. ..Calambeños have a secret weapon? A weapon that is so powerful . . .

Honorable Ambassador Willy Gaa, Philippine Consul General in New York, Distinguished guests, Mrs. Ma. Rebecca Alonzo Recio Santos and Family, direct relatives of Dr. Rizal, Officers, Regional mayors, Board of Directors, Advisers of Calamba Association, Friends and relatives, Calambeños and Calambeñas, Ladies and Gentlemen,

They said it could not be done! We wouldn't be able to put up a party in such short notice. Besides, there are only a few us and we started only recently. Basically, they are saying we're too little, too late".

In a way, they are right. Although Calambeños total over 3000 in North America including Canada, there are only over 200 of us in the northeastern part of USA. More, it was only last June we got organized in a Fiesta Picnic in Passaic Park and talks about a Christmas party did not happen until October.

But they forgot that they are talking about Calambeños. People from a town that breeds heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal and General Lim. They did not know your tenacity, audacity and determination and that the 200 of us mean 200 strong. Instead of calling us too little too late, they should say, real strong, real fast for indeed, it took a heroic effort to put this association and party together.

During the past year, we had minor successes and achievements, but more importantly is for us to look at what the future have in store for us.

While it is noble to pursue the goals of our association to preserve our history, pride, culture and tradition, and to sponsor scholarships, send computers, faxes, copiers to public schools in our town, it is more important to share our observations, dreams and aspirations for our mother country. A task I would like our association or all Filipino Americans for that matter to share.

I am sure all of us have heard from a returning balikbayan speak about his or her vacation in the Philippines like, "ang init, traffic, pollution, grabe"

Most people would say, "if you can't say anything good, don't say it at all". But I encourage that. That is healthy. Let us speak of the ills of our country so we may talk about it more, understand it better, diagnose it better, and maybe in the process, we might come up with a solution.

Under the same token, and when we do come up with a solution, we should share it. We could share it by writing our councilors, our mayors, congressmen, senators, or to anybody who would listen. Philippine senator Rocco did with his no double taxation bill for Filipinos overseas as he stated in his email to our association's web site 2 months ago.

As an organization, we can not write, contribute to any political cause or candidate without losing our non-profit, tax-exempt status, but as individuals, collectively, we can be powerful. What can one person's writing do to change a nation without an army? Just look at our kababayan, Dr. Jose Rizal, he inspired a whole nation to gain freedom.

Dr. Rizal exposed the ills of our country through Noli Me Tangere, and proposed a solution with El Filibusterismo, then he lit the fire and fury of rebellion in his readers' heart with an ending that nobody wants, an ending that gives up?!

And with that, ladies and gentlemen… :

Maligayang pasko at manigong bagong taon sa inyong lahat, maraming salamat po.