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15 years of RN Express: A lifeline for nurses
By Cristina DC Pastor They were three nurses whose paths crossed at Amsterdam Nursing Home on the Upper West Side in the late 1990s. Maria Lea Batomalaque began as a staff nurse and, in a matter of months, rose to the position of head nurse. Sally Nuñez worked alongside Lea in the Reimbursement Department. Florida […]
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NJ mall filled with the spirit of Filipino Christmas
Pasko in America, the Northeast’s biggest indoor Filipino Christmas celebration, drew about 6,000 families and multicultural holiday shoppers across three levels of the American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event, presented by Philippine Fiesta USA, Inc., transformed the mall into a vibrant Filipino Christmas village featuring Parols, performances, community organizations, and diaspora-centered holiday […]
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Mama Fina’s closes East Village spot. It’s back to Hackensack, N.J. for Sisig lovers
By Angelito Cabigao Mama Fina’s, which prides itself the House of Filipino Sisig, has closed on November 30 in the East Village. While its New York location has ceased operations, the restaurant will remain open in Hackensack, New Jersey where it all began. The New York Times captured it best when they titled their piece on Mama […]
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Proposed U.S. Senate bill seeks to end dual citizenship
By Ricky Rillera A newly introduced measure in the U.S. Senate is stirring debate among immigrant communities and legal experts as it seeks to abolish dual citizenship in the United States. The bill, titled the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025,” was filed by Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and would require Americans to hold exclusive allegiance […]
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ON GLOBAL FILIPINOS After nearly 40 years as an OFW, Delia Juarez is ready to retire
By Loida Nicolas Lewis Delia Juarez, my executive chef since 2001, is one of those we call Bayani ng Bayan, the same title the Philippine government bestows on our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Last year, OFWs sent a record-high of $38.34 billion in remittances to the Philippines. The United States was the largest source, accounting for over […]
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2 brothers, 1 shared purpose: To bring Filipino stories to the Upper East Side’s Scouting community
On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, two brothers in Scouting are reshaping what an Eagle project can look like. Through their service, Lucas and Leonardo G. del Rosario have brought Philippine indigenous culture and literature into a neighborhood where Filipino and Asian Pacific stories are rarely taught, seen, or celebrated. Lucas, 19, and a Presidential Merit […]
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Immigrants are not self-deporting; instead they’re retreating deeper into the shadows
By Edward Kissam In late September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jubilantly announced that “2 million illegal aliens have been removed or have self-deported since January 20” of this year. While the estimate that about 400,000 immigrants have been deported is likely accurate, the assertion that 1.6 million immigrants have already self-deported is a self-serving […]
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Patrick Joseph Caoile publishes debut collection of short stories of Filipino immigrants
Patrick Joseph Caoile’s “Tales from Manila Ave.” Caoile’s short story collection, released this month, traces the joys and struggles of Filipino immigrants as they navigate life and ponder identity outside their motherland. Through touching reflection on community and memory, Caoile’s debut collection takes an honest yet playful look into the intricacies of longing and belonging, […]
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Staten Island’s only Filipino restaurant to close Nov. 30th
By Cristina DC Pastor Staten Island will lose its only Filipino sit-down restaurant on November 30, when Phil-Am Kusina closes its doors after a decade of feeding the borough’s Filipino American community. “After a wonderful decade serving you, we have decided to close our restaurant doors on November 30th,” the restaurant announced on its website. […]