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Nora Aunor: How she aspired for artistry
By Joel David In terms of her health issues, Nora Aunor was only revived once after her vital signs had stopped last year, ironically on the day when she was supposed to find out she’d been finally declared National Artist. This meant that she could attend the awards ceremony under the new President, whom she […]
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When legends become family: My love letter to Tita Guy
By Brendan Flores What could a young Filipino American, raised far from the glitz of Philippine showbiz, possibly know about a national treasure like Nora Aunor? Plenty—because in our household, she was everything. Before I ever met her, before I fully understood what it meant to be Filipino, I already knew her name: Nora. Or, […]
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Remembering Nena del Rosaro Villanueva, the 1st Filipina prodigy who performed at Carnegie Hall
The family of Nena del Rosario Villanueva, the first Filipina to play at Carnegie Hall, hosted simultaneous concerts in Manila, Philippines and New York City, to celebrate her 88th birth anniversary on September 22, 2024. The concert featuring four global Filipino musicians who played Nena’s favorite classical numbers was held at the Klavierhaus store in […]
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Honoring a community activist and documentary filmmaker
By Jon Melegrito Noel “Sonny” Izon and wife Kathryn were waiting to board their flight in Milan, Italy on October 25 last year after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They also attended a special screening of “An Open Door: Holocaust Haven in the Philippines,” Izon’s award-winning documentary about the acceptance by the Philippines of more […]
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Mother knew best
By Joel David One of the first things that elderly netizens remarked when news of Lily Monteverde’s death broke out last August 4 was “how fittingly dramatic,” or variations thereof. Her husband, Leonardo “Remy” Monteverde, had died barely a week earlier. Even the later qualification that “Mother” Lily was also in serious intensive-care condition when […]
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Journalist Rose Tibayan succumbs to cancer
Television journalist Rose Tibayan passed away on June 20 following a “courageous 14-month-long cancer fight,” according to the Furlong Funeral Chapel in Galena, Illinois. Her most recent position was director of Public Affairs for the City of Chicago’s Department of Budget, Management, and Finance under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. She was looking forward to working […]
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Bold in heaven: Jaclyn Jose, 60
By Joel David With the announcement of Jaclyn Jose’s sudden demise last March 2, a significant number of mostly middle-aged Filipino film observers were stunned to realize that, in keeping aware of her, a full, challenging, and ultimately triumphant life became their privilege to witness. Even the trajectory of her physical appearance, from anxious young […]
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NaFFAA’s Greg Macabenta, 84
By Jon Melegrito It’s Saturday night, live, in the Springfield home of Ben and Gloria Caoile. The place is boisterous with raucous laughter and endless chatter. Feasting on crabs, ‘lechon,’ ‘pancit’ and ‘adobo,’ a rowdy bunch of revelers has converged in this quiet neighborhood, bent on letting their hair down. Leading the charge is 69-year-old […]
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FilAms remember Ninoy Aquino’s martyrdom 40 years ago
By Loida Nicolas Lewis On August 20th, at the Benigno Aquino Triangle Park located at 184th Place and Hillside Avenue in Queens, NY, Filipino-Americans remembered Ninoy Aquino’s assassination on the tarmac of Manila International Airport 40 years ago. Antero Martinez, president of the Benigno Aquino Triangle Foundation (BATF), organized the special gathering to coincide with […]