Josie Fitial
Encyclopedia
Josepina "Josie" Padiermos Fitial (born November 25, 1962) is the current First Lady
of the Northern Mariana Islands
and the wife of Governor Benigno Fitial. She became First Lady upon the inauguration
of her husband as the 6th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands on January 9, 2006.
. She was the oldest child of four children of a poor family. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the East-Recto
in Manila
.
Padiermos moved to the Northern Mariana Islands
in 1983 to financially support her family in the Philippines. There she met her future husband, Benigno Fitial, a politician
, while working as a waitress on Saipan
. The couple later married and had two children, Patrick and Christina, in addition to Benigno Fitial's four children from a previous marriage, Jason, Cathy, Junella and Julie.
of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
and the Governor of the CNMI beginning in 2006. Josie Fitial became First Lady of the Northern Mariana Islands when her husband took office on January 9, 2006.
Fitial has placed emphasis on programs and initiatives relating to education
, health care
, recycling
and the environment
, as well as children, students and the elderly. She has been named an honorary goodwill ambassador
of the Red Cross, CNMI Chapter, and is a former member of the CNMI Lions Clubs International
.
Fitial has established the Vision Foundation, which promotes charitable causes within the Northern Mariana Islands. A focus of Fitial's foundation has been the donations of books and other literature to CNMI public schools. Among Fitial's contributions through her organization has been the contribution of more than 500 books to the Dandan Elementary School and Japanese-language books to Saipan-Marianas High School. Fitial has also used money raised to fund senior citizen
and children's programs, as well as beautification
programs within the CNMI.
Additionally, Fitial has pushed recycling
programs, as waste disposal is a major problem afflicting the CNMI. She has also promoted the role of the Filipino community within the Northern Mariana Islands as First Lady.
On November 12, 2008, Fitial issued a letter to the First Lady of the United States
Laura Bush
. In her letter, Fitial appealed to Bush to ask President
George W. Bush
and the federal government
to halt the designation of the proposed Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
in the Northern Mariana Islands. The designation was opposed by Fitial, the government of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Carolinian Affairs Advisory Committee and the Guam Legislature. All feared harm to the local economy
and cultural practices if the national monument was created. In her letter, Fitial wrote that the monument designation was avoidable and appealed to Bush, "We are simple Americans
, a globally responsible Commonwealth of the U.S. We honor and uphold a long tradition of coexistence with Mother Ocean. Island heritage passed down from our elders teaches us that we and nature are one." Despite the appeals, President Bush created the national monument on January 6, 2009. Both First Lady Fitial and the Governor were present for the ceremony.
In a 2009 interview with the Marianas Variety, Fitial noted that she had risen from an immigrant and waitress to having now met three U.S. Presidents - George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama
.
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
and the wife of Governor Benigno Fitial. She became First Lady upon the inauguration
Inauguration
An inauguration is a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of a leader's term of office. An example is the ceremony in which the President of the United States officially takes the oath of office....
of her husband as the 6th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands on January 9, 2006.
Early life
Fitial, who is nicknamed Josie, was born Josepina Padiermos, in 1962 in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. She was the oldest child of four children of a poor family. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the East-Recto
University of the East
The University of the East is a private nonsectarian university located in University Belt Area, district of Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines. The university was founded in 1946 as a coeducational institution...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Padiermos moved to the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
in 1983 to financially support her family in the Philippines. There she met her future husband, Benigno Fitial, a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, while working as a waitress on Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. The couple later married and had two children, Patrick and Christina, in addition to Benigno Fitial's four children from a previous marriage, Jason, Cathy, Junella and Julie.
First Lady of the Northern Mariana Islands
Benigno Fitial would later serve as the SpeakerSpeaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20...
and the Governor of the CNMI beginning in 2006. Josie Fitial became First Lady of the Northern Mariana Islands when her husband took office on January 9, 2006.
Fitial has placed emphasis on programs and initiatives relating to education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
and the environment
Environment (biophysical)
The biophysical environment is the combined modeling of the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables, parameters as well as conditions and modes inside the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories:...
, as well as children, students and the elderly. She has been named an honorary goodwill ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador is a collective term sometimes used as a substitute honorific title or a title of honor for an Ambassador of Goodwill; but, most appropriately for a generic recognition, it is a job position or description that is usually indicated following the name of the individual recognized...
of the Red Cross, CNMI Chapter, and is a former member of the CNMI Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
.
Fitial has established the Vision Foundation, which promotes charitable causes within the Northern Mariana Islands. A focus of Fitial's foundation has been the donations of books and other literature to CNMI public schools. Among Fitial's contributions through her organization has been the contribution of more than 500 books to the Dandan Elementary School and Japanese-language books to Saipan-Marianas High School. Fitial has also used money raised to fund senior citizen
Senior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
and children's programs, as well as beautification
Beautification
Beautification is the process of making visual improvements to a person, place or thing. With regard to a town, city or to an urban area, this most often involves planting trees, shrubbery, and other greenery, but frequently also includes adding decorative or historic-style street lights and other...
programs within the CNMI.
Additionally, Fitial has pushed recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
programs, as waste disposal is a major problem afflicting the CNMI. She has also promoted the role of the Filipino community within the Northern Mariana Islands as First Lady.
On November 12, 2008, Fitial issued a letter to the First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
. In her letter, Fitial appealed to Bush to ask President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and the federal government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
to halt the designation of the proposed Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
The Marianas Trench Marine National Monument is a United States National Monument created by President George W. Bush by an executive order given on January 6, 2009.-Scope:...
in the Northern Mariana Islands. The designation was opposed by Fitial, the government of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Carolinian Affairs Advisory Committee and the Guam Legislature. All feared harm to the local economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
and cultural practices if the national monument was created. In her letter, Fitial wrote that the monument designation was avoidable and appealed to Bush, "We are simple Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a globally responsible Commonwealth of the U.S. We honor and uphold a long tradition of coexistence with Mother Ocean. Island heritage passed down from our elders teaches us that we and nature are one." Despite the appeals, President Bush created the national monument on January 6, 2009. Both First Lady Fitial and the Governor were present for the ceremony.
In a 2009 interview with the Marianas Variety, Fitial noted that she had risen from an immigrant and waitress to having now met three U.S. Presidents - George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.