An ordinary farm boy whose first love is writing fiction and non-fiction from Tapao, Sinait in Ilocos Sur and with his strong inclination and interest in a “tagnawa system” is among this year’s President Elpidio Rivera Quirino (PERQ) awardees.
Amado I. Yoro, The Ilocos Times’ columnist based in Hawaii, USA, is a community service organizer. He first organized the Tapao Youngsters Organization and served as founding president. A grandson of a 1926 Sakada who worked at the sugar plantation as an oiler helper. He is a son of an immigrant and a watercress worker.
Amado came to Hawaii on July 30, 1971 as an immigrant. He first worked as utility field worker at Oahu Sugar Company with a US$2.10 per hour salary.
A simple beginning in Amado’s more than 46years in Hawaii, he is involved with the Lions Club International and Gumil Hawaii and other organizations and served in various capacities and activities—community organizing, volunteer works asides from his regular work as a warehouseman, delivery boy, timekeeper, movie projector operator to personnel clerk to middle management: housing coordinator to personnel director, labor union officer with ILWU; employment specialist and employment consultant with the Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and organizer/business representative with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA)-. He is very much active as a volunteer in church, community after his retirement as employment consultant and labor organizer with his strong management and leadership skills.
His parents are Fructuoso Yoro, Romana Ilar. He is married to Gloria Campos Paguirigan, a retired Responsive Caregiver of Hawaii employee. They have one daughter Cheryl Lei Maria Yoro-Balcita, who has three children: Cameron Jay Agullana; Angelia and Josiah Balcita. Cheryl is married to Abraham Balcita, Jr.
