| Esperanza “Esper” B. Tejano, D.D.M. Newton, Kansas Beauty and Brains Jetsetter Fil-Am Positive Image Highlighter |
“What a beautiful, talented, kind, and astonishing Filipino
entrepreneur lady,” is the usual “whisper” among her socialite
and international jetsetter friends when they talk among
themselves about Esperanza Buniao Tejano, Esper for short
among her friends. To the Filipino-Americans in nearby Wichita,
Kansas and other regions in the North Continent- United States,
Canada and Mexico, Esper is fondly described as : “down-to-
earth, meek and humble, generous, helpful, attentive,
approachable, a jewel” and of course, “ a beautiful Filipina!”
Once one has met her personally, one will immediately agree
with the descriptive adjectives above… and maybe more. In the
course of an exclusive interview, the writer had firsthand and
close observation when he was accorded the opportunity of being
the Tejano’s house guest in their palatial residence of four days
last summer.
Picked up personally by Esper in a shiny Mercedes Benz at
Wichita International Airport, a good thirty minute drive to the
exclusive City of Newton where the Tejanos reside on a six-plus
acres resort-like home, the writer was very impressed with Esper’
s simplicity, kindness and friendliness. Arriving at another
entrepreneur lady,” is the usual “whisper” among her socialite
and international jetsetter friends when they talk among
themselves about Esperanza Buniao Tejano, Esper for short
among her friends. To the Filipino-Americans in nearby Wichita,
Kansas and other regions in the North Continent- United States,
Canada and Mexico, Esper is fondly described as : “down-to-
earth, meek and humble, generous, helpful, attentive,
approachable, a jewel” and of course, “ a beautiful Filipina!”
Once one has met her personally, one will immediately agree
with the descriptive adjectives above… and maybe more. In the
course of an exclusive interview, the writer had firsthand and
close observation when he was accorded the opportunity of being
the Tejano’s house guest in their palatial residence of four days
last summer.
Picked up personally by Esper in a shiny Mercedes Benz at
Wichita International Airport, a good thirty minute drive to the
exclusive City of Newton where the Tejanos reside on a six-plus
acres resort-like home, the writer was very impressed with Esper’
s simplicity, kindness and friendliness. Arriving at another
Filipino physician’s home where a “Rigodon de Honor” was being rehearsed for a grand banquet and ball
sponsored by the 300 Filipino families residing in Wichita the following Saturday, Esper was warmly greeted
by all who were there an hour or so earlier. At her home, she personally attends to her guest, such as
assisting in preparing meals in spite of her phone ringing off the walls in conjunction with: the Filipino grand
banquet where she was the general chairperson; her tennis buddies asking to use the Tejano’s professional
tennis court; friends of their children requesting to hold a swimming party at their Olympic-size swimming
pool; friends inviting her to a symphony concert; and, various telephone calls.
“Esper works full-time in her non-paying job as a community leader and part-part-part time with ESPER
AIRLINES where she is the President and General Manager,” explained husband Dr. Nilo Tejano, the famous
“Living Legend of Kansas” who is very supportive of all Esper’s activities.
During the grand banquet and ball honoring Filipino-Americans celebrating their “debut” birthday and 25th
anniversary celebrants, Esper, according to Wichita’s old-timers, created history by successfully filling the
ballroom to full capacity with everyone enjoying a memorable event. With other Filipino families, Esper was
one of the original organizers and founders over eight years ago for this annual event. “The idea is to hold
only one grand formal party for the young ladies turning 18 years old for a formal debut or cotillion, and for
those celebrating their 25th, 30th, 35th or 50th wedding anniversary.
They are the celebrants and our Filipino community is the official host,” explained one of the original
organizers. “Everyone pays $25 per person or guest. If you have 20 guests, that’s only $500 you’ll spend,
instead of thousands of dollars if you hold your own private party. It is a great idea because you have a hotel
as a venue, good meals, dancing, formal wear and the whole 9-yards. The $25 per person is not sufficient to
cover the actual cost, but our group has fund-raising projects to cover the difference.”
In a 3-day trip to Toronto, Canada, the writer had an opportunity again to observe Esper. Picked up at BWI
Airport by Nilo, Esper and son Neil in one of the ESPER AIRLINES jets piloted by a 25-year veteran pilot of the
company, the group landed at Toronto’s downtown airport and taken to a hotel where Nilo was to be one of
the judges of a Miss Philippines and a Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant.
Stunning in a new evening gown, Esper easily adjusted as an ordinary guest and won legions of friends in
her first exposure to a typical Filipino community pageant.
Esper, the only Asian in the group, is president of the WINS, Wichita International Net Set, a 60-member very
exclusive and private tennis group that fly to different private tennis clubs in other countries “to play tennis
purely for fun and not for competition, to have tea, and to visit each other.” Membership to WINS is strictly by
invitation only. Esper is past president of the PEO, Philanthropic Education Organization, a sisterhood sorority
and very exclusive group that raise funds for international scholarships and peace projects.
She is the only Filipino and was past president of another exclusive group, the Junior Reading Circle, that
meet monthly to listen to lecturers on diverse subjects as wine tasting, interior and exterior designing,
gourmet recipes, art studies and appreciation, ethics and manners and various cultural subjects. Esper is
active as Member of the Board of the Mid Kansas Symphony where she is one of the major fund-raisers and
donors. She was a past president of the Auxiliary Filipino Investors Club as well as one of the original leaders
who founded the successful monthly Holy Rosary prayer group that meets in different homes.
Born in Taco, Behold, Espier is the daughter of Victorian Bunion of Taco and Pereira Bilateral of Daimio,
Behold. She graduated high school from the Holy Trinity College and went straight to the University of the
Philippines where she was voted as one of the most beautiful coeds in the campus, and was named as UP
“Miss Dentistry.” Graduating as top student in her dentistry class in 1968, Espier still holds the only distinction
in the entire province of Behold by topping the Philippine Government Board of Dentistry Examinations. Elated
by this honor, the entire Province of Behold celebrated her fete with province-wide activities. Former Philippine
President Carlos Garcia, a true blooded Boolean, joined his province mates, flew to Bohol and personally
presented Esper a Presidential Commendation in a town’s plaza gala affair.
She is married to her childhood admirer, the dashing and handsome Leonilo “Nilo” Tejano who is known as
the “Living Legend of Kansas” who has treated a long list of patients with orthopedic problems. The Tejanos
were married in Los Angeles, California a year after Esper topped the government examinations.
“I joined Nilo in this county in 1968 and got married in St. Columba Church in Los Angeles. Immediately after
our wedding, we left for Kansas where Nilo was already affiliated with a hospital,” recalled Esper. The
Tejanos have four talented children: Kristine, 25; Jennifer, 24; Neil, 20; and Victor, 18.
“Esper’s high visibility with the Kansas State social elites is a tremendous boost to the Filipino community
positive image. We are respected here because of her and Dr. Tejano,” noted one of the Filipino old-timers
from Kansas. #
sponsored by the 300 Filipino families residing in Wichita the following Saturday, Esper was warmly greeted
by all who were there an hour or so earlier. At her home, she personally attends to her guest, such as
assisting in preparing meals in spite of her phone ringing off the walls in conjunction with: the Filipino grand
banquet where she was the general chairperson; her tennis buddies asking to use the Tejano’s professional
tennis court; friends of their children requesting to hold a swimming party at their Olympic-size swimming
pool; friends inviting her to a symphony concert; and, various telephone calls.
“Esper works full-time in her non-paying job as a community leader and part-part-part time with ESPER
AIRLINES where she is the President and General Manager,” explained husband Dr. Nilo Tejano, the famous
“Living Legend of Kansas” who is very supportive of all Esper’s activities.
During the grand banquet and ball honoring Filipino-Americans celebrating their “debut” birthday and 25th
anniversary celebrants, Esper, according to Wichita’s old-timers, created history by successfully filling the
ballroom to full capacity with everyone enjoying a memorable event. With other Filipino families, Esper was
one of the original organizers and founders over eight years ago for this annual event. “The idea is to hold
only one grand formal party for the young ladies turning 18 years old for a formal debut or cotillion, and for
those celebrating their 25th, 30th, 35th or 50th wedding anniversary.
They are the celebrants and our Filipino community is the official host,” explained one of the original
organizers. “Everyone pays $25 per person or guest. If you have 20 guests, that’s only $500 you’ll spend,
instead of thousands of dollars if you hold your own private party. It is a great idea because you have a hotel
as a venue, good meals, dancing, formal wear and the whole 9-yards. The $25 per person is not sufficient to
cover the actual cost, but our group has fund-raising projects to cover the difference.”
In a 3-day trip to Toronto, Canada, the writer had an opportunity again to observe Esper. Picked up at BWI
Airport by Nilo, Esper and son Neil in one of the ESPER AIRLINES jets piloted by a 25-year veteran pilot of the
company, the group landed at Toronto’s downtown airport and taken to a hotel where Nilo was to be one of
the judges of a Miss Philippines and a Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant.
Stunning in a new evening gown, Esper easily adjusted as an ordinary guest and won legions of friends in
her first exposure to a typical Filipino community pageant.
Esper, the only Asian in the group, is president of the WINS, Wichita International Net Set, a 60-member very
exclusive and private tennis group that fly to different private tennis clubs in other countries “to play tennis
purely for fun and not for competition, to have tea, and to visit each other.” Membership to WINS is strictly by
invitation only. Esper is past president of the PEO, Philanthropic Education Organization, a sisterhood sorority
and very exclusive group that raise funds for international scholarships and peace projects.
She is the only Filipino and was past president of another exclusive group, the Junior Reading Circle, that
meet monthly to listen to lecturers on diverse subjects as wine tasting, interior and exterior designing,
gourmet recipes, art studies and appreciation, ethics and manners and various cultural subjects. Esper is
active as Member of the Board of the Mid Kansas Symphony where she is one of the major fund-raisers and
donors. She was a past president of the Auxiliary Filipino Investors Club as well as one of the original leaders
who founded the successful monthly Holy Rosary prayer group that meets in different homes.
Born in Taco, Behold, Espier is the daughter of Victorian Bunion of Taco and Pereira Bilateral of Daimio,
Behold. She graduated high school from the Holy Trinity College and went straight to the University of the
Philippines where she was voted as one of the most beautiful coeds in the campus, and was named as UP
“Miss Dentistry.” Graduating as top student in her dentistry class in 1968, Espier still holds the only distinction
in the entire province of Behold by topping the Philippine Government Board of Dentistry Examinations. Elated
by this honor, the entire Province of Behold celebrated her fete with province-wide activities. Former Philippine
President Carlos Garcia, a true blooded Boolean, joined his province mates, flew to Bohol and personally
presented Esper a Presidential Commendation in a town’s plaza gala affair.
She is married to her childhood admirer, the dashing and handsome Leonilo “Nilo” Tejano who is known as
the “Living Legend of Kansas” who has treated a long list of patients with orthopedic problems. The Tejanos
were married in Los Angeles, California a year after Esper topped the government examinations.
“I joined Nilo in this county in 1968 and got married in St. Columba Church in Los Angeles. Immediately after
our wedding, we left for Kansas where Nilo was already affiliated with a hospital,” recalled Esper. The
Tejanos have four talented children: Kristine, 25; Jennifer, 24; Neil, 20; and Victor, 18.
“Esper’s high visibility with the Kansas State social elites is a tremendous boost to the Filipino community
positive image. We are respected here because of her and Dr. Tejano,” noted one of the Filipino old-timers
from Kansas. #
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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