| Romeo K. Dela Paz Palm Bay, Florida “A Remarkable Global Jaycee” |
Romeo “Romie” Kempis Dela Paz was born in Dulag
“Liberation Town”, Leyte , Philippines. He is the youngest
among the seven children of Mateo and Juanita Dela Paz.
In January 1986, he was assigned by the Junior Chamber
Philippines (JCP) to go to the Junior Chamber
International (JCI) World Headquarters at Coral Gables,
Florida to attend the “Worldwide Federation of Young
Leaders and Entrepreneurs”. That time, he was serving
the Ministry of Local Government and Community
Development as a Supervising Community Development
Officer, National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), and
subsequently designated as Administrative Officer III who
is next in command to the Chief, Administrative Division.
His office was responsible with the development and
supervision of the basic unit of government in the
Philippines, which consists of 42,000 barangays all over
the country.
His picture was featured in solo-full screen- during the
intro video in television stations in Metro Manila; and at
ABC’s Nightline Kopells’ interview with then President
Cory Aquino on her report for her first 100 days of
governance. After this, he received death treats and went
“Liberation Town”, Leyte , Philippines. He is the youngest
among the seven children of Mateo and Juanita Dela Paz.
In January 1986, he was assigned by the Junior Chamber
Philippines (JCP) to go to the Junior Chamber
International (JCI) World Headquarters at Coral Gables,
Florida to attend the “Worldwide Federation of Young
Leaders and Entrepreneurs”. That time, he was serving
the Ministry of Local Government and Community
Development as a Supervising Community Development
Officer, National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), and
subsequently designated as Administrative Officer III who
is next in command to the Chief, Administrative Division.
His office was responsible with the development and
supervision of the basic unit of government in the
Philippines, which consists of 42,000 barangays all over
the country.
His picture was featured in solo-full screen- during the
intro video in television stations in Metro Manila; and at
ABC’s Nightline Kopells’ interview with then President
Cory Aquino on her report for her first 100 days of
governance. After this, he received death treats and went
to Florida as an asylum and later became his permanent residence.
With less than a year after signing up for member, Romie was elected as the Chapter President for
Palm Bay Area Jaycees (PBAJ) of Palm Bay, Florida. He was the first ever non-Caucasian head since
it was founded in 1964. Today’s Rod Coffee once quoted “If a man’s stature is measured by his good
deeds, 5-foot Romeo Dela Paz is a giant among men.” PhilNews’ Pollyana Dy-Liacco says “Don’t let
Romeo Dela Paz’ stature fool you; when it comes to leadership, he is head and shoulders above
many men.”
He joined the National Filipino American Council (NFAC) and the Filipino American Political
Association (FAPA) after attending the 1989 NFAC Unity Conference in San Francisco, California.
Currently, he is the elected as the State Chair for the Florida National Federation of Filipino American
Associations (NaFFAA).
During the 1993 United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (USJCC) held at Greensboro, North
Carolina, Dela Paz proudly stood and led the cheering when his recruit and 1992-1993 PBAJ Chapter
President Jim Roberts walked across the stage. It was a historic first for PBAJ to receive award as
USJCC Overall Best Chapter for Community Development. Romie Dela Paz was recognized with the
chapter’s Key Person Award of the year. To show the gratitude of the Jaycees society in general for
the services Romie Dela Paz has provided them, he was bestowed with JCI’s highest honor, the JCI
Senatorship - a Life Member for an under 40-year old world-wide organization. The Senatorship was
to cap his services and Jaycee career that included Florida Jaycees State Chairmanship for the
Search for the Outstanding Senior Citizens (1989), and Florida Jaycees State Chairmanship for
International Involvement (1992) when the Florida Jaycees / Florida JCI Senate hosted for the first
time a JCI World Congress (Miami ‘92) — 6,000 participants including almost a hundred from the
Philippines and in spite of Hurricane Andrew a few months before the November gathering. At the
state-wide year end Convention in Orlando where the surprise Senatorship was presented, he was
also presented, with the Robert Kennedy School of Government Award for outstanding participation to
the 1993 Government Affairs Leadership Seminar. In 1994, Florida Jaycees was the Number One
Jaycee State in America. Mr. Dela Paz was given the rare privilege to hold the award’s banner on
stage during the presentation. In 1995, at the Government Affairs Legislative Seminar (GALS) in
Washington, D.C., Dela Paz was able to speak in behalf of immigrants rights to the assembly that
included the USJCC National President Kelly J. Wills and his Executive Board , 50 State Presidents,
and JCI dignitaries/guests.
When FAABCO was incorporated in 1986, it filed its 1975 Constitution in toto. With changing condition
and needs of the community and organization including a dream of a Filam community center of
which funds were slowly being raised, Dela Paz used this experience to chair the FAABCO’s ‘91
charter review and, subsequent amendments, among which is a provision to be a 501(c)(3)
organization. This led to his leadership in the Exploratory Committee and founding of the Florida’s
Space Coast Filipino American Charitable and Educational Foundation, Inc. (Florida’s SFACEF), a 501
(c)(3), public foundation serving as one of the three Initial Trustees and later, Executive Director for the
last five years completing Florida’s SFACEF probationary period. Now, under the chairmanship of
Manuel Verceles,Dela Paz serves as FAABCO President 2004-2006 that led to his election as
NaFFAA Florida State Chair 2006-2007, too. With a state-wide platform, he has represented NaFFAA
in the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition (FMCRC) at this think tank and action group
‘s 3rd Economic Summit 2006 where he assured the mostly Hispanic and African American
conferees that Florida has a significant Asian Pacific constituency including Filipinos. Later
represented the Asian and Pacific Floridians through the FMCRC delegation to the 13th Economic
Summit hosted by the Greenlining Institute held in Los Angeles, California last April. Again,
representing NaFFAA Florida,together with leaders of the Florida Farm workers Association, ACORN
and Florida Farm Ministry and others, arms linked as vanguard of the 30,000 people march in
Downtown Orlando passing by the offices of U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez. At this May
1st Immigrants Rally, he was one of the speakers of this multimedia covered event, shouting Filipinas
with the crowd repeating/cheering. Dela Paz was quoted by Orlando Sentinel, as a speaker in behalf
of the one million undocumented Filipinos , and delivering the stand of a national organization. Also,
in May , Dela Paz was able to facilitate Department of Homeland Security ‘s Immigration and
Citizenship Ombudsman Prakash Khatri’s visit to the Space Coast speaking at Brevard Community
College’s Moore Multi Cultural Center’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration. June,
with the Council of Filipino American Organizations (CFAO) hosting, NaFFAA Florida and Florida
Coalition of Leaders and Advocates as co-sponsors of the Florida Political Action Conference,
resulted in the formation of a first ever Florida wide FilAm political action committee (PAC) named
Filipino American Political Alliance (FAPA) of Florida intending to flex its political muscle starting 2006
primaries and general elections at all levels! Dela Paz values work in an organized setting like
coordinating the Manila Children’s Choir ,and the Leyte Dance Theater Florida Tours ;assisting the
Himig Singers, Silliman University’s Ating Pamana , and U.S.T. Choir , he has been serving the
FilAms on one on one basis especially distressed kababayans on a variety of issues and concerns,
at one occasion has to be provided with police and court protection after receiving death threats for
helping victims of domestic violence. “Leader for most of his life” is sub-heading of the profile by
Philnews staff writer Dy-Liacco, and “Desire to help inspire local man” was banner headline, front
page story of a publication of Florida Today re: Romeo “Romie” Kempis Dela Paz. #
With less than a year after signing up for member, Romie was elected as the Chapter President for
Palm Bay Area Jaycees (PBAJ) of Palm Bay, Florida. He was the first ever non-Caucasian head since
it was founded in 1964. Today’s Rod Coffee once quoted “If a man’s stature is measured by his good
deeds, 5-foot Romeo Dela Paz is a giant among men.” PhilNews’ Pollyana Dy-Liacco says “Don’t let
Romeo Dela Paz’ stature fool you; when it comes to leadership, he is head and shoulders above
many men.”
He joined the National Filipino American Council (NFAC) and the Filipino American Political
Association (FAPA) after attending the 1989 NFAC Unity Conference in San Francisco, California.
Currently, he is the elected as the State Chair for the Florida National Federation of Filipino American
Associations (NaFFAA).
During the 1993 United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (USJCC) held at Greensboro, North
Carolina, Dela Paz proudly stood and led the cheering when his recruit and 1992-1993 PBAJ Chapter
President Jim Roberts walked across the stage. It was a historic first for PBAJ to receive award as
USJCC Overall Best Chapter for Community Development. Romie Dela Paz was recognized with the
chapter’s Key Person Award of the year. To show the gratitude of the Jaycees society in general for
the services Romie Dela Paz has provided them, he was bestowed with JCI’s highest honor, the JCI
Senatorship - a Life Member for an under 40-year old world-wide organization. The Senatorship was
to cap his services and Jaycee career that included Florida Jaycees State Chairmanship for the
Search for the Outstanding Senior Citizens (1989), and Florida Jaycees State Chairmanship for
International Involvement (1992) when the Florida Jaycees / Florida JCI Senate hosted for the first
time a JCI World Congress (Miami ‘92) — 6,000 participants including almost a hundred from the
Philippines and in spite of Hurricane Andrew a few months before the November gathering. At the
state-wide year end Convention in Orlando where the surprise Senatorship was presented, he was
also presented, with the Robert Kennedy School of Government Award for outstanding participation to
the 1993 Government Affairs Leadership Seminar. In 1994, Florida Jaycees was the Number One
Jaycee State in America. Mr. Dela Paz was given the rare privilege to hold the award’s banner on
stage during the presentation. In 1995, at the Government Affairs Legislative Seminar (GALS) in
Washington, D.C., Dela Paz was able to speak in behalf of immigrants rights to the assembly that
included the USJCC National President Kelly J. Wills and his Executive Board , 50 State Presidents,
and JCI dignitaries/guests.
When FAABCO was incorporated in 1986, it filed its 1975 Constitution in toto. With changing condition
and needs of the community and organization including a dream of a Filam community center of
which funds were slowly being raised, Dela Paz used this experience to chair the FAABCO’s ‘91
charter review and, subsequent amendments, among which is a provision to be a 501(c)(3)
organization. This led to his leadership in the Exploratory Committee and founding of the Florida’s
Space Coast Filipino American Charitable and Educational Foundation, Inc. (Florida’s SFACEF), a 501
(c)(3), public foundation serving as one of the three Initial Trustees and later, Executive Director for the
last five years completing Florida’s SFACEF probationary period. Now, under the chairmanship of
Manuel Verceles,Dela Paz serves as FAABCO President 2004-2006 that led to his election as
NaFFAA Florida State Chair 2006-2007, too. With a state-wide platform, he has represented NaFFAA
in the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition (FMCRC) at this think tank and action group
‘s 3rd Economic Summit 2006 where he assured the mostly Hispanic and African American
conferees that Florida has a significant Asian Pacific constituency including Filipinos. Later
represented the Asian and Pacific Floridians through the FMCRC delegation to the 13th Economic
Summit hosted by the Greenlining Institute held in Los Angeles, California last April. Again,
representing NaFFAA Florida,together with leaders of the Florida Farm workers Association, ACORN
and Florida Farm Ministry and others, arms linked as vanguard of the 30,000 people march in
Downtown Orlando passing by the offices of U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez. At this May
1st Immigrants Rally, he was one of the speakers of this multimedia covered event, shouting Filipinas
with the crowd repeating/cheering. Dela Paz was quoted by Orlando Sentinel, as a speaker in behalf
of the one million undocumented Filipinos , and delivering the stand of a national organization. Also,
in May , Dela Paz was able to facilitate Department of Homeland Security ‘s Immigration and
Citizenship Ombudsman Prakash Khatri’s visit to the Space Coast speaking at Brevard Community
College’s Moore Multi Cultural Center’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration. June,
with the Council of Filipino American Organizations (CFAO) hosting, NaFFAA Florida and Florida
Coalition of Leaders and Advocates as co-sponsors of the Florida Political Action Conference,
resulted in the formation of a first ever Florida wide FilAm political action committee (PAC) named
Filipino American Political Alliance (FAPA) of Florida intending to flex its political muscle starting 2006
primaries and general elections at all levels! Dela Paz values work in an organized setting like
coordinating the Manila Children’s Choir ,and the Leyte Dance Theater Florida Tours ;assisting the
Himig Singers, Silliman University’s Ating Pamana , and U.S.T. Choir , he has been serving the
FilAms on one on one basis especially distressed kababayans on a variety of issues and concerns,
at one occasion has to be provided with police and court protection after receiving death threats for
helping victims of domestic violence. “Leader for most of his life” is sub-heading of the profile by
Philnews staff writer Dy-Liacco, and “Desire to help inspire local man” was banner headline, front
page story of a publication of Florida Today re: Romeo “Romie” Kempis Dela Paz. #
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