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2 AFPSI Constructs Feeding Center in Leyte (Elcee Cagas Conner) Center inaugurated with opening of PMAGSL Auxiliary Feeding Program. Scholarship programs start.

5 Science Scholarship Quiz Show XXXIII (David M. Conner, MD) The popular show for HS students continues to inspire pursuit of knowledge in the sciences

6 So. Illinois Churches Help Super Typhoon Victims They sent a big truckful of relief goods and provided funds for repair of houses and churches.

9 Rizaliana Mania II Second of a series. View paintings of Rizal writing at his desk and being shot at Bagumbayan.

10 The Philippines: A Tryst with Destiny (Ramon G. Lopez, MD) This great grandnephew of Rizal explains why the Philippines is gaining international recognition.

14 ELIAS Emerging Leaders Across Sectors (Emmanuel G. Herbosa, BSIME, BMA) .

18 (Gil C. Fernandez) The best evidence against the alleged retraction is the document itself.

24 (Cosme R. Cagas, MD) of the novel.

29 Brig. Gen. Emilio Narcise (Ret.) (Angelita Narcise Kurle, MD) A loving daughter profiles a living hero of WWII.

33 The Fil-Am Historical Society Celebrates 26th

Anniversary (Rebecca Geronimo) Find out who are the officers for 2014-15.

34 Paul in Jerusalem (Rev. Shane L. Bishop) Paul took seven progressive steps towards metamorphic evangelism.

38 PEACE Welcomes Proposals for Artesian Wells Email your proposals to the Executive Director/Chair Potable Water Committee. 39 A Story within a Story (Alan Zurliene) A deep and abiding faith in Jesus led to healing

42 Dr. Vic Zata Celebrates 70th

BD in Manila Guess what top celebrity dropped by and read a stirring tribute from his son

45 The Tryst (Lestrino C. Baquiran, MD)

46 The Great Stalker (Carmelo C. Dichoso, MD). 47 Interpretation (Cosme R. Cagas, MD)

The ILLINI

Official Publication of the Association of Filipino Physicians in Southern Illinois

Volume IV, Spring-Summer, 2014

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Pictures/page%201

AFPSI Constructs Feeding Center in Leyte

Elcee Cagas Conner

The AFPSI constructed a Feeding Center for under-

privileged children in remote Maticaa, a barangay of Ormoc,

Leyte.

The idea occurred to me in October, 2013 when I was

travelling with my parents Dr. Cosme and Linda Cagas and

church missionary James Dunn to this area as part of our

regular visitations for the scholarship, feeding and dental

health programs of the Christ Philippine Missions based in

our church in Fairview Heights, IL. I was searching for a site

for a feeding program initially for the PMA of Greater St.

Louis Auxiliary, where I serve as president. Earlier the

auxilians, under the able chairmanships of Drs. Isabel Perez

It was as if an omen and opportunity beckoned to us, for no

more than a week later, typhoon Yolanda struck leaving

massive destruction and unprecedented death tolls in Leyte

and neighboring islands. While I was still in the Philippines

feeling the anguish of the victims, back home in Southern

lyn Yu, who

herself is a native of Tacloban, Leyte, and former auxiliary

president Ann Butalid led a fundraiser for typhoon victims at

boxing matches. With some of the funds raised that day, the

AFPSI feeding center came to reality.

PMAGSL Auxiliary Feeding Program

The Center was formally inaugurated on February 4, 2014,

the day that the PMAGSL Auxiliary opened its weekend

feeding program there for about 60 children from the

surrounding community. Since its inauguration, feedings are

being held there without fail every Saturday and Sunday. For

the majority of the children, the food that they receive are the

most substantial meals they get during the week. The feeding

center doubles as an educational center because the children

are given weekly educational activities including learning

new songs, art projects, as well as interactive discussions

about their hopes and dreams for the future.

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The Association of Filipino

Physicians of Southern Illinois Officers, 2013-14

Evelyn YU, MD- President

David Deloso, MD- Vice Pres.

Emma Sunga, MD, Pres.-elect

Claravel B. Criste, MD- Secretary

Elcee Cagas Conner-Treasurer

Raymund Pineda, MD-Auditor

Enrico T. Farinas, MD- Bus. Man.

Virgilio R. Pilapil, MD- APPA

Delegate

Cesar Yu, MD-Executive Director

David M. Conner, MD, Imm. P. Pres.

Board of Governors

Rachel Gotanco, MD

Erica Fe Salarda, MD

Vanessa Salarda, MD

Seigfried Yu, MD

Vicente Zata, Jr., MD

Board of Advisers

Calixto Aquino, MD

Cosme R. Cagas, MD

Urbano Dauz, MD

Virgilio Dycoco, MD

Elvira Salarda, MD

Auxiliary Officers 2013-2014 Elcee Cagas Conner -President

Teresita Deleste-Pres.-elect

Lily Santos, Vice Pres.

Georgina Cagas Zurliene-Secretary

Virgie Abinoja-Treasurer

Kay Pineda-PRO

Raydo Bugayong, Ph.D, Imm. P. Pres.

Board of Governors Wilma Aquino

Remy Bugayong

Ann Butalid

Linda Cagas

Grace Farinas

Board of Advisers Ray Bugayong

Emma Fabi

Ynna Naguit

Editorial Board Cosme R. Cagas, MD- Editor

Carlos P. Capati, MD

Urbano Dauz, MD

David Deloso, MD

Rebecca Geronimo, BSN

Virgilio R. Pilapil, MD

Associate Editors

Office of the Editor

1 Bunkum Woods Drive

Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Crcagas@aol.com ccagas2@gmail.com

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The APPA (Dr. Leonor Pagtakhan So, president) has donated $1000 to AFPSI towards a summer

feeding program there to start in April this year.

Finally, the shelter can someday be used as a site for medical clinics by AFPSI or other groups.

Aid for Typhoon Victims

While the Feeding Center is designed for long-term service, AFPSI also addressed the problem

of immediate aid to the typhoon victims. Accordingly, it gave cash for the purchase of relief

goods to victims in Ormoc, sent four Balikbayan boxes containing clothing, shoes, toiletries and

canned foods to Tacloban and gave $1000 in cash to a Catholic Monastery in Ormoc through Dr.

Virgilio Guzman who has a nephew (monk) there. Other AFPSI members helped on their own.

Dr. Renato Rivera, for example, collected clothing, medicines and surgical instruments from his

family and friends then shipped them in five Balikbayan boxes to Tacloban.

Repair of Schools and New Scholarship Programs

Dr. Romeo Perez former APPA president and a member of the PMAGSL, who helped inaugurate the

Feeding Center and open the Feeding Program along with his wife, Dr. Isabel Perez, visited the Cabatuan

Elementary School located near the Feeding Center, noticed three school buildings damaged, one so badly

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School building showing windows and doors already repaired.

Next will be the roofs (report from Cabatuan Elem. School as of this writing)

as to be condemned. Informed that the funds for their repair is not forthcoming (all relief are directed

towards Tacloban, all other localities could wait!), he could not help being touched. Right then and there

he volunteered the money for the repair of one school building and offered to try to raise more for the

repair of the other. Upon his return one PMAGSL auxilian pledged $1000 for the project.

AFPSI scholars

In a related development, the PMAGSL auxiliary started a scholarship program for 10 elementary and 5

HS students from funds raised by the event Maskara cochaired by Mrs. Virgie Abinoja and Mrs. Cres

Mayuga, and AFPSI a similar program for 10 pupils from different schools surrounding the center.

We are grateful to our contacts in Ormoc, namely Mrs. Myrna Margemen, Fely Mae Maregemen and

Mary Jane Hernani who are overseeing all our projects there. The former supervised the building

construction and the latter two are the feeding and scholarship programs coordinators; they are gainfully

employed college graduates and former scholars of the Christ Philippine Missions.

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Science Scholarship Quiz Show XXXIII

David M. Conner, MD

he 2013 annual Association of Filipino Physicians of Southern Illinois (AFPSI) Science

Quiz Show was held at the Carlyle High School in Carlyle, Illinois on November 10. The

host of the quiz for many years now, the school once again did a wonderful job of

ensuring the comfort of all in this demanding contest. The quiz is intended to inspire students to

pursue science and to award scholarships for excellence in science knowledge. Questions span

the entire spectrum of science, including current events. High schools participating this year

were Bayless (sole contender from St. Louis, Mo.), Carlyle, Hardin City, Mascoutah, Mater Dei,

Salem, Sandoval and Trinity (all Southern Illinois).

Third Place went to Nico Rodriguez of Sandoval, Amy Telford, coach, $150 award plus

trophy; Second Place to Kyle Neace of Mascoutah, Stephanie Neace, coach, $300 award

plus trophy; and First Place to Adam Holbrook of Mater Dei, Scott Timmerman, coach,

$600 award plus trophy.

Left, Dr. David M Conner, Quizmaster; center, Adam Holbrook and his mother, and

right, AFPSI President Evelyn Yu (photos courtesy of Dr. Elvira Salarda)

Congratulations to our awardees, finalists, participants, and coaches, as well as our profound

thanks. We look forward to seeing entries in 2014 from the many schools that have made this

program such a success, and we remind all members of AFPSI how much their participation is

appreciated by our leadership and the students and faculty involved.

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