Editor’s Notes
By Marivir R. Montebon
New York – At least there were two take-aways during the debut episode of the FilAm-led Issues & Inspiration digital show: hope for a path to citizenship for American dreamers (beneficiaries of the Deferred Action on Child Arrivals) and inspiration from a bubbly bi-racial child who can pull off Philippine and English songs.
Atty. Licelle Cobrador opined that under the upcoming Biden administration, dreamers may see a brighter future of being able to stay put in the US, with a road to citizenship opened for them. But things remain to be seen as to how the Republican-led Senate and Democrat-controlled Lower House will create immigration reforms.
Meanwhile, Trinity Hope Bosley, from Maryland, was pure delight in her singing of folk songs Pakitong Kitong and Waray-waray. She was sweetest too with her song America.
Hours before the launch of this digital baby, I was jittery. It happens when I am more on the uncertain side of myself, when the undertaking is new. New it was indeed, co-hosting a show and doing the technical administration as well. The antithesis of focus.
But the show started promptly at 7 PM EST and 4PM PST, live on Facebook. Lovely friend and co-host Grace Labaguis dazzled with her smile as we opened the show. She’s in Jersey City and I in New York City.
In the third frame, one sees little Trinity crawling and making funny faces as we charged early through the night. It was a glitch.
On my dashboard, I could not remove Trinity from the live stream for her icon was covered by so many other icons. Oh well, my heart was pounding, feeling frantic and helpless inside my bedroom studio.
Nonetheless, the first topic on immigration prospects was tackled by Atty. Cobrador. She had earlier agreed to an interview with me at Gantry Park one summer afternoon. We produced a nine-minute interview that we aired during the debut episode.
Issues & Inspiration is co-produced by OSM! Online Magazine and Synergy Production and Marketing in partnership with the Pinoy Radio Network and the Women’s Immigration and Communications Cafe. It debuted on November 28, 2020 with a modest viewership of more than 500 from New York, New Jersey, Nevada, California, and Cebu.
The segment with five-year-old Trinity Hope and her mom Imelda was fun and engaging. Endearing Trinity spoke to us in Tagalog, with the respectful address of po and opo that drew the attention of our audience.
Her message to young children is to help their parents and to be kind.
Mommy Imelda, a native of Pampanga, got positive remarks from the audience for teaching her daughter Philippine language. “Language is important. Kaya tinuruan ko na siya noon baby pa. I wanted her to know about our culture and traditions. Kung uuwi siya sa Pilipinas, maki-pag-usap at makipaglaro na siya sa mga bata.”
Asked how she taught Trinity Filipino, she said she sings Filipino songs to her at night which she surprisingly mimics a few days later. “Kinakausap ko rin siya ng Tagalog. Pag hindi siya nag-Tatagalog, di ko siya sinasagot.” That was smart.
Watch the show live streamed on Facebook here. https://fb.watch/256MQqNapk/
Finally, we raffled off two prizes for our audience who could tell us our full names as hosts and the time and day we will be airing. Mayette Ocampo and Sockie Laya Smith won a Panasonic digital camera and a Chrome IPod mini, respectively.
The one hour show went well as planned.
Grace Labaguis wrote on her Facebook page: “I had a great time co-hosting the pilot episode of Issues & Inspiration last night with my colleague and good friend, Marivir Montebon! It was a unique experience live-streaming for the first time and it feels good to learn and have fun at the same time! 🥰Thank you to our friends and family for their love & support; to our audience and guests, Atty. Licelle Cobrador and Little Trinity Bosley with Mommy Imelda Leiza Antoc for sharing their time and talent with us. We had some technical glitches, but we take it as less of a problem and more of an opportunity to make it better. Maraming Salamat Po and we hope to see you again at the show! ❤️🙏🏽”
I was grateful and glad that we pulled through. We had a fantastic audience, coming from Cebu, Nevada, and the East Coast. Till next Saturday, loves. #
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