The Pagsanjan Club of California is a non-profit organization. Its conception date
was sometime in 1979 when a group of Pagsanjeños met together in Cerritos through the
invitation of Mr. Rosendo Umale. Primarily, it was religious in nature, to celebrate the
town fiesta. Later on, the group became interested for more group meetings attended
regularly by Pablo Unson, Eminiano Reodica, Jr., Loida Fabiero, Lisa Filler, David
Velasco, Lily Avena, Popoy Gonzales and many others. Finally, the first town fiesta
celebration was held in Glendora in December 1979. Eminiano Reodica, Jr. provided the
venue. It was a well attended celebration and everybody was happy to see each other.
From that time on the Pagsanjan Fiesta was celebrated regularly every December with
volunteer managers in charge of the affair.
As the years went by, the officers were elected. Conrado (Popoy) Gonzales was
the first elected President. It was during his tenure that membership fees were instituted
and the by-laws formulated. Parliamentary procedure was strictly followed during the
meetings due to the able guidance of Atty. Guevarra, the brother of Pia Guevarra Abella.
It was during this first tenure of office that many proposals were put to the table
such as scholarship grants to legitimate, impoverished but deserving children of
Pagsanjeños and to provide medical assistance through the Puericulture Center. Some
controversies aroused in these issues since others wanted the gatherings to be just
socialization process among the "kababayans".
It was in 1995 during Lorie Opelanio Buencamino's Presidency that the
scholarship grant was realized. The succeeding officers expanded their goals to a broader
horizon by providing technological assistance to schools such as computers, scientific
equipments, video cassettes and books. Medical aids were channeled through the
Puericulture Center. During calamities such as floods and typhoons, they raised funds in
order to distribute food stuffs to the victims. In so doing they foster the spirit of
camaraderie among friends and "kababayans" both in America and in the Philippines thus
keeping alive the great and wonderful traditions of a real "pakikisama" and the "bayanihan" values.
