Heritage Month 5/12/15

NEWS RELEASE For Release on or after:  Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Asian American and Pacific Islander Month to be Commemorated at May 26 NAVSUP Assembly in Mechanicsburg, PA

Philippine American Heritage Council Chairman to be Keynote Speaker at Navy Base

The Philippine American Heritage Council (PAHC) will participate in the 4th Annual U.S. Naval Supply Systems (NAVSUP) Command assembly for its military and civilian personnel to commemorate “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” May 26 at its Mechanicsburg facility, Bldg. 309 Auditorium, 5450 Carlisle Pike, 1:30-2:30 PM.

Keynote remarks will be delivered to the assembly by PAHC Chairman, Emy Delgaudio, a first generation American from the Philippines whose late father served in the military under the American flag in the Philippines during its occupation by Japanese forces in World War II.  Ms. Delgaudio will also be representing the Philippine American Association of Central PA (PAACP), Kabitbayan Filipino-American Association and the LuzViMinda Association of PA (Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao).  She is a member of all three, in addition to serving as PAHC Chairman.

The NAVSUP event is organized by their Cultural Awareness Diversity Committee under the overall command of Rear Adm. Jonathan Yuen (Commander, NAVSUP and Chief of Supply Corps) and his staff member, an American of Filipino ancestry, Lila Howell, a Program Analyst at the NAVSUP Enterprise Supply Division and member of their Cultural Awareness Diversity Committee.

Members and supporters of the Filipino community are invited to join the keynote speaker and key Navy officials at a private reception.  Interested parties must contact PAHC promptly, with advance RSVP and approval strictly required.

“This is our chance to thank America, the U.S. military in general and the Navy in particular for their support of freedom in the world, especially the Filipino fight for freedom and independence during World War II,” said Delgaudio.

“We appreciate the opportunity to commemorate the importance of these new Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander origins, whose enthusiasm for American exceptionalism is the reason they sacrificed so much to be a part of the American dream” said the PAHC Chairman.  She continued, “Their immigration to this land is silent testimony of our shared belief that America provides the greatest opportunity and the most diversity of any country on earth.”

The NAVSUP Mechanicsburg assembly’s theme this year is “Many Cultures, one Voice: Promote Equality and Inclusion.”  Ms. Delgaudio’s remarks will expand on this theme while also addressing her speech’s sub theme, “Balancing Diversity and Conformity for Freedom” (remarks to be posted at website after event, embargoed draft available before).

The NAVSUP and Navy Supply Corps team deliver sustained global logistics capabilities to the Navy and Joint warfighter with more than 25,000 civilian and military personnel working to provide worldwide material support.

The “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage” theme has been celebrated in May since a joint Congressional resolution was passed and a proclamation issued by President Jimmy Carter in 1978.  The commemoration was extended to the entire month of May proclamation of President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and joint resolution of Congress in 1991.  President Barack Obama has signed a similar proclamation each year of his Presidency.

President Obama’s April 30 proclamation includes a salute, remembering the World War II victory in the Pacific “achieved in part by thousands of Filipino Americans who fought valiantly”

In Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Corbett had issued a similar proclamation and appointed an Asian-American Advisory Board to help coordinate commemorative activities every May for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month.  This year under Governor Tom Wolf, no such statement has been released, although the PAHC President has written to him asking him to do so before May 31.

Filipino-Americans who are interested to attend the May 26 assembly in Mechanicsburg as guests of the PAHC Chairman will be required to provide information for security purposes to NAVSUP in order to be approved for admission to the Navy facility.  Those interested are requested to write to Chairman@PhilippineAmericanHeritage.org immediately, with the final deadline for their filled out application on Tuesday, May 12.  Family, friends and interested parties as well as Filipinos are invited to attend the May 26 event including the private reception at the Navy Installation for the keynote speaker, with a requirement to meet at an assembly point outside the base at 11:45 AM, so as to arrive together at the military base gate where a Navy escort will be provided to the group.  Details will be posted on the website http://PhilippineAmericanHeritage.org.  The Philippine American Heritage Council is associated with New Americans by Choice, a project of US Public Policy Council, recognized by the IRS as a 501/c/4 non-profit, non-partisan corporation.

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