THE LINK

The Official Publication of PUC/AUPAlumni of Western North America

Winter 2015

AWESNA SPIRITUAL RETREAT

January 23-25, 2015 at Queen Mary Hotel, Long Beach, California

Service Before Self

AWESNA
PUC/AUP Alumni

of

Western North America

(AWESNA)
BOARD OF OFFICERS
Elmer Bangloy,DMD- President

Volume 46 Issue 1

THE LINK

Winter 2015

TABLE of CONTENTS
A Brighter AUP is Ignited: Im proud of what we collectively
achieved even as we drove significant changes in our organization. It's
energizing to feel the momentum and enthusiasm building. Lets continue
to build on our hard-earned progress, and endeavor to make this New Year
even better than years past 3

Lita Laoyan- Vice President

Eppie Manalo - Secretary
Elenita Espiritu Asso. Sec.
Ella Alcaide - Treasurer
Rene Donato- Auditor

Reflections. It is my wish and my prayer that this great country, which

was itself founded and built by immigrants, would finally revisit its roots
and once again truly live up to the principles embodied in the famous
verses inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, which through the centuries has
been the one symbol of what this great country is really all about. 5

Edwin Araba- PRO

Spiritual Advisers
Pastor VicLouis Arreola,III,PhD
Pastor Jose Manalo, Ed.D
Pastor Simeon Rosete, Jr.,DBS
CHAPTER PRESIDENTS
Roger Rodriguez Alberta,Canada

Service Before Self. We are saved to serve others before self. As he

bestows his gifts on us it is that we may multiply them by imparting. The
Samaritan woman who talked with Jesus at Jacobs well had no sooner
found the Savior than she brought others to him. He who drinks of the
living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. 6

Rachel Pedernal Cascadia,BC

Ephraim Roxas Pacific Northwest
Emily N. Garcia-Greater Northern CA
Noli Poblacion-Greater Central CA
Loida Miguel-Greater Los Angeles

Carlos Bulosan Story. America is not bound by geographical latitudes.

America is not merely a land or an institution. America is in the hearts of
men that died for freedom; it is also in the eyes of men that are building a
new world. . .All of us, from the first Adams to the last Filipino, native born
or alien, educated or illiterate We are America! 7

Letty Banaag-Glendale,CA
Marjorie Reyno Loma Linda,CA
Miguelito Fernando, MD La Sierra
Cristuto Genobaga-Las Vegas, Nevada
Ric Calla-Hawaii

A Personal Insight: Another year has come for us to spend, it

looks daunting and foreboding with many opportunities and challenges along the way, but if we totally commit our all to our ONLY
true Guide, we will reach and realize our goals. 16

Cris Anunciado,- San Diego,CA

Pastor Geoffrey Tio-Young Alumni

AWESNA PAST PRESIDENTS

George Atiga, DMin. +
Celedonio Fernando,M.D. +
Romulo Valdez,M.D.

CHED Approves AUPCOM. ...the CHED director for our region

called us up and informed us that we are allowed to announce that we
have been given the permit to open the Doctor of Medicine August
2015.God be Praised! 19

Eliseo Bautista,M.D. +
John Tulio, Esq.
Honesto Pascual,Jr., M.D.
Ulysses M. Carbajal,M.D.
Alfonso Miguel,Jr., M.D.
Alberto Bagingito, CPA
+ Deceased

2 THE LINK

Tidings of Great Joy! Our ultimate goal... will be a physician

missionary who will heal both body and spirit, as exemplified in
our motto: "Through Christ, Healing and Wholeness". 18

New Years Message From the President:

A Brighter AUP is Ignited

December 28, 2014

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Joyous greetings unto you, as we conclude a year of change and progress.
As 2014 comes to a close, it is important for all of us to reflect on the
year that was. It was a year of momentous occasions and great successes. And to capitalize on our achievements, we must look at how far
weve come:

I'm proud of what we collectively achieved even as we

drove significant changes in
our organization. It's energizing to feel the momentum and
enthusiasm building. Lets
continue to build on our hardearned progress, and endeavor
to make this New Year even
better than years past.

In 2014, we united the chapters, as well as with our fellow alumni organization EASNAC, to show that when the East and West and other Alumni
organizations around world meet, our vision for a brighter AUP is ignited. The AUP Joint Convention was a tremendous challenge that we
tackled head on and resulted in the largest convention in our history. In
the future, we can use the lessons learned from the Joint Convention as a
template for future events.
2014 was also a monumental year of change for our Alma Mater, which
was given the most precious of Christmas gifts. On December 18, the
Commission of Higher Education Director for the AUP region approved
AUPs application for the formation of a Doctor of Medicine program by
August 2015. This culminates the fulfillment of a dream that has been in
the making for over 35 years! And yet it should be said that His delay is
not a denial, because He will provide according to His plan. And for
this, we are forever grateful.
As we start 2015, I want to thank you for all of your contributions this
past year. I'm proud of what we collectively achieved even as we drove
significant changes in our organization. It's energizing to feel the momentum and enthusiasm building. Lets continue to build on our hardearned progress, and endeavor to make this New Year even better than
years past. Lets push forward, onward for Gods glory!
God Bless!
Sincerely,

Elmer E. Bangloy, D.M.D.

AWESNA President, 2013-2016

THE LINK / Winter 2015

ALUMNI NEWS

Congratulations to:

three concerts in Austria and

the Czech Republic during the
Summer 2015.

PUC/AUP Alumni of
Western North America
(AWESNA)
CHAIRS & STANDING
COMMITTEES
Bangele Alsaybar Jr.
History and Archives
Eppie Manalo
Leni Espiritu
Honors and Awards

Angela Manalo Lalas, for recently

promoted as Senior Vice President for
Finance at Loma Linda University
Adventist Health Sciences Center
(LLUAHSC).

Pastor Alfred Aristorenas, for

reaching a milestone, his 100th
birthday, which he celebrated last
December 22, 2014. Praise the
Lord!
***************************
JOB OPENING FOR
REGISTERED NURSES

Jose Pong Manalo, Jr., for passing

the New York bar exam. He graduated
from Columbia Law School in New
York on March 22, 2014 and was hired
at the Manhattan office of Akerman
LLP since September 2014.

Mirielle Anne Enriquez, for her upcoming performance at the Carnegie

Hall in New York with the Pasadena
Youth Symphony Orchestra. Currently
she is doing a fundraising campaign for
4 THE LINK / Winter 2015

As a service to our graduates who may

want to work in the Home Health
industry, kindly help me post this in
the Cyberlink or in our church bulletin
in the area. We have an opening for a
Registered Nurse for our newly certified hospice by Medicare
and accredited by Joint Commission
(JCAHO) located at 2410 Camino
Ramon Suite 135, San Ramon, CA
94583. Following are the qualifications
we are looking for:
Registered Nurse (R.N.)
Male or female
Graduate of any reputable Nursing
school. New graduates and registered
nurses who are willing to be trained
are welcome. Registered Nurse in California Must be able and willing to
drive within 50 mile radius from our
office and must have a current valid
driver license. Full time employment.
Salary commensurate to experience.
Please look for:
Ma. Luz G. Garcia, R.N.,
Administrator and Director of Patient
Care Services
Grace Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc.
2410 Camino Ramon
Suite 135
San Ramon, CA 94583
Tel. (925) 803-7622

Oscar Pablo
Finance & Projects
Wilma Dauglash
Membership
Elmer Bangloy
Annielie Enalen-Madigan
Convention
Carmelita Laoyan
Harley Orzame
Community Affairs
Gladys Araba-Roman
Social Events
Roy Mananquil
Constitution & By-Laws
Commission on Constitution
Pastor Vic Arreola,III,PhD
Pastor Jose Manalo ,Ed.D
Pastor Simeon Rosete,Jr. DBS
Spiritual Advisers
Ernie Banaag,MD
COMELEC
Gorden Farinas
Fund Raising
Ben Cuizon
Elfrida Cuizon
Scholarship and Aid Program
Alfonso Miguel,Jr.MD
Endowment Fund,
Administrative Adviser
Crisamar Anunciado
Edna Domingo
Gemma Banaag
Continuing Education
Jethrone Prince Rolle
Benjamin Francisco, MD
Sports and Recreation
Fe Asuncion
Fern Kintanar
Administrative Assistants
Immeldo Afenir
M. Bartolomew
N. Poblacion
Honor Classes
Ruth Ranchez
Cres Pimentel
Guest Relations
Eppie Manalo
Lita Laoyan
Spiritual Retreat

Reflections
By Jose Pong Manalo, Jr.

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

s I reflect on where my family is today in relation to where we

the privilege of establishing satisfying and fulfilling lives for ourselves

were 15 years ago, I cannot help but feel both intensely happy

but it has also placed us in a position to help family and friends both

and grateful and yet gravely sad.

here and back home and to support worthy causes.

I am happy and thankful for the opportunities this great country has
given us get to where we are today. Fifteen years ago, my mom, dad

For all of the foregoing, I feel profoundly grateful and blessed. How-

and brother were working for minimum wage at a McDonald's in Las

ever, my gratitude is dampened by the realization that there are thou-

Vegas. I know there is no way it could have been easy for my parents,

sands and even millions of people in this same great country who

both of whom held PhD's from the premier university in the Philippines

came here with similar hopes and dreams -- who came here just hop-

and whose last jobs before leaving their homeland were as Vice Presi-

ing and praying for the opportunity to make a better life for them-

dents of Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), to suddenly

selves and their families. Regrettably, most of them have not been as

find themselves mopping the floor, cleaning the restrooms, taking out

fortunate as my family and I have been. They came here with dreams

the trash and getting screamed at by supervisors who had a fraction of

only to now find themselves living in perpetual nightmares. They

the credentials they had (please take this as a testament to my parents'

continue to eke out a living and exist in such abject conditions that no

resilience rather than a criticism of their then supervisors). It sure

human being should ever be allowed to endure. They live in constant

wasn't easy for me, a CPA who had previously worked as an assistant

fear of getting caught and deported back to the countries they left

professor the AUP College of Business, to suddenly find myself regu-

because there was simply no shred of hope for them there. Worse,

larly wiping an old man's butt as I assisted my aunts who were then

they find themselves in detention centers, cut off from anyone and

working as stay-in caregivers. I still remember clearly how it took

everyone who cares about them and not knowing what tomorrow

everything I had to keep from throwing up the first time I had to clean

holds or if they're ever going to be free again.

up the patients bed after he had an accident.

So, as I say a prayer of gratitude for all that my family and I have been
blessed and the opportunities we have been given, I also say a prayer

It was not easy by any means. Yet, by the grace of God and through

for all those who have been deprived of the same opportunities. It is

the selfless sacrifice of immediate and extended family members who

my wish and my prayer that this great country, which was itself

gave up so much perhaps all they possibly had to give to pave the

founded and built by immigrants, would finally revisit its roots and

way for us to come here and on the strength of the prayers, guidance

once again truly live up to the principles embodied in the famous

and support of friends, churchmates and colleagues with whom we have

verses inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, which through the centuries

had the privilege of sharing our lives over the years, here we are today.

has been the one symbol of what this great country is really all about.

I work at a big law firm in Manhattan, my sister is SVP of Loma Linda

"Give me your tired, your poor,

University Adventist Health Sciences Center and my brother is in the

Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,

middle of his Radiology residency at the Loma Linda University Medi-

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

cal Center. For us, the United States has been the land of opportunity

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

in the truest sense of the word. This country has not only afforded us

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

THE LINK / Winter 2015

Service Before Self

By Edwin Araba

We are saved to serve others before self. As he bestows his gifts on us it is that we may multiply them by imparting. The
Samaritan woman who talked with Jesus at Jacobs well had no sooner found the Savior than she brought others to him. He
who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.

n Gods kingdom, the first will be the last and the last will the

one of his key elements to success. He also had hopes to support his

first. This radical teaching of Jesus was totally unheard of dur-

siblings and his parents back in the Philippines. He said, Great

ing His time on earth. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said,

Americans worked with unselfish devotion toward one goal, that is, to

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all

use the power of the myriad peoples in the service of Americas free-

these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33. In Gods king-

dom. They made it their guiding principle. Carlos Bulosan did not

dom, others come first before self. Why do we serve others? Serving

earn a high school or college degree. His formal education was limited

God is synonymous as serving others. Inasmuch as ye have done it

to only three semesters in Lingayen high school and in America his

unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

education comes mainly from reading books in the public library and

Matthew 25:40. We worship and serve God, the source and the giver of

from books that were given to him while he was confined in the hospi-

life, and apart from him we are nothing. When we severe ourselves

tal. America is in the Heart is a social classic book that reflects the

from Him, we commit a spiritual suicide. It is written, thou shalt wor-

collective life experience of thousands of Filipino immigrants in this

ship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:10.

country. I know deep down in my heart, he wrote, that I am an

The opposite of serving God is selfishness, greed, and pride the root

exile in America I feel like a criminal running away from a crime I

cause of Satans fall. If we look to ourselves neglecting God, we fall

did not commit. And this crime is that I am a Filipino in America.

into the same trap of being self-centered. We are saved to serve others

Today, his books are required reading in some US colleges and uni-

before self. As he bestows his gifts on us it is that we may multiply

versities. In the University of Washington, Carlos Bulosan Day is

them by imparting. The Samaritan woman who talked with Jesus at

celebrated annually to commemorate his written works.

Jacobs well had no sooner found the Savior than she brought others to

I would like to thank Jose Pong Manalo, Jr. for sharing his article,
Reflections. He writes with clarity regarding his familys indomitable
spirit towards achieving success despite real challenges ahead. My
gratefulness to his parents, Pastor and Mrs. Jose Manalo for allowing
me to publish their short family profile during the last issue of The
Link. My heartfelt thanks to Dr. Miriam Sarno Tumangday, for bringing up and sharing her book, I Marched With Death in Bataan, a
Sarno familys World war II chronicle. The Bataan Death March
story was a very heart-warming , soul-filling, uplifting and inspiring
revelation of Gods sustaining love and abiding care ... I appreciate the wonderful articles
sent by Dr. Herman Reyes for his regular
column, Under the Mango Tree. I hope you

him. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The
receiver becomes a giver. By love serve one another. Gal. 5:13.
Let us not be weary in well doing. Gal. 6:9. In the heavenly kingdom
we serve others before self.
Each of us has an immigrant story - it is a story on how you or your
parents came to America and how they made it through tough and trying times in this land of opportunity. Whether youre an immigrant, a
US citizen, or may have just arrived there is always a starting point.
America, as we know it, is a nation of immigrants. This country is a
blend of many people coming from different cultures and ethnic
origins. The story of Carlos Bulosan is a Filipino immigrant story; despite of poverty, he rose up from an adverse situation into something
extra-ordinary! Hardwork and the sheer determination to succeed are

6 THE LINK / Winter

2015

will enjoy reading Super-Christians are

Humans Too on page 20. Wishing you
the best for the year 2015 and onward!

All

of us, from the first Adams to the last Filipino, native born or alien,
educated or illiterateWe are America! - Carlos Bulosan

America Is In The Heart

THE LINK

The Link is published by the

Adventist University of the Philippines
Alumni of Western North America.
Please send news articles, photos
and comments to: The Editor,
9600 Flame Tokay Way,
Elk Grove, CA 95624.

A Personal History
Carlos Bulosan: Author, Poet and Worker

EDTORIAL BOARD
Ella Alcaide
Elmer Bangloy, DMD
Edwin Araba
Copyright 2015
All rights reserved

THE LINK STAFF

Editor in Chief
Edwin Araba
Editorial Assistants
Emily N. Garcia
Kathy Laberinto
Jean Samaniego
Writers/Reporters
All Chapter PROs
Arlene Ferrolino
Fem Ramirez
Myrna Dial
Josie Nicolas Sta. Ana
Tessie Sajid
Ralph Tigno
Layout & Design
E.Dale Araba
Circulation Manager
Ruth Ranchez
Photographer
Roditha Pablo
Publisher
Rene Donato
Advisers
Eppie Manalo, PhD
Alfonso Miguel, Jr. MD

Email:
edwin.araba@yahoo.com

n 1920 there were only

about 5,603 Filipinos in the
United States. Between 1907 and
1926 about 150,000 Filipinos had
left the Philippines, and of these,
52,810 were found to be in Hawaii, some 45,263 in the states.
Majority of the Filipinos who
came to the mainland eventually
landed in California. Most of
them did not come to this country
as immigrants, that is to become
citizens and permanent residents.
Most of them thought they would
reside here for a limited period
and then return to the Philippines.

salmon cannery worker in Alaska,

often exploited by unscrupulous
owners. He worked tirelessly during day and would write at night.
Later, he was infected with tuberculosis and eventually half of his
lungs was removed. He was on and
off in the hospital, either in Seattle
or in Los Angeles. During his hospital confinement he read books
and wrote poetry. His literary
works are considered phenomenal
considering his limited Philippine
education but he further his selfeducation in the Los Angeles Public Library where he immersed
himself with books. He was often
branded as a socialist due to his
fight against oppression, labor
exploitation and social injustice.

The literary works of Carlos Bulosan has been a voice for immigration reform and social justice.
He worked as a migrant agricultural worker in California and
THE LINK / Winter 2015

salted fish in the public market to

feed and clothe her children, was
the driving force. Both his parents
could neither read nor write.
Carlos attended public school in
Binalonan off and on until he was
13, then studied for three semesters in the Lingayen high school
before quitting school forever.
He worked briefly in Baguio,
returning to Binalonan to work on
their farm for a couple of years
Although Carlos left the Philip-

tributary of the Agno River

pines in 1931 when he was 17

which flows to Lingayen Gulf.

years old, the short stories in The

before leaving permanently for the

United States in 1931. His 25 years
in the United States (he never be-

Like many farm children, Bu-

came a U.S. citizen) were marked

losan started working at the age

with struggles against poverty and

of five, helping his father, whose

illness.- In his personal history

sole means of supporting his

book, America Is In The Heart,

Carlos Bulosan was born in the

family of seven children (five

here are some excerpts:

barrio of Mangusmana, in the

boys and two girls) was farming

town of Binalonan, Pangasinan on

his one hectare of land in Man-

November 14, 1914.

gusmana. His mother, who sold

Philippines is in the Heart show

that he never really left his native
country in spirit.

In the 1955 edition of Twentieth

Century Authors, he described the
Mangusmana of his childhood as
a wilderness; the great forest on
the eastern slope of the village
teemed with wild game, and the
mountains to the north were untrodden by man.

On the south

were the wide fertile plains of Luzon, extending as far as Manila,

the capital of the Philippines. By
the middle 1950s Mangusmana
was nearly gone, having eaten
away by the Tagamusin River, a

THE LINK / Winter 2015

We in America understand the

many imperfections of democracy

the first Indian that offered peace

in Manhattan to the last Filipino
pea pickers.

America is not

bound by geographical latitudes.

America is not merely a land or

and determination. The old world

will die so that the new world will
be born with less sacrifice and
agony on the living pp.188189.

an institution. America is in the

America came to him in a public

hearts of men that died for free-

ward in the Los Angeles County

dom; it is also in the eyes of men

Hospital while around him men

that are building a new world.

died gasping for their last bit of

America is a prophesy of a new

air, and he learned that while

society of men: of a system that

America could be cruel it could

and the malignant disease corrod-

knows no sorrow nor strife or suf-

also be immeasurably kind.For

ing its very heart.

We must be

fering. America is a warning to

Carlos Bulosan no lifetime could

united in the effort to make an

those who would try to falsify the

be so long enough in which to

America in which our people can

ideals of freemen.

explain to America that no man

find happiness. It is great wrong

that anyone in America, whether
he be brown or white, should be
illiterate or hungry or miserable.

America is also the homeless

foreigner, the homeless refugee,
the hungry boy begging for a job
and the black body dangling on a

We must live in America where

tree. America is the illiterate im-

there is freedom for all regardless

migrant who is ashamed that the

of color, station and beliefs. Great

world of books and intellectual

Americans worked with unselfish

opportunities is closed to him.

devotion toward one goal, that it,

We are all that nameless for-

to use the power of the myriad

eigner, that homeless refugee, that

peoples in the service of Americas

hungry boy, that illiterate immi-

freedom. They made it their guid-

grant and that lynched black

ing principle.

body. All of us, from the first

It is but fair to say that America is

Adams to the last Filipino, native

not a land of one race or one class

born or alien, educated or illiter-

of men. We are all Americans that

ate We are America!

have toiled and suffered and

The old world is dying, but a

new world is being born. It generates inspiration from the chaos
that beats upon us all. The false
grandeur and security, the unfulfilled promises and illusory
power, the number of the dead
and those about to die, will
charge the forces of our courage

known oppression and defeat, from

could destroy his faith in it again.

He wanted to contribute something toward the final fulfillment
of America.

So he wrote this

book that holds the bitterness of

his own blood. Carlos P.
Romulo in the New York Times
Sources:
The Philippines is in the Heart by Carlos
Bulosan, with an Introduction by E. San
Juan, Jr. New Day Publishers, Quezon
City, Philippines, 1976.
America is in the Heart, by Carlos
Bulosan, with Introduction by Carey
McWilliams, University of Washington
Press, Seattle and London, 1973.

THE LINK / Winter 2015

I Marched with Death

in Bataan
By Dr. Miriam Sarno Tumangday, Ed.D.
t such a time in the world

This book was written in response

only way to go. I prayed most ear-

as this, when war breaks

to my familys behest to record the

nestly for Divine guidance and

out one after another any-

SARNO FAMILY war odyssey as a

strength.

time, anywhere; with such atrocities

legacy to the younger generation,

me grace and wisdom to keep on.

that one cannot read the news with-

and as a testament to our awesome

Then He added the much-needed

out the shivers a situation that

and trustworthy God, who saw us

encouragement through the gift of a

seems to be escalating beyond con-

through the inconceivable travail

true human friend, who one poet

trol; at such a time when danger

and multifarious life-

seems to be everywhere, of every

threatening

nature ; and man starts to wonder if

during those horrific

life is worth living anymore, while

World War II months in

fear engulfs mankind with hope-

Bataan.

lessness and threats of helplessness;

at such a time as this, how heartwarming it is to read the testimony
of a then eleven-year-old girl, who
lived to witness the incredible miracle of her fathers and her brothers
deliverance right from the midst of
the death march.

However,

situations

when

picked up my pen to
accept the challenge, I
found

myself

many

times balking at the

formidable

task,

be-

cause I was under the

merciless

burden

of

How soul-filling and comforting to

memory, necessitating

read a compelling family saga on

my peering into the

the battlefield of World War II

recesses of the unpleas-

highlighting a Heavenly Father who

ant past replete with the

cares for and loves His children in

terrifying, the dread-

any clime all the time, when they

fully painful and sad

call upon Him under every circum-

episodes. In fact, I had

stance, even from the brink of

many sleepless nights

death.

and nightmares.

The measure they took

amidst such a desperate state may

encourage you and me to trust the
Lord and to call upon Him for help,
for deliverance, anytime all the
time.

10 THE LINK / Winter 2015

And the Lord provided

Understandably, I couldnt go on

describes as an angel in disguise

writing with equanimity and poise

with wings to lift the spirits and

with these emotional distractions.

carry dreams to fulfillment. It

So I had to do what I knew was the

is highly questionable if

this

book would ever have been produced had it not been for this heavenly-

To request a copy of her book, I Marched with Death in

sent gift. I shall ever thank Him for sending ELIZABETH J. GRA-

Bataan, please contact: Dr. Miriam S. Tumangday

NADA, my prayer-warrior partner and teammate in the FAITH BOOK

25848 Silva Ct. Loma Linda , CA 92354 or email her at

MINISTRY (writing to proclaim Gods grace) along my way at that

mstumangday@gmail.com

time I was tempted to give up.

It was Elizabeth who fully convinced me after listening to

the testimonies of war veterans at a Memorial Day program in Las Vegas, that I had a worthwhile war story to
share with the world not only because of my Bataan roots,
but also and more so because the most impressive story
behind this Bataan Death March story was the very heartwarming , soul-filling, uplifting and inspiring revelation of
Gods sustaining love and abiding care during those
months of humanly unbearable agony; whereby we could
clearly see the invisible Divine hands protecting us and
answering the calls and cries of those whose solid trust
was in Him and whom He never failed.

About the author:

Miriam Sarno Tumangday, Ed.D.(Counseling and Educational
Psychology), a family life educator and lecturer, has traveled
in Southeast Asia, China, the United States, and Canada as a
speaker for educational organizations, churches, colleges, and
family ministries conferences. Dr. Miriam Tumangday served
as vice president for academic affairs and graduate school
dean at Adventist University of the Philippines before moving
to Loma Linda, California, where she keeps busy with her
writing ministry. (Pictures below with daughters, Mini Joy
and Dr. Gladden Tumangday Herrera. Also below, Drs. Sunny
(son) and Charity Cordero-Tumangday with their son, Niko).

Thus she insisted and literally pushed me, albeit gently, to

sit down and start the ministry of writing this narrative.
Then she went ahead and did the research I was to do myselfthe priceless materials, documentaries, and publications enabled me in a special way to gain the historical
perspective of what happened in Bataan, so enormously
valuable in establishing the context of my story. I especially appreciate her perspicacity and insightful suggestions on how to enrich this work, so it would not just be a
litany of sufferings, vicissitudes, and mans inhumanity to
man.
Elizabeth believed in the spiritual impact of this book with
a zeal that at times exceeded mine as she prodded, encouraged and cheered me on. The she gave of her precious
time to critique and smooth out the rough edges of my
handwritten drafts and to ready the manuscript for publication, thus bringing this writing project to faithful fruition.
The publication itself of the book by her publishing house,
EJG Publishing, is free, as her full support of our Faith
Book Ministry.

THE LINK / Winter 2015

11

AWESNA In Action

12

THE LINK / Winter 2015

AWESNA Chapter Rallies & Meetings

THE LINK / Winter 2015

13

2015 RP Mission Trip

Retreat Theme: Service Before Self
Friday Vespers Service: The Armor of God
Sabbath Hour of Worship: How to Bring a
Friend to Christ

Loma Linda Filipino Church in cooperation with AWESNALoma Linda Chapter and Northern Luzon Adventist College will
be holding a medical-dental-evangelistic outreach on March
2015March 22, 23, 25- medical-dental outreach at NLAC,
Pinmilapil, Bantay Intsik, and Sison Proper. Evangelistic crusade
will be on March 25-April at Sison, with Dr. VicLouis Arreola
III as speaker. This outreach event is part of NLAC's grand
alumni reunion.
If you are interested in joining this mission trip, please email
jem609@yahoo.com and/or cfgaraza@hotmail.com no later than
October 30, 2014. You are also invited to the next team meeting
on November 2, 2014, 3:00 p.m. at Loma Linda Filipino Church
Mothers' Room.
God bless,
Pastor Jose L. Manalo
Senior Pastor, LLFC
Adviser, AWESNA Loma Linda Chapter
( Super-Christians, from page 20 )
Report for duty on Monday. You are hired. In a matter of two weeks,
my wifes schedule of patients was full, much to the surprise of appointed head of the department. She would put no less than 20 years of
service to MSH; and would leave only when I retired due to my bypass
surgery.
Two blessings We Received at that Sabbath Dinner
The couple ate with gusto the simple meal we prepared. As hosts, we
were glad. But what gladdened us most was that Will said, You honored us with your invitation. We came because we want to enjoy you
and your family. If you had only a glass of cold water, that would be
more than enough. Her words made me remember a text in Scriptures
where our Lord said that if one gives a cup of cold water to one of his
children, he surely will receive a reward. We received two rewards that
day a much needed job for my wife and the rare privilege to fellowship with super-Christians!

14 THE LINK / Winter 2015

PASTOR BENJAMIN DEL POZO

About the AWESNA Retreat Speaker:
Pastor Benjamin Del Pozo was born in the
Good hope Clinic of Miraflores Peru on June
23, 1966. God blessed him by being raised
by the best parents in the world: Luis Alberto
and Esther Del Pozo. They programmed Benjamin to love the Lord and His word at a very
young age. Ben was called to the ministry at
the young age of 12, when, after losing his
bike for one year he prayed a dangerous
prayer: Lord if you give me back my bike
and I find it, I promise I'll become a pastor.
"AND THE LORD HEARD THE VOICE OF THE
LAD.(Genesis 21:17);" and lo and behold as
soon as he said amen, the bike was right
there by the science complex at Andrews
University. He had no choice but to keep his
promise; that is why at 16 he was studying
Greek under Professor Victor Figueroa at
Inca Union College, graduated from Andrews University with a Master of Divinity at
the age of 22, and had a Doctorate in Ministry at the age of 25--all because of the bike!

AWESNA Golf Classic 2014 at Southshore

Golf Course Henderson, Nevada

I would like to thank the Hole in One sponsor, Dr. Edmund M. Bagingito, who donated $1,000 for the $20,000 cash
price, Dr. Chester R. Banaag, DDS donated $500 for the Apple ipad mini retina display, Dr. Shubert Atiga donated $500
for Taylor Made RBZ irons and Dr. Bangloy Family Dentistry donated $500 for $1,000 cash price. Nobody won the
Hole in One contest. We also would like to thank Dr. Harley Orzame who gave $300 for five closest to hole and longest
drive contest. Solomon Gonzales won the longest drive contest. The following won the closest to the hole contest:
Robert Estajera, hole #4, Jun Santiago holes #8 and #16, Dexter De Jesus, Jr. , hole #10 and Rolly Corpus hole #4.
The following are the winners of AWESNA Golf Classic 2014:
First Place : Dexter De Jesus, Sr., Dexter De Jesus, Jr., Billy Gayon and Mark Smartino
Second Place: Mario Manalo, Cirilo Paulo, Ernie Penaflorida and Simeon Rosete, Jr.
Third Place: Shubert Atiga, Karen La Madrid, Ely Roda, and Mike Dupes
Revenue of $8,400 less expenses of $6,839.76, with a net profit of $1,560.24.
Thank you,
Alberto L. Bagingito, C.P.A.
AWESNA Golf Classic organizer

THE LINK / Winter 2015

15

A Personal Insight- on
AUP College of Medicine
By Dr. Alfonso Miguel, Jr. MD

he approval or permit to start

the AUP College of Medicine
on August 2015 is a cause for
rejoicing to most of us Alumni
who have been waiting for this
thing to be realized after almost forty
years. We have to give credit to our
visionaries who are long gone and to the
present generation of leaders who have
kept the hope alive to make sure this
reality will move forward successfully.
Above all, we give praise and honor to
the God we serve for His unending love
and commitment to his work in His own
time.

study and have gone forward to branch

out in the varied Specialty of Medicine
will share their personal insights to answer in part or whole the concerns set
forth by our fellow alumni (nonphysicians); but since nobody stepped
into the plate, I am taking the liberty of
providing my personal insight on the
issue as to why Batangas Hospital Medical Center was given the nod by the
powers that be on the government side
(CHED and TPME) and on ours
(General Conference, SSD, NPUC, and
AUP).

The continuing process of planning and

preparation for an AUP COM as it
evolved to the present served as a fodder
in the social media that created an impetus for some concerned alumni who cast
shadow of doubts and skepticism about
the project for over the last three years.
One that really caught my attention and
interest are postings and discussions in
regard to the selection of Batangas Hospital Medical Center (government facility) as the training Hospital against our
own Adventist Medical Center of Manila. The real concern as I surmise it is
the Biblical injunction of being
unequally yoked with unbelievers-- in
other words, partnering with entity of
unlike faith. This opened real or perceived concern that the AUP COM students will be vulnerable as they will be
exposed to mentors and faculties who
will adulterate their young minds and at
the end produce graduates that are contrary to the visions and missions of the
SDA church. Mind you, most of the
discussions were posted by nonphysicians who did not go through the
rigors of intensive years (4-5 years) experience of medical education. I have
waited and wished that somebody
among my medical colleagues who have
gone through the demands of medical

Ideally, SDA medical students should be

completely exposed to an environment
with faculties and mentors in all medical
disciplines of like faith and beliefs.
However, this has never occurred or will
never happen for the single reason that
not all of the fields of medicine have
more than enough clinical cases for the
students to hone in their added knowledge as they move forward. Charity or
indigent patients in varied clinical settings e.g. Veterans Hospitals, County or
Provincial facilities, Mental, Orthopedic,
Rehabilitation institutions, Pediatric
Hospitals, etc. are provided by government and non-SDA facilities. Many or if
not all generations of full pledged practicing physicians who have gone through
this process could bear me out on this
issue. Simply stated, complete medical
education could not be obtained by exclusivity. Who knows in the near future
that by using Batangas Hospital Medical
Center eventually majority of the attending physicians and directors of departments will be our own AUP COM
graduates? Like our very own Loma
Linda University School of Medicine
graduates, the Riverside and San Bernardino County Hospital, Loma Linda Veterans Hospital, Kaiser Hospital are
manned in part by well trained and dedi-

16 THE LINK / Winter 2015

cated SDA physicians.

The motto of the new AUP COM is
Through Christ, Healing and Wholeness.
This is similar and akin to the motto of
Loma Linda University Health To Make
Man Whole. As Dr. Barry Taylor, one of
the LLU professors who greatly assisted in
the preparations of our future faculties of
AUP COM, stated that institutions born
from fire is often stronger and in the
schema of things this is what God does to
His people to render them stronger and
well rooted in Him at the end.
I could only speak for myself as one of
many that have gone through the whole
process of intensive preparation as a fullpledged practicing Physician/Surgeon for
many years. I am sure that ALL SDA or
non-SDA physicians who had the same
experiences through the same process have
evolved as well qualified Medical Providers. However, after everything has been
said and done, a finished product of a secular as opposed to non-secular (in this case
an Adventist Medical School) institution
depended on the eventual CHOICE of the
graduate, whether to render Service for
financial gain or for a more noble service
for God and service to humanity.
My PLEA. -- Without exception, time is
fleeting on all of us. Have we solidified
our support to AUP, our Alma Mater- The
School that Trains for Service.? Remember, this is the school that has played a
very significant role on why and what we
are today. Another year has come for us to
spend, it looks daunting and foreboding
with many opportunities and challenges
along the way, but if we totally commit our
all to our ONLY true Guide, we will reach
and realize our goals. A sage from the pen
of Inspiration as stated by EGW, We have
nothing to fear in the future, except as we
forget how God has led as in the past.

AUP COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

THE LINK / Winter 2015

17

Tidings of Great Joy!

Adventist University of the Philippines
College of Medicine
24 December 2014

My Dear AUPCOM Faculty,

Tidings of Great Joy!

Our ultimate goal...

will be a physician
missionary who will heal
both body and spirit, as
exemplified in our motto:
"Through Christ, Healing and Wholeness".

As we celebrate Christ's birthday

this Christmas, let us especially
thank our Almighty God that in His
perfect time He has answered our
fervent prayers to open our College
of Medicine. The rigorous preparations and the long wait have made
the much-awaited good news
sweeter. The official CHED
announcement came just before the
Christmas break last week, in time
for the Public Hearing on the new
PSG (provisions, standards, and
guidelines) for Medical Schools
held at the PMA Auditorium last
December 19, which all medical
school deans and department chairs
in the country had to attend.
The fact that the final GO signal
has been given means that we will
all gear up for our very first batch
of medical students for the opening
of classes in August 2015. Our
global sister institution, the Loma
Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, California, will
be sending faculty-lecturers from
January to June 2015, to continue
the program they had started since
2013 toward our faculty development training. We will send you
announcements of the schedule and
topics and venue as soon as we
finalize the arrangements with
them.

18 THE LINK / Winter 2015

By middle of January, we will be

accepting applications to our medical
school. Soon thereafter, our
appointed admissions committee will
be hard at work to stringently select
the top applicants, based on the
admissions criteria our AUPCOM
leadership has established (also in
close consultation with admissions
experts of Loma Linda University
School of Medicine), to ensure that
we get the very best material for our
showcase first batch of students, and
more importantly ascertain that our
vision/mission/philosophy as a Godordained medical school will never
be compromised.
Our ultimate goal, our intended
outcome, is to produce the "5-star
physician" described by the WHO
and the CHED, who is a clinician, an
academician, a researcher, a social
mobilizer, and a manageradministrator. As a medical graduate
of AUPCOM, in addition to the
above, ours will be a physician
missionary who will heal both body
and spirit, as exemplified in our
motto: "Through Christ, Healing and
Wholeness".
Kindly await my future announcements, but meanwhile have a HAPPY
and JOYOUS CHRISTMAS and
NEW YEAR Celebrations!!! To God
be the Glory!
In Christ's service,
Dr. Doris Mendoza
Dean, AUP College of Medicine

CHED Approves AUP College of Medicine

aup presidents message

December 18, 2014

Dear Friends,

...the CHED director

for our region called
us up and informed us
that we are allowed to
announce that we have
been given the permit
to open the Doctor of
Medicine August
2015. God be
Praised! The 35-yearold dream of starting
the MD program in the
Philippines has come
to pass. To God be the
glory ! Maranatha!

Since 2011, we have been working

hard for the opening of the MD program. After the first visit of the CHED
Technical Committee October 2011
when we were informed that MAMC
cannot be our base hospital, we were
ready to give up. Were it not for the
encouragement of the IBE Survey Team
and the support of our SSD leaders, we
would not have the determination to
keep on. In the March 2014 visit, our
base hospital was still not approved. In
between the first and second visits,
though we were not approved yet, GC
Education Department and Loma Linda
University continued to support us and
arranged for consultation visits. Our
Board supported us with the authorization to use funds for the finishing of the
building that will house the MD program. When the building was temporarily occupied by the Medical Laboratory
Science department June this year, by
then 50% of the construction was
financed by alumni, supporters and
friends. We thank the Lord for alumni
who supported the project by faith, despite the negative propaganda orchestrated by our detractors.
By the time of the last visit August
2014, this time only to the Batangas
Medical Center in Batangas City, the
base hospital we have proposed, the
remaining deficiencies were related to
faculty qualification of clinical training
faculty, and the schedule for clinical
training. Since then SSD has voted to

support us, in addition to the amount

they donated for the building, with
funds to hire two full time national
faculty. We had submitted our compliance report by end of September
and had been waiting for the decision. The approval process was different this time. We did not get any
info from the Technical Committee. Whether we met all the requirements or not was withheld. We were
just told to wait until the CHED
Commission en Banc would
meet. The Commission met several
times since September but our application was not in the agenda. We
learned just a few days ago that our
program was in the Agenda but
again, we did not know what the recommendation of the Technical Committee was, whether we did indeed
meet all the requirements or we still
had deficiencies.
The Commission met yesterday and
today, though we have not received
the official written notification yet,
the CHED director for our region
called us up and informed us that we
are allowed to announce that we
have been given the permit to open
the Doctor of Medicine August
2015. God be Praised!
The 35-year-old dream of starting
the MD program in the Philippines
has come to pass. To God be the
Glory!
Maranatha!
Francisco Gayoba, DTheol
President, AUP

THE LINK / Winter 2015

19

UNDER THE MANGO TREE

Super-Christians are
Humans Too
By Dr. Herman Reyes
have a very high regard for expatriate missionaries. I

Several decades later, Willa Hedrick, the young missionary who

look at them as super-Christians. They come from the

founded the first School of Medical Technology in the Philip-

most affluent and powerful country in the world and yet

pines, wrote me a letter. I well remember when you were my

they talk and act humbly. They exude joy when they serve the

pastor and one I respected highly. Yes, we often want to be

target-people of their ministry. When I was a pastor at Pasay

treated like normal human beings. It is not good for ones char-

English Church ( 1958-1959), all the missionaries at Pasay

acter to be kept in a pedestal. One can easily get to thinking that

(officers of the North Philippine Union Mission and doctors of

is where one belongs.

Manila Sanitarium and Hospital) chose to be members of my

church. (Probably because it was the only English speaking

How Can You Live in the City with One Income?

My

church in Manila).
One of the most important ministries of a pastor was to visit his

sionaries. We invited them

sionaries were super-Christians and they did not need this min-

back .

istry). I discovered that they were super-Christians all right but

afford. We had no chairs

but benches to sit on. All

Dr. John Schnepper loses a Patient

the Malacanang Palace and made him his honorary physician.

We prepared the

best food that we could

like any other human being, they have problems too.

carried the news. President Ramon Magsaysay invited him to

Dr.

were a couple of those mis-

PEC to do that. Filipino pastors probably assumed that mis-

Barnedo, a student of PUC. Newspapers and radio stations

often

Ervin and Willa Hedrick

number of them told me that I was the first Filipino pastor of

in the Philippines in the 1950s. His first patient was Nemy

was

by the missionaries.

flock. I did not neglect to include missionaries in my visits. (A

Dr. John Schnepper was the first surgeon to do bypass surgery

family

invited for Sabbath dinners

the other furniture in the house was hand-made. Because my

three daughters were still small, age 3,4 , and 6, I made their
bench higher than the bench for the adults in the dining room. It
so happened that Dr. Hedrick with his long legs, chose to sit by
the side of my girls at meal. He nearly toppled our dining table.

Schnepper became an instant celebrity. This added much to the

The following conversation issued.

prestige to MSH and to our church.

No she does not. How in the world can you live in the city

One day, a wealthy patient of the donor from Mindanao flew to

manila for her regular check-up. Schnepper found something
that needed surgery but could wait. He told her that he would
do the surgery in her next visit.
Why wait? Why not now? asked the patient.
The operation was successful but the patient died in the recovery room. The doctor was downhearted. His wife told me that
for several days, he would not eat; he could not sleep; and he
would not come out of his room. He needed someone to talk
to. By Gods grace, he found in me that someone.

20

THE LINK / Winter 2015

Does your wife work?

with one income? Our needs are simple I gestured to the

hand-made furniture in the house and the simple meal on the table. What can your wife do? I mean, what salable skills does
she have?
She is a dentist. She wants to set up a practice of her own but
we have no capital. She has applied twice at MSH but her applications were denied. She was told that many of the clientele of
the dental department were Americans and foreigners and they
would prefer men dentists over women dentists. Dr. Hedrick
was the chief of staff of MSH at that time (the position was
changed to president later). He turned to my wife and said,
( Continued on page 14)

AWESNA Greater Los Angeles Chapter

2014 Summary Report

Greater Los Angeles Chapter has two major

projects:
1.Tuition Aid for AUP deserving students. Currently, we
are sponsoring nine (9) students for the second year.

Alumni meeting with AUP President, Dr. Francisco

Gayoba at the Central Filipino Church fellowship
hall on the update of our Alma Mater-AUP.

2. Provide AUPs needy, self-cook students with rice during the school year. Out of 700 working students, there are
361 self-cook students.

Disbursement of Funds:

Chapter Activities in 2014:

2. Contributed $3000 for AUP College of Medicine

building

1. Regular Chapter Officers meeting.

2. Second Annual Christmas caroling last December 21,
2014 as a fundraising event

3. Individual solicitation of funds

4. Some Chapter Officers and members joined the

1. Donated $300 for the Victims of Typhoon Yolanda in

the Philippines

3. Remitted $2000 to AUP for the Rice Program for the

school year 2014- 2015. We have allocated $2000 to
AUP per year for this program.
4. Remitted $2700 to AUP for sponsorship of nine (9)
deserving students for 2014- 2015 school years.

AWESNA rallies in Las Vegas, Central Valley, San Diego

and
Vancouver, Canada.

5. Held a Picnic on May 18 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena,

attended by seventy Alumni

Loida M. Miguel

6. September 6, 2014, we conducted a well attended

President, AWESNA Greater Los Angeles Chapter

THE LINK / Winter 2015

21

AWESNA San Diego Chapter

AWESNA would like to congratulate

Captain Dale Dan Ramirez as a
newly commissioned captain of the
US Navy. The US Navy Commission
Ceremony was held on December 2,
2014 at Camp Pendleton Naval
Hospital, Oceanside, California.

AWESNA San Diego Chapter Officers

President-

Crisamar

Anunciado,PhD,

Vice

Religious- Pastor Lemuel Liwanag, VP Socials- Jorilyn dela

Cruz, VP Membership Nellie P. Alamo, VP Young Alumni
Gemma Banaag, VP North County- Glory Maravilla, Secretary Connie Mirasol, Treasurer Ellen Esmillo, Auditor
Paz Agustines, PRO Fem Ramirez, Project/Scholarship
Flory Vasquez, COMELEC Rufino Magpayo, Adviser
Rufino Magpayo, Auxillary Head Evelyn Pablo.

Dan, Fem Ramirez and family

22

THE LINK / Winter 2015

President-

AWESNA 2015 Retreat

Theme: Service Before Self
January 23-25, 2015 at Queen Mary Hotel, Long Beach , California

Dear Chapter Presidents and Participants,

On behalf of the AWESNA officers and advisers,
I would like to thank you all for your willingness
to serve in our retreat this year with our theme
"Service Before Self". Thank you Glendale
Chapter for coordinating the Vespers Service

Brief History of The Queen Mary

program; La Sierra Chapter for the Sabbath

School; Los Angeles and Loma Linda Chapters
for the Hour of Worship; San Diego Chapter for
the

Sabbath afternoon service; and Young

Alumni Chapter for our Sundown Worship and

Socials.
Your continued support to AWESNA and to our
dear Alma Mater is very much appreciated. I
look forward to a successful 2015 spiritual
retreat through Him!
God bless,
Lita Laoyan, VP AWESNA
2015 Spiritual Retreat Program Coordinator

RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed

primarily on the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to
1967 for the Cunard Line (known as Cunard-White
Star Line when the vessel entered service). Built by
John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland,
Queen Mary along with her running mate, the
RMS Queen Elizabeth, were built as part of Cunard's
planned two-ship weekly express service between
Southampton, Cherbourg, and New York City. The
two ships were a British response to the superliners
built by German and French companies in the late
1920s and early 1930s. Queen Mary was the flagship
of the Cunard Line from May 1936 until October
1946 when she was replaced in that role by Queen
Elizabeth.
- Source: Wikipedia
THE LINK / Winter 2015

23

The Adventist University of the Philippines

PLACE

Alumni of Western North America (AWESNA)

STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
HERE
Address Service Requested

The Link
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Phone:(916) 230 3969
E-mail: thelinkawesna@aol.com
Website: www.awesna.org

To:

The Link-AWESNA

AWESNA
...to Serve and Shine!

COMING SOON!
AWESNAs 43rd 2015 CONVENTION

September 4-6, 2015, Doubletree By Hilton at San Jose, California

Theme: Bridges For Today and Eternity

Change of Address Form

Name:___________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________

___________________________________________

The Link Editor , 9600 Flame Tokay Way, Elk Grove,CA 95624

San Francisco Golden Gate 78th Anniversary