PinoyBuilt — Stories of Filipino America

Chicago, IL • August 2026. August 19, 1976: The Day Joy, Lola, and I Came to America. Filipino immigration, Chicago, 1976, Northwest Orient Airlines, Warren Barr Tower, Illinois Masonic, St. Sebastian School, Lakeview, family archive, 8/19, fil-am, nursing, PinoyBuilt. Family Archive • August 2026 August 19, 1976: The Day Joy, Lola, and I Came to America Fifty years ago today, my sister Joy, our Lola Rosita, and I left the Philippines on Northwest Orient Airlines. We were not going for America. We were going for our parents. At Manila International Airport, August 19, 1976. Left to right: Joy, Edward, David, and me. Edward and David were our little Reyes cousins, six and seven years younger. On the tarmac at Manila International Airport, August 19, 1976. Joy, Lola Rosita, and I stand yards away from the mobile boarding stairs to our Northwest Orient 747. Tito Sonny took this photo — he worked for PAGASA and could get...

Chicago, Illinois • December 1978. Christmas Eve at Barr Tower, Apt 1202 — a Perseveranda family flashback from 856 W Nelson St. filipinos in chicago, fil-am family, chicago illinois, perseveranda, christmas 1978, barr tower, filipino diaspora, chicago filipinos. CHICAGO • DECEMBER 1978 Christmas Eve 1978: A Perseveranda Family Flashback at Barr Tower, Chicago Before California was even a twinkle in our minds — Jonjo, Nati, and Joy at Apt 1202, 856 W Nelson St, Chicago, IL. Jonjo, Nati & Joy • Christmas Eve 1978 • Apt 1202, Barr Tower, Chicago. Photo: Ronnie Perseveranda It was Christmas Eve 1978. The tree was up, the presents hadn't been opened yet — a Perseveranda house rule — and somewhere behind that camera stood our dad, Ronnie, capturing what would become one of the most treasured photographs in our family archive. That's Jonjo (me), Mom (Nati), and my sister Joy, in the living room of Apt 1202 at ...

November 14, 2025 at 02:18PM by pinoybuilt via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhV2y5lKpbE #filam #filipinoamerican #resist

Maligayang Bati Chanylle! Flashback to a memorable day and evening in Las Vegas, Nevada! May 17, 2008. Photos from the after-party in your tita's house. Tama ba ? With Glenn's brothers (missing Garry) and cousins.  Melvin, Chanylle, Glenn, Paul, Brian and Jonjo Glenn, Chanylle, Lady & friends With your father-in-law and his siblings (missing Tita Lila & Tita Nene). Eduard, Manny, Diana, Chanylle & Ronnie

Celebrating the bunso who's bday is in July Eskinita . M Hizon St. Manila, Philippines. Eskenita is alley in Tagalog. Here's Baby Joy checking out my favorite cap gun. Dad, did you take this pic or Lolo? Manuel Hizon St, Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines "The youth is the hope of our future." -- Dr. Jose Rizal 📣 Calling All Filipino-Americans 🇵🇭 Whether you're a first-generation immigrant who journeyed here from the Philippines, a second-generation Filipino-American born and raised in the U.S., or like me—a 1.5‑generation Filipino —you belong here. PinoyBuilt is a space for all of us to celebrate our roots, share our stories, and build community. 🌟 Words That Inspire “I’m Olivia Rodrigo. I’m a Filipina, I’m a lumpia fan, I’m a daughter, a granddaughter and a great‑granddaughter.” — Olivia Rodrigo “I wanna say proud Pinoy ako, my Tagalog isn't so go...

Khor Fakkan Beach & Gulf of Oman Flashback: Khor Fakkan Beach - Sharjah - United Arab Emirates. Khris and I drove from Dubai to Khor Fakkan in the emirate of Sharjah, from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. We got to Khor Fakkan right before 8 PM, but as you can see, it was HOT & HUMID. This was September in UAE so expect it to be hotter than hell. What is Pinoybuilt.com? Pinoybuilt.com is an online Filipino Community built on Google technoloogy. As a Filipino born in the Philippines and a previous IT Product Manager at a Fortune 500 company, this is my way to show my Pinoy Pride. As a father to three kids born in California, this is how I'd like to share my Filipino (as well Filipino-American) culture and heritage with them and our extended Filipino family. How can one join Pinoybuilt.com? Since it's built on Google technology, you just need a Google account. Give me your Gmail address and I can send it an invite to be an "Author" on this Blogger.com ...

Olan Mills is now Lifetouch Vallejo, CA. Throwback Thursday. Photo was either taken near the end of my junior year in high school, or the summer after my 11th grade. Sophomore year for Joy in Hogan High School. I don't remember where the Olan Mills studio was located in Vallejo.  I love this photo of Mom. Olan Mills, Inc. was a privately owned American company founded in 1932 by Olan Mills Sr. and Mary Mills which was headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It provided portrait photography and church directories through its two main corporate divisions: Olan Mills Portrait Studios and Olan Mills Church Division. On November 9, 2011, Lifetouch Inc. announced that it had purchased the Olan Mills photography business, Olan Mills Church Directories and Olan Mills Portrait Studios, its corporate functions, and the production operations in Chattanooga. Join the #FilipinoAmerican conversation. Comment below. #PinoyPride #Filipino Click to follow this website . Like our Facebook Page ...

Flashback: My Dad, 2 of his younger brothers & me Left to right: Manny, Jonjo, Ronnie & Sonny. Where & when was this Dad? Am I six months old? Advance 'Happy Father's Day'! Update: Novaliches 1967 per my dad.  Join the #FilipinoAmerican conversation. Comment below. #PinoyPride #Filipino Click to follow this website . Like our Facebook Page Pinoy Built . Thank you. Salamat po. blog,community,fil-am, filipino american,

Flashback to a Hiddenbrooke Birthday Party June 12, 2002. Hiddenbrooke. Vallejo, CA. Happy Philippines Independence Day!

Reunion 2016 April 15, 2016. Hiddenbrooke, Vallejo, CA. Here you go, Ray. Throwback Thursday na sa Pinas. I never got to post this on Facebook. At alam mo na -- dito na ko. The last time prior to this April day that the three of us were together was when you introduced Hannah to me December 1986 in front of your house. It was your senior year in UP. Sayang. We don't have a photo from that time. Please keep visiting to support our website & this Filipino community online. Click to follow this website . Like our Facebook Page  Pinoy Built . Leave a comment below. Thank you. Salamat po.

With the tourists from Bukidnon March 19, 2025. Sacramento, CA. Nica & Chesca drove up from San Jose and San Rafael respectively. They hadn't see Mama Helen since she stayed with us and attended their graduation from high school and middle school in 2018. Chesca last saw Rowena, Reggie, Reah and Rhesee in 2012 when she and Tess vacationed in Bukidnon (without Nica, Jian and me). Nica last saw Rowena and family in 2008 when they were here for Bebot's wedding.

Happy One Month JianCarlo! February 17, 2001. Vallejo, CA. Throwback to when we celebrated with a birthday cake each milestone month for Baby Jian. This was at Toni Ct., my parents' first house in Vallejo (and USA). Our family lived here when I was in seventh grade to beginning of ninth grade. After Joy, Vince and kids moved to Hiddenbrooke, Tess and I moved in months before Nica was born. Tita Lila had the "first shift" after Jian was born. She flew from Pasadena. Tita Gigi and Tita Nene would subsequently take their turns.  

Congratulations again Ate on your BS Nursing degree! Of course, I'm very proud of you -- as I'm sure are your siblings, Papa, Mama and the extended clan. I still have to edit/post most of the photos from the Pinning Ceremony and the Commencement Ceremony. I ran across your graduation photos while organizing & backing up online to Amazon photos. As per our chat, if you join San Jose Buddhist Judo Club (after your RN and job), I'll really be impressed!   😉 Fuji Buffet. Concord, CA. December 11, 2024

Flashback to November 1999 when Tess and I stayed in Malate, Manila with my mom's family I'm not sure if this were before or after Tess and I got married in Bukidnon on November 16. But I know I asked Lola Amparo to walk me down the aisle at our church wedding in Vallejo, California that coming April. Rest in peace, Auntie Baby. Happy Hearts Day everyone.

Maligayang Bati! November 26, 2024. Benicia Veterans Memorial Hall. Benicia, CA. Back row: Manny, Angel, J.F. Front: Jon Legaspi, Auntie Lori Putong. Special Request Please support our Pinoybuilt website/community by leaving a comment below (Google account required). Thank you! Maraming salamat po! 

Flashback to February 1, 2005 A quiet celebration at home. My family (Tess and the kids) are absent because they flow to the Philippines in December 2004 for an extended vacation. Remembering Uncle Nick. 🙏 I lost a 5-TB hard drive (my main one) last week so I started to backup my photos to Amazon Photos (free with Amazon Prime). I'll post more pix from February 1 later today. HBD! 🎂

Posted privately on Facebook a year ago. But likely created by Google Photos. Nica and me 🥰

Flashback: Rosanne's 3rd Birthday Party July 25, 1987. Vallejo, CA. Left to right in the photo: Joy, Kristine, JF, Marciano, Rowen & Melvin. Party at Tito Maning's first house in Vallejo. Special Request In lieu of, or in addition to a Facebook comment, please comment below if you have a Google account. Thank you! Maraming salamat po! 

Flashback to Rosanne's 3rd Bday Party This should be the first time I introduced Rowen to the family. I love Lolo's smile here. Each time I would get back from a trip to Chicago, he would ask me, "Where's my great-grandson?" LOL. Sorry I didn't come through Lolo. I'm pretty sure this is July 25, 1987, a Saturday. Rowen would turn 21 in two days. I had just come back from a six-month "vacation" in the Philippines on June 4, 1987. JF, Lolo Marciano & Rowen. Vallejo, CA. Special Request In lieu of, or in addition to a Facebook comment, please comment below if you have a Google account. Thank you! Maraming salamat po!