[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 189 (Tuesday, December 6, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING MEL ORPILLA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 6, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mel 
Orpilla in recognition of nearly a decade as an invaluable member of my 
district staff and his service to Vallejo's Filipino community.
  Mr. Orpilla was born on September 6, 1961 at the Vallejo General 
Hospital to Nazario and Ofelia Orpilla. After studying at California 
State University, Sacramento and San Francisco State University, he 
became the Executive Director of the Fighting Back Partnership in 1996. 
In this capacity, Mr. Orpilla played a major role in the fight against 
substance abuse in Vallejo, leading an anti-drug coalition, meeting 
with political leaders, and assisting with grant requests. In 2004, he 
joined Kaiser Permanente as a Community and Government Relations 
Manager and in 2013, joined our team as a district representative and 
was later promoted to a Senior District Representative for the Solano 
and Contra Costa portions of California's 5th District. He has 
successfully assisted over 975 constituents with a wide range of 
requests from government financial assistance to immigration.
  Mr. Orpilla has made immeasurable contributions to Vallejo, and in 
particular its Filipino community. Over the course of more than 25 
years, he has led countless workshops and speaking engagements on 
substance abuse, community support, and the challenges facing Asian 
American and Pacific Islanders in Northern California. Mr. Orpilla's 
passion for sharing the Filipino American story, led to him founding 
the Filipino American National Historical Society of Vallejo and 
writing his 2004 book Filipinos in Vallejo. He has served on the boards 
of the Salvation Army of Solano County, Rebuilding Together Solano 
County, the Filipino American National Historical Society and the 
Benicia Vallejo Humane Society. A descendent of the Cordilleras tribes 
in the Northern Philippines, Mr. Orpilla is an expert in the ancient 
Filipino fighting art Balintawak Arnis and teaches it at the Island 
Warriors Dojo in Vallejo. His heritage can also be seen on the various 
Ifugao warrior markings tattooed across his body.
  Mr. Orpilla is a devoted husband to his wife Nancy, proud father of 
Jacob and Tony, stepfather to Justine and Gabe and loving caretaker of 
three dogs, Chiko, Boo-boo and Fatboy.
  Madam Speaker, we thank Mr. Orpilla for his dedication and hard work 
for the people of California's 5th District. His efforts to better his 
community, build coalitions and preserve proud Filipino traditions will 
undoubtably be felt for decades to come. Therefore, it is fitting and 
proper that we honor him here today.

                          ____________________