MAHALAGANG MAPANATILI ANG TRABAHO DITO SA CNMI

Para sa mga kababayan naming narito sa Saipan, Kami'y katulad din ninyo na matagal ng naninilbihan dito sa Saipan at sana gumanda na ang econamy ng Saipan para masmarami tayong aportunidad na magkaroon ng magandang trabaho at mataas na suweldo. Alam namin na marami sa atin ang masnaniniwala na pagbinagsak ang federal dito sa Saipan ay masmaganda at may apportunity na pumunta ng America. Tutuo po iyan mga kababayan, pero huwag naman nating kalilimutan na marami sa atin dito ang walang trabaho, at ang iba naman may mga trabaho pero walang sapat na naipon para panggastos sa pangprases ng papeles para mag apply ng Visa (kung sakali nga na mangyari ang pagbasak ng federal) . Ang aming nakikita kasi ngayon parang marami ang naniniwala na kung ito'y kunin ng America lahat ay mabibigyan ng aportunidad na maging US Citizen, alam ninyo po ba na non-immigrant Visa lamang po ang kanilang gustong ibigay, at sana lang magising tayo sa katutuhanan na kahit pa kunin ito ng US may mga qualifications pa rin po tayong dapat isaalang-alang at iyon ay alam naman natin na hinde lahat ng Filipino ay mayron noon. Di po ba mas mainam na tayo ay magkaisa ngayon at ipakita ang suporta sa CNMI at para ang ating mga trabaho ay mapanatili natin, lalong-lalo na ngayon tumaas ang ating mga sahod, hinde ba napaganda? Marami po tayong dapat na isaalang-alang bago tayo gumawa ng anoman bagay, tayo po ay nasa maayos ng kalagayan at kung yong tungkol sa pagbagsak ng Federal, US na po ang bahala at ang mabuti po nating gawin ngayon tayo ay magdasal na sana hinde tayo pababayaan ng ating puong may kapal sapagkat siya lamang ang ating dapat na paniwalaan at sa kanya tayo magpasalamat. Ang pagtaas mg mga suweldo natin ay isang malaking bagay na dapat nating ipagpasalamat ngayon. Sana matutu po tayong makuntito kung ano ang mayron tayo. Mag-ingat po sana tayo, kung wala po kayong personal na alam sa mga taong nakakausap, mabuti ng umiwas na lamang po tayo ng sa ganoon ay hinde tayo mabiktima sa maling inpormasyon nila. Basta ang lagi po sana nating tatandaan huwag nating pababayaan na hamakin ang ating Consul General, bilang ama natin dito sa CNMI, dapat nating ipagtanggol siya. Naniniwala kasi kami na ang ginagawa ng ating Consul General ay isang mabuti at magandang pamamaraan para mapaganda ang ating relasyon sa mga taga CNMI.

The basketball players, Mr. Barcial, Mr. Calub and my self

Ang sabe nga nila sa akin kagabe, sila na daw ang pinakaguwapo sa lahat ng mga sumali na basketball team. Sige tignan nga natin kung tutuo iyan? Alam ba ninyo na ang may magandang kalooban ay may maganda ring panlabas na kaanyuhan? I think sa nakita ko at sa pagkakilala ko sainyo, mayron kayong lahat ng bagay na iyon , so, agree ako sainyong sinabe na --- GUWAPOOOOOOOO --- kayong lahat!

FMI/PTI Basketball Team

GOD BLESS FMI/PTI TEAM!
Ito ang larawan ng mga FMI/PTI basketball players kagabe pagkatapos ng kanilang practis, suot ang kanilang bagong Uniforms. Kuha sa may likuran ng Century Building Garapan, maraming salamat kay Mr. Ferdee sa kanyang tulong para makuhanan kaming lahat ng picture. Maraming salamat kay Mr. Manny Barcial of Aqua Resort Club, at kay Mr. Cris Calub ng Hyatt Hotel sa walang sawang pagbibbigay ng suporta sa FMI/PTI basketball team. Sa bawat players ng FMI, maraming salamat sainyong lahat. sana lagi ninyong tatandaan na lagi kaming nandiyan para ipadama ang aming pagsuporta at pagdating sa inyong laro dasal nami'y kaligtasan ninyong lahat. MABUHAY KAYONG LAHAT! MAHAL NAMIN KAYO!

PTI generous support to FMI

July 23, 2007
Friends of the Mariana Islands(FMI) also would like to thank Ms. Kathryn Barry (Regional Marketing Manager of Pacific Telecoms Inc.) for her generous support to our Organization.

FMI BASKETBALL TEAM SPONSORED BY: PTI

FMI President: Miss. Marites Aquino Castillo Received a check in the Amount of $700.00, From PTI for the FMI Basketball Team. Awarded by: Mr. Norman Del Rosario (Art director of PTI) .
On behalf of Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI), We would like to thank PTI and Mr. Norman Del Rosario for their generous support to our Organization.

San Vicente " Plumera"

It's really pretty flowers
PLUMERA
Ito ang tanim kung Plumera na napabayaan ko at ngayon ay aking aalagaang muli. May apat siyang bulaklak, bali dalawang larawan itong ipopost ko para makita ninyo ang ganda ng bulaklak.

Pangalawang linggo sa pagtatanim ng Flame trees

Ops! mukhang may gustong sabihen si Mr. Villagomez. Ano kaya ang problema niya? Kobler Ville Elemtary School na pala ito.
Oh! bakit iisa lang ang kumikilos? Bakit nanonood lang ang iba? Ano kayang Problem? Mainit o matigas ang lupa na hinuhukay nila? AH! alam ko na isa-isa lang mahina ang kalaban. Bilib na ako talaga sainyo FMI, ang sisipag talaga ninyo!

Kobler ville Tree Planting
Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nagparticipate kahapon sa Tree Planting. Ito sila at ang iba pa ay aking ipopost para makita ninyo ang mga taong kasama namin lagi sa mga activities sa Beautify CNMI. Linggo-linggo na may activities ang FMI para sa Beautify CNMI kaya naman lagi kaming nagpapasalamat kay Rep. Cinta sa patuloy niyang pagsuporta sa aming grupo.

FMI at the Community youth center, Kobler Ville.

Kobler Ville, Cleanup and Tree Planting
Ito ang kuha nang mga FMI members habang sila ay numumulot nang basura sa Kobler Vile sa may Basketball Court. Ang iba nama'y nagtatanim ng Flame Trees along the Road.

FMI at the beach

V-President and the BOD Members
FMI Group - They loved to hung out at the beach and watch the sunset.

Coming to our senses

Repentance occurs when we come to the point where we become open to receiving the help that God longs to give us. To repent is to face up to our problem as well as the fact that we cannot do anything about solving it. One way the bible describes repentance is "coming to our senses", clearly showing the madness of our trying to solve things on our own. The first time we repent is often the worst and the best. It's the worst because the sin, pain and illusions are their strongest. It's also the best because there's no joy in the world like the joy of having been freshly forgiven. But repentance is not just a once-and-for-all experience of a moment. For those who come to know God, it's a way of life. It has to be because sin and self are not easily displaced at the center of our lives. And, more important, our deepening desire for intimacy with God makes us more sensitive to sin, not less. So whether it is the new believer or the old, the meaning is the same. Repentance brought us to Christ in the first place and repentance will keep on bringing us back. To know God is to know the light of his presence. It is to know that there is nowhere left to hide. But to those beyond running repentance means the promise of intimacy as well as the melting away of fear in the light of love.

REMEMBER
Jesus is ruler over all time and space, but he limited himself to enter human history at one moment of time and one certain place-both foretold by prophecy. The time God chose for my being on earth is significant. From him comes my awareness of the anguish caused in our century. From him comes my responsibility as a world citizen and prayer warrior.

REFLECT
Lord, i pray for this people, and it's problems can seem so overwhelming and complicated. Help us to know what and how to pray through your Spirit. Amen.

Masarap ang pakiramdam na sa isang araw ay maibahagi ko ang mga natutunan ko sa mga taong malalapit sa aking PUSO, at sana mayron din kayong mapulot na aral sa aking mga ibinahaging ito. Nawa'y pagpalain po tayong lahat.
Maraming salamat po!

We have to respect the CNMI law!

We hope that some Filipino here in the CNMI will have the chance to see and read this blog. We have noticed that the situation in the CNMI is getting worse because of what other Filipino groups are doing. We don't support this Filipino group who's only interest is in getting US Citizenship or access to the US just because they worked here for years. We, as a Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI), are really concerned that those guest workers have lost sight of why they came to Saipan and now are looking only to leave Saipan, but not to go to their homes. We too have worked on Saipan for years and recognize that there are problems and almost certainly abuse, but the answer to those individual situations is individual actions as we already all have the same rights (but not privilege) as US Citizens. We believe the proper action is to fix the problems locally through legal processes available to us here rather than praying that the US will take action. What if the CNMI passed a local law sending all of us home who had been here for year or more, they could do that before the US pass any law! Indeed we still can't be sure any US law will be passed, or any law granting us access to the US will be passed. Some groups have made the problems into all of us vs. all of them. We will never have the respect of all the local people but the way demonstrations and counter demonstration are happening we risk most of us ending up with no respect for us and perhaps even hate developing between most people on both sides. Imagine then how life would be if the US does not allow us to move to the US, we would be trapped in an Island of hate. Even if we are allowed to leave for the US we might find these last months or years here on saipan to have exposed our children to a hateful environment where they even learn that their parents hate and are hated by other people. I wish I know the solution to the problem here but I don't. I do know that we and our children may suffer emotionally if the problems here are resolved in hate, fear and a lack of respect of groups of people (and not just of individuals who deserve to lost respect because of their treatment or abuse of other individuals).

We thank you PEOPLE OF THE CNMI!

Volunteer for the day

Kuha sa Kobler Ville
Ito po ang aming masipag at mabait na kasama sa beautify CNMI! at sa FMI na walang iba kunde si Mr. Gus Kaipat. Kuha po ito sa may tabe nang Kobler Ville Youth Community Center. Habang nagtatanim po yong iba naming mga kasama kami'y naman po nina Mr. Gus ay namumulot po nang basura dahil sa subrang dami po nang mga basura na nakakalat lamang doon sa paligid, pati sa may tabe nang kalsada.

BEAUTIFY ONLY

AS YOU EXAMINE THIS BLOG, YOU SHOULD FIND THAT THE FRIENDS OF THE MARIANA ISLANDS (FMI) IS A GROUP MADE UP OF SEVERAL NATIONAL AND ETHIC GROUP. THOUGH OUR MEMBERS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FILIPINO ALL OF US ARE CONCERN THAT WE ARE BEING CONFUSE WITH THOSE GROUPS THAT HAVE A POLITICAL AGENDA. ARE GROUP FRIENDS OF THE MARINA ISLANDS (FMI) IS INTERESTED ONLY IN BEAUTIFYING THE CNMI. WE ASK THAT ALL PEOPLE OF THE CNMI BE AWARE THAT FRIENDS OF THE MARIANA ISLANDS (FMI) ONLY HAS THE GOAL OF HELPING CLEANUP THE ISLAND AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OF OUR MEMBER IS A GUEST WORKER IN THE CNMI. WHILE WE ARE CLEANING THE ISLAND IF WOULD BE NICE TO HEAR SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS FROM THOSE PASSING BYE RATHER THAN BEING TOLD TO "GO HOME IN YOUR OWN LAND"!!! AGAIN, FRIENDS OF THE MARIANA ISLANDS (FMI) ONLY WANT TO HELP THIS ISLAND BE EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL AND AS A GROUP WE HAVE NO POSITION SUPPORT AND POLITICAL CHANGE IN THE CNMI NOR A CHANGE IN THE IMMIGRATION STATUS FOR SOME OF MEMBERS. WE ARE HERE AS A GUEST WORKER AND WE DO RESPECT THE CNMI LAW. OUR GOAL IS BEAUTIFY THE ISLAND!

Kobler Ville Tree Planting

Group Picture at Kobler Ville
Noong linggo nagtanim kami sa Kobler Ville Substation along the main road, 36 Flame Tree's ang aming itinanim. Pagkatapos nang tree planting ay namulot kami nang mga basura sa lugar ding iyon at nag buscutter din yong mga kasama namin, si Director Camilo Laoeng, Roberto Castillo, at ang aming masipag na Vice President Diomedes Duculan, maraming salamat sainyong lahat. Kay Rep. Jacinta Kaipat at kay Gus Kaipat, On behalf of FMI maraming-maraming salamat po, lalong-lalo na sa pagbibigay ninyo nang Drinks at lunch namin. Mabuhay po kayo madam!

Group Picture sa MHS

Group Picture at MHS
Ang aming larawan sa huling araw nang aming pagvolunteer sa MHS kasama si Rep. Cinta Kaipat, Radino Garcia (FMI-BOD Secretary), Melecia Marquez (FMI Member), Precy (FMI Member), Myself, Robert (MHS Maintenance), at si Rene (FMI-BOD Member).

Rene Vergara at MHS

July 13, 2007
Ito si Director Rene Vergara expert sa pagpintura kaya naman labis ang aming pagpapasalamat sa kanyang tiaga at devotion para makatulong siya sa amin. Nakakatuwa dahil kahit medyo mahirap na trabaho ang pagpintura kahit papaano nakatapos kami nang tatlong kuwarto, at iyon ay lima katao lang ang nagpintura sa tatlong kuwarto sa loob nang dalawang araw, beyernes at sabado. Subrang nag-injoy talaga kami sa pagpipintura at higit sa lahat masarap ang pakiramdam na nakatulong sa communidad.

Roberto Castillo kuha sa MHS

Roberto
Ito ang unang paghahanda ng isang membro sa FMI na si Roberto Castillo bago kami nag-umpisa na magpintura sa MHS. Kami'y masaya dahil naramdaman namin na naappreciate nila ang aming mga nagawang tulong. Mabuhay MHS! sana mapangalagaan ninyo ang kalinisan at kaayusan nang inyong mga kuwarto na aming pininturahan. Isang napakamagandang alaala na kami ang isa sa mga volunteers sainyong school sa buwan at taong ito! Beautify MHS!

Induction Day @ Aqua Resort Club,"Rey Lounge".

JULY 1, 2007
Ito po ang aming larawan noong araw nang aming Induction sa Aqua Resort Club,"Rey Loung". Ang aming pong grupo ay kinabibilangan nang APAT NA POT LIMANG membro's (45). Inyo pong makikita at mababasa ang mga pangalan ng membro sa Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI).

OFFICERS/BOD
MARITES AQUINO CASTILLO
PRESIDENT/CHAIRWOMAN
DIOMEDES DUCULAN
V-PRESIDENT/V-CHAIRMAN
BEVERLY CABANATAN
SECRETARY/PRO
ANTONIETA MATEO
TREASURER
ISABEL AMARILLE
BUSINESS MANAGER
SALVADOR SELLABE JR.
MARSHALL-1
JIMMY CANDULITA
MARSHALL-2
MARIA LOURDES BANSIL
AUDITOR
RADINO GARCIA
BOD SECRETARY
RENE A. VERGARA
BOD MEMBER
LEONIDES BANSAGAN
BOD MEMBER
CAMILO LAOENG
BOD MEMBER
FRANCISCO FLORES JR.
BOD MEMBER
ERMELITA FERNANDEZ
BOD MEMBER
NIEVES CASTA
BOD MEMBER
WILLIAM P. MATSON
BOD MEEMBER/SPECIAL ADVISOR
RUBEN BACHICHA
BOD MEMBER/SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
ROSALINDA ADAMS
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
LAWIE ADAMS
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
REP.JACINTA KAIPAT
ANGELO O. VILLAGOMEZ
SPECIAL ADVISOR

MEMBERS
GUS KAIPAT
CIARALYN C. APOSTOL
JARED ITAMAN
KAELA MAE MILLANO
BETTY MATSON
ADOLFO ABELEDA
VENUS ACERA
EDEN ALBIOR
ROBERTO A. CASTILLO
ZENAIDA LIRA
CARMELA LUMBAD
MARILOU LUMBAD
ADOLFO LUMBAD
MELECIA P. MARQUEZ
ALPHA DE JESUS
ROSITO PALAD JR.
ARMANDO G. PARAMIO
PRESILA RAMBOANGA
CARMELA SAPITEN
LILIA PAGADUAN
DIOMEDES NARTEA
JULY ANN NARTEA
CARL JOMEL NARTEA

Induction Ceremony Speech

INDUCTION CEREMONY SPEECH
BY THE PRESIDENT/CHAIRWOMAN
MISS. MARITES AQUINO CASTILLO

JULY 1, 2007

I would like to welcome all of you to the first annual Induction ceremony for Officers/Board of Directors of the Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI). A special welcome to you Honorable Rep. Jacinta Kaipat as you have been a Friend to the "Friends" before we were even the Friends of the Mariana Islands. Welcome to our beloved Consul General Honorable Wilfredo DL. Maximo, Welcome our special guest Ms. Katie Busenkell, Mr. Gus Kaipat, and also to Mr. Angelo Villagomez.

This is truly a historic day as our group of hardcore environmental cleanup and beautification experts. We have involved from a part of larger group who had concerns other than just the environment to select group that have dedicated theme selves strictly to the environment. Of equal importance is that we have evolved from a group representing only one nationality to a group that accepts all those who are concerned about the environment. regardless of national origin or citizenship. We believe that anyone from anywhere can come to Saipan and care about our environment. As a result of our beliefs we have welcomed anyone to our group who demonstrates a concern for the environment.

Last year. as a sub part of a larger group. Our efforts lead to that group being recognized even at a US-Wide level as a leading group to environmentally concerned individuals who dedicated an extraordinary number of hours to cleanup activities in our community. We thought of those accomplishments and wanted to develop an organization that reflected the concerns of those who had proven to be so dedicated that they brought recognition to the entire CNMI from the National level. Surely we thought that even more could be done if we developed a formal organization for those high environmental achievers.

Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI) was started last year as a reflection of a need to have a group focus on the environment and particularly on the cleanup of our Island. As our team developed an expertise in how best to undertake cleanup efforts we realized that we could become an important component of the Beautify CNMI concept. As the President for the Friends of the Mariana Islands I decided to take the imitative to contact the organizers of the Beautify CNMI to see if we could link our efforts with theirs. We were pleased that just a the FMI accepts all people who are dedicated to helping cleanup our Island. That Beautify CNMI! also accepts help from all those who wish to improve the environment of our Island. While Beautify CNMI has diverse projects from under the sea cleanups to Tree Planting, which also a part of Restoration Projects of RC&D, we have boths partnered with theme in many of their efforts and also expanded upon their environmental projects with those of our own. We were proud to accomplish in record time our first funded cleanup project on Saipan just this last month and we Thank Mobil for their financial Support which made the drainage cleanup at MSGR. Martinez Street. and MSGR. Guerrero Street possible.

Though Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI) was formed and projects have already been undertaken. Such an organization can not operate without some of its members accepting even greater burdens than others. I am now speaking about those who are being inducted today. FMI is non-profit organization and no one is compensated for the hours we all volunteer. This is also true for these Officers who volunteer even more of their time to make sure the organization is ready when the time comes for all of us to volunteer at different projects. I takes that extra volunteer time to have everything ready for our volunteers and these Officers are the ones that make it possible for our volunteers to have the support they need when they begin a project. Volunteers need to know where and when to show up, what they can do, that the tools they need will be there and even that health and safety concerns have been met such as having drinking water etc available. None of that happens automatically., it takes our officers to make that happen. Today we honor you Officers who have accepted the burden, with no privilege associated with it, of making the FMI work.

CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK OFFICERS!

Angelo Villagomez Picture

FMI New Basketball Uniform
This is our Special Advisor Mr. Angelo Villagomez wearing his new FMI Basketball
Uniform.

Mga FMI activities

FMI group!
Ito ang aming larawan sa mga nagdaang linggo, kuha ito bago kami nagsimulang mamulot ng basura mula Airport paakyat nang Dan-Dan, hanggang San Vicente. Kasama din namin dito sila
Dinnes, Angelo @ si Kyle Kaipat.