-
The Reyna Elena: The Santacruzan tradition is a ‘spectacular’ way to unite a community
By Megan Villarin My name is Megan Villarin and I am a member of St. Raphael Holy Angel’s Filipino Community in Hamilton, New Jersey. Here at our parish, we had our second annual Santacruzan on May 5th. I am this year’s Reyna Elena and am also a member of the Filipino choir at St. Raphael. ...
-
What an Enrique Iglesias concert does to women
By Elton Lugay A woman in the packed Enrique Iglesias concert was having her own screechfest. In an agitated state, she unhooked her bra and threw it at the singer well into his “I Like How it Feels” number. The Latino-Filipino singer appeared flustered but gamely played along, holding the C cup while feigning surprise. ...
-
Official poll results are out; second-generation FilAms amused, indifferent, hopeful
Administration candidate Francis Escudero topped the Senate race in the U.S. with 9,464 votes followed by: Alan Peter Cayetano, 9,174 Grace Poe, 9,029 Loren Legarda, 8,696 Aquilino Pimentel III 8,448 Bam Aquino, 8,267 Juan Edgardo Angara, 7,735 Richard Gordon, 7,291 Ramon Magsaysay Jr., 7,187 Riza Hontiveros, 6,983 Antonio Trillanes, 6,521 Juan Miguel Zubiri, 4,908 Ten ...
-
‘Busong’ DVD now available in the U.S.
The film, “Busong (Palawan Fate),” had its U.S. and international DVD release on May 1st. The DVD will be available from the official website busongpalawanfate.com. Set on the island of Palawan in the Philippines, the film maps the quest of a brother and sister. Punay, born with wounds on her feet so severe, cannot step ...
-
What I did on election day
By Paulynn P. Sicam I voted early, with no hassles. The polling place is a public school five minutes’ walk from my house. I was back home in 20 minutes. On my way home, I met my ‘kasambahay’ and her husband who were going to cast their own votes. When they got back after over ...
-
Let’s help the Philippines choose better leaders through education
By Bing Branigin Really? After 1986, I thought the Philippines and the Filipino people really wanted a “democratic” country. Now 2013, the Filipinos elected their senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, etc. with an outcome that seems insulting to some of us here in the U.S., even if majority of Filipinos think otherwise. There’s one person everyone ...
-
Flores de Mayo & Santacruzan: classic Maytime festivals that inspire nostalgia
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. The month of May has just joined the 2013 scene. Yet, what seeks their place via the vehicle of nostalgia are two festivities central to homespun memories: the Flores de Mayo (flowers of May), and the Santacruzan (Holy Cross), another time-nurtured event. The Flores de Mayo is a showcase of ...
-
New York counts the votes; final tally in 13 hours
By Cristina DC Pastor Not a lot of people in this voting location as election inspectors opened ballot boxes and inspected ballots for possible tampering. Just a couple of curious women dressed in office suits and three journalists. No campaign fliers littered the floors, and no argumentative poll watchers were present. Definitely no partisan jousting. ...
-
Jose Antonio Vargas attempts to define relationship with his mother
Here’s a teaser of Jose’s film “Documented.” By Cristina DC Pastor “I haven’t seen my mom in 20 years. I don’t know how to talk about that. It’s too painful to talk about her.” In a free-wheeling discussion with Filipino journalists in April, Jose Antonio Vargas spoke about the woman who gave him up so ...