08 October 2013 - To kick-off the month-long celebration of the Filipino-American History Month this October, the Philippine Consulate General, in cooperation with Kiku TV, Hawaii’s multi-cultural TV station, hosted a reception at the Consulate’s Alay sa Sakada Lanai, to formally launch Kababayan Today, America’s first and only locally-produced show for and about the Filipinos.
Kababayan Today (formerly Kababayan L.A.), hosted and produced by Ms. Jannelle So, celebrated its 7th anniversary in April 2013, making it the longest-running Filipino talk show outside the Philippines. It broadcasts over the air in Southern California, reaching 6.3 million households on LA 18, KSCI-TV. Last May, Kababayan Today began broadcasting daily on KIKU-TV in Hawaii. KIKU-TV broadcasts on Channel 20 and on Oceanic Cable Channel 9. Worldwide, it is available at www.youtube.com/kababayanla18.
The reception was attended by over 150 distinguished guests from the State legislature and leaders of Filipino-American community, media, business, academe and other sectors in Hawaii.
Before the reception, Ms. So, together with Ms. Phyllis Kihara, General Manager of Kiku TV, paid a courtesy call on Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Julius D. Torres where they discussed the challenges and opportunities for Filipinos in Hawaii, the services offered by the Consulate and a possible monthly interview of the Consul General to be shown in Kababayan Today on Kiku TV.
Ms. So was also able to interview some elected state legislators of Filipino descent such as Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, Senators Brickwood Galuteria and Will Espero, Representatives Romy Cachola and Henry Aquino and Council Members Joey Manahan and Ron Menor; Filcom leaders Jenny Alconcel-Quezon and Joe Lazo, Ms. Hawaii Filipina 2013 Ericka Joy Ordonez, and educators Dr. Belinda Aquino, Dr. Serafin Colmenares and Dr. Raymund Liongson.
During the program, Rep. Cachola, presented the Consul General with a plaque of the “Sakada Tree,” a memento of the narra tree planted at the State Capitol in 1986 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the 1946 sakadas.
The Consul General was also presented with copies of the book entitled, “Jose Rizal’s Legacy and Nation Building,” by Dr. Liongson and Dr. Colmenares, its co-editors.
The highlight of the reception was a presentation of a Certificate of Appreciation to Ms. So by key leaders of the Filipino community in recognition of her efforts and advocacy to promote awareness of the vibrancy of Filipino culture and traditions in the US, and for bringing the Philippines closer to kababayans in America.
Ms. So visited Honolulu from October 3 to 7 to reach out to kababayans in the island, meet and establish relationships with the Filipino-American community, business organizations and media; film special interest stories and features around Hawaii; and ask for story submissions and pitches on what our kababayans want to see on the program. END