The world’s gain

The quest for a better life has forever changed the demographic landscape of the Philippines, the same way the two world wars caused a European exodus to safety in the US. But whereas European immigrants flooded the East Coast, often having the Statue of Liberty as their first sighting of the land of the free, for Filipinos, the West Coast, from Hawaii to California, was their gateway to prosperity. For millions of Filipinos, enduring years of loneliness, separation from family, starting over, meant that they would end up staying in America. You don’t pay for your pearl of great price then leave it.

For those who went on to a new life, there was the additional challenge of reinforcement of identity. Where would you find the touchstones of being Filipino? Particularly in the 1980’s, before the Internet made the world smaller, you couldn’t go to a neighborhood sari-sari store in America, or just talk in Filipino or your native dialect with your neighbors. But, for a young OFW nurse Nora Panganiban, she was going to live in both worlds, whatever it took. She was going to be a Filipina living in the United States. And while the children of many immigrants would embrace Anerican citizenship and culture and turn their backs on their roots, not Nora. And certainly not her son, race car driver Neil Alberico.

While many Fil-American athletes obviously have little awareness of being Filipino and only acknowledge their mother’s homeland when it is to their advantage, Alberico has been regularly coming back to his mother’s native Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique since he was a child. And he loved it.

Neil has photos upon photos of him in Semirara as a kid, always mobile. If it moved, he was on it: carabaos, motorcycles, tricycles, jeepneys, roller blades. He pumped water out of an artesian well, made bread early mornings at the local panaderia. (He still has cravings for pan de sal). He never went to the big cities. He had the simple, idyllic, Filipino provincial life. As a teen, he even invited his friends from the US to the province; not by plane, but by boat, as most locals do.

”Now, going back as an adult, it’s a whole different experience. I now understand what life was really like on the island, it was tough, and still is,” Neil explains. ”This whole time, my mom was showing me how extremely blessed I am, she was teaching me to be grateful for the life that I live, and that I should share these experiences with others.”

He has a very strong sense of identity. He understands the language and continues to improve his proficiency in it. He has a deep sense of the values of being Filipino. And these values inform him, even in the very American, highly technological world of car racing. Whereas some drivers skirt the line between right and wrong and often cross it just to get ahead in the sport, Neil has his wheels firmly planted on the side of right. He’s never been the nasty black hat. He would never be the villain. That’s one of the reasons Team Pelfrey wanted Neil to drive for them this IndyLights season. Besides, he already has the charisma and demeanor that quickly wins people over, and makes fans out new friends.

“Outside the car, Neil is the consummate Filipino. I marvel at how the Filipino blood in him comes through,” reveals Art Wilmes, founder and CEO of Rising Star Racing (RSR), which has supported Alberico throughout his career. “He is truly a Filipino Warrior in the car. He is truly a cultural Filipino outside of the car. I believe the Tagalog word is bayanihan. He is just a giving and helpful person. That is a very unique trait in racing.”

Wilmes and Alberico are banking on both Neil’s competence and charm to bring more Filipino companies onboard to sponsor Neil to the elusive next level, Indy Car. The reality of open wheel racing is that you have to support yourself until you get to that highest level. For Neil, it is a double-edged sword. The time spent on the road courting sponsors is time spent away from training. NBA players don’t have to go courting, it is the reverse. But in the pursuit of his passion, Neil knows it is part of the process. And he knows it will be worth it. He just has to keep working hard, and being true to himself.

Neil Alberico is that rare find, a Filipino athlete from an emigrant family who was never the Philippines’s loss, but is now the world’s gain.