Kuya Boy Moulic earlier sent pictures taken on the occassion of Msgr. Oscar Aquino's birthday celebration held last February 10, 2007 at the Astor Manor, New York City. The event was well attended by big names in New York considering that Msgr. Aquino is highly regarded in the area. Some of the guests were Mr. Lauro Baja, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations and Mrs. Cecil Rebong, Philippine Consul-General in New York. Also present were Tony and Emily Tubig as well as Rowena Domagas-Quinto, niece of Msgr. Aquino.
Here's a brief on Msgr. Aquino.
Msgr. Oscar A. Aquino, JCD
Judge, Metropolitan Tribunal, Archdiocese of New York
Administrator of the church of St. Lucy, New York
Msgr. Oscar Aquino was born in Mangaldan, Pangasinan on Feb. 7, 1937, the second son of three brothers and two sisters, to Mr. & Mrs. Urbano R. Aquino. Since he was a little boy, his family was visited regularly by the archbishop of the province, who always greeted by singing, "How do you do, Fr. Oscar?"
So it was natural that he was destined to be a priest, entering the seminary at age 11. By the time he completed his seminary training in the Philippines, he was first in his class and earned the rare honor of taking his graduate studies in Rome. There he received his doctorate in canon law from the pontifical university of St. John Lateran. His dissertation was so outstanding that it was published by the Vatican and distributed to all pontifical universities worldwide. Pope Paul VI personally awarded Fr. Aquino his doctoral degree and blessed his ministry and his parents for encouraging him.
Returning to the Philippines, the young Fr. Aquino soon recognized the need for the establishment of more catholic schools in the archdiocese of Pangasinan. He proceeded to create seven new schools and served as their director. He was also made the chancellor and oeconomus of the archdiocese and superintendent of schools, then vicar general. When Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines in 1973, Fr. Aquino served as the pope's secretary and general coordinator of his visit. For this and his other achievements he was made a monsignor as protonotary apostololic in 1974, one of the youngest ever awarded that title at that time. As vicar general for an ailing archbishop, Msgr. Aquino eventually had to assume virtually all the leadership duties of the archbishop. He also established the archdiocese's metropolitan tribunal and served as its first judicial vicar.
While vacationing in the United States and Europe, Msgr. Aquino was passing through New York City when he was approached by many struggling Filipino workers who were experiencing severe difficulties with their immigration status and their employers. They needed an advocate and someone with stature to represent them and Msgr. Aquino responded wholeheartedly. Changing his plans to return to the Philippines, he decided to stay in New York for awhile to help his people get accepted as Filipino-Americans. Soon he became involved with all sorts of problem-solving within and beyond the Filipino-American community in the greater New York area. In east Harlem, he mediated disputes between rival gangs and stopped the killing cycle involving drug dealers and youth groups in the area, substituting sports programs and other activities to redirect their energies. Working with Fr. Robert Lott of St. Francis de Sales church, Msgr. Aquino helped rehabilitate abandoned buildings to offer more than 100 units affordable housing in east Harlem for the poor. He helped establish the Robert V. Lott residence for assisted living, a model home for the elderly on upper 5th Avenue.
Currently, Msgr. Aquino is serving as judge in the metropolitan tribunal of the archdiocese of New York and as administrator for the parish of St. Lucy. He is also the spiritual director of several Filipino-American associations.
Coming all the way from New Jersey, Dr. Gloria Tandoc-Surot celebrated her 75th birthday at the leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan, Dagupan City last March 28, 2007. Such grand celebration was thoughtfully prepared by her six children and their families, from the eldest: Joel, a civil engineer in the DPWH in Manila; 
Anneli, a nurse in Somerset Medical Center in New Jersey; Illustre, a CPA, who works for Merck-Pharma Corporation also in new Jersey; Ma. Honorina, a Master Teacher II in Mangaldan Central School, Mangaldan District I; Jaime, Jr., also a civil engineer in the DPWH in Manila; and Mac Froilan, a businessman and USA immigrant .
The program which was prepared by her children was emceed by the celebrator's nephew, Atty. Elmer Surot, and grandchildren Mafaye Surot and Jason Surot, started with the processional of the celebrator together with the immediate members of her family - her children and their respective spouse and children, her three sisters, sisters-inlaw and brother-in-law, and their house matron for almost 50 years. 
With almost 300 hundred relatives, close friends, former co-teachers and co-admnistrators for her guests, the occasion was filled with excitement as special numbers rendered by her grandchildren highlighted the celebration.
Since her retirement from being a District Supervisor in Mapandan District in April 1994, Dr. Surot has migrated to New Jersey, USA in May 1994 with her husband, Jaime A. Surot, Sr. Mr. Surot, a retired educator and musician (who could play piano, accordion and organ) filled the life of Dr. Surot with music until his death on September 21, 1996. His loving memory was reminisced as the family offered a prayer for his soul at he beginning of the program.
