Filipina-American activist Ester Soriano was laid to rest last Saturday. April 19, 2008 at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California Ester, who passed away last April 3, 2008, three day short of her 62nd birthday. was one of the founders of the National Committee for the Restoration of Civil Liberties in the Philippines (NCRCLP) in San Francisco in 1972. On the very weekend that martial law was declared by dictator Marcos in Philippines. A SERVICE OF CELEBRATION was held at the First AME Church of Los Angeles at 2270 South Harvard Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90018 at 10:00 AM last Saturday, April 19, 2008. Thousands of people from all walks of life, professions and races attended the service.
Ester Soriano, Filipina Community Activist, 62
Los Angeles— Filipina-American activist Ester Soriano was laid to rest last Saturday. April 19, 2008 at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California
Ester, who passed away last April 3, 2008, three day short of her 62nd birthday. was one of the founders of the National Committee for the Restoration of Civil Liberties in the Philippines (NCRCLP) in San Francisco in 1972. On the very weekend that martial law was declared by dictator Marcos in Philippines.
A SERVICE OF CELEBRATION was held at the First AME Church of Los Angeles at 2270 South Harvard Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90018 at 10:00 AM last Saturday, April 19, 2008. Thousands of people from all walks of life, professions and races attended the service.
Glowing Tributes
California Speaker Karen Bass called her “ a fighter against racism and for social justice.” Another legislator,California Senator Ridely-Thomas called her “ An outstanding California who pioneered dispute resolution in the state”
Dr. Enrique Dela Cruz called her an “intrepid and brave woman who led the NCRCLP chapter and the anti-martial law forces effectively in Los Angeles”
Her three sons called themselves “Ester sons” and vowed to be the sons of their Filipina mother” and will ever not only knowing but understanding”.
The Filipina Fighter
Ester Soriano-Hewitt headed the NCRCLP Chapter in Los Angeles . To her credit, the Los Angeles chapter stood out and remained the only standing chapter of the NCRCLP in the United States. This is because of the pressure of the USA-Marcos dictatorship. She recruited notable personalities like Dr. Enrique and Prosy Dela Cruz, Eric Lachica and countless others.
Under Ester’s able leadership they led the NCRCLP and the APC to countless demonstrations and rallies in front of the LA Philippine consulate against the US-Marcos-dictatorship until it was toppled in February 1986. She later become a leader of the Alliance for Philippine Concerns (APC).
Ester, the Community Activist
She never stopped working for the good of the Filipino American community. As a community activist. she also helped established Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) drug prevention program with Uncle Roy Morales and also the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP).
She became the foreperson in the jury of the Rodney King trial. She also help initiate the Dispute Resolution program of the LA county after the LA riots of 1992.
Her comrades in the Filipino American community, with the former APC and in the field of international solidarity paid a final tribute to her by singing the Philippine hymn”BAYAN KO’ during the service.
Ester Soriano was born in Santa Paula. California in April 6, 1946, a daughter of a Filipino immigrant farm worker. She died on April 3, 2008. She married a Black-Panther activist who died 12 years ahead of her.
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) pays tribute to a great fighter for social justice, freedom, the Filipino people and international solidarity.