Galileo Casquejo, President, Club PilipinoClub President
Club Pilipino is a strong
Filipino-American organization in the southwest side of Chicago.
It is composed of strongly-tied Filipino families whose history of
helping one another is tracked down from the early 1970s. The
club was built upon the traditional Filipino value of “bayanihan,”
which, in essence, reflects the tendencies of Filipinos to foster the
deeper meaning of friendship and camaraderie, by being sensitive to the
needs of others, and embracing community-building initiatives.
Club Filipino was founded by the first few Filipino families in the
area, whose desire to establish the club was greatly inspired by
looking after each other’s welfare, helping each other find jobs, and
strengthening support to each other. Today, this organization has grown
into more than 100 active families.
Over the years, this club has been very successful in their fundraising activities. Most of the events are organized during the traditional holidays celebrated in the Philippines, such as Christmas and other religious-related activities. Every Christmas, Club Filipino raises funds to benefit its homeless beneficiaries through the “Food for the Hungry Project” of the Casa Catalina Needs Center of the Archdiocese of Chicago. This past year, it also collected gift items for the special population at the St. Colleta in the NW suburbs of Chicago. In the pipeline, Club Filipino wishes to establish an Educational Sponsorship of a school or a student in the Philippines. Other activities include family gatherings, summer picnics, educational forum, and the celebration of May Festival in Spring.
Currently heading the Club Filipino is Galileo Casquejo, who is popularly called as “Gal” by his friends in the community. Gal has been actively involved in the many activities of the club. He hails from Cebu, graduated BS in Mechanical Engineering at UST, and was previously connected with the Philippine Refining Company, prior to migration to the USA. He also has gained leadership in other Fil-Am organizations, being the past president of PESO in 2001, and served as the Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus. Gal is one of the pioneers in organizing the “Simbang Gabi Novena” in 1993. This Filipino tradition of holding Simbang Gabi has started only with less than 200 parishioners in the Chicago area, but after 17 years of observing this tradition, the parishioners who come to attend the Christmas Simbang Gabi have increased to more than 800.
Gal migrated to the US in 1970. He first worked in a candle factory in Chicago prior to joining one of the largest food manufacturing companies in the world, Nabisco in 1977. He retired after 30 years of working in that company in 2007. Gal is married to the former, Maria Elena Lazo, who is a Registered Nurse at the Columbus Hospital. They are blessed with one daughter, Melissa, who is married to Clarence. Gal and his wife enjoy their two grandchildren: Christian and Calvin.
Gal is inviting other Filipinos in the southwest side of Chicago to join Club Filipino. He can be reached at email: galileo.casquejo@yahoo.com or phone number: (708) 829-8189.
Over the years, this club has been very successful in their fundraising activities. Most of the events are organized during the traditional holidays celebrated in the Philippines, such as Christmas and other religious-related activities. Every Christmas, Club Filipino raises funds to benefit its homeless beneficiaries through the “Food for the Hungry Project” of the Casa Catalina Needs Center of the Archdiocese of Chicago. This past year, it also collected gift items for the special population at the St. Colleta in the NW suburbs of Chicago. In the pipeline, Club Filipino wishes to establish an Educational Sponsorship of a school or a student in the Philippines. Other activities include family gatherings, summer picnics, educational forum, and the celebration of May Festival in Spring.
Currently heading the Club Filipino is Galileo Casquejo, who is popularly called as “Gal” by his friends in the community. Gal has been actively involved in the many activities of the club. He hails from Cebu, graduated BS in Mechanical Engineering at UST, and was previously connected with the Philippine Refining Company, prior to migration to the USA. He also has gained leadership in other Fil-Am organizations, being the past president of PESO in 2001, and served as the Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus. Gal is one of the pioneers in organizing the “Simbang Gabi Novena” in 1993. This Filipino tradition of holding Simbang Gabi has started only with less than 200 parishioners in the Chicago area, but after 17 years of observing this tradition, the parishioners who come to attend the Christmas Simbang Gabi have increased to more than 800.
Gal migrated to the US in 1970. He first worked in a candle factory in Chicago prior to joining one of the largest food manufacturing companies in the world, Nabisco in 1977. He retired after 30 years of working in that company in 2007. Gal is married to the former, Maria Elena Lazo, who is a Registered Nurse at the Columbus Hospital. They are blessed with one daughter, Melissa, who is married to Clarence. Gal and his wife enjoy their two grandchildren: Christian and Calvin.
Gal is inviting other Filipinos in the southwest side of Chicago to join Club Filipino. He can be reached at email: galileo.casquejo@yahoo.com or phone number: (708) 829-8189.
