The Voluntary Pinoy

Everyone who heard about it was incredulous at the news. Who would–at this confusing, convoluted, confounding time–choose to take on Filipino citizenship under the new dual citizenship law? When Pinoys by the dozens are looking for a ticket out, who in his right mind would voluntarily climb on board our little banca?

Last November 25, Eugene Castillo did just that. At a private ceremony at noon at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, he took his oath of allegiance before Consul General Delia Rosal, pledging to "support and defend the Constitution" and "obey the laws and legal orders" of the land. (He even sang the National Anthem.) "I have my citizenship papers and my Filipino passport na," he proudly declares in an email a few days after that momentous event.

Last Wednesday, in between meetings at the Kennedy Center, Eugene met with Philippine Ambassador Alberto del Rosario in Washington DC. Last Friday, again at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, it was a media event with a re-enactment of the oath-taking followed by a press conference.

And who is this voluntary Pinoy? Eugene Castillo is music director designate of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (ppo), a position he will assume in May next year. Eugene was last seen in Manila a couple of months ago when he led the orchestra and a 110-voice choir accompanying the dancers of Ballet Philippines in a rousing five-concert production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

Though born in the US to Filipino parents who met and married in Los Angeles, Eugene has a good measure of the Pinoy in him, making frequent trips here to visit family (his maternal relations are from Pasay City) as well as for conducting engagements. Despite considerable success in the music scene stateside (as music director of the Camelia Symphony of Sacramento, he is a multi-ascap awardee; he is also cover conductor of the National Symphony in Washington DC), he auditioned for and accepted the ppo position–despite budget constraints on the orchestra, including what must surely be a significant pay cut for him–in order to "serve my country," he declares.

We kid him about coming from a state with a muscle-man/actor governor to possibly an action star president; does he fully appreciate what he’s getting into? "No matter the president next year, I’m still very happy and proud, and very sentimental," he says unequivocally. "I can truly say I am proud to be Filipino."

Yup, he’s Pinoy all right: Eugene did this interview in equal parts by phone, email and–that most Pinoy mode of communication–text!