By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© Journal Group Link International)

Two Filipino-American Community Leaders Win in Tuesday’s Election in Illinois 

C HICAGO (jGLi) – Two Filipino Americans – a doctor of medicine and veteran community organizer – were among the winners in the local-government consolidated elections last April 5 in Cook County, Illinois.

Incumbent Skokie Park District Commissioner and Vice President Jerry B. Clarito was re-elected to a six-year term as commissioner, collecting 1,002 votes or 47.99% of the total votes along with incumbent Skokie Park Commissioner and President Mike Reid, who tallied 1,081 votes of 51.77% after the counting of votes from 51 of 51 precincts. They ran unopposed.

On the other hand, Dr. David P. Calimag, in his first attempt to run for an elective post, was elected to a two-year term as a Trustee of suburban Morton Grove Village Library by getting 1,530 votes or 57.84% in a two-man race.

Doctor Calimag led three other candidates in his ticket, who were elected to a six-year term as Trustees of Morton Grove Village Library. The winners were Catherine M. Peters, who got 1,829 votes or 23.77%; Paul A. Berg, 1,774 votes or 23.06%, and Mark R. Albers, 1,734 votes or 22.54%.

Both positions of commissioner and trustee are unpaid.

Dr. Calimag, 63, a native of Tuguegarao, Cagayan, is a neurologist and president of Cagayan Valley Circulo Chicago for about five years. He retired as neurologist from Stroger Cook County hospital after 26 years on the job. But he still practices in several hospitals.

He was inspired to run for elective position following his appointment as environmental health commissioner of Morton Grove in 2009, a position that he holds until 2012.

Dr. Calimag said he hopes his election will raise the visibility of the Asian-American community in the village. He would have run for the six-year term but he decided to run in the available two-year term position. “I want to go further, you know,” as he eyes running for a park commissioner or a village trustee.

E-books and E-readers Accessible from the Internet, Not a New Library Building

W hen asked why members in his non-partisan ticket won handily in the election, Dr. Calimag, a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, said, “Well, with the four of us making up the majority of the seven-man trustees, we will now be running the show and be able to stop the three incumbent trustees from building a new $22-million to $30-million library. “We don’t have this kind of money. Where are we going to get this money? Get a loan? No way! The last time I heard, there is no Bill Gates living in our village.”

“What we need are e-books and e-readers accessible from the Internet, not a new building,” he added.

Jerry Clarito is a veteran Chicago-area community leader, who served as Commissioner of the Skokie Human Relations Commission for six years before running as Skokie Park District commissioner. A son of a World War II Filipino veteran, Clarito is in the forefront in the advocacy for Filipino veteran benefits issues.

A Systems & Finance supervisor at Chicago area Lutheran General Hospital day-care center, Clarito holds a Bachelor’s degree in business economics and holds a graduate certificate in healthcare management from North Park University.

He is also the executive director of Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment.

The Skokie Park District, a municipal corporation created to acquire and maintain parks, is an agency, which serves more than 64,000 residents of suburban Skokie, Illinois. It protects natural resources, preserves historical sites or provides thousands of unique recreational opportunities within its more than 240 acres of parkland.

It offered a multitude of quality programs since 1928, according to Mark Schneiderman, Skokie Park District executive director. It has an annual budget of $13-million that comes from tax receipts and fees from registrations, facility user fees and rentals. It has 78 full-time salaried employees.

Its board is composed of five commissioners that elects from among themselves a president and a vice president. Its board holds regular meeting on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Board Room at the Weber Leisure Center, 9300 Weber Park Place or at such other date and time the Board may set.

On the other hand, the Morton Grove Public Library serves as informational, educational and recreational needs of the Morton Grove community by acquiring and maintaining high quality materials, programs and services within comfortable facilities, with emphasis on information which is of immediate relevance and interest; and in a manner commensurate with responsible fiscal planning. The Library’s mission extends to providing access to the universe of information and beyond.

Library trustees meet on the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Estelle Cooperman Board Room of Morton Grove Public Library at 6140 Lincoln Avenue, Morton Grove. It has a budget of $3-million with 59 employees, according to Library Administrative Assistant Blanche Miyamoto. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at:  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)