Philippine Senator Imee Marcos Visits Hawaii
by Carlota Ader
From October 6 to 10, Philippine Senator Imee Marcos along with local government officials of Ilocos Norte, Philippines visited Hawaii to meet with Ilocos Norte organizations based in the State of Hawaii.
A luncheon was held at the Filipino Community Center on October 7. The following day, a celebration was held at Blaisdell Park featuring multiple booths and food festivals to showcase the cities and provinces of the local government present during the Hawaii delegation.
According to Marcos, the delegation was held to reunite the harmony and community relations between the Ilocanos in Hawaii and those in the Philippines to obtain full success and cooperation whenever projects are held in the two locations.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Emil Fernandez were present at the Blaisdell Park reception. Along with other Ilocos Norte Filipinos based in Hawaii, La Union Circle of Hawaii’s president Carlota Ader and representative Conrad Valdriz were also invited to the event.
The Philippine local government officials that joined Marcos are the following: Mayor Nicomedes dela Cruz of Bacarra, Mayor Maximo Virgilio Calajate Cajigal of Badoc and Sangguniang Bayan member and president of League of Mayors, Mayor Fidel Cimatu of Bangui, Mayor Mary C. Abadilla and Vice Mayor Carlito Abadilla Jr of Banna, Mayor Rowena Chua of Batac City, Mayor Edward Quilala and Sangguniang Bayan Juidth Quilala of Currimao, Mayor Joffrey Saguid and Vice Mayor Aldrin Gravida and Vice Mayor Jessie Galeno of Paoay, Mayor Robert Aguinaldo of Pasuquin, Mayor Georgina Guillen of Piddig, Vice Mayor Maynard Francis Bumanglag and Municipal Treasurer Ami Ruel of Pinli, Vice Mayor Paul Hernando of San Nicolas, Sangguniang Bayan Ralph Medrano and Mary Ann Abad Damaso of Sarrat, Mayor Joseph de Lara and Vice Mayor Jonathan de Lara of Solsona, Mayor La Guillen Yapo of Claveria, Cagayan, National Agency Engineer Eddie Guillen, and Irrigation Administrator and Congressman Angelo Marcos Barba of the Second Congressional District of Ilocos Norte.
Marcos is the sister of current Philippine president Bongbong Marcos and the eldest daughter of former Philippine president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
The last time the Marcoses were in Hawaii was almost 40 years ago when the family was exiled to the Aloha State after her father was ousted during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Beyond the senator’s unofficial visit to forge connections in Hawaii, organizations such as the Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice and Democracy held a protest outside the Philippine Consulate in Nuuanu on October 9.
The organization told Hawaii News Now that they want to show Marcos that they “have not forgotten [nor] forgiven her family and the things that they’ve done to the Philippines and the Filipino people.”
Get the latest stories from Hawaii Filipino Chronicle straight to your inbox! Subscribe to our FREE newsletter here.
