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Why some FilAms won’t unmask…yet: ‘Doesn’t bother me’
By Lindy Rosales New York City woke up to a bright sunny Friday morning with news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given the green light that fully vaccinated people do not have to use their face masks in most indoor and outdoor settings. As of May 16, 2021, 42.5 percent […]
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On Global Filipinos: California Attorney General Rob Bonta: ‘For the people not the powerful’
By Loida Nicolas Lewis On April 23, Assemblymember Rob Bonta was sworn in by Governor Gavin Newsom as California’s 34th Attorney General, making him the highest ranked Filipino American in the state and the second Asian American — after Vice President Kamala Harris — to hold the position. In his remarks, Bonta made a pledge […]
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Actress Lydia Gaston: Seeing herself as she plays Jo Koy’s ‘mother’
By Cristina DC Pastor Whoa! Stage actress Lydia Gaston gets to holler the signature monicker “Josep”! Josep is none other than Jo Koy – real name: Joseph Glenn Herbert — the celebrated Filipino American comedian who broke barriers and with crossover appeal boasts a massive following among Filipinos and mainstream Americans alike. He is co-producing with Steven […]
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Filipino UN staffers who perished in the line of duty honored
Three Philippine UN Staff Members who lost their lives while in the line of duty were among those honored by the United Nations Secretary-General during the Annual Memorial Service held virtually at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on May 6. The three UN staff members honored were Joanna Abaya, who served at the […]
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Artist duo to lead sign-making workshop vs xenophobia at Queens Museum
In partnership with the organizers of No Longer Invisible, the Queens Museum is displaying a collectively hand-painted banner, signs, and video documentation created for the multi-racial, multi-faith vigil and community gathering in response to the recent and ongoing attacks against Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The exhibit will run from May 15 to June 13. […]
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Expanding roles for FilAms: From mess stewards to doctors (Part 2)
By Andre Sobocinski Like Admiral Connie Mariano’s father, Bienvenido Dona enlisted in the Navy as a mess steward. At 27, the Northern Mindanao native was older than most recruits in-processing at the Naval Base Sangley Point, Cavite, P.I. in 1955. Dona was among the rare few able to break from the steward rating—going from steward […]
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The Filipino pioneers of Navy medicine (Part 1)
By Andre Sobocinski Filipino Americans have long played vital roles in the U.S. Navy and have helped to shape Navy Medicine through their numerous contributions as leaders, healthcare providers, medical administrators, and scientists. The story of Filipinos in the Navy began in wake of the Spanish-American War after Spain ceded the Philippine Islands (P.I.) to […]
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When the Japanese ruled the Philippines
By Allen Gaborro The memory of World War II and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines is hardwired into the collective Filipino consciousness. Filipinos of that generation, including Lourdes J. Astraquillo Ongkeko, preserve precious memories of that time. Ongkeko has resided in the United States for many years. But this has not darkened her wartime […]
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Immigrant New Yorkers contributed nearly a quarter to NYC’s GDP: MOIA report
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) has released its fourth Annual Report, “State of Our Immigrant City.” Major new findings include: · The poverty rate among immigrant New Yorkers is higher than for New Yorkers born in the United States. Further, the poverty rate for undocumented immigrants is 29.2 percent, higher than the 27.1 percent […]