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‘When the State demanded silence, artists answered:’ A Ma-Yi symposium
In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law. His first orders took control of newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Rallies were banned. Curfews were imposed. Critics were arrested. Tens of thousands were detained. People were tortured. Some disappeared. Some were killed. Fear was not a side effect. Fear was the system. Theater did […]
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Filipino voters express preference for Republican candidates (49%) over Democrats (42%): AAPI survey
Along with the growing presence of Asian American voters is a growing interest in the opinions and priorities of this electorate. The Asian American Voter Surveys (AAVS) are election-year surveys of registered AAPI voters, capturing the perspectives of voters and their priorities across various years. Here are the key findings: Voting Plans Vote Choice Policy […]
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Who is Angela Aquino?
By Cristina DC Pastor Around 2019, a dear friend introduced me to Angela Aquino, a fashion entrepreneur. He said she could be an interesting personality for the paper. She had just broken up with her long-time partner and was restarting her vintage apparel business – and her life — with her young son. It was […]
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At NaFFAA conference in Colorado, creating space for emerging voices
The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) concluded its 16th National Empowerment Conference after two days of national dialogue, leadership development, cultural celebration and practical community-building. Held August 14–15 at the Hyatt Regency Aurora–Denver Conference Center and co-hosted by NaFFAA Rocky Mountain Region, the conference with the theme “Harnessing the Power of Community: Starting With […]
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Why corruption persists: Young FilAms look to history, entrenched political elites
By Cristina DC Pastor As the Philippines confronts renewed scrutiny over allegations of corruption, particularly involving government spending and flood-control projects, a group of young Filipino Americans are asking a difficult question: Why does corruption persist in the Philippines? For these young observers, the answer cannot be reduced to individual politicians or a single administration. […]
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ON GLOBAL FILIPINOS Luz Bay is New Hampshire’s 1st FilAm state representative
By Loida Nicolas Lewis Luz Bay, Ph.D. was working comfortably and diligently as a psychometrician for a number of years at the College Board from her home in New Hampshire. Then in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overtured the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision that it was not against the U.S. Constitution for a […]
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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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Marco Rubio steps into the eye of the Philippines-China storm
The FilAm Editorial U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio likely did not expect his first official visit to Asia to coincide with one of the most volatile moments in the Philippines-China maritime dispute. His trip to Manila for the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting came as tensions between the two countries escalated over allegations […]