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By MAEGAN MCGOWEN
Staff Writer

Exotic fruit, the perfect amount of coconut oil and home-cooked Pacific Islander cuisine helped transform Harvey Convention Center into a Filipino-style fiesta Nov. 29.

"It's a yearly family-oriented event, and it's typically a Christmas affair since Thanksgiving is an American tradition," said Ed Santos, a local physical therapist and board member of the Filipino-American Association of East Texas. "We held it earlier this year, which was great, and we got an even better turnout than when we do it during December."

For Filipinos, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year, Santos said.

"We typically start Christmas celebrations in September or October, and in January, we only end it because of Valentines Day in February," he said.

This year, over 500 East Texans of Filipino heritage attended the celebration, and guests including church and civic leaders, local officials, employers, media and friends enjoyed an open age variety show with colorful modern and ethnic/traditional performing arts.

According to Santos, Filipino heritage is unique and is the only bastion of Christianity in Southeast Asia.

"We are the only Asian country that has a majority of Christians," he said. "It's also interesting because there have been a gamut of influences, for example Malaysian, Polynesian, Chinese and Japanese. So with all that and the 7,000 islands, it's really unique."

The celebration itself helps Americans of Filipino origin to remember their heritage.

"We are Americans and we're proud to be Americans, but we're even prouder to be Americans of Filipino origin," he said. "Our sense of family and community is evident when there is reason to celebrate, as well as when there are tragedies. So you'll see a very cohesive pride among Filipinos being united in times that are trying, like death in the family, as well as birth, and for the same reason, we gather because of a common denominator, which is our faith."

Food and family are also important parts of the Filipino culture, Santos said.

"A Filipino party or gathering is always a flop if there isn't enough food or if the food is not home cooked," he said, laughing. "Most families, or practically all families, will bring their best array of pot luck fare. We are a very westernized nation in the islands because of the influence of other countries, but at the same time, there are all kinds of very ethnic and very regional, very delicious and unique varieties of food."

Foods that are always present at a Filipino fiesta include anything with coconut and white steamed rice, Santos said.

"Some foods we always have are 'lugaw,' which is chicken broth-based rice porridge, 'dinuguan,' a combination of pork prepared in coconut vinegar, 'sinigang,' a sour soup, and 'nilaga,' which is boiled beef and veggies," Santos said.

According to Santos, almost all Filipino preparations include vegetables, and the preparation of the food is as important as the food itself.

"When Filipinos get in the kitchen, it's an event," he said. "The preparation is part of the party and it takes a good bit of preparation, for example, a lot of dicing and mincing." The centerpiece of many Filipino feasts is a whole roasted pig with an apple in its mouth.

"The pig is just traditional," he said. "I think it becomes a conversation piece as well as a favorite food. It's painstakingly prepared, and it has to turn for hours and hours and is basted continuously. It has a really good crunch on the outside and it's delicious."

Deserts are also present at fiestas, many of which are made from coconuts and rice or rice flour and baked or steamed with sticky rice.

"Our palates are always welcoming extremes of flavors," Santos said. "It's very characteristic of Filipinos sticking together, both in sweet and sour times."

Santos said that one thing he misses living in America is the variety of fruit and seafood offered in the islands.

"When you're in the islands, you can practically eat seafood three times per day for a month and not eat the same thing," he said. "We eat all kinds of seafood and prepare them in many, many ways, and we usually don't have to flavor them a lot because when they are fresh, they're good."

Cooking is only one of the pastimes Filipino-Americans enjoy, and at the fiesta on Nov. 29, children and adults shared their talents in a variety show.

"The variety show taught them about what our traditions are, and that way, even if it's a matter of them acting or dancing or singing, they become familiar with what the Filipinos are all about," Santos said.

One particular trait Filipinos are proud of is doing things as a community.

"We don't hire hands, instead, we do things collectively together," he said. "That's just part of the Filipino psyche."

Another very particular Filipino trait is honoring the elders of the community.

"We're a nation that doesn't have nursing homes even though a lot of us are very good workers in the medical field," he said. "It's very common to have extended family in every household, and that's how we express our respect of what they have endured to allow us a better and more promising tomorrow."

The Filipino-American Association of East Texas hosts many events throughout the year, including a Sports Spectacular, Christmas Caroling, a Valentine Ball and the first Fil-Am Golfer of East Texas Tournament.

"Our association is pending our tax exempt status so that we can better serve the community's interests," Santos said. "We have a good number that has formed because of people wanting to preserve our traditions."

Santos said there are many important people involved in the association that have helped to make it what it is today.

"Dr. Gonzales chairs the education scholarship fund, and our new officers are officers Flor Estrella and her husband, and Froilan "Boying" Ramos," he said. "I want to thank them for their dedication and volunteering spirit in serving a full term of office, and offer best wishes and heartfelt thanks to outgoing officers and their families Tisha Laigo, Jeanne Villanueva, Pedro "Ding" Carpio, Pablo Raborar, Buen Aragos and our indefatigable president Aida Idjao and husband Allan."

Thanks are also extended to Monina Mercado, Luz Carilimdiliman, Joy Campos and Almira Nunn, who coordinated the program and hosts Jamia Francisco, Timothy Manglicmot and Lawrence David, Santos said.

For more information on the association or events, visit www.etfil-am.org.

The Filipino-American Association of East Texas hosts many events throughout the year including a Filipino-style fiesta held at Harvey Convention Center on Nov. 29. The fiesta featured an open-age variety show with colorful modern and ethnic/traditional performing arts.
(Staff Photo By Mark Roberts)