Third Post - Nicanor Florendo Joaquin

BIOGRAPHY OF NICANOR FLORENDO JOAQUIN

I WAS BORN DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION. MY PARENTS ARE DONATO SR., A LAWYER, AND ELISA FLORENDO, AN ENGLISH AND DRAMA TEACHER FROM BAUANG, LA UNION. I AM THE THIRD OF 5 SIBLINGS--THE NEGLECTED ONE. MY OLDEST BROTHER IS RUDY, SECOND BROTHER IS DONATO JR., THIRD BROTHER IS DOEL (COMBINATION OF DONATO AND ELISA), AND THE ONLY GIRL SIBLING IS ELIZABETH.

SUMMER IN BAUANG, LA UNION:
MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF BAUANG WAS THE SUMMER OF 1958, WHEN PERLA NIGUIDULA, LECTI RABOR AND I WERE THE YOUNG ONES OF THE CENTURY. OUR YOUNGER COUSIN, JOY FLORENDO WAS THE RICH COUSIN WHO COULD AFFORD TO PLAY THE JUKE BOX AND TREAT US WITH HALO-HALO COSTING 10 CENTAVOS EACH.

MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE PHILIPPINES:
I TOOK MY PRE-MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDS, I STOPPED FOR ONE YEAR. I JOINED UNCLE JOE RABOR IN EXPEDITIONS TO THE SOUTH OF THE PHILIPPINES. THEN I ENROLLED AT FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE. ON MY THIRD YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL, MY FATHER DONATO SR. DIED OF A STROKE. MY MOTHER, ELISA BECAME THE SOLE BREADWINNER. SHE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER DURING THE DAY AND IN THE EVENINGS, SHE WAS SELLING INSURANCE AND MAKING BRACELETS TO ADD TO OUR FINANCES. I HAD TO SIGN A PROMISORY NOTE BEFORE I COULD TAKE MY FINAL EXAMINATIONS.

MY INTERNSHIP WAS AT BROKENSHIRE HOSPITAL IN DAVAO CITY. I LEARNED HOT TO SPEAK VISAYAN. LITTLE DID I KNOW THEN THAT WHEN I MOVED TO HAWAII, I WILL BE USING ILOCANO, TAGALOG AND VISAYAN. I WORKED AT HOSPITAL NG MAYNILA FOR ONE YEAR, THEN I BECAME AN INTERISLAND SHIP PHYSICIAN.

UNITED STATES HERE I COME!
MY MOTHER, ELISA PETITIONED ME AND I CAME TO BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. I DID MY TRAINING IN INTERNAL MEDICINE AT MERCY HOSPITAL, AND SENIOR RESIDENCY AT FRANKLIN SQUARE HOSPITAL. I GOT MARRIED TO A GIRL I MET IN NEW YORK IN BALTIMORE. SHE MISCARRIED OUR FIRST BABY. THEN WE HAD 4 CHILDREN--NICOLE WAS BORN IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND AND OUR NEXT 3 CHILDREN--NOELANI, TOREY AND ALEXI WERE ALL BORN IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.

ALOHA:
WHEN I ARRIVED IN HAWAII, I FIRST WORKED AT KAISER PERMANENTE, THEN I STARTED MY OWN PRACTICE. I THOUGHT I HAD A PERFECT MARRIAGE. I WORKED REAL HARD. I DID NOT SMOKE NOR GAMBLE. AND I WENT TO CHURCH REGULARLY. THEN I GOT DIVORCED. DURING OUR DIVORCE, MY EX-WIFE TOOK MY 4 YOUNG CHILDREN AWAY TO THE PHILIPPINES.

I JOINED A FELLOWSHIP GROUP AT CENTRAL UNION CHURCH CALLED EDGE OF ADVENTURE. I POURED MY HEART OUT AND TOLD THEM THAT MY CHILDREN WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. THEN ON ONE OF OUR SESSIONS, THE GROUP LEADER TOLD US ABOUT THEIR BRILLIANT DAUGHTER, AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 19 RECENTLY DIED OF CANCER. I FELT SO ASHAMED. I WAS COMPLAINING TO GOD ABOUT MY PLIGHT AND YET I KNEW MY CHILDREN WERE TAKEN CARED OF IN THE PHILIPPINES.

NEW LIFE, NEW WIFE:
AFTER A YEAR, I AGAIN FELL IN LOVE WITH MY WIFE, IMELDA. SHE IS A NUTRITION GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS AND AN ILOCANA. WE HAVE THREE CHILDREN--NICHOLAI, MA. DONELIZA (COMBINATION OF DONATO AND ELISA) AND DESIREE.

WHEN MY FOUR OLDER CHILDREN CAME BACK FROM THE PHILIPPINES, WE ALL TRAVELLED TOGETHER EVERY TWO YEARS, DURING THE SUMMER. WE HAVE GONE TO DISNEYLAND A FEW TIMES, SAN DIEGO AND LAS VEGAS. WE ALSO WENT ON A CRUISE ON THE BIG RED BOAT (DISNEY) FROM DISNEYWORLD IN FLORIDA TO THE BAHAMAS. OUR LAST TRIP TOGETHER WAS IN EUROPE (LONDON, PARIS AND ROME). THE CHILDREN BONDED WELL DURING OUR TRAVELS. LATER ON THE KIDS WERE LEAVING US ONE BY ONE, PURSUING THEIR OWN DREAMS AND AMBITIONS. AND WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO THE VISITS MAKE--RECITALS, GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS, AND ESPECIALLY THEIR COMING BACK HOME EVEN JUST TO VISIT.

I AM A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII,AND PRESENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF BAYANIHAN CLINIC WITHOUT WALLS (NEW IMMIGRANTS WITHOUT MEDICAL INSURANCE ARE SEEN IN OUR MEDICAL OFFICES FREE OF CHARGE). I AM STILL ACTIVE WITH THE CENTRAL UNION CHURCH CHOIR AND SILANGAN SINGERS CULTURAL FILIPINO GROUP.

I AM THE ONLY PHYSICIAN TO BE INDUCTED AS ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR(2005), SPONSORED BY THE PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HAWAII. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ENTERED AS PARENTS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS FOR 2009, SPONSORED BY THE PHILIPPINE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION OF HAWAII.

ONE OF MY MANY HOBBIES IS TAKING AND COLLECTING PICTURES OF MY FAMILY. I HAVE A ROOM BUILT BY OUR SWIMMING POOL TO STORE ALL THESE PICTURE ALBUMS AND VIDEOTAPES. MY OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BOBY BUILDING, JOGGING, GOLF (I HAVE IMPROVED!), PLAYING THE PIANO AND SINGING.

MY FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE TRAVELLING WITH MY WIFE, IMELDA FOR 7-10 DAYS, 2-3X A YEAR. I WILL EVENTUALLY CUT DOWN MY WORKING HOURS FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY ONLY THEN MAYBE AFTER 2 YEARS, JUST WORK 3X A WEEK.

LUCKY SEVEN PLUS THREE

NICHOLEETE (NIKKI) SKALUBA - BARNARD COLLEGE, NEW YORK--DOUBLE MAJOR IN BIOLOGY AND
FILM DIRECTING. SEATTLE UNIVERSITY-- COLLEGE OF LAW. NOW DOING PRIVATE LAW PRACTICE IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.

NOELANI (NOE) TILLERY - HIGHLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SEATTLE, WA.--NURSING. NOW AN EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

TOREY JOAQUIN - SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, SEATTLE, WA. - CRIMINAL JUSTICE. NOW AN OFFICER IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST FEDERAL PRISONS IN WASHINGTON STATE.

ALEXI JOAQUIN - SEATTLE UNVERSITY, SEATTLE, WA. - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.NOW WORKS FOR HAWAII TELCOM CREDIT UNION AND A REALTOR IN HONOLULU, HI.

NICHOLAI JOAQUIN - NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK--DOUBLE MAJOR IN CLASSICAL VOICE AND ANTHROPOLOGY, SUMMA CUM LAUDE. NOW EMPLOYED WITH NEW YORK POPS,NYC.

MA. DONELIZA (BUBBA) JOAQUIN - FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK--SENIOR MAJORING IN URBAN STUDIES. DEAN'S LIST.

DESIREE JOAQUIN - CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY - PORTLAND OREGON-- 1ST AND 2ND YEAR COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, MANOA - JUNIOR, ELEM. EDUCATION MAJOR.

I HAVE 3 GRANDCHILDREN. THEY CALL ME PAPA NICK. THEY ARE THE TILLERY
KIDS: AIKO-7; POMAIKAI-5, AND KEKOA-2 YEARS OLD.

IT HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY WITH UPS AND DOWNS. I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO TATANG, NANANG, UNCLES, AUNTIES, COUSINS AND MY FAMILY FOR THE JOS AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE FLORENDO CLAN.