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| You are here: Home > Members > Ang Galing Niya! (She's Good) > June 2003 - Interview with Mayor Joy Valdez of Bacolod City, by Perla Paredes Daly |
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The Woman in City Hall's Hot Seat In an exclusive interview with NewFilipina.com, Joy Valdez the first woman to become Mayor of Bacolod City, talks about women's advocacy… how she has held her ground in the male-dominated battlegrounds of Philippine politics… and how, as a woman, she has stayed centered and true to who she is. Even after Corazon Aquino became the Philippine's first woman president in 1986, it was still over a dozen years before a woman would became Mayor of the capitol city of the province of Negros Occidental. Woman's advocacy in the Philippines, fueled by the realization of the power women had during the 1986 People Power Revolution, began with gusto thereafter. It gained strength in the nineties. And in the new millennium it is finally showing that women can and are indeed making significant waves in Philippine politics. Older generations, both men and women, still have some issues with women in politics and in most other jobs that were traditionaly manned by men. In another interview with a group of intelligent, eager and articulate student leaders of Bacolod, I found out that younger generations in the Philippines might now have less gender bias then the martial law baby generations (and their predecessors) and that boundaries between traditional gender roles are beginning to disappear for them. That may have been an exceptional group of young people, but they believed that a woman has every right to be the mayor as long as she does a good job. I visited my mother's hometown in the Philippines.in April of 2002 and several interviews were planned. On my second day back in Bacolod, where I too grew up, it was hot and balmy already early in the morning. We finished a press conference and drove to the center of town., I and a small volunteer crew arrived at City Hall where we were going to do the interview in the Mayor's good-sized office on one of the top floors.. On the wall is a large picture of the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Mayor Valdez is still on her way from another engagement..We waited only a half-hour for the Mayor to arrive. From the photo, I see some physical similarities between the Mayor of Bacolod and GMA's portrait on the wall--- the short hair style, the barong-style attire, and even the shape of their faces... Behind the Mayor's desk is a long cabinet with pictures and other plaques. Without even asking, I could tell that many pictures are of her family. It was obvious that the Mayor was on a very tight schedule as her staff bustled around the office and spoke in quiet tones to her and with each other... The Mayor then took her seat. She seemed a little bit distracted but by her smile and her movements I knew that she was going to let me know that we could start.... We exchanged pleasantries and then began... Perla: Women have innate qualities that are stronger in them selves than in men, such as nurturing, compassion, the need to protect children... Also in us are the abilities and traits of guiding, sensuality, strength, wisdom... What qualities do you believe as a woman do you bring to your position and how does it help you?Mayor Valdez: I think it is just really a sense of how you look at things. I think it is built up by the experiences you have as a woman, as a mother and as a wife because of the diversity of your role as a woman. You are a lover... a mother... a housekeeper... You are also a working person. You also do a lot of balancing acts. You are a friend and a companion. Because of these diverse experiences, a woman's intuition (what do I call it) is it not... I think its like what you said--- Nurturing, it is built up through the years of your diverse task as a woman. P: How do you think male politicians today have accepted you and how do they work with the female politicians that have been coming about for some time now?
MV: Well, that's a difficult question to ask. Particularly in this part of the world, which is Asia and also the Philippines. It is a macho society. We call it a masculine society and politics is a very masculine environment so there is always a feeling of probably insecurity or threat in the part of men especially with women occupying very high positions. But I think little by little, with the continued advocacy of women, that there is a need for a perception or a change of mindset in the acceptance of the partnership between a man and a woman especially in the area of career development, then it would be little by little internalized by men that women is not a threat nor they should feel insecure. P: It's about partnership not a domination? MV: Yes, a partnership because most of the rules in a masculine dominated career, like politics are rules that have been crafted by men. So you could just imagine a woman occupying the position and the rules are still very masculine in nature. Our training is more on the feminine side...on the softer side. There is more transparency, more honesty, accountability and responsibility... more sensitivity in the feelings of others. Women are more compromising in terms of decision-making. But in the male dominated rules in politics, it is always in squeezing the other party, isn't it? Trying to isolate your enemies. So it is always a battle, always a game. The game is always who wins and who loses---nothing in between. So I think this is the difference between a woman's governance and a man's governance.. Little by little I'm learning. You need to learn. First is you need to know the rules and then change the rules.. ( laughs. ) P: I like that... change the rules... MV: You need to change the rules because it has something to do with your gender. Really. P: I have another question but it seems you have already answered it. The question is "What can you say about women's power in the Philippine government and corporations? Would you like to add anything to what you just shared? MV: Well, in a woman's decision-making, the family always counts. I think its also one of the differences between a man and woman. Because it's not that you base your decision on what your husband says. But in our culture, the husband will always say something. Always. That's probably why President Gloria (Macapagal- Arroyo) is always misunderstood. And it seems like what is focused upon is the interference, supposedly, of the 1st Gentleman but when you're a woman and a wife, usually at the end of the day you talk to your husband. You talk about work. There are no other things. You talk about the kids, the household but you talk about work and there are certain advices which the husband will say and it can either be utilized by the wife in her governance or probably use it to a certain degree but not all. What I'm trying to say is, for the woman, the family is always there. But you know it is always the reverse to a man. He will never listen to the wife when the wife is always correct! (Laughs) No, really. Like for example a CEO of a company. Do you think he would listen to the wife? Ah no.. They will just talk about the car, and the school but not the work. But if the husband will just take time to talk to his wife in that situation and give her the background or the context of the problem or concern, you'll be surprised of the way she will look at the problem and the advice she will give you. P: That's interesting that you mentioned your husband.. In relation to another question--- you're married to Art Valdez who occupies a major position in politics. Can you tell us a little bit about your marriage? He also leads a busy life balancing a career marriage and talking to each other... MV: Well, its a good life. I think the ground rules have been set because that's what important. We set ground rules and what is that? That he goes home every weekend and during the weekend when I have a lot of schedules is that he will not complain. I mean you have to be very clear of specific parameters of the relationship so that there won't be tension or conflict and a lot of wide berth is given to both of you. So we have adjusted ourselves to this kind of lifestyle. We try to be in the house a 5 in the afternoon and the kids too. It only lasted for 2 weeks (laughs). Because we get into each other's nerves( laughs) and we ran out of things to talk about and we realized that that is already our lifestyle. As long as we trust each other and we talk. I think the other miracle in our life is the cell phone. It made our lives, you know... even my kids because most of them graduated from college. Most of them have their independent lives so we talk to the cell phone. Get connected and the relationship is quite strong. And the other rule that we have is that when everybody is in the house on Sunday, we need to go to mass together and have meals lunchtime. Because when you are gathered around the table no matter how short it is, you can pray together as a family and talk about day to day things. P: The family that prays together stays together--- that's something even my own mother used to say to me... It's quite amazing how you put that in your ground rules. I want to jump into something more personal and I might just go back to the marital things. I really want to know more about courage. Because as a woman working in a male-dominated field of Philippine politics you need to be daring... brave... You ran for mayor and to be a mayor and make decisions... I watched this women's video and I'm going to give you a copy. It is called " Women's Wisdom and Power." One of the women says there-- she says a person is on a brave, heroic journey through life like the mythic journey and that person needs courage. And she says that a person is brave intellectually when she risks expressing herself and a person is brave emotionally when she risks being vulnerable and a person is brave spiritually when she follows her dreams... Tell us about you being brave when you followed your dreams.
And what were the unexpected surprises and gifts that I have received from God through those years is I became a World Health Organization consultant --- which I didn't expect. Yes, I was just doing my job as a volunteer worker doing some help to persons with disabilities so probably they discovered me that I have talents and abilities which I can share with other countries. So WHO contracted me as a consultant and I was earning a lot of money in dollars... And I was travelling in different parts of the world. Places you don't usually go to like Nairobi, Sta. Lucia, Papua New Guinea... that you don't usually go there for tourism... China, I've been to China several times and because of this volunteer work, I was catapulted to a more highly visible work[in Bacolod City] which is in Public Service-- a City Councilor. The environment at that time was that because of women's movement and women's advocacy here in Asia, they wanted women to go into male dominated career positions and I was there. It was the right time for me as a woman and as a volunteer worker so that was the reason for me why I got into the mainstream of politics and then I just nurtured my work. I think like what you said, a woman's career path is really nurturing. You nurture it and from City councilor I just became a vice mayor because nobody wants to be a vice mayor (laughs) in my local party. And then the mayor that was supposed to be sitting was disqualified actually almost at the end of his term and I sat there as a Mayor and I felt there was a need for me to serve more as a mayor so I just grew into the position that takes courage. But at the same time, it is not, I would say that if I didn't make it last election, my attitude is that life continues and I can pick up where I ended when I entered politics so because I was given a new career as an Executive of the City, then I do my work... MV: Yes, that's true. You do not seek it but God will give it to you if it is your time. P: How about expressing yourself as the mayor? Let's talk about the courage it takes to tell honestly your opinions and not just go with the flow... MV: It takes plenty of time. I don't know if that is the standard attitude or behavior of a woman. I don't immediately attack. It takes me a little time and what is this taking of time? I study the whole situation. I think it's just like a housewife running a household. Because you know it is always the husband who gets mad or upset of immediately attack or makes immediate decisions. I think the wife takes a little more time. I look at it like a drawing. A man will look at the portrait based on what he immediately sees but a woman will look at the image but also the specific details so it takes her a little time to see the whole picture. Where to approach it. Because probably I think that's the kind of courage that I have. When I know that its not right then I'll fight you but it takes me a little more time because I study the whole avenue. I want to find out if I can be as humane as possible. How do I say it? More sensitive in terms of the feeling. It is always how will she feel about it?, Can I do a solution by not making that person a complete enemy?, Is there a possibility that I cushion it or make it softer? The blow is a little softer. Not the knocking a person down or knock out. Then I get what I want or I get a result which is really what I hope for. And I think I've been tested several times. The courage there is like an eagle. You're alone flying and finally you have to land and when you do you don't get crippled because the angle where you're landing is quite strong. That's how I would answer your question. P: That really moves me--- the story about the angle of the eagle. The next question is very personal. I'd like to ask you about having the courage to be emotional, to be vulnerable...to make yourself actually vulnerable.. MV: Oh! I cry a lot--- like a woman. But not in public. I think it is one of God's gifts to women. That God in His own mysterious way gave women the facility to express their emotions by physical manifestaion which is crying. It is very difficult for a man to cry but crying is a soothing mechanism to gain strength and it is a well spring. It energizes a woman when she's able to cry. While crying she talks to her kids because you know, its different when you're crying and you talk to your kids and say: " you know, I'm a bit depressed... I have this problem again... But when you do it in public, they will look at it as a sign of weakness. But its not a weakness because its a gift from God. He's so generous to women that he gave it as a necessary mechanism for us to regain our strength and our energy. So that's courage in terms of the emotional level and the other point is that women are a little more sensitive. How do I say it? They are more open in terms of being frank about choosing words. They don't hesitate to express their faith... to express their belief in God. To say that love is the most important emotion that a man and a woman can feel and express so I think this is another gift God has given to us...that he abundantly gave women. This is another level of strength in terms of our grip in emotions... There was this story I've read about... this Ormoc calamity and the husband was drowned in the river and after 24 hrs, his body floated and the neighbors said (to the wife) that "your husband is floating in the river" and she didn't even cry and the neighbors was upset that she didn't cry when her husband was found dead floating in the river. The woman said, "I've finished crying and I have to move on. I have 10 kids. What can I do?, he's dead." So you can just see the strength of a woman. She has already finished crying and prayed for her husband. When the husband floated in the river she said: life moves on... I have to gain all my strength to take care of my kids...The kids he left...10 children... So in the same manner that's really how we survive. The skills that has been honed and enhanced by us as women. P: I'd like to ask about your vision and your mission as mayor of Bacolod City, your expectations and the expectations of the public. Are they higher than usual?
MV : The vision that I have is to make Bacolod City the convention destination of the South at the same time the cleanest and the greenest City and one of the peaceful and orderly cities in the country. With those 3 visions, I know that the underlying progress, if anchored on these 3 visions, our people in Bacolod City will be economically if not well at least economically viable. Secondly, people are secure and safe. and they have a clean and green environment despite the progress that will come to the City. So this is what I want for Bacolod. I know when I go to specifics like housing, water, light, infrastructure support, developing entertainment, business and sports program, it would take a little more time and I would not be able to do it 100% at the end of my term which is 2004. But building up with what have been started by the past administration and this then I know that I have a significant contribution to the development and growth to the city of Bacolod and its people. And if I'd still be an instrument of God's governance here, then probably give me a 2nd term after 2004 when elections come so I can't say that I'm starting from scratch because my predecessors and the previous administration have really built up Bacolod to the direction we want it to be. So when people come here they are impressed with our roads. They're quite wide. They are impressed with the simple planning of the City. It's not too complex not like other cities. We just have 2 Avenues. Lacson and Rizal Sts. and the Circumferential roads. These are 3 parallel roads which go in and out of the City. It's a very simple urban planning. And the green... the city looks very green despite the weather that we're having now but the City of Bacolod is the cleanest and greenest highly urbanized City in the whole Philippines. We won that in 2001. If we make it this 2002, then we make it in the Hall of Fame. P: It's sort of like keeping a house that's very big.. MV: Yeah, that's a way of putting it. That's true. P: And your family is now the whole city... Thank you. I would now like to ask about your position as mayor. Do you believe that you can bring a general advancement for Filipina women? You can talk about it in any way... whether political, psychological... MV: I think so. Because as a woman executive and the highest leader in the city of Bacolod, it is you yourself who can tell women "oh, I can reach this position. its no hindrance to be a woman and to be a mayor of such a large city." I think women have proven this time and again these 5-6 years with the very strong advocacy in women's movement. We've increased the number of women participating in politics also occupying high positions, managerial positions. Here in the city of Bacolod--- the City Engineer's Office--- I think there are 10 woman engineers. The most number of women engineers in almost all local government in the whole country... So it is an advancement if you ask me and with the angle of always talking and advocating women's participation in different mainstream of our day to day lives. That's an encouragement and inspiration that I can provide to the women populace of this City. And hopefully talking to men because there are a lot, the majority of our village leaders are men but when I talk to them especially now its election time, I always ask them " Do you have women in your slate?" if they do not I say " Oh, you have to put women there." So talking to men is also important in terms of changing their mindset. Because there's a need to change the mindset of men so this can be a strategy that can be adopted by women's movement. Because women through the decades-- the majority of women have been nurtured to think that men are really the powers in certain endeavors in life so they themselves are submitting themselves to this paradigm. So instead of just working with women, if we work with men, and they change the rule of the game, if they change their attitude and internalize it and this consciousness is established within their way of acting and thinking then this will now transfer to women because women are really submissive like "yeah, we're here but this is the work we're going to do..."
And this is very true in the dynamics in Barangays. Why? If you look at the work load, the work assignments, if its the sound system, its the men. If its the stage, its the women. If its looking for chairs, its the men. Cooking, the women.. It is well defined. But men can cook.. Isn't it that they're the best chefs even in hotels? I don't know why in the lower level they give it to women. But men are the best cooks and this has been proven already. Even on TV most of those doing the cooking are men. You seldom see a woman advocating about cooking. What I mean is, they can do the work. Because it has not been defined that women have to carry chairs or handle sound systems. Even in the livelihood in the city. If its women---its food preservation. When it's men's group its Tri-sikad or Tricycle. I said why can't women be in tri-sikad like painting it. We can do it but it's a bit difficult to pedal tri-sikad. If its tricycle, it can be done. Women can drive jeeps. Sometimes they're even better and more disciplined drivers. They're sensitive about violating rules and regulations and I have not seen women driving public jeepneys here. I would really like to encourage women to go into public utility. Driving even a bus. A city bus or tricycle. They can go into plumbing practical electricity. With the continued advocacy there are more avenues and possibilities for women. P: I think you answered my next question. How do you envision the advancement of a Filipino woman? You've just spoken a lot about that. Would you like to add some more to that? MV: I think women should go out and talk...share their experiences. It's important. Supporting each other is one of the characteristics of women. That's part of our strength. We know how to support each other. But at the same time when women become our enemy, it is very violent. Full of intrigues. It's worse. When men fight it's a-spur-of-the-moment and they can easily shake hands. But when women fight, it's full of intrigues, gossips and broken hearts. And it is very intense and emotional. That's why it's worse. They become envious, jealous. Women are the best supporters but we have also seen an extreme characteristic of women. Here in our society, if a woman has a man as a supporter, then people will say that the woman is having an affair with that man. Think about it? Who gave the rules? It's the men. For the woman's side it's only friendship-- a platonic relationship. For example in politics, I was the only woman in a group of 14 men. So within that context, I didn't have any friend so I have to make friends with males. And part of the propaganda (black ) [from opponents] was that I was prostituting myself because I have this guy supporting me. If you become best friends with another man, the perception of the public is that. It's a man's rule but the one spreading it are mostly women. I realized it in '92 when I was campaigning that it's the women who were discouraging me to run. They asked what will I do with my husband and kids. I said I'm carving a good future for my husband and kids. These are some complications that women are confronted with when they enter this kind of career. The reason for this is the propaganda strategy to justify feelings of insecurity on the men's part. You tend to retreat if in the campaign you are linked to this guy and that guy. If you don't have the stamina for it, you just retreat because your family is affected. Your husband and kids are affected even if its not true. You're affected because its not only 1 paper but thousands of paper that's being thrown all over and everybody can read it. The media will pick it up too. But if you're not strong, if your faith is not strong in God. (pause) I tell them, I only answer to my God. If I can face God without flinching then I know that I was true to myself and God. P: You're very courageous. And I think you may have faced a little more hardships than male mayors MV: I think this is a realization that has to be appreciated by women. P: I have about two more questions... I'm going to ask you about your spiritual practice and how does it influence your job? MV: I go to church every Sunday as much as possible. I'm a practicing Baptist and when we're(my family are) around the table we pray. I read the Bible. I use a lot of passages in a number of my speeches. I use it as a reference point in expressing a point to certain groups or sectors. It was a self-training because if I look back to my family, my family has no strong ties in terms of spiritual practice. We are free to choose a religion in my family. But we were baptized in the Catholic Church. I remember my father's requirement-- to attend the midnight mass during Christmas day, that's all, on the 24th of Christmas. After that we're free to go where we want. What church to go to as long as we feel we can find an anchor there and our faith be enhanced. As long as we pray as a family during family altar and during meals that's all. But some days we are free to choose. In my family there are 9 children. We have different religions. I have 3 brothers who are very Catholic, a bible Baptist who is very conservative then I belong, and my sisters too, to Evangelical Baptist which is quite modern and independent. I have a sister who doesn't go to church but believes in God. She's agnostic. So when we come together we really debate. But I appreciate my father with his practice and that's why my faith is very strong because it has been enhanced by my own thinking, my own choosing, my own experiences. I was baptized Catholic then I became a practicing Baptist, but I have no problem if I go to Churches or do Aglipay. I listen and try to learn their beliefs and I think it is a part of the strength I have. It's the Faith in you. As long as you believe that God is the anchor of your life then everything will just follow. And I'm not perfect. I try to practice my name. Sunday school taught me the basic of Christianity and the JOY (that's my nickname). [J]Jesus first, [O]Others second, [Y]Yourself last. So you can't put Jesus first if you don't help others--- impossible. It's the principle of things and you cannot satisfy yourself if you don't love others. In loving others you glorify the name of the Lord. It's as simple as that. They're interlinked. You cannot go first with yourself. It's impossible for you to meet Jesus as a part of your life. It's impossible. Then you can't serve others if it's yourself you're looking at... so you buy the big diamonds, the big cars and travel all over the world without sharing part of your abundance in life. It's a simple principle in Christianity, interlinked with each other. P: I think that's beautiful. You mentioned JOY, yourself last. But do you take time to nurture yourself... to re-energize yourself? MV: What kind of activity? My problem is I don't do any physical sport which I should do. But what I do is at the end of the day I go to my friend's house. That's all. I just sit with my 2 women friends and we just eat and drink tea. No phones. We don't answer the cell phones. [We do it] almost everyday. That's what I do. I spend almost 2 hours with them just to relax and take it easy. We talk about almost anything and we do sky watching of the stars and the darkness...and talk about nonsense. I said I don't talk about politics for 2 hours. Then after 2 hours they tell me now you can talk about your problems in politics. That's how I revive myself...( laughs) P: So do you believe that being with other women can re-energize yourself? MV: Oh yes, yes. Especially if they are your close friends. No hassle, no hang-ups. They will not criticize you and they will take you for who you are. You know, from the first thing in the morning when I get here in the morning until in the afternoon, it's all work. And in between you get criticized and abused in the radio. There are also people who get mad at you and all these things. So you get drained. So at the end of the day it's just nice that you have your friends to stick with you and just do nonsense. So, it revives me which is great. P: I'm glad you shared that with us. This is my last question
MV: I think that is the 4th last question... (laughs) P: Good point there. [I asked several questions within questions]. Honest talaga, uhh. (laugh). Tell us of one incident in your life you look back upon and think to yourself: "If I knew then what I know now what would I have done differently?" This can be something in your personal life or about work.. MV: I think I have lost my mind no... ( laughs)... Can you please rephrase that? P: A long time ago we were so young and we didn't know how to do some things... we didn't have the experience... So we made a mistake. And now that we're older we think: "you know if I only had the knowledge and the experience I have now, I could have done that in a different way..." MV: I think it is I could have talked more to my dad. Because you see my mother (and my father..) I think they are connected with the Theory of Opposite. My mother is very talkative like me... A social worker... My father was a military doctor. He was a very quiet man. He seldom talked to us... Probably if I could bring back time I would have liked to talk to him more because I was so shocked when he died. I think there were around 3000 people that came to his funeral. I didn't realize that he was doing so much... No really, because he had such a patterned life. He got out of the house. Then he went to V. Luna Hospital because he was the Chief Cardiologist there. I didn't know that in between... when he went to his work... in between, he stopped at the Tropical Hut and in the other areas he was seeing people who were sick. And this Tropical Hut management got people to the restaurant during the time he stopped there to eat his breakfast of hamburger and coke. Really---I didn't know he was doing it everyday. Either going to the hospital or coming back in the afternoon. So I did not see that part of his life. He probably was doing it... like leadership is something that you don't need to banner all the time. It is something that people will see after you have done it. But it would have been wonderful if I had seen that and I could have talked more to learn more about what he was doing... and what he did for other people. So that's one thing that I really would have liked. I have this closeness to my father, but the closeness is more spiritual... and not more on the physical side. Because he was not demonstrative. And he was very quiet. But there were a lot of valuable things I could have gotten from him if I had seen that part of his life (which we [his children] had not seen.) P: Thank you. That was wonderful and beautiful. You are very feminine and strong and I think a lot of people can learn with what you have shared with us. Thank you so much for sharing your time and your thoughts MV: Thank you very much. It was really good being a part of this. ---Synopsis: This was not only the first interview I did for the web site of BagongPinay(aka www.newfilipina.com), but it was also the first one I have conducted since my college days. And so I was a little nervous. But I felt immediately at ease with Mayor Valdez... She was easy to talk with and willing to open up about herself. I have spoken with some other people(men) in Bacolod who frown at the mention of the Mayor. Politics in Bacolod was truly a man's domain until women like Joy Valdez came along. Politics are also very personal in Bacolod. As my cousin later reminded me, politicians campaign and win on the support and strengths of family bonds. My uncles had supported a 2nd or 3rd cousin of my mother. This uncle of mine was someone whom Valdez had campaigned against. Hmm. I got a hold of the opinion that Valdez always seemed ambitious since she was in high school. I believe that to many ambition is unseeming, especially in a woman. I think it is because ambition is seen only in the light of greed or self-aggrandizement. This viewpoint makes people suspicious of anyone in leadership roles, especially politics. I do believe that there are those who are obvious leaders from the start and that their ambition IS from the eagerness to serve others not necessarily to advance one self. God blesses those who advance others. Mayor Valdez motivation in life seems not to of taking, but rather to be that of giving and serving. Her desire to do service for others reminds me of Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. Here was a woman who overcame many obstacles in her life and did many things in order to serve others. She became not just a favorite First Lady but also a leader of women and men. She said of her accomplishments: "I never thought of achievement. I just did what came along for me to do—the thing that gave me the most pleasure." I found Mayor Valdez to be sincere, open, and strong. It felt somehow fulfilling to hear how she brought women's advocacy into her work, but I was delighted even more with how she brought her womanhood into her work in order to accomplish goals and to relate with people.I feel that Mayor Joy Valdez is a true leader from hearing her talk about her attitudes towards service and in what she shared of her personal life and her personal vision. May she do well in her position as Mayor and achieve her goals to serve the people of Bacolod City. Download quicktime movie clip of Mayor Valdez interview. Warning-very large file. 13.5 MB. You will need your Quicktime Player or other movie player on your computer to play this. Click here. © Copyright of NewFilipina, Inc. 2002. All rights reserved. Interview transcribed by Ma. Theresa Mariño, Bacolod City, Philippines.. All videography by Rushty Ramos, Bacolod City, Philippines. April 2002. All photos in this article are stills from the interview videotape footage and are property of NewFilipina, Inc.
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