By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. Spurred by a crusade to raise funds for victims of the recent California wildfire — dubbed “the nation’s deadliest” — Wisconsin’s Green Bay Packers responded quickly to the need of the hour. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a native of Northern California, stated very humbly, that he was donating $1 million to […]
Recently, a delegation of approximately 100 parents, players and siblings from the Filipino Youth Basketball Association of Washington DC (FYBA) made the 8,555-mile trip to Manila to participate in the 2nd Annual Laguna International Basketball Classic hosted by Tumakbo Philippines. FYBA’s four Select Teams —11u, 14u, 16u, and 20u — joined about 60 local Filipino […]
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. There was not much usage of the “I” pronoun from the ranks of the Golden State Warriors when they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 8 in four games at the close of the much-awaited finale of the National Basketball Association (NBA) that took place on the Cavaliers’ home grounds. […]
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. On May 18th, eight students and two teachers from Santa Fe High School in Texas lost their lives to gun violence. The shooter was identified as 17-year-old student Dimitrios Pagourtzis. This article is not so much about the shooting. Instead, it tells the story of J.J. Watt, Houston Texans’ football […]
By Cristina DC Pastor A teen from Rockaway Beach, Queens is now the starting goalie for the Philippines Women’s National Ice Hockey, which is working toward competing in the Winter Olympics 2022 and 2026. Rosalyn de Castro, 15, is the first Filipino American and import player to be on the team. She brought home the […]
The first Annual Filipino-American Youth Basketball Association (FYBA) Showcase Game was a high-scoring affair between teams comprised of the best FilAm basketball college and high school talent in the Metro Washington DC region. The charity event, held in Alexandria, VA, raised over $1,500 for the P.U.S.O. (or Purposeful Unconditional Service to Others) Foundation, which provides […]
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. Who knew that growing up in Baguio — amid the city’s parks, bowls, race tracks, and, of course, the famed Burnham Park — would turn me into a sports enthusiast? My love for sports would nurture me through half a century of being an American citizen, where my Superbowl Sundays […]
By Yvette Sardillo The November 5 NYC Marathon is my 2nd World Major, my 9th full marathon, my 72nd official race with 13.1 and 26.2 mile distances. The weekend started with a red-eye flight from California. It was to be a quick getaway for my husband and I, and a “runcation” with my running friends. […]
The first annual Filipino Basketball Invitational Tournament (FBIT) hosted by the Filipino-American Youth Basketball Association of Metro DC (FYBA) lived up to its motto, “Developing Talent and Character,” as 50 Filipino basketball teams from over a dozen organizations came together over Labor Day weekend to showcase their skills and talent. Held at venues in the […]