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‘We will fight the bully’
By Elton Lugay About 150 Filipino Americans mostly wearing yellow shirts gathered at the United Nations headquarters on First Avenue to protest China’s incursions in Philippine waters and vowed never to stop “fighting the bully.” Community organizer Steven Raga said, “I’m from here in New York not the Philippines. I grew up here with Chinese […]
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A Kapihan brew of politics, opera and grandmotherhood with Loida Nicolas Lewis
By Cristina DC Pastor Loida Nicolas Lewis will always be known as that millionaire matriarch, perhaps the most recognizable Filipino face in America. Hers is the an inspiring presence to some, a source of unease to others maybe because some of us are still aspiring to what she has already accomplished. When the Filipino American […]
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DCG Tess Dizon-de Vega bids community ‘till we meet again’
By Cristina DC Pastor Deputy Consul General Tess Dizon de Vega’s hashtag says as much: #pinoygoodbyeslastalifetime. It seems DCG Tess has been saying goodbye for a thousandth time. One ‘despedida’ party after another since word got around she was ending her New York assignment to become chief of staff of Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario […]
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Time to ‘unfreeze’ the law and make Reproductive Health available to women
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. July 9 is the first day the Philippine Supreme Court will begin to hear oral arguments on Law 10354, also known as the Reproductive Health law. The High Tribunal, voting 10-5, issued a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the law. Recalling what has taken place since the RH […]
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For FVR, Philippine economy, tension with Taiwan no laughing matter
By Cristina DC Pastor “Feel free to quote me. My name is Manny Pacquiao.” This throw-away line by former President Fidel Ramos kept Consulate officials, staff and guests in stitches during a June 14 visit to New York to promote his latest book and film. It was one running gag after another as the former […]
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Here lies the disco-driven life of Imelda Marcos
By Cristina DC Pastor If you have to watch David Byrne’s “Here Lies Love,” be prepared to suspend disbelief. This disco musical is part fiction and part history, and if some details appear like figments of the writer’s mind, they probably are. Much of the urban legend revolving around Imelda Marcos is so delightfully woven […]
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Did bullying from the pulpit hurt the Catholic Vote?
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. If the homeland’s May 13th Election Day statistics were to be pursued, there should be very little wonder or none at all, about the existence of what was referred to as the Catholic Vote. Evidently, as the results started to pour in just after a few vote canvassing days, it […]
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Rolando Lavarro urges June 11 run-off vote: ‘Elections not yet over.’
By Cristina DC Pastor Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro is in number-crunching mode as he looks toward the June 11 run-off. With about 40,000 voters who cast their ballots in the May 14 municipal elections, the run-off is likely to see a one-third decline resulting in about 26,500 votes. He has to get 50 percent […]
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Grace Poe and the social stigma of Philippine adoptions
By Cristina DC Pastor Along with assuming the role of legislator, newly-minted Senator Grace Poe appears to have one other abiding obligation: to change Filipinos’ attitude towards adopted children. At least that’s what I’d like to see. Grace is the adopted daughter of screen royalty Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces. This novice politician won […]