1998 SANTA CRUZ DE MAYO IN JERSEY CITY

 

What promises to be the grandest celebration ever to take place on May 24, 1998 in the heart of downtown Jersey City is this year's traditional observance of the May Festival, climaxed by the Santa Crusan parade.

Marking its 20th anniversary, this religious festivity expects the convergence of celebrants from the tri-state are in Manila Avenue where the Filipino-American communities and other ethnic groups gather to commemorate and witness this great event.

Well-known civic leader and Jersey City Commissioner of Human Rights Santy L. Muzones, Jr., who successfully chaired previous celebrations in 1983, 1984, 1993 and 1994 is again back at the helm as executive chairman and grand marshal of Santakrusan '98.

Immediately following his unanimous choice for this top position, Santy, in coordination with Connie Casing, president of the Catholic Action of Mary of St. Mary Church, wasted no time and left no stone unturned in organizing various workings committees harnessed old and reliable hands to manage the affair, to wit: Liturgical, Cesar Sarmiento and Precing Paguiligan-Baltazar; Sagala, Amy Tiongson and Cora Binogno; Finance, Jean Daniel and Baby Macatangay; Journal, Chuchi Calingasan and Lita MacatangayAds and Solicitations, Aura Banzuela and Mila Palomar; Publicity, Al Muzones; Parade Permit and Security, Santy L. Muzones, Jr.; Band, Nancy Rivera; Sash, Freida Pecardal and Rose Javier; Music/Choir, Lucy Cruz and Meynard Espeleta; Presentation Ball, Becky Binaoro and Misty Tolentino; Street Decoration, Ruffy Quitchon and Jess Quintana; Ornamentation, Nena Baisas and Lourdez Sarmiento; Raffle, Tony Fernandez and Lito Sendin; Angels/Flower Girls, Tessie Luz Roque and Lorenda Kasilag; Games and Sports, Bert Kasilag and Leo Casararan; Invitations; Edna Belino and Mila Trespeces.

Special committees formed to handle additional functions are:

Float, Trinidad Paguiligan, Rolly Pasco, Bonny Luz Roque and Sixto Macatangay; Secretarial Staff, Linda Lozada, Margot de Villa, Diwata Escalante and Carol Dorico; Food/Accommodation, Isabel Muzones, Julie Manankil, Ignaclo Manankil, and Esperanza Dasmarinas; Deputy Grand Marshals, Bal Trespeces, Edie Belino, Cesar Sarmiento, Rudy Kasilag, Ruffy Quiatchon, Mars Binaoro, Boy Kasilag, Gil Baltazar, Tony Fernandez and Roily Macuha; Government Liaisons, JC Deputy Mayor Ador Equipado, Commissioners Santy L. Muzones, jr, Jun Hornilla jr, Rudy Cuaderno, Nari Murjani, Manoj Patel, Lily Equipado, Rose Javier, Nancy Rivera and Ada Nieves.

Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler, Consul General Willy C. Gaa, Consul

Cecile Rebong, Consul Nida Garcia, Deputy Mayors- Eliu Rivera, Linda. Mayo, Jaime Vasquez, Councilman Mariano Vega and heads of various organizations in the tri-state area have bean invited to attend the festival and join the Santakriasan parade.

Msgr. James Finnerty will say the concelebrated mass on May 24, the day of Santakrusan '98. Fr. John Martin, Parochial Vicar of St. Mary's church, is closely supervising the preparation. Resurrection, Parish, with the Rev. Gregory J. Studerus as Pastor, is composed of five churches: St. Boniface, St. Bridget, St. Mary, St. Michael and St. Peter.

 

 

Hermanos and Hermanas Mayor

 

Five prominent couples -- government officials and community leaders in the tri-state area -- will stand as Hermanos and Hermanas Mayor, another unprecedented "first time" in the history of the festivities. They are:

 

Jersey City Deputy Mayor Ador Equipado and Mrs. Lily Equipado, Jersey City Rousing Authority Commissioner, Mr. Jose and Sylvia Garcia, Jersey City Human Rights Commissioner Domingo R. Hornilla, Jr. and Millie B. Hornilla, executive secretary of the Garden State Filipino American Associaticn1 Inc., Mr. Albert Lucas Lucas and Dr. Estelita P. Faun-Lucas, and Dr. John and Mrs. Nelia Ferrette.

 

Ador L. Equipado is presently Deputy Mayor of Jersey City and currently Assistant Director of Public Works, former Director of the Jersey City Department of Water, the first Filipino Executive Mayoral Aide in the administration of Mayor Bret Schundler and the first Filipino to run for State Assembly. A consultant to a local Mutual life of New York Agency, he held top and responsible positions in numerous civic and community advocacies and a recipient of awards therefrom. He is a degree holder in chemical engineering and management.

 

Lily B. Equipado is a commissioner of Jersey City Housing Authority. Starting as a secretary in the personnel department of Citibank, N.A. New York, she was promoted to credit coordinator in 1979, staff officer in 1982, Manager in 1985 and now assistant vice president in the NAPG administration unit, now called GRB Risk management. She was the first lady president of the Garden State Filipino American Association, Inc. from 1995-1997 and is now one of its advisers. She holds a degree in business administration, major in banking and finance. The couple has one daughter, Clenda Ray, who is a registered nurse at Jersey City Medical Center.

 

JOSE and Sylvia Garcia are natives of Paranaque, Metro Manila. Jose, also known as "Joe", is a graduate or De La Salle College, Philippines, and Sylvia, also known as "Beya" is a graduate St. Paul College, also in the Philippines. Married in 1958, they are blessed with three daughters and a son. Blesilda, the eldest daughter, is a nurse in Darien, Illinois. Ditas, the second daughter, is an international civil servant of the United Nations. Felinina, the youngest daughter, is a regional sales director of Forte % Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts. Paul, the only son is in a build-and-sell construction business and at the same time works full-time at British Airways/Manila Integrated Services Airport Corporation. Sharing the Joy of this couple are their sons-in-law, Willie, Larry and Ulysses and daughter-in-law Kate. Completing their delights are the grandchildren Justin, Julian, Judd and Natasha.

 

Domingo R. Hornilla, Jr. is the first Filipino appointee as Human flights Commissioner of Jersey City since 1982. He is a comptroller at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Film Comment, an international circulated film magazine. An active civic and community leader, "Jun", as he is well-known, was president or the Garden State Filipino American Association, Inc. for six terms; trustee, Paaralan Filipino, Inc., charter member, the Federation of Philippine Societies in New Jersey, Inc., Founder, the USA, Inc. Bowling League1 vice president, Batangas Province Association, U.S.A., project director, First Filipino Film Festival at Lincoln Center's Walter Theater, summer of 1998, co-presented by the Philippine Centennial Commission beaded by Dr. Salvador Laurel, The Philippine Consulate General in New York City and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Inc. Among his various awards were the community leadership given by the New York Lions Club, the Distinguished Service award given by the Philippine New York Jaycees, Most Outstanding Alumnus, 1988 awarded by the San Beda College Alumni Association, U.S.A.

 

Emily (or Millie to her friends) B. Hornilla hails from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines. Active in community activities, she is the executive secretary or the Garden State Filipino American Association, Inc. She has been a member of the CISFAA, Inc. bowling league for almost two decades and involved in the Philippine American Friendship Day Committee activities for a couple of years. Millie works with an advertising company in New York City as a supervisor in the accounting department, a treasurer of the Philippine Centennial Committee, New Jersey Chapter and assistant auditor of the Philippine Centennial Movement Northeast USA and Canada, Inc. She holds degree from the University of the East.

 

Albert E. Lucas is connected with the Finance Department ITT and a singer for Mary Nicalazzo choral group. His wife, Dr. Estelita P Maun-Lucas, is a practicing pediatrician and a consultant in the Weight Loss Program. She was formerly a medical director of Jersey City -Health Center. The couple has two children: Dr. Christopher Albert and Gem Estelle, Reyna Elena I of Santakrusan 1994.

 

Dr. John and Mrs. Nelia Ferrette of Queens and Long Island, New York have two children: Candice, a 19-year old college student and Cary, a 16 year old high school junior. John, who graduated from NYU College of Dentistry, has been a private-practicing dentist since January 1976 with - offices in Midtown Manhattan and Holbrook Island. He is also with the Board of Directors of the Bushwick Club, a prominent men's business organization.

 

Nelia, a graduate or Centro Escolar University College of Chemistry, worked as a chemist at the Goldwater Memorial Hospital and as a chemical analyst at New York Hospital, Cornell Medical College. She has joined her husband's practice and has been managing it since 1981. She has been active in the community as chairperson of the 1997 Philippine Independence Day Committee and a member of tbe Filipino-American coalition to Re-elect Mayor Giuliani. Presently, she is co-chairperson of the Fundraising Committee of the Philippine centennial Celebration under the leadership of Consul General Willy C. Gaa.
 

The presentation ball honoring the three Reyna Elenas, Reyna de las Flores and the Sagalas will be held at the Holiday Inn (North Newark, N J) on May 16, 1998 at 7PM.

for further information, please call:
Santy Munzones  201-420-1457            Cesar Sarmitiento      653-3318
Connie Kasilag           402-0387            Amy Tiongson           963-8604
Nancy River               420-1070             Chuchi Calingasan    792-5371
Tony Fernandez        963-3217             Bechy Binaoro            420-0379
Aura Banzuela           653-3542             Jennifer Daniel           653-7491
 

from the Santa Cruz de Mayo Press Release..
provided to: Nestor Palugod Enriquez
Please E-mail me at phix7@yahoo.com
 
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