Mrs. Mela Ligan Chatto Crowned FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year Photos and article by Dr. Joan May Cordova

Continuing the success of its Centennial year in 2012, the Filipino American Association of Philadelphia, Incorporated (FAAPI) sponsored another highly successful event – FAAPI’s Centennial Mother of the Year celebration – on May 20, 2012. Numerous organizations and individuals gathered to honor Mrs. Mela Chato, crowned FAAPI’s Centennial Mother of the Year, during a luncheon and dance at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year Mrs. Mela Ligan Chatto with husband Dr. Jose Chatto

crowned on May 20, 2012

Representing the Philippine Consulate in New York, guest speaker Deputy Consul

General Theresa Dizon DeVega spoke highly of FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year Mrs. Mela

Chatto and affirmed the lives of all mothers, noting the special circumstances faced by Filipina

immigrant mothers throughout our communities. Deputy Consul General DeVega was

accompanied by her husband Minister Eduardo DeVega, of the Philippine Mission to the United

Nations in New York.

Deputy Consul General Theresa Dizon DeVega

FAAPI’s Centennial Mother of the Year event celebrates the virtues of motherhood as

well as leadership. Mrs. Mela Ligan Chatto’s life reflects both. Originally from Bohol, Philippines,

Mrs. Mela Chatto is married to Dr. Jose Chatto, a successful physician. Their daughter Janice, a

psychologist and Information Consultant, is married to Brian Boyle. Their daughter Allysa is the

Chatto’s only granddaughter. Mrs. Mela Chatto is past president of the Philippine Nurses

Association of Delaware Valley, a board member of the Cebu Association USA (CAUSA), and a

lector of Christ the Redeemer Parish. Other community leaders, crowned FAAPI Mother of the

Year from previous years, also celebrated in 2012.

Other community leaders included: Dr. Aida Rivera, Chair, National Federation of

Filipino American Associations- Pennsylvania (NaFFAA-PA) and President, Philippine Folk Arts

Society, Inc.(PFASI); Dr. Joan May Cordova, Past National President, Filipino American National

Historical Society (FANHS); Pastor Peter Yanes, President Baptist Convention of PA & SJ; Dr. Jose

Chatto, President, Cebu Association USA (CAUSA); Mrs. Aurora Polutan, President, Philippine

Nurses Association of the Delaware Valley Inc.(PNADVI); Mrs. Gwen DeVera, Camden County

Commissioner, Past President of the Philippine Nurses Association of PA & NJ (PNAPANJ); Mrs.

Purita Acosta, President of the Association of Sons and Daughters of Veterans of WWII; and

Mrs. Evelyn Tuanquin, Past President of the Philippine Nurses Association of Southern NJ and

Phila (PNASNJ), and 3rd VP of the FECGP.

FAAPI affirmed its youthful leaders – with FAAPI Vice Presidents Stephen Spadaro and

Christopher Rivera both active in the FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year Program.

FAAPI Vice President Stephen Spadaro

FAAPI Vice President Christopher Rivera

Other organizations represented at the FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year celebration

were the: Filipino Executive Council of Greater Philadelphia (FECGP); Ilocano Cultural

Association of Greater Philadelphia (ICAGP), Mutya Philippine Dance Co., Philippine Medical

Society of Greater Philadelphia (PMSGP), Kayumanggi Society of Philadelphia (KSOP), UST

Medical Society, Filipino American Association of Bucks County (FAABCI), Filipino American

Association of Montgomery County (FAAMCI), Association for the Promotion of Philippine

Culture (APPC); South Jersey Baptist Church Choir, FAAPI Youth group, FAAPI Centennial

Commitee, Ms. Heidi Fernandez, Miss Nightingale 2012, Ms Madeline Sapiandante, Miss Maria

Clara 2011 Other Special guests: Tahir Mella, Esq.; Mr. Dan Morely, Mrs. Lita Abele.

FAAPI officers with FAAPI Centennial Mother of the

Year Mrs. Mela Chatt

First organized in 1912, the Filipino American Association of Philadelphia, Inc. (FAAPI)

continues to gain recognition for the FAAPI Centennial now celebrating its “100 Years of Filipinos

in Philadelphia.” Recently, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations -

Pennsylvania (NaFFAA-PA), the highest Filipino American umbrella organization in Pennsylvania,

strongly endorsed the FAAPI Centennial Celebration of 2012. Pennsylvania Governor Tom

Corbett, US Senator Pat Toomey, US Representative Patrick Meehan, Philadelphia Mayor

Michael Nutter, as well as the Philippine Ambassador and Consul General’s offices have already

sent greetings for the FAAPI Centennial celebration.

Since Filipinos began to settle in Philadelphia earlier than 1912, FAAPI is the only

organization with direct connections to the group of mostly Filipino Navy men who settled in

Philadelphia in 1912. FAAPI’s Centennial honors its founding president Mr. Agripino Jaucian and

other founding members of FAAPI, who began organizing themselves as early as 1912 in

Philadelphia.

For additional photos of the FAAPI Centennial Mother of the Year celebration honoring

Mrs. Mela Chatto http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbsW7Ju3atlFyc

SAVE THE DATE: June 1, 2012

FAAPI / FISDU Dinner Dance to benefit FAAPI Centennial

FAAPI Centennial Friends include leaders of the Filipino Intercultural Society of Drexel

University (FISDU)

Please save June 1st for a lively evening of line dancing lessons, dinner, and dancing! See

flyer below.

The FAAPI Centennial Committee – Purita Acosta, Joan May Cordova, Marife Domingo,

Aida Rivera, Rommel Rivera – continues to work on all projects. Building on the City of

Philadelphia's significant contributions to American history, FAAPI’s special centennial programs

promote the culture and achievements of Filipinos in Philadelphia.

All individuals and organizations are invited to celebrate FAAPI’s Centennial “100 Years of

Filipinos in Philadelphia.” Diverse programs and activities are organized to educate and benefit

all communities. Please join us! For sponsorship information and updates on future FAAPI

Centennial events, see FAAPI’s website http://www.faapi.org Contact rrivera@faapi.org

For PR, contact: Joan.May.Cordova@post.harvard.edu

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations - Pennsylvania (NaFFAA-PA) ‘s Second Statewide Summit on April 21, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA.