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The Outstanding Filipinos Abroad
2008 Awardees
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Zenaida F. Kharroubi - Montreal Quebec, Canada

This passage quoted from Isaac T. Goodine’s book entitled “Leaders
Leading Leaders” seems to give us an insight into why there are
people who do nothing and yet, there are those who seem to be
involved in many things.   Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi whose pioneering
spirit has been demonstrated time and time again in everything she
has done – from building her own school to establishing the first
Filipino Canadian Scout group in Montreal – is a classic example of
how an immigrant like herself can succeed under any kind of
circumstances.  She also has proven that there are many things in life
that can be done if one is willing to do them.  She juggles her time
among numerous tasks and responsibilities – she teaches full time in
her own college, edits and publishes a bi-monthly newspaper, serves
as administrator of a Scouting group, volunteers as a secretary
treasurer of a cooperative, and manages a staff of freelance teachers
who work in her own school.
Zenaida Kharroubi
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Francis Talangbayan - Penn Valley, Pennsylvania

Dr. Francis Talangbayan was born on January 6, 1944 in Guinyangan,
Quezon, Philippines.  In May 1969, he married Cristina Estrada from
Davao City, Philippines, and together they moved to Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.  They now resides in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania they
have three children, Kristine, Leizle & April.

He is the incoming president of the Association of Philippine
Physicians in America 2008-2009.
Francis Talangbayan
Bob Dacanay - Falls Church, Virginia

Born in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to parents Jaime C. Dacanay
and Angeles M. Jereza.  Bob’s elementary education began at De La
Salle College in Bacolod.  He moved to Makati with his family where he
completed High School at the Colegio de San Agustin. Bob pursued a  
degree in Economics at De La Salle University.
In 1978, Bob moved to the United States to pursue a Doctoral Degree
in Experimental Psychology at The American University in Washington
DC. As a research assistant, he authored/co-authored ten research
publications in the areas of psycho pharmacology, conditioning and
learning.  He received the Hall of Nations award for three years,
Graduate fellowship award for five years and a Dissertation
Fellowship award.
Bob Dacanay
Dante Raul Teodoro - New York, New York

Dante Raul Teodoro is the owner and President of JUNO Healthcare
Group of Companies, a company that started off its humble
beginnings with three employees in 2001, and has grown to
approximately 400 employees by the end of 2007.  An entrepreneur
armed with exceptional skill, intensity and passion, DR Teodoro led
JUNO Healthcare Staffing past the 2.5 million mark in just under two
years.  In 2004, he founded JUNO Investment and Management, Inc.,
a holding company for all JUNO Healthcare Staffing companies
inclusive of JUNO Media Production Creatives, an Advertising and PR
company, and the JUNO Review School for healthcare professionals in
California. Before founding JUNO Healthcare Staffing, DR Teodoro was
President of Wall Street Funding for over two years, a company that
packaged loans for small-medium businesses.  This year, JUNO
Healthcare was selected out of nearly 21 million companies to be
included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Hot 100 list of fastest-growing
new businesses in America.  
DR Teodoro
Rozita Villanueva Lee- Las Vegas, Nevada

Rozita Villanueva Lee was born in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii where her
parents immigrated to in the early 1930s from San Manuel,
Pangasinan. She grew up in Keawe Camp Plantation, Maui and moved
to Honolulu with the family during World War II.  She eventually
settled in Las Vegas, Nevada with her late husband Dr. Clifford C.H.
Lee well known and loved Allergist.
As in Hawaii, Rozita became active in the Las Vegas community
making a difference in the lives of people.  She is an Asian Pacific
American community advocate and leader, and producer-emcee of her
Polynesian Luau entertainment group, “Drums of the Islands”.  Her
Luau show has the distinction of being the longest running
Polynesian show on the Las Vegas Strip, going into their 17th year in
2008. She utilizes her talent, and skills of negotiation and public
relations in keeping the show alive on the Strip for that long.
Rozita Villanueva Lee
Edmundo Relucio - Coal City, Illinois

Determined he will retire from his surgical practice soon as his
youngest of 3 daughters Kristin graduates from B.S. History from the
University of Illinois in 2003, Dr. Edmundo F. Relucio prepared himself
to accomplish other things. Foremost of these is to fulfill a covenant
he made in 1973 with our Lord Jesus Christ to serve if He blesses him
with five good years of surgical practice. Not knowing exactly what
kind of service to do, he prayed and asked our Lord to show him
signs. He knew that starting the surgical-medical missions to the
Philippines here in Chicago and joining 1-3 missions a year (total 42—
has done approximately 400 harelip repairs) wasn’t enough……and
the good Lord heard his prayers.
Edumundo Relucio
Jun Quion - McLean, Virginia

Jun was born in Mary Johnston Hospital in Tondo Manila and spent
most of his childhood years in Balut Tondo.  His family moved to BF
Homes Paranaque, just before he entered high school.  His formative
life with the Dominican friars of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and
later with the Jesuit priests of Ateneo de Manila University is notable
for consistent academic achievement awards.  Described by one of his
science professors at University of the Philippines as Jose Rizal’s”
firefly in search of the light”, he graduated magna cum laude with
bachelor of science degree in Zoology.  He continued his medical
studies at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and
graduated as one of the top in his class and the Philippine Medical
Boards.
Jun Quion
Dolores Ortal - Honolulu, Hawaii

individual, that is Dolores “Dolly” M. Ortal. These are the qualities that
helped her succeed in any endeavor she put her heart into.
“Whatever good I can do, I will do it now for I may not pass this way
again” is her way of life. No wonder she would bring home strangers
to her home who are stranded in the airport when there are no
available hotel rooms.
Ortal was born, raised and educated in Laoag City, Philippines. She
obtained her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1959 at the Ilocos
Norte Normal School, now known as MMSU College of Teacher
Education. She taught in the City Schools of Manila and Laoag City for
13 years. Her crusade for sponsoring gifted but financially
disadvantaged students had its humble beginning in these years.
Dolores Ortal
Eusebio Kho
Eusebio C. Kho - Scottsburg, Indiana

In 1933, Dr. Kho was born in Jimalalud, Negros Oriental, Philippines.
Of humble beginnings, his parents, of the merchant class, instilled in
him, as well as his five other siblings, a strong work ethic. Both
parents were strict but caring; especially his mother, who always told
1948 and again in Silliman University High School in 1952. While there
he excelled in writing, and rose to the position of editor-in-chief of
their school newspaper.  
Marianito Asperilla - Port Charlotte, Florida

When the White House called the office of Dr. Marianito “Mark” O.
Asperilla, his staff thought it was a prank – and hung up. After the
third attempt, they realized it was no joke. President George W. Bush
wanted to commend Dr. Asperilla, an infectious disease specialist
practicing in Southwest Florida’s Charlotte County since 1989, for his
efforts to combat bioterrorism – in person! This honor that few
natural-born American citizens can claim was well-deserved by a
doctor who has been publicly hailed as a “treasure” by a fellow
physician, labeled a “Hometown Hero” by one area newspaper,
recognized by another as one of the 100 most influential people in
the community, and honored by Charlotte County government by
declaring April 12, 2005, as official “Dr. Mark O. Asperilla Day.”
Mark Asperilla
Debra Nakama
Debra Aguinaldo-Nakama - Kula, Hawaii

As a Filipina educator, my professional goals and personal
contributions have always centered on improving the lives of
students, especially those of minority cultures.  Through my grant
writing, research, presentations, professional affiliations and
community service, I create a rich environment for personal
achievement that lead people to think of themselves as competent,
capable leaders and lovable human beings.  Bringing individuals to
efficacy is the greatest gift I offer to people.  According to Dr.
Elizabeth Ayson, “Dr. Nakama’s classroom was powerfully beneficial to
these individual high school youth, who may otherwise never have
learned the rewards of creative potential propelled by self-
empowerment (August, 2007).”
Nena M. Nera
Nena M. Nera - Ontario, Canada

Nena Nera has been well- known for years in her community and in
her workplace as an outstanding Filipino-Canadian who not only
enhances and promotes Filipino culture within Canadian society but
also integrates her own culture with other cultures as her work and
accomplishments will show. Nena recently retired, June 27,2007 at
the age of 74.  She is the 'first' ever to retire at this age, during this
time in the Federal Public Service. She retired later not only because
she loved her work but because the top echelons of her department
asked her to continue . Three years before she retired, she served as
Special Advisor in Diversity for Health Canada, the highest position for
a Filipino to fill in her department during her time. This was the 'first'
position created in Health Canada.
Levy Paler
Levy Mendoza Paler, RN, MSN - Hampton, Virginia

nurse administrator and dedicated community leader.  It was her Levy
is known to many in the Hampton Roads area as an outstanding
father’s dream that she goes to America. He passed on before his
dream was realized.  Levy’s life began in Taliba, San Luis,  Batangas,
as the oldest of eleven children.  At an early age her father instilled in
her love of GOD and family, the value of hard work, honesty and
education as ingredients of a happy life.  She began her childhood
education at the Lady of Kaysasay Academy in Taal, Batangas where
her Catholic faith took roots. The family moved to Mindoro during the
third grade, where she attended Malinao and Borbocolon Elementary
School and graduated valedictorian.
Carmencita Q. Fulgado
Carmencita Q. Fulgado, PhD - Jamaica Estates, New York

Dr. Carmencita “Menchee” Quesada Fulgado was born, reared and
educated in the Philippines by a single mother, Poten, a high school
biology teacher, whose husband Eliseo, a history teacher, was
martyred in his own hometown of Paete, Laguna, during WWII.  The
Poten and Eliseo Quesada Memorial National High School  now stands
on her inherited land donated back to the town for its first public high
school. Graduating cum laude in 1961at the University of the
Philippines, Menchee  was among the limited few women accepted to
UP College of Medicine only to resign during the first semester for
family and financial reasons. However, determined to pursue doctoral
work in the US, she accepted a teaching assistantship position at the
University of California in Berkeley.  Uncertain that she could
financially maintain herself with a student visa, she decided to take a
Master’s first, at the University of San Francisco.  Thereafter, she
went to New York, obtained her PhD from NYU and got married.  With
a distinguished career in academia,  community leadership, and
philanthropic pursuits, she and husband of forty years have five
children.  This Commissioner in the UP Centennial (2008)Commission
just completed and presented in Diliman
Memoirs of UP Alumni
Abroad
and its $50,000 proceeds for two endowment funds.
Peter L. Yu
Peter L. Yu, MD - Granger Indiana

Dr. Peter L. Yu, M.D. was born on January 31, 1957 in Kalibo, Aklan to
his parents, Attorney Feliciano Peralta Yu of Kalibo and Concepcion
Baltazar Legaspi of Makato, Aklan. He was brought up in Tokyo, Japan
from the tender age of 22 months, when his father assumed the post
of legal officer for the Philippine Raparations Commission. Dr. Yu was
a consistent honor student at St. Mary’s International School in
Tokyo. He was 11 when he was brought back to the Philippines. He
was accepted as first year highschool and finished his secondary
education in 3 years with the Highest Academic Distinction award from
Northwestern Visayan Colleges Highschool department. He had the 3
year grade point average of 93.7. He was also class senator in the
highschool student council.
Elvira Phelps
Elvira Phelps - Reno, Nevada

Elvira was born in Pagbilao, Quezon Province of hardworking and
business oriented parents, Emilio Gloria and Agripina Sio. She was the
second to the youngest of nine children, all of which have received
degrees in their chosen profession.  She has two children, Ramon  
who is residing with his family in the Philippines and Arnel with his
family in Montreal Canada. She migrated in this country in 1993,
resided in Colorado for 15 years, moved and eventually settled at
Reno, Nevada with her husband Dennis.
Will P. Grant - San Diego, California

Will Grant was one of those Filipino-Americans  that  trail blazed
positive Filipino image by hard work, determination and  
perseverance.   To   the “old-timers” in the Filipino-American  
communities in the United States and Canada,  Will  Grant’s  name
was synonymous to travel to the Philippines.  First as the  Filipino
Sales Manager  -top honcho-  of  the   American President   Lines
(APL), and  later as General Manager of Gem Travel of  Chicago. He
successfully motivated thousands of  Filipinos both  from the United
States and Canada who had never been in the  Philippines since
coming to this country  long before the Second   World War.
Will Grant
Dalisay 'Dely' M. Villalon - Northbrook, Illinois

When  Dalisay  “Dely” Villalon migrated  to  the United States  in
1967,  she was determined to be a part of “American Dream” and  
make a difference in  her  life. Despite her multi-tasking as a  mother
of  five, a  homemake and a nurse, she managed to purues and
completed her Graduate Studies.
Dely, as she is fondly called by friends, accomplished with flying colors
all the endeavors she envisioned as  a  young  lady was  born  in  
Niugan, Angat,  Bulacan.  Her  parents  are  Federico  Manuel  and  
Librada Garcia,  both from the Province of  Bulacan.
Dely Villalon
Victor  Emmanuel  G. Lorica - Potomac, Maryland

A  product of   the  University of the Philippines (UP) System since
Kindergarten, all  the way  to  Medical   School,  Dr. Victor Emmanuel
Gatmaitan Lorica is an accomplished  nephrologist in suburban
Washington, D.C.  A Magna cum laude at UP Diliman, as a full time
medical student, Dr. Lorica taught Vertebrate  Anatomy  and  
Physiology  at  UP  Manila.  Upon  graduation  from  medical school,  
Dr. Lorica  was  recognized  as one of   the  Most Outstanding  Intern  
in  Internal    Medicine  and  Orthopedics, and, was  among  the UP  
graduates  listed  as  Medical   Board   Topnotchers. He  later trained
in  State University of  New York in Buffalo, (SUNY-Buffalo)  and the  
Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Victor Emmanuel G. Lorica
Sonny Ungco - Jersey City, New Jersey

Entreprenuer and International Businessman – Port Jersey Shipping
International Inc. pioneered in the 5Balikbayan Box door to door
service in 1982, with founder Monet Ungco brother, together with
parents Juanito & Rosario Ungco brothers Chuchi, Butch & sisters  Dr.
Cecilia Scheuerman DMD and Dr. Rosario  Zamboanga MD.

Co-Founder/ President San Antonio Youth Group 1967 Makati, Metro  
Manila    
PHOTOS from September 12, 2008  US Philippines Embassy
Member Since 1993
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