Filipinos in Italy are One

When united, they can not only elect a municipal councilor or get free Italian driver’s licenses or send home PhP3 million in aid to Haiyan or Yolanda victims, but more

by CARLOS MERCADO SIMBILLO

as told to Marc Guerrero

First exclusive news report by DFa Firenze

http://dfa-firenze.blogspot.com

All roads, airstrips and sealanes led to Educatorio Fuligno-Sala Blu Via Faenza, 48 Florence, Italy, for the Knights of Rizal Firenze’s most important Filipino, Italian affair of the year    

FLORENCE, Italy (Nov 16, 2013) - Two overseas Filipino groups from Florence (Firenze) and Tuscany (Toscana) are inspiring upon the more than 60 organizations in Italy that make the Filipino communities thrive by reliving the unification ideals of Jose Rizal some 126 years after he visited Rome in June 1887.      

Artist Carlos Simbillo in Florence described the two Pinoy blocs, the Confederazione Comunita Filippina Toscana (Centro-Coordinamento Filipino Leaders Associative NCA) and the Knights of Rizal (KOR), Firenze, as lead alliances that try to bring together Filipino compatriots regardless of class or creed. “One Filipino nation outside of the Philippine homeland” can, not only elect a municipal councilor in Firenze or get free Italian driver’s licenses or send home PhP3 million in aid to Haiyan or Yalnda victims, but more.

Confederazione Toscana the Confederation of Filipino Communities Tuscany (CFCT) or Confedcomfiltoscana founded in May 2009 is an openhearted aggrupation of three dozen legitimate organizations across Italy from Tuscany inspired anew by the elected (Aug 13, 2013) leadership of the strategic partnership between a native of Quezon province, Divinia Capalad, former twice-elected City Councilor of Florence,  and a native of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, Carlos Simbillo , CFCT president and VP, respectively; together with the whole collective comprised by Maria Teresa Salamero, Socorro Gecolea, Leandro Pinon, Marietta Cecconi, Grace Ramos, Amelia Bayongan, Alfredo Lugue and Richard Garcia.

Led by Filipino European Association (FEA) Empoli, Associazione Immigrati Filippini (AIF) Firenze and Impruneta, RMP Remittance, BDO-CBN Grupo, Cabalen Group of Florence, Comunita Cattolica Filippina di San Barnaba (Filipino Catholic Community Florence or FCCF), Iglesia ni Cristo, Guardians Brotherhood’s GBI-TBBG, GSBII BronzeWing Firenze Chapter, Blue Falcons GPII Montecatini Terme, Tau Gamma Phi- Triskelion, Alpha Phi Omega (APO)-Umac, Philippine-Italian Friendship Association Tuscany (PIFAT), Pilipino Immigrantes National Organization Italia-Arezzo (PINOI), Filipino Golden Group, UKP Litrato Klub, Comunita Filippine (COMFIL) di Livorno, United Group of Filipino Workers Siena, Filippino Comunita Arezzo, Viva Filippine, Filipino Independenza Group, Assemblea di Dio Missione Evangelica di Firenze, Barangay Centro Siena, Saranay Group, Timpuyog Group, Brigade of Serving Servants Foundation Montecatini Terme, KABATI Comunita Filippina Versiliese-Viareggio and others, the Confedcomfiltoscana works closely with the Philippine Embassy in Rome headed by His Excellency, Ambassador Virgilio Reyes Jr, and Honorary PH Consulate Florence headed by Honorary Consul General, Dr Fabio Fanfani, on matters of interest to all the Filipino communities in Italy, like immigration, entrepreneurship, education, sports, culture and solidarity.

The second group, the Highest Order of the Knights of Rizal in Manila headed by real estate developer, Sir Reghis M Romero II, is celebrating its 97th anniversary in Europe toda, by chartering its KOR Firenze or Florence chapter.

Elected the new Supreme Chapter Commander of KOR Firenze earlier, Sir Knight Carlos Simbillo leads (from 10AM to 5PM, Saturday, Nov 16, 2013) at Educatorio Fuligno-Sala Blu Via Faenza, 48 Florence, Italy, the KOR Firenze Chartering and Dubbing Ceremonies and Oathtaking of Officers that Ambassador Reyes, together with Dr Fanfani, KOR Firenze adviser, and other dignitaries are gracing as the great Filipino and Italian affair of the year.

KOR overall adviser for Europe and special assistant to Supreme Commander for European affairs, Sir Lino Paras, will induct into office under Simbillo: Sirs Dennis Reyes, deputy commander; Petronilo Jimenez, chancellor; Percival Capsa, pursuivant; Leandro Pinon, exchequer; Gil Baldovino, auditor; Mario Cadauan, archivist; Elmer Alvarez, deputy pursuivant; Jimmy Canosa, deputy exchequer; Romeo Paquerez and Armando Cruz, members.

Earlier, KOR Filipinas led by Don Emilio Yap Sr, Alfredo Lim, Hilario Davide, Jose D Lina, Romero et al conferred on President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III its highest honors in fitting ceremonies at the Manila Hotel.

Wikipedia also named a third power group among the 100,000 (conservative government figures) to “400,000 (according to Rhea Santos’ GMA TV7 show, Pinoy Abroad)-strong-when united Filipino Italian communities,” the Filipino Women’s Council. It fights for migrant women’s rights and lobbies on their behalf. Kababaihang Rizalista is following their footsteps. Being united in mind, heart, spirit and action can benefit compatriots currently in Italy and those still coming, as well. In 2007, Italy gifted Filipinos with a Filipino driver's license a free Italian driver's license.   

Selfdestructing?

BOTH the Firenze Rizal Knights and Confederazione Toscana are trying to synergize their Filipino compatriots’ acts into valuable programs that relate with Rizal’s idea also of “nationhood outside of the Philippines.” They converge at http://facebook.com/FilipinosInItalyR1 .

These 21st century or circa-21 campaigns are being done amidst random reports from local and foreign observers in Rome that many Pinoys across Italy have, for many decades, been “wasting their time, energy and money by overdrinking, picnic,(wo)manizing, gambling and other vices and into decadence.” A couple of associations of Filipinos in Italy is allegedly led if not well-oiled not by compatriots, but by ungracious Italians in conspiracy with unscrupulous Pinoys and lost Guardian bullies tolerated by their superiors in Rome. These sad commentaries are also rocking the Pinoy communities in Italy down the drain, Milan domestic assistant Xyza Abcon pointed out, in Tagalog, with Visayan accent.

There is an upside to the sad commentaries, though. “Filipinos of diverse persuasions come united or unified, like it or not, in but a few ‘fiestas’ or ‘celebrations:’ birthdays, weddings, funerals, revolutions and catastrophes (like the hurricane-ish Haiyan or Yolanda that almost erased Easter Visayas).”    

With compatriot Divinia Capalad, Simbillo and all the other selfless Pinoys across Italy were able to arrange for solid help and assistance to Yolanda victims from both Italians and Filipinos that they are sending back to The Philippines at an initial amount of PhP3 million or EU50,000.00 from the President of Tuscan Region Governor Enrico Rossi. More help from the Filipino-Italian bloc is forthcoming.

Florence Provincial President Andrea Barducci sent felicitations (in Italian language) to the Carlos Simbillo Knights of Rizal in Firenze:    

Translated in essence or substance (and not literally, like the Google mechanized pagsasalin) into Filipino or Tagalog language, Barducci meant:

“Di-hihigit sa pagkakataong ito na ang provincia ng Firenze at ang kanyang presidente ay napakalapit at nakikiisa sa komunidad ng mga Filipino. Ang anibersaryo ng Knights of Rizal ay nagkataong napasabay at napataon sa pinakagrabeng kalamidad na sumapit sa inyong bansa. Nakasisiguro kami na ang grabeng pinsala at salanta na dulot ng bagyong Haiyan (Yolanda) ay hindi makakayang buwagin ang pagkakaisa ng diwa, lakas ng loob at kagitingan na naipamalas na ng sambayanang Filipino. Higit kailanman ay ngayon dapat gunitain, alalahanin, ipamalas at tularan ang kadakilaan at kabayanihan, at pamana ni Jose Rizal. Nakalulungkot na ang martirio niya ay nasundan ngayon ng pagmamartir ng libulibong Pilipino na naging biktima ng isa sa pinakamalakas na bagyo na naranasan sa buong mundo. Gusto kong ipahatid sa pagkakataong ito ng paggunita at selebrasyon ng ika-97 anibersaryo ng Knights of Rizal sa Europa ang pakikiisa at pagyapos na parang kapatid ng mamayang Italiano sa buong sambayanang Filipino.”

But not only do Filipinos are interested in affiliating with Jose Rizal’s ideas and ideals.

Twelve true-blue Italians, namely, Sirs Salvatore Olivari dela Moneda, Ferdinando Marchiani, Franco Canova, Franchesco Barberi, Vincenzo Cortese, Teodoro Monescalchi, Giuseppe Collura, Sergio Andreangeli, Antonio Stella, Fabio Zanni, Fabio Monescalchi and Antonio Iannaccone of Frosinone, Italy, are also doing the investiture into what shall come to be known as Knights of Rizal Frosinone (yes, not of, for and by Filipinos, but by native Italians).

Simbillo forecasted that more KOR chapters across Italy and Europe will also affiliate with the Rizal fold in the years to come.

Filipino Italians form the fourth largest migrant communities in Italy, behind the Romanians, Albanians and North Africans. They were reportedly able to plough back to their families in the Philippine homeland in annual remittances an average US$500 million (trailing in fourth place the Filipino remittances from the US, Saudi Arabia and Canada, until 2007) which were observed as “dwindling.” The decline was attributed to not only the unemployment and other economic challenges Italy and the European Community also face as the years went by. Italy, however, remained the joint largest European migration destination for Filipinos “for many good reasons about living life to the fullest, like having healthcare of value, for instance,” Simbillo, a permanent resident in Italy, was waxing poetic. Three years ago, the artist underwent a very expensive angioplasty that the Italian healthcare system subsidized, at cost. Colleagues teased him, he could have been dead by now if he went under the knife, in Manila, due to insufficient funds.

A first overseas Filipino, Rizal visited Italy 126 years ago. According to joserizal.ph, the greatest Filipino hero toured Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. He reached the eternal city of Rome on June the 27th, 1887 and was thrilled by the sights of the Capitolio, Roca Tarperya, Palatinum, Forum Romanum, Museum Capitolinum and the church of Santa Maria, the maggiore. He went to the seat of the Catholic Faith and Popes City of Vatican on June the 29th and was impressed by its magnificent edifices, specially Saint Peter’s Church, also a feast day as Rizal’s on the same year. Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel, very tired “as a dog,” but sleeping as a god, he wrote his German best friend Ferdinand Blumentritt whom Rizal sent a flower he plucked from the palace of Septimius Severus garden. The great doctor who was gallivanting like a dog in Italy did not waste his energy with vices during his two weeks’ stay in Rome before he embarked on a return to the Philippines for his martyrdom that rocked Mother Spain. God had a mission for Rizal; he accomplished it. Filipinos in Italy wanted to relive Rizal, circa-21. - With additional report: Marc Guerrero, marc_guerrero@journalist.com, http://about.me/marcguerrerocommunicationsinc