Ellen and Eddie Abellera are the 1997 Hermano and Hermano
Mayor. Both are active in the Filipino community. They are always there. Ready
to help in whatever they can. Most of the time together.They are both community activists. Community involvement and volunteerism rank high in their values - be it at church, at school or in the community. Notwithstanding all this, they see to it that they have time for their family and for themselves. Not only do they give time to the Filipino community, but they also share their time with the Asian Pacific Islander communities. They are Eddie and Ellen Abellera, this year's hermano and hermana mayor.
Eddie, true to his word, is now involved in the "bigger community" It was his pledge at a Filipino Community of Seattle (FCS) installation of officers, completing his four-year term as FCS vice president. He serves on the Washington State Welfare Reform Coalition and the Filipino Youth Activities as the new treasurer. He has also chaired the Walk-a-Thon fund raising event of the Western Washington Catholic Charismatic Renewal; he was also the cogeneral chairperson of Pagdiriwang'97.
Ellen is serving her second term as president of the Filipino American Political Action Group of Washington (FAPAGOW), as co-chair of the City of Seattle Women's Commission, and as a member of the King County Boundary Review Board. She is very much active with the Asian Pacific Islander Women of Seattle Coalition on domestic violence awareness program. Ellen divides her time with community meetings and speaking engagements.
In addition to their community involvement, Eddie works in the Financial Management Division of King County while Ellen is an area manager of Princess House. Eddie considers himself as a generalist having broad experience in the business world, and has worked as project manager of a mining company in the Visayan islands. He served as senior finance manager of a Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines, and was assigned to a multi-billion Manila-Cavite Coastal Reclamation project. He was also a vice president comptroller for RETELCO, the second largest telephone company in the Philippines.
Ellen was a former Miss Philippines finalist and worked as a flight attendant for the Philippine Air Lines. She was an industrial nurse and later became the national president of the Philippine Foundation of the Science of Creative Intelligence. She went to Switzerland to learn a special skill on relaxation techniques. Ellen has conducted several classes on this technique, and has taught high government officials and top executives in the business sectors. She is also a hatha yoga teacher. Both their involvement lists continue.
They have six children and three grandchildren. April is a journalism graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP); Nefer is a psychology major of UP; Geraldine has also attended UP taking mass communications-, Jose Modesto III is in his fourth year medicine studies at UPs Philippine General Hospital; Ty is a senior at the University of Washington-, and Teresa will be a junior at Blanchet High School.
Eddie and Ellen's role as hermano and hermana mayor is a traditional responsibility of town fiestas back in the Philippines. They are the patrons who underwrite a share of the fiesta cost, and provide the meals appropriately Hermano and hermana mayors play a very critical role during these celebrations because they assist with the chairing of the event and raise money to sustain the festival.
Eddie and Ellen's contribution to the Filipino community is never ending, and sincerely appreciated by many Filipinos and Filipino Americans.