Maraming Salamat sa inyong Lahat!

It is my pleasure to extend a heartfelt gratitude to you all, Mayor Jim Wood of Oceanside & counsel members, Deborah Polich and Staff of Oceanside Library, KOCT director , production staff, Chef Larry Banares for making the June 9th 2007 event a success. I take this opportunity to praise the officers, board members, committees and all the volunteers who have demonstrated their commitment and rendering us their support for making this event another success. With your focus on cultural awareness, family values, higher education, leadership, and role models, you make all Filipinos proud.

All the pageant candidates put me in tears as I watched them on stage, for the fact that, at this young age, they had shown professionalism. I salute these girls and Alex Tuazon for all their long hard work at the rehearsals, and to me, they are all winners!

And last but not the least, a feeling of mixed excitement and anxiety, I am excited to take over from my predecessor, Marilou Hruby, who left the Fil-Am presidency with great legacy. She led the fledgling association and proved that it is a legitimate group, ultimately capping her successful term with an election of officers. Thank you, on behalf of the Fil-Am group! I am looking forward to moving the association forward, with visions of greater unity among our Kababayan, and more recognition of our culture in San Diego County.