‘The FilAm’s’ Top 10 stories for 2025

The year 2025 has been a somewhat harsh year for the community. News of Filipinos entangled in legal troubles, restaurant closures, and other difficult developments often dominated the headlines. To be fair, the year also produced its share of uplifting stories—reports that drew strong readership and profiles of individuals whose work inspired others and made a meaningful difference.

Here are the Top 10 stories in The FilAm for the year.

1- “JP Fernandez’s body is home; family thanks N.J. detectives,” November 2

Top Story. “After 3,258 days of searching and praying, our beloved son John Paul Fernandez, who had been missing since December 13, 2015, was found on November 14, 2024 — after nearly nine long years.”

2- “70 Filipino nurses exploited by staffing agency will receive restitution: AG James,” June 1

New York Attorney General Letitia James has secured $663,668.66 in restitution for 71 exploited nurses and is requiring ACS to forgive outstanding debt for former employees and remove the exploitative provisions from its contracts…Of the 71 nurses, 70 are Filipinos.

3- “Alleged labor trafficking charges filed vs teacher Rey Badajos Dacul,” March 23

An English teacher and prominent community leader Rey Badajos Dacul is under investigation by the Office of Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Washington D.C. for alleged labor trafficking.

4- “Concert producer Vince Gesmundo ordered to pay $23K to creditor,” July 24

Concert producer and a ranking member of the Knights of Rizal Vicente Gesmundo is being ordered to pay his creditor at least $23K, according to a civil judgment by the Queens County Civil Court dated June 26, 2025.

5- “‘St. Denis Medical’ and the Filipino Mafia in U.S. hospitals,” January 24

“St. Denis Medical” is the latest hospital series to hit primetime television…But instead of being a medical drama like “ER” or “Grey’s Anatomy,” SDM is a sitcom about a small-town Oregon hospital with Filipino nurses among the main characters and the so-called Filipino Mafia as their hospital Superpower.

6- “La Parrilla in Colonia, N.J. closes after 10 years,” March 16

La Parrilla de Manila, the family-owned restaurant in Colonia, New Jersey famous for its Adobong Balut, Lengua and giant Halo Halo has shuttered. Its last day was February 16.

7- “On Global Filipinos:  Little Manila Park signage unveiled in Queens,” July 10

On June 14, the Little Manila Avenue street sign at the corner of 70th St. and Roosevelt Ave. was unveiled to celebrate Philippine Independence Day declaring the district as “Little Manila”. 

8- “Wells Fargo’s Jerome Flores: Embracing diversity at work and at home,” January 8

Jerome Flores started working at Wells Fargo Bank as a young teller 18 years ago. Today, he is one of the Filipino Americans holding top positions in the country’s fourth largest bank as the Senior Diversity & Inclusion consultant.

9- “September 11: A couple’s story of survival and purpose,” September 12

September 11th remains a deeply painful and unforgettable day for life partners Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue. Twenty-four years after the World Trade Center attacks, they are “grateful that God spared our lives,” and that what they have now is “our second chance.”

10- “From billion-dollar legacy to a new calling: Loida Lewis finds a deeper purpose in listening,” August 15

The first thing you notice about Loida Nicolas Lewis in a conversation or when she interviews guests, is not what she says, not even her questions, not even her fabulous clothes or jewelry, but it’s how she listens. It’s the way she waits… It’s this deliberate, unique, and almost old-world pacing that has given The Loida Lewis Podcast its quiet authority. — Cristina DC Pastor