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, as an integrated vigilant response to the slur on the ABC’s Desperate Housewives season premiere aired September 30, 2007.
The new advocacy movement named Filipino American Leadership Council (FALCON) adopted the policy of universal inclusion and involvement of all Filipino-Americans, medical and non-medical, with the avowed objective of advancing, protecting and defending the interests of its constituency and that of the American people as a whole against injustice.
The elected officers of FALCON are Primo Andres, MD, FACC, FSCAI, a cardiologist from Terre Haute, Indiana, chairman; Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a cardiac surgeon from Munster, Indiana, vice chairman; and, Stella Evangelista, MD, Executive Director of the UST Alumni Association in America, from Michigan, Secretary.
Appointed co-chair for Public Relations committee were Johnny M. Pecayo, publisher and editor-in-chief of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES; and Dr. Philip S. Chua, a syndicated columnist.
The demands of FALCON from Disney/ABC network, as approved at the Las Vegas Summit include: (1) A primetime airing of a more meaningful apology from the network aired during one of the coming episodes of Desperate Housewives; (2) The deletion of the offending segment in question from any of its domestic or international rebroadcast, its DVDs or in its any other format; (3) The production and airing by Disney/ABC of a Historical Documentary about Filipino Physicians in America in the past 50 years; (4) The institution by Disney/ABC of a cultural sensitivity program for their entire staff, especially geared towards teaching them tolerance to all the ethnic groups and various minorities in America; and, (5) The unbiased promulgation of genuine equal hiring practices and opportunities for all ethnic minorities.
The general consensus of the assembly at the Summit on its legal option against Disney/ABC network was to hold it in abeyance, pending the outcome of the negotiation between the leaders of this new Council and the network.
The legal counsels from four US law firms who participated in the Summit are continuing to research the defamatory and other implications of the Disney-ABC racial slur as a basis for a law suit against the media conglomerate if the negotiation fails.
FALCON has also welcomed the support of the Greenlining Institute, a powerful US national advocacy body, headed by Bob Gnaizda, a reputable American icon who, in the past, has successfully fought for various ethnic groups -- the migrant workers, the Jews, the Afro-Americans, and the Mexicans.
The majority of the Summit delegates include, among others, all the Filipino medical alumni associations in America, the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA), the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), National Advocacy for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), Filipino United Network (FUN), the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, Mabuhay Alliance, The Beautiful Heart Foundation, and the various State and regional organizations.
The inspiring prologue that set the tone for the general assembly were delivered by Filipino United Network Chairman Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS; APPA Adviser Fred Quevedo, MD, FACOG; Jose Evangelista, MD, FACC, all past presidents of the APPA.
In spite of the very animated and passionate assembly discussion, a few times bordering on heated debates, on procedural strategies, the differences were amicably ironed out, and a consensus was expeditiously formulated during the 8-hour long deliberation. All the delegates and the Council members, who were all registered as official charter members, left the Summit inspired and more resolute than ever.
ABS-CBN, MANILA-U.S. TIMES, Philippine News, Provide Media Coverage
ABS-CBN, an international television network, based in Northern California, provided TV coverage of the event, while the MANILA-U.S. TIMES, based in Los Angeles, California, and the Philippine News, based in San Francisco, California, provided news and photo coverages.
In the on camera interview conducted by Bob Jose of ABS-CBN International, Johnny Pecayo of the FALCON Public Relations committee emphasized that this new advocacy group, comprising of leaders of various organizations, will be joined in by several other organizations from various ethnic groups all over the United States in its quest to attain the specific demands of FALCON against the Disney-ABC TV Network.
Dr. Philip Chua, Vice Chair of FALCON; Dr. Stella Evangelista, Secretary, FALCON; Lawyer Ted Laguatan, head of the Laguatan Law Firms; Lawyer Rodel Rodis, President of the San Francisco Unified School District; and Rozita Lee, Vice Chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, in similar on camera interview, were one in condemning and protesting the racial slur committed by the Disney-ABC TV Network.
The well-organized Summit was hosted by the UST Medical Alumni Association in America, headed by Dr. Andres, Foundation President, who served as the moderator, Dante Gapultos, Jr., MD, USTMAA President, Stella Evangelista, MD, Pediatrician from Michigan, Executive Director of USTMAAA and Aquilina Saw, MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Board Member, USTMAAA.