(Photo by: Jaime Guevarra)
Outstanding OFW in Palau Awardees
FIVE DAYS before participating in the 2009 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship, Roberto Hernandez was awarded as one of the outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers in Palau held on Friday morning, June 12, 2009 at Philippine Embassy in commemoration of the 111th Anniversary of Philippine Independence.
The invitation letter read as follows:
Mr. Roberto Hernandez, Dear Sir, The officers and staff of the Embassy wish to congratulate you for being selected as one of the Outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers in Palau. In this regard, we are inviting you to attend the Flag Raising Ceremony at the Philippine Embassy, Minami Building, Iyebukel Hamlet, Koror, Palau on 12 June 2009 from 6:30 am to 8:00 am, in commemoration of the 111th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.
We wish to inform you that during the occasion, you will receive your medal and certificate of appreciation. Your presence will be highly appreciated. Very truly yours, Ramoncito S. Marino (Ambassador)
Koror, 28 May 2009.
In his short speech after receiving the medal and certificate of appreciation, Hernandez mention his band member and longtime friend Willy dela Cruz, a drummer, who is married to Palauan Christina Baulis and is now working at Surangel's.
He also mentioned that when his wife and daughter arrived in Palau in June 17, 1995, they were invited on the next day to attend a birthday party at the exact place where the Breeze Bar of Palau Royal Resort is located.
Ten years and ten days after that date, PRR was inaugurated. And Hernandez is now playing keyboard nightly at the site from 9-11 pm.
More than 10 persons in different fields were also recognized. There are still a lot of other Filipino workers who stayed in Palau very long and many hope that this recognition will be done every year.
In his email to Hernandez, Mr. Graeme Gardiner writes: Hi Roberto, I have solved the problem of accommodation. For the night of 18th, 26th, 27th and 28th June you will stay with Gary Bekker in the arbiter's room. I will pick you up and Gary Bekker at Gold Coast Airport in Thursday 18th June at 9:35 pm.
Regarding the Gold Coast Open, it is a separated stand alone event. The entry form is quite clear that the only free entries will be for GMs, WGMs, IMs and WIMs.
The other untitled seeded players who have entered the Gold Coast Open have happily paid their entry fees. So if you choose to play in the Gold Coast Open, I'm afraid you will need to pay the entry fee. I look forward in meeting you in a couple of weeks. With best regards, Graeme Gardiner.
When Hernandez buy his wife's ticket at Continental Airlines, he ask local travel agent Martha to check Gary Bekker's confirmed ticket Manila-Sydney and found out that it is revoked. The Sydney-Coolangata trip is okay. Hernandez emailed Gary about it.
Hernandez received an email from Mr. Gary Bekker stating: "You have checked with your travel agent and just written that your MNL-SYD ticket "is fully paid. She is wondering why it is revoked.
I have just contacted Philippine Airlines and they have confirmed that the ticket is fully paid for and is definitely valid, ready for you to fly. You will just need to present a copy of my credit card image and your passport to board the plane.
I will send you an image of my credit card early next week. Please print this and take it with you. Warmest regards, Gary Bekker".
Ambassador Marino will hold a 4-hour blitz chess tournament among the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ). He asked Hernandez to make a tournament format and will borrow at least 3 chessboards and clocks.
It will be held at QBall on June 21, 2009 from 2:00 - 6:00 pm.
Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 9-10
Volume 18
June 15-21, 2009
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| Roberto Hernandez, 6th from left (back row), was chosen as one of outstanding OFW in the field of music and entertainment. |
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Roberto Hernandez attended the event with his wife Flor, right, and her co-employee at Dragon Tei Lovelyn. |
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| Jaime Guevarra, right, Palau Royal Resort Pastry Chef, also attend the ceremony and we used his digital camera to take these photos. |
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Ambassador
Marino can play piano also. Every time he is a guest at Waves Restaurant
of Palau Royal Resort, Hernandez always gives him a chance to play 2 or
3 songs. Roberto Hernandez plays piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort from 6:00-9:00 pm every night except Friday (his day off). From 9:00-11:00 pm, he plays keyboard at Breeze Bar, about 30 meters from Waves Restaurant. (Photo by: Jaime Guevarra) MUSIC EXPERIENCE OF ROBERTO HERNANDEZ (THE CRYING OLD JAPANESE GUY)
BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2007, the Queen of Koror, Palau Bilung
Gloria Salii, her husband Carlos and daughter Uroi had dinner at Waves
Restaurant. They gave me $10.00 tip and a glass of red wine.
Before they go home, I talked to Bilung and said, “I would like to give you a Christmas present. I will tune your piano for free before the end of this year.” I became very busy and haven’t done my promise.
On her
birthday, January 05, 2008, they had dinner again at Waves Restaurant with 3
other guests. I played all their favorite songs. She gave me $10.00 tip, a
glass of red wine and a slice of her birthday cake.
After three
weeks, they had another dinner at Waves and after giving me $5.00 tip this
time, I asked for her telephone number at home so that I can set the date of
tuning their piano. She said 488-6216.
On March
19, 2008 (Wednesday), I saw her at the entrance of Surangel’s Department Store.
I said I will call her on Tuesday (March 25) and will tune their piano on
Wednesday (March 26) which I did. After tuning their piano for 2 hours, she is
ready to issue me a check but I said I promise to tune it for free as Christmas
present. She gave me bananas instead!
The next day, God gave me more that I expected.
While halfway
on my piano playing at Waves Restaurant, a lone, old Japanese guy sits at a
table about 7 meters from the piano. Ten minutes later, I started to play the
Japanese song “Kawa No Nagareno Yo Ni”. In the middle of that song, I saw him
get something from his front pocket- it’s a handkerchief! He is crying and was
carried away by my expressive playing.
The two waitresses Maricar Baules and
Maricel Carlos saw him crying and asked why. He pointed at me and I played with
more expression. Goosebumps are all over my arms and body which I rarely feel
when playing with much expression. I followed it up with another Japanese song
“Subaru”. He cried more. The handkerchief is all wet!
When I played the song "Kou Jou No Tsuki", he pointed at the sky as the song is about moon. Tsuki is Japanese word for moon.
Fifteen minutes later, he
gave me tip. I put it on the piano music stand. Edgar Cayanan, the Assistant
Food & Beverage Manager said, “Kuya”, (Older brother) “I don’t think that’s
the color of a $5.00 bill.” He checked the tip and said “It is a hundred
dollar!” I just continue to play and ignore him as I don’t look at the amount
of tip I get until the giver has left.
Edgar told
about it to Maricar and Maricel. The two also checked the tip and said. “It’s
really $100.00! Can we have some?”
When the
generous man left, a Japanese couple sat at the same table where he sat. The
guy requested 3 Japanese songs (Goodbye My Love, Itoshino Elly and the third
one, I forgot). I was able to play all those 3 songs and he gave me $1.00 tip!
Philippine
Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino, the biggest supporter of chess in Palau,
and his wife Issa were having dinner at that time with an old Japanese lady
guest. When he sat down at the piano to play a couple of songs, that’s the only
time I look at the tip- it’s really $100.00. I said to the Ambassador, “Look,
sir, a Japanese guy gave me $100.00 tip without requesting and another guy who
requested 3 songs gave me $1.00”.
The next
day, Friday, Edgar said that the man who gave me $100.00 tip last night said he
made a mistake in giving me that amount. I said, “It is okay, I haven't spend it yet and when he comes
back, I’ll give him back the $100.00 and it’s up to him to decide how much he
really wants to give me.”
On Saturday
evening, he comes back. While having dinner at the same table, I played all the
other Japanese songs that I didn’t play on that Thursday night. When I play the
2 songs that made him cry, he didn’t cry anymore.
After his dinner, he comes to
me with Cathy (Chinese waitress) by his side. He said, “Do you know the guy who
plays piano in the cruise by the name of Norman?”
I said, “No. Does he play Japanese songs also?” He said yes but only a few.
Then he gave me tip again and I put it in my polo shirt pocket. And he left for
Japan.
Maricel saw that he gave me again and asked how much. I looked at it and it’s
another $100.00!
He didn’t make a mistake. Edgar is just kidding me and maybe jealous. Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination) The Beginning of Chess in Palau By Roberto Hernandez December 2007 To be published as a book in the future |
Ten
years and ten days after these photos were taken, the Palau Royal
Resort was inaugurated on June 28, 2005. Roberto Hernandez, left, is now
playing music at PRR Breeze Bar nightly except Friday (his day off)
from 9-11 pm at exactly the same spot.
A coincidence? No! it's progress.
