By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
JOINT Region Marianas Commander Rear Adm. Brett Mietus told 28 new U.S. citizens Monday that their pursuit of citizenship embodies the spirit of America, urging them to “make a difference” and “never lose hope” as they begin their journey as Americans.
“It’s an honor for me to be a part of this great day,” Mietus said during a naturalization ceremony at the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands. “We live in a time when men and women in the U.S. take our citizenship for granted and focus on what they think they deserve, instead of what we all must do as citizens. But you here today — you’re different.”
Drawing on his family’s immigrant story, Mietus recalled how his grandparents came from Poland to New York and how their pursuit of citizenship shaped his life. He offered two requests to the new citizens: first, to make a difference wherever they are, quoting Theodore Roosevelt’s advice to “do what you can with what you have where you are.” Second, Mietus urged them to never lose hope, citing former President Barack Obama’s words that hope is the belief that “something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it.”
“First, make a difference. Help make our imperfect union more perfect,” Mietus said. “And second, bring hope to your friends, your family, and now your fellow citizens.”
Among those sworn in was Min Suk Han, owner of Han’s Tire Shop in Garapan, who at 85 became the oldest new U.S. citizen. Han has lived in the CNMI since 1982. Also naturalized was Asuncion Palang Burnette, a CNMI resident since 1985. The ceremony also featured four husband-and-wife pairs who took the oath together, underscoring the family bonds strengthened by citizenship.
The ceremony, held Dec. 15, was presided over by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona, who granted a motion by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Officer Maria Camacho to accept the applicants as new citizens. Judge Manglona encouraged the new citizens to register to vote and to serve on juries.
The new citizens are Jerry Blancaflor Alcantara, Imelda Vargas Altamirano, Noel Santiago Altamirano, Eufemia Baniqued Austin, Elenita Cuenca Baquilles, Pedro Alejandro Baquilles, Antonio Malamanig Barit, Nelson Basaca Battalones, Asuncion Palang Burnette, Raquel Ong Deleon Guerrero, MD Omar Faruk, Renz Guiller Ola Fauni, Cynthia Cruz Ferrari, Min Suk Han, Antonio De Andres Lastimado, Ronalyn De Ocampo Masga, Ernesto Tasic Moises Jr., Geraldo Pamittan Mora, Alfredo Failago Ngalongalo, Ma. Fe Napalinga Ngalongalo, Emmanuel Lim Po, Allen Paul Salamanca Reyes, Sylveria Saldivar Rufila, Asuncion Gutierrez Sapo, Raymundo Arca Tabilisma, Ma. Grace Habaluyas Vidal, Nelson Lareza Vidal, and Linda Ebilane Yarobwemal.
Because of a lapse in federal appropriations, naturalization ceremonies were delayed in October and resumed only after funding became available.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
