Eye Opener
By Rodolfo Gumabong

Why Filipinos make good in the U.S.

Now it can be told that Filipino immigrants to the U.S. are highly admired by many Americans. Filipino nurses are the favorite of American hospital patients as they are personally caring and loving. They attend to sick white and black patients with no discrimination of color and race and the Filipino nurses take care of them (patients) as if they are close family members. Filipinos, as many American employers fondly call them, are dedicated and loyal to their duty. Even if their American bosses are not around, they do not loaf around their jobs nor gossip with fellow officemates.

Felixberto C. Garcia is one good example of a Filipino immigrant worker who earned kudos and praises from his American friends and superiors. By the way, Felixberto is here in Iloilo City as he is the lucky recipient this May 2005 of the PAL roundtrip ticket from Los Angeles to Iloilo City for having completed the 60,000 air mileage.

Bert as he is fondly called by friends and associates, is in Jaro not only to avail of the PAL goodwill trip but also to donate books, old clothes, electronic calculator and ballpens to deserving high school students and to cancer patients at the Hospice Care Center in Mandurriao. He donated a 5-inch thick P15,000 worth New Webster Dictionary, 3 rd edition, to the librarian of the Jaro National High School last May 23 and old clothes, ballpens, etc. to the cancer patients of Hospice Care Center through Dr. Annabelle P. De Guzman, President of the Foundation.

When Bert left for the States in 1987 with his charming wife Nena Filamor and four children, he sought for a job with an American firm in the LA district area. His credentials were only his good reputation and laudable service experience as a former Assistant Manager of Metro Drug Corporation in La Paz, Iloilo City. His Christian values as a graduate of BSC at the University of San Agustin was another asset which impressed the American executive. He started as a health claim processor of Nestle U.S. Hardwork and dedication to duty are some of the best qualities of Bert's secret in life. He puts his heart and mind to his work plus his fervent trust in God, his promotion was easy and well-deserved.

Bert's wife Nena Filamor who used to work with Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in Iloilo City and a former Cash Teller of the Central Bank of the Philippines regional office in Iloilo City. Nena works presently in the Payroll Department in the ready mixed cement company in Los Angeles owned by a French national. His eldest son Felix F. John and a graduate of Central Philippine University high school class 1987 served as a crew member of destroyer USS Paul Foster 00964 which had launched Tomahawk missiles in strategic military targets in Kuwait and Iraq during the start of the allied forces offensive action in the two beleaguered Middle East countries from January 15 to February 28, 1991. The destroyer USS Paul Foster with Felix John on board then guarded the Persian Gulf not only from Iraq's Scud missiles but also protecting giant U.S. Aircraft carriers in the Gulf. His other son Fred Lenard, another CPU high school graduate Class 1988 was also a crew member of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk assigned in the Persian Gulf. The third son Francis, a CPU junior high school student and completed high school in LA now works at Best Buy, the largest electronics and appliance store in the U.S. After his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy in 1990, Felix John studied at Platt College in Alhambra, California, to study computer animation. Fred Lenard works in Cgnet computer company in Silicon Valley. The Garcia brothers like their father Felixberto are hardworking, efficient and effective employees in their respective work assignments in California.

Bert's brother Filomeno is crack private investigator; Zenny is a payroll specialist in a medical consultant's office and Ma. Theresa is an insurance consultant at Prime America all in Los Angeles. The trio are well-admired by their American employers for their integrity, honesty, dedication to duty.