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A Filipino family calls Britain home (Part 2)
By Cristina DC Pastor The Covid protocols introduced by the British government are not popular, particularly among businesses that had to shut down and individuals who lost their jobs, said Gene Alcantara, a Filipino community leader in the UK. “Travel is banned, visits even to relatives are banned. But everyone knows they are necessary to […]
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‘Filipino nurses are highly regarded in the UK’ – community leader Gene Alcantara (Part 1)
By Cristina DC Pastor British citizen Gene Alcantara has lost three friends to COVID-19. A sister-in-law has tested positive and is isolating. With a new and quick-spreading Coronavirus variant discovered in the UK, he voiced muted confidence that, “we will endure no matter what.” Alcantara, a community leader who has his own immigration consultancy practice, […]
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Why FilAm veteran, ex-cop Jurell Snyder took part in the Capitol protest
By Cristina DC Pastor A U.S. Army veteran and former Oakland, CA police officer was among the mob that rallied on January 6 at Capitol Hill in support of Donald Trump. Filipino American Jurell Snyder said he was protesting alleged voter fraud, adding he just “stayed outside” and did not enter the building. “The intention […]
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‘The threat to my health and life has led to anxiety’
By Femarie Clarete-Bedona, RN As a Critical Care Nurse for 27 years, I had the opportunity to serve and render nursing care to patients with different kinds of illnesses. I was confronted with the most challenging and threatening part of my career when New York City became the epicenter of COVID-19 since March of 2020 […]
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A villainless film in ‘Soul’
By Wendell Gaa While I didn’t personally find this new film by Pixar to be among its best — like “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” or “The Incredibles” — it is a shining example of what the animation studio does so excellently well: Telling stories with relatable characters using innovative and compelling narratives. The film’s plot […]
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Cecilia Aragon writes a memoir about fear and flying
The daughter of a Chilean father and a Filipina mother, Cecilia Rodriguez Aragon has published a memoir about being the first Latina pilot on the U.S. Aerobatic Team. “Flying Free: My Victory over Fear” is the story of how Cecilia broke free from expectations and rose above her own limits by combining math and logic with […]
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The refreshing treatment of same-sex romance in ‘Monsoon’
By Tricia J. Capistrano There is same-sex foreplay in the movie, Monsoon. Henry Golding of Crazy Rich Asians plays Kit, a gay Vietnamese British man, who returns to Vietnam 30 years after he and his family members left in the 70s when the North Vietnamese won the war. Kit meets Lewis (Parker Sawyers, Southside with […]
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Remembering the Baguio Christmas of my youth
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. If there is anything that brings tears suddenly, it is the Christmas holiday season. I remember my old hometown, the city of Baguio in Northern Luzon, the Philippines. Located 5,000 feet above sea level, it is known for its cool mountain air. Local and foreign tourists love to visit the city […]
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Former consul unable to speak, walk is diagnosed with rare neurologic condition
By Cristina DC Pastor A video showing former Consul Khrystina ‘Khrys’ Corpuz Popov suffering from a neurologic disorder was received with shock and an outpouring of emotion throughout the Filipino American community. The video, showing Khrys tearful and clinging unsteadily to her husband Dmitry ‘Dima’ Popov as the two of them stand in the middle […]