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Edwin Ramsey, military officer who organized Filipino guerrillas in WW II, 95
By Chris Schaefer An era in U.S. military history came to a close with the death on March 7th of a genuine American war hero. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Price Ramsey was a First Lieutenant in the United States Cavalry at the beginning of World War II, stationed in the Philippines. On January 16, 1942, he […]
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FILAMSPEAK: What do you know about the Marcoses?
By Cristina DC Pastor They are the children of the Martial Law Babies. In the U.S., they are the Filipino Americans in their teens to their 30s who were born after the Marcoses have fled the country in 1986 or were of a young age with no hint of political consciousness whatsoever during the Conjugal […]
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‘Noli’ opera to take Manhattan
By Randy Gener A landmark opera based on the great novel by the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, will be staged in full orchestral splendor for the first time in the East Coast. At a January 31 town hall hosted by the Philippine Center, a committee led by philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis and Consul […]
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Honoring the ‘Greatest Generation’ at New Orleans’s war museum
By Wendell Gaa So much has been written and talked about the Second World War, from the history books to TV to film, and many authors and celebrities seem keen on retelling this epic struggle which was the 20th century’s defining moment. Since my high school days, I’ve been a staunch admirer of the heroism […]
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Beyond ‘Lincoln,’ the little-known John Hay
By Nestor Palugod Enriquez The youngest character in the film “Lincoln” belongs to John Hay. The young White House intern was Lincoln’s personal secretary from 1861 to 1865. He carried the copy of the famous Gettysburg Address and was present when Lincoln was assassinated at the Ford Theatre in 1865. He was possibly a witness […]
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Fr. James Reuter will be missed at EDSA
By Nestor Enriquez In the 27th EDSA celebration this coming February, a pillar of the revolution will be missed: Fr. James Reuter S.J. Fr. James is also New Jersey’s biggest gift to the Philippines and then later re-gifted to the world. The Irish-German altar boy entered St. Peter’s Preparatory School in Jersey City some 80 […]
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Alfredo Diaz, 96
By Nestor Palugod Enriquez Funeral services were held on the frigid morning of December 6 for World War II veteran Alfredo Diaz, possibly the last of his breed of veterans who fought in Bataan in the 1940s. Alfredo Diaz just celebrated his 96th birthday last November 28th in Jersey City. He was an athletic student […]
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Time-traveling to Lower Manhattan circa 1900s
By Cristina DC Pastor About two dozen students from the Chinese Progressive Association visited the Tenement Museum recently as part of their English as a Second Language class activity. I was one of the ESL teachers who went with them. We met “Victoria Confino,” a 14-year-old Sephardic Jewish immigrant. We, the students and the teachers, […]
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Jose Rizal in New York after the Blizzard of 1888
By Nestor Enriquez One of the most famous snowstorms in American history was the Blizzard of 1888. It has acquired an almost legendary status. The blizzard cancelled Mark Twain’s speaking engagement in the city, and got the humorist worried about running out of cigars and not being able to come home to Connecticut. Rizal arrived […]