paccal presidents
Linda Mayo
Founder and President from 1992-2006
Linda Mayo co-founded and became the president of the Philippine American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL) in 1992 whose primary mission assesses and addresses the human service needs of the Filipino community in Jersey City. PACCAL champions the causes of battered Filipina women, the Philippine American veterans, the seniors, and the youth. PACCAL was the stakeholder of the Community Foundation of New Jersey "Parents Organizing Parents Strategy" (POPS), which bridges the gap between long time residents and the new immigrants in Jersey City.
Linda spearheaded a fund drive to donate 500 Philippine books in the the Jersey City Public Libraries. She collaborated with the Association of the Filipino Teachers of America (AFTA) and made Conversational Filipino and Philippine Folk Dances to become part of the "SUPER SATURDAYS' program offered in Jersey City Public Schools.
Linda collaborated with the Order of the Knights of Rizal, NJ chapter and secured the site for the Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal Plaza in Jersey City which was unveiled in November of 2000. She was the first President of the Ladies for Rizal, NJ Chapter.
Professionally, Linda worked at the Purchasing Division of the City of Jersey City as an Administrative Assistant. She used to work in the Mayor's Office of Constituent Services and was appointed Deputy Mayor on March 9, 1998 by former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler. Before joining the Mayor's office, she worked for AlliedSignal (now Honeywell) for 22 years in the International Marketing and Distribution Department.
On April 21, 1998, she was elected to the Jersey City Board of Education. She was the First Asian-American elected official in Jersey City.
Linda was a leadership mentor of the Institute for the Advancement of Community Leadership and Service Learning at New Jersey City University; member of the Advisory Committee on Community Outreach of the New Jersey City Museum; Hudson County HIV/AIDS Planning Council; and the Billboard Action Coalition against alcohol and tobacco. She was a past commissioner of the Jersey City Planning Board and a member of the State of New Jersey Governors Ethnic Advisory Council from 1992 until May 1999.
Linda has been recognized in 2001 Public Service/Government Achievement Awardee of the Asian American Heritage Council (AAHC), "Women of Action" of the City Council of Jersey City in 1998; Hudson Jaycees 1997 "Most Outstanding Filipino-American in Government/Politics:, and "Excellence in Leadership" by the Philippine-American Veterans Organization, Inc."
Ms. Mayo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree from the University of Manila, Philippines. She has an English/Drama major from the University of the East, Philippines. She earned credits for Master of Arts courses at New York University, NYC.
Ms. Mayo is a widow and has one son, Jose Mayo.
Betty Buenviaje
President from 2006-2010
Luz Vivas
President from 2011
Rose Javier
President from 2011 -2013
Lumen Castaneda
President from 2014-2015
Paraluman 'Lumen' Castaneda retired at the age of 75 years old with 55 years of teaching (34 in the Philippines and 21 years in the Board of Education in the Bronx, NY)
While she was still active in the board of education, she was also active with the teachers organization where she was vice president and then president of the Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America (AFTA) and served for two terms, she founded the UNITED FEDERATION OF FIL-AM EDUCATORS (UNIFFIED). It started with 2 chapters which grew to 15 and then it went home to the Philippines and grew by leaps and bounds with around 25 chapters.
She is an active member of the church as a liturgical and Extraordinary minister, notable is when she was asked to read the Tagalog petition during the mass of Pope Benedict XVI at the Yankee Stadium in the Bronx which was witnessed by about 50 thousand people at the stadium and millions around the world on television.
She is also an AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE as designated by the UNIFICATION CHURCH OF SOUTH KOREA in 2015. She is among hundreds of Ambassadors including presidents of different countries, prime ministers, senators and others.
She is featured in 3 segments of the Youtube show, "COOKING WITH GRANNY".
She was also the president of the LADIES FOR RIZAL and has held several positions in other organizations.
All in all, God is her first priority with her five children and grandchildren following.
Ramona Gapasin
President from 2016-2018
Ramona Gapasin was initially recognized by PACCAL as part of the Parents of the Year in 2011. After which she joined PACCAL in 2013. In 2016, she was elected as President of PACCAL and served till 2018. She was an active president which has done 4 Daytrip Atlantic City fundraisers on top of the two Annual Gala Fundraisers which is the Women’s History Month and the Anniversary Gala. On her year as president, she hosted the Leadership Seminar at the Ramada Hotel in Newark, NJ. She also had the Filipino History Month Cultural Event at the Five Corner's Library.
Ramona continues to be active in different organizations. She was the Reyna Emperatriz for CATHOLIC ACTION OF MARY'S Santacruzan in Jersey City, NJ in 2016. She was also named as the 1st Mrs. PACEC. In 2022, she is taking an active role as the President of the SENIOR CITIZENS INCORPORATED (SCI) but continues to be active advisor for PACCAL.
Professionally, she is a Medical Laboratory Scientist and has worked for 50 years. She is presently working at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, NJ. She is married to Rogelio Gapasin for 48 yaers and is blessed with 4 children and 7 grandchildren.
Rolando 'Rollie' Javier
President from 2019-2020
Rosita 'Rose' Javier
President from 2021-2022