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Candidate for NYC Public Advocate Angela Aquino charged with wire fraud
A criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, charging Angela Aquino, a 2025 candidate for New York City Public Advocate, with wire fraud in connection with her scheme to defraud New York City’s campaign finance system to obtain public matching funds, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District […]
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Comedian’s daughter Samantha Javier discovers ‘deeper understanding’ of her culture through dance
By Cristina DC Pastor First was ballet, followed by hip hop, which would later open doors for her internationally. Today, Samantha Javier, 29 age) is discovering Philippine cultural dances as a recent graduate at New York University’s master’s degree in Performing Arts Administration. “It was truly only dancing the Tinikling during the US Open that […]
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K-Experience in South Korea’s Busan
By Wendell Gaa I have been a longtime admirer of Korean culture, especially its world-famous barbeque cuisine and its innovative film-TV industry. I consider the Oscar-winning 2019 film “Parasite” to be one of the most powerful commentaries on social-class division ever in the history of cinema, and the Netflix series “Squid Game” happens to be […]
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How developing countries can use AI for public governance
A commentary by Ambassador Mario Lopez de Leon Jr. (Ret.) For those of us who have spent some years navigating the mahogany-lined halls of the United Nations, there is a tendency to view “joint meetings” with a healthy degree of skepticism. All too often, they represent little more than a merging of acronyms rather than […]
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Filipino identity shared through ‘Lasa at Salaysay’ food tasting event
The Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall was transformed into a celebration of Filipino heritage and regional cuisine on April 27, 2026, through “Lasa at Salaysay: Taste Across Borders,” a signature event for Filipino Food Month. Held under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship theme, “Connected by Taste: The Filipino Food in the Flavors of ASEAN,” the gathering […]
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R. Ghrist debuts historical fiction about a forgotten heroine in wartime Manila
I Am Joey by R. Ghrist is a historical novel inspired by the extraordinary true story of Josefina Guerrero, a young Filipina woman whose courage during World War II helped shape the resistance movement in Japanese-occupied Manila. Set during one of the darkest periods in Philippine history, the novel follows Josefina as her privileged life […]
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Same-sex parenting: Glenn Magpantay on fatherhood without labels
By Cristina DC Pastor When the U.S.-Senate-appointed Commissioner for Civil Rights Glenn D. Magpantay told his parents that he was adopting a child, they didn’t know how to react. His mother waited for her husband to say something. When his dad finally spoke, what he said stunned Magpantay: “Well, you’re your own man now, go […]
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‘Make Your Marc’ finale features TOFA’s global Filipino honorees
“Make Your Marc” will close its third season on GMA Pinoy TV with an episode devoted to TOFA (The Outstanding Filipino Awards) 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the World celebration in Las Vegas. The season finale airs Sunday, May 17, at 4 p.m. Pacific on GMA Pinoy TV. Hosted by two-time Emmy Award-winning producer Marc […]
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Caregiver wins a crown: Iris Capuno is PIDCI’s Mrs. Kalayaan 2026
By Cristina DC Pastor When Iris Capuno was announced as Mrs. Kalayaan 2026 on April 18, 2026, she felt the glory and how that moment was deeply earned. “Masaya ako sa lahat ng na-sacrifice ko,” she said, reflecting on the long road that led her to the crown. For Capuno, the title was not just […]