Educator-journo Pangilinan: “We must strive to make our community aware of their ‘roots, rights, responsibilities.”

New York - Educator journalist Noel Pangilinan was honored the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Filipino American National Historical Society - Metro New York in the 2025 Filipino American History Month celebration on October 11, 2025 at the Queens Museum.

Pangilinan is an adjunct professor of the University of Mount Saint Vincent at the Department of Languages and Literatures where he teaches Filipino language, literature, and history. He also taught at Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, and CUNY-Hunter College. He is a senior lecturer at the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey.

Educator-journalist Noel Pangilinan

Pangilinan is a member of the Filipino American Press Club of New York and was a senior editor of the Asian American Writers Workshop.

Other awardees included Lisa Angulo-Reid, Potri Ranka Manis, Rena Pedaria, Clifford Robin Temprosa, Dr. Michael Salgarolo, and artists Maureen Catbagan and Jevijoe Vitug.

The Filipino American History Month is celebrated on the month of October. The US Senate was the first to act, passing S.Res. 298 on October 1, 2009, introduced by Sen. Harry Reid with bipartisan co-sponsors, which recognized October as Filipino American History Month. The U.S. House followed on November 2, 2009, with H.Res. 780, introduced by Rep. Bob Filner.

Pangilinan: “We must keep on looking back to our past, so that we will be able to build a better future. This award is not just about me. This award is a recognition of the urgent need for us to act as cultural bridges linking our Filipino legacy to the present and future Filipinos and Filipino Americans.”

This is Noel Pangilinan’s full acceptance speech:

Maraming salamat po sa mga pinuno at kasapi ng Filipino American National Historical Society Metro New York Chapter. Malaking karangalan po na mabigyan ng Lifetime Achievement Award ng isang prestihiyoso at iginagalang na institusyon tulad ng F-A-N-H-S Metro New York Chapter.

To the officers and members of Filipino American National Historical Society Metro New York, thank you so much. It is a great honor to be recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by such a prestigious and highly respected institution. My deepest gratitude to F-A-N-H-S Metro New York for recognizing the work that I do as a teacher of Philippine language, history and culture, as an editor for Asian American writers, and as an advocate for Filipino heritage and Filipino rights and welfare.

I am humbled, actually. Because I have always admired the F-A-N-H-S. I appreciate your commitment in making not just our community, but the larger American society itself, aware of the history, trials and triumphs, the struggles and aspirations of our people here in our adopted country. For me, the F-A-N-H-S is a rock star in in its role as keepers of the collective memory of our community, of our people.

Now this role gains utmost importance in these times when power is being used with impunity against those who seemed powerless and vulnerable. I am tempted to quote Czechoslovakian writer Milan Kundera, who, in 1978 said: “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.”

But we do not have to go far. Meron naman tayo, an -often repeated quote from our national hero, Jose Rizal. “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”

“They who do not look back to where they came from, will never reach their destination.”

We must keep on looking back to our past, so that we will be able to build a better future.

This award is not just about me. This award is a recognition of the urgent need for us to act as cultural bridges linking our Filipino legacy to the present and future Filipinos and Filipino Americans. As we always emphasize when I was with the Philippine Forum: “We must strive to make members of our community aware of their ‘roots, rights, and responsibilities.”

I have always wanted to join the F-A-N-H-S Metro New York chapter. But I’m afraid that I am not good enough for your prestigious society. Now that you have recognized me with a Lifetime Achievement Award, I think I’m ready.

As we say in Filipino: “Humanda kayo!”

To all my fellow awardees tonight, congratulations! Mabuhay!