Ms. Yoko Ramos

38 Filipino Special Athletes Shine in Athens
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno

Greece was home recently to 7,000 intellectually challenged athletes from over 170 countries during the recently concluded XIII Summer Special Olympics held in Athens last June 25 to July 4, 2011. The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games is so far the largest sports event held in the world this year.

The Philippine team, a 47-member delegation composed of athletes with their coaches and trainers, competed in 7 disciplines out of 23 special sports events. Our athletes won 49 medals in athletics, powerlifting, swimming, bocce, bowling, rhythmic gymnastics and badminton – broken down as follows: 21 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze medals.

Mrs. Ma Theresa J. Macapagal, President of the Philippine Special Olympics Team, led our athletes all 38 of them as they marched and entered the historic Kallimarmaron Panathinaikon Stadium (site of the first Olympic summer games in 1859) last June 25, 2011 for the opening ceremonies graced and honored by no less than the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolous Papolias.

Our athletes: (BOCCE) Marie Margaret Babst, McMerril John Derrama, Liza Mel Dayon and John Brian Menoza; (ATHLETICS/TRACK&FIELD) Cherry Rose Lopez, Phoebe Candole, Salamiel Montano, Emilda Soriano, Carl Francis Macabales, Jose Marin Erdao, Michael Ignatius Mora and Ryan Mosquera; (AQUATICS/SWIMMING) Aivie Dungca, Raymond Macasaet, Shella Mae Suniega and Rodney Christopher Gutang; (BOWLING) Roxanne Salve Ng, Mark David Inductivo, Marie Stephanie Babst and Bryan Robles; (POWERLIFTING) Alvin de Chavez, Louis John Decolongon and Magiting Gonzalez; (BADMINTON) Andrew Lim, Maria Angelica Manzanares, Benrafii Omar and Anna Luisa Se; (RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS) Vivian Mayhay, Marilou Sibayan, Melanie Valdez and Sherlyn Veyra.

Also present to cheer and give support to the Filipino athletes for the Opening Ceremonies were representatives from the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community in Athens led by Chargé d’Affaires Constancio R. Vingno, Jr with his wife, Yoko.

Former Ms USA turned singer/actress Vanessa Williams co-hosted the event with Greek celebrities. They were joined by other international celebrities guests in the persons of Chinese superstar actress Zhang Ziyi, NBA star Yao Ming, former Olympic gymnast champion from Romania Nadia Comaneci, American figure skater and two time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan and superstar singer Stevie Wonder, who sang a couple of songs.

President Papoulias was joined by Ms Joanna Despotopoulou (Greek Organizing Committee head) and Timothy P. Shriver (Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics).

During the games, Filcom members and embassy officers and staff provided moral support to our athletes and cheered them whenever possible as they competed in their respective events. Many of our kababayans also did volunteer work for the entire Philippine delegation.

Prior to the start of the competitions, CDA Vingno invited the PH delegation to the Embassy for merienda and to officially welcome our athletes to offer them the Filipinos in Greece’s moral support to our athletes. After the competitions and 49 medals, CDA Vingno hosted anew a victory dinner for the entire PH delegation and Filipino volunteers.

Oath of the Special Olympics

The oath of the Special Olympics athlete is “Let me Win! But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt!” Participants of this Special Olympics are all considered winners. They are winners in their struggle for self-esteem and winners in their struggle to defend their special abilities.

Malugod na binabati ni Charge d’Affaires Constancio R Vingno, Jr at nang kanyang maybahay na si Gng. Yoko Ramos-Vingno kasama ang buong Embahada ng Pilipinas sila Maria Athina Bontigao, Kristen Mei Francisco at Katherine Layno Racaza sa kanilang pagtatapos sa kolehiyo na ginanap sa Glyfada Golf Club nuong July 13, 2011. Ang naturang pagtatapos ay inorganisa nang New York College.

Mula sa Empire State College – State University of New York, USA (SUNY) nagtapos sila Maria Athina Bontigao at Kristen Mei Francisco ng kanilang Bachelor of Arts at Bachelor of Science habang Bachelor of Business Administration naman ang tinapos ni Katherine Layno Racaza sa Institut Universitaire Kurt Bosch, Switzerland (IUKB).

Ang Deputy Vice Chancellor ng University of Greenwich na si Professor Simon Jarvis ang Keynote Speaker at sila Dr Hugh Hammet (Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Services, Empire State College – SUNY) at Dr Trevor Johnson (Lecturer and Special Adviser to Business Programs, IUKB) ang nagbigay ng Graduation Remarks. Ang Student Address naman ay nagmula kay Klaudio Llusku ang Class Valedictorian ng Batch 2011.

March 8, International Women’s Day

Ngayong ika-8 ng Marso, ang buong mundo ay nagbibigay pugay sa lahat ng kababaihan–kinikilala ang kanyang karapatan at kagalingan sa larangan ng ekonomiya, lipunan at pamilya.

Ika-isang daang taon na ang pagdiriwang na ito, mula 1911 hanggang ngayong 2011 magkakaiba man ang lahi, kulay at relihiyon, ang International Women’s Day/Pandaigdigang Araw ng Kababaihan ay sama-sama at sabay-sabay na nagbubunyi sa kalayaan at karapatang patuloy na ipinaglalaban upang makamit ang pantay na pagtingin sa karapatan ng mga kababaihan sa edukasyon, trabaho at sa lipunan. Hangad nito na wakasan na ang diskriminasyong mula sa mundo at sa lipunan na mga kalalakihan ang nananaig.
Hindi maikakaila na ang mga kababaihan sa buong mundo ay bihag pa rin ng kulturang panig sa kalalakihan, mayroon pa ring diskriminasyon — kahit na sa kasalukuyan ay humahawak na ng mga importanteng posisyon sa trabaho, mataas na katungkulan at estado sa lipunan ang mga kababaihan. Mas tinatanggap rin sa trabaho ang mga kalalakihan dahil kakailanganin pang magbigay ng maternal leave at benefits ang kumpanya kapag babae ang kinuha.
Malayo man ito sa simpleng buhay ng ating mga ninunong mga babae noong araw kung saan pinagkaitan sila ng edukasyon, walang karapatang mag-ari ng mga ari-arian at hindi maaring bumoto dahil sa sila ay ipinanganak na babae. Sadyang napakahalaga ng pagkakaroon ng edukasyon, hindi lamang ng mga kababaihan, kundi lahat ng mamamayan, dahil ito ang magmumulat at magbibigay ng kapangyarihan na ipaglaban ang kanilang mga karapatan. At dahil sa ipinakitang katatagan ng mga kababaihan at ang kanilang sama-samang pagkilos ay nakamit nila ang tagumpay na kanilang hinangad at ngayon ay ating nararanasan.

Sa araw na ito, malugod akong bumabati sa lahat ng kababaihan ng isang masaya at mapagpalayang araw para sa ating lahat. Mabuhay ang kababaihan!

Another Filipino Expat in Athens Hotel Industry

By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno

A year after my arrival in Athens, hubby and I found ourselves invited to a reception hosted by Athens’ Classical King George Palace – the hotel right in the center of the city famous for its Greek style antique rooms and neo –classical moldings.  It is right there amongst Athens’ majestic edifices as the Greek Parliament building, nearby Acropolis and the Constitution Square.

I suppose King George has become even more famous after Madonna stayed at the King George’s Royal Penthouse Suite during her concert in Athens in 2008.  The Royal Penthouse Suite is a 350 square meter suite representing the whole 9^th floor. It has a private terrace and private pool, Jacuzzi and a breathtaking view of the Parthenon and the cost is a whopping 10,000 Euros per day.

Little did we know that the reception was actually being held at the Royal Penthouse Suite! And adding to that surprise was the discovery that a young Filipina actually worked there.  It was revealed to us at the fabulous penthouse suite by King George’s gorgeous and amiable Public Relations manager Maria Strati.

The affair was on a winter night sometime in December that we caught a good view of the Parthenon from the magnificent and royalty suite of the Royal Penthouse – we went back inside the luxurious suite because it was getting really chilly and continued our tete-a-tete.  We were informed that the young Filipina lady was not on duty when we inquired again about her.  The former hotel manager (the new manager is a dashing young man with an exceptional resume, Mr Panagiotis Almyratis) told us that the hotel employs staff of different nationalities to better serve and understand their guests.

After about six months, I met the young Filipina lady from King George when she went to the embassy with her sister to renew the latter’s passport.  I got a chance to interview her. 

Mary Ann dela Vega was only 26 at the time of the interview.  I told her to tell me what it is like moving here in Athens.  Mary Ann began with her story; she spent half of her junior year in Greece and went to Hellenic High where she enjoyed her teen life with her new found friends.

Although she had a hard time at first adjusting to the language and culture of the country, she was able to cope up with the way of life and credits her friends and teachers whom she said helped a lot that she breezed through the Greek life and was able to finish high school in 2002.

Thereafter, she enrolled at the Business College of Athens and took up Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Management.  Time passed by so quickly but Mary Ann’s hard work paid off – she graduated in 2007 with a distinct grade of A.

With fresh credentials safely tucked in her pocket, Mary Ann went off to visit her mother in Trikala (a city north west of Athens).  Her mother is a long time Filipino resident in Greece.  While vacationing in her mother’s place, she applied for a job at Chatziagaki Hotel, Pertouli.  It was not hard to land a job in the hotel because Mary Ann was immediately hired as a receptionist at the front desk.  She was happy – as all first timers were – but after a few months, she found her work easy.  Mary Ann said she was looking for a job where in she could apply what she learned in school.  The front desk job was good as a training ground for the next level.

Since Mary Ann had already grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Athens’ city life, she went back to the city and started handing out her resume to several four star hotels.  Mary Ann was called for several interviews but the position offered to her was still at the front desk.  This led to Mary Ann trying her luck with the big five star hotels – her last stop was King George.  After an hour, Mary Ann was called back to King George for an initial interview and an on the spot test.  She passed the two but she still has to be interviewed by the General Manager.  She was hired as Banquet Coordinator.

A year after her entry at King George in 2008, Mary Ann has been moved to another post – more challenging work.  She has been designated as Banquet Executive for three other hotels of the Daskalandonaki Group (which also owns and manages King George).  The three hotels are – the Classical Acropol, 2Fashion House Hotel and the Baby Grand Hotel.

Mary Ann likes being challenged and given higher responsibilities.  She is constantly learning and loving her work.  She expressed happiness to having been given the opportunity to show her capability – especially in this country where Filipinos are mostly known for working in the house.  Being single, Mary Ann earns relatively high pay with the usual hotel perks – ie spa discounts, unlimited use of her cellular phone, bonuses and paid vacations.

In 2009, Mary Ann was made Yield/Revenue Executive by the company. She enjoys the trust and confidence of her superiors in the hotel.  This is another huge responsibility but the remuneration is the least of her concern – at the moment. 

Mary Ann lives in a flat she used to share with her sister Anne Michelle until the latter decided to move to the States.  Anne Michelle works as a receptionist while studying to be a flight attendant.  Since they have a small family, Mary Ann said she and her sister can afford some luxury in life.  She enrolled to pursue a masteral degree in Marketing at the Business College of Athens (a scholarship she had to let go) but decided to concentrate more on her new responsibilities as Yield Executive.

Mary Ann is the youngest child of Rodel and Imelda dela Vega.  Her mother Imelda still lives in Trikala while her father is in Baguio City, Philippines.  Mr dela Vega is a government employee of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Baguio.  Mary Ann is planning to spend her paid vacation to go to Baguio and surprise her father. They have not seen each other since she left the Philippines in 1999.

But for now, Mary Ann has all her focus and energy at work.

Filipino Hairstylist in Greek Setting
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno

Hair & Scissors beauty salon is owned and managed by a Filipino hairstylist, Draude ‘Dojie’ Garcia. Located in Athens hoi polloi district of Ambelokipi, Dojie’s shop sits just right in the middle where thousands of Filipinos working in Greece live. Ambelokipi is about 10 minutes away from the center of Athens at Syntagma Square where the Greek parliament is located.
The number of Filipinos in Greece is estimated to be about 15, 000, of which 10,000 are believed to be residing in Athens and half of that figure, the Filipinos themselves say they reside at Ambelokipi.
Athens is the Greek capital and Athena is its virgin goddess. In Greek mythology, it is written that the Athenians built the Parthenon atop the Acropolis to honor and please her. Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, strength, civilization, war, strategy, crafts, justice and skill. The Greeks, particularly the Athenians, pray to Athena to give them not only wisdom but also ask her for almost everything.
Our Filipino expat like the Athenians is an ardent believer of sort. Dojie is a religious man and is a devotee of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. When he learned in one of his voyages as a seaman that his patron saint is nestled in Tinos, an island of Greece, he literally took it as a sign from heaven that he should permanently settle in Greece. All his life Dojie had been pondering where he would permanently set anchor to start a life in a place where his spiritual needs would also be served. Setting foot on Greek soil he found the answer to his prayers. He felt Greece is the place where his Mother of Perpetual Help wanted him to be. Greece was now Dojie’s home. He never looked back.
Starting a new life in Athens is of course another story, which for Dojie proved to be practically a struggle for existence. Faced with an entirely new culture and a language that he could not speak and understand, Dojie somehow started from somewhere in order to survive. These early struggles made him stronger. His belief and devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and his unrelenting determination to succeed in life in order to be able to provide for the family he left behind in the Philippines kept him going.
An experienced waiter, Dojie took all the waitering jobs he could get hold of. He saved what he earned and could even send some of it to his mother in the Philippines.
But for Dojie, life in Greece was not all about waitering. For him it was much more about the realization of a dream than plain survival. He knew what he wanted in life and so he pursued it. He enrolled in a cosmetology class which he passed and got himself a Greek certificate to practice the profession. He bade waitering goodbye and was now off in haste to pursue his new vocation as a hair stylist.
He went from house to house doing home service from blow drying of hairs to haircuts and hairstyling.
It was in 2007 that Dojie founded his Hair & Scissors salon (where I first met him) when he was only a couple of month’s new to the business. My husband who is the current Philippine Consul General in the embassy needed a haircut then so we were brought to Hair & Scissors Place. Then, he told us of his plans to expand and to offer other services such as massage. He said he needed to be very hands on with this business so that his clientele will be assured that they are getting their money’s worth through hundred percent personal service. Dojie proudly tells me of his loyal patrons who are satisfied with his work that meets the Greeks’ high standards in hair styling.
Three years later, I met Dojie again during the Independence Day festivities with fellow Filipinos at the Zappeio Park. He was in the company of former celebrity star Tina Paner. Enthusiastically he told me about his new ‘sideline’ with Globe Asiatique (GA). He was manning Globe Asiatique’s booth which was teeming with Filipinos lining up to have their photos taken with Tina Paner. There he proudly told me about the realization of his plan to expand his business, a plan that he told me three years earlier. Dojie has built another shop at the district of Pangrati in Athens.
And more good news he gave me. He sold houses for Globe Asiatique worth 12M despite being with the company for 9 months only. He has 10 sales coordinators in Greece. He has 2 in Thessaloniki and another 2 in Crete and the rest are in Athens. GA, he says, trained him to be more focused on work. Over a short span of time with GA, Dojie became computer literate. He devised his program for the whole year for Globe Asiatique in Greece to increase further his sales. GA’s compensation is not as rewarding compared to what he is getting from his salon but he likes though the travel perks that goes with being an agent for GA.
Dojie, a tall guy sporting a long hair, is still single. He is well informed and likes to talk politics. He has no time for the affairs of the heart at the moment, he tells me. He has not forgotten that he has a family back home in the Philippines. The hard work that he puts into his work is not only for himself and his mother but also for his nieces and nephews that are still studying in Manila to whom he sends monthly allowances.
Dojie’s life in Greece indeed has undergone a transformation that has enhanced his self esteem. In Greece he is his own boss who lives a good Athenian life.

Para sa mga Filipino na nasa Greece
Ni: Yoko Ramos-Vingno

Naiulat ni Theori Skarlatos sa pahayagang Athens News nuong Agosto 27 mula sa kanyang pagsasaliksik, na ang mga migrants dito sa Greece ay magkakaroon na ng pagkakataong bumoto sa nalalapit na halalan.
Ang pamahalaan ng Greece ay unti unti nang kinikilala ang mga kontribusyon ng mga immigrants sa lipunan kanilang ginagalawan at pinagsisilbihan. Sila ay mabibigyan na ng pagkakataon na pumili ng mga magiging pinuno ng bansa magkaroon ng boses sa lipunan at makilahok sa paghubog ng pang political/social na pamumuhay. Inadopt ng European Council ang batas mula sa “Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level in 1997” kung saan ang mga migrants na may lima (5) taong legal na paninirahan at pamumuhay ay mabibigyan ng karapatan ng na bumoto at maki-isa sa pang lokal na halalan sa ilalim ng hurisdiksyon ng EU.
Ayon sa bagong pasang batas ng Greece, ang mga legal na naninirahan na may limang taon at mahigit pa at mayroong tamang residence permit ay maaaring magpatala upang makaboto. Ang mga mamamayan ng EU members ay nangangailangan ng registration certificate samantalang ang mga mamamayan na hindi EU member (katulad ng Pilipinas) ay mangangailangan ng lima hanggang 10 taon na residence permit.
Ang proseso na ito ay hindi madali at napakaraming suliranin ang haharapin bago makakuha ng prebelehiyong ito. Si Georgina Bessis, ipinanganak sa UK na nanirahan ng mahigit na tatlumpung (30) taon sa Saronic Gulf island, ay naniniwalang ang isa sa mga kadahilanan kung bakit marami sa mga immigrants ang hindi nakakaalam na maari na silang bumoto ay dahil sa ang mga literature o mga babasahin na tumatalakay sa nasabing usapin ay nasa lenguaheng Greek. Pati ang form o mga papeles na kailangang sagutan ay nasa Greek din. Dahil dito, si Bessis ay gumugol ng maraming panahon at oras at pera upang maisalin sa wikang naiintindihan ng kanyang mga kababayan ang mga importanteng impormasyon upang malaman nila ang mga bagay na ito nang sa gayun ay makapagpasiya sila kung nais nilang makilahok o hindi sa nasabing halalan.
Ang ating kababayan na si Imelda Garcia ay isa sa maraming migrants na nabigyan ng pagkakataon na makaboto sa nalalapit na halalan sa Nobyembre 7. Siya ay may 20 years na naninirahan dito. Isang garment worker sa Kos (isang lugar dito sa Greece) nuong araw si Imelda ngunit ngayon ay nasa domestic work na siya. Kasama ni Imelda ang kanyang anak na nag aaral dito. Lubha niyang ikinatutuwa ang bagong batas na ito ng Greece na kung saan kinikilala ang mga karapatan ng isang migrant worker tulad niya.
Ang Kasapi Hellas ay isang Filipino organization na itinatag ni G. Joe Valencia nuong 1984. Siya din ang president at tagapagsalita ng grupo. Masigasig na ipinaglalaban ni G. Valencia ang karapatan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino na mabigyan ng patas na pribelehiyo dito sa Greece kung saan nakakatulong sila sa ekonomiya ng bansa. Isa si Imelda sa mga tinulungan ni G. Valencia na naisaayos ang mga papeles para sa pagrehistro. Ang iba naman ay tinutulungan niyang makakuha ng residence permits. Dahil sa ang karamihan ng Pinoy dito sa Greece na halos tatlumpung (30) taon na naninirahan ay nabibigyan lamang ng dalawang (2) taong residence permit samantalang ginugol na nila ang kanilang maraming panahon sa pagtatrabaho sa bansang ito.
Ang Prime Minister ngayon na si George Papandreou lamang ang kauna-unahang pinuno ng Greece na kumilala sa mga immigrants na mula sa iba’t ibang lahi. Hinikayat niya ang mga ito na sumali sa kanyang partido – ang PASOK – upang maging ganap ang kanilang pagpasok sa lipunan ng Greece nuong 2005. Ito rin ang nagbigay daan upang sila ay lalong kilalanin ng gobyerno kung kaya’t ngayon nga ay kabilang na sila sa mga botante na kung saan kasali na sila sa pagpili ng mga magiging pinuno ng pamahalaang municipal at local ng bansa.
Ang Interior Minister na si Yiannis Ragousis ay naniniwalang ang hakbang na ito ni PM Papandreou na bigyan nang pagkakataon ang mga immigrants na bumoto sa nalalapit na halalan ay napakalaking kontribyusyon tungo sa pagbabago. Ayon sa talaan ng interior ministry, mahigit labing isang libo katao (11,000) ang nagpatala sa kanila upang makilahok sa nalalapit na municipal at regional na halalan.

Feels like Home … In Athens
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno
It has almost been three years now since my diplomat husband and I arrived here in Athens, Greece in October 2007. How time flies. Fast. Irretrievably. Immersed in a culture all ancient, modern and interesting with a language that is a lot more Greek than any other language. A few Greek words here and there learned through self study committing to memory the Greek alphabet and abusing one’s own eardrums switching on daily to Greek channels, commercials included, and volume turned on to loud.
My hubby and I go through a daily routine of sipping hot coffee and ingesting generous servings of oatmeal mornings on weekdays. Weekends are treats like having fried eggs for breakfast and butter and pate and copious amounts of jam for good measure. Lunch means eating out in our favorite Japanese restaurant Wagamama at the recently built Golden Hall or in our favorite Italian Restaurant at The Mall built during the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Having a ten-month old baby at home has added a new spark and cause of joy to our life. A new flavor, so to speak, that provided the missing ingredient to what otherwise would have been a life run by more and more of official responsibilities with me playing the role of a supportive wife to a diplomat husband. More than the usual chores of keeping house the arrival of our little boy have kept us busy and unusually happy.
After almost three years, Athens is now like home to me, I now being used to the Greek ways, their passion that is Greek most evident when you see and hear them engaged in discourse that makes you want to intervene before they kill each other. Other than that, the Greeks are a warm and hospitable people.
We are indeed lucky to have earned the friendship of our newfound friends, the administrator of our building Major General Dmitri Gedeon and his lovely wife, Eugenia, who treat us like members of their family. Eugenia, fondly known as Jenny to her family and friends, teaches French language having mastered that when her husband was assigned in Belgium. Jenny, an only child, is a strong-willed and well accomplished lady who comes from a very good family. She treats me like a sister. She visited me daily in the hospital when I gave birth to our youngest son. Her equally beautiful mother whom we also call Mitera (mother) is also a strong-willed septuagenarian who lives with her. Mitera indulges in her cigarette everyday – she takes it during breakfast.
Our landlady, Kyria Paraskevi Zagana, a puffer as well, is like a second mother to us. She it was who insisted that I call her in case of emergency, though I wondered how since she only speaks Greek. She lives next to our flat and for three years running brought us Easter bread and dyed red eggs during Easter.
The Fojas’: Dr Helen Marcoyanopoulou-Fojas and Dr Marcos Fojas who introduced to us the importance of a good diet — eating healthy and lots of green salad. Dr Helen Marcoyanopoulou-Fojas shared with us her secret on how to look young, feel healthy and live perfectly well. A well known scientist and cardiologist, Dr Helen treated my husband who was often getting sick and he now is doing quite well.
Dr Pericles Lekoudis my Obstretrician-Gynecologist and his daughter, Eliana – who cared for my son like her own, made sure that I and my son were safe when I gave birth.
The mention of my close Greek friends will not be complete if I did not include several others who certainly have made our stay in Greece pleasant and memorable as well: the friendly staff of Germanos in Golden Hall where I and my husband bought our first iPhones, the friendly attendants of Wagamama and the accommodating staff in Tommy Hilfiger store (also in Golden Hall) and to the other nameless Greeks who graciously made us feel at home in the land of Athina.
The islands: Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. We visited these three islands when we joined the cruise. Though a little bumpy, the boat ride was like an adventure did not spoil at all the fun of visiting exotic places in Greece. Mykonos is lovely and the place very much alive suited especially for young people with a pre-deliction for nightlife!
Santorini got me excited not only because it became famous in Manila because of KC Concepcion’s (female star in the Philippines) film which was shot in the island but also because of the white and blue houses that I have seen only in postcards. Santorini is divine. Tranquil with deep blue waters surrounding the island and a spectacular view of sunset, pretty much suited to newly married couples on honeymoon. Later on I learned that Santorini is host to an active volcano.
Crete did not appeal to me at first – but I was wrong. Crete is rich in history – I Google-d it and found out that it used to be the ‘center of Europe’s first advanced civilization’ and ‘during the World War II, the island was the scene of the famous Battle of Crete!’ We were brought to Knossos where hubby and I were awed by remnants of the buried palace that showed traces of the inhabitants’ advance civilization.
Greece is a wonderful country not just because of Acropolis and its famous islands but also because of its friendly and hospitable people that makes one person’s stay in the country truly memorable and worth keeping in your heart.
Filoxenia. I used to wonder what Greek hospitality really is. Now I know. Greek hospitality makes me feel like I am home.

Philippine School in Greece
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno
“Parents want to give the best of everything to their children and —Education is one of them,” according to Ms. Joanne David. Joanne is the Cultural Officer of the Philippine Embassy Athens in charge of the Philippine School in Greece. “The leaders and members of the different Filipino communities in Athens wanted to have a Filipino school for their children that will be recognized by the Philippine Department of Education.” This dream led to the establishment of the Philippine School in Greece formerly known as KAPHILCA in September 1997.
The Philippine School in Greece (PSG) formerly the Katipunan Philippines Cultural Academy (KAPHILCA) was founded on September 9, 1997. Then Ambassador Norberto R. Basilio presented this Filcom proposal to then President Fidel V. Ramos, who was in Athens for a State Visit in June 1997. President Ramos ordered the release of One and a Half Million Pesos from the President Social Fund and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for the creation of KAPHILCA.
The school is a non-stock and non-profit organization registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board of Trustees elected Dr. Marcos R. Fojas, the first Filipino doctor in Greece, as its President. KAPHILCA’s name was inspired from the Philippine Revolution as the Philippines then was to celebrate the 100th year of its independence the following year. But it was later changed to Philippine School in Greece in accordance with practice to naming of Philippine schools established overseas. President Ramos further expanded the schools program overseas which is now also established in Doha, Oman and Bahrain following the KAPHILCA model.
The Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic has granted the Philippine School in Greece the permit to operate. It is the only Philippine school existing in the European Union.
The first batch of elementary students graduated on June 21, 2003. Later on the school was expanded with the addition of high school curriculum. The school since then has increased its number of enrollees.
The school’s aim is to develop the students’ competencies and equip them with the skills needed to pursue higher studies and provide the foundation for further education towards a career with emphasis on their Filipino identity and culture, to learn about the Philippines and its people.
“The Philippine School in Greece aims to provide affordable and quality education in accordance with the Philippine basic education curricula; provide the Filipino youth in Greece with an education that would contribute to shaping their Filipino identity and character; and to maintain required standards to ensure that those enrolled in its education programs can be readily integrated into the Philippine educational system on their return to the Philippines.”

The New ‘old’ Art
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno

This painter is a lover of the ‘old’ art – the lost art of Rembrandt and Luna. He lives by the chiaroscuro principle and believes that the “light is the source of life and can be more appreciated if seen in the deepest darkness.” He is awed by the great masters of the Baroque period.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is one of the greatest painters and printmakers of the European art history. Juan Luna, a political activist of the Philippine Revolution, was the first Filipino painter to be given recognition with his masterpiece, the Spolarium. Spolarium was Juan Luna’s entry to the Exposicion Nacional del Bellas Artes in 1884 and was awarded with three gold medals. Juan Luna gained recognition among the connoisseurs and art critics – and placed the Philippines on the map.
The subject painter is Rey Gaid Manginsay who pays great reverence to the works of Rembrandt and Juan Luna. He believes that the lost ‘old’ art is once again given a new life by a new generation of art enthusiasts the arriere-garde. Arriere-garde is the opposite of Avant-garde. Avant-garde is modern art. Rey who is a stickler for the “old masters” considers himself and his paintings under this new genre.
The painter Rey is also a multi-awarded Advertising Man – known as ‘Bobot’ in the advertising industry in the early 1980s. The AdMan Rey has mastered the craft of visual communications under the British advertising gurus who trained him. Rey learned the basics at the University of the Philippines-Diliman at the College of Fine Arts majoring in Painting before shifting to Visual Communications. For more than 20 years, Rey has been creating world-class advertising from small accounts such as toothpicks to big ones like jumbo jets.
Rey has won 18 major International Awards and was finalist in various advertising competitions in the Philippines and abroad. His name is the only Filipino entry in the 72nd ART Directors Annual circa 1992. Rey has gone to places like Italy, Morocco and the Middle East and worked for top Advertising agencies. The Philippines first gold award in international advertising was courtesy of Rey for a TV ad he conceptualized with a chiaroscuro treatment.
Rey re-branded himself in the new millennium, year 2000 and focused on his painting. Rey adopted his nickname ‘Bai’ which was given to him by his colleagues at ace/Saatchi&Saatchi Phils since he is Cebuano-speaking. Since then, his paintings would bear his ‘BAI’ signature on canvass.
Bai’s demeanor is simple. He is an accomplished man living a simple life. He exudes confidence and passion. His colleagues speak highly of him and his work has earned recognition. Bai’s earlier paintings were that of the Avant-garde types but doing so created a void in his heart. Despite the solo exhibits when the Avant-garde was the in thing, Bai rode the tide and kept painting but the inner stirrings he felt inside told that something was missing.
In the place where he calls home, ‘Bai’ is now back in Davao City, one of the most progressive cities in Mindanao south of the Philippines where he pursues painting with renewed passion. Davao has brought Bai inner peace that he has sought for a long time. Thereat he found his way back to his first ‘old’ love – brushing his canvass with the gentle ’old’ strokes of the chiaroscuro discipline.
He considers his painting of the Pope, Joseph Alois Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI as one of his favorites. This painting is in the Vatican – Pope Benedict XVI (oil on canvass 24×30). His painting of the Pope was ‘reproduced,’ framed and sold to patrons in Davao and Manila. The proceeds were used for the construction of a church in Davao City.
Not a Catholic — Bai accepted the commission to do work on the Pope as he saw the work as ‘an artistic challenge for a serious painter.’ Bai’s painting of the Pope brought him to the path of doing similar works as his paintings now dwells on subjects that he says draw himself nearer to his God. According to him this is his way of glorifying and honoring his creator.
Most recently Bai has started with the Psalms and Proverbs series.

A Pinoy Hilton
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno
Spring has finally arrived in Athens, unquestionably the season I love the most, with its mild chilly air driving away the heat of the sun bringing along with it scents of pine and orange as they brush against my warm cheeks in my early morning walks in the park.
Springtime for me evokes re-birth. Freshness. A new beginning. Where flowers spring forth aided by sunshine bloom at their best attracting and appreciated by a variety of audience from butterflies to humans.
Nice for our little baby boy experiencing his first taste of spring, his attention drawn to the sound of birds chirping and the sights of flowers providing a kaleidoscope of colors as they give context of happiness to the strollers enjoying their promenade in the park.
My hubby and I have always looked forward to weekends to enjoy springtime especially now that we have a baby. For us going out would mean lunching out. Nearby Acropolis is one of our favorites where lunch would usually include a long stroll and stretches of window shopping around the area to explore and try the specialties of the cluster of restaurants and coffee shops. The expressions of tourists as they take their poses for their souvenir shots of Athens and their haggling with storeowners for souvenirs are a joy to watch.
In one of our weekend forays, a lunch invite from a friend which we accepted with alacrity brought us to Athens Hilton Hotel, a 5-star hotel located in the center of Athens. The hotel’s façade is quite simple but very impressive after you passed through its revolving glass door to be welcomed by a huge lobby decorated with modern and stylish furnishings and contemporary designs.
A young Greek lady receptionist welcomed us at the Milos Restaurant located on the lower ground floor where she quickly ushered us to the area of gourmet Greek cuisine.
That in itself is not the story but the introduction to the life of Imelda, Filipino expat working at Milos Restaurant as a waitress since it opened during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Imelda Gadingan Berzabal got her job at The Athens Hilton Hotel when Greece offered jobs to large number of foreign workers whose services were vital for the country that was hosted the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. Imelda believes the foreign workers who were given jobs for the 2004 Summer Olympics greatly contributed to the success of Greece’s hosting of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Imelda proudly tells us about naming his son after the Hotel chain – Hilton – as a sign of appreciation and loyalty to her current employer that gave her the first real opportunity of employment. Her present job at Athens Hilton Hotel provided her not only family stability but also financial and emotional stability.
Imelda didn’t know she was pregnant when she started working at Milos restaurant. She recalls of her hiring as straightforward. The manager simply asked her previous work experience and hired her on the spot. Milos opened a few months before the Athens Olympics. Imelda was assigned in the coffee station where she learned the different varieties and types of coffee and tea. She was the in-house ‘barista’ of Milos for 3 years until she got her promotion. Imelda said she enjoyed her work very much because most of their regulars were politicians and from the upper class society of Greece. And they love her, she added. Most of her patrons would ask about Hilton and they give generous gratuity.
Imelda and her husband of twenty five years, Alex Berzabal, are both from Ilocos Sur. Imelda is a Candonian. The Berzabal couple has three children; they are Leah (25 years old), RoseAnn (17 years old), and Hilton (6 years old). Leah joined her parents in 2006 after finishing high school. RoseAnn, born in Athens, was brought back by the couple to the Philippines to live with Imelda’s parents since both of them were working for a Greek family. Awfully missing her young daughter, Imelda looks forward to RoseAnn re-joining them in Greece to complete the family. Imelda narrated sadly that Roseann recently graduated from high school and is very eager to join her family.
The only boy and the youngest, Hilton, was born prematurely on September 11, 2004. Only 7 months pregnant, Imelda’s blood pressure went up so the doctors at the Alexandras Hospital decided to deliver the baby via caesarian section. Hilton was incubated for 39 days. Imelda and Hilton’s medical expenses amounted to about six thousand euros. Thankfully, her IKA (Greek health insurance) paid for her medical bill. Hilton is now a healthy young boy. He is turning six years old this year and is in the Greek Prep school. Hilton is conversant in both Greek and Ilocano.
Imelda’s story as a Filipino expatriate began on the eve of December 26, 1988. She flew to Athens to work as a household staff. In those times, work in Greece can be easily obtained through agencies and a lot of Ilocanos joined the bandwagon. She found work in the house of rich and affluent Greek families. She worked hard not wavering a bit from her ultimate goal of getting her husband Alex to join her. She had worked as a baby sitter and did other odd jobs and then went back to being an all around household staff.
In just two years of real hard work, Imelda succeeded in having her husband Alex join her in 1990 but had to leave behind their daughter Leah. Finally re-united, the couple wasted no time working as a team for wealthy Greek families who needed household help like Imelda and Alex.
Imelda and her husband Alex share a common goal which is to ensure a sustainable future for their three children. She also thought of the well being of her other siblings and found a way of bringing her sisters to Greece. In 2006, Imelda was re-united with her daughter Leah after she graduated from high school in the Philippines. Leah is now working and earning her own keeps.
Working in a hotel is quite demanding but manageable, says Imelda. Now she has more time for her family after her duty at Milos and spends quality time with his baby boy Hilton. Imelda projects an aura of a happy person. She speaks proudly of her job at Milos Restaurant. She says Athens Hilton pays her well. And since husband Alex and Leah daughter are also working, they are planning to buy a house here in Athens. “We have enough savings” adding that she gets more excited to getting her weekly share of tips because they are higher than her pay check. At least she now has extra money to splurge on her little Pinoy Hilton.