Duterte and PIDCI among Top 10 stories for 2017

A wedding portrait by Glenn Maningas of MPW Media Group.

By Cristina DC Pastor

2017 was the year people relied on The FilAm as a news source on Rodrigo Duterte and PIDCI, or the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc.

Too much blood has spilled as a result of the Duterte Government’s war on drugs, and uncontrolled fraud and thievery has exposed PIDCI as an organization that refuses to clean its ranks and change its ways. The FilAm’s reporting on both issues ranked high among our Top 10 stories for the year.

Here is the list of our Top 10 articles:

1 Photojournalists torn by trauma, guilt from covering Duterte war on drugs
2 After 25 years, ‘Miss Saigon’ returns with another Filipina Kim
3 How Glenn Maningas reinvented the wedding industry on the East Coast
4 U.S. Congress opens investigation July 20 on alleged Duterte rights abuses
5 Filipina journalist sued for ‘impersonating’ a New York Times reporter
6 U.S. congressmen listen to horror stories of Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘killing zones’
7 AlDub concert in Brooklyn a huge thrill for fans across N. America
8 FilAm George Conway III a ‘brilliant lawyer’ known for representing Big Business
9 Treasurer says PIDCI not in deficit, has $5,301 in cash; Violeta McGough arrested (Part 2)
10 PIDCI treasurer resigns amid fresh rumors of financial troubles in the organization

Kellyanne Conway with FilAm husband George Conway III and their twins. Photo: Twitter

The Columbia University forum, ‘Watching the Philippines, Reporting Duterte,’ where photojournalists Daniel Berehulak and Raffy Lerma shared their traumatic experiences covering the anti-drug war, was widely read and shared. It was our top news for the year, garnering several thousand views within hours. It continues to be read, shared, commented, and trolled.

We published many articles on Duterte – among them, the U.S. Congress’s investigations on alleged human rights abuses committed by his police officers, and U.S. congressmen’s shocked reactions to testimonies. These stories generated heavy traffic to our site.

The resignation of PIDCI treasurer Violeta Manarang McGough reportedly for health reasons was the proverbial shot that echoed around the community. It would foreshadow the troubles that ail the organization, among them the loss of cash, the revocation of its nonprofit status, and the rampant mismanagement. The elections that followed exposed all that, as clamors for transparency echoed within the polling place and beyond.

The inspiring story of IT professional-turned-wedding videographer Glenn Maningas was one big hug for the soul. Glenn’s MPW Media Group has been providing outstanding coverage to thousands of couples on the day they share their vows to ‘love and to hold…till death.’ They are widely credited for popularizing Same-Day Edits where guests get to view a short trailer of the wedding while still at the reception having their coffee.

Former PIDCI President Prospero Lim and his treasurer Violeta Manarang-McGough who stepped down for health reasons. Photo by Boyet Loverita

The New York Times has filed a case against journalist Rita Villadiego for “impersonation” of a Times reporter. Villadiego – also known by the byline Contessa Bourbon – is not a reporter for the Times, but is known to have misrepresented herself to gain access to events. In one forum organized by the Brookings Institution, she asked a question of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Many in the FilAm community believe she needs professional help, and meant no harm.

The revival of “Miss Saigon,” after 25 years, with another Filipina actress playing Kim may seem like a theatre oddity. But not to the Filipinos who acknowledge their community is abundant with musical talents. From Lea Salonga to Eva Noblezada was just one feel-good story.

GMA’s wildly popular AlDub love team was one seismic concert. It happened in Brooklyn, but rallied its fanbase across North America.

Lawyer George Conway III, who was being considered as a possible Solicitor General, did not bag the position. But the popularity of his wife, Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, was such that the article describing him as a brilliant and wealthy New York lawyer was widely read and shared. Many in the community were wondering what kind of Filipino American would win the heart of the controversial Kellyanne.

© The FilAm 2017

Ellecer Carlos of iDEFEND coalition testifies before the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights on Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal ‘war on drugs.’ Photo by Eric Lachica