FACC

The Filipino American Community Council (FACC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was designed to operate as an umbrella organization for other Filipino-American non-profits and organizations.  The main purpose of the FACC is grant-seeking for the benefit of the Filipino-American community and other Filipino organizations that serve the Filipino-American community. The organization acts independently or as an umbrella organization in the areas of Filipino American history, culture, languages, arts, immigration, citizenship, health, social and economic needs.  FACC was incorporated on December 6, 2012 with the late Dr. Dely Alcantara as founding president. Click:  Dely.

FACC Officers (2020):

• Kristelle Siarza – President
• Emilie Underwood – Vice-Pres. and Treasurer
• Atty. Rod Ventura – Secretary

Members of the Board of Directors (BOD):

• Presidents of FAFNM and FANHS RG: Myrna Samson & Pearl King, respectively.
• Dr. Ted Jojola

NOTE:  FACC is in the process of recruiting members for the BOD.  We will post the names as soon as they are finalized.

November 2018

Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble of Southern California performed on Nov. 16, 2018 at the New Mexico Humanities Council which co-sponsored the event with FACC.  More photos on “2018 in Review”. Members are Dr. Bernard Ellorin, Marlo Campos, Dr. Mary Talusan-Lacanlale & Eleanor Lipat-Chesler.  (Photos courtesy of Michelle Quinsenberry of New Mexico Humanities Council and Maricar Castro) (Click on photos for bigger image).  To view performance, click:  YouTube pinoy NM. (From that page, click on PLAYLIST to view only “Pakaraguian Nov 2018”.

More information on the Kulintang Performance: Pakaraguian Kulintang Nov. 2018

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October 2017 and 2019 (Pamana Awards)

FACC has co-sponsored the Pamana Heritage Awards and Filipino American History Month Celebration in 2017 and 2019.  This is a biennial event.

May 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Santacruzan)

FACC has co-sponsored the Cultural Show at the Santacruzan in May for three consecutive years at the Old Town Plaza.  It was a joint project with the Filipino American Foundation of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Office.

March 2016 – June 2017 Grant

FACC recently obtained a grant from the City of Albuquerque City Council, with a theme, “Philippine History and Language Acquisition through Performing Arts”.  The recital was presented at the Santacruzan event on May 20, 2017 (Old Town Plaza) which was co-sponsored by FACC with FAFNM and City of Albuquerque Cultural Services.  The grant  provided funds for instructor/choreographers to teach music and dances while also teaching the history and language.  The activities and details of the participating instructors are posted on their pages (below).

Participating instructors and groups (see photos) (To view full image, double click on photo).

• Choreographers (Ligaya & Evelio) of Ethan Sabay Philippine Folkloric Dance Group.
• Kulintang instructor and choreographer (Tessie) of the Filipino Performing Arts Group. (See performances of FPAG in www.youtube.com/puppetnettes.)  NOTE:  The FPAG was dissolved in late 2019 and remaining performers are now part of the Filipino American Foundation of NM (FAFNM) Cultural Group as of 2020.  Maricar Castro is the Artistic Director.

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 Two non-profit organizations:

There are two non-profit Filipino organizations that will benefit from FACC grant writing efforts:

• Filipino American Foundation of NM which has been in existence since 1973 and which has a Cultural Dance Group.  Visit  FAFNM.

Since 2014, FACC contacted the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services and facilitated performances for the performing groups.

• Filipino American National Historical Society Rio Grande Chapter (FANHS RG), one of the 30 chapters of FANHS with headquarters in Seattle, WA. This has been in existence since 1998. FACC facilitated in getting grants for FANHS RG to host the FANHS National Conference in Albuquerque in 2012.  Visit FANHS RG.

Past Accomplishments (Before FACC was formed)

Although FACC was incorporated in 2012, the members, particularly Dr. Dely Alcantara had obtained many grants for the Filipino community including funds for veterans and Asians where Filipinos participated. The total amount including the Bataan Memorial ($300,000) was $357,000+.  This amount did not include the grants she obtained (& founded) for the New Mexico Asian Family Center (of which Filipinos benefited).

• In 1998, she obtained a grant for $5000 from the NM State Endowment for Humanities to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the Philippine Independence from Spain (1898-1998). She and Dr. Jean Hall, a Filipina professor in Silver City held an academic symposium attended by 300 to 400 people composed of historians, Bataan veterans, and Filipinos in NM. Among the luminaries who attended were: Dr. Robert Heimrich, a historian and Marine veteran with expertise on the 200^th and 515^th Artilleries; Dr. Natividad Macaranas, Brown, author of three books about Filipinos, and Dr. Fred Cordova, founder of FANHS. The fund was used to pay honorariums to speakers at the symposium.
• In 2001, she obtained a grant in behalf of the Filipino American National Historical Society for $5,000 from the City of Albuquerque Urban Enhancement Trust Fund for conduct an Oral History Workshop (2 sessions) at St. Bernadette Parish Hall. It was also used to research about Fil-Am in NM. The result was the publication of the historical brochure, “Philippines-New Mexico Connection and the Filipino Migration to New Mexico” (2005) and the first book/ebook, “Filipino American Experience in New Mexico” which conceived in 2006 but was finally completed in 2014.
• In 2002, she and the members of the Bataan Corregidor Memorial Foundation finally secured a $300,000 memorial at the Bataan Park in Albuquerque which was inaugurated that year. The funds were provided by the City of Albuquerque and the New Mexico State Legislature.
• In 2003- 2005, she and the members of the Asian American Association of NM (where Philippines is also represented) obtained a grant for $10,000 from Stop Tobacco on My People to educate Asians about the hazards of tobacco and provide cessation services. Among the projects was a puppet workshop on anti-tobacco messages for youth. Some Asian participants were Filipino youth.
• In 2009-2011, she and the representatives of the New Mexico Asian Family Center (which she founded) obtained a grant for $10,000 from the Department of Health Tobacco Use Prevention and Control. The funds were used for education (including puppetry) and cessation services for Asians.  Some participants were Filipinos.
• In 2003, she (who was the president at that time) and officers of the Asian American Association of New Mexico obtained a grant from the City of Albuquerque to sponsor the annual Asian Festival of Cultures.  Until now, the City has continued to fund this event.  The amount was approximately $5000.
• In 2003, she obtained a grant from the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services to co-sponsor with the FAFNM, an annual Filipino event, Santacruzan at the Old Town Plaza which showcases Filipino Cultural Show.  The amount varied.
• In 2004-2005, she and members of the Filipino American Foundation of New Mexico obtained a grant for $20,000 ($10,000 each year) from the City of Albuquerque Urban Enhancement Trust Fund to teach and perform Filipino culture and arts: Rondalla, Folk Dancing, and Puppetry. A separate funding for FANHS RG, made it possible for a kulintang master based from San Francisco, Danongan Kalanduyan, to come to  Albuquerque to teach kulintang which became the impetus in starting the kulintang ensemble.
• In 2010, NM Asian Family Center (founded by Dely) sponsored a 2-week summer workshop, “Music and Dances from Southern Philippines” at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, funded by United Way for $2000.  It offered kulintang music conducted by Jenny DeBouzek and Southern Philippine dances taught by Tessie Greenfield.  Eleven youth (with only one Filipina, Asia Noriega) from public schools participated.

Grant or Assistance obtained by FACC AFTER its incorporation:

• In 2012, FACC (Dr. Dely Alcantara and Emilie Underwood) obtained a grant for $7,000+ from the Bernalillo County to co-sponsor the 2012 FANHS National Conference attended by Filipino Americans all over the US.  They also obtained corporate sponsors, Sandia Laboratories and TaLin International Market as well as individual sponsors.
• Since 2014, FACC (through Emilie Underwood) contacted the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services and facilitated three to four regular ANNUAL paid public performances for the Cultural Dance Group (Cesar Chavez Day, Albuquerque Fiesta, and Santacruzan, and sometimes Balloon Fiesta).  The amount varies per performance.
• In 2017, FACC also assisted in getting a grant for the 75th Anniversary of the Surrender of Bataan.
• In 2016-2017, FACC obtained grant from the City of Albuquerque City Council for performing groups.
• FACC has co-sponsored Santacruzan annually and Pamana events, biennially.

For inquiries about FACC, contact Emilie at [email protected].