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Best of Pinoys

CHICAGO, Illinois – An active Filipino-American civic leader in Dally City, California was given an enviable opportunity to introduce US Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry who spoke before some 400 Californians last August 27 at the Westmoor High School Gymnasium in Daly City.

Mario Cendana Panoringan, chief executive officer of the Daly City-Colma Chamber of Commerce, was pleasantly surprised when he got a call from a communications official of the Kerry Presidential Campaign from Washington, D.C., asking him if he wanted "to escort, welcome, and introduce Mr. Kerry before a big crowd in Daly City."

"At first, I thought, it was a joke. So I said, why not," the 56-year-old semi-retired business consultant said. But suddenly, it dawned on him that it was for real when he found himself playing the part.

"To tell you frankly," he told this reporter in Filipino, "Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala dahil marami namang ibang state, county, or city officials na puedeng mag-introduce kay Senator Kerry (Until now, I am still pinching myself because I did it over the heads of other state, county, or city officials to introduce Senator Kerry)."

But Panoringan credited former Daly City Mayor Adrienne Tissier for the opportunity. He said Tissier earlier asked him if he wanted to introduce Mr. Kerry and he told her, "I don’t know."

Although Panoringan was given 60 seconds to do the introduction, a lot of dignitaries, including Kerry, thanked him for doing the introduction. California State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi congratulated him for "your excellent introduction."

And so did Lina Susbilla, member of the Commission on the Status of Women of the Country of San Mateo. San Mateo has jurisdiction over Daly City. An official of the Westmoor High School also congratulated him.

Although Kerry focused his topic in the meeting towards the Consumer Protection (Credit Card Fraud), Paroringan said he was overjoyed when the issue of the campaign for Filipino-American World War II veterans benefit cropped up.

He said Filipino-American war veteran Fred Gomez, who was given the chance to ask a question during the open forum, asked Kerry if he would support the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill (house Resolution (HR) 677) pending in Congress if he is elected president on November 2.

Panoringan, also a son of a Filipino war veteran, said that "Mr. Kerry, answered ‘yes’ and even executed a hand salute towards Mr. Gomez who saluted in turn."

Kerry also discussed the need to improve the economy and job creation.

Joseph G. Lariosa, September 05, 2004, Manila Bulletin