Testimonies

MORE members of this year’s delegation from the Filipino-American Law Enforcement Officers Association (Faleo) and Philippine Exchange Training (PET) team share experiences of giving back and coming home to their roots.

San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Officer Francis Feliciano, Sr.

“In 2010, I was invited by Lieutenant Eric Quema to join the group and I fell in love with it the organization. That year was both a great and a bad year for me— great because I was invited to be part of this wonderful program, but bad because I lost my dad also in 2010. Still I’m thankful, the team became a way for me to come home, see my dad and spend some time with him after so many before he passed away four months later.”

Feliciano is originally from Morong, Rizal and migrated to the United States when he was just eight years old. Inspired by the work of Feleo, he went beyond volunteering in 2011 and started a scholarship program out of his own pocket for deserving students in Philippine public schools, which Faleo has now established as a continuing project.

Retired SFPD Officer Ferdinand Dimapasoc

“I was born in the rural town of San Pascual, Batangas, and lived in a simple bamboo house with no running water or electricity before moving to San Francisco at seven years old. Being here, it gives me a sense of gratitude and appreciation to serve with my brothers in the police force. It warms my heart that I am able to give back to my motherland and the PNP. From here on, I can say I will continue to do this”

Immediately after graduating from high school in the US, Dimapasoc served as a man in uniform, first with the Marine Corp, the Sheriff ’s Department and finally as police officer. He retired from the police force in2017.

San Jose Police Department Retired Officer Pierre Oliver Vida

“When Lt. Quema first invited me to do PET in 2010, I was not fully into it yet. Finally this year, I decided to join them. It’s a great program and I’d say it’s very well balanced. In doing police work, sometimes you get a little bit calloused due to the things that you see, which are not the greatest, so PET gives us a nice outlet away from the difficult demands of our jobs.”

Born in Parañaque, the young Vida moved to the Bay Area in California with his family in 1982. He entered law enforcement in 1995 first as a reserved officer and eventually as a full- fledged police officer.

SFPD Officer Peter Kent de Jesus

“Because I was born and raised here in Manila, the experience of doing PET in my city feels greater. Now, I have my supportive wife and our two kids here with me and joining the outreach activities of PET, like giving school supplies to other children. The appreciation we get from the beneficiaries gives our family incomparable joy.”

Working in law enforcement for 12 years now, de Jesus has always dreamt of becoming a policeman. So when his family migrated to US, then 16- year- old de Jesus already knew the path he wanted to pursue and is proud to be San Francisco police officer.