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Kayumanggi Chorale marks 35 years of music, heritage, and charity with Oct 11th concert
By Cristina DC Pastor For 35 years, the Kayumanggi Chorale Inc. (KCI) has used music not only to entertain, but also to preserve Filipino heritage, bring communities together and help those in need. The New York-New Jersey-based Filipino American choral group will celebrate its milestone anniversary with a “Himig Pamana, A Musical Heritage” concert that […]
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New data captures how economic insecurity, safety fears are impacting AAPIs
The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) has unveiled the State of AAPIs, a new research series that provides an unprecedented, detailed look at the lived experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) nationally and in major metros. AAPI communities are among the fastest growing and most diverse groups in the U.S., over 25 million strong and encompassing […]
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Historical parallels: insurgencies, political dynasties, and corruption scandals Part 2
By Cesar Polvorosa Jr. Encomienda Legacy Spanish colonialism implanted deeply unequal class structures across both the Philippines and Latin America. Through systems resembling encomiendas or feudal arrangements, land, wealth, and political power became concentrated in the hands of narrow elites. Over generations, this produced entrenched political dynasties, oligarchic control, regional strongmen, and persistent inequality. Political […]
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Finding the Philippines in Mexico Part 1
By Cesar Polvorosa Jr. Standing on the sun-warmed shore of the Yucatán Peninsula during my son’s wedding, watching Caribbean waves roll gently onto the Mexican coast, I was struck by an unexpected sense of familiarity. It felt like the comforting embrace of home. The feeling went beyond the tropical sway of coconut palms and the […]
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‘Making noise’ in the nation’s capital July 22 to 25
By Jonathan Melegrito Filipino American students and scholars, artists and healers, public officials and community leaders from across the United States are gathering this week in the nation’s capital for the 21st Biennial National Conference of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). Framed by the theme “PiNoise on the Potomac: Monuments to Change,” the […]
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With humor and heart, Consul General Senen Mangalile says goodbye, praises the ‘energy of the community’
By Romulo Aromin, Jr., MD With only two weeks to prepare and against the backdrop of a heatwave, the world football games, and the long July 4th weekend with the U.S. celebrating 250 years of independence, some 150 northeast Filams in the Tri-state gathered to send off Consul General Senen Mangalile as he assumes the position of Ambassador […]
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Independence is not just a date on the calendar
By Ricky Rillera Every June 12, the Philippines raises its flag, sings its anthems, and commemorates the day in 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite. It was a bold proclamation—aspirational, defiant, and rooted in the belief that a people long denied dignity could finally claim their place among free […]
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A Times Square prelude for the Philippine Independence Day celebration
By Cristina DC Pastor For the first time in the history of New York’s Philippine Independence Day event, the iconic Times Square will serve as the opening venue on the June 6 eve of the Madison Avenue parade. The famous Red Steps, one of Times Square’s most recognizable landmarks, will be the centerpiece of the […]
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2 FilAm organizations in N.Y. State receive grants from CACF Development Fund
The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) has announced the 33 community-based organizations across New York State that will receive its 2026-27 AAPI Community Development Fund. Two of them are Filipino organizations: Kalayaan 1521 Council, Inc. and the Dreamweaver Heritage Collective, Inc. The 2026-27 AAPI Community Development Fund awardee cohort is the largest […]