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AFTA’s Balik‑Turo at 33: How FilAm teachers built a quiet movement of diaspora-driven learning
By Ricky Rillera On a humid August morning in Manila, a group of teachers gathered inside a classroom at the Philippine Normal University. Some have traveled from remote provinces; others have flown from New York, New Jersey, and California. At the front stood a Filipino American educator who has spent decades teaching in the United […]
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A Filipino community center can be both a blessing and a burden
By Ricky Rillera For decades, Filipino Americans in the New York–New Jersey region have dreamed of a permanent home — a place where our stories can be told, our elders can gather, our youth can lead, and our culture can breathe without apology. That dream has flickered, brightened, dimmed, and revived again through generations of […]
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Marissa Alcantara: When FilAm students forget their culture, there’s Tagalog to help them remember
By Maricar CP Hampton For today’s students, culture and tradition can sometimes feel distant or lost. Filipino Tagalog teacher Marissa Alcantara said she makes sure she integrates language, heritage, and interactive activities to connect Filipino American students with their roots. “I try to bridge the gap by using the Filipino language and promote the culture […]
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Filipino RNs join historic nurses strike, vow to fight ‘as long as it takes’
By Lindy Rosales On Day 3 of the historic nurses strike in New York City, The FilAm was able to visit two of the Montefiore System sites in the Bronx. Three major hospital systems are part of the strike: Mount Sinai, Montefiore and New York Presbyterian. An estimated 15,000 nurses walked out of their jobs […]
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Why Krizia Daya, RN is joining the picket
By Cristina DC Pastor On Day 2 of the nurses strike in New York City, Francine Krizia Daya, a charge nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital, is reflecting on what the picket means to her. Why she is joining her fellow nurses in what is being billed as the “biggest nursing strike in the history of […]
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HealthForce USA Named Distribution Partner of the Year at Lifesaving Summit 2025
HealthForce Training Center USA, a 100% Filipino-owned company that provides CPR and First Aid training, was awarded the 2025 Distribution Partner of the Year by GoRescue during the annual Lifesaving Summit. GoRescue distributes medical devices and emergency equipment, including first aid kits, AEDs, and other life-saving accessories. The Lifesaving Summit is a community-focused event that […]
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PIDCI heralds new leadership with Lea Frain, presents 2026 Grand Marshals
By Ricky Rillera With the world‑famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree shimmering in the background, the Equinox at Rockefeller Center offered an exquisite setting for the turnover ceremony of new officers of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which has organized the largest Independence Day parade in the Northeast for over 35 years. […]
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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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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 […]