FRIDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2010 11:37 CYNTHIA DE CASTRO | AJPRESS LOS ANGELES
George Gange (right) receives a Presidential Award from PNoy
Indeed for Gange, one award is truly not enough. For this most accomplished and successful Pinoy has received so many awards, plaques and commendations in his life that speak volumes about the kind of person he is.
One of the recipients of the 2010 Philippine Presidential Awards, George was given the Banaag Award by President Noynoy Aquino last Dec 14 in Malacanang Palace. The Banaag Award is conferred on Filipino individuals or associations for their contributions which have significantly benefited a sector or community in the Philippines, or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. Gange was also a recipient of the 2010 Geny Lopez Jr Bayaning Pilipino award and the Dr. Jose Rizal Community Hero Award.
Currently the Airport Commissioner of San Jose California, where he has lived for over 30 years, George Gange is a retired officer from the United States Navy. In his 21 years of dedicated US Naval service, George assumed various positions from Mess Cook, Plane Captain, Journeyman Controller, Facility Watch Supervisor, Facility FAA Examiner, Training and Standardization Supervisor, Tower/Radar Manager until he became the Leading Chief Petty Officer in charge of 40 plus other navy controllers at the Air Traffic Control Division of Naval Air Station Moffett Field, Ca.
In 1983, he was selected as the NAS Moffett Field Sailor of the Year and represented Commander Patrol Wings Pacific as its candidate for the worldwide USN Admiral Pirie Air Traffic Controller of the Year and Shore Sailor of the Year Competitions. This was a result of Gange’s displaying highly skilled Air Traffic Controller traits in the performance of his responsibilities as a Controller and Facility Watch Supervisor. He was also instrumental in the prevention of four separate documented aircraft accidents, thereby saving lives and material resources for the US government.
After retiring from the Navy, he then worked for the USPS in several Bay Area cities for over 14 years, and received commendations from the cities of Daly City, San Jose, and Milpitas, and the American Postal Workers Union for outstanding service and community contributions. Then several months ago, George was appointed to the Airport Commission of San Jose.
But aside from these successful careers, Gange is also recognized for his superb talents as a musician, particularly in playing the rondalla. In fact, in one of his blogs in the internet, he identified himself as “the musician with a mission”. This mission has been to promote and preserve Philippine musical culture. Having played the rondalla since he was in grade school, Gange organized the Fil-Am Veterans Rondalla (FVR) in 1998.
His continuing goal is to promote the unique Filipino cultural music and at the same time, raise funds for social concern initiatives both in the US and in the Philippines. The FVR is largely composed of former Filipino servicemen who share the same passion for rondalla. They have actively been playing the rondalla in FilAm events to propagate Filipino music and raise funds for worthy causes.
George and the FilAm Vets Rondalla have received many awards including the Award Commendation from the City of San Jose, City of Sunnyvale Medallion from its Mayor Otto Lee, and a Plaque of Appreciation from the Association of Postal Workers Union in San Jose, the Bayaning Samahang Pilipino sa America Award for Filipino Community Inc. of Juneau ,Alaska, Little Manila Foundation of Stockton, CA, and Philippine Nurses Association of Northern CA.
Born on June 23, 1952 in Caloocan City, Metro Manila, Philippines, George comes from a poor but loving family with four siblings. His mother was Eulalia Grange and his father, Eleodoro, was a Telegraph Operator at the Bureau of Telecommunications.
George loved music and played rondalla instruments while in grade and high school.
His Andres Bonifacio Elementary school Rondalla won in the popular ABS CBN TV contest “Hamon Sa Kampeon” Junior Rondalla Championship in 1963, besting all other competing junior rondallas. He completed his secondary education at Lakandula High School (LDHS) in Tondo, Manila as Student Council President, Salutatorian and Manila Boy Councilor, chosen as select member of the prestigious Mga Piling Mag-aaral ng Lungsod ng Maynila in 67-68. His high school rondalla won for several weeks, again in “Hamon sa Kampeon” Junior Rondalla competition, but did not make it all the way to the finals.
Grange was a working student, delivering Manila Chronicle newspapers to customers early in the morning before going to his classes. He earned his Associate in Arts in 1970 and a Bachelor in Technology in Computer Engineering in 1972, as a scholar in one of the best government universities, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
He joined the US Navy after graduation and attended boot camp in San Diego, Ca in 1973, where he earned automatic advancement to the next pay grade with an academic award. Early in the service, he topped the course for US Navy Air Traffic Controller School in Millington, Tennessee . He attended the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and finished in the Deans List of Scholars with a degree in Bachelor of Professional Aeronautics (Air Traffic Control Concentration) in 1982.
This solid performance of Chief Gange as US Navy Air Traffic Controller and Organizer/Chief Coordinator of the Fil-Am Veterans Rondalla has been the basis of his selection as one of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila’s Distinguished Alumni for 2005 in its Ruby Anniversary celebration at the Manila Hotel on 17 June 2005.
His retirement from the US Navy gave him more time for his first love, the rondalla.
Together with friends who shared his passion, he formed the Fil-Am Veterans Rondalla which raises funds for worthy causes by playing along busy intersections/streets and performing in rallies and festivities in California. They donate to several causes and institutions such as Gawad Kalinga, Philippine Bayanihan Fund, ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya, Bantay Bata 163,Atikha Save a Tree of Life Fund, Heart Bridge International Foundation, and Boys and Girls Town of Amelia Gordon in Olongapo. The FVR also raised funds for victims of natural calamities such as the Thailand tsunami tragedy, Indonesia and Haiti earthquakes, Hurricane Katrina in the US, and St. Bernard, Southern Leyte mudslides, Typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, and Juan.
Gange also routinely visits nursing homes and hospitals, and plays his Rondalla to entertain aging and sick patients. He has performed at the Art of Aging Gala, an evening show in San Francisco, California for seniors of various nationalities.
As a way of keeping the music of Rondalla alive, he conceived a lend-to-own-a-Rondalla plan for interested marginalized children in the Philippines who are keen on learning the instrument but do not have the financial capability to do so. Through his “Pagyamanin Likas Musika(PLM)-Rondalla Instruments Lending Program, brand new rondallas are offered for loan to selected barangays where these children reside. He also produced video tutorials on how to play the Rondalla and provides informal tutorial sessions for young people.
In 2004, due to widespread recognition of their modest talent and humanitarian service to the community, Gange and his group were among the overseas contingents who participated in the First International Rondalla Festival in Bicol in 2004 and the 2004 Asian Cultural Night in Anchorage held at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.
For all his contributions to society and for his passion to propagate the unique Filipino music art form, the Rondalla, George G. Gange truly deserves all the awards he has received. Truly, George is a hero in the Filipino community who has made his country and his people proud.
(www.asianjournal.com)
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