FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2019
Contacts:
Bing Cardenas Branigin mcbranigin@aol.com 202-361-1024
Jon Melegrito jdmelegrito@gmail.com 202-361-0296
Greg B. Macabenta mmsi13@gmail.com 650-276-6382
Mariela M Fletcher mariela.fletcher@naffaa.org 206-963-8838

NaFFAA Calls for Nominees for the 3rd Alex Esclamado Memorial Awards for Community Service

Washington, DC – The 3rd Alex Esclamado Memorial Awards for Community Service will be one of  the highlights at 13th National Empowerment Conference of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) at the Carson Community Center in Carson City, California on August 15-18, 2019. The awards ceremony will be  held on August 16.

This was announced by the NaFFAA Board of Governors jointly with the principal sponsor of the awards, GMA International, through the Awards Committee.  The awards are open to all Filipino and Filipino American organizations and associations in the United States, including those that are not members of NaFFAA. No entry fee is required of the nominee-organization. However, awardees are expected to be present to receive the Alex Esclamado Memorial Loving Cup at the awards ceremony.

Four awards will be given to organizations engaged in any of the following aspects of Community Service: Youth Affairs, Education, Senior Citizens, Women, Health, Immigration & Human Rights, Entrepreneurship, Arts & Culture, Aid to the Philippines, Civic Involvement.

Deadline for submission of nominations is June 30, 2019. All past nominees are considered automatically re-nominated for the awards and need not submit new nomination forms or packets. 

“These awards are intended to encourage and inspire community workers, volunteers and leaders to continue their selfless endeavors in the service of their respective communities – whether Filipino or mainstream American,” says NaFFAA National Chair Brendan Flores. “This is also intended to honor the legacy of the late Alex Esclamado, NaFFAA Founding Chairman, visionary for Filipino-American unity and empowerment, crusading journalist and recipient of t the Philippine Legion of Honor.”

Past Awardees

The winners in the 2nd awards presentation in August 2016 at the 12th NaFFAA National Empowerment Conference at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania were: Filipino Cultural School based in Norwalk, Los Angeles County; Filipino American Association of Philadelphia, Inc.; Filipino American Community Action Group of Hampton Roads, Va.; and Feed the Hungry, based in Washington DC.

They joined the winners of the 1st awards in 2014, namely, The Council for Filipino American Organizations of Central Florida, the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service, Inc., Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Texas, and the Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc.

GMA International Sponsorship

Conceived by NaFFAA and GMA International the awards were first conferred in August 2014 at the 11th National Empowerment Conference in San Diego, CA. GMA International is the international arm of GMA Network, the leading television network in the Philippines, which has been telecasting in the US and worldwide through GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News International. GMA has been a consistent supporter and partner of NaFFAA in many public service and FilAm community undertakings.

‘We congratulate all the past awardees and look forward to honoring this year’s winners and we congratulate NaFFAA for continuing to empower and inspire the Filipino community in the United States. We hope that our partnership as well as all the good work that has already been done will continue on into the future,” said GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia.

GMA International will be represented at the awards by Josh Andowitt, Southern California Marketing Consultant.

Awards Committee

The Chair of the Awards Committee is Greg B. Macabenta, NaFFAA National Chair Emeritus. Honorary Chair is Lourdes M. Esclamado, widow of the Founding National Chair of NaFFAA whose legacy of community service is memorialized by the awards. Other members of the Awards Committee are Founding NaFFAA National Vice-Chair Gloria T. Caoile, NaFFAA Vice-Chair Emeritus Rozita Lee, NaFFAA co-founder and National Legal Counsel Rodel Rodis, Founding Executive Director Jon Melegrito and Region 2 Chair Emeritus Bing Branigin. A Panel of Jurors will select this year’s awardees

“NaFFAA is grateful to GMA International for sponsoring the Alex Esclamado Memorial Awards for Community Service. This has not only kept the legacy of Alex Esclamado fresh in the minds and hearts of the FilAm community, it has inspired many to take up his advocacies and has cast the limelight on the many organizations that have heroically been rendering outstanding services in the Filipino American communities, the American mainstream and in the Philippines,” says Macabenta.

Link to the Application: click here

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The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Established in 1997, NaFFAA has been promoting the welfare and well-being of the more than 4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States. NaFFAA’s vision is to serve as the voice of all Filipinos and Filipino Americans by uniting, engaging, and empowering diverse individuals and community organizations through leadership development, civic engagement, and national advocacy.

www.naffaa.org