Roberto D. Roque

Roberto D. Roque, 70, a mover and shaker of Chicago’s Filipino American Community (Fil-Am), and an organizer of the Filipino American Social Services Center, passed away on Saturday, January 1, 2000, from complications of lung and liver cancer.

A lawyer by profession, Mr. Roque moved from Manila, the Philippines, to Chicago in 1969. He was a Compliance Contract Coordinator at the City of Chicago Department of Purchasing, where he gained the respect of business owners – especially small entrepreneurs – “for walking that extra mile” to help them.

But Mr. Roque will most be remembered for his invaluable contributions toward the development and growth of the Fil-Am community in Chicago. After his move to Chicago in 1969, the city’s growing Fil-Am community inspired Mr. Roque. Together with other early Fil-Am pioneers, he helped create Ang Balita (“The News”), the first Fil-Am community newspaper.

The newspaper’s beginnings were followed by several other firsts, which Mr. Roque either initiated or co-founded with other community leaders. These include the first annual Philippine Independence Day parade in downtown Chicago; Filipino American Voters’ League of Illinois; Asian American Political Coalition in Illinois; and the Filipino American Political Association (FAPA). Mr. Roque also helped create the Filipino American Democratic Organization of Cook County (FADOCC); the first Filipino-American Bagumbayan Credit Union; and the Malaya Knights of Rizal.

He also assisted in the realization of a monument of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, which now stands in Montrose Park; the naming of a block on Irving Park Road (from Southport to Clark streets) as Dr. Jose Rizal Drive; and the founding of various Phillipine regional and professional organizations in the Midwest. Perhaps, more importantly, Mr. Roque and his late wife, Herminia, will both be remembered – especially by low-income Filipino families, seniors, World War II veterans and new immigrants – for organizing the Filipino American Social Services Center, which now plays an integral role in the need for social services in Chicago’s Filipino American community.

Mr. Roque was a recipient of various distinguished awards and recognitions related to community service. These awards include: Outstanding Asian American Senior, City of Chicago Department of Human Services; Asian Human Services Award; Distinguished Service Award, Philippine Week Committee; Merit Award from the Filipino American Council of Chicago; 100% President’s Award from Lion’s Club International; Knight of Rizal Highest Award; Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Citizenship Council of Metropolitan Chicago, and others. He also was listed in Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who in America.

He was a devoted husband for 40 years to his late wife Herminia, “Emmie,” who preceded him in death in 1998. Mr. Roque also was a loving father to Marilen, Marichu, Robbie and Roel (Richard), and “the greatest grandpa” to Marlena, Emmie, Marisol, Robbie, Ricky, and Zachary.