Page 33 - OPA 2014

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

rommel Sangalang left Calapan, Oriental Mindoro when he His father, romeo Sangalang, instilled in him the belief that
was five years old. His Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW) father, the bond of the family is the core of most achievements. although
who worked to build the city of Chicago as a Professional Civil personal perseverance is a top virtue, the bond of family would
Engineer, arranged to bring his wife and two youngest to live in overcome any obstacle. His mother, remediosSangalang, was a
america’s “Second City” in 1972. rommel vividly remembered Home Economics major. She enriched the lives of the Sangalang
the snow coming down from the sky and freezing his face. He children by promoting the arts, theater, reading, scale model
realized just how far from home he had traveled, but soon making, and after-school activities.
adapted to life in the Midwest. His older sister, Maria, came with
him from the Philippines while the two oldest sisters Theresa To rommel’s delight, at age 7, his dad sent him back to
and Penny stayed to finish their high school and college years. the Philippines every two years to spend the summers with
his college-age sisters, grandparents, and cousins so that he
The Chicago area where he grew up was actually a turbulent may understand his roots. Calapan was also where he did his
place rife with street gangs and inner city poverty. Stolen bicycles catechism and confirmation to the joy of his grandparents. In
were repainted in the alley of his apartment building by the Latin 1981, the day before his 8th grade graduation, rommel lost
Kings. His best friend was recruited by a rival gang and local his dad to lung cancer. although the family was devastated
stabbings and shootings became all too common. In the end, like and his widowed mother had little money, the three sisters
rommel himself, most of his friends found the resources to go to united in helping foster rommel. In the next 8 years he lived
college. To this day, he believes that community assistance given with each of his sisters and took out college loans to continue
to high risk kids is paramount in changing society so that kids his education.
aim higher and believe in their own success.

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