| Reuben S. Seguritan, ESQ. New York, New York An Outstanding Leader of Filipino-American Advocacy |
When others have slowed and grown tired of the subject of Fil-Am
Solidarity, Reuben S. Seguritan talks up the issue as though our
survival in pluralistic America depends on it. Indeed, this
issue-oriented advocate of Filipino fellowship and understanding,
believes that the bonds of strong kinship can build the strongest
foundation for Filipino-American distinction in society.
But while Reuben is quickest in the draw in his defence against
onslaughts on the Filipino-American community, he refuses to turn
deaf or blind to character ills of his fellowmen. As a lawyer,
community leader, and political columnist for a New York-based
publication, Reuben is known to take up issues that beset
Filipino-Americans, wherever they knew of or cared about issues
at all. He would dig deep into the issues of the day, as a miner
works his mine, and with a sharp, cunning eye, would find delicate
gems of information, and hold them under the light of public
scrutiny.
Minority and civil rights, discrimination, political empowerment,
employment rights, unfair legislations for Filipino-Americans,
Philippine politics, and occasional jibes at Filipino values that
prove far from nurturing-- these are regular food for thought which
Solidarity, Reuben S. Seguritan talks up the issue as though our
survival in pluralistic America depends on it. Indeed, this
issue-oriented advocate of Filipino fellowship and understanding,
believes that the bonds of strong kinship can build the strongest
foundation for Filipino-American distinction in society.
But while Reuben is quickest in the draw in his defence against
onslaughts on the Filipino-American community, he refuses to turn
deaf or blind to character ills of his fellowmen. As a lawyer,
community leader, and political columnist for a New York-based
publication, Reuben is known to take up issues that beset
Filipino-Americans, wherever they knew of or cared about issues
at all. He would dig deep into the issues of the day, as a miner
works his mine, and with a sharp, cunning eye, would find delicate
gems of information, and hold them under the light of public
scrutiny.
Minority and civil rights, discrimination, political empowerment,
employment rights, unfair legislations for Filipino-Americans,
Philippine politics, and occasional jibes at Filipino values that
prove far from nurturing-- these are regular food for thought which
Reuben grinds out for his readers, as well as listeners from his various speaking engagements as guest
speaker, lecturer and resource person in numerous leadership seminars and conferences. Reuben, as
lawyer, writer and speaker has that bent for dissecting issues and seeing in them evils or values that others
rarely see for themselves.
As a lawyer, Reuben has represented veterans since the 70's in their struggle to obtain US citizenship, the
privilege of which had been promised them during the last world war, but denied to them later. He has also
represented for many years how nurses and other foreign medical graduates who have been targets of
discriminatory immigration laws. As a part member of the Asian American Immigration Advisory Board, he sat
for White House hearings whose officials had then referred to his position paper which proposed revising
unfair legislation against Filipino professionals.
He counselled the Philippine Medical Association in America when the anti foreign medical graduate
syndrome was at at its height. He was also the lawyer for a national coalition of nurses which successfully
negotiated with the Immigration and Naturalization Services the liberalizing of visa rules for nurses who were
then under threat of deportation.
Despite his active law practice in Manhattan, Reuben finds time to give regular free public service lectures on
alien rights to newly arrived Filipinos under a program sponsored by the Consulate General office of New
York. As a man long noted as an articulate commentator, Reuben has been on many occasions invited for
interviews by the media including United Press International on issues concerning Filipinos in the US.
Reuben's activism, while matched by a sedate and quiet demeanor has earned him the respect of fellow
community leaders who have seen in him the ideal role of a mediator. Conflicts, particularly those that arise
during elections or popularity contests of organizations, throw him in the midst of disenchanted and angry
sets of clans, either of which threaten to break away. His vast network of colleagues and friends from either
side almost always makes him the neutral arbiter in many Fil-Am associations, putting him thus in an ideal
position as an appointed ombudsman. Today, Reuben serves as a legal counselor for more that 20
Asian-American organizations in the Northeast.
Reuben's life record reads like a book of achievement. His academic and professional life is marked by
consistent honors and accomplishments. From the very beginning, he sought out excellence, and then made
it a part of himself, working out resolutions through his quiet passion on relevant social issues and causes of
Filipino concerns. For his accomplishments, he has received numerous awards and citations including the
Distinguished UP Alumni Award in Law, the Humanitarian Award, the Lingkod Award of Excellence and the
Outstanding Filipino Overseas Award in Law.
Either because of his natural inclination of work quietly, away from the limelight or the boisterous stage, or
because of his law practice, Reuben has continued to keep a low profile about himself, opting to limit his
involvement to organizations that would give him the vehicle to organize proposals and resolutions that
concern his passions-- that of getting Filipino-Americans to understand issues that are of consequence to
them. In the past he has almost avoided high profile positions, such as in the role of president, even when he
has helped these organizations grow.
He had been Chairman of the Philippine American Voter Registration Drive and Vice Chairman of the Asian
American Caucus of Greater New York and chaired a federally funded conference on immigration law.
Recently, Reuben was elected (in absentia) president of the nationwide organization of his alma mater, the
University fo the Philippine Alumni Association in America. He also serves in the 11-member board of the
prestigious Asian American Federation in New York.
A consistent valedictorian from elementary to high school, Reuben also distinguished himself as editor of his
high school paper and gold medalist in oratorical contests. Later at the University of the Philippines where he
completed his bachelor's degree in political Science and Bachelor of Laws in 1970, Reuben smoothly
worked his way to key leadership positions in academic clubs and the student body, deftly balanced his
academic work as a scholar, and as an activist leader and an editor of six student publications, including the
Philippine Law Journal and the Law Register. As chairman for public and national affairs of the UP Student
Council in 1969, he led student demonstrations in their growing discontent against governmental excesses,
and later organized the first national conference on student power.
Upon finishing law, Reuben taught law and international politics in a Manila university, and at that same time
helped organize a legal defence group called LUMABAN. He was later tapped to serve as chief counsel of the
Kasama national labor federation.
In 1971, upon the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, he was himself surprised to find his name among
those first listed in the roster of blacklisted citizens and activists.
Reuben was in the US as a delegate to an international youth seminar when martial law was declared.
Registered by the thought that he was stuck in the US, he sought admission to Harvard Law School for which
he was accepted for its LLM program. As it happened, fate (or luck, however one may look at it), intervened
once again. A more lucrative offer came his way. He was offered a job with a big time corporate law firm in
Manhattan. Later, he accepted another job offer from a labor law firm. He subsequently passed the New York
Bar exam in 1974.
Reuben works and writes the things he does because of his keen faith in what Filipino-Americans can do and
become. "Political empowerment is the answer to ever achieving anything we want for ourselves in America,"
he said. "To attain this, we have to learn to stop fighting with each other and end our mindless socializing.
We have to work together and get involved in the important issues of the day."
Reuben is married to the former Corazon Magsuci, a physician, and has two children-- Frederick, 13, and
Reuben Anthony, 11. #
speaker, lecturer and resource person in numerous leadership seminars and conferences. Reuben, as
lawyer, writer and speaker has that bent for dissecting issues and seeing in them evils or values that others
rarely see for themselves.
As a lawyer, Reuben has represented veterans since the 70's in their struggle to obtain US citizenship, the
privilege of which had been promised them during the last world war, but denied to them later. He has also
represented for many years how nurses and other foreign medical graduates who have been targets of
discriminatory immigration laws. As a part member of the Asian American Immigration Advisory Board, he sat
for White House hearings whose officials had then referred to his position paper which proposed revising
unfair legislation against Filipino professionals.
He counselled the Philippine Medical Association in America when the anti foreign medical graduate
syndrome was at at its height. He was also the lawyer for a national coalition of nurses which successfully
negotiated with the Immigration and Naturalization Services the liberalizing of visa rules for nurses who were
then under threat of deportation.
Despite his active law practice in Manhattan, Reuben finds time to give regular free public service lectures on
alien rights to newly arrived Filipinos under a program sponsored by the Consulate General office of New
York. As a man long noted as an articulate commentator, Reuben has been on many occasions invited for
interviews by the media including United Press International on issues concerning Filipinos in the US.
Reuben's activism, while matched by a sedate and quiet demeanor has earned him the respect of fellow
community leaders who have seen in him the ideal role of a mediator. Conflicts, particularly those that arise
during elections or popularity contests of organizations, throw him in the midst of disenchanted and angry
sets of clans, either of which threaten to break away. His vast network of colleagues and friends from either
side almost always makes him the neutral arbiter in many Fil-Am associations, putting him thus in an ideal
position as an appointed ombudsman. Today, Reuben serves as a legal counselor for more that 20
Asian-American organizations in the Northeast.
Reuben's life record reads like a book of achievement. His academic and professional life is marked by
consistent honors and accomplishments. From the very beginning, he sought out excellence, and then made
it a part of himself, working out resolutions through his quiet passion on relevant social issues and causes of
Filipino concerns. For his accomplishments, he has received numerous awards and citations including the
Distinguished UP Alumni Award in Law, the Humanitarian Award, the Lingkod Award of Excellence and the
Outstanding Filipino Overseas Award in Law.
Either because of his natural inclination of work quietly, away from the limelight or the boisterous stage, or
because of his law practice, Reuben has continued to keep a low profile about himself, opting to limit his
involvement to organizations that would give him the vehicle to organize proposals and resolutions that
concern his passions-- that of getting Filipino-Americans to understand issues that are of consequence to
them. In the past he has almost avoided high profile positions, such as in the role of president, even when he
has helped these organizations grow.
He had been Chairman of the Philippine American Voter Registration Drive and Vice Chairman of the Asian
American Caucus of Greater New York and chaired a federally funded conference on immigration law.
Recently, Reuben was elected (in absentia) president of the nationwide organization of his alma mater, the
University fo the Philippine Alumni Association in America. He also serves in the 11-member board of the
prestigious Asian American Federation in New York.
A consistent valedictorian from elementary to high school, Reuben also distinguished himself as editor of his
high school paper and gold medalist in oratorical contests. Later at the University of the Philippines where he
completed his bachelor's degree in political Science and Bachelor of Laws in 1970, Reuben smoothly
worked his way to key leadership positions in academic clubs and the student body, deftly balanced his
academic work as a scholar, and as an activist leader and an editor of six student publications, including the
Philippine Law Journal and the Law Register. As chairman for public and national affairs of the UP Student
Council in 1969, he led student demonstrations in their growing discontent against governmental excesses,
and later organized the first national conference on student power.
Upon finishing law, Reuben taught law and international politics in a Manila university, and at that same time
helped organize a legal defence group called LUMABAN. He was later tapped to serve as chief counsel of the
Kasama national labor federation.
In 1971, upon the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, he was himself surprised to find his name among
those first listed in the roster of blacklisted citizens and activists.
Reuben was in the US as a delegate to an international youth seminar when martial law was declared.
Registered by the thought that he was stuck in the US, he sought admission to Harvard Law School for which
he was accepted for its LLM program. As it happened, fate (or luck, however one may look at it), intervened
once again. A more lucrative offer came his way. He was offered a job with a big time corporate law firm in
Manhattan. Later, he accepted another job offer from a labor law firm. He subsequently passed the New York
Bar exam in 1974.
Reuben works and writes the things he does because of his keen faith in what Filipino-Americans can do and
become. "Political empowerment is the answer to ever achieving anything we want for ourselves in America,"
he said. "To attain this, we have to learn to stop fighting with each other and end our mindless socializing.
We have to work together and get involved in the important issues of the day."
Reuben is married to the former Corazon Magsuci, a physician, and has two children-- Frederick, 13, and
Reuben Anthony, 11. #
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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