CONGRATULATIONS UFCH -2008 BANAAG PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

United Filipino Council of Hawaii P.O. BOX 498, Honolulu, Hawaii 96809-0498

OFFICERS 2008-2009 President Eddie D. Agas, Sr. Vice President Angela G. Borromeo Secretary Lynne Gutierrez Treasurer Bernadette Fajardo Auditor Dolly Ortal Immed. Past President Bryan P. Andaya, Esq. Board of Governors Edwin Ranan (Big Island) Liza Cabal Trinidad (Kauai) Ireneo Soriano (Kauai) Fred Dagdag (Maui) Moses Luczon (Molokai) Jean Sumagit (Lanai) Phillip Alcain (Oahu) Cleo Bala-Casino (Oahu) Annie Corpuz (Oahu) Island Council Presidents Melba Acebo (Big Island) Abe Iloreta (Kauai) Juan ‘Jaughn’ Degamo (Lanai) Herman Andaya, Esq. (Maui) Benito Piros (Molokai) Cirvalina Longboy (Oahu) Legal Counsel Donnie Juan, Esq. Executive Secretary & Assistant Treasurer Maria Lucia Pascual Assistant Secretary Krystle M. Acido Press Relations Officer Philmund Lee, Esq. Herman Andaya, Esq. Amado Yoro Rowena Dagdag Emmie Anderson Gladys Menor Bobby Agpaoa Eric Barsatan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2008 Contact Eddie Agas (808) 783-3327 UFCH Awarded the 2008 Banaag Presidential Award The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has completed its selection of the 2008 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) and announced the finalists for the 2008 outstanding overseas Pinoys. The United Filipino Council of Hawaii (UFCH) was awarded the Banaag Award. The Banaag Award is conferred to Filipino individuals or associations for their contributions which have significantly benefited a sector or community in the Philippines, or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. UFCH has done both. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will personally hand-out the awards in a special ceremony tentatively set on December 9, 2008 at the Malacanang Palace. December has been declared as Overseas Filipinos Month in the Philippines. Several officers and directors of UFCH are planning to attend the awarding ceremony. Through its statewide leadership, the UFCH has developed and organized the Filipinos in Hawaii to come together and build a strong community in Hawaii. Thanks to UFCH’s baniyahan & aloha spirit and its efforts to unite the community and perpetuate and preserve Filipino culture and heritage, the Filipino community in Hawaii is one of the most cohesive and supportive community of expatriates in the world. “We are pleased to announce that the UFCH has been chosen by the Presidential Commission on Filipinos Overseas as one of the recipients of the Banaag Award for the Year 2008 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas,” said Eddie Agas the current president of UFCH, “I would like to recognize all our present and past officers, directors and members for their outstanding contributions towards the winning of this prestigious award.” UFCH is the umbrella group of over 350 Filipino organizations in Hawaii and has fostered and developed a well organized Filipino community, a more close-knit and more active community in preserving and promoting Filipino culture and traditions in Hawaii. “I would like to particularly thank our immediate past president Bryan Andaya, Esq. and long time past president Don Alvarez for their leadership and commitment to the Filipino community,” said current OFCH President Eddie Agas, “We can see farther because we are standing on the shoulders of our predecessors.” Instituted in 1991, the Presidential Awards is a biennial search to recognize exceptional individuals and organizations for their outstanding contribution to Philippine progress and development. The Awards are also conferred on overseas Filipinos who have shown excellence and distinction in their work or profession. The Awards are conferred on overseas Filipinos who have shown excellence and distinction in their work or profession. Instituted in 1991, it has so far been conferred on 283 overseas-based individuals and organizations from 37 countries. ###