BINALONAN, PANGASINAN tourism officer Jessica T. Bautista (2nd from left) and asst librarian Sunshy B. Jimenez display books and magazines part of three boxes of publications donated by Philippine News Today editor in chief Alfred G. Gabot (2nd from right) and Asian Journal/Balikbayan Magazine publisher Roger L. Oriel to the Allos Book and Coffee Bar and Museo de Binalonan. Also in photo is Philippine News Today managing editor Claire Morales True.
By CLAIRE MORALES TRUE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA/BINALONAN, Pangasinan — Two successful sons of Binalonan, Pangasinan known mainly for achievements in journalism and publishing both in America and the Philippines, have joined hands to boost their hometown’s new library and newly opened museum.
Roger L. Oriel, one of the biggest Filipino publishers in California and Manila, and Alfred G. Gabot, a journalist, professor and book author, teamed up to feature the Museo de Binalonan in the prestigious rainbow color global travel, leisure and culture Balikbayan Magazine print and online editions.
At the same time, Oriel and Gabot donated dozens of the latest issue of the Balikbayan magazine featuring their hometown’s museum and a box load of old issues which are useful for students in their travel, tourism, hospitality and culture subjects.
They called on other Binalonians to also donate books, audio- visuals and other publications to the Binalonan libraries.
The books and magazines were received for the Binalonan municipal government by Jessica T. Bautista, municipal tourism officer, and librarians.
“Perusing the color pages and stories in the magazine hopefully will cement the readers and especially the youth’s love of their beautiful and historic town, province and country,” said Oriel, who is the president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles-based Asian Journal Publications Inc., publisher of the Balikbayan magazine and the Asian Journal newspapers.
“It’s not only love of our hometown Binalonan but the entire country whose landmark tourist, historic and cultural gems are featured in the Balikbayan magazine for over 10 years now,” added Oriel, who is a certified public accountant turned publisher and businessman.
“It’s time to give more back to our town,” said Oriel and Gabot who both studied at the over a century old Binalonan North Central Elementary School whose historic Gabaldon main building now houses the Museo de Binalonan and on whose grounds now hosts the new building housing the Allos Book and Coffee Bar, the town’s new library. Allos is the nickname of famous Binalonian Carlos Sampayan Bulosan. Oriel’s family also once owned and managed the town’s pioneering Oriel Vocational and Technical Institute.
Aside from the Balikbayan magazine which now graces the municipal library at its new airconditioned home besides the Museo de Binalonan, books were also donated to the library of the University of Eastern Pangasinan (UEP), now one of the largest local universities in the country. Other books and magazines will also be donated to the Binalonan North Central Elementary School at its new campus and the Engr. Juan Macaraeg National High School in addition to books earlier donated by Gabot.
Gabot also donated 28 more copies of the book, “Adda Itti Pusok Ti Amerika,” the Ilocano translation by Manuel Diaz of the famous book “America is in the Heart” of Carlos S. Bulosan, a native of Binalonan who was hailed as the greatest Filipino writer in America during his time.
Gabot and Ilocano writer Manuel Diaz of San Manuel, Pangasinan, earlier donated dozens of copies of “Adda Itti Pusok Ti Amerika” to the municipal library, the UEP library, the Binalonan North Central Elementary School, the Juan G. Macaraeg National High School, the Office of the Mayor and other schools in Binalonan.
Gabot spearheaded the publication of the Ilocano book while he was a Commissioner of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and launched with then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as special guest at the Binalonan Airport hangar with the Guico family and Pangasinan leaders.
With the dozens of copies of the book now available at the Allos Book and Coffee Bar, Gabot urged the librarians and the Office of the Mayor to devise a library rule where copies of the Ilocano book could be loaned out for at least two weeks to readers so they can read well the book in the comfort of their homes.
Also donated were coffee table books of Melandrew T. Velasco and the Media Touchstone Ventures like “The Pillar of Social Work in the Philippines,” books on national hero Dr. Jose Rizal like “Letters between Rizal and family members (1876-1896), “Rizal Kabayanihan Tungo sa Globalisasyon” and “Selected Rizal Day Lectures,” and various agriculture, food security, forestry and climate guidebooks and Philippine Retirement News magazines, among others.
Earlier in the Los Angeles Library branch in Echo Park, Filipinotown, and the Milpitas Jose Esteves Library in Milpitas City, California, copies of “Adda Itti Pusok Ti Amerika” were also donated by Gabot as part of his group’s tribute to Carlos Bulosan and launch of his book “California: A Philippine Territory Almost and Other Stories.” In both libraries and other California libraries, books can be borrowed and brought home for one month by registered library card holders.
Gabot’s US-published book “California: A Philippine Territory Almost and Other Stories,” also features Carlos Bulosan, Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III and California Governor Gavin Newsom, both recipients of Doctor of Public Management from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).
The book launch and tribute to Carlos Bulosan in Los Angeles was spearheaded by the Carlos Bulosan Book Club and the Friends of Echo Park Library headed by Los Angeles Planning Commissioner Jaime Geaga who hailed from Baguio City and James Castillo with the Philippine Global Media Group (PGMG) led by veteran journalists Val Abelgas and Dan Nino which also supported the initiative to dedicate the library to Carlos Bulosan. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the Los Angeles Library Commissioners approved the initiative.
In Milpitas, the book launch and tribute were co-organized with Philippine News Today publisher Francis Espiritu and columnists Elpidio Estioko and Art Madlaing, former Milpitas six-time mayor Jose Esteves, and supported by Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano, Vice Mayor Gary Barbadillo and Councilmember Evelyn Q. Chua, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) headed by Secretary Dante Ang II and other city officials and community leaders and alumni groups from the Philippine universities.
Gabot also donated to the Binalonan Library two of his books – “California: A Philippine Territory Almost and Other Stories” which was published and distributed in the United States and “Empowering Citizens Abroad: A Handbook on Overseas Filipinos Absentee Voting.” Absentee voting for overseas Filipinos was initiated by then Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose mother, the late First Lady Dr. Evangelina Macaraeg,” was a native of Binalonan. (Claire Morales True/cmtpr1962@yahoo.com.ph
