It was the fourth one. It is celebrating journalism excellence in many categories. I was elated to see a good long-time friend, Dr. Jorge Emmanuel win for his frontlines work in Ebola intervention, practically stopping the epidemic by teaching others how to autoclave the medical waste and training technicians on how to operate the autoclave. It was such a breakthrough and such a humanistic gesture to sacrifice in order to save lives. Hooray for him!
I was glad to also see Allyson Escobar score three awards for best youth voice, best food and best news story. It was good to also see Agnes Constante get it for best profile and best feature while Christina Oriel got the Plaridel for best tourism feature.
I was nominated in four categories: best commentary, best personal essay, best in-depth and best profile writing. While disappointing to me personally, I was happy that I lost to great writers. That I was nominated in the same field as great writers, I was validated in a big way. Thank you for this Philippine American Press Club!
I heard the best acceptance speeches from Cecile Ochoa and Christina Oriel. To Cecile, she equated these awards as honoring true journalism of writing original stories that matter, and not the “cut and paste journalism” that we have seen in the community papers in the past.
I also appreciated Christina Oriel’s acceptance speech, delivered in her absence, by AJ’s office manager, and in her speech, she highlighted the best parts of what makes it more fun to be in the Philippines and a challenge for all of us to emphasize those aspects: its people, its beaches, its landscapes, its food.
At the White House covering the visit of Pope Francis in America, Sept. 23, 2015. What a historic occasion and a first for this lola to cover Pope Francis being welcomed by President Obama. Thank you America!
I had a secret wish. I wanted to see Pope Francis in person, but also to see him in the The White House. The Higher Universe heard me, I got cleared to cover Pope Francis. It was an experience full of challenges: a) had to rebook my trip twice, one trip took me to Maryland, instead of D.C. and my name was misspelled in the ticket, which will cause security delays b) my luggage did not arrive until midnight, 7 hours after I arrived c) though I was pre-credentialed, my name was misspelled and shortened and my California DMV had more letters than press identification card d) clearing security for hundreds of media, my estimate is 500+, took 2 hours in windy and cold weather, but through it all, Secret Service are firm, but polite; Press folks are kind; White House staffers are helpful, kind and responsive. My lesson: patience is gold currency when with thousands of people. Kindness is another currency and folks are eager to help and give directions. What a great moral leader Pope Francis is – everyone is so excited to have heard him and in just a year, Pope Francis made being a Catholic so cool! Folks waited in line, some at midnight, I interviewed two who waited since 2am, to get into the South Lawn at 8am. How cool is it that three of my videos at the White House would be used by Washington Post? Read all in my article for Asian Journal.- Prosy Delacruz #pontifex #PopeinDC Pontifex
I was with 500 reporters on the gardens of the White House, led by our beloved President Barack Obama on Sept 26, 2015, when he welcomed our beloved @Pope Francis. Thank you dear President Obama for my press credentials and enabling my representing Asian Journal, with honor and pride.
Why is St. Paul not in contradiction with St. James? How is it that we are told we have God’s grace and that faith without actions, is dead? St. Paul condemned the sins of pride, hypocrisy, favoritism and slander. While St. James taught us about purity, controlling bodies in holiness and honor, how do we practice life with faith, knowing these teachings? Can we live a life without faith?
These questions were part of Sunday’s post-lunch discussion at a relative’s house, initiated by a 28yo nurse humbly sharing his assignment with his cousin, a 22yo technology assistant, soliciting views about faith.
I was taken aback by their discussion and the depths of questioning spiritual teachings. As if those questions were not enough, another introduces complexity into the discussion, “can you live a life without Faith?”
We probe some more until it became about good deeds, showing compassion. About who to serve, how to serve and that doing good to others is about living one’s faith. I wish I could have stayed longer, and witnessed a consensus, but would they have arrived at one?
I once was blind, now I can see
Two years ago, two relatives had life threatening health conditions.
One had stage 4, bone cancer. Instead of expecting death, the family turned towards her and prayed for her reversal of cancer, a bold ask. Simbang Gabi masses were offered for her healing, and nuns included her in their group prayers.
I saw her transformation into a healthier version of herself: positive, laughing, sharing her wisdom, testifying to her faith and God’s grace, and a teacher of healing and spirituality.
While doing her chemotherapy and radiation, she went to daily Mass and took Holy Communion, twice a day. Her tumors have disappeared from her liver and her bones, with a slight one in one of her lungs. Her hair has grown back. She credits the Eucharistic Therapy in keeping her alive, as well as modern science. We continue to pray for her miracle, a remission of her cancer.
Another relative had a stroke and although, without physical paralysis or facial contortions, her cognitive abilities to hold down a full-time job and remembering have been impaired. She prays and aspires to organize healing masses, which she did a lot, pre-stroke.
She has since changed her lifestyle, which includes green smoothies, walks, enhancing her spirituality with her latest discovery, Dr. Wayne Dyer. We too pray for her total healing, a reversal of her stroke condition.
Without faith in both situations, their health conditions would have been unbearable. Instead, they chose God to be with them in their sufferings, embracing their challenges, and sought solutions to address them, including changing hospitals, finding healing physicians who promote life, and not a practice, anchored on deaths of cancerous patients.
Can you imagine having this professional practice of death, and not life? How much of our words and praxis enhance life? Or do our practices decimate lives and businesses?
Promoting life with our faith
The question of can you live without faith lingered in my mind.
I asked Fr. Rodel Balagtas, Director of Pastoral Formation and Field Education at St. John’s Seminary, “We are endowed with God’s grace, yet we are also told faith without actions, is dead. How can that be?”
“Yes, we are saved by God’s grace. But because our relationship with God is covenantal, our actions should reflect our relationship with him. Our identity as God’s children should be manifested through our deeds. Every action, every good deed should flow out of our generosity to God who has first loved us. Our moral lives are not based merely on a code of conduct. They are based on a covenantal relationship, which is more dynamic, personal, free, meaningful and life giving,” he wisely answered.
No wonder he is that generous amongst friends and parishioners, sharing his spiritual wisdom, accessible to parishioners who needed his guidance, and caring deeply about our emotional lives to be healthy, as families worshipping together.
I witnessed how Fr. Rodel grew Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and the Church’s vibrant soul to be so positive and overflowing in joy, that musicians did not simply sing, they recruited other musicians to sing in this Church, that folks travelled 30 miles one way, just to be part of this joyful, sacred, vibrant synergy of Sunday Mass.
Even the children were so happy that they did not just sing in church, they competed in World Choir Games and joined festivals. The teenagers went on retreat and when they came back, they had new dances to express their faith and worship to God. The masses got alive on Sundays that most came back for more. Attendance soared and pews were filled in each of the masses. Clergy from poor missions were welcomed and spontaneously, concerts would be held in Church to benefit them and the parishioners came to support, all for their love of God and their undying faith.
How did this process of questioning, of studying the teachings of St. Paul with St. James, now lead into an invitation to listen “The Third Jesus” audiobook by Deepak Chopra, from Charito, a visiting jazz singer from Tokyo, Japan? How is it that the Higher Universe is layering all these questions?
I cannot stop the unraveling of questions for a week, that I wondered aloud, is it possible that the Holy Spirit is preparing us in America, for Pope Francis’ visit in September?
Just as I surmised, at lunch on Thursday, gathered were a Catholic, a Lutheran and an ecumenical believer of God. We got into a discussion of Pope Francis, with an ecumenical believer saying, “Hey, I love your Pope Francis, he is Jesus-aligned, he is Biblically-aligned, he is morally aligned.” Both Lutheran and ecumenical believer enumerate for this writer what Pope Francis’ edict to the parishes, take in one Syrian family of refugees, what he did for the homeless in Rome, and what he is doing for climate change, Laudato Si.
The questions kept coming, that I found another book, “The Case for Grace” by Lee Strobel, its subtitle, “A Journalist Explores the Evidence of Transformed Lives.” I started reading it and the chapter I turn to, The Case for Grace. Can this be coincidence or serendipity?
Seeking another answer, I posed the question to Fr. Camilo Pacanza, a wise homilist and St. Lucy’s associate pastor. He said, “To Believe (Faith) is to Be (A)live in, With, For God. God’s Grace is active not static. We are Graced so we can live our Faith in love. (Torah) You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus). Good Works/Loving acts to the neighbor is Graced Faith in action! Living Faith! Graced Faith. God bless you in your concern.”
I am still in search of answers. I realized faith is a personal journey, with each of us undertaking a unique way of inquiry, of partaking the Divine in our lives. It maybe giving a sick friend a ride to get chemotherapy, it may even be writing about faith, it may take the form of expressing our love of God, through songs; enabling others to worship deeply, and it may even take a blunt word to another to move on and change, for after all, when we are stuck, it is not for lack of past love, but for lack of giving ourselves and others present love or to take a stand for truth and justice, even if against institutions which have gone mission-directed towards mighty dollars, away from pursuit of justice.
I also came to the conclusion, as Deepak Chopra, “our faith becomes how comfortable we are with the contradictions.” May we all evolve to be God’s grace to one another, to be more humane, enlightened citizens of the United States of America, while continuing our quest for answers to our faith questions!
“But he [George Moriarty] wrote something where I think he did what I tried to do in this [John Wooden] pyramid. He called it the road ahead or the road behind. He said, “Sometimes, I think the fates must grin as we denounce them and insist the only reason we can’t win is the fates themselves have missed. Yet there lives on the ancient claim we win or lose within ourselves. The shining trophies on our shelves can never win tomorrow’s game. You and I know deeper down, there’s always a chance to win the crown. But when we fail to give our best, we simply haven’t met the test of giving all and saving none until the game is really won, of showing what is meant by grit; of playing through when others quit; of playing through, not letting up. It’s bearing down that wins the cup. Of dreaming, there’s a goal ahead; of hoping when our dreams are dead; of praying when our hopes have fled; yet losing, not afraid to fall, if bravely, we have given all. For who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span. Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. And so the fates are seldom wrong, no matter how they twist and wind, it’s you and I who make our fates – we open up or close the gates on the road ahead or the road behind.” — George Moriarty quoted by Coach John Wooden, TED Talks.
The cup at the finish line is for the clients, for most lawyers. To super lawyers with a heart for those unfairly treated, that cup of justice includes behavioral corrections. While for those with sharp-edged consciences aligned to what is a just and level playing field, it includes game-changing practices, balancing industry profits, with honor and dignity, to the employees and their families.
Attorney C. Joe Sayas, Jr. is a game changer for the port trucking industry, a lawyer/visionary who worked to change the business models of port trucking firms. Protected by a complex labyrinth of sister companies making it quite difficult to pierce the corporate veils of these shipping firms, Atty. Sayas’s team succeeded in obtaining evidence of who benefitted from these unfair practices of misclassifying truck drivers as independent contractors when in fact, these port truck drivers are employees.
The win in Taylor vs. Shippers Transport Express, Inc. No. 2:13-cv-02092 (C.D. May 11, 2015) has resulted in the payments of back wages to 540 “wronged” port truck drivers in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland. The drivers were once wrongfully classified as “independent contractors”, allowing the companies to deduct business costs from drivers’ pay and failing to pay for hours worked while under the control of these companies.
It was an astounding gross settlement of back wages to be paid to 540 truck drivers, an amount of $11,040,000. It is estimated that the Class Administrator will distribute these checks, after proper accounting, to the port truck drivers by the summer end of this year. It will be an early Christmas for their families, including their covered health benefits. This case has also influenced the US Department of Labor to clarify the category definition of independent contractors, announcing it in their May 2015 monthly newsletter from the Secretary of Labor that the department is currently working on this issue.
Atty. Sayas underscored that the win came with a team of professional lawyers (Matthew Hayes, Karl Evangelista, Kye Pawlenko) and expert witnesses who have been strong advocates of justice for the truck drivers. The lawsuit was vigorously contested by Shippers Transport Express and SSA Marine, Inc, the biggest marine terminal operator in North America, undoubtedly with very deep pockets to hire big-time defense firms (Gordon & Rees LLP; Susman Godfrey LLP).
Three years ago, Atty. Sayas was warned by the opposition that the trucking company would not change its business model of classifying the drivers. Hence the message was that they were in for a long fight. At that time, he could remember that character. The Navy diver, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr., who was trying to be the first black driver with the US Navy in the film, “Men of Honor.” He was asked why he wanted so much to be a diver, and his response was: “I want it because they said I could not have it!”
During a visit to Atty. Sayas’ Glendale law firm, this writer saw several Super Lawyer plaques and framed newspaper headlines for clients’ wins, including a quote from Hon. Margaret Morrow on Bato vs. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings: “Given the factual difficulties plaintiffs faced gathering evidence to prove their claims, it appears that counsel achieved an excellent result.”
While the defense’s visit might have made one’s resolve quiver, Atty Sayas pursued certification of the lawsuit as a class action, benefitting similarly situated plaintiffs.
The daunting process of evidence gathering in this class action included taking 57 depositions, including those of key critical decision makers, talking to hundreds of truck drivers personally, and in town hall meetings where information was gathered and disseminated. More than ten motions were filed and aggressively opposed and argued in court. Pursuing an elaborate electronic discovery, Atty. Sayas’ team, which included computer experts, eventually obtained and reviewed more than a million pages of paper and electronic documents. Finding compelling evidence that well supported the drivers’ claims, the team stood ready for trial.
Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell of the US District Court for the Central District of California highlighted the significance of this game-changing lawsuit in her decision:
“… [As] Defendants ‘are major players in the port-trucking and marine terminal industries.’… The reclassification may encourage other businesses within the industry to follow suit. In short, the non-monetary relief obtained here represents a “special circumstance” that justifies an upward enhancement from the benchmark.”
Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell also increased the fees to 33.33 percent, instead of the standard 25 percent attorneys’ fees, recognizing, “Given the significant time and energy class counsel have skillfully devoted to this case, this factor favors a finding that the proposed fee request is reasonable.”
Challenging the industry’s business model
For years, the port trucking industry profited, with dishonor, from deducting the expenses of fuel, insurance, and truck repairs from these truck drivers, whose primary work was driving trucks under the strict control of these trucking companies.
When the truck drivers were injured while during the scope of doing their driving duties, they and their families were left without the required protections of workmen’s compensation insurance.
“With the unfair practices stopped, they are now paid for every hour worked, provided with retirement benefits, paid medical and dental leaves, and medical and dental insurance for drivers and their family dependents. In the end, hundreds of deserving workers (and others more to be hired) are and will be entitled to significant employment benefits. It is a great feeling to have made a difference in the lives of these workers and their families!” Atty. Sayas shared with the Asian Journal.
Where the resolve to fight comes from
Atty. Sayas shared his life’s mission, “from success to significant impact on people’s lives.”
When he was younger, the drive to succeed in his career was ambition-driven, but as he met his career goals, it became more than a “career win” it became more of transcending oneself, and instead, a relevance that benefits many, “giving me a very compelling source of energy, an empowerment from within, my faith.”
At every procedural obstacle, he kept regrouping and analyzing with his team what resources he could use. “I had to strengthen myself daily, to pray for courage, and I did not get it instantly. God gives you challenges, you rise above them, [and] and that develops character. [Challenges] give you a firmer stomach and a thicker skin; it gives you the strength to withstand a crisis. You don’t win all the time. But you must stand up from every fall. With litigation, you are prepared to win, but you must not be afraid to lose, ”Atty. Sayas continued.
He used the metaphor of a basketball game, much like what he told the kids in a basketball camp: “it is about doing your play in a different basketball court, as opposed to just your home court advantage. It is about realizing the time on the clock and carrying yourself to the final minute, not losing your head, but growing with your team and staying on top of the game strategies as their basketball captain. I will not know all of [the] hundreds of case elements, but together, the team does, and not to lose patience and faith.”
Much like what Coach John Wooden shared in his TED talk about his UCLA basketball youngsters, hundreds and hundreds of them, who grew to become 30 attorneys, 11 dentists, and many doctors, teachers, and other professionals, all learned his pyramid, the top two, faith, and patience.
The next time you are on the road, wave to that port truck driver “trucking” that cargo from the port. They may not be as irate, for now, they have been treated fairly as the law provides, thanks to Atty. Joe Sayas and his team!
Natural joy-giver, my beautiful, loving grandbaby, raised by a #superdad, #supermom, doting #abuela, #superlolo and an “in love” grandma. She was born with grace, smarts and a tank of love. Mom gave me permission to post.
The key: “Presence, fully present to every cue and signals she gives us. It is not about crying, she can cry, but she chooses different ways of getting our attention: like being limp to tell us she is sleepy, like sitting up to tell us she wants to go outside in a sling, to babble and to hold my finger to tell me she is happy that her diaper has been changed and when we have really done our best best job, she gets me laughing for so long, as she coos, babbles and blows saliva. We cannot be contained in showing her how much fun she is every time we see her. The reward: while she naps, I can write.” Thank you for this bundle of joy!
June 26: Three A’s describe her weekdays with us: alert, active and affectionate. Alert to appreciate the orange tree leaves, kicking them; gently holding the small avocados; and kicking the leaves of the calla lillies. Active to play with her toy, to grasp the face towel this week, to hold onto fingers solidly, to babble and to stay focused while I read her four books. Affectionate, as before napping, she placed both of her arms and rested them on my shoulders and rested her lips on my cheek, so solidly. As I appreciated her kisses, she would not let go, so we were in joyful laughter, both of us. Oh my, can one be this crazy in love? Ay, my granddaughter has surpassed my barometric capacity for loving my spouse, my children and my friends. When I think of her, a smile comes to my face. Three A’s this week, matching the three pillars of a tripodic, triumphant change in America: Trade Transpacific, Obamacare and Gay Marriage, or should I include also Fair Housing, making it a Four Corners’ Change in America. Hooray America!
June 17, She fell asleep on my shoulder and after an hour, she woke up. Unsolicited and spontaneously, she hugged me and gave me kisses. I became a crazier in love lola even more. Ay, she is just beyond words at times to describe. When I held a strawberry to her nose, she was still and she smelled it. I wondered what she was thinking, it turns, out she was also introduced to lime in the garden by her lolo.
June. 9, Her focus: turning over and mastered that this week. Her frustration comes from not mastering turning back over to be mobile in both directions. Tonight, babysitting her while parents catch up being adults again. She smelled me, wanted to play with me, but I remained still and took high degree of self-control to restrain myself from responding. After half an ounce, she went to sleep, as predicted by her parents. Now, I am enjoying writing about her, while her parents enjoy the night out. She is truly my fountain and reservoir of joy!
June 2: For two days, she kept practicing how to turn over, and slid down from her bean bag pillow and turned over. But, her right arm got stuck under the weight of her body. She was grumbling, no tears though. I figured she was a bit frustrated but I did not want to rescue her as that would interfere with her journey of acquiring body wisdom. She kept trying and today, with much success, she glided into position and smiled each time.
That is just half of the movement she learned, she kept sucking her big toes, that is how flexible she is. The other half of the movement is to be able to return to her original position, she is stuck in that mode today and tomorrow, I am confident she will succeed.
Today, she also made music, singing to herself before she took a nap. She is truly a one-woman show, ever unfolding in wondrous miracles. I am learning patience from her, where at one point it took us 40 minutes for feeding as she was half asleep. I wanted to respect her pace. She woke up after 30 minutes and vigorously finished the entire bottle. How about that? She has her own individual ways and definitely, a very unique personality.
She gives a lot of love now, she hugs with both of her hands resting on our shoulders, she holds onto our fingers as we feed her and she wants folks to say goodbye to her. When #hubby forgot, she kept looking for him and was inconsolable. Good thing, we were in the beach and she kept looking at the schoolchildren marching back to their school bus. When she saw two young women in their swimsuits and their kayak, she got excited and babbled loudly, she must have thought it was her mom. Nope, she was at work. It was a great day at the beach with her!
May 26: “180 degree miracle” A great morning with our grandbaby. After a diaper change, she tried to sit up three times. That was my cue she wants to do something else than feed. I put her on this sling, and we went to the backyard. She played footsies with the orange tree leaves, touched the avocado (about an inch long), and touched the leaves as well (no grabbing yet). When her lolo greeted her, she got excited, gave him the biggest smile and rocked her feet back and forth. He wanted to do something first but he could not resist her cooing, so he took over and put her on her favorite sling. He started his juicing and my grandbaby watched him cut carrots, celery and more. When she looked limp, our cue that she is sleepy, I took her and fed her. She enjoyed her newly pumped breast milk and finished it in ten minutes. After burps and more, I laid next to her on the floor. She and I were laying side to side, when she decided she wants to turn over and kept moving her body until she moved herself 180 degrees. No turning over yet, but she is able to crunch up, sit up, and now moving her body 180 degrees. This afternoon, she got hold of her feet and held them as if doing calisthenics. Oh my gosh… So today, she had time with the trees, leaves and birds, time with lola to do her 180 degree miracle, time with her lolo to do juicing, time with Mommy kisses and time with herself, like holding the soles of her feet. She is now feeding at 20 oz and of course, a fast metabolism, meaning lots of diaper changes. It is such a joy to hold her. While waiting for mom, she slept on this sling, held by her lolo.
May 15-17, our granddaughter joins us for early graduation dinner. She is such a trouper and as long as we are ministering to her needs, she is likewise allowing us to have our early dinner in peace. Then, during graduation ceremony, she does not cry at all. Her attentive parents were so busy changing her diapers and feeding her that she felt quite loved. Imagine two adults making her feel comfortable and loved all the time. Even during her plane ride, I was informed she was happy, calm and serene. How do you raise and nurture such a loving, joy-giving human being — by being one yourself while carrying her. When I got to hold her several times during the weekend, she just let me hold her as she touched the leaves with her feet. So much aware of the tweeting birds around her. Ay, so in love with this precious one.
May 13: Such wonderful to see my grandbaby make twenty attempts to sit up today, crunches, we call them today. In her last three attempts, she managed to sit up, yup, sit up for a few seconds and rocked herself back and forth. Of course, her balance is still tentative, but she has been practicing this for two days now in my presence. So, after reading to her four books: Feely Bugs, Cat in the Hat, First Book of Numbers and Go, Dog, Go (while she flipped some of the pages), she babbled and kept blowing saliva and was so happy sharing her own inner joy. I took her outside to feel the leaves of the trees and she listened intently to the tweeting birds. Now, the wind chimes accompany her in her nap. Mozart’s music stopped playing.
May 7: The blessings and grace of the Santo Niño. I have an ashen black Santo Niño, handcarried gift from very good friends, and blessed by another good friend priest. I prayed with my grandbaby to the Santo Niño yesterday and asked for heavens’ blessings over my grandbaby. She was fussy when she came to our place and would not feed. As soon as we prayed and with holy water over her head, she calmed down, she ate and she went to sleep. She stayed up to play for a few more hours and when she got sleepy, we fed her again until her papa picked her up. This morning, we prayed again to the Santo Niño and while praying, my grandbaby, only 3 1/2 months old, uttered sounds as if talking to Baby Jesus. Today, she played footsies with the tree leaves and listened to the tweeting birds. We sat in the swing for awhile, her favorite is to be outdoors listening to sounds and looking at trees. When she wanted a diaper change, she uttered some sounds and when she felt sleepy, we fed her. She even held her bottle for awhile. She is now asleep to Mozart. Reflections: Each encounter with her is a moment of joy, of filling up her love tank. As we enjoy each moment of carrying her, of diapering her, of feeding her, she shows unsolicited affection: she grabs my finger and does not let go until end of feeding, she smiles after her diaper has been changed and she is naturally pensive, sociable and observant. We do not alter her natural state by distracting her, but a deep respect that she has wisdom to know what she wants and we simply need to radically listen and focus all our attention on her. She is my inspiration when I write. Sometimes, I spontaneously cry like yesterday, reflecting on the three generations coming together: me, my daughter and my grandbaby. When I related that to my mom yesterday over the phone, she was so happy. God is good all the time! Thank you for your blessings Santo Niño!
